Ch 4 : Knock Knock! [Day 1

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Ch 4 : Knock Knock! [Day 1 | 1800+]

April 21, 2024, 04:07:32 AM

[ Barpin qi Erudite | Orbital Observatory of the Erudite ] @Brutus @RyeTanker @ob2lander961 @Tae @Eden @Sqweloookle @Griff @Eirual @Dree

It would be illogical to suppose that the moment had arrived sooner than anticipated and yet Barpin felt the tug of one’s perception of time and space to believe this very thing. Only moments before they’d officially passed into the area of operations, they presumed the Infested Savi and their corrupted followers would designate as a border zone, giving them an early warning for any who presumed upon them uninvited. They had no evidence thus far that this was the case, but since their counterparts were of their own flesh in a sense. They would have done this were the roles reversed; the Savi crew on the Erudite were operating at high alert, merely waiting for the alarm signaling a sensor buoy sited or even a scout ship itself.

Barpin glanced at the datapad in his hand and sighed. The Starfleet personnel had made quite a nuisance of themselves and were they not pressed with their backs to the walls facing down the Infested, Barpin doubted they’d ever happily look upon their faces again. It wasn’t so much that they’d nefariously sabotaged any of their systems or mistreated any of their people. More so some had attempted to go everywhere they weren’t supposed to be and touch or scan everything they weren’t supposed to. They had the same ability to mind their manners and follow orders as a primordial ooze, and the sooner they could sunder this alliance, the better. Barpin had always enjoyed the science and exploration of his life on the Flotilla, but ever since the severing of their people due to the Infested influence, his life had turned into one episode after another of “What will the chaotic Federation personnel do next?”

The door slid open, and glancing over his shoulder, Barpin nodded to the bald-headed man coming towards him. He seemed as tired as Barpin felt and Barpin realized that for as aggravating as the Starfleet personnel had been so far on their voyage, they likely would've been worse without this man and his leadership.

“We have passed into the area of operations for the Hobus star station. We have a high chance of encountering a sensor buoy or a scout ship at any time now.” He waited until the man was closer before he continued. “Our forward scans have shown us three major areas of activity. The station itself, the gathering of ships, and what seems to be an installation on a nearby asteroid. We cannot tell the numbers of what we will be facing yet; only these are the areas with the most activity.” Barpin shifted on his feet, uncomfortable with adding the next bit of information for its lack of solid evidence. “There is a high probability that the installation on the asteroid is acting as a backup to many of the data cores on the station or the ships. We do not have more than the probability to go on at present, but as we get‌ closer, we can run more scans to make sure. However, as we get closer, we are more likely to trip a sensor buoy and give away our position.”

From the moment that he'd entered the room, Alistair's attention was on the hologram. After reaching it, and looking comically small among the much taller Savi, he crossed his arms, regarding the holographic display intently.

"That asteroid is a tempting target," Alistair said slowly. "Getting that data could be a critical advantage for both of us, but it's not more important than stopping the supernova. That means conserving most of our resources for the primary mission, but...no. We can't ignore that asteroid. If the Infested plan on more atrocities elsewhere, we need to know. They've already killed millions on my homeworld."

He sighed, closing his eyes for a moment. "Logically, that means keeping the Erudite and most of our assault team focused on the primary objective. Starfleet will handle the asteroid on our own." Abruptly realizing that he'd just made a unilateral decision, Alistair looked up at Barpin and added hastily, "Er, if you concur, of course."

“We believe it would be strategically advantageous if you were to launch some of your fighters now to flank around and investigate the asteroid while we bear on directly toward the station. I must warn you that this asteroid is in a field known to suffer from anistrophies and quantum fluctuations due to high levels of baryon matter. The results are equivalent to what the Terrans called “Big Bangs” but on a much smaller scale if not avoided. We do have a map of the most tumultuous areas but they do move about randomly.” Barpin again shifted uncomfortably on his feet. “However, you and your people are here because you have more experience in military matters and we value your insight on this matter.”

"Our pilots should be able to handle that," Alistair replied, "but I'll talk to Lieutenant Valin and see what he thinks. At the very least, this can serve as a diversionary attack, maybe draw off some ships from our main objective. It's worth a try."

Barpin nodded. “Very well. We recommend the launch, if it happens, be within the next hour. We are traveling on what you humans call ‘borrowed time’ presently.”

Looking at the holographic gold orb representing the Hobus star, Alistair winced. "Yeah. No argument here."

As the human left to inform his comrades of the upcoming plans, Barpin likewise returned to his duties as something other than the human “babysitter.” They were a nuisance still, but they did have the most curious terms.

OOC Note: Thanks to @Griff for the JP! This opens up one of the major story prompts of the chapter, which can be officially kicked off once Alistair confers with the lead on the pilots (off-screen). It can be assumed that chapter members will hear of the update soon, along with the approximation that those not embarking on those side-quest (story prompt) missions should be ready for "go" time early the next morning. Chapter members may post their responses to the information update, later launch sequences, the night before the battle, and later the arrival at the area of operations.

Re: Ch 4 : Knock Knock! [Day 1 | 1800+]

Reply #1 – June 28, 2024, 07:31:11 AM

[ Master Chief Petty Officer Mala Kariko | Habitation Hull Common Area | Aft Recreational District | Erudite ] ATTN: @Brutus @TWilkins @RyeTanker @ob2lander961 @Tae @Eden @Sqweloookle @Griff @Eirual

“You know you really shouldn’t wrinkle your nose when you’re about to make a decision,” Mala didn’t bother looking up at Sarah’s comment from across the table and instead kept her focus on the cards in her hand, “it’s a dead giveaway on what kind of hand you have.”

From her left, Nara chuckled, “How can you tell she’s wrinkling her nose?”

Far from being offended at the teasing allusion to her Bajoran nose features, Mala chuckled alongside the scientist. “And how do you know I’m not doing it intentionally to give you a false sense of security?”

“False sense of security or not, I’d appreciate it if you’d just play your hand.” Scruffy dryly commented, voice marginally muffled as he cupped his chin in his hand, elbows braced on his knees.

“Fine.” Mala decided and slapped the card down on the growing pile, eliciting a round of moans and sighs from her fellows.

Now that the focus was on Scruffy, Mala leaned back in her chair and allowed a studious glance around the common area of the habitation hull the Savi had begrudgingly granted them use of for the duration of their travels. The “hospitality” their for-now allies offered was far more accommodating than what Mala had expected, but, as she reminded herself, the Theurgy and its crew were a means to an end for the Savi. It was always best to keep the pet monkey fed and watered if you wanted them to perform.

