El Sal Mission 14.1: Fractured Reflections...

[Savot]

[El Salvador: Ready Room; 27 hours later]


"Captain's log, stardate 2401.0107. The El Salvador and Crosnik have arrived at the planet M'narin; we have assumed standard orbit while the freighter was landed on the planet surface. With the unstable nature of the obelisk artifact, attempting to beam it back to the surface was deemed too significant a risk. Fortunately, once contact was established with crewman Yelany and we gained further understanding of the situation, Commander Delbridge was able to persuade those aboard not to attempt any further efforts to destroy the freighter."


"The science vessel Tesla has rendezvoused with us at the planet to oversee the attempt to reconstitute the phase victims. While their personnel and equipment are more specialized towards such a pursuit, we are remaining firmly involved especially given that one of our own is at stake. First Officer Irae has been appointed as liaison between the 2 crews, and Doctor Chavet's input including rather useful personal anecdotes from Cadet Linayra have been of considerable assistance in gaining context from which to evaluate the logs recovered from the Crosnik. The Tesla's analysis of the 2nd obelisk on M'narin's surface was actually aided by the artifact's damaged state as it permitted a deeper probe of its inner crystalline latticework."


"When powered, the 2nd device seems to generate a pulse similar in parameters to that of the phasing obelisk, though the composition of its pulse has been confirmed as a reintegration wave to restore those who have been phased by the 1st artifact.  In its damaged state; however, the Integration Obelisk's wave dissipates before reaching the levels necessary for dispersal.  Therefore the Tesla scientists have been working on a makeshift focusing chamber positioned adjacent to the damaged area of the Integrator which will recomplete the 'circuit' so to speak of the crystalline latticework and channel the pulse's energy into the chamber to successfully reintegrate 1 person at a time.  Doctor Chavet has been working closely with the team to ensure the medical needs of each species in question are taken into account with regards to the chamber's design and the particle channeling levels being safe for each subject."


Savot concluded his recording and re-entered the bridge to see the Doctor arriving via turbolift to present the latest update on how the preparations were going on the surface.  "Hello Doctor; status update?"


<Tag Chavet>


The vulcan captain nodded, pleased that they were ready to make the first de-phasing attempt, "Excellent work Doctor.  Please convey my appreciation to the science team on the surface when you return.  Also, when time permits, please submit to the First Officer any names of cadets in your department you feel deserve special commendation for their work during this crisis.  Now that our first 'mission' with the students aboard is nearing completion I thought perhaps a semi-formal dinner and award ceremony may help them feel more involved and welcome.  Naturally, this will take place following the successful restoration of both Miss Yelany and the Crosnik personnel."

[Deleted]

=A= We are ready to begin the first re-phasing. Crewman Yelany has offered to undergo the first procedure, followed by the Archeologist's assistant Abraham, Once the Terrans are complete, we will move on the Rigellians, then the Denobulan and the Andorian. This order has the highest chance of success =A= Nayomi replied. She was standing ready with a medical tricorder and a small team to deal with any possible side effects of the re-phasing. This was a tricky and never before attempted procedure, but the crew of the Tesla seemed more then capable.

Two lengthy and stressful hours, everyone was visible once more. Crewman Yelany was nestled in Henry Underwood's arms (Nayomi let it slide) and the crew of the Crosnik was busy high fiving the Tesla crew. The two archaeologists had to be chased away from the second obelisk, lest they find themselves in more trouble. Both relics where going to be carefully studied while a containment centre was built for them and Star Fleet was involved in negotiations to be included in the research.

Nayomi returned to Sickbay, exhausted and ready to turn into her quarters. She decided to write up her commendation for both Crewman Yelany and Cadet Linayra in her quarters, ideally with a glass of convincing synthehol. She had brought a bottle of Altairian brandy, but was saving that for a more especial occasion.

Once in her quarters who put on her PJ's replicated a glass of pino grigio and sat down at her desk. She was never very good at this commendations, the words always seemed to escape her. Simple and to the point was probably best, that would at least buy her more time to think of something eloquent to say at the ceramony.

Cadet Linayra went above and beyond the call of duty when she was able to put together what she had heard about the Crosnik rescue with stories she had heard in her youth. She approached her senior officer with a theory and once given permission to pursue it she was quick to do her research and return with new found information heling the the case at hand.

Crewman Yelany underwent a very difficult and stressful experience which she handled exceptionally well, taking personal risks to make the El'Salvador crew aware of an imminent risk to the ship and was a key figure in the rescuing of the Crosnik crew.

There, short and sweet. She sent it off to the captain and decided to settle in for the night

[Savot]

[El Salvador: Officers' Lounge on Deck 3]


The senior officers and cadets gathered in their varying dress uniforms at the foremost section of Deck 3 where the Lounge had been temporarily repurposed to suit the Award Ceremony and dinner that was being held.  Each department head, their right hand, and the cadet or cadets they had nominated for special notice were seated together in small groups in a semi-circle facing the podium.  The 'bar' held trays of various food items of both appetizer and entree category, while drinks were tended to, by individual request, at the hand of Zakryn the El Salvador's Gorn security Non-Comm.  For those of emotional sensitivity, there was a palpable tinge of both excitement and anxiety in the room.  Savot, whose standard uniform jacket fell within the accepted bounds of dress uniform protocol, allowed approximately 15 minutes of casual conversation amongst those gathered before rising to the podium.


*There are many things in this job that one can simply never unsee. A Gorn bartending is one of those, but not the mental image that is so impressed upon the First Officer at the moment. The sight of so many people gathered around the artifacts, skeletal remains as far as the eye could see...thats the imagry that is emblazoned within Deis Irae's mind. The taken artifact shorting with the one that was already on the planets surface, revealing what could have happened to our own people. Family groups with arms around each other, sitting and waiting...just waiting. And in the end they waited for nothing. Their own technology did in their entire people while they waited for the wild hope of a miracle...that came centuries too late. Deis had been on the silent and businesslike side since returning from the "Ending" of this past mission and it like all the others has impressed itsself upon her, from now on. Grimness is something that she tends to embody, especially so when garbed in dress uniform with an old medal or two decorating her shoulders. Its Zakryn that first draws her from grimdark frowning thoughts by offering her a sunshiny orange drink. She actually blinks out of her unpleasant reverie when he sort of slowly waves it in front of her face* Och...thank ye Zak. Dinnae where me mind is this evenin. *Taking the drink from the gorn and managing something like a smile, sipping from the orange whatever it is as she notices the Captain heading podiumwards. Moving to take her seat so that he may speak*


Savot took his place and clasped his hands behind him as he addressed those gathered.  There was room on the podium for padd, parchment, or notecards but the vulcan had need of none to recall what it was he intended to say at each point in the ceremony.  "Being a member of Starfleet is perhaps the most varied job in the cosmos.  Mission parameters cover the spectrum from 'simple' cargo delivery, medical aid, exploration or combat both in space and on innumerable surfaces.  To be a Starfleet Officer one requires the technical knowledge of how to perform one's duty, the responsible judgement to at times examine all possible variables before letting our natural instinct command us, but moreso than any other skill or talent... and unfortunately one that is nigh impossible to be taught, is the character to combine them all.  Those recognized here today have displayed all of the aforementioned qualities but the latter most impressively.  While I could expound at length on the subject of character and the unique qualities I have found in those who have served aboard an El Salvador... it occurs to me that the illogic of preparing the ceremony's culinary items before I spoke was likely an attempt to minimize such extended discourse on my part", Savot tilted his head slightly to glance at Lt. Commander Delbridge who couldn't hide a soundless chuckle rocking his shoulders a bit.  "As such, I will simply begin the well-earned recognitions."


