Deleted
Registered: Mar 28, 2024 21:12:10 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Oct 22, 2010 19:18:21 GMT
“Silence, you!” The Ambassador threw up his hand, halting Kay’s soliloquy. “I have heard enough excuses from you.” He gave her a sideways look of disgust. “I want to hear from that one,” he said, pointing directly at S’reena. “She will explain to me why I have been ignored and treated so poorly or I will tell the Captain to shoot her too!” he boomed.
Cornette struggled to keep from showing her alarm. She didn’t know the First Officer well, but had already been advised of her temper. She saw the tell-tale signs of Hope’s rising blood pressure. ”This is not good; not good at all,” Kay thought worriedly.
Auric screeched in anger, echoing her bondmate's rising frustration and took wing. S'reena in turn clenched her jaws together as she stared at the ambassador. "Shoot me too?" the Romulan replied, her calm a clear façade and taking a great deal of effort. "The captain commands this vessel and as such is a very busy woman. Not only that, she is still recovering from injury. But by all means, ask the captain to shoot me if you think that's wise. I mean -"
Cutting her off mid-sentence and stepping in between the two, Kay laughed nervously. “She’s kidding. Joking, … you know… not really being serious.” She tittered again lightly as she physically turned S’reena away from the confrontation. She threw her arm around her, guiding her away from Oxill and whispered in her ear. “Please, believe me, I know it’s difficult to deal with him, but we’re under orders to maintain good diplomatic relations with the Ghelzakians. Now, just calm down… take a few deep breaths… that’s it…” Kay patted her shoulder. “This all will end soon.” Kay was talking to herself as much as she was to S’reena.
S'reena shrugged away from the woman, glaring at her. "Do not touch me," she snapped, "do not ever touch me again. I am aware he is difficult to deal with but apparently so are you. You are a diplomatic officer, you are expected to maintain a certain degree of decorum, and you allow yourself to get drunk? And here you think to lecture me about how to deal with a diplomat?" She shook her head in disbelief. "The ambassador is your problem captain, you are the diplomatic officer, you get to keep him appeased and happy. Now, if you'll excuse me, I was going to assist Commander Apirana with his research on the planet's weather systems. You keep to your duties captain, and I shall keep to mine. The captain will visit the ambassador at her earliest convenience, no sooner, you may pass that along."
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Kaylana Cornette
Captain
Creativity is allowing oneself to make mistakes; art is knowing which ones to keep.
Registered: Jun 4, 2003 8:01:59 GMT
Posts: 435
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Post by Kaylana Cornette on Oct 25, 2010 18:52:48 GMT
The last straw was now added to Kay’s back. The hours upon hours of placating the frivolous whims of the Ambassador, all the lost sleep, losing a limb and her ship and her crew, all of it boiled to the surface as S’reena launched into her unprovoked tirade. Yet somehow, she was able to keep her calm. Kay, who avoided unnecessary protocol whenever she could, now slipped into pure Starfleet superior officer mode.
“One moment, Commander. You are here to question the Ambassador regarding the weather conditions on Ghelzak IV in tandem with Command Apriana. As the officer in charge of the Ambassador’s delegation, it is my duty to see that you do that without causing an incident, which in my estimation you just have.”
Kay glanced over at Oxill, who instead of looking displeased at the present goings on, was grinning from ear to ear, his brow ridge glowing a deeper green hue. The fact that he didn’t look disturbed about the uproar was beside the point, Kay reasoned, and continued her dressing down of Hope.
“Despite what you may think of me personally is not at issue. I still hold a Captain’s rank and you, as my subordinate, should respect the rank, if not the one who wears it.”
Kay was troubled by the woman’s knowledge of her recent night of indiscretion. Captain Jackson didn’t look like the type that would talk behind someone’s back, especially given her counseling background. And Kay knew full well that Dr. Holsen would never break Doctor/Patient confidentiality. How the woman found out bothered her greatly, but she would get to the bottom of that later.
“You and I are here to perform our duties and nothing more. If you have a personal reason for your dislike of this assignment, then leave it in your quarters. This is not the proper venue to vent it. Are we clear, Commander?”
“I like her!” Oxill beamed, pointing again at S’reena. “I want her to stay and entertain me more.”
“Good, I’ll take my leave of you then,” Kay said without emotion. She had been given an out and she was pouncing on it.
“No!” bellowed the Ambassador. “I like both of you. Talk more - to each other.” He picked up a bowl of food and began munching on it as if he were enjoying popcorn at a movie.
<Hope, Apriana>
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Deleted
Registered: Mar 28, 2024 21:12:10 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Oct 27, 2010 4:10:42 GMT
"Yes captain, you hold a captain's rank, but you do not outrank me here. I am the first officer and you are not my commanding officer, which places me outside your chain of command. It is you, who are my subordinate as you serve on this vessel as diplomatic officer. As such, I am responsible for your welfare." S'reena seemed surprisingly calm, it even surprised herself. "You are correct that the ambassador is your responsibility, but as such you need to be capable of attending to such a duty. I understand you lost crew, and that you lost your ship, and such things take time to heal. However as you pointed out, we are here to perform our duties. As such, I expect you to perform such duties, and talk to a counselor about your losses."
The Romulan hadn't raised her voice even once, which was even more surprising as she was known to have a right temper. In fact, she had spoken in hushed tones so the ambassador and Paikea wouldn't overhear. "I have no personal opinion of you, as I don't know you. I know your record, which is why I am surprised you even let it come this far."
As the ambassador chose to address them, S'reena turned to face him. "I am at your disposal Mister Ambassador, however Commander Apirana and I need more information about your world's weather systems. The more we know about it, the better we are able to help you sir. I may be the first officer, but I've always been a scientist, and if there is any way I can assist Commander Apirana, who is also a very skilled scientist, then I will do so."
Auric chirped what could be interpreted as an agreement. Where her eyes had been blazing red specked with white before, they were now an easy blue/green of calm. The little gold settled on the Romulan's shoulder, hiding herself in the woman's hair, nuzzling her cheek affectionately. "This is Auric, my companion," she introduced the little creature. "I acquired her during a time of difficulty, when I was blind." She coaxed the creature forward on her arm, showing her to the ambasador in the hope to appease him.
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Deleted
Registered: Mar 28, 2024 21:12:10 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Oct 28, 2010 7:30:31 GMT
"Oh, for the love of Benji," remarked TEG, "Who cooks with Tamparian Ginger?"
TEG had spent the better part of the hour going over engineering reports from the Ambassador's environmental systems. He'd decided to inspect the mess the galley had made of the special environmental systems that had been installed specifically for the Ambassador's quarters, after the last incident. When he entered the the cramped space, he instantly knew what had happened. He turned to the young ensign who had brought him there.
"Tamparian Ginger, is highly corrosive, especially to the carbon nano fibers used in the air filtration systems. It is also none to kind to duranium, as you can see by the rust forming along all the seams. We'll need to replace the carbon filtration with a polydurinide system. It won't be as efficient, but it will work. We also need to replace all the duranium fittings with tritanium ones, and replace the gaskets in the whole system."
As the ensign went off, TEG wanted to inspect the rest of the system just to make sure it wasn't all hosed up. He was over near one of the wall vents when he overheard the Ambassador, and what sounded like Captain Cornette and Commander Hope having a conversation. He was only able to hear bits and pieces but from the tone it sounds like Kay was going to need to talk to someone. He made a mental note to check in with her after he got off shift.
TEG was just about to get out of the cramped space when he noticed a device attached to the wall, under a panel that was just leaning against the wall. He pulled out his tricorder, but could not make heads or tails of it, as it did not appear to have any power system, but was glowing. The tricorder did indicated that all of its components were inert, so it wasn't a bomb. He picked it up and took it to Engineering to run some tests. Perhaps he would be able to cajole Commander Aarons into helping him, Quid pro Quo, or ask Commander Apirana for assistance.
