SB Assailant Mission 3.2 - 'The Dragon Reborn'

[Deleted]

Ezdreiana didn't speak as the two captains accessed the problem before them. This had just become a lot more tricky. Not only did the Vaadwuar have hostages, but two of them were Starfleet personal.

"Captain Kim I will go to the Galaxy," Ezdrei said," I have had a bit more experience with this type of negotiations."

"Understood," Kim said," I suggest that you head towards the transporter."

"Of course, Captain its been a pleasure," Ezdreiana said as she made her way out of the bridge.

"Ambassador, good luck," Captain Kim said before Ezdreiana left his bridge.

Things were going to be very complicated, but before anything would be done Ezdreiana would make it her mission to find out how the Vaadwuar and Turei made their way to the Alpha quadrant. They could fix this problem, but if they had the possibility to return Ezdreiana was sure that they would.

Ezdreiana was lost in her thoughts and was quite surprised when she found herself on the transporter pad.

"Ambassador, are you ready to be transported?" the transporter chief asked.

"Yes, I'm as ready as I will ever be," Ezdreiana said as she took a deep breath and then felt the familiar tingle of the transporter.

"Welcome to the Galaxy, Ambassador," a security officer said,"I will escort you to the bridge, Captain Voran.

"Okay lead the way," Ezdreiana said glad to get right to work.

[evoran]

The turbolift doors opened and a Trill Ambassador stepped out, accompanied by a security officer.

"Ambassador Ezdreiana, I presume?" said Voran.

"Captain Voran." She returned.

They shook hands.

"If you'll come this way Ambassador, my senior staff is assembled in the observation lounge." Said Voran, leading the way to the door at the back of the bridge.

As they entered, Voran said, "This is Ambassador Ezdreiana, Ambassador, this is Commander Tol, first officer, Lieutenant Harris, ops, Lieutenant Morley, tactical and, you may already know Doctor Mercy."

Voran took his seat at the head of the table and Ezdreiana took the seat beside him, opposite Tol.

"Well," said Voran, "we have a band of Vaadwaur from the other side of the Galaxy who have taken hostage a number of Federation citizens, including two members of my crew. They demand Starfleet Admiral Kathryn Janeway, whom we do not have here, and intend to kill hostages unless they receive her. We, of course, have superior firepower, but cannot attack them while they are holding hostages. We also have in the equation, the Turei, sworn enemies of the Vaadwaur and apparently, they consider the Federation enemies too."

"Quite a pickle." said Harris.

"Indeed." said Voran. "Suggestions?"

<Tag Ezdreiana/Mercy>

[mercy]

~ ...attempt to control my emotions...who is he kidding? ~ Of course Stuart didn't reply that way. "Sorry about that Captain Voran. It's just...well...never mind..."

Captain Voran took one look at Stuart's face and immediately understood. Turning back to the main viewer, a dialogue was established with the captors of their Starfleet personnel.

Just as soon as the conversation ended, Yade appeared out of thin air to land onto Stuart's shoulder. She was screeching and flapping her wings while getting all of Stuart's attention. Stuart was aware that T'Val had a telepathic bond with her firelizard, and he sure wished that he did as well at this moment.

"What is it Yade? Is D'Beren alright?" While struggling to communicate, Ambassador Ezdriana appeared onto the bridge. Stuart was able to calm Yade down for the moment while all of the senior staff went to the Observation Lounge to assess the situation.

It wasn't until the Captain asked for suggestions that Stuart realized what Yade might have been yapping about while on the bridge. "Captain, I believe that Yade here was in contact with Healer T'Val. She has this ability to transport herself at will to nearly any location, and they can communicate telepathically. Since I have a hard time deciphering what she is jittering about, I suggest that we allow for D'Beren, her son, to 'talk' to Yade. He is also a telepath."

<Voran/Yade/D'Beren/anyone else>

[adislo]

Adislo watched Ambassador Ezdreiana disappear to the other ship, then sighed. She realized she wasn’t getting all that far with the Turei captain. For some reason abstract answers weren’t what the Captain wanted. Adislo nodded at Captain Kim. “Can you try re-opening a channel with the Turei ship?” she asked him, since the Turei had closed the last channel while Adislo had still been talking.

