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INTERREGNUM EP 01-02: Low Profile & New Blood

INTERREGNUM EP 01-02: Low Profile & New Blood

[ Captain's Ready Room | USS Theurgy | Deck 01 ] Attn: Edena Rez.

The quiescence was rare aboard, even though it was always marred by the hum of the ship.

"Captain's Log, Stardate 57505.9," said the male form of Jien Ives quietly as he slid a whetstone along the edge of his dai-katana, "One week has passed since the USS Relativity showed up in our most dire need. We have set course for the Nimbus system, where we hope to trade for spare parts and supplies that our replicators cannot handle. Our course is laid along asteroid belts leading to the remote Neutral Zone in the Federation-Klingon border. We travel with extreme caution and with extra power diverted to our sensor arrays. I have ordered an away team to head for Nimbus III and Paradise City, where the team might begin to trade for spare parts and supplies ahead of our arrival."

With slow movements, Jien changed the stone for an oil-cloth before continuing.

"Sickbay is in sore need of medical supplies after all the fighting we have been through. Luckily, it seems that Paradise City has a good stock according to reports in our off-line Database. Therefore, after he volunteered to do so, I have  decided to let our Chief Medical Officer lead the away mission to Nimbus III. This so he would be able to trade for our most needed medical supplies. To determine the possible availability of usable material and tools for the repair of our ship, Lieutenant Kae from Engineering will accompany him. I would have liked to send Mr. Neotin instead, yet the dry climate would not do well for him. Our Holographic Specialist has at least done some work on Thea before he leaves, and the XO and I have a new report to contemplate. For last, given that they will need a pilot as well as protection, a Tactical CONN officer has been picked as the third member. Ensign Skye Carver will be piloting the Runabout and make sure the team does not run into trouble in the quite... disreputable Paradise City."

Rising from his chair, Jien walked to his cabinet and placed his sword upon its stand. "Furthermore," he said and turned away, "it seems the crew if coming to terms with what happened at Niga. Only some of us will have to live with the consequences of our corrupted actions, and try to tell ourselves that what we did was not our own acts, but the depraved influences of an alien virus. A small comfort, for some of us, yet at least there is hope for our primary mission - that we will succeed in our ultimate endeavour."

Seating himself again, Jien picked up a PADD that had happened to stay upon his desk. He had picked it up again, and read the personnel file of Commander Nerina once more. She had been the anchor against his self-doubt, and now she rested in stasis - all because of his weakness.

[ Away Mission to Nimbus III | Upper Shuttle Bay | Deck 06 ] Attn: Ens. Skye Carver, Lt. Lin Kae + 1-2 more (first to post gets the spot!)

The Chief Medical Officer arrived to the shuttle bay with a makeshift pack casually thrown over his shoulder. Since the team was to enter Paradise City incognito, Lucan wore traditional Câroon attire which would fit well in the desert of Nimbus III - billowing white fabrics and his feet bare with his hair combed back with essential oils. It felt good to be out of the suffocating Starfleet uniform for once, and it was with high spirits that the doctor dropped his pack in front of the Runabout.

The beast inside was jubilant too, for they saw this as the perfect opportunity to escape the cruel fate of the USS Theurgy.

However, Lucan was not entirely convinced he should kill the officers that had been picked by the Captain in order to steal the Runabout. No, perhaps there was a better way; a way that would not cast suspicion upon him in the case his actions were revealed in future interrogations with crew from the captured USS Theurgy. He mulled over this problem as the others came to join him by the Runabout, and he looked up to greet them with a kind smile. Lieutenant Kae and Ensign Carver.

Inside, the beast bared its fangs - images flashing before his eyes where he fucked their severed heads.

"We will head out along the same course as the Theurgy towards the Neutral Zone, only travelling at Warp 5 in order to get there twenty-four hours in advance - giving us so much time to trade for all the supplies we might need. We will stock what we will find until the Theurgy arrives, and store it in a way so that it all quickly can be beamed into the cargo bays when the Theurgy enters orbit. After the Transports are made, we will rendezvous with the Theurgy with our shuttle by the fifth planet of the Daran system."

Shrugging a little with a smile as he looked between the two, Lucan folded his tattooed hands behind his back. "That is it. Those are our orders. Any questions before we move out?"

Before they left, however, there might have been others who had made a last-minute request to their superior officers to join the away mission...

[ Sickbay | Deck 07 ] Attn: Khorin Douglas

An indicator flashing on Thea's medical view screen, she turned around to verify the alert to be true.

As it was indeed so, the hologram put her PADD down on a table and quickly made her way over to the Recovery Ward - wearing her teal chameleon bodysuit since she was assisting medical now that the CMO was heading out on an away-mission.

Wolf-06 was covered in his post-surgery medical blankets, hair washed and brushed by the Nurses after the recent chaos that had been Sickbay had turned more tranquil. Thea picked up a medical tricorder once she entered his vision, standing next to him as he was coming to. "Well hello there, 'Lieutenant," she said in greeting, her brown eyes darting from the display and to his eyes. She attempted a smile, Dr. Nicander having reminded her about proper bed-side manners. "How are you feeling, after your brush with quietus?"

They were alone, save for a few personnel in the back of Sickbay that were looking over the others that were awakening after surgery. Unsurprised at the lack of an immediate answer, Thea let her smile turn more warm. "Do not worry. The readings tell me that your body is already recovering, so just relax," he said and put the tricorder away, "You are a fighter, so you can count on making a full recovery if you just push yourself through rehab for a couple of days. I will be there every step of the way to help you on if so needed."

Then, the Ship's AI proceeded to tell him what had happened and what had been done to treat him - giving him the usual patient's review of what had been done in order to preserve his health and his life. She told him about the need to stabilise him during emergency surgery and then dealing with all his afflictions during a six hour second surgery. She also told him about the condition of the ship, and where the Theurgy was heading.

For last, she told him about the recent events on Niga.

[ Gymnasium | Deck 07 ] Attn: Anyone. However, there is complete freedom to pick some other place on the ship to write a scene.

That day, the Andorian had her heart set on the punching bag in the gym. In the locker room, she was sitting on a bench, wrapping her hands in tape, getting herself ready for the workout. Once both fists were prepared, she grabbed her black and white boxing gloves - matching her shorts and sports bra - and made her way into the gym.

When ThanIda entered, she did not look at anyone. She tossed the small towel she had with her beside herself, and some male Enlisted - technicians and others - whom did not know her role aboard had first jeered at her in their private conversations. They probably thought her pretentious in how she hoisted up the heaviest sack and and put on the gloves. They might have thought her the artist, seeing her draw people in a corner of Below Decks, and thought her no measure past the regular Starfleet Academy training.

Yet oh, the sand bag got a heavy pounding, despite the fact that she was a female. The reason, as it was plain to herself; that she was raised to be in the Imperial Guard on Andoria. Two jabs and a side-kick. A five-way combination followed while Ida hissed through her teeth at each impact, ending with a spin-kick that drew a ragged grunt from her throat. And thus, she wore on... spending herself completely to take her mind off the things she had done - infected or not.

It was the outlet for passion, in the shape of physical aggression instead of her paints and canvas.

The unarmed techniques she pounded the sack with sprung from her bone-marrow, soon making her perspiration soak into her garments. Her white hair tied behind her head, it whipped like a banner at every spinning motion she made - each kick, punch and elbow making the sack shudder with precision impacts. The sudden - unbidden - memory of her actions against the new XO spurred her, sending her into a flurry of consecutive combinations. Brought a ferocious mask of iron determination to her face. Made her cry out as she delivered her final volley. How could she have been so wrong? How could she have let herself go so far in pursuit of protecting the crew? How could she had let the chase from Terra make her so paranoid?

Done is done... What we do in life always leave an echo.

Afterwards, she leaned with her forearm against the swinging dead weight - panting with midnight eyes ablaze.

OOC: This thread is meant for free-form role-playing on board the USS Theurgy without the support of the major plot-line. Here, you may at will start scenes as you wish as long as you keep things within the same time-frame, or at least as close to it as possible. You may not let whole days or weeks pass by on a whim, but otherwise than that, you are to enjoy yourselves to the best of your abilities.

Also, as it is stated in the General Rules, you may start your own threads on the USS Theurgy board as well, as long as you title them according to this post.

Example: INTERREGNUM EP 01-02: Title. Please see below points from the General Rules.

[Show/Hide]


Please note that there are events remaining in the Epilogue that requires finishing before logically posting here, since you are as of yet unaware to the turnout for your characters. Post here thusly at your own risk for disrupting the space-time continuum and being force to rewrite stuff. ;)

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

Reply #1 –
[Edena Rez - Captain's Ready Room]

Edena entered the Captain's ready room, a PADD of her own in hand.  Her new responsibilities on-board had filled her plate with much more to keep her busy.  Even if she was still plotting behind Ives' back, which she wasm't, the sheer workload didn't leave that possible any longer.  "Duty Rosters," she explained, submitting them for Jien's approval.  With the critical injuries and deaths on-board, the roster had to be shifted by quite a large degree, evening out the work force, and increasing the length of time during which the ship operated at late night on a skeleton crew.  Luckily, there were always young officers looking to get that extra bit of experience, or even an opportunity to sit in the Captain's chair when they were in command of the night shift.

