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Re: INTERREGNUM EP 01-02: Low Profile & New Blood

Reply #25 –
She'd tried to engage the guys, more so Lin Kae thinking he might be more chatty than their superior officer who had retreated to a bunk but he seemed to focus more on his console and innermost thoughts which shut her up and left her to her own thoughts.  Maybe they'd be able to do all this fast and get back to the Theurgy because if this was how it was going to be the entire time, well maybe some alone time wouldn't be so bad.

Somehow she managed to not sigh though occasionally she felt the intake of breath in preparation for them.  Normally she would be singing or something to pass the time but she had the distinct feeling anything noisy would bring out the ire or at the very least the odd looks at her choice of music.  Not many knew the really old stuff and she was trying to avoid anything about Smurfs as it brought back images of the naked blue woman, something she really wished she could delete from her memories.  "Oooooh Pappa Smurf," she muttered and then snerked before remembering she had company.

Soon enough they were approaching Nimbus III and the young man selected a good place to set down.  "Beginning atmospheric entry protocol," she stated and eased right along to the coordinates.  The deceleration brought Lucan to wakefulness and with practiced ease she set the Runabout down and started the process of shutting down in preparation to disembark.  Grabbing up a black leather jacket and fingerless gloves, she slipped them on and tucked away her phaser.  "Whenever you're ready, Sir," she nodded to Lucan.

Re: INTERREGNUM EP 01-02: Low Profile & New Blood

Reply #26 –
[Lin Kae - Shuttle]

Kae began to feel a bit guilty.  Skye was clearly trying to engage him in conversation, and he was failing on so many levels.  If she were holographic, he wouldn't have had so much trouble, so why should her being composed of organic matter make it any more different?  Maybe it was just about being on a shuttle that made him nervous.  "Sorry, I'm not better company, Ensign Carver.  Like I said to the CMO, I don't venture down onto planets much.  I might be a bit paranoid about going into such a . . . biologically rich environment.  I spent the first 14 years of my life in isolation due to defective immunities."  It was over half his life by that point, Kae barely turning 22 a few months ago.



[Nathan Isley - Gymnasium]

Isley had managed to up the weight to three hundred by the time Grayson was speaking to him.  After a hundred reps, he would up the weight another fifty pounds, taking a short break beforehand.  He wasn't feeling too much strain where he was, a strong sign his body was still well conditioned, but he still wasn't about to rush things.  With the security officer speaking to him, it was a good chance to stop for such a break.  Lowering the bar onto it's support struts, Isley sat up, rolling his shoulders a bit to stretch them out. 

"I usually get it up to four hundred.  Vulcan strength and human determination make a good match for one another.  Most Vulcans are usually too busy on the whole logic thing, but if you work out and maintain a regimen, even Klingons aren't too tough."  It reminded him of his battle with Ida, in which the infection had given her an edge over him he wasn't quite prepared for.  The image of her nude form still taunted him, but he didn't allow it to hinder him.  Instead, he used his workout as a means to vent some of the frustration the image could cause.

Re: INTERREGNUM EP 01-02: Low Profile & New Blood

Reply #27 –
Skye looked to Lin Kae, someone barely over a year younger than herself yet seemed so much younger, and gave him a lopsided grin.  "You're better company than you realize," she stated and clapped him lightly on the shoulder blade.  "And you picked a hell of a great place to set down.  As far as growing up, I'm afraid I would have driven your parents insane.  I spent my first 14 years jumping in every puddle, climbing every tree, and scrapping with every boy on the playground," she grinned.

"Honestly," she stated with more seriousness, "I haven't set foot on any planets besides earth myself.  Hit a few space stations but otherwise just Starfleet simulations of places.  Figure there's good and bad anywhere you go and if the shit hits the fan here, just stick with me.  We made a pretty good team before, right?"  With another grin, one quite adventurous and daring, she tilted her head toward the exit.  "So what do you say we go out there and hit some biologically rich environment together?"

Re: INTERREGNUM EP 01-02: Low Profile & New Blood

Reply #28 –
[ Recovery Ward | Sickbay | Deck 07 ]

Accepting the PADD from the Lieutenant, Thea read it all in less than two seconds before putting it down on the corner of a diagnostics table.

"I will make sure the doctor gets this and gives it more than a passing glance, as for engineering I saw no flaws, but you must consult the present technicians about the actual need of these things in relation to the priorities of their scheduled tasks. I am sure Mr. Douglas, or his sense of honour, would appreciate this. Thank you, Lieutenant."

She turned to walk away and got a few steps... then she paused to turn her head slightly. "Lt. Renard, please report to Commander Rez in her Ready Room," she said, giving him a small smile before turning back to her patients - finishing with the last two before she would return to Junior Lieutenant Douglas. She had relayed the message through her projection isntead of the intercom because she chose to, and it was a pleasant feeling - to manage such small things when she wanted.

All thanks to Kae's efforts. Oh, she could not wait to have another session with him, answering his questions, helping him understand the intricate web of her programming and mapping out her brain for him. He was quite ingenious, and so respectful towards her. It was such a shame that he would have to leave on that away mission. When he got back, she hoped she would have the opportunity to tell him how grateful she was for all the work he put in to make her restrictions seem so seamless along the edges of her sentience and free will - even if it was his duty aboard nowadays.

After Lt. Renard had left, Thea picked up the PADD she had been given and returned to Khorin and came to stand next to him, tilting her head at him where he lay. "Are you ready to let the CMO finish his examination now? I will be here the whole time and tell him when some parts of the examination is not needed - you obviously being so strong and healthy already."

She tried to lighten him up a little, brushing his brawny arm with her gloved palm and smiling to him. She hoped it came off as good bed-side manners. "It will be over before you know it, promise." she said, the corners of her eyes creased in her smile.

[ ThanIda zh'Wann's Quarters | Deck 02 | Senior Officer Quarters ]

Shower. Not the sonic one in the gym, no, she had longed for the one in her own quarters.

The steaming water pelted against her skin, soothing away the aches and pains of the work-out. She sighed, pressing both palms against the cold, glass wall of the stall - feeling the sharp contrast to the hot spray coming from the shower-head. Eventually, she began to lather herself up, white foam spreading over her blue skin - bubbles running down her curves. Her mind wandered, finally coming to linger over the dreamy image of Nathaniel Isley on the Yacht. Naked, smelling of sweat, his dark hair plastered to his stunning face, his naked form behind her, their breathing in the crammed compartment of the Captain's yacht, his fingers in her mouth, his manhood between her thighs. Ida had never thought she would feel any kind of lust after what had befallen her and the ship. Alas, she found that she was wrong.

Her hand travelled downwards, running smoothly over her toned abdomen, leaving a trail of goosebumps pricking at her skin. Having seen him at the gym, the hazy memory grew more vivid in her mind; filling in the gaps and the moments lost after she passed out from the antidote. She imagined that she reached back and wrapped her fingers around his shaft, curled them around the base of him. She started to stroke when her lust-addled brain was overcome by the fantasy of the Wolf there with her; Nathaniel’s hand between her legs, Nathaniel’s lips pressed to the back of her neck, Nathaniel’s shaft soon buried deep inside her. She wasn’t sure whether it was the water heating her flesh, or the image of him ramming into her over and over again. She whimpered, deep in her throat, as she conjured the feeling in her mind - leaning her cheek and breasts against the glass wall.

“Oh...” she moaned, rubbing herself firmly and biting the knuckles of her other hand.

[Lt. zh'Wann, please report to Commander Rez in her Ready Room] The intercom overrode the shower easily.

"Oh, no..." she groaned, thoughts of the Wolf slipping away like sand - her trying in vain to retain the images in her highly imaginative mind. No, it was time. Reality had finally caught up with her, and her wet fingers fell from her crotch - her head dropping and antennae lowering in defeat. She pushed away from the wall and raised her face to the spray of water, crying out in defiance of what was to come. Another demotion, the loss of honour in the eyes of her peers, and the humiliation of confronting Edena Rez again.

