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Re: Chapter 06: Insurgency [ Day 05 | 2315 hrs. ]

Reply #25 –
Joint Post
[ Deacon, K'Ren and R'Rori| Maintenance Bays | The Versant ] attn: all present

R’Rori blushed slightly as s/he looked down at hir body in response to Blue’s words and nodded in agreement as s/he registered just how much had changed. As Blue continued speaking and answering questions from the others, the counselor took a moment to look around the cavernous room to gauge the mood. As expected, it was a mix. There were expressions of grief, curiosity, confusion, fleeting happiness, and a few more stoic. It looked like the Klingon found a friend – the scientist from earlier. And there were the other two feline prisoners. Deacon looked to be in distress and R’Rori couldn’t quite figure out K’Ren from this angle. When the supplies beamed in, s/he joined the others in grabbing her box, smiling grimly at the name on it.

They know far too much about us and we too little of them.

S/he pushed aside the Twinkies for now and pulled on the suit within, unsurprised at how well it fit and the consideration made for hir tail. After s/he separated out the vegetable-based meal for hir own, R’Rori made sure to pass by Blue on the way to a spot to eat, dropping the confections for hir former patient. Hir destination was ultimately K’Ren and Deacon, whom s/he spotted conversing while eating.

“Marriages tend to come with a bit more pomp and ceremony in my experience, Deacon.”

R’Rori sat down nearby in easy conversational range while s/he started on the leafy goodness their mysterious Savi benefactor had made for hir. S/he gestured at the both of them and directed hir words at the Caitian.

"Deacon here mentioned you two were bonded, I believe. He is not Caitian, though? What kind of bonding is it?"

K'Ren could feel a little of her mate's feelings, not empathy as telepaths considered it but she could feel his emotional state through the bond they shared, a dull sort of general sense of his emotional state. Strong feelings could come through louder but she'd never felt such strong emotions as she had from Deacon, or Xander, she wasn't sure which now. Resting her head against his, she gently stroked his neck. "We will get ourselves out of here mate, but for now let's focus on rest." That rest however was short-lived as a familiar whine filled the room, spooking K'Ren a little until she saw the crates arrive, not threats as she expected.

She moved to sit where he'd been while he collected their crates. She could tell from his posture, and his facial expressions, such as they were that he wasn't entirely impressed with his parcel, or at least something on the front of it. Bringing it back she saw what was causing him to react as he was, the name on the package.  She glanced them both over as he offered her box to her. "They would not have known mate, could not have known unless they'd looked closely at our offspring. But yes, that is how it would have worked, perhaps even a single package for us both to share."

Opening the package she saw the nutritional items, unsure but assuming they were made for her, or at least generic enough she'd not react to any milk products in the solid foodstuffs. She wasn't sure about the uniform, would put that on later but for now the water seemed the best choice and she took a sip from it. When she put the bottle down, she saw R'Rori sitting their in front of them. "We are bonded yes. He was K'Zin but it seems the Caitian life bond, can extend to other species."

R'Rori nodded. "Similar to the bond between my parents then, though my father's human culture had a strong influence on how they showed it to others. It was a big wedding, I'm told."

Deacon tensed at R'Rori's arrival, not anticipating another to come forward  to invade what he felt was a personal moment; but of all those concerned, he found he minded her presence the least.  As K'Ren turned her attention to the new arrival, he opened his own box, rifling through the contents, pausing long enough to sniff suspiciously at the three Twinkies inside.  He opened one, hazarding a taste of the confection, only to find it revolting, hurriedly wiping it from his tongue, clearly having missed the statement that he had once been kzin-- a statement that he no doubt would take offense to.  "Fanged God," he grumbled, "are they trying to poison us?"  He crushed the remaining Twinkies, tossing them into the shadows at the edge of his sight, still trying to excise the flavor from his mouth by stretching his tongue out repeatedly.  Finally, he looked back at the other two to see what he had missed.

"I never knew the rituals of my father's planet but there was little ceremony on my world." K'Ren noted, thinking back to what she could still remember of her childhood. "Living on a failed colony, much of the civilized ideals never seemed present, least of all when it came to taking a mate and marriage." She paused, thinking forward to her first mate and the short life together they had. "My first mate, a human did a small ceremony of sorts when he claimed me, something about a pledge we both recited, a public display of our union and these little metal rings he made us wear."

"The wedding rings!" R'Rori exclaimed softly. "Yes. While Caitians are satisfied with a private bond, I've noticed humans like public ceremony. It's like a way of bonding the pair's families and friends along with each other. Through the ceremony, they strengthen their community through a celebration. It's interesting."

Deacon regarded K'Ren, his focus diverting again.  She'd had another mate before him and a human besides.  But she was no longer with him, and here he was stuck with a human face and human flesh.  Would she leave him too now that he'd been stripped of much of who he was?  An unsettled wave of insecurity washed over him, though he said nothing.  Should he let her leave him?  These were not concerns kzinti had.  And yet the more he tried to struggle against the sinking morass of his thoughts, the more they clung to him, the more they threatened to swallow him down.

K'Ren glanced at her mate, feeling a sudden wave of discouragement and fear wash off him. Her human mate had been a bit less extreme in his emotional states, perhaps humans normally were less emotional then K'Zin, but regardless it didn't matter, she could feel her mate's distress and almost depression in him. Was it her remark about her first mate? She looked to Xander, "Mate?" she asked, looking to his face to guage what she was feeling in the bond, "I'm your Caitrett."

Deacon blinked, unsure of what prompted her to suddenly make such an admission.  He'd heard her say it before and it had made him happy, but now he was confused.  "I.. I know," he said.  He wanted to say more, to assure her he didn't have any doubts, but he knew the fate of liars when they stood before the Fanged God.  "I think I'm just on edge," he finally added, finding a nugget of truth he hoped would  put her mind at ease.

R'Rori watched the two talk. There was this brief flash s/he got of distress and depression and it was almost dismissed as simply hir own feeling resurfacing, but it felt ... alien almost. Not hirs. K'Ren's words and Deacon's reaction confirmed a half-formed hypothesis. So his abilities are stronger than I thought. S/he spoke up then as gently as s/he could. "It's natural to wonder, especially with the changes forced on us. Perhaps ... a re-commitment of sorts could help. A promise to each other in your new bodies."

K'Ren could sense the confusion, could sense a little deception in his feelings as he responded to her. She cocked her head a little when R'Rori suggested they might recommit to each other. It'd only been, well she wasn't sure now how many days had passed since they initially bonded but long enough they'd made a cub together. Perhaps it was best they did what she suggested. She wanted to reassure Deacon, reassure her mate that she was his and his alone. She paused, was that it? Was that what was worrying him? Did her mention of her last mate worry him that she might leave. "I think we should." She looked to Deacon, "Mate. The human I spoke of, he died defending our ship. We were parted by nothing less then his death. I will not leave you until death separates us and we go the way of our ancestors."

Deacon's ears would have rolled back were they still capable of such mobility.  She was in his mind.  But how?  He was tired, true, but had his defenses dropped so thoroughly?  R'Rori, too, seemed to have some inkling of his feelings.  Was this another change?  Another reflection of what the Savi had done to him.  Another thing he would need to control... if his emotions were bleeding out of him uncontrollably, he'd have to find a way to rein them in.  But it was enough to warrant a half-smile, at least as much as he could, given his lack of practice with such an expression.  He trace his hand along K'Ren's cheek.  He didn't want her to have to do things just to reassure him, but that she considered it alone gave him some small joy in the face of their predicament.

She purred as he ran his hand along her cheek, tail twitching, ears flopped causally on her head. "I would have everyone here know you are my mate Deacon, I am your Caitrett, and nobody will take that from us." She nuzzled into his hand a little as they caressed her whiskers. "Please?"

R'Rori had to quickly stuff the last bit of food in hir mouth to suppress the sudden smile that wanted to crack across hir face, barely succeeding. A part of hir, the diehard romantic s/he supposed, wanted to clap and cheer a bit. It was good to see something like this in the midst of such monstrosities as they had all faced recently. S/he held hir breath, daring not to say anything that might ruin the moment. There was a detail that s/he could mention, though....

"Well, we... do have Commander Nerina here. It is custom in Starfleet that commanding officers can marry people. If you'd like, of course."

Deacon gave a slight laugh.  She was asking his permission to publicize their union.  There was the part of him that didn't require such a public display-- kzinti, after all, took mates as readily as they took any other possession.  But that was not the way of the Federation.  That wasn't the way of his parents.  His father had married his mother, whether she had understood the concept fully or not.  But it was the respect that he paid to her and their union, and if not for that, he wouldn't be here reflecting on them.  And he had to admit, there was the part of him that wanted to declare their union to the others, in defiance of the Savi, a challenge to others who might try to claim her.  It was childish, but it was still there.  He placed his head to hers, nodding his consent.  "We should probably be dressed for this.  Monkey modesty."

K'Ren placed her head against Deacon's. "Thank you Deacon." She purred, turning her head to R'Rori. "If this Nerina is willing, we will do so R'Rori. If not, we will do so privately, Caitian custom does not require a witness, the bond between us is enough."

Deacon turned his gaze towards R'Rori.  "Would you mind asking the commander for a moment of her time?" he asked, motioning to indicate his and K'Ren state of undress with a slight smirk.  "We need a moment."

Re: Chapter 06: Insurgency [ Day 05 | 2315 hrs. ]

Reply #26 –
[ Lt R'Rori | Maintenance Bays | The Versant ] @Auctor Lucan

R’Rori titled hir head slightly at Deacon’s request, not bothering to hide the small smirk on hir face or suppress the burgeoning excitement within hir. S/he really didn’t know K’Ren and Deacon from Adam, honestly, but this kind of development was something s/he could see greatly benefiting the mood and morale of the officers present with them. It would serve as a reminder of the persistence of life and perhaps offer a bit of hope. Morale officers were part of the counseling complement and such concerns about a crew’s morale or mood was thus naturally an integral part of a counselor’s assessment.

Also, it was cute to see two people get married.

“Of course, Deacon.” S/he replied while standing back up. “I’ll just be a moment.”

S/he looked around to spot where Nerina was standing. Even with the changes wrought to hir body, hir natural agility still allowed hir to reach the commander deftly and with a surprising amount of speed, considering. The smirk had developed into a more natural smile as hir silver eyes attempted to make visual contact with Nerina’s. S/he waved shortly to grab her attention before speaking up.

“Commander Nerina! I am Lieutenant R’Rori, formerly counselor on the Endeavour. I apologize for interrupting but I have a request to pass along. Two of the people here from the Theurgy here have been bonded in the Caitian manner before …” S/he waved around at the Savi ship’s interior. “All this happened. With the changes, they would like to recommit to each other a little bit more publicly. Their names are K’Ren and Deacon. Would you mind officiating?”

After a short pause and seeing the reaction on Nerina’s face, R’Rori spoke up again, this time in a voice more somehow official. “It would be good for crew morale, I believe. There’s a lot of grimness and death lately and this gives everyone something soothing to experience. It won’t be a waste of your time.”

Re: Chapter 06: Insurgency [ Day 05 | 2315 hrs. ]

Reply #27 –
Ens Nathaniel Isley Maintenance Bays | The Versant ] @Triage  @Auctor Lucan
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When the equipment arrived Nathan walked over to it, and took a suit and a Twinkie. He changed quickly and stuffed his face with the food. When he was dressed he walked back to the spot where the two had been talking out of the way of the crowd, and took a meditative position.

"I'll be honest, if you stayed with the vulcan's you probably know more than me about the actual meditations, but what I do have, is the experiances of three different mind melds with vulcans. Everytime they are in your head, you are also in theirs, it's easy to find information after you experience it once or twice. I know how the ritual is done, but sadly." Nathan shrugged.

"When all of the Romulans left Vulcan, the few that were psionic were banished to the interior of a boiling moon tidal locked as it was the surface was either boiling hot, or extremely cold which forced those underground mining the precious minerals and creating what we nowadays call the Remans. As far as I know my mother has no reman blood, and I was raised Vulcan, my mother a spy hiding in Federation space, I attended a Vulcan school in my early years, and hated every second of it." He gave a bit of his background, and why he didn't think he would ever be able to pull off a mind meld, which was unfortunate.

"Lets talk about what happened to me first. I was put under the effect of an unwanted mind meld, and used as a weapon to kill a friend of mine." He sighed going over the different sets of memories he had at the time. "When I learned the cause of the strike i started to do a lot of reading on how to restore control to ones mind. While I don't have the psionic potential, the one thing I have been reading on is how to control the mind internally from external threats."

"Since you have the basics of meditation we are going to jump to the point I'm at, for now we will try a guided meditation. Building the fortitude of the mind, and learning for all to be quiet." He moved to close his own eyes, trusting O'Riley to follow, and attempting to guide her in meditation something that he was not the best at.

