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Day 02 [2100 hrs.] Celebrating & Commiserating

Celebrating & Commiserating

STARDATE 57562.29
March 12, 2381
2100 hrs.

[ Lt. Cmdr. Kai Akoni | Kai’s Quarters | Deck 10 | USS Theurgy ]
@Fife

Kai had finished in the gym and made his way back to his quarters. Covered in sweat, he felt like he had a great workout and was feeling more and more like himself. He decided on the way back to his quarters, that he and his friend had yet to really catch up, never mind celebrate their promotions that had just happened yesterday. 

Following his post workout shower, with real water, not the sonic variety, he slipped into some of his relaxing clothes. He was happy to just wear shorts and a tank top instead of a uniform, even if for a little bit. As on the Endeavour, he knew a department head was never truly off. He took his combadge and affixed it to the left side of his tank top. 

After he pinned his combadge, he walked over to the replicator. He asked for a bottle of whiskey and a bottle of kanar. He retrieved the recently materialized bottles, one in each hand, and stepped back away from the replicator.

”Thea, where is Commander Cross?” Kai asked the computer.

”Lieutenant Commander Cross is located in his quarters” came the nearly instantaneous reply to his query.

Lieutenant Commander…that’s going to take some getting used to, Kai thought to himself as he departed his quarters and out into the corridor.

Still carrying a bottle in each hand, Kai nodded to the few crew members he had passed. The large man was thankful that his quarters weren’t too far from Cross’, it made these little drop-by’s easier to do.

As he arrived at Cross’ quarters, he managed to hit the chime with a finger that wasn’t needed to hold on to the bottle of kanar in his right hand. Kai heard some movement in the quarters but no voice, until the doors opened to reveal a distinctly Vulcan looking Cross, as grumpy looking as ever.

Kai smiled and held up the bottles in front of him as he looked at his friend.

”I brought some booze!” Kai said as he waited for his friend to invite him in.

Re: SD 57562.29: Celebrating & Commiserating

Reply #1 –
[ Lt. Cmdr. Cross | Personal Quarters | Deck 10 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @trevorvw

Cross was alone in his quarters, seated on the floor. On the small table before him was a newly replicated Vulcan meditation lamp, it’s flame dancing softly as Cross let out a long, slow breath. Cross would generally be the first to admit that he held little regard for the logic so favoured by the Vulcans, but the lamp meditation had been taught to him early on in his rehabilitation, more for use as a way of learning to control his turbulent emotions than of ridding himself of them altogether. His original meditation lamp, gifted to him by his dear friend and mentor K’Shem, had been lost along with the Endeavour.

Cross lamented the lost gift, one of the few personal possessions that he had carried with him during his years in Starfleet. It had stayed with him through the Dominion War, and had helped in times of great turmoil. Cross knew that this newly replicated lamp, while slightly different in appearance, would serve the purpose just as well, though the sentiment attached to the gifted lamp still stung. Cross was fairly certain that any Vulcan would call his sentimental attachment to such a thing illogical. Cross was 100% certain that he would tell those Vulcans to get stuffed.

Cross took another long breath in, inhaling through his nose as he concentrated on the lamp’s flickering flame. After holding the breath for a few moments, Cross gently exhaled once again, working to tame his new Vulcan emotions. Those emotions more violent and intense than those he had experienced as a hybrid, and he had had little time to properly adjust to his new physiology aboard the Versant. Now that he was aboard the Theurgy, and with the Bridge Officer Test behind him, Cross was finally taking the time to explore his new emotional turbulence. The silent respite was certainly welcome, after the events of the last week.

Cross’ brow furrowed in annoyance as a chime sounded in his quarters, alerting him that someone was outside.

So much for enjoying the silence…

Cross leaned forward, raising his left hand and holding it behind the flame before blowing the dancing flame out of existence. He remained still for a moment, his eyes fixated on the hand hovering above the table. Cross had received the temporary prosthetic this morning, temporary because Blue was firm in her promise to build him a better one, and he found the sight of the metal appendage unusual and somewhat disorienting. He had found the charred stump less off-putting, knowing full well how it came be that way. The prosthetic just seemed out of place.