*Settles to seat as everyone gets quiet so that the Captain can speak without interruption. As he lays out the various "jobs" of a starfleet officer she would nod to each and every one. Hell she was a doctor in the beginning...but she, like everyone of us, has run the gauntlet of each. Doing this job requires one to be oh so flexable in mind as well as in body to bring all positions into one depending on need. Deis almost snorts out a little laugh at the almost joke at the end there. Translating his statement to mean "i COULD talk about all of this, but the food would get cold". Blanking her face as is appropriate to await the recognitions*


"Crewman Yelany boarded an Away Team shuttle expecting to render medical aid to strangers in need, and in the process was shifted out of phase by an alien artifact rendering her intangible, and invisible to the rest of us.  In spite of this, she mastered her fear upon recognizing a threat to the rest of us and found a method of warning us in time.  While none of us could see or hear her, her first instincts were to protect her ship and crewmates.  It is only appropriate then, that in this moment, she be the most visible member of the El Salvador crew", Savot then gestured for her to come forward to the podium, before continuing and reaching onto a small side table for a commendation to adhese to her uniform's chest, "Crewman Yelany, you are hereby bestowed the Starfleet Citation for Valor for your selfless acts in our last mission.  Without your efforts we could all have fallen victim to the artifact's effects; you have acted in the best traditions of Starfleet.  Congratulations."  Savot took a step back from her and lifted his right hand in a vulcan salute, allowing applause before permitting her to re-take her seat near Doctor Chavet.  "Cadet Linayra, despite being new to the ship and unfamiliar with your shipmates, when you had knowledge potentially relevant to the mission at hand you didn't hesitate to inform your superior officer and ensure they possessed as much data as possible from which to pursue a course of action.  One aspect of Starfleet that I find particularly important is the understanding that no one crewman, nor even one department, works alone.  A warp core as a whole enables us to perform the incredible feat of traversing the galaxy to expand the boundaries of our understanding, but without all of its essential components working in tandem, it could accomplish nothing.  You acted as an integral part of our crew and your actions and experience helped us arrive at a successful conclusion as a whole.  I present you with the Starfleet Silver Palm, congratulations."  Again gesturing in between sentences for the Suliban girl to approach and be pinned and receive another vulcan salute.


*This little ceremony brings to mind times of the past when it was we who stood receiving recognition from the ships Captain. Have we become old? Yes...probably. She applauds as each medal is given, unable to keep a smile from her face as each is pinned in place and the vulcan salute given. He truely has grown to fill the position that she had left so unfortunately empty. She is proud of him, as well as the cadets that did so well during this bizarre mission. They will be good officers.*


Savot began to speak towards the Engineering department next, but Tellarite Cadet Zhegras had to excuse herself quietly just then to use the restroom, which put 16 year old Vasrea next in line.  Curiously the vulcan girl seemed a bit alarmed at the unexpected reshuffling to the forefront of everyone's attention, as though she wasn't quite ready for it in her mind, and the rather not quiet snickering of her Tellarite friend showed it for the prank, albeit good-natured, that it was.  Nonetheless Savot proceeded without missing a beat, "As any Bridge officer knows, those stations are the first to receive new information and quite often the first to implement new directives.  Therefore the utmost focus and technical prowess are indispensable on the bridge of a starship.  In the absence of a senior Operations officer mid-mission, Cadet Vasrea assumed the position with the calm, professional consideration to detail for which her people are widely recognized.  Cadet, please rise and receive the Starfleet Medal of Commendation."  Vasrea gulped slightly, rose to her feet tugging at the sides of her dress uniform jacket to straighten it, set her chin and strode to the podium.  Savot took the small pip-styled medal and began to affix it to her collar opposite her cadet rank insignia.  


In the span of an eye blink, a nearly palpable wave of pure, agonized hatred hurled at Savot's consciousness from the girl he'd met scarcely days prior.  "DIE!", a half-shrieked, half-snarled cry of anguished loathing roared from Vasrea's lips.  Her right hand darted to his cheek shoving onto his katra points as though she intended to push him to the ground by his face.  Hand-to-hand instincts refined over decades of his life kicked in and Savot's left arm bent at the elbow forcing her to go around his arm slightly to reach his face.  The delay was less than a half-second but it gave him the time needed to snap his right hand up from the girl's collar to her own left cheek.  Surviving the assault wasn't sufficient, Savot intended to learn, if at all possible, the reason behind this strange girl's attack.  The ferocity and pure power behind her mental assault were like nothing he'd ever experienced before; however, and if not for the raw unfocused nature of her opening barrage Savot knew his mind would have been destroyed instantly. 


The calm silence of the two figures standing, each with their hand upon the other's face belied the intensity of the struggle going on within their joined minds; each having to put forth an effort akin to straining every muscle in their body non-stop.  One so that he could outlast his attacker long enough to learn her motives... the other so that she didn't lose this chance to finally end this murdering vulcan at last...


*Deis had rose from her chair at the same time that everyone else in the room does. Zakryn, the Gorn, had rounded the bar area with clear intent to seperate the two and he isnt the only one. Deis has spent a little time on Vulcan and indeed knows this one particularly well. As Zak and the Doctor step foreward, Irae holds out a hand and says* Dinnae touch them. Stand down both of ye. Seperatin em now would only harm th both! Savot must fight his way through this alone... *For any and all scans directed towards these two, this mind meld is beyond powerful. Links like this dont happen...until now*



(Joint Post b/w Savot & Deis)

[Deleted]

Nayomi stood near the front of the room while Savot made his speeches and presented the commendation, She smiled warmly at both Yelany and Liayra when they went up to receive their well deserved commendations and tugged absent-minded at her freshly replicated dress uniform. It was her first time wearing one since graduation and she was not sure if the fit was right, which was rather unfortunate given that she would soon be going up to accept her promotion to Lieutenant Jr grade.

She had been made aware of the promotion only a few hours before and was not sure how she felt about it. On the one hand, it was nice to have your hard work recognized, on the other she still felt very new to everything. Public speaking was not really her thing, and she would probably be expected to say something. Maybe, if she was lucky, they would forget about her and she could collect her new pip from the captain in private later.

She was picking at an errant thread when the Vulcan exchange student yelled and threw herself into a forced meld with the Captain. The security guards around her leaped into action only to be stopped by Deis. Nayomi took a brief moment to adjust from nervous to controlled, pulled out her tricorder and began scans on both vulcans. "The commander is right, do not interrupt them. There is nothing we can do. Clear the room."

=A= Dr Chavet to Sickbay, prepare two doses of Lexorin and two biobeds. Prepare for transport onto both and have a force field put up immediately around the cadet.=A= Her mind frantically raced through what she had been taught bout melds feeling suddenly like her education had been rather sparse in this area

She was hoping to get out of her public promotion, but not like this.

[Deleted]

T'Val watched the ceremony from a nearby vantage point, where she could easily grab a seat if she needed to. She stood with her hands folded over her swollen abdomen, a content look on her face as she watched the cadets each in turn receive the object of their hard work: a shiny award that they would cherish forever. Proof of their readiness to serve. Her expression changed to one of shock as she saw the Vulcan girl lash out and she was already moving forward when Deis called out not to touch either of them.

A little out of breath, realising that she really shouldn't try to run anywhere anymore at almost nine months pregnant, T'Val reached the doctor. "What happened?" she asked, watching the two Vulcans stand in an almost frozen state, the only proof of life the rise and fall of their chests, and the whiteness of their fingers as each applied pressure to the other's face. Concern crossed the counsellor's features as she stepped closer to them, but making no attempt to touch. She knew it was dangerous to separate those who were engaged in a meld, knew it could damage a participant's mind forever. "Someone get me a tricorder," she ordered sharply, while pulling up a chair. "I will monitor them, I can provide assistance to both, if required. I am, after all, Vulcan." And besides a qualified counselor, also a qualified doctor.