Rolling her eyes at the thought, her gaze wandered over her fellow card players. In truth, an eclectic group had been sent on this mission. That was no surprise considering the wide-spanning parameters of what the Savi wanted and what the Theurgy hoped to accomplish by this mission. For herself, Mala held no love for the Savi even if she understood not all were complete assholes. Being on the battle bridge when the captain was kidnapped hadn’t won the Savi any favors, regardless of which “side” they happened to be on in their internal fight. Sitting across from her was Sarah, from Intelligence, a woman who seemed to operate best on her own and yet was being forced to do teamwork. Beside her was Nara from Science and a force to contend with as well, not so unlike Sarah in her preference to work alone, and yet she was tasked with sharing her own research and expertise far beyond what she was comfortable doing. And rounding out their little group was Scruffy from Engineering; at one point in time, he’d been part of Task Force Acheron and had even been nearly killed alongside many of his crewmen in the battle in the Azure Nebula.

“Scruffy,” Sarah’s singsong chanting of the man’s name interrupted both Scruffy’s concentration and Mala’s musings, “let’s go! Scruffy!”

“It’s no wonder you’re on this mission,” Scruffy fired back at her as he made his decision, dropping his cards on the pile, “they wanted some peace and quiet in the department.”

Sarah snorted, “Ha! That’s a laugh. I’m not even the most annoying one.”

As the banter continued, Mala smiled, allowing her focus to wander once more, studying the various other crew members as they mingled at the other small tables throughout the common area as well as those passing through, either on their way back to their temporary quarters or taking a sanctioned walkabout in the open areas they’d been escorted through by their Savi handler. It wouldn’t be long before they got an update, of that Kala was sure. They’d been underway long enough that no doubt they’d be crossing into the area of operations soon, and there was no telling what other “side quests” the Savi may ask of them even before they got to Hobus Station.

Spotting a few other crewmates standing in the "in-between" of tables and not exactly going hither or thither, Mala motioned to them, indicating the empty seats at their table. With how things were going, this round would end soon anyway, and others could easily join in. Before any of the newcomers could arrive, however, an announcement came over the PA they'd been instructed to use for this portion of the ship. It was Leavitt, their mission lead. True enough, they'd crossed into the area of operations, and just as Mala suspected, based on who Leavitt called to meet with him, there were already some "side quests" the Savi were hoping they'd investigate.

Catching Sarah's gaze, Mala gave a nonchalant shrug. "Well, deal another round if tonight is our last night before chaos. I'm feeling lucky."

NOTE: This thread occurs BEFORE all the story prompts (including the one already ongoing). It can be assumed that crew members will hear of the aforementioned area of operations update, along with the approximation that those not embarking on those side-quest (story prompt) missions should be ready for "go" time early the next morning. Chapter members may post their responses to the information update, later launch sequences, and the night before the battle in their replies here. After enough replies from folks are cataloged, the interactions may continue in one-on-one threads while @Brutus leads the thread into the early hours of the next day, when the battle may begin.

Re: Ch 4 : Knock Knock! [Day 1 | 1800+]

Reply #2 – June 29, 2024, 06:39:01 PM

[ Ensign Sylvain Llewellyn-Kth | Habitation Hull Common Area | Aft Recreational District | Erudite ] @Brutus @RyeTanker @ob2lander961 @Tae @Eden @Sqweloookle @Griff @Eirual

Graviton beams, kinetic shielding, kkrek alloy hull coatings… Sylvain’s head was already beginning to feel somewhat pulpy under the weight of the information he was attempting to process, and the considerable increase in the liveliness of the Common Area hadn’t much helped his efforts to maintain concentration. The liveliness wasn’t anything he begrudged, however. Whilst it was true that some of the louder voices filling the room were perhaps a little distracting, the animated conversations of nearby tables had offered the room an ambiance that the Ensign hadn’t been expecting, and it was serving as something of a salve to his worries. The briefing he’d shared with Commander Cross had been playing on his mind since he’d come aboard the Erudite, and it had certainly given him reason to be apprehensive as to how accommodating the Savi would be... Thankfully, however, it seemed that his concern had been unwarranted.

That wasn’t to say that the Savi were being particularly cordial in their reception of the Starfleet crew, of course, but Sylvain was hardly one to criticise their isolationist approach; Lieutenant Leavitt had made it clear during his earlier announcement that contact with the Savi was to be minimised, and that as visitors, the Theurgy personnel were instructed to keep to their assigned areas of the vessel. And sure enough, there was a distinct scarceness of the aliens in the sections of the vessel that were assigned for Starfleet use. Evidently, the Savi were under similar instruction. That, or the Savi didn't possess the same levels of curiosity when it came to interacting with ‘lesser’ life forms.

Sylvain had read as much in the tactical data that Commander Cross had provided him.

But for better or for worse, Sylvain had only actually laid eyes on one of the aliens during his time aboard, the one that had led them to the Common Area, Bar-something; he’d been pretty far away from Lieutenant Leavitt during the introductions… Regardless, whilst certainly atypical compared to most Federation humanoids, aside from their height, the Savi didn’t appear overly threatening on the surface; he’d take one over a Gorn anyday, at least. Still, he hadn’t been able to shake the feeling of unease that had clung to him since he’d stepped aboard their vessel… He was aware that such a feeling may have been a precognitive event, but he’d chosen to attribute it instead to preconceptions brought on by Commander Cross’ data. Second guessing his psionic abilities was a stress he did not need to add to his growing list of concerns.

Regardless, despite a somewhat chilly reception, by Federation standards at least, it seemed that all parties were aware that the relationship between them was one of necessity, and such knowledge appeared to be working well enough to keep everyone focussed on their objective, as far as Sylvain could tell. Of course, Sylvain had barely looked up from his PADD since coming aboard, so his perspective on such matters was limited at best... But seeing as nobody appeared to have had their genetics tampered with just yet, as far as Sylvain was concerned, everything was going according to plan. Not that he entirely understood what the specifics of their plan actually were...

Glancing up from his PADD, Sylvain carefully scanned his eyes across the space around him. There were probably less than two-dozen officers sharing the room with him, some sat alone like himself, staring listfully into PADDs, whilst others were sat in pairs or small groups, engaging in conversation or idle activities to pass the time. There were a couple of faces that Sylvain recognised from their brief onboarding in the Aerodrome, but beyond that, they were all strangers to him. He found his focus lingering briefly on a table of officers not far from him, a group of four who were engaging in some sort of card game, their animated behaviour causing the Ensign to wonder somewhat pensively, as to how it must have felt to have been able to relax in the face of such perilous circumstances… How pleasant it must be, not to be riddled with anxiety…

Or perhaps the Theurgy veterans were just so used to mortal peril, that such circumstances were just another day for them.