Finally, Cross pulled his gaze away from the artificial hand and rose, moving to the doors. As the doors hissed open, he found himself looking at the grinning visage of the newly minted Lieutenant Commander Akoni. Kai hefted a pair of bottles and cheerfully announced that he had brought booze.

Cross couldn’t help but return the big man’s smile, stepping to one side and gesturing with his new false hand for Kai to come in.

”Come in, Lieutenant Commander Akoni!” Cross said, emphasizing the new rank with he full knowledge the Kai would be pleased with the promotion. Kai’s family had a long history in Starfleet, and his friend had every right to take pride in his new rank. Cross was still processing his own promotion, the event seeming almost anticlimactic after the insanity aboard the Versant. ”I’ll get some glasses.”

Cross turned and headed for the replicator, hearing the doors hiss closed once Kai had stepped fully into the room. Once he’d reached the replicator, Cross requested two glasses and watched as they materialized. He reached up, taking one in each hand, and froze as the glass clutched by the metal prosthetic shattered. Cross cursed softly, frustrated by the strange sensation of the damned metal hand, and ordered another glass. This time he took both glasses in his right hand, hooking his fingers in both and carrying them single-handed to the table and placing them down for Kai to fill.

”So, what brings the Theurgy’s Chief of Security to my quarters? Am I under arrest?” Cross gave Kai a crooked grin as he asked the question, chuckling as he watched the Human pour measures of the kanar and whiskey for them.

Re: SD 57562.29: Celebrating & Commiserating

Reply #2 –
[ Lt. Cmdr. Kai Akoni | Cross’ Quarters | Deck 10 | USS Theurgy ]
@Fife

Kai was overjoyed to finally see his friend. After all the great times they had on the Holodeck, it was about damn time they finally got to celebrate together! He walked in, with a thousand things on his mind. There was so much to talk about, but for now it was just nice to bask in the presence of his best friend.

He watched as Cross ordered their glasses and raised his hands to grab them both...well, hand and, he wasn't quite sure. He stared at the prosthesis, surprised to see it. He knew that Cross would be different from the encounters he went through, and miraculously survived, but he had been unsure as to just how different he would be. He felt himself staring for a few moments too long, as the glass shattered when Cross reached to grab it. Kai instinctively started to move over to help, when he realized that would only make the situation worse. It was something his friend had to learn to deal with, all he could do was sit on the sidelines and be there for him.

Cross had asked Kai if he was under arrest. His comment completely caught Kai off guard, and he couldn't help but break into a huge roar of laughter! It was a full body laughter that almost caused Kai to spill some of the alcohol he was pouring on to the table. That’d be alcohol abuse and Kai couldn’t have that on his conscious.

Damn I’m funny, Kai joked to himself mentally while finishing pouring.

He then replaced the bottles on the table and picked up the glasses, handing the one with kanar to Cross, who made sure to grasp the glass with his biological hand.

”Should I arrest you so I can keep a better eye on you?” Kai asked jokingly, before winking and continuing. ”In all seriousness though, congrats on your promotion my friend,” Kai finished and the two clinked their glasses together before each taking a mouthful of their preferred liquid into their mouths.

”Ahh..” Kai had said instinctively after swallowing his whiskey as a response to the deliciousness and warmness that now filled him. 

He looked to Cross and saw his friend, glad that he had some plastic surgery to return himself to his previous appearance.  Oh, the standard Vulcan eyebrows didn’t look good on anyone, especially how they had looked on Cross. The large man figured his friend had been to hell and back on the Versant, but even Kai knew not to push it. He had no choice but to let Cross talk about it if and when he was ready.

Kai pat his friend on the shoulder and looked into the man’s eyes.

”I missed you. It’s nice to have you back.” Kai said meaningfully. He let his hand linger on Cross’ shoulder for a few seconds before removing it. It had been ages since they were able to sit like this, and he was enjoying every minute of it. He then made his way over to the chair adjacent to his friend and had a seat, relaxing completely.

Kai once again took another sip of the delicious liquid into his mouth and swallowed it, while he thought about what they should talk about first. Parasites? Being branded as traitors by the Federation? Annika? 

Kai had no idea where to begin, but at least the company was good.

”Well...I guess we should bring each other up to speed on what we know. Uh..have you heard about the parasites?” 

