Chapter 04: Invictus [03: Liberation] Attn: CanadianVet, Ericajohn, Doctor Maya, Searcher, Cathreen Dawinter, Zenozine, Brutus, Sirus, The Counselor [ Below Decks | Deck 07 | 1300 hrs. ] Attn: Sten Covington, Axius Onea, Tessa May Lance & Rory Callahan. Optionally: Cameron Henshaw or Wenn Cinn The past hour had been completely touch-and-go. For the Lone Wolves and Sten Covington's deck crew, who had survived the strife in the Fighter Assault Bay, the ascent from Deck 15 had not been without losses.
Most of the surviving deck crew had been stunned as the group tried to escape the phasers of T'Rena's search parties. There had been no sign-of-life in regards to Miles Renard since last he had been seen, where he had provided cover for the last people that left the hell-hole that the flight hangar had become. One thing was relatively certain, and that was that Captain Ives was no longer in command, and was likely confined to the Brig. En-route, the short-term plan had been to reach Deck 07, and now that they were there - climbing out of a grate in the corner of the ship's lounge. They were only a few corridors away from the Security Office.
They emerged into an abandoned Below Decks, empty from movement. The place was quite defensible because of the open space and the clear view of the two entrances - one on each side of the lounge area - and it would be the ideal place to form a strategy-of-approach, and figure out how to liberate their Captain and everyone else that were being held captive.
Question was if they were up to the task and were prepared to risk their lives in the attempt.
OOC: It is entirely up to Searcher to establish the whereabouts our dear proprietor of the establishment. Rory Callahan may either be there already, show up at some point, or don't show up there at all - being elsewhere on the ship. Image of Below Decks:
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_-Rit7SMxsLE/Tbc0T42kkmI/AAAAAAAAAMA/s9KbBb4Iol4/henosis.png)
[ Main Sickbay | Primary Surgical Suite | Deck 07 | 1300 hrs. ] Attn: Sarresh Morali, Doctor Maya, Ryuan Sel, Lahkesis Saugn, Eve Jenkins, Hayden Quinn O'Connor & Vinata Vojona Optionally: Cameron Henshaw or Wenn Cinn The Vasser loyalists that had come to Sickbay had been subdued one hour ago, yet the victors of the confrontation were a motley gathering of people from different departments. They were either hailing from the
Harbinger or the
Theurgy, so it was quickly made clear that not all former
Harbinger personnel supported Declan Vasser. Furthermore, there had been panicked patients in Sickbay that needed to be calmed down and told to remain in their biobeds, so the doctors and nurses had to devote a lot of time to keep the injured crew from doing something rash.
Now, when a modicum of order had been restored, there was an eerie revelation to consider: That a clear majority of the crew that supported Vasser's mutiny had been brainwashed through the Vulcan mind-meld, and that raised a moral dilemma for the present Starfleet officers. What could actually be done towards innocent victims in the name of supporting Captain Ives and the original mission? The importance to restore the command to Ives may be rightful, but would it merit using deadly force? The discussion had been heated, but in the end, it boiled down to whether or not they could actually restore the victims to their right minds.
So, they were all gathered in the circular area around the primary surgical suite, and upon the biobed lay Science Officer Cir'Cie. She was sedated, and makeshift restraints had been secured around her ankles and wrists. It was something that not everyone present were in agreement with, yet still
had to be there as a precautionary measure if something went wrong. Cir'Cie was Vulcan, and even as a botanist, she had proven quite dangerous.
Standing closest to Cir'Cie was Doctor Maya, but Doctor Saugn was there too with sedatives at hand to use on the prone Vulcan if so required. The idea was that Maya would attempt a second mind-meld to explore the extent of damage done to the Science Officer's mind, and determine whether or not she could reverse the way T'Rena had rewired her thought-patterns and priorities.
Sarresh Morali and Petty Officer Ryuan were visibly armed, and perhaps the ones who had the tactical acumen to derive some kind of plan for how they were going to restore the crew to their right senses. Potentially with the assistance Doctor Maya if she was successful. With any luck, they might have the help from an additional Vulcan if Cir'Cie was ready to assist them as well... but it was still only two Vulcan and their combined capacity to use the mind-meld that would set the odds for success.
Head Nurse Jenkins was also present, and with her lay the unresponsive Connor Matthews and Sean Cameron - their bodies suspended on floating biobeds that were commonly used to transport patients between the different wards. Their fates were still uncertain, yet it had been decided that Maya or Cir'Cie would try to repair the damage done to them by Eve Jenkin's Deltan abilities. With any luck, the measures that had been taken against the Brig Officer and the Ops Officer in the defence of the patients in Sickbay could be reversed. If not, they would be casualties of war, and with the hear-say about shooting all across the ship, they were not alone either.
Further back, at the Chief Medical Officer's desk, there sat Vinata Vojona, and the Ovri nurse was being seen to by the Chief Counselor. What had happened in the Recovery Ward was difficult to process for everyone, but naturally, Vinata shouldn't have to remain in the place he had been assaulted. Nurse Maal had been rushed to the ICU together with Patrick Andersson, and their fates were still uncertain.
The moment of truth had arrived.
Was there any hope for T'Rena's victims? Could their minds be liberated from the distorted views of the Vulcan Master Acolyte?
OOC: The red area in this image shows where everyone named is gathered to plan the restoration of the crew's sanity:
(https://fc04.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2015/056/8/9/chapter_4_sickbay_by_auctor_lucan-d8jho3e.png)
[ Jefferies Tubes | Ascending From Deck 04 | 1300 hrs. ] Attn: Hylota Vojona. Optionally: Cameron Henshaw or Wenn Cinn At least the emergency lights worked. It would have become a difficult climb otherwise.
Then again, the ascent from Sickbay towards the specified cargo hold on Deck 02 had become more and more difficult by the minute for Lucan and his Ovri nurse. With the resistance cells actively opposing the Vasser loyalists, the Vulcan Captain had shut down the light in the Jeffries tubes, but she had also ordered her search teams to pop every grate they could and see if they could find any of the crew hiding inside. It had become an exercise in listening while they moved, trying to foresee when a grate ahead or behind them might open and blind them with light from the corridors of the ship. These interruptions, where they had to wait out the search parties, had made the ascent terribly slow for them.
Currently, everything was silent, and the shaft above them provided only some meagre lights, but it was sufficient. "Let's climb," Lucan whispered to Hylota, and set his hands on the rungs of the ladder.
Then there was the grime. It got everywhere. Excess oil was standard to machinery - however well-kept and with all systems functioning - but it had a tendency to stick to everything. Lucan, on his part, had ended up with his whole teal undershirt and uniform trousers covered in it, and his fingers were slipping on the rungs of the ladders they climbed. Having looked at the state of his exotic companion, he had seen that Hylota had not been spared either, and imagined that his own face looked the same from brushing sweat from his own brow.
Overall, Lucan felt rather miserable about the situation, and confused as to what his own motivations were, or should be. The only thing that made sense to him right then was to act in accordance to his facade, and try to maintain control. Ironically, that meant supporting Ives' crew.
Reaching the next level, Deck 03, Lucan grabbed on to the edge - beginning to pull himself up and over it. Then he laid himself in a prone position and reached down with one arm to help in lifting Hylota up as well. Lucan grabbed on to her hand and braced himself against the dirty deck - pulling the nurse up. Then, he got up on his knees and assisted in helping her the rest of the way. "There, n-"
A sound. Shuffling noises.
Quickly, Lucan fished up his exo-scalpel from his pocket, listening with a tattooed hand around Hylota's waist to keep her from falling back into the shaft. The sound was getting closer, and in the darkness ahead of them, Lucan thought he could see movements. It was too late to climb down again. They would have to defend themselves somehow... Unless...
OOC: This thread, named 02: Liberation, will contain the scenes with all characters that are involved in the effort to free Captain Ives, Commander Rez, SCO Renard and Petty Officer Cardamone. This thread will eventually be continued in an upcoming thread in due time, at which point will be determined as things evolve. The events in this thread start at 1300 hours, which is one hour after the end of the previous Chapter. It is free to make up what has transpired during the hour that has gone by since the hostile takeover based on what has been suggested above. Lastly, please make sure to tag your posts by [Character] and/or [Location] for ease of reading.This Chapter in the Theurgy story is dedicated to Mr. Leonard Nimoy, 1931-2015. May he never be forgotten.
[ Tessa May Lance (https://fc00.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2014/219/0/d/tessa_row_01_by_auctor_lucan-d7u6mx6.png) | USS Theurgy | Below Decks | Deck 07 | 1300 hours ]
Tessa May Lance glanced around the shipboard tavern called 'Below Decks' when she emerged from the Jeffries tube. Thankfully Sten Covington had been wearing his toolbelt when the smeg hit the fan and had been able to open the maintenance hatch from the inside. Discussions had been made during the long crawl though the ship. The consensus was that getting to the brig and freeing Captain Ives was a top priority. No doubt the captain knew many secret ways to regain control of the Theurgy that only the late chief engineer had access to. Of course, with all of the damage and sabotage that the ship had endured, it was likely the most of those ways were currently nonfunctional. But it was Jien Ives' job to lead and come up with a plan, and nobody had any other ideas at the moment.
"If only we could free the captain," Tessa sighed for what might have been the third time. "The captain can change his appearance entirely. If he alter his body to look like one of the mutineers in charge he could get close enough to someplace where he could get Thea back online and... sorry, I'm doing it again. I'm just so scared. We still have to spring Captain Ives from the brig and nobody knows who to trust on this ship... Wait! That's it!" she exclaimed as her topaz yellow eyes lit up. "Nobody knows who they can trust around here! If one of us poses as a prisoner the other two say they caught him! Once we're in we set our phasers on wide angle stun and free the captain! What do you think fellas?" Abruptly, Tessa frowned and stamped her foot. "Oh hell," she groaned. "I'm the ranking officer. It's my decision isn't it?"
[ Maya (https://fc02.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2014/219/e/7/maya_row_01_by_auctor_lucan-d7u6n3n.png) | Main Sickbay | Deck 07 | 1300 hours ] Attn: Sarresh Morali, Doctor Maya, Ryuan Sel, Lahkesis Saugn, Eve Jenkins, Hayden Quinn O'Connor & Vinata Vojona Optionally: Cameron Henshaw or Wenn Cinn
Doctor Maya massaged hands that looked too large for her petite body as her large hazel eyes surveyed the comatose and restrained Cir'Cie. Application with a dermal regenerator had concealed the exterior injuries but it was unknown if the greenblooded physician was still hurt.
"And now we must make a decision," the little Vulcan announced in her calm mezzosoprano voice. "It would appear that the spread of the mental conditioning has been facilitated by mindmelding with a subject that has already been conditioned, not unlike the way the contagion was spread by sexual contact during the Niga incident. It is possible to use the medical procedures we have available to treat them, but it would be a lengthy and time consuming process that does not guarantee success.
Maya looked at the others and spoke at a slightly louder volume as she continued. "Alternatively I could initiate a mind meld of my own in order to reverse the conditioning. If we can restore Ensign Cir'Cie there will be two telepaths who can reverse the conversion. In addition, Cir'Cie's familiarity with the minds she herself has affected could simplify the process. Such a course carries the risk that my loyalties may be compromised. As a surrogate, I was trained to compartmentalize my mind in order to protect my psyche from this kind of infection, but I cannot deny that there are risks. Does anyone have any suggestions?"
Ryuan Sel | Main Sickbay
Sel frowned and folded her arms. Since her timely arrival she had not managed to find a chance to get a uniform, so she still only had a sports bra and panties on, yet she was unfazed by it. Instead her mind was faced with the situation at hand. her first thought was the best option was to stun all the people being controlled and let the big crew, the doctors, and nurses sort them out. Yet she did not say this. Instead she approached the situation is she knew would work best. There wasn't enough time to play nice and hope it all worked out, they needed a solution and they needed one now.
"Don't worry, if you turn on the crew I'll drop you and we can figure out alternatives later," Sel said coldly as she patted the phaser rifle hanging from her shoulder. She looked down at the face of the unconscious vulcan and scowled. IF only she could properly interrogate the woman, then she could get some answers. "We need to ask her some questions about their plans and where they have people, and I'd bet she won't go along with it while her brain is in it's current state."
Lahkesis Saugn | Sickbay
Lahkesis was silent in all of this. She had hardly said a single word since she had watched the door of the surgical suite open. In that moment she had felt nothing. She had feared she would have been captured and tortured or raped. And when she saw Doctor Maya she had not been certain how to react. She felt overjoyed, and yet the anxiety had not left her. In fact it only seemed to grow, festering in the back of her mind. Even now she knew that she should say something, add something to the conversation, help in someway. Yet all she could think about was that the last thing she wanted was for her friend to risk losing herself, becoming 'brainwashed' as it were, while in the mind meld. She wished there was another way, yet she could think of none. All she could do was bite her lip and give Maya a concerned, almost fearful look, hoping her friend would understand.
[ Axius vel Onea | USS Theurgy | Below Decks | Deck 07 | 1300 hours ]
A near-naked Axius and his fellow loyal shipmates emerged into the dim atmosphere of the one and only Below Decks, the Theurgy's mess hall and crew lounge. His bare, sweaty chest was ridden with laces of blood splatter, ash, dirt, and particles of exploded matter that would need a computer analysis to define its origin. His ears rang like the wind bells that used to chime maliciously in a minor key back home on Earth Region. His sea green eyes stung with irritation. His muscles ached with sore stiffness, and the small cuts around his skin were just now beginning to demand attention as the adrenaline decelerated in his veins.
But he was safe, for the time being.
He watched as the small throng of people ascended from the Jeffries tube, all with expressions of awe and disdain. It wasn't new that there was a tragedy to this ship of juxtaposed outlaws, but mutiny was one thing this loyal crew never faced. It was in everyone's best interest that his pack member had an idea that might work.
"If one of us poses as a prisoner the other two say they caught him!"
It was as if all of Tessa's other words were drowned in the running of his own thoughts. That was brilliant. While they would have to see the look of horror on Ives' face if they successfully infiltrated the brig, Axius wouldn't mind if that meant it saved the Theurgy.
"Tessa, where would we begin?" he asked, knowing his implication of agreement was going to be understood. "And can someone get me a damn uniform?"
[Sten Covington | USS Theurgy | Below Decks | Deck 7 | 1300 ]
There were twenty-two who had managed to get out of the hangar deck. By the time they'd broken contact with the mutineers, they were down to fourteen and it was this handful that managed to reach Below Decks. It had been a brutal withdrawal, under constant fire until they had reached the junction of Vectors 2 and 3 and the Chief of the Deck sealed the hull panels behind him. Perhaps the computer was down but the manual override functioned just fine and a few rapid bursts of his welding unit made sure pursuit would be severely delayed.
Upon reaching the lounge, the Chief Warrant Officer was quick to give his instructions. The place, being a bar, did not have a weapons locker but it did have a few utility caches and before long what available supplies had been gathered up. A half-dozen tricorders, a handful of PADDs, a few medical kits and some basic tools. Overall, not much to work with when one was the sort to only think with a phaser but a great deal for someone more technically minded.
But in the immediate, their location needed to be secured and Sten saw the doors locked and work on barricades started before approaching Goldeneye and Axius. Just in time to hear her plan and his less than formal reply.
Perhaps, according to rank scales, Quake and Covington held effectively the same authority but the Chief of the Deck had passed the rank of Master Chief better than two decades past and his career so far spanned forty years. And it was with this seniority that he spoke. "Master Chief, Lieutenant Lance is the ranking officer here, not your fellow pilot. You'd do well to address her as Ma'am or Sir, as she prefers."
Despite his words, the grizzled veteran was not there to bust Quake's balls. All the personnel holed up in the bar was frightened and shook up, only two having been trained for combat and only Sten, so far as he knew, had live experience in ground combat. And at this point, everyone needed to be brought back down to the lowest possible level in terms of their mentality. And that meant a strict enforcing of discipline and the chain of command. And that's just what the Deck Chief meant to do. Tessa was in command as the only officer present and he would be her strong right hand and the voice of experience.
"Ma'am, the call's yours but I don't think that's a good idea. Commander T'Rena came through from Security so odds are she's got that aspect covered and then some. The Security offices are already damn secure and if I was her I'd have my most high-value detainees there, not minor random ones. And odds are it's guarded by folks who know who's who. I think we'd be better off trying to get transporter access to get them out of there. Ship's ones are locked out but maybe we can try for the shuttlebay, use one of our runabouts or shuttlecraft to get them out?"
The Chief Warrant Officer then looked directly into the senior pilot's eyes. He needed her to think and make a decision. But the one message his gaze conveyed was simple: he had her back. Just like any good Chief ought to.
[ Tessa May Lance (https://fc00.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2014/219/0/d/tessa_row_01_by_auctor_lucan-d7u6mx6.png) | USS Theurgy | Below Decks | Deck 07 | 1300 hours ]
"Oh hell," Tessa groaned. "I'm the ranking officer. It's my decision isn't it?"
It was true. There were no superiors in Below Decks, no one to make the decisions that would save their lives or get them all killed. According to protocol, in an emergency situation where no one had been assigned command, seniority fell to the highest ranking officer, whether or not that officer was a tactical officer or a ship's counselor. And right now a twist of fate was twisted enough to leave Tessa as the senior officer, belay that, the only officer in the room.
"Tessa, where would we begin?" Master Chief Petty Officer Axius vel Onea, aka Wolf-04, callsign Quake asked. "And can someone get me a damn uniform?" he added as he drew attention to the fact that he was only wearing running shoes, socks, and a pair of gym shorts.
Before Tessa could respond she heard the fatherly growl of Chief Warrant Officer Sten Covington, the Theurgy's deck chief who the fighter pilots had given the unofficial callsign Papa Bear. "Master Chief, Lieutenant Lance is the ranking officer here, not your fellow pilot. You'd do well to address her as Ma'am or Sir, as she prefers."
"Yeah," Tessa nodded dumbly. "You're right! You're right Papa Bear! I'm Ma'am or Sir; frack Tessa!" she chirped in disgust. "That stupid witch will get us all killed! This is a job for Lieutenant Lance and it's time to get that sorry excuse for an officer on the job!" she declared before she slapped herself repeatedly to clear her head.
Ever since the Theurgy had gone on the run Tessa had been hanging in the back and feeling sorry for herself. So much of her identity was founded on her faith in Starfleet that when it was revealed that the leadership had been compromised her personality almost disintegrated. Inside, she had curled into a fetal ball and given up. Well frack that! Did Captain Sisko give up? Did Picard? Did Harn, or Rixx, or Kirk? Did Garth of Izar? Granted Sisko was dead, Harn's ship was destroyed with all hands, Rixx was listed as missing, and Garth went mad but they had made a difference! And it was Tessa's turn to make a difference right now!
"Okay!" she announced with tender and rosy cheeks. "Where were we? Let's be realistic. Can we really sneak into the brig as prisoner and escort?"
"Ma'am, the call's yours but I don't think that's a good idea," Papa Bear warned her. "Commander T'Rena came through from Security so odds are she's got that aspect covered and then some. The Security offices are already damn secure and if I was her I'd have my most high-value detainees there, not minor random ones. And odds are it's guarded by folks who know who's who. I think we'd be better off trying to get transporter access to get them out of there. Ship's ones are locked out but maybe we can try for the shuttlebay, use one of our runabouts or shuttlecraft to get them out?"
Tessa looked at Sten in awe. "That's... brilliant!"
Of course it was. Sten Covington had been in Starfleet since before the development of warp drive. There probably wasn't a single scenario that he hadn't heard of or lived through. Sten Covington was a legend in certain Starfleet circles, particularly the ones inhabited by pilots and deckhands. If half the stories were true, this wasn't the first time Papa Bear had to free a comrade from the brig.
"We can use the transporters in the shuttlecraft! That's brilliant!" Tessa gushed. "If anybody spots us, they'll think we're trying to escape, not trying to spring the captain! Only locking onto him might be tricky," Tessa added as her enthusiasm diminished. "They're bound to have taken away Ives' combadge but the captain's a pretty unique lifeform. Anyone with a lot of experience with transporters should be able to..." Suddenly her topaz yellow eyes widened in fear. "Our combadges!" she screeched. "Holy smokes, we're still wearing out combadges! Vasser's people must know where we are!"
[ Maya (https://fc02.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2014/219/e/7/maya_row_01_by_auctor_lucan-d7u6n3n.png) | Main Sickbay | Deck 07 | 1300 hours ] Attn: Sarresh Morali, Doctor Maya, Ryuan Sel, Lahkesis Saugn, Eve Jenkins, Hayden Quinn O'Connor & Vinata Vojona Optionally: Cameron Henshaw or Wenn Cinn
Back in sickbay, Maya acknowleged Sel's comments by clasping her hands and nodding once at the blonde Bajorran. She could feel the anxiety emenating from her unofficially adopted daughter and wanted to comfort her, but this was not the time. The little Vulcan wasn't going to reveal to Lahkesis that she considered the blue eyed girl an insurance policy in case of the worst; at least not yet. First she wanted to hear what the others had to say.
[ Axius vel Onea | USS Theurgy | Below Decks | Deck 07 | 1300 hours ]
He had no time to hate himself for his insignificant bout of insubordination, nor did he dwell on the fact that Tessa just badmouthed the superior officer in very imaginative ways. Axius just glanced from face to face as they conversed on the plan that might just bring the re-liberation of his ship.
They were thinking on their feet like Starfleet officers are wired to do. Their brains worked in unison as each idea was stacked onto the other and branched off like cracks in the ice, which just might cause enough difference to break through. There was potential in this strategy. The pilots knew it, Papa knew it, and the handful of people Axius took no time to distinguish knew it. However, it needed to be flawless. Hell yeah, it was dangerous, but adventure isn't worth the hassle without it. However, like with most in-the-moment decisions, there seemed to be an obstacle seemingly impossible to overcome.
"Holy smokes, we're still wearing our combadges! Vasser's people must know where we are!"
That wasn't entirely true. "Except for me. They must think I'm dead! My badge is in the locker room where I left it!" He paused to overcome is rush of ideas, "There will be no way Vasser can identify my body if those Mk. IIs reached the havoc they did on that bay. My combadge is long gone in that rubble of a locker room. They think I'm dead. Or they don't think of me at all, I'm just impervious to the computer's location systems."
[Sten Covington | USS Theurgy | Below Decks | Deck 7 | 1300 ]
When Quake realized his mistake in addressing Goldeneye informally, Sten found himself pleased to see his expression quickly recover from the shock of the realization to become once more the face of professionalism. Good on the kid, thought the grizzled veteran, for he could be useful now that he'd woken up.
Tessa, on the other hand? She put on a much more visible display when she realized her position. What looks it garnered were swiftly met with Covington's withering glare. The officer in charge was sorting herself out and that was all that mattered right now. Yes, that sort of behaviour wasn't known for inspiring confidence but at least she was going to step up to the plate. And he needed these people to do their job. And that included one of them coming up to the Master Chief with some surgical scrubs. After all, Below Decks could be used as an emergency medical facility in a serious crunch...
When his plan was well-received, the grizzled Chief nodded. That girl needed to get a hold of herself all right. But for now, her exuberance was a welcome sight. It meant she wasn't beaten yet. And that was good. This handful of crewmembers needed to see an officer in charge. Yes, they'd follow the Chief of the Deck but with an actual commissioned officer to lead them? It would give them even more purpose.
But then, she mentioned their commbadges. Truth be told, Sten had completely overlooked those. They were usually worn in a breast pocket of their coveralls, out of the way while working in the bay. As such, he growled his next order. "You all heard the Lieutenant! Ditch 'em!" Yielding words to action, he was the first to reach for this ubiquitous piece of equipment and tossed it across the room.
Then, he laid his hirsute paw on Tessa's shoulder. "Ma'am, we should be moving. I recommend we fall back somewhere we can finalize our plan for now."
Then, quietly, for her ears alone, he added something. "You're doing fine, lass. Keep doing what you're doing, I got your back."
(http://data1.whicdn.com/images/12534680/thumb.jpg)
| Rory Callahan | Below Decks | Deck 07 | 1300 Hours]
As soon as he'd heard people coming in from an alternate area of the lounge, Rory had dove behind the bar and pressed himself tight against the frame. He didn't dare try to move some of the boxes to try to hide himself, knowing as afraid as he was that he'd give himself away. He'd managed to make it there though had run into a couple of Vasser's people. They'd made the mistake of laughing and saying he wasn't a threat but after hearing the announcement, he wasn't about to stay docile. Not when Ives had been kind and let him transfer over. The two were in one of the supply rooms, possibly conscious again but hogtied quite nicely.
It was hearing the exclamation that Vassers people would know where they were that allowed him to breathe a little sigh of relief. "Don' shoot ... I'm not with tha' stinkin' crew," he called out and let his hands be seen from behind the bar before he slowly eased up enough to peek over the counter. "Dunno if we had a chance t' meet but I'm Rory ... jus' a singer an' bartender. Got a couple o' them phasers ye call 'em an' a rifle," he said as he stood to his full height. "What th' fooks goin' on? I knew Vasser was a cold bastard but turnin' on this crew? I hope he gets his nuts shot off," he complained.
(http://epigraf.su/resize/275/275/w/uploads/articles/2008.jpg)
[ Eve Jenkins | Main Sickbay | Primary Surgical Suite | Deck 07 | 1300 hrs. ]
Eve had managed to get the bodies of Connor and Sean on the portable biobeds and after making sure sickbay was clear, brought them over. She didn't speak of what had happened, only saying they would no longer be a problem and they would deal with them when other things were taken care of first. Given the strength of the Vuclans, she had agreed it was best that Cir'Ce be restrained and that Maya attempt to reverse whatever T'Rena had done to her.
