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CH05: S [D04|1130] A Surprise Meeting

Chapter 05: Supplemental [ Day 04 | 1130 hrs. ] A Surprise Meeting

[Tesserarius Lorad | Cockpit | Main Deck | Reman Runabout 'Apache' | Day 27 since escape] Attn: @Auctor Lucan
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Lorad stared out of the forward viewport at the surrounding nebula. The surrounding interstellar clouds were the backdrop for his wandering thoughts. A lot had happened since the day his father and stepmother had pushed his half-sister and himself aboard the ship he was currently on and told them to run. 

The Romulans had somehow found the location of their hidden base and were attacking. There hadn't been time for long conversations; only rushed instructions and hasty farewells. And that had only been the start of their journey.

They were currently drifting through the Azure Nebula on the border between Federation and Klingon space; doing their best to look like stray wreckage. As far as he knew their cloak was still active, hiding them from all known sensor scans, but his sister had warned him that with some of the repairs she had done, a short in one of the systems could bring it down without warning. Hence the drifting course.

Lorad's abilities were more geared to damaging ships than to fixing them. And so, he found himself sitting at the Weapons Station, reviewing the sensor logs from the time they had entered the nebula. So far, nothing had come to his attention. But this was the Azure Nebula. Sensors didn't function properly, and their shields weren't much better. There were rumours that this nebula contained regions that could kill you just by entering them. But after losing their ability to cloak once before, both he and Samala had decided that it was worth the danger to get into Klingon space. 

An alert appeared on his screen and Lorad sheathed the knife he had been idly fiddling with back into its calf sheath before focusing on the screen. He had taken to wearing his weapons even while on the ship as it made him feel more at ease; if only a little. The sensors were picking up a large object at the limit of their sensors. And it was stationary. Checking their position, Lorad confirmed that they were still on the Federation side of the border. Thinking for a moment, Lorad considered whether it was worth the risk of confirming whether it was a ship or not versus the possibility that they would be detected. 

Deciding to risk it, Lorad tuned the comms array to pickup Federation frequencies before moving forward to the helm. Firing the thrusters, Lorad adjusted their course to bring them closer to the object.

As the distance decreased, Lorad fired the thrusters again to decrease their speed before moving back to the Weapons Station to check the sensors. But he never made it.

And explosion rocked the starboard side of the craft, throwing Lorad across the cockpit. His head impacted the bulkhead, dazing him and opening a wound above his right eye. Shaking his head to clear it, he cringed in pain before focusing past it. Pulling himself to the Engineering Station to check the damage, Lorad wiped the blood off his face with his sleeve to clear his eyes. The screens at the station were flickering slightly but showed enough to make Lorad's heart skip a beat.

The detonation had torn a hole in the starboard side of the ship, venting the atmosphere from the aftmost of the two cabins on that side of the ship. But thankfully the cabin door had held; protecting the rest of the ship. Their starboard disruptor array was offline, joining their rear one, but they still had the port array and the main cannon along with the ability to fire photon torpedoes. And lastly their engines were now offline. But Samala could probably fix that. Samala!

Lorad bolted from his seat. His sister should have made it to the cockpit by now. He rushed out into the passageway, his hurried steps placing him before his sister's door on the portside in an instant. Without hesitation, he slapped the door release and was leaping through it before in had even opened halfway.

"Samala!" Lorad called out as his eyes searched. And he shuddered with what they found. On the deck before him, lay his sister, her left arm bent at an unnatural angle and blood starting to pool from a cut on her side. Lorad turned away to get the medical kit but stopped when he realised that it had been in the cabin that was now open to the nebula. Dropping to the deck beside his sister, he put pressure on the wound as he considered what he could do to treat his sister's injuries.

"Don't you dare leave me now, sister," Lorad demanded. "Not after everything we have been through."

Re: Chapter 05: Supplementary [ Day04 | 1130 hrs. ] A Surprise Meeting

Reply #1 –
[ Lieutenant Commander Jennifer Dewitt | Main Bridge | Deck 01 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Stegro88
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Seated in the CO's chair, Dewitt was following that pinprick on the tactical display hologram with her green eyes. It would not have been detected if it weren't for ch'Xinya's particle sensors, which subtly pinged the sector at an even interval. The space dust of the Azure Nebula showed the wake of the craft, and Dewitt wondered what it might be. The bridge crew had made a few guesses, but since it didn't behave like one of the Savi interceptors that had followed them from the battle with the Versant, Dewitt was becoming more and more convinced that it was something else entirely. There was no detectable patrol pattern. No Savi gravitic displacement motions, where the trajectory could change in a moment's notice, it just had a lazy trajectory set, with no sign of taking any interest in the Helmet.

"We'll let it pass," she said quietly and leaned back in the chair, running a hand through her red hair in thought.

Yet just as she was about to type up a report to Trent on the armrest of the chair, there was a chirp from Ops, and Dewitt looked up at the tactical display again. There was a sharp energy spike, and where the craft had once been cloaked, it was no more. It was damaged, and not lightly so. "What happened?"

"I think it could have fired up its guidance thrusters in the middle of a siriliium gas pocket, ma'am," said the junior officer posted at Ops, who was pushing buttons on his control panel, "I am reading two life-signs, one of them fading. Hard to make out anything more at this range. The nebula and the damage to the craft is interfering with sensors."

Dewitt thought a moment, knowing protocol. "Can we beam them out?"

"Out of range ma'am... but there are no shields raised."

"Set a course towards it and have both medical and security deployed to Transporter Room 1. Brief the officer there too," she said and got to her feet, tugging her jacket straight as she headed for the turbolift. "I'm heading there myself. Arisaka, you have the conn. Send word to Captain Trent... and keep an eye on that ship."

