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CHAPTER 02: The Captain's Yeoman [Sixth Day]

CHAPTER 02: The Captain's Yeoman

[ In the Shade of the USS Theurgy | Transporter Control Area | 1030 hrs. | 6 Days Post Mortem Arcorn Neotin ] Attn: Valarie

In his male form, Captain Ives passed the artificial lights that had been placed on the ground to mark the outer rim of the transport area. Beyond the markers were alleys of carefully stacked and arranged metallic crates, which contained supplies of all possible kinds. There was plenty of activity around the area, with Operations personnel managing the supply of spare parts as well as nutrition for the working crews.

Nodding to those that saluted him, Jien walked past sleek, grey cargo containers; walls that made corridors without ceiling, and most of the paths led to the Transporter Controls in the middle of the area. It was the hub of logistics for the entire repair operation, and the activity was almost on an industrial level, with people hammering in commands in order to make everything in the valley operate smoothly.

His current nature of affairs there was somewhat of a break from the harder decision making he and Captain Vasser had to partake in. A welcome relief from having to weigh moral standpoints about weaponry and tactics against the absolute need of success in the battles to come. It was a tough balance to maintain; to retain as much of regulations and protocol as possible and yet be prepared to make certain sacrifices for the greater good. Jien wished that he would not have to make any kind of infringements, yet the situation demanded some kind of middle ground. They were but two ships, and the import of their mission outweighed the requirements to maintain absolute coherence with peace-time conventions.

The greatest regret Ives had was the cloaking device that was in development, yet he could not rationalise any other solution to their plight: their need to reach deeper into Federation space undetected.

Reaching the Transport Platforms, Jien came to a stop, looking around. He pushed heavier thoughts from his mind and took a deep breath - searching for the newest face to join his crew. His new Yeoman, no less, since the former Chief Petty Officer had to step down. The recent burdens had been too great, but Jien was confident the man could find another place soon enough. He just needed some time with Counsellor O'Connor first. The poor bastard had come to remember far too much from the Niga Incident, and Jien - if anyone - could sympathise with his plight.

If only everyone could focus on the present and the future, and forget the yoke of the past.

Re: EPISODE 03: Unconquerable Soul [Chapter 02: The Captain's Yeoman]

Reply #1 –
Since the second day of 'camp' she'd managed to be up prior to her Harbinger pod mates.  Approaching the perimeter security force, she'd arranged to run the route around both camps.  Phaser at her hip, the first morning run had kicked her ass.  While the two vessels were nestled in a wide valley, the terrain that surrounded the pair was incredibly rugged and required more from her.

The first run she followed the game trail that the security force had widened.  Running cautiously as she familiarized herself with the trail and watching to see what, if any, wildlife she scared up.  There had been plenty of birds and small animals that bolted when she popped over hills or rounded bends in the trail.  She'd loved the quiet and the change from running in the hallways or the holodeck.  However, after the first run the solitude was broken when was joined by a another runner. 

It was actually probably better to be paired up, but she missed the quiet. Luckily for her , Andrew McFadden, an off duty tactical officer from the Theurgy who was assigned a couple security rotations on the perimeter was not particularly loquacious early in the morning and not at all when he ran.  Afterwards as they stretched and cooled down before they separated to go to assigned bathing areas they talked.  It was from him that she had learned of the vacancy within the Theurgy and he'd introduced her to some staff when she'd stopped at Rory's 'bar'.

Walking easily through the Theurgy pod camp, she grinned and spoke to a couple people as she passed by on her way to the designated meeting place.  She'd only been in camp since last evening, but she could see a marked difference between the two.  The Harbinger camp felt tense and people worked, but it didn't have the easy openness that she felt here.  People actually smiled and joked around as they worked in the Theurgy camp.  AND it didn't interfere with their progress she thought as she paused to gape up at the repairs being done to the ship looming overhead. 

She shaded her eyes with a hand that had become fairly tan from the exposure to natural light.  Scanning the hull, she followed the track of one crane and shivered, the sight bringing back memories of the first casualty on planet.  What a senseless tragedy.

"Oi you best get it moving.  Nothing to see here."  A familiar and good natured voice cut into her thoughts.  Grinning she turned toward her running partner now of six days, Andrew.  The lanky blonde grinned down at her with his smile that had several women the other night at the bar drooling.   He continued and extended his hand to engulf her smaller one, "And NOW you've got the right uniform and badge on.  Welcome to staff, when did you start?"  He said nodding down to her badge.

"Today.  In fact I have my assignment interview..." She consulted the time and grinned up at him. "In just a couple minutes.  You gonna be at the bar later?"  She asked as she slipped back and away. "I'll catch you then."  She replied at his nod.

The Transport Platforms were just ahead.  She felt nerves skitter through her but she did nothing to calm them.  This was an excellent change and she was excited to be working with this crew.  Smoothing her hand down her side to  ensure her palm was not sweaty from nerves she stepped onto the platform.  Standing unobserved for a minute she took a second to assess her new captain.   She'd seen him in camp and obviously at the gatherings with both groups, but here it was possible to pick on the tension in his shoulders and it was impossible not to pick up on the deep breath he took.

Because form and strict adherence to protocol was adhered to on the Harbinger, she stepped forward and saluted and introduced herself formally, "Ensign Henshaw reporting, Sir."



(As I don't have a signature,
if its ok I'd like to  use my staff
photos at the bottom of posts)

Re: EPISODE 03: Unconquerable Soul [Chapter 02: The Captain's Yeoman]

Reply #2 –
Turning to face the speaker, Jien Ives offered the woman in front of him a brief smile, as faint as it always turned out lately. More a touch upon the corners of his eyes than making him move his lips. Up until that moment, his new Yeoman had been a name and a photograph in her personnel file while Captain Vasser and him discussed transfers. Besides the change to the red colour of command, whereas the picture had shown the teal collar and sleeve-stripes of Counselling, it was obvious that the photo had done the real Cameron Elisabeth Henshaw little merit. Being a Chameloid, Jien wanted to take a moment to observe her unique and permanent form -  as fortunate and final as it had come to be for her - yet four and a half decades of living with humans and almost three of them in Starfleet made him barely miss a beat in answering her.

"At ease, Ensign," he said in his faded British accent, inflections of Japanese barely heard around the vowels, "I have asked the Ops personnel to Transport us aboard the ship so that you can find your way around Deck 01 and see your new duty station. I have been told that the emergency lights are still on so we should find our way around. The Quartermaster has assigned you new quarters as well, even if its not advisable to sleep there just yet given the repairs. If there is time, you are free to visit there after we've spoken a bit."

Turning his oaken brown eyes to the posted Transport Officer, one Ensign Sarah Mitchell, Jien gave the command. "Deck 01, Bridge. Two to beam up."

"Aye, Captain. Locking on to coordinates," said the woman while she worked, "Destination verified. Ready when you are, Sir."

"Energise."


[ USS Theurgy | Main Bridge | Deck 01 ]



After materialising behind the Captain's Chair together with Ensign Henshaw, Jien noticed how there were two from the engineering crews working on repairs for phaser fire that caused damage to the bulkheads and ceiling. They had brought their own flash-lights to work since the lines of light along the walls of the round area was barely sufficient to let them see what they were doing.

It had been the Calamity hologram that had claimed a Type II handphaser and started to shoot freely even as the battle raged on the view scree, and Jien had lost Amatras Neotin, T'Less and Nicole Howard in moments. This was even before he'd learned that the hologram had shot down David Grayson in the shuttle-bay too. The sight caused Jien to realise something; the fact that when they eventually would depart from Theta Eridani IV, his Senior Staff would hold a lot of new faces. He had known this, met his new staff, of course, yet the memory of the lost made the new names on lists of personnel transfers turn into facts.