[Deis Irae]

::It is everything that Deis can do to not immediately swoop down on the Doctor and start telling her what to do. Just an old impulse where our Captain is concerned. The green of his blood had been on her hands more times than she cares to think on. She tells herself "Chavet is as good a Doctor as ye ever were, woman, so stop yer fashin. You wouldnt have given any different orders for whats just happened. Ye got one job here...restore order, keep us moving...and make the damn report." She wants to run with the Doctor and T'Val to sickbay...but she would only be in the way. So she steps up to the podium and turns to look at everyone that remains:: I think, me, tha in light o th circumstances, an considerin investigation procedure, we will call this gatherin closed. Once this situation is resolved, we'll reschedule.

::God she never thought that she would be in this spot again. In sole command due to injury to the Captain...though the first time, it was full out murder. And at the same time, Savot...her Savot is in a battle for his life. But there is still a ship to be run here, might as well just bite the bullet and be ready. Its interesting how the small Commander can almost manage to keep her expression as blank as the vulcan himself. Quiet confidence when she is wanting to totally freak out.:: Cadets will be confined t quarters until "I" ave spoke wi' em. I be wantin t know everything each one o ye know about Cadet Vasrea. ::then she takes a little pity on them:: Zak, please see tha dinner is distributed, shame t let it go t waste.

Fer now, dismissed. Cadet Zhegras, stay. Ill speak wi ye first. ::Not assigning blame, but the Tellarite is the closest companion of Vasrea and just so happened to leave the room seconds before Vasrea attacked. Better safe than sorry. She nods and steps down from the podium, motioning for Zhegras to follow::

[Deleted]

Ben had just finished setting up his quarters the way he wanted it. Finishing his cup of English tea he looked down at his watch.

Damn the ceremony his mind exploded in panic.

This was going to look good his first day on the job and he was going to be late. Maybe the captain would understand, maybe he wouldn't notice if he just snuck in.
Yeah that would happen he thought sarcastically.

Rushing into his ceremonial uniform he rushed out of the door. Normally he wouldn't panic or care what anybody thought but star fleet was his dream. He might be a bit of a hotshot,a show off especially in front of women, but he never felt more alive than when he was sat behind the console of a starship and he didn't want to lose it. He had to become more disciplined.

He arrived at the ceremony, before entering he crossed his fingers and held his breath. Rounding the corner he didn't see the ceremony. He saw a group of officers standing around two Vulcan`s locked in a mind meld. One was wearing a Starfleet uniform and the insignia........

The captain.

[Deleted]

Nayomi waited long enough for the meld to break, but it showed no signs of ending. Both the Cadet and the Captain had faces strained, the veins on their hands pulsed. There was one hell of a battle going on and it was impossible to see who was winning. She needed better equipment, her scanner gave her little to go on but increased pulse, blood pressure and synaptic activity. She didn't need a damn tricorder to figure that out. "Commander, do you think it would be safe to transport them to sickbay like this?"

<Tag Deis>

"Agreed, as much as I would like to move them to the security of sickbay I am also not sure what affects transport would have on them. Thank you for clearing the room, I don't really think we want to make a show of this" Nayomi sighed, she could not imagine the rampant rumours that would be running amok on the lower decks.

"Why the hell would she attack him? She yelled die before she started the meld, that type of emotion in a Vulcan is almost unheard off. I never had any interaction with her apart from her physical and she seemed fine, maybe little less disciplined then most but she is still so young. What do we even know about her?" she asked no one in particular. Then saw T'val also monitoring the two melders with a tricorder. There was a lot of former doctors on this ship, which today was probably a very good thing. "Counsellor, Vasrea is young and I doubt she has much experience. What do you know about Pa'nar syndrome?"

<Tag T'Val>

Just then she heard the doors to the room slid open and a tense looking man with the uniform of a navigations officer entered. Ah, the new pilot, she had been planning to hunt him down for his welcome physical, but now that would have to wait. "Ensign Jackson I presume? Perhaps you can assist us. We need to find a way to safely separate our captain from his attacker. I would also like to get them to sickbay but we believe the transporters would be ill-advised."

<Tag Ben>

[Savot]

[Within a conjoined consciousness]



There is no actual "form" within a mind meld as every image, item, and micrometer of the environment are the person in question.  But if there was a visual representation of Savot within the meld... almost in synch with the precise instant he managed to make contact with the cadet's katra points, his form would appear to be knocked backward with the equivalent force of being struck by a hoversled.  The advantage of a meld; however, meant that because the environment itself was also part of Savot's being, he could control the mental environment as though moving a limb on his body.  Rather than getting struck by Vasrea's charge in the physical world where her incoming force would be entirely transferred to his body and forced backward until he struck a wall or floor, in here Savot could automatically propel his form backward in a place that had no such surfaces to strike.  


He allowed his mentally imaged body to plummet deeper into his own consciousness.  While it did increase the risk to himself it also forced Vasrea further from her own core so she had to stretch her mind further to pursue him.  The metaphorical string leading back into her being was strained more and more leaving her connection to herself essentially thinner thereby making it easier for Savot to access her consciousness in return.  He needed to know who she was and why she was so adamantly loathing of him.  Outright psychosis wouldn't allow her to be as functional as she had demonstrated on the bridge particularly in an ever-changing detail oriented post like Operations.  Therefore it was logical to conclude she had a genuine reason to want him dead, or at the very least she believed she had said reason.


He needed to wear her down before he could afford to split his focus enough to probe her mind for the answers and he had to be careful about it as she was quite frankly far more powerful than he mentally.  She was by far the strongest mind with which Savot had ever been in direct contact with and her visualized form continued to throw figurative punches as they fell.  Knowing she exceeded him in strength here, Savot instead focused on keeping her off-balance, altering the environment around them to necessitate her using her own energy reserves to keep up.  He conjured a solid surface beneath himself while leaving an empty abyss beneath her so she continued falling.  Her form's eyes widened at the unexpected oddity before she caught on and exercised her will to create ground beneath herself as well and return to be level with Savot's image.  Her expression flashed momentarily as that of someone who wanted to pause and reflect on what had just transpired so she didn't fall victim to the same trick again but instead she quickly forced herself back into a series of attacks as though afraid of losing the momentum of her hate if she stopped to think.  That was curious to Savot and he tilted his head slightly as he braced himself for her next series of strikes.  Just before the ferocity returned to her countenance; however, he heard what sounded like a name whispered in a breeze but he couldn't quite make it out yet.


Her mental body came at him in a posture Savot was able to recognize as a very basic and crude form of kareel-ifla a vulcan martial style emphasizing the quick and direct application of force so as to end a conflict as swiftly and decisively as possible.  She wasn't actually moving of course, but the visual representation of her mental attacks became what it most closely resembled in physical combat.  A decades-long practitioner of both kareel-ifla and ponn-ifla himself, Savot made ready to counter her advance using the latter discipline which was designed to use an opponents momentum against them and apply as little direct force as possible.  It lent itself nicely to battles of attrition to let the opponent wear themselves down which was precisely Savot's objective.  He needed to know if he had genuinely done something to deserve this girl's unrestrained revulsion and if so, what that act had been.  Barely moving the muscles of his mental form, Savot prepared counter-strikes of inquiry in his mind as he made ready to defend against what her movements telegraphed as the mental equivalent of the lethal tal-shaya...



(Based on my understanding of Trek technology and vulcans in general I agree with the in-character assumptions that beaming would be just as disruptive to a mind-meld as forcibly separating the bodies of the participants, so good calls there everyone : )    The telepathic bout will last 1, possibly 2 more posts and in the meantime Commander Irae will reveal the next assignment for the ship itself in her next post or two also.)

