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Day 01 [2300 hrs.] Where There is Smoke...

Day 01 [2300 hrs.] Where There is Smoke...

[ Thomas Ravon | Gymnasium | Deck Six | USS Theurgy ]  Attn: Rawley

After visiting Cir'Cie to get his head checked at, Thomas Ravon had taken the liberty to head over to the gymnasium to do some work out. It had been a long couple of days if not week for him as he had to battle the freezing cold before standing back on the ship he called home. Evelyn Rawley however had made his return somewhat memorable, yet not in the the good way. She had brought the rape accusation back up and combined that with the news of Skye Carvers death. It was bit much to cope with and Thomas knew he had to find some solid ground to see how and what had been going on.

Maya had been confined to the brig for the moment, thus the pilot had searched the next best thing. The only other Vulcan he knew to be walking around the ship which he knew. Cir'Cie had been reluctant at first to help him to do some digging in his mind. Yet Thomas had made his point clear that he needed the answers. Eventually she had agreed and performed the meld with him.

That brought Thomas back here as he needed to out his frustration somehow. The loss of a loved one always remained to sting. It's not that he didn't care of mourn the losses of Renard, Fasha, Game and the others. It was just that his connection to Carver had been a close one. Closer than it was to any other crew member aboard the ship. He had stripped himself down in a pair of shorts, leaving no singlet or shirt on as he placed them in the corner of the room. He was standing before an antique human relic, a punching bag. It was crude yet efficient as he swung his blows and kicks towards it. Channeling his own frustrations out through it. The hits he landed were strong enough to leak some sand out of the bags while he wondered where Rawley remained. He had contacted her an hour ago with the question if she'd want to meet to straighten things out between them. He was tired of the constant bickering between them.

More importantly, with the numbers of flying wolves left, he needed to know that they would keep covering each other's back. He hated to have bad blood between the wolves, especially now that he was acting Wolf Leader for them until a new SCO would be appointed.

Re: Chapter 04: Where There is Smoke... | Day 01 [2300 hrs.]

Reply #1 –
[ Lt. JG Evelyn Rawley | Gymnasium | Deck 06 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: Nolan
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Ghost had debated long and hard whether or not she'd show up when Ravon sent a message about meeting him in the gym on deck six, but in the end... she was not some bloody coward was she? She could own up to her actions just as well as he could. She fucking felt she'd been legit in her actions based on what she known at the time - what he'd done to her.

What fucked her up more was thinking about if she'd pulled the trigger, only to learn about the pointy-eared doc in the Brig afterwards. Then again, she wasn't sure Isley would have come clean with his false confession if Ravon hadn't said something. Enough to rattle the gears in all their heads and see the pattern. Shit, she'd almost killed him. Others in the fleet would not understand, but is was as if she'd almost ended up killing her own brother. Fuck Vulcans. It wouldn't have been entirely on her if she pulled the trigger, but it would have bloody felt that way. It was numbing afterwards. Some kind of damn 'what-if' shell shock...

When she entered the gym, there were others there too, but it was easy to spot Ravon by the punching bag. She walked over there, wearing her wolves-hoodie and a white tanktop, baggy gym pants and sneakers. Off duty, she couldn't give three shits about donning her fancy uniform, having pulled up the hood over her shaved head too. She fingered her wolf-tag, as they called it, the necklace with the wolf head, and came to a stop behind Thomas. He looked like he'd not eaten properly for a week, which was the truth of it, and even if he'd likely been to sickbay to fix himself up, it looked like the ice had cut him bad. Starved, frozen wolf, forsaken and prey to whatever the fuck they'd encountered in the blizzard - all teeth and long legs. Forced to cobble together a functioning fighter from two crashed ones under those conditions. Damn, even if she'd not say it, Ravon was harder than she remembered him. Lean and mean.

"I'm not here for the show," she said tersely, perhaps with more bite than she intended, "so spit it out."

Re: Chapter 05: Where There is Smoke... | Day 01 [2300 hrs.]

Reply #2 –
[ Thomas Ravon | Gymnasium | Deck Six | USS Theurgy ] Attn: Rawley

Ravon had removed his hoodie while working out his frustrations. The sweat pearling down his toned figure as he kept punching away. He wore a gray training pants with the symbol of the wolves imprinted on the upper leg yet moved over the mat bare feet. Yet his toned body showed the signs of his little icy adventure. Frostbite showed on certain parts of his body together with the wounds, cuts, bruises and various other injuries he had suffered while being gone from the pack for over a week.

"I'm not here for the show," she said tersely, perhaps with more bite than she intended, "so spit it out."