"Welcome to the USS Theurgy," he said to the Ensign after letting her look around, "I trust you are familiar with the Theurgy-class design to some extent. Besides how she can utilise Multi-Vector Assault Mode, and turn into three smaller ships, we also have Mission Ops, where we coordinate with the Lone Wolves Squadron and our away teams. In contradiction to the norm, the Chief Engineer has his or her duty station here as well. Lieutenant Rosek from the Harbinger will be taking on that role on this ship by the time we depart, leaving Chief Ravenholm to serve as Department Head for both Engineering and Operations on the Harbinger. Lieutenant Rennan Cooper will be our Chief Tactical Officer, and Lieutenant Ben Vessery will be the Chief of Security. I reckon these will be familiar faces to you."

Leading the way across the Bridge, Captain Ives soon entered his Ready Room - stepping inside the dim office and letting her enter after him. Once the sliding doors shut behind her, Jien had turned to face the Ensign. "Not to mention your former superior officer, Chief Counsellor Hayden O'Connor. I had thought you would have considered working for her again instead of being my Yeoman. It is not that I am ungrateful to have a Starfleet Officer that I can work this closely with, and I do have ideas for your new position henceforth, but please indulge me, why did you want this position?"

Re: EPISODE 03: Unconquerable Soul [Chapter 02: The Captain's Yeoman]

Reply #3 –
Her stiff attentive posture relaxed immediately at his request that she be "at ease".  She studied his face briefly noting the very slight smile easing his face.  Crossing the room she smiled easily at Ensign Mitchell as she stepped into position nodding and then looking at the Captain.  His accent, the way he clipped his words, the British intonation reminded her of how her mother's cadence and manner of speech.  

She had many questions... did she bunk with others?  Does she have roommates?  Turning to ask,she had no time to get even a word out before they were dematerialized and then standing on the Theurgy bridge.

The low light situation on the bridge softened the phaser blast scars on the instrument panels.  Walking thru the space as he shared with her about his ship, she listened and studied the space.  Lifting her hand, she absentmindedly rested it lightly on the back of the captain's chair as she looked the bridge over.  A small smile growing to warm and enliven her face.  His voice to her left as they walked thru was just loud enough to carry to her over the sounds of the repairs the engineers were making.  

She loved ships and had been sorely disappointed when aptitude and love did not mesh and allow for her to follow in her father's footsteps.  She WAS familiar with how the multi vector assault mode would allow the ship to separate into three parts.  It made loads of sense to her.  Why should their ship be one large target, when they can be smaller units with more speed and flexibility.  She thought it quite cunning really.

Before she could respond, he was delineating which of the Harbinger crew would be coming over to the Theurgy.  She raised her brows and was surprised.  Glancing over at the Captain, her smile stilled as the significance of the phaser scars and the staffing change jelled for her.  He had lost several of his central staff in the exchange with the Calamity.  More in fact then they had on the Harbinger.  Soberly she studied his face as he spoke and resolved that what was brewing on the Harbinger would never happen on this vessel. 

"They are a group of good people.  Yes I am familiar with them and I should think that they will be assets to your crew."

Following him the short distance to the ready room, she nodded as he spoke about Dr. O'Connor.  She considered his question.  She loved people, the intricacies of their minds, the way they functioned and even when they didn't function.  But more than that her education was more than counseling.  It was about how groups of people functioned together.  On the Harbinger there would be no way to work with the upper staff on the development of the group  or in increasing efficiency of the organization.

Did she dare to tell him about what she'd overheard when she'd been stretching a couple of weeks ago?  She decided to wait and share later.

"My degrees are in counseling and organizational psychology, sir.  Dr. O'Conner is wonderful to work with, but the Yeoman's position allows me the opportunity to use more of my education.  You see, its more than just counseling... it's about increasing productivity, morale, ensuring safety and working with staff." She blushed realizing how passionate she was starting to sound.  She shrugged and continued with her enthusiasm reined in a wee bit. "You see sir, there are many factors to building a staff or a crew that functions well together.  While I am a good counselor, I am much more interested in the group function." 


Re: EPISODE 03: Unconquerable Soul [Chapter 02: The Captain's Yeoman]

Reply #4 –
Hearing the Ensign's comment about the new people served Jien as another verification that the chosen people were chosen wisely. Moments later, whilst in the centre of his Ready Room, she answered his question about her choice to apply for the Yeoman position, and it was quite an answer.

Putting his hands on his hips in a casual stance - or however casual as it might be deemed given his rank and position - Jien listened to Henshaw when she lay out her reasons. It was almost eerie how what she said rhymed with the profile that he had been looking for. He had thought he had been asking for too much when formulating the requirements for filling the Yeoman vacancy given the fact that he had changed the position's allotted duties; revamped them due to the current mission's extreme parameters.

As he listened to the passion in her voice, he found himself smiling faintly anew. It was not at all like she was tailoring her words to fit the profile he had asked for either, because her service record clearly laced her explanation in iron. "That you chose to seek this position because of what you burn for, instead of that makes sense career-wise for you in Counselling, it merits you a great deal, Ensign. Because of what we are up against, this perilous voyage and how we mean to overthrow the corrupt Starfleet Command, the choice to aid to the best of your individual ability should always be the right choice. Rank and position is secondary to this cause, even if I maintain that the chain-of-command, or regulations and our protocols still are the invisible seams that holds a crew together in such dire straits as these. In short, I am immensely grateful that you volunteered to serve under me."

Knowing that he might have overwhelmed the Ensign with his words, he gave her an escape route by gesturing towards the front of his Ready Room, where the antechamber was - along with her new office. "Please. feel free to look around. Your desk is just around the corner."

They needed to go over her list of new duties, and he supposed she had numerous questions - all in due time.

Re: EPISODE 03: Unconquerable Soul [Chapter 02: The Captain's Yeoman]

Reply #5 –
The feeling of her cheeks blushing had her feeling slightly mortified.  However the captain was gracious.... his hands on hips initially made her feel that perhaps she HAD over stepped herself, but a slow smile spread over his face.  It was not merely the slight warming she'd seen at the teleport deck.   She wanted to see that smile more.  He looked so tired and worn, the smile made him seem years younger.  She listened intently to him, watching his face and nodding. She was so caught up by him and what he was saying that his comment about serving under him almost elicited a knee jerk dirty remark back.  She caught herself just in time as she made a mental note to try and be less lewd and bawdy with the guys when they hung out at Rory's bar.

She glanced over the direction that Captain Ives gestured.  Turning she walked over to doorway and stopped to turn back to him.  She DID feel passionate about the function and health of the crew, but she had personal reasons for wanting the shift as well.  It was not all so altruistic.  She nibbled her lip and looked up at him.

"Don't get me wrong, I do burn for and feel very passionate about what I do with the staff and crew, but my decision also had some purely personal reasons for wanting the switch."   She added seriously as she watched his face.  "AND my decision to switch out of a career track did end up with me catching some grief.  While we cannot contact family, Lisa...Lisa Hawthorne in ops here on the Theurgy is almost family."  she paused to see if he recognized the name and then explained a little further. 

"When my parents left me at the Academy, Ian Howthorne was given limited guardianship of me.  When my folks were killed, he assumed full guardianship and his family treated me like just another daughter.  So Lisa"  She gestured with her hand and slowly turned to head toward her desk as she still talked. "Lisa is like an impossibly bossy older sister.  She gave me considerable grief about the switch.  But when I told her about the stuff ...."  Cam caught herself and was glad her back was to him, for surely he would have seen the look on her face.  He looked so worried and tired.  Now was not the best time to share.  "Well...in the end Lisa was ready to pack my bags and bring me over as a stowaway if need be."

She slipped around the desk and settled into the chair her fingers moving quickly to bring the desk to "life".  With a few delicate touches the instrument panel and multi screen monitors popped up.  Looking up she sighed and continued as she pulled up the SOP for the duties of Yeoman.

"Sir, as to rank and position .... "  She shrugged and set the document to forward to her personal documents.  She'd check it via her portable unit and review it again later.  Closing the document and then powering it all back down, she leaned back in her desk chair and kept going.  He needed to know that she rarely bit her tongue.