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Michael Aarons
Commander 1C
Boldly going forward 'cause I can't find reverse
Registered: Jun 27, 2003 18:19:57 GMT
Posts: 537
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Post by Michael Aarons on Nov 3, 2010 23:46:46 GMT
Progress on the Vachir was not on the track that Aarons had hoped for. Although the thrust assembly had disassembled, and the acceleration had been augmented, there was still much to do about rerouting everything back into the original thrust. The problem wasn't the assignment as much as TEG's inability to be productive without sleep... or food... or rest; there also seemed to be some issues about labor laws and so Michael was forced to call it a day. In a secret room on Starbase 47, many of the executive members including the SA met to discuss a very serious issue. Admiral Lin waited for everyone to be seated before beginning. "As you all know Section 47, every once in a while, has to deal with an A.S.S. Once again we find ourselves facing an A.S.S. However, this is no ordinary A.S.S. and I believe you all know what an A.S.S. this one is." They all nodded in agreement. "And we all know how to deal with an A.S.S." Again they nodded. "This is a particularly serious A.S.S. and we should not begrudge ourselves to take it lightly," added Admiral Elron. "But since we are democratic we have to be unanimous with an A.S.S." Lin continued. "How do you vote?" "Guilty." "Guilty." "Guilty." "Guilty." "Guilty." they all shouted. It was agreed; there'd be only one way to deal with such an A.S.S. Kay was asked if she could swing by Sickbay. With all the noise from Cmdr. Hope and ambassador Oxill, it was a simple matter to divert her time to give Lorna a ring. "I wanted to ask you," she said as she moved the probe about her. "Have you had any more problems lately?" "Well aside from a mild headache, which is only a recent occurrence, I've not felt anything. Doctor..." Dr. Holsen gave her attention. "I wanted to apologize for saying I was going to shoot you." Lorna thought for a moment. "I didn't want you to be conflicted with the implication that you may be putting your patients in more harm in trying to help the Majesty's crew." "Oh, it's alright. I would have done it anyway to save everyone." She continued her scans. "I know but it's like Aarons always says, 'if you don't cover your- bottom- you're asking to get spanked.'" Kay couldn't ever have imagined herself quoting Michael. "I always wondered what that meant. In any case I didn't really believe you were serious." Kay looked at her puzzled. "Believe it or not, your acting isn't really that good. I think it was the way in which you made such a grandiose spectacle of it that made me first doubt your sincerity." "I always thought I was quite good at my performances." Lorna finished scanning her. "Well I think I've managed to explain your allergic reaction earlier. In concentrated dosage, the medicine can be quite potent and even be a little overwhelming. Without a proper amount of nutrition in you to soak it up, your body was just asking for it to happen; you can't go around trying to worry about keeping your figure." Kay looked down at herself. "This old thing?" she asked. "I haven't been able to turn a head if I were an admiral at the Academy." The two of them giggled. "All the same, this is the same reason you became so intoxicated in the first place." "I don't think I'm going to have a problem like that anymore. After the other night I think I'm going to be topped off nicely." She thanked the doctor and was on her way. Kaylana made it back to her quarters but was surprised when she opened the doors. Sitting in a noticeable spot was a PADD she knew hadn't been there. "Computer, has anyone entered here recently?" she asked. >"NEGATIVE."< Kay cocked her brow. "Have the transporters been used at anytime today?" >"AFFIRMATIVE. TRANSPORTER ACTIVATED 1503 HRS."> Clever boy. she thought. She picked up the PADD and read it's content; it was a letter addressed to her. "Dear Kay, Did you hear the one about the 2nd year cadet that left the Academy to serve on a starship? Apparently he lowered both's efficiency rating."She chuckled. "I really enjoyed the other night and wanted to let you know that I would enjoy do it all over again if you wished. I don't know why but, it's just so diff- erent an experience when business just leaves itself behind.
Sincerely, Michael Kay smiled. Although she'd never allow herself to admit it, he could be real sweet when he wanted to.
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Lorna Holsen
Commander
Registered: Nov 5, 2007 11:54:02 GMT
Posts: 296
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Post by Lorna Holsen on Nov 4, 2010 19:02:02 GMT
Mari had been nervous when Cris had invited her to come down to the practise rooms and work on some self-defence techniques with her. When she had found out that Cris was dragging her wife along Mari became even more jittery she knew the CMO was not someone to mess with. All the same she was on a starship so there wasn't really anywhere she could go to escape them. She changed into some work out clothes and met them as directed.
Lorna was laughing as she and Cris arrived at training room 3. She noted that Mari looked rather nervous. There was no need for the girl to be. Lorna knew full well she was going to be getting the lion's share of the punishment dished out in the effort to show what could be done. She and Cris had both learned their self-defence in a somewhat haphazard manner with a wide variety of teachers from a wide variety of backgrounds over the years. Lorna had mostly trained with security personnel and marines. Cris had had an even wider range of training partners over the years.
Cris loved teaching, medically related things, self defence or anything else she knew; it didn't really matter. Learning and teaching were two sides of the same coin. She was looking forward to this. She was surprised how nervous Mari appeared to be. She had meant this to be a friendly invite. "You shouldn't be worried, Mari, no one is going to get hurt."
The sound of Cris's voice made Mari start. She hadn't noticed the arrival of the other two. "Is it that obvious?" she asked. "I don't like fighting."
Cris shrugged in response. "I don't like fighting either" Lorna smothered another laugh. Cris looked over at her wife as the three of them entered the matted training room. "Fighting with you is a special case." She turned her attention back to the younger woman. "Trouble is, even if you don't want to fight. They might and then you have to know what to do. Protect yourself protect those in your care."
Mari managed a watery nod, she believed that in case of actual conflict she would probably fall apart.
Cris smiled, "It case of trouble. It's all about getting out with yourself intact. Anything else is secondary." Now was not the time to show off some of the more dramatic scars they had collected over the years.
Lorna started limbering up stretching out muscles that had become knotted in her day at work. She stayed silent while Cris helped Mari stretch out. Fortunately it seemed that the young woman was fairly limber and energetic. This was going to be a good evening.
When they were done Lorna looked across to Cris.
" We going to a mix of hit hard and get out of there techniques for if you are attacked and locks for when you need to hang on to someone. I think we'll start with dealing with a punch to and head." As the sentence finished Cris evaded Lorna's on rushing left fist. Given the injury Mari had suffered Lorna had had a pretty good idea of what Cris was going to call for. As her arm was twisted round she suppressed her reaction to counter the move. Cris twisted Lorna's arm behind her back and brought her wrist up towards her shoulder blades. She was careful not to exert her greater than human strength and this moment.It had all be so fast, Mari could tell you which ligaments and tendons were under pressure in the CMO's current position but how she had ended up there...
"This is a somewhat uncomfortable position but it can't really be used to hold someone reliably unless you can pin them against something." Cris said. Her hold on Lorna wasn't prticularly tight and she knew Lorna could have slipped it "If they struggle ... Lorna dutifully struggled and then seconds later found her ankles swept and herself laying face down on the mats with her arm still behind her. She had taken some of the sting with her free hand and she hand been expecting the move. Still she knew you could dislocate some one's shoulder with that move if you didn't their arm move with them.
Cris released Lorna and allowed her to get to her feet. "Now I'll show you that first part again a bit slowerMari had winced when the CMO hit the mat, but was relieved she was unharmed. As the second punch came in she thought she could see what Cris had done. Not that she was in anyway confident.
Especially when a few moments later she found herslf on the receiving end of one of Lorna's punches. With Cris beside her offering hints and occasionally poking her into place Mari ended up with the CMO in the armlock. She felt weird.
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Kaylana Cornette
Captain
Creativity is allowing oneself to make mistakes; art is knowing which ones to keep.
Registered: Jun 4, 2003 8:01:59 GMT
Posts: 435
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Post by Kaylana Cornette on Nov 5, 2010 5:05:39 GMT
A smile lingered on her face as Kay tossed the PaDD back on her desk. She would love nothing more than to have another meal with Michael.
Quickly, her smile dimmed as her thoughts engulfed her. The Ambassador’s demands had kept her so busy she hadn’t had time to think about what she was doing. She had always considered Michael a dear friend. But, things were shifting. She was no longer his commanding officer and she no longer had the responsibility of a ship. Captaining a starship had come first; romantic involvements were secondary and, in her case, they had been practically nonexistent. Now that she was free to pursue relationships, did she want one? Did Michael? There were too many unanswered questions, most notably, Michael’s entanglement with Janeway. And what, if any, attachments did Kay herself have clinging to Hawk?
Although he had only alluded to her about it, Kay knew Michael had once been very involved with the Majesty’s past CMO, Liz Janeway. Liz had left suddenly for Vulcan right after the Majesty’s encounter with the Nashinahr, a cruel, warrior off-shoot of Vulcan lineage who used psionic weapons and mind-meld torture. As she sifted through her memories, Kay was suddenly overwhelmed with compassion for Aarons. Janeway had left him on the heels of the horrendous suffering he had endured at the hand of a female Nashinahr named Shel’ak. Tears came as she realized the anguish he must have felt. She had failed to realize, at a time he needed comfort and healing most, he had no one to turn to.
The shared pain of loss, the deep abyss of loneliness, and the scars of being deserted in their most desperate hour, must be drawing them together.
Her door chime chirped and Kay quickly wiped her eyes. She opened the door to find TEG smiling at her.
“You’re home,” he said more cheerily than he should.
“Quite the miracle you found me here. The Ambassador hasn’t left me much time to myself.” She motioned him inside and to a seat.
TEG sat down with a slight groan. “I think I’m getting too old to crawl around in ventilation systems.”
“Wishing you had that cushy paper pushing job back, eh?” Kay sat down in the chair opposite him, leaned forward placing her elbows on her knees and clasping her fingers loosely.
“Nah, I’m happy to get my hands dirty again. I feel like I’ve returned to my first love.” He stretched his neck a bit. “Even if I do feel like a turtle in too small a shell.”
Kay smiled softly at him. “Why are you really here?”
He chuckled and leaned in, mirroring her pose. “We know each other too well for any pretense, I suppose.” He looked away and drew in a breath. “Well, how shall I put this? I was near the Ambassador’s quarters earlier today checking out the air filtration systems because his staff had been cooking – well, it’s not important why I was there – just that you know I wasn’t eavesdropping on purpose.”
“And you overheard the ‘exchange’ between me and Hope?”
TEG met her eyes. “I wanted to know if you were alright.”
“I’m not porcelain. More like a reed. I bend, but I don’t break.”
“She was pretty rough on you.”
“Yes, and for the life of me I don’t know why or what I’ve ever done to make her ambush me like that.” She sat back in her chair and gave a shrug. “I learned a long time ago not to try to reason with someone who is being unreasonable. I wanted her to ask the Ambassador the questions she was supposed to ask and assist Commander Apriana and she’s doing it. That’s all that matters.” She smiled broadly. “Besides, she took over the Ambassador’s attentions long enough for me to escape. She referred to him as 'Mr. Ambassador' instead of Lord Prefect and he created enough of a hullabaloo that I was able to sneak out. Lorna helped too. I’ve never been so happy to be called to sickbay.”
“I’m certain you needed the break. From my scant dealings with him, I don’t know how you’ve survived this long.”
She looked off distantly. “I’m beginning to think Admiral Lin knew me better than I knew myself. I’m surprised at how well I’ve held my tongue these last few weeks.”