[Deis Irae]

Nae Doctor...it woudnae be safe. There... ::Deis has to pause, looking at our Captain and this Cadet locked in mortal mental combat. And there isnt a damn thing that any of us can do. Merely touching skin on skin of either of them could be catastrophic as the touch telepathy filtered through into whatever is happening in there. For the first time that anyone on this El Salvador has seen, there is full expression to Deis face, and its both pained and deeply worried. She has to shake her head a little to look back to Doctor Chavet, trying to remember what the hell she was saying:: Um...ochaye. It might kill them both, Doctor. Be ye askin me own opinion...dinnae move them. A'tall. ::looking around at the Gorn and Delbridge* Get us a couple o chairs...position em so tha they can sit. ::Then she looks back to the Doctor and Counselor:: Touch them ONLY on th clothes...push em down into th chairs. Gently. Administer a light local muscle relaxant a' th knees an hips. Itll make sittin em down easier. Get all th medical equipment ye need Doctor, but get it in here. Temporary med station til they seperate. We cannae disturb em wi'out riskin their minds.

::And then stepping back to let the Doctor and Counselor get to work. Once Delbridge and Zakryn get the chairs positioned, Deis only watches the group begin to maneuver and press Savot and the cadet into place. In the midst of the near panic, its amazing to Deis that she can just step back up and take command like this. Without a second thought. It seems callous...but its exactly what he would expect of her. She never thought that she would have to do this again. Command the El Salvador due to her Captain being incapacitated. But this isnt the old El Salvador...this isnt Vreenak, it isnt Smith. This is Savot. It flashes her back to days long ago when she was trying so desperately to keep him alive from an axe wound through the lung. But she cant help him this time...hell she couldnt save him then either...not without a trip to Vulcan, and meeting his Mother, who was one hell of a surgeon...and his Sister who gave her very blood to him. THEY saved him. Chavet will have to save him this time...T'Val as well.::

::Its these thoughts that finally begins to weave a thread of anger into her worry...this helps to banish the emotion on her face as she snaps her head to look directly at that Tellarite cadet. This is not a comfortable gaze for anyone to be caught beneath:: Ye. Cadet Zhegras: wi me. ::Even going so far as to crook a finger at the cadet and walking to a table on the opposite side of the lounge. She dosent bother to sit down, but rather she stands on the opposite side of the table, leaned down on the palms of her hands so that she seems to just loom a little bit...a difficulty when your only a whisper over 5 feet tall but thats why the tellarite is sitting and she is standing. Once the tellarite is sitting, Deis bores those grey eyes into those looking back and says:: Now. I wanna know absolutely ever'thin ye know bout Cadet Vasrea...

Chester W. Delbridge was easygoing about almost everything. In fact, the more serious someone ELSE thought something was the more likely he was to make a joke out of it... well, important in the bureaucratic or formality sense anyway. He'd never have the lack of consideration to joke about someone being hurt, and that seemed to be exactly what was going on here and now. He felt bad that he'd actually liked the vulcan cadet before she went all psycho on his best friend. Delbridge had faith in Savot's abilities but... it just all came so out of nowhere.

Once they'd gotten the melders seated, Zakryn took out his phaser and trained it on the girl. Not intending to use it now but merely being prepared to take the girl into custody the instant the meld was ended. She'd gotten one crack at the captain's life on his watch and he wasn't about to give her a second chance if Savot managed to live through this one. The Gorn security guard knew nothing about vulcan mental whatsits and as such it took a great deal of discipline not to just belt the cadet in the face; but discipline held since it seemed to be the consensus of 3 different women who all exceeded his IQ that that would be a bad move.

Cadet Zhegras returned from the restroom expecting to give her friend a mischevious grin at having forced her to get her medal earlier than she was anticipating... Vasrea was great fun to mess with about nitpicky details like that; but the Tellarite girl could tell from the posture language of the meld combatants that Vasrea was the attacker and Zhegras actually had her teeth bared in angry betrayal before being summoned by the First Officer. The girl had trouble breaking her gaze from the melders but her own anger served to heighten her instinctive retreat into discipline and so she practically marched over to the table and stood at attention until she was given the silent eye to take a seat which she then did reluctantly.

Zhegras heard the command and spoke without hesitation, "With respect Commander in light of this I doubt I actually KNOW anything about the loon but I'll share what I thought I knew. Whoever she is arrived at the Lumpur 7 academy several weeks ago via transport. She had some medical issue on the way over requiring a transfusion of Rigellian blood that can be substituted for Vulcan if sufficient anti-rejection medications are coupled with the treatment. She was assigned to my barracks and at first I figured she'd be boring like other vulcans, but she actually showed her emotions when she had them. And when she hid them it seemed more like she didn't want to seem vulnerable to those that could see her than any traditional adherence to vulcan stoicism."

Wha i be wantin t know, Cadet, be more along th lines o wha ye noticed bout her. Did she meet wi anyone nae workin fer th Academy? Who did she meet, wha did she do in her off time, e'en piddlin small talk. Did it nae strike ye as odd tha a vulcan would be so emotionally demonstrative? ::Then Deis takes a breath and forces the thought through, "This Cadet did not attack the Captain, D...dont take this out on her when it isnt her fault?:: Fergive me forcefulness, Cadet...but i think ye can understand th gravity o wha be happenin 'ere. We will get every file possible on this girl but fer th now i need t know wha... ... ...

As fate would conveniently have it, right in the midst of this excitement a call would come in front the bridge where... sure as warp speed, rumor had already arrived about the goings-on in the Officers' Lounge, =^=Lieutenant Tamarov to Irae; Commander we have a priority message coming in from Starfleet. Please come to the bridge.=^=

::Before Commander Irae can even react, Zhergras is leaning back from the table a little, wincing as though expecting a loudly cussing outburst. Which isnt that far from the truth actually but after so many years of training, Irae is able to just shut that kind of crap down. Stressed is not a thing once your command...not if you wish to remain in command. There IS a momentary squeezing eyes closed as though quickly getting ahold of her "DAMNIT" reflex...a breath in and out and then she is answering, fingers lifted to tap at her commbadge.:: =/\= Acknowledged Tamarov, on me way=/\= ::Looking back to the Tellarite:: We can finish this conversation later. ::Then turning to security:: Zakryn, keep watch o'er Capn Savot an th Cadet, assist th Doctor n Counselor howe'er they need. ::Then noticing that Quinn has arrived to the call for more Security:: Quinn please escort Cadet Zhergras to 'er quarters an see tha she stays there. Same goes fer all Cadets, confined t quarters until we 'ave this mess figured out. ::Then with no further ado, Deis Irae strides out of the Officers Lounge with only a single glance over her shoulder for Savot and Vasrea, heading for the bridge.:: Bloody 'ell wha now?


((JP with our fearless leader, thanks Sir.  This is a tag everyone.  Doc, Counselor, Npcs, Savot, Quinn, New guy who i promise i will speak to very soon))

[Deleted]

Quinn had arrived promptly on silent feet. She surveyed the situation in seconds with those piercing eyes of hers. She turned to Commander Irae and nodded. "Aye Ma'am." She replied then cast her gaze over the cadet. The cadet looked uncomfortable under her look. Good Quinn thought. "Cadet with me." She said curtly and escorted Zhergras to her quarters and gathered the remaining cadets. She stood back straight, hands clasped behind her back. "All cadets are to remain in their quarters until further notice. Anyone caught disobeying these orders will be dealing with me." She gave each cadet a level gaze. They all looked at her with a healthy hint of fear. Of course they had heard the whispers among the Marines on board. This was the woman who had been set upon by a pack of targs and walked away. The woman had survived a phaser shot to the heart. "You are dismissed." She said and watched the cadets scurry off to their rooms. Quinn nodded and turned on her heel striding away.
=/\=Commander Irae, This is Summers. All cadets are secure in their quarters."

[Deleted]

"Counsellor, Vasrea is young and I doubt she has much experience. What do you know about Pa'nar syndrome?"

"It is a serious condition that could affect all telepaths but is most common in Vulcans," T'Val answered without hesitation, "it degrades the neural pathways but may also affect the endocrine and immunesystem of the affected individual. Most importantly, it is caused by Vulcans who are not properly trained in mind-melds." THe response was almost automatic though T'Val had never dealt with anyone infected by Pa'nar.