She was pensive, considering many things such as gases they could send through the ventilation as well as sonic bursts but she knew that would take out everyone for a while and no one would really know who was on which side. She looked at the two men with whom she'd been and then back to the two Vulcans and something began to brew in her mind. "Dr. Maya ... when you do a mind meld, you sort of implant a bit of yourself into the other mind ... correct?" she asked.
"I only ask because I was wondering if there was a way to focus on just those who have melded with Cir'Ce and T'Rena. Is there a way to tap into their psyche and maybe focus a sound blast or something that focuses on their traces?" She growled lightly, waving her hand as she tried to find the words to express what she was thinking but wasn't sure it was coming across like she wanted. "Like if Cir'Ce was sensitive to something, like a certain sound frequency, we could try to replicate it to at least affect those controlled by her and perhaps render them ... inert."
[ Vinata Vojona | Main Sickbay | Primary Surgical Suite | Deck 07 | 1300 hrs. ]
Vinata sat at the Chief Medical Officer's desk looking downcast as he held a blanket tight around himself. The other loyal crew members had not had the time to get him a uniform after coming in and finding out what had happened to him and Maal, after seeing what had happened the poor Ovri could not handle it all and just froze up, after going through hell and barely surviving he had come back only to get raped and almost kill someone. It was no surprise really that he was being paired up with the councilor while the other personnel worked on trying to solve the problem of he mutiny. And what made this all worse was that his sister was off somewhere with their commanding officer who he had yet to even meet, on some mission of their own after finding out that they were in danger.
All in all Vinata felt useless, but at the same time he was jut tired, he did not want to deal with this anymore and he just wanted to quit. He was sore, humiliated, scared and cold, which on top of everything was just making his day miserable. Shutting out the sound around him Vinata tucked his had into the blanket and just sat there in the dark, forgetting he was supposed to be trying to work through the problems he was having and try and get better. All thing considered he was 110% done, he wanted to go to his room lock the door and just hide there until the ship blew up or they finally saved the galaxy or whatever thing the people thought they were going.
Vinata didn't realize it, bu he was actually beginning to cry again as he hid himself away from the world behind his blanket. He looked pathetic and sad, he had been dragged along with this whole mess and gotten nothing, but hardship and loss from it, his reaction to everything was hardly surprising.
[ Hylot Vojona | Jefferies Tubes | Ascending From Deck 04 | 1300 hrs. ]
Hylota had to make quite a few changes as they had gone long in their trip through the jefferies tubes. Initially they had been making good progress, but as thy had been going the mutineers had started to put out searches to see whee people where hiding. This had required her to abandon her magnetic boots so that they would not be heard banging as they went along through the ship. Fortunately this change came as a mixed blessing for her as her fingers and toes had larger tips with more defined groove for better grip on smooth surfaces. Inside a jefferies tube this feature proved to be quite useful in allowing Hylota to move around quickly through the tubes. Of course she ha not been spared from the filth and oils that had collected in the tubs ether, her uniform now had large black smears over the once teal uniform where Hylota had wiped off her hands an feet to restore some of her improved grip.
As Hylota and Dr. Lucan ascended through the tubes she took up the rear so that in case Lucan fell she would have a chance to catch him or stop his decent, and with her better mobility it as easier for her to make a quick movement away from any grates that might end up being opened along the way. After sharing information along the way about how they would need to go about carrying out their plan the duo had grown quiet out of fear of being caught or drawing unwanted attention to themselves. And as time had gone on Hylota had not improved all that much, her body had gotten slightly horny staring at her attractive boss's body for their entire trek, being in her heat was making the prolonged journey mildly annoying s the stress was not able to silence her body's sexual desire entirely.
As they reached the next deck of jefferies tubs and Lucan reached down to offer Hylota a hand up she sighed with relief as she reached up to take his hand and let herself be pulled up, but at that moment she heard the grates ahead of Lucan open and she closed her eyes in a response before she gripped the ladder and lowered herself several rungs before stopping an looking back up to where Lucan had been, one hand came off the ladder as she prepared for the worse and got ready to catch her CO if things came to it. Hylota had to be honest with herself, this entire thing would be so much easier if they could kill someone and take a proper weapon for themselves. And at about this point in time she was prepared to abandon her oath in exchange for some easier traveling conditions.
[ Wenn Cinn | Below Decks | Deck 07 | 1300 hrs. ]
The Chief of security had been sneaking around through the jefferies tubes when he heard commotion coming from near where h was, and it had not sounded like one of the many checks he ha com across earlier on that day...in fact he had not encountered any of those for a while now, only ever hearing them happening on decks above where he was as of late. So out of curiosity Cinn decided to take a chance and see what was going on. As he arrived on scene he listened in to the fellow loyal crew trying to sort out who was pulling rank and who was to be in command of their little outfit, he found it quit admirable and he was mildly proud of his fellow crew for focusing and trying to rescue their captain, but as he hard their plan he began to get worried and started to work on entering the room.
When there came some commotion over hat as to be their finalized plan Cinn opened the grate and called down to his fellow crew. "As good a plan as that is I am afraid there are still quite a few glaring problems with what you are proposing to do." He opened the grate and called down. "Now none of you shoot its me Wenn Cinn, and I would rather not be killed again." He pushed through the opening and lowered himself into the room and brushed off some of the filth that was sticking to him before he set a chemical transport bag onto a table beside him. "Now the plan Sten has proposed has some potential, but one does not simply beam one out of the brig, if this could be done we would not bother having them. No a brig cell has preventive measures to keep a cell secure. But the brig itself is free game."
Wenn Cinn looked over the people that had gathered and he straightened himself up, he needed to make sure that these people still saw him as strong, for he was of Theurgy. "My own plan was initially to perform a raid on the brig, but as you have already speculated it is likely guarded and not going to be a place we could walk into. But if we have transporter capabilities we could bypass the entire approach to the brig. It would take a few seconds to fully beam someone into he brig using a transporter making a simple beam in to the security heart of the ship a foolish idea." He place his hand onto his bag. "But I think I have a solution for getting in. When things began to break down I made my way to the science decks and gathered some ingredients to make a flash explosive, a non lethal weapon that would blind anyone who would look at it. This could buy us the time we needed to beam into the brig and capture it."
Wenn Cinn looked over the other crew to let his plan sink in for them, as he looked he noticed a small bit of commotion going on behind the bar as Rory tried to join up with the assembled group. "We would need to act quick, there are four different way to enter the brig, one is the main entrance, the three interrogation rooms could also be made int a way into the room, but if we were to lock the doors and bottleneck the mutineers to the security entrance we could hold the room long enough to allow someone to spring the captain and any other imprisoned crew." Wenn scanned the room again and decided it was best to allow people to ask him questions, throw out criticism and even question him, after all he had not been back all that long and after what this crew had been through, he expected people to be skeptical and worried, especially with their captain unable to guide them.
Cinn was also wanting to keep some of his other thoughts to himself, as he scanned the crew he noticed how many still had their com badges still on, with the searching of the jefferies tubes he wondered what this large group was doing together and not being found. it did no ad up...unless they knew exactly where this group was and the mutineers were just allowing them to remain here out of the way while they did their best to get rid of anyone who might be hiding around the ship. If hat was the case then Cinn could surmise that this mutiny lacked the manpower to hold he entire ship at once.
[ Tessa May Lance (https://fc00.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2014/219/0/d/tessa_row_01_by_auctor_lucan-d7u6mx6.png) | USS Theurgy | Below Decks | Deck 07 | 1300 hours ]
"You're doing fine, lass," Sten's fatherly growl muttered for her ears alone. "Keep doing what you're doing, I got your back."
"Thanks Papa Bear," Tessa May Lance smiled. "Now that we've got a plan I'm not so scared--AH!" she yelped when a blonde young man revealed himself crouching behind the bar.
"Don' shoot ... I'm not with tha' stinkin' crew," the young man assured them in a distinctive Irish brogue. "Dunno if we had a chance t' meet but I'm Rory," he added as he put his hands up to assure them he was unarmed, "jus' a singer an' bartender. Got a couple o' them phasers ye call 'em an' a rifle," he added as he stood up to reveal that his slender build was over six feet tall. "What th' fooks goin' on? I knew Vasser was a cold bastard but turnin' on this crew? I hope he gets his nuts shot off."
"Well, we'll see if we can do just that if we can get Captain Ives free," Tessa replied. "As you probably overheard, we've got a plan, and we think that--YAH!" she screamed as a grate in the wall close to the ceiling opened to reveal a bald burly Bajorran in a gold collared uniform.
"As good a plan as that is I am afraid there are still quite a few glaring problems with what you are proposing to do," the new arrival growled.
"Don't move!" Tessa shrieked as she and a handful of deck hands pointed their weapons at him.
"Now none of you shoot it's me Wenn Cinn, and I would rather not be killed again," the resurrected chief of security grunted while climbing out of the ventilation duct. "Now the plan Sten has proposed has some potential, but one does not simply beam one out of the brig, if this could be done we would not bother having them," he added as he brushed off some of the detritus that was clinging to his uniform. "No a brig cell has preventive measures to keep a cell secure. But the brig itself is free game." He set down a chemical transport bag onto a nearby table and looked at all the people who had escaped and found sanctuary in 'Below Decks.' "My own plan was initially to perform a raid on the brig, but as you have already speculated it is likely guarded and not going to be a place we could walk into. But if we have transporter capabilities we could bypass the entire approach to the brig. It would take a few seconds to fully beam someone into the brig using a transporter making a simple beam in to the security heart of the ship a foolish idea," he continued as he opened his bag and took out a few vials and packages. "But I think I have a solution for getting in. When things began to break down I made my way to the science decks and gathered some ingredients to make a flash explosive, a non-lethal weapon that would blind anyone who would look at it. This could buy us the time we needed to beam into the brig and capture it."
Wenn Cinn paused and looked over his audience to see if they understood before continuing. "We would need to act quick, there are four different ways to enter the brig, one is the main entrance, the three interrogation rooms could also be made a way into the room, but if we were to lock the doors and bottleneck the mutineers to the security entrance we could hold the room long enough to allow someone to spring the captain and any other imprisoned crew."
"Hey-hey-hey, slow down Commander Cinn, if that's your real name," Tessa retorted. "How do we know you're even who you say you are? All I know is that right after our chief security officer comes back from the dead, people we've served with ever since we got on this ship have been shooting at us and Captain Vasser declares that he's taking over! How do we know you're even you? No offense sir, but you can't blame us for being a little paranoid right now." She looked at the others as she gestured at Cinn. "Come on guys, I can't be the only one who's thinking it. Having Commander Cinn come back from the dead is awfully convenient isn't? Come on fellas what do you think?"
[ Maya (https://fc02.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2014/219/e/7/maya_row_01_by_auctor_lucan-d7u6n3n.png) | Main Sickbay | Deck 07 | 1300 hours ]
Back in sickbay, the Theurgy's head nurse Lieutenant Eve Jenkins asked Maya a question.
"Dr. Maya ... when you do a mind meld, you sort of implant a bit of yourself into the other mind ... correct? I only ask because I was wondering if there was a way to focus on just those who have melded with Cir'Ce and T'Rena. Is there a way to tap into their psyche and maybe focus a sound blast or something that focuses on their traces?" Eve gestured in frustration as she tried to find the right terminology. "Like if Cir'Ce was sensitive to something, like a certain sound frequency, we could try to replicate it to at least affect those controlled by her and perhaps render them ... inert."
"That would depend on the chosen method of control," the little Vulcan replied. "It is theoretically possible that each victim of the mental conditioning has been rendered susceptible to the same stimuli very much the way that animals of the same species are susceptible to the same zeitgebers in nature. It would be necessary for me to make telepathic contact with a victim of the conditioning to make a determination in a timely fashion. But are we agreed that it is prudent to risk my loyalty in the process?"
OOC: Haven't heard from Brutus' character and I'm not planning to do anything that moves the scene along until I do, unless Sarresh Morali left sickbay between chapters three and four.
[Dr. Hayden O'Connor| Main Sickbay| Chief Medical Officer's Office| USS Theurgy| 1300 hrs] Attn: Dr. Maya and Zenozine
Like a mountain climber is taught to focus on the next handhold immediately in front of her, Hayden compelled herself to focus on the patient before her eyes, even as another part of her brain focused on the discussion taking place in the center of the ward concerning their captor turned captive. There had been no time to celebrate even that small victory as their attention had quickly moved to keeping their captor subdued and attending to whatever damage their assailants had left in their wake.
In It didn't take long for Hayden and company to discover the distraught male Ovri, and for O'Connor to put him on the top of her priority list. He was understandably hysterical, and the counselor was concerned given what he'd already been through, he might be close to a complete psychological break. She didn't know anything about Ovri psychology, but she knew his body and mind had already suffered high levels of traumatic stress, even before they found him. Shock wasn't just a psychological state, but a serious medical condition that could compromise a being's survival, and as a doctor, Hayden knew some of the most serious cases of shock initially presented with relatively minor injuries.
It was why they decided to bring him to the chief medical officer's office rather than bring him to a more distant but private location. O'Connor didn't know exactly what Vinata had been through, but it wasn't hard to determine the sexual nature of the attack. Even without words or scans, a lot could be determined just by looking in someone's eyes or making note of his behavior. Hayden was certain if he could have, the male Ovri would have folded himself into an even tighter ball for his own protection. Her immediate priority had been to get him away from the scene while causing as little additional physical and mental damage as possible. A quick tricorder scan upon his immediate discovery didn't reveal any additional life-threatening injuries, but frankly, Hayden didn't take any more time than she needed to determine it was safe for him to move at all.
Of course, safety was another reason they decided to move him to the chief medical officer's office. Cir'Cie and some of their other attackers had been subdued for the moment, but there was no guarantee things were going to stay that way, and Hayden wanted to be within earshot of any discussion concerning their next step, and she wanted to have some sort of warning if they faced another attack. Though the open office are allowed her to tend to Vinata and keeping your out for what was going on in the center of sickbay, it didn't allow for much privacy. Hayden frowned. She needed to do a more thorough exam of the male Ovri to make sure he wasn't nursing any more serious injuries, but she wasn't about to ask him to come close to even partially disrobing here. Not only did she not want to add to his psychological distress, she didn't want him to lose any more body heat and potentially placed more strain on his body or exacerbate any injuries.
No, for the moment her priorities had to be simple. She needed to keep Vinata warm, hydrated, and as still as possible. Seeing he was still shivering, she reached for the second of the three blankets she had and explained, "Here, let me put this around you to help you get warm, okay? I'm not going to hurt you, and I promise, you're safe now. I'm going to take care of you, but I need you to take slow deep breaths for me, all right? I'm not going anywhere."
Pushing aside her panicked desire to examine her patient more thoroughly to rule out life-threatening injuries, Hayden and instead turned her attention to the discussion just beyond the office door. Maya already knew that when it came to psionic abilities, Hayden was out of her depth. The counselor and physician could certainly understand the basic idea of mental conditioning using mind melds, but she knew nothing about their practical application, or more importantly, how to reverse their effects. If the conditioning had been more psychological nature, Hayden could help, but even then, the process was long and just as unpredictable. That mattered, however, because they weren't dealing with a fragile psyche and low self-esteem, they were dealing with a physiological mental process that was as difficult to reverse with talk therapy as cancer or diabetes.
She didn't like the idea Maya proposed. They had no sense what she was proposing would work, and Hayden didn't think they could afford seeing Maya compromised in any way. Hayden was unafraid to admit she was out of her depth in this area, and it frightened her even more to think about what could happen if Maya was, at best, unsuccessful, and at worst, completely brainwashed. Even as she thought all of this, though, Hayden found frightening, but true words coming out of her mouth. "Under the circumstances, I'm not sure what other choice we have. We can keep everyone incapacitated forever and that means if we don't do something drastic to regain control, they'll just be able to reassert it at some point. Physically, we aren't a match for them, so that only leaves mental weapons at our disposal. It's simply a fact that we need more than reverse psychology to combat this obstacle."
[ Dr. Lucan cin Nicander | Jefferies Tubes | On the Ledge of Deck 03 ] Attn: Hylota Vojona
Hylota had - wisely so - retreated down the rungs of the ladder, so Dr. Nicander was left momentarily confused by his own impulse to catch her from falling down. Where had that impulse come from? Shouldn't he, of all people, be more concerned with saving his own skin first? The consternation was short-lived, however, since the shuffling noises ahead wasn't going away, and he was still in plain sight. Fight or flee. Fire? Lightning? Internal sensors would catch the energy readings. The powers would lit his face and give away his position. Split decision.
Lucan shuffled back in the end, feet first down over the edge. He kept his eyes ahead so that he knew if he had to change his mind. Once his lower body dangled over the edge, he searched with his feet for the rungs of the ladder. Precious moments passed, and yet he still couldn't find his foothold. The darkness inside willed him to light the tubes with his fiery anger. Where the bloody hell had the ladder gone? No time. Surely the rungs were just a little bit further down. So he slid back further. Only there were no rungs. He was at the point of no return, and his pale grey eyes widened in panick. He had to look down, and once he did, he was over the edge - hands failing out to catch the ladder. It was right there, next to the place he had been hanging, and he caught it easily.
Only his tattooed hands were slick with grime... and his momentum to high.
That he didn't cry out was at least some kind of luck in a very unfortunate situation. That his companion happened to be a female Ovri was another kind of luck, but no less fortunate. She had been ready to catch him and he seized her forearm desperately as he fell past her - praying to the winds that she could hold on. Hylota was every bit as strong as he was, if not stronger, but she was no less covered in grime than he was. The commotion of his fall over the edge and her catching him was too loud for comfort, and Lucan could not quite afford the luxury of stealth as he tried to gain a foothold on the ladder before both Hylota and himself would fall down to the bottom of the shaft.
Only one, odd thought survived the blind chance of survival, and the moment when Hylota's grip either failed... or held true. Am I to die like a rat in a maze for what I have done?
[Sarresh Morali | Main Sickbay | Primary Surgical Suite | Deck 07 | 1300 hrs. ]
For all his sin's, Sarresh found himself once more back in the surgical suit, once more having to deal with that damned Vulcan botanist. A part of his mind supposed that perhaps he shouldn't be quite so angry with the little Vulcan. Based on the current discussion, there was every indication that Cir'Cie had been no more willing a participant in all of this than any of the other mind melded goons that had come into the sickbay with her.
Goons like the two men floating on biobeds next to Eve Jenkins.
He clasped his hands behind his back and forced a cool, collected demeanor to settle over his person. Not the manic, crazed man that he'd been in those boiling pools of acid. Nor the grief ridden husk of an Ash'Reem that he was when he'd regained consciousness in Sickbay. And thankfully, not the near catatonic state he'd been in the last time he'd had a full on rush of insight from the memories left him by the Relativity suppressed deep in the recesses of his tortured, chopped up mind.
There was little chance Sarresh would appreciate the irony of just how much his calm manners mimicked Jien Ives right then. No, not a chance at all.
Pacing slowly, he took in everything the other said. By and large, he found himself agreeing most with the Bajoran Petty Officer. Oh, the others had all raised good points, but at the end of the day, the Temporal Agent was feeling a far more tactical, than scientific mindset just then. Something else unlocked from the cavernous blank spaces in his psyche.
"PO Ryuan has the gist of it," he finally said, after listening to everyone, still acting as if he had the ranking authority. In the current situation, Nurse Jenkins rank gave her the right to overrule anything he suggested. Nothing save a calm sense of self assurance - so at odds with how he normally behaved - gave him any right to dictate their course of action. Had she wanted to press it, Sarresh would defer to the Half-Deltan's judgement. Despite how uncomfortable he was around pretty much anyone at that moment, there was a small sense of trust for the nurse, due to just how she had helped him. He might not have liked it, but the fact was Eve Jenkins knew exactly what he had felt, deep in the depths of his soul.
Strategically speaking however, he was far more prone to expand upon Ryuan Sel's logic. "I suggest, Dr. Maya, that you....give it your best attempt. Time is of the essence, and if we can...rehabilitate Cir'Cie -" that calm mask cracked just a bit, regardless of how little Sarresh wanted it to when he said that name -"then we stand a better chance of mounting some kind of resistance. And as the Petty Officer said - worse comes to worse, we'll simply shoot you, too."
OOC: Sorry about the delay. Moving, new house, boxes, work, reasons. Post is up, lemme know if that works.
[ Axius vel Onea | USS Theurgy | Below Decks | Deck 07 | 1300 hours ]
There was just so much happening. Rory Callahan made a grand entrance, just to be out-staged by the Theurgy's chief of security. Rory did have a flair for theatrics, Axius noticed, however the nature of psyche drew them towards the reincarnated Bajoran climbing down from the ceiling.
He bid the ridged-nose man a due, but his efforts of welcoming and camaraderie were too shortly restricted by the shrill words of Lieutenant Lance.
Tessa's accusations of the Commander just showed how much the shock of their situation was beginning to flourish inside the mind of the small flock of loyalists. He didn't, what-so-ever want to disrespect her judgement, especially not in front of so many officers with line ranks, but it seemed that something needed to be said about her outburst.
He cupped his stinging green eyes with his dirty hands, trying to supress the irritation with pressure. It was a sort of ironic metaphor, to add it to context. Just keep making the stakes higher in this impending danger. Maybe something good will come out of it -- even if it is just a few weeks of calm waters.
"Excuse me, ma'am," he eyed Papa Bear, assuring him he was now adding more distinction to his friend's rank, "Tessa, I feel we should trust Wenn."
He coughed into his now covered arm, his bodies reaction to the build of soot in his lungs. He felt this sensation before, during the attack of the Calamity, but it was a feeling he never wanted to get used to.
"Commander Wenn, I think there is no reason to discount your credibility based on your coincidental arrival."
He then turned to Tessa, branching off of his comment so he didn't talk about the security officer in the third person. "To have been with him as long as we have -- through the hell we've been put though -- I think we should abide by his plans."
He walked towards Rory at the bar, motioning for the officers he had been conversing with to follow. He sat on the stool and faced the huddle. "If there are no flaws anyone can find in this idea, we should implement it as soon as possible. I'm just worried that if we spend too much time devising a plan, we won't have the while to execute it."
[ Vinata Vojona | Main Sickbay | Chief Medical Officer's Office | USS Theurgy | 1300 hrs ] Attn: The Counselor
Vinata accepted the second blanket and just let it hang off of him while he was, Vinata was just done, he did not an to bother having a conversation, he did not even bother discussing the fact that he did not produce all that much boy heat to begin with. But he could not fault Dr. O'Connor, it was not like they understood his physiology or psychology with him literally being the only male Ovri most people had ever encountered. Poking his head out of the blankets Vinata turned to look at the others as they discussed the matter at hand, he did not fully understand how the people had been brainwashed, but he felt that he could not really help in this situation.
With a sigh he looked to the Councilor who was still close to him and he looked downcast and spoke. "There are more important things going on right now than my trauma, please just go and work with the others. I am sure I will be fine on my own...I would very much like to not have to deal with people again for a long time." He ducked back into his blankets. "Maybe just it in my quarter until my medical leave time runs out...should be enough time for me to calm down, yeah...should be long enough..." Vinata began to just mumble to himself about just going away for a while, relaxing, remaining away from people as he tried to forget what had happened. He was just going through a plan over and over, telling himself he would be fine essentially.
[ Hylota Vojona | Jefferies Tubes | Just Below Deck 03 ] Attn: Auctor Lucan
Hylota was in shock as she saw Lucan begin to fall, but she had been prepared for this possibility, her arm swiftly grabbed Lucan's and he locked her other arm around the rung of the ladder, letting out a grunt a the force of Lucan's fall went through her body. Hylota clenched her jaw as she focused on holding her superior; she thanked the forces that be for having remembered to wipe her hands before she had initially reached up to get pulled up by Lucan. It had given her just enough grip to maintain her hold on his arm. Looking down at Lucan Hylota tightened her grip, she could not allow Lucan to fall, he was far too important to let die like this.
Hylota wanted to say something to her commander and assure him that he was safe, but she could not risk making too much noise, she just hop that her commander was professional enough to not freak out as she did her best to swig him back in towards the ladder. She pulled him in so that his head was touching her legs, this way he could at least have something to get his other arm on to help support himself. Hylota new that her feet hand solid holds on the ladder and if Lucan were to take a hold and try and find the ladder from there he would be sure to not fall off. Of course internally Hylota was screaming at Lucan, "FOR THE LOVE OF THE ANCIENTS JUST GRAB THE LADDER DOCTOR IT IS RIGHT THERE!" Hylota knew that they needed to get rest soon; neither of them had been prepared for this trip when they had gone into surgery. Of course the situation above with someone possibly looking for them was not helping Hylota relax either.
[ Wenn Cinn | USS Theurgy | Below Decks | Deck 07 | 1300 hours ]
As Tessa began to bring up paranoid points, paranoid yet valid he had to admit. Cinn allowed for Tessa to list off her complaints and nodded respectfully as she started to try and rally people behind her in questioning him. Cinn was a little hurt as he was reminded of the Prophets statement, "He is no longer of Theurgy." it made him worry that he might not be able to get back with his crew if he did not stop this questioning of his loyalties.