“They’re not responding,” Captain Kim replied.

Adislo sighed, but nor was the Turei ship firing just now, so that was a positive, even if it was one of very few. “Well then, just broadcast my message to them,” Adislo said. “They will listen, and then it can be up to them if they reply or not.”

Captain Kim nodded at her and gestured when one of his officers was ready to start.

“Captain,” Adislo said, referring to the Turei one. “You say you’re just trying to defeat an enemy of yours. Great. Petty revenge is wonderful. But if that’s what you really want to do, why not cooperate, to allow as little loss of innocent lives as possible. While I know that good intentions are worth very little, what about the fact that the miners have caused you no harm, and will cause you no harm. They are, in and of themselves, not entirely relevant to the proceedings between the Vaadwaur, the Turei, and the Federation-so why not save their lives and their futures?” Adislo stopped on her question, hoping that she could provoke an answer, hopefully it would even be a meaningful answer, though that might well be asking too much.

<Tag Turei Captain>

[Deleted]

D'Beren's face lit up when it appeared he was going to the bridge. He held his nanny's hand tightly as the woman guided her charge to the bridge. The boy had no notion of the fact that a starship bridge was really no place for children, he'd been begging his mother to show him, before she had to return to work.

The instant the nanny shoved him onto the bridge, only to disappear straight away, D'Beren saw Yade glide towards him, chittering wildly. He held out his arm towards her, so that she could land on it, while he became very conscious of the eyes that settled on him. "What is it?" he asked quietly, speaking too well for a boy his age, while he gently stroked the firelizard's head. Her wild chitters turned into crooning, as D'Beren tried to make sense of the images he was receiving.

Panic crossed his tiny face, and he looked up. "Mother's in trouble," he stated, "she and the man who was with her. Yade says they're held on a ship full of reptiles." By now he looked stricken. "She says mother's ill."

<anyone present on galaxy's bridge.

Vaadwaur vessel

T'Val suppressed another cough as she paced through their 'guest' quarters. She knew McCallow was probably about to go nuts with her pacing, but she didn't really care. None of their captors had come back to check on them, and neither of them dared trying what looked to be a replicator; for all they knew it was poison to them, whatever they tried to replicate.

She couldn't check either, since their captors had taken most of her equipment, including her tricorder. She noticed the young man's concerned look, but paid no heed to it as she suppressed another series of coughs. The humid air was starting to take its toll on her, and she didn't know how long she could last without succumbing to it.

[Magellan Lin]

The Turei captain paused.
"I m not sure I can trust you. We know so little of your kind."

TAG Adislo

"The Vaadwaar brutally opressed us for millenia then we defeated them. We thought that would be the end of it but then Voyager awakened them and they have been preying on us ever since. We hold you responsible."

"How did you get here?" Harry Kim asked,
"We have been extending our subspace corridors when we broke through into a completly unknown network. We saw a passing flight of Vaadwaar and pursued and bam we appeared here. There is a terminus here in the nebula."

"Perhaps we can reach an agreement"
"I dont see how?"
"That is where Ambassador Adislo fits in"

TAG Adislo

[Deleted]

"Well," said Voran, "we have a band of Vaadwaur from the other side of the Galaxy who have taken hostage a number of Federation citizens, including two members of my crew. They demand Starfleet Admiral Kathryn Janeway, whom we do not have here, and intend to kill hostages unless they receive her. We, of course, have superior firepower, but cannot attack them while they are holding hostages. We also have in the equation, the Turei, sworn enemies of the Vaadwaur and apparently, they consider the Federation enemies too."

"Quite a pickle." said Harris.

"Indeed." said Voran. "Suggestions?"

"Do these Vaadwaur know who Admiral Janeway is?" Ezdreiana said out loud," the last time the Vaadwaur saw Admiral Janewy and the Voyager was about twenty years ago."

"Where are you going with this Ambassador?" Harris asked.

"Why don't we tell them that we do have the Admiral?" Ezdreiana said.

"Because we don't," Harris said dismissing Ezdrei's plan.