"Aye, Commander," came the reply from Jonas at the tactical station, who moved to take Dewitt's seat. As the lift doors closed, Dewitt didn't know what to expect in regards to the two humanoids she were trying to save... but she did have an idea in regards to that ship out there, and the cloaking device it carried. As a Starfleet officer, her priority was, of course, the two crewmen on the craft, but given the dire straits the mission was in, she couldn't help wondering if they had been given an opportunity they couldn't afford to waste.

Things were never this exciting on the Black Opal, that’s for sure.

[ Transporter Room 01 | Deck 05 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ]

It took less than a minute to reach the room, and Dewitt arrived just ahead of two security guards. The EMH Mk I had already been activated, the bald hologram standing beside the transporter pad and looking bored. Dewitt gave a nod to the posted Transporter Officer. “Are you up to speed?”

“Yes, Commander, entering range in three, two, one… Locking on now.”

“Energize,” said Dewitt and looked towards the pad, the shimmer of light soon seen, and the figure of two humanoids appearing there. She folded her hands behind her back, and waited to see what they were dealing with.

Re: Chapter 05: Supplementary [ Day04 | 1130 hrs. ] A Surprise Meeting

Reply #2 –
[Tesserarius Lorad | Transporter Room 01 | Deck 05 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Auctor Lucan
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Lorad blinked away the pain brought on by the sudden transport; he hated them even he knew the effect was coming. He was forced to squint his eyes so that he could focus in the uncomfortably bright room that he now found himself in. And he was not alone. Besides his sister, who still laid at his side, there were 5 others present; 2 females and 3 males. And they all had Starfleet insignia on their uniforms.

The closest was an older Human male, balding and wearing a teal undershirt. He was off to the side though. Directly in front of him stood a red-haired Human female. Her hands were behind her back with her hair tied back. Her stance just accentuated what her uniform displayed; she was the senior officer present.

The two security members, a Human and a Bajoran, were easy to pick out by their holstered phasers; though they each had a hand resting on their weapon. And lastly, at the rear of the room stood another crewman, a female by the looks of her but the lights made it difficult for him to determine more than that.

And Lorad identified all of this even as he sprang to his feet and reached for his Distruptor; only to find it missing. His motion caused the two security guards to draw and level their weapons at him as he dropped into a fighting crouch and reached for his knives; only to find them also gone. A low growl reflexively escaped from him as his training readied him for what may come. 

Their reactions to his arrival were both normal and surprising. The far woman had stepped back even further while the two security staff had stepped forward, their intent as clear as the night sky of Remus. But the officer, she hadn't even flinched when he moved while the balding male's eyes ignored him completely but gazed upon his sister with unreadable expression.

Lorad fought to ignore the discomfort the lights in the room were causing as his eyes moved from one of them to the next, looking for an opening. An action that was forestalled by the bald man's words, in Reman.

"Are you injured as well?" He asked bluntly as he looked at the blood on Lorad's clothes. 

"No," Lorad replied in Reman. The sound of his voice caused the guards to tighten their grips while the officer merely raised an eyebrow. "Just my sister."

"Your sister isn't entirely Romulan, is she?" The man enquired stiffly. "I need to know her biology if I am to treat her."

"She is half Reman," Lorad stated, his eyes now focused on the man. "And you will treat her."

Re: Chapter 05: Supplementary [ Day04 | 1130 hrs. ] A Surprise Meeting

Reply #3 –
[ Lieutenant Commander Jennifer Dewitt | Transporter Room 01 | Deck 01 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Stegro88
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"She is half Reman," said the male Reman, his words translated to Federation Standard as he looked on the bald hologram. "And you will treat her."

"Of course we will," said Dewitt as a matter-of-fact, taking the opportunity to dismantle the situation, her voice terse, "we are Starfleet, and we would not withhold medical treatment from those in need. We don't condone such practice, much less so for the people we saved in the first place."

She said this and looked behind her at the two security guards, raising a hand and lowering it, making them stand down. The look she gave them made them look to the deck plates, knowing that they might have been too quick to judge, even if they were merely doing their jobs. "Standard protocol is to filter weaponry in order to prevent a deadly misunderstanding," she said, her voice softer, and turned back to the Reman, offering him a small but honest smile. She even stepped closer to the transporter pad, even if she knew the guards would not think it wise. Even if her heart was beating fast, she knew the risks, and believed she could defend herself if needed be. As it were, she spread her hands as she approached.

"You have no cause to be afraid, for we beamed you out to save your lives, not to take them. Your shuttle might have ignited a gas pocket, your cloak compromised, so we elected to aid you instead of letting you die. Please, if you wish to stay at your sister's side while she gets medical treatment in our med bay, you can, and you will get your weapons back when you leave the ship."

At that point, she had stepped up on the transporter pad as well, facing the Reman squarely. "I'm Lieutenant Commander Jennifer Dewitt, First Officer," she said, and it still felt odd doing so, "and you and your sister are both safe."

Well, as safe as could be expected, given their mission. She extended her hand in her Terran greeting, knowing the Reman might not know it, but offering it nonetheless.

Re: Chapter 05: Supplementary [ Day 04 | 1130 hrs. ] A Surprise Meeting

Reply #4 –
[Tesserarius Lorad | Transporter Room 01 | Deck 05 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Auctor Lucan 
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Lorad turned his head when the woman spoke. He only understood parts of what she said; his knowledge of Federation Standard limited. They would help. They were Starfleet. Something about medical treatment and saving them. A hand gesture caused the two armed men to relax before she took a step forward and said something about weapons. Lorad was starting to get confused with everything she was saying. But her gesture to the guards and then approaching him slowly with hands out and empty said more than her words. She was no threat. Or, that is what she wanted him to think.