The words voiced behind him were the mark that Evelyn had showed up after all. A final kick to the bag before he spun around and faced Evelyn with a cold look into her eyes. He was panting a little, the exercise straining his weakened body though he needed it to recuperate for the loss of muscle. "You... And I... We need to talk." he said as he gestured her to take a seat at a bench. "I can't have this continuing... This constant war we're raging against one another." he said as he took a seat himself and took a towel to wipe his face clean "I need to know that if we're back out there... In the cold confines of space that we'll have each other's back. I need to be damn sure that you don't second guess every order or suggestion I make and I damn sure don't need you to have the urge to kill me every five seconds." he spat out in her face. She asked for it and he knew she could probably take it. Rawley was far rougher than she looked like, yet he wondered how she'd deal with it.

"Furthermore, I took the liberty to have Cir'Cie check my head." he said before he looked away from her and hung his head down as he sniffed and closed his eyes "Sort of a second neutral opinion. Feel free to hail her and check what her findings were." he said as he tossed his head back again and grabbed a bottle of water to drink from.

Re: Chapter 08: Where There is Smoke... | Day 01 [2300 hrs.]

Reply #3 –
[ Lt. JG Evelyn Rawley | Gymnasium | Deck 06 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: Nolan
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When offered to sit down, Rawley had just folded her arms and cocked a hip where she stood, not meaning to stay anyway. She would hear what Ravon had to say, and then she'd already decided to leave and give it some thought - whatever excuses he intended to make. The only reason she was there in the first place was because of what had been revealed about Maya and Isley, and she was trying to keep an open mind about the possibility that Ravon was - in fact - innocent of what he'd almost done.

When he began his tirade, it was quickly evident that he was about to say the expected, and she took a deep breath, giving him the small courtesy of not rolling her eyes at him. He remained where she stood, arms folded, and let him finish.

But then, he spoke of another Vulcan, which made her upper lip curl a little. What was better with this one? She never thought she'd trust their kind again. Cir'Cie was just some kind of botanist, Rawley thought, and usually far removed from anything that had to do with battle or the med bay. Clenching her jaw, she realised that she could not justify ignoring what Ravon said, and sighed. She tilted her head back, arms still folded. "Rawley to Ensign Cir'Cie, are you still awake? Something I need to hear."

There was a pause before a passionless voice answered. [This is Cir'Cie.]

"You checked Tomas Ravon's head today, right?" she asked, eyes still locked on Ravon.

[Upon his request, I preformed a mind meld with him.]

"Yeah, that was what I said. So... what did you find? Aside from the usual crap in the heads of human men, that is."

[Lieutenant Ravon showed signs of external influence, compromising glutamate and dopamine levels, yet only to a minor degree. It was evident, however, that these messenger chemicals in brain were slowly stabilising, suggesting that the levels of glutamate and dopamine had been even worse off from what normal levels commonly are in humans. I do not, unfortunately, have the experience to judge what the cause might have been. It could either have been induced by chemical reaction, or another mind meld preceding mine.]

"Okay," said Rawley slowly, not entirely sure what she was supposed to make of that. Sounded like a 'maybe' in regard to Maya, at best. "So you are saying he is still fucked up in his head, only less so now?"

[No. I restored the balance of dopamines and glutamates in his mind before I ended the mind meld. Lieutenant Ravon should no longer suffer from the symptoms from the imbalance.]

Rawley could hardly believe that it was so easy, but then again, she had no experience with such things. "And... what symptoms were those?"

"Dopamine is tied to hallucinations and delusions. Glutamate is a chemical involved in the part of the brain that forms memories.  It also tells parts of the brain what to do. Individuals who are at risk for developing schizophrenia may have too much glutamate activity in certain areas of the brain at first. As such a mental disorder progresses, those brain areas may have too little glutamate activity. The exact nature or purpose of Lieutenant Ravon's unnatural chemical balance was impossible for me to derive, but it was not unlike what the victim's of T'Rena's mind melds showed when I helped Doctor Maya restore a few of their minds."

Schizophrenia, that was something Rawley knew about. It really had been like Ravon were two different people back then in her quarters. The evidence towards Ravon's innocence was, indeed, amounting to something she just couldn't dismiss.

"Okay, I hear you..." she said quietly. "Thanks, Cir'Cie."

[You are quite welcome. I will now return to my shower. Good night, Junior Lieutenant Rawley.]

Clenching her jaw, only a passing thought towards how she'd disturbed the Vulcan, Rawley looked at Ravon and sighed. "Well," she said slowly, "it seems the cruel joke is on both of us. No one had any business fucking up your head. Adds up pretty well with what you and Isley said. You weren't yourselves, and you say can't remember what you did. Can't wrap my bloody head around it all... but I suppose I have no reason to lay the blame of what happened at your feet any more."

The idea that she'd almost killed him for it made her hate the Vulcan in the brig even more. "Fuck, that Maya played a number on us..."

Re: Chapter 08: Where There is Smoke... | Day 01 [2300 hrs.]