<TEG>
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Kaylana Cornette
Captain
Creativity is allowing oneself to make mistakes; art is knowing which ones to keep.
Registered: Jun 4, 2003 8:01:59 GMT
Posts: 435
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Post by Kaylana Cornette on Nov 6, 2010 4:48:29 GMT
In his quarters, tired and a bit disappointed his surprise note hadn’t solicited a response from Kay, Michael replicated a simple meal. He loaded his first bite on his fork. His lips closed around nothingness as he felt the familiar buzzing sensation of transport.
The sky was a deep, robin-egg blue dotted sparsely with puffy white clouds. The leaves on the large tree above her cast flickering shadows all around. A warm breeze caught the verdant blades of grass surrounding the blanket and threatened to lift the napkins from their places.
“Computer decrease wind by 5 percent.” Immediately the napkins settled and Kay resumed placing the plates and glasses.
The hum of the transporter ceased and without looking up, Kay spoke. “I hope you didn’t have other plans for dinner.”
He cocked a brow at her. “Not anymore.” He surveyed the scene. Aside from the jade dress, he had rarely seen Kay out of uniform and it intrigued him to see her this way. Dressed in a silky, rose-colored blouse that fluttered lightly in the slight breeze and simple, black slacks that fitted to her form, Kay looked remarkably different to him. “What is all this?”
“Just returning the favor. You cooked for me, I replicated for you.”
“I didn’t think my note would evoke a response from you so soon.”
“This may be the last chance we get to do this in a while. Surely the delegation will be beaming down to Ghelzak IV soon.” She handed him a plate with baked beans and potato salad on it.
“What’s this?” he asked, scrutinizing it.
“Picnic fare.” She shrugged. “It was in the database.”
“Not bad,” he added after trying a bite. “But I don’t like this,” he said pointing at the potato salad.
“What? You mean to tell me you’re from Texas and you don’t like ‘tater’ salad?”
“What’s so hard to understand? I’m unique.”
“You never cease to surprise me,” she said, shaking her head.
“So, I transported a note without authorization. How did you get away with transporting me here?”
“Rank still does hold a few privileges, even if mine’s not good for anything else, these days.” She leaned in and whispered loudly, “But, if anyone asks, I brought you here for a secret diplomatic briefing.” She winked at him melodramatically.
Kay had come close enough that her loose strands of hair were tickling his cheek. He tried not to think about her nearness and turned his attention to his plate, concentrating now on the beef brisket.
She sat back and took in a deep breath. “I know it’s still re-circulated air, but this program seems to have the smell of a warm day in May.”
Michael gobbled a few more bites then placed his plate aside. In one twist of his lithe frame, he moved close and turned, laying his head in her lap. He brought her hand close to his face and turned it over, looking intently at it. “Which one is the new hand?”
“That one,” she answered and gently stroked his hair. “I’m glad you started wearing your hair like I like it.”
“I should have realized this is the new one – the nails are manicured.”
She playfully shoved his head. “I’m not the high-maintenance type. I had a starship to run… and cadets to raise.” She suddenly frowned. “Does it bother you that I’m so much… well, you know. I’m really old enough to be your…”
“Older sister?” he finished for her. He softly kissed her finger tip which Kay’s new nerves interpreted as a sensation of being cold and a shiver ran down her spine.
She smiled and then laughed. “You are being sweet. “ Her eyes narrowed playfully. “Who are you and what have you done with Commander Aarons?”
He entwined his fingers in hers and rested their joined hands on his chest. “I can’t imagine how it would feel to lose an arm.” She was quiet long enough for him to look into her face to see if he had said too much.
“It was easier losing an arm than my ship and crew.” She scanned the horizon. “I know you understand that better than most. You are someone who knows the pain of loss.” The need to go on overtook her desire to stay safely on the fringes of his life. If he didn’t want to tell her, she was sure he would say so.
“Do you ever hear from Janeway?”
“Not in years. Do you ever hear from Hawk?”
“I got a message once from Hawk’s father. It’s been quite a while back. It said Hawk was engaged to some Falconian princess of some sort.”
“Ouch.”
“It was all for the best. His absence ensured his safety.” She looked in Michael’s face as she continued fingering through his hair. His eyes were closed, a slight curl of a smile at the corner of his lips. “I made the decision a long time ago to be unavailable as Captain of a ship.”
“And now that you’re not one?” he asked her, not stirring.
Before thinking, and before she changed her mind, Kay leaned in, first brushing his lips lightly with hers. He started and his eyes darted open. “I thought I’d see how this plays out, if that’s alright with you.”
Her gaze was fixed to his. He raised himself up on one elbow and turned himself toward her, unsure of what he should say. He searched her eyes for any hint of insincerity or her usual teasing.
Instead of waiting for his answer, the formerly shy, formerly Captain, formerly Commanding Officer of Michael Aarons kissed him fervently.
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Michael Aarons
Commander 1C
Boldly going forward 'cause I can't find reverse
Registered: Jun 27, 2003 18:19:57 GMT
Posts: 537
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Post by Michael Aarons on Nov 7, 2010 5:48:49 GMT
Her gaze was fixed to his. He raised himself up on one elbow and turned himself toward her, unsure of what he should say. He searched her eyes for any hint of insincerity or her usual teasing.
Instead of waiting for his answer, the formerly shy, formerly Captain, formerly Commanding Officer of Michael Aarons kissed him fervently.
She let go as the sudden impulsiveness of the moment had subsided. It was a most unusual action for her and she just couldn't stop smiling because of it.
He didn't move at first. She feared that maybe she had crossed some unknown line and the smile slowly inched from her face. Michael's eyes darted around in small calculating movements. He moved closer as he gazed blankly into her eyes.
He grasped her in his arms as they fell back. Kaylana looked up into his soft bluish green eyes which seemed to convince her that it was what she wanted. Michael clutched her tight as he met her lips with a deep longing, the motivation driving itself in light of the emptiness.
Kay's body went limp. She didn't fight as she let herself melt and be consumed by the action; giving in to the moment she had denied herself so many times before. She felt the sensation move slowly down her body as she took in the aroma of that fragrance he always insisted on wearing. Her hand slid through his hair as if she wanted him to stay there in this moment with her as he suddenly came up for air.
His breathing was quickened as his lip quivered. The expression on his face softened. It had been a daring move, and she was not one to complain, but somehow she thought that he would have been a little more excited. He sat back with a winded look upon him. He couldn't bring himself to look at her, ashamed. She tried to scan his face but she couldn't get him to look up. "Was he ashamed of me?" she thought.
"...sorry... I'm sorry..." his voice not barely projecting past his face. He gripped nervously at the holographic earth. Unbeknownst to either, Michael's hands shook as an unmerciful bout of anxiety coursed through. It had happened before when he had dared to engage Liz and even before that whenever he had been uncharacteristically bold.
Kay situated herself as Michael sat racked with an undisclosed guilt. She dusted herself after the wild moment before scooting over toward him. She moved beside him, facing the opposite direction, and leaned over making eye contact. Michael turned a shade rosier as he looked on apologetically. Kay smiled, but only so much. She had unexpectedly delighted in the moment even after teasing him and couldn't understand why he suddenly would exhibit this unusual reaction. Kay reached across him and took his hand as he dared to meet her gaze.
She held his hand in hers slowly massaging it with her thumb. "Michael...?" She didn't know what to make of it. His eyes pitched back and forth.
"I didn't mean to be like that to you; I was out of line." She pulled him close as he started to apologize.
"I was the one that was being impulsive," she said in remorseful honesty. Without letting her try to explain, he made his peace.
"It didn't feel right what I did. I felt like I had imposed upon you and wasn't behaving like I know I should. It just felt... wrong." Kay sat and listened as he explained. She had wanted to throw off the obstacles they had between them to be able to explore beyond. He turned his attention to the lovely meal she had made which had received an undue bit of neglect. "I really do appreciate all of this. And I think that you've done well with it." He took up his plate and began to resume his meal.
They lay there gazing up at the soft blue, artificial sky, having stuffed themselves full. They talked about their day and now, after a rather fitting meal, settled back under the tree and watched as the little simulated clouds wafted by. The sun, though not real, shone a warm gaze carried by the low breeze; it was too perfect. As they lay there, neither one of them wanted to leave.
"Well I think we've probably spent more than our evenings share in here." The smile had returned to his face as he had managed to put the earlier incident behind him.
"Yeah. And it's not like we're the only ones who use this thing," Kay said mirroring the sentiment. She still had worries about him but the moment had passed; it didn't bode well to dwell on it further.
They hobbled to the door each carrying the other on their shoulders as they felt the burn from such a large picnic and laying around on the stiff ground. The doors closed behind them; the program terminating itself. Michael thanked her for the meal as she placed her hand on his shoulder and gave a friendly squeeze. The two parted company as they headed for their quarters.
Michael paced slowly to his quarters. He silently entered. Inside, he looked at the meal he had left sitting there in the wake of his sudden departure. Having lost any warmth he took one bite of it and then placed it into the replicator. His quarters were empty as he stared around at it. He walked into the bedroom and flopped straight onto the bed where the tears flowed freely.
In a clear country field Michael lay. He looked into the eyes of Kaylana with the golden hair and the joyful smile. Captivated by it all he wanted nothing but to stay right there. Her lips moved but although he could make no sense of out any of it, it was a blissful tone like singing. He could feel the sensation upon his lips that had played upon them earlier. He couldn't think of a more perfect moment...
=^=Commander Aarons,=^= TEG's chime screeched.
"YESSS!?" his voice wavered.
=^=Were you planning on joining me today or were we suspending work today?=^= He suddenly noted the time.