Re: Chapter 06: Insurgency [ Day 05 | 2315 hrs. ]

Reply #28 –
[ Commander Nerina | Maintenance Bays | The Versant ] Attn: All
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When Blue Tiran had insisted on the PADD she had in possession not being tampered with, Commander Nerina had weighed the options at their disposal. She didn't know enough about this woman from the Endeavour, and she didn't know who this Savi asset was, much less what kind of agreement the woman had made with this Savi. Then again, she didn't know Sarresh Morali or Hi'Jak either, even if they claimed they were part of the Theurgy's crew. What was the wisest decision, she didn't know, but she'd rather avoid conflict at that hour, when the two present crews needed to rest and prepare for a more coordinated effort on the morrow.

Thus, when the delivery came, she turned to Sarresh Morali, and shook her head, signaling for him to not push the issue about the PADD right then. Hi'Jak had already moved away with Dr. Saugn, whom Nerina knew well from the original medical staff on the Theurgy, likely needing medical treatment after the fight on the Enterprise since the man had fought at a disadvantage, lacking both an eye and an arm. She'd have words with Morali later, but for the time being, she joined the throng of people picking up their care packages. She used to have Klingon blood, and wasn't prude, but she'd welcome clothing.

When at the crates, she spotted Lin Kae trying to open his package with bloodied fingers, his futile efforts with the holo-emitter earlier having made him loose a couple of fingernails. After Nerina had stepped into her Savi exosuit and closed it, she stepped over to the young Bajoran and helped him. "Here," she said, getting the lid open for him, "When you've eaten, you should see if any of these people are medical staff. They might be able to take a look at your hands."

"Thank you," said Lin Kae with a defeated air about him when he met her eye. "I'm sorry. I failed."

"Don't worry, Ensign. We're still here. You did all that you could." She put a hand on his bare shoulder.

"If I may," he said, the suit in his lap, "I would like to be on the team that tries to get Thea. You weren't there, but... I helped develop her, after we left Niga, after I unshackled her. I... I think I will be one of those qualified to extract her from the kind of lab she might be in."

"Duly noted, Ensign. We'll speak more of this later." Nerina nodded, patted his shoulder, and rose to her feet. "Now, you should eat and get your hands looked at. All right?"

"Yes, Commander."

Nerina looked around, eating out of her package joylessly. She saw how the Okhala sisters moved away from the rest. The white-haired one had looked towards Nathaniel Isley and Khorin Douglas - two of the Lone Wolves that Nerina knew - but the two pilots already had company with the blonde engineer with the heavy accent and the Betazoid named Praise respectively. She tried to see where ThanIda zh'Wann had gone, but she didn't see her. She had seen the Andorian zhen collect her package and move away, but now, she was gone. Perhaps she had taken residence in one of the adjacent storage rooms.

Then, she spotted Blue Tiran, and the woman seemed to be emotional about her food. Of course, she had likely not eaten since she came aboard. Those in the Correction Program had been fed regularly - with and without tubes - and even been able to eat on the Enterprise. Lieutenant Commander Tiran had been alone, and likely without any access to food and water on the Savi ship.

With concern for her, Nerina was about to go to her, to speak with her, and start to make some rudimentary plans for the morrow. To learn more about the Savi asset, and what she had endured, and she would have done so if the Vulcan male without hair hadn't sat down next to her. It made her pause, and let the woman be for the time being.

"Commander Nerina! I am Lieutenant R'Rori, formerly counselor on the Endeavour. I apologize for interrupting but I have a request to pass along."

Nerina found a smile somewhere inside her, and inclined her head to the woman, whom seemed to not be fully Corrected since she had a tail and Caitian ears still. "That's quite all right, Lieutenant. What's the request?" she asked, and listened as the former Caitian hybrid began to explain about the two bonded members of her ship's crew, both likely additions since after she had been put into stasis. Something about the request made a warm feeling bloom in her chest, after all the horrors she and the rest had been subjected to. She only had to think for a moment. "I suppose that... since I am the ranking officer in our midst, it makes me the best candidate for it. I would be happy to do it, and I agree, I think we all need a reminder about how there is something to fight for."

She set her steps towards the two members of the Theurgy crew that Lieutenant R'Rori had indicated, and Nerina smiled to them. She paused in her eating, cocking a hip and resting her care package against it while she spoke to them. "I hear you would like me to officiate your bond," she said, genuinely happy to see that despite all that was going on, and what laid ahead, love could still prevail. "It would be my honour to do so. Do you have any requests, or shall I stick to the usual words? Either way, I just need your full names."

[ Ensign Lin Kae | Maintenance Bays | The Versant Attn: @Zenozine
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After dressing in the exosuit, and getting some of the food down, Lin Kae rose from the deck and began to make silent enquiries about present medical staff. His fingers throbbed, but the blood had begun to coagulate well enough. He wasn't sure what any doctor or nurse could do for him under the present circumstances, but Commander Nerina likely just wanted his fingers to get looked at.

Eventually, he found his way to two Ovri that he recognized from the Theurgy. The two siblings had come aboard from the Harbinger, he remembered, and he had seen them from time to time when he'd had business in sickbay. He had no idea why they had been abducted by the Savi, since they didn't appear changed in any way since he had last seen them, but perhaps there was more than Corrections taking place in the labs of the Versant. Little did he know about the last inoculation that the two Ovri had gotten from the Savi, and what was in store for them...

"Hello. I am sorry to intrude, but would either of you mind taking a look at my hands? Commander Nerina insisted that I'd get them checked," he asked, the dim light catching the exotic skin of the Ovri siblings, whom would have been given the same kind of care packages as the rest.

[ Lieutenant ThanIda zh'Wann | Outside | Maintenance Bay Corridors | The Versant ] Attn: All
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With the stolen phaser contraption in hand, ThanIda zh'Wann silently made her way down the corridor outside the bay, leaving the others behind.

Alone, she would scout the areas closest to the hideout, since as far as she had seen, there were no security programs protecting them, and no surveillance system in place. Therefore, she had taken on the duty to be the last line of defense for the abductees. As a sentry, she would sleep lightly, in a prime position to forestall any Savi security teams looking for them.

She hadn't told anyone, because she...

Admittedly, she just needed the time alone. She knew it was wrong to leave, but she refused to speak of why she had been abducted, with anyone, but most of all, she refused to be in the vicinity of the bond group that had been forced upon her. She knew that they would try to seek her out, that Shar would feel the time coming. Either that night, or the day to come. The time to pass the egg to a zhen. Would they see it as an obscene duty to their species to try to finish what had begun? She didn't know, and she didn't care.

What if they try to force me? She had been violated, again, and by Lor'Vela, Andoria would thaw before she let anyone or anything inside her again. In a way, she hoped Shar's time, the final step, would come that night, whilst she protected the abductees. In a way, she almost hoped they'd try to make her agree to it. She gripped the handle of the assembled phaser harder, her teeth grinding together.

The rage inside her needed some kind of outlet, and it was a long time till the morrow.

OOC: Here are the characters present in Blue Tiran's hideout in the Maintenance Bays, and if there are significant reunions because of this, it should be handled in Supplemental threads or mid-discussion in this thread. The naming convention for such threads belonging to this Prologue is: Prologue: Supplemental [ Day XX | XXXX hrs. ] Insert Title. Here goes: [Show/Hide]

Re: Chapter 06: Insurgency [ Day 05 | 2315 hrs. ]

Reply #29 –
[ Lt (jg) Sarresh Morali | Observation Pen | Main Research Hull | Precept-ship Versant ] Attn: all y'all not-so-naked mother fuckers (and Blue)
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This 'Blue' had the potential to be a right problem, Sarresh decided. It would behoove him to withhold judgement, this he knew. That didn't make his initial reaction any less cold. Yes, she'd managed rather well on her own, and yes, she was the only conduit to their savoir. And he supposed as the PADD was hers she had every right to be involved in whatever they did using it. Never mind that he and Jack had already made some pretty damn fine progress on their own. Never mind that they were all in this together. Nope, whatever.

He pinched the bridge of his nose before looking up in surprise, with all too human eyes, as the sparkle of a new transporter effect faded. He listened to the Lt. Cmdr. from the Endeavour explain what was going on. Clothes? he thought, repressing a shiver of longing. Once again he hated how cold he felt in this body. He'd started to long to be warm and here was an answer to that unspoken prayer.

(True, his mind had contemplated other methods of warmth. Methods that, unless he were very lucky, he'd never get again. He silently swore on the spot that if he made it out of this he was going to tell Sel exactly how much she meant. And then hopefully bask in that warmth.)

Sarresh stopped listening to what the woman had to say and meandered over to find his own box. The former Ash'reem wasted no time at all in fishing out the suit. It was sleek and form fitting, and if he were the least bit attached to this 'new' body he might have been self conscious, seeing as the protective (and warm!) garment left very little to the imagination when it came to his rear end. But the well toned human didn't give a targs ass about how his own ass looked. He just cared that it was warm.

Clothed, he tore into one of the rations that had been provided and made a face as he bit into it. Initially he thought it far too sweet - but human taste buds seemed well adapted to it. This was not the first time that something he would have disliked before his unwelcome transformation resulted in a taste that his new body found pleasant. This of course just angered him further, and made him resent the fact that he now liked this thing he would have otherwise liked. It was very contrary; it was very Sarresh.

He managed to swallow it down and only then noticed that there was other food in the box. Feeling a bit sheepish, he rifled through it and chose something small to work on. The time traveler knew too well, from some basic training or another (he was unsure if it were contemporary, or future based) that if he rushed into this after so little for so long (he hadn't eaten in the holoprogram, not really) that he would make himself sick.

A fat lot of good that would do you too, in your screwball attempts to get out of here and back on with the mission. Back to Sel.

Sated for the moment, and with a bottle of water in hand, Sarresh rose back up to his feet. He turned as if to go back and fetch the PADD from the pompous engineer and stopped. She was weeping. Damn He may have been a surly bastard but he wasn't about to go badger a woman while she wept. He had standards.

Instead, Sarresh found himself a corner, pulled his box over to it and sat down to brood. This had become something of a talent of his over the weeks since he had left the Relativity. A good, festering brood, and yet, his heart wasn't in it. His eyes kept flitting about, from one place to the next. His hears, straining, picking up bits of conversation. Nerina, she was called, this former First Officer. She who had fallen during the Niga incident. She was going to...officiate? Of all the stupid - now was hardly - . Sarresh stopped himself with a sigh. Oh, what does it matter?

Re: Chapter 06: Insurgency [ Day 05 | 2315 hrs. ]

Reply #30 –
[ Vinata Vojona & Hylota Vojona | Observation Pen | Main Research Hull | Precept-ship Versant ] Attn: @all ]
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       Vinata did not take too long to find his care package, as well as his sisters beside it. The two of them opened their packs and wasted no time slipping into their suits, thankfully the feet did have a decent amount of magnetic grip that would do for the tie being, but as they got to looking into the rest of the contents Hylota scowled at the replicated food and rations, most of it human garbage that was not worth bothering to try eating. She did not even waste a moment to look over the rations, she just dumped out the case and closed it once more. She was not in the right frame of mind, she was stressed, irritated, and on edge. Hylota had no interest in working through another crisis, fighting her way to secure the right for another meaningless fight right after that. Vinata, more level headed and calm looked to his sister and put a hand on her shoulder. Hylota tensed and turned glare at her brother as Vinata spoke. "Hylota, please you need to calm down. I understand you are under a lot of stress and this is not something you want to do, but you need to maintain your composure." Vinata began to gently rub his sister's shoulder as he gave a small smile. "Just focus on keeping with the group, you do not have to fight and we will keep away from any fighting. When we get back I think it is time you finally took some time to yourself."

Hylota said nothing, she was not interested in the conversation, she had no interest in debate or fighting, she was just irritated, she was again unarmed and without medical kit, she was stuck relying on others and having to fight an uphill battle once more. Her eyes drifted among the crowd as a mocking internal voice wondered if Heather was here to paralyze her arm again. This sour attitude was thankfully ended as she began to be gently rubbed, helping her to relax as she nodded in recognition of Vinata's words, before she could talk though Lin Kae approached and asked the two from some help. Hylota looked to Lin Kae's hands as Vinata tensed, despite the steps he had taken to recover, the sight of blood all over Lin Kae's hands made him tense, his gut twisting as he remembered the warm sticky feeling of blood all over him. Closing his eyes Vinata took a moment, grounded himself in the moment and reminded himself what he needed to be doing. Hylota was much more capable of being in the moment and as she looked at Lin Kae's hands she spoke. "Yes we can take a look, sadly I do not know what I can do for you with our limited supplies, but at the very least we can see to getting the scope of your injury looked at." Hylota looked to her brother. "Check my pile for a water ration, we will want to wash his hands off to gauge the damage."