"I worked the roster around the Chief counsellor's schedule, so that the crew can attend sessions with him when not on duty."  The crew was still shaken over the events of the infection, making the job even more difficult to keep focus on.  Even Edena herself was staring at a man who, under the influence of that horrid virus, had attempted to violate her, after beating her into submission . . . of course, she got a few good shots of her own in during that time, so she couldn't call herself a victim entirely.

"Sir, I took some time last night to confirm that the security logs are still present in the ship's computer.  Full audio and video from the outbreak exists, with enough data that the entire scenario could likely be reconstructed in a holodeck for through investigation."  It was a difficult thing to explain, but she knew what it's presence meant.  "The footage is a great violation of the crew's privacy, displaying things no one would ever want seen by anyone else, but Starfleet security protocol would tell us we must retain this data and turn it over as part of a full report."

Edena let it sink in, before presenting her own view on the matter, or at least a question about Jien's view.  "If I may speak freely, sir . . . exactly how do we intend to run this ship?  Are we to honor the rules and regulations of Starfleet to the letter, in whcih that security log would retain intact, or should we be treating our mission as high priority enough to bend some of the rules?  You were in Starfleet Intelligence, as was I, and we both know there wouldn't be many question sif a . . . computer malfunction deleted those logs."



[Lin Kae - Quarters to Shuttle Bay]

His new duties were a labor of love.  On the one hand, he worked for hours upon hours, sitting in front of his computer screen, working his way through Thea's code, in what could almost be a mind-numbing process at times.  On the other hand, it was exactly what he had set out to do, help Thea to become all she could be.  He just hadn't expected to get such strict guidelines on how fast it had to be done.  Even Lewis Zimmerman couldn't have met such lofty deadlines, yet he had to go on.  He had to be successful.

The programmers who developed Thea's software were a brilliant as they were mad.  Her subroutines were like an intricately woven web, in which a single adjustment let loose a ripple effect that changed several other lines of code.  So much of her personality, her quirks, were tied into the systems she managed, making her truly unable to separate herself from her job.  Even during what she would call her free time, she was opening doors, moving turbolifts, and even filtering air through the ship's systems.  She was conscious of every small thing the Theurgy did, even those that the crew might have taken for granted, like the temperature of their shower or the gravity that kept them from floating away.

The report he handed into Jien outlined his plan as simple as he could, speaking of developing a subconscious programming layer to Thea's positronic brain.  When a human placed it's hand on a ht surface, they didn't will themselves to take it away.  It was the same with breathing.  It was all natural reflex of the human body, powered by the subconscious, which operated on an autopilot which reduced the lag time of making a conscious effort.  His plan was to give Thea such a subconscious, which would automate several of the systems that didn't need her direct efforts.  Starships had used turbolifts and automatic doors long before holographic crew members, so it was just a matter of using that base programming.  In doing so, Thea would no longer have to concern herself with thousands of meaningless jobs, and instead focus her powerful consciousness towards other, more important things.

"Lt. Lin, you are due in the Shuttle Bay in fifteen minutes."

He knew he would lose track of time.  He had set an alarm for just that purpose.  With his superior unable to take the mission to Nimbus III, it fell to him to act as Engineering's representative, and collect what supplies would be of use to their varying projects.  A PADD on his desk held a list of requests made by the various project heads, which he grabbed on his rush out the door.  He had quite a bit of ground to cover between his quarters and the shuttle bay, and not much time to do so.



[Nathan Isley - Gymnasium]

He was spending too much time working on Valkyries to get out of the hanger bay and work out.  The frustration of being cooped up beneath a plasma manifold left him craving an outlet.  That was where the gym came in, an ideal location to vent.  Some weights, maybe some light boxing, and he could finish up with a run before he went back to his quarters for a sonic shower.  He kept his attire to a simple pair of white shorts and a sleeveless black top, wrists already taped up for weight lifting, and padded extra around the knuckles to allow them to pull double duty when he moved to boxing.  Dusting his hands with some chalk for traction, he seated himself on the weight bench, setting the gravitational sensors for two hundred pounds to start him off.  Before he was through, he hoped to up that to four hundred, his Vulcan strength supporting the weight, thanks to rigorous training in the past.

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

Reply #2 –
[Recovery Ward, Sickbay | Deck 07] Attn: Thea

There was pain.

A pain unlike any he'd ever experienced before--and he'd experienced a great many varieties of pain in his young life. Pain was nothing new to him, but this was different. This pain was overwhelming, all-consuming. It was all he was aware of, the only thing that existed to him, but somehow he knew there was more. He did not shy away from the pain. Instead he fought it head-on, determined to break through it and reach whatever was on the other side. It was difficult, and there were times where he thought he might give up. But then he remembered the last words his father ever said to him.

"No matter where you are, no matter what trials you face, always remember that you are Klingon. Remember that, embrace it, and use it. The Klingon heart is stronger than steel, wIj puq. No force in this world can break it, save for yourself. As long as your heart remains Klingon, you can accomplish anything."

Those words drove him to keep fighting, to push through the pain and the darkness, and though the pain grew worse with every step, he refused to quit. A true warrior knew how to master pain, knew how to turn it against itself, and that's exactly what he did. The pain now urged him forward, encouraging him to take that next agonizing step through the darkness. He could feel himself getting closer to his goal. He'd be damned if he was going to let himself give in now.

And then there was light.

A light brighter than any he'd ever seen before. It was blinding, a stark, empty white void. For a moment he thought he had reached Sto-vo-kor, and a sudden burst of joy surged through him at the thought that he would soon be drinking bloodwine at his father's side. But then the light dimmed. The white void separated into several smaller, less vivid sources of light, and in front of him he could see an endless expanse of dull, mechanical gray. A figure then appeared, dull, hazy, and covered in teal.

"--tenant. How are you feeling, after your brush with quietus?"

He blinked, and the figure in front of him sharpened into focus. It was a woman. But he didn't recognize her. Did he? The pain still drowned out most of his senses. He tried to open his mouth, but he wasn't entirely sure how to do so.

"Do not worry. The readings tell me that your body is already recovering, so just relax. You are a fighter, so you can count on making a full recovery if you just push yourself through rehab for a couple of days. I will be there every step of the way to help you on if so needed."

"R...rehab?" he finally managed to croak. His voice sounded almost alien to him, and it hurt to use it. How long had it been since he'd last spoken?

The woman above him continued to talk, giving him time to look around and try to determine his whereabouts. He realized he was not looking forward, and that the woman was standing above him. He realized he was lying down then, and the memories suddenly came flooding back. He remembered being in his cockpit, his heart pounding with the joy and the fear that came with battle, flying alongside his comrades as he tried to defend his ship. He remembered thinking that they were almost safe, and then his fighter got hit by something powerful. He remembered hearing various alarms blaring around him, his vision impaired by a thick haze of blood, and he remembered seeing the flight deck of the Theurgy. He felt his ship jolt sharply as it hit the deck, and then the darkness and the pain took him.

Sickbay, he realized. I'm in sickbay.

He remained quiet, then, listening as best as he could while the woman--Thea, the ship's AI--explained what had happened to him and caught him up on recent events. He didn't entirely understand what Thea was talking about. Sentient plants? A devastating virus that turned everyone into mindless automatons interested only in seeking pleasure and spreading their infection? What?!

Finally he couldn't stand it any longer, and suddenly his arm shot forward, his hand grasping Thea's forearm, fingers squeezing it in a vice-like, panic-induced grip. "Thea...how long was I out?"

[Gymnasium | Deck 07] Attn: Ida

Many people saw the gym as a necessary evil, a service they had to utilize in order to stay in shape. David Grayson saw it as an escape, a way to keep his mind off of the troubles of life. But it was also a necessity for him. While his enhanced physiology made him stronger than normal humans, and about as strong as Vulcans, he still had to maintain it. Fortunately, doing so was also much easier for him than it was for others. He was often the first one in the gym on any given day, and the same had held true on this day. He was just finishing his workout when others began to pour in, and he took a moment to observe them, wondering about their state of mind.

A week had passed since the...incident. David had tried to put it behind him, but he still couldn't get over the fact that he'd allowed himself to succumb to that virus. He remembered how it had happened, how he'd been forced to sacrifice himself because one of the weak ones had fallen behind. If Counselor Nelis had been just a little faster, perhaps David wouldn't have had to waste time rescuing him, and perhaps David wouldn't have had to seal the door behind Garen, Edena Rez, and T'Less so that they wouldn't be pursued. David did not like chaos, and strove to eliminate it from every possible facet of his life. That virus (not to mention the Theurgy being on the run from Starfleet) had introduced an inordinate amount of chaos into David's life, and he did not appreciate it.