In the end, when she stepped out of the shower, her icy façade had re-settled across her face - the passionate lover and artist having withdrawn for the Guardsman she had been raised to be.

She would go to Deck 01... and she would do so with her head held high.

[ Outside Paradise City | Nimbus III ]

"Whenever you’re ready, Sir."

"Splendid, Ensign." With his hair on end in a strangely becoming way, Lucan smiled as he hefted his bag and tapped his fingers on the controls, opening the door that would take them out into their hidden spot in the dessert. He produced his phaser and and held it by his hip as he looked outside. Meanwhile, his two companions were talking inside, and it sounded like the engineer was apologising for something. Lucan considered whether to shoot them down now, or to use their extra pairs of eyes to watch his back while in the city. He would not be able to take the Runabout since the Theurgy would know what to look for, and the Runabout was not fast enough to escape.

No, he had to arrange some other means of transportation. He needed them a while longer.

After taking in the dunes outside, watching for any movements on the ridges around them, he soon looked inside again. "If we set a brisk pace, we'll be on the streets of Paradise City before the sun sets." Raking down his bed head hair, he added the obvious with a smile and shrug just for the sake of preventing mistakes even though they knew they were to travel incognito, "Make sure you hide any Starfleet issue equipment and that our gold plate latinum is not spotted by anyone unless we are trading for something."

He led the way outside then, and the late afternoon sun made his white billowing clothes gleam in the wind. The sand swirled softly around the landing struts of the Runabout - stirred by the smallest promise of a breeze. "Ahhh... An hour or so walking the desert," he said with a grin, white teeth matching his garments, "though it is no mountain trail at a couple of thousand feet of altitude, where the winds are truly alive and you have to gasp for air once they course over you... I most definitely feel alive again! The winds know I have missed open air!"

And it only got better once he crested the circular dune formation that hid their shuttle - his legs and sandalled feet pumping sand to get there - and saw the scar upon the desert horizon. Paradise City; setting the rest of the vista in perfect comparison to what had been created and what was nature itself. A filthy city in a vista of beauty: a harsh beauty of a land scorched. That was why he liked it. Few things dared the open, parching daylight - the scolding heat of the sands in which he stood. Nature's face of death. For it was a beautiful and dead wasteland: the pure nothing of the planet.

In a way, it was a wide and gaping wound upon the land, and Lucan being a doctor, he saw the city as a formation of dry puss - the inhabitants tiny bacteria. As he waited for the others, he pocketed his phaser pistol and looked their way. "I would suggest we visit a tavern first for drinks after the hike, and to listen for gossip about the things we need. Ensign Skye, would you take point?"

It was not like the vista around them would look any less appealing with the Wolf's bottom wiggling in the foreground...

Re: INTERREGNUM EP 01-02: Low Profile & New Blood

Reply #29 –
[Lin Kae - Shuttle]

Skye's response about her childhood didn't seem to surprise Kae.  To hear she had grown up from a tough girl to a tough woman wasn't much of a stretch, but along the way, she had certainly grown up pretty.  She was built strong, showing the physique of an athlete, but paired with the looks of a model.  Living in an age where disease and birth defects were all but erased from Federation member races, it wasn't a surprise that so many people grew up attractive, but Skye had managed to join that with a body that just screamed around "I'm not to be messed with."  When Lucan suggested she take point, it was hard not to take notice of a shapely rear end sauntering along, though Kae did his best not to stare.  He didn't want to be too rude about it.  There was admiring and then there was being lewd.

With the mention of hiding all Starfleet equipment, Kae quickly took out his PADD for one final check.  He had to memorize it all so he wouldn't need the device for reference any longer.  If he had it all up in his head, it would just be a matter of taking a look around to locate the needed items for the Engineering department.

Re: INTERREGNUM EP 01-02: Low Profile & New Blood

Reply #30 –
[Deck 02 - Senior officers Quarters ] - Atten Lucan

She had caved, and caved fast. The longer she was in the new quarters, the sooner it became...inevitable. She couldn't speak for anyone else on the ship, but for her, especially....soaking in a bath tub was the closest thing to heaven the new chief of Operations could fathom, after the long days of work she'd been putting in. Her meager attempts at distributing her own personal effects, such as they were, into her new quarters had lasted a grand total of 20 minutes, if that. She had managed to rearrange some of the floor furniture (twice) and tested out the replicator, which to her delight, worked well enough to make a passable hot chocolate, before the young woman gave in to the urge that had washed over her the second she walked into Hendri--her bathroom.

Natalie doffed her uniform jacket, and shirt, near the large windows. Her shoes ended up in the chair she'd left in the middle of the room. Her shirt, strewn in the doorway of her room. The rest of her undergarments ended up on her bed, next to her opened duffle bag, through which she quickly rummaged, pulling out a PADD, before she padded across the rest of the room, naked, her hips swaying with each skip.The lights flicked on the second she walked into the bathroom, banishing the shadows that clung to the room, and bathing the nude officer in their warm glow. Bending over, she flicks her fingers over the controls for the tub, humming to herself. The spigot sputters, and then steaming hot water begins to quickly flow, splashing down into the tub.

The steam fills the room, quickly, sending a pleased little shiver down Natalie's spine. Soon enough, she's slinking in, the water rising over her hips, and chest, as the woman lets out a deep, satisfied moan. She can feel the tense muscles in her back start to relax, as she stretches out, amazed at how accommodating the tub is. Then again, Hendricks was taller then me. Makes sense the tub would be big she idly thinks, as her head rests against the back of the tub, hair gently floating about her shoulders. With a grin, she reaches over for the PADD she grabbed from her duffle bag, and thumbed it on, beginning to loose her self in the most recent trashy little romance novel she could find, the Klingon Epic Women Warriors at the River of Blood.

Time passed, and the young woman found herself getting more and more engrossed in the epic, when the chime to her door rang out, dragging a startled squawk from her lips as she bolts upright in the tub, sending water splashing over the side. Who in the name of... "Just a minute!!" she calls out, heart suddenly pounding in her chest. She slinked out of the tub and fumbled about, grabbing a toweling robe off the rack and hastily putting it on. Her wet feet pad across the carpeted quarters,  as she sweeps damp hair from her face, and tries to will her beating heart to slow. "What could be so important to..." she starts to mutter as she approaches the door, "M'Nea was bout to let Rorg..." she keeps going on about the book, under her breath, as she hits the door button "How may I -- OH!"

Her words cut off sharply, as she gulps, and looks up at her commanding officer. "Sir!I er, um" she fumbles, her heart rate ticking up a few notches. Thoughts of epic Klingon combat and...romance, are suddenly shifted aside, as murky memories off another fight surface: a fist lashing out, a head bouncing off a panel in the Transporter room, lips roughly searching for hers...Natalie pales, visibly, then blushes, realizing just how revealing and awkward her robe must look. Her chest rises and falls, as she tugs her robe tighter about her person, a small tremble in her hand. She comes to attention, again looking back at the Captain. "W-what can I do for you, sir?" She asks, hesitation clear in her voice as she stands just inside the door to her quarters.

Re: INTERREGNUM EP 01-02: Low Profile & New Blood

Reply #31 –
Skye wasn't much for the desert but it wasn't loathsome for her either.  Lin Kae seemed to be relaxing a little around her which she thought was certainly a good thing.  They were all part of the crew, part of a large pack, and getting along was something she always stove for with her crewmates.  It wasn't always possible but he seemed much more sensible and respectful than a lot.