Vinata could tell what Hylota was doing, using work as her crutch, it was not going to work forever, but for now it would do. "Alright Hylota, I will get that while you give the physical exam." Hylota hummed and nodded in recognition as she walked up to Lin Kae, her large hands reaching out to take his hands in her own, showing a surprisingly gentle touch as she looked them over. "Alright we will want to go through a simple exam on your mobility. Touch each finger to your thumb from the pointer to your pinkie, then cycle back as quickly as you can. After that I want you to make a fist a few times, moving more slowly each time you clench. We will wash off the blood and see if anything can be seen from the surface...the fact that you are not in any serious pain makes it clear no tendons were damaged, such an injury would be crippling without proper tools." Hylota observed Lin Kae as Vinata sorted through the discarded rations and managed to find a small portion of water that he brought back over. "Alright once you have finished the initial examination I can wash your hands off sir so we can make the final examination. Make sure there is no risk to your hands." Vinata was polite and patient, he would do his part when needed.  Meanwhile Hylota took note of any limit or sluggishness to Lin Kae's movements, seeing if the different tasks caused him to lose control or get stuck at any point, she was also looking to make sure he had his coordination still. If Lin Kae was beginning to show signs of impairment he would have to be asked to use his hands less for the time being.

Re: Chapter 06: Insurgency [ Day 05 | 2315 hrs. ]

Reply #31 –
[ Deacon | Maintenance Bays | Main Research Hull | The Versant ] Attn:  @SummerDawn @patches @Auctor Lucan and all wedding guests

Deacon cursed under his breath at his tampered sense of balance as he fussed with the savi-provided coverings, wishing instead for the fur he'd once possessed, even as a half-breed.  Even though they were monkeys, human legs were comparatively naked and the rest of them often more-so.  In truth, part of the problem came in balancing between the shivering he'd only begun to notice once he was occupied with  trying to make himself presentable.  Some hint of nerves had managed to keep his mind focused on himself and off the emotional spectrum of those around him, but that only served to inform him that he was cold.  All the more reason to bemoan his lost fur and add to the ever more complex plans of death he intended to impose on their captors.

He stood, his tail finally situated through the hole at the base on his spine, each leg more or less straightened and in place, the upper portion of the suit still hanging loose about his waist.  Was this it?  Was he cursed to just be miserable for the rest of his life?  First life on homeworld, keeping his abilities secret for fear they would jeopardize not only his position but his grandfather's as well?  Betraying the Patriarchy to the Federation in hope that cooler minds might prevail and lead to the salvation of his people only to find the Federation infiltrated and, by extension, even less inclined towards a path of peace?  Catching a virus that compromised a precariously balanced immune system and undergoing genetic reversion to save his life?  Being captured and having the side of him that he'd come to know and identify as stripped away at once, leaving him in the flesh of something he'd been taught to despise?  His hell seemed only to accelerate the further from homeworld that he got.

Still, he paused and looked back of his shoulder at the one redeeming element that held him together, that gave him focus and solace.  The one thing that gave his hearts... well, heart... contentment.  K'Ren.  He didn't have to be here alone.  He wasn't isolated.  The weight of the world no longer rested on a single pair of shoulders.

Feeling the commander's approach, he took a deep breath, bulwarking his mental defenses, determined to see this moment through without suffering, without pain, without regrets or second thoughts.  As he turned, pulling up the remainder of the jumpsuit he'd been provided, his blue eyes caught sight of the commander, the faint light giving the gold in his eyes an almost reflective quality.

"I hear you would like me to officiate your bond," she said as she approached.  Deacon allowed himself one more moment of mental reproach as he recognized the woman, his particular agnosia not allowing her face to blur into the obscurity as everyone else.  "It would be my honour to do so. Do you have any requests, or shall I stick to the usual words? Either way, I just need your full names."

Clearing his throat as he pulled his arm through the second sleeve, thankful that the seemingly flimsy material was sufficient to block out the cold of the bay, he replied, "I... owe you an apology."  This was necessary.  He had questioned her before the others, doubted her claims and identity, but clearly she stood in the same predicament as the others.  As ridiculous as these Savi plans seemed to be, placing a false confidant among the captives seemed all the more ludicrous.  "It was inappropriate for me to challenge your identity and position."  Giving a slight inclination of his head, he added, "Thank you for tending to this matter."

The details of the suit finally resolved, the wrinkles smoothed, elements properly rotated and adjusted as required, he squared his shoulders.  "Appearance to the contrary, I'm not human.  I have no idea what the... 'usual words' are.  I will trust your discretion in that regard.  As for names..."  His eyes fell to the nearby box that still contained what modicum of food their so-called benefactor saw fit to send for him.  With another deep breath, his eyes again locked onto the Commander, "Names are... challenging.  My kzinti name is Deacon because that is who and what I am.  But my parents... my parents named me Xander.  Xander Maryk.  Although my mother couldn't say my full name... she just called me Xan."  He chewed on his lower lip for a moment, considering that the last statement was, perhaps, a little too much information, but it was his truth and the Fanged God demanded truth in all things.  And it gave him comfort to think of his mother in this moment.  "So... I am both."  It was a painful admission, but again, truth.  "Xander Deacon Maryk."

Re: Chapter 06: Insurgency [ Day 05 | 2315 hrs. ]

Reply #32 –
[ Lt. JG Sinead O'Riley | Maintenance Bays | The Versant ] Attn: @Auctor Lucan, @Brutus, @Zenozine, @Masorin, @SummerDawn, @chXinya, @Absinthe, @steelphoenix, @Blue Zephyr, @YasyraTrill, @patches, @Fife & @Numen
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The sustenance seemed oddly limited and wanting, but it was not unpleasant, nor unsatisfying. Yet her appetite was poor, as her mind was preoccupied with her concern for the captain's rescue, her guilt at committing murder of an innocent woman, and the ghost of her own self, ever-taunting, and ever-reminding of the dangers she posed. They had seen a portion of her prowess in the holodeck simulation of the Enterprise, her complete lack of hesitation to inflict murder and harm ought to have given everyone plenty of warning signs. She crammed down the last of her meal as best as she could manage. Another time, she would have relished the experience and the taste. But it was ash in her mouth.

Satisfied and pleased at least with her attire and the purpose it served, her eyes began to seek out Nathaniel, and noted that he'd returned to the secluded spot. She rejoined the Romulan, and listened to what he had to say. Her face remained unreadable and impassive, but she realized inwardly that perhaps he needed this more than she did, that it helped him to cope with the situation they were surrounded by. Danger and death awaited at almost every turn, the potential for everything going awry without warning was so high everyone would be on alert even in the relative safety of this place. Given their shared experiences of hearing and seeing things in their heads, Nathaniel could best understand what demons Sinead saw.

Looking at her ghostly self, she realized now why she saw a reflection: She was afraid of herself. For the longest time, she was subsconsciously aware of the danger she represented to everyone around her, but could never identify it for certain. Deep down, she suspected, knew, that she was capable of killing indiscriminately, that she could lose control of her own memories and morality, killing anything that moved. The Vulcans taught her to suppress her emotions, to control herself, to an extent, and to subdue the rage, but not to eliminate. How could they? The only way she could eliminate the dark aspect of herself would be to end her own life.

She joined him in meditation, never saying a word. Her hands folding together in the way she had learned from the Vulcans. Though she lacked the IDIC icon, she didn't need it for what she was going to do.

“It will no' work, Sinead,” said her ghost, “no' this time.”

Yes, it will, she thought back at the visage, Yeh no be little more than jus' a los' par' of meself

She reached out in her mind, seized the visage, who yelped in surprise, and as they struggled in her mind, beads of sweat formed on redhead's brows as she struggled for dominance of her mind, and to quiet the troubled sense of self that had quite literally taken on a life of her own. As she did every morning save for the most recent days leading up to now, she accepted the ghost as herself, because it was herself. It was a temporary stopgap, but a permanent solution would be needed before she could truly find a sense of peace and serenity; before the ghost within her mind could truly be laid to rest. For now, she would just live with it and deal with it on a daily basis.

“'tis gone,” said Sinead quietly, “my mind be more quiet now.”

Her brilliant blue eyes slowly opened and she looked at Nathaniel evenly, no longer as emotional as she had been for a while.

Re: Chapter 06: Insurgency [ Day 05 | 2315 hrs. ]

Reply #33 –
[LCdr Blue Tiran | Tears in My Twinkies |  Should be a Country Song | Missing My Other Half | Live to Suffer Another Day]
@Fife

Blue was locked within her own misery.

With the reunion of the people around her, it was nice, and yet she still felt very alone.  She felt ostracized as people went about hugging and segregating off with one another.  She knew there were people around she could talk to.  People that could be there for her.  Those that had shared a history with her but right now she was not the same person.  Not at all.  She was hollow, her chest was gone, the soul within her had diminished severely.  She still had fight, but that was because of these people.  These officer she had and had not served with.  She had not been able to leave them to their fates and instead had been working night and day since her escape to get them to be saved.  To be all right.  Not to be recycled and eaten.  However, once they were safe, what would she have to live for.

She wasn't being dramatic.  Those that would think so had no understanding of the weight of Ducote's soul within her being.  She had been lonely and had ostracized herself from the world around her as a young girl.  Her words were harsh, nasty, and her personality was cold.  But then, she had pulled herself together and found a goal.  Starfleet.  She could not get further from her parents than out in the universe.  But it had only been a different kind of lonely.  At that point, Blue hadn't really begun to miss people.  Honestly, she was used to it.  Then there was Ducote.  This man that could feel her and know her.  He knew how to walk with her and not around her.  He accepted her for all the pain she carried in her soul and helped her iron out all the wrinkles that had set heavily over the years.  Over time he had pulled her out of her shell and allowed her to feel again.  Love, determination, pride, friendship.  He had awoken her. 

Now, all of that was just gone.

In the blink of an eye her other half was gone from her life and Blue found that when she pondered too hard on the fact she couldn't breathe.  Her chest tightened.  His mere name brought a tightness that she couldn't breathe around.  She swallowed the lump of sugar and dough in her mouth and just stared at the floor.  She couldn't break down, not here, not with all these people here.  She was already crying softly she didn't need to have a full melt down, not here.  There were people here that could sense her.. probably.  She didn't want anyone in her head.  It was a fucking dark place in there right the fuck now.  She tried to breathe, but only a shallow amount of air entered her lungs.  She grabbed at her chest.  Pulling on the poorly fitting suit because she hadn't actually traded it for the new one that Echtand had given her yet.  She needed to do that.  She should do that.  But, she hadn't.

Twinkies had distracted her.

Words.  She looked up, her cyrstalline, red rimmed eyes shifted upward to see Cross there.  He looked different, weird, and she didn't like it.  Blue of all things, loved familiarity.  It was a comfortable place for her.  She knew what to expect, when to expect it, and who were the annoying mother fuckers and who weren't.  She could pick out the idiots and the wastes of space.  But, here everything was odd and in a world that, for Blue, had lost so fucking much, she didn't need more change. 

Someone the Savi hadn't fucked with.

Blue blinked.  If only he knew.  I might not have been corrected but there are some heinous shit that I can't forget that I have seen.  She swallowed heavily and looked at Cross again, as if his words had to take time to actually sink in.  She gave a nod though.  Blue would actually like if the fucking man sat next to her.  It was nice not to be alone, even though she didn't want to actively seek anyone out she was glad for someone that tried to bridge that gap for her.  He picked up the twinkies out of his box talking about how he didn't understand Human confections.  How they could create such wonderful food and then they could create this as if it was a bad thing.  She looked down at them quietly, it was probably the most quiet Blue had ever been in her fucking career.  She was always quick with a bit of a quip or some cursing.  But this Blue, was a very lost Blue and different from the woman that Cross knew. 

Probably good R'rori went and did some other shit, she'd feel me out in a heart beat. she thought as Cross held the twinkies out to her.  She looked, almost like a beaten puppy in that moment.  Her eyes darted from him to the twinkies and back again as if she was unsure that she could take them.  As if she was unsure that he was really fucking serious.  Her hand reached out slightly and snatched them from him with a quick movement and brought them closer to her, she got herself more comfortable on the floor and bit her lower lip.  That movement would have moved her sleeve back enough that Cross might, if his eyes were sharp, see the self inflicted cuts all over her forearm before they disappeared again.

“Thank you.” she said softly as she tore open the package.  She wasn't crying any more.  She had brushed the tears off her cheeks but that had left nasty dirty streaks on them because of her wiping.  She tossed the cellophane wrapper to the deck plating and tore the twinkie in half before she shoved it in her mouth.  Enjoying the food that wasn't really food but it was the shit she had subsisted on since she was a little girl.