"They don't know that," Ezdreiana said," I bet Doctor Mercy can make me look like a certain Admiral."

<Tag Mercy>

"Captain, I don't see any other way," Ezdreiana said," we cannot risk the lives of the hostages and they have repeatably said that they want Admiral Janeway. So lets give it to them."

<Tag Voran/Mercy>

[evoran]

Voran saw that the child was distressed and signalled to the nanny to take D'Beren back to his quarters. They left the observation lounge and Ezdreiana spoke.

"Do these Vaadwaur know who Admiral Janeway is?" Ezdreiana said out loud," the last time the Vaadwaur saw Admiral Janeway and the Voyager was about twenty years ago."

"Where are you going with this Ambassador?" Harris asked.

"Why don't we tell them that we do have the Admiral?" Ezdreiana said.

"Because we don't," Harris said dismissing Ezdrei's plan.

"They don't know that," Ezdreiana said," I bet Doctor Mercy can make me look like a certain Admiral."

<Tag Mercy>

"Captain, I don't see any other way," Ezdreiana said," we cannot risk the lives of the hostages and they have repeatably said that they want Admiral Janeway. So lets give it to them."

"Well, if the Doctor can make you look like Admiral Janeway, we can may be able to fool them long enough to get the hostages out, but it won't take them long to realise that you aren't Janeway." said Voran.

"They may want to talk to Janeway before they agree to the transfer."

Voran frowned, "Mr Harris, could you create a holographic version of Janeway that we could present to them in a communications link up? Something that we could use like a puppet?"

"I believe so, sir." said Harris.

"Do it." said Voran, "Ambassador, if they do agree to the transfer, I'm not sure you should be the one to go over there, you're an Ambassador, a civilian and there is a good chance you won't come back."

<Ezdreiana>

[Deleted]

"Do it." said Voran, "Ambassador, if they do agree to the transfer, I'm not sure you should be the one to go over there, you're an Ambassador, a civilian and there is a good chance you won't come back."

Ezdreiana was getting frustrated at the Captain indecision. Didn't he realize that the Vaadwuar were currently holding not only miners hostage, but members of his crew. Ezdreiana didn't know Ensign McCallow, but she did know Healer T'Val, whom she had spent some time on Trill with. Ezdreiana knew that putting her life in danger for these people was worth the risk.

"Captain I know that I'm a civilian, but so are the hostages over there," Ezdreiana said her anger ebbing to the surface," I'm offering my services and your dismissing them just because I'm not a member of Starfleet."

Everyone now was looking at Ezdreiana, they hadn't expected her to blow up like that, but she at the moment didn't care. She knew that giving people like the Vaadwaur time to think, they would do something more rash and dangerous.

"Captain will you let me help them?" Ezdreiana said regaining her composure.

<Tag Voran>
------------------
Cedrins had been waiting patently for the Federation people to give him an answer. He had been more than generous in his patience, but it was running out.

The fact that the Turei were also here caused him problems. The Turei would not allow the Vaadwaur to prosper, but it that was there nature. If it wasn't for her, none of this would of ever happened.

"Get me there lead ship?" Cedrins said to his comm officer. He wasn't really an officer and he wasn't really a Captain, but things had just turned out this way.

"Cedrins, what can I do for you?" Captain Voran asked.

"Captain I have been more than patient, if you don't get me Janeway right now, I will kill half of the hostages," Cedrins said.

"There will be no need for that Cedrins," Janeway said. Everyone knew that the Admiral in front of them wasn't really Admiral Kathryn Janeway, but they played along.

"Captain, I have waited a very long time....." Cedrins said but was caught off.

"It's no longer Captain, I'm now an Admiral, Cedrins," Janeway said stopping him mid sentence. Ezdreiana made her way towards the viewscreen, she would need to give off a presence of authority and power.

"You will release the hostages, Cedrins, the Federation doesn't have a quarrel with you," Janeway said.

"True, but we have a quarrel with you Admiral," Cedrins said," and if you don't transport yourself to our ship we will kill one hostage every ten minutes."

"No!" Janeway practically screamed," don't harm anyone."