A frightening thought…

Because there weren’t enough of those to go around…

Running a hand up through his hair, pushing a few coppery strands from his vision, Sylvain forced his eyes to return to the PADD in front of him, his momentary distraction already weighing on the concentration that he’d been fostering for the past few hours. Truthfully, he still wasn’t entirely sure of what his assignment would be, and what information might best suit his needs, so he'd elected to attempt to analyse as much of the database as he was physically able to, given their time constraints. As Humans sometimes said, failing to prepare was preparing to fail... And equally, occupying his mind with research was helping to stave off some of the ever-present reminders of the mortal peril they were about to be facing, a welcome distraction for the Ensign.

Though, whilst it was a helpful distraction, it was nowhere near enough to prevent Sylvain from being aware of how he truly felt…

He was terrified.

Even as his eyes took in information regarding manoeuvring thrusters, and his mind tried to contemplate parabolic vertices, Sylvain couldn’t forget about the tightness that surrounded his chest, the way something dug slightly into his thigh if he tried to cross his legs, the weight that clung to his hips, all of which served as irrefutable reminders of the danger they were preparing to encounter... And how was he supposed to forget about such danger? He was wearing a tactical vest for crying out loud, and despite the favours it was doing for his pecs, its tightness was a brutal reminder that they were anticipating combat. Close combat at that... And if that wasn’t enough, he was used to having a phaser stored under his workstation, out of sight and out of mind, not strapped to his utility belt alongside a combat knife...

Already the situation was spiralling well beyond the confines of anything that Sylvain was even remotely comfortable with.

He’d completed combat training at the Academy of course, and he'd been certified in Type-II phasers since then; he'd never had too much trouble hitting a target in a holodeck simulation. The trouble was, he'd never actually fired one, not at a living thing, and somehow, he imagined that having to try and stun an aggressor in a live combat scenario, would be vastly different to the holodeck... Not to mention that Sylvain had absolutely no idea what on earth he was expected to do with a combat knife; the most aggressive action he’d ever taken with a blade had been back aboard the Bowman, when a replicator malfunction had left him with an especially crusty baguette...

The thought of having to physically kill something, was making him a little queasy.

A soft noise of complaint fleeing his lips, Sylvain had to fight off the urge to collapse himself onto the table and bury his head in his arms; the last thing anybody needed to see was their new Chief of CONN hunched over on a table… Despite the knowledge that most of the other officers aboard the Erudite probably weren't even aware that he was their new Chief of CONN, since he'd only been appointed about forty-five minutes before they'd departed the Theurgy, Sylvain was still conscious that as a senior officer, he had an example to set. So in lieu of collapsing into a heap, he instead took the opportunity to scan the room once again, his soft stare sweeping across the space until he found himself once again on the card-players table, watching one of the women dramatically slap a card down, eliciting groans of complaint from her companions that demonstrated a camaraderie that he distinctively lacked...

Suddenly he felt an urge to collapse into his arms again…

Watching people cheer and mock each other, bantering with a playful familiarity that Sylvain didn’t think he’d ever shared with someone else, only reminded him that he was a stranger to these people, and that they were strangers to him... Mostly his own fault, he supposed, as he promptly shifted his eyes back down to his PADD, ensuring that he wouldn’t establish some sort of stray eye contact that would result in him being invited to their game; he really didn’t have the capacity for games right now… Besides, nobody wanted to play games with someone who could ‘see the future’, and having to have a conversation about his precognitive capabilities was the absolute last thing he wanted to put himself through at that moment.

Also, he didn't know the rules.

Regardless, who was he to try and socialise with these people? He didn't know what they'd been through; he couldn't even guess... He wasn’t some veteran of the Dominion War, he hadn't fought Borg, he couldn’t pretend to be some confident and suave hotshot pilot who would swoop in and save the day… He was an Ensign. A department head, but still an Ensign, two years out of the Academy and two months out of having his entire life turned upside down… His combat experience was limited to Talarian separatists and some mild posturing with a Tholian vessel, and he was about to be cast into a situation more dangerous than anything he had endured in his entire life... And perhaps worst of all, if he died tonight, he’d do so surrounded by strangers and aliens, people who probably hadn’t even heard of his species before…

People who certainly didn't know him like they knew each other...

Thankfully, such untoward wonderings were cut short by the sudden emergence of Lieutenant Leavitt’s voice over the comm system, the man’s announcement casting a cold rush of reality through Sylvain’s system, a visceral reminder that now wasn’t the time for feeling sorry for himself.... They’d arrived at the area of operations.

He felt himself be drawn to his feet, listening keenly to the Lieutenant’s words whilst gently running his hands down his uniform, to ensure that any creases were pushed out. It didn’t need to matter that he didn’t know anybody aboard the Erudite, and that he still wasn’t aware of what use he could be to their mission; he was a senior officer, a department head, the freshly appointed Chief of CONN aboard the most advanced ship in the Federation… If nothing else, he was supposed to set an example for the junior officers, and if that meant having to stand for the rest of the day, he’d certainly do so. It was the least he could do. They were all far more experienced than himself, he could at least pretend to look the part; for their sake.

Besides, if he was going to die tonight, he’d might as well take the opportunity to show off how good his chest looked in a tactical harness… Though as soon as the thought had crossed his mind, the Ensign found himself moving immediately to cross his arms tightly across said chest, fighting off the beginnings of a rather ferocious blush that was threatening to skirt across his face.

On second thought, Sylvain would be perfectly comfortable if nobody saw how good his chest looked in a tactical harness…

Re: Ch 4 : Knock Knock! [Day 1 | 1800+]

Reply #3 – August 04, 2024, 08:20:28 AM

[PO2 Cora Davison | Habitation Hull Common Area | Aft Recreational District | Erudite] Attn: @TWilkins @Brutus @RyeTanker @ob2lander961 @Tae @Eden @Sqweloookle @Griff @Eirual
[Show/Hide]

After the update announcement in LT Leavitt’s strong but undeniably weary voice, Cora realized her time-table had been absurdly optimistic. Given the current attitudes of the Savi she’d observed and the obvious friction between them and the Theurgy crew, the non-com quickly deduced the odds of getting what she needed by building any sort of sociological rapport with their hosts and ‘allies’ simply wasn’t viable. It was time for plan B, which honestly wasn’t going to make this alliance of convenience any bit warmer…But only if she got found out.

But yeah, by then, we’ll all be proper fucked anyway, yeah? Right. Lets work the mission then, and save the broody bit for later, then, shall we?