“A... “ Blue swallowed the twinkie piece in her mouth and her blue eyes darted back over at Cross.  The only person to actually make an effort to speak with  her.  She didn't want to burn this bridge.  Secretly, she craved the fact that he was here, and the human.. or in this case... not-so-human contact.  She'd been alone for days.  Suffering and hating herself.  Hating Ducote.  Hating this ship, and the beings on it.  She had been so lost.

“Are y..you all .. all right?  I mean... they haven't h..hurt you or.. fucked you over, have they?” she asked, she was honestly sincere in her questioning.  Cross had kept her from murdering Shar on the escape pod and kept Shar from poking the bear that was already bereft without her sweet Ducote.  Cross was someone she could count on, she thought, anyway.

Re: Chapter 06: Insurgency [ Day 05 | 2315 hrs. ]

Reply #34 –
[ Lt. Cross | Maintenance Bay | Precept-ship Versant ] @Blue Zephyr

As Blue had turned her red-rimmed gaze towards him, Cross had been struck both by how the blue of her eyes seeming more vivid in the puffy red frame of her eyelids, and by the haunted look those sky-blue eyes now held. Her gaunt face was dirty, though with several clean streaks where she had swiped at her tears, leaving several smudged streaks across her cheeks. The cleaner streaks through the grime only served to make her look even more disheveled.

As Cross watched with his characteristic unblinking stare, he recognized the all too familiar way she had glanced between his face and the twinkies, looking like an abused animal that was unsure if this was some sort of trick. The hesitant way she reached her hand out, as though expecting him to grab her. They way she snatched the twinkies from his hand and clutched them to her, as though guarding them, fearing he might try to steal them back. Her sleeve had fallen down her arm a bit when she had reached her hand out, and Cross had noticed multiple cuts on her forearm before the sleeve covered them again. Cross said nothing of the wounds, knowing Blue was in a fragile state and suspecting that questioning was the last thing she needed at this moment.

Blue thanked him for the twinkies as she tore at the packaging. She spoke softly, something that was hardly characteristic for the Blue he knew. Indeed, very little of the woman who sat next to him resembled the mannerisms of Blue Tiran, Chief Engineer of the USS Endeavour. Cross recognized the changes all too well. The hesitation, the reluctance to be within reach of someone, the mistrust of things offered. He had been the exact same way when Starfleet had rescued him from the Cardassian prison camp, behaving almost like an animal. He had seen others behave the same way following traumatic experiences. Cross sat patiently beside her, glad to be sitting with a familiar face, and at the same time worried about the person that face belonged to.

Blue spoke finally, asking if he was alright. That, at least, was a good sign. She wasn’t shutting down completely. She spoke hesitantly though, something Cross knew was very uncharacteristic for Blue Tiran.

”I’m all right.” Cross said, giving Blue a weak attempt at a smile. As he smiled, the movement of his face caused a few more flakes of dried green blood to fall free, sprinkling onto his lap. Cross slowly reached a hand up and touched the bridge of his nose gently, feeling the smooth surface where his nasal ridges had been. ”They made me a pure Vulcan. They took my ridges, and gave me these stupid Vulcan eyebrows.” Cross said, sounding none too pleased about the fact. He turned his head to take in the other people in the maintenance bay. R’Rori had gone running across the bay to speak with Commander Nerina, moving with grace and agility in hir new, corrected body. ”They performed some experiments after they made their… corrections.” Cross continued as he stared off into the space in front of him, the memory of him losing control in his containment cell coming back to him. ”It was hardly pleasant, but it was nothing compared to what the fucking spoonheads did to me in the camp before Starfleet liberated me.” Cross finally turned his gaze back towards Tiran, studying her with a look of concern in his pale blue eyes.

”I did lose my mind at one point, and I tried to kill that Klingon over there.” Cross said, gesturing towards where Khorin was sitting with his arm around his new Betazoid belle. ”I haven’t tried to kill him for a few hours now, so I guess I’m making progress." Cross chuckled before he continued. "He’s a pain in the ass, but he’s on our side.”

Cross hesitate now, looking at Blue and trying to think of what to say to her.

”Uh… how are you holding up, Blue?” Cross asked, unsure if he should be addressing her in that way. He had never been particularly close with the Engineer, and to say Cross was a horrible conversationalist would be an understatement of epic proportions, but she was his crewmate and he knew he had to try. ”It… can’t have been easy…" He began, regarding her with unblinking concern. "Being alone on an enemy ship all this time…”

Re: Chapter 06: Insurgency [ Day 05 | 2315 hrs. ]

Reply #35 –
[Lt. Zephyr Praise | Unknown Maintenance Bay | Unknown Ship | Unknown Crew | Unknown Space]
@Numen

He liked it, she could tell.

That quirk of his lips that showed his teeth.  She couldn't help but give him a full brunt smile in response.  She actually quite enjoyed the reactions she was getting out of him, how all his Klingon bravado and the like only added to the chemistry that somehow had found itself between them.  She was glad for him, having met him had given her something to focus on for now.  Whether it was the same when they returned to a larger ship or if they would be forced to separate because of various circumstances she was unsure.  But, she was also not going to push herself into all those thoughts right now.  It was something she couldn't control and more so she didn't really want to think about all the what if's.  There were far too many.  They would come when it was time and that was when she would have to figure it out.

Right now she would just revel in the enjoyment of being together.

They sat side by side, and she felt the warmth of his body right next to her.  It was comforting to have him there, and it was nice to have someone to lean against.  Especially since, she was part of none of the crews here.  She had searched their faces when they had walked through the crowd earlier for fear that there would be someone here looking for her.  From the Azurite station, maybe they had tracked her down, but she hadn't seen any faces she knew, no mental footprints that were familiar in any way and it allowed her to relax once again.

Khorin's large arm came around her and she leaned into him snuggling softly into his side as she opened the box of food that had been given to her.  She ate the vegetables and meat without little fan fare, she was hungry but not starving.  Still, they would need all their wits and strength about them tomorrow.  So many people to get off this ship and things that they would have to accomplish.  Zephyr's mind touched on the people around her, just getting a blanket feel for the room.  Most were happy to be safe, to have food, and to be where they could just 'be' with one another.  Without the threat of someone barging in and doing more experiments on them.

However, the one mind, the one odd mind that stood out for her was the young woman had been here before all of them.  Their liaison to the accomplice.  Her mind was odd.  Full of spikes and anger.  Full of rage but more than all of that was the resounding feeling of just absolute loss.  As if she was lost, and someone else was lost, and she was in a dark hole.  She was spiraling hard, barely holding herself together, Zeph hoped she could hold it together long enough for them all to get off this ship.  Then she could help the woman, now was likely not the time nor the place to be having deep conversations like this woman likely needed.

“Part of our pack?” she looked over at Khorin and smirked softly.  “Well I think that sounds nice, I liked Cross, he's funny.  I don't know the woman, but she's in trouble, in her mind.  Things are good for her, she'll need people around her to get her through the end game.  I think it's good that Cross has gone to sit with her.” she said admitted.

Khorin changed the subject to the yellow cake in his hand talking about how he had a sweet tooth back growing up but now that he was a full Klingon he wasn't sure that he could handle it any more.  She didn't really seem interested in her small cakes at all.  She wasn't overly one for sweet things except when it came to booze.  That was the only time she preferred sweet to anything else.  Zeph was tired, and wished that she could sleep.  The food hit her hard and as her stomach tried to start processing such an overload of calories and nutrients it began to grind up a bit.  Slowing her down slightly.  She felt her eyes growing heavy but she didn't want to miss out on any time with Khorin.  Still, she knew that she likely wouldn't stay awake for long given his warmth and presence. 

Zeph snuggled into him.  “So you grew up where there were many sweet things then?”  she asked curiously.  “I grew up on betazoid and a Starfleet ship when my Father and his Captain would allow.  He was an Engineer, for the Fleet.  I've never really understood all that stuff, but at least I was able to kind of follow in his footsteps.” she admitted as her eyes grew heavier.  But, she struggled to keep herself awake.

Re: Chapter 06: Insurgency [ Day 05 | 2315 hrs. ]

Reply #36 –
[ LtJr. Khelleshar sh'Zenne | Day 5 | 2315 hrs.| Maintenance Bays | The Versant ]
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Attn: @Auctor Lucan  @Brutus  @Zenozine  @Masorin  @SummerDawn  @chXinya @Absinthe  @steelphoenix  @Blue Zephyr @patches  @Fife  & @Triage



Under her watchful eyes, Shar saw how the crowd scattered in several small groups, in some cases, isolated duets, in others, larger groups. The counselor seemed to be up to something, moving swiftly between the Theurgy's commander and a feline couple. The Andorian couldn't know with certainty what s/he was up to, but she had the intuition that it would be something to encourage the morale of the group, something sickeningly sweet and cheesy that would make her want to tear her eyes out. She appreciated the... well, she didn't know whether to call her Caitian or human, but the fact was that she liked the counselor in some way, s/he was less unpleasant than most of the therapists she had treated with, but there were times that s/he was too mushy to her taste.


The young shen pressed her lips with a slight frown, while still inspecting the room, toying with the black box with her name in her hands. The survivors of the Endeavour had split into two groups, the Conn ensign had left the main group along with a human with white dreadlocks, while Cross and the Beast were still together were she had left them. From where she was then, she couldn't confirm it in top form, but it seemed that the now-vulcan had managed to get the engineer to break down over the yellow Terran sweet buns. But no matter how much she wanted to come closer to bask in the weakness of her arch enemy, she had other priorities. Although no doubt would keep that image in her brain to use it as a throwing weapon later, when it was time to vent her rage on the know-it-all.


She located the trio of antennas she was looking for close one of the walls, Shall was leaning against the plates with his eyes closed while Sehl fumbled in his box, chewing something. Shar headed towards them with a determined step and she squatted down leaving the center of the bay behind her, so that only the males could see her face. She stared them for a moment, trying to sort out what she meant to say, unaware of her clenched teeth. Shar had never been good with words; she preferred to solve her problems with actions. In fact the few times she had tried to solve her problems with words, the situation had ended disastrously, as with the whole matter of her complaint reports about The Beast to Commander Ducote. Just thinking about it made sh'Zenne's gesture sour even more for a second. Not-So-Blue had been laughing at her expense for weeks after that.


The ops officer shook her head, trying to erase that embarrassing memory and focus on what she should do. She forced her antennae to curve politely in front of her forehead, left her box between the two males and touched Shall's knee to get his attention. "Ch'te" she whispered gently, risking herself by using the name for a bondmate. Whether they liked it or not, they needed to represent a united front and maybe highligh their current status could help . "<Earlier you told me that you had information about Ida, information... relevant for our current... situation >" she murmured in their native language, the hoarse tonolanian accent evident in her words. She didn't take her hand away from the black cloth that covered the chan's leg, with her blue eyes fixed on his, trying to win his attention . "<I'm going to look for her and I would like to know that battlefield before fight on it>" As she had previously reacted and according to the efficiency in combat she had shown in the observation pen, Shar felt that the zhen's reaction to her presence would be fierce at least. Shar prided herself on having a good training in close combat, but she suspected that the zhen could inflict her a lot of damage if she wanted to. Even though she was shorter and lighter than her.


Before Shall could say anything, she quickly added. "<Let me go alone at first, give me a few minutes to test the terrain and then you and th'se can join us if you want to.>" Then she waited for what the chan could say, if he had anything to tell her at all. She didn't know exactly where Ida had gone, but she hadn't seen her in the main room. So she only had the lockers and some of the exits of the bay, however much she missed her steps couldn't take too long to find her. And she prayed to the Water Guardian to let her solve this without take too much harm. The egg must survive, that was the only thing important at that moment. It represent a torned hope, for their race... and for her too.

Re: Chapter 06: Insurgency [ Day 05 | 2315 hrs. ]

Reply #37 –
[ Khorin, son of Margon, of House Mo'Kai | | Day 5 | 2315 hrs.| Maintenance Bays | The Versant ]
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Attn: @Blue Zephyr



The Klingon's heart shuddered slightly when Zephyr leaned against him and  he couldn't help but stroked her hair for a moment, the desire to fiercely protect her at all costs  locking itself instinctively in his guts, even though he knew she might not need it. And most likely it could be confused with a jealous and possessive behavior, something he had heard many times when referring to his father's species. But now that didn't matter, he simply enjoyed the moment, the close contact and the light conversation. The weight of her body against his. The warmth that radiated from her even in spite of the alien clothes. He only missed the contact of her mind in his, but he supposed that tiredness and worry kept her distracted from that.