"Then you will need to beam over to my ship," Cedrins said.

"How do I know that you will release the hostages?" Janeway asked.

"You have my word," Cedrins said and the link went black.

<Tag everyone>

[evoran]

"Captain will you let me help them?" asked Ezdreiana.

"I wasn't dismissing your services Ambassador, I just wanted to make sure that you understood the risks." said Voran.

-----------------

"You have my word." said Cadrin. The next moment, the screen went blank.

"I don't believe him." said Voran. He turned to the tactical officer, "Mr Morley can you detect the hostages' lifesigns?"

"Yes sir." replied Morley.

"Okay," said Voran, "this is what we're gonna do. When the Vaadwaur's sheilds go down, we're gonna beam the hostages out of their as we simultaneously transport the Ambassador to their ship."

Morley and Ezdreiana nodded.

"Mr Morley, Ambassador, you're with me, Commander Tol, you have the bridge, we'll be in Transporter Room One." said Voran, striding towards the turbolift.

Tol tapped his combadge, "Dr Mercy, assemble a medical team in Transporter Room One."

<Mercy>

When they arrived in Transporter Room One, Mercy and his team were already there.

Ezdreiana mounted the platform and Morley and Voran took their place at the transporter console.

Voran signalled to the Vaadwaur vessel that they were ready.

"Energize." said Voran.

Ezdreiana vanished in the blue transporter light while Morley and Voran frantically worked the transporter controls.

12 people materialized on the platform.

"Did we get them all?" said Voran.

"Yes sir." said Morley.

<Tag Mercy, Ezdreiana, T'Val, Vaadwaur>

[adislo]

The Turei captain paused. “I m not sure I can trust you. We know so little of your kind.”

“For what it's worth, I can tell you what I know of 'my kind,'” Adislo said, including the entire Federation under this broad label. “We tend to be trustworthy.” Adislo could see that the Turei captain didn't really believe her, but that wasn't too surprising. But then Captain Kim stepped in, he didn't seem to think she was doing a good job negotiating.

“That is where Ambassador Adislo fits in,” Kim said, making Adislo think that perhaps she could be useful here after all. Hopefully so, and hopefully the Turei were indeed willing to think about negotiating.

“You want to destroy the Vaadwaur ship, and, indeed, the whole species, right?” Adislo asked, trying to make sure she had this right. She didn't see how the Federation could, in all truth, justify helping the Turei, but nor could she see that they could justify helping the Vaadwaur, so she guessed that she would just do her best to keep everyone from blowing each other.

<Tag Turei>

“And the Federation wants to keep the hostages alive, which isn't going to happen if you blow up their ship. So you don't attack them while our people are aboard, since it wasn't them who affected your lives. Perhaps you don't even blow them up their ship at all, since that's not really likely to end the whole problem. Perhaps you can try negotiating an agreement with them,” Adislo suggested, she doubted that the Turei would listen to her, but it was worth mentioning.

<Tag Turei>

[Deleted]

When both T'Val and McCallow appeared on the transporter platform, the young officer moved in to support the Vulcan healer. In his opinion, she wasn't looking too well, and she seemed on the verge of collapse. "Easy now," he tried to reassure her, hoping that Vulcans indeed could be reassured, "we're home now."

An excited Yade winged in, chittering hopefully as she circled T'Val's head, almost annoyingly. McCallow tried to bat her aside, but only got himself scratched and hissed at in the process. T'Val herself wasn't too aware of things, she was too busy trying to breathe properly, though she did notice the humidity of the air had changed.

Yade, being in mental contact with her bondmade, gave a concerned chirp, then glided back to Mercy to get his attention. She settled on his shoulder, painfully digging her talons into his skin as she tried to keep her balance, and chittered softly into his ear, almost willing him to understand.

McCallow meanwhile had sat T'Val down on the steps that led up to the platform and acquired a respirator from one of the nurses. "I'm sure Doctor Mercy will attend to you soon," he whispered, "I think your little green friend went to fetch him."

T'Val nodded as she held the respirator to her face. She was annoyed that she couldn't move to help out the medical staff with the rest of the hostages, but any movement on her part made her even more nauseous, and certainly more short of breath.