She paused, gazing intently at the first officer and former chief medical officer. "COmmander, there is a cure," she finally spoke up after the cadets had been sorted. She still kept an eye on the two Vulcans who were still engaged in the meld. "An experienced Vulcan melder could correct the disruptions in the neural pathways. I probably could but I am not certain if this is wise in my current condition...but I would be willing to try, if monitored."

(I plan for T'Val to give birth this mission so maybe an attempt could send her into labor?)

[Savot]

[Within the meld...]


As deadly a technique as the physical tal-shaya is; its strength lies mainly in surprise.  If an opponent knows that is your intent then it's not terribly difficult to defend against as was the case here with the metaphorical parallel.  Even seeing it coming though, Savot was hard pressed by the sheer strength of the assault.  He couldn't survive directly blocking the strike so instead he was forced to create a defensive barrier in front of him like the point of an umbrella, piercing the incoming wave, then opening to disperse the wash over a wide area in every direction.  Still he was pressed backward but he oriented his essence and prepared his own counter-offensive so that he was knocked backward toward her consciousness.  It was time to get answers.


The girl's attacks became more frequent and frantic as though terrified she would lose the opportunity if it took much longer.  This translated into powerful but haphazard strikes that Savot could dodge and force her to hit the environment behind him.  And now that they were within her consciousness the environment was the system of walls she had erected to guard her own mind from intrusion.  Walls began to crack and shatter like panes of glass, each holding images behind them.  The images were strange; however, black and white as though the memories were not the girl's own.  Though blurred at first so nothing could be gleaned, over time the images became slowly more discernible and Savot saw scenes that indicated a Romulan environment through the eyes of someone with stature and importance.  People bowed and catered to the owner of the eyes... and to Savot's surprise he saw himself in the memories, and his spirit shivered when he recognized the being he saw as his counterpart in the Mirror Universe rather than himself.


Curiously, his assassin counterpart was almost always present in the memories.  Often fighting in combat alongside the viewer and both defending and being defended by him or her at numerous points.  As the time span continued it became clear the viewer was indeed a woman as she would look down frequently to a clearly pregnant stomach... strangely enough the assassin Savot's hand could often be seen resting gently atop it.  For a moment Savot's mental form had to refocus on the combat as his perusal of the memories had left him open to a vicious defensive assault from the girl, as though she couldn't bear to let these memories be invaded.  Savot was rocked back by a shoulder charge and then his avatar's cheeks streaked with green as she clawed his face, not even an attempt at technique remained in the girl's attacks.  These were last ditch effort struggles of instinct.  


Savot shifted his face strategically to avoid receiving wounds to the eyes, which in-meld would translate to a lessening of his ability to read her which was his most importantly goal now.  A knee brought up into her stomach sent her into a roll which he followed, rolling backward over his left shoulder and even as his back was to her he brought his hands up over his head to catch her descending chop before spinning on his heels as he stood and bringing her arm up behind her back in a hold.  Securing the wrist with one hand, Savot caught the other hand as it swung back to try and free herself, then he knelt with his right knee atop the backs of her shins to bring her to what constituted 'ground' and pushed her upper torso away from him a bit so as to avoid any headbutt attempts.  With this accomplished, both Savot and the girl faced the exposed windows as they continued to reveal the details of what motivated her attempt on his life.


His counterpart appeared to be romantically involved with the bearer of these memories, likely the father of the child with whom she was pregnant.  All too quickly; however, the eyes on Savot's form narrowed as he witnessed the assassin turn on and attack the woman.  Savot felt the girl's confusion rise as a response to her feeling his confusion at the images.  "You don't... even... remember?!?!", the girl shrieked furiously with an intensity that would tear her physical throat raw if they weren't in the meld. 


Then Savot felt a stabbing pain in his chest and thought somehow in her fury the girl had managed to escape part of his grasp but he confirmed he still held her fully and then looked to the memories to see the assassin stab the woman from her point of view, and then it hit him like a gavel echoing in a cavern of ice... the pain of the stab was part of the memory because this girl had been in telepathic contact with the memory's owner at the time.  The images were greyed because they belonged to someone else, and they became clearer over time because.... the daughter in her womb grew more developed over time.  The unborn child had experienced her mother's assassination.  The pictures took on color from that point forward as they now belonged to the girl directly and not through her mother's eyes.  Since the time she was old enough to understand it, she had worked to identify, pursue, and avenge herself upon the man who killed her mother.  She studied the assassin; his tactics and history, scoured the accounts of his contracts until she found her mother's file.  Mirror Savot had been tasked to eliminate a Romulan woman of noble ancestry who could potentially rally the Romulans against the Terran Empire.  The assassin had studied her, even helped her to gain her confidence.  He concluded her fighting prowess too risky to face without a substantial advantage... and so had for some reason chosen the effective but slow method of impregnating the woman as a means of weakening her and making her vulnerable.  Savot's double had brought a life into the universe for the sole purpose of rendering more advantageous his attempt to remove another life...


Savot didn't so much release the girl as shove her away from him before planting his palms to the ground as though he were about to vomit.  He couldn't focus his form sufficiently to speak to her so he simply opened every memory of his encounters with Mirror Savot to her.  She had learned he'd come to this universe on another assignment, but thought that he'd stayed here probably eliminating and replacing this universe's version of himself.  The girl trembled and her head shook violently from one memory cluster to another, terrified to admit the truth that she had wasted her attempt on the wrong target and would never get the chance to deal with her mother's killer.  Her shaking slowed and she began to whisper, "No... no.... no... no..."  over and over backing up to no particular destination.  Savot lifted his head toward her, unable to speak as any attempt at apology or expression of sympathy would fall so completely short.  Then his eyes widened with alarm and anger as she used the trick she learned from him earlier in the combat to dissolve the mental surface beneath her and plunge into the depths of her own consciousness to end herself.


She looked up in angry shock as a hand gripped her arm and she screamed at Savot who held her and gripped the edge of her mental cliff with his other hand and she demanded through tears, "Let me go!" 


Savot looked as though he'd regained a bit of his composure, but through determination rather than calm and said simply in reply, "I will not.  You have the memories; you know how hard your mother resisted her opponent.  She did not do so thinking to preserve her own life... but to preserve yours.  I will not permit you to waste that sacrifice or her death will truly have been meaningless."  With that, the girl so weakened from both the bout and learning that she'd failed in her self-assumed mission of revenge, Savot had little difficulty rendering her unconscious and safely end their meld.


********************************************************************************************************************************************
[Officer's Lounge]


Savot's eyes blinked and his hands fell from the false cadet's face to grip her shoulders and keep her from falling, then he noticed they had both been seated and he silently thanked his people for their thinking.  Even as he looked around the room to ensure the cadets had been removed the captain raised an open hand to the security guard, not having known it would be Zakryn but knowing there'd definitely be at least someone actively keeping a bead on the commanding officer's attacker, "No harm is to befall her; escort us to Sickbay and post 2 guards.  I do not anticipate further violence toward anyone else from her but it is always worthwhile to be prudent.  Doctor Chavet, please perform a DNA analysis on the young lady and compare against my DNA on record.  I believe you'll find she is... my daughter.  Please run a quantum signature scan as well; you may utilize medical restraints at your discretion Doctor."


He noticed T'Val keeping technological vigil over them and dipped his head slightly, "Counselor.  When she regains consciousness and is willing to discuss the matter... the girl may well require your skills.  Thank you for monitoring us."  Savot rose to pick the unconscious girl up from the chair and fell in step with the doctor and security; he never even noticed the tears that had traveled down his face.



(Medical scans would confirm that his dna matches the paternal half of the girl's; and her quantum signature would prove her to be from the Mirror Universe as it would differ from all of ours native to this universe.)

