EPI: S [D03|2200] Restive Triumph

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EPI: S [D03|2200] Restive Triumph

March 29, 2022, 02:22:18 PM

After she'd left sickbay, replicating herself a new uniform before doing so, Ida had gone to the armoury with her damaged exosuit.

She went through the motions, even though her mind was at the events over the course of the past few days. She left the exosuit with the diligent crewmen doing maintenance on the equipment there. She filed a report about it needing repairs - if it was even salvageable - and she also typed up the report about loosing one of the ship's five Accipiters down on Praxis. That, in particular, chafed at her, since like any soldier, loosing her weapon was a matter of shame. Logically, she knew that she couldn't have avoided it given the circumstances, and she was grateful that - despite how her away team had failed to stop the bomb from being deployed against the dilithium core - the Accipiter crew had stopped the bomb from reaching it.

After she left the armoury, she knew she had said she'd go to her quarters and get some rest, letting her hip heal, but she found herself heading to her office instead. There, she sighed, and lay down on the couch of her sitting area. Idly, she picked up the PADD on the table and began working on her report to Kai Akoni about Praxis, as well as the preceding events in Breen space and at Andor. It was a lot to delve into, and she wanted to get the most important things down while it was all fresh in her memory. Two hours and two Kathekas later, she gave up, since the hour was getting late. She felt the dust and grime from the mission underneath her uniform, and decided to wash it off, and considered using the shower in the adjacent room or the one in her quarters. Instead, she ended up perusing her messages on the PADD, though, and came across the report about Akoni fighting off Klingon boarders in sickbay. Remembering what Kate Foster, the Doctor who'd fixed her hip, had said about being grateful that Security protected the crew, Ida smiled and looked toward the ceiling.

"Thea, where is Akoni?"

[Commander Akoni is in the Security Gymnasium, on Deck 07.]

I should tell him about the Savi who tried to blow up the ship too, unless he already heard about it, she thought to herself, while also feeling restive after all the fighting, as if the adrenaline had yet to thin out in her cobalt blood. The gym sounded like a solution for that as well... but with her hip being the state it was, she knew she shouldn't push it. Sighing, she got to her feet and left the office, heading to the gymnasium down the corridor, and stepped inside. She came to lean against one of the walls and folded her arms underneath her chest.

"Commander, I hope I am not interrupting?"

Re: EPI: S [D03|2200] Restive Triumph

Reply #1 – April 04, 2022, 05:26:56 PM

[ Lt. Cmdr. Kai Akoni | Security Gym | Deck 7 | Vector 2 | USS Theurgy ]

After spending time having drinks and spending some time on the holodeck with both Cross and Elro, Kai felt that his emotions and memories had been properly stirred up. The large man was walking back to his quarters, slightly tipsy and fully stuck in his own head. He acknowledged to himself that it felt good to talk about the people they had lost, especially all the people from the Endeavour, but at the same time, he had trouble getting those faces and voices out of his head.

He realized a little slower than he should have that he probably needed a counselor to talk to and work through everything. In his typical fashion though, he decided he was going to do his own counselling, at least for tonight anyways.

Kai then abruptly changed directions and headed for the security centre. As he entered it, he was pleased to see that there wasn’t much happening at this time of night.

Small miracles…he thought to himself as he hoped there would be less paperwork in the morning. That was one thing he could never get used to, at least not yet. The sheer amount of paperwork that was needed from all the happenings aboard the Theurgy compared to the Endeavour.

He shook that out of his head as he changed into shorts, a tank top and his cross training shoes. He threw his uniform on the chair in his office and proceeded out the door and towards the gym. If there was anything that was good for his mental state, he always found lifting heavy things and putting them down again was always helpful, or at the very least, a distraction.

When he entered the gym, he was thankful he was alone. He asked the computer to set the temperature to 30c and to play late 20th century “rock” music. After those were done, he got to work. He had to do a warm up, which consisted of some stretching and skip rope work. After 10 minutes of that, he decided that he was now going to move on to bench presses. He figured he would start simple at 150kg and then see how he felt.