Afraid, save, shuttle, gas, cloak, die. More words, more confusion. Lorad knew what the words meant but his Romulan mother had said that words could have more than one meaning; depending on how they were used. Not for the first time Lorad wished she was alive and with them. But she wasn’t. And the Universal Translator on the ship was not helping either. All the words were jumbled around into incoherency.

Stay at his sister’s side for medical treatment. That Lorad understood. He wasn’t leaving his sister’s side until she was better. Weapon’s back when he leaves. He wasn’t leaving without his sister or his weapons. But where could they go? The Apache was damaged.

Shaking his head to clear it, he realised that the officer had stepped up onto the transporter pad and was facing him directly. And then she said the first sentence that Lorad fully understood the words of, if not their meaning.

“I’m Lieutenant Commander Jennifer Dewitt, First Officer. And you and your sister are both safe,” the woman, Jennifer Dewitt said clearly. Thankfully Pakena had taught him introductions that he might encounter. Rank, name, position. And then she extended her hand in the Terran greeting for a handshake. Lorad almost laughed as this simple gesture that he learnt from a holonovel, but he caught himself before he did.

Straightening his knees, Lorad stood up and squared his body to the Lieutenant Commander. He was almost a head taller than her and probably double her weight. But she didn't flinch. And that impressed Lorad. He had made trained shocktroopers flinch when he wished to and yet here stood this woman seemingly fearless.

Slowly, so as not to cause anything, Lorad raised and extended his right hand and grasped Jennifer Dewitt's hand, careful to ensure his claws didn't harm her. With a gentle up and down movement, he completed the greeting.

"My name is Lorad," Lorad introduced himself slowly in Federation Standard, enunciating each word slowly and clearly; bypassing the Universal Translator. Once again, his voice brought next to no reaction from the Lieutenant Commander. "This is my sister, Samala."

"Yes, well. Now that greetings are done," The bald man interjected abruptly. "I have stabilised your sister for the moment so that we can move her to sickbay. Shall I call for a hoverbed?"

Lorad's reply was to turn and lift his sister gently into his arms before looking at the Lieutenant Commander. "You lead. I follow."

Re: Chapter 05: Supplementary [ Day04 | 1130 hrs. ] A Surprise Meeting

Reply #5 –
[ Lieutenant Commander Jennifer Dewitt | Transporter Room 01 | Deck 01 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Stegro88
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When the Reman introduced himself, Jennifer smiled a little again. He knew Federation Standard, at least to some extent, which suggested he would likely be quite civilized, having schooling, and despite his imposing figure, he was no savage raider. He might still be a criminal for all she knew, but at least he had some experience with Starfleet, and it would make his stay aboard much easier for everyone involved.

"Welcome aboard, Lorad," she said and folded her hands behind her back again. The EMH insisted on the care of the Reman's sister, suggesting a hoverbed, and their guest said he'd follow. Dewitt, shook his head at the hologram. "Doctor, I think we might as well use a site-to-site transport, to make sure Lorad's sister gets immediate treatment. Could you please deactivate and re-activate yourself in Sickbay, and prepare a biobed there?"

"Yes, Commander," said the hologram, looking like he'd had his feathers properly ruffled by being second-guessed in his suggestion, "I did say I stabilized her, but if it would grease the wheels of hospitality, who am I to say anything? I'm a doctor, not a diplomat."

With those words, he winked out of existence. Dewitt almost rolled her eyes at the hologram, but she wasn't quite done yet. She looked towards the two security officers. "You are dismissed. Please report to Ryuan Sel that we have two guests aboard, and for the time being, they do not need to be escorted."

The guards looked at each other, and one of them cleared his throat. "Commander, it's not adv-"

"If you just want to presume to know protocol better than me, then that's quite enough. You have your orders."

They too looked like they'd had their feathers ruffled. "Yes, ma'am."

Jennifer turned back to Lorad with a small smile. "Computer," she said, barely having stopped saying 'Thea' at that point, "initiate emergency medical transport. Three to beam to Sickbay. The female with Reman and Romulan lifesign is the one in need of medical attention."

[Acknowledged. Site-to-site transport ready.] It was Thea's voice, but not really her.

"Energize," said Jennifer, and as she put faith in this Reman, she accompanied him to the awaiting EMH, and spoke to him once they were all there - ignoring the feeling of the transport as best as she might. "If you would care to tell me, what were you doing this deep in the Azure Nebula? Are you looking for something? Or are you on the run from the Romulan Civil War?"

She had already guessed as much.

She felt animated, alive. Truly living after years of boredom on the Black Opal. She might be taking risks, but she was also placing faith in a gamble, one which she thought would be of great merit for the mission. Was she a daredevil? Perhaps, but what was living if you didn't feel alive? Boldly, she looked this Reman named Lorad in the eye, her daring nature dispelling the way he intimidated her. She would show faith in this man, and while it was not an ulterior motive, it would not only put him at ease, but perhaps also be more forthcoming when she told him about their own mission.

The Reman cut a striking figure too, and while she had no experience at all with Remans, she was not the kind to just see handsomeness in her own species. She certainly wouldn't turn down a drink with this man, and learn his story. Perhaps he would be interesting enough to keep her from taking one drink too many, which she was still prone to do.

Re: Chapter 05: Supplementary [ Day 04 | 1130 hrs. ] A Surprise Meeting

Reply #6 –
[Tesserarius Lorad | Battle Sickbay | Deck 07 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Auctor Lucan
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Lorad was surprised when the bald man dematerialised in front of him, revealing his nature as a hologram. While he had been briefed that the Federation had such programs, he had never experienced them before and could not have believed they would have been so lifelike.