"Aaarrgghhh!!!" he screeched burying his head in the pillow. "I'll be there," his voice faltered.
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Kaylana Cornette
Captain
Creativity is allowing oneself to make mistakes; art is knowing which ones to keep.
Registered: Jun 4, 2003 8:01:59 GMT
Posts: 435
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Post by Kaylana Cornette on Nov 7, 2010 21:04:10 GMT
“Whatever possessed you to do that?” Kay questioned her reflection. She shook her head in disbelief, watching the look of bewilderment puzzling her mirrored twin. Dumbfounded at her having been so cavalier, Kay scoffed at the mute woman in the glass and finished her nightly routine.
The evening’s scenario replayed over and over as she slipped into her bed. As she lay there, she tried to make sense of it all. Kaylana turned and twisted until, frustrated, she rose and began pacing. Pacing always helped her think.
She had gambled. Gambling always involves risk. When you gamble, you either win, or you lose. It had felt right to be bold and daring with him. And, in a strange way, she was proud of herself for finally acting spontaneously. It was so unlike her, but she didn’t regret it. Her only regret was placing him in such an uncomfortable position. “It just felt... wrong," she kept hearing him say. Of course it felt wrong, she reasoned. She had been his Captain, and oft times his disciplinarian, for 7 years. She was nearly thirteen years his senior. She had made a point to separate herself, careful not to fraternize inappropriately with her crew, and, with one impetuous act, she had shattered it all making him feel like he had done something wrong.
Kay had to question why she was behaving so wildly. She recounted her last few weeks and didn’t like what she remembered. The thought she may be acting out to cover her pain was becoming too obvious to ignore. It was also a very poor excuse. And even though it chaffed fiercely at her pride to admit it, perhaps Hope had been right. If you don’t earn the respect of your peers, why think you should be given it?
Absentmindedly, she chewed on her fingernails, continuing her pacing. It was pointless to give this incident with Michael any more thought. In any case, she rationalized, the evening had ended pleasantly without feeling peculiar. When they crossed paths again, at least it wouldn’t feel tense or awkward – she hoped.
What she couldn’t rationalize, and what haunted her most, was the tortured look in Michael’s eyes. Over the years she had seen him mad, cheerful, mischievous, hurt, frustrated, peeved, joyous; a myriad of emotions. But, she had never seen anyone with such a hollow look of complete despair. It overshadowed and subdued him. It was a chilling look of emptiness, fear, and self-loathing. And later, once he was himself again, the specter remained, though hidden less capably. It nagged at her that she had never noticed its presence before.
Slowly, she crawled back into bed, burying her face into her pillow, willing her mind to stop reiterating every detail. It didn’t work and after several minutes she resigned herself to staying up.
Fixing herself some hot tea, she sat, legs folded underneath her, staring out her viewport and sipping the warm liquid. The stars were no longer streaking into long strands and Kay wondered why she hadn’t noticed they had dropped out of warp. It wouldn’t be long, she thought, until she would be heading to Ghelzak IV and dealing with the Ambassador. Oddly, she would welcome the distraction - and the denigration.
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Michael Aarons
Commander 1C
Boldly going forward 'cause I can't find reverse
Registered: Jun 27, 2003 18:19:57 GMT
Posts: 537
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Post by Michael Aarons on Nov 8, 2010 6:05:54 GMT
He tried many times to get it to lie down but the winglet of hair persisted in defying him. Grumbling, he mussed his hair until finally there seemed to be a middle ground between the two, Commander Aarons and his bed head.
The musky aramis creeped up a few times as he trundled along. His eyes hurt staying open; the halls were too bright. The turbolift gave him the opportunity to slump against the wall. Before he knew it, the lift arrived, and he didn't hesitate to get to the shuttlebay.
The doors slid open and he headed for the Vachir. TEG was talking to somebody who had come in while he was waiting on Aarons. Michael circled around to the rear and stared at the work trying to retrace every bit they had managed to do. Going step by step while trying to think what the next step would be wasn't easy when lacking focus.
"Well you managed to finally get here. I didn't see you come in." He nearly dropped the PADD as a result of TEG's booming voice. Trying to poke his head out, he nearly clipped the access panel.
"Yeah. You were talking to someone and I just came over here and now I'm..." He motioned toward the rearranged inner circuitry of the shuttlecraft.
"Usually you're all over this thing. Speaking of which, I've got things I'm really going to have to take care of later in Engineering. I'm not going to be able spend a lot of time on this." Michael stared at him. The words were only half streaming his way. "I'm sorry I can't just spend all day on this one thing."
As TEG moved around to open one of the other panels, Michael added, "I planned to do this all myself to begin with... I'm not really worried about your ability to be here." He didn't really think that TEG heard him nor was it important. TEG took off the panel and began work as Michael figured out where he was.
They worked for some time; Michael barely managed to make much progress slowly trying to get back into the flow of the project. When he had awoken, and rudely, his morning routine had been largely thrown off; in fact the whole day didn't really seem like a real day. Having barely soaked the puffiness out of his eyes and the staining of sauce, he mustered some clothing together and was out the door. TEG meanwhile was getting to the point where he would have to put other obligations first.
"I've got to be off," TEG announced. It was a less than productive day and Michael mostly piddled about with the upgrades. "You know they dropped out of warp, I couldn't imagine why." He began to walk off. Michael stopped as the expression on his face went into a blank stare. He clambered for the comm.
"Bridge, what's our status?"
"We've come to a full stop. The U.S.S. Perseus has docked with us." Why wasn't he aware of these things?!
Kay knew the inevitable call would come to summon her to Oxill’s quarters. Captain Jackson wanted the delegation ready at a moment’s notice and Kay was to make certain there were no delays. The visit by Admiral Cain had left Jackson little time and Kay was going to make sure no problems filtered back to her ready room desk. Before she began to put up with any new problems, Kaylana felt that she should try to resolve the problem already lingering from the other day.
Kay slipped down to the shuttlebay where she was sure to run into Michael; she tried to come up with some excuse to get TEG out of there and hoped that there weren't a bunch of other engineers crawling around the Vachir.
She stood at the doors as they slid open. She peeked inside and was surprised to not see TEG anywhere and wondered if maybe they had all left. Slowly she tip toed in and slowly scanned around the shuttle. Just barely, she could make out the sounds of someone tinkering and peeked around to see who it was; if nothing else she could always just make up the excuse she was trying to locate Michael or TEG.
Sitting there in agitation and puttering around with parts of the shuttle, Michael didn't notice he had company. She knocked lightly on the shuttle fuselage.
"I hope I'm not bothering you," she said sweetly. He looked up and saw her standing there. Michael was surprised as it was a bit unusual to have her visit him like this.
"No," he whispered. She approached gently and with a careful stroll; she didn't want to upset him in the otherwise intimate setting. She knelt down beside him as he set aside his work.
"I just wanted clear some things about the other day." She took a breath before continuing. "I've been going through many changes which, surprisingly, you've become a major part in. And I came to a moment where I was trying to embrace those changes and I sought you out in realizing them," it was really hard when you can't just come out and say it.
"I think I should tell you, I was afraid that what I was making the same mistakes I had made before; that I was blundering into the same relationship as I did with Liz. With her having been a real facet in my life, and starting the same way, I felt all these confusing emotions going on inside me. I didn't want to make that mistake again."
She had feared that maybe it was her that had made the mistake but it was really just an ordinary irrational fear of the unknown. And maybe the fact that this was such new ground that they were covering was a little much.
"Well what if I told you that what happened was really good?" It was a gamble but she was certain that for all the time they spent together, she had learned to read the situation. Michael sat there and as he heard it he felt the first bit of mental clarity that day. He cocked his head and looked at her.
"I'd say, would you care to join me in the shuttle?" He stood up and beckoned her to step inside.
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Kaylana Cornette
Captain
Creativity is allowing oneself to make mistakes; art is knowing which ones to keep.
Registered: Jun 4, 2003 8:01:59 GMT
Posts: 435
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Post by Kaylana Cornette on Nov 9, 2010 3:14:24 GMT
(Joint post: Aarons and Cornette)
He stepped into the shuttle and gestured for her to follow.
“Sure, I’d love to see what you’re doing in there,” she answered genuinely.
Once inside, she looked around and whistled softly. “What a mess. The Captain will be disappointed her shuttle isn’t ready.” She casually tugged at an EPS bundle sticking out of a console and to her surprise it pulled free. “Oops,” she said as she tried to stuff it back inside.
He was directly behind her now and reaching around her, he grabbed the bundle from her hand, pretending to inspect it thoroughly. “You really shouldn’t bother things you don’t understand,” he teased.
Kay could feel his words breathe warmly across her neck. He moved closer until no space remained between them. She could feel herself getting lost in the moment. She pivoted around to face him; no easy task since she was so close to the console and he was so near.
“You know,” his eyes brightened, “there’s something I’d like to ‘talk’ to you about,” he said as the good, old familiar charm seemed to resurrect itself in him.
Concentrating on his eyes, she surveyed them thoroughly. He was looking at her – truly looking at her. His pupils seemed to dilate and the ghosts of yesterday had vanished from them. Kay, however, was hesitant to trust her instincts again. She needed verbal confirmation.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” She ruffled through his messy hair and noticed the staining remnants of barbecue sauce on his cheek.
“I’m sure.” He moved in to kiss her then suddenly pulled back. His expression flickered with a tinge of worry. “Are you sure?”
