Star Trek: Theurgy

Day 34 [1200 hrs.] Of Doctor's and Guards

May 22, 2020, 01:25:33 AM

PO1 Dyan Cardamone | | Brig | Security Center | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy ]
Attn: @Auctor Lucan
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It was now Dyan's turn to guard the Doctor and while they said he was back in control she wasn't entirely sure she believed it and even if it was true, that thing was still inside of him and could re-emerge at any time and she for one wasn't going to caught napping when that day came.

In fact she hoped that she would be one of the first ones there in order to take the thing down, it would be a glorious battle and quite the prize. Maybe they would let her cut the thing out of Nicander's corpse and keep it as a trophy? She doubted it but it was a nice thought. Perhaps she'd ask should the day ever come, they could consider it payment for the lives of her family.

Smirking a little at the thought she paid little attention to the man in the cell stood opposite her. The Doctor and her had had some history, he had after all been the one she had gone too about her then situation, being the Chief Medical Officer and the sex hadn't been bad, if only she'd known back then what he was she could have killed him then and there and saved them some grief. On the other hand they'd probably know less than they did now and who knows what would have happened to her.

Still it was a waste of time to dwell on the past...Ha! her inner self interrupted briefly but Dyan shook her head to banish that annoyance before it could whisper any more words in her head. This was her now, the blood thirsty slut, it was a much better way to live. Fighting and fucking what more did she need out of life? She felt the voice of her former self trying to speak but she ignored it as her gaze watched Nicander on the opposite side of the forcefield.

She'd been here a while now but hadn't said much, nor had she really seen the man in quite a while. He looked less fucked up now than he had the last time she'd seen him, but that just meant the entity would be stronger should it regain control, not that she cared, it would make for a much better fight.

"They say you're you again...for now. I wonder how long that will last?" she said casually as she looked at him. "Personally I'm hoping not long, I'm itching for a good fight to the death and that thing inside of you can definitely provide one."

Re: Day 34 [1200 hours] Of Doctor's and Guards

Reply #1 – May 26, 2020, 05:10:29 PM

[ Doctor Lucan cin Nicander | Brig | Security Center | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @CorruptedCookie 
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With his extended captivity, a small sense of hope had returned to the former Chief Medical Officer of the ship.

The science teams and engineering hadn't only been able to recreate the transphasic wavelength of the Radiants, they had also isolated the anyonic phase variance required to capture the parasite inside him in a secondary containment beam. Theoretically, Vael Kaeris' discovery enabled them to effectively beam the thing out of him, separating him from the entity that had plagued him for oh, so many years. This meant that not only could they use the transphasic light to lower the influence of the beast inside to a managable level, but they could - hopefully - end his state of torment at any given moment.

The caveat, however, was that Lucan's ability to gaze into the abyss inside him and see through the eyes of other hosts - this 'farsight', as it had come to be called - had too high a tactical importance in the mission to come, and they had asked him to remain an Infested so that they might thwart not only Starfleet Command, but the leaders of the Savi. Indeed, the Scion High Council was also compromised, and with the superior Flotilla being their potential foe, the Theurgy needed any tactical advantage they might keep.

And fool as he was, Lucan had agreed - remaining in the Brig until a point in time where he could be given better - and yet still secure - living accommodations. At least some of the Senior Staff had taken pithy in him and allowed him visitors, proven as he had that he could actually control the thing inside him. Chief Ji had come to see him, resuming something that neither had been able to name, and she'd even been allowed inside his cell for it. Both Vael Kaeris and Doctor Kobol  - his successor in sickbay - had been inside his cell. The reasoning was clear in how he'd even been able to control it when the Borg Invasion was nigh, and the nameless darkness had needed him to act the most. He had resisted stopping the Theurgy from thwarting the invasion, and if he could to that, he could keep a leash on himself in company of others.

Still, for sake of his own safety as much as the crew, he remained in his holding cell, biding his time with exercise, research and reading.

The Brig Officer of the day was, however, a known face. Or rather, he'd come to know her with and without the horns.

"Please, Petty Officer," he said and raised his pale grey eyes from his PADD, sitting on his bunk in his black uniform trousers. His unkempt hair caught the overhead light as he smiled to the Asurian security officer. "For a woman your age you ought to be more civilised."

With a sigh, he put his PADD aside and rose to his bare feet, walking towards the forcefield. "By the winds, Sar-Unga," he added, dropping the rank since he had a feeling the conversation she wanted was to be off the record, "why would I fight you? I'm a Doctor, not a gladiator."

Spreading his mismatched hands, one of them now being an artificial limb, he added. "Besides, our scientists have found the means to strengthen my control over the parasite, giving me light treatment every day, so I am afraid that even if I wanted to fight you - my oath put aside - you'd not get the satisfaction you got out of fighting Sonja Acreth on the Harbinger."

Odd, how hedonistic the Asurian had become. Was it because of her losses at Starbase 84?

Re: Day 34 [1200 hours] Of Doctor's and Guards

Reply #2 – June 14, 2020, 01:59:55 PM

PO1 Dyan Cardamone | Brig | Security Center | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy ]
Attn: @Auctor Lucan
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From her spot outside the cell, she watched Nicander reading PADD until he spoke, watching as his grey eyes raised from the PADD to look at her and snorted about how a woman of her age should be more civilised. "A woman of my age also knows not to underestimate an enemy and despite what people say, as long as that thing is still inside you, you are very much an enemy. Like a ticking bomb just counting down the moments until you finally explode and try to end us all." she countered.