He heard someone crying out as they delivered a powerful blow into a punching bag that echoed throughout the gymnasium--or perhaps David's enhanced hearing had simply picked up more than it would have otherwise. He glanced over and saw ThanIda zh'Wann leaning against a punching bag, panting. Speaking of chaos, he thought. He considered Ida an agent of chaos, an unpredictable element. As far as David was concerned, unpredictable elements were trouble. You never knew what they would do.

He'd mostly avoided Ida in the past week, outside of their regular interactions while on duty. He remembered some of her role as one of the virus's chief subordinates, and while he understood that her mind had been just as compromised as everyone else's, he wasn't surprised that she'd been one of the first to succumb to the infection. In a way, David blamed Ida for his own infection, though he knew that was absurd and would never openly admit it.

He grabbed his towel and started to leave the gym, but then he thought better of it and turned towards Ida. It was time to stop avoiding her, time to begin acting like a professional again. He reached out and leaned an arm against the punching bag, placing it between himself and Ida as he spoke. "You know, I'm no counselor, but you look upset," he told her. "Want to talk about it?"

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

Reply #3 –
[ Upper Shuttle Bay | Deck 06 ]

Lt. Miles smiled as he saw the incoming people.  He held a datapad and walked towards the medical officer. "I took the liberty to go ahead and do a full pre-flight check of your runabout. Everything's green across the board and its fully ready for takeoff.  Here's the full report if you would like to look over it." He said handing Lucan the datapad his tail slightly swishing as he moved before he wrapped it around his waist.   He was currently wearing his flight jacket which he wore only when off duty  which made it more than clear the Vulpinian had done this of his own volition during non-scheduled hours.  His tone of informality even further punctuated that he was very much Off-Duty at the moment.

He then turned his attention to the other two in the room. "Lin, Don't worry bout Thea, she'll do fine.  I'll make sure to keep an eye on her, and I'll personally belt any SOB that dares to not treat her with the respect she deserves.  Besides, she's in the sickbay, and I figured there needed to be at least one Wolf there with her when the Klingon member of her pack of attack dogs wakes up."

Finally, he looked to his fellow Wolf and smirked, "Take care of them," he said reaching a hand out to her, "She's all yours" he said unofficially handing the runabout over to her.  With that done he walked towards the door of the shuttle bay shouting back towards the group of three, "Alons-y!" before making a sort of two-finger salute/wave to them as he exited the shuttle bay.
 

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

Reply #4 –
[ Captain's Ready Room | Deck 01 ]

After putting away the PADD with Nerina's personnel file, Jien Ives raised his eyes and greeted his new First Officer with a solemn nod - accepting the new rosters with quiet gratitude. There were several things to address, yet Edena riased the first issue - one that had concerned them for a couple of days.

"The most important thing is the mission, given the extreme circumstances and what is at stake," said Jien quietly to Edena, putting down the duty rosters after having spotted nothing amiss with the deployment of their personnel based on their available work-force. He approved them with his fingertips as he spoke. "However, the regulations are what makes up Starfleet to be what it is, and added with the chain-of-command and the import of keeping the morale of this crew high and away from the very over-shadowing fear of their ultimate fate, it is our final defence against internal conflict and crippling attempts towards mutiny. I think I told one of our Cadets - Amikris Neotin in Medical - about this after she made a minor breach of protocol before the outbreak. I said to her that our regulations allow us to function as a crew, no matter the vastly differing view-points upon etiquette, social structure, morals, humility or respect that dwell in our ship's quarters. Protocol is the invisible seam that binds us together, and prevents us from turning on each other."

Stacking the PADDs for his Yeoman to insert them into the Ship's LCARS, Jien leaned back in his chair and addressed the issue at hand. "I ask myself if the worth of the security logs outweighs the damage they might portend in this particular instance. I cannot imagine any use they might have beyond a means for the entire crew to fill in the gaps in their memories if the data slipped out of our fingers. We would tear up what first stitches has been made to heal the scarred integrity and heart of out crew, so the choice in this matter is plain to me. We must safeguard ourselves from this knowledge, and because of our mission's delicate nature, we will therefore move to have the records... lost."

In one way, Jien had hoped that he might see himself commit the things he did towards Nerina and Nolak, not to mention the Trill sitting before him. All for the reason to remind himself of his own weakness, and to steel himself from repeating the mistakes that corrupted him so. His thoughtfulness might hint of this to his XO, yet he made no comment. "Make it so."

Jien paused, before he looked up into Edena's eyes. "Do you approve of this decision, and how I chose to conduct command of this ship during these dire times?"


[ Upper Shuttle Bay | Deck 06 ]

Accepting the datapad from the returning Wolf-13, Lucan smiled quietly and thanked him. Yet behind his good-natured features dwelt an analytical mind which dissected the importance of the returning fighter pilot and what it might mean for the Lone Wolves - a faction of the ship that he had yet to extend his network of influence to. As far as he had learned, the Vulpinian had been grounded to non-flight duties because of what he had done in the fray that ended him up in the transport buffer. Alas, Lucan knew no details beyond that this Lt. Miles Renard was putting his time and effort on repairs until he was in the good graces of their new XO and the Theurgy's Captain.

Yet as it were, the Vulpinian gave the two other members of the away team a few words for the road, and then walked off towards Sickbay. Indeed, Lucan had been chosen to lead the mission and that had left Thea - in the role of a temporary Head Nurse since Jovela had been put into stasis - to be present besides the EMH Mk. I and II to uphold the care for the crew. Given the diagnostics, it seemed Junior Lieutenant Khorin Douglas' recovery was imminent, and that his half-blood Klingon body would be ready to wake up any hour.

Once they were alone and the Vulpinian Wolf, as strange as the denomination might sound, had given his off-duty farewell, Lucan awaited the comments and reactions of the two that were to accompany him to Nimbus III. "Well, like I said, any questions before we move out?"


[ Recovery Ward, Sickbay | Deck 07 ]

The human reaction was ingrained into her programming, and when Khorin seized her forearm, Thea let out a sound of surprise and looked between the grip on her forearm to the patient's eyes. Oh, she knew tactile touch - advanced enough for it - yet her programming switched of the pain automatically when the hard grip endured on her finely shaped photons and forcefields. It was reduced to no significant bother at all, instead indicating how she should proceed with the patient.

"Easy now," she said and put away her PADD, laying her free hand on top of his. "You were hurt just about one and a half week ago, in the last skirmish we had with Starfleet before we slipped away. We are now en route from the Mahéwa System and heading for Nimbus III so that we can pick up some supplies and spare parts. We are not pursued as of now, and you can rest easy. Would you... please let go of me now, and tell me how you are feeling? Is there anything I can get you before I have the EMH take a look at you?"

Little did they know that the off-duty lost comrade of Khorin might appear eventually, but in the meantime, Thea did not mind the hold on her projected arm, yet she thought it prudent that the Junior Lieutenant would calm down before the Emergency Medical Hologram took a look at him.


[ Gymnasium | Deck 07 ]

Ida was not exactly startled when her superior officer showed up and spoke to her, but inwardly, she groaned a little - not feeling prepared for the conversation.

"I think it is as obvious that I am not.. as it is plain that others of the crew feel the same way as I do. I am not alone with the shame and the regrets. Will you hold it for me please, sir?" she asked, trying to change the conversation. It had only been partial omissions, since her thoughts had been on her erroneous ways prior to the outbreak. None of her superiors had mentioned anything about consequences for her actions towards Edena Rez, and it was wearing her down immensely - just waiting for them to come for her. Still, they had not come. They had not thrown her into the Brig. They had not demoted her. The wait for the inevitable blow was the hardest, and perhaps - she thought - it was a part of her punishment. As it were, she had no idea what to do other than soldier on.

Committing herself to a new series of attacks, Ida hammered the sand bag just as an excuse  not to talk to the Chef of Security - this vile man that had been promoted in her stead. She hissed between her teeth and she barraged the bag until the point where she had to stop to catch her breath. Leaning against the bag again, she spotted Nathaniel Isley in her peripheral vision, and hazy images of him and herself in a doomed Captain's Yacht surfaced, making her tear off her gloves and go right back at it - her brutal therapy continuing.

"How about you?" she said eventually, since it was too awkward not to say anything when the Pinkskin held the bag for her and just seemed to look and listen. It felt like being weighed on scales with all her misconduct and depraved acts weighted against her current self. "You do not seem so pleased either, sir, if I may be so bold and say so."

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

Reply #5 –
[ Upper Shuttle Bay | Deck 6 ]

Skye was inside the shuttle going over the preflight routine when she heard voices outside so poked her head out to see who all was there.  "Ah, Lt. Commander Nicander, I was just making sure everything was ready," she stated and then nodded to the other.  "Lt. Lin Kae, a pleasure to see you again," she said as she stepped out with a warm smile.  He and Thea had been instrumental in keeping her ship in one piece and that had earned them both even more of her loyalty.

After wearing only Starfleet issue for weeks on end and the last week being covered in grime from helping make repairs on all the Valkyries, Skye was more than glad to go with a little more freedom in clothing choices.  Her hair was down, flowing in soft golden waves about her shoulders rather than pulled back in a braid.  She wore form fitting grey pants and black ankle boots along with a snug black off-shoulder top with cutouts revealing some cleavage giving her a strong yet feminine look.