Reply #4 –
[Lt. Thomas Ravon | Gymnasium | Deck Six | USS Theurgy ] Attn: Rawley

Rawley did what Ravon figured she would do, contact Cir'Cie herself and find out what she had found. Nothing better than bringing out the cold hard truth. While the conversation between the two of them expanded Thomas started to tape in his fingers and hand to continue his punching on the bag.

His eyes however remained trained on Evelyn as she dug deep into the hows and whats of dopamine and glutamate. It made no sense to Ravon himself, yet Cir'Cie had informed him of the high risk or actual condition of schizophrenia. It was something he'd look up and try to deal with in the future. Be with with the help of counseling or just on his own.

While Evelyn made a sore attempt to say sorry by telling him it wasn't his fault anymore, he smiled faintly as he delivered a few more punches against the bag. "Like I always claimed Evelyn, I wouldn't purposefully harm or do anything to you in any way." he replied before he gave the bag another rough punch "Either way, we're just pawns it seems in a cosmic joke." he concluded before walking over to Rawley, leaving a distance of a few meters between them.

He reached out his taped in hand to her "Anyway, no hard feelings between the both of us?" he asked her as he looked her in the eyes "As for the Vulcan in the brig, she isn't our concern. Whatever game she's playing... I'm sure the boys in yellow will deal with it." he murmured.

"Besides, we have bigger problems ahead of us. Our squadron lies in ruin an I need a few good officers to help me as I'm falling in for Miles right now." He looked away for a second as more people were coming into the gymnasium. A group of six making their way over to the two CONN officers as they conversed. "By the way... Carver... Did she suffer when she went out? Or..." he paused and closed his eyes "I need to know. All of it, the no bullshit version if you want." he demanded from Rawley.

Re: Chapter 08: Where There is Smoke... | Day 01 [2300 hrs.]

Reply #5 –
[ Lt. JG Evelyn Rawley | Gymnasium | Deck 06 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: Nolan
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Rawley remained as she stood for a few seconds, looking at the open hand that Thomas held out, before she stepped forth and clasped it with her own. "I bet," she said in regard to Maya, even she'd nothing rather than interrogate the pointy-eared demon herself, "and yeah, no hard feelings. Shame it had to take so fucking long for the foul play to get known."

Releasing his hand, Rawley's eyes ventured to the distant new visitors in the gym area, but she was listening to what Razor said. She ran a hand over her shaved head, the memory of Renard on her mind, and how bad things had gotten between her and the lost SCO. Was Maya to blame for that too? There was no way of knowing. Ravon being the most senior officer, it was natural that he would be Wolf Leader, but he would need support in order to patch up the distrust between the remaining wolves. She nodded, thoughtful, until he brought up Carver.

Taking a deep breath, she put her hands on her hips, thinking back to the engagement with the Black Opal supply depot. "No bullshit? Yeah, though it's a short story. It happened quickly. Can't imagine she suffered. We reached the Black Opal on the fourth day after the Calamity was destroyed. We had it all planned, the wolves sweeping in first and skewering its bloody shields with tetryon beams. Then Thea would take out tactical sensors and station defences. Only Isley, as he said, had some kind of black-out like you did, and he fired his charged up tetryon cannon right into Kestrel. Sheilds winked out right away. By that time, the Black Opal was giving us all it got, and there was no stopping the beam from one of the fucking Type-XII phaser arrays. Went straight into her cockpit."

Pausing Rawley had walked up to the punching bag while she spoke. She put a hand on it as she continued. "There was little left of her, I am told, so it was quick. The fighter was towed back aboard, still intact otherwise, and the ejectable cockpit pod has been replaced now." She turned her head his way, her shaved head lit by the overhead light. "You heard the rest. Maverick was thrown into the brig, interrogated. Everything pointed to him, no fighter malfunction. He eventually confessed. Seemed to prefer the shame over being locked up. Fucking Vulcan. She has really split the pack. I just hope you can get the pack to hunt together again after all of this. To that end... I'll help you. No question."

That was when the new visitors came to their part of the gym. They were still in uniforms, a mismatched gathering of rank and departments. Humans and not, with no tell-tale reason why they'd hang out. Rawley knew one or two by name, but she'd never seen them together before.

"Lieutenant Ravon," said one of them, a short human with a beard and a bald head. Chief Petty Officer. Named Solito, perhaps? Evelyn wasn't sure. "Might we have a word with you? Alone."

Ghost raised her eyebrows and then looked at Razor, wondering what was going on.

Re: Chapter 08: Where There is Smoke... | Day 01 [2300 hrs.]

Reply #6 –
[ Lt. Thomas Ravon | Gymnasium | Deck Six | USS Theurgy ] Attn: Lucan

Hearing how Carver came to her end was a bone chilling experience for Thomas, even though he had lived bone chilling, literally. It hurt him to know how his friend had passed, yet he was grateful that she didn't suffer. He had seen Kestrel back in the fighter bay an hour ago, and Sten and he had engraved her name on it. This, as he designated the fighter for his own use. He did, however, see Rawley peer at the group of men and women who made their way to them.