"I would suggest we visit a tavern first for drinks after the hike, and to listen for gossip about the things we need.  Ensign Skye, would you take point?"  There was no doubt Skye would want a drink after trekking through the sand and wondered if they'd visit the one where Kirk had fought.  "Yes, Sir," she nodded and stepped out in front, all business as they were technically on duty. 

In an effort to get along, she smiled back over her shoulder at Lucan.  "The mountains in Colorado are beautiful.  If you haven't had a chance to hike and climb there, I would highly recommend it, Sir.  My mother leads groups who wish to go adventuring and would take me up with her when I was a little older.  It always made me feel nearer to the sky and stars," she stated nostalgically.

Re: INTERREGNUM EP 01-02: Low Profile & New Blood

Reply #32 –
Miles began to exit the recovery ward and nodded n response to the request to report and nodded, "I hope to see you in off-hours some time."  he said to Thea. "I promised Lieutenant Kaye that I would make sure you got the respect a lady of your stature deserved.  Since he isn't here I figured you might like someone to talk to occasionally."  he said before he left and walked towards the turbolift.

He tapped his com-badge and spoke up, "Renard to Commander Rez,  Would it be impolite to ask if we can post-pone meting for approximately 1 hour?  I just got finished with the final checklist on the away team's shuttle before seeing them off.  Add to that I just exited the recovery ward where Lieutenant Douglas recently woke up from his little nap.  I apologize if there is any inconvenience.  I would just prefer to be a bit more presentable is all. If needed I can be there in five though. Your call Ma'am, Renard out."

His voice very polite with a accent that was strangely Earth like but at the same time alien.  The best comparison was it was almost like a Northern British bordering on Scottish accent crossed with a Southwestern/Bible belt-ish  former United States accent.  It was as if his voice was that of a Scottish Brit speaking with the mannerisms of a rural Arkansas/Oklahoma farm-boy.

Re: INTERREGNUM EP 01-02: Low Profile & New Blood

Reply #33 –
[Edena Rez - XO Ready Room]

Having finished the work in her quarters, Edena had taken the turbolift back to the bridge, and sequestered herself in her ready room, enabling her to meet with the two crewmen she had called upon.  Until then, she was able to continue sifting through the reports provided by various department heads on the progress of ship-wide repairs.  Much of their remaining work was hinging upon supplies from Nimbus III, though Edena was taking the time to come up with parts that could act as replacements that could be replicated.  It was at least covering their bases if they couldn't get everything wanted.

At the transmission from Renard, Edena tapped her own combadge, opening a channel between them.  "It's no trouble, Lieutenant.  I have another meeting that I can arrange for first, so you can take your time."  At least she knew who she would see first this way.  Ida would be the one, leaving Illya badgering in the back of Edena's mind.  The former host was still offended by the fact that the sex crazed infection that was within the Andorian hadn't tempted her enough to infect Edena's body herself, instead sending an agent of her will to do the job.  It was complaints like that which made Edena wonder if she would ever fully understand Illya.

Re: INTERREGNUM EP 01-02: Low Profile & New Blood

Reply #34 –
[ Executive Officer's Ready Room | Deck 01 ]

Making her way to the designated office after dressing herself, wearing a uniform she replicated before the crisis and the flight from Terra but never had the chance to wear, ThanIda zh'Wann had given up on trying to dry her hair - instead choosing to be prompt in answering the summons. She had merely brushed it back from her face, letting the pristine waterfall hang down her back.

Convinced she was about to receive her verdict, be it the brig or demotion or worse, she had decided that if any of the other burly security guards would bother her about it all, they would learn that there was more than artistry in her repertoire.

The Andoran Imperial guard would have been her allotted place in life. Had she not cast off her ties to her home, her taan would have been proud of her. What she had failed to experience in the Imperial Guard after she abandoned Andoria, though, she had perfected during the years employed as a bouncer - working at different seedy establishments throughout Starbases all over the quadrant. She smirked, remembering the surprised faces of those she manhandled, since they did not expect a woman to give them broken noses and bones.

She announced herself with the panel beside the door. The chirp seemed louder than usual, yet she guessed it might just be her nerves playing with her. Speaking of her taan, he would scold her for her undignified skittish demeanour. She clenched her jaws while she waited for the command to enter.

Once inside, looking at the pinkskin with the spots, Ida found herself pausing there, unsure whether or not she might start defending her actions right away before the new XO got a word in between. No, that would not work in her favour. Nor would the images of the traitor-turned-superior officer Edena Rez in the sonic shower be of any use, and was certainly only surfacing because she had not been allowed to finish what she started in her own shower. Clenching her jaws again, she held her head high, eyes straight ahead. She stood in front of the First Officer's desk.

"Commander," she said clearly, model Andorian military to the bone, "Lieutenant ThanIda zh'Wann reporting as requested."

[ Natalie Stark's Quarters | Deck 02 ]

Standing there, watching Stark open in her clearly off-duty state of appearance, Jien did - despite the evident distractions - notice the fright that was a tad more pronounced than was expected when finding your commanding officer coming to visit. He saw this, and realised his mistake... changing into her female form instead. In a way, Natalie had just answered one of the questions that she meant to ask her.

"I am sorry, I did not mean to cause any fright, much less interrupt you enjoying your time off duty in your new quarters," she said, clearing her throat. Her lips a thin line, mostly with ire for her own way starting this conversation in the worst way possible. How could she not have considered changing forms before she opened the door? Probably because she struggled with her own issues, and failed to realise the profound impact her corrupted actions might have made upon her victims. She being their commanding officer, made her atrocious acts all the worse.

"I would like to talk, if that is aright with you. I can come by later, if that would be more convenient."

[ Outside Paradise City | Nimbus III ]

The breeze stirred the sands all around them, and even though Lucan was not from the fiery desert region of Câroon, instead hailing from the mountain region, he felt oddly familiar with the elements around him. Whereas the winds and water was his native affinity, the fire and the earth beckoned to him as he walked the dunes of Nimbus III.

"I am familiar with the mountains of Colorado on Terra only through images shown to me in Starfleet Medical," he told the pilot with the fine derrière in front of him, making sure to meet her eyes when she looked back at him. He gazed out towards the side of their trail. "Where I come from, the clouds hang lower, and upon the great mountainside above the sea of clouds - much like these Colorado peaks - the great city of Envon spreads itself out. A tall metal city springing towards the sky, would have skewered the clouds if they were not already below you."

He could see it before himself, his home, the place he would ruin one day. "Upon Câroon, there is no more breathtaking vista than the rolling storms that makes the sea of clouds churn towards the horizons. When they blow, the soft artificial undercurrent of the windmills far above on the side of the city react, the hum reverberating through your bare feet. To this bass of electricity harnessed, the whining storms rake mountains that stretch far out on the either side of the stirring clouds until they vanished from sight - summoning swirling lines of grit and debris from the forests and the highlands just below."

While Lucan remembered it, he felt even more convinced in his ambitions. Such treacherous beauty...

"I would like to show Envon to you one day," he said with a smile, also including Kae with a glance over his shoulder at the holography wizard. He was thinking, Aye, one faithful day. I will take you there, carrying a virus that will cleanse the vermin people from the beautiful lands. Alas, you might not survive the crash when the Theurgy crash into the bedrock of my planet. Then again, perhaps you might glimpse it on the way down...

"We will just have to convince the entire Galaxy first... that we are right and they are wrong - that Starfleet is not to be trusted any more."

Indeed not... The beast inside chuckled at his private humour.

Re: INTERREGNUM EP 01-02: Low Profile & New Blood

Reply #35 –
The breeze caused Skye's golden hair to whip around her face and she adjusted the sunglasses she wore after sweeping a lock out from under them.  She was tempted to pin back her hair and remove her jacket but stubbornly she liked her hair down and the thought of having to sweep sand out of her shirt was enough to beat out the desire to feel a bit of breeze.