He laid on the bench under the bar and gripped it. He took it off the rack and brought it down to his chest before pushing it directly up and away from his body. His arms straining slightly but still being stable and in control. He repeated the process.

2…3…4…5…6…7…8…9…10

He re-racked the bar and took a breather. He noticed the sweat forming on his eye brows and took the back of his right arm to wipe it away before it could enter his eyes. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw zh’Wann standing there, leaning against the bulkhead, her arms crossed. She asked him if she was interrupting.

Well kind of, he thought to himself as he maneuvered himself out from beneath the bar and came to sit on the edge of the bench.

”No, not at all. Just doing some self counselling here. What’s up?” he was curious to know why she was here at this time of night, but knew he’d find out soon. If he’s learned one thing, it’s that his deputy doesn’t hold back.

Re: EPI: S [D03|2200] Restive Triumph

Reply #2 – April 12, 2022, 02:58:56 PM

The pinkskin was strong, no denying that. Idly, as she watched him, she wondered who was stronger between Akoni and Wenn Cinn, She had no idea, and the Bajoran was with the Prophets now, so whatever small difference there may have been in strength between the two, it didn't matter anymore. The very humanly phrased question - what was upwards for her - was so open and simple it took Ida a couple of moments to pick where she ought to begin.

"Me? Personally? I feel like I should be content with us winning the day, with victory had on most fronts... but the losses among the officers I have led doesn't allow me that respite. We lost our KDF officer, Valkra, over Andor. The Romulans aboard the cloaked warbird we infiltrated to stop them from deploying a thalaron bomb on my home world killed her. She died in battle, so I guess according to the Klingons, she is now in Sto'vo'kor. We also lost a couple of Lone Wolves, one of which I used to know well. In any case..."

Switching topics, not keen on lingering on those thoughts, Ida pushed away from the wall and began to pace the gym. "I heard good things from the medics in Sickbay, how you and others of our Department fought off Klingon borders during the battles with House Mo'Kai. Well done, sir. I am impressed with how you managed that while just having survived the bombing of Spearhead Lounge. I am sorry that Khorin is now in a stasis chamber, and that you lost so many from the Endeavour." She paused there, coming to stand in front of Akoni where he sat. She looked down, her antennae swaying in thought. "I... guess we both lost a lot in these series of victories, but however little it may matter to you.... I am glad you are still with us. You show this crew how far strength and resilience can take them, and after this, they will look at you as an example of someone who continues fighting, against all odds of survival."

She looked up and gave the pinkskin a terse smile. "While not the intent, I just realised it may seem I am flattering you before telling you this, to soften the impact... but I lost one of our five Accipiters on Praxis," she said with a self-disparaging chuckle. She shook her head. "The situation, fighting one of the Infested, prevented me from retrieving it... but as a soldier, loosing my rifle still eats at me. Especially since we now only have four left of those rifles."

Re: EPI: S [D03|2200] Restive Triumph

Reply #3 – April 19, 2022, 08:34:50 PM

[ Lt. Cmdr. Kai Akoni | Security Gym | Deck 7 | Vector 2 | USS Theurgy ]

As zh’Wann reiterated what had happened, Kai sat there listening and not saying a word. It was one thing to read the report, but it was entirely different to hear a first hand account from someone that was present.

As she came to stand in front of him and it did sound like she was flattering him, he did appreciate the kind words. It wasn’t often he had heard those kind words from someone. Not that he expected nor needed them. He quickly came to a realization that he was wrong. Without realizing and without telling her, he needed those words more than he or anyone else could realize.

When his deputy told him that she had ‘lost’ one of the Accipters on Praxis, he couldn’t help but smile and chuckle to himself. He looked at her in the eyes and told her the truth.

”I mean that sucks, there’s no denying that…with that being said though, I’d rather lose all of the Accipters we have than lose any good officers. Especially one of your calibre”

He said it and he meant every word of it. Tactically it was a blow, but the Theurgy, especially now, couldn’t afford to lose excellent officers. He shifted his weight and laid down on the bench again under the barbell. He gripped it with both hands. He started doing bench presses while conversing with zh’Wann.