<Mercy>

[Magellan Lin]

“You want to destroy the Vaadwaur ship, and, indeed, the whole species, right?” Adislo asked, trying to make sure she had this right. She didn't see how the Federation could, in all truth, justify helping the Turei, but nor could she see that they could justify helping the Vaadwaur, so she guessed that she would just do her best to keep everyone from blowing each other up.

"They would do the same to us... they nearly did. We cannot allow that to happen again."

“And the Federation wants to keep the hostages alive, which isn't going to happen if you blow up their ship. So you don't attack them while our people are aboard, since it wasn't them who affected your lives. Perhaps you don't even blow them up their ship at all, since that's not really likely to end the whole problem. Perhaps you can try negotiating an agreement with them,” Adislo suggested, she doubted that the Turei would listen to her, but it was worth mentioning.

The Turei paused considering the Bolians remarks. "Your Janeway did inform us of the Vaadwaars plans... I believe we can hold off for now. Much has changed in the Delta Quadrant, we could well do with powerful allies suach as your Federation. We will hold our fire."

[Magellan Lin]

Cedrin was furious, the Federation and their advanced technology had outwitted him. Stolen away the only leverage he had.

"Destroy them destroy them all" he growled,

"They are stronger than us - even our combined forces couldnt hope to over come their ships and teh Turei."

Cedrin thumped his hand in to the armrest.

"Again Janeway thwarts us. We can do nothing now. Set off the charges on teh mining stations at the very least they will not keep them. Then plot a course for the Sub space corridor."

"Aye sir"

"Get me a comm line." Cedrin ordered.

"Done."

"It looks like you win again Janeway. But count your blessings. The next time you meet a Vaadwaar you will die. Things in the galaxy are changing and before long we will once more rule supreme. Consider all your federation days numbered." Cedrin spat angrily

[mercy]

This was too much for Stuart. All his years as an EMT never gave him troubles as the past few hours had. The only difference between then and now was the involvement of a significant other...T'Val.

The Captain agreed to have D'Beren brought up to 'talk' to Yade. T'Val was in trouble...she was ill. Stuart, along with the rest of the senior staff, had surmised that she was succumbing to the alien environment. Since they were a reptilian like species, the air must have been a bit more humid than usual. Still warm, but not as dry as T'Val might have been used to on her home planet.

D'Beren was then led back to his nanny and the senior staff conferred more on their situation. Ambassador Ezdreiana insisted that she be made to look like Janeway, once Stuart confirmed that it was possible. Captain Voran finally relented and allowed the procedure to take place.

Everything had been set into motion. Ambassador Ezdreiana disappeared in a blue shimmer only to be replaced by twelve others in her place. Stuart and his team immediately took over and performed triage, assessing who needed immediate care.

Stuart's first patient was no other than T'Val. She let out a couple of deep coughs while she was trying to say that she was glad to see him. "Sh, just relax. We'll get you to sickbay where we can settle that cough of yours. Medic, take her to sickbay. I'll be with you as soon as I can. I need to take care of the others. See you soon, dear."

Their hands held on until their arms were outstretched to their peak, forcing them to let go. Stuart watched her being escorted out of the transporter room. Once she was out of his sight, he was able to assist the others.

[Deleted]

T'Val allowed herself to be guided onto a stretcher, even though she would've preferred to walk by herself. The nurse attending to her wouldn't accept any form of arguing, and she'd now known her own staff long enough to know this. Her eyes never left Mercy, as she watched him dart from one patient to another. An attempt to smile at seeing Yade trying to balance herself on his shoulder, her tail (lightly) wrapped around his throat, ended her in another coughing fit.

The nurse attending to the antigrav stretcher directed them to sickbay though the quickest route and soon she was made comfortable on a biobed. "The miners?" she managed to ask, before the nurse curtly pressed the oxygen mask back onto her face.

"I'll ask around," she answered, "now....you must rest or you'll get more ill than you already are. Mercy said he'd attend to you, but the least I can do is try to ease your breathing." She pressed a hypospray against the Vulcan's shoulder, a little harder than was necessary. "There that should help, now you should try to rest. And try to keep that flying creature calm would you? There are more patients around here."