She smiled up at him. “Do you remember yesterday? I was the one willing to give this a shot. Although I may regret it eventually, I do think we both deserve to give it a try.” She was babbling nervously now. “I mean if you’re extremely sure that you don’t have any qualms about me being your former CO, and just a tad older, and your…”
He ignored her jabbering. With one smooth movement, he wrapped one arm around her waist. His other arm drew up and around her back, his hand reaching under her hair and caressing her neck. He pulled her close, kissing her into silence.
They were both only vaguely aware of the sound of feet entering the shuttle bay. Reluctantly, they pulled apart, smoothing their uniforms, adjusting their hair and then trying to look nonchalant.
“Hello?” It was a familiar voice. “Aarons? It’s just me. I forgot my favorite spanner,” TEG said stepping into the shuttle. His face registered shock at seeing Kay there. “Well, Captain…”
“Number One,” she addressed him without a trace of oddness. “The Commander was just showing me what you two have done. Very impressive.”
Michael admired her acting skills.
“Gentlemen, I’m certain you’ll want to get back to work. I’ll take my leave of you both,” she said, folding her arms formally behind her and sauntering away with purpose.
Her stomach growled protesting its being ignored for too long. Stopping by to get a quick bite, Kay sat back in a soft lounge chair, attacking a bagel. The muffled sounds of people talking and the room’s warm temperature combined in an intoxicating sleeping potion. She fought to keep her eyes open.
She stretched and yawned, turning in to him and laying her head on his chest. He stirred without fully waking and kissed the top of her head. She traced lightly along his sternum with the tip of her finger.
“Quit, that tickles.” He smiled, his eyes refusing to open, and wrapped his arms tightly around her.
“You have to get up soon,” she lilted, sing-song like.
“Go ahead. Rub it in that you’re retired.”
She poked him gently in the ribs. “Get up, get up… get up and bring home the bacon.” She was annoyingly happy.
“I’ll get up if only to get away from you pestering me.” He rolled toward her and kissed her, softly stroking her silvery locks.
“Maybe I’ll make myself a blonde again,” she said, thinking he was wishing she would.
“I like it like it is. Besides, it matches my temples.”
“Ah, yes… I hadn’t noticed you were getting so gray.” She took his chin in her hand turning his head to view both sides. “Tsk, tsk, that won’t do. You will have to take care of that,” she taunted.
“What? You don’t think it makes me look distinguished?” He jutted out his chin to square his jaw.
“You could always use some help looking distinguished.” She poked his ribs which made Michael chuckle and squirm. “But, I don’t like you looking as old as me. It’s just… weird.”
“Ahh, I see now. All these years, I’ve just been an arm charm; a trophy husb…”
An Ensign and three crewmen gathered around the chair in the lounge. The woman’s raspy breathing accompanied by short snorts had caused them concern.
“Is she ill?” one asked, taking her hand gently to take her pulse.
“I think she’s asleep,” another replied.
“Who is she? She’s got four pips. Is this Captain Jackson?” the third asked with reverence.
“No,” the Ensign cut in. “I’ve seen Jackson. She’s much, much older.”
Kay snored loudly causing the gathering around her to laugh then quickly cover their mouths. Their stifled guffaws roused her as the gaggle quickly dispersed. She blinked rapidly for a moment and assessed her whereabouts, finally remembering where she was. After gathering her senses, she got up and left the room, thinking all the while what an odd dream.
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Deleted
Registered: Mar 28, 2024 21:12:10 GMT
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Nov 9, 2010 19:53:03 GMT
S'reena had been nearly literally running back and forth between several scans and sensor readings. Auric chirped a question at her as she slid her seat back to the scope on the desk. Her face was cast into a eerie blue-ish light, which turned her skin a sickly colour. "This can't be right," she muttered in answer to the little golden's question and set off to slide across the room, rummaging through what could pass for a drawer.
Auric hovered before the scope, her golden skin turned greenish by the blue light, pretending to take a look for herself. Of course, nothing made any sense at all to the firelizard, who was only attuned to her bondmate but otherwise had no skill to read, write or otherwise form any coherent form of language.
The Romulan first officer was supposed to have been working with the science chief, but when the man had walked off on his own, she'd been left behind in the lab. Since she had no duties at present on he bridge, she continued to work on her own, actually quite pleased with the silence within her workspace. She blinked as she saw several anomalies appear inside the planet's atmosphere, thereby turning what appeared to have been a very sunny and pleasant day into a right rainstorm.
What was even more surprising, was that they appeared only, there where weather control was necessary, above the populated area's. Comparing several scans, her discovery was only confirmed, yet there never seemed to be more than seven anomalies altogether, and never two near the same area. Yet, uninhabited parts of the planet went unbothered by them.
Excitement lit up her face as she downloaded the data onto a PADD and literally engaged in a mad-dash from the lab to the bridge. "Captain!" she called out as she raced onto the bridge, her long dark hair flying behind her as she built up speed. "Captain I've found something!" Above her, Auric warbled happily, fanning her wings such that it blew a good breeze towards the waiting captain. "Look!" Not even having noticed Admiral Cain, the excited Romulan thrust the PADD at Stacey, beaming with excitement and pride. She hadn't lost her touch.
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Paikea Apirana
Commander 1C
I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.
Registered: Aug 19, 2005 5:10:42 GMT
Posts: 656
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Post by Paikea Apirana on Nov 10, 2010 20:31:05 GMT
Even though he was more than happy to work with Commander Hope, the presence of her companion bothered him. He knew they were intelligent species who shared a mental bond with their owners. Knowing that the creature would feel his uneasiness, Pai left the pair in the lab and made his way to his personal lab. He would need to apologize to the Commander at some latter point and he would also need to work with getting accustomed the creatures presence. Even though he was uneasy around them, he couldn't help but think they looked cool.
~You act like a young boy sometimes~ Paikea told himself as he read the report that had just appeared in front of him. The weather problems aboard the Ambassador's planet were not random at all. Even though the storms appeared chaotic, there was definitely a pattern.
"Computer could this weather pattern be maintain on a consistent level naturally?" Pai asked surprised that he had not seen in before.
"No."
"Explain"
"The weather patterns dissipate 5.4 miles outside these locations," the computer said as the screen lit up showing populated cities.
"The Risans would be jealous," Paikea said out loud, surprised at the pinpoint accuracy of these storms. Even though he didn't know who was behind it, Paikea was convinced that these weather patterns were not natural and someone was controlling these storms.
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Post by SA. Stacey Jackson [Ret] on Nov 12, 2010 3:30:42 GMT
“I am not impressed Captain.” Were the first words out of Admiral Cains mouth over the past ten minutes. Stacey raised an eyebrow at the older woman and replied. “I am sorry to hear that Patrizia your so well known for your ease in pleasing.”
Cain turned and stared at Stacey for a moment, Stacey’s black yet warm eyes locked with Cain’s blue yet somehow cold and hollow eyes. Cain was one of those Officers that had been around forever and seen everything, yet totally unlike Stacey embraced the cold and aloof style of Command.. In short she was the officer that thrived in war nobody liked her but when the going got tough they were glad she was there.
“Ships like this don’t last minutes in real battles.. your staff is a shambles and you don’t have the backbone to discipline them.. you should have stayed in the Counsellor’s office and let the real officers do the commanding.” Cain snapped harshly as she lent on the table in the ready room.
Stacey sighed slightly as she lent back in her chair. “I manage Patrizia.. and I am proud of every member of my crew.”
“You would be.” Cain replied as she picked up a Padd she had brought she looked down and stated. “Cornette, made a mockery of the memorial ceremony for the ship she lost.. Aarons by way of Station security was lets just say a few more minutes away from being led to a padded cell.”
“Your First Officer has one of the longest reprimand sheets in the entire fleet.. need I continue?” she stated firmly as she let the Padd drop to the table.
Stacey shaking her head replied. “No.. The past is the past Admiral and I have every confidence in my executive officer.” She stood up picking up the Padd Cain had deposited on her desk, Stacey looked at it for a brief moment before placing it in the top drawer of her desk and closing it quickly.
Looking back to Cain Stacey said. “Was there anything else you wanted to see while you were here?”
Cain tilted her head for a moment before nodding and replying, “Yes, I will speak with Cornette.” Stacey took a deep breath as she was about to tap her comm. badge, she was stopped however by Cain who said. “No, No we shall go to her.”
Deck 2 *Mess*
Stacey stood in the door with Cain slightly behind as she heard an ensign talk over sleeping Cornette. Her face turned into a sour frown as the ensign mentioned how much older Jackson looked in comparison to Cornette.
She heard Cain mutter sarcastically. “The respect they have for you is awesome isn’t it?” Cain rushed off to catch up with Cornette who promptly woke up and made a speedy exit, while Jackson walked into the mess and said.
“Captain Jackson.. is a smidge older looking!.. a minor bit, slightly, just a wee bit older looking!” She pulled a face at the Ensign before turning to leave and adding. “And it’s easy to look young when you never had the responsibility of raising children rest your shoulders.” She made a dissatisfied noise before leaving the room completely.
She managed to catch up to Patrizia just as she herself had managed to catch up to Cornette. Stacey had known Cain for over twenty years and while the two never liked each other Stacey had been fortunate enough never to be on the receiving end of what she was about to give Cornette.
“Miss Cornette, no doubt you are aware you are hardly the favourite officer with the higher ups right now.” Cain’s voice harsh and crisp. “Your little stunt in the memorial ceremony raised more than a few eyebrows.. the words disgrace and unfit were thrown around more than once.”
Cain paused for a moment whether for dramatic effect or simply to figure out what she was to say next Stacey didn’t know however one thing was clear she wasn’t done yet. “Your on your last legs.. you don’t have many friends left one more mistake out of you and your through.” Cain turned on her heels and stormed past Stacey who had stood silently while Cain spoke, she knew full well that if she had defended Kay in front of Kay it would have done a world more harm than good.