[Deis Irae]

::Commander Irae steps onto the bridge and says, before anyone can say anything...:: Tamarov, ill take it in th Readyroom, until further notice, ive th Conn. ::Assuming this to be so for the moment...no matter what happens in that officers lounge, she cant see someone just jumping back . Dosent take the time right now to explain whats going on. Shes walking into the Readyroom just as she finishes speaking to Tamarov. She isnt trying to be rude, but if she stops right now to explain, it will take forever and she has business to be about.::

::Striding through the fwoosh of the doors, she has to come to an abrupt stop a few steps in. The doors hiss closed behind her and she lets out a little sigh of partial relief. She had automatically pictured what was, in turns, she and Savots readyroom...back in the day. But this is very different...and right now she appreciates that. Moving behind the desk and taking the chair, keying up the incomming message on the console. So the "caller" is greeted by the diminuative darkness of Deis Irae rather than the Vulcan they were expecting::

The computer screen filled with the image of a female human in her late 50's to early 60's, mostly grayed hair still with strands of fleeting chestnut pulled into a tight bun behind her. A momentary blink and elevated brow ridge was the only response to the unexpected recipient and she wasted no time, =^=Commander Irae, Admiral Hayes, Starbase 24. A science team here was in communication with a civilian research outpost when they frantically reported they were under attack by vessels of unknown configuration seconds before the comm signal was lost entirely. The outpost is on the outskirts of an asteroid field that form from the breakup of a planetary body thousands of years ago. The El Salvador is the nearest vessel on their side of the field, which means you can utilize a brief activation of your Quantum Slipstream Drive to reach them faster than ships having to circumnavigate the field. Proceed immediately at Red Alert and anticipate battle conditions upon arrival. Use of deadly force is at your judgement. Questions?=^=

::Deis had been expecting this, so she nods to the image and greets only with:: =/\=Admiral.=/\= ::And settles to listening. She catches the lift of brow but offers no explanation at this time. Just goes on as though this were totally normal. Composed and serious, she listens to this emergency and dosent so much as lift a brow...until Quantum Slipstream Drive is said. Really, she has all the information she needs and sees little point in drawing this out.:: =/\=nae, Admiral. Were on our way. El Salvador out=/\= ::And thats it...but Deis does wait to leave until the Admiral has cut the comm rather than just hanging up on her.::

::Once the connection is closed, Deis stands up and gives herself 10 seconds of silence, eyes closed. Its terrible that colonists are being attacked, but this task while who knows what is going on in the Officers Lounge, at least distracts her from the womans more emotional failings. Right...on with it, then. Before stepping out, she looks around this room and says:: Ill try nae t break yer ship... ::Then she is moving back through the doors and stepping back out onto the bridge and heads to that damn Chair. But at least...for this...Deis unfortunate talent for destruction might come in handy. Sitting down she looks over at Tamarov:: Red alert! Set course for loaded coordinates an get ye ready fer a fight. Calibrate Quantum Slipstream Drive for fastest possible arrival. Once shes ready, engage.

::Last Deis keys up the shipwide comms, as the klaxons sound and the red paneling all over the El Salvador begins to pulse:: =/\=All hands t battlestations an brace for Quantum Slipstream activation...=/\=

[Deleted]

Nayomi led the small parade back to sickbay, they stepped into what soon became a crowded turbo lift and she snuck a sideways glance at Savot and was startled to see a tear running down the side of his face. His daughter? She read over his file and he did not have a daughter she knew of. He wanted her to run a quantum scan too, which was an odd request unless he suspected she was from the mirror universe, which would certainly explain a thing or two. She glanced over toward T'val and her swollen belly and could almost swear she saw it move as the baby inside gave a kick. She needed to see the counsellor again for another check up and make sure her duties where not going to wear her out. It was getting close to the due date and she did not want the women delivering in the mess hall. That said, the discussion about Pa'nar syndrome has been completely interrupted by the separation of Savot and the cadet, and although the Captain seemed fine for now, symptoms could present themselves later on that would need to be addressed.

Nayomi edged closer to the counselor to avoid them being overheard. "T'Val, thank you for your offer and I certainly hope it will not come to that. Your pregnancy has gone very well so far and I hate to jeopardize that especially since you are so close to giving birth. Savot seems to have recovered, but can you run through the crew manifest and see if there might be any other candidates for the healing meld if required? I would prefer if you start taing things a little easier for the time being."

<Tag T'val>

They arrived in sickbay to curious glances from Nayomi's staff. She had Savot put the cadet down on a more secluded bio bed. "I won't restrain her and I won't utilize a force field. Have the security guards stay nearby, but not crowd us." After Savot had put the girl down Nayomi had one of the techs begin the dna analysis. "I should have results within the hour. I want to give you a quick neural scan as well Captain since you are here."

<Tag Savot>

The klaxons sounded interrupting them and on the biobed Vasrea stirred but did not awake.

=/\=All hands t battlestations an brace for Quantum Slipstream activation...=/\=

Slipstream activation, what was going on and where did they need to go in such a hurry? Nayomi threw up the braces around Vasrea's bio bed and grapped hold of the sides. The last and only other time she had been through one of these she'd lost her footing and plunged head first into her latest crush back in the academy knocking both of them out cold.

=A= Dr Chavet to the bridge, do you need sickbay on standby? =A=

Deis quickly explained the nature of their rescue mission as the ship lurched into slipstream. Nayomi quickly began going through the check lists in her mind of preparations. When where they going to go on a nice calm science expedition where she could enjoy some quality time on the holodeck?

[Deleted]

Hearing the call Quinn moved to Marine Country and started getting a team ready for the mission. Gearing herself up as well. They were efficient. Good. =/\= Commander Irae This is Summers. Marines are ready to move out on your order.

[Deleted]

T'Val nodded. "I will get on it ma'am but first I would speak with Captain Savot." She offered the faintest of smiles towards the chief medical officer in acknowledgement of her condition. "I am aware," she said, "and I know the risks." She watched the Vulcan captain closely, fingers drumming idly against the faceplate of her PADD. As a counselor, she was obligated to talk to him, and to the girl, but her priority was the captain. If he wasn't sane, he couldn't command the ship and the last thing she wanted was to be responsible for the ship not having it's rightful captain.

Not that the XO wasn't rightful but... T'Val sighed as she walked up to Savot. "Sir?" she asked him, drawing his attention. "You said this girl is your daughter... why would your own offspring try to kill you?"

She watched him closely, watching his expression for minute changes. "Your record does not state any spouse, and there is no record of you having bonded anyone for your Cycles. How is this girl your daughter?"

[Savot]

[Sickbay]


Savot nodded in response to the doctor's comments and his consent for the very reasonable neural scan upon himself.  He nodded to Zakryn as well and the Gorn security guard responded in-kind implying he would do his job but stay out of the medics' way.  T'Val sighed as she walked up to Savot. "Sir?" she asked him, drawing his attention. "You said this girl is your daughter... why would your own offspring try to kill you?"


The vulcan captain closed his eyes briefly, opening them slowly and explaining briefly but with all the particularly relevant details, "She believed me to be responsible for the murder of her mother."


She watched him closely, watching his expression for minute changes. "Your record does not state any spouse, and there is no record of you having bonded anyone for your Cycles. How is this girl your daughter?"


Savot nodded, acknowledging the technical error in his initial claim, "In the strictest sense neither I nor my genetic material played any role in her conception.  In the meld I learned that she is the offspring of my Mirror Universe counterpart, and an unidentified member of Romulan lesser nobility.  I have encountered my counterpart twice and have confirmed him to be an admitted assassin.  Though further research is recommended to confirm the jumble of information I encountered within the meld, it appears the mother was a target assigned to him.  Either due to her own combat prowess or in order to procure more intelligence about her, the assassin Savot took the time to earn the Romulan's confidence and affection, conceiving a child with her.  He chose to make the kill shortly before the anticipated due date of the child... and it seems that though she could not interpret or understand the sensations she was receiving, the infant was in telepathic contact with her mother's mind during her battle.  The mother held on long enough to safely birth her daughter but her wounds then overtook her.  The assassin crossed over years before pursuing another of his targets, and the girl learned of this but was unaware he'd transitioned back to the Mirror Universe so believed me to be him, eliminated and replaced by my duplicate."