"I agree that with what we have going on with the repairs and ..." she cleared her throat "... and that we need structure.  But as my supervisor, you need to know that growing up on ship I was given opportunities that many do not have.  As a result, I interacted with people at all levels of the staff and crew; Captain to janitorial staff.  I don't really have a problem telling people what I think, regardless of their rank." 

Her mind raced to thoughts of having this sort of conversation with the Ice Queen.  Maybe she should tone it down.  Pushing back in her chair she stood and then stepped a little closer to him, "I'll be respectful and never do anything ... confrontational in public.  I can approach you readily enough here in the office."

She cocked her head and studied him, as a slight furrow formed between her finely arched brows.  Did she... did she share?  "Sir how would you want me to approach you with information that might be confrontational or indicative of a bigger problem?"

Re: EPISODE 03: Unconquerable Soul [Chapter 02: The Captain's Yeoman]

Reply #6 –
At the mentioning of personal reasons for making the transfer to his ship, added with the name of the Ops Officer that served under Commander Stark, Jien had nodded in recognition yet said nothing further. While he tried to keep track of personnel as best as he might despite the many circulations and field promotions, he could not possibly know them all on a first name basis. Hawthorne had been seeing Counsellor Garen Nelis after the Niga Incident though, that much he knew. The Ops Officer belonged to the unfortunate lot that was not seduced into being infected, but raped. She seemed to have fared well though, or at least well enough to be back on duty.

More troublesome was the indication that the personal reasons were grave enough to have Hawthorne change her mind about Cameron's transfer, not to mention that she would make sure Henshaw was on the Theurgy no matter what. Whatever had happened, it seemed his new Yeoman was unprepared to share more details about it. Given the fact of her charming personality and her graced physical form, Jien supposed it was a matter of a past lover or partner who was causing her grief; a man or a woman who could not accept that the relationship had come to an end. He had seen such happen before on starships, and even in times more ordinary as theirs, a transfer to another starship was often the most effective solution. The aggressor, if there was one, might even be someone who went to her for counselling, which made the matter even more delicate given patient confidentiality.

"I am sorry to hear you felt too uncomfortable to remain on the Harbinger, just as much as I am pleased that we were able to offer you such a suitable alternative as this for you here on the Theurgy," he said and gestured towards her desk as he followed her into her part of the Captain's Ready Room. He watched her sitting down behind her new desk and power it up, making it another source of light in the dimly lit area. Areas of strategic importance did have their own power sources that did not demand that the Warp Core was online, and this area was one of them.

When Cameron spoke of her upbringing and the ease in which she adjusted to speak with all manner of ranks and positions on a starship, she was actually bringing up yet another qualification of hers that had been due cause for choosing her.  He was going to say that it was perfectly satisfactory that she interacted freely with all of the crew, even questioning their actions respectfuly, yet he was prevented and answer by the fact that she rose to her feet and stepped close to him in the dim office, distracting him for a moment with the proximity of her invariable form. His keen eye had already picked up on small facts about her appearance that perhaps only a Chameloid might notice, and it both intrigued him and alerted him to the fact he shouldn't consider someone in the Yeoman position in that way. He was even surprised that he did, given all that had happened. The small observation he had made... was that she wore neither bra nor panties underneath her uniform.

"Sir, how would you want me to approach you with information that might be confrontational or indicative of a bigger problem?"

The question made him forget about his equally casual and genetic observations, and he frowned as he looked down into her eyes. "Suspicions about personnel matters should be well-grounded and have proof enough to merit further questioning," he said quietly, if firmly, looking away as the questioning and unjustified imprisonment of Ensign Skye Carver came to his mind. The Deputy had acted on a hunch, and the situation that they were in made such confrontations highly volatile. Fighting had broken out between line officers that morning, and that should not happen unless it could be avoided. Then again, such might be the embers of greater conflicts in the making, and it needed to come to his attention as soon as possible.  He was, in short, conflicted about what he wanted the Yeoman to do in such circumstances. He did not want her to get into a fight, nor offer him input that made him have to clean up the kind of mess he'd dealt with in the case of the Deputy and Ensign Carver.

"I think it is hard to give you any firm guidelines as to what needs to be brought to my attention, since its always on a case-to-case basis. Please just be mindful that this crew is on edge as it is, and confronting them about matters might do more harm than good. It requires a delicate hand, and if you give me information that is ungrounded, I might ignite a mutiny all on my own. I need to be fed firm facts if I am to act in person. I think that is the best I can give you as a ground rule. No gossip that may cloud my judgement. If possible, only the facts. Can you work under those duty parameters, or is that too constricting?"

His question was not at all rhetorical. Jien just hoped she would understand the need to be selective.

Re: EPISODE 03: Unconquerable Soul [Chapter 02: The Captain's Yeoman]

Reply #7 –
Standing before him she felt the tension in him amp up.  His eyes always seemed very direct and intense, but the way he held his body ...it was as if he were on  high alert at all times.  In this situation, he actually frowned.  Her heart sank, she had been too familiar.  She listened closely to him and then watched as he physically turned his head to look away from her.

Her eyes widened at the mention of mutiny.  Shaking her head at that thought.  Sure they had a lot to deal with and tensions were high in both camps, but the Theurgy crew was a happier bunch of people.  Could he not see the differences between the two camps and the manner in which they were managed?

Touching his arm to try and ease his tension she shook her head, "I don't see YOU escalating the situation into mutiny, sir.  There are very few that I can see who are disgruntled on the Theurgy crew.  The manner in which the Theurgy crew functions is vastly different than the Harbinger.  Your reputation, when I started to get serious about the switch ... is impeccable." She gestured and turned to pick up her handheld device.  "As to when I bring stuff to you, I kind if  view it as the last resort.  You have enough on your plate.  I'd prefer to work with supervising staff when I run into an issue.  However, I will of course keep you abreast of any findings."  She glanced up at him, her warm brown eyes meeting his direct gaze.

Smiling tentatively, she offered him the hand held and gestured back to the ready room, "I uploaded my job description.  Not much point in printing it out when that takes much more power.  Would you like to review it here? "  she gestured to the pair of chairs and the couch in his ready room.

The job description and SOP's seemed pretty standard.  She mentally crossed her fingers that he would let her review them and then they would discuss them later.  Like over a drink at Rory's.... She felt herself blushing slightly.  Damn, he was the Captain.  Down girl.  She sooooo needed to behave!  Last thing they both needed was her to develop a crush on him.


Re: EPISODE 03: Unconquerable Soul [Chapter 02: The Captain's Yeoman]

Reply #8 –
Her touch did catch his notice, and made him focus on her and what she had to say instead of his inner ruminations - his dark thoughts and fears of what may be transpiring aboard. He, for one, would have one or two things to say about being on the ship he was commanding.

Yet she made claims to say he was in fact inspiring hope upon this last voyage of the USS Theurgy, fooling everyone that there was any hope in surviving. For unless the Calamity or the unknown enemy that had replaced Starfleet Command did not get them killed, they were guilty of destroying too many staships in order to get away from the Alpha Quadrant. For those ships they could not disable, and all the times he had pointed and called 'fire', countless innocent brothers and sisters in Starfleet had died in ignorance; merely following orders from Command. Even if the truth got out there, and the Federation cleansed, Jien hardly believed they would earn any medals. The cries of the surviving families of those they'd killed would be too loud for that.

And therein lay the seed of mutiny; the dark prospects of their return home. This much he knew, and Yeoman Henshaw was the key to prevent those seeds to take root, however merited his fears might be... or not.

Though his thoughts turned from troubles when she smiled to him and glanced up at him in that fashion, spoke words that made him truly see her were she was, abreast of him, almost bespeaking her candidly undressed state. No, any involvement with such a close subordinate would undoubtedly look like an grotesque abuse of power to the crew. If he encouraged her, or if he entertained the idea, would she turn out a double-edged dagger for him? He was thinking too much. That much was, at least, quite certain.