He turned around to face them as he nodded at Rawley. "Thanks, Evelyn... I appreciate it," he answered her softly as he had got the full picture of what had happened to their squadron. Knowing Rawley would back him up, though, was a thought that warmed him. A support that he would probably need in coming events. God knew what cosmic jokes and atrocities they had to face next.

"Lieutenant Ravon, might we have a word with you? Alone."

Ravon eyed them as he shrugged. "What's it about?" he asked as he inspected their uniforms and ranks. It was odd to see these departments mix like they did and request a word with him. Why just him in that case? Evelyn could likely see that Thomas was equally surprised, like she was, that they addressed him. It made little sense.

Three of them made their way over to Rawley, trying to be sneaky about it. They positioned themselves on three spots, thus effectively caging Evelyn in case she'd resist or not comply. Thomas saw the same thing happen to him as he licked his lips. "How about we discuss it over by the bench," he answered, intending to play along as long as he didn't know what was going on. He nodded to Rawley, yet knew she'd need little to get enraged if provoked.

"Come on, Lieutenant... Let's give the guys some privacy," said one of the women in the group to Evelyn while Ravon stepped away.

Re: Chapter 08: Where There is Smoke... | Day 01 [2300 hrs.]

Reply #7 –
[ Lt. JG Evelyn Rawley | Gymnasium | Deck 06 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: Nolan
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Seeing the group do what it did, Rawley narrowed her eyes a moment, not in the least convinced they were there on orders. This group had too little in common, and it was clear they wanted to separate them, and while Rawley was a pilot, she knew how to take care of herself well enough. Being ganged up on like this was a sure way for them to get the upper hand... and the only elusive thing about it was what the fuck they wanted.

"Fine, fine, what's this about anyway? I don't give a toss, but it would be nice to know," she said to the bitch that moved with her, away from Ravon. She was still within earshot, and she dragged her feet a little in moving away so that she could still hear what Solito was saying to Thomas - their backs turned towards Rawley as they moved to the bench.

"I've heard about Lieutenant Commander Renard," said Solito, barely reaching Thomas' shoulder. "My condolences. The reason we would like to speak with you is to let you know we support your likely promotion and new position as SCO. It should be a Theurgy pilot in charge of the Lone Wolves Squadron. None of the others know what we've been through, and what lies ahead. This, the crew knows through Sarresh Morali - may his words be our guidance through the battles ahea-."

"Hey, I am talking to you," said the bitch to Rawley, preventing her from hearing the last word Solito said to Thomas. Evelyn looked at the speaker, sized her up as ten pounds heavier than her and about a foot taller. The other two were of the same size, and now Ralwey knew that all six had one thing in common. They were one of those who saw fit to place their fate in that ex-frog from the Relativity. The bitch repeated herself, even as Rawley came to a full stop. "Come on, let's go. Now."

"I forgot to tell Ravon something," she told the bitch and turned on her heel, moving back towards Ravon and hearing what Solito said next. She ignored the shouts behind her as best as she might.

"We from the Theurgy must stick together in this pivotal time," said Solito gravely with his back towards Rawley's approach, "where so many aboard haven't seen the truth of Morali's word. They will doubt him, and undermine the very acts of miracle he preforms whenever the enemy draws nigh. We really came here to ask if you trust in Morali too, and we can depend on you when they try to deny him."

No more had she heard that, before she felt her hoodie being seized and yanked at, but Rawley merely missed a step before she let the grey garment slid off her arms, and she rounded on the leading bitch with her hands spread in question. "Hey, what the fuck, you manky cunt!" she snapped at her in her thick accent, "you're out of bloody line, Petty Officer! Now bugger off before I twat you and your nutter friends to pulp! I was having a fucking conversation with my wolf brother, so you go toss off somewhere else, hear?"

By that time, all six were looking at each other... and the outcome balanced on a knife's edge.

Re: Chapter 12: Where There is Smoke... | Day 01 [2300 hrs.]

Reply #8 –
[ Lt. Thomas Ravon | Gymnasium | Deck Six | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Auctor Lucan

The part where Solito extended his condolences was something Ravon could live with, even rooting for him to become the next SCo was a fair point to adress him, yet the conversation took a turn for something stranger as the man began to glorify Sarresh and his actions and so called miracles. It made Thomas frown and even though as Solito got his attention, he noted the disturbance behind him as Rawley seemed to get cornered away from him by three others. Rawley however was the kind of person to not get ditched that easily. Ravon noticed the two others that were by him, glancing over to Rawley. His tongue flicking against his teeth before he focused back on Solito.