Re: SD 57562.29: Celebrating & Commiserating

Reply #3 –
[ Lt. Cmdr. Cross | Personal Quarters | Deck 10 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @trevorvw

”Well… I guess we should bring each other up to speed on what we know.” Kai said after taking a second appreciative sip of his whiskey. ”Uh… Have you heard about the parasites?”

Cross raised his own glass to his lips and took a long draw of it’s syrup-like contents before answering.

”I’ve heard of them. Captain Ives had Doctor Kobol  brief Blue and I when we met with him, just before offering us the department head positions.” Cross explained as he placed the glass down on the table before him. ”I won’t claim to have understood half of what Kobol  said, but I caught enough to know that they pose a serious threat to Starfleet and the Federation, as well as the rest of the galaxy.” Cross leaned back in his chair, letting out a long sigh as he did so. ”Parasites. Borg. Savi. Starfleet. It seems like everyone is gunning for us right now, except the Klingons.” Cross lifted his glass again, taking another sip before staring into the dark liquid as he reflected on the number of factions currently out for their blood, now that they’d signed on with Captain Ives and the Theurgy. ”Though if all goes well, the Savi will be too caught up in their little civil war to bother coming after us. The Borg were, hopefully, stopped in their tracks by the stunt Captain Ives pulled, collapsing the apertures. All we can hope is that we can find an equally effective means of combating these parasites, though from the long, jargon-filled spiel Kobol  gave us, I don’t think that’s likely to present itself anytime soon.”

Cross raised his gaze to regard his friend, again feeling a wave a relief that Kai was alive and well. He had had precious little time to reflect on the presumed loss of his friend while aboard the Versant, but that didn’t stop him from keenly feeling the joy of his friend being returned. Part of Cross couldn’t help but muse that Kai seemed in significantly better shape than he himself was, and better fed as well. Cross grinned at Kai, raising his glass to toast the other man. ”I’m happy you’re here, Kai. I thought you were dead. It’s good to get you back.” Cross clinked his glass against Kai’s, drank, then placed the vessel on the table once again.

”As for filling each other in, I don’t know what you’ve heard about the Versant, but that will take some time to tell. Maybe we should start with something simpler first.” Cross considered his own words for a moment, then gave his friend a strained look. ”Though by the seems of things, I don’t think any of what we have to catch up on could be called simple.”

Cross sat up, leaning forward to rest his forearms on the table as he peered across at Kai. ”Why don’t we start at the beginning. You said you were knocked out during the Borg attack, and woke up on a runabout with Commander Ducote. That was a stoke of luck. Anyone who wasn’t a hybrid in the escape pods was recycled when the Savi picked us up.” Cross paused, remembering the sight of the crewman in the containment pod across form him being liquified. ”The <fucking> Savi used them as nourishment.” Cross scowled down at his drink as he spoke, then raised the glass and took a deep pull of kanar to wash away the bitter taste that had risen in his throat. ”What happened after you woke up?”

Re: SD 57562.29: Celebrating & Commiserating

Reply #4 –
[ Lt. Cmdr. Kai Akoni | Cross’ Quarters | Deck 10 | USS Theurgy ]

@Fife

Kai had listened intently to his friend describe basically a rundown of their current situation. Just hearing someone else describe the situation they found themselves in could almost be comical, or at the very least an entertaining holonovel. It seemed like it could be their very own Kobayashi Maru, except in real life, and even complete with Klingons. Kai could do nothing but shake his head at their situation. He’d come to accept it and even embrace it.

Cross had described Kai ending up on the Niger with Ducote a stroke of luck. Truth be told, Kai hadn’t thought about it before Cross had mentioned it. It dawned on Kai that he was absolutely right and this had caught Kai a little off guard. To be fair however, Kai had been dealing with a multitude of other things since he left the Endeavour. 

Cross wanted to know what had happened after Kai had woken up about the runabout. The large man took a drink of the liquid in the glass in front of him before answering his friend.