Cora rested the shoulders of her petite frame against the cool alloy of the bulkhead near the entrance to one of the domiciles assigned for the crew’s use, arms folded under her bust. For all intents and purposes – at least to the casual onlooker – she appeared simply as one of the many Starfleeters that had ‘zoned out’ in the face of the extreme circumstances; just waiting for the call. This was an intentional act, much like everything she did or said, at least while she was on the clock; Cora had been on the clock ever since ‘King’ had pinged her for this op – charming Klingon escort and all. Full lips curled at the sarcastic thought, while milk chocolate eyes drank in the scene and her mind cataloged persons of interest. Off to her right, Chief Benson (who Cora really couldn’t stand, honestly – despite the fact that Benson herself was none the wiser) was heard over the voices of the group engaged at cards.

Yes, play another, please. Have a lovely holiday too while your at it.

Cora watched their watchers, especially; the few Savi that entered their ‘accommodations’ weren’t shy with their attentions, which didn’t surprise her, given everything she’d read on them. Good scientists were natural observers, studious in recording every detail and ruthlessly efficient in the pursuit of minutia – as far as their interests were concerned, anyway. The analyst in her respected that about them; the agent in her planned to use it against them.

Unfortunately, given the information and patterns in behavior she’d been able to observe thus far, Cora felt less than confident in her ability to get what was needed, but the odds meant little in the long run. The more data they had, the better the chances were of everyone getting out of this mess in once piece. Risk analysis and situational circumstances being what they were, there was little choice, really. If she was going to make a move, it needed to be soon, and it needed to be done with utmost discretion – even from her own. Well, moreso the Savi, but she doubted Benson had the clout with Leavitt to pull her ass out of the fire if things went south.

Bloody brilliant, this is, the non-com huffed to herself, arms dropped to her sides as she kicked off the glossy material for a few steps – then turned back to collect her kit from the floor; the handbag containing the various tools of her trade was positioned on one hip, strapped across her torso. Both hands raked the dark, glossy mane of hair from her face before the sidearm leg holster was re-buckled to her slender waist with a slight grimace; the thought of actually using the blasted thing meant she hadn’t done her job, and if that came to pass, well…Cora doubted it would be much use at all.

Oh, stop it, alright, she sighed, then worked the tension out of her neck and took a deep breath to steady her nerves. When her eyes opened again, Cora’s attention was drawn to one of her fellow crew, mostly by the contrast of his copper hair and pale complexion. Observing without truly watching, she idled by adjusting her bag and strap, then fiddled with a PADD, all choreographed behaviors to avoid drawing attention to herself.

He seemed lost at first, hesitant, as if unsure of what to do with himself – then quickly seemed to reach some internal decision and glanced around as if searching for someone – but that only lasted for a few seconds. Cora blinked, calculated, watched a bit more, then decided to alter her strategy. Improvisation might prevail beyond what guile and cunning offered, and after all, they might even have a good laugh along the way, despite it all. Worst case, she’d make a friend only to end up burning him in the end - which wasn't anything new. Such was the life, for good or ill.

Nothin’ ventured, nothin’ gained, eh?

SI bred some of the worst people; it was a necessary evil, when faced with the perils of the galaxy - Cora knew it and accepted it, but that didn’t mean she liked it. That didn’t stop her stride however, and certainly didn’t stop her from adopting a carefully practiced mask of sympathetic concern – kind eyes and gentle smiles – as she approached him. The closer she got, the more attractive he grew; solid frame, handsome jawline...cute didn’t quite do him justice. Cora allowed some of that genuine interest for him into her soft spoken British accent when she spoke; a consciously added layer of authentic flavor that was vital at this stage of the game.

“Um, s-sorry. Hello,” Cora stopped behind him and off to the side, a hand reached out in a hesitant gesture as if to touch his shoulder, but stopped herself with a nervous giggle that she didn’t try to stop.

“I um...I thought...well, sorry, introductions first. I’m Cora Davison, aren’t I,” a hand raked the hair from her face with another chuckle.

“I um...well, I thought you could do with some company,” she laughed again with a hint of embarrassment. “Ah, I’m sorry I’m just a mess of nerves. What with the...everything going on and such. So, right,” she smiled happily at him, “care for a walk and chat, then?”

OOC- Meet PO2 Davison - she has been added to the Intel NPC wiki page and I'll puppet her for this chapter only. What's she up to, you ask? Guess we'll find out

Re: Ch 4 : Knock Knock! [Day 1 | 1800+]

Reply #4 – August 06, 2024, 05:00:24 AM

[ Ensign Sylvain Llewellyn-Kth | Habitation Hull Common Area | Aft Recreational District | Erudite ] @Dumedion @Brutus @RyeTanker @ob2lander961 @Tae @Eden @Sqweloookle @Griff @Eirual

In the face of mortal peril, Starfleet taught its officers to have faith in the chain of Command, in Starfleet, in the Federation. It was a process in which Sylvain had become acutely familiar with; it brought him the same comfort that it brought to so many others. The Bowman had come under threat innumerable times during his relatively short stint aboard, and yet, not once had Sylvain failed to find himself emboldened by the indomitable presence of Captain Yume; not just the inspiration that she brought as an individual, but the strength of what she represented as a Starfleet Captain. Sylvain could draw comfort from those memories, the remembrance of how easy it had been for him to forget whatever danger lay beyond the bulkheads, occupying his mind purely with the task at hand, his back basking in the confidence that radiated off of his Captain with the intensity of an O-type star…

However, as his hazel eyes swept across the room, Sylvain began to consider that the crew of the Theurgy might require more than just the reassurance of a Senior officer and the Starfleet ideals they represented…

His efforts to present himself as a reassuring figure had afforded him little more than a few cursory glances, and whilst the Ensign was somewhat relieved that he wouldn’t be called upon in the capacity of a moral officer, Sylvain still found the lack of response from the Theurgy crew to be somewhat unsettling… It seemed that most of his fellow officers either remained embroiled in a vacant limbo of glazed eyes peering over PADDs and coffee cups, or they simply continued with whatever communal activity they were already engaged in, conversations and games, barely reacting to the update in their situation at all. And to witness such a lack of reaction to news that would have most crews immediately rushing to their feet, once again reminded Sylvain that he was absurdly out of his depth.

It was becoming increasingly apparent to him that the Theurgy crew had found their own ways of adapting to their situation, establishing methods of bracing themselves for the dangers ahead, that went beyond Starfleet protocol. Sylvain supposed that he could understand their stance. After all, the Theurgy was on the forefront of a threat beyond anything the galaxy had ever seen, and in the face of such adversity, it was only natural for people to reach for what was familiar, and to ignore what was foreign; himself being decidedly in the latter category… What stranger could empathise with the trials that the Theurgy crew had endured? Truthfully, it was no wonder they barely batted their eyes in the face of death; it was probably just another day to them.