"What are you on about?" Thomas asked Solito as he narrowed his eyes "Are you asking for my support in an eventual coup?" He cocked his head a little "I'd weigh my words carefully now Chief." It seemed Ravon had no interest in Morali or the support of their fanatical group. "Either way, Even if I become the new SCO, I'll need to make sure all cross squadron relations are on the same page. So forget it if I'm going to indoctrinate my pilots. Who put you up to this anyway? Morali himself?"

Rawley in the meantime turned on her heels as she tried to get back to Ravon. The situation nearly spiraling out of control as all six of them were now eyeing each other. It seemed like a fact now that they haven't approached Ravon on the best way and that their chances were blown on this branch. Yet they couldn't have their plan get exposed as they kept eyeing one another.

One of the men who were with the woman acted first though as he didn't take it kindly when Rawley threatened to beat the pulp out of them. "We'll see who turns who into pulp!" he snarled before the woman tried to stop him "No we ca-" the sentence broken off as the first punch flew towards Rawley. Thomas glancing at Solito and his goons, anticipating a strike from them as well.

Re: Chapter 12: Where There is Smoke... | Day 01 [2300 hrs.]

Reply #9 –
[ Lt. JG Evelyn Rawley | Gymnasium | Deck 06 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: Nolan
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Situations like these had not been too uncommon when Rawley had worked as a bouncer in London. She could feel the tension rising and anticipated the first blow thrown. The second, aimed at Ravon, followed, and Rawley could see it was the other man that deferred to Solito that threw it. He had gone for Thomas' head with a haymaker, followed by a second one towards his gut.

On her part, Rawley had used her diminutive height to her advantage and dodged low, extending an elbow into her assailant's ribs. Next, she seized the man's wrist, and held it clear to the side so that she could leap from the floor with a savage uppercut. She'd launched her whole bodily weight off the floor, and the strike made the man's head whip backwards. Limp as a ragdoll, he fell to the gym floor, and Rawley shook her hand to clear the ache in her knuckles. "Fucking dimwit, I-"

She got no further before one of the women came at her, and she had a bloody knife in her hand. She managed to nick Rawley's shoulder before she got away, and she swore from the pain. A brawl or two was not something she'd think twice about, but these damn cultists were prepared to kill for their cause? They were mad! They were clearly beyond the point where she'd pull rank and make the NCOs stand down, so all that was left to do was to make sure she'd remain on her feet. It was either them or her, and she knew what her choice would be.

Meanwhile, Solito had also pulled a knife, coming up behind Ravon - her wolf brother still facing the one who had attacked him.

"Behind you!" she called - hoping Thomas would hear - meanwhile she swayed out of the path of the woman that tried to stab her. She got cut once more across her sleeve, but after ducking low, she got her opening. She countered the woman with a kick to the knee, and then made a spinning side kick that caught the woman across her teeth. The next two women were not far away, and Rawley did as she'd do in a dogfight, flying her Valkyrie.

She screamed, face twisted in anger, and rushed towards them. "You bloody slags!" 

Re: Chapter 12: Where There is Smoke... | Day 01 [2300 hrs.]

Reply #10 –
[ Lt. Thomas Ravon | Gymnasium | Deck Six | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Auctor Lucan

The haymaker was easily dodged by the pilot before Thomas lashed out with a forward assault. Two fists in rapid succession landed into the gut of his assailant and a kick sent him limp on his back before hitting the floor. Despite the pilot's absence from any gym or work out, he still seemed in good shape as he breezed in growing anger. The swearing from Rawley got his attention though as he saw knives coming into play. The wolf sister nicked in her shoulder before the attacker fled.

Thomas had another to worry with as they engaged in a fist fight. The man in front of him was from engineering, and he seemed to know how to brawl as he took a few hits and kicks without taking too much damage himself. Thomas smirked and received a few hits as well, the warning of Rawley came just in time though as Solito charged in with a knife of his own.

Just barely did Thomas evade the attack of Solito, yet he managed to amplify his forward momentum and sent him dashing forward towards the engineer. The knife got planted into the man's gut as he looked with wide eyes to Ravon before looking at Solito who looked just as shocked. Thomas cursed under his breath before punched Solito in the sides, aimed towards the kidneys so he'd let go of the knife, next he grabbed Solito in a strangle hold. "Don't you dare pull that knife out or you'll die." he warned the engineer who just looked down at the increasing red taint that spread over his gold uniform.

Whilst choking the air out of Solito who brazenly swayed his arms and legs around to break free, Thomas tried to get an eye on Rawley as she was in a chase with two other women. One of them broke off and flank Rawley while the other stopped moving and covered her face. It seemed the one that stopped had changed her mind about the violence, seemingly not wanting to fight anymore. The flanker however was out for blood as she made quite an impressive leap towards the pilot. The knife well held in her hands as she'd extend it for extra momentum, aimed for Rawleys neck. "Evelyn!" Thomas shouted in vain.