”Well..when I woke up aboard the Niger, I was really confused. Somebody managed to haul my big ass to the runabout, thankfully. Once I found Ducote, we had followed an ion trail which we figured would tell us what the Borg were up to or where they were.” Kai stopped for another sip of his drink before continuing on, ”Instead we found the Theurgy. Well, we didn’t know it was the Theurgy until we were almost aboard. Once our runabout was in the bay here, we tried to ignite the impulse engines to try and escape. That obviously didn’t work. We were then ready to repel any boarding parties by force, they cut our power which let them transport us to the brig. It wasn’t very much fun, but…but..i’ll tell you this, I was ready to kill them if they entered our runabout. Now, I’m less likely to do that” Kai winked at his friend and they both proceeded to drink.

Kai thought back to that incident when the Niger had first came aboard the Theurgy and how much things had changed since then. Kai was ready to defend the Niger against the Theurgy. Things happen and now Kai was ready to defend the Theurgy against the full weight of the Federation. 

How times change..

He looked at Cross and wondered if his next question was appropriate to ask or not, but he decided to anyways.

”D..Do you wanna talk about what happened on the Savi ship?” Kai had made a slightly grimacing face after asking, hoping it wouldn’t trigger Cross.



OOC: Sorry @Fife for the tardiness of my reply!

Re: SD 57562.29: Celebrating & Commiserating

Reply #5 –
[ Lt. Cmdr. Cross | Personal Quarters | Deck 10 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @trevorvw
[Show/Hide]
Cross had listened in silence as Kai recounted the events following his escape from the Endeavour, shaking his head at the insanity of almost engaging the impulse drive inside the hanger bay. The standoff must have been quite the scene.

He wasn’t surprised when Kai asked if he wanted to talk about the events on the Savi ship, he’d more or less been expecting the question. Kai wasn’t the first to ask, both about the events, and if he wanted to talk about it. He’d been approached by one or two counsellors asking the same question, though he was far more comfortable talking with Kai about it.

”The Versant was like something out of a nightmare,” Cross began, pausing to take a sip of his kanar before he continued, ”We were experimented on, tested, and corrected.” Cross glanced up at Kai. ”By “corrected” I mean that every hybrid crew member was forced to choose one side of their biology, and the Savi genetically altered us to fully be a member of that species. That’s how I ended up looking the way I did when I came abaord” Cross lifted a hand to his face, touching the bridge of his nose as if to make sure his nasal ridges were indeed still there. ”Anyone who wasn’t a genetic hybrid was killed, save for a few who the Savi wanted to experiment on. There weren’t many of those, those.”

Cross sighed, taking another sip of his drink, then leaned back in his chair and glanced out the viewport in the far wall, watching the stars for a moment. ”You know how I’ve always had trouble with my anger. Well, after my “correction”, I lost control. I assaulted one of our own people, and probably would have killed him if the Savi hadn’t beamed me to another holding cell.” Cross turned his gaze back to Kai, his eyes clear and level. ”Gideon Drake. He was one of my subordinates on the Endeavour. Annoying little shit, to be honest, kept calling me “Boss” and prattling on like he knew everything.” Cross sipped his drink, placing the empty glass on the table and reaching for the bottle to refill it, catching himself just as he was about to take hold of it with his prosthetic hand. He instead took it up in his right hand and poured another measure into his glass. He raised it and took a swig, then continued. ”Apparently Drake died during out final escape. I’m not sure how.” Cross shrugged before moving on.

”Anyway, Blue managed to escape before they gooped her. If she hadn’t, we’d all still be prisoners, or dead. She managed to turn one of the Savi to our side. He helped us escape when we were all slated to be terminated. After that, we fought to gain control of certain objectives in the ship, ones picked out by our Savi contact. Blue and I were part of the team that assaulted the Savi Machine Labs. We rescued her <fucking> nickel-plated owl, as well as the Theurgy’s AI. That’s where I lost my hand.” Cross left it at that, not mentioning that he’d lost it protecting Blue, nor the bond he had developed with the Theurgy’s newly appointed Chief Engineer. ”Then we were beamed to the bridge, and took control of the ship. From there, with Ives in command, we moved to intercept the Theurgy. I think you know the rest from there.”

Cross took a deep breath, taking about long pull from his glass before looking over at Kai. ”There you have it. The grand adventures of those who haven’t been sleeping in a warm bed with fresh uniforms for the last however long it’s been.” Cross gave Kai a wink and a grin, letting the big man know he was only teasing. ”You fortunate <fuck>.” He added with a laugh, shaking his head.