Wenn Cinn sighed and shook his head, he was about to begin an argument back to Tessa when Axius piped up with his own comment and actually brought up some support for him, it was reassuring to know that the crew still remembered what he had done for them, how he had served beside them in the past. It assured him that he was not too late to rejoin with his comrades. "To be completely honest Tessa if it was anyone coming back from the grave you are right I would question them to no end, lock them up in the brig and do everything within my power to ensure that I know who they were for sure." He crossed his arms and frowned. "But we do not have that luxury of going through all that right now, and keep in mind our Captain, the person who you and I are working to spring from the brig personally checked to make sure I am who I say I am. And if the Captain's word is not good enough for you, then I do not see myself being able to hold much of an argument here." Cinn sighed and shook his head. "Listen I was as shocked as anyone with what had happened, but Captain Vasser did not agree with the captain and thought that we should go about saving StarFleet. Vasser had many supporters, several of them skilled in various fields; I do not find it that unlikely that they could have convinced people to join their side by alternative means." Cinn ran a hand over his head and looked to Axius, with a look of gratitude for the support.
"As much as I am sure some of you would love to speculate on how things came to be, we do not have the time for such things. What Axius said is likely true, we are on a timer here and all that we know for sure is that the Captain is being detained in the brig. You were all prepared to begin a plan that had some flaws, but had a good idea behind it." He looked to Tessa. "I acknowledge my reappearance has been a bit sudden and convenient, but that is not important right now, and I would rather not have to throw my rank around to get us back on track." He returned his gaze to the crew. "The fact of the matter is we need to save the captain, I have a plan that will give us a better chance of getting in and out with minimal risk for casualties. We cannot fall apart now and allow paranoia to prevent us from making progress; the plan is still relatively the same. We need to get transporter access with a shuttle, but we will need to beam in before we beam anyone out." Looking to Tessa he spoke towards her and anyone who might share in her fears. "My loyalty is to Captain Ives and the Theurgy, and I will be damned if I let someone come and take that so soon after I finally return. Now will you hear my plan out? " His look was that of determination not anger, Cinn was sure the plan would work, everyone just needed to work together, without the crew he could not succeed and without a proper plan they would be risking failure.
[Sten Covington | USS Theurgy | Below Decks | Deck 7 | 1300 ]
When the Irishman revealed himself behind the bar, there was a number of weapons raised even as he made it clear he was unarmed. But even more phasers were raised when the Chief of Security arrived and announced himself. Even as Quake calmed down Goldeneye, the Chief of the Deck looked around and his voice sounded again, an authoritative growl. "Weapons down, everyone. If you feel the need to have 'em in your hands, low ready and face the damn doors. Chavez, get behind the bar and find those weapons Mister Callahan's referring to and bring 'em here."
As the deck ape named Chavez headed off to discharge his orders, Covington focused on the Bajoran. "Commander, Lieutenant Lance led twenty-two of us out from the fighter bay. We lost eight en-route to enemy fire. Stunned, no fatalities." He was giving a clear, succinct report of their last hour. Now that he was the senior officer present, Wenn was in charge and he needed to know who and what he had at his disposal. "We're all armed with at least one weapon each, we've got tools, medical supplies, a total of eight general-purpose tricorders and a good cross-section of my Cubs."
His report given, Sten considered what the man had to say. He wasn't ashamed he had missed something about the holding cells. After all, Security wasn't his ball of wax, hangars, fighters and shuttles were. However his plan was not fully dismissed as it was, apparently, becoming the basis upon which the Lieutenant Commander's was built upon.
"I was there when you came back, Commander. If the Captain's cut you loose, that's good enough." Then, the plan at hand. "You're it now, Sir. I recommend you keep Lieutenant Lance as your second in command." Covington didn't know the man well enough to determine for certain who he'd appoint as his right hand. Technically, Papa Bear and Quake held the same authority as Tessa. But at this point, she needed to stay focused and confident to be any use at all, and to help guarantee her survival as well.
"I've got two ordnance techs here, Sir. They can put your devices together without blowing anything up and with what we've got in here, there's enough components to make any number you want. How many do you want, how do you want them set to go off?"
Bomb-making was a pretty exact science and he would leave the details of the payload to the two experts he had with him. The initiation systems, though, he would at least oversee if not build himself. Depending on what spare parts or components they would rip out from the bulkheads and consoles, there might be a serious need to do things differently from one bomb to the next.
[ Wenn Cinn | USS Theurgy | Below Decks | Deck 07 | 1300 hours ]
Wenn Cinn listened to the report from Sten and nodded as he took the information into account. This entire situation smelled of not being a well manned mutiny, otherwise they would have done away with possible military threats and not stunned them. As Sten also informed him that they had ordinance engineers with them Cinn grinned. "That is all relatively good news in fact and do no worry about Lieutenant Lance I believe I am going to need her to take on some command roles here soon enough." He began to focus on talking with Sten now. "I could not get my hands on much but there should be enough here to make one or two flash explosives." He patted the container before continuing. "I could not take too much; I needed to ensure that nothing looked out of place when I was sneaking round."
Wenn Cinn scratched his chin as he thought. "Since we will be a little limited on the transporter capabilities of the shuttle we will need to form a strike tam to infiltrate the brig. I believe a five man squad would stand the best chance. I and four others, three of which should be either security or military trained, the last person we bring needs to be an engineering expert for the Theurgy. I do not think the standard method of unlocking a cell will be an option, and we cannot risk just taking down all the cells, there is one being in there that must remain locked up." He scratched his chin. "An engineer should be able to take down the shields while the rest of the squad holds the brig."
He then turned to look at Tessa. "However I feel we need to tip things more in our favor. I think that this mutiny is not as well manned as they want us to believe; otherwise I think they would have taken you all out by now. So many of you still have your badges on, they all can be traced and I believe they are so that the mutineers can act to impede you and keep you contained. I get the feeling they do not want to fight you all head on, and this gives us another advantage." He smirked. "Lieutenant Lance, I would like for you to head up a second squad that will work as a distraction while the main force moves to the shuttle bay to spring the captain." He raised a hand to ensure he could finish elaborating. "You will take all the com badges as well as a team of your own and move with them too Deck five, with the Battle Bridge there and the Life Support Systems I would imagine that they would move to try and contain you, hopefully drawing away what security they have here."
Cinn looked back over the crowd and waited for questions and input from the people he was asking to follow him. He knew that people would likely be worried about splitting up the group like this, but he believed it as their best chance for survival. If they split their forces so would their enemies, and this would give them better odds when sending in a small strike team to try and achieve their most important goal during this mutiny.
[ Heather McMillan | Jefferies Tubes | USS Theurgy | 1300 hours ]
Attn: Lucan cin Nicander & Hylota Vojona
One day, she thought, just one bloody day! Is that too much to ask?!?
Heather McMillan grumbled privately to herself, though possibly asking some higher being to give her a moment's respite. While she had been largely spared from the worst of all events thus far, she wasn't one prone to belief that her luck would hold out forever.
After everything that had happened thus far, to top it all off, there was now what appeared to be an honest-to-goodness mutiny going on. She still recalled hearing Captain Vasser's ship-wide message. I don't want to judge...but this is Captain Ives' ship.
Needless to say, she did not approve of Vasser's technique. Splitting an emotionally exhausted paramilitary group of individuals against one another was not going to end well for anyone. Ever since the announcement of a hostile takeover, McMillan had been carefully evading anyone and everyone. The unfortunate result of her not interacting often enough with people to really know them and to have a wild guess as to who she could trust.
She had nearly been caught once, in a corridor, where there was no hiding place, and dressed in a white lab coat over a bright pink long sleeved shirt and dark trousers did not exactly help make her invisible. She'd closed her eyes and tried to think about the Light, the warmth, comfort and security that the Light gave her. Just like her parents had taught her. She wished they were here now, to tell her what to do. To her relief, she had not been spotted by the patrol, and she quickly exited, making for the Jeffries Tubes.
It got uncomfortable very fast, but this was better than risking an encounter at every corridor. Even in here, she stayed low and moved as quietly as she could, nervously biting her lower lip as she made progress. The lack of being caught was actually a little worse, all things considered, because she expected all kinds of frightening things to jump out at her in the dark.
She had started shuffling along to keep herself from stiffening too much. She much preferred the open air and wider spaces, where she could run, jump and move freely. A jeffries tube was not exactly the most accommodating in that regard. Also, the darkness was really beginning to spook her.
Maybe just a little light...she thought as she began to focus her thoughts and mind, and pointed with her right index finger. The yellowish-white light helped direct her path, and also revealed just how filthy the tubes were. She tried her best to disregard that and crawled onwards to the end. She thought she had heard something, but she assumed it was something from the ship. In its present condition, odd noises were bound to happen now and then.
She slowly poked her head out the end, to get a look, Now, let's see where this leads t- "OH BLOODY NORA!!!"
She reacted by flaring in a bright yellow-white light, her whole body, her eyes and even her hair lit up like a torchlight for a split second until she regained control of herself and retreated back the way she had come, only she got her ankle caught in some loose wiring material or some such. She could not tell what it was, except that it had her caught and now she could not get away. Twisting around, she desperately tried to free herself, only her butterfingers kept getting more and more tangled up in the cables, and she was almost crying "No no no no no no no! Oh God not like this!"
She looked up at the entrance to this deck, and with a whimper, she collapsed and pulled herself into a fetal position, trembling and waiting. The cables, wires, or whatever they were practically had her trapped, and she said aloud without looking up, "J-just make it quick! I give up!"
I wish you were here! McMillan thought to her parents, hoping they'd know, somehow.
[ Dr. Lucan cin Nicander | Jefferies Tubes | On the Ledge of Deck 03 ] Attn: Hylota Vojona & Heather McMillan
Even though Dr. Nicander swung far out from the momentum of his fall, Hylota managed to hold on to him, so Lucan quickly secured a double-handed grip around her forearm. He hung there for a couple of seconds while he searched for his foothold - mind still racing - and considering the strain on Hylota, it must have felt like an eternity. Lucan thought he saw the searching light of a phaser rifle above. The Ovri managed to swing him back to her legs - her bare feet secure on the ladder, and Lucan wasted no time to seize the rungs - awkward as the position might have been for them both. His heart was beating loudly in his ears, his mind not quite caught up with what had almost happened to him.
He let go of Hylota's arm as soon as he could, casting a glance upwards. Not to check on her condition - why had he even considered it? - but to make sure they had not been found by whoever was headed their way. He saw Hylota's dark eyes in the scarce emergency lights that lined the ladder - like holes in the darkness - and then... they were being fired upon!
Stark brilliance cast Hylota into a silhouette above him, sudden and bright. Surely she had just been shot. She would fall unto him, take him with her. Yet there was no sound to the light that washed over them, so while the panic of their exposed position came quick to Lucan, where he considered whether to drop down the shaft all the same.... consternation immediately followed. A scream was heard too, all too sudden to pick out, and then the light was all gone. Retreating noises echoed down, as if their assailant had been scared off by their sight.
"No no no no no no no! Oh God not like this!"
Frowning, Lucan took a couple of steadying breaths while he assembled his thoughts. He had no idea what had just happened, but it did not seem like the person they were hearing offered a direct threat anymore. Had there been more than one of them? Was the woman they heard victim to a captor? If that was the case...
"J-just make it quick! I give up!"
"Nurse Vojona," he said urgently, realising that he had to act some kind of hero all of a sudden - reasons muddled for him since he did not know where he truly stood. "Take out your hypospray and climb up. Help her!" He was fishing for his exo-scalpel in his pocket, but it seemed he must have dropped it in the commotion. As soon as Hylota had cleared the ladder, he would have to determine whether or not he'd risk using his abilities and showing their location on the ship's internal sensors.
But why would he? Was he prepared to risk his own exposure to the mutineers? Whatever had gotten into him? Was it still all to preserve his impeccable façade?
Errant thoughts, better left unsorted.
(http://data1.whicdn.com/images/12534680/thumb.jpg)
| Rory Callahan | Below Decks | Deck 07 | 1300 Hours]
Rory had gulped a little when phasers trained on him but that was why he kept his hands in the air and moved slowly until he was standing straight and tall. Even then he kept his hands up though looked ready to dive behind the bar when another voice came from the grate. It was all those phasers turning in that direction that kept him in view and letting out a long slow breath, cheeks puffing out then deflating.
They had acknowledged him but again it was like he didn't exist, all their Starfleet training kicking in as they bantered plans back and forth and who was top dog to give the orders. There was an expression of frustration as he continued to hold up his hands but then thankfully someone instructed phasers to be pointed elsewhere, also adding to the fact he wasn't a danger to them ... or anyone. Least I got good punches in on th' arseholes trussed up in th' back he thought to himself.
When someone being called Pappa Bear told someone to get the phasers and rifle, he reached out with his foot and scooted them out in plain sight to make things easier for the man. Once those were gone, he pulled out a small bottle and bobbed it toward Quake, noticing he kept rubbing at his eyes. "Some saline fer th' eyes. Looks like it mi' help," he offered. "I get dry eyes a lot an' keep some stashed where I work."
The security man gave another go at a plan and then went quiet, obviously asking for questions but as no one was bringing anything up and all looked dubious about splitting up, he raised his hand. "I know I'm no' Starfleet but I'm a bit o' a scrapper. If ye don' wanna split up ... an' since I ain't trained an' valuable ... I could take them doohickeys an' walk around." He didn't think they'd go for it but he wanted to help, to try to make a difference. Maybe then he wouldn't be a nobody.
(http://epigraf.su/resize/275/275/w/uploads/articles/2008.jpg)
[ Eve Jenkins | Main Sickbay | Primary Surgical Suite | Deck 07 | 1300 hrs. ]
Even as Eve waited for Dr. Maya's thoughts on her possible plan of attack, she could sense the distress coming from Vinata and her head turned to look at him. She didn't know for sure what had happened but the emotions she was receiving gave her a damn good idea and her heart ached. She had tried to help him, lured the two away to try to give them a chance to subdue the mutineer, but it seemed she had failed yet again at protecting someone. Tears welled in her eyes as she longed to go hold him, to apologize for not being able to do more, but Dr. O'Connor was truly more qualified to help and she had to return her focus to what to do with Cir'Ce and others.
As she looked about those gathered, the pips of everyone's uniforms captured her attention for a moment and with a sinking feeling in her gut she realized she was the ranking officer. She was so accustomed to following other's orders, even lower ranked, as she was only a nurse that it had been easy to forget with everything else that things were in her hands yet again. How many more tragedies would occur from her decisions? Would she be responsible for killing or destroying more minds? The plain, simple, horrid answer echoed in her mind. Yes. As before, she shoved her own feelings to the side and would do her best to deal with them later but for now she had to focus.
"Thank you all for your input," she said as she tugged her uniform jacket a little straighter as she composed herself. She looked at Sarresh, gratitude in her eyes for his guidance. "And I agree it's a risk we must take. Those melded by her will trust her and she can switch them back or help us find a way to reverse what she and T'Rena have done." She reached out and touched Maya's hand, her eyes full of concern and compassion. "Be careful and know I will do my best for you if things go wrong," she tried to assure the tiny Vulcan then gave her a nod for her to proceed.
[ Tessa May Lance (https://fc00.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2014/219/0/d/tessa_row_01_by_auctor_lucan-d7u6mx6.png) | USS Theurgy | Below Decks | Deck 07 | 1300 hours ]
Secretly, Tessa was relieved that Wenn Cinn had shown up out of nowhere to take charge. It didn't take a lot of tactical knowhow to figure out that any plan with Goldeye leading it would result in a lot of casualties on the wrong side. Commander Cinn was the chief security officer; he was both the new one and the original one when the ship had been commissioned. It was hard to imagine anyone more qualified to spring Ives from the brig, but having him take charge was too good to believe. In a galaxy where the heads of Starfleet were being devoured from within by parasites from another dimension, and the only ship who knew the truth was on the run, (after hearing Vasser's announcement over the intercom, Tessa could no longer believe that the Harbinger's leadship wasn't infected too) could anybody believe that Bajor's Prophets would bring Cinn back from the dead to rescue Captain Ives?
The problem was, if the refugees in Below Decks wanted to turn this around, they were going to have to trust Commander Cinn and hope he was really Wenn Cinn. If they shot him with a phaser set on heavy stun, they would all die or get captured. Following Tessa would be like following a lemming. If they followed Cinn and he was one of Vasser's crowd, they would all die or get captured, but at least it would be quick. And if the man who called himself Wenn Cinn was telling the truth and the Prophets really existed, they would free their commanding officer who had gotten them through everything the universe had thrown at them. There wasn't much of a choice really, but everyone was too polite to say it.
Papa Bear's acceptance of Cinn's identity was reassuring, and his insistence that Tessa be his second in command was heartwarming, but Cinn's role for the blonde in Ives' rescue was upsetting. She was leading the team on decoy duty. They were the distraction to keep the mutineers busy so Cinn and his team could do something clever.
The assignment was upsetting on two levels: One, if the real Wenn Cinn was dead and the man before her was an imposter, he had found a way to get her out of the way an into danger so she wouldn't question him anymore. Secondly, and even more upsetting, assigning Tessa to decoy duty was a sound tactical decision: After going on the run Tessa's Starfleet discipline had crumbled to near nonexistence. Giving her an assignment that didn't involve blowing her cover would be an act of criminal negligence.
Tessa had two choices: She could either protest the assignment and accuse Cinn of trying to get her out of the way or she could smile bravely, nod her head and accept it. Since leading the rescue would ensure its failure Tessa took the only option open to her. She gulped, fought hard to keep the twitchy looks off her face and said "Yes sir, I won't let you down," in a strange strangled voice. She blinked rapidly and set her lips to keep from crying. The poor devils chosen for her team would shoot themselves in the head if she did that. She had to be brave for them and do everything she could to keep morale up, even if her own morale had vanished the moment Starfleet started hunting for the Theurgy.
[ Maya (https://fc02.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2014/219/e/7/maya_row_01_by_auctor_lucan-d7u6n3n.png) | Main Sickbay | Deck 07 | 1300 hours ] Attention: Sirius
Eve Jenkins reached out and touched Maya's hand, her eyes full of concern and compassion. "Be careful and know I will do my best for you if things go wrong," she tried to assure the tiny Vulcan then gave her a nod for her to proceed.
Maya clasped her hands and gave the head nurse a tiny nod in return before massaging her fingers some more. "Thank you Lieutenant," she acknowledged softly. "The medication we gave Ensign Cir'Cie should render her open to suggestion and diminish the risk. Your true dilemma will be determining whether I have been compromised. I must confess that I am not the easiest person to get to know," she added.
That was an understatement. After being raised by a traditional family on Vulcan Maya was about as expressive as a mannequin. She was an introvert who didn't socialize with others. She had been working the night shift ever since this voyage started and almost nobody could claim to really know her.
Almost nobody.
"Out of all of the people in the room it is Doctor Saugn who knows me best," Maya declared stoically. "I suggest that you rely on her judgement on whether or not I can be trusted. She turned to the young physician. "Lahkesis, I am relying on you to be brutally honest with the others if you suspect that I have been compromised," she announced as she held the plant girl's hand. "Do not under any circumstances try to protect me if you think I could be a danger to the group. The victims of this influence display signs of thorough indoctrination and can use logic to reinforce their delusions. Do not accept what you know is not true. Under no circumstances allow me to mindmeld with anyone who is not indoctrinated, including yourself. Hopefully these precautions will not be necessary but it is irrational to take unnecessary risks. I am, and will always be your friend and I am depending on you to prevent me from suffering the dishonor of betraying you. Do you understand?"
[ Hylota Vojona | Jefferies Tubes | Just Below Deck 03 ] Attn: Auctor Lucan & Always A Healer
Hylotq was sure that they had been found out when the light appeared above them, but when Lucan got hos hold on the ladder again Hylota was bathed in light for a moment, nothing happened, she did not feel the sting of a phaser or smell the scent of ozone that usually accompanied an energy weapon blast. And then came the screaming, the plees of a woman who was over her head and just giving up. As sad as it was Hylota needed to silence the person before they drew a security squad down upon them.
Hylota was moving before Lucan could even give hr an order. She swiftly pulled herself up the ladder and into the next deck as she crawled quickly to where the cries were coming from and frowned as she discovered he woman practically crying with her foot tangled in some loose cables. Hylota sighed and did not take out her hypospray, it would be a waste on this woman as she crawled over to her and Hylota spoke clearly, her deeper voice would most likely make Heather think she was a male lie most other people. "Hey, be quiet. I am here to help you but you need to keep calm and stop kicking or I am going to sedate you for my own safety." She gently placed a hand on Heather's tangled leg and began to inspect the twisted mess that Heather's kicking had created.
"So, not an optimal time for introductions, but my name is Hylota I wor down in Sickbay, what is your name?" Hylota was employing what bedside manner she could to try and keep Heather calm while she tried to free her an make her relax so the entire ship would no hear them. As she worked though she began to worry about Nicander, he had almost fallen to his death and she had left him back there or climb up on his own, she could not help but feel like she was neglecting her commanding officer.
[ Wenn Cinn | USS Theurgy | Below Decks | Deck 07 | 1300 hours ]
Wenn Cinn took a moment and acknowledged Rory. "I appreciate the offer, but I cannot ask a civilian to step in for this matter, I feel that your best service to the crew would be to aid whatever crew we cannot take with either team and try to fortify his position. I can see that quit a few of us are not doing the best, and the poor air quality of the jefferies tubes has began to negatively impact some of the crew. I feel we must leave those that are suffering the most here to recover. Also I would rather the people who head out with the badges be a larger group that could hold a position and work s a distraction." He smiled and hoped that this position would remain safe, with the amount of tables they had here they could hunker down here better than mot other place on the ship.
Turning his attention back to Tessa, Wenn could see the uncertainty and fear that she had and he knew that he needed to keep her together, or the distraction might fail. If this was the case it would be far wiser to sacrifice Sten to head up that second team and leave her here to look after anyone who was not fit to continue. He walked over to Tessa and put a hand on her shoulder and guided her away to talk with her for a second and he looked to Sten. "Sten please join me for a moment with the Lieutenant." He waited for them to be together before he spoke quietly so no on but they could hear him talk.
Looking Tessa in the eyes he spoke to her. "Lieutenant I need to know if you are here right now? Can you handle this mission, or has our situation finally gotten the better of you? Lieutenant I do not want to put you in command if you do not feel up to this, I can send Sten in your place if you feel that you are not up to the task." He locked eyes with her. "Tessa, I need you here at 100%, if you cannot handle this I would be fine leaving you here to look after the remaining crew and help oversee fortifying the location. I will also send Sten with you as you second in command if you feel that you require his guidance on this." He did not want to outright remove Tessa from the mission, she was already doubting him and he did not want to have her lashing out in paranoia. He was making sure that she had options, if Tessa could pass on command and take a different role, or even be set to work with someone he saw boosted her confidence, he felt that she would remain stable through this ordeal.
Lahkesis Saugn | Sickbay
And there it was. Lahkesis' priorities were not what they should have been and she knew it. Her mind raced, every book she had ever read on the mind meld, every clinical study and medical trial, everything she had ever come acroos that could help zoomed through her mind. And then, like a light at the ned of the tunnel she realized the simple truth. "Lexorin," she said aloud as the name of a drug that had been obscure for almost 5o years sprang to mind. The drug was not a simple one, it had been used to treat conditions ranging from multiple personality disorders to damage caused by mind melds. It had not been used very often since the beginning of the 25th century, but she was pretty sure a couple of doses could be easily manufactured. She looked around at the faces of the people there and continued. "If we give them both Lexorin it should soften the blow. Make it easier to recover any damage and prevent any more. It should keep Maya... Dr. Maya safe." She gave her Vulcan friend a concerned look, but said nothing more. She was afraid, afraid of what could happen. The drug might help, but she really wasn't sure.
[ Heather McMillan | Jefferies Tubes | Just Below Deck 03 | USS Theurgy ]
Attn: Lucan cin Nicander & Hylota Vojona
"H-Heather...McMillan. I'm a biologist..." she tried her best to stop trembling and stay still.
He...or she...is nice. McMillan thought, But then, anybody could be...and there were two of them. Where's the other?
She glanced over at the shaft, wondering whether the other person had gone off to call for reinforcements, or something had happened? She was afraid to think she might have been responsible for that, especially since she had reacted with shock and flared brightly, something that happened if she was shocked of frightened enough.
That happened more than once, back when she was still in the university. It took no small amount of diplomacy - what little she had - to convince the witnesses to keep it to themselves.
She turned back to watch as Hylota slowly attempted to untangle McMillan's leg and hands from the tangled mess she managed to create by her desperate attempt to get free. She did not know why she was so bloody clumsy.
Sickbay...hmmm..."I've seen you before...I-I think..." she whispered while she struggled to keep still. And then she more hesitantly and quietly asked, "Are...uhm...are you with...Captain Vasser?"
Her eyes went wide with fear, hope and anticipation. She sincerely hoped Hylota was not with Vasser, because she didn't fancy being dragged over to the man.
[ Dr. Lucan cin Nicander | Jefferies Tubes | On the Ledge of Deck 03 ] Attn: Hylota Vojona & Heather McMillan
At that point, Lucan appeared behind Hylota, having climbed over the edge and made his way over to the two women. "She is not," he said with a reassuring smile, trying to act professional despite almost having fallen to his death. "Nurse Vojona may have been with the Harbinger crew until she transferred to my staff after we left Theta Eridani, but she has not shown any signs of defecting back to her old Commanding Officer. In fact, she just saved my life back there."
His pale grey eyes took in the state the human was in and produced a medical tricorder from the pocket of his uniform trousers. As he switched it on, he looked towards Hylota with a grateful smile. "Nice catch," he said to her warmly, and the light of the scanner lit his exotic countenance. "Thank you. The winds know I am glad that you did not want to stay behind in Surgical Suite."