"Certainly," he said seamlessly to her suggestion to go over her duties in the sitting area. He accepted the datapad and and seated himself in the couch, gesturing for her to sit wherever she wanted. With his fingertips, he scrolled to the interesting section and recited what it said in his own words. "You will effectively be my executive assistant, with all the administrative and clerical duties that it may entail. File work and sensitive message transport are but two examples mentioned here. New incoming sub-space messages, hardly any of those since we are effectively outlaws... Handling meeting requests too, but I think the Senior Staff should not have to go through you, just so that I can have a dynamic rapport with them. This is the common duties, yet the modifications are these..."

He adjusted his seat a little, scrolling further down. "In addition, you are also my personal morale officer, providing counsellor support by monitoring the psychological state of my crew and my relationship with it, offering input on battle outcomes and giving impressions of brewing unrest to me and the affected members of the Senior Staff as necessary. The role may be considered unorthodox, given the modifications, since you will actually be my eyes and ears. In fact, my spy, yet the title is wrong since you spy in the open, not from the shadows. It may lead to difficulties, in people distrusting your intentions, so it is imperative that you approach the role with the demanded high level of social skill, else you will just be deemed that spy in the shadows. A ship's rat, scurrying to the Captain if someone sneezes the wrong way."

He looked up and smiled to her in his faint way. "Your warm and sociable demeanour came with high regard, and it made you the perfect choice. And after meeting you, you have already confirmed this to me. I have no doubt you are warm and open enough to handle the position perfectly."

Having said this, Jien handed the datapad back to her. "I suggest you review it on your own, and speak with me later today about your thoughts. It is quite a challenge, this, since you are unfamiliar with this crew. There are no short-cuts. No network of acquaintances to rely on in order to learn what you must. A steep hill to climb. You sure you are up for it, given our current status?"

Re: EPISODE 03: Unconquerable Soul [Chapter 02: The Captain's Yeoman]

Reply #9 –
That he seemed to relax a little had her mentally breathing a little more easily.  She was so excited about the possibilities of the job, living near Lisa again and being away from that untenable situation that when he sat and gestured for her to take a seat she was almost unable to sit still.  Taking one of the arm chairs facing him, she leaned forward all but perched on the very edge of the chair, trying to see what he was looking at and still "be respectable".

"Screw this."  She exclaimed as she stood up.  Moving quickly she settled beside him on the couch beside him and peered eagerly over his arm at the datapad in his hands.   "We're co-workers and you're my boss.  I'm excited about the job and I want to see what you're looking at as well."  She gestured as she looked down excitedly at the device in his hand.  "Carry on sir..." 

She listened attentively practically oblivious to the proximity of their thighs.  She looked up to meet his eyes as he talked about being the ship's rat.   Narrowing her eyes she shook her head negatively. "I sooooo don't think people...."  She paused and shrugged..."Yeah ok in certain situations yes.  But I'm going to try hard to NOT be viewed like that."


She took the datapad back and slipped it in her hip pocket on her narrow hips.  Glancing up at him she smiled nervously. "Sir we have no choice.  I have to move quickly, We ALL do.  For who knows what tomorrow brings.  I for one am going to continue to think we can have some semblance of a positive resolution."

There were so  many things that she needed to do; getting to know staff, the supervisors, getting settled again, figuring out his schedule and how to best help him with his workload.  He was right, it was a STAGGERING proposition to find herself in.  However, the possibilities and the challenges were so exciting.  It was like a huge puzzle to solve and she had to find all the right pieces to wiggle together in just the right manner.  She'd let the silence grow between them a little as she thought about the job.  "Sir, If you'll have me in the position... regardless of my need to learn lots... I still feel its the right thing to do."


Re: EPISODE 03: Unconquerable Soul [Chapter 02: The Captain's Yeoman]

Reply #10 –
After she shifted a bit next to him as she pocketed the datapad, Jien was already very much aware of her closeness, yet it was naught he really should have a problem with. All humans had different needs for personal space, and he was not going to hold her lack of need against her. After all, it was not like he had anything against it.

While she spoke about her hopes about a positive resolution and he needn't read from the PADD any more, Jien leaned back in the couch and draped an arm across its back. She sought his gaze, and that made her have to turn towards him a bit more, which only caused to accentuate the way the dim light caressed the front of her lightly creased uniform. Yet another reminder of that form of hers, and Jien was having difficulty keeping his male human body from reacting to the dual attack of both her visual appearance and the warmth of her demeanour. He hoped that by the morrow, as she said, this dangerous fascination of his had abated.

He kept his facial features stony and professional as best as he might while she considered the tasks at hand, and yet her last statement... it finally made Jien realise the double meaning of her words. Moreover, he realised his own, and hoped that she had not misunderstood his intentions. It would not exactly have been the best way to start out a strict working relationship if she already thought that he meant to...

He could not remain in the couch any more, not leaned back as he was with her turned around to face him. The lights may be dimmed, but the risk that she might notice the unseemly way his Chosen Form now responded to her was not a risk he could afford to take. Such were the hazards of perfecting the biological form of a humanoid species. There were consequences he could control no more than the next man. Slowly, as to not alert her, he leaned forward and rose to his feet, casually pacing out onto the floor of the Ready Room while answering.

"I have found no cause to change my mind about your new commissioning," he said, yet he lied, for she was a temptation that he could not afford, yet it was not something that he could transfer her back to the Harbinger for. Not when she was having personal issues with staying there, an issue so bad it seemed she held the entire Theurgy crew in better regard than her old crew. It was something best discussed when they knew each other a bit more, he thought. He was not exactly her counsellor. "The Quartermaster will be giving you Senior Officer quarters instead of your old kind, given the simple fact that we nowadays have room to spare. Furthermore, I want you to have accommodations across the corridor from my own for obvious reasons."

Amending that statement, he also gestured for her to follow him as he left the office and entered the Bridge again. "It would not do to have you travel across half the ship to find me." When he had managed to quell the damnable testosterone reactions of his biology, he faced her out on the Bridge. "Now, how about you think about your new duties, speak with the Quartermaster down by the Transport Centre, and then perhaps locate your new quarters. Compile a report to me where you iron out your priorities for the first couple of days and we'll go over it. I will be done with a meeting with Chief Engineer Rosek far out by edge of the Valley - by the Engineering Outpost - at 1830 hrs. I will try to reach you through your combadge then in order to find you. I know its a bit after Alpha shift had ended, and you might have previous engagements, but I think its important that we decide what you should prioritise doing first. I hope this does not cause too much of a problem...."

After her answer, Jien nodded. "Splendid," he said and tapped his badge, "Ives to Ops. Two to beam down."

Once they were on the planet-side again, Jien dismissed Ensign Henshaw and walked off to attend other matters. At odd times, however, the warmth of her thigh pressed against his in the dim light of the Ready Room stole his focus.

OOC: After your next post, I will post Jien finishing his meeting in the Engineering Outpost that same evening, and have him contact Cameron in order to meet up with her go over her first priorities. :)

Re: EPISODE 03: Unconquerable Soul [Chapter 02: The Captain's Yeoman]

Reply #11 –
Confusion washed over her as, he stood and paced.  A slight wrinkle formed between her brows as she watched him in the dim light.  He was so difficult to read.  Usually she was very adept at picking up on non-verbal cues from people.  She watched as he moved with deliberate care every movement concise and efficient.

Turning on the couch she slipped off the couch and followed him almost silently out into the Ready Room.  Her feet making no sound as he reconfirmed her commissioning and then continued talking as he headed back toward the bridge.   It made total sense that her quarters would be within Senior Quarters... well sort of.  Only in that if he worked as many hours as the crew said he did and he wanted her at his beck and call, then she'd need to be close.  But in building relationships with crew, it could be seen as divisive.

She nodded at his comment and was about to ask if it really was necessary, but he was already back to his schedule.  She merely nodded and confirmed the potential meeting time before they transported back to the planet surface and separated.  Shaking her head as the Captain strode off to yet another meeting, she turned and headed back toward the administrative cluster of modular units.