Her dismissal of the doctor was followed by a dismissal of the two security men; over their protests he believed. He listened as she called for a transport to sickbay and closed his eyes as she began it. His skin shivered as he was moved from one area of the ship to another; he did not even know what ship he was on. Nor did he care, as long as they could help his sister. She was all that mattered to him now.

Opening his eyes, Lorad found himself in a large open room that was dotted with biobeds for the treatment of the injured. There were several people that were moving about; some of them stopping to stare at him as he materialised in the room with his sister and the Lieutenant Commander. Blinking and lowering his gaze to shroud his eyes from the overhead lights, Lorad directed his steps to the empty biobed that the medical hologram now stood beside. Could a hologram stand? A thought for another time as Lorad gently set his sister on the bed and stepped back as the biobed activated.

Watching as the hologram began to treat his sister, Lorad considered how best to answer Jennifer’s question. And that was another thing, he couldn’t decide whether to think of her as a Lieutenant Commander, First Officer of a Starfleet vessel. Or as Jennifer Dewitt, a human woman that intrigued Lorad with her fearlessness and demeanour. And she had the most interesting shade of hair that he had ever seen.

“The Azure Nebula,” he began slowly, again speaking Federation Standard. “We were hiding. Going to Klingons. Safety there.” He could tell she wanted to ask more, and he was going to say more, when the biobed his sister was laid upon began to sound an alarm. Several panels began to flash red warnings and the hologram that was administering to her moved quickly around the bed, looking at each in turn. His face did not change its reaction as he moved back to the panel above Samala’s head and began to input commands. A shimmer engulfed the bed, and his sister, causing all of the panels to cease their flashing and the alarms to stop sounding. “What did you do?” Lorad demanded as the hologram again began to check panels.

“Your sister’s organs began to enter shock. This, coupled with her wounds beginning to haemorrhage again, caused her status to rapidly decline beyond my abilities to correct,” the hologram explained, turning to face the Reman. “With the only other option being fatal to your sister, I have engaged a stasis field to preserve your sister’s life until such time that a procedure can be organised and implemented that will restore your sibling to full functionality.”

“She is alive?” Lorad asked, choosing to ask a question instead of trying to understand what the hologram had said.

“Yes, that is what I just said,” the hologram shot back in annoyance. “Your sister is alive and as long as this biobed, or the stasis pod that she will be transferred into, continues to receive power she will remain that way.”

Lorad didn’t know what to say to that. His life had been completely upturned with the death of his father and Romulan mother. Their last instructions to him were to protect his sister and his curiousity had almost killed her. Now, the only thing keeping her alive was this biobed and a hologram.

Lorad didn’t know how much time passed as he stood there and stared at his sister behind the stasis field. His mind registered Jennifer speaking but he didn’t hear the words. All he saw was his sister, in her cabin on the Apache, bleeding. But eventually, the soldier in him returned and he turned to the woman that had been with him since he had been brought aboard this ship.

“What do I do now?” Lorad asked as softly as his voice would allow.

Re: Chapter 05: Supplementary [ Day04 | 1130 hrs. ] A Surprise Meeting

Reply #7 –
[ Lieutenant Commander Jennifer Dewitt | Transporter Room 01 | Deck 01 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Stegro88
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Silently, Jennifer watched as the fate of Lorad's sister was sealed with a stasis field, and she regretted the plight the man might feel. She saw him standing there and watching his sister, and the EMH eventually took his leave when Jennifer waved him away - letting the Reman have this moment.

She stepped away with the EMH in the meantime, asking the obvious. "Do we have a stasis pod available for her?"

"Yes, Commander," answered the hologram looking like he wanted to be deactivated again and had no interest in participating in the everyday care of the crew. Since the execution of the Continuance Protocol, the hologram had been only been deactivated to relocate aboard the ship.

"Good," said Jennifer and looked towards the profile of the Reman that had found himself aboard. "Make sure she is well taken care of."

"Of course," said the EMH and frowned, not understanding the request, "she will be just as well cared for as any other member of the crew. My subroutines prevent me from bias, no matter if they are on the crew manifest or not. If you doubt my programming I ca-"

"No, of course not. You know what I mean," said Jennifer.

"No, I don't, Commander," said the EMH, still frowning.

"Forget it, then," said Jennifer and rolled her eyes, stepping away from the hologram. In all honesty, she hadn't meant anything literally, but the EMH wasn't good at sayings or social conventions. She missed Thea. At least the A.I. was more easy to get along with. Instead, she walked up to Lorad, and did so in time to hear his silent question.

"What do I do now?"

Knowing it was time to answer him, she put her hands on her hips. "Until the point when you want to leave, when you can leave with her... you'll have the full hospitality that this ship can offer. I will personally make sure you get quarters assigned to you, and that you are not left wanting in terms of food or drink. You'll have full access to public areas of the ship, and if there is anything more I can do, please let me know."

Pausing, she gestured towards the exit, unsure if it was too soon. "If you are ready to leave, I can walk you to the Quartermaster's office. He'll see to your immediate needs and access."

Re: Chapter 05: Supplementary [ Day 04 | 1130 hrs. ] A Surprise Meeting

Reply #8 –
[Tesserarius Lorad | Battle Sickbay | Deck 07 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Auctor Lucan 
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Lorad had listened as Jennifer spoke. Her voice was oddly calming after the upheaval of his sister’s stasis. She mentioned quarters, food and drink and those words reminded Lorad that it had been almost 24 standard hours since he had slept and almost half that since he had eaten. Then Jennifer had said that he would have full access to the public areas of the ship and that surprised Lorad because he had assumed he would have been placed under guard somewhere if not outright locked up. His species did not have the best track record when it came to Starfleet. Lastly, the offer of help from her was said in a way that Lorad felt was the most genuine thing she had said to him since they had met.