Even the crew of the USS Voyager, stranded 70,000 light years from home, journeying across dangerous and unknown parts of the galaxy, were still able to hold a faith in Starfleet, a belief in something that could bolster them in times of crisis. And though the Theurgy might have shared the same innumerable odds that the Voyager had endured, the Theurgy crew did not have the same hope and faith in Starfleet to fall back on... They might have been fighting to save the Federation, but the cold reality of their situation was that the Federation was only fighting to destroy them… After all, such was the FNN’s smear campaign, the relentless subspace communiques that rippled across the entire fleet, the mass outrage following the massacre at Starbase 84, the distraught horror following the bombing of Paris…

Commander Cross had said it himself. It was entirely possible, that even if they managed to stop the Parasites, a life in the Federation, in Starfleet, might remain out of reach for the majority of the Theurgy crew… Under the weight of such a concept, it made sense that the crew would find their reassurance in a new familiarity. Why would they draw comfort in an unfamiliar Ensign, standing at his table and pretending to radiate confidence, when beside them, there was a colleague whom they’d already fought a dozen battles with… They only needed each-other, made all the more apparent by their stoicism. They could have faith in those around them, in their skills and abilities, in what they could offer the mission… They could have faith that every single life aboard the Theurgy would matter more in the grand scheme of things, than a life on any other ship.

It was a harrowing thought that Sylvain might perhaps have to change his own ideals in the future, assuming he survived their current excursion to the Hobus Star… He’d never been one for close friends, and he’d certainly not found a reason to explore romantic attraction; it wasn’t particularly enjoyable to attempt to maintain a relationship with someone, when at any second, a premonition could blindside him and leave him wrestling in the throes of paranoia and doubt… No, Sylvain preferred to keep his relationships professional, and find comfort in the chain of Command… Yet, he couldn’t ignore the possibility that such things wouldn’t be enough in this new chapter of his life…

Commander Cross had alluded as such…

Still, it was a heavy concept to dwell on, and perhaps better left for a time when he wasn’t facing the likelihood of an imminent death... Putting such thoughts away for the moment, Sylvain instead attempted to find some limp solace in the understanding that it seemed unlikely that he would be required to make some sort of rousing speech. The last time he’d made such an attempt was at the semi-final of the Academy Parrises squares tournament, when his attempt at an inspiring monologue had translated into ‘let’s just try to win’. It became something of a running joke, much to his chagrin, and he was very much comfortable with not having a repeat of such an experience ever again…

Even embroiled within his mental contemplations, the approaching figure hadn’t escaped his notice; the hustle and bustle of those playing cards notwithstanding, the room was relatively still… Though he’d noticed them however, he’d assumed that they were heading past him, en-route to the bathrooms or some such, and thus hadn’t given the woman a second thought. As such, it came as a shock to him when her voice spoke out from beside him, her accent a pleasantly familiar British tone that wasn’t so far removed from his own. She introduced herself with a certain nervousness, all smiles and giggles as she brushed a handful of dark hair from her face; a perfectly pleasant introduction, given the circumstances they were faced with, her outstretched hand making a hesitant move towards his shoulder as they spoke.

Unfortunately, despite how pleasantly she presented herself, Sylvain’s entire psyche seemed to collapse at her approach.

He’d not felt dissimilar when the Kzinti had ambushed him in the corridor outside of sickbay, catching him mid-song and full of mortification, the Ensign’s body being all but thrown into a void of unfathomable panic when the towering man had made a point of highlighting the untimely song lyrics that had fled Sylvain’s lips. With the woman before him however, Cora Davidson she’d said, it was different. She didn’t have the height to be as intimidating as Chief Lok had been, and he’d not been caught singing about having his hair played with, so that was a plus at least… Nonetheless, Sylvain experienced a rush of anxiety so virulent that it almost took him off of his feet, the world around him numbing into a static haze. For a moment, he was worried that he was about to have a panic attack, a culmination of the stress of the past few weeks finally catching up with him, in, of course, the most inopportune circumstances.

He tried desperately hard not to show his severe unease, sharply inhaling through his teeth as he blinked hard at soundless words that fled her lips. It might have been her attempt at physical contact, or perhaps just the unexpected nature of her sudden introduction. Or, of course, there was a small chance that his feelings might have been a result of the fact that they were currently hurtling towards an extraordinarily violent interspecies conflict, one that was likely going to culminate in a supernova that would eradicate all life across several light years…

He was still new to the Theurgy. This, wasn’t just another day to him yet.

Still, through herculean effort on his part, Sylvain managed to catch himself at the precipice of panic, recovering just in time for his senses to recognise the remainder of officer Davidson’s request, her words framed by the glow of her toothy smile.

She’d asked him if he wanted to accompany her for a walk.

Sylvain almost scoffed at the absurdity of his panic, a shaky breath helping to cleanse the distress from his system as he awkwardly managed a half smile in return; he could certainly understand the desire to dispel nervous energy through activity, after all. Though they weren’t permitted to explore the ship to any real extent, he considered that there might be some interesting sights to see in the areas they were permitted within. Besides, if nothing else, it was only sensible to make an effort to stretch his legs a little, prior to their arrival at the conflict zone; he’d not gotten any notable exercise in a few weeks at least, unless he was counting the weight of the anxiety he’d been carrying with him…

It was true, the request was perhaps a little out of the blue. He didn’t think it was particularly usual to abruptly approach someone and request their presence on an anxiety-relieving stroll… But Sylvain supposed that he’d invited such interest when he’d made the decision to stand and draw attention to himself. Perhaps they didn’t recognise him as a member of the crew, and figured that an unfamiliar Ensign might be the perfect candidate to invite on a walk. On the other hand, perhaps they were also new to the crew themselves, looking for an excuse to not be alone in the build up to their mission; he hadn’t noticed her at any of the group tables, so it was possible she didn’t know anyone herself.

Regardless of Crewman Davidson’s reasonings however, Sylvain acknowledged that he’d made the decision to stand for this very reason, to offer a silent invitation to others who might benefit from the presence of a senior officer. Whilst going for a walk certainly hadn’t been what he’d been expecting, he couldn’t refute someone who’d asked so earnestly. Besides, it was significantly easier to simply go for a walk than it was to try and conjure up a morale-inspiring speech in an instant; perhaps he should have considered it a win…

“Ah-” He verbally reminded himself, realising that he’d been standing silently for a few seconds now and was no doubt appearing somewhat rude. “Ensign Llewellyn-Kth. It’s a pleasure to meet you Crewman.” He replied, his own English accent cutting cleanly through the air between them. Sylvain knew that Humans sometimes liked to exchange a handshake upon an introduction, but the Ensign found that such measures were best avoided unless strictly necessary; clammy hands, skin-on-skin, it all tended to give his precognitive centres an excuse to run rampant. He didn’t quite know why.