For two reasons, really. He knew the Ovri did not have the same abilities as the Ash'reem, and that Hylota would not be able to detect what he had hidden behind the bulkhead, but with a species as rare as hers, Lucan did not like to take any chances - disinclined as he was to leave her alone there. As for the Teslyliac Duplicate that did chose to stay behind, Lucan was familiar with her and knew that Dr. Lahkesis Saugn had no abilities to descry the abomination behind the wall.
Lucan turned back to their happenstance patient, scanning her in the close quarters that the three of them shared. "You may already know me, but I don't think we have been properly introduced," he said to McMillan and tried to use his charisma to calm the human, "I am Dr. Nicander, Lucan cin Nicander, and I am the Chief Medical Officer aboard. As far as I know, you are one of the Theurgy's civilian researchers, with xenobiology being your strongest forte, correct? A pleasure to make your acquaintance, even if this might not be the most pleasant of times."
The tricorder readings started to appear on the display beneath his eyes. Even if the human might have felt flattered that he would know about her, Lucan had made sure to keep as much track as he could of the ship's entire crew. Being a creature of manipulation and deception - always in control - he had to take as much as he could into account. How else was he supposed to kill them all for his own purposes?
Purposes that seemed to vane of late, either overshadowed by the darkness within... or loosing import in his attempts to appear the ideal officer - the act becoming more and more natural with each plight the ship suffered.
[ Hylota Vojona | Jefferies Tubes | Deck 03 ] Attn: Auctor Lucan & Always A Healer
Hylota did her best and managed to pick the cords apart while Lucan was chatting with Heather. She also began to speed up and work faster as she noticed that the blood flow was being cut off from how tight the cords had been pulled. "You are correct Heather; I did work aboard the Harbinger with my brother. But this entire ordeal has put my brother at risk and so soon after a life threatening event. I might have served under Vasser, but his actions here are not acceptable in my opinion so I remain with Dr. Nicander." She began to tug on the cords to loosen them up and smiled.
She managed to slip Heather's left hand out and started working on undoing the twists while making further comment on the situation. "You're lucky we were so close by, you pulled these cords fairly tight against you, if you had been left undetected I fear you might have caused serious damage to your hands with this little fiasco." She loosened and untangled the cords and pulled Heather's other hand free. "In situations like this you must be sure that you do not panic, otherwise you might end up like this, in a bigger mess than when you started."
With one last bit of tugging she worked the loop of cord off of Heather's ankle and set the foot on the ground. "There, free at last." Hylota took the cord and bunched it up before shoving it back up into the space where it had fallen out of. She then looked to Lucan and spoke in a firm tone. "Doctor, in light of recent events, namely our incident with you falling a few moments ago, I feel that we should take a moment to top and rest for a bit. I fear that if we keep pushing on at this pace we will make another mistake and we might not be able to recover from." She also raised her filthy hands to show him. "And we should try and clean out hands off at least a little before we try and climb anything again." Hylota felt that this could be their best opportunity to recover for a little bit before putting their plan into effect.
[ Maya (https://fc02.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2014/219/e/7/maya_row_01_by_auctor_lucan-d7u6n3n.png) | Main Sickbay | Deck 07 | 1300 hours ]
"Lexorin," Lahkesis said.
Maya blinked and what could almost be described as an expression appeared on her face. Out of the mouth of babes indeed.
"If we give them both Lexorin it should soften the blow," Lahkesis continued. "Make it easier to recover any damage and prevent any more. It should keep Maya... Dr. Maya safe."
"That is brilliant," the little Vulcan murmured in what could have been awe. Maya's lips twitched in what could have been a smile as her demeanor changed from professional to tranquil. Maya's large hazel eyes shone with motherly pride as looked up at Lahkesis and touched her shoulder with her fingertips. "Well done, little one," she said almost too softly for the others to hear. "If anything happens to me, the others are in good hands."
Maya turned Eve Jenkins. "Lexorin was developed in my century to alleviate symptoms of malaise and multiple personality disorder in those who experienced a Vulcan mind meld, or who carried a Vulcan katra prior to its placement on Mount Seleya," the green blooded physician explained. "It has fallen out of use in recent years due to its potential for addiction, but I am still familiar with the drug. During our visit to Nimbus III I arranged for some to be brought aboard in case the Theurgy's crew was once again subjected to some kind of mental influence. There isn't enough for the entire crew but there is easily enough for Ensign Cir'Cie and myself.
What Maya didn't mention was the Lexorin was could also be used as a chemical substitute for mediation by a Vulcan trained in the mental discipline that Maya was skilled with. It had first been used by sexual surrogates back on Vulcan who treated unmarried victims of ponn farr to help them deal with the strain of multiple mind melds and even today Maya still used on occasion to keep her mind compartmentalized and disciplined in case any psycho-neurological treatments were needed and the greenblooded neurologist was too fatigued to function. She should have taken some before attempting to treat Morali that morning but she had spent the night in Hayden's room and forgotten about the drug.
[ Tessa May Lance (https://fc00.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2014/219/0/d/tessa_row_01_by_auctor_lucan-d7u6mx6.png) | USS Theurgy | Below Decks | Deck 07 | 1300 hours ]
"Tessa, I need you here at 100%," Wenn rumbled. "If you cannot handle this I would be fine leaving you here to look after the remaining crew and help oversee fortifying the location. I will also send Sten with you as you second in command if you feel that you require his guidance on this."
That remark was like a slap in the face, but it was exactly what Lieutenant (junior grade) Tessa May Lance needed. She had been caught wallowing in her own angst and it was time for business.
Tessa closed her eyes and shuddered before swallowing a fixing her topaz yellow eyes on Wenn. 'Clear your head,' she silently told herself. 'Don't say the first thing that comes out of your mind; make sure you know what you want before you say anything. Don't do anything to jeopardize your goal.'
And then it hit her, that moment of clarity. Centuries ago her people had an expression: Even a broken clock is right twice a day. For Tessa, this was the right time of day. She knew exactly how she wanted this conversation to end, and she had a feeling that Wenn wanted the same thing.
She cleared her throat and spoke softly so that hopefully only Wenn and Sten could hear her. "Sir, with all due respect using the word of an officer who isn't present to vouch for you doesn't hold a lot of weight right now. Captain Ives said that Vasser was our friend and that didn't work out did it?"
Without waiting for an answer the gold eyed blonde continued. "It can't escape anyone's notice that the you've assigned the one person who had the guts to doubt you out loud to a duty that makes her target and gets her away from anyone who would be useful." She held up a hand. "Don't apologize sir. Don't explain yourself. There's no need to apologize, it was the one hundred percent right decision. Whether you're here to free the captain or lure us all into a trap it was the right thing to do. I get it. I'm a liability. I'm dead weight. I understand. I get it. I'm fine with that. I really am."
She attempted to lean in forward for effect but due to the seven inch height difference between them the effect was impossible to pull off. One couldn't fault her effort though. "But," she announced tersely, "before I go off on a suicide mission I need to know that I'm leaving the others in good hands. I have to trust you sir. We all have to. But I can't unless I know there's a person inside that big scary Bajorran who knows how to hurt and feel just like I do."
"The only reason these people believe you is because they want to believe," she hissed. "The alternative if you're lying is too awful to accept right now. The thing is, your behavior is textbook for someone trying to take us over from the inside. It's happened to Starfleet, it's happened to the Harbinger, it's even happening to the Theurgy. I just watched one of my best friends shoot down another of my best friends without warning, before she was shot down by another of my friends in return. So yeah, if I have a hard time believing that our Chief of Security who was blown into space has miraculously come back to life, this is understandable. Even if you did somehow come back, you could still be one of the enemy. So what I need from you is a glimpse of a real person, not an officer, not a commando, I need to see someone that I can trust my life to and trust the success of this mission."
"Right now I could easily turn all of these people against you but that won't get Captain Ives out of the brig," she announced quietly, "but if you give me someone I can believe I can fix it so that if you ask them these people will crawl across a field of broken glass with their flies unsealed. All I need from you is some indication that I'm dealing with a real person, not some horrible thing that's wearing your shape."
Tears appeared in her eyes. "So please, I'm begging you, give me glimpse of the man inside. Let me know that he knows what it's like to lose something and still have the strength to keep going. Shed a tear, tell me joke, give me story about your childhood, make something up if you have to! Lie to me if you gotta, just give me something I can believe in! Stop being the chief of security for a second and let me see the real you! Please! Please..." From the way she was shaking, one would have thought that the temperature had dropped twenty degrees.
OOC: This is your first hurdle Wenn, but one that shouldn't be glossed over. A major point of the 'rescue Captain Ives' storyline should be for Cinn to prove himself as being of the Theurgy and join the cast in a heroic, dramatic fashion. Here's your first challenge: A frightened girl.
[ Wenn Cinn | USS Theurgy | Below Decks | Deck 07 | 1300 hours ] Attn: Doctor Maya
Wenn Cinn listened to Tessa as she voiced her concerns, but as she began to break down and simply asked for him to prove who he was to her and to encourage her Cinn put a hand on her back, making sure that to those looking on it looked like he was simply pulling her in for a bit of a huddle. "I see your point Lieutenant,and I understand your reaction, and like you asked I will not go into explaining myself or working on the other points, right now I will just talk with you. You want to make sure you know I am Wenn Cinn, you want to know I am truly a feeling person. Well I think Ives mistake with Vasser proves the Captain is just a normal person...in the grand scheme of things at last." He smiled before he looked Tessa in the eyes.
"Lieutenant you were about to go on a mission to save the captain on your own before I arrived and inserted myself into this situation. I have to admit I feel I have stolen your moment of glory and self discovery. Command changes a person, weather it be for the best or the worst it changes us. Now I am going to tell you what my first Commander ever told me when I was put in command of a squad. "You will be fine. I would not choose you for this mission if I did not think you could handle it." Now I believe in you Tessa, you are a gifted young officer and you could not have gotten this far if your superiors did not think you deserved it." He took a deep breath."My first command was a security team sent to keep focus on us while my commander took a strike team to flank a group of infiltrators from behind. I was an ensign then, and I took that moment to heart. Our trials define us Tessa, how we stare them down and overcome them is how we are remembered, and I know your type Lieutenant, you will struggle, but when you overcome your hurdle the sky is the limit."
Wenn Cinn sighed and spoke softly. "We are of Theurgy Tessa. This ship is our home, the crew our family, we both do not want to see if fall apart. I know the fear that comes with facing the unknown, but as much as you are struggling you nee to be strong, no for me, and not for this mission, but for your family here, for the crew." He patted hr shoulder and then smiled. "Now if you want a joke I could try my best, but I have been told that my jokes have routinely been used in interrogations to get people to talk before so I will spare you that." He hoped he was able to motivate Tessa Lance, if he could not get her to believe in herself and be willing to take on a mission, he did not know if he was able to help anyone.
[ Heather McMillan | Jefferies Tubes | Just Below Deck 03 | USS Theurgy ]
Attn: Lucan cin Nicander & Hylota Vojona
McMillan looked up at Nicander when he made his appearance. Her face took on a visible sign of relief when he answered for Hylota that neither of them were with Vasser. That was a relief. She wanted to ask if her flare of light was what caused Nicander to have had a near-death experience, but decided that might rouse too many return questions she wasn't prepared to answer, like where was her source of light? Now that would get awkward very fast, especially since she was a lousy liar.
Fortunately, Nicander took a more medical concern towards McMillan, and also took a moment to thank Hylota. Still, she grew nervous again as the tricorder went over her. She had thus far managed to fool tricorders and bioscans, and physical readings she only had one when joining Starfleet as a civilian the first time, and she had friends who helped gloss over her report with the readings of a real human.
She nodded when Nicander asked about her profession and skill, "Yes, Xenobiology, medicine...n-nice to meet you too." She was distracted with Hylota still freeing her, and also because she was feeling a little self-conscious around a man, and the fact that he's scanning her with a medical tricorder, an activity which she preferred to avoid at all costs. That, along with his flattering familiarity with her history (and good looks) made her feel nice and intimidated all at once.
That was also when she noticed that her hands and leg was beginning to ache, and she realized she had not only tangled herself up extenssively, but rather tightly. She sighed as the alien nurse commented on how close she came to serious damage to herself. "That's me...little Miss Tangled. It's the story of my life."
"Thank you." She smiled gratefully at Hylota once she was free, and very carefully removed herself from the spot where she had gotten caught initially.
Now that she was free, and a lot less anxious, she wondered where these two were heading. Considering how inexperienced she was with this situation, not to mention her lack of social aptitude, McMillan decided it would be best to stay close to these two. Plus they were all medical officers, that would make them far more valuable to all people concerned. So she asked "Uhm...where were you both headed before you met me? Can I come along? I-...I'm rather hopeless in something like this. I really need to get out of the lab more often."
[Sten Covington | USS Theurgy | Below Decks | Deck 7 | 1300 ]
When the bartender spoke of making himself useful with a phaser in hand, Sten was hardly surprised when the hulking Bajoran refused him on grounds of being a civilian. Truth be told, the Chief agreed with this on several levels. However, he could understand the Irishman's desire to make himself useful. There had to be a role for him, a way to give him a sense of purpose and keep him out from underfoot for the time being. And with this in mind, the powerfully-built Briton spoke. "Mister Callahan, we'd welcome your help but not with a phaser. We've all been on the run for a good hour now and we'll be here for a while. If you want to help, get some water to everyone, find us some food and distribute it. If there's nothing fresh, there should be some survival rations in the stuff we pulled out from the emergency lockers."
Covington began to turn away, but stopped himself and locked gaze with the barkeep. "I know it's not what you'd rather do, but that's how you can help. And making sure we're fed and watered will help us do our job and retake the ship."
Without waiting for a reply, the Chief of the Deck pointed to both ordnance techs. They had been listening and they knew what was expected of them. They would prepare the devices all right. The Chief of Security wanted two? They were determined to cobble up at least one or two more without sacrificing the yield. Their Chief trained them well; they knew the very best was expected of them and the intended to do it.
Once called over for a semi-private conference, Covington looked back and forth between both officers. Wenn was a strong leader, but Goldeneye? She was shaky at best. Pilots weren't like other officers. Being in charge of other lives while not flying their fighters was alien to them. But officers they were regardless. Of course he would support Wenn's plan. The man was now in command and it was his job to back him. But Tessa? She was one of his. Divided loyalties had never been a problem for him. He always was able to juggle the various allegiances he held, to his ship, his superiors, his fighters, his people, and get the job done. And this he would do again.
The exchange went for a while, and then the Chief spoke. Goldeneye, look at me. The Sir's on our side." The Sir, the way non-commissioned personnel so often referred to their officers. And one Sten typically saved for Renard. But at this time, he had to give every impression he trusted the Bajoran as much as he trusted the Vulpinian. "It's a solid plan, one that's built on the one you were going to go forward with. If he didn't think you had a good head on your shoulders, he wouldn't have kept a single element of it and he'd have put me, or Oneas as his right hand. You're still his second. And I'll back you."
Looking up to the Lieutenant Commander, Covington spoke directly. "I'll go with the Lieutenant. Any of my techs can do what you need in the brig and they've all got some combat training so take your pick." Indeed, when the fighter bay crew courses were being designed, Sten, drawing from his own experience dealing with contested landing zones, insisted a degree of ground combat be included in it. It wasn't on the same level as Security training, but it did beat what most cremembers had. And he himself was a certified ground combat training instructor for deck crews. Perhaps Wenn didn't know that, but it would be a solid backing for Lance's team.
"You'll need a security element left behind in the shuttlebay. Recommend you use the Master Chief and three others for that. And internal communications are down, so you should grab four of the tricorders for comms." He was a Chief. His job was backing officers when they needed it, straightening them out as required and making things happen. "Worse comes to worse, they could seal themselves in whatever ships they're using to beam you over and beam themselves to safety once you've secured the Captain."
And then, he returned his attention to Tessa, landing both his hirsute paws on her slender shoulders. "We've got some work to do. But first things first. You're not a liability or dead weight. You're Lieutenant Junior Grade Tessa May Lance. You're Wolf-07, Goldeneye. You're one hell of a pilot and a Starfleet Officer. You've led fourteen people to safety while under contact. If you were a waste of skin, I'd have shoved you in a survival locker and welded it shut to keep you out of the way long ago. We need you, lass. The crew that's loyal to Captain Ives needs to see there's organized resistance and officers to lead them."
Then, he squeezed at her shoulders beneath his hands, his grip as unbreakable as a vice yet only hard enough to convey a hint of his strength and conviction, yet gentle enough to let it be known he cared for this young woman and supported her all the way. "I trust you, and because the lads trust me, they will trust you too. Don't make a liar out of me."
Then, he smiled ever so slightly, offering a wink. He had her back. The ship needed her and he'd make damn sure they'd get her.
[ Tessa May Lance (https://fc00.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2014/219/0/d/tessa_row_01_by_auctor_lucan-d7u6mx6.png) | USS Theurgy | Below Decks | Deck 07 | 1300 hours ]
Tessa was grateful for the encouragement that Commander Cinn and Poppa Bear had given her. She smiled gratefully and gave the burly Bajorran a hug. It was horribly unprofessional and displayed a total lack of discipline but what better way to convince the others that Commander Cinn was trustworthy than to offer him a tearful hug? She had intended to fake it if Cinn passed her test. She had planned to kiss him on the lips and shout 'It really is you' to make it appear that they had been past lovers or some such nonsense. Instead she had given him a sincere, heartfelt hug that let him know how grateful she was the Wenn Cinn was really Wenn Cinn.
It didn't matter how he got back to life; nobody knew how they had gotten rid of the alien pollen ending the Niga Incident but everyone had been grateful. The way Tessa saw it, the universe owed them. Rumor had it that he claimed the Bajorran Prophets saved him and brought him back to the Theurgy. Tessa was no theologist but in her religion the Powers Above only seemed to intervene when things were at their blackest, and boy, were things black now. It was so bad that she could believe that incredibly powerful super beings that swore by a noninterference code that made the Prime Directive seem permissive would get off their backsides and make a change to history, no matter how small. What better reason to bring Cinn back was there than getting the Theurgy back?
Tessa wanted to hug Sten Covington too, but he was depending on her to be an officer and she didn't want to disappoint him. She settled for smiling and playfully punching her shoulder before saying "I won't, Papa Bear," in the steadiest voice she could muster. Yes, she knew that Papa Bear should have gone with Cinn's team, but without him Tessa's group wouldn't last long enough to be a distraction. Not only that, but there was also the possibility of using the Deck's Chief's experience to accomplish something greater than merely buying the others some time.
OOC: Okay, I'm going to have Tessa shut up now and give someone else a chance to play.
[ Dr. Nicander | Jefferies Tubes | Deck 03 ] Attn: Zenozine & Always a Healer
The tricorder readings seemed quite ordinary at first glance, and Lucan had not expected them to show something beyond the circulatory problems in her hands. He might not have read them as thoroughly as he used to, since after he put them away, he frowned as he realised a that a couple of the numbers had not added up, but not in any way that suggested any harm. Something about her body mass? It was a fleeting thought, and he did not give it too much credence since the adrenaline was still thinning in is veins after his fall. Also, the darkness inside would have known and resonated with her if she was kin, so he did not linger on such idea even for a moment.
Hylota speaking with him stole his attention, where she firmly requested that they would stop and rest before moving on. Lucan nodded and sank back against the side of the Jefferies tube, casually resting one arm across his knee and unzipping his undershirt a bit more. "Agreed," he said and laid his head against the metal, running his other hand through his hair. It made little difference if his dark hair became more dirty than it already was. "We still need to get further up after our stop on this Deck..."
The human spoke next, asking where they were headed and if she could tag along, and Lucan chuckled in good humour despite the circumstances they were in. "Of course, in fact, we could really need an extra hand for what we are planning to do," he said, and he hiked up his dirty undershirt from his abdomen so that he could start wiping his hands clean on the teal cloth, "We are heading to Waste Management on this Deck, where we will pick up six gas tubes filled with xenon. These, we'll have to get to the next Deck, and unless we dare using a turbolift, we will have to pull them up one of these ladders as well. They weigh twenty pounds each, and in some clandestine way - as subtle as we can be with that kind of luggage - we'll have to distribute the gas into Cargo Bay 02, where all the people willing to defect to Vasser will be gathering as we speak."
Not having any luck with the grime on his hands, Lucan shifted his position and pulled off his undershirt instead. The back of it was more sweaty, and as ungentlemanly as it was, he needed the dampness to get the oil off. "By getting enough xenon concentration into the area, and then stirring the heavy gas from the floor when the time is right, we hope to sedate everyone present - Vasser or T'Rena included when they head there to round up the volounteers. First, however, we have to get the xenon out of the bottom chambers of Waste Management, which is just a hundred meters away in that direction."
Lucan handed his bundled up undershirt to Hylota when he was done, since given the circumstances, they were pretty far from etiquette and propriety, and the Ovri needed to clean both her hands and feet. "It was all Nurse Vojona's idea, actually," he said with a lopsided smile to her as he leaned back against the bulkhead again, pale grey eyes eventually returning to Heather McMillan after he passed both the word and the cloth to the Ovri. Being pretty good at reading people, which was a matter of survival for him, he was observing the human's demeanour - not yet having made any opinion about her beyond her appearance being quite exquisite.
Something that in the end hardly mattered to him in the current situation, but still made the beast inside howl in need to rape both the women and then throw them to their deaths down the vertical shaft. He silenced the voice irritably, even if the images flashed before his eyes.
[ Wenn Cinn | USS Theurgy | Below Decks | Deck 07 | 1300 hours ]
Wenn Cinn nodded ad smiled, he patted Tessa on the back before he looked back to the rest of the crew and sighed. "I hate to break this up, but I fee we should get back to the rest of the crew and discuss the rest of the plan with them." He nodded to Sten and turned back to the group and assumed his position in front of the again. "Alright, sorry about that, we needed to sort some things out before we got the plan under way. Now we are going to be having the crew split up, we need to for three groups. One will go with me to he shuttle bay and work to rescue the captain and any other detained crew. the second will go with Lieutenant Lance and work to keep the mutineers distracted. The last group shall remain here, this group shall consist of anyone who is injured or unfit to enter a combat situation, those left behind shall work together to fortify the location and help anyone that is wounded recover."
Wenn Cinn looked over the people that were gathered. "I will need at least one person who is familiar with the shuttle bays and the layout to come with my team. At the very least my team needs at the very least 6 people besides myself. One of which needs to be a trained engineer who can disable a forecefield, one needs to be familiar with transporter use and operations and the rest need to be combat trained in some degree." He crossed his arms. "My team will not be that large as we need to move quickly and quietly through the ship. Anyone else who has some combat experience and do not mind the prospect of getting into a combat situation should join up with Lieutenant Lance's team and move to deck 5 to draw attention away from the rest of us.
Taking a deep breath Cinn looked over the group and to people like Rory. "Those without combat training, or have any medical background should remain here. This place is now the base of our operations, this is where all team will meet up after the Captain has been rescued, this is the most important position that we hold right now." Wenn looked around the room and nodded before crossing his arms in front of his chest. "now then, it is time that we form the teams, I would lie to ask for volunteers to step forward that are willing to join up with the 2 teams that are going out." Wenn Cinn hoped hat a large enough group would be willing to join the teas, otherwise he would have to start drafting people.
[ Hylota Vojona | Jefferies Tubes | Deck 03 ] Attn: Auctor Lucan & Always A Healer
Hylota smiled at the praise from her commanding officer, it was nice that he had been recognized on two different accounts for her ideas with Doctor Nicander, it made her feel like she was indeed useful. "Thank you sir. I just hope that we pull his whole plan off before this entire ordeal is over." She chuckled as she began to wipe the grime from her toes. "I would look rather silly if we we to carry those tanks all the way through the ship and then finding out that it was over." She finished cleaning herself off rather quickly before looking to heather and smiled. "And it would be nice to have some more company on this little trip."
Hylota finished cleaning off and she started stretching to loosen herself up before hissing as she moved her shoulder. "Oh that does not feel good at all. Ngh, nothing feels damaged...probably just some swelling from fall you had back there Doctor." She begins to rub her arm and sighed as she did her best to try and relieve the discomfort of her arm. "This might be a bit problematic for moving those canisters to where they need to go Doctor." She frowned and shook her head.
Looking to Heather she smirked. "Hey Heather, you wouldn't happen to know any method that we could use to take care of this problem?" She smiled at Heather and hoped that he might know of some method to move things. although Hylota had a pretty good feeling that they could be secretive about things, and is thy too the turbolift they might not be noticed since other people would be moving to that part of the ship anyways.
[ Heather McMillan | Jefferies Tubes | Just Below Deck 03 | USS Theurgy ]
Attn: Lucan cin Nicander & Hylota Vojona
McMillan frowned at Nicander's expression. He must have noticed something amiss...oh no...she thought.
Despite how disgusting it was, McMillan leaned back against the side as well, taking a moment to rest and prepare herself. While she looked human and had almost human capabilities, she was a lesser being in all ways of physicality. Whatever they were going to do next would require her exhert herself in ways that might be too much for her. She was not strong, and most certainly not durable, or had much stamina to run on. However, they might base her capabilities on her physical appearance, and in appearance, she looked deceptively able-bodied.
"Waste management...how lovely." She could not help but shiver at the thought of getting into even more glop. However her eyes widened in alarm. There's just no way!
At least Hylota was admitting gladness to have her along, it sort of made McMillan feel a little more useful. She looked up in concern however when the Ovri hissed in pain. "Wait, I might have something for that..."