Stacey looked at Kay for a moment and said. “Captain, you leave for the planet tomorrow see you get the proper rest.. the Ambassador is hard to deal with on our turf never mind his own.” She turned to leave but added. “Oh and lets not distract Commander Aarons too much hmm no more trips down to the shuttle bay.. I want my shuttle back in one piece before we all die of old age.”
<Tag Cornette> **Bridge**
Stacey had stood silently in the centre of the bridge for what seemed like hours but in reality had only been minutes when Commander Hope came bounding out of the turbolift shouting for her.
Stacey turned around half expecting terrible news when she smiled to sense the almost giddy excitement from her old friend. She took the Padd offered to her and looked at it for a moment before looking back to S’reena.
“Sub Space anomalies?” Stacey mused.. “These can’t be natural in the pattern they are popping up.. only in inhabited areas.” She took a deep breath as she shook her head. “And the Gelzak population doesn’t have anywhere near the technology to do this.. that we know of.”
She sighed as she tried to ignore the looming presence of Cain. “Cornette goes down tomorrow with the Ambassador to so a meet and greet.. I want you to take a team to one of these anomalies and try to find what causing them.”
<Tag Hope>
ooc: <Chan I am going to reply to you with Palmer just didn't want to overload this post,, I will get it up soon apologies for the delay>
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Kaylana Cornette
Captain
Creativity is allowing oneself to make mistakes; art is knowing which ones to keep.
Registered: Jun 4, 2003 8:01:59 GMT
Posts: 435
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Post by Kaylana Cornette on Nov 16, 2010 15:32:18 GMT
“Miss Cornette…”
Kay had been called a lot of things in her life, but she hadn’t been called “Miss Cornette” since grammar school. She turned wearily to see if the slight were intentional and came face to face with an Admiral. Instinctually, she came to attention. This must be the infamous Admiral Cain.
“No doubt you are aware you are hardly the favourite officer with the higher ups right now.” Cain’s voice was harsh and crisp. “Your little stunt in the memorial ceremony raised more than a few eyebrows. The words ‘disgrace’ and ‘unfit’ were thrown around more than once.”
Cain paused for a moment whether for dramatic effect or simply to figure out what she was to say next. Stacey didn’t know. However, one thing was clear; she wasn’t done yet. “You’re on your last legs. You don’t have many friends left. One more mistake out of you and you’re through.” Cain turned on her heels and stormed past Stacey who had stood silently while Cain spoke. She knew full well that if she had defended Kay in front of Kay, it would have done a world more harm than good.
Kay stood stunned. For the second time in recent days, she had endured scathing rhetoric without provocation. Cornette pondered why Cain felt it necessary to make it clear she was under close scrutiny. She had to wonder who to believe – Fleet Admiral Lin, or this Admiral Cain. Was she here being given a second chance, or was she here dangling by a thread, a prelude to being let down gently to make room for the young, the eager and the untainted.
Kay looked to her Captain. Jackson stood by silently and allowed the Admiral to mercilessly harangue. Kay was hung out to dry by her commanding officer.
Stacey looked at Kay for a moment and said. “Captain, you leave for the planet tomorrow. See you get the proper rest. The Ambassador is hard to deal with on our turf never mind his own.” She turned to leave but added. “Oh and let’s not distract Commander Aarons too much hmm no more trips down to the shuttle bay. I want my shuttle back in one piece before we all die of old age.”
Kay scrunched her face, perplexed, as Jackson quickly left to catch up with Cain. It surprised her to think Jackson knew of her visit to Michael… or even cared. Perhaps the Captain had more free time than she suspected. What business was it of Jackson’s if she looked in on her old crew once in a while? She blushed, however, at the thought of her latest ‘looking in’ on Aarons.
Kay stewed about her run in with Jackson and Cain for the rest of the day, sometimes feeling angry, sometimes paranoid and generally feeling there was a growing schism between the crews. Personally, any loyalty she had been forming for Jackson was waning.
Kaylana arrived at the Ambassador’s quarters to escort him personally to the transporter. When she got there, Oxill was surprisingly subdued, his brow ridge weakly glowing a deep green with intermittent pulses of brighter hue, barely discernable.
Kay followed the lanky, tall figure as he lumbered quietly to the transporter room and mounted the few steps to the pad. Johnson, Chan, with a small security team, and Holsen were already there waiting, bedecked in the new arctic wear designed by Aarons.
The party materialized outside of the administration building, which appeared to be very old and very ornate. The weather was cold and blustery. The wind wasn’t too strong, but without the new garb Aarons’ had furnished, it would have cut the officers to the bone. Not as protected from the elements, the Ambassador and his staff were anxious to get to shelter. Clutching their robes to shield themselves from the wind, they sprinted ahead as the away team followed.
Once inside, the officers took note of the ostentatious furnishings and beautiful architecture. The high ceiling was exquisitely painted with pastoral scenes, most likely denoting the Ghelzakian’s beginnings as an agricultural society. The teams’ boot heels tapped loudly and echoed in the great antechamber. Oxill moved to a small alcove and ceremoniously struck a large gong. The sound reverberated majestically as the Ambassador awkwardly bowed his tall frame, his eyes fixed to the floor. Kaylana thought she saw his hand shaking as he gestured respectfully to an unseen authority. Cornette urged her fellow officers to do likewise and everyone bowed and waited.
A shuffling of feet could be heard as an attendant entered. Without speaking, he ushered the party into a second chamber more ornate than the first and so long it was difficult to see the other side. It reminded Kay of a gothic church nave or a palace colonnade. At its end, a small figure sat on a raised platform.
As they approached, Kay continued to marvel at the change in the Ambassador’s demeanor. Fear seemed to exude from his every movement. His apprehension was so great, Kay silently signaled Chan to be at the ready should trouble arise. She thought how his previous behavior made sense to her now – a bully is often an insecure individual who given the opportunity to act out will do so. Oxill was nothing more than a subjugated peon here who had abused his Ambassadorial privileges aboard Rainier for as long as he could.
Oxill fell to one knee as he addressed the man seated on the dais. “Your humble servant, Cul-Vulzo Oxill, returning with the other-worlders from Starfleet. We wish you good health, your Eminence.”
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Post by SA. Stacey Jackson [Ret] on Nov 17, 2010 14:35:06 GMT
Had she made a mistake not defending Cornette during Cain’s open threats? That was the question that plagued Stacey for the remainder of the day, the pros and cons played through her mind no matter the task in front of her.
Had she defended Kay their working relationship would have been solidified and her biggest worry of a crew divided by loyalties permanently buried in the grave it deserved. The cons of course would have been the perceived humiliation of Cain in front of what Cain had made clear in her mind was a lesser officer, this of course would have set in stone Cain’s attempts to end Cornette’s career. Inwardly she cursed the position the aging warhorse had put her in, it wasn’t the start to her captaincy she had hoped for when she first learnt of her promotion.
She leaned back in her chair as she stared at the closed door of her ready room, outwardly she looked calm even unaffected by her now dubious situation, though inwardly it was quite the different story. She had given herself several options on how to deal with the situation.
One, she would take a step back and do nothing to shield Kay from the pressure someone in Cain’s position could bring this of course was her least favoured of actions despite it being the most logical for her continued career in Starfleet.
Two, She could defend Kay the best she could and let Kay know she was doing it, this she mused would heal the wound made earlier today but at the same time would rob Kay of the dignity of being able to weather Cain’s attacks on her own.. and of course it would tie Kay’s and Stacey’s fate together should one fall both would.. and that would serve neither of them any good.
And the third that crossed her mind was that she would privately defend Kay not letting Kay or any other member of her crew know she was doing so. The downside was that Kay and when the rumour mill got to full steam the rest of the crew would think either Stacey was a coward or she simply didn’t care about her Chief Diplomat. Though the upside was it would not tie Stacey to Kay and should Stacey fail in her attempts to stop Cain meddling with her crew and her ship, Stacey’s end as a Starfleet Officer wouldn’t mean the end of Kay’s.. Her actions would in no way seem to anybody that Kay asked her to do it, nor had they formulated any plan together to undermine Admiral Cain.
For now, Stacey weighed up her options in a matter that could very well make or break her captaincy.
*** Two Hours Later ***
Jackson stood up from behind her desk and let out the breath she had held in for a while, her decision was made for better or worse her course was set. She curled her hand into a fist and knocked on her desk twice before taking a deep breath and walking out of her office.
She stepped out onto the bridge but didn’t bother to speak to any of the officers that dutifully manned the stations, she had nothing to say of import nor would she have been able to stop the anger that had brewed inside her from spewing out of her mouth at people who were completely undeserving of it. Her destination was set in stone and bar emergency or her suddenly dropping dead she wouldn’t stop for anything.
** V.I.P Quarters Deck 2 **
She didn’t have to wait more than a few seconds before Cain summoned her in, this at least Stacey was relieved about the short time hadn’t given her the opportunity to lose her bottle and rethink her coming action.
Cain looked up from behind a small desk and held up her hand. “One moment Captain, I’m not done writing out my problems with this ship and crew.” She looked back down and had intended for Stacey to wait silently until she was ready.
Stacey smiled yet it wasn’t her signature smile of warmth this smile had a side of sinister annoyance. “I hope you used a small Padd Patrizia.. because I’m going to tell you where to shove it.”
Cain looked up in surprise and rage. “What did you say Captain?” escaped her gritted teeth. Her face showing nothing but anger.
“You heard me.. Admiral.” Stacey shot back, she stepped closer to the desk and looked the older and higher ranked woman in the eyes as she said. “What you did earlier today was out of line.. Captain Cornette didn’t deserve that and you know it.. She has paid her price already I won’t allow you to ruin her chance of getting her career back to what it once was.”