Thus, he concentrated in her words, in what she kept her mind elsewhere. Zeph seemed especially worried about the woman who had brought them here, that Commander Blue. Khorin turned his gaze in her direction, seeing how she interacted with Cross. Somehow the woman seemed subdued by a kind of distress. The pilot could understand that having survived for days in solitude in enemy territory could be overwhelming for a human. Klingons used to thrive in hostile situations or died (by their own hand or in battle), but humans had to resign themselves to their ability to survive at the cost of strenuous suffering. He knew it well, having seen himself dragged towards one and the other extreme by his mixed ancestry in the recent past. "I only hope that Pahtak don't fuck her up even more ..." he buzzed to himself. Although he really liked the vulcan, he didn't think the commander needed an extra bit of bitterness at that moment. And that was what the vulcan emanate from every pore of his being.


The heavy frown that had seized his angular face eased when the betazoid began to narrate perfunctorily her background. "Well, well, so your vigilant father is a Starfleet officer? Good to know it, when I have to challenge him to be able to court you. I think I can intimidate an engineer oldman, I don't want to make a bad first impression killing a member of your family, surely it'll sour a bit the family dinners." he joked, bringing up previous conversations, when they were in their little paradise. "I'm not too skilled in engineering either, enough to know when my fighter is ready to fly and give the Flight Hangar boys a hand," he added, shrugging his broad shoulders. "I could change the armament of an Mk III with ease, but don't ask me to change a PADD's screen, I might end up destroying it even more." He added with an thunderous laugh.

"As for where I grew up ... I lived in the Homeworld until the Civil War, then the Federation evacuated all the diplomatic staff and we moved to San Francisco. It was a big change, Earth isn't too prepared for a boisterous half klingon, everything brokes too easily." Despite his cocky smile, Khorin didn't remember with love those first days on Earth, the cultural shock and the denial of his father's death had only complicated the character of the teenage Klingon, with the problems that entailed. Mainly compensation for damages and too many apologizes muttered between clenched teeth.. "Ma and I used to walk all weekends along the promenade, eating cotton candy and those things that make your back teeth squeak because of too much sugar."

Re: Prologue: Insurgency [ Day 05 | 2315 hrs. ]

Reply #38 –
[ K'Ren | Maintenance Bays | Main Research Hull |The Versant ] Attn:  @steelphoenix @patches @Auctor Lucan @all
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K'Ren by contrast it seemed was having an easier time getting her suit on. Sitting on the deck plating she was easily able to slip on the form fitting catsuit, at least the legs and lower part went on easily enough. The one thing that felt weird, not so much that it was there but that there was so much more grown in, was this fur she possessed. As a half breed she was covered in the stuff, but it was thinner & lighter in most places, almost translucent in spots making her look more human. Now it'd grown out in such a short time into this luxurious soft covering that were it not for the instructions to wear it, K'Ren would've been perfectly content to remain without. But sensors wouldn't be foiled by anything less then this suit so she slipped the thing on as requested.

Looking up to her mate as he finished slipping his on, she wondered what the future held for them. The bond was strong, even with the alterations the Savi had made and she could feel her mate's mood even if just as snippets and impressions of how he was feeling. She wondered if Caitian's had a latent psy ability that was brought out in bonded mates, especially ones like Deacon who themselves possesed a latent empathic sense. She was however grateful that she could only feel him, not the rest of those around them as Deacon could. She stood up, the garment around her waist, smoothed out over her lower torso. Tail holes were always an issue but this one seemed to accommodate her well enough and she was soon slipping into the upper part of her suit, zipping it up just in time as this Nerina lady was approaching.

Deacon was still slipping on his outfit but K'Ren stood close as he finished, letting him take the lead. In Caitian and Federation society the notions of males leading in matters of family and clan were no longer the norm and it was common for the females to lead in discussions as required but K'Ren still felt drawn to the old ways, where the male made the first move. She still spoke her mind, but letting him lead was a mark of respect to her mate in her mind, especially given his K'Zin heritage. She listened as her mate gave this Nerina lady his name, using a full name she'd never heard him use, but it seemed aprropriate he would use both his Human and K'Zin names.

K'Ren smiled a little as when it was her term. She'd been rolling about the name in her mind, how it rolled off her tongue her mate's surname, soon enough to be legal in Federation eyes. She stepped closer to Deacon, taking his hand. "My name commander, is K'Ren. I do not have a family name in the Caitian way as my clan is not known to me, nor I to them. My bonded mate is my clan now, my name K'Ren Maryk." She looked to Deacon as the name rolled off her tongue, wanted to see his reaction to her taking his name. Legally she could, and would, but she wanted to see how he would react. "As for the ceremonial words, I do not have specific things that come to mind."

Re: Prologue: Insurgency [ Day 05 | 2315 hrs. ]

Reply #39 –
[ Lt R'Rori | Maintenance Bays | The Versant ] @Auctor Lucan @SummerDawn @steelphoenix

Nerina’s response was what R’Rori had hoped for and s/he nodded quickly in affirmation as s/he accompanied the commander to Deacon and K’Ren. S/he kept deferentially behind her as she spoke to both of the other two felinoids, hir hands clasped behind hir back. They had gotten dressed in the meantime and both looked somewhat uncomfortable. Like R’Rori, their bodies had undergone significant changes, not least of which was the level of fur coverage. S/he had to admit the texture of the suit on hir body was significantly different, not only in the materials but in actually feeling the material on bare skin rather than through hir fur.

Deacon’s voice recalled hir attention to the group gathered in the midst of the dispersing crowd. He spoke of the difficultly of names after an apology. R’Rori found his explanation enlightening and had the feeling it was a very rare and candid look into a part of his identity that s/he wouldn’t normally see. His choice in mixing his human and kzinti names made a lot of sense, as was K’Ren’s choice in taking his last name as her family name in place of a clan. R’Rori’s ears twitched at the mention of the Caitian not knowing her clan, a sign that she wasn’t familiar with Caitian culture at all despite the body she inhabited. It wasn’t that unique a situation in the Federation, but it was still relatively unusual for Caitians.

The usual words, hmm. I wonder what Nerina thinks are the usual words for something like this. I’ve heard a couple versions. R’Rori mused to hirself as s/he waited for the small ceremony to start. Legally, hir capacity here would be as a witness. If they wanted to register the wedding for Starfleet and ultimately the Federation, it would theoretically take all four of them to attest to it, depending on how bureaucratic the relevant people were feeling at the end of all this.

Assuming there’s actually a happy ending at the finish line here.

Re: Prologue: Insurgency [ Day 05 | 2315 hrs. ]

Reply #40 –
[Ens. Irnashall "Shall" ch'Xinya | Maintenance Bays | The Versant] attn: @Numen

Resting against the cool bulkhead, Shall had managed to drift off into a semblance of sleep in just a few moments.  It was far from a proper rest, all he’d been able to do is relax and try to shut out everything around him, but long sessions in the lab meant such a feat was hardly difficult for the chan.  As his mind re-centered and focused in on itself, Shall could swear he heard Syora calling out to him, touching his knee as she was wont to do.  He could also feel Tavin next to him, close enough to sense if not touch.  Smiling slightly at the presence of his bondmates, Shall opened his eyes to see if Jay was around…and he was momentarily confused when it wasn’t Syora kneeling in front of him.

The memories came rushing back as his brain rebooted to full alertness, including the reason why Shar thought she could call him ch’te, an endearment normally reserved for his normal bondmates.  He didn’t correct her though, and hoped the surprise didn’t show through his body language.  They’d been through a lot together, getting mad at the shen would help nothing.  As soon as his eyes locked onto hers, Shar jumped straight to business, though she didn’t take her hand off of his knee.

The questions weren’t unexpected, he’d wondered how to broach the subject himself after the Savi dumped them in that holodeck simulation.  Ida was a very private individual and it didn’t seem quite right to divulge what he knew in front of her, but Ida wasn’t around (a quick glance around the room showed a distinct lack of antennae), and Shar had good reason to try to make some sort of bridge between the two of them.  Nodding in agreement, Shall patted the deck next to him, guiding Shar to sit.

<I don’t know everything, and most of what I know either comes from her file or I’ve pieced together based on what I can’t see combined with how she acts.>  Looking between Shar and Sehl at first, Shall’s gaze then locked on some point in void, not really looking at anything in particular.  <I don’t know why, but for some reason she’s uncomfortable around her own species.  I won’t say she’d been avoiding me the year we’ve both served on the Theurgy together, I’d spent most of it in my lab while she’d be off doing security work, and its a big ship, but in the few times we’ve run across each other in the past weeks, her reactions would make the Vulcan Forge freeze over.>  It felt good to be speaking in his native tongue.

Shall paused there, wondering how far he should go with his suppositions, and with a roll of his shoulders figured he might as well share everything.  <According to her record, Ida was a Guardsman before joining Starfleet, but for some reason she resigned, left Andoria, and went to the Academy.  I haven’t a clue as to why she’s done so, she’s never made any reference to her clan, any bondmates, or even her family.>  Huffing with a quick scoff, Shall’s antenna drooped a bit before resuming its usual twitching.  <Most of what she has said to me has been harshly critical.  I don’t think she likes me very well.>

Turning back to Shar, Shall also waved Sehl closer so that the thaan could still hear as the chan lowered his voice for privacy.  <Beyond whatever issues she’s had with other Andorians, what you need to know the most is what happened at a planet called Niga, an M-class planet we stopped at to gather some supplies and rest.  Scans and records showed that it was uninhabited, so the away teams went down for the initial survey, with Ida part of the security portion.  We found out the hard way that while there may not have been any animal life, the planet’s biosphere had been infected with a particularly nasty virus.>  Shall broke eye contact, his gaze dropping to the deck, his face flushing a deeper blue, and his antenna hiding in his hair from the shame.  <This virus propagates via sexual contact, and one of its symptoms is to increase the infected’s drive to the point where all other matters are secondary.  And Ida was the first victim.>

The chan remained silent for several moments so that Shar and Sehl could take in what he was saying, and to keep his composure under control.  <She and another crewmember who had been infected started to spread this virus throughout the ship, base instincts having taken over their minds.  In just over a day, the majority of the crew had fallen to the virus.  Thankfully, our Chief Medical Officer had managed to barricade himself and a few nurses in Sickbay long enough to find a cure and get it distributed.  It was a close one, there’s no telling how much damage we could’ve done if he hadn’t come through.>  Looking back up to the others, Shall somehow managed to grow more serious.  <I don’t know if it’s a mercy, or a cruelty, but one of the side-effects of the cure was memory loss.  At most we just get flashes of what we’d done, but its enough.  I think Ida knows enough of what had happened to her that she feels responsible for nearly causing a galactic catastrophe, and worse, some do as well.>

Taking Shar’s hand in his own, Shall had to warn her about what she wanted to do.  <Be very, very cautious in how you approach Ida about completing the bond.  She puts up a facade as tough as any ice wall, but she’s let entire swarms of ice bores eat away at her core.  Uzaveth knows she needs help, but she won’t ask for it.  Don’t try to force her either, not only can she take on all three of us at our best, she’d do it without any exertion.  Besides,>  Shall’s eyes showed the sadness in his core, something he and his keth had talked about endlessly when together. <Without the Savi’s data, if we follow through with the bond, it could open her up to nothing but sadness.  The chance of a successful birth is very, very low remember.>

Re: Chapter 06: Insurgency [ Day 05 | 2315 hrs. ]

Reply #41 –
[ Ensign Lin Kae | Maintenance Bays | The Versant ] Attn: @Zenozine
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It seemed the nurses took to the situation in different ways, and the young holographic specialist could hardly blame them.

The two Ovri moved to treat Lin Kae, and he crouched down in front of the two, letting them have a look at his fingers. While he did as instructed, moving his fingers like they described, he looked between the two, trying to see what was different about them. Personally, the human part of his genome had been removed, but the two nurses appeared Ovri still, and if they had any other genes before they were abducted, it was more than Lin Kae knew.

"It seems I have full movement," he murmured, even if it still hurt, and watched as the water was being collected. "If you don't mind me asking, you still seem like yourselves, even though you were abducted along with the rest of the crew. I thought they had some kind of obsession with purifying genes, so what did they do to you here? What piqued their interest?"

When his hands were rinsed with the water, it became plain that - in the desperation to pry the emitter in the observation pen open - Lin Kae had hurt his fingernails, several of them missing. He also had several small cuts from the metal around the same area, the sharp edge having drawn blood. It hurt, a lot, but it was clearly rather superficial.

[ Commander Nerina | Maintenance Bays | The Versant ] Attn: All
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Hearing the two speak, Nerina could not quite fathom just how meaningful the partially Corrected male's name was, but she did understand the ancient human tradition of a woman taking the last name of the man. She had carefully committed the names to memory, mouthing them to make sure she got the pronunciation right. She had nodded when they had no requests, and she cleared her throat - smiling to the two of them. With Lieutenant R'Rori close by and clearly being the witness to the affair, she gestured towards the middle of the maintenance bay. "Then please follow me."