”I mean it. We’re in charge of Security aboard this ship. Fortunately or unfortunately, however you look at it, the buck stops with me. I couldn’t do this job without your support and I rely on your work ethic and expertise to help keep this ship as secure as we can make it. “

The Security Chief finished his reps and then once again sat on the edge of the bench. He wiped the sweat from his forehead with the towel he had with him. The man looked his deputy in the eyes again and saw her antennae moving as she seemed to process what he had just said.

Re: EPI: S [D03|2200] Restive Triumph

Reply #4 – April 30, 2022, 03:05:05 PM

When Kai Akoni began to exercise anew, Ida inclined her head in response to what he said.

"Thank you," she said, acknowledging the compliment on her performance. She had not expected that, thinking that the loss of the Accipiter would be made a bigger deal, but of course the pinkskin was correct. "I guess you are right. Weapons are just tools, and they are useless unless there is someone wielding them." It briefly made Ida think about the loss of officers though, but in retrospect - and in writing out her reports earlier - she was reasonably certain that she couldn't have done anything differently to spare their lives and also accomplish the missions she'd been assigned.

"It was a close call, down on Praxis. The infiltration team I led managed to reach the mining shaft in which the Infested meant to drop a bomb. Deployed, it would have detonated the main dilithium veins and split the moon up to such a degree that Qo'noS would have been rendered inhabitable. Shelat, when I saw that bomb drop, since we didn't manage to stop the sequence and prevent it from falling, I believed billions of lives were about to be lost. As it were, Commander Cross managed to bring the Allegiant into that mining shaft and sealed it up with the scoutship's phasers and micro torpedoes. The bomb thus didn't ignite the dilithium, and we won the day."

Having said this, Ida thought of the implication that the Infested had hatched this plan to end the Klingon Empire after the outcome in the Azure Nebula, in which their main plan to unleash the Borg unto the Alpha and Beta Quadrants. This brewing war between factions in the Galaxy was their second option, as it were, and they had nearly succeeded. It told her that the enemy did not need too much time of preparation to accomplish dreadful things.

"Perhaps I ought to tell you about the Savi I had to kill before that, however. I am certain that the Voice or some other represenative of the Savi delegation aboard would want an official account about what happened, even though they already know that this... Dipen killed one of their own and was a traitor to their rebel cause."

Re: EPI: S [D03|2200] Restive Triumph

Reply #5 – June 17, 2022, 06:37:39 PM

[Lt. Cmdr. Kai Akoni | Security Gym | Security Centre | Deck 07 | Vector 2 | USS Theurgy ]

Kai continued to workout while zh’Wann recounted the mission, in detail about how they had casually saved billions of lives. The large man was silently amused by this. On any other Federation ship, they would be acknowledged by the Federation, given medals and probably some damned parade too. However, on the Theurgy, it was just an average day. Nonetheless, he was proud of his deputy’s actions.

He had just finished a set of bench presses when she had mentioned about her having to kill the Savi, which was obviously, at least according to the report he read, justified. Akoni brought his body to sit on the edge of the bench again and looked at his deputy.

”It’ll obviously have to be investigated…but it seems like it was by the book. If they want an official account, they can read the damn report.” he took a beat before continuing, ”You don’t have to answer to them and I will always have your back”

The man laid back down to finish his last set, feeling his sweaty clothes compress beneath him as he laid back down. He started to lift the bar and weights as he started to speak again.

”You know…on any other ship, I’d put you in for a medal. On this ship though? You’ll have to settle for me saying ‘good job’. Well, that and my respect. Whatever that’s worth to you” Kai said, laughing out loud at the end, thinking he was the funniest.

He reflected for a moment, appreciating his deputy and this conversation. While it still felt formal and stiff, there was a hint of relaxed conversation this time. He wondered if she was starting to trust him a little more or if it was just her getting used to his personality.