Cain looked as if she was about to speak but Stacey cut her off. “Cornett may not have many friends left.. but I do, you unfairly come after Cornette or anybody else in my crew and I will use every one of them to see you get what you deserve.” Stacey now pointed at the desk and added curtly. “Pack up your stuff and get my ship!” Stacey didn’t wait for an answer she turned to leave.
Cain watched as Jackson walked away, “I knew you were a poor choice for command, your nothing but a small minded, bleeding heart Counsellor.. I’ll see you court martialled for this.”
Stacey stopped but didn’t look back she stood silent for a few moments before she said without looking back. “You have ten minutes Admiral I want you gone.” With that she walked out, the door closed behind her and Stacey leaned against the wall with a sigh, it took a few seconds for the smile to grow on her face, Cain was certainly going to come after her but she had said nothing about her crew.
A crewman walked toward her and asked, “Captain is something the matter?” he was slightly confused as to why the commanding officer would be leaning against a wall and grinning like an idiot.
Stacey pushing herself off of the wall shook her head. “You know it is true what they say Crewman.. if someone has a sore toe and you smack them over the head they soon forget the pain in their toe.” She smiled warmly. “Nothing is the matter, thank you Crewman.”
TBC
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Lorna Holsen
Commander
Registered: Nov 5, 2007 11:54:02 GMT
Posts: 296
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Post by Lorna Holsen on Nov 17, 2010 17:20:06 GMT
By the time Lorna, Cris and Mari left the training room Lorna was definitely aching. She wasn't about to complain; especially in Mari's hearing. The younger woman had been uncomfortable enough as it was and Lorna hadn't needed to be any sort of empath to know it. She had just carried on letting the other two go over their moves. Oh, she had made the odd suggestion most of which had resulted in her being put in a more awkward or uncomfortable position; but most of the time she had allowed Cris to do the teaching and coaching.
It had been worth it; she would do it again, that was a given. Mari would need more practise over the mission. Yes, she ached but there was no damage done, she'd probably have some bruises but she'd fix those in the morning if they came up and the aches were nothing a hot shower wouldn't cure. She just had to remember that she wasn't 19 any more and had a back log of old injuries.
She got her shower and then crashed out for a few hours with Cris right along side her. When her alarm woke her Lorna found she had been assigned to and away team which was heading planet side in matter of hours. With a diplomatic officer for a father Lorna had often been along to diplomatic functions when she was little; back before the war. She didn't dislike them she just always felt that as she wasn't a diplomat there was work she could be doing elsewhere.
She noted that a rather interesting bruise had appeared on her cheek, she suspected that Cris's elbow had been responsible but wasn't going to mention it. She patched up her bruises and readied herself for going planetside. She planted a kiss on Cris's temple as she left their quarters. Her wife was the one with the long shift in sickbay today.
Lorna reported to the transporter room. She wasn't sure who else was going on this jaunt but was unsurprised to see Commander Chan and a security team present. She fidgeted in her cold-weather gear waiting for the rest of the team and still unsure of why she was wanted on the trip. She looked over at the security chief. She had a small med pack tucked under the heavy jacket she was wearing but she wasn't sure exactly what sort of situation she was about to head into.
"I admit I'm not entirely clear on the security situation down there. As it was labelled a diplomatic mission. I didn't bring a side arm. Should I have done?"
Tag: Chan
The wind definitely had a scalpel edge to it Lorna thought as they made their way from the beam down site to the buildings. Why they couldn't have beamed down inside Lorna wasn't sure. She lagged towards the back of the group. When the Ambassador bowed and Kay indicated for them to do the same Lorna bowed with a reasonable amount of grace and was intrigued by what was about to happen. The haughty bossy ambassador was quite clearly scared.
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Deleted
Registered: Mar 28, 2024 21:12:10 GMT
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Nov 17, 2010 19:20:27 GMT
Xin-Ling’s eyes focused on Lorna. Though there was no indication readable on her features, the Asian Warrior wondered at her question. When going into an unfamiliar situation, it was wisdom to have some form of defense available to you. If diplomacy was of special import, then the defense — if dependent upon a sidearm — should be concealed but swiftly reachable.
As to her current personal situation with their “guest” aboard, Xin-Ling was carrying a supply of non-lethal darts, easily accessible at an instant’s notice. If an armed defense was necessary, she did not want the death of her target to be inevitable.
“Yes, Lorna. I suggest you equip with phaser hidden on person. Do not let weapon show unless and until needed.”
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Paikea Apirana
Commander 1C
I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.
Registered: Aug 19, 2005 5:10:42 GMT
Posts: 656
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Post by Paikea Apirana on Nov 18, 2010 4:32:40 GMT
The tongue lashing that Admiral Cain had brought upon Captain Cornette was now common knowledge aboard the Rainier. While its in every admiral's right to do this, the fact that Captain Jackson did nothing to defend a member of her crew appalled Paikea's sense of loyalty and camaraderie. As Paikea sat quietly in the mess hall he overheard many crewmen agree with his assessment.
"I don't care, I would have put that old hag in her place," a crewman proudly proclaimed knowing full well that at that very moment he was free to say anything he wanted," I don't know about you, but I won't let her treat me like a kid who's hand has been caught in the cookie jar."
"Shut up Daniel, you wouldn't say that in front of her or any of the senior staff," the crewman's friend said as she took a bite of her food.
"Shut up Cessie, I would too," Daniel said as took another bite of his sandwich.
"Would you know Crewman?" Paikea asked as he stood next to the group of crewmen which caused Daniel to choke a little bit on his food and his friends to immediately keep quiet.
"Sorry, sir, I didn't intend any disrespect, just having some normal banter with my friends," Daniel said looking deathly pale.
"Don't worry about it, I would do the same thing, but just don't say things like that to loudly," Paikea said," senior staff members are everywhere."
"Yes sir," Daniel said staying quiet. Paikea knew that it was unfair to pick on the crewmen, but he decided that he would have a little bit of fun. Paikea knew that he would not allow himself to be embarrassed by Cain. He had already stood up to Admiral Reckus on the Vesuvius, Admiral Cain was nothing compared to the Vulcan Admiral.
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Deleted
Registered: Mar 28, 2024 21:12:10 GMT
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Nov 19, 2010 8:38:12 GMT
OOC: A little Back Posting First TEG admired Kaylana as she reflected on the past few days, "I think, you may be getting a little wiser now."
Kaylana threw TEG a skeptical look, but he continued, "We've all been dealing with what happened on the Majesty, myself included, and I know you blame yourself for what happened. However, you did what you could, hell, we all did what we could. We were barely able to escape ourselves, and we all lost some dear friends in the process, but what we do now is most important. Dwelling on the past leads to nothing but pain and anguish."
TEG's words may have been jumbled, but Kay understood the sentiment, "Thank you, Number One. It is good to know I'm not alone."
"Kay, you are never alone."
OCC: Now Back to the present TEG was in engineering, going over reports for the last shift, before going back to work on the Vachir. He finished going over the reports, when he remembered the device he put into stasis. He brought it out and began doing a thorough scan of the device. As he scanned it, his brow began to furrow. He slowly realized what it was, charged duranium, with isolinear circuit pathways. It was the remnants of a probe, one that, after checking with the computer, was 1/10th normal size, and whose energy cells had been completely tapped. TEG began a detailed surface scan, on the shell of the probe, he noticed what appeared to be lettering, N 80 IER.
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Kaylana Cornette
Captain
Creativity is allowing oneself to make mistakes; art is knowing which ones to keep.
Registered: Jun 4, 2003 8:01:59 GMT
Posts: 435
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Post by Kaylana Cornette on Nov 23, 2010 18:59:02 GMT
A sideways glance was all Kay got to satisfy her curiosity as she watched the man rise from his seat on the dais. He was extremely tall, like the Ambassador, but not as lanky. His body had been indulged and well-fed. His bulk was enhanced by the multitude of his flowing garments, all intricately designed. His brow ridge glowed a deep, steady blue green color. Kay continued watching as he walked forward, laying a hand on Ambassador Oxill’s shoulder, who startled at his touch.
“Ambassador, you have been missed. Rise and tell me of your travels… and introduce me to our guests.” The large man patted him familiarly.
Oxill’s reactions might have been comical to Kay had it not been so clear he was extremely astonished and near panic. His face was screwed with a puzzled frown. He spoke haltingly and cautiously as his brow ridge flickered in bright hues of green. It was so strange, Kay thought, to hear Oxill now as he spoke respectfully of her.
“This, your Eminence, is Captain Cornette, Chief Diplomat of the Federation starship Rainier.”
Stepping forward slightly, Kaylana nodded in acknowledgement, trying to read how she should greet this man of obvious import. She couldn’t help but study his brow ridge looking for patterns of light and color change. She had become fairly skilled at reading Oxill and hoped she could apply those skills now. However, this man’s brow color never varied. Even as Kay introduced each member of the landing party, his brow ridge color was static.
After Kay’s introductions, he opened both his arms in a magnanimous gesture. “I welcome you to our home world. I am Grand Basileus Bagratashen Debe-Lambalu, leader of the people of the Norcorza colonies. I offer you food and drink to celebrate our new friendship.”
Lambalu took Kay by the hand and led her and her group to another room. The Ambassador and his senior aide, Hai’zep, followed along at a respectful distance.