Leading the way, Nerina didn't have to say anything. The abductees not completely engrossed in conversation saw the procession and wondered what was happening. When she came to a stop, she turned towards the couple.

"May I please have the attention of the present crew of the Endeavour and the Theurgy," she said, with just a hint of authority, the warmth a greater presence in her face and her undertone. It wouldn't be lost on anyone how absurd the timing was, which only made it better in her own opinion. "On this late eve of a battle - and in spite of it - I ask you to gather here, tonight, to celebrate the wedding of Xander Deacon Maryk and K'Ren Maryk. Because of recent events, they have asked me to renew their bond, and as the highest ranking officer present, it is my honour to do so."

Nerina glanced towards the present faces. "You have come here, perhaps not by your own choosing... from different ships in the fleet, to share in this deep commitment they now make to one another again. I ask you to offer your love and support to their second union, and to allow Xander Deacon Maryk and K'Ren Maryk to restart their married life together."

By then, most people had moved to stand, forming a circle around the four people in the middle of the maintenance bay - R'Rori standing behind the couple. Since everyone were dressed in the same kind of attire, gleaming in the dim light of the bay, it almost seemed they had adhered to a dress-code for the occasion. With her hands remaining behind her back, Nerina continued, her faint smile grown more easy.  "Xander Deacon Maryk and K'Ren Maryk, marriage is the promise between two people who love each other, who trust that love, who honor one another as individuals in that togetherness, and who wish to spend the rest of their lives together. It enables the two separate souls to share their desires, longings, dreams, and memories, their joys and sorrows, and to help each other through all uncertainties of life."

The greatest and first uncertainty was their survival, and escape from the ship, but Nerina did not mention this. She didn't have to. "A strong marriage also nurtures each of you as separate individuals and allows you to maintain your unique identity, and grow in your own way through the years ahead. It is a safe haven for each of you to become your best. You are adding to your life not only the affection of each other, but also the companionship and blessing of a deep trust. You are agreeing to share strength, responsibilities and love. It takes more than love to make this relationship work."

By then, there was silence in the maintenance bay, and Nerina even saw smiles among the gathered, despite all that they had been through. She continued, happy for both the couple and for how this ceremony was lifting the spirits of those attending. "It takes trust, to know in your hearts that you want only the best for each other. It takes dedication, to stay open to one another, to learn and grow, even when it is difficult to do so. And it takes faith, to go forward together without knowing what the future holds for you both."

The same was true for them all. Nerina saw that some of those in the adjacent storage rooms had come out to see what was happening, noticing the Okhala sisters further back in the crowd. She even saw them smile, and when they did, it showed how they were sisters, despite how different the Savi had made them.

"Xander Deacon Maryk and K'Ren Maryk, please join hands, look at one another now, and remember this moment in time," she said, and then turned her brown eyes towards Xander. "Groom, do you take this Bride to be your wife?"

She paused, to let him answer, before she turned her face to K'Ren. "Bride, do you take this Groom to be your husband?"

Once that was done, Nerina struggled a moment to remember what exact words came next, but it was more from the emotions welling inside her than a loss of memory. She continued with barely any pause. "If you have any declarations of your own to make to each other, please make them now, and if not, you can just ask me for the usual pledge, and you can repeat the words after me."

Nerina looked towards Xander, ready to say the traditional words for him. Then, she would do the same for K'Ren.

OOC: Here is the transcript for the usual pledge, in case they do not make any pledges of their own. After they have made their pledges, I will post again.

____________, I take you as you are/ loving who you are / I promise from this day forward/ To be grateful for our love and our life/ To be generous with my time, my energy and my affection/ To be patient with you and with myself/ To fill our life with adventure and our home with laughter/ To inspire you to grow as an individual / To love you completely/ These things, I pledge to you, ____________.
Here are the characters present in Blue Tiran's hideout in the Maintenance Bays, and if there are significant reunions because of this, it should be handled in Supplemental threads or mid-discussion in this thread. The naming convention for such threads belonging to this Prologue is: Prologue: Supplemental [ Day XX | XXXX hrs. ] Insert Title. Here goes: [Show/Hide]

Re: Prologue: Insurgency [ Day 05 | 2315 hrs. ]

Reply #42 –
[LCdr Blue Tiran | Of All Fucking Places |  Wedding Bells Are Shit |  We Should be Sleeping | Neither the Time nor the Place]

There was something to be said for twinkies.  They were good for the soul, at least they were good for Blue's soul.  Underneath was a new uniform, something that Echtand had sent her that would likely fit a shit ton better than the Starfleet uniform she still wore and was several days old at this point.  Above the suit though, was something that made her stop in her tracks.  Coxinhas.  The very food that she loved … Brazilian in nature, and something that Ducote made for her frequently.  It was, probably second only to the twinkies she had already consumed.  She picked out one with her fingers and ate it as she pulled the suit out of the box.

Blue was actually, a rather modest person, when it came to her body.  She wasn't ashamed of it or anything she just tended not to show the goods to anyone other than Ranaan.  However, privacy was sorely lacking at the moment and she doubted that with everyone else already naked and only getting clothed no one would pay much mind to her own silent redressing.  With a mouthful of Brazilian seasoning and meat she quickly began to shed her old uniform and placed it carefully on the deck plating.  She picked up the Savi-made suit and stepped into it beginning to pull it up her overly thin body.

While others had their DNA fucked with, they had been fed and for the most part cared for.  Outside of the experiments.  Which Blue could attest to.  But Blue had been starving and deprived of food and water for days while on the run and hiding out on the ship.  Her ribs poked out, she had lost muscle mass, and the wounds on her arm had scabbed over but it was clear to the eye of a practicing doctor they were self inflicted.  Soon though, they were hidden behind the fabric and she sat down to finish her meal.

Some sort of commotion was going on and Blue only barely paid attention at first until the woman who was the Commander from the Theurgy asked for their attention and what it was for.  “Fuck... me...” she whispered under her breath.  She didn't think that she would have been so crass as to have the fucking wedding right the fuck now even if Ducote was still alive but....

Her head swam and all color left her body as a memory took her by storm.

Quote

Blue's feet were popped up in his lap, as always.  He had convinced her, or rather turned off her console, to watch a movie with him.  Snacks and drinks were had.  They were chit chatting while watching the movie as well.  His hands worked against the muscles of her legs and massaged the appendages to help her stay put and relax.  It was working too, because she occasionally forgot to open her eyes but then he would say something and she would focus on that rather than the sleep her body was trying to take advantage of.  Her dark curls spilled over the couch and the arm that she had curled behind her head.  Blue eyes shifted over to Ducote.

“Can you actually cook, or do you just replicate well?” she teased him as she popped the last of the Brazilian fare into her mouth.  She grinned over at him, watching him give her that look, the playful warning look that she knew so very well.

“I can cook well enough, considering you'd rather eat over processed sugar anyway I don't think it'll be hard to please your palate”

Blue's grin widened.  “Just because you don't like it doesn't mean it's a low grade food item.”

“Blue, it has absolutely no nutritional value.”

“It has caloric intake, most of the time that's all you need.”

“No it's-” he paused and sighed, this battle had been forged before and like all the previous times he would not win.  “Well when we get married maybe we'll upgrade to an actual kitchen.”

Blue's head popped up and she stared at him wide eyed.  “When we... wh..what now?”

His hands paused on her legs and they just kind of stared at each other.  They had been together for years, and while it was just kind of a given they would live their days together, they had never actually talked about it.  Something came over his face. 

“Did I no-  Eraba me  Hold that thought.”  He pushed her legs out of the way and got up smoothly from the couch. 

“Hold the thought?  Really?!” she called after his retreating form as he headed over towards the bedroom. 

With a groan Blue rolled off of the couch and onto her feet.  Tossing her curls out of her face she followed after Ducote, her feet padding quietly on the deck plating.  She leaned against the door frame watching him dig through the drawer where they kept socks and other things.  I feel like there is something I should remember in there... she thought to herself as Ducote came back out with a small black box in his hand.  Her brow rose.  Ranaan opened the box and froze, because inside was obviously not what he expected to see.  Instead it was a beautiful damascus metal ring with a wooden inlay.

Oh fuck...

“Wh.. this isn't the one I bought.”

Blue smirked.  “It's the one, I bought, actually.”

He looked over at her in surprise, she shrugged a shoulder.  “Uh yeah I .. I was gonna ask at some point but shit happens and I like.. fucking forgot.”  She ran a hand through her hair, he was used to her absent minded behavior, but she was actually feeling pretty shit about it. 

But instead, when she looked back at him, he was grinning like an idiot.  Her brow rose again in a silent question as his hand reached back into the drawer and pulled out another small square box.  Opening it his grin turned into a smile.  Snapping the box shut he tossed it to her.  She reached out and caught it fairly ninja-like and opened it herself.  Inside was a blue-steel ring with an meteorite inlay that shimmered and sparkled about as well as any diamond could and it was very much her style.  Clean, simple, and not obtrusive in any way.  She smirked at him. 

“You too?” 

He shrugged and she chewed on her lower lip.  “I'm wearing this shit.  You're trapped now, Commander.  You belong to me now, forever.” she grinned as she pulled the blue ring out of the box and slid it onto her left ring finger.  Perfect fit for her slender fingers and it slid into place as if it had always been made for her.  She watched him do the same.

“Guess so.” 

Tossing the now empty box to the deck plating and the pair collided in the middle of the bedroom...

“Hey.  Hey!”  a voice called out to the woman that had completely spaced out.  Tears ran down her cheeks again, and her hand had completely fucked over the coxinhas that had been in her hand when the moment hit her hard.  Blue's eyes cleared up slightly and they slid over to the woman that was crouched in front of her.  “You okay?”

“What the fuck do you care?” Blue asked the short haired brunette she had never met before.

The woman just smiled as though she didn't mind Blue's harsh words which kind of put her in an even worse mood.  “I'm Zephyr.”

“The fucking wind?”  Asked Blue incredulously.

“Sure.  If you want.  I thought I'd come check on you.”  she said with a warm and understanding smile.

“What the fuck for, I don't know you, you don't know me.  Go back to your.. own crew.”

Zeph decided to sit herself down anyway.  She slid her back against the deckplating just beside Blue.  Her eyes shifted over to Cross, if he hadn't already left, like do you see this shit?!  “I could feel you from across the room.”

“I didn't ask for you to feel shit!” Blue said angrily.

“Yeah well you were projecting pretty loudly once I figured out where it was coming from.”

“Well shut your brain off or something, aren't you trained for that shit.  Not listening or something.  It's fucking rude.”

“Yeah, well I wasn't full Betazoid before a week ago so...” Zeph shrugged but looked over at Blue as the pang of Betazoid hit the woman hard.

“Go attend the fucking wedding.  Get some warm and fuzzies, Leave me the fuck alone.  I don't need you to sit here and play tea party with me.  I've got Cross for that.”  She was completely unapologetic but Blue had been put through the ringer a few times.

“I don't know them.” Zeph said with another shrug.

“Well you don't fucking know me either.  So there you go.”

Zeph grinned. “I think you're very adept at pushing people away.  Except for... one person... maybe?”

Blue stopped moving, she had been, up until that point, eating the pulverized coxinhas out of her hand but she froze and her entire body tensed.  Zephyr would feel something odd, it was as if Blue's mind just shut down.  Completely, darkly, without anything being felt or heard... it was just gone.  Zeph looked over at her in surprise.  All that was there now was some kind of 'get fucked' in neon.

“Get the fuck away from me.  I'm not here for counseling sessions and I don't fucking need you to be here trying to make friends with me.  We're not going to be friends, go find someone else do fuck with.”

“I saw your arms.”

“Fuck.  Off.  Now.”  Blue's voice left little room for anything else to be said.

Zeph sighed, and her eyes searched for someone in the crowd. “Well if .. if you decide to... Im not only Betazoid but I am a doctor so... come find me okay?  Zephyr, right?”

Blue didn't answer, and Zeph finally got up to go find someone in the wedding guests.  Blue tossed the rest of her food against the deck plating close by and pulled her legs up to her chest.  Wrapping her arms around them, she put her head on her knees letting her dirty hair cover her as completely as possible.  Tears pitter pattered against the fabric of her legs.


OOC:  Included Zeph in this post for some between character fun!