She reached into her numerous pockets located in her large white lab coat and fished out a pressure hypospray. She smiled at Hylota and gently pressed it to the Ovri's shoulder, where the injury seemed to be. A soft hiss indicated that its contents had been applied. "It's just a cooling solution, and it's non-chemical. A balm I got from home. I've got lots of these, because I get bruises and inflamed swellings quite often..." she lightly rubbed the injured area. Her touch was soft, and her frailness could be felt easily now.
She tried to quickly change the subject, because she didn't want to explain why she got bruises so often. That would just be embarrassing. On the other hand, they might need to know that "I can be quite clumsy...on an epic scale. Now, as to your question about those canisters. Generally, on space stations, they use anti-gravity generators that can be applied to an object to ease transportation of cargo. This is something that has been around since the early twenty-third century. In fact, I believe the illustrious Captain Kirk of the Enterprise, in some of his missions, had found use for such devices. Waste management might have some of those devices available. I have some in my lab too, and they're fairly small themselves. But I don't fancy making a trip there while there's such...tensions aboard the ship right now."
In all that time, McMillan had not paused to take a breath, and it was only after she finished that she realized she nearly asphyxiated herself. She blushed after all her talking, because she had just noticed the way Nicander was watching her, studying her, and she felt wary and self-conscious again. Fussing with her hair, she brushed loose strands back behind her ears and looked away distractedly, though her hair floated up and took an unusually long time to settle back down. Also, her hair moved with the slightest shift of her head, fluttering about like silk in the wind. Then she abruptly turned back to look at Hylota, "How does the shoulder feel?"
[ Hylota Vojona | Jefferies Tubes | Deck 03 ] Attn: Auctor Lucan & Always A Healer
As Hylota was suddenly given a hypospray she went wide eyed and scooted away from Heather, she did not like being given injections without being informed about what was going on. She put her hand over where she had been touched and she glared at heather, until she was informed about hat it was, at which point Hylota sighed and began to massage the joint, it did not feel all that much better, but it was feeling a little better she had to admit. Although i did not change the face that Hylota wanted to smack Heather for doing that without asking her first.
As sh was told about a simple anti-gravity device that they could use Hylota stroked hr chin and cocked her had to the side as she was given more information. "Alright...well I have a few things I would like to say. First, I have no idea who this Captain Kirk person is, I am assuming he is famous in your history on earth, but my race is new to your Federation, I have not had time to learn about your heroes." he worked her shoulder a little and she looked o Heather. "Second, my arm is feeling better and hank you for that, but I would lie to inform you that if I was not relaxed at this point in time I might have struck you for that. You do not administer a hypospray without informing a person and getting some form of consent. and lets just be thankful my muscle proteins are not reacting poorly to this."
Hylota groaned as she stretched out and move her arm a little bit more before talking to Heather again. "You know I would think a xenobiologist would be a bit more ware of the fact that some races are violently allergic or poisoned by mundane things among other races. An I am amphibian in my nature so I would like to have you never give me injections without running tests first." She sighed as she relaxed and looked to Heather. "I am sorry I am big rough on you, I am just a little uneasy right now with all that is going on and having to leave my brother in a hostile environment." she sighed gain and smiled slightly as she thought of something amusing. "You know Heater, if you are so clumsy, how did you manage to get into xenobiology? I hop you have steady hands and are able to avoid knocking things about in your lab while working."
Hylota did not now she as being a bit insensitive, she was not the social member of he family, that was hr brother's thing, she could talk on a professional level, but for simple interaction, well she was kind of lost on how to do that stuff. And this Hylota had very few friends outside of her work and was considered a very unpleasant person to be around for conversation.
[Dr. Hayden O'Connor | Main Sickbay| Deck Seven| 1300 hrs.] Attn: all in sickbay
Hayden continued to listen to the discussion around her, but was most dismayed by the reaction of the patient before her. O'Connor didn't blame the male Ovri for wanting to hide from the world for an eternity after what he'd been through, but the counselor knew if she let him give into avoidance, she would be reinforcing all of the most destructive traumatic beliefs, particularly the belief which told him he wasn't strong enough to heal from what he'd been through. Also, as much as she knew she needed to be with the others to come up with practical strategies to manage their predicament, she didn't feel comfortable leaving him alone. He wasn't in the best shape to defend himself, and even more than that, she knew Hylota was counting on the medical staff to attend to Vinata's needs.
Not wanting to further traumatize him by mentioning the possibility he was in greater danger by being left alone, Hayden simply offered with a wan smile, "Your sister would never forgive me if I were to leave you here in pain by yourself. Anything we do, we do together. In the meantime, how severe is your
pain?" O'Connor's eyes met his and she hoped her question was self-evident. Hayden wanted to make sure he hadn't suffered anything life-threatening. She knew he was already vulnerable at the time he was assaulted, and as much as she hated it, she had to rely on his own knowledge of his physiology to make sure he was okay.
In the meantime, elements of the discussion taking place around her trickled into her consciousness and she heard a familiar term - Lexorin. Searching her memory for the reference, Hayden nodded to no one in particular as she realized she had also heard of the drug and it indeed might offer the best opportunity to minimize any damage Maya might incur. Not for the first time, Hayden thought about all of the trauma the crew had already endured, and looking at Vinata, she realized the Niga incident might just be the beginning of the sexual trauma the crew was destined to be subjected to.
"The Niga Incident..." Hayden mused aloud. Something about the events from the past niggled at her brain, but her prefrontal cortex struggled to make the connection. Like a hand-held lighter fighting to ignite with each press of a button, Hayden suddenly felt a spark, followed by a tiny but strong flame inside her memory. "We can use the ship's life support systems to distribute the medicine," Hayden suddenly said. "We have to manufacture a crap load... Err, I mean a lot, of the drug here in the labs, but I remember reading that after the Nigra Incident, the crew upgraded the life support systems to facilitate the distribution of airborne substances in case it was ever needed. I'd say this qualifies," Hayden added with a smile. Her skin was suddenly flush, another indication besides her verbal slip that she was excited and overly tired. Hayden didn't usually speak in what would be considered vulgar or merely slang terms in a professional setting, but extraordinary circumstances created extraordinary consequences.
[ Dr. Nicander | Jefferies Tubes | Deck 03 ] Attn: Hylota Vojona & Heather McMillan
Resting his bare arms on top of his knees where he sat, Lucan watched the exchange without comment, taking note of McMillan's suggestion and hoping that she was right about there being a few anti-grav units available in Waste Management. He also saw Hylota's reaction to being inoculated, and to say that she did not take it lightly would have been an understatement. She did, however, apologise for her outburst with the reason that Vinata Vojona had been left behind in Sickbay and she was worried, and the soothing balm for her shoulder did not seem to cause any reaction for the Ovri.
"Regardless whether or not Ms McMillan is as clumsy as she claims to be," he said and picked up his dirty undershirt in order to sort the sleeves again, "I know that she came aboard practicing in xenobiology and medicine, so perhaps your fears were unwarranted, Nurse Vojona. Your species have been known to the Federation for a couple of years now, and if you would focus in the field of xenobiology, you would likely have studied such a new addition to our databases. So while it was unorthodox to inoculate you without your consent, she is no doctor used to dealing patients, and she only acted in your benefit to alleviate your pain since she knew it would work."
Just as he sorted out his undershirt, he was mediating the small incident between the two women that shared the close quarters with him - unravelling the sudden tension with his words. His dissembling smile and the fact that he was at a semi-state of undress might have aided his cause too, but his words were his main remedy. "Your heart was in the right place," he told Heather and pulled on his undershirt again, "but Nurse Vojona is right, when dealing with patients, you learn the rights-and-wrongs of all manner of situations, and they may vary with each kind of patient, both physically and therapeutically. No harm done it seems... so let us focus on what he have to do instead."
Wearing his shirt again, he shifted his position and looked down the darkness ahead of them. "When you found us, Heather, I thought your palm light was phaser fire for a moment," he admitted to take the edge of the situation even further, "and it seems, with the lack of anyone else here, you thought we were going to hurt you when you got yourself caught in those cables. Now, however, we really could use that palm light to find our way. Do you want me to take point and light the way with it?"
[ Heather McMillan | Jefferies Tubes | Deck 03 | USS Theurgy ]
Attn: Lucan cin Nicander & Hylota Vojona
McMillan blanched as she realized her critical error. Oh Lord, what was I thinking?!? She started stammering.
"I-I-I'm sorry, I just, I mean...you were in pain, and I just thought I'd help, I shouldn't have...I mean..." she lowered her head and hands, and in an apologetic tone, "It won't happen again."
She flushed when Vojona wondered aloud how she got to be a xenobiologist being as clumsy and reckless as she was. And truth was, she had blundered around her lab, and more than half of her time was devoted to cleaning up messes she'd made.
When Vojona apologized for having an outburst at her, McMillan rose up on her tip toes, shaking her head, "No, no, I'm sorry. You're right, I should have asked first instead of just assuming things."
Her hair again did that strange thing of following in the wake of her head's movements and then taking an unusually long time to settle back down. As if she were underwater. The way her hair floated and moved, had an eerie, and inhuman demeanor. She seemed to be aware of this fact, as she quickly reached up and patted her hair down, matting it with grime and...stuff.
Her face turned downright red as tomato, when Nicander spoke up, rising to her defense and then addressing her mistake at the same time. She had only met them, and she already made a blunder. It was also somewhat distracting, him not quite covering his fine physique. She did not fail to notice that fact, and did her best not to keep looking. Instead, she took to studying the side of a panel, which was unusually clean, and none of them had made any attempts to clean it. Curious.
However, her eyes widened in full-on panic once more, and she looked at Nicander in horror when he mentioned her "palm" light. Oh he had no idea.
"P-p-palm light? It was a palm light? I-I-I mean, uh...I mean...what would...uh, where would..."
She looked around desperately, and started digging through her lab coat pockets, muttering to herself in frenzied desperation, when she abruptly stopped and looked up at Nicander, her expression unreadable.
"You...certainly, have a generous hair of head."
It was full panic mode now, and she appeared to be suffering a meltdown of some sort. She finally took out something from her pocket, and it looked like a broken device that might once have been a flashlight...or something. But she never took her eyes of Nicander's hair, for some reason trying determinedly to distract everyone.
[ Hylota Vojona | USS Theurgy | Jefferies Tubes | Deck 03 ] Attn: Auctor Lucan & Always A Healer
Hylota simply nodded and waved the situation off dismissively. "Listen lets just dismiss the whole thing and get back to the matter at hand here. We need to remain calm and work on getting those canisters to transport them." She was quite adamant that they get back to the mission that thy were working on. But that all changed when Heather began to freak out, she was acting very odd over such simple questions and she was quickly going form her calm stat to being a stuttering mess.
Hylota cocked her had as she watched as Heather moved about and her hair seemed to act odd for where they were, in fact everything about how Heather was acting was just too odd. Hylota looked to Nicander and then back to Heather and she closed her eyes before rubbing the bridge of her nose and she reached out and put a hand on Heather's shoulder and held her firmly. "Heather, you need to calm down. This is not some life or death situation, you are imply being asked about a light, if you lost it or you no longer have it then that is the way things will be. If you do have it, would you please take the lead for a little while or hand it over to the Doctor, and again if that is not an option I want you to take a deep breath and just say you cannot do that."
Hylota smiled at Heather. "The situation of a simple light is not our biggest concern right now. So please remain calm, say what needs to be said for this moment in time, and we will get moving again." Hylota knew the panic of a tough situation, she had had a panic attack when feared that her brother would be dead in the triage center not so long ago. She knew that there were some times that you needed to put some situations behind them as they began to near the big moment. She did not want thing breaking down now when they were so close to the wast management station, she just anted them to go on to their task.
[ Dr. Nicander | USS Theurgy | Jefferies Tubes | Deck 03 ] Attn: Zenozine & Always A Healer
Watching Heather's reaction to his simple question made Lucan wonder how affected she was by the current mutiny - how much worry and fright that had taken its toll. Yet he also wondered if the reason was rather himself, since he was not unaware of the effect he could have on men and women of many species. He did note how she tried to keep her eyes from wandering his body by looking towards the bulkheads, and when she complimented him on his hair, he was starting to think the latter might be the case - odd as her timing was to give voice to her desires.
This seemed to pass right over Nurse Vojona's head, since she asked the questions needed and clarified their situation in a very pragmatic way. It did, however, save Lucan from having to come up with some kind of response to the human's flirtatious demeanour. He had seen her pick up some kind of device from her lab coat, and he assumed that it was a palm light or a SIMs beacon. Shifting his seat, he came a bit closer and reached out to pick it from her hand.
"Thank you," he said, and with the smile he gave Heather, he could have referred to her comment about his hair as well as the presented device. He did not linger on the topic of her compliment, nor did he brush his fingers too boldly against hers when he accepted the palm beacon from her. There was something odd about her hair, as if there was a breeze coming from somewhere even though Lucan did not feel it. Errant thought. It was time to get moving again, and he examined the device - frowning a bit when he pushed the buttons. "Seems like you broke it when you got tangled in the wires. Unfortunate, but we'll just have to do without it."
He handed it back to Heather to let her decide whether she wished to keep it, and then spoke to them both. "I think its best we start moving before we arrive too late to the cargo hold. I will go first. Heather, you should go after me, and Nurse Vojona, you keep an eye behind us."
Then Lucan got on all four and started to crawl along the narrow Jefferies tube, the emergency lights leading the way towards Waste Management. His thoughts were split, in part delving into the challenges ahead of them and yet straying to Heather's reaction to his question. There was something odd about the human, but in retrospect, he could not quite put his finger on what it was.
[ Four Minutes Later | Reclamation Center | Waste Management | Deck 03 ] Attn: Zenozine & Always A Healer
With some effort, Lucan turned a valve and opened a grate that led into the sub-level of one of the Waste Management areas on the ship. There were a few of them spread across the decks of the ship, but they were essentially the same. The one on Deck 03 was strategically wedged between the Senior and Junior Officer Quarters on Decks 02 and 04. Lucan climbed out and helped the women that had followed him, giving them a hand as they emerged into the brighter light of the processing chamber, where its fancy name of 'RECLAMATION CENTER' was painted on the wall opposite the door in a vivid red colour.
"The gas canisters should be behind the panels on the bulkheads," he said, his voice low, "Heather, try to find the anti-grav units you mentioned. Nurse Vojona and I will collect the xenon cylinders and collect them by the grate."
They were standing on a terrace that circled the round processing pit, and the noise that made it hard to hear if there was someone else present outside the single door of the Reclamation Center came from the actuators that ground down the waste via hydraulics and then pushed the pulp into a number of combustion chambers. That was where the xenon gas came in use, and the ship reclaimed an amount of plasma to power a select couple of systems - the actuators in the pit for instance.
In any case, unless they made too much of a racket, they would be reasonably safe in noise-filled environment. Well, besides the risk of falling over the railing, of course. It was evident that the forcefield above the railing was missing, and it was likely due to the sabotage that had been done at 1100 hrs, where the mutineers had managed to cause a cascade failure across the EPS network and detonated a lot of the ship's plasma relays. The thing inside Lucan was curious to see how quickly the two women would die if he threw them into the pit, but that would hardly be constructive to the cause of restoring Ives to command.
He needed them... at least for the time being.
OOC: Clarification, if there is any confusion: Here are the devices in question on Memory Alpha: palm beacon (http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Palm_beacon) & SIMs beacon (http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/SIMs_beacon). I wrote "palm light" erroneously but since it worked so well with Heather's reaction I'll chalk it up as a slang term. :)
Pardon the delay!
[ Heather McMillan | Jefferies Tubes | Deck 03 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: Lucan cin Nicander & Hylota Vojona
McMillan tried her best to quieten down her panicked state, but she did not fancy revealing the truth of her species at this point in time. And she was sure by now that both Nurse Vojona and Dr. Nicander had noticed the peculiarity of her hair, or her habit of rising up to tip toe. There was nothing she could do about it really. This was one of the reasons why she minimized contact with other crew members. It got harder to hide what she was the more she was around people, and she was a lousy liar on top of that. So instead, she had secluded herself in her lab. But now, that was not really an option for her. She concluded therefore, that by the end of today, it was more than likely Vojona and Nicander at least, would suspect that she was anything but human.
"Yeah...okay..." she answered Vojona as she tried to do as she was told. Then she blushed again when Nicander took the broken device from her. Watching apprehensively, McMillan wondered why she was so hopeless at lying or maintaining her cool. Her heart was often beating with frightening speeds, and she wondered if she would be one of the youngest humans...no, Radiants to perish of a cardiac arrest. When Nicander observed aloud that the device was broken, she took it back and pocketed it. Even she had no idea what that device once was.
"Okay." She answered when he told her to follow after him, while Nurse Vojona took the rear.
She bent her head and torso as she trailed after Nicander, her petite and tiny frame allowing her some options in how she travelled, but it was the way she moved; she was still scampering on tip toes, and she kept her hands in front of her, as if feeling about in the darkness, with her legs bent to keep her head from bumping on the top of the tube. Her dark long trousers was stretchy and comfortable, allowing her some significant freedom of movement, which she took advantage of in this narrow passage. She made very little noise as she moved, and her footwear appeared to be either extremely thick-yet-flexible socks, or some of the softest, and most bendable boots ever seen.
All this unique method of travelling and her attire did nothing to keep her from tripping herself twice during their travels however, and both times she revealed why she kept her hands flailing around in front of herself; when she fell, her hands, and fingertips would silently break her fall. Though she would quietly whisper "Oops! Clumsy me! Sorry!" before getting back up and continuing in her trek. The most interesting part about her falling was how her hands were so easily able to dispense her weight and so lightly land on the ground. By her appearance, she was at least a hundred and twenty pounds. She wasn't blade thin, and even if she was, she would still have landed much harder than her fingers could take with that much ease.
[ Reclamation Center | Waste Management | Deck 03 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: Lucan cin Nicander & Hylota Vojona
McMillan accepted Nicander's offered hands and she lightly hopped out of the tube. It wasn't until she had let go of his hands that she realized she made another terrible error: By allowing him to brace her weight as she landed, Nicander would likely have noticed McMillan most definitely did not weigh one hundred and twenty pounds. She did her best not to make any expressions, but her eyes were wide and fully open, staring at anything and everything. She tip-toed a few feet away, studying the room with curiosity, her hair trailing behind her and slowly settling down like super-lightweight silk.
She squinted her eyes at the noise of in the room, and nodded silently at Nicander when he told her to try and locate the anti-gravity generators. Carefully scampering away on tip-toe again, she shied away from the unprotected railing, and she indeed stumbled, nearly falling flat on her face, but caught herself barely in time. Then, even more carefully, she searched around. To her delight, she managed to find a handful of the generators. They were small enough, generally attached to extremely heavy cargo, and this would allow even the most feeble being to be able to lift a large box with one hand. A good thing, since McMillan most certainly could not lift heavy weights without these generators. If Vojona and Nicander thought they would have a hard time carrying those cannisters without anti-grav generators, they would consider themselves lucky since McMillan was more likely to get her own arms ripped off trying to lift something heavy. Now that would be quite a sight, watching her "disarm" herself.
She tottered back to the grate, and knelt low to the ground, hiding behind several containers. She was still resting on her toes rather than her feet even in a kneeling position, and she waited for the other two, a faint smile on her lips and her eyes wide with hopefulness. She kept her ears and eyes open to any signs of danger.
[Sarresh Morali | Main Sickbay | Primary Surgical Suite | Deck 07 | 1300 hrs. ]
Sarresh was no empath, but even he could tell that Nurse Jenkins was not at all pleased by the revelation that she was the high ranking officer on site. Still, the detached part of his brain that was running constant analytic's on the group noted with some sense of satisfaction the way she squared her shoulders and set about the task at hand. If the need arose he'd take full on control of the group, rank be damned. He had too much of an idea - warped though it was - of what they were all struggling for. He'd be damned if he'd let it go to hell because the wrong person was in charge. But he was just as happy to drop that responsibility for final decisions off on the Nurse.
Instead, no longer worrying quite so much about her, he turned his focus back to the rest of the group. And figuring out where, and what, they all did and went from here. Glad that consensus seemed to be reached in regards to Cir'Cie - another repressed shiver went down his spine - there were still other concerns. Quite valid ones in fact, as he looked between Doctor's Saugn and Maya, idly wondering at just how the one knew the other so well. In the end, that hardly mattered, beyond the younger looking doctors ability to judge the Vulcan's mental loyalties upon the completion of the mind meld. He considered voicing an opinion, but dismissed the notion, as his input would have served little purpose.
His brow furrowed after a moment though, pondering the drug Lexorin, and what he knew about it. Which was nothi--or maybe not so nothing. Factoids seemed to flow into the back of his mind, easily recalled with the same crystal clarity of his last meal with Amikris. Just as real and readily available (if less painfully bitter-sweet). The only frustrating thing was that he would have bet money two minutes ago, he knew absolutely nothing about Lexorin. He was both frustrated by this, and absurdly grateful that whatever was unlocking key memories in his scrambled brain, it wasn't forcing him to twitch and drool sporadically like it had on the bridge when they first encountered the Calamity.
And surprised as he was to admit it, the Counsellor O'Connor had a valid point as well. As far as options went, ti was a rather tempting plan. He crossed his arms over his chest and tilted his head to one side, contemplating the dark haired woman. He had little use (at least at the moment) for her actual speciality, but he couldn't find anything inherently wrong with her suggestion. Beyond the need to synthesize more. Which he couldn't - no, that wasn't quite right- could help with.
"While I'm hesitant to put all our hopes on any one thing," he finally spoke up, "Anything that makes the mind meld easier on Dr. Maya, as well as any potential follow up work, has a certain amount of merit to it." He shifted his jaw from one side to the other, as if chewing on his next words. Part of him really, really wanted to take the fight to someone, physically. There was a predatory hunger from earlier that was still stirring deep under the surface. But the mission - the damned mission - came first. "I can certainly run point on synthesizing more of the Lexorin. I'd need some help of course - I don't have enough hands, frankly, to tackle it on my own in enough of a quantity to be dispersed throughout the ship." He sighed softly, "And since Dr. Maya would be rather...incapacitated while dealing with Cir'Cie, we'd need someone to stay and watch over her, as well."
[ Hylota Vojona | USS Theurgy | Jefferies Tubes | Deck 03 ] Attn: Auctor Lucan & Always A Healer
Hylota remained mostly silent as Heather an Nicander talked about the light before they began to move on again. She had to keep her attention on sounds while the other's were distracted, it was so often that people seemed to forget the ire situation when they were having a chat with someone. But once they decided that they were going to be going finally Hylota nodded and she just took up the position in the back of the group and she casually followed along, and when she watched Heather be clumsy along the way Hylota shook her head and helped her up.
Hylota motioned for Heather to keep going and just remained silent. Watching Heather from behind Hylota was able to easily figure out that Heather was not a human, it was painfully obvious for her, she was good at blending in, but the way that he carried herself, the way that she acted and moved, it was all so strange how Heather implemented similar actions to try and be ignored as Hylota did. Hylota could not help but tell that Heather was not a human and trying hard to just be seen as a human.
Hylota made a mental note to just take a moment when this was all over and talk with Heather on their own and find out what the girl was for the sake of her own safety. As well as trying to give the poor girl someone to talk to and have some interaction with. Hylota hoped that they could at least be friend after this all was over.
[ Reclamation Center | Waste Management | Deck 03 | USS Theurgy ]
Arriving in the Waste Management center Hylota was the last into the room n made sure that there was no one behind them before she listened to Lucan fill her in on the plan for what to do now. As she was told where the xenon was likely stored and that Heather was to go and get the anti gravity devices Hylota nodded and went to work on her part and started to open up the panel. But there was a problem as Hylota began to move her arm, and she realized that her shoulder was beginning to get rather stiff and numb.
Hylota worked the shoulder ad tried to gt it to loosen up again and gt the feeling back, but it was not working and in this situation she needed to act as if nothing was wrong an she began to just work on getting things moving, her left arm was beginning to fumble a bit before she took charge of things and began to use one hand to work the panel off while her other hand just braced it. Eventually Hylota managed to free the panel from the bulkhead and struggled as she set it aside and began to look over the canisters for the ones that were still full and she began to pull them out one at a time.
As she took out the canisters Hylota pulled them out and she used her other hand to weakly catch the canister before setting it onto the ground as gently as she could so that hey could have them prepared to go at a moment's notice. But as she was going Hylota's arm got to the point where Hylota could no longer feel her fingers and she dropped a canister to the ground with a loud clang. She winced and quickly grabbed her numb arm and moved it so it did not look like she was having some problem, but only had lost her grip. But to Lucan it would be obvious, her entire left side was slack, hanging lower than her right and indicating that Hylota as not in the best shape.
[Sten Covington | USS Theurgy | Below Decks | Deck 7 | 1300 ]
As the brief, semi-private meeting came to an end, Covington followed the officers as they addressed the gathered group. It was a rag-tag bunch all right. A fair portion were from the flight deck, but others were individuals they gathered up along the way. It was an odd collection, and other than the Chief of Security and one pilot there was not an officer amongst them. This was truly what one could call a grassroots movement.
But now, the time came to assign personnel. "Thomason, Young. You two need to go with the Sir." Chief Petty Officer Thomason was a man pushing his forties and he was Sten's right-hand man along with Marquette on the flight deck and his technical abilities were second only to Papa Bear's in their sub-department; Young, on the other hand, was barely into her mid-twenties and for her, fighter maintenance was a transfer from another trade. Before she saw the light, she had been a transporter technician.
"You'll definitely need these two, Sir. They can both handle themselves in a scrap and I'll let Thomason explain how you can best use them."