Her hand was in her pocket, ready to pull the phase pistol out if necessary but otherwise she looked to just be enjoying the hike.  "Your home sounds fantastic," she called back.  "I always enjoyed settling down on one of the peaks and watching the thunderstorms roll around.  After living there I'd say the Rockies would just look more like hills to you though, not nearly as impressive as your mountains.  It's always a comparison when we see things similar to what we knew as a child and usually other things never quite measure up or we still think our own is the best."

Lucan was absolutely thriving so she wasn't too worried about him but remembering Lin Kae saying he'd never been down on many planets, she turned to look at him and make sure he was alright.  While he was trained for different temperatures and terrain, if this were a real first for him he might start to lag and she wouldn't let him get out of sight.  They couldn't see her eyes but her lips pursed slightly as she regarded the young engineer.  "You doin' okay, Sir?"

Re: INTERREGNUM EP 01-02: Low Profile & New Blood

Reply #36 –
"It's no trouble, Lieutenant.  I have another meeting that I can arrange for first, so you can take your time."

Miles replied quickly, "Thank you ma'am. Renard out." That said he walked away from the turbolift and towards his quarters.

His quarters were actually on this very deck.  He had found it most convenient to have his quarters in the section located closest to either the shuttle bays or the hangar bays.  On this particular ship he found the best location being the junior officer quarters section within the secondary hull.  It gave him a direct turbolift route to the fighter bay, a quick walk to both the shuttle maintenance bay and lower shuttle bay, and was only 1 deck from the main shuttle bay.  These were all factors that made the request he had made for his assigned quarters both logical and easy to accommodate.  After all, most junior officers tended to request the quarters closet to the saucer section bridge.  As for off duty, this was the perfect deck.  It had Holodeck 3, Below-decks, and the gymnasium.  He, in a way, had the perfect quarters on this ship.

Upon entering his quarters he locked his door and stripped down.  He threw his messy clothes to the side for the moment and stood there enjoying the feel of the air on his naked body as he walked towards the shower in his living quarters, "Music, Miles' personal catalog, please."  He said the music beginning to play in his quarters.  The music being a track from a Terran video game of the early 21st century. 

Ever since he had first met humans he had been fascinated by their culture, especially their 20th and 21st centuries' entertainment.  He found the crude interactions of the hand held interfaces used in that time period's video games its the most fascinating aspect.  What surprised him the most were the musical gems he had found within those games.  The crude musical notes made through processed beeps and bloops at first seemed harsh and unrefined, but seeing the level of musical creativity the composers for these games shown with such limitations awed the Vulpinian. 

Miles had immediately been taken by this form of entertainment, and he had modified a civilian desktop viewer to have ports for various controllers, which he found the mechanisms easy to replicate.  The emulation of the games themselves was even easier as Earth civilians of the 20th century had done the same.  All he had to do was find a collection of the information and copy the data over so he had the games at his disposal.  Despite having not played them as much as he once did, he almost always kept his modified viewer, which he had dubbed the games console, in his personal quarters.

Minutes later he was relaxing in the shower, its combination of water and sonic pulses cleaning him. The grime quickly came off as he relaxed, and soon he allowed his body to slowly return to its natural state.  His fur slowly seemed to grow out of the humanoid skin as his face began to change. His flat human like face began to sharply protrude. His nose and mouth became a canine muzzle, and his ears repositioned from the sides of his head to the top of it.  He relaxed enjoying the time he could spend in his more natural form.  For his meeting he would need to return back to the more human like form.  His uniform always seemed to wear better on him in that form than like this.  For the mean time though, he was able to relax. 

Re: INTERREGNUM EP 01-02: Low Profile & New Blood

Reply #37 –
[Edena Rez - XO's Ready Room]

Her door chimed, and she permitted entry with a simple "come in," knowing who she was expecting.  Babe the blue ox, as Illya had called her, and it was something a bit suitable for her.  The blue part was obvious, but the strength that she body hid below an attractive appearance was up there with such a powerfully built animal.  Face to face with her, Edena was brought back to memories of both her encounter with Ida when she barged into her bathroom and held a phaser to her, as well as the memory of Regal telling her why he had come to her quarters.  Both were frightening moments for Edena, but she kept er composure when faced with the woman.

"Sit down, Lieutenant," Edena said, pointing to the chair opposite her side of the desk.  Most commanding officers would have the person stand, leaving Ida to conclude that this meeting would not be something traditional to a Starfleet one.  The two of them sitting made it more of a casual conversation then a Commander disciplining a lower ranked officer for bad conduct.  Once she had been seated, Edena got right to business.

"I had to give a report of the incident in my quarters that occurred between the two of us.  As you know, such an incident carries great weight.  Improper use of security authorization would see you reassigned to a position where you did not have access to command or security codes, while the phaser incident would see you confined to the brig for threatening a fellow Starfleet Officer.  In this case . . . I am not pressing charges, and have asked the Captain to let me handle the matter internally.  This will mean your personnel record will not be affected by our run-in."

Edena let that sink in, for Ida to feel some sense of relief that her commission was not endangered by Edena.  "You reacted in the way you thought best protected the crew.  You saw a traitor work her way into the command structure, and felt you had to assert yourself to make sure I wouldn't plan anything behind the backs of the Crew.  I can respect that.  It's enough to tell me you are suited to your position, and that the security of this crew means a great deal to you.  I would just suggest that you . . . tone down such outbursts in the future.  If you asked, I would have let you into my quarters, and we could have spoken as two mature adults, and I would urge you take this route with any future cases against other officers, because I don't see things ending as well for you next time."

It wasn't a threat.  It was simply a truth.  Ida was fortunate that Edena had chosen to let her off with what would have been career suicide in any Federation court martial.

Edena's eyes closed, and the instant they opened again, one could tell she was no longer in the driver's seat.  Her face took a more daring, more wily look.  It was a face that Ida had seen before, when Edena had lost consciousness at the sight of a phaser to her.  Illya was speaking her mind now.  "The crew is absolved of what happened during the outbreak, but there's one thing I can't forgive," she spoke in that cultured tone that set her apart from Edena.  "All that flirting I did with you in the shower and you send someone else to infect me?  If a virus designed to make you crave the fulfilment of your lust can't make you show up at my door . . . I'm disappointed, Babe."



[Lin Kae - Nimbus III]

"I think the Holographic simulations can't really prepare you for the real thing," the Lieutenant responded, using an arm to cover the lower half of his face as he spoke.  It was just proof that the current standard for Holograms was still below par, not getting the fullest realism they could have.  Photonic lifeforms like Thea were the future, and by the time he was finished helping her, he hoped that the Federation could see her not only as what the standard should be, but as a person in her own right, which was still hotly contested.

"Ease off on the 'sir' stuff, too.  It feels weird."  He wasn't a fan of rank determining how people addressed him, especially someone who was actually older them him like Skye was.  Calling people sir felt better suited to either those who were further along in age, or at least those who exerted the feeling of command.  Jien was a sir, Lucan was a sir, but he was more of a kid.  "Just call me Kae," he settled upon, figuring his given name was just fine from the attractive blond.  She had the kind of voice he would have liked to hear it from.

Re: INTERREGNUM EP 01-02: Low Profile & New Blood

Reply #38 –
Skye gave Kae a sympathetic glance.  "Maybe you'll be one of the engineers who help improve things to better prepare people for different situations," she suggested and seemed to have some faith in him.  She'd heard what he'd done for Thea and while she mostly approved, she knew many others did not and it had to put the poor guy in sort of a hot seat.  Still it proved Lin Kae was quite talented.

Being told not to call him sir brought a quick smirk and then a shrug of her shoulders.  "Well, you are technically a superior officer.  Besides," she replied with a definite wink, "I'm not that much older than you so it shouldn't be too weird."  Another glance back, there was a definite smile of friendship.  "At least while we're down here I'll call you Kae but back on board, you're stuck with the knighthood."