Cross’ face grew serious then, taking on a hint of concern. ”You turn, old friend.” Cross said, his tone serious one more. ”What the <fuck> happened to Annika? She doesn’t remember you? Or me?”

Re: Day 02 [2100 hrs.] Celebrating & Commiserating

Reply #6 –
[ Lt. Cmdr. Kai Akoni | Cross' Quarters | Deck 10 | USS Theurgy ]
@Fife
Kai knew it was inevitable for Cross to ask about one of the seemingly many elephants in the room.

Annika

Kai halfheartedly chuckled and downed the rest of the glass of his whiskey before pouring himself another. He sighed and looked at Cross and gave a bit of a smirk and shrugged his shoulders.

"Well...that's a bit of a hard one to answer. I'm not exactly sure what happened there, but she was found in an escape pod in the nebula. Best I can gather, at least from Ducote, is that she has amnesia and doesn't remember shit."

Kai smiled and took another sip of his whiskey. He looked to his friend and saw his friend staring back at him.

"Buttt...I miss her Cross. As bad as it sounds, this is harder on me than if she had died. I mean, I see her once in awhile and still have all those feelings for her but she doesn't know me anymore than she knows the Captain."

Kai lowered his head and looked down into the glass of whiskey he was holding. Kai realized he had to change the subject before he broke down.

He raised his glass in a salute to Cross.

"Although, I've got you my friend. Things are starting to look up!" he said as the two clinked their glasses together and then took a drink of the respective beverages.

Damn this is good Kai thought to himself after he finished his latest sip of whiskey.

Kai looked towards Cross. The large man wanted to ask so many questions but wasn't sure if they were appropriate or not. Kai debated with himself mentally for a few seconds before deciding that if he would ask. He was quite confident Cross wouldn't be offended.

"Enough about those of us that had clean uniforms and comfortable beds" Kai said whilst he winked at Cross, "What's it like being full Vulcan? Aside from the fact that you got rid of those hideous eyebrows"

Re: Day 02 [2100 hrs.] Celebrating & Commiserating

Reply #7 –
[ Lt. Cmdr. Cross | Personal Quarters | Deck 10 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @trevorvw
[Show/Hide]
Amnesia?

As Kai explained what little he knew of the situation with Annika, Cross stared at his friend with an expression of shock and pity, knowing it would be a harsh blow to his friend. As Kai continued, Cross could head the sorrow seeping into his tone. Then kai seemed to pull himself out of his funk and raised his glass, changing the subject. Cross raised his own glass in kind and clinked it against Kai’s before taking a long pull, his mind turning over the information he had just been told.

So Annika doesn’t remember anything. He thought, eyes focused on his drink for a moment as he let the kanar linger in his mouth. It took her a long time to warm up to me the first time around, and then only because she was dating Kai. Cross swallow the kanar and took another mouthful before raising his eyes to meet Kai’s. Poor bastard.

Kai had continued to speak, asking him what it was like being fully Vulcan. Cross couldn’t help but give his friend a grin at the question.

”Honestly,” he began, putting his glass on the table for the moment. ”it’s been a <fucking> pain. You know me, I don’t follow any kind of <fucking> logic training that the Vulcans do, but I can begin to understand why they do it now.” Cross sighed, leaning back in his chair. ”I had a hard time controlling myself before the change, as I’m sure you remember, but since the Savi <fuckers> corrected me, it’s been a constant struggle. Sometimes I only manage to hold on by a thread. So that’s been fun…” Cross raised his glass, draining the remainder of it’s contents. He reached for the bottle to refill, speaking as he poured another measure of the syrupy liquid into his glass, all the while working with only his organic hand for fear of crushing the bottle or glass were he to use his prosthetic. ”I’m stronger now than I was, which has presented it’s own challenges. I’m still getting used to this <fucking> prosthetic, and the change in my grip strength hade made the adjustment that much harder.” Cross placed the bottle down on the table and raised his glass, glancing across the table at Kai over the rim. ”You would not believe how man things I’ve broken with the <fucking> thing so far…” Kai could just see the hint of an amused grin over the glass before Cross took another drink.