“Yeah, I’m certainly free if you’d like to go for a stroll; it can’t be a bad idea to stretch our legs before…” He paused somewhat abruptly, the words hanging over the pair of them like the sword of damocles for a moment, before he awkwardly tried to clear his throat and continue. He expected that the last thing that Davidson needed was a reminder of their predicament.

“Did you have anywhere in mind, or…” Sylvain briefly glanced around the Common Area, as if a sign would appear, directing them to the most convenient scenic walk available aboard the ship… With the Savi’s technological superiority, he supposed that anything was possible. “...did you just want to see where we’re allowed to go?”

Re: Ch 4 : Knock Knock! [Day 1 | 1800+]

Reply #5 – August 09, 2024, 09:25:10 PM

[PO2 Cora Davison | Habitation Hull Common Area | Aft Recreational District | Erudite] Attn: @TWilkins @Brutus @RyeTanker @ob2lander961 @Tae @Eden @Sqweloookle @Griff @Eirual

It took some effort, but Cora managed to keep the pleasant smile on her face in the awkward silence while the cute Ensign sorted himself out; outwardly, she waited with a slight lift of her brows in an offer of simple encouragement – inwardly, her mind quickly assessed and categorized every observable detail he broadcast, consciously or not: body language, tonal shift and tilt, eye contact. Some were more obvious than others, for certain; she noted his aversion to touch, the way he practically jumped out of his skin at her unexpected approach, the telling lack of physical greeting. He was either socially awkward, or so wracked with nervous anxiety and wound up in himself that she had literally shocked the blazes out of him. Both could prove useful to Cora, in their own ways.

Poor bloke, Cora chuckled mentally. If there was ever a case of someone pushed entirely beyond all known experience, thrown into circumstances they never imagined, it was him. Looks about ready to keel over, he does. She folded her own hands together in a relaxed and intrusive posture behind her back, then let her eyes move away from him to glance about their surroundings while she waited – all carefully broadcast to allow him space to function free of her attention.

When he finally managed to speak, Cora met his eyes in a glance and nodded at his introduction, but moved the instant he agreed; only a few unhurried steps in a slight orbit around him, to keep at arms length while she pivoted to keep him in view.

Her real interest laid with the layout beyond them, the Savi within visual range – what they were doing, who they were interacting with – and the various doors that led out from the far sides of the hall. From what they were briefed, Cora knew where they were allowed to go and had been warned to remain in those areas. It was a massive ship though, and those boundaries hadn’t been too specific, but with more than a few crew members already haven gotten themselves escorted back by their grumpy ‘allies’, it was only a matter of time before that changed.

Right sorry ‘bout this mate – but it’ll be good for you, Cora thought quickly, then smiled at his follow-up questions with a subtle shrug; it was a look of invitation and nonchalance – an offering of adventure mixed with relief from boredom and brooding, from one stranger to another.

“Hm, not quite sure,” the non-com answered with a smile, “but really, Ensign, don’t all the best adventures start off in similar straits? Trudging off into the unknown? Deep in the thick of it, we are; seems a bit daft to me to just sit about, innit?” Cora spoke as she walked; her words and motion prompted him to follow or get left behind. She didn’t check visually – but the sounds of his hesitant steps encouraged her to continue.

“So, Ensign Llewellyn-Kth,” Cora spoke his name carefully, chewing on pronunciation in mimicry of how he said it. “Oh, quite a mouthful, that is,” she chuckled, then set about to distract him with the standard getting-acquainted questionnaire – starting with the most obvious. “How’d you come about here, then?”

All the while, the access doors to the lift and beyond slowly grew closer.

OOC - we can peel off from here to the SP, I think, but up to you @TWilkins

Re: Ch 4 : Knock Knock! [Day 1 | 1800+]

Reply #6 – August 09, 2024, 10:59:03 PM

[ Ens. Faye Lintah Eloi-Danvers | Habitation Hull Common Area | Aft Recreational District | Erudite ] Attn: @Dumedion @TWilkins @Griff @RyeTanker @Ellen Fitz @Eirual @Tae @ob2lander961 @Eden @Sqweloookle
[Show/Hide]

Rubbing her temples slightly, Faye Lintah Eloi-Danvers, Diplomatic Attaché, paused in her efforts to work her way through the data on the PADD in her hand and look up at the other Starfleet officers milling about the common area. For the moment she was on her own, though she knew that sooner or later a certain Andorian Lieutenant would be back in her sphere of influence. That brought a soft smile to her lips, glad to be sharing rather cramped quarters with a familiar and comfortable face, unlike the slew of officers around her, many of whom she'd never really seen before this mission. She knew that most of them were paired up with people they didn't know for the duration of the mission, and was glad she'd been allowed to be a bit selfish. Small things, little comforts, but with the scope of what they were here to do, the Betazoid Ensign wasn't going to pass up every little bit of happiness and simple relief she could claw out.

The problem was that she could feel how on edge everyone else was. The anxiety and fear under the surface of every single interaction. She was far from the only one looking to grab a little fun while they could, though she wasn't actively up to that just now. That would come later. Sooner, she hoped. More than one card game in play, momentary spikes of delight and triumph flitted about the mental sea she swam in. And then there were the mischievous currents and eddies she picked up. So many of the crew had decided to take the opportunity to 'explore,' regardless of the orders they'd all been given to the contrary. That devil may care attitude, urge to know more...it too had the undercurrent of fear. No matter how much everyone tried to pretend otherwise.

Some better than others, Faye mused with half a smile, watching as two redshirted crew - one Ensign that damn near vibrated fear tempered by a desire not to seem afraid, and a non-comm woman clearly leading him on a little adventure, radiating her own waves of anticipatory subterfuge. Carrot top has no idea what he's getting himself into, she mused. She'd listened to Alistair's update just a few moments before, and in truth it was that, more than anything else, that kept her from focusing on her work. Not that she really had much work to do just then. Or would have work to do in the coming mission. Not exactly. Though again, she thought back to Zark's words earlier, the comfort she drew from them, and the feeling of purpose her friend's perspective had gifted her. Faye drew that in like a breath of fresh air, and settled herself back once more, contemplating Lt. Leavitt's announcement.

They had the night, essentially. Come morning, they would all be going to work. Come the morning, they'd reap the whirlwind.