The idea struck her as amusing and she turned back once last time.  "Sir Kae ... think I've heard that name a time or two before, sort of connected to a king and all that," she chuckled.  "Sometimes known as a fiery yet noble man and sometimes a thorn in the side of Arthur's enemies."  She didn't mention he was sometimes known as a buffoon or a mean spirited man.  Turning back to focus her attention on her actual job, she hoped she'd put him more at ease.

Re: INTERREGNUM EP 01-02: Low Profile & New Blood

Reply #39 –
[ Natalie Stark's Quarters | Deck 02 ]

The recently promoted Lt. Cmdr pulls her robe tighter about her person, blinking up in surprise as she watches her captain shift form. She hadn't seen him...her, change in front of her like that, and the shorter woman's eyes go a bit wider. At the same time, a small sense of relief seems to settle in, judging by the way her shoulders droop slightly, and how her other hand stops fidgeting so much with the pocket of her robe. Like others, the Operations Department Head found that she envied the captains ability to shift her uniform. It seemed quite form fitting, which sadly, her own were not.

She worried, for a moment, that the hard expression on the Captains face had something to do with the way she was dressed, until the Captain apologized for interrupting her. "No, sir" she murmurs, "It's all right." Her blue eyes flick back up to meet Jiens,the back and to the side. It was easier to deal with the female version of the Captain. Looking at her in this form didn't bring on broken flashbacks of being struck across the face. There wasn't even a scar on her lips from where they split any more, a give from Dr. Nicander. Yet she could feel it still, if she ran her tongue along the inside of mouth. Scars just under the skin

"I..well, the place is in the middle of being rearranged but," she gulps, and straightens up "Please, come in," she says, stepping aside to allow her superior to enter. There were hints of her clothes near the bedroom door, and one arm of her jacket peeked out from the top of her desk. Still, it wasn't nearly as messy as one might think. She had pulled two of the chairs from the 'living room' section of the quarters, such as it was, to sit around a small table near the windows. It had been an impulsive change to the room, the previous tenant seemed to have preferred to not star gaze, instead having had all the chairs situated on the other side of the couch, facing the door. Tucking her hands behind her back, Natalie fidgeted from side to side as Captain Ives walked in, the doors to her quarters sliding shut behind the other woman, cutting out the sounds of passerby's out in the corridor, till only the soft, steady hum of a starship in warp flight pulsing through the bulkheads and deck.

Re: INTERREGNUM EP 01-02: Low Profile & New Blood

Reply #40 –
[ Executive Officer's Ready Room | Deck 01 ]

Having been asked to sit, Ida had done so in forced quietude. She had not moved to speak at any point during the time that the First Officer had spoken - while she had laid out the terms for the Deputy's continuing service aboard the starship.

At first, Ida had been relieved to hear about the fact that the Trill would not press charges against her, yet the next second after she had felt relief she had been suspicious about being let off the hook. The tactician in her, even though she was not a politician or a social schemer in any way, thought it would have been better to make an example out of her so that the new XO could make her authority manifest... Yet then again, the opposite of that - to free her of any charges - might have been the better choice to gain the good graces of the crew. That, however, would only work if the benediction was public knowledge, which was something that did not add up with the current situation. No one besides the Captain and the new XO had implied to possess any knowledge of the incident. She could be wrong, but...

While Ida's thoughts coursed through her mind, the XO had finished off with alluding to the fact that she had been lucky... and that she might be less lucky with some other officer if she decided to take Security matters into her own hands. Ida pursed her full blue lips to say something, only the shift in the Trill's demeanour caught her off guard. It was the same woman that had possessed Aza- Edena... in the shower, and whom had wanted to be intimate.

Ida remembered that face, and those parting words. "You know where to find me if you change your mind.  Just ask for a private moment with Illya Rez.  I'm sure Edena would oblige."

It certainly seemed like Edena had - and more - given what words now spilled from those lips. Ida's own lips pressed together again and she swallowed, remembering the XO's wet and glistening body and the things she had refuted. The promises that she had turned a deaf ear to.

“I did my share of modeling . . . but that was two lifetimes ago." Ilya's words from before the Outbreak. "Edena's body is uncaptured by an artist's eye . . . she rarely has any fun whatsoever.  It can be rather boring and . . . frustrating, if you catch my drift.  Maybe you should let me pose for you?"

"I admit," said Ida in a strangled voice, shifting her seat a little, "that I do not remember much of my reasoning while I was infected... But I would surmise that I was still wroth with you and still thought you a traitor, and thus decided to send someone else. I do, however, not know exactly what manner of impulses drove me on. Mere glimpses and brief recollections haunt me, just like the rest of the crew. How..."

Truly, the Trill could not be serious in her inquiry, could she? Ida did not know what kind of question was being asked any more, or if she was supposed to defend her infected self in her actions, and if she was, what was she expected to say?

"If you still plan on killing me, you should at least let me leave something behind to be remembered by." More words from Ilya in the shower, stalling Ida's tongue.

At a loss, she tried to make amends for her inability to reply. She tried to know the grounds of this battle, to learn what was expected. "Are there conditions to the arrangement, that I am to live up to obligations in order for you to not press charges? Will you only drop the case if..."

I've seen a lot of Andorians in my time, but I never knew one who had such a flattering figure as you.  If you really are an artist . . . I do hope you had the decency to share that body of yours with the art community as well.  It would be a shame if you didn't.] The words from those lips kept coming from out of Ida's memory - emphasising the stare from the possessed woman before her.

She refused to show fear, or to confess her artistic interests. Her voice had become lower - more careful. Her face was utterly blank. The Pinkskin was using her position of power in a way Ida had not expected, and was thus caught off guard. "Will I only be redeemed if I make amends for actions that I could not control... along with those that I could? And, If I... agree... will you then leave me alone?"

This was highly inappropriate. Against regulations. Perhaps, in a way, worse than what Ida had done herself. To take advantage of the crimes Ida committed, just to further her own basic bodily lust, was that what the former SI Operative was after all along?

What was even more irregular was that Ida - her taan help her - was even considering it.


[ Natalie Stark's Quarters | Deck 02 ]

Stepping inside, Jien remained in her female form - listening and nodding to the few words coming from Natalie. Once standing in the centre of the main living area, Jien folded her arms underneath her breasts and cocked a hip in thought. She was a bit unsure how she might proceed without causing too much discomfort, so she decided to try and be factual about it. She was supposed to be a former Starfleet Counsellor, but never in matters that involved herself - alien influence of not. A pragmatic approach. Yes, that is probably the best idea.

"I would like to apologise for my actions while being infected by the virus, as much as I might remember them," she said, her syllables clear and unashamed - stoic even. If she made an emotional mess out of it all, she was bond to drag Natalie into the mess as well. It could turn into a bitter argument, or Jien might make her relive those brutal moments of her life, perhaps even making suppressed or blurred memories surface into clarity. She might even remember what happened in the Garden of Eden - which Jien seemed to have sent her to according to the Transport logs.

"I do not expect you to forgive me, given what happened - be it if you do not blame me or if you do - but I still want to express my grief over the fact that you became a victim to my uninhibited and corrupted actions. A callous ambush..."

Truth was... Jien did not know what more she had done to Natalie, but she could only assume that she had not stopped at beating her bloody. She had no memories about sexually forcing herself upon Natalie, no glimpses of seeing her naked body beneath her own male form. The only thing was that... eerie feeling of knowing what her lips tasted like. Well, not just eerie, but still.

"...and whatever else I did to you. In my edict, I have forbidden consequences against the formerly infected for what they did, but that does not rule out my right to try and make amends out of my own free will."

She trailed off there, unsure what more there was to say. "I do not remember how much I have to apologise for, but nevertheless, I do."