Re: Prologue: Insurgency [ Day 05 | 2315 hrs. ]

Reply #43 –
[ Vinata Vojona & Hylota Vojona | Maintenance bay |  Precept-ship Versant ] Attn: @all ]
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[Show/Hide]


As the water washed away the blood enough for Hylota to get a clear look at Lin Kae's fingers, she took her time getting a a thorough look, taking in all the small laceration and shallow cuts, but also noting the ripped out nails and their exposed nail beds.  The sigh of Lin Kae's exposed fingers made Hylota sigh as she shook her head. "You are lucky this is not an away mission on some planet. The sterile nature of this ship is in your favor Lin Kae. You should be fine so long as you do not go rifling through small objects or loose particles. You are also not going to have much of a reliable grip at this point either, I would advise you try and take a secondary position in anything technical, try and spare your fingers until medical aid can be given at this point, otherwise you might cause further damage." Hylota did not for a second believe that her advice would be heeded, but it would hopefully encourage Lin Kae to be careful for a little while.

Vinata looked through the loose rations on the floor and sighed as he kicked some of the twinkies aside. "A shame these kits held only food and water rations, if we had some basic medical kit there could have been more we could do for you." Vinata sighed s he looked at the items, nothing they had was useful for Lin Kae's situation. Of course as he was pondering what they could do Lin Kae brought up their reason for abduction and how it had mostly been about purifying genetics. Going off of what he had observed personally Vinata sighed and waved his hand. "I do not know why they selected us, but they did their own kind of correction for us. Both my sister and I woke up with different genitalia, or I feel it would be more fitting to say that she is now my brother and I am her sister. Our genitalia and physical builds now match the mammalian norm from the Federation. Granted I do not know why they chose us for this alone."

Hylota looked over at Commander Nerina as she began to perform a marriage, yeah this was what she needed right now, another fucking reminder. Hylota turned her back to the union as she did her best to ignore her illogical urges, there was no reasons she should be so mad, this was not about them, they had not done anything to her, there was no reason to hate them for being happy just because she was in a bad place, but as she turned her attention back to Lin Kae and Vinata's conversation she stopped for a moment and pondered what had been said. These abductions had been done for genetic purity reasons, every hybrid member of the crew was here. Hylota's eyes widened as realization began to creep into her mind, the cold grip of dread coming over her as Hylota felt her stomach sink, her mouth opened silently as she looked around, her eyes going to the corrected crewmen, looking to each face eventually coming to stop on Khorin, looking at his strong Klingon traits and remembering Maal, remembering what she lost as she looked to the marriage, and then in a quick movement Hylota looked to her brother. "Hylota what is wrong."

It was all coming apart, Hylota reached up to her head and gripped firmly. "No no. No No, No. NO! NO!" Hylota began to breath in a heavy panic as she let loose a roaring sound of raw emotion and rage. Hylota looked around frantically as she lashed out in an instant, kicking her empty care package across the maintenance bay. In a panic Vinata rushed to his sister and put his hands on her shoulders, doing his best to restrain her and keep her from causing any harm to someone or to herself. "Hylota please calm down! What is going on? Why are you acting like this?" Vinata looked up at Hylota as she shuddered and held her head. "They took it, they took it, why else would they want us?" Hylota looked her brother's eyes. "My egg, Maal's child. Why else would they want us? We managed to breed with a mammalian race." Vinata looked back at his sister and tried to keep her calm. "Hylota why would they do that, it was just an egg, how would they even-" Vinata was cut off as Hylota shouted him down. "They took everyone else, why not an hybrid egg? They had to have taken it, there is no other justification for going out of their way for us." It was clear that Hylota had taken a few leaps in logic as she had come to her conclusion, but Vinata could not deny that Hylota might have a point. Looking to Lin Kae he Vinata swallowed hard. "I fear she might have a point, our abductors might have one more of us than the rest know of." Vinata was doing his best to hold onto Hylota as he spoke, but she was shaking with the raw emotion, her hands clenched into fists against the side of her head as she made an intimidating hissing sound, her throat pulsing as she breathed heavily. Everything had been taken, every last thing was being ripped out from under her, her stability, her friends, her lover, her child, it was all gone, stolen from her. Hylota's eyes darted around as she tried to think of a solution, desperately thinking of how she could find her child, who would even have it?

Re: Prologue: Insurgency [ Day 05 | 2315 hrs. ]

Reply #44 –
[ Lt. Cross | Maintenance Bay | Precept-ship Versant ] @Blue Zephyr

Cross stayed sitting, having crossed his legs and settled in as best he could next to Blue Tiran. He took another bite of his food as Commander Nerina asked for everyone’s attention, and listened to what the Commander said, chewing slowly as his eyebrows knit together in a puzzled expression. That puzzled expression was slowly replaced by one of concern as he heard Blue utter soft word that he couldn’t quite make out, the quiet sound causing him to glance at the blue-haired woman sitting next to him.

Cross knew that Blue had been close with the Endeavour’s XO, Commander Ducote. He knew they had been in a relationship, and he’d also heard it said that they had been engaged. And now, following the Borg attack, it could safely be assumed that Commander Ducote was dead, along with Kai, Annika and everyone else he’d known on the Endeavour. As he studied Blue, the Human woman seemed to be lost in thought, or perhaps a memory. Regardless of what was going through her head, she once again had tears running down her face, and she stared off into the space of the maintenance bay without seeming to see anything.

Cross was about to speak when someone else approached the spot where they sat. Cross raised his gaze to see Zephyr Praise draw closer and crouch in front of Blue. Zephyr spoke, trying to get Blue’s attention, and Blue seemed to snap out of her reverie.

”What the fuck do you care?” Blue finally spoke.

There’s the Blue Tiran that we all know and fear! Cross thought, fighting to suppress a smile. Zephyr may have good intentions in approaching the Engineer, but anyone from the Endeavour could have told her it was a perilous undertaking at the best of times. And these were hardly the best of times. Not that Cross was about to inform her of that fact within earshot of Blue herself. The Betazoid was on her own.

Cross shifted himself back a little as the two spoke, moving a little further away and resting his back against the bulkhead as he watched the drama unfold before him, with Blue snarling at the Betazoid woman and Zephyr remaining remarkably calm in the face of such hostility. Cross took another bite of his meal and chewed slowly as he watched the exchange, silently wondering if he was going to have to step in and break up an altercation.

”I don’t need you to sit here and play tea party with me. I’ve got Cross for that.”


The wormlike Vulcan eyebrows on Cross’ face rose at that comment, and the Vulcan hardly managed to force down the urge to smile. Cross was hardly known for being good company, and it was rare for someone to prefer his company to another’s.

She must really hate Zephyr… Cross thought to himself as he watched the exchange between the two women cautiously. Cross missed what Zephyr said next, but saw Blue go stock still and tense, which in turn caused Cross to tense and get ready to tackle the Engineer should she try and actually kill the telepath. Cross was still amazed it hadn’t come to that point between Blue and Shar in the escape pod, though this might finally be the breaking point.

More words were exchanged between the two until finally Zephyr moved off, presumably to go find Khorin, at which point Cross silently let out a relieved sigh. Then Blue hurled the remainder of her food onto the maintenance bay deck and curled herself up as though trying to shut out the events going on in the maintenance bay. Cross watched as Blue stayed in that position, unsure of what to do. He felt he should comfort her in some way, but knew little of what that entailed.

Cross reached out a hand, the limb hovering in the air just inches above Blue’s slumped shoulders. His hand floated there for a long moment, but the Vulcan found he couldn’t bring himself to rest the hand on her shoulder. After another moment he withdrew the hand and let it fall to his side before taking the last bite of his meal, slowly chewing the food as he let his head fall back against the bulkhead behind him. He stayed like that, sitting quietly beside the hurting Blue Tiran. Across the bay from them, Commander Nerina spoke as the wedding continued, with most of those present in the maintenance bay attending.

In their little corner of the maintenance bay, away form the others, Cross sat quietly beside Blue Tiran and watched the wedding ceremony progress, unwilling to leave his crewmate alone in her time of pain even if he had no idea what to do about it.

Re: Prologue: Insurgency [ Day 05 | 2315 hrs. ]

Reply #45 –
[ Deacon | Maintenance Bays | Main Research Hull | The Versant ] Attn:  @SummerDawn  @patches  @Auctor Lucan  and all wedding guests

Nerina began the ceremony with what seemed to be some level of practiced ease, although that could have been Deacon projecting his own desires of perfection on the rote and circumstance of it all.  Being unfamiliar with the words of the ritual, he had to trust in this female he barely knew to formalize something that he and K'Ren had originally decided privately amongst themselves in a moment of intimacy.  It was a tough burden to ask, trusting in another, let alone a non-kzin, and a female to boot, but there were no options.

Despite his best efforts to block out the incessant noise of emotions around him, his fatigue left far too many breaches in his mental defenses.  While he could feel the sincerity and good will of those close by, the love of his bride, the support from Nerina and R'Rori, beyond, at the far edges of the crowd, there was a sense of... animosity? confusion? irritation?  His eyes traced the shadows, his burgeoning anger held like a tight knot in his stomach, the desire to curl his lips and bare his fangs at the would-be detractors almost irresistible.  But though his eyes were tinged with a moment of feral gold that almost seemed to penetrate the darkness of the over-sized bay, he managed to swallow the urge to lash out, determined to adhere to the expectations of the moment, determined to allow nothing to stand between him and his chosen mate.

He turned his attention back only to find that Nerina had finished her initial invocation, looking at him expectantly.  In an instant, his heart sank as he'd barely managed to hear anything of what she'd said.  Well, that wasn't wholly accurate... he'd likely heard every word.  It was all a matter of whether he'd absorbed their meaning.  An affirmation.  That appeared to be her expectation.  "I do?" he asked with a side glance towards the commander, hoping for some confirmation as to whether that was the appropriate response, to which she provided an affirmative nod.  "I do," he repeated, his tone louder and with greater conviction, the corners of his mouth faintly upturned as he took hold of K'Ren's hands.

When asked if they had specific words to share with one another, Deacon's cheeks flushed slightly before he cleared his throat, turning his face to Nerina.  "We made private vows when we first committed to one another," he replied.  It wasn't that he shied away from reaffirming such words, but they were personal, for his K'Ren only.  It was a vulnerability he wasn't quite ready to expose before the others, certainly not on the heels of exposing his name as he had.  Besides, this was a ceremony and, to him, such things seldom benefited from improvisation.  It seemed wrong to unnecessarily vary from the words set down by tradition.  "I will need the words," he asked of Nerina which he repeated in steady breaks, his attention diverted from K'Ren only enough to hear the prompts.

"K'Ren," he paused, again placing his hand against her cheek, blocking the feelings of those in the shadows out of his mind, ignoring the anchor in his stomach, the weariness in his shoulders, "I take you as you are, loving who you are.  I promise, from this day forward, to be grateful for our love and our life, to be generous with my time, my energy and my affection, to be patient with you and with..." Again he slowed, the quirk of a grin playing at one corner of his lips again, knowing the next word was something he seldom had the opportunity to practice of late but finding the oath intended not only as a commitment to the union of another, but to the wholeness of the speaker, "... with myself, to fill our life with adventure and our home with laughter, to inspire you to grow as an individual, to love you completely.  These things, I pledge to you, K'Ren."  Clever monkeys, he thought, finding the words simple yet directed.  Kzinti had nothing to compare against given the blatant inequality between the sexes in their culture.  He would need to introduce this concept to them one day.

Re: Prologue: Insurgency [ Day 05 | 2315 hrs. ]

Reply #46 –
[ LtJr. Khelleshar sh'Zenne | Day 5 | 2315 hrs.| Maintenance Bays | The Versant ]
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Attn: @Auctor Lucan @chXinya



When Shall patted a spot by his side, Shar knew instantly that the chan's story was going to be pretty long. So, without needing too much insistence, she settled between the two males, her legs bent under her rear and her arms crossed under her svelte chest. The ops officer knew that her stance could be considered defensive by most of those present, but her bowed head indicated to her kind that she was attentive and listening. The young shen knew very well that her personality was far from bubbly and cheerful, rather it was caustic and cranky, but she was trying to behave in a way that was at least neutral with her forced bondmates. Neither of them had chosen that situation, and it didn't have sense to make their relationship even more difficult, overcomplicating it with her vitriolic demeanour.


Staring at some point in the void away from the bay, Shall began to tell the story of Ida, from her incongruous disdain for her own species to her refusal to speak her aversion for her now ch'te. He also confirmed what she had suspected in the battle of engineering, the security officer had belonged to the Guard. "<Believe me, there are several reasons a Guardman could be kicked out, I know it well>" Shar pointed out, without going too deep into that open wound since she didn't want to interrupt the scientist's soliloquy.