Lorad looked over at where his sister lay as Jennifer proposed going to the Quartermaster’s office and after a moment’s consideration that she was as safe as she could be, Lorad turned and followed the Lieutenant Commander out of the sickbay.
Moving through the corridors of the ship proved a somewhat interesting adventure as while all the crewman paused as Jennifer passed, they couldn’t help but stare at the hulking Reman that walked at her side. And Lorad found the corridors altogether too bright for his liking. He could have taken out his visor to help but he wanted to see everything with his own eyes the first time.
Turning the corner at a junction, they entered a large room with a man sitting behind a desk reading a PADD. Noticing Jennifer entering the room, the man stood up. Lorad found himself standing slghtly behind and to the left of her as he sought out a hint of a shadowy space in the room.

“Good Morning Lieutenant Commander,” the man greeted in a jovial voice as he came around his desk. “And this would be the Reman that came aboard just now. I heard several crewmen speaking about it. But they said there were two of you.”

“My sister,” Lorad responded before Jennifer could. “She is hurt very badily. Now in stasis.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” the man said. “My name is Chief Petty Officer Abraham Savali. I am one of the Quartermasters for this ship.”

“Tesserarius Lorad,” Lorad introduced himself. He wasn’t sure what to say after this, so he said nothing.

“Tesserarius, sounds like some kind of rank,” CPO Savali observed. “Are you a soldier? A leader?”

“Shock trooper,” Lorad replied, subconsciously straightening his back a little as he said it. “I led 20 brothers and sisters into battle.”

“Indeed,” CPO Savali noted as he turned to the Lieutenant Commander. “Given his sister is in stasis and your arrival here, I’m guessing you need some quarters for Lorad here. Given his rank, I have an empty set of NCO quarters on deck 14. Would that be suitable?”

Re: Chapter 05: Supplementary [ Day04 | 1130 hrs. ] A Surprise Meeting

Reply #9 –
[ Lieutenant Commander Jennifer Dewitt | Transporter Room 01 | Deck 01 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Stegro88
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Hearing the suggestion from the Quartermaster, Jennifer realised that his inquiry was rather for her than for Lorad, since the Reman likely didn't now what he'd been offered at all. Furthermore, the ship wasn't some kind of hotel back on Earth either, so the options were slim, and the Quartermaster had the overall mandate of the decision, to minimise discussions and issues among the crew on a ship. Of course, she and Trent could overrule the decisions of the Quartermasters, but it was not in their interest to do so since it would look like they were micromanaging the crew in Ops.

"That will be perfectly satisfactory, Mister Savali," she said to the man behind the desk, inclining her head a little, "hopefully, Tesserarius Lorad's sister will be on the recovery sooner rather than later, so the second bedroom would serve well."

"My thought exactly, Commander. Your quarters are located on Deck 08, starboard section E, door number E23," said Savali and made some additional taps on his console before he handed Lorad a metallic badge, the same kind that Jennifer wore on the left side of her chest. "This is a standard issue combadge, used for onboard ship communication with other personnel. This, without having to use the intercom, which functions as out PA system. You may also contact the shipboard computer system with this badge, making requests in accordance with your security clearance, which is set as level 1, being a civilian outside our ranks. You just tap it, and say the name of the person you try to reach, or just say 'computer', followed by your request. Your sister will get one once she's back on her feet."

Jennifer had only come aboard about a week ago, but she had still come to rely on Thea in that short time, so when Savali didn't even mention the A.I. to Lorad, she came to wonder if they might have lost her completely - that they'd never have her back aboard. She was, she'd learned, the very soul of the ship. Now, it felt like they served on a dead ship... partial corpse, the voyage ahead uncertain.

"Here are your first replicator rations," continued Savali, "in case you need anything more in terms items or attire for your time here on the Theurgy. When you run out, you come here. We do this as a means to conserve energy consumption, but you should be able to find all that you need in your quarters already. The mess hall is on Deck 13, but you may also replicate food in your own quarters if that's your preference. You also have access to a gymnasium on Deck 06 and a library on Deck 15. Unless you have any questions, that should be all, Tesserarius Lorad."

"Come," said Jennifer, putting a hand on Lorad's arm and giving Savali a nod of appreciation. "I'll show you the way to your quarters. On the way there, could you tell me where you were heading in Klingon space? Had you and your sister been granted sanctuary there from the war?"

Re: Chapter 05: Supplementary [ Day04 | 1130 hrs. ] A Surprise Meeting

Reply #10 –
[ Tesserarius Lorad & Lt Cmdr. Jennifer Dewitt | En Route to Crew Quarters | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ]
Joint-Post by @Stegro88 & @Auctor Lucan
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Lorad stared at the Starfleet combadge he held in his right hand, running his thumb across the insignia. He accepted his replicator rations from the Chief and mentally noted the locations of the Gym and library. He had been raised and trained with the knowledge that he may and probably would have to fight Starfleet at some point and now, here he was, a guest aboard one of their ships. 

The feel of Jennifer's hand on his forearm broke Lorad from his thoughts. A part of him even considered how nice it felt to have her hand there. But the soldier in him clamped down again to focus on the here and now. Considering her comments for a moment, a necessity given the mix of words that the universal translator had delivered in Reman, Lorad formed a response. 