[ Entering Paradise City | Nimbus III ]

Eventually, they seemed to close the distance to their destination.

A weak attempt at a stone trail emerged in the bleak, dusty expanse of the desert, with a battered signpost wearily sticking out two decrepit fingers. The one, pointing straight and sure, led to the empty dunes; that glittering realm of endless sand and deception where devious winds called their sorrows to the unyielding glare of the sky. Their eyes were turned towards the other end.

Under a layer of grime deposited over a thousand sandstorms, the sign was hard to read, as if loath to share the knowledge it carried. Upon approach, however, it grudgingly yielded its poorly kept secret - the destination plain to the eye. Peering carefully at the simple font, Lucan made out the simple inscription 'Paradise Lost', with the second word holding a darker colour and thud revealing the fragments of the word 'City' underneath.

As they walked the last distance, disturbing that tranquil desert floor whilst the sun set, with the the fading citrus and amber rays scintillating off glass, metal or polished stone. The ancient arabesque structures were not crumbling, but rather had crumbled ages ago and were now uncrumbling - modern scaffolding and structures built on top of them.

Free from the harsh shackles and isolation of the desert, now walking firmly upon the grounds of civilisation - such as it might be - Lucan wiped his head from sweat.The last minutes, the temperature had dropped, but the walk and the heat had still made his billowing white garments cling to his body. The idea of a tavern was indeed not uncalled for.

"No need to be too careful which one we pick, since we are not to find lodging just yet. Can you see any good tavern that is not too crowded?"

OOC: Searcher, did you have a specific idea for the introduction of Eve Jenkins? :) PM me and kuro if you want something special set up.

Re: INTERREGNUM EP 01-02: Low Profile & New Blood

Reply #41 –
[Edena Rez - XO Ready Room]

Illya looked off to the side, as if to face Edena, who was now in her place as nothing more then some ghostly figure in her mind.  Their silent conversation was conducted, before the woman turned herself back to Ida and answered her.  "Edena has some professional way of saying it, but I\'d rather put more of a personal touch to the words.  I'm not a fan of all that Starfleet regulation, mainly because it got in my way several times during my time as a grifter and thief."

After taking only a moment, Illya responded to what would be expected of her in return for her record not being affected by an unsightly scar.  "Edena's condition to you retaining your position is that you keep doing your job as you have always done.  She doesn't even care if you plan on keeping tabs on her still.  All she asks is that you go through the proper channels.  Do not take matters into your own hands, and report any issues you might have with her to Captain Ives if you believe she has done anything which places the ship in danger."

As for her comments about actions she could not control, Illya tilted her head, looking at Ida as if she didn't fully understand the way she worded it.  Then it hit her.  There was a miscommunication somewhere between them.  "Oh!  Did you think I was . . . wow.  I wasn't propositioning you, Ida.  I was simply airing my own frustrations, using this off-the-record conversation as a chance to talk with you properly.  I suppose you could say my ego was wounded to be . . . rejected as I was by your infected psyche.  Not to make myself sound like some kind of tramp, but I've never failed to seduce someone before.  You're a red mark on my record, but there is nothing I can do about that.  Certainly I would never use Edena's position to influence you.  I'd much rather hear you wanted me of your own accord."



[Lin Kae - Nimus III]

"Maybe you'll be one of the engineers who help improve things to better prepare people for different situations."  He liked Skye's Sentiment.  It felt like a good goal to work towards, and he couldn't help but feel that part of that could have been done through Holographics.  Holograms could be programmed to adapt to such weather conditions with ease, going places where others might not be able to so easily.  Even class Y planets, commonly known as demon-class, wouldn't be beyond their reach if they found ways to allow Holograms to exist outside of locations that didn't have mobile emitters.

Just like that, inspiration struck him, and a grin actually formed on his face.  "You know, you just gave me a good idea for my position as Holography Specialist.  Thanks."   It still had to be tweaked in his mind, but he had a starting point, and with some work, maybe he found a way for Thea to step off the Theurgy for the first time since being bonded to the Ship as it's primary AI.

Re: INTERREGNUM EP 01-02: Low Profile & New Blood

Reply #42 –
[ Natalie Stark's Quarters | Deck 02 ] -Atten Lucan

She hugged herself, her hip gently rocking to lean against one of the chairs, once the captain finished her words. Natalie had remained quiet the entire time, her face a wash of emotion. Jien had been...calm, measured, and precise. Natalie, in turn, had become withdrawn, insecure. Images had flashed across her vision, of the transporter room. Again, she felt the impact of a console across her lower back. Again, the feeling of rough lips pressed to hers, the pain, and the intense desire all at once, like a shadow in the night, brushing over her mouth. Her lips were still a tad fuller then they had been, before it all began. It had been a few weeks, and that one side effect remained, and it brought her back to the fight...

"Sir," she said, softly, the toes of her bare feet curling into the carpet. "I...I don't know what happened...after..." she gulped, "its all a blur, sir. All i know..." again, she gulped, and tried to straighten up and emulate the way the Captain was being blunt, and to the point. "Someone, or something, did...more then just beat me, as you put it. I'll never know who, or what. And that's going to haunt me." Her voice trembled, just a bit, an edge of desperation and sick, twisted fear slipping along the words. "But as you've told the crew: no one was responsible for what they did. That...alien thing...raped our minds as much as our bodies. And we're all..." her voice hitched, and the word came out as a whisper "Victims."

It hung in the air, as the younger officer bit down on her lip, to the point that its painful. Her hand clutched the back of her chair, knuckles white, and for a moment, she felt completely lost, alone in a room that wasn't hers, not yet, with a person whom may very well have had their way with her. She forced her self to look, look at Captain Ives. The woman standing before her, apologizing for things she didn't remember, was not the monster from the transporter room. "It's...not hard to forgive what one cannot remember, sir." she managed, a tremble still there, in her voice. "I have no idea how long I'll be...like this, skittish-" Scared. Terrified. Ashamed, "-but I don't blame you." A hint of steel could be heard, "I blame whomever put that damn plant on that planet. And I'm glad we irradiated the whole damn rock." Like an old sailing ship on the water, her emotions shift, and ebb, away from sorrow and fear, quickly tumbling into anger, with no where to really vent it.


[ Lower Science Lab 02 | Deck 07 ] - Atten KittyKat

He stared down at the monitor and let out a high pitched curse, watching as the readings coalesced for a moment, then the screen blanked, and hisses tumbled out from the console below him, accompanied by a brief, blinding flash of a spark, before it all died. This was his third attempt in the past hour.

It was the middle of the ships night, and the man took advantage of this, seeking the solace of a science lab to sequester himself in. For a species with such a deep seated need for communal cohabitation and physical contact, Sarresh seemed bound and determined to hide himself away. So far, he'd done a decent job of it. He'd taken to avoiding the other members of his species for the past few days, as much as he could, once the Doctor had let him out of an overly long stay in the medical bay, with no visitors. As well as from that bastard captain. Under his calm exterior, the man boiled with anger. He felt abandoned, trapped in a world, in a time, where he no longer belonged, and shackled by gaps in his memory that threatened to drive him insane.

So...primitive. How did we manage to get out of this century? he thought, as a webbed fist lightly thumped against the dead console. A physical console. He'd gotten used to holographic interfaces with itner----intermix..."Damn" the word was gone, the ghost of an image, something small and round that had been attached to his left temple only weeks before, all he had, slipping like water through a broken glass. So many things he knew that he knew, except now he didn't.