Re: EPI: S [D03|2200] Restive Triumph

Reply #6 – June 28, 2022, 09:46:51 AM

Whether or not they all answered to the Savi was not the issue in Ida's mind, knowing perfectly well where her own loyalties lay and how they were allies. Her issue was that the Savi were too advanced. Too much of a threat to the Theurgy to not - at the very least - be a bit cautious. She did not wish to incur the hostility of a species that could destroy the Theurgy rather easily if the Voice gave the order.

“Thank you,” she said, nonetheless, when Kai Akoni said he had her back, even stating that if it wasn’t for the mission at hand - and the isolation of the ship from the fleet - he would have commended more than he could. A medal however... seemed a bit too much. “I... Well, I am grateful, but in regard to the Praxis mission, I think your friend Cross - and those on the Allegiant - are far more deserving than me. After all, I wasn’t the one who kept the bomb from igniting all that dilithium. The Infested would have died without me fighting her. If anything, I think we owe most of our gratitude to Alistair Leavitt, whom Captain Ducane sent to warn us about what the enemy was planning. Shelat, without the intel that the Relativity had provided Leavitt, and whom in turn gave it to us, I do not know if my infiltration team had been able to discern what was afoot in time. Only by knowing that Leavitt knew, Cross could intercept that bomb. I’d rather see a medal pinned on those who actually made a difference.”

She knew that the ‘what if’ speculations were rather moot, the past being the past, and it was impossible to evaluate the basis of contingencies when they hadn’t happened happened. Any number of things could have gone differently, and there was no way of telling what may have happened if this or that had been different. She knew she shouldn’t be dwelling on such things. What was done was done.

The comment about how much his opinion was worth to her... Ida wasn’t sure how to interpret the pinkskin when he said it, but if anything, it was an invite to an answer, and while most would find such a line of conversation awkward, Ida didn’t flinch to bespeak her mind.

“Your opinion as my superior officer matters, of course,” she said, pushing away from the wall and pacing the gym while she spoke. “On the basis of our duty to this ship and crew, your disposition and attitude is paramount. I am not questioning your judgement, and I don’t believe I have done so at any point since you were named Chief Security Officer. I know that my personal opinion about the Savi, on the basis of what they did to me and the other abductees, is not fully in line with the tentative alliance with them. I do not hold you responsible for that alliance, however. I know it was a decision of the Senior Staff and Captain Ives, and I am fully aware of the big picture, and the technological benefits that these... allies have given us. We wouldn’t have reached Qo’noS in time if it wasn’t for the QSD.”

But the quantum slipstream drive aside, all her instincts as a soldier screamed at her that the Savi couldn’t be trusted in the long run. Her antennae drooped and she glanced towards Akoni when he finished his set. “I know that I have a biased opinion, and that my experiences doesn’t make me objective... But I was there.” Her brow furrowed, thinking about her ordeal on that blasted dreadnought. “I was there aboard the Versant when they treated us like animals. When they forced four Andorians to breed for sake of their alleged scientific curiosity. I saw them recycle - liquify - fellow officers in order to make matter for their version of replicators. I have heard what they did to one of your predecessors - David Grayson - in another pen. They had Eve Jenkins, a Deltan, obliterate his mind, and then put her down when she tried to escape. Using a control chip in the brain of one of our engineers, they made her break another crew member’s neck. They preformed genital surgery on two Savi to make them change sex, and then made sure to pump them full of aphrodisiacs so that they could make sure those genitals worked. Drugged, they had the male Ovri rape one of our Lone Wolves. Shelat, another Wolf lost the child in her womb when ‘Corrected’ her hybrid genome.”

Taking a deep breath, calming herself, Ida got to her point after settling down a little bit. She clenched her jaw and looked at Akoni, antennae twisting in quiet rage. “Personally, I have a hard time reconciling these events with the mere promise of the Voice, saying his Savi rebels know better now. I mean, just because they now chose to follow some old Code of theirs, they are just forgiven? We should just turn the page? I am sorry, but regardless what our regulations and our Federation laws might say - should it be us who were fooled by some Scion overlord caste - I would never be able to do what they did to us.”