”As for the eyebrows, they couldn’t go soon enough.” Cross lowered his glass to the table again, looking at Kai with his expression serious. ”It was messed up, looking in the mirror and seeing someone who I didn’t recognize. The changes weren’t as drastic as for some of the crew, but I didn’t look like me. It’s good to see myself again.” Cross smiled then, his expression cheering drastically. ”And to see you again, old friend.” Cross raised his glass to cheers Kai again, happiness surging inside him as he once again reflected on the fact that he hadn’t lost Kai.

”Though next time, I think we should both take the runabout…” he added with a chuckle.

Re: Day 02 [2100 hrs.] Celebrating & Commiserating

Reply #8 –
[ Lt. Cmdr. Kai Akoni | Cross' Quarters | Deck 10 | USS Theurgy ] @Fife

Kai couldn't do anything but laugh at Cross' suggestion that they should both take the runabout next time around.

"Next time the Borg destroy the ship and the Savi genetically alter people, we'll definitely take the runabout." he said smirking at the man sitting across from him as he lifted his glass and took another drink of the delicious liquid filling the glass.

Kai looked at the empty bottle in front of him and was a little sad that it was empty, but at the same time he was surprised he drank the whole bottle. Kai glanced to the replicator, thinking momentarily that he could replicate another one. However, he decided against it as he would have to be up early in the morning to do his favourite thing about being Chief of Security...paperwork.

The man smacked both of his thighs with his hands as he went to stand up. He picked up the empty bottle and glass off the table and walked them over to the replicator for recycling. As he did he looked over at Cross.

"Well my friend...I'm going to have to make it an early evening." he had finished saying just as the replicator started dematerializing the glass and the bottle.

He moved back to the table where Cross was sitting and put his hands on each of Cross' shoulders and squeezed slightly.

"I know I've said this too many times already. Maybe it's the booze, maybe it's the PTSD...but it's nice to have you back" Kai said as he squeezed a little harder and then let go. He looked at Cross as the Vulcan replied to him. Kai nodded to the man as it was time for Kai to leave.

"Talk to you tomorrow? Commander" Kai asked inquisitively still getting used to their new ranks and positions aboard the Theurgy.
 

Re: Day 02 [2100 hrs.] Celebrating & Commiserating

Reply #9 –
[ Lt. Cmdr. Cross | Personal Quarters | Deck 10 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @trevorvw
[Show/Hide]
Cross smiled as Kai agreed that they would both take the runabout next time, though in truth, Cross fervently hoped that there wouldn’t be a next time. Not after what he just went through. No, Cross would be quite content never to repeat the experiences of the past week.

Kai finally slapped high hands against his thighs and rose form the table, announcing that he had to make it an early evening. He gathered the empty bottles and deposited them in the replicator, where they promptly vanished to be recycled. That done, he turned and approached Cross, placing his hands on Cross’ shoulders. He announced, not for the first time, that he was glad to have Cross back, stating that it might be the booze or the PTSD talking. Cross chuckled at his friend, then rose from his chair and clapped his friend on the shoulder with his organic hand.

”I’d say it’s definitely the booze.” Cross said, giving his friend a teasing smile. ”I’m glad you’re here, Kai. It’s good to have you back. Besides…” Cross’ grin turned impish, his pale blue eyes glinting mischievously, ”you’d make one ugly Borg.”

As Kai laughed, turning to the door, he looked back at Cross.

”Talk to you tomorrow? Commander.” Cross grinned, giving the big man a nod.

”Of course, Commander.” Cross said as his friend moved out the door. ”Goodnight, Kai.”

Cross chuckled again as the doors hissed shut behind Kai, then turned and moved to the viewport in the wall, staring out at the view beyond. Kai had had a lot to drink, and Cross suspected tomorrow might be rough on his Human friend. Cross himself had drank just as much as Kai, and while he had enjoyed the conversation and the flavour of the kanar, his new Vulcan physiology was not as receptive to the effects of alcohol as his previous hybrid body had been, and so Cross found himself stone sober. He thought over the conversation they had had, about what had happened to Kai, then what had happened to Annika.

”Poor bastard…” Cross muttered to himself, his eyes fixed on an unseen point somewhere off in the vacuum.

-FIN
 
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