If T'Val didn't know any better, she'd say the woman had a distinct dislike for Vulcans. Yet she nodded and tried to relax, even though she didn't feel as though she could; she wasn't the sort of person that could take a break easily.

[mercy]

Stuart and his team did what they could. Things had finally settled down and everyone was in sickbay being taken care of.

Stuart had just completed a request over the com line for D'Beren to be brought down. He hadn't had a chance to see his mother yet. D'Beren arrived with concern on his face. "Is my mother alright?"

Stuart walked up to him and started to guide the child in the direction of where T'Val was being kept. "Of course she is. What kind of doctor do you think I am?" They both looked at each other with a knowing smile, one that said 'I will do anything in my power to help her because of my love for her' and the other simply said 'I know...'.

They had arrived at her biobed. D'Beren ran up to her for a big hug. A huge smile could be seen running across T'Val's face. Stuart came closer and they held hands while she was still embracing the child. "Now don't squeeze the life out of her. I just healed her you know." They all chuckled together. "By the looks of your charts, two more hours of the rehabilitative medicines, and you will be as good as new. How are you feeling?"

<T'Val>

[Deleted]

"At least I can breathe now," T'Val said, smiling softly as her son finally settled down at the foot of the bed, "the air on that vessel was extremely humid, definately not suitable for someone born from a desert species. And I can tell you, aspirant pneumonia is no fun."

She looked up at him, then her smile - which was only reserved for him - widened. "However, to answer your question, I feel fine."

T'Val sat up a little straighter, relieved when Mercy propped a few pillows behind her back. Somewhere above her, Yade was warbling happily and at some point she even seemed to be humming along with one of the nurses. Looking up, she raised an eyebrow at Mercy. "I never knew they could sing," she stated, "this might be something I should try to cultivate."

Settling back against the pillows, her gaze found Mercy's. "How are the survivors?" she finally asked.

[Magellan Lin]

The Galaxy, Vanquisher and Rhode Island pursued the rogue Vaadwaar vessels until they left federation territory and then gave up the chase. The Senior Staff all assemebled aboard the Galaxy to take stock.

"It seems to me that these Vaadwaar will be back." Voran noted,
"Undoubtedly." Harry agreed, "Now that there is a connection between us and the Delta Quadrant and I m not so sure they will be fooled so easily again."

Voran nodded,
"Thanks to Adislo and Ezedriana we managed to get through this pretty much unscathed. The question is what do we do now? Somewhere out there is a some kind of supspace terminal linking us to the Delta Quadrant - perhaps in the interest of security we should find it and close it."
"Thats for higher ups than us to decide" Harry noted,
"Indeed." Voran agreed, "We should make our recommendations in our reports."
"I think in the interest of security the Rhode Island will remain on point in this sector. You and the Vanquisher can return to Assailant and put or case to the Admirals."

TAG Everyone - Okay peeps rounding up posts. And start thinking of ideas for the next mission.

[evoran]

"I think in the interest of security the Rhode Island will remain on point in this sector. You and the Vanquisher can return to Assailant and put or case to the Admirals." said Kim.

"Very good." said Voran shaking Kim's hand. Theirs was an odd relationship; Kim was now quite famous in the Federation, but Voran, being stranded before Voyager's launch, had never heard of him until today. Kim, of course, had read about missions that Voran had commanded at the Academy.

"It's been an honour working with you, Captain, and, I gotta say, kinda refreshing to meet someone who's never heard of me." said Kim.

Voran inclined his head and smiled. With a smile of his own, Harry left the Galaxy's ready room. Shortly afterwards, Voran did the same and entered the bridge.

Commander Tol got up from the command chair allowing Voran to take it.

"Captain Kim has returned to the Rhode Island and the Vanquisher signals that they're standing by." said Morley.

"Then, helm, set a course for Starbase 2 and engage at warp six." said Voran.