"Please, lead the way," Lorad said simply and slowly. Another thought crossed his mind; if he was to remain here, he would need to improve upon his weak knowledge of Federation Standard. Jennifer smiled slightly at his words before turning to exit the room. Lorad ran his thumb across the insignia again before walking after her, thinking about her questions. 

"We, that is, my father, had heard of a planet granted to Remans in Klingon space. A place for us to be free," Lorad said in Reman, switching back to his native tongue. The universal translator seemed to not have a problem translating from Reman to Standard, only the reverse. "We, Samala and I, we heard that the Romulans had stationed ships along the border to intercept anyone trying to leave. So we had to find another way." 

This was news to Jennifer, not having followed the finer details about the development in the Romulan Civil War. She knew that the Klingons had gotten involved indirectly, recognising Donatra's claim, but not that they had provided sanctuary for the Reman people. It was a very aggressive move, even if it was a noble deed in itself. Likely the Klingon High Council counted on some kind of compensation for this, or a deal had already been struck. It wouldn't surprise Jennifer if it had something to do with cloaking technology.

"So you took a detour through the nebula in order to get beyond the possible presence of Romulan ships. That's understandable. I am sorry that you didn't reach your destination. Our sensors suggested that your ship's thrusters ignited the sirillium gas in this part of the nebula, and fortunately enough, we were able to get within transporter range in time."

"I am sorry, but is it possible to disable the universal translator?" Lorad implored in Reman. "I have not been able to understand it since I came aboard. The words are there but they are all mixed around." 

Hearing this, Jennifer understood why the Reman had been scarce with his words. If only Thea was there. She'd be able to finely calibrate the output for Lorad. "Computer, recognise transponder signal designated 'Lorad' and deactivate the Universal Translator on his account."

[ Task complete,] said Thea's recorded voice library, and then Jennifer repeated what she had said before then about the sirilium gas.

"Thank you," Lorad acknowledged gratefully in Standard. While it would still be a struggle to understand what was said to him, at least now he only had to decipher one language. "We just wanted to be free. And it is my fault she is injured."

At this, Jennifer frowned. "What do you mean?" she asked, not sure the translator had got his Reman words correctly.

"Samala was resting after working on our ship, repairing damage we had taken. I was keeping watch when I detected a large object on our sensors. I couldn't tell what it was, so I used the thrusters to edge us closer. When I thought we were close enough, I fired them again to slow us down," Lorad explained in Reman in a soft voice as he relived the memories, a hand reflexively going to the wound above his eye. "Then I woke up on the deck. The explosion I caused damaged our ship. Samala is going to be so angry when she sees what I did to the Apache this time. I don't even know if it is fixable."

Nodding slowly, Jennifer understood his sentiment. "I'm sure she'd understand," she said to begin with. "And we'll know soon enough. We're towing it for you, but I have yet to hear from the bridge if it is salvageable. I will make sure you are informed about the verdict, but we won't leave it for the Romulans to find, if that's any concern of yours. If it may lift any worries you might harbour about the Romulans being anywhere close, I can assure you that our particle sensors did not discern any pursuers in your wake."

Giving him a knowing glance, she added the obvious. "Yes, we could see you here in his nebula, using new technology. Since you posed no threat, we were about to let you pass when you ignited that gas cloud. All things considered, I suppose you were lucky. Let's just hope that luck was enough for your sister as well."

Lorad had nothing to say about luck. He had never relied on it as to him, it was a fickle thing. But something Jennifer said struck him suddenly. They had detected the Apache through its cloak.

“The cloak was meant to be perfect, so that it would protect us from the Romulans,” Lorad commented in Reman as they entered a turbolift. Jennifer called out for Deck 08 and the doors shut as Lorad continued to speak. “How long now before they can find our ships wherever they are?” Lorad wondered out loud before continuing before Jennifer could say anything. “But there is nothing I can do about that. Not now. All I can do is hope that the Apache is salvageable. Even if I have to learn to repair it myself.”

"Indeed," said Jennifer, inclining her head where she stood. Only she had ulterior motives for it, just waiting for the right time to breach the topic.

“But even if it’s not," said Lorad, "I request the opportunity to retrieve some of our personal items. They may not be as sentimental and significant as my father’s disruptor pistol and knife that you took from me, but they are still important,” Lorad explained as he stood to the side and allowed Jennifer to exit the turbolift first. “It would make the stay easier for us, for me, here.”

"I can understand the sentiment, but we do have strict regulations against the possession of weponry aboard, and with you being civilian, you have no duties to preform aboard that would merit having weapons in your possession," said Jennifer with an apologetic look over her shoulder. "I will, however, send you the information you need in order to make a formal request to the current Chief of Security aboard, Ensign Ryuan Sel. It is the best I can do for you at the moment."

“Thank you,” Lorad acknowledged gratefully as another thought struck him. “I have not asked before now but where is 'here'? What ship are we on?"

Pausing her step in the corridor, Jennifer had anticipated the question. It was better he'd ask now, instead of hearing it from someone else in the public areas, or just see the name and registry on one of the smaller shuttles in the bay, or on any of the control panels in the corridor. There was one just up ahead in the next intersection, showing dorsal graphics of Vector 01 and with the name in the right corner of the LCARS display. Slowly, Jennifer turned towards the Reman. As much as she had anticipated the query, tried to come up with a way to phrase it best, she decided on the hard truth.

"You are currently in the saucer section of the Federation starship USS Theurgy, this hull of the multivector dreadnought best known as the Helmet," she said, and there was no apology in her tone. No shame in her eye. "I do not presume too much when I suspect you have heard about the alleged crimes of this crew, do I? My true question... is whether or not I presume too much in asking that you make your own opinion... before jumping to conclusions."