Remaining casually leaning against the wall opposite the cell, she watched as he stood up from the bunk and walked towards the forcefield as he spoke to her, causing her to narrow her eyes slightly at him at the use of her Asuran name. "It's Dyan." she corrected. She wanted nothing to do with her former life and was unworthy of her true name, not since she had killed her family. She was Dyan Cardamone now and that was all she would ever be.

Still she moved past the thought and allowed a small smile to spread across her lips "You wouldn't. Your little house guest on the other hand very much would and while you certainly aren't a gladiator, it is."

Observing the Doctor as he spread his mismatched hands, she listened as he spoke and of course had heard what the scientists had done, still even if the creature was weaker than Sonja she'd take it. "A weaker opponent is better than no opponent." she shrugged. "Besides I'm sure some people around here aren't as forgiving as others are to what you've done, willingly or not. To some the face is all that matters." the security officer stated casually. She'd certainly heard about Commander Martin's little outburst at the potential risk he'd taken with her life during their encounter. Whether the Chief Science Officer wanted to see the man dead or not was a different matter entirely but sometimes the justice delivered on the vessel was good enough for some. She thought to herself.

"If you are correct that such an encounter doesn't leave me completely satisfied I'm sure there's an officer or two who would love to help satisfy me in other ways to make up for it." she added as an afterthought.

Looking at the man she grinned slightly "Besides let's be honest, even if you are eventually let out of your cell and even get that thing out of you, do you really think people won't hesitate if they see you? Even if it's just for a moment, hmm? That one little bit of fear and doubt that maybe just maybe you aren't you at all. Especially when the truth eventually comes out the wider galactic community." she asked with a smirk. "Just look at the Dominion War, how many people saw Changelings in every corner when it ended? Even despite all the assurances and evidence both Starfleet and the Dominion provided to the contrary, fear and doubt and suspicion are far harder things to dismiss so easily." she finished.

Perhaps she believed what she was saying, or maybe she was just saying it to push Nicander's buttons, either way she got some twisted satisfaction out of it and that was good enough for her.  

Re: Day 34 [1200 hours] Of Doctor's and Guards

Reply #3 – June 16, 2020, 04:57:24 PM

[ Doctor Lucan cin Nicander | Brig | Security Center | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @CorruptedCookie 
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While Lucan had no idea what motivated the Asurian to provoke him, he saw little point in entertaining conversation with her.

She was merely trying to make him react is some fashion, boastful about her fighting prowess and trying to belittle him. Perhaps she might just be bored? No, this might very well be how she handled things on her part when it came to their past together. How he'd been there to help her come forward with her true identity, how she'd trusted him as a Doctor with both the restoration procedure in which she'd shed her alter ego and shown him her real physique - with the tail and horns freed from Savi-engineered confinement. Her Velsren sac had enabled her to regain what had been hidden, triggered by the flooding of pent up blank cells. A far more accelerated transformation than the normal healing, by subtle and creative Savi design. It had been a remarkable sight, seeing those horns grow and her tail detach itself from her otherwise Human physiology. No wonder she had passed all the scans the Federation had subjected her to, with the Savi having helped the Asurians hide their undercover operatives.

There was no way of telling if the Asurian outside the cell was angry with him, or if it was just her feeling bored and wanting to make him react. Unless..?

"You give this crew and the Federation too little credit, Sar-unga," he said with a smile, even though - of course - there were doubts individually among the crew of the ship whether they hated him or not. Nonetheless, he had to believe they could separate the actions of the parasite-self from someone once freed of said entity. He tilted his head a bit. "And frankly, I give less credit to your actual ability to do what you suggest, much less... that fighting me is what you actually want to do."

If she wanted to tease him, then why not return the favour by using her real name? What gave the petty officer the sole right to such methods.

"I think you can't let yourself to feel more betrayed than you already do, and instead of pushing for an answer as to what happened between us meant anything, fear for being infested by me makes you lash at me instead. Anything rather than accepting that you had no idea what possessed me at the time." He shrugged with a smile, standing there in the overhead light, barechested and barefoot behind the forcefield. "See, I hear you had a chance to return to you your people... but something happened, and you're back here with us..."

Frowning, he arched a hip and put a metal hand on it, scratching his stubble with his tattooed one. "So, despite this prancing and pretending to be better, do you know what I think? I wonder, do you feel trapped - perhaps - between two worlds, neither truly accepting you because of what your people did to this crew? Especially because what they did to you, I would think, making you change your mind like that. Isn't that right, Sar-unga? That is your real name, though, isn't it, so why otherwise pretend to be someone else?"

Gesturing, he tallied off possible reasons with his fingers. "Fear, for your Queen's retribution? Shame, for turning on your people? Regret, because in doing something good for Sarresh Morali, you ended up with me? Frustration, because you can't truly be yourself any more? Confusion, because the persona you adopted when you entered Starfleet has rubbed off on you, and made you question everything? Or is it just hate for the Infested? Surely it's not just an excuse to challenge me, so that you can project all those other things unto me? An available focal point for all your woes, and a wish to strike them down - me representing them all."

Having said this to her in one sweep, Lucan shrugged, and walked back to his bunk. "By all means, kill me then, if that makes you feel better. It's not like I would be missing anything, locked up as I am here day in and day out in solitary confinement. I'm right here, if it hurts so much, and you think it's a solution for all your problems."

Lucan sat down on his bunk and leaned back against the bulkhead, and picked up his PADD so that he might resume reading instead of indulging the confused alien stalking his cell.

Outside, there was silence, which was quite unexpected given how keen the Asurian had been to begin with.

Perhaps he'd struck a nerve?

Evidently so, because the sliding doors were heard, and Cardamone abandoned her shift well before it actually ended.

- FIN