Re: Chapter 12: Where There is Smoke... | Day 01 [2300 hrs.]

Reply #11 –
[ Lt. JG Evelyn Rawley | Gymnasium | Deck 06 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Nolan
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When the woman in front of Rawley lost her nerve, be if from her approach or the fact that the woman's companions were pulling knives, Evelyn could not count on it. So when she reached the woman, she put one leg behind hers, and shoved her to the deck plates of the gym - making the woman loose her breath in the brutal throw. "Stay down!"

No more had she said it than she heard Thomas calling her name.

Just as she made eye-contact with the last woman, Evelyn felt more than saw the blade cut her neck. Had the parsteel blade been sharper, she might not have felt a thing, but now it felt like the blade had been serrated. She swayed away far too late, her steps barely catching up with her retreating momentum. She almost lost her balance, tripping over the legs of one of the fallen. She was swearing, she realised, and she pressed her hand to her neck and then looked at it, and that was when she realised she'd been cut bad. Looking down, she could see blood pumping out over her white tank top. She felt so fucking careless, so bloody stupid to have lost sight of the one that flanked her, one that had pulled her knife out later than the others. Don't you fucking panic, Ghost. Don't you dare...

Rawley ground her teeth together, pressing one hand to the cut in her neck, trying to keep herself from bleeding out, and raised the other in defence against the woman with the knife. If her attacker had any compunction about what she'd done to a superior officer, it didn't show. Was her mind that warped in fear? That her faith in the former toad from the future made her blind to her actions? Were they all that way?

Idle thought, with no time to linger. The woman was slashing after Rawley, who was on the defensive, backing away. All the while, blood gushed from between her fingers, and her eyes were clouding over. Rawly knew she was dying, but refused to acknowledge the fact. Not even when the woman managed to land three more cuts to her arms. She was tripping over her own feet, but she would not give in to fear. Not even when the woman managed to stab her in the abdomen did she give in to fear, and managed to headbutt her across the nose. Unfortunately, it made her fall to her knees.

Solito had tried to back away from Ravon, held in place by the hand around his throat, but he had seen what had happened to Rawley. Struggling to speak despite the chokehold, Solito clenched his jaw and made his move. "We'll kill her... unless you let me go... and give us access... to Tactical CONN's phasers. The ones in the fighters... and those you wear on your suits. You'll give us access now... or she dies..."

Eyes dimmed, Rawley felt the woman's hand against her forehead. She was behind her, holding her still, and had the parsteel blade pressed with the flat across her face. She wanted to fight back, but she just had to catch her breath... She just had to breathe... She just had to... "No, Razor..."

These misled fools could not be armed. She would fight back... She just... She just...

"I said... let me go, and she lives..."

Re: Chapter 12: Where There is Smoke... | Day 01 [2300 hrs.]

Reply #12 –
[ Lt. Thomas Ravon | Gymnasium | Deck Six | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Auctor Lucan

It seemed Ravon's call out had come to late as the knife connected with Rawley's neck. The blood that gushed out only fearing the pilots fear that they had her arteries. It would only take seconds for her to bleed out if he didn't act quick or if Rawley would be able to stabilize the situation herself. The attacking party didn't stop though as Rawley got slashed up by the arms. Her tank top getting a new spray colored pattern as Ravon's hold on Solito turned tighter and tighter.

Razor's options were limited and his eyes narrowed as Solito still managed to bring out his poisoned words. "We'll kill her... unless you let me go... and give us access... to Tactical CONN's phasers. The ones in the fighters... and those you wear on your suits. You'll give us access now... or she dies..." The pilot licked his lips as weighed his options in a matter of milliseconds. He had to make the call and he looked over at Rawley as she got prepared for a full on execution. "Shut op Solito." he growled as he searched for new options.

The rage fueled even more in Thomas his veins now as he bit down on his teeth, his jaw clenching as he looked at the woman with the knife. Rawley seemed out for the count, his wolven sister down on her knees and his eyes trained on the blade against her face. He kicked Solito down on his knees as he held his head and was ready to snap the neck of the man. "Okay, here's how this goes..." he murmured with a cold tone in his voice.

His choices were pretty plain and simple. Give in or ignore the threat and stand fast. Right now Rawley would bleed out regardless if the woman slid her throat further or not. The arterial bleeding would be the end for her. Especially with him as highest ranking officer for TAC CONN, this ship was counting on him. Miles had made the same choice before him when he had fired micro torpedoes in Rawley's direction. It had caused for Rawley to spend in Sickbay for a while, having her off the stick for quite a while. Yet if anything Rawley was a survivor. It was that idea that he had to hold into the back of his mind as he voiced out his final call.