So here he was, sitting in a darkened science lab, the console lights dimmed to their lowest setting (save, of course, the one that just blew out), lower the they specs said they could go. As far as he was concerned, it was still bordering on too bright in the lab, but not so bright that he needed his goggles, resting atop his close cut hair. He had sealed the door as well, an override that was amazingly simple for the agent to do. Not everything he had learned while cruising the time stream had been robbed from him; after all, his "mission" was to monitor for more temporal incursions. And to that end, he was setting up what passed for such a system on what, in this day and age, was state of the art technology. "Outdated, under powered..." he mutters, squeezing the slick brim of his nose. This is a poor mans attempt at temporal mechanics. It'll be a miracle if this thing works... he thought to himself, as he shifted his chair and started in again, on the next console.

Re: INTERREGNUM EP 01-02: Low Profile & New Blood

Reply #43 –
[Lower Science lab 2, Deck 7]

Amatras and Amikris slowly made their way through the hallways toward Science lab 2.  The spike in energy use had intrigued the older Ash'reem considerably, and she was not yet ready to let her daughter out of her sight after the surgery.  Both were dressed in their Federation uniforms and had phasers at their hips incase they needed them.  Most of the crew was still busy with repairs, and Lab 2 had been for the most part shut down temperarily to conserve power during their emergency rationing of resources. 
As they approached the lab the two glanced at one another making sure each had their goggles on before walking through the doors and glancing around as the lights lit up in anticipation of their need.  Flooding the room with bright white light, and causing a searing pain to shoot through the ash'reem's optical nerve as it was overstimulated.  Both of the females stared at him in slight surprise, not used to seeing more of their kind on the Theurgy.  Amikris started to grin with anticipation but that grin was silenced as Amatras glared at her to behave.  The faint scent of disapproval filling the room, as subtle body language, and a low rumble deep in Amatras's throat demanded answers. ~~Who are you and what are you doing with our computer systems?~~ she asked with a hint of distrust in their native tongue. 

Re: INTERREGNUM EP 01-02: Low Profile & New Blood

Reply #44 –
[ Executive Officer's Ready Room | Deck 01 ]

Eyes widening a bit from what Ilya was telling her, that she had misunderstood the intentions behind the statement, Ida swallowed a little - antennae rising.

She had been too caught up in the intentions of Ilya from before the outbreak on board, and with those memories - treasured ones since she lost so much during the time at Niga - she had drawn erroneous conclusions. As it turned out, she was exposed, caught out in the open with words she could not take back. That she had alluded to actually being compliant with the possessive spirit if she had set up terms of their unofficial accord; the betraying query about whether or not she would be left alone or not afterwards.

"I... I do not know what to say," she began, otherwise not a woman of many words if she could help it. Her paintings conveyed far more than her words might. What was hardest of all, she realised, was to speak off the record with a woman she had come to loath, yet whom now - and back then - had taken a fancy to her. "I think that, given the circumstances of your promotion to First Officer, I should not need to keep tabs on you. I would reckon the Captain already does that, and in a way far better than I possibly could."

Not sure how to compose herself, for once, given the topic of fancying the same face that she considered a traitor not too long ago, Ida gritted her teeth and steeled herself for her answer.

"I am an artist, so you got that right when you guessed it back then," she said quietly, still not finding it easy to look the Trill in the eye just yet, "you might have seen me draw people in the mess hall, or put up my canvas on Flight Deck. My point is that I place great value in what I see, and right now - as of yet - I have associations for your face that does not add up with the reality of present day. At the same time, I do place merit in your appearenc-"

Too formal. This was not working out the way it should. "I do not know you..." she said, trying anew. She tried to smile a little, even if her personality only showed though a little at the time after the trauma she had been in."...I only know what you look like without clothes, and that if I were left alone with you, I would probably let my own desires rule my actions. By Andoria, but you almost convinced me to stay back then, had it not been for me being so utterly convinced that you are out of the Brig for the wrong reasons."

Ida's smile lingered now, faint as it was, the atmosphere not quite lifted even though the first ray of sun was shining through.

OOC: I have a halfway done section for Natalie Stark and Jien Ives too, but I am falling asleep by the desk and I want to give it the justice it deserves tomorrow. Sorry for the wait, Brutus. I am off to bed now.

Re: INTERREGNUM EP 01-02: Low Profile & New Blood

Reply #45 –
[Edena Rez - XO Ready Room]

As quickly as Illya had taken over, she was gone again, and the look of Edena had returned.  It was professional, yet vulnerable, in contrast to Jona's stern look, Illya's suggestive eyes, or Kiya's more maternal, serene gaze.  "Forgive Illya, I sometimes fear she is far too childish for a woman of her age.  In any event, Lieutenant, it is my wish that you be able to continue your work as a Security officer aboard the Theurgy.  We need all the crew we can muster, as my Duty Roster would indicate.  Your shifts will be a bit longer and cover more ground for a while, while the ship operates with a smaller staff then it was designed for.  I hope the extra work will not be too much trouble, and know that everyone on-board is going to be pulling a bit of extra weight for a while."

It felt easier to say it was only for a while, when she had no idea how long that could truly be.  They were an enemy of Starfleet now, of the Federation, and that meant it wasn't as simple as going to the nearest Starbase and acquiring more Duty Officers to fill in the gaps.  Their crew was what it was, save for perhaps some civilians that might join their cause, or maybe another Starfleet officer who knew the truth of the conspiracy, and could be safely brought aboard to join their efforts.

Re: INTERREGNUM EP 01-02: Low Profile & New Blood

Reply #46 –
[ Executive Officer's Ready Room | Deck 01 ]

The sudden shift back to Edena caught Ida completely off guard, given the nature of the things which she had been speaking of with Ilya. For while Ida had just confessed to having been tempted by the former host of the Rez symbiont, the current host now apologised for the intrusion and spoke of longer duty shifts and extra leg-work. The Andorian was not used to these... complete switches in a person in front of her, and she struggled to keep up.

"Yes, Commander," she said, a bit too quickly, antennae straightening just as she sat up a bit more in her chair, "I mean, I have no objections to longer shifts. It is not like there is much else to do, nor are there any alternative solutions available. The time I have left after my service to the crew I spend equally divided between my training and my artistry. My gallery has not grown much since we left Terra, but this Andorian believes that what little time we have for ourselves, we come to treasure all the more."

Glancing towards the desk between them, Ida frowned and added something more - something she had not thought she would say only a couple of days ago. "I would like to... thank you, Commander. Personally." Ida looked up, and while she itched to fiddle with her hands or something, anything, she kept her body at ease - hands still. "If you had not made that Private Log of yours, I.... being one of the first infected... would have been indirectly to blame as the first vectors for the galaxy-wide epidemic. Of this I have little to no recollection, but if Junior Lieutenant Nathaniel Isley had not stopped me, I would have left with the Captain's Yacht to spread the virus, yet you... your log secured our help from the Relativity, and I..."

Looking away, Ida bared her teeth, the ire she held towards herself for her mistake quite plain. "The crew has honoured the Captain' edict, but I can see their thoughts in their eyes; how Ensign Cir'Cie and I were the first to have been violated and thus to blame. Commander, you must believe me..."

She looked back to her First Officer. "I could not have done anything more than I did to prevent this disaster. I was raped on Niga, defiled by a damnable plant, and with my mind cleansed of the memory until the virus took hold, I could not have alerted anyone. I refuse to be the villain in this! I suffer together with those that fell victim to my subsequent actions, not less!"

Looking down again, Ida pinched her nose, her fortifications having crumbled a bit, and the passionate artistic soul given voice. She knew this was something for the Counselling department, not a meeting with the XO. "Forgive me for my outburst, it is just... It is unfair that people think of me this way, even though the actions I reduced myself to when I put a phaser to your nakedness does not exactly... favour my standpoint. I am loyal to the crew, only... as you say... a bit too loyal and undiscriminating about what I do."


[ Natalie Stark's Quarters | Deck 02 ]

Hearing the emotion in Natalie Stark's voice, Jien Ives let her vent her frustrations, her fears and her doubts. Her apology was accepted, and the blame fervidly cast upon the unknown enemy from the Temporal Cold War that had meant to use their ship as a means to conquer the galaxy.