The next room held an elaborate table which was heavy with food and fanciful decorations, but had no real order. The table itself was low to the ground with pillows for seating. There were no utensils. Instead, thin flat wooden sticks resembling small paddles were pre-set in empty bowls. It was unclear where to sit because there were no place settings or definite seats. It was easier for Cornette since the Grand Basileus led her to a spot next to him. Kaylana sat down cross-legged and the rest of the landing party followed suit.
Nothing looked particularly appetizing but Kay couldn’t refuse as Lambalu placed a foul smelling morsel into her bowl. Forcing a smile, she scraped at it with her flattened ‘chopstick’ and, after much effort, trapped it then quickly shot it in her mouth. She kept smiling as the pungent aroma hit her pallet, a tiny tear forming in her eye. She nodded and smiled, and then smiled some more as a pleased Lambalu nodded back.
Swallowing hard, Kay looked to her comrades. “Delicious. You all must try some!” she said emphasizing the words ‘all’ and ‘must’. Cornette was pleased their academy training on diplomatic situations seemed to be kicking in as all of them complied.
The food became the highlight of the gathering as Lambalu pontificated relentlessly about his accomplishments as Grand Basileus. Kay listened intently trying to keep alert as he outlined the colony’s history, their increase in productivity since his reign and how wealth had spread to each Ghelzakian citizen.
Holsen, bored beyond endurance but trying not to appear so, casually reached for her medical tricorder, thinking she might get a discreet scan or two. Suddenly, several servants who had been standing quietly around the room, pounced on her, wrenching it from her hands.
The Grand Basileus paused his droning. He looked at Lorna with such malevolence that Kay feared the worst. A quick glance back at Kay, however, made him instantly calm himself.
“I am sorry, but you cannot use those devices here,” he began, seeming to deliberately choose each word. “Our people have a disdain for all machinery. We prefer to live simply. That is why you won’t find any weapons… or devices to make our food. We rely on the labor of our hands.”
“I apologize for Doctor Holsen,” Kay said, quickly, hoping to not make too much out of the incident and studying him intently.
“It was an error of ignorance, nothing more,” he said, returning to his earlier demeanor. “We will return your device, Doctor, before you depart.”
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Post by SA. Stacey Jackson [Ret] on Nov 24, 2010 11:34:43 GMT
*** Planets Surface ***
The colony itself was unremarkable in the sense of it’s technology and infrastructure, a twenty third century throwback was the best way it could be described. While the rest of the Federation has made giant leaps in almost all scientific fields this colony remained steadfast in it’s simplistic ways.
The main colony was split into three parts, the residential area to the east side was mostly houses, cottages and apartments the main bulk of the colonists resided in this area. The Government district to the north housed the upper class of colonist those who were above working in the fields or mingling with the people who did so. This area housed the better kept buildings any surplus food or material would always find itself here.
The last and arguably the most important area was the industrial and farming area, the largest of the districts it was where ninety percent of food was grown and farmed and was the only area that had any manufacturing capability. Inside one such manufacturing warehouse that had been deserted for the last few months a bright silver light flashed, it went unseen by the citizens as they walked past the boarded up building. The walls inside the normally darkened building walls were now illuminated by a silvery light emanating from seemingly floating portal.
<Feel free to expand on this when you guys are down there>
***Captains Ready Room - USS Rainier, In orbit*** Stacey smiled at the small computer screen that had risen out of her desk, though she would be sure not to mention to anybody it took her all this time to find it. Reports of Cornette and her teams departure flickered across the screen. Relief washed over her that Starfleet had decided to place a Chief Diplomat on her crew, while Stacey herself was well trained in the art of diplomacy she didn’t overly like it.
Pressing the small button that activated the computer interface she watched as the screen lowered into the desk and blend in as if it were never there. She frowned slightly as she muttered. “have to remember to put the coffee over that side.”
She took a deep breath and stood up, She walked out onto the bridge and looked to Commander Hope and gave a nod. “Ready to go Commander?”
<Tag Hope>
She smiled brightly as she walked toward the turbolift motioning for Hope to follow, “Jackson to Away team two members.. assemble in transporter room one.”
<Tag those in the science team>
Stacey looked over to Hope and said. “First time in a while I haven’t gone down in an away team.. not used to being the one up here.” She gave a shrug and took a deep breath. “Oh well that’s a game for the young.”
They stepped out of the turbolift and walked the small distance the transporter room, Stacey had to admit to herself she was impressed that the entire science team had beaten her there. She gave them all a slight smile and said.
“These anomalies so far are a mystery.. all we do know is that they appear to be responsible for the erratic weather down there.. be careful.” She gave another nod and added. “Oh and remember the saying.. Don’t play in the yellow snow… Good luck people.” She nodded to S’reena to take over and left to return to the bridge.
<Tag Hope/ Science Away Team>
OOC: As some of you may know this ground part of the mission will contain Elements from The Next Generation Episode Schisms.. Season 6 Episode 5
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Deleted
Registered: Mar 28, 2024 21:12:10 GMT
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Nov 26, 2010 21:18:10 GMT
"Yellow snow?" S'reena glanced over at Paikea, as she stepped up on the transporter pad. "What is yellow snow?" she asked, just as she felt herself dematerialize. When she rematerialised, out of no-where, Auric popped in chittering chidingly at her. The Romulan smiled as she allowed the little gold to hide in her hair which was her usual perch. Glancing around, Stacey's comment puzzled her even more because, while she couldn't see 'yellow' snow, she couldn't see normal white snow either. And, despite having grown up in Australia, she did know what snow looked like, as even Australia had ski resorts and she knew, in fact, how to ski and rather enjoyed it.
"I'm not sure what Captain Jackson was on about," she muttered as she pulled out her tricorder. "Right, I think we should start our scans here and fan out a little, getting as many readings from as many angles as possible." The Romulan studied her readings for a moment, frowning at them as she batted the tricorder on the side with the palm of her hand. "Stupid machinery, work already." She smiled as the screen realigned itself. "There we are. Studies show that the next estimated anomaly will appear within fifteen standard minutes."
She glanced up from her readings, peering at the members of her awayteam. "Let's not let the captain and the ambassador down shall we? I want us to have something to report to Captain Jackson and Captain Cornette when we get back, and let's hope it's something useful for them." S'reena smiled encouragingly as she waved them off. "Go on, fan out but keep within visual distance. If wanting to move further away, move off in pairs."
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Lorna Holsen
Commander
Registered: Nov 5, 2007 11:54:02 GMT
Posts: 296
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Post by Lorna Holsen on Nov 30, 2010 11:14:08 GMT
“Yes, Lorna. I suggest you equip with phaser hidden on person. Do not let weapon show unless and until needed.”
Lorna wasn't sure whether the security chiefs words made her feel more or less comfortable about the trip. She was relieved that she wasn't the only one who felt a little twitchy about the trip. She tucked her phaser safely out of sight in her boot top.
Planetside. The away team was escorted to a grand dinning room with a meal laid out. Not that Lorna could identify most of the items. She settled cross-legged feeling very grateful for the very hot shower the night before.
Kay was stuck being served some of the food. She ate was a smile that seemed rather glued in place. “Delicious. You all must try some!” Lorna knew it wasn't really a request and scanned the dished in front of her settling on something that appeared to be a mixture of some form of grain and brown leaves.
It was edible, barely. The flavour was bitter and it set Lorna's tongue tingling suggested that it had some chemicals in that the had other effects than simple flavour. She doubted there was anything toxic to humans in the mix, it wouldn't look good to have the away team die on their watch but biologically she wasn't all human, and as had been proved before that meant things could have unpredictable results on her. At least of the security officers wasn't human either.
This whole situation was making Lorna nervous. She had let the diplomatic talk wash over her. As she relaxed her thoughts her mindsense stretched beyond the room. There were a lot of people outside. She was expecting to sense guards but not this many. What was happening? A sudden wave of coldness washed over Lorna.. there was something it the food that had got to her. She slipped the tricorder from her medical pack and discretely started to examine the food in front of her. If she also got readings on who was outside, so much the better.
She suddenly found herself set upon by three of the 'servants' who apparently had other duties aside from waiting tables. The were quick and strong, on her feet and facing them Lorna knew she might have stood chance. As it was, sitting down and blindsided her tricorder got wrenched from her hand. In the stinging aftermath, Lorna self-diagnosed a slight sprain, she just hadn't been able to let go fast enough to compensate for the angle at which they'd snatched it. She bit her lip hoping she hadn't caused some sort of diplomatic incident.
“I am sorry, but you cannot use those devices here,” he began, seeming to deliberately choose each word. “Our people have a disdain for all machinery. We prefer to live simply. That is why you won’t find any weapons… or devices to make our food. We rely on the labor of our hands.” 'It would have been nice if that had been in the pre-mission briefing,' Lorna thought.
“I apologize for Doctor Holsen,” Kay said, quickly, hoping to not make too much out of the incident and studying him intently. Lorna was slightly annoyed that she had not been allowed to have her say, still she'd say what she needed to back on the Rainer. She had managed to get some answers, only that had raised more questions
“It was an error of ignorance, nothing more,” he said, returning to his earlier demeanor. “We will return your device, Doctor, before you depart.” Lorna gave a curt nod in response and kept her mouth shut. Her wrist was throbbing and there was nothing she could do about it, she would only cause more trouble if she broke out the medical kit to treat her injury. It wasn't in anyway life threatening but it was annoying and it hurt which was more than a little distracting.
The food did have some interesting chemicals in but she hadn't been able to get a full reading. She could only hope that was every was going to happen she was the only one affected. As for the people outside the doors. There were definitely twenty there now which was more than last time. She wondered what more she could do now. She tried to shoot a look at the other members of the away team wondering if they were as worried about the situation as she was. If she had been her brother things would have been easy but who knew what their thoughts on telepathy/empathy were...
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