When the narration dropped tone and took on a conspiratorial timbre, Shar leaned forward, shoulder to shoulder with Sehl, the heads of the trio of Andorians almost together, the five antennas about to rub against each other whenever one of them gesticulated with them. In that guise, Shar heard the narrative of the Niga Incident. The event as a whole had a disturbing tone, an unhealthy aftertaste that stirred the andorian's stomach. Ida's reticence and anger were now better explained, even without knowing what it was that had forced her to leave Andoria. Shar's decision to talk to her wobbled momentarily, while a bitter taste made her compose a grimace. Of course, she was going to have to change her strategy to approach the zhen.


When Shall held her hand in his, he tore her from his grim thoughts, warning her of Ida's nature and the consequences of an ill-considered approach. Shar stubbornly crushed the antennae against her skull, her determination spurred by the chan's words, even when they were trying to discourage the decision she had made. "<I know how to take care of myself, ch'te>" she huffed sharply, her tone irritated again. Then, thinking better on Shall's words, she squeezed the chan's fingers between hers, sighing slightly, trying to control her bad temper. When she spoke again, she did so by looking into her bondmate's eyes, her sullen gesture sweetened for once. "<Precisely because there are so few chances of a successful birth it's why I ... why WE need to try this. Maybe this is our only chance, however scanty it may be. Not only is our duty towards our specie, perhaps it is our only opportunity as individuals. I couldn't forgive myself at least try.>" Her voice broke with emotion when saying the latter, and looked away, without wanting to delve into her own motives in the matter.


Behind her, a small commotion was taking place between the rest of the abductees, around Commander Nerina and the three felinoids. The andorian wasn't interested in the least, but it gave her a perfect window to leave the bay and go in search of Ida. With a fluid movement she stood up and addressed a  liquid gaze to the males, to the sad eyes of Shall and the scowling expression of their th'se. "<I''l be cautious. Remember, give me some time alone with her before coming to find us> ". She knew that a gesture of affection, an expression of confidence and determination, was mandatory, but she was  so uneasy about everything that she only stood in front of them uncomfortably, not knowing what to say until she simply turned on her heels and walked away, following the wall of the bay.


She tried to stay away from the main crowd, as well as the smaller gathering scattered around, moving quietly around the perimeter of the room. Her steps soon took her to the small rooms that some of her misadventures' fellows had chosen to rest, but she didn't find the zhen there. Shar didn't expect it either. Now that she knew a little more about her background, she doubted that Ida was the kind of person who locked herself out of sight to wept out her distress. Her strides slowly led her to one of the bay's exits. To her satisfaction, she found it slightly ajar, giving evidence that it had been used a short time ago. Possibly she had found Ida's trail.


She allowed herself one last glance to the crowd, as well as to the two blue forms resting against one of the walls, before crossing the threshold, entering the gloomy side corridor.

Re: Prologue: Insurgency [ Day 05 | 2315 hrs. ]

Reply #47 –
[ K'Ren | Maintenance Bays | Main Research Hull |The Versant ] Attn:  @steelphoenix @patches @Auctor Lucan @all
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For all the strangeness she felt in being in this situation, saying marriage vows in the cargobay of an alien vessels, not real idea if they would survive the next 24hrs, there were aspects of this that felt familiar, much like she'd done a few years prior, when she'd been wed to a Human male, her first mate. She could see in Deacon's eyes some discomfort, perhaps from the others feelings around him, perhaps in how he was treading unfamiliar territory. When asked by Nerina, K'Ren willingly took Deacon's hands in her own. She knew it was part of the ceremony but touch could be a powerful calming agent and for all the nerves she was feeling, she suspected, well could sense, that he was as nervous as she felt.

She waited for Nerina to ask her Deacon if he took her as his wife, smiling up at him as he said he did. Purring away, when Nerina asked her if she took him as mate, she nodded, agreeing with the words even as she kept her gaze on Deacon. "I do," she said simply. Her face flushed a little when Nerina asked if they had specific words to share. Deacon's response, his statement that the words they'd spoken were private, between them only, K'Ren nodded her agreement. She turned back to Deacon, her face feeling a little flush as he spoke the words Nerina gave him.

And it seemed so fast that Deacon said his vows to her, pledging to live with her, cherish and care for her, be her mate through everything life brought, until death separated them. Now her turn she paused breifly, she knew the words roughly. "Xander," she began, feeling her voice crack a little as she began her public commitment to the love of her life. "I take you as you are, loving who you are. I promise from this day forward, To be grateful for our love and our life. To be generous with my time, my energy and my affection." She paused briefly, looking up into his face as his hand went to her cheek. "To be patient with you and with myself. To fill our life with adventure and our home with laughter. To inspire you to grow as an individual." She could feel tears welling up as she spoke, forcing her to pause for a moment to recompose herself. She'd said same words to her last mate, only to lose him. She hoped this one she would grow old with, see their cubs grow old enough to themselves become parents. "To love you completely. These things, I pledge to you, Xander."

Re: Prologue: Insurgency [ Day 05 | 2315 hrs. ]

Reply #48 –
[ Khorin, son of Margon, of House Mo'Kai | | Day 5 | 2315 hrs.| Maintenance Bays | The Versant ]
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Attn: @Auctor Lucan  @Brutus  @Zenozine  @Masorin  @SummerDawn  @chXinya @Absinthe  @steelphoenix  @Blue Zephyr @patches  @Fife  & @Triage


While Khorin waited for Zeph's response, he watched how the Theurgy former first officer advanced to the center of the cargo bay, followed closely by Neko, the murderous-eyed man and the other feline, Cross' crew fellow. The Klingon lifted his chin slightly and followed them with his gaze, furrowed brows and his ramble silenced instantly. Something was cooking up. Many of the abductees watched with curiosity the strange procession, until Nerina revealed the reason of that spectacle, his Wolf fellow and the murderboy had decided to celebrate their wedding in that ill-fated situation. Or re-celebrate it, the matter wasn't very clear to him. Of course it wasn't the time or the situation the Klingon had chosen, but it was his duty as a packmate to attend the ceremony and show his support for his squad fellow.


He raised to his feet, didn't feeling like left Zeph side, but compelled by the circumstances “Well, at least we all follow a stric dress-coat” he joked as he helped the betazoid to stand up. The woman seemed sleepy and exhausted. Khorin couldn't but help feeling guilty for not allowing her to rest and promised himself to find a place so that she could rest as soon as possible. Zephyr, on the other hand, seemed to suddenly wake up, cocking her head and looking towards the place where Cross and his crew fellow were isolated. "You go ahead to the wedding. There's someone that needs help. I'll meet you there okay?" The pilot nodded slightly in response, before she put herself on her tiptoes to kiss his scruffy cheek. He only could grin like an idiot, looking her bounce off across the bay, the tiredness reflecting on her slightly sunken shoulders despite the determination that guided her steps. The Klingon chuckled resoundingly and shaked his head before heading towards the ceremony.


When he arrived, standing in the front row, Nerina had already begun the ceremony. To his disappointment, the former Klingon hybrid had decided to hold a standard Federation ceremony, so they couldn't raid the bride and groom at the end of the ritual. Which diminished a huge amount of the fun of the ceremony. Even in spite of his disappointment, Khorin squared his broad shoulders and listened to the votes of the couple. One phrase struck him particularly: that they were more than themselves separately. That stirred a memory in the back of his brain, he remembered vaguely that someone once said that victory was hollow without someone to share it with. So those cats had decided face the incoming conflict declaring in front of all abductees that they would face the battle with someone with whom to share it, whether at the end it was a victory or another ending. For a moment, the pilot thought that the ceremony itself wasn't as crazy as he had initially believed. His eyes flew over the crowd in search of whoever wanted him to be by his side in case of victory, but the throng prevented him from finding her.

Re: Chapter 06: Insurgency [ Day 05 | 2315 hrs. ]

Reply #49 –
[ Ensign Lin Kae | Maintenance Bays | The Versant ] Attn: @Zenozine @Blue Zephyr
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When being told he should take a back seat in any future technical endeavours, Lin Kae bit his tongue, remembering how he had just asked Nerina to accompany the team that would try to free Thea. He did not want to disrespect the Ovri in their judgement, and he would try to - literally - keep his fingers to himself as best as he might. He just hoped he would have a good team on his side.

Then, the Ovri explained that they had switched sexes, conforming to the norm. Lin Kae's eyes widened, incredulous to the fact that the Savi would go out of their way to standardise species in such a fashion. It was invasive in so many different ways, and yet... If Vinata Vojona was supposed to be - or at least identified himself - as male, why hadn't the siblings been changed so that Vinata would have a fully male body? Wouldn't it be more 'correct' if Hylota had been Corrected to have female curves along with her original sex? Was it a matter of ease for the Savi? Merely changing the genitals instead of the whole body? Given what they had done to the rest of the abductees in the bay, it surprised Lin Kae that something like that would stop them.

"You know," he told Vinata, flexing his fingers where he sat, "when the Ishtar Entity visited upon the Theurgy, I ended up switching bodies with a female pilot aboard the ship. Don't ask me why. The entity seemed to be toying with us. In any case, I can sympathise with how... odd things ought to be for the two of you. For a couple of hours, I was fully female, and it gave me... unique perspective. It helped me in my programming of Thea's upgrades, where I was able to..."

He trailed off, because Hylota suddenly seemed distraught. She began to lash out, violent because of what she seemed to have realised. Then, when she explained, it became perfectly clear. Lin Kae had only met the Klingon nurse briefly, and he didn't know Hylota had... made eggs with him. But her reasoning was solid.

"Hey, hey, easy now. There is no way to be certain... unless, we ask the one Lieutenant Commander Tiran has made and alliance with. The one who sent us these suits. He could not only tell us if it's aboard, but where it is, right?" He tried to give Hylota an encouraging smile, his hand on her shoulder, but careful not to lay his fingerstips against her. "Come, let's talk to her, and we might even ask for a medkit as well, since there are more people than me who were hurt when we fought our way into Enterprise's engineering. Come, I can do the talking..."

Kae would have attended the wedding if it wasn't for his treatment and what Hylota had said. What he did was to try and be so inconspicuous as possible as he made his way over to the officer with the blue streak in her hair. He did not want to disturb the wedding in any way, so when he reached Blue Tiran, inclining his head to the bald Vulcan sitting next to her and looking briefly towards the Betazoid that had aided them in the Enterprise simulation, he spoke in a very low voice. "I'm sorry to distrurb you, Lieutenant Commander. I am Lin Kae, holographic specialist on the Theurgy. This is Hylota Vojona and Vinata Vojona, two Ovri nurses that also served on the Theurgy. We... have a request to our ally on this ship. We need a medkit, and... we also need to verify something. It might be that the Savi also took an egg from the Theurgy, since it is an egg carrying what may become a cross between a Klingon and an Ovri. It's Hylota's egg, and she fears it might be aboard."

He paused there, clearing his throat. "Do you think our ally can find this egg, if it's aboard, and provide us with a medkit as well?"

[ Commander Nerina | Maintenance Bays | The Versant ] Attn: All
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When the two had made their pledges, Nerina smiled, and spoke again.

"Now... is where you might have traded tokens of your pledge, but this can be done later... given the circumstances." When she said this, there were a few chuckles from the crowd, the humour not lost on them. Nerina continued in an explanatory way, her smile warm. "Humans have rings, other species have other tokens, so you can choose if it's important to you. When, and if, you find something that fits your pledge to each other, you can say 'This token symbolizes my love for you, and the commitments we have made.' Personally, I'd say this is something to fight for, to trade these tokens after we get off this ship."

Having said this, she concluded the ceremony, her tone becoming more official again.

"Xander Deacon Maryk and K'Ren Maryk, you have come here today of your own free will and in the presence of your crew, declared your love and commitment to each other. By the power of your love and commitment to each other, and by the power vested in me as a Commander in Starfleet and your ranking officer, I now pronounce you husband and wife."

The declaration made, it was finished.

"Congratulations," she said, remaining as she stood with her hands clasped behind her back. "Crews of the Endeavour and the Theurgy, I now present to you the newly married couple. Let’s hear it for ‘em!"

Despite the ordeals they had been through, the majority of the gathered applauded and spoke their support, shouting not being advisable since they were hiding on an enemy ship. Nerina inclined her head to Deacon and K'Ren. "You may now share your first kiss as husband and wife."

That was not, perhaps, true given their previous bond, but at least in accordance to the fleet's traditions.

OOC: After this wedding is done, this Prologue will now remain open for any further development in the bay at that hour. I will be writing my characters as they set up to sleep, and when we feel we are done with this thread, I will lock it. Supplemental threads are, of course, still available, and encouraged for this night in hiding. A new Chapter will be posted eventually, where the next day - and the mayhem - will begin. Here are the characters present in Blue Tiran's hideout in the Maintenance Bays. The naming convention for Supplemental threads belonging to this Prologue is: Prologue: Supplemental [ Day XX | XXXX hrs. ] Insert Title. Here goes: [Show/Hide]
 
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