As the older man then regarded the rest of the gathered crewmembers. His deck apes were the only ones making any real moves towards readiness. Oh, there were a few who were shuffling about, but all too few. "Wake up!" He then bellowed. "Bear Cubs, I want four of you to hang back. There's nobody here from Security I can see so we need you to hold. This. Ground. The Sir called this our base of operations, so let's treat it that way. This place holds, no matter what."
Then, he walked to one of his technicians and handed him his rifle before taking the hand phaser that was in his toolbelt. "People following Lieutenant Lance, leave the rifles behind unless we run out of hand phasers. We'll be moving fast and hard. And besides, we're liable to encounter some weapons lockers along the way."
Then, he pressed the weapon he had just relieved his man from into a red-shirted crewman's hand. "Come on people! There's work to be done!"
[ Dr. Nicander | Reclamation Center | Waste Management | Deck 03 ] Attn: Heather McMillan & Hylota Vojona
Like Hylota, Lucan had worked as best as he might to free the xenon cylinders from behind the bulkheads and stack them near the grate. Heather seemed to have found enough anti-grav generators and they were just about to bring the last two gas canisters when disaster struck. Or rather, one of the canisters struck the floor as it slipped from the Ovri's grip, and Lucan rounded on her with eyes wide.
The echo of the metallic sound reverberated in the air, and it was distinctly louder than the noise of the actuators and the pumping hydraulics. Lucan saw how the injury to Hylota's shoulder seemed to have gotten worse, and it was obvious how the her grip had slipped because of it. If they were lucky, no one was in the Waste Management area outside the door, and the noise hadn't been noticed. Lucan stood still, hardly daring to breathe as he looked at the door - waiting to see if it would open...
Seconds passed while the processing pit marked the time with its steady grind and conflagration. With each second, Lucan became more and more confident that no one had noticed, so he began to move again - walking over to Hylota and picking up the canister from the floor. "Are you okay?" he asked her and studied her poise and the way she did not like to use her arm. It was obvious that moving the canisters had not been ideal given her recent injury when she caught him from falling, and the injury had gotten worse. He could not tell if Heather's inoculation had numbed the pain or not, but regardless how much agony Hylota was in, her arm was more or less out of commission. "Remove your jacket. I need to see the area and its swelling."
Lucan put the canister down and fished up a tricorder from the pocket of his trousers, meaning to see what his eyes wouldn't tell him. They lacked in time, but how were they supposed to accomplish their goal if they couldn't carry the canisters to Cargo Hold 02. "Let's see what I can d-"
The sliding doors opened.
"Who goes there?" came the shout to override the din in the processing chamber, and when Lucan cast his pale grey eyes towards the doorway, a young Harbinger Cadet with a shaved head was pointing his Type III rifle against Lucan and Hylota - not yet having located Heather where she was taking cover at the back. It seemed like the Cadet did not need an introduction, however, since he tapped his combadge rather quickly. "Cadet Wilkinson to all search parties, I have located the Theurgy CMO on Deck 03 Waste Management. I'm incapacitating him no-"
With two steps and a turn, Lucan picked up and hurled the 20 pound gas canister at the Cadet, which collided with the human's rifle and torso. He was unbalanced, and Lucan too, but the doctor found his footing after another turn and ran towards the Cadet in the wake of the canister. The rifle had clattered against the ground, but it was not good enough. It was imperative that the Cadet, which appeared to wear the teal of sciences or medical and potentially a former colleague of Hylota's, was struck unconscious so that they could vanish into the Jefferies tubes as soon as possible.
It was Lucan, however, who received and uppercut by the time he reached the human, and then another hook across his cheek. Lucan lost all sense of orientation, finding himself with his back against the railing, and then felt his ribs being pummelled by the young man. He was a bloody doctor and not a boxer, which was made quite evident.
There was no room for thought in the split seconds of survival, only instincts taking over.
[ Hylota Vojona | Reclamation Center | Waste Management | Deck 03 ] Attn: Auctor Lucan & Always A Healer
Hylota looked back at Lucan as he came to her and asked about the injury Hylota shook her head no. "This is not the injury, if it was I would just be swollen and sore. No the Ovri would not have survived that long if we lost the use of a limb that was put under strain. We might not recover from open wounds that well, but this is not anything that would normally happen." She was certain this was a slow reaction to the injection she had gotten from Heather, but she did not have time to get angry, instead she did as Lucan had told her to do and she began to pull her uniform away from her shoulder.
It took her a bit of time to reveal her arm and she revealed the area, the slightly swollen spot was normal enough, but the arm seemed to be cold and slightly discolored. It as sadly obvious that the reflex injection had caused a situation where it was working as a slow paralytic inside of Hylota's body. It did not appear to be going anywhere else but the arm at that pint in time, but the sudden appearance of a mutineer brought an end to the investigation.
the fight was quick, but Hylota was able to see it all, the throwing of the canister, the failed strike from Lucan and the pummeling Hylota's CO received as he was knocked back into the railing. Hylota had a second to act and she used that second to take her hypospray into her good hand and place it to the neck of the cadet and too a half step back before raising her leg and sending one swift kick into the side of Wilkinson's chest making him fall away from Nicander. taking a deep breath Hylota tossed the spend hypospray away and rushed to the side of her CO and put her go arm behind his back an helped hi away from the railing.
Looking at Dr Nicaner with wide eyes Hylota asked him some questions. "Doctor? Doctor Nicander, are you alright? Sir please tell me if you are alright? We need to move quickly, and if you cannot get these canisters we need to find a place to hide you, if you fall into enemy hands we would have done all of this for nothing sir." It was clear that Hylota was trying to assess the situation to find out if Nicander as able to continue their plan, and she was also assessing the situation and considering if thy were going to be able to handle thing as they were right now. To be honest the only plus she could think of was that they had a phaser rifle now.
[ Heather McMillan | Reclamation Center | Waste Management | Deck 03 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: Lucan cin Nicander & Hylota Vojona(https://tinyurl.com/k36v3c3)(https://tinyurl.com/m74m4d6)
"Crikey O'Reilly..." McMillan said as she watched everything unfold before her. From her vantage point, she could see everything without revealing herself too much.
The first thing she had noticed was that Nurse Vojona was having a truly adverse reaction to the cooling solution she had applied into the Ovri, making her feel even more horrible for not consulting first. It looked like she was losing use of her injured arm, which was strange since what she had given should not be doing that, and only cool down inflamations. Something that they might need to look into as soon as possible. Plus, they were not in the cleanest states, and a dirty wound was a breeding ground for untold volumes of bacteria and lethal infections.
While Dr. Nicander was looking into it, they were interrupted by the arrival of what appeared to be a Vasser Loyalist. Nicander and Vojona saw to him, but at serious cost to the both of themselves.
"Blast it..." McMillan scrambled over her hiding place and made her way towards the two of them, stumbling part way when her feet run over each other, and soon found herself on her knees next to Nicander. She was worried about the look in the doctor's eyes. Nicander may be a doctor, but McMillan gave an involuntary shudder when she looked at him. Her reaction could easily be mistaken for nerves or fear for the safety of her new friends, but McMillan's reaction was just out of plain fear...of him. It was his capacity for violence, and the sheer brutality in which he dealt with the Vasser Loyalist. Granted, it wasn't particularly efficient, skilled, or excellent, but it still frightened her. While she did not approve of or condone violence under any conditions, she was gradually coming to the realization that very few, if not no one at all in this universe save for her thought poorly on using such for any purpose. Given that circumstance, she likely would have been captured long since if not for Nicander and Vojona.
But she needed to look past this, for now. After all, she would be just as afraid of a Tal Shiar Romulan or Klingon warrior, and right now, a man of violence, while not something she fully approved of, was someone who could get the job done and see her to safety. Plus, Vojona up close, looked even worse. She fished out of her coat pockets a bio tricorder, similar in most ways to a medical tricorder, and held it up hesitantly. McMillan rarely left anywhere without it. Plus, it wasn't awfully large, and was easy to carry around. By getting their readings, she would be able to ascertain more information about both individuals and their current states.
However, after her last experience of doing things without asking permission, she looked to both of them for their permissions first. Since they were still conscious, they were more than capable of giving their approval to let her scan them. Also, this would tell her what they might need.
Time was of the essence too, though, and McMillan needed to act fast, being the only uninjured one of the trio as far as she could tell. And Cadet Wilkinson had gotten word out with his combadge. He gave the identity of Nicander and his location. More were undoubtedly on their way, and then they would have a real problem. Nicander and Vojona did not know about McMillan's inability with any kind of weapon, and if they asked her to pick up and use that phaser rifle, they would be better off pointing the weapon at themselves and pulling the trigger. It would have the same effect as her trying to use it.
"We need to get out of here, now." She said in a timid voice, stating the obvious. "That man got word out with that darn combadge of his."
She considered slapping on the anti-grav generators to the cannisters that she could see around, but she really couldn't do everything all at once. So she instead waited to see what Nicander told her to do.
[ Maya (https://fc02.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2014/219/e/7/maya_row_01_by_auctor_lucan-d7u6n3n.png) | Main Sickbay | Deck 07 | 1300 hours ]
Meanwhile, Maya was leading Lahkesis to the medical storage room near the back entrance to sickbay "Come little one, I'll show you where I have stored the Lexorin," the little Vulcan purred in her quiet mezzo-soprano voice. "We will start Ensign Cir'Cie at two milliliters," she continued as the door to the storage room hissed open. "That should allow her to resist her mental conditioning if she chooses without negating my presence. We can increase the dosage if she experiences difficulty successfully resisting the conditioning," she added as she knelt in a corner and opened one of the containers mounted in the wall. "This was supposed to last me the rest of the year," she commented as she extracted one of the little boxes she had stored in there, "but when we are finished it is unlikely there will be any of it left. We will have to use it frugally," she said as she handed the box to the willowy redhead.
[ Tessa May Lance (https://fc00.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2014/219/0/d/tessa_row_01_by_auctor_lucan-d7u6mx6.png) | USS Theurgy | Below Decks | Deck 07 | 1300 hours ]
"People following Lieutenant Lance, leave the rifles behind unless we run out of hand phasers. We'll be moving fast and hard. And besides, we're liable to encounter some weapons lockers along the way." Sten Covington called to the refugees assembled in 'Below Decks' on Deck Seven. "Come on people! There's work to be done!"
"Okay, I'm going to need people who are light on their feet and know the ship well enough to find a place to hide," Tessa announced, "and I think I've got a plan for distributing these combadges throughout the ship too."
[ Cameron "Cam" Elizabeth Henshaw | Below Decks | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: Wenn Cinn(https://tinyurl.com/m2l222r)
Cameron Henshaw thought to herself. She tried to keep her head together, a feat that was getting harder and harder with each passing moment on board this ship. First, the whole fiasco that started with the
Harbinger; finding out that Starfleet's been compromised from within, and Ensign Sonja Acreth was one of them, those traitors. Then there was the growing unease on board the ship. Whatever it was, Henshaw figured she was probably too far below on the ladder to be included in whatever discussions were being had, which was funny, considering her duties to the crew. Either way, she was beginning to feel unwelcome, which eventually pushed her to leaving the
Harbinger and transferring her duty assignment over to the
Theurgy.
It didn't get better there, however. If anything, it just got worse. She lost her sister, and then she might now be losing her captain's faith in her, to say nothing of the betrayal she felt when Sjaandin Fedd compromised her position, and revealed his own duplicities. Was everything in her life a lie? Save for the losses, nothing good seemed to last, and she always pushed the pain away, glossing it over with deep passions. As she stood there in the turbolift, heading away from the bridge, she finally came to a realization that she had known all along: You can't get rid of the pain by ignoring it.
It started soft and slowly, at first. A soft whimper, compelled by a twisting sensation in her gut, and her heart thumping loudly in her own ears, a gasping sob, and then it was a dam bursting forth. For a moment she didn't care if her crying alerted the entire universe to her location. She needed this, just for a moment. After all, wasn't crying
supposed to alleviate stress? If it helped, then she would do it. So, for once in her life, Henshaw allowed herself this moment to truly let out to no one in particular, everything that had been building up inside of her all this time since being branded an outlaw by Starfleet. It did not change her situation, did not bring back that which she had lost, but it
did feel like it helped, if only a little.
Barely composing herself, her eyes were reddened, as was the tip of her nose, and the tear stains on her face and the uniform were strong hints of what she had been doing. But now she had a job to do. There would be time for more crying later, if she survived this, of course. First of all, she needed to see Captain Ives freed and restored to operational command. She had found herself in Deck 07, possibly a dangerous location. But then, nowhere on the
Theurgy could be considered safe at the moment. So with that in mind, she snuck out of the turbolift and made her way into some hiding spot, where she might be able to compose a plan of approach. She needed to know what was going on.
Ideas were not coming to her while she hid out, running through her own mind the things she wanted to say to assure Captain Ives of where she stood with the crew of the
Theurgy, and him/her. That was when she realized that she was very close to "Below Decks", where she could hear voices. In fact, the commanding one sounded familiar. She crouched low to the ground, and strained her ears to pick up on the voice of Wenn Cinn.
[ Wenn Cinn ] "Alright, sorry about that, we needed to sort some things out before we got the plan under way. Now we are going to be having the crew split up, we need to form three groups. One will go with me to the shuttle bay and work to rescue the captain and any other detained crew. The second will go with Lieutenant Lance and work to keep the mutineers distracted. The last group shall remain here, this group shall consist of anyone who is injured or unfit to enter a combat situation, those left behind shall work together to fortify the location and help anyone that is wounded recover."
Hmmm! Henshaw thought. She had found other loyalists it seemed, and they were forming a group to rescue Captain Ives. Whatever happened, she was now determined to join them, and help with the rescue of the captain.
[ Wenn Cinn ] "I will need at least one person who is familiar with the shuttle bays and the layout to come with my team. At the very least my team needs six people besides myself. One of which needs to be a trained engineer who can disable a forcefield, one needs to be familiar with transporter use and operations and the rest need to be combat trained in some degree...we need to move quickly and quietly through the ship. Anyone else who has some combat experience and doesn't mind the prospect of getting into combat situations should join up with Lieutenant Lance's team and move to deck 5 to draw attention away from the rest of us."
It seemed like it was time to announce her presence. She snuck back out to the entrance, and then made a more overt and open approach towards the popular hangout, staying out of sight of any trigger-happy individuals, and she loudly rapped on the hull walls with her knuckles, followed by slapping her palm once, making sure the group gathered in Below Decks heard the noise, and she quickly said, "Don't shoot! I am unarmed."
Raising her hands upwards in a demonstration of surrender and no armaments, she then said, "I'm coming in." And she stepped into Below Decks, moving slowly, carefully. She was certain sudden movements would be the end of her.
"Ensign Cameron Henshaw." She said, keeping her hands up, "Captain's yeoman."
Lahkesis Saugn | Sickbay
Lahkesis stayed at her friend's side. Her uncertainty played across her face. The whole situation, both inside sickbay and in the rest of the ship caused her untold amounts of anxiety. It was difficult for her to put into words, and no she felt as if there was a risk of her losing her only friend. She knew she had the medical training to handle any situation that came about. She knew what drugs and about what doses to cause the Vulcan mind to basically 'reset'. That would be the last resort measure, mostly because it would require near direct neural stimulation and any false move could do a great deal of damage.
And then a question formed in her mind. Something Maya had said stood out. "You've been using Lexorin regularly?" she asked the concern in her voice rising. Though the drug was not overly harmful, regular usage of it could cause an increased tolerance to the drug. It was a variable that would need to be taken into account before the meld could take place. She bit her lips nervously. "We may need to increase the dose we give you accordingly. You might be building up a tolerance."
(http://data1.whicdn.com/images/12534680/thumb.jpg)
| Rory Callahan | Below Decks | Deck 07 | 1300 Hours]
Setting the bottle of eyedrops down when Quake seemed distracted, Rory went off to get glasses along with pitchers of water and the rations. He hadn't said anything about using a phaser. Hell he didn't trust himself with one but he trusted his fists and he had the advantage of being a civilian, of not being thought of as a threat, being able to use the element of surprise on one or two people at a time. He could have taken those communicators to somewhere off the wall, leading Vasser's people somewhere and just say he found them.
But no, he was nothing. Just like when he'd been on the Harbinger. In the old days they used to call for every man to raise arms. Then women were included in those ranks. Anyone with some semblance of intelligence could be useful. Here though, he was stripped of dignity and humanity, told to fetch water and food like a servant or even a slave. Bringing out another couple of pitchers which he set on the bar, he determined it was probably enough for them for now so he retreated back to the one storage room so he wouldn't be underfoot.
Not for the first time since everything went to hell again, he thought of Natalie. They had that wonderful night and she'd made him feel like a man again. It hadn't been the intimacy, that had only been a part of it all. It had been the fact she talked to him, encouraged him to try to find things to help the crew, but not everyone was as wonderful and understanding as Natalie. "I hope yer okay, Darlin', that those bastards don' get t' ye," he muttered morosely.
[ Wenn Cinn | Below Decks | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy | 1300 Hours ]
As there cam a voice asking for fire to be held Wenn stopped his talk and turned to look to see who had just com in. As he spotted Ensign Henshaw he stopped and stared at her before turning to face the woman and crossed his arms in front of his chest. His face shifted into the beginning of a scowl as he looked at her, he knew who she was, and he did not trust her to be on the side of Captain Ives considering her position and alleged role in thins that were happening.
As she sad who she was and her position Wenn raised a hand and waved off Cameron. "I know who you are Ensign, I saw you at the meeting before this all went down. I must admit though that I did not expect you to be the one to come here to confront us." He walked towards her and stood in front of her before assuming a firm stance. "So what brings you here? Have you been sent in to give us an ultimatum? do you intend to be Vasser's mouthpiece, coming here to try and buy us out? Or were you simply sent to find out what the gathering on this deck was about?" He squinted as he looked at the young woman, he did not for a second think that the Ensign might just be there to try and join up with them.
Wenn Cinn as instantly making plans for what to do with the latest visitor...he figured that she would best be left here. He would need to leave her com badge, with all the other being taken away then the mutineers might think that they had killed her and left hr body hr while they moved out through the ship to do their plan. Of course depending on ho much she knew she might be useful in finding out the strength of the mutiny, and of course if he brought her along she might be able to gain access to the ship computers for them to exploit.But first he need to her her out though.
[ Cameron "Cam" Elizabeth Henshaw | Below Decks | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: Wenn Cinn(https://tinyurl.com/m2l222r)
"I guess that makes everyone on board this ship...maybe even me..." she replied casually to Cinn's remark about not expecting her of all people to come to him. She lowered her hands, folding her left hand to lightly hold on to her right arm as the imposing Bajoran approached to stand before her, and she looked away. Her eyes were still red-rimmed from all the crying she had done in the turbolift, and her nose a shade of red.
She listened to his barrage of questions that followed, and was a little disheartened. So they assumed she was working on behalf of Vasser, a man she was starting to think of less as a captain and more as a mere opportunistic, murderous pirate. In a ways though, Cinn inspired a sensation within the her heart. It felt like a twinge at first, but it quickly grew into a fire she was not even sure that she had, but her eyes were blazing now, and she lifted her head proudly to look up at Cinn.
"No ultimatums, sir." She said, "And I would be a poor mouthpiece for that fool, considering I wouldn't have the slightest clue what he would want me to say, since I am not one of his. I also was not aware of you lot until I actually drew close enough to hear voices...but now for your most valuable question, as to what brought me here; it is my intention to see Captain Jien Ives restored to command, and that bloody bitch T'Rena and the renegade Vasser brought to justice. Is that good enough?"
As she spoke, her own anger - not at Cinn, but the overall situation - rising, caused inflections of her British accent to slip into her pronounciations, and her false American was gradually bleeding away. The overall strain was getting to her, and normally she still had to concentrate to hide her accent, something which she was having a hard time doing right now, since she was standing here looking at powerful individuals, who were also armed, unlike her. Moreover, they didn't trust her, and that was getting her annoyed, since she felt this was wasting time. Time which could be spent getting over to Jien Ives sooner. At this point, she didn't care about anything else, other than seeing him/her restored to command, and also perhaps, realizing that she held little to no loyalty to Vasser any longer.
She decided that a passionate outburst was sufficient to get her point across, but now to also sell her skills and make it available to Cinn, seeing as he seemed to be the one in command here, and let him see the tactical value to having her along, even if unarmed. She glanced around at everyone present, and looked at Rory a little longer, before turning her eyes upon Cinn once more, and she lowered her hands to either side of her, her fists clenched. She had to choose her words carefully, since they already seemed on edge about her being from the
Harbinger once, it would not do well to let them know she'd been listening to them prior to making her presence known.
"I have training in engineering. I can help out in that regard. I am also trained in rudimentary hand-to-hand and ranged combat, of course. I am the yeoman to Captain Jien Ives, so one way or another, I'm going to have him freed, with or without your help. I'm going, no question. And if you won't have me along, then to hell with you, I'll get him out myself."
She drew on a little psychology and common sense here. By declaring absolute determination to participate in freeing Captain Ives, meant that it would be more sound and better to coordinate with her and have her along, rather than have her going off on her own, and not having a clue what she might do along the way. Plus, the alternative left to Cinn would be to stun her, tie her up and leave her prisoner here, which would be as good as tying up and wasting resources on something valuable that would clearly be better use as help on an already dangerous venture.
[ Dr. Nicander | Reclamation Center | Waste Management | Deck 03 ] Attn: Heather McMillan & Hylota Vojona
Too late had the darkness inside stirred and animated his limbs, given strength to the host body. Lucan had not really felt the last blows against his ribcage, but the first blows to his face and torso had struck true - sent his mind against the edge of oblivion and unconsciousness. All of the beating he had received had bruised and bloodied him, but as the darkness bled out of the abyss of his soul, it nullified the pain - cleared his head instantly.
The creature that wore Lucan like a glove regretted the years of resistance - being quenched for far too long and not yet having assumed full control. The doctor's motivations and will was too strong, besides the fact that the Câroon species and their minds were almost impenetrable. It was only through physical possession that the nameless darkness had been able to exert a link to the doctor's mind, and after several years, it was only when the doctor's iron clutch on his semblance of sanity truly slipped that it could rise to the surface. Such an instance had come...
...and gone. The Ovri dealt with the Cadet, and the creature inside wanted to lash out in ire and quench its thirst for blood. Yet the doctor reclaimed control when the beating ceased... and Lucan sunk down on one knee. Vaguely, he felt Hylota catch him and help him away from the railing, but the agony coursing through his nervous system forced him to lie down on the deck plates - ending up on his side and raising a shaking, tattooed hand to his face. More than anything, it was his pride that hurt the worst, and the irritation of almost having lost control to the thing inside. If the darkness had claimed control, it wouldn't just have killed the Cadet. It would have struck down the women and taken its sweet time with them before throwing all three bodies into the processing pit. Nurse Vojona had no idea just how fortunate it was hat she had acted so quickly. Odd, how he came to accept the liability of the beast's will yet again...
The voices of the women reverberated in his aching head. They asked him how he fared, and urged for haste. To leave, since the Cadet had revealed their position.
"I'm here, I'm here," he grated thickly and fell over on his back. It felt like he had bit the side of his tongue, and he flexed his jaw to ease some of the throbbing ache in his face. He ran his fingers down the side of his countenance, feeling that the young man had split the skin over his cheekbone with his knuckles. It was hard to tell how his ribs had fared, but nothing felt broken. "Just remind me, next time, that I am a doctor... not some bloody commando."
Awkwardly, he got up on his hands and knees, and shook his head to clear his mind - soon getting up on his feet. He put a hand against the throbbing pain in one of his sides and spat out some blood before talking again. "Miss McMillan, would you please prepare the canisters with the anti-grav generators? We need... six of them. Nurse... could you remove his uniform jacket and his trousers? We might be able to use them to bundle up the canisters... and we could carry them to the turbolift. Yes, we have to brave the corridors, because in the condition we are in... we will be too slow and too loud... if we use the Jefferies tubes the last of the way. Go, go. Hurry."
He swallowed down the bile in his throat and went to lean heavily on the railing. He tried to assemble some order to his thoughts. "I'm no good with a rifle, but I have two good arms. With the generators attached, I could carry all the canisters if they are put into two bundles. One of you will have to watch our back and warn us if we get company. The other one have to take the rifle and take point. Quick, does either of you know how to point that thing?"
The seconds ticked away, and more mutineers would be there any moment.
[ Tessa May Lance (https://fc00.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2014/219/0/d/tessa_row_01_by_auctor_lucan-d7u6mx6.png) | USS Theurgy | Below Decks | Deck 07 | 1300 hours ]
Tessa found Cameron Henshaw's offer to help hard to believe. When the pixie-cutted ginger identified herself as the captain's yeoman, the golden-eyed brunette couldn't resist asking "Which captain?" Henshaw was a recent transfer from the Harbinger and for her not to have had a role in the current mutiny was harder to believe than Wenn Cinn coming back from the dead.
She listened carefully and watched Cinn's face to see how he reacted to Henshaw's story. When the ginger haired ensign was finished Goldeneye had her own suggestion.
"Sir I recommend she goes with my group," Tessa smirked. Who better to join the decoy party than the spy?
OOC: My personal opinion is the opposite of Tessa's. Henshaw needs to redeem herself in front of Jien Ives if she's going to continue being his yeoman. It's more dramatic if she has a personal role in his rescue.