The Quartermaster was a bristling bustling little man.  Who within moments had Cam squared away and assigned to new quarters.  Johansen was a very talkative man even more so than Cam.  She listened as he loaded her down with paperwork, supply lists and additional info about the Theurgy.  Johansen was a gifted man and a person Cam was going to need to stay in touch with.

Shouldering her bag with her extra stuff and her diary, she used the code he provided her and entered her quarters for the first time.  She really did not have time to linger and get settled.  So she literally, set the duffle to the right of the door, glanced in and then backed out into the hall again.  When she had more time, she'd get settled.  Right now she had an agenda … a huge pile of things to get done and a strategy to develop to best assist the Captain and crew.

Sighing she turned back to the hallway and quickly exited the vessel. She needed to get to a work station with a power source that was not going to drain anything from the Theurgy.  No matter how insignificant one monitor might seem, it felt wasteful when the crew was struggling with so many other systems.   With the solar blankets and panels set up, she could use the field office's system and get what she needed done this afternoon.   OR better yet...

She turned to Ensign Mitchell on the transport and got direction to Captain's field office location.  She was his Yeoman.  If he had a field office then she needed to know where it was and use that space.   Quickly locating the space, initially she took over one long table as her field space.  Most of the afternoon, she spent reading and organizing herself and planning.  By late afternoon she was wading thru files and making notes like crazy on her datapad.  The sweltering humidity and oppressive heat had her uniform sweaty and sticking to her like plastic wrap. 

Wiping a rivulet of sweat away, she exhaled and glanced up at the lengthening shadows.  Breathing deeply she stretched and glanced over her plan of action.  It was a sound plan.  Feathering her fingers over the pad she sent him a copy before she started shutting things down.  It was almost time for him to notify her of the meeting place.    She felt slightly tense and rolled her shoulders as she stood.

Stepping out of the modular unit she was almost bowled over by the heat and humidity.  The cool air behind her was cut off with the swish of the door as she stepped fully away and headed toward her sleeping unit.   The camp was not huge, but most were situated well away from the administrative units. 

The low rumble of thunder had her glancing up the mountains toward the sound.  The little valley that nestled the two vessels protectively, also effectively blocked the view of weather that crept in... or like the daily storms.  Blasting in with a  vengeance, the torrential rains effectively kept the air thick with stem with nightly tropical storms.   By the sound of the thunder she had time to get home.... She glanced toward the rumbling thunder as she increased her speed.  Maybe she'd have time to get a run in....

She checked the time as she entered the modular unit.  Stripped off and threw on her running gear and took off toward the mountain trail. 



Re: EPISODE 03: Unconquerable Soul [Chapter 02: The Captain's Yeoman]

Reply #12 –
[ Theta Eridani IV | Engineering Outpost | 1932 hrs. ]

When Captain Jien Ives stepped out, it was already pouring down over her.

She had finally covered all items on the agenda with Engineering, and while Chief Rosek and a few others stayed behind in the underground outpost, Captain Ives knew she was late to the meeting she had arranged with her new Yeoman.

It was not like Ensign Henshaw was a lower priority, yet in this regard, the defence plan for the valley they were in had to be ironed out a bit further because of a few newly installed modification in the power relay system. Using the energy of the volcanic region had its definite benefits and draw-backs, and it demanded some calibrating to get the balance between the two satisfactory.

Standing in the outskirts of the valley with a PADD in her hand - in the higher foothills just below a soaring mountain - the opening to the dried out natural water system behind her shed no light upon the twilight terrain. The place was meant to be hidden, and provide the external shield generator with a natural bunker against enemy fire. Moreover, it had been chosen for the possibility to harvest the energy of the planet's crust without requiring them to drill for weeks into the ground.

"Captain Ives to Henshaw, come in," said Jien after she tapped her combadge, ignoring the downpour as she gazed over valley, "I am sorry, the meeting with Rosek became a long-winded affair, but I am ready to see you now if you are available, Ensign. Where are you?"

Thunder boomed, heralding that the storm was about to pick up for real.

Re: EPISODE 03: Unconquerable Soul [Chapter 02: The Captain's Yeoman]

Reply #13 –
Her thighs and lungs were burning from the exertion of racing up the foothills and into the mountain.  The storm that was blowing toward the valley tonight had stepped up its timetable.  In lieu of coming later in the evening, after people were ready to finish up at the Springs anyway, this storm seemed intent upon arriving ahead of schedule.   Cam thought as lightning flashed over the distant ridge past the mountains.  Reaching the plateau,  she raised her arms over her head and walked off the burn as she caught her breath. 

Leaning back a little she breathed in hard and watched the clouds over her boil and roll.   The dark gray clouds, deepening in color as they swirled closer and closer to their valley.  She leaned on a rock and watched as the storm pushed its way toward the valley.  "This really doesn't look good." She thought as the clouds took on an odd iridescent sheen.

Her combadge cracked.  Cam paused and cocked her head to listen. "Damn static."  She headed toward the trail and started back...As she started down she caught the tail end of the transmission and tapped into the com. "Henshaw, reporting to Captain Ives.   Am on the south mountain trail, just below the plateau and QUICKLY  headed toward the valley.  Where should I report?"

She scurried down the trail just as the sky started to open up.  Sprinting full out she tore down the hillside rain pouring over her as she tried to outrun the weather.  Grinning she leapt the fallen log across the trail and landed easily on the far side of the trail.   Mud splattered all over her firm muscular legs as her feet pounded down the once dirt trail that NOW almost resembled a creek.  The wind picked up and had trees bowing behind her making her anxious.  Rain was no big deal, but the storm coming up the far side of the mountain looked like a bitch.  Slipping on the mud, she careened down an incline and landed on her hands and knees in mud and water rushing downhill.  Glancing up the hill she got goosebumps as she saw the thunderheads just breaching the ridge line.

Shaking her head, she took off like a sprinter of blocks at the track and practically flew down the trail.

Re: EPISODE 03: Unconquerable Soul [Chapter 02: The Captain's Yeoman]

Reply #14 –
Turning where she stood, Jien faced south and saw the inbound storm over the mountain range.

It was ferocious. Uncompromising, and it must have such an energy build-up that it was affecting the comm system. It was unlike any tropical storms known on Earth, as much was quite plain from merely looking at it. For while it rolled in over the valley, there were thunder clapping inside the clouds at a frequency unparalleled by normal M-Class planets. It was probably an effect from the heat and the volcanic terrain, yet Jien was no expert in such matters. All she knew was that Henshaw was much too close to that storm, and that she might loose her signal soon.

"Captain Ives to Thea." she said loud enough to make herself heard, praying that the Ship AI heard her. "Lock on to Ensign Henshaw's comm-signal. She should be on the south side of the valley, in the mountains. I need to get there now."

[There is a lot of interference from the storm. Stand by.] There was a pause during which Thea probably tried to filter away interference and triangulate Cameron's position by using her access to the Transport Centre. Meanwhile, Jien found herself worried, since the coiling lightning in those clouds was bound to strike the ground soon. [Signal found.]

"Beam me into her current path. Fifteen yards ahead of her. Energise."

[Destination confirmed. Transport initiated.]

Jien shimmered in the rain...

...and materialised, ankle-deep in running mud and with the wind making her dark hair whip about her face. The rain was scything at her sideways, and she turned around to get her bearings. She did not manage to see much, however, before the impact of a runner caught her fully, and Jien was tumbling down the creek before she realised what had happened. When she came to a stop, she was covered in mud from head to toe, on all fours in the storm and soon brushing dirt out of her eye with her sleeve to see how the Ensign had fared. She hated to think she had hurt the human just because she had foolishly requested such a close site-to-site transport.

"I think I found you!" called Jien over the storm, getting back on her feet. Her simulated uniform was so wet and dirty that it left little to the imagination. "Are you okay? We need to find shelter as soon as possible. Let's go, Ensign!"