Re: EPI: S [D03|2200] Restive Triumph

Reply #7 – July 26, 2022, 09:15:14 AM

[Lt. Cmdr. Kai Akoni | Security Gymnasium | Security Centre | Deck 07 | Vector 2 | USS Theurgy ] @Auctor Lucan

Kai sat on the edge of the weight bench for what felt like hours, contemplating what zh’Wann said about all the experimentations and the insane things that had happened aboard the Savi ship.

Akoni had read the reports, heard second hand rumours and even a little bit from his friend Cross. He couldn’t imagine the unimaginable horrors that occurred to all of them. Hearing and reading the words are one thing, but being forced to experience that would be on a whole different level.

The large man felt sweaty all over his body. The downside of choosing to not have hair was that the sweat that formed on his head, had nothing to stop it from rolling down into his face. He grabbed the towel from the floor in front of him, proceed to mop the sweat from his face. He looked up to his deputy and looked in her eyes.

”You said you have a hard time reconciling it. I think that’s a generous way to say it. I think it’s bullshit. I can’t imagine what you all went through and now we just have to trust them?” Kai said whilst shaking his head at the end.

He looked around the room to make sure they were alone and confirmed they were.

”I would personally keep your head on a swivel, but be your usual professional self. On a personal level and I don’t mean to pry, but maybe you should consider also counselling. It’s not an order, merely a suggestion…and not as your boss, but a concerned person”

Kai continued to look into her eyes, searching for how she’d react to his suggestion and waiting.

Posted from my phone while at work in the hallway of a hospital. Sorry if there's any grammatical or spelling errors!

Re: EPI: S [D03|2200] Restive Triumph

Reply #8 – July 31, 2022, 09:14:34 PM

When Akoni gave his counsel, Ida merely inclined her head, giving answer to his friendly recommendation.

"Of course. I have," she said in regard to seeking counselling, taking a deep breath, "I met with Counsellor Seren after the ordeal aboard the Versant, during the one and a half months of repairs at the Aldea Prime Shipyards. My gratitude for your concern, and I assure you, I have made sure to get my psych evals before resuming my duties. Given the ordeal I endured, and what the Andorians - from the bond group that was forced upon me..."

She had to take pause, another breath, and she bared her teeth in disgust with her eyes glinting, "....did to me... against my will, it would be remiss of me to not see a counsellor. So I did, and I have spent countless hours outside counselling working through all the things that have befallen me during this bloody mission, ranging from rape-plants to losses of dear friends, all so that I can keep fighting. To keep protecting this crew."

Ida took the edge of the moment with a lopsided smile. "So, I thank you for your concern, as my superior officer and 'a concerned person'. Opting out of therapy out of misplaced pride would be a dereliction of my duties."

Having addressed that, she straightened and folded her arms behind her back - shoulders squared. "Understood, sir. I am already keeping my eye on all the activities surrounding the Savi, but it instils confidence that you also see the the risk they pose in the manner that I do. If there is naught else, I will let you return to your training."

Re: EPI: S [D03|2200] Restive Triumph

Reply #9 – August 01, 2022, 11:02:06 PM

[ Lt. Cmdr. Kai Akoni | Security Gymnasium | Security Centre | Deck 7 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] @Auctor Lucan

Well damn…did I unintentionally insult her?

Just as quickly as he had the thought, it was gone at the same speed. If there was one thing that he could count on, was her being upfront and honest with everything.

”I didn’t mean to infer that you would be derelict in your duties. I just wanted to make sure that you were taking care of yourself first and foremost”

He wiped the sweat dripping from his brow as he looked up at his deputy. The large man could feel that his muscles had gotten a nice workout as he could feel the strain in them. He continued to look at his deputy, knowing both overtly and subconsciously that they were on the same page.

” Just don’t get caught while you’re checking on them. Anything big, just let me know.” he shook his head while standing up from the bench, getting a nice leg stretch in at the same time.

”I’ve got nothing else, so your dismissed…and thanks again for the chat” He added in, while making his way to the stationary bicycle to help cool down after the workout.

~FIN