Heads up folks: in 10 days time, August 19th, we'll be time jumping to the following morning to start the mission proper. Establish what your characters are up to over night; get those side quests rolling. Character deaths depend on how fast y'all reply...or don't

Re: Ch 4 : Knock Knock! [Day 1 | 1800+]

Reply #7 – August 16, 2024, 05:05:05 AM

[Lt (JG) XamotZark zh’Ptrell (Lt. Zark) | A Cargo Bay | Erudite ] [Show/Hide]

Ensign Milli Dubois was not having a good time at the moment. She had been getting used to the more close in combat aspects of her job, especially from the Andorian she was currently sparring against. Unfortunately, she was getting training in something new, and there was quite the learning curve. Standing opposite the medic, on the mat, she moved suddenly. "Yarghh!" the red headed Ensign yelled as she swung her phaser rifle at Lieutenant Zark's head. The sound of plastic and alloy clacking resounded in the bay as the Andorian parried the high technology club out of the way with the barrel of her own rifle. Training next called for the Andorian to counter by driving the butt of her own weapon at the attackers head, but Zark was bit of an old hand at this sort of fighting, and she closed too quickly for the Ensign Dubois to react. There was something hard on the back of her head and suddenly she stumbled as was dragged towards the medic. It was a moment's indecision and it was a moment too late. A loud grunt escaped Milly's mouth as she felt a sharp knee slammed into her mid section. Stunned, she next found herself falling, then landing face first on the ground. That elicited another pained grunt, then a groan. Pain flaring along her front and a burning sensation in her chest, she quickly rolled over to be greeted by a shiny black barrel pointed at her head. Everything stopped at that moment, eyes wide in surprise and no small amount of fear. Mainly aware of how hard she was breathing, the Ensign slowly raised her hands in surrender.

"Pew" Lieutenant Zark said, creating a cartoonish impression of her pulling the trigger. "You're dead or out cold Ensign." The Andorian pulled the rifle up and rested it on her shoulder as she leaned down to offer a hand to her student. Ensign Dubois nodded as she gripped the proffered hand while trying to bring her breathing under control. It wasn't fair in a way as the beautiful Andorian didn't even appear to be breathing all that hard. "That was fast ma'am. It still seems crazy how fast you can take the fight to someone with something in your hands." Lieutenant Zark nodded. "I've been doing this for a while longer, but you also have to place several steps ahead and move fast enough to execute. For example, instead of tripping you at that end, I really should have hit you with the rifle butt, that would have been the safer way to take you out. At the same time, keep your situational awareness, when you hit the ground, instead of rolling over to reacquire your opponent, next time, kick out in the last direction you saw them." Milly nodded as she considered this. "Who knows? You could buy yourself a few seconds, or just as easily trip your opponent and turn the tide of the fight."

Lieutenant Zark smiled as she led the Ensign to where their workout gear was stashed and took a moment to grab a sip from a bottle of water. The human took the time to work the wetness out of her sunset coloured hair. She took a moment to tug at her t-shirt a few times to fan herself and inhaled as she took in the rest of the bay. Putting the towel down, the Andorian's eyes swept the bay and she saw several other people firing at holographic targets with rifles or pistols, looking to get in some last minute target practice. In a another area, she could see sheets of metal that had been put up. There was quite a bit of firing and explosions going on in the makeshift complex. The Zhen smirked as she listened to the rhythm of applied violence. It felt like the people inside were definitely encountering some stiff resistance in the kill house and the medic was curious to see what would come out the other side. A subtle movement above caught the Zhen's attention and her eyes saw the grey forms of the Savi standing over head. Zark looked around again and saw a few more standing on the periphery. They appeared to be taking notes, and this led the Andorian to frown. They're really are all scientists. Can't help but treat everything like an experiment. The Lieutenant shrugged off the sense of discomfort being oberserved brought since there was little she could do about it.

The shooting had stopped and Lieutenant zh'Wann walked out the exit on the shoot house, leading several more heavily armoured figures, and a few with tactical vests. The ones with vests appeared to be carrying a couple of others. One was out cold, and another one looked to be just waking up. The Security Deputy turned on the group. Knowing her boss a little better, all the Security personnel saw the equivalent of someone whirling on her audience in ire. Ensign Dubois voiced their shared thoughts. "They're gonna get it now." Zark hummed an agreement and nodded with finality as the other Zhen crossed her armoured arms and glared at the other crew member who was coming out of being stunned. "Yep. Probably zigged, when he should have zagged. Anyway, let's go grab our bunch from the range and get them ready." The medic offered the Ensign a reassuring smile. "Just like we trained for, and after this, we can find out if the replicators got fixed." Ensign Dubois grimaced at the thought of her last meal before following the statuesque Andorian to where their armour was waiting to suit up.

Zark thought this was going to be interesting regardless of the outcome. Especially afterwards she went looking for Faye later and if dinner proved uninteresting, there were plenty of tables to cover her feat; and that would definitely make the Betazoid's meal time much more enjoyable. She smirked at that, then gave a warm smile her for flock of lambs as she commanded them to gather round for the briefing on the simulation in the shoot house. Yep. Lots of fun was bound to be had.

Re: Ch 4 : Knock Knock! [Day 1 | 1800+]

Reply #8 – August 19, 2024, 11:25:45 AM

[ Some Shadowy Corner | Aft Recreational District | Erudite ] Attn: @Dumedion @TWilkins @Griff @RyeTanker @Brutus @Eirual @Tae @ob2lander961 @Eden @ob2lander961

Neither Crewman First Class Tashanna Ford nor Chief Petty Officer Garvan Dixon would be able to pinpoint whose idea it'd been to push the boundaries of hospitality. Yet they were both committed to pushing the boundaries nonetheless. Cooped up in the corner of such a massive ship, with allies who looked at them with the same fondness as a human may look at an ant, both Ford and Dixon had minded their manners until they couldn't mind them anymore. They weren't necessarily trying to steal anything, but if they happened to trip and hit "scan" on a tricorder while they explored the ship, as far as they could explore it before getting caught, then it would be a win-win situation. And now, with the announcement that they were in the area of operations with their ETA at the Hobus Star itself mere hours away, Ford and Dixon were all that much more motivated to explore and glean while they could. There was no telling what was going to happen in the morning or who would survive the upcoming encounter. Still, if they could get some intel and insight from the Savi "allies" while they could, saving it on encrypted chips to take back to the Theurgy for further study, then that would be the cherry on top of an otherwise potentially FUBAR scenario.