"I can't risk the live of one for the sake of everyone aboard this ship." he stated dryly and with a snap and a clearly audible crack, Solito's body hit the plates of the gymnasium deck. His eyes darted up to the woman now, the look in his eyes similar to those of a stone cold killer. "Your choice, kill her and I'll make your death a thousand times more gruesome than hers. I'll make you beg for death itself and even then I will not grant it." he threatened as he stepped over the body of Solito. Closing the distance between him and Rawley in a matter of seconds. If the woman suffered any shock, or if she'd even flinch for a moment he'd be with her and have his elbow planted right in her face.  

Re: Day 01 [2300 hrs.] Where There is Smoke...

Reply #13 –
[ Lt. JG Evelyn Rawley | Gymnasium | Deck 06 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Nolan
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Her life bleeding out of her, Rawley barely picked up on the fact of what Ravon did to Solito. She used whatever strength she had left to keep pressure on the cut in her neck, trying to ignore the woman's blade - which was still pressed diagonally across her face. Everything was slowing down, and it felt like her tongue was too thick to speak with. Even if she could have said something, her thoughts were dwindling into animal reactions - mere primal instincts of survival.

Was Thomas coming towards her? What happened to Solito? If he was approaching, the woman would cut her, right? Or did she hesitate? Rawley didn't know. She only knew she refused to die at the hands of fools, and if Ravon had frightened the one with the knife, she had to act. Somehow. The image of Thomas was blurred, and she knew from g-force training that she was about to pass out. Come on! You are better than this! You did not survive everything so far just to bleed out in a fucking gym.

Out of sheer will, she sucked a deep breath into her lungs, and she bit the wrist of the woman with the knife.

She bit hard too, using the hand at her neck to support her jaw, and as if she were in labour, she screamed through her clenching teeth - tasting blood and hearing the cartilage give away. Her scream of desperation was joined by another, likely the woman. Then Thomas was there. Rawley knew it without seeing him. A loud noise ended that second scream, and the wrist between her teeth was ripped away. The knife clattered against the deck, and Ralwey was free...

...free to sink down, with nothing more to support her. As consciousness left her, she saw Thomas above her. She thought it ironic, how they had just made peace... only for her to die. Then, darkness seized her, and she was not afraid. She just fucking hated how unfair it was. I always thought I'd die in the cockpit...

At least her brother, Winterbourne, had died on duty.

Re: Day 01 [2300 hrs.] Where There is Smoke...

Reply #14 –
[ Lt. Thomas Ravon | Gymnasium | Deck Six | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Auctor Lucan 

With Solito down and Ravon on his final approach to hit the woman who was holding Evelyn's life at her mercy, the pilot hoped that Rawley would have one final trick up on her sleeve. That and a grain of life left in her when he'd reach her. Surprisingly the pilot bit down in the hand as Ravon leaped forward, the action causing for the blade the fall down whilst a second later the elbow of the pilot was planted into the face of the woman. Thomas could hear the bones break in her face, he could feel the mass give in as the orbita and mandible bones shattered.

With a thud the woman fell down and knocked herself out as the back of her head hit the Gymnasium floor. Thomas quickly stabilized himself as the second thud was Rawley dropping down. The blood gushing out of her neck and leaving her abdominal area as she effectively only had seconds to live. "Fuck!" he cursed as he pushed her on her back and applied pressure to her neck with both hands as it was the most dangerous bleeding she had. The spray of arterial blood covering his clothes as well now as he called upon the ship's computer "Thea! I need an emergency site transport to Sickbay right now! Patient critical! I need her in an ICU or with a doctor immediately. Beam Rawley out right now with me in this position!" he called out.

He looked down at the woman as her eyes were far more blurry than they should be. He had done what he could now as he heard the chirp of the AI acknowledging his request. Thoughts and ideas surged through his head as he reminded himself to call for medical for the down assailants as well. Even though they could all bleed out as well, the pilot would not give a fuck if that happened. He also needed to alert Security for that matter, he would probably have to defend himself for God knows who for killing Solito. Perhaps he did use excessive force when he snapped the neck of the crewman? Would Rawley survive? Right after they had mended their distrust in each other? No it couldn't be... He needed her in the pack, he had told her so. He needed to have at least some certainties in his squadron.

"Don't you fucking dare to chicken out on me now." he whispered as only seconds had ticked by, yet it seemed like an eternity before the transport would happen and when he could leave her in the able hands of the medical officers.

Re: Day 01 [2300 hrs.] Where There is Smoke...

Reply #15 –
[ EMH Mk I | Main Sickbay | ICU | Deck 11 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Nolan
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Since the Chief Medical Officer was in surgery, tending to the patient Nicole Howard, Thea had chosen to activate the EMH Mk I just before she beamed Thomas Ravon and Evelyn Rawley into sickbay. The holographic doctor turned around and saw the bloodied woman in the male human's arms, and a frown appeared on his otherwise disinterested features. "Oh, dear..."