Re: EPISODE 03: Unconquerable Soul [Chapter 02: The Captain's Yeoman]

Reply #15 –
The temperature was plummeting as the storm crested the mountain.  Icy rain whipped sideways in front of the gales of wind had branches and twigs flying off trees and shrubs.  Large trees bent almost double cracked and snapped ominously as she flew down the hill.  Her sodden shoes pounding a frantic tempo as she rounded a boulder and then tore down an incline.   A resounding clap of thunder had her practically jumping out of her skin as she rounded a curve and barreled full tilt into someone shimmering onto the trail.

She wrapped her arms around the person as they tumbled and rolled down the hill.    Grass and mud clinging to skin and clothing as her momentum and the angle of the hill had them sliding several feet.  The first impression she had of the person was long dark hair and the Captain's oaken brown eyes and LOTS of mud.  If the weather had not been so dangerous, it would have been hilarious.

"Yes sir...ma'am. " She correctly automatically and she levered herself out of the muddy tangle and then offered a filthy hand up to her Captain.   Realistically, she was going to have some abrasions, but considering everything - she ran a quick assessment - she was cool.  "Am fine..." She glanced nervously behind her as the wind and rain ratcheted up a level.  The sound of the wind fairly moaning as the trees cracked and rattled together.

They needed to  get to a modular unit ASAP.  "Ma'am the storm has some significant rotation from what I could tell up on the plateau. The closest modular units are perhaps a mile from here." She yelled over the roar of the wind.  At that moment the rain unleashed again and poured down in driven walls of water.  Sheets of cold water poured over the pair.  The Captain appeared in decent shape, even as a female.  The drenched and muddy uniform did little to mask the lean muscles over tight curves. 

Gesturing down the hill she didn't wait but got right to it.  "We need off the mountain...Now.  This part of the storm is nothing, compared to what's coming.  If we hall ass we can be to the closest modular units in ...."   She glanced up at the swirling dark clouds over them noting the rotation. "Six minutes or less.  But we need to move now."

At the Captain's comment that they go, she took off at a more contained run.   A lightning strike further up the mountain had her glancing over at the Captain and accelerating the run.  They easily ran and leapt over burgeoning streams cascading down and over the trails.  One vicious gust had a large tree toppling behind them just as they past.   As the hills leveled out, the woods thinned out leaving them more exposed to the rain.  Modular units now within line of sight, hail started to pepper down around them.  Pinging off stones and stinging her skin like a sandblaster. A golfball sized hailstone smacked her shoulder spinning her toward a modular unit.  "Son of a bitch."

She swore through gritted teeth as she felt a welt forming.  Slapping her hand on the unit, she left a muddy hand print as she rounded the end and headed for the door.  The modular unit offering some cover from the wind and hail.

Re: EPISODE 03: Unconquerable Soul [Chapter 02: The Captain's Yeoman]

Reply #16 –
Trees whisked by down the trail from the mountains, and the rain might have washed some of the mud from her form, yet Jien was now sodden through - her mimicked clothing absorbing the rainwater just as readily as the mud had stuck to her.

Alongside her Yeoman, she ran, her legs pumping and her sodden clothes chafing since she had no opportunity to alter her form to rid herself from that kind of minute discomfort. There was little opportunity to speak until they'd found shelter. The squall of hail that came over them once they reached the plain forced Jien to raise her arm and cover her face. Her focus upon the immediate need to retreat from the storm that Henshaw had seen beyond the mountain-range rid her of all other thoughts. There was no panic, really. No fear, since they were already close to safety.

Yet when Cameron cried out, Jien's eyes did a double take in her direction and altered the direction in which she ran so that she might catch her if she fell. Ducking low as she sprinted, she felt the sting of the hail over her back, pelted with the white stones all the way to the closest shelter, which she reached at the same time as Henshaw. The Ensign steadied herself against the side of the unit, yet Jien was right by her side, one arm around her waist and offering support nonetheless. Bracing her legs against the wind, she led them both to the nearby door.

"Open. Authority Ives-Beta-Niner-Delta-Four," shouted Jien and the sliding doors parted, the warmth inside whooshing out by the wind - hitting them in the face as they stumbled inside. The lack of wind ruined any kind of balance they'd found against the forces of the weather, yet Jien tried to cradle Cameron's head with her hand when they fell down upon the floor. With the Ensign below her and her arm around the human's back to keep her from injury, Jien looked back towards the doors when they slid shut - enveloping them both in darkness.

Only the sound of their heavy breathing remained, as the storm had become a muffled whine against the shelter.

"Computer, lights," said Jien after a couple of seconds, and the situation became plain to her. She was half embracing the Ensign, the arm that was around her placed behind Henshaw's head - the other braced against the floor. Both their bodies were wet and dirty with mud. Jien's hair was a waterfall down her back and the sides of her head, and her mud-smeared face was freckled with droplets of rainwater. Henshaw was not yet shaking from cold, not was she, which was probably due to the adrenaline level in their blood. Their breaths were mixing between their faces, and the exhaustion begged them to remain, to find warmth, yet Jien couldn't. She had to get up. She had to. Get up. Now.

"You were hit," she said, gently removing her hand from the back of Cameron's head and sitting back, letting the Ensign move freely. "Should I take a look at it?"

Jien had to contact Rez and the others to warn them about the storm, ordering everyone to take cover for the night unless they were working inside the starships during the night shifts. Yet first, she had to make sure Henshaw did not need medical attention.

Re: EPISODE 03: Unconquerable Soul [Chapter 02: The Captain's Yeoman]

Reply #17 –
Staggering back off balance as the door opened immediately at the Captain's security code, Cam fell flat on her ass into the safe, warm dark space within the unit.  Her tumble brought down the Captain as well.  Their arms and legs tangled together as they made an inglorious muddy wet heap just inside the modular unit.  They were safe.  She shut her eyes and relaxed back against the floor exhaling in a long sigh not realizing till now just how frightened she'd been.  Both women catching their breath.

The lights came on slowly, Cam opened her eyes to find the Captain's face very close to hers.  Peering intently at her with Ives' amazing eyes, intense and gorgeous.  Mud was smeared down Captain Ives' face, her hair hung in lank, black, wet ropes over her shoulders and her pristine uniform.... well it was a disaster.  Cam smirked and shook her head, her warm brown eyes crinkling up at the corners.  A slow smile started to spread on Cam's face and then a giggle escaped.  Slapping a muddy hand over her mouth, she shook her head and grinned up at Captain Ives.  "Sir .... excuse me Ma'am.  I've had worse scraps.  But man, are we a mess!"   Laughter bubbling up as she reached out and ran one finger down the side of Ives face scraping off a fingerful of mud.

Her eyes twinkled as Ives straightened and scooted back to give Cam some room.  Wiping the muddy finger on her wet tee shirt, she slowly straightened and rolled her shoulder.   The muddy wet fabric moving against her breasts and skin.  Drawing goose bumps out and making her nipples harden clearly thru the thin tee-shirt.  Wincing a little she shrugged.  "I'm certain I'll have a bruise..." She started to say as she glanced up at Ives.  Her Captain was dead serious and concerned about her well-being and here she was crackling up.  Her attempt to dry up the laughter was aided when their modular unit shifted perceptibly.

The wind howling and battering the unit so much so that even insulated as it was the hail, rocks, branches... whatever that was being hurled against the metal sounded inside the unit.  It was not deafening, but still very loud.  The lights dimmed once and cam glanced over at Captain Ives. "I think my few random scrapes and bruises are nothing.  This storm had the clouds boiling and rolling together."  She started to stand and another burst from the storm had her dropping back to one knee and her arms around her Captain.

"Sir, I am so sorry."  she stammered and blushed as she successfully stood and then offered her hand.

Re: EPISODE 03: Unconquerable Soul [Chapter 02: The Captain's Yeoman]

Reply #18 –
Yet the dead serious expression on Captain Ives' face was one of trying to assert control, for the touch against her face and watching the Ensign touch herself - even if only to wipe mud upon her tee - made Jien have to swallow. She really had to tell the Yeoman to wear undergarments at some point, for even if she was wearing her female Chosen Form and it made it less obvious, Jien was still the same Chameloid that had been physically attracted to the human in the Ready Room earlier that day. There was relief, however, to learn that Henshaw had not been hurt.