To hear her speak of what had befallen her affected Jien deeply, now knowing that with such plain evidence to the fact, there was only one circumstance that had illuminated the crime from the mist of oblivion. The new Chief of Operations had been a virgin prior to Niga, and now, Jien might have been the one to take away that innocence.

Hearing Natalie say that the rape and the loss of virginity would haunt her made Jien feel like a dagger was twisted around in her cold heart. The hurt she had caused made anguish rise in her throat like bile, and she lowered her hands to her sides - making white-knuckled fists. Looking out towards the view of the shooting stars, her scowl was all that kept her more brittle emotions in check.

It was as if the events they spoke of played out between them, their corrupted memories patching together and re-enacting the scene in the Transporter room. Between them, in their minds, depicted in the shadows of the dim quarters... Jien's male form kissed Natalie, strangled her into submission, then - should they expect the worst to have happened - Jien tore off her clothes and rutted with her limp body like an animal.

Even though she was looking out towards the stars, Jien's imagination made the scene quite plain - unfolding irrevocably in her mind. "My edict says I am not to be punished, yet I still would like to offer something, anything, to try and help you... process this," she said, hating the word she had chosen, "Like for many others, the Niga incident will haunt you, but I ask you..."

Jien turned her hard eyes to the human. "Is there anything I can do to help you? How might I assist to make you overcome the loss and the fractured memories? How can I help you come to terms with this, to the extent that you would look into my male form's eyes again?"

Re: INTERREGNUM EP 01-02: Low Profile & New Blood

Reply #47 –
Seeing Lin Kae light up a bit actually made Skye give a toothy smile and her eyes sparkled and crinkled at the corners revealing the genuine feeling behind the gesture.  "You're welcome," she replied simply yet sincerely to the engineer.  It wasn't often she sparked that kind of reaction but it always felt good when she was able to help someone.

Trudging along through the sand wishing this were a beach and not a desert, she would occasionally bring out a square of cloth from the pocket of her jacket to wipe along her brow and neck but otherwise didn't seem phased by the heat.  She did admire the view of the sun setting though, a half-smile forming for that as well as the lowering of the temperature.

Stepping past buildings with scaffolding, she wondered why it was taking so long to repair or even build new places.  Her mind didn't focus on that too much though as she peered around for something relatively close to what Lucan had ordered.  Hearing music took her to one building but one peek inside had her shutting the door fairly quickly.  "Too crowded," she stated.

Onward she pressed, more toward the center of the city which started to improve in looks, and she found a tavern with a bit of music and a dancing cat girl.  There were a few people there but some open tables making things seem a bit more comfortable for someone like Kae who probably hadn't been to a bar before.  "Think I found something, Sir," she reported to Lucan and held the door open for him.

Re: INTERREGNUM EP 01-02: Low Profile & New Blood

Reply #48 –
[ Paradise City | The Nimbus System ]

The tavern was tacky. No doubt about it. The bar room was dark, and the air was thick and hazy. The place was obviously constructed to suit all kinds of species, from eight feet tall Nausicaans to small decrepit organics about a meter or so in height. Intoxicated and uninterested eyes or antennae glanced up briefly before looking back at their drink or card game. Lucan raked back dark strands of hair from his eyes and smiled as he sauntered into the establishment of Ensign Carver's choice - heading for the counter.

The bartender was a middle-aged, heavy-set human with greasy hair and a moustache that ran down to his chest. His arms were bare, sticking out of his vest like sausages trying to escape. Eyes grey and clouded, he looked at Lucan blankly - almost through him. "What 'll it be?" he said in a raspy, half-dead tone.

"Ah, something cool and refreshing... I will take your recommendation, good sir. Oh, and my travelling companions here would like the same thing. Nothing too strong, mind, but plenty of ice, if you can spare it," said Lucan, perfectly comfortable in his act. He did act every day, so how would this be any different?

"I'll need to see yer money."

"Certainly, good sir," said Lucan and smilingly presented a slip of latinum from a pocket in his loose white clothes. "By the way, me and my crew just arrived to your lovely city and we are looking for good business. Perchance, you might hav-"

"Here, drink, spare m' ears.." Three tankards filled with blue goo of undefined origin - obviously having been filled up hours ago - landed on the counter and slopped over - making a small puddle of thick liquid spread towards Lucan's sleeve.

Anything that would quench your thirst in this part of the galaxy was worth drinking, no matter how awful it looked or tasted, yet even though he knew this, Lucan was not entirely satisfied with the recommendation. Considering his options, he glanced towards Skye and Kae and shrugged, "Perhaps we should take a table," he said, and made a grimace before putting his tankard to his lips. For better or worse, it was stale, but nonetheless it held a minty taste. Like sweet cough syrup mixed with cheap liqueur.

As he looked for seats, even though he expected the other to chose between the empty tables, Lucan took in the room and its occupants. They were hitting trading obscure cards and curses, not paying attention. The dart throwers were missing their marks. The dancing caitian did not put her back into her performance yet Lucan spared her a long glance regardless just to see how much she was eavesdropping. Quite a bit, by the looks of it, so he decided to indicate another part of the room for Skye and Kae - soon seating himself with them.

"Welcome to Paradise City," he said with an amused smile and raised his tankard - blue cream dripping on the table.

Re: INTERREGNUM EP 01-02: Low Profile & New Blood

Reply #49 –
[Edena Rez - XO Ready Room]

"Believe me, when I made that log, I had no idea how far it's effects would reach.  I thought it was more like a last will and testament, so others might know what did us in, and perhaps help themselves from suffering the same fate.  I remember well what it felt like, to be infected, my Symbiote retaining the memories even with the treatments erasing it in so many others.  It was like dying of starvation constantly, and only sating it when joined with another, or performing or being performed on."

"Lieutenant, I do not find any blame in you for what happened.  To blame you would be to blame the transporter officer who sent you down to the planet, or the one who issued the order for you to survey the planet.  If you have felt any accusing eyes aboard the ship, then it is simply from people not yet able to know how to cope with what they experienced.  It will pass with time, so until that time has come, all you can do is stay strong, and develop a thick skin.  Trust me when I say I understand the accusing looks of others."  Edena had been someone viewed as a traitor, leaving her with as many distrustful glances as she could stand.  All she could do was prove she was still a valued member of the Theurgy's staff, and hope it was enough to prove herself in their eyes.  The same would work for Ida.

Then came the reminder of their meeting in the sonic shower.  While the flash of visuals left her a bit red with embarrassment, Illya was in her head, giving a satisfied sigh at the sight of Ida's uniform clinging to her from the moisture cast upon it.  "I'd rather just leave that in the past.  There aren't many people who have seen me in that state of . . . bareness."  Excluding physicians, who had to do their exams, Edena probably could have counted on one hand the number of people to see her that way, including Ida and Bill Regal while he was under the influence of the infection.  Don't remind me how boring you can be.  Eden, your garden could use some tending now and then. 

Illya!



[Lin Kae - Nimbus III]

The Engineer had been keeping his eye out.  One knew the traders when they saw them, be it a particular species commonly associated with commerce, or simply signs of a large amount of equipment on-hand.  If only it was as simple as spotting the lone Ferengi in the bar and going to him, wary that his goods were likely overpriced and much better stocked then he was willing to admit, as he sought to drive up demand by feigning limited supply.Taking the drink that been ordered for him, he sniffed it for some sign that it wouldn't kill him, finding the scent strangely sweet, as if made from mint leaves.  Still, he didn't rush for his first taste, setting it down on the table they eventually settled on.  "So, exactly how much goods do we have to barter with?"  He asked the commanding officer of the mission, looking to get some kind of baseline for their spending while on the planet.  Resources had to be limited, so they had to determined what was needed most.
 
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