Then another stepped forward and her grin widened for a moment as she took his hand in a firm clasp.  "They're part of the pack so of course I'll take care of them and I should have known you'd do the full flight check before I could get here," she replied nonchalantly with a little shrug of one shoulder.  They both knew she was quite serious though.  When he gave the two-finger salute, she gave a low wolf howl and saluted him in return.  "Be prepared," she chuckled mostly to herself.

She wished he could go with them, giving them two good pilots and fighters for the mission but if things went according to plan that wouldn't be necessary.  One thing had been made more and more clear of late though ... when it came to the Theurgy and her crew, plans tended to change quite quickly.  "I don't have any questions and we're ready to move out at your command, Sir," she stated to Lt. Commander Nicander.

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

Reply #6 –
[Edena Rez - Captain's Ready Room]

"I would agree that the records would be better lost.  I'll handle the matter personally.  The fewer hands that have to come in contact with it, the better."  She was one of the few who still retained knowledge of all that happened.  While she had been reinfected by biting Jien during their scuffle, it was at the end of the outbreak, leaving the Relativity's cure to not erase her memory like so many others.  She knew what was on that footage, and having lived through it, she knew it was better off deleted and forgotten as soon as possible.

"I would also agree with your choice of how to run this ship.  Working with Starfleet Intelligence, and knowing how their loose interpretation of rules go, I think I would need to sleep with a phaser under my pillow at night if we ran things their way.  This ship needs structure, but as a ship all alone, with no support from the Federation, there may be times we have to bend rules.  That would, of course, be your decision to make, Captain."  Whether it was negotiating with Federation enemies, or securing technology and resources from less then refutable sources, there were times they might have to get their hands dirty, for the sake of fighting the good fight.  In the end, it was Captain Ives who had to choose when and by how much they needed to play loose with the rulebook.

"On another subject," Edena handed over another PADD, submitting her official report of what occurred between herself and Ida before the outbreak.  The security override, the threatening with a phaser while she showered, everything was there.  She knew she had to hand it into the Captain, but did ask for a chance to resolve it on her own.  "Captain, as the victim of this incident, I wish to not press any formal charges on her.  I do not wish her record or her name sullied.  She was acting in defense of the crew at what she believed to be a danger to the Theurgy.  I would ask that I be allowed, as XO, to speak with her on the matter, to see if any issues between us can be settled off the record."



[Lin Kae - Upper Shuttle Bay]

When Kae finally arrived in the Shuttle Bay, he swiftly reported to the Chief Medical officer, who was in charge of the away mission.  Afterward, he turned his attention to Skye, giving her a friendly greeting in return for the one she had provided him.  He proceeded to busy himself with the PADD full of requested items he had to keep an eye out for, finding it much more extensive then we would have imagined.  All in all, it would probably have to be stored in the pattern buffer, as if looked like almost too much to simply keep in the rear of the shuttle.

Like Skye, he didn't have any questions for Lucan when prompted.  He was more concerned with finishing the mission, and getting himself back to work on Thea, not just to meet his deadline, but out of concern for her.  Every day that passed while he was working was another one in whcih she had to consciously worry about every aspect of the Theurgy's systems.  If he could complete the reprogramming he was working on, it would be a tremendous load off her positronic mind.

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

Reply #7 –
OOC: sorry for short post Post was intended for purposes of creating a dialogue rather than setting an extensive scene.
[ Deck 06 corridors in transit to Deck 7 Recovery Ward ] Attn Thea and Lt J.G. Douglas

Miles smiled to himself hearing the wolf howl and the words that Skye had said and he knew that the away mission was in good hands with her at the runabout's helm.  For now though he was concearned about the fellow wolf in recovery as he made a beeline to the turbolift.  He didn't encounter anyone as he made his way to the lift, and  upon entering the lift he spoke up, "Deck 7, Recovery Ward please."

As the turbolift began to move Miles tapped his combadge and spoke up, "Leutenant Renard to Thea, what is the status of Leutenant J.G. Douglas?  Have there been any significant changes to his vitals and how long does it appear until he is able to be awoken?"  he asked as the turbolift hummed away traveling through the ship to his destination.

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

Reply #8 –
[Sickbay | Recovery Ward | Deck 07]

Khorin blinked and looked at his hand grasping Thea's arm, staring dumbly at it for a moment, before he finally realized what she was talking about. He relaxed his grip and pulled his hand away, letting the AI's arm go. "Sorry about that," he muttered. "I imagine holograms don't bruise, but still...sorry." He cleared his harsh, dry throat, and nodded in response to Thea's question. "Could I have some water? I feel like I haven't had anything to drink in ages."

As Thea retrieved his water, Khorin relaxed as best as he could, thinking over what she'd told him. A week and a half of his life had been lost. While that troubled him, he was relieved to hear that the ship was no longer being pursued. Still, he hoped that after this mission to Nimbus III the Theurgy would be in a better condition to start investigating the conspiracy within Starfleet that led to their exile. Khorin hoped that one day he would meet the honorless petaQs so that he could repay their betrayal in person.

"I think I'm okay," he told Thea, responding to her second question. "I'm still a little groggy, and my head feels like the anvil Kahless used to forge the first bat'leth. But I'll not lie here like some mewling pup," he growled. "How much longer must I wait for the EMH to examine me? I'd like to see my squadmates." Khorin was particularly worried about his wingman. Thea had neglected to mention what had happened to them.

"Leutenant Renard to Thea, what is the status of Leutenant J.G. Douglas?  Have there been any significant changes to his vitals and how long does it appear until he is able to be awoken?

"Good timing," Khorin said, smirking as he leaned back on the biobed.

[Gymnasium | Deck 07]

David listened to more than just Ida's words as he held the bag for her. He listened to the rhythm of her breathing, the force of her punches. His enhanced hearing could even pick up the sound of her heart racing in her chest. It was clear that she was more distressed than usual, which for Ida meant quite a lot.

"I think it's safe to say that we're all a little rattled by what happened," David admitted. "I've been in Starfleet for nearly a decade and I've seen a lot of strange things in that time, but never anything like what we came across on Niga." He held the bag with one hand, his enhanced strength keeping the heavy bag from moving despite Ida's furious assault, while he glanced around it to look at his second-in-command. "Listen, I know it seems like I've been avoiding you these past few days, and I thought it might be time to do something about that. We didn't exactly start off on the right foot, and for the sake of the department I'd like us to figure out some way to coexist."

He neglected to mention the incident with Edena Rez just prior to the infection, not having received word from Captain Ives yet regarding how to proceed. Until he heard otherwise, David would avoid the subject. He knew how easy it was to draw Idea's ire, and he'd prefer to avoid doing so if possible.

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

Reply #9 –
[ Captain's Ready Room | Deck 01 ]

Watching Edena as she spoke before lowering his eyes to the PADD - containing the report of the incident with the Theurgy's Deputy - Jien Ives got the feeling that there was more to this unorthodox request to have the matter handled off the record. As to what it might be that made Edena chose to take the high road instead of making and example out of ThanIda zhWann, Jien could not guess, though he filed it away as an idle curiosity. At best, it was some kind of friendship gone wrong with the lifting of Edena's false charade, or at worst, they were accomplices in something. The latter did not make any sense, however, since it would have been more beneficial to their act if ThanIda indeed was punished.

"I think it might be for the best if you did, since if we were to make an official investigation and I would judge the outcome, it might be hard to settle on a verdict. The reports say that there was no security surveillance active for when the threats were made, since the Deputy had inactivated it in your quarters. It would be word against word, and you being the higher ranking officer, it might just fall into your favour. Then again, there might be co-workers of hers in the Security Department that would give her an alibi..." Jien pinched the bridge of his nose and put the PADD down. "Do as you wish. If you find merit in a more gentle approach to the matter by attempt of winning over the Andorian's thrust, then I will not stop you. Perhaps our stoic Deputy will cease thinking that her name has been completely sullied, just because I decided to forego promoting her to Chief of Security because of a mistake of hers. You must know which one I mean. It would not have been in her favour if she had been promoted, since she might not have had the trust of her Department. So, I chose David Grayson based on his merits and track-record without even comparing it to Lt. zh'Wann's. Something which a proud Andorian like her, raised a Guardsman and all, did not take too kindly to, and she has been rather... bitter since then."

Speaking of promotions, there was another matter that they had to decide upon.

"As First Officer of the Theurgy, you are the one that the SCO of the Lone Wolves reports directly to, and your role on the Bridge in Mission Ops - among other things - is to be in communication with our squadron of fighters. I trust you have set aside time to become familiar with the details pertaining to communication with the Lone Wolves when they are deployed and in combat. As it stands, we have no SCO, and we need to pick a new alpha for the pack. Something I have given some thought to."