He then lifted his head slightly toward Chavet, "For the medical record Doctor, Vasrea was a false name she used to enroll in the exchange program.  Her real name is Karysta..."  When he'd learned this in the meld it had surprised him, for while he'd never given serious thought to having children, he had considered names he might choose if his hypothetical mate agreed, and Karysta was his favorite potential name for a daughter.  He shook his head slightly, allowing the doctor to perform her scans, "Doctor, given the current situation and our imminent arrival in a combat scenario my intention is to leave Commander Irae in command for the duration of the immediate threat.  Do you have any medical objection to my assuming duties at the Operations console on the bridge?  Such familiar work may assist me in regaining my full focus."


<Tag Chavet>


*************************************************************************************************
[Research Station: Surrounding Space]


The El Salvador-C exits the Quantum Slipstream envelope directly into the midst of her first battle. A trio of strangely configured vessels are the clear aggressors, 2 of which appear to be lightly armed ships mainly geared for carrying their plunder, while a 3rd ship of larger size and armament appears to be on station to guard against interlopers. Sensors would JUST catch a reading of a 4th ship before it leaps to warp abandoning the theater of battle.


The station itself is gently listing, and one of the sides has a large dent as though struck by large object. The few defensive tractor beams and lasers have been destroyed by the attackers and 1 of the 2 plunder ships is physically docked with the station undoubtedly depositing an armed party on board to steal materiel, slaves, or both...


The 2nd plunder-bus has an alloy-coated hull rendering internal scan difficult so at first it's impossible to tell if it's waiting its turn to steal or if it's already full. Both it and the 3rd better-armed ship activate shields and arm weapons as soon as they detect the El Salvador's entry.


A large planetary debris field lies to starboard, causing the barrier that prevented any other Starfleet vessels than our own from responding to the station's distress.

[Deleted]

Location: Science research outpost

The planet Aporia exploded almost 22 months ago shutting down all traffic in that area. As soon as the area was deemed safe for travel again, Doctor Ari Adelman began putting together his team. It had been rumored that Aporia had been an abundant source of Nitrium, a metallic element or alloy prevalent in asteroids and widely used in the construction of Federation starships, and he was eager to be the first one there in order to use the Nitrium to his advantage. His biggest obstacle had been getting a station that they could use to do all their collecting and analyzing from. Luckily, he knew a guy that knew a guy that knew a Ferengi that could get his hands on an old science outpost that they could "borrow" for a nice price. They than had to find a freighter that could take them and the station out to their destination. And while all of this was going on, Adelman also petitioned Starfleet for a security detail. Six months later, with everything in order, Adelman, his team of scientists and mineralogist and a seven person security detachment boarded the freighter Myrmidon. The trip took them two months with the freighter having to haul the station.

Once the station was set up, they began harvesting some of the asteroids in order to see if the Nitrium rumors had been true. They were bringing chunks of the rocks aboard and slowly processing through them. They had been doing this for almost four months. Than the pirates came and boarded the station in order to steal the Nitrium and anything else they could get their hands on. That had been four days ago. And in those four days, Taryn had managed to loose two of her detail and several of the researchers to their assailants. Actually, she had begun to think of them as mercenaries because of the way they were armed. She saw Orions with Klingon disrupters and Cardassians with Federation phasers. And they were in at least two Romulan ships and one Orion freighter. Currently, Lieutenant Commander Galen Taryn was held up in the mess hall with Adelman and six others from his group. The remaining four members of her squad were spread throughout the station protecting others. Or so they were the last time they spoke. That was right before their antagonist disabled all communications. But not before Taryn was able to send a distress message. At first, Adelman complained about them not saving the Nitrium until Taryn threatened to let the mercs have it and him. Now he was protesting about the heat in their stronghold. Taryn toyed with the thought of giving him up again. For his sake, she sure hoped that Starfleet got someone their quickly. If Adelman kept it up, she really didn't know if she would stop anyone if they actually tried to take a shot at him.

[Deleted]

Dr Chavet focused on her scans while taking in the Captain's discussion with the counselor. The idea of the infant romulan taking in her mother's murder like that was both chilling and fascinating from a medical perspective. Without a bout the girl was going to need some one on one time with T'Val.

May 2, 2015 2:51:10 GMT Savot said:

[Sickbay]

"Doctor, given the current situation and our imminent arrival in a combat scenario my intention is to leave Commander Irae in command for the duration of the immediate threat. Do you have any medical objection to my assuming duties at the Operations console on the bridge? Such familiar work may assist me in regaining my full focus."

Nayomi looked at the results of her scan and saw nothing alarming. "You're scans are clear, so I will permit you to take over the Operations post, but please check in with me again in 12 hours so I can run some follow up tests. I am going to run some tests on Vasrae, I mean Karysta, now and I will advise you and Commander Irae if I come across anything you should be notified of."

<Tag Savot>

Sickbay cleared out and Nayomi began her tests on the Romulan student. She also checked out all things considered, but remained unconscious. Nayomi assigned a nurse to continue monitoring and began the DNA tests. They would take around half an hour to process, so she took the time to research the Station they were enroute to while the rest of her team prepped sickbay for evacuees and readied med kits for the boarding party.

The station had no name, just Research station 578ap. There was a manifest for the crew and security detail which she scanned through. One name in particular jumped out at her, aTrill mineralogist named Jahka Trev. To say she knew him was more than an understatement, for six months they had been engaged. Nayomi never thought she would see him again and given the nature of the distress call, it was entirely possible she still wouldn't. Now more then ever she wanted to be apart of the boarding party, but with Savot coming back for more tests, Vasrae in her current condition and T'Val so close ot her due date, she belonged on the ship.

She felt the ship lurch once more as they excited the slipstream. She belonged on the ship yes, but she did not need to stay in sickbay. "Alright, everyone going to the station head to the shuttle bay. Crewman Yelany and Nurse Cutler, I'm putting you two in charge here. If you need me I will be on the bridge. "

[Deleted]

Location: Unknown transport

Heading: USS El-Salvador



Now that she finally had closure, thanks to her assignment on the Rainier, S'reena had returned to Earth to be reunited with her family and enjoy a little time together. After a few weeks however, S'reena received news that she was being reassigned again. And somewhere familiar too: the USS El-Salvador.



"Oh poor Savot," S'reena murmured as she sat on the bed in the little bunk she shared with her family. "Putting up with me again."



"Mama?" Yarna crawled up to her mother. "Why is Savot poor? He's got this big ship and he's a captain."



The Romulan woman chuckled as she cradled her daughter. "Figure of speech," she explained, "and he's an admiral these days. I'm just happy to be going to his ship again."



The triplets were playing on the deck, engrossed in a board game they'd picked up on Earth, and they weren't really paying attention to much going on around them. Kahlan was sat on the cot, reading a PADD as usual.



"I'm happy too mama," Yarna told her mother, "does that mean I can be captain's assistant again?"



"I don't know," S'reena told her second daughter honestly. "You'd have to ask him dear."



"I want to help in sickbay," Kahlan suddenly spoke up, "I'm old enough to be allowed to learn basic nursing skills and we talked about this. I want to be a nurse mama, or a doctor."



"We'll talk about that, when we reach the El-Salvador," S'reena berated her oldest child. "I don't want to hear you mentioning any sickbays again until we get there. I don't want anything to do with anything medical." She'd been on her way to getting over her phobia just a little...and then Michael had been brought in, severely injured and very very dead. And she'd been called in to identify him, and then it started all over again.



"Hope to bridge. How long until we reach the El-Salvador?"



"Just a few hours more ma'am. Just sit tight and we'll let you know when to get ready for transport.