Re: Chapter 05: Supplemental [ Day 04 | 1130 hrs. ] A Surprise Meeting

Reply #11 –
[Tesserarius Lorad | En Route to Crew Quarters | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Auctor Lucan  
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The USS Theurgy. Of all the ships that they could have been rescued by, it was the most infamous ship in two quadrants. At least, that is what the Federation news broadcasts that they had seen while on that Orion Syndicate moon led them to believe. But then again, similar broadcasts from Romulans labelled all renegade Remans as traitors to their government. As Samala had pointed out to Lorad when they had seen that; how can a slave also be a traitor?

"I have heard of this ship. Wanted by own government, people say," Lorad remarked in Standard as he turned to face the Lieutenant Commander. "Something we have in common," he pointed out as he appreciated the honesty with which she had spoken to him. She could have lied to him but she hadn't. That and them rescuing him and his sister told him that perhaps things, like many other in the universe, were not as they seemed.

"Thank you for the information regarding contacting your Chief of Security. It would ease my mind to at least know that my father's weapons are safe," Lorad said in Reman as he wondered what could make a government turn on their own ship. Even to Lorad, the list was not short.

"I do not know why your government is after you," Lorad admitted after thinking, continuing in Reman. "I am just a simple soldier trying to protect his sister. I have spent the better part of my life enslaved by Romulans, working in their mines or fighting their battles. Then I was hiding from them. Now I find myself running from them, all in the name of wanting to be free," Lorad implored as he stared down at the woman before him. "I say this to you so that what I say next will hold meaning."

"If you seek freedom," Lorad said, switching back to Standard so as to be clear. "A friend you have."

Re: Chapter 05: Supplementary [ Day04 | 1130 hrs. ] A Surprise Meeting

Reply #12 –
[ Lieutenant Commander Jennifer Dewitt | Corridor | Deck 14 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Stegro88
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In all honesty, Jennifer didn't know what she was to expect when she told Lorad the name of the ship that had saved him and his sister. It was a gamble from the start, the stakes high. Even for her, personally, since she might have suffered an immediate change in temper from the Reman. She knew how to defend herself, sure, but would she last long enough for Security to beam there? Would she have had time to call for them?

In hindsight, she had no idea. There was no sudden chill of fear when she considered it, only elation, for her recklessness came from her sense of finally feeling alive. She had seen the benefit for the mission, locked on to it like a torpedo, and just gone for it - braving any instance that might have turned the tables on her. What if there had been a fight in the transporter room? What if Lorad had reacted violently when his sister was put into stasis? It had all led up to that point, when the withheld truth about which ship they were on came to light, and she knew it to be the pivotal moment. To hear Lorad acknowledge it with such solidarity... it was equally gratifying and disappointing. It meant she had won the preliminary confidence of the Reman, and she could start building on top of that fledgling trust. "We do seek freedom," she said, "but not just for us."

When locked up on a small base in the middle of nowhere, you tended to grow bored... and very apt at managing people. In the end, in her final years on the Black Opal, she had given up, but before then? She had known how to command, and foresee outcomes in social interplay. She had managed to stop inter-personnel disputes before the became fact, and mediated controversies before they became publicly known. She had lasted for some time, doing this, until she had given up and resorted to find answers in the bottom of glasses in her quarters.

After this exercise in benevolent diplomacy... she really wanted a drink. Only she had refused to touch it after she stepped aboard the Theurgy. Right then, she felt a very bad bout of withdrawal... wishing she could have a drink with the Reman.

"As they say, one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter, but we are labelled terrorists by an enemy that have overtaken our command structure. Like the changelings of the Dominion, only worse in how they are somehow undetectable by sensors... at least as far as we know just yet. I fear it is a long story, but in short, we fight because we know the truth about our false leaders... but the rest of our fleet doesn't. We are forced to fight our brothers and sisters, knowing that they are just misled. As vast as this conspiracy seems to be... one can but assume these enemies are within other governments as well. The key is evidence, of which we have enough to convince us, but hardly enough to override the cries for our demise."

Having explained this, she folded her arms underneath her breasts, and went for it. She had one more gamble to make. One more thing that could either trigger a violent reaction, a dismissal, or a new accord. The prize she sought, seeing it as a win-win for her crew as well as for Lorad.... only hoping he was willing and saw it the same way.

"A request, one for you to consider," she said, craning her neck to look into his eyes, biting her lower lip in momentary thought. "We already have scans of your ship, and with those scans, we were able to ascertain the presence and theoretical construct of your ship's cloaking device. While we have tech that allows us to see ships with such a cloak whilst inside the nebula, you can imagine that we are in a position where we'd benefit greatly from a cloaking device ourselves. My question, in short, is if you are willing to allow us to study the technology closer, in the interest of our mission and our survival?"

Taking a deep breath, she ran a hand through her red hair and smiled a little, chuckling. "Please, before you get any idea that it's a demand, I have yet to even speak with my Commanding Officer about it. Regardless you answer, you are a guest aboard this ship, and there will be no repercussions for declining my request. I make the request out of desperate need... but also great respect towards the integrity of your people and their classified information."

Re: Chapter 05: Supplemental [ Day 04 | 1130 hrs. ] A Surprise Meeting

Reply #13 –
[Tesserarius Lorad | En Route to Crew Quarters | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Auctor Lucan  
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A Reman Cloaking Device. All Remans who served aboard ships with them were sworn on pain of death to ensure that the Romulans never obtained one. To do so would allow the Romulans to build their own or, more worryingly, learn a way to see through one.