Sliding forth a PADD with a personnel file, Jien continued. "They were sixteen to begin with, yet decimated as the Lone Wolves are, the new SCO will have to re-organise the squadron so that we have three fully manned Flights with four Valkyries in each, given that we have lost three of the prototypes in combat and the fourth is damaged beyond repair - Wolf-07 not having left Sickbay yet either. There is one pilot whom has extensive experience, yet not solely from Starfleet Aerospace Command or Tactical Conn. It is the very same pilot we reclaimed from the Transporter buffer, and whom we grounded on the Theurgy because of his actions. Still, I'd say he has shown a rather good attitude about it, assisting the Fighter Assault Bay as much as he has been able despite the fact that we clipped his wings."

Pausing to let Edena consider his suggestion for the new SCO, Jien only added the obvious. "I suggest you take it under evaluation, and that you speak with him when you have the time. If not on your own, we could summon him here right now. It depends on whether or not we have more to discuss."

[ Upper Shuttle Bay | Deck 06 ] Closing time, last call! 1-2 more if you feel so inclined and your character has been cleared for joining with his/her superior officer. Skye and Kae, please prepare for take-off in the meantime?

"Splendid, let's not tarry," said Dr. Nicander and picked up his bag, leading the way into the Runabout.

Inside, he dropped the bag in the rear compartments and seated himself in one of the chairs, the other one being the pilot's seat and reserved for the Wolf in their midst. He assisted her as best as he might to power up the shuttle and and make some visual checks on the internal sensors. It was all routine, and the talons of his mind was busy with more interesting things, like how he might best use this mission to his advantage. The draw-back was that he would lack a starship to use in his ambition for genocide, yet then again, he might easily become commissioned upon a new ship, if he just let his kin in Starfleet Command give him a new and unsullied identity.

The entry hatch remained open for a couple of seconds more.

[ Recovery Ward | Sickbay | Deck 07 ]

Smiling and even chuckling a little at the plainly detectable humour of the situation - both from the fascinating vocabulary of the Junior Lieutenant as well as the timely chirp and voice from the squadmate, Thea did as was expected. She activated the EMH Mk.I before answering Lt. Renard, doing so without having to use voice-command since she rarely had to talk to... herself, in essence.

"Please state the nature of the medical emergency," said the holographic doctor, and from one hologram to another, Thea instructed him to make a medical examination of Khorin Douglas. "Very well, it was not like I had anything else to do..."

Watching the EMH sigh before he began scanning the half-blood Klingon on the recovery bed, Thea answered Lt. renard without having to tap any combadge. "This is Thea," she said and stepped away a couple of steps, "As a matter of fact, Junior Lieutenant Douglas has just woken up and is being examined as we speak. He is still not completely recovered, despite his wishes to leave Sickbay and speak with you and the other Lone Wolves. My recommendation, for his sake, is that he rests here for a day or two more, but that depends on the examination."

"Do you feel any pain when I do this?" asked the EMH blandly behind her shoulder and prodded the patient with his force-field fingertips in various locations, having completed the scans. "When was the last time you visited Sickbay? Have you been doing your physical check-ups on a regular basis?"

The questions poured from the hologram's mouth while Thea tried to keep herself from laughing as she observed.

[ Gymnasium | Deck 07 ]

Ida was surprised to hear that her superior officer had been trying to avoid her, much because she had been doing very much the same thing when it came to him. It was a curiosity that stayed with her, and she chose to comment on it.

"I see," she said and finished another volley against the sack. Her top was soaked through with perspiration, and her blue skin glistened in the artificial lights from her exertions. She came to lean against the sack with one arm and looked towards 'Cmdr. Grayson. She could only see half of his face beyond the sack, much like he would only be able to see half of hers. Nathaniel Isley, on the other hand, was granted the quite formidable view of her bottom as she leaned that way, even though she did not consider that. Her focus was upon the mystery she had stumbled upon.

Let the Pinkskin interrogation begin.

"Why is it so that you would avoid me, when it was I whom was passed over for a promotion? Should it not be the other way around?" she raised an eyebrow at him, her antennae rising a little as well. "Furthermore, what would you reckon we'll have to do if we are supposed to learn to co-exist, beyond you not avoiding me for some reason? Is there a Starfleet or human solution for it? Please explain, sir."


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

Reply #10 –
[ Recovery Ward | Sickbay | Deck 07 ] (sorry for another short post I have trouble coming up with things to describe regarding walking down a corridor of a starship)

As Thea answered, Miles smiled inwardly hearing the prognosis. "That's great to hear Ma'am," he said politely as the turbolift came to a stop and the door opened with a soft hiss.  He approached the recovery ward his tail swaying behind him before he stopped for a second.  He glanced at the semblance of a reflection of his in the glare of a computer panel checking his hair slightly and took out a small shop towel out of his flight jacket.  He used it to quickly rub off a bit of sweat and a slight bit of low grade flight surface lubricant from his hands before continuing his way towards the recovery ward.  Not satisfied with the cleanliness or lack thereof of his hands, he took out a pair of gloves from his pockets and put them on knowing that filthy hands would not be likely to be welcome in the medical bay, and at the moment the clean gloves were the best he could do until he had a chance to wash up and change into his spare flight jacket set.  Nearing the Sickbay he responded to Thea again,  "Would you mind opening the door for me by the way. I'm almost there as we speak?"

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

Reply #11 –
[Deck 02 - Senior officers Quarters ] - open tag

Natalie stood outside the doors, hesitant to walk forward and trigger them. She knew the room was empty, the contents of the previous tenet stored away in stasis in one of the smaller cargo bays, until such time as the personal artifacts could be returned to the deceased family. The deceased. Your superior officer. Hendricks. You remember Hendricks, right? Fell into the -- The young woman stops herself with an angry shake of her head. He's dead, no point in being haunted by his ghost. She sighed softly, and tucked some of her loose hair back behind her ear, as she stared down the doors, noting with a frown that there were still scorch marks. Whether the damage to the door had come from the various fights as the ship had fled Federation space, or the events of a week ago, the newly minted Chief of Operations didn't know, and didn't care. She made a mental note to clean the doors.

With a deep breath, the young woman walked forward. The sensors registered her presence and slid apart with a hiss. The room was dark, and the lights didn't automatically rise when Natalie entered, though the doors did slide shut, bathing the room in the glow of the stars outside, flaring by as the ship cruised along at Warp Speed. It caused the whole room to take on a deep bluish tint. It took the young woman a few minutes for her eyes to adjust, as she drops the oversized duffle bag containing her entire worldly possessions to the floor with a light thump.

"Computer," she pauses, as if afraid to see what's left in the dimly lit room, "lights, half" The room slowly lights up, enough to see clearly, but not overload her eyes, the warm, but dim glow washing the remaining darkness from the curved outer hull walls, and sending the shadows into the corners. She could see the door to the bedroom, off on the left. The main room was organized so that there was a small dining section, off on the far right, with a bit of a living area dominating the main portion of the room. On the interior wall just to the left of the door was a work station set up, an angled 'L' desk that would let her watch the door if she chose. Already, Natalie was going through a list of tools she wanted to requisition for personal use, to put the much larger desk to use.

The bedroom was larger then her previous one, and the bed doubly so. She ran her fingers over the sheets, the upper blanket with the standard Starfleet delta and the inscription USS Theurgy across it. She smiled a bit, as this one was in far better condition then the one she left behind. Turning, she walks over to the bath unit...and feels her jaw drop. As much as she dreaded moving to the new quarters her new rank and position had earned her, the full bath tub went along way to making that dread vanish. he'd want me to enjoy it, after all. Wouldn't be living up to his memory if I didn't.

OOC: just some fluff :)

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

Reply #12 –
[Edena Rez - Captain's Ready Room]

So she had a couple meetings to handle, both an interview for the position of SCO, as well as an off-the-record chat with Ida.  Filling a new position was always something that wasn't ventured into lightly, so she had to be certain that the man rescued from the transport buffer was the one cut out for the job.  Before she met with him, she would have to take a look at his personnel file, just to be sure she knew everything she needed to about the man.  Illya and Jona, with their psychological and operations knowledge, could also help in judging him as a man suited for the job.

"I will be sure to review his record and speak with him about the position, sir.  Unless you need anything more of me, I will handle that matter now."  A last chance for Jien to bring up any other matters before Edena showed herself to the door, and went to her own XO Ready Room to acquire the needed records on Lieutenant Miles Renard.



[Lin Kae - Upper Shuttle Bay]

The Engineering Officer stepped into the shuttlecraft and made himself comfortable at the tactical station, leaving the Pilot's chair to Skye, and the co-pilot position for the senior officer, Lt. Commander Lucan.  His role was simply to provide support if the need came, whether it was re-routing power to shields or thrusters or simply to scan the surface of the planet for a place where Carver could take them down.  Kae performed the standard diagnostics that his station required, and had almost done them for the rest of the ship, before remembering how personal a fighter pilot might take that.  This was their den, after all, and he'd do no good trying to perform their launch preparations.

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

Reply #13 –
[Sickbay - Recovery Ward | Deck 07]

Khorin hissed in a mix of pain and irritation as the EMH poked and prodded at him. "QI'yaH!" he cursed, snarling. "Be thankful that those fingers of yours aren't real, otherwise I'd rip them off and shove them down your throat!"