He sat back in his chair. He was beginning to feel comfortable here again, and was already liking the crew. He mused that when they got back to Assailant, he'd ask Admiral Lin to reassign the Galaxy to this sector. He knew that reassigning a large vessel like the Galaxy was not necessarily a small request, but she was not exactly a state of the art ship anymore, though she still packed a punch. From what he'd been hearing, they were going to need a little more protection around here and besides, Voran had some pull with Starfleet Command.

[mercy]

Stuart had assured her that all of the miners were stable and recovering. D'Beren was sent back to be with his nanny, while Stuart finished up the rest of his medical charts and logs. Before he knew it, time had flown by so quickly that T'Val was now standing in the doorway of his office.

"Hey, I haven't released you for duty yet." Stuart chided.

"You forget, I am a healer as well. I am fully recovered and fit for duty. However, I was hoping to spend some time with you before our return to SBA." As she had said all of this, she made her way to the front of Stuart's desk and sat down on top of it.

Stuart rose to meet her gaze as he now stood infront of her. He leaned forward for a kiss only to be met with parted lips of passion. Between breaths, Stuart was able to mumble. "I'm so glad that you are safe." Then it happened again... ~Me too. I could only think of you and D'Beren.~ ...He had heard this in his head. She did not speak out loud for their lips were again sealed tight with each others.

Reluctantly pulling away from T'Val, Stuart grabbed her hand and led her out of sickbay to find a more private place for them to be alone. "D'Beren should be fine for awhile. Come, we'll make a nice program on the holodeck. Just you and me."

[Deleted]

Again, T'Val flashed a smile at him, after making certain the nurse wasn't looking. "Certainly," she replied, as she followed him out of sickbay, "after we get this important report to Captain Voran. I am in need for a walk, I shall get this report to Voran, and I will meet you at holodeck one in fifteen minutes?"

Mercy smiled back at her, and drew her into his arms. "Can it not wait just another hour?" he asked, almost pleading with her.

She chuckled softly as she watched him pout. "Fifteen minutes," she insisted, "and I promise not to go anywhere after then." She issued him a final kiss before walking off towards the bridge. "Captain Voran?" she called, entering the bridge, "here is the report you needed. Doctor Mercy has just finished it and I offered to bring it to you."

<Voran>

"Yes I am much better now, thank you," the Vulcan replied, "I am about to head for the holodeck. Doctor's orders to rest, and who am I to disobey my doctor?"

<Voran>

T'Val nodded slightly, then left the bridge and headed for the holodeck, but not before detouring past her quarters to change into a flowing dark blue and sleeveless dress, and replicate a picknick basket. As she anticipated, Mercy was already waiting for her. "How about a nice beach and forest setting?" she asked, "but without waterfalls. I feel like going for a long walk as well as a swim." She tapped the controls besides the large holodeck doors. "Computer, create beach setting with forest on background, non-humid," she ordered.

=^=program is ready =^= the computer replied.

"Shall we?" T'Val asked, innocently and fully aware of her appearance. She had let her long hair down as well and it was freely falling over her shoulders.

<Mercy>

[Deleted]

"Thanks to Adislo and Ezedreiana we managed to get through this pretty much unscathed. The question is what do we do now? Somewhere out there is a some kind of supspace terminal linking us to the Delta Quadrant - perhaps in the interest of security we should find it and close it."

"There is no need to thank us Admiral, its our duty and honor to help people in need," Ezdreiana said not liking the praise. It was her job and she didn't need any special thanks for it.

Ezdreiana stood quiet as the three CO's talked about strategy. She didn't know what would be done, but she knew that something drastic would have to occur. They could not afford to have the Vaadwaur come into the Alpha quadrant again.

"If you gentlemen will excuse me I will go reside in my quarters," Ezdreiana said slightly bowing and then left. Luckily for her she would need to go back to sickbay, Dr. Mercy had told her that the body cast would dissolve with a good wash and that was what she was going to do.

"Computer start a private letter for Ambassador T'Pring of Vulcan."

"Dear Husband, I am sorry to have not come to you for advice early, but my attention has been diverted by some complications with the Vaadwuar. I have still not heard of son, T'Brel, but I feel that he is fine. Please contact me husband, I require your counsel."

"Computer send message," Ezdreiana said as she took off the uniform she was wearing and headed to the shower.