Relief, such as it were, that was short-lived due to the storm hitting the modular shelter in full. The bombardment was strong enough to damage it, denting the plate enough to affect the circuitry and cause the power to fluctuate. Concerned, Jien made to stand, yet the second volley had her Yeoman loose her balance and wrap her arms around her, making her catch her by reflex with her arms around her waist to keep her from falling. The Ensigns lips came entirely too close to her own for comfort, yet it would seem the human was unaware of it as she got up right away and offered a hand to help Jien up. "Thank you."

What's wrong with me? Jien asked herself as she took the hand and got up. Visiting Isley must have made me predisposed to these bloody ideas. Damn that counsellor and damn that wolf, for I mustn't make a mistake like this now. Too much is riding on me, and the crew must respect my judgement in all things.

"Ives to Rez," she said after tapping her combadge, stepping away while trying to reach her First Officer. All she got was silence, so she tried with someone else. "Thea, can you read me?"

[Yes, Ca..tain. Recept.... poor. The sto... has hit the valle... All peronn... has retrea... to the shelthers. Transport inadvisab... Recommen... staying insid... Hull damage estimatio... nominal. It will pa... by during the night. Sensor rang... reduced. Interfer... will be tempora... What are y... orde... Captain?]

Before answering, Jien turned to Henshaw. "It would appear we are stuck here, so can you please check the power cells?" The idea to having to spend the night in the shelter with the human was not something she could let her self dwell upon. Her immediate concern was that the heat and the sonic shower was functional, and if they were lucky, the absent residents had stored field rations somewhere.

Addressing Thea once more, she began to instruct the AI on operations during the night, since her signal might reach everyone on the Senior Staff better than her own did. It was a long-winded instruction, leaving her pacing the hallway while the Ensign took a stock on what they were in for during the night. It took Ives about five minutes to get the information to Thea, but in the end, she was content that as much repairs as possible would be done inside the hulls of the ships. Throughout the conversation, the shelter was bombarded with more hailstorms, the power fluctuating a few times more.

"Ives out," she said at last, going to look for Henshaw and see what she might have found out.

Re: EPISODE 03: Unconquerable Soul [Chapter 02: The Captain's Yeoman]

Reply #19 –
As Ives wrestled to be heard and understand the transmissions from Thea, Cam bustled about the unit to see what was available.  Several times she had to pause and grip the wall as the storm blasted the modular unit.  She glanced back at Ives as she spoke in clipped terse tones. It was a good thing they got in when they did.  Cam shivered as she filled a bowl she'd found with the few field rations she'd located.  There had not been much and clothing... the person was even more petite then she was.

Cam had hoped for something warmer, but luck had not held out for that.  Sighing as she heard Ives still talking about repairs to be done overnight, she stepped back into a small nook and opened up a control panel.  Her heart sank as she assessed and then reassessed.   This modular unit was going to have to go on the never ending to do list of things to get fixed.  The damage done and being done, she mentally changed her thoughts as something massive slammed into the side of the modular unit shifting the whole temporary dwelling a few feet, had created ... basically a power bleed.  By her estimations... they could use the sonic shower and maybe... have enough to stay warm overnight.  Heat was going to be the issue as the storm had brought in with it a bitter cold front.  She gently shut the control panel and turned to head back to Ives.

Scratching her ear, she grimaced as mud flaked off her cheek.  She glanced up at Ives as she approached her Captain just as she turned to apparently come find Cam.  Gesturing to the small bowl and the collected field rations, she started in on what she had found. 

"We have some issues, but we have plenty of power to get us thru the night.  But sir... this unit has sustained some significant damage.  Tomorrow I'll see about getting this resident reassigned and the unit added to the to do list.  The damage is causing basically a power bleed.   If we use the sonic shower it will pull a significant amount and the heater... which we may actually need tonight considering the cold front that got pulled in... well the heater may use even more than the shower."

She gestured back toward the control panel for the unit.  "Maybe I'm wrong.  This isn't really my area of expertise.  But the numbers seemed pretty straight forward."

Her wet clothing and the cold was starting to get to her and it was all she could do to not shiver.   Ives was being so stoic, she really didn't want to wimp out on her new boss on her first day.  But if the boss looked too closely, she'd see goose bumps and fingernails that were starting to turn blue.  Cam never handled cold well.  She thrived in hot environments.  Didn't matter if it was humid or dry, she liked it hot.  Cold seemed to seep insidiously into her bones making her achy and irritable.  She sucked it up though, the boss wasn't whining like a little girl.

Cam watched as Ives took in the information.  She felt a strange warmth growing, but it had nothing to do with the heater possibly kicking in, and all about her Captain.  The Captain was quickly becoming someone she'd really have to be careful around or she'd develop a tremendous crush on her... him.... her!  Whichever.

Re: EPISODE 03: Unconquerable Soul [Chapter 02: The Captain's Yeoman]

Reply #20 –
Listening to the SITREP in quietude, Jien nodded. When Henshaw gestured towards the control panel, she stepped to it in order to verify the readings, and a quick glance told her that the estimation should be quite accurate. They would have to ration the energy as best as they might if they were to have heat throughout the night, and because of the fall they had taken, two quick showers were first on the agenda.

The idea to share the shower with Henshaw entered Jien's mind, making her brown eyes - which were the same eyes her male form wore - venture down the young woman's body. While her own face was unreadable, her mind came to imagine what it would be like to brush the mud and dirt off Cameron's body. The idea came from how Nicole Howard had aimed to seduce Jien in her Captain's Quarters, pretending to repair her sonic shower. They had ended up ridding themselves from the shame of their own sexuality together, exorcising the ghosts of the Niga Incident. Only now, after speaking with Counsellor O'Connor and visiting Lieutenant Isley, Jien was not quite sure the ghosts had left.

Subconsciously, she tried to justify her interest. Wouldn't enjoying a night with the Ensign serve as a measure, to learn whether or not she was sane by being intimate with someone who was not even there on the ship when the outbreak occured? Quickly, she realised that she was grasping for straws, making rash assumptions. Hell, she had only met Henshaw that very day. The idea of what the crew might say if they learned stilled her desires somewhat.

The pause had been too long, Jien realised, and she looked away - walking off to explore the shelter on her own. "You look cold. I suggest you shower first."

Perhaps she could walk off the thoughts. Pace this away. Trying to think about the mission. She could not wait to take a shower herself, but there was no way she could be in the small bathroom together with the Ensign, so she would remain outside. Like a wolf. Circling. Stop it. You are a Commanding Officer, Captain of a crew that are on a voyage straight into corrupted Federation space - spreading the far-fetched truth to the public... that Starfleet is not the same as it used to be.

Her pacing made her come too close to the bathroom door.

The sliding door whooshed open, causing Jien's eyes to go wide in alarm about her mistake. Stepping back, there was still a long delay until the door shut again. It gave her plenty of time to see what went on inside, and she could not make herself avert her eyes.

Re: EPISODE 03: Unconquerable Soul [Chapter 02: The Captain's Yeoman]

Reply #21 –
Cam followed Ives as she double checked the readings.  As the Captain stood there, Cam could almost see the wheels turning in the taller woman's head.  She looked so determined and deep in thought so much so that when Ives turned her gaze toward Cam, Cam was almost floored.  Her captain had just given  her an assessing once over.   She could almost feel herself starting to blush, but then she forced herself to stop.

She corrected herself.  Castigating herself.  It had NOT been like that.  Ives was merely assessing which of the two of them might need to shower more.  And Cam WAS definitely way way more filthy.  Plus she was unable to stop the shivering that at this point had her teeth almost chattering.  So without a second prompting Cam nodded and stepped into the bathroom.