"When was the last time you visited Sickbay? Have you been doing your physical check-ups on a regular basis?"

"Of course I have," Khorin growled impatiently. "Shouldn't the EMH have instant access to every crewmember's medical file? I'm fine! Just give me something for the pain, if you must, and let me go." While he was still in pain, Khorin would never admit that the real reason he was so anxious to leave sickbay was because he was embarrassed. He was a warrior, and a Klingon. Had he been serving on a KDF ship he'd have been back on duty as soon as he'd woken up. When Khorin left Qo'noS with his mother all those years ago, he promised his father he'd never let the Federation make him weak, and yet here he was, laid up like some invalid. He had to get out of there.

Khorin heard the voice of Lieutenant Renard over the comm again, and his gaze turned upon Thea. He would not ask for her help--nor would he ask it of anyone else, for that matter--but a small, shameful part of him hoped that she would intervene.

[Gymnasium | Deck 07]

"As I said, the two of us didn't really get off on the right foot," David replied. "I know you weren't happy with Captain Ives' decision to promote me over you, and ever since that day things have been rather...cool between us." The corner of his mouth ticked downward in a slight frown. "It seems that our department is divided between those who support me and those who feel you were unjustly punished. And maybe you were, but that's in the past now." He shrugged. "Look, I get the sense that you don't particularly like me, Ida, and I'd like to change that, so here's my proposal."

David let go of the punching bag and stepped around it so that he was facing Ida directly. "When humans want to get to know each other better, one thing they like to do is share a meal together and talk. About themselves, about the person they're with, their interests, whatever. If you're willing, I'd like you to join me for dinner tonight in my quarters. I'm familiar with Andorian cuisine, so I'd be more than happy to prepare something." He nodded to her. "I'm not saying we have to be friends, Ida, but I think it would help if we could at least come to some kind of understanding. What do you say?"

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

Reply #14 –
[ Captain's Ready Room | Deck 01 ]

Just as Edena was about to head for the door, prompt to act on the need to establish whom 'Commnader Jaru' successor would be, Jien did stall her with two last questions.

"I realise that I treated you unfairly, in how I basically left you no choice but to accept your current position," he said to her quietly where he sat behind his desk, for once not appearing to be like a fully drawn bow about to detonate in action, "At the same time, you must realise my reasons for choosing you instead of anyone else, trained for Command as you are and with the experience of your former hosts adding to that of Edena Lal."

Her unjoined Trill name, which he had indeed looked up. "What interest me now, as we have a moment of peace, is your opinion about my choice. Be it either your own, or the opinion of your former hosts." Remaining perfectly still where he sat, he added his second query. "I also wonder - because of what happened to you in the Brig - if you would rather I wore my other Chosen Form in your company. Something that I would not begrudge you the slightest... if it would matter any to you."

As an apologetic gesture in compensation for what had happened, it came up short... yet it was a gesture nonetheless.

[ Recovery Ward | Sickbay | Deck 07 ]

While Thea covered her mouth, the EMH rolled his eyes at the objections from the patient and continued his examination - pushing up an eyelid and shining light into the pupil to see if it reacted.

"You will be given anaesthetics when I am done, 'Lieutenant. How bad is the pain? Does it come and go or is it constant? Does it affect your feelings, your duties or both? If so, to what degree are those parameters affected?" The doctor evaluated the head and neck area by examining the head, scalp, mouth, salivary glands, thyroid gland and cervical nodes. Even organs such as the tonsils, tongue, gums, scalp, teeth and membranes was assessed with his hands. Furthermore, he examined and evaluated the arms, legs and neck joints to assess such things as joint mobility and spine alignment. "What parts of the body does the pain affect and does that change over time? Do you take any medication, supplements or herbal remedies? If so, what dose, how often and what is it meant to be treating?"

Oh, but it was good to laugh, even though she had to be quiet and hide it by checking various things on the control panels in the Recovery Ward. It was something quite... endearing about the poor pilot, and she just had to let the EMH conduct the exam. She was very interested to hear the verdict since the patient did not seem able to keep up with the questions since he was being tugged and pulled at simultaneously.

"Have you ever had an allergic or adverse reaction to any medication? Are you sexually active? Do you have more than one sexual partner? Are any of your sexual partners of the same sex? Do you use any method of protection? Have you ever had an STD?"

Eyes widening, Thea made a quick strangled noise in her throat lest she would have laughed out loud. Yet somehow, she found that she was - on a scale of 1 to 10 - 8,965 interested to hear the answers... Alas, the comm chirped and announced that Lt. Renard wanted to enter the Recovery Ward, and Thea had to let him in - making her miss out on Mr. Douglas' reaction. Perhaps she ought to stop the doctor if he had a visitor...?
 
"Thank you, doctor. That will be all for now," she said, making the other hologram look up at her with a frown.

"But... But I am not finished."

"Please doctor, you can continue later. I assure you that he will not go anywhere." And she deactivated him mid-sentence about taking stool-samples, again without having to use any verbal command. "It seems you have a visitor, 'Lieutenant Douglas. I will be looking after the other patients while you talk."

Smiling and inclining her head to Lt. Miles as she walked away, Thea made a quick-access route in her database to the recording of the event.

[ Gymnasium | Deck 07 ]

In the end, Ida came to realise that the outcome of this random meeting with her Chief of Security was wholly dependant on her willingness to keep holding a grudge. She might be trained to be a proud guardsman, and raised on Andoria to keep her grudges in accordance with her native culture - to hold it deep within and let it out when the offender least knew it. However, she was also an educated Starfleet Officer, whom had been taught and knew her own short-comings, and this was such a time when her reasons had been cast in perspective. It made the acid remark rolling inside her mouth become to bitter to hold, so she swallowed it and tossed a few strands of hair from her midnight blue eyes - buying seconds for further thought.

"Very well, Pinkskin," she said, since they were already discussing matters not duty-related, and she tried a small smile. She cocked a hip and set her hand on it while she considered her answer - sweat running down her temple. "I do not know how much you and I might talk besides duties and the department, yet I will accept the social conduct that you suggest. However, I have one condition... that if your notion of Andorian cuisine offends me, or we find no common ground in interests and conversation fails us, we will end the evening and formalise our work in the Security Office instead. There is no need for either of us to suffer through an evening that is bound to fall short of its mark to establish an understanding, and let us become further distanced than we are now."

Looking away briefly, Ida wondered if there was ought else she was expected to say. He had been the one to suggest the spectacle anyway. She looked back with a determined frown and decided to end the matter. She was supposed to spend the evening in the Chief's company anyway. "I will come by your quarters at 1900 hrs and I might bring my drawing book as well if you are not finished in time. Good day to you, 'Commander."

With that, she picked up her towel and dried her face whilst heading for the showers - not about to discomfited by more awkward social interactions with this particular Pinkskin.

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

Reply #15 –
Skye waited until the others boarded and then followed, pausing at the entrance to watch the two of them go to their stations and simply observe them for a few moments.  Lucan was doing a check of the systems and seemed satisfied, definitely at ease with things so far.  Lin Kae however was looking like he might explode and then gave her the impression he felt like he was trying to sneak cookies.  Going over to him, she rested her hand on his shoulder and gave him a gentle squeeze.  "At ease," she said softly.  "We're all part of a team and covering each others' asses is a good thing.  I'd only bite you if this were Kestrel," she winked and made her way to the pilot's seat.

There was an unconscious sinewy grace as she sat in the chair and immediately began reaching to tap and check all systems one last time.  Her eyes were sharp and focused, completely in the zone of piloting and protecting those entrusted in her care.  "Everything is ready, Sir," she stated again and closed the shuttle's door.  "This is Wolf-03, the Runabout is ready to launch."  After a few moments, the launch pad doors opened and Skye brought the shuttle up off the floor and eased them out into space.  There was a light in her eyes, something seen in any pilot who loved their job.

Though she hadn't had questions before, a thought popped up and she figured now was as good a time as any to ask.  "Now that we're on our way, Sir," she said as she plugged in the coordinates for Nimbus III and the shuttle set off smooth and true, "will this be all business or will we have a chance to look around some too?"  With all the stress of repairs and their situation, it would be nice to be able to kick back for a real meal at a place she'd never seen before.  Maybe even something more than a meal but she wouldn't get her hopes up too much.

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

Reply #16 –
Miles noticed the AI hologram was waiting for him as walked past the threshold his tail slightly moving with his walk as he turned his eyes quickly to each all as he entered the room his vulcan like ears twitching slightly as he looked around picking up on the more minor sounds in the room as he entered. "Thanks, Thea."  he said politely as he glanced around the room looking over a few datapads regarding the Lt.'s condition.

he finally made his way to the biobed and looked towards the part Klingon and sat down on a chair near the bed, "I have some information for you that I am sure you will be glad to hear.  First of all regarding your rather chaotic landing, your Valkyrie was very easily repairable and is back to flying shape.  You did great in bringing her home.  Secondly, we are currently a short staffed in maintenance and will be needing all the help we can get." 