"Alright. Thank you." Just a few more hours, she might as well try and get some sleep then.

[Deleted]

[Research station 578ap]

Two more days had past and now the mess hall seemed more crowded than ever. Taryn had managed to silently locate the other four members of her team and help them relocate everyone to one central location. During this, they had also managed to remove three mercenaries from the equation. Killing them wouldn't have been her first choice. She would have preferred to take at least one of them prisoner in order to find out who, if any one, had hired them to attack this peaceful station and it's inhabitants. But the criminals had made it clear that they weren't gonna go quietly.

"Taaaaaryyyyyn."

Speaking of not going quietly. Jahka Trev had been one of the men on Adelmans team that she had helped relocate. Now she was beginning to question her decision.

"Yes Mr. Trev?" she asked of the man that moaned her name.

"I've got it all figured out." he began. "First.... Atelier Crenn. Than off to Vessel. From there...."

"What are you blabbering on about now?" she interrupted.

"Why. Our date when we return to San Francisco, of course." he replied matter of factly.

"Our date? I'm not going out with you." she informed the Trill mineralogist .

"It's the injury isn't it?" he asked pointing to the bandage around his head. "Don't worry. I'm having it taken care of as soon as we return. Do you really think I would let this face be scarred?"

Taryn walked away shaking her head.

"Please let someone get here soon." she muttered to herself.

She returned to the front of the room just as there was a knock on the door. The secret knock that her and the other security crewman had made. She quickly let them in and took their report.

"The station is being torn apart at an alarming rate." said Ensign Murkoff. "And we took out another one on our way back. He was in the very last room we checked and didn't leave us a choice."

"It's okay. I don't think any of them are going to be taken alive. Our biggest priority now is to just keep us and them alive." she said with a nod of her head toward the scientists.

[Deleted]

Now that was one feisty Bajoran, but Jhaka loved a challenge and it wasn't like there was much else to do.

He’d been in the laboratory carefully examining yet another piece of rock for what amounted to a rather obscenely high paycheck with the station came under attack. Jahka did what any other sane individual would do, he raced his comrades to the sample fridge and closed the door behind him. It did not take him long after to realize the door could only be opened from the outside. Not only was he trapped, but he was cold and alone. He hated being alone. For some reason his assistant and the other mineralogists did not open the door when he begged. When the door finally did open a picture of utter perfection in Starfleet uniform stood in it’s opening. His moment of pure awe was interrupted with a hail of phaser fire, and the last thing he remembered before waking up in the mess hall was a searing pain across his forehead.

The station’s remaining medical member, a janitor with an expired first aid certification, insisted the wound was nothing more than a scratch, but Jahka knew better. If he did not get this fixed he would be disfigured for life, mind you a lot of women like scars.

“Taaarrryynn” he moaned loudly. “You look like a woman who likes a battle scarred man, I’ll keep it if you want. You saved my life, I’m all yours.” he propped himself up on one elbow and grinned. “You won’t regret it I swear.”

<Tag Taryn>

She was proving more difficult than the Trill doctor back at home, but he won her over eventually and that was fun. Then he met her twin sister and things got a lot more fun. That had not ended particularly well though. This exile to the most boring corner of space had not exactly been self imposed.

A loud explosive noise sounded on other side of the mess hall door followed by the sound of yelling. It would appear that their little fort of refuge had been discovered. Jahka scrambled off his cot and crawled behind the bar

[Savot]

[El Salvador Main Bridge]


Savot exited the turbolift shortly after the ship left the Quantum Slipstream envelope and wasted no time proceeding toward his comfortably familiar former station, "The ship remains yours Commander Irae; I have Ops."  Sitting down in front of the console the vulcan captain began collating the data of enemy vessel configuration, debris dispersal, and damage to the research station.  


Irae, if she was at all taken aback by Savot not immediately resuming command, didn't let any surprise show nor did it delay her reaction upon seeing the situation on the main viewer, "We cannae drop shields long enough t' beam a rescue party t' the station while we're tradin' blows with these ships...  Helm, take us 'tween the attackers an' the station, then bring us about 180, pointin' our aft toward their nearest dockin' bay."


She moved to assume the tactical station and command from there as she opened a comm channel, =^=Summers, get yer team t' a shuttlecraft.  One medic, one engineer as tag-along.  We're doing a flyby at the station; and on my signal we're dropping gravity in the main shuttlebay and ye'll use station-keeping thrusters to hold position while the El Salvador essentially flies out from underneath ye.  Ye'll pass through our shields an' immediately dock with the station and proceed to repel boarders.  Ye've got 90 seconds, move.  Mr. Delbridge, report to main shuttlebay immediately for rescue mission; assess the station's integrity and let us know straight away if she's salvageable or done for, Bridge out.=^=


Savot shared his data on the debris coordinates and movement path/speed to the helm to assist in plotting the most ideal course through the bedlam.  Irae then opened an external wide-band channel to the attackers without bothering to establish visuals, =^=Attackin' vessels, this is Commander Deis Irae of the Federation starship El Salvador.  Ye're hereby ordered to break off yer attack at once, else yer corpses join the rest of the trash floatin' about out here.  7 seconds to comply; Out.=^=


Savot raised an eyebrow at the rather blunt and non-sugar-coated warning message from his First Officer but paid it no further attention for the moment as he ran scans on the ships' armaments and vulnerable points which he then transmitted to Deis at the tactical station.  In true Marine fashion, within 78 seconds from Irae's initial order, Summers' team was aboard the shuttle including a rushed Delbridge and a medic that had already been dispatched to the shuttlebay on Chavet's timely orders.  Summers reported their readiness to depart on Irae's signal and waited for the go-ahead.


<Tag Summers>


Irae gave the Marine squad the green light and helm pulled a rather graceful 180, cutting forward thrust and using the maneuvering thrusters on the top of the saucer section to flip the starship upside down and facing back the way they'd come.  The rescue party shuttle detached itself from the shuttlebay's gravity field and fired forward thrusters to sit still while the El Salvador pulled forward away from them headed back to engage the pirate ships.  Delbridge started scans and pointed out the nearest intact docking port to Summers.


As they heard the hiss and felt the gentle thump-suction of a successfully mated docking seal, Delbridge's brow furrowed in surprise.  The engineer tapped his chest to open a comm-line, =^=This is Commander Chester Delbridge of the starship El Salvador to any Starfleet personnel reading this transmission; we're responding to your distress call.  Are you reading me?=^=


<Tag Taryn>


Routing the incoming signal through to the team's shared HUD, he reported to Summers, "Lieutenant, I've picked up a Starfleet commbadge on the station, surrounded by several life signs.  I suggest we head that way, but it's your show devil-dog."


<Tag Summers>




(Commander Irae portions written with the FO's permission)

[Deleted]

[Research station 578ap]

With everyone now in the same location, Taryn was now able to concentrate more on getting the comm system back up.

“Taaarrryynn.” 

Or so she thought. She tried to ignore the man.

 “You look like a woman who likes a battle scarred man, I’ll keep it if you want."

She rolled her eyes and continued working. She found herself wishing that she had paid more attention in the few Engineering classes she had taken.

This... Comm.......ter Del...idge

"You saved my life, I’m all yours."

of....st...hip... El....ador... to any.... arfleet

"Shhhhh!!" she demanded.

"You won’t regret it I swear.”

"If he speaks again, shoot him." Taryn said to one of the other Security officers.

She crossed a few more wires and was surprised when she achieved her goal.

we're responding to your distress call. Are you reading me?

She tapped her commbadge, which should have automatically connected to the bases comm system once it was up and running.

"This is Lt Commander Galen Taryn of Starfleet. If you can hear me, there are several mercenaries aboard the station that have been stealing systems and minerals collected from the asteroid field. They are armed and dangerous and are not afraid of dying. As for the crew, myself and four other security officers are held up in the mess hall with the remaining nine researchers."


<Tag: El Salvador>