[ Maya (https://fc02.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2014/219/e/7/maya_row_01_by_auctor_lucan-d7u6n3n.png) | Main Sickbay | Deck 07 | 1300 hours ]
"You've been using Lexorin regularly?" Lahkesis asked as she and Maya obtained a sample of the drug from the medical supply room near the back entrance to main sickbay. The concern in the willowy redhead's voice was unmistakable, even to someone who had grown up without hearing a voice of concern.
"Only when I perform a mind touch for medical reasons," the little Vulcan assured her as they left the medical storage room and made their way back to the biobed where the unconscious Cir'Cie was waiting for them. "My last dose was after Lieutenant Morali's operation," she admitted, remembering the near disaster that was just this morning. That Sarresh Morali's psychical recovery was as successful as it was made it easy to believe that Wenn Cinn had returned from the dead. The fact that superstition still existed in this day and age was surprisingly easy to accept. "I am the only physician aboard qualified to make mental contact as a medical treatment. It seemed prudent to procure a supply."
"Unfortunately the medication could interfere with telepathy," Maya admonished as they approached the biobed and the comatose Vulcan restrained on it. "We will have to administer the drug after I've made contact, and even then only in small doses."
"I am ready to proceed," Maya declared as she massaged her fingers. "Give the patient half a milliliter of Masiform D. It should bring her to a semiconscious state that will be receptible without being overly resistant to my influence. Now I must have quiet," she said as she placed the fingertips of her large spiderlike hands on the other Vulcan's face. "My mind is your mind," she whispered as she closed her large hazel eyes. "My thoughts are your thoughts..."
OOC: Edited Maya's reply to get the ball rolling.
[Sten Covington | USS Theurgy | Below Decks | Deck 7 | 1300 ]
Finally, work was getting under way. And Sten was busy, walking between clumps of activity even as he chewed on an emergency ration. These new ones weren't bad. Better than their previous iteration, but nowhere near as good as their predecessor. One had to wonder why they'd change such a good thing. But then again, there were always people willing to reinvent the wheel to justify their existence, or avoid being reassigned away from a cushy job.
The distraction devices his people were assembling were almost done and the two ordnance techs were just then gutting a PADD and a handful of commbadges to provide the detonator and initiation circuitry, which would set off the devices about half a second after materializing with a blinding flash and a deafening boom. Anyone within five meters or so might be showered with a bit of light shrapnel, but still the devices should not prove lethal.
And just as the Chief of the Deck encouraged his men further, an unlikely head popped in. What was her name? Henshaw? She was the Captain's yeoman, a young little thing originally from the Harbinger. And rightfully, she was viewed with a great deal of suspicions.
The grizzled Chief Warrant Officer said nothing at first, simply observing. As a forty year veteran, he had a finely honed sense for detecting bullshit and it wasn't going off. In fact, he was inclined to believe her. However, he stepped directly in front of the petite ensign, dwarfing her with his bulk and looked directly into her eyes, his pale gaze boring into hers. "Ma'am, look me in the eye and say that again."
Anyone who knew of Sten Covington or even of his reputation knew one thing for certain: lying to him was damn hard, and never a good idea. And now, he was putting the gingernut to the test.
(http://data1.whicdn.com/images/12534680/thumb.jpg)
| Rory Callahan | Below Decks | Deck 07 | 1300 Hours]
"Face it Rory, you're worthless an' sulkin' 'bout it," he muttered to himself, digging through a few boxes and pulling out a couple of bottles of liquor. "Might as well get drunk, jus' like ye did on tha' damn planet," he continued to grumble and then several random thoughts shot through his mind.
Stepping back to the doorway, he peeked out and saw the Starfleet crew at one of the exits, still arguing amongst each other. Turning his head, he looked at the other exit ... clear. A slow smile formed and he grabbed a box cutter which he stuffed into his pocket and then the two bottles.
While the others were arguing, he held his breath as he slipped out and moved naturally toward a table close to the exit. A glance at the others proved no one was really looking his way which gave his long legs all the chance they needed to stride right out that door and away from those who only saw him good enough for a water boy.
It had been the thought of Natalie, more so the thought that the beautiful woman was being hurt, that had galvanized him and he knew she would be on the bridge. They had planned to meet again after her shift but things were so crazy now that he had a feeling her shift wasn't going to end anytime soon ... or would end too soon.
(To Subjection Tread)
[ Axius vel Onea | USS Theurgy | Below Decks | Deck 07 | 1300 hours ]
Heartbeats were a strange thing. They were a rhythm, a constant metronome in the symphony of life - contracting and retracting in unison to pull and push blood through your veins. Heartbeats were a reminder that even when you're out of tempo in the sea of society, you always have yourself to look in to.
Listening to one's own heartbeat was a practice Axius knew very well. He didn't truly express his emotions in the healthiest way possible, a characteristic very unique when it came to Câroon individuals. Instead of talking or crying or raging, he kept it inside a small box, tucked away in the corner of his mind, taking up space that could be used somewhere else productively. So when he did check into this little black box, Axius made sure his heart was beating, listening to the pumping inside of his chest to remind himself he was well and humble.
He needed this as he assembled the puzzle of this plan. This outrageous feat of reconquering what was taken from them and saving their commanding officer. Axius vel Onea needed to know that emotions were not going to interfere with his goal just as they were interfering with his thoughts right now.
Focus, he told himself, emerging back into reality.
Axius stood in his ridiculous surgical scrubs in lieu of his uniform, arms crossed after he had awkwardly confronted his superior officer, pack member, and friend about her disbelief in the validity of the Lieutenant Commander. He nodded along almost passionately as he preached about his whereabouts -- the struggle he had to go through after his resurrection in order to end up where he was now. When the chief looked at him with a gratuitous grin, he smiled back with a nod.
He then watched Papa Bear order Chavez to retrieve the firearms Rory had spoken about, witnessing the finicky deck sloth scramble for the phasers behind the counter of the bar.
His head darted across the room, inhaling the words spoken by the officers like much-needed air, until he realized he wasn't needed at the moment. They were making tactical decisions, which explored levels beyond his spectrum of expertise. But one thing did ring, the comment about the actual strength of the mutineers. Wenn spoke the truth -- how could they be sure that this proposed strength of a unified crew wasn't just a facade? As he just explained, Vasser was capable of manipulation, but only when he has performers to dance out his choreography for him. Maybe they were just that. Performers. Puppets. Unable to cover the actual force they are said to have.
"Isn't it possible that they aren't as loyal as they seem as well?" He gathered his own thoughts before continuing, "Fear can do a lot of things to people. In this case it might be acting as a provocation of negative allegiance. Just something to remember when it comes time to face the Harbinger crew."
He trailed off, not realizing Callahan's efforts to subdue the pain of his stinging eyes, which again placed his palms on, exerting pressure in attempt to lessen the wave of sharpness. As they opened once more, illusionary phosphenes danced before him as the world came back into focus.
At this point, he realized the extent of his usefulness. He was a fighter pilot, a non-commissioned one at that. Goldeneye has the experience of a lieutenant, and Papa with the many years of service he clocked in. Axius only knew what was taught to him by Uzamaki or crash courses. Field fighting, like the altercation in the Fighter Bay, was logic. Fire. Duck. Fire. But the art of conversion wasn't as graceful as he would like if it wasn't behind a flight jacket and white Valk hulls.
To make use of the moment, he grabbed the medkit, a reaction to the small injuries spotted on the bodies of other officers in the room. The metal case featured the human symbol of healthcare, a caduceus atop a science-division teal plate. He clicked it open, revealing the scarce inventory of medical equipment. Axius knew what the kit contained, every Starfleet officer, line or warrant, was required to know how to handle it.
The medical tricorder rang to life in his hands as he examined the officers in the room, gliding the dermal regenerator over any cuts or scrapes they had suffered in their escape from death. As he found his way to the weezing ensign sitting down, he grasped the hypospray, pre-loaded with a cocktail of six different medicines. Cordrazine for heart failure, Misinform-D, acting as a stimulant to failed systems, melenex for anesthesia, and the stapled tri-ox compound, for oxygenating damaged red blood cells. Just a push of one of the six smaller buttons would select the correct dosage and substance for the patient. In this case, he administered the standard 15 ccs of the oxygen, calming down her breathing as she panicked.
Along treating the room, he came along to Rory, finally noticing the eyedrops he had left for him. "I assume you're not injured are you?" he asked jokingly, knowing he had been safe in the tavern. He continued to say a thanks for the saline, but was interrupted by the calling of a thin, female voice. Unrecognizable, she emerged.
Cam Henshaw, the yeoman he never got to know. She was neutral to him, neither good nor bad in her reputation. Only the reaction of his crew seemed to influence his thoughts, but Axius seemed to bypass her presence as he walked, medkit over his shoulder, to Papa Bear, interrupting him to ask if he wanted his wounds treated.
OOC: My greatest apologies for my lengthy inactivity. There have been a lot of personal and work-related issues I'd rather forget than discuss, and it really made me realize what a bitch life can be sometimes. But I hope I've caught up on the posts I've missed. If I've left anything out, please let me know. Thanks.
[ Hylota Vojona | Reclamation Center | Waste Management | Deck 03 ] Attn: Auctor Lucan & Always A Healer
Hylota wanted to do more for her commanding officer, but he was right, they had very little time so she had to act quickly. Hylota patted his back before she rushed over to the unconscious form of the cadet and she began to pull off his uniform. It took her a a few moment to get it going, but once she got the garment moving Hylota was surprisingly efficient at working with one arm when she did not try to incorporate it back into her actions. As Hylota worked to get the cadet fully stripped before she brought the uniform back to Lucan and listened to him talk about the rifle.
"Alright, You can carry the canisters, and I mean no offence her Heather." She turned and raised her one good hand up in defense of her statement. "I would feel much safer if he woman who tripped five times in the few minutes it took to get here was not the one carrying a lethal weapon." She looked to to the rifle and she sighed. ''I am not the best with a weapon, but my arms are strong and despite what happened with the canisters I am quite efficient with one hand for many tasks." Se went and picked up the rifle and put its shoulder strap on. She took a bit of effort to get used to the carrying, but Hylota was able to get a handle on it after a while.
Looking to the door Hylota bounced the weapon in her arm and nodded as she considered the ability to carry it as she was. It was a little uneasy, but if she held it just right she could have the shoulder strap take part of the eight and she could carry the rifle easily enough. Hylota smiled as she nodded."Alright I think that this will work well enough. I might be a bit slow with this, but it is a better option than other options." She looked to Lucan an Heather before moving towards the door and looking don the hall to make sue that no one was coming for them yet.
[ Wenn Cinn | Below Decks | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy | 1300 Hours ]
Cinn listened to everyone weigh in on the situation with the yeoman and when he say Sten prepared to weigh in on weather she was telling the truth or not he decided that he should voice some matters of his own. "Listen, she will not be going with you on he distraction team, to have someone who might be a traitor in your midst while you are working on a distraction could lead you to your doom. She could give way your location and your purpose in one fell swoop." He shook his head and looked to Cameron. "No if she is honest I shall take her with me. It would be better to take her instead of someone you could use on your team."
He looked to Sten. "If she is lying we shall leave her here. And no matter that her com badge remains in this room, it will work as a good protective measure to have her here to make it look like she was abandoned, it will protect those that we have here and will likely ensure that this place is a little safer for the base that we will be setting up." He stroked his chin as he turned back to Cameron and looked at her. "And do not think I did not hear you, but thank you for being quiet while I converse with the others here. I can understand how having your motives questioned can have you a bit on edge...considering I just sorted through that a few moments before you came in."
Turning back to face the Ensign he spoke to her in a calm clean vice that was showing more respect than before. "Now if you truly man what you said just follow through with what Sten has asked from you and we can act accordingly." He pointed to her com badge. "But first I would like you to take that off and out it on the ground, I get he feeling you like so many others jut forgot about it after this all started to happen, it is not often that we are encouraged to go without our badges." Wenn Cinn was much more understanding now after he had tan a moment to step back and this about things. He also figured that if she was a traitor that the captain would be quite interested in repaying her for the favor.
[ Heather McMillan | Reclamation Center | Waste Management | Deck 03 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: Lucan cin Nicander & Hylota Vojona(https://tinyurl.com/k36v3c3)(https://tinyurl.com/m74m4d6)
"Yes doc-..." McMillan's words died on her as she tried to help the man. Then Vojona made a comment about McMillan's proclivity for tripping over her own feet, causing the young woman to blush a little as she moved to obey the instructions given to her by Nicander. She slapped on the anti-grav generators on each of the cannisters. Now at least, it'll be like lifting a bunch of bulky featherweights. Under these conditions, even she could lift the whole bundle by herself. And she smiled tiredly at Nicander.
"All done." She said.
She nodded at Vojona who hefted the rifle, and added, since none of them appear to be truly trained for combat, "Besides, if need be, I can take it apart and use its components for other things. A rifle is more than just a weapon."
It seemed a better idea to have as many resources available for them to use as they went along. There was no telling what they might need, and McMillan preferred to be overprepared rather than the opposite. She then began to fill the cannisters into Wilkinson's clothes for Nicander to carry. When she was done, she straightened up and walked on her tip-toes to the doctor, her hair trailing behind her like wisps in the water, and settling down very slowly when she stopped moving.
They were as ready as they were ever going to be, and it was time to leave.
[ Cameron "Cam" Elizabeth Henshaw | Below Decks | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: Wenn Cinn, Sten Covington, Tessa May Lance & Axius vel Onea(https://tinyurl.com/m2l222r)
Henshaw cast a glance at Lance, and from a quick look, it seemed like the woman did not care for a word that she had said, and the way she smirked, suggested that she may have had less than pleasant plans for Henshaw if she was forced to accompany her. Worrying or fretting over the woman's reaction would be counterproductive right now, and so she chose to simply disregard her. Trust was hard to come by at this very moment, so it was understandable. Apologies and proper trust-building can be made later, depending on who was left.
One of the officers regarded her with a look, but went on over to Cinn to speak with him, and Cinn himself was moved aside by the imposing Sten Covington, who instructed her to repeat what she had said. They were really dragging this out, but she understood, while time was of the essence, it wasn't really easy to form trust so easily when tensions were this high between two crews. There had barely been time to build friendships between the crews when Vasser pulled his
coup de tat too, so...with a resigned sigh, Henshaw prepared herself to make a repeat of her statements.
She looked up quickly at Cinn when he added that she needed to take off her combadge.
Oh, of course. She should have thought of that too, combadges could be tracked. And she did not want Sjaandin Fedd getting between her and her goals again, so she compliantly snapped off the badge and handed it to Cinn with a gentle nod. At least the Bajoran man was being reasonable. Cautious, but reasonable nonetheless. And from Covington's posture and demeanour, she guessed that older man was not someone to be trifled with, and presumably someone that was good at reading others. Good, she could count on him to settle the matter for her.
She was certain of her own intents and motives at the least, so while she had taken a step back, looking slightly surprised, since Cinn was already breaking her personal space, and for the other man to step even closer was unnerving, but she did not shift her overall expressions, and she stood her ground, looking into Covington's eyes as instructed, her own soft brown eyes, both gentle and yet strong. "I said, as the yeoman of Captain
Jien Ives..."
She cast a look at Lance, the smirking woman, who had also been talked down by Cinn on her behalf, and pronounced Ives' name with more volume and certainty than was necessary, just to affirm to the other woman just which captain she was yeoman to, and then continued, "...I have a duty to him, and his crew. So, while it is within my capacity to do so, I will assist him and his crew in anyway possible to see order restored, and the captain restored to command in the best and swiftest way possible."
Now she shifted her position, letting her shoulders slump a little. Holding a passionate and angry stance was draining, and she was trying to save everything she had for what she suspected was going to be a hard fight to get to Ives, and proving to him/her where her loyalties lay. So she looked over at Cinn, first. The Bajoran, if nothing else, would at least give her the benefit of the doubt, and she had to make sure she took care not to disappoint or betray his trust in the slightest. In the current state of affairs, that would be tantamount to putting a phaser into her mouth with full power and pulling the trigger.
Next, she looked back at what she presumed now was the team's walking lie-detector, and gazed steadfastly at his eyes, "Sir, I won't deny that I was compromised repeatedly, and I was right there on the bridge when it all happened, I watched Helmsman Winterbourne get executed right before my eyes."
She paused and closed her eyes for a moment, unable to shake off the sight of the young fellow ensign, who, for his bravery, paid dearly with his life. The Vulcan was cold and emotionless in her execution. She used to think Vulcans could never be evil, but T'Rena was, in every sense of the word, the devil's wife.
No...not his wife, his mother. The thoughts began to fuel her anger and fury once more, so when she snapped her eyes back open, she looked up determinedly at Covington. "I have been fortunate so far, and I cannot allay all suspicions on me right now, I know, but all the same, I ask to be allowed to follow whoever's going to be rescuing the captain."
She straightened up and put her back into it after that. Now awaiting the judgement of the leaders of this group. She was acutely aware of the eyes on her, and those that were preoccupied with making their own preparations. It was drawing close to the time of action. And she was going to be part of it, one way or another.
[ Dr. Nicander | Leaving Waste Management | Deck 03 ] Attn: Zenozine & Triage
When everything was set, which took well under a minute when Lucan moved to assist with tying up the bundles with the clothes from the Cadet, it was long overdue to leave the area. More mutineers were inbound, and they would stand no chance fighting them. As soon as they were readied, Lucan seized the necks of the two bundles and set a grim pace out through the door in Nurse Vojona' wake. The relatively small antechamber of Waste Management lay empty, and there were no movements or sounds from the sliding doors that led to the corridor. "Hurry, we might still make it out of here before they arrive..."
It was cumbersome to move because of the size of the load he carried, but not because of the weight. When Hylota would survey the corridor outside, they were still in luck since no movements could be seen. Only a few scorch-marks on the bulkheads from phaser fire. "Towards the aft," he hissed quietly - but not unkindly - to give directions to the Nurse, since this was not her ship until two days ago. "That way."
Once they were descending the corridor, there was more room to move, and Lucan could square his shoulders and set a higher pace - even though the bundles kept hitting his chins and knees awkwardly with each step. They were motley company that sped towards the turbolifts, Lucan realised in bitter irony of the situation he had gotten himself into. An Ovri with only one usable arm that was trying to wield and assault rifle, a xenobiologist that kept tripping over her own two feet, and then himself; the careful deceiver who was all about control, instead finding himself far out of his waters. This was not even mentioning he was the enemy of the people around him. Why did he always end up having to protect the cattle he was supposed to lead to slaughter?
The corridor to the turbolifts was curved, so there was no satisfying way to take cover before they came into view. This being the case, it might have come as a surprise to all three of them when someone stepped into view - a tall human male with an assault rifle of his own. He wore a combadge, and the face belonged to a Harbinger crewman, which both spoke for the fact that he was one of the mutineers. He saw the three of them a moment after they laid their eyes on him.
"Fire!" called Lucan and ducked to the floor, spilling a couple of canisters from one of the bundles. The Harbinger crewman opened fire against them too.
Behind them, there were noises of running feet - the echo travelling the titanium bulkheads towards them. Four people. One of the search parties. The situation was deteriorating by the moment. Mind racing, panic threatening to take hold, Lucan took a deep breath... let it out... and laid a tattooed hand against the floor. The zi'naaq inside him lit up - a vane light compared to past potency. His eyes flared white, and he drained the energy flow beneath his hand with his inborn abilities. The lights of the corridor shuddered and went out - momentarily preventing sight. Only sharp phaser beams cutting the darkness.
Yet when the lights returned, only a mere second later... he'd discern where to release the energy absorbed.
[Sten Covington | USS Theurgy | Below Decks | Deck 7 | 1300 ]
The difference in sizes was stark between the Chief of the Deck and the Ensign. But to her credit, she did not try to backpedal and create space between the two of them. And he too stood his ground, towering over her. But he did not have to wait long for her to start talking.
She was calm but there was no denying the levels of stress beneath that. After all, she was being fairly interrogated by a man with an ability to detect bullshit from two sectors away, honed by four decades of experience dealing with officers making excuses and enlisted men trying to justify their shortcomings. And he never let either get away with it.
When she mentioned the helmsman murder on the Bridge, it was followed by the telltale signs of horror that was felt by most people who witnessed such events. No, the girl was being honest all right. And looking up from her, he met the Lieutenant Commander's eyes.
"Sir, she's telling the truth."
And that was that. The decision wasn't his to make on this subject but the Bajoran's. He had done his part to advise him. Perhaps Goldeneye would rather have her on hand, but she was likely to be disappointed on that count. But it was a good thing. With Henshaw following Wenn, it meant Tessa would be able to focus on the task at hand and not on that slip of a girl.
[ Wenn Cinn | Below Decks | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy | 1300 Hours ]
Cinn let things play out and just observed for a moment. He had been rushing headlong into his rescue plan at a pace that might put the crew at risk, he needed to stop and just take in the situation for a moment and let things unfold, if he kept going like he was bound to make a mistake and cost them lives. As he waited and listened he took in the information that Cameron had about the mutiny and he assessed what she had to say. Listening to it all he could see the shifts in her stature as she spoke about her feelings and tried to put words to what she had to express.
Wenn Cinn could tell that there was true emotion behind what Cameron was saying, and he reminded himself that this was the Theurgy, they were a family, he had already made a big deal out of convincing people that they needed to tick together and not cu off their left hand to try an move faster. He should take some of his own advice and stop being a hypocrite...that was as long as Sten said she was not lying. Granted if she as not being honest about the helmsman she as going to be getting a fist to the face first thing right off the bat.
with the news that she was not though Wenn Cinn nodded and patted the veteran on the shoulder. "Thank you Sten, I will take her with me to work the force fields, you keep that technician you were suggesting to me, I think we could put them to good use here to ensure that this area cannot be overrun on a whim." He looked from Sten to Tessa. "Now I want your tea to stick together, one large group will likely lead to them trying to contain you, if you break up I fear they might try and eliminate you by swarming over each smaller team." He crossed his arms over his chest. "But I trust your judgment here Lieutenant, keep your squad safe." He smiled slightly. "I owe you a drink when this is all over." He nodded to them both.
Turning his attention back to Cameron he got back to his game face. "Now, you are coming along with me. You will be in charge of carrying the flash charges and some basic gear to help take own the fields, to allow you to keep a hand free you will be given a standard phaser not a rifle. These mutineers have been taking great efforts to remain on the stun setting, so we shall do the same to avoid conflicts later on, I do not care if you see Vasser himself, we shoot to stun." He pointed to a table. "Be sure to leave your com badge here, we cannot risk you being tracked through the ship. Also I would like for you to to stick to the middle of the party on the way down to the shuttle bay. It will make you easier to defend, when we get into the brig you will be the back while we clear the room. Do you understand?" His words were not done in a rude manner, Wenn was giving orders to Cameron to follow, making sure that she knew her role.
[ Hylota Vojona | USS Theurgy |Leaving Waste Management | Deck 03 ] Attn: Auctor Lucan & Triage
Hylota moved along with Lucan through the corridors making sure that she remained to the wall near wherever there was a curve or turn in the corridor was so that she would have the drop on anyone coming down after them, and Lucan would be able to jump back and not run into her. As they walked though Hylota began to be bit worried, they had not ran into anyone, and the lack of alarms on this level had Hylota thinking that the cadet had just been an unfortunate man in the wrong place at the wrong time. Getting lucky and hearing the canister she had dropped, it was this thinking that had Hylota hoping that the others were on the deck below them and they were not on their way down to them.
As they neared the turbolift Hylota was beginning to feel like they might just be able to make it out of here without having to fire a shot. And then as if the universe was just taking a shit on her hopes a man stepped into view and shattered all hopes of a stealthy getaway. Hylota pressed herself to the wall, taking advantage of it to help stabilize her own shots, Hylota waited for Lucan to fall back before she pulled the trigger to give him some covering fire, driving back the crewman for a moment before things went black.
Hylota's dark eyes opened their secondary lid to allow more light in as her heart was pounding in her chest. Hylota saw the to bursts of light and the vivid detail of the space around her as the situation drove Hylota into fight or flight mode, her boy was running at a mile a minute as she lined her weapon up with her she had seen the first beam of light and she fired, the beam striking out and barely missed until Hylota swung the rifle across the hall, it would not likely give enough of a hit on anyone to knock them out, but it was enough to illuminate their locations and stun them for a moment.
Sloppily lining her rifle back up Hylota aimed for the closest mutineer and fired again, managing to hit them long enough to send them onto their back unconscious. But Hylota could not keep it up, her mind did not let her remain in one spot while fighting, she had to move or else she would be pinned don and taken out. in a split second decision Hylota leapt to the side, rolling over her useless arm and going onto one knee Hylota lowly began to line up her next shot an she prayed she would have enough time to get it in before one of the mutineers recovered enough to shoot back.
[ Heather McMillan | Leaving Waste Management | Deck 03 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: Lucan cin Nicander & Hylota Vojona(https://tinyurl.com/k36v3c3)(https://tinyurl.com/m74m4d6)
"Ooph!" McMillan tripped, and fell flat on her face while trailing behind Nicander. Just as well she was out of his range or she would have bumped into him. "Clumsy me."
She kept her voice down to a whisper, and it was a good thing, since the place was eerily empty. While she seldom got out of her lab or quarters, McMillan was not used to such empty corridors. There was
always somebody walking from one place to another, keeping the corridors filled with life. The sad part was that right now, the lack of life signs was a good thing.
The good thing they had going lasted a short while only, however, and too short a time at that. She barely had time to register that there was yet another hostile situation, and she squeaked in panic, and quickly fell, this time voluntarily, and then rolled into a corner, trying to stay beyond the reach of the phasers, and her eyes widened when a beam nearly struck her where she had been a split second ago.