The door had barely closed as she stepped into the sonic shower.  Clothing and all, she adjusted for the clothing and started the process.  Soon her clothes were dirt free so she removed her shoes and shorts, setting them on the floor just outside the shower.  As she lifted her arms and pulled off the tee-shirt her back was to the door, but she heard the distinctive whoosh as the bathroom door opened.  Glancing over her lean shoulder, she looked directly into the wide shocked eyes of her Captain.   This time however, Cam felt a thrill as her Captain stood before her.  The oaken brown intense eyes moving over Cam's lean body.

Turning inside the glass enclosure of the shower, she let the shirt she was holding slowly drop to the floor as she watched her Captain study her.  It was no longer than mere heartbeats.  However, it made Cam fret that maybe her small breasts were too little or maybe her round hips (the absolute bane of her existence) were too wide.  A blush started somewhere around her belly button.  Feeling the heat of it creep up her skin, she ducked her head and hastily leaned down to pick up the shirt she had dropped.

"Sir... Ma'am.  I'll just be one more minute."  She said as she turned her back on the Captain, the large welt readily apparent on her shoulder. She shook out the shirt, making the lean muscles of her upper back and shoulders flex like those of a dancer.  She was mortified, but yet she could still feel those amazing eyes on her. 

Re: EPISODE 03: Unconquerable Soul [Chapter 02: The Captain's Yeoman]

Reply #22 –
As involuntarily as the sight had come to her, it was a sight nonetheless.

The removal of the shirt over her head. The artificial blue light shimmering over the Ensign's skin as she turned to face Jien. The vapour rising from her and her garments by the thrumming sonic pulse vibrations. The swirling mist did not leave anything to the imagination, yet rather flattered Henshaw's bodily form with an aura of mystique. Caressing it. Jien wanted her hands to be that vapour, for the bare revelation of her Yeoman's body surpassed any expectations she secretly might have had since they had met earlier that day.

Scant heartbeats before the spell was broken; when the Ensign picked her shirt up again, presumably to cover herself - even though she turned her back to Jien with the shirt in her hands. "Sir... Ma'am.  I'll just be one more minute."

Jien blinked with her big, brown eyes. This was the second time she lost herself in her bodily studies, yet this time, she saw much more. The Ensign's unique form was very compelling, yet being a studious creature, Jien saw the damage to it as well - hard as they were to pick out with the vapour rising from Henshaw's skin. The injury she saw first caused her to feel concern, and it made her pause in the doorway instead of apologising for the inappropriate intrusion and walk away. For the welt across Henshaw's shoulder was large and unlovely, red and angry in the light from the shower.

"Pardon me," she said and took a couple of steps into the small bathroom to get a closer look upon the welt. The concern in her words was quite real, even if she knew she was not completely honest with herself about her intentions for staying. "I stepped too close to the door. Yet now that I am here... I think we need to take a look at your shoulder. It appears it was hit pretty bad out there. Can you move your arm without pain?"

Her eyes dropped, slitted to see past the vapour, and she could make out the abrasions from the fall the Ensign had taken when she ran into Jien below the mountain plateau. Nothing serious. More like an excuse to let her eyes linger. What was wrong with her? She felt how the peaks of her rounded breasts had come to ache against her uniform, and the wetness from the mud and rainwater was an increasingly poor justification for the embarrassingly damp feeling that was spreading at the juncture of her thighs. The human heart she simulated was beating faster, and despite her grave mien, the golden glow of the skin upon her neck had taken on a sanguine tone.

"I am no doctor, but your health is a concern of mine," she said quietly, her formality her last and only line of defence.

Re: EPISODE 03: Unconquerable Soul [Chapter 02: The Captain's Yeoman]

Reply #23 –
Cam had just slid the door open to drop her shirt on the clean pile outside the enclosure, when she heard Ives enter the bath.  Glancing over at her Captain as she entered the small bath, it was Cam's turn to be surprised. She glanced toward her injured shoulder.  Yes it hurt, but she'd taken worse hits.  However, she could not see it so maybe it was best to let the Captain look.

"Shower cease."  There was no point in keeping the shower running.  If her shoulder needed to be checked out, then she needed to not have the enclosure around her nor the cool blue cleansing lights and mists.  She lowered her eyes away from the Captain's, not catching the manner in which Ives' eyes traveled down Cam's lean form.  However,  Cam's gaze stilted as she noted the thrust of her Captain's proud nipples press against the figure flattering uniform.

She tore her gaze away, her blush staining her fair delicate skin.   It was cold, surely that was all.  The Captain would never find her attractive.  Cam told herself as she lightly pressed her hand on the release to the shower entrance.   She stepped to the entrance of the shower and turned so that the Captain could check her shoulder.   The blue lights in the shower now dimmed, it was the pure harsh white lights of the bath that glared down over her body.

In this harsh light, her skin was practically transparent it was so fair.  Blue veining clearly visible up the inside of her arm.  A thick blue line faintly visible on her breast.  As she inhaled nervously, eyes skittering up to study her Captain she lifted her arm trying to cover any winces.  The injury did throb and earlier when she had reached back to touch it, it had felt hot to touch and swollen.

"Ma'am..."  Cam cleared her throat and then continued "It's a little swollen, yes.  And it throbs a bit."  She lowered her arm and then slowly lifted it and laced her fingers behind her head to brace and hold the shoulder in position.  The action lifting her firm round breasts, her pink nipples hard as a result of her confusing arousal.  "Run your fingers over it.  Its not swollen that much though, sir."  She suggested breathlessly wanting more than fingers brushing over her skin.  She nibbled her lip nervously wondering if she was over stepping herself.

Re: EPISODE 03: Unconquerable Soul [Chapter 02: The Captain's Yeoman]

Reply #24 –
This was madness, simple as that. Why had she gone inside, Jien asked herself, and why was not the Ensign upset at her presence? True, if she was injured, checking it would be all well and proper, but it was not exactly like the injury was of greater consequence, was it? Henshaw had not complained about pain, and she seemed perfectly able to move her arm. Still, it was too late to have second thoughts about entering the bathroom, so Jien stepped up behind Cameron as she turned her back towards her.

"It's a raised mark, presumably from a large hailstone," she began to say, about to add that it was of no concern and excuse herself, only...

"Run your fingers over it. Its not swollen that much though, sir."

Not only did Henshaw's words turn Jien's incentive to leave on its head, but in addressing Jien  as 'sir', she changed... into his male form. It was one of the many random if regular circumstances that prompted that he alternated between his two chosen forms, and normally, it wasn't something that Jien thought so much about any more. It was a result of him embracing humanity, only able to do so by embracing both genders of the species, yet now, it was a bit unfortunate, since his female form was was better to hide what the sight of Henshaw's bareness did to entice him.

A moment of hesitation. Change back? Probably too late. If Henshaw had noticed him changing form then changing again would surely ruin this thin pretence that this was standard procedure between a CO and his Yeoman. Yet if she hadn't noticed, his voice would scare her. For all he knew, perhaps the only reason Henshaw was comfortable to have Jien look at the welt was because he had been in his female form. The fact that both his forms were equally wet with rain and dirtied by mud would probably be of little comfort, should that be the case, since the sight of the Ensign had made him semi-hard in lieu of his female form's hidden dampness. He had to bid his leave.

And yet Jien found himself raising his hand, running two fingertips lightly over the swollen mark, raised and red against the human's skin. "My injuries never last," he said in his deep voice, contemplative. Trying to speak of anything else than the present. "My morphogenic matrix may become unstable for a number or reasons, wounds may make my Chosen Form bleed upon getting them, yet lingering visual marks is something I never keep. I am afraid you will have to wear this mark for some time before it fades, yet your shoulder does not seem to suffer from fracture, so that's a relief."

The touch of her skin's texture lingered in his mind, just as the sight of her bare form fascinated him in a twofold way. One being in the senses of a Chameloid, and the other as a human male reacting to the opposite gender. He gradually removed his fingertips as his hand fell - brushing partway down her spine in guilty need to keep bodily contact.

"I should wait for my turn. Again, pardon for this intrusion. Being as I am a woman too, I sometimes forget myself..." he clenched his jaw, trying to maintain his brittle façade.
 
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