The contrast of sanguine blood and the white skin tone the woman had told the EMH enough already. He did not need a tricorder to tell how severe the hypovolemia was. The patient was suffering from a massive decrease in blood volume, and exsanguination was imminent - death by excessive blood loss.

"Keep the pressure on. There is no time to get her onto the biobed," he announced for both Nurse Maal - who just arrived after a short sprint - and to the human holding the patient. With deft efficiency, the EMH picked up a tricorder, crouched down and began to make his scan. The patient was already unconscious, as much was clear, but he needed to know how much time she had left. The readings immediately showed how the heart-rate had slowed, and before he could take any measures, cardiac arrest set in - announced with a elongated tone from the tricorder.

"Nurse, code white resuscitation. The heart as stopped. She is clinically dead, but brain death has yet to set in." Maal went for the hyposprays without delay. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation - CPR - would prove ineffective for the patient because of the blood loss. "After the battle, we don't have enough blood plasma of her blood type on hand for an immediate transfusion. Computer, we need a cryogenic stasis pod here immediately, in hope to treat this patient when better prepared."

[Acknowledged, Doctor. Stand by. I have made the alert. Preparing site-to-transport.]

"Thank you," said the EMH, both to Thea and Maal, since the latter just placed a hypospray in his hand. The vial would stimulate the patient's systems with adrenaline and replenish the oxygen directly to her without needing her blood as a medium. He pressed the muzzle of the instrument to the uncut side of the patient's neck, but she did not make any outward reaction after she was inoculated.

"Energise when ready," he announced, time of the essence, and switched back to the tricorder to confirm her life signs.

[Yes, Doctor. Transport will commence in ten, nine, eight, seven, six...]

The EMH then addressed the human holding the patient. "Put her down and step away now, else you might end up in the pod with her. Yes, yes, you can remove your hand now. Nurse?"

Maal approached with a compress, and as soon as Ravon removed his hand, the Klingon nurse placed it over the cut - sealing the wound shut and sticking firmly to the skin of the neck.

After that, it took only two seconds before the patient was beamed out - only the blood on the deck plates remaining in her wake. The EMH stood up, looking at the human that had arrived with the patient. He recognised him from the medical database only now. "Lieutenant Ravon, can you please confirm the patient's identity? It was Junior Lieutenant Evelyn Rawley, correct?" If the Tactical CONN officer was traumatised, the EMH could not tell. Then again, he was a doctor, not a counsellor. Perhaps he could say something comforting?

"She... will be scheduled for surgery when we are better prepared, and unless there are any complications, she might make a full recovery."

Re: Day 01 [2300 hrs.] Where There is Smoke...

Reply #16 –
[ Lt. Thomas Ravon | Main Sickbay | ICU | Deck 11 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Auctor Lucan  

'Oh dear' was the last thing the lieutenant needed to hear from the hologram as it quickly went on with instructions. The klingon nurse arrived as well and Thomas nodded to him while keeping the pressure on the arterial bleeding. It didn't take long before Thomas could see the body of the pilot relax underneath him. The soft sigh of a last breath being delivered before the chest of Rawley no longer moved. His eyes widening in terror as the EMH stated the obvious and started with the procedure for resuscitation.

The rest happened in just seconds and felt like a flash for Thomas, following the given orders from EMH as he explained what was going on and what needed to be done. Yet there was so little that Thomas could actually do at this given time that it bugged him tremendously.

In a matter of seconds, he let go of Rawley before she was being energized away to the stasis room. The blood serving as a reminder of what had happened in the moments that had come to pass. It even took a few seconds for him to hear the question of the EMH as he looked up at the hologram and nodded "Yes... Yes... It was Evelyn Rawley, Junior lieutenant," he murmured before he stepped back and looked at his bloodied hands. "Keep me in the loop should anything happen to her, either in stasis or when she's being brought out from it." he said more clearly now as the pilot seemed to recollect himself. "Also, there might be a few more casualties in the gymnasium doc. You might want to check them out... One of them is dead already, one critical. I'd alert security though as these subjects were armed and dangerous and provoked the assault. I'll inform Security about the matter and meet them in my quarters."

While he was in Sickbay, the lieutenant carried on by getting a check up on himself after the fight, plus clearing himself from any bodily harm while being on the planetoid. A thing he had postponed for far too long already. Once checked out Thomas would visit the stasis room right after that. Say his goodbye to the pilot where he had mended peace with. How cruel life was to rip their paths apart just as they had found another once more. It made Thomas feel even colder now on the inside. This Morali crap had to be stopped. Either by disassembling the whole cult or by cutting off the head of the snake.

He made his way back to his quarters after visiting Rawley one last time, to draft up a report on the incident for Security and to get himself a much needed shower. Yet his mind still worked through it all, this surely would not be the last incident...

- FIN
 
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