He paused and continued knowing the next part was a bit less what the warrior wanted to hear.  "Before any arguments are heard otherwise, I am having to make this clear to you.  My advice as a fellow Wolf is that you are to follow the good doctor's recommendations on being grounded until she gives the all clear."  he then breathed a sigh of relief before continuing.

"I do however, understand your sense of Klingon honor and your need to return to work, so I'll be making a recommendation.  As soon as you are you are cleared to stand and walk for extended times, your rehabilitation and recovery will be spent in a way that doesn't have you sitting around in sickbay being monitored.  I have a few light work load ideas that I will run by Thea.  As your doctor she will have the final say in approving them.  I am sure that a compromise can be reached between she and I though.  I am going to tell you up front that the work isn't as glorious, so to speak, as piloting but its work that needs to be done.   Besides, Thea's been doing a good job patching you up.  May as well join those helping patch her up as soon as you can be up and walking right?"  he said finishing as he looked the Klingon-born in the eyes making it clear that these weren't orders as he had no authority to give those. But, these were the honest recommendations of a fellow pilot.

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

Reply #17 –
[ En Route to Nimbus III ]

Taken out of his thoughts by the speaker - this pilot that seemed to enjoy the prospect of leaving the Theurgy behind - Lucan had the brief inclination to ram her head down into the control panel to silence her up. He didn't, however, but gave her a lop-sided smile instead. She was the plot, after all, and he could have some use of her for a while longer.

"Our business on Nimbus III has certain limits to it in terms of how much time we may spend on duty," he commented off-hand, raising his eyebrows as he counted them off by gesturing with a tattooed hand. "There is the the times when the markets are closed, when the traders in the taverns are too drunk or too shy to come forth, when the prices are too high and when we need to sleep in shifts to make sure we are not robbed during the night. Moreover, we must protect our assembled hoard so that the Theurgy can beam it up when it enters the planet's orbit... Nevertheless, we do have some time for more... frivolous activities."

His suave tone added with the casual gander along Skye Carver's finely accentuated profile might have been caught as a charmer's flavoured pass on the pilot, had he not made a joke about it all with his mock-serious expression. He did enjoy playing the jester when he had the time and opportunity for it. Still, in every joke there was just that ounce of truth, and Lucan would certainly not mind taking advantage of the Ensign befoe he killed her and the half-blood Bajoran youth. Speaking of which...

"Lt. Kae, have you ever been to Nimbus III?" he asked, trying to make conversation and draw attention from whatever the Engineer was thinking about. Thea, most likely...

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

Reply #18 –
[Edena Rez - Captain's Ready Room]

She was almost gone when Jien spoke up again, a final two comments for her to consider.  The first was an easier question to answer, though she had a feeling she would have to work up much more strength to handle the second.  It was, after all, discussing a much more personal nature between the two of them, as a result of the outbreak.

"I think anyone who gets excited about being appointed to a position like Executive officer doesn't know what they are in for.  It's a prestigious position, but it carries a depth of responsibility that can't be fully described in words.  Despite that, I accept the position as my own, knowing I can serve this crew, whom I have come to respect deeply, to the fullest of my ability.  I suppose I am an untapped resource in that way.  The CMO has his duties, as does the Chief of Security, Engineering, and Tactical officers.  Serving as your first officer . . . that is how I can best serve the Theurgy, and I do so happily."

That settled one question, but as much as she wished she could keep talking about the first until Jien forgot his second question, she knew she couldn't put it off.  She had to call up those memories and speak on them.  "You were under the influence of an Alien infection, and were absolved of your crimes the same as anyone else.  I do not harbor any ill will towards you, or the form you are currently in, sir.  With time, those memories will become fainter, and I will be stronger for conquering them.  For the sake of assuring that strength comes sooner then later, I would ask not to be coddled.  Just continue on as though all is fine, sir."

Maybe the sight of Jien's male form would illicit some memories, but she couldn't just hide from them either.  "Is that all, sir?  Or do you require anything else of me?"



[Lin Kae - Shuttle]

Skye's response was filed away in the young lieutenant's mind.  Keep his hands of her personal Valkyrie or risk losing said hand.  It was easy advice to live by, and a message from what he might have described as a rose.  Sure, she was lovely looking, but her thorns could be deadly if he forgot himself.  It could be true for many women, but those trained for combat, be it on the ground or in space, were usually much more dangerous.

Lucan's question broke from from his computer screen, Kae pivoting the chair in the direction of the co-pilot's chair, to make his words carry more clearly.  "I've spent most of my life living on Starbases and ships, sir.  Can't say I have set foot on many planets."  Even when others were enjoying shore leave on Risa, Kae would have preferred to simply enjoy a Holographic recreation of such a destination, more comfortable surrounded by photons and forcefields then organic matter.  It always felt . . . easier in some strange way.

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

Reply #19 –
Skye made a purely internal sigh of frustration.  She was stuck with a handshy youngling who obviously didn't get that she'd been teasing him to help him lighten up a little.  Then there was the CMO who was trying to be smooth and somewhat charming yet she didn't miss the condescension in his ticking off of things that she already knew, though had hoped there might be a little time.

"Just a good meal or two of something different would be nice, Sir," she stated pleasantly and glanced his way.  He was handsome for sure but there was something about him that just didn't appeal to her.  He just didn't have enough humor and light heartedness though she had to admit sometimes someone more serious could be enjoyable company.  No, there was just something offputting about him.

She didn't really know either man she was piloting for but when Lucan asked the younger man if he'd been to Nimbus III, she turned to look at him as he answered.  His answer brought a hint of concern, a seeming reticence to actually go out and explore things hiding underneath the surface.  Suddenly she realized she just might have to play babysitter for him though he had held up well during the infection.

In spite of her reservations about the two, she at least took comfort in knowing she wasn't alone.  Over the weeks alone, she realized just how much of a Wolf she was and needed her pack.  She could tolerate being alone for a little while but given the chance, she craved company.  "Well you'll get to walk where Kirk and Spock did so there's something to look forward to," she tried to encourage the young man.

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

Reply #20 –
[Sickbay - Recovery Ward | Deck 07]

Khorin sighed with relief as the obnoxious EMH faded away. The holographic doctor's constant prodding and its incessant questions had nearly driven the young pilot into a rage. Before Khorin could answer one question, the EMH had spouted off another one, leaving Khorin flustered which, combined with his somewhat groggy state and the dull pain in his head, would have been a recipe for disaster. The EMH was lucky it was just a collection of photons.

When Thea sent the EMH away, he thanked her with a grateful nod, even though he could tell how much she'd been enjoying Khorin's predicament. His cheeks flushed with a mix of anger and embarrassment, but he forced himself to put it aside when Lieutenant Renard entered the room. Khorin pushed himself up into a more upright position. He winced as pain flared through his skull, but he gritted his teeth and willed the pain to go away.

"It's good to see you again, Fox," Khorin said as he brought his right hand up into the Lone Wolves' informal two-finger salute. "It looks like I'm not the only Wolf to come back from the dead."

He listened as Miles filled him in. He was glad to hear that he'd managed to get his Valkyrie back in mostly one piece. To be honest, he really couldn't remember exactly how he'd done it. When the senior pilot recommended that he not return to active duty immediately, however, Khorin's eyes narrowed and he started to argue. But then Miles continued, suggesting that Khorin could take on some lighter work until he was back in fighting shape. Khorin sat back and pondered the idea for a moment. While he found the idea of being someone else's errand boy insulting, he realized that he'd be of little use in a cockpit until his head injury had fully healed. The work would be menial, he knew that, but at least he would be doing something, and not wasting away on a biobed.

"That sounds...agreeable," Khorin grumbled. "As long as I'm making myself useful." He glanced over at Thea. "That's assuming you sign off on the idea, of course."

[Gymnasium | Deck 07] Attn: Nathaniel Isley

David nodded in agreement to Ida's conditions, finding them fairly sensible. No sense in us wasting each other's time any more than we have to, he thought. "Nineteen hundred it is, then," he said, offering Ida a smile. "I'll look forward to it."

He watched the Andorian head off for the showers, wondering what had happened to her to make her so difficult to deal with. Shaking his head, he decided he'd find out more about Ida later that night and started to head for the showers as well. On his way he passed Nathaniel Isley, who was still lifting weights. David watched the pilot for a moment, nodding in approval at Isley's technique. A lot of people didn't know the first thing about weight lifting and ended up hurting themselves more often than not, but it was clear to David that Isley knew what he was doing.

"Pretty impressive," he noted when he saw how much weight Nathan was handling. "How high up can you get it before you have to stop?"

David didn't interact much with Nathan, nor with any of the Lone Wolves, really, but he was familiar with the man's profile. He was curious about him. Isley had a reputation for being a bit of a maverick with attitude to spare, but when it counted most he always seemed to come through, much like he did during the recent virus incident. David didn't particularly care much for the first aspect of Nathaniel's character, but he found the latter aspect interesting.