She glanced over at Nicander and Vojona. All three of them were not soldiers or fighters, and McMillan was a pacifist.
They were in trouble.
But there was a slim chance...if she decided to make the call. This would be the final curtain, so to speak. Once she did this, there was no denying that she was not human. The only problem was she would not be able to warn Nicander and Vojona to cover their eyes first, and she would have to guide them for a while until their eyes recovered from her flaring up as bright as the sun for a few seconds. Also, she would have to do a bit of a strip show and remove her coat and sweater so that she could maximize the ability with her entire body lighting up.
She raised her hands up protectively against the phaser fire and then hesitated when things went dark. Now what? Was the
Theurgy having some kind of malfunction? Lord knew that the ship was in dire need of fixing. But then the light came back on a short while later. And McMillan still was not sure what to do. She was frozen to the spot in fear. She wanted to help her new friends, but at the same time, she just wanted to get away from all this. She clenched her eyes shut, hugged the corner as tightly as she could, and felt the warmth of her own inner light seemingly pulsing. Light particles bent and formed around her, and she was, during the momentary darkness, engulfed. When the lights returned, there was no McMillan in sight.
[ Cameron "Cam" Elizabeth Henshaw | Below Decks | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: Wenn Cinn, Sten Covington, Tessa May Lance & Axius vel Onea(https://tinyurl.com/m2l222r)
Henshaw watched as Cinn gave the orders around. He was clearly in charge and seemed to know what he was doing. So she felt glad about that at least. While she was part of tactical command so to speak, she was more psychologist and an untested engineer than anything else. He thanked Covington, and then addressed Lance promising a drink, and Henshaw silently agreed everyone should have a drink after this. Speaking of which, where was Rory? She could have sworn she had seen him somewhere at some point. But she could not see him anywhere now. Her eyes did not wander about though, while she was curious, and instead kept her eyes forward and on the Bajoran man.
He looked all serious again, and Henshaw surmised that while Covington vouched for her honesty, this only bought her enough trust from Cinn that he was willing to let her join as a teammate, but she was still under scrutiny. In other words, no screwing up in even the slightest way, or she was likely to find a hole in her chest and back. So she assumed. As it was, Captain Ives was likely to put a hole in her nonetheless, and that thought stung her, but she knew what she would have to do if that were to happen. Not that she would blame the captain. Fedd's words were damning for her.
Cinn told her that she would follow him. Good. She would carry gear and flash charges. That was fine, but in truth, she could help Cinn even without the charges. If she recalled correctly, Federation-type force fields had a curious flaw in their energy matrix which she could take advantage of. But she supposed she would get to that when the time came for it. She was given a standard phaser, which suited her just fine. He was concerned for her state of mind though, she guessed, since he stated that even if she saw Vasser himself, she was to stun him, and not kill. She nodded at that, and checked her weapon to ensure it was set to stun.
"You're holding my combadge, sir." She reminded him quietly, and again, her false-American accent appeared to have dropped. She was intrigued that she was to be defended, as she was going to carry the essential gears and equipment, from the sounds of it. But it also meant everyone could keep an eye on her. However, there was some measure of trust given too, as they would have their backs to her when they reached the brig. But then, who would be crazy enough to attack an angry bunch like this? So she nodded at all the instructions and even as she spoke, she was being handed the things Cinn said she'd be carrying; she already got the phaser. "And, I understand. Ready when you are."
That was it. She stood ready to march out with the team.
[ Dr. Nicander | Leaving Waste Management | Deck 03 ] Attn: Zenozine & Triage
Hylota fought back as best as she might, this Dr. Nicander could discern when the lights returned. Two mutineers, perhaps, had fallen to the floor. As Lucan cast his flaring eyes about, he could no longer see Heather, but his immediate thoughts lay upon where to release the pent up energy in his body. The first mutineer - by the turbolifts - had retreated behind the curve of the corridor, while the search party behind them was trying to find cover from Hylota's phaser beams and return fire. The split second assessment leaned heavily towards neutralising the latter mutineers, so it was towards them that Lucan turned and cast up his tattooed hands.
They became the focal point of his released energies, which coursed through his zi'naaq and then flared to life beyond his out-stretched fingers. The plasma of the ship became his fiery retort. He smote the distance with fire, and the combustion was heard like a brief roar of flames. Weak, insufficient compared to their needs, yet enough to ignite the sleeves of their uniforms. Of course, the effect was that they panicked and dropped their weapons. Which was something positive, at least. In truth, Lucan would not have had it any other way, even if the thing inside had wanted him to sear them down to their bones. It would grant Hylota the opportunity to stun them both as soon as she got them in her sights.
The vertigo hit him like a sledge-hammer. His body taking the toll for the funnelled energy. He had raised to his feet when he lit the corridor, but now he fell to the side - leaning against the bulkhead. Fire was not his forte, and the price too high. The beating he had suffered a couple of minutes ago did not help matters in the least, and there was still one mutineer hiding down the corridor by the turbolifts.
A quick glance down that way proved his assumption wrong. The mutineer was lining up his sights to shoot them from behind their backs.
Lucan had no choice, curling his upper lip and throwing up one hand towards the returned threat. He could not conserve himself, bereft of such a choice. Wind was his strongest element, and the air of the whole corridor was set in motion when he struck out - making their clothes rustle and snap in the sudden gale. The dropped canisters rolled across the deck plates. These were just the peripheral effects, since the section further down the corridor was hit the worst. The mutineer staggered backwards and fell over - the beam from his assault rifle drawing a line across the ceiling. He struck his head, rolled over once, but did not loose the grip on his weapon.
Yet there was only so much Lucan could do, and the added strain upon his Câroon energy body after the second attack made him feel sick with weariness. He fell to his knees first, and it was more luck than anything that allowed him to cushion his fall with his forearm.
On the floor, he fought to stay concious, willed his eyes from closing. Deep breaths.... He sucked as much air as he could into his lungs, held his breath to let his blood claim the oxygen. He barely trusted himself to breathe out just yet, and hoped Hylota - or Heather, wherever she had hid - could take it from there. His hands and face felt cold and numb, and yet he remained alive and awake, and hoped to remain thus while his zi'naaq found proper balance.
[ Tessa May Lance (https://fc00.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2014/219/0/d/tessa_row_01_by_auctor_lucan-d7u6mx6.png) | USS Theurgy | Below Decks | Deck 07 ]
"Sir, she's telling the truth," Papa Bear assured Commander Cinn.
"Thank you Sten," the burly Bajorran replied. "I will take her with me to work the force fields, you keep that technician you were suggesting to me, I think we could put them to good use here to ensure that this area cannot be overrun on a whim."
When Cinn glanced over at Tessa, the pilot stepped forward. "Now I want your team to stick together, one large group will likely lead to them trying to contain you, if you break up I fear they might try and eliminate you by swarming over each smaller team." He paused and crossed his arms. "But I trust your judgment here Lieutenant, keep your squad safe." A ghost of a smile shone in his eyes. "I owe you a drink when this is all over," he nodded.
"Yes sir," Tessa smiled back. "I'll hold you to it,"
"You're holding my combadge, sir," Henshaw murmured.
"Oops, can't forget these," Tessa murmured as she took the collection of combadges from Cinn. She turned to the group. "All right I'm looking for volunteers," she announced in a louder voice as she walked across the room into the crowd. "Everybody in my group follow me. The bad guys will be overrunning this place in minutes unless we lead them away," she added as she headed to the exit. "Let's go, time is currency. Let's move out people!" She paused to check the setting on her phaser and headed out the door. She wasn't going to get a large team with that kind of recruiting tactic, but since she was leading the decoy group, she was hoping to keep her team small. No sense running more people through the mind field than necessary.
[ Axius vel Onea | USS Theurgy | Below Decks | Deck 07 | 1300 hours ]
Papa Bear was busy talking, and a simple grunt let Axius know it was okay to treat his superficial wounds, but not interrupt the discussion the rescue plan. He was to be a pawn in this game, letting the higher-ranking players tell him what needed to be done. And it did, in fact, need to be done.
He brought the regenerator to life, a dull blue light emanating from the apparatus as it was run across the burly body of Sten. The scratches began to seal, and bruises began to fade at the effects of the technology. Axius wasn't sure how it worked, but he was thankful Starfleet taught him how to use it.
It was then when they had finalized their plan, and they began to assemble their parties. One team would go to shuttlebay and transport themselves onto the brig using the vessel's transporters, and another would be the distractors. Axius knew where he needed to be.
"Excuse, Miss Henshaw, Commander Wenn?" he prowled for their attention, as they had not been giving such as he stepped quietly around Below Decks. "I think that I should follow your team."
He turned to Goldeneye and Papa, giving them a look of wanted approval as he split up the pack. "We need have all phasers on hand ready to get Ives out. This is not going to be trail and error, we have one shot to make it work."
[Sten Covington | USS Theurgy | Below Decks | Deck 7 | 1300 ]
With the matter of the yeoman settled, Papa Bear turned to the people readying themselves to move on one team or the other, or making ready to settle in for the long haul. There was no reaction to Wenn's offer for drinks once the dust settled, though. It was time to go to work.
After Tessa called out for volunteers, drawing only two volunteers, Covington's voice sounded, calling out names one after the other and detailing assignments. He might not know every crewman currently in the ship's lounge but he knew his people and whoever else fell under Ops. After all, he did head a sub-department under Natalie Stark and as such he'd become familiar with a number of them.
And so the veteran ensured there would be some of his men staying behind to hold Below Decks, while others would come with him yet leaving some available to the rescue team. As weapons were being redistributed for the last Quake approached him with a crazy notion about phasers. He might be a Master Chief, but he was so damned young. And inexperienced, obviously not seeing the whole operational picture. "Not happening. We've got better than fifteen hand phasers of various types and a half-dozen rifles. How are you planning to carry all that? And how about the rest of us? When Vasser comes for this place, how will it hold? Commander Wenn said this is our base of operations so it can't be allowed to fall; that means weapons get to stay back. And how about Lieutenant Lance's team? We will eventually become enough of a concern for them to come after us. What then? Surrender or fight them hand to hand against their phasers? You lot are going into Security. Every one in there is going to be armed. Once you stun them, you'll have weapons for everyone you're going to free and access to yet even more. One weapon each is all you need."
Once the Chief of the Deck was done addressing the pilot, he turned back to Goldeneye, where the five names he had called were ready to move. Rejoining the blonde pilot, Sten spoke one last time. "Ready to move on your word, ma'am. Let's go make some trouble."
[ Wenn Cinn | USS Theurgy | Deck 07 | Leaving Below Decks | 1300 Hours ]
Wenn Cinn nodded a set own Cameron's com badge so it would be left behind and he looked over his assembled squad. "This is a risky mission men, but I have faith in our abilities, we will pull this mission off, we will save the captain and we will put everything right." He checked his phaser rifle and made sure it was on the right setting before he looked back over his team. "You all now your role and the mission we are on. I expect trouble on our way, but we must try and remain unseen and unreported. Only stun the mutineers, things do not seem as simple as they first appeared, and I would rather not have any blood spilt over this conflict."
"We will take the jefferies tubes to the hanger, I expect total silence from all of you on the way down there, we cannot risk to give away the mission and put the distraction team at risk." Turning to the hatch to the jefferies tube he raised one hand and motioned to it. "Squad, move out." He began to move out, taking no detours and getting into his position a the head of the squad as he would lead the way down to the shuttle bay. He knew that the mutineers were looking for them in the jefferies tubes on this deck to make sure that they did not try and discreetly slip away, but he was hoping that when the distraction team began to had off thy would raw away most if not all of the people looking around for loyal crew.
As he heard the jefferies tube close behind him Cinn looked back to make sure that his team was all there and ready for anything. He noted who was going to b his infiltration team and who as going to be left back in the shuttle to operate the controls, of course with no com badges they would have to get imaginative in the brig to get everyone out without having to hold the brig for an extended period of time. Of course if hey took a com badge off of someone int he big an out it in the center of their group they could beam out everyone in a certain radius of the bag...no they could not do that, the badge would go an then the mutineers would know exactly where they were...oh well this could be discussed later at the shuttle, he was sure there would be a way to beam people out.
[ Hylota Vojona | USS Theurgy |Leaving Waste Management | Deck 03 ] Attn: Auctor Lucan & Triage
Hylota was looking like a proper commando with ho she was using the phaser rifle to combat the mutineer, but she attributed it to her skill for surgery and having a steady hand and good control with her hands to adjust her tool to perform the proper task. But the fact of the matter what agile hands were not always the strongest and she as quickly losing her ability to handle the phase rifle accurately. In her head Hylota was chastising herself and she was asking herself "Why did I think this as a good idea!? Dammit if I wanted to be a damn commando I would have joined the Fists not the Medical Guild!"
Despite hr internal struggle she still looked to be performing well...that was until she went to shoot t the last mutineer. A she fired the shot went wide and Hylota tried to bring it back, but her wrist began to ache and the shot flew up to scorch the ceiling before going out as Hylota went wide eyed as she stared down the corridor at the mutineer she had failed to hit. Her arm ached and she lost the control over her rifle, she knew that she was inn trouble and if she did not move she was going to be shot so she did the only thing that came to mind and she dropped to the ground.
As Hylota dropped as a scorching beam shot out and traced up the shoulder of Hylota's numbed arm, she did not feel the pain of the hit, but she did felt a surge of energy through her boy that made her body tighten up and convulse for a second, her jaw clenched so tight she forced her tooth bands together, her eyes tightened shut and Hylota thanked whatever forces that be for having it be her numb arm that was shot. Hylota's mind faded out for a moment as she lied there on her back in the hall and she tried to prepare herself for the next shot. Hylota was sure that she would be shot again and knocked out by the mutineer, and in her fer Hylota worried about her poor brother, he was probably worried about her as well. Oh why had she gotten tied up in all of this insanity. She should have just remained in her colony world, joined the nurse core and worked as a head nurse of some asteroid colony. Yeah a nice quiet job and not a station on a rogue ship being branded a traitor...fuck her life.
[ Heather McMillan | Leaving Waste Management | Deck 03 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: Lucan cin Nicander & Hylota Vojona(https://tinyurl.com/k36v3c3)(https://tinyurl.com/m74m4d6)
McMillan watched in horror as Nicander and Vojona put up an impressive resistance, but for all they were able to accomplish, it fell short in the face of trained personnel. Men and women who were trained for actual combat. Still, Nicander and Vojona worked together to take down most of the men, save for the last one. McMillan knew that Nicander was not human himself, that much was certain. Whatever he did, that was something humans couldn't do. And she found him even more intimidating now. Vojona was having problems trying to use a phaser rifle with one arm, and when she went down, the last attacker scored a direct shot to her shoulder. Nicander too appeared to be passing out.
Moving from her hiding spot, McMillan made her way hastily on all fours, and placed a frail hand on Nicander, "It's all right..." she whispered, "You've done enough. It's all right. Now allow me."
Still bending light around her, she remained invisible as she removed her coat, and then her sweater, but left her bra on. She stayed in a kneeling position near Nicander, and she shouted at the man with the phaser, "HEY!"
When the man saw nothing but air where the voice came from, McMillan dropped her concentration of holding light waves around her, becoming visible, before she began to well up with a warm feeling, as her inner light, her very soul, lit up from within, and now she allowed her light to show. Like a dazzling array of colours and lights, her skin gave way to pure light, and brighter than the ceiling illuminations, she was like a sun inside a structure, and the man looked right at her while doing this, and after looking at a Radiant directly, he was going to have a hard time seeing properly again.
He screamed and covered his eyes, but still held on to his rifle, much to her dismay. But having lighted up long enough, McMillan pulled her sweater back on, and then her coat, and she reached for the phaser rifle that Vojona used.
While her parents taught her never to use violence under any circumstance, she rationalized that her family and her people never faced a circumstance such as this, and she took aim. But her grip on the rifle was wrong, and the weapon slipped. She squeezed the trigger at the same time as the rifle barrel aimed upwards, and she exclaimed in alarm, "Oh no!"
The beam fired into one of the ceiling lights, and the support structure broke loose, the grill ramming right into the face of the man, knocking him down, and the rifle away from him at long last.
McMillan stared at damage she had wrought, and she sincerely hoped that the man was only stunned and not wounded or killed. She was horrified, and started hyperventilating, "Oh my gosh!"
Only her concern for Nicander and Vojona had her trying to calm down, and she quickly checked with them, "Are you all right?"
[ Cameron "Cam" Elizabeth Henshaw | Below Decks | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: Wenn Cinn, Sten Covington, Tessa May Lance & Axius vel Onea(https://tinyurl.com/m2l222r)
There was very little else to be said. Henshaw was where she needed to be, and soon, she will find the captain, and he/she would be set free, and that was all that mattered. She checked her phaser, and made sure it was set to stun. It was highly likely she wouldn't really get a chance to use it. Her position in the team, carrying gear and a simple hand-weapon, and also being surrounded at all times by Cinn's team meant she would be the last person to get a chance to fire a shot.
Plus with a hulking Bajoran leading, she was more likely to hit him than a mutineer if she tried. So, she strapped her phaser to her belt, leaving her hands free. If they took the jefferies tube, then that meant they'd need to be careful, quick, and quiet. So free hands were a better choice to have. Henshaw trailed behind Cinn quietly, her eyes on the watch for danger every step of the way. No matter what happened, she wanted to make sure she made it to see Captain Ives freed. Then, and only then, would she relax a little.
[ USS Theurgy | Corridors | Deck 07 ]
Attn: Wenn Cinn, Sten Covington, Axius "Quake" Onea, Tessa "Goldeneye" May Lance & Cameron Henshaw
As the two teams split up, leaving an assembly of Ives' loyalists behind to hold Below Decks, there were little words exchanged - their different purposes clear. Everyone knew that the undertaking ahead of them might mean their deaths. While the team that was going to liberate the captives in the Brig began to crawl along the Jefferies tubes with the purpose to reach the shuttle bay, the other team moved to create a distraction and draw the enemy's attention. It was a grim undertaking for both teams, where the odds for success were not entirely satisfactory.
This was when a familiar voice was heard on the intercom, which even echoed down the maintenance chutes of the ship.
[All personnel on the Theurgy, I am Lieutenant Commander Carrigan Trent. By now, you all know Declan Vasser and T'Rena have begun an attempt to hijack this ship by force of arms after a minimum of two sabotage attempts. I do not know the exact number of casualties at this time, but I know for certain Chief Engineer Tia Marlowe is fighting for her life, Helmsman Cale Winterbourne was murdered in front of me and Chief Tactical Officer Sjaandin Fedd was killed attempting to follow illegal orders.]
The word of Winterbourne's demise confirmed Cameron Henshaw's story, yet the death of Sjaandin Fedd would be news to everyone present. The Chief Tactical Officer had only served on the Senior Staff for a couple of days before his demise, making him the fourth officer KIA when holding the position since the Theurgy left Earth. Just like the Chief Engineering position - with Tia undergoing heart surgery - one might think a curse lay on some of the Senior Staff positions. That the cascade failure in the ship's EPS network might have been a result of sabotage was also news, and surely provoked a heated reaction among the two teams.
[They have accomplished this by planting their crew on our ship and by using mind melds and possibly other telepathic techniques to twist the perceptions of members of this crew. Vasser has also ordered the widespread brainwashing, the mind-rape, of every last person on our ship regardless of whether or not they join him.]
If their purpose had held any smidgen of doubt before Carrigan Trent began to speak, then his words would likely turn doubt to iron resolve. He was, however, not done talking...
[ USS Theurgy | Sickbay | Deck 07 ]
Attn: Sarresh Morali, Doctor Maya, Ryuan Sel, Lahkesis Saugn, Eve Jenkins, Hayden Quinn O'Connor & Vinata Vojona
The speech also continued in Sickbay, where one group had relocated to the Medical Labs in order to synthesise enough Lexorin to disperse over the whole ship with the upgraded Life Support systems. To them, the news that Vasser had utilised mind-melds to turn the two crews against Captain Ives was no news, but the contents of the next part of the speech was, however, unknown to them.
[Since Captain Ives and Commander Rez have been detained by Vasser and his cohorts, as a senior officer on the ship's rolls prior to this attack, I am assuming command as one of Captain Ives' lawful delegates under the auspices of Starfleet regulations pertaining to continuity of command. As such I will retain command of the Theurgy until such as time as I am relieved or ordered to yield command by the proper authorities or murdered on the word of the criminal Declan Vasser.]
Carrigan Trent had only come aboard after disabling Task Force Archeron, just a couple of day ago, and his loyalties had - until the speech was heard - been an unknown factor for the rest of the officers on the Theurgy. He had defected from the fleet he left adrift, opposing Starfleet and worked actively to benefit Ives' cause. Yet now, it had been made plain just how loyal he was to his new Captain. With his announcement, he set an example for how much the tenants of Starfleet mattered, even in the extreme circumstances they had found themselves in after fleeing the Alpha Quadrant.
[Now, I ask all of you to listen to me. This enemy we fight needs us, the ones aware of its existence, at each other's throat. It needs Starfleet to be riven with cracks and to lose all confidence in itself and from the Federation at large. As such, so long as we remain Starfleet, so long as we remain true to our oaths and our procedures and regulations, we are strong! Vasser promises you what? Murder? Hiding? Forsaking everything you are? Look inside you! Look around you! To this vessel, to your shipmates!]
In the Primary Surgical Suite, in the CMO's Office, former Harbinger personnel in the form of Hayden O'Connor and Vinata Vojona found themselves learning just how far their old CO had gone to further his own goals. As for the mind-meld with Cir'Cie, it was unclear how much of the speech was heard by the two Vulcans. Perhaps only Doctor Saugn, who assisted the procedure, heard the speech in full clarity as it continued...
[ USS Theurgy | Corridor | Near Turbolifts | Deck 02 ]
Attn: Hylota Vojona & Heather McMillan
As he lay there, Lucan vaguely heard Heather speaking to him, appeasing his worries. He tried to focus on her words to stay concious, having seen Hylota go down with a shot in her arm. He thought the xenobiologist had abandoned them - vanishing as suddenly as she had - but it appeared that she had not run away. How was it possible? An access point to the maintenance chutes that he had failed to notice? Either way, he tried to turn over on his side to see what was happening.
At first, he saw nothing, but then he thought he discerned a silhouette materialise in his peripheral vision. Was it a woman in the state of undress? But then, a blinding light. A light so bright is practically hurt his eyes. He quickly looked away, shielding his gaze with his tattooed hand, and as bright as things were in the corridor, he thought he might have been rendered blind if he had turned on his back. While the light lasted, the thing inside coiled in horror - something Lucan had never felt before - and even when the light was gone, he heard rather than saw Heather dress and pick up Hylota's rifle. When he finally managed to turn over and sit up on the deck, he saw Hylota dispatch the last mutineer with a rather... unorthodox way.
What just happened? Lucan could not make any sense of it, and when the woman came over him and Hylota, he was not sure what to say. "I will recover, but I do think there is more to you than meets the eyes, Miss McMillan."
That was when the speech on the intercom began, and Carrigan Trent spoke of the situation aboard. He called out Declan Vasser to be a traitor, and divulged that people had died, not to mention that the crew was under the spell of Vulcan mind-melds. While the speech lasted, Lucan got up on his feet and stepped over to Hylota - crouching down next to her in order to scan her with his medical tricorder.
[As advanced as the Theurgy is, she needs her crew!] said the Intelligence Officer on the intercom, [She needs all of you! Your friends and shipmates need you! If you are Starfleet, I ask you to remain at your posts and man your stations! I ask you to do your duty. If you are one of Vasser's accomplices, know that my first concern is to this ship and the enemy that hunts us. As such, I ask you ay least not interfere with those who choose to do their duty as Starfleet personnel. But if deep inside you remember who and what you are, your assistance will be most welcome.]
"You will be fine, but not for a while," said Lucan to Hylota, "The serum still needs to dissipate but the most of the shock of the shot you took did not ride through your central nervous system towards other parts of the body. Ironically, you are still conscious because of that serum's effect. Here..." Lucan gave his Nurse an outstretched hand to help her up while Carrigan continued to speak on the intercom.
[Those of you who choose to serve the Federation as you best know how, I am thankful for your duty and I will be honoured to command you for as long as is needed to resolve this crisis.]
"It seems the resistance has gained somewhat of a foothold aboard. It feels good to know that we are not alone in our struggles," said Lucan and turned to Heather after helping Hylota up on her feet. He took a deep breath, and with the recent discovery of Dyan Cardamone in mind, he gave the woman a lopsided smile. "Whatever species or faction you belong to, you are evidently on our side. Time is of the essence, and I fear we don't have the time to dwell on the security issues of your true identity and the consequences of you being aboard without having been completely honest about your nature."
[This is Lieutenant Commander Trent, interim commanding officer. All stations, all departments: close up and report readiness!]
"Therefore, I suggest we keep moving," said Lucan to Heather and began to tie up the xenon canisters in their bundles again, "and you can tell us about yourself on the way to the cargo hold. Both of you, take those hand phasers instead. They are not as unwieldy as the rifles. Let's go!"
OOC: Attn All - In order to read the speech in its entirety, which most people on the Theurgy will be able to hear on the intercom, you should read the paragraphs in italics in the different relevant sections in this post. I am not closing this thread, leaving you guys able to post reactions etc. There is, however, a continuation after the speech on the intercom so please do not report readiness to Carrigan Trent just yet. That should not be any problem, however, since I think everyone who hears the speech are either too busy surviving or doesn't have a combadge of their own. The continuation of the speech will be posted in the opening of the new 4 threads that will be posted before the middle of next week.