Re: Ch 4 : Knock Knock! [Day 1 | 1800+]

Reply #9 – August 19, 2024, 05:41:02 PM

[ Lieutenant Elro Kobol | Aft Recreational District | Erudite ] Attn: @Ellen Fitz @Dumedion @TWilkins @Griff @RyeTanker @Brutus @Eirual @Tae @ob2lander961 @Eden

It was extremely difficult to sleep with the onset of their operation, and now it being hours away, Elro was attempting to distract his mind from concocting scenarios that they may face. He sensed the thoughts of Crewman First Class Tashanna Ford and Chief Petty Officer Garvan Dixon near the edge of their assigned areas aboard their allies' vessel. Elro eyed them curiously as their intentions flashed past his senses that they maybe going to do some spying. He knew he should stop them but he couldn't deny his own desire to learn what Savi technology could teach them.

The battle with duty and personal desire continued to war as he observed the two enlisted proceed to explore, he followed at a medium distance behind them ready to jump into action should they be discovered by their allies and will immediately defuse the situation. Elro wondered just what the Savi would do to them for this attempt at espionage, he was almost about to lose them in his thoughts. He quickly closed the distance between them sneakily.

There were a few times that Savi were very close but it seemed they weren't very observant. Elro found that odd but then they didn't know much about the Savi, or how they conduct themselves, to say the least. Crewman First Class Tashanna Ford and Chief Petty Officer Garvan Dixon were busy investigating the option of breaking into a room they found.

Elro came up to peer around the corner a few meters away, thankfully he was not visible to anyone passing by but Ford and Dixon were. He continued to observe.

OOC: Hey @Ellen Fitz , hope you don't mind me playing with Ford and Dixon. Would you like them to be discovered, discovered and Elro saves them or Elro catches them?

Re: Ch 4 : Knock Knock! [Day 1 | 1800+]

Reply #10 – August 23, 2024, 03:23:44 AM

[

Ens. Via "DixeBee" Wix |Wolf-16| Hobus System] Attn: @Eden @ RyeTanke @ RyeTanker @Tae @Ellen @Sqweloookle @ TWilkins @ Brutus @ Griff @ Eirual
[Show/Hide]

Via walked down the alien hallway quite mindlessly glued to her PADD. Anyone else would've probably been taking in the unusual environment of the Savi ship, using the chance to observe such a different and advanced interior that most other Starfleet officers would die to experience. After having been rudely awakened by the ship announcement however, the young pilot in frustration, decided to take herself on a walk playing her addictive "hologame" that she managed to bum off some crewman before she left. Via was bored, beyond bored. The intrepidation of the upcoming mission and how badass it was going to occupy her mind...and on top of the copious amounts of caffeine she typically ingested regularly, needless to say she wasn't going to sit still. So she walked down the hallway, murmuring in cheer or scoff as she won or lost whatever objective the program had set for her. Subtle bleeps and bloops coming from the device could be heard by anyone around should they be paying attention to her, not that the young pilot minded or particularly cared.

It was only when she turned around a corner rather absentmindedly and almost ran into something that she broke herself out of her trans. There was a peer in front of her and a medical officer, a rather tall one at that, seemingly eavesdropping on...something ahead of him. It was weird, and unusual to Via which to her meant fun and exciting; she wanted in on whatever he was doing. So the young pilot quietly walked up behind the man, peering around his side to see what he was looking at somewhat mimicking what he was doing around the peer. Two enlisted folks, no one she recognized so she started plotting.

"Who we stabbin'?" She said innocently. "Those dumbasses? Alright I'll be gettin' the big one you be gettin' the small one. My ass is trynamakeaname- Wait..." she looked up at him rather inquisitively realizing his rank. "Who is your dumbass?" she asked with judgment.

Re: Ch 4 : Knock Knock! [Day 1 | 1800+]

Reply #11 – August 26, 2024, 04:36:03 PM

[Ens Mia Dunne | Habitation Hull Common Area | Aft Recreational District | Erudite ]
ATTN: @Brutus @RyeTanker @ob2lander961 @Tae @Eden @Sqweloookle @Griff @Dree @Ellen Fitz

Mia had found a corner of the common room in which to work. It was a bit distracting with all the voices around her at times, especially from the card game a few meters away. But she was too busy trying to make sense of what information she’d been provided, which sadly wasn’t a whole lot. Apparently, these Savi didn’t want to share much of anything. It wasn’t that she was trying to be nosy about them, she really believed that knowing about their social norms and such would help.

She picked up one of her sketches and studies it for a moment and then looked back to the PADD. If she could just get past this block she might be of some use. As it was now, she felt like her being on this mission was more of a hinderance to it success than anything. She sat back in her seat and rubbed her tired eyes for a moment. Glancing over to the card players she felt a twinge of jealousy that they got to relax before they had to do anything. She was pretty much working since the moment she stepped foot on the Savi ship. She noticed another Ensign also studying a PADD and saw the look on his face. If Mia was right, he was feeling just as unhappy as she was. She could certainly share sympathy with that.

She sighed again and went back to work. She didn’t have much time. She didn’t even have enough time to study everything the way she normally would. She could only hope she had enough information when the time came for them to…

Her thoughts were interrupted by an announcement by Leavitt. Now she felt like she was definitely running out of time to make sense of what she had. She only prayed it would be enough when the time came.

Re: Ch 4 : Knock Knock! [Day 1 | 1800+]

Reply #12 – May 18, 2025, 11:16:55 PM

[ Barpin qi Erudite | Orbital Observatory of the Erudite ] @Brutus @RyeTanker @ob2lander961 @Tae @Eden @Sqweloookle @Griff @Eirual @Dree

Barpin qi Erudite stood on the observation deck of the Savi vessel, his gaze fixed on the stars ahead as they approached the designated battle coordinates. Having Starfleet personnel aboard his ship was a necessity he had come to accept, albeit grudgingly. Their unpredictable methods were chaotic, but undeniably effective in certain circumstances.

The frustration simmered within him. The Savi had dedicated millennia to the pursuit of precision, enlightenment, and order. To now find themselves relying on inferior beings in their efforts to end the civil war was nothing short of humiliating. The Starfleet officers, with their imprecise logic and incessant emotional responses, seemed to stumble into solutions that the Savi would have meticulously calculated. Yet, it was precisely this chaos that had occasionally proven useful—an infuriating contradiction that he could not easily reconcile.

However, his irritation had only increased after discovering that some Starfleet crew members had been caught trying to access Savi personnel-only areas. One was discovered with a handheld scanner dangerously close to restricted equipment. Barpin couldn't help but suspect that some of the Savi’s superior technology had been scanned or, worse, duplicated. The thought gnawed at him, but with the battle looming, he chose to put aside his suspicions—at least for now.

He understood that unity was crucial, but the knowledge that some of his 'allies' might be using this alliance as an opportunity to steal advanced technology made him wary. The challenge now was balancing the mission's demands with the need to protect Savi secrets. As the battle coordinates drew closer, he prepared to lead his crew, knowing that vigilance against both external and internal threats was essential.

--FIN--