But this ship could already do that. And they weren't Romulans, they were Starfleet. Renegade Starfleet according to the news broadcasts. Lorad wasn't sure but guessed that due to their situation, the treaty between the Romulans and the Federation didn't apply to them. And then there was this enemy that had apparently infiltrated Starfleet Command. Lorad didn't know if he could believe that but he was also not in a position to dispute it. And they had been honest with him so far.

But in his mind, Lorad noted one important fact. This ship was now keeping his sister alive, in stasis as she was. Until she was healed, anything that made this ship safer was a good thing in his mind. He may have only been a simple Reman shock trooper, but that part was clear even to him.

"I would make three requests of my own before I agree to you studying the Apache," Lorad responded in Reman. His Standard was not up to the task of conveying what he now needed to say. "One, that you do not share the design of the cloaking device with the Romulan Empire. Two, that you do not share the designs of the device that detected us, with the Romulan Empire. And three, that the Apache's cloaking device is returned to the ship when you are done with it or if we decide to leave."

"If you can agree to those requests, I would be willing to help you however I can. Landing the ship as a first task," Lorad proposed as he thought about what was on the ship. Since they had been honest with him, he would be honest with them. "On the forward bulkhead of the cargo hold, you will find two sealed lockers containing 15 disruptor rifles and 15 pistols each. In the rear port cabin, you will find a bag containing several knives. In the forward port, there is a belt with two disruptor pistols and a knife. I would ask that this belt and its weapons be stored alongside those that you removed from me. They are Samala's. The rest, do with what you will."

Re: Chapter 05: Supplementary [ Day04 | 1130 hrs. ] A Surprise Meeting

Reply #14 –
[ Lieutenant Commander Jennifer Dewitt | Corridor | Deck 14 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Stegro88
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Oh, but this Reman had some wits on his wide shoulders. He knew well enough how to reason in a win-win situation, where he stood to gain as much as someone else, even if there was a indirect risk to it. He seemed to give it reasonable thought, brooding in the lights of the corridors while Dewitt looked up at him. It seemed to take forever before he answered.

When he did, though, Jennifer was paying great attention to his conditions, and when he'd listed them all, she released a breath she hadn't known she'd held. "Conditions understood, and it is well within out ability to accommodate them." It seemed he chose to switch between Reman and Federation Standard when it suited him best, and while the latter carried a heavy accent, Jennifer had been able to follow along easily enough. With the help of the translator, his words were crystal clear to her, and she couldn't have misunderstood him when he went on to tell her about the arsenal aboard it.

"Are you certain?" she asked, rhetorically, because if he wasn't, she got the distinct impression he'd never say it in the first place. Instead, she offered her hand in the Federation way. She felt a kind of giddiness that was better suited for a woman a third her age, as if she'd just been promised to beam to an amusement park, but it in this case, she got something better. Tech to hide the ship and crew, and weapons to defend themselves with, or dissemble and re-purpose as they saw fit. The warmth and gratitude in her green eyes had to plainly be there, when she shook the Reman's hand. "I will personally make sure you don't have any regrets in helping to further our mutual interests, Mister Lorad. On behalf of the Theurgy crew, thank you. Given time, you may understand just how important this is to all of us..."

She wanted to kiss the big, hulking Reman for his generosity, but neither could she reach up to him, nor did she want to ruin it all by invading his personal space. She decided against pushing her luck, instead just holding on to his hand in the handshake for a moment longer. "All of us... who like to be free."

When the agreement was made, Jennifer led the rest of the short way to his quarters, where she folded her arms behind her back and squared her shoulders, giving him a final smile. "I am sure the Captain will contact you soon enough, either for a personal meeting, or a short situational report." She craned her neck to look him in the eye, her smile lingering. "Rest well, Mister Lorad, and if you need anything, or have any questions, please contact me. I'll try to make myself as available as possible."

Then, she left the Reman to explore his and his sister's quarters. Once she was in the turbolift, she tapped her combadge. "Duty Log, Lieutenant Commander Dewitt. Captain Trent, despite all evidence to the contrary in a situation such as ours... I have good news. Not only have we gained access to Reman cloaking technology, but we have also increased our arsenal with a lot of handeheld disruptors. The cost? Hospitality, quarters for two, and medical assistance for one person currently kept in stasis. We have ourselves a guest aboard, and there is a lot to learn from him. His name is Lorad, and I think he deserves all the hospitality we can offer a Reman who just wants to live... and to be free."

OOC: One last from you? :)

Re: Chapter 05: Supplemental [ Day 04 | 1130 hrs. ] A Surprise Meeting

Reply #15 –
[Tesserarius Lorad | Personal Quarters | Deck 08 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Auctor Lucan
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The look in Jennifer Dewitt's eyes was like the look of Reman, taken from Remus, when they first realised that they were truly free. It was a beautiful look.

And she had called him Mister Lorad. He didn't feel like a mister and to his mind, it didn't suit him. He would have to remember to ask her not to call him that when he saw her next. And to do it in as nice a way as he knew how to.

She had asked if he was certain. Truthfully, Lorad did have his doubts. What would happen if this ship was captured, by anyone? They would have the tech then. Would the captain of this ship barter the technology away if they became trapped? Perhaps he would find out when he met them later. Knowledge of the capabilities of a Reman cloaking device were widespread after the Battle of the Bassen Rift two years earlier. Did the Klingons have it already from the Remans they had rescued?

Lorad stopped himself; those were events ultimately beyond his limited control. For now, he had but a single task. The same task that was given to him by his father right before they had escaped Bacury III.

Protect his family. Protect his sister.

As he entered the quarters he had been assigned, a second thought prodded its way into his head.

What was he to do now?

- FIN
 
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