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

Reply #21 –
Miles immediately returned the wolves' salute as he saw it from the part Klingon.  He listened carefully hearing the resistance to the work which he presumed the klingon thought would be light work only. Work like like running paperwork across a maintenance bay. Miles smirked to himself as he added, "What I was wanting to suggest was far from errand-boy work.  When i said it was less glorious, by that I meant its grunt work, stuff usually relegated crewmen and petty officers.  You know, the kinda work they give to flyboys like me who have their wings clipped as punishment.  If you don't think you can take doing manual labor yet, I'll drop the idea completely.  I also understand if you feel a officer isn't supposed to have to do 'real work' unless they were being punished."  Miles said this after turning his back on the lieutenant.  He could not hide the mischievous grin he had at the idea of trying reverse psychology on a Klingon, or a part Klingon at least.

Miles walked over to where the ship's avatar was busy checking up on a few patients.  He was barely able to contain the grin he had at his recent actions as he spoke up. "When you finish with this patient could I talk to you in your office?"

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

Reply #22 –
[ Captain's Ready Room | Deck 01 ] Attn: Brutus

Jien shook his head, quietly saying that she was dismissed. Yet after she had left, when he was alone, he looked down into his calloused palms - upon the hands that had done such harm. Images of what he had seen through the mindless creature's eyes assailed him. The brutality. The hunger. The relentlessness.

"I did not mean to coddle you... Number One," he rasped slowly as he turned his hands over, and by his will, he made his knuckles seem bloodied and scarred. "My request to know... was my request to change... for I remember myself when I look upon you through these eyes."

Only silence answered him, and he clenched his fists - his knuckles whole again. I am stronger than this. I have to be. I have no choice but to be. I cannot admit fear or weakness, and therefore, I am beyond this bloody pain. Nothing will make me bend. Nothing shall make me break. The enemy will know fear. Not me. Not now. Not I. Not until I have taken them all home, and rectified their names. The truth be my guiding light, death shall visit our enemies... and the purging fires shall cleanse the Fleet until only the Federation of old may be reborn... in the ashes of war.

With a grimace, Jien got to his feet and walked out the door - emerging on the Bridge. "As you were," he said when the Second Officer made to call out that the Captain was on the Bridge, "inform me if we make contact with any vessels in this asteroid belt. Otherwise continue on course towards the Nimbus System."

Hearing the 'Aye, Captain,' Jien entered the Turbolift and made his way to the Senior Officer Quarters. He nodded and smiled to those whom greeted him as he passed them by, until he reached Commander Hendrick's old quarters. Jien remembered having spent many evenings there, discussing wartime memories and drinking twenty-five year old single malt whiskey from the Yamazaki distillery in his native part of Earth. Now, Hendricks would not be there, and Jien had no illusions about being able to share the same kind of comfort with the woman residing in those quarters now. No, not after what he had done to her in that transporter room.

Much for the same reasons that Jien had chosen to address the issue with Edena, he now chimed the door to the bathing Chief of Operations - Natalie Stark.

[ Recovery Ward | Sickbay | Deck 07 ]

Looking from the patient she had just spoken with, Thea was surprised at what Lt. Renard said. Moreover, what she had picked up saying just earlier.

"No you can't," said Thea, then gestured with a small smile to indicate the whole of he ship, "unless you mean my home and hull as a whole, yet I suppose that would have been a strange formulation for you to phrase it so. No, I do not possess any physical office here. Only the CMO and Chief Counsellor does. Nor am I  Junior Lieutenant Khorin Douglas' doctor either, as I heard you tell him, since that duty now befalls our two EMH since Dr. Nicander is on a brief away mission. I am merely here - in Sickbay - in the capacity of being a medical assistant, perhaps doing some nursing duties now that Jovela is in stasis. My knowledge in this Department no greater than that, but I am learning... Still, I nowhere near the kind expertise that the EMH possess."

Hardly surprising that she had been given too much credit by the fighter pilot, since many of the crew were mistaken about where and what kind of role she had beyond the interface in the comm system. After two years assisting all the departments and possessing just theoretical data to begin with, she was now of some help at least, but not yet to the degree she hoped she might be one day. Her projection's work on board was highly stimulating for her, and some days, she could actually come to look forward to jump in when the need was great. True, in this first quiet time in a great while for the crew of her physical self, she enjoyed it all the more.

There was no joy to serve Sickbay when it was in dire need for her. Rather terrifying, in fact. 76,454 % terrifying.

"If you want to tell me something," she said to the Lieutenant with a pleasant smile, "feel free to do so, but I would rather not use Dr. Nicander's office unless absolutely required." What was it that the Vulpinian wanted to tell her in private...? Was it...? No, this was decidedly not some kind of holonovel about love in white at some Terran hospital.

"Oh, is it about your suggestion to Hardtop, such as you might call him? I am afraid that is up to the EMH, but I am sure that he will be given leave to return to his quarters in a a day or two. Now that he is awake, he just needs to take it easy whilst reactivating himself."

[ En Route to Nimbus III ] <-- a jump in time, and now they are landing the ship covertly near the city.

When the chatter about heroes of old began, Lucan tuned out a bit - looking out at the stars that whisked by.

He thought of his kin, his likeminded back on Earth, and where they might need him best. To remain with this opposition of theirs and keep sabotaging things from within, or to expand upon their influence on some new vessel. There were great merits in both, yet he would much rather be aboard another ship that was not so... on edge all the time. Things would be so much easier. To use another ship as a vector for taking out the Câroon race, and the rest of the furthering causes of his ilk.

The hours wore on, and they would be arriving at Nimbus III during the late evening - local time. The last couple of hours, in order to compensate for the planet-side daylight hours, Lucan lay down upon his bunk to sleep for an hour or two when possible. He did not, however, restless as he was, and instead lay awake, thinking about the small abomination that he had taken from Cadet Amikris' uterus. He remembered the gratitude of the Ash'reem when he had assisted them, and he came to wonder if he was not growing a spot for them - this species both fragile and strong.

Eventually, he drifted off, only to be awakened by the expected declaration...

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

Reply #23 –
[Edena Rez - Personal Quarters]

With her meeting with Jien Ives at an end, Edena returned to her quarters.  The promotion to Executive Officer had seen yet another upgrade in her quarters, seeing her go from the simple bedroom of a Counsellor to her more impressive suite as an Intelligence Officer, to the second finest quarters available on the Theurgy.  The transporter chief had been kind enough to use a site-to-site transport to move everything in her old quarters to her new one, leaving only a need to get everything in it's proper place. 

"Computer," Edena said, causing the intercom in her room to chime in compliance.  "Send a message to both Lieutenant ThanIda zh'Wann and Lieutenant Miles Renard.  I wish to see them both at  the earliest time possible."  Another chime of complaince before all was silent again.  She had business with both, but not knowing what they might have been doing, she simply left it to them to get in contact or find her when they were prepared.  In the meantime, she could continue work on readying her new quarters.

((Kept Edena open to either Renard or Ida, whichever becomes available first.  No need to rush anything they are currently doing))

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

Reply #24 –
[ Recovery Ward | Sickbay | Deck 07 ]

Miles nodded understanding what she was saying, "Sorry I was under the assumption that you were placed as interim CMO rather than interim nurse to the EMH's as CMOs.  Well then,  as assistant to the current chief medical officer, I will leave you with this. " 

He then handed her a datapad with a few ideas as to light, moderate, and heavier workloads that the Lieutenant could potentially be approved for throughout different stages of his recovery.  "Please have either of the EMH's review it as soon as possible.  Also, if you wouldn't mind, I would like you to look over the suggestions using your engineering interface before handing it over to the doctors."

He finally added as he looked over the PADD with the information on it.  "Please feel free to change things as you see fit.. I just feel that a work based rehabilitation program would be more beneficial to both your physical body, the Theurgy, and to his Klingon pride and sense of honor."   He paused as he spoke. He was acting much more nervous than usual, especially more nervous than he usually was around members of the fairer sex.  His tail was drooped lower than usual, the muscles in his pointed ears made them less perky as if slightly flattened out, and his eyes were rarely looking directly into Thea's at the moment.  He began to nervously wonder what she would think of the suggestions he had compiled.  All in all Miles as acting much like a submissive pup afraid of disappointing it's master.

Miles had never felt this way around a female before.  Even the most beautiful of vixens of his home world never caused such shyness or fright.  It wasn't because of his races inborn AI fears.  He had gotten over those fears long ago, or so he thought.  No, it wasn't a phobia; it couldn't be that simple.  He knew it was something more subtle, something he couldn't sense.  That was it!  It was something he couldn't sense, literally.  Thea had no smell to her at all.  She was standing there but she existed as a literal void in smell. 

Smell for his species was as developed as sight was in humans.  Seeing her with sight and voice but not smell was hard to describe, but if he had to he would say, 'It would be like seeing everyone normally while she appeared in grayscale.' It caused a certain anxiety and shyness that was altogether alien to him.   The fact that he couldn't sense her in the way he could others made him even more curious about her, and, in a way, made her all the more attractive to him.
 
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