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CH03: S [D06|0940] Family First

Lt JG Salem Martin| USS Theurgy | Vivian's Quarters] Attn: @The Ostrich
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Salem had been hesitant to hail Vivian, he wanted to see her in person first and foremost. Since the ship reintegrated she had been stuck in meetings. He hadn't managed to catch her while she had been on duty, and didn't want to pull her away from her work as chief of the science department. In a way he guessed he could have called what he had done pinging her location through ship sensors to find out where she was after the meeting had ended, was a bit stalker-ish.

But this is why he had saddled himself with a ship full of traitors. He had come here due in part to find out why Vivian would do so. Of course sense coming here he had long found out that this place wasn't at all like serving on a pirate ship. Something that both impressed and disapointed him. He was glad and impressed that the crew kept to the conventions of Starfleet and the assembled order of command that he had gotten so used too.

He was a touch disappointed that he wouldn't get to see what a modern day pirate ship would look like outside of stories from the badlands and neutral zones.

Serving here made him feel like he had chosen correctly in following this place. But at the same time since he had been told that Vivian was here he had more than a few questions. Plus he had been relieved to hear about her. The resolve was lost before the Cayuuga had gone into the nebula. The last thing he had heard about Vivian or her ship was that they had become MIA in the neutral  zone in the Romulan boarder.

So coming to Vivian's door he pressed the doorbell, and waited for her to give word to come in. He had to wonder just how shocked she would be to see him.

Re: CH03: S [D06|0940] Family First

Reply #1 –
[ LtCmdr Vivian Martin | Vivian’s Quarters | Deck 15 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Masorin

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Having finally finished briefing her science officers Vivian headed for her quarters. She needed some peace and quiet after the events of the past few hours, nay, days. Everything since the vectors had split had been hell, with little chance for some peace. Even now there was very little time for rest and relaxation. In less than half an hour their crazy warp jump would end, and spit them out who knew where.

Arriving in her quarters Vivian removed her uniform jacket, combadge still attached, and tossed it at a chair. She was weary and her aim was off, she cursed quietly as it sailed over her target and slapped into the wall, then slid down to the floor. She glared at the offending jacket as she stalked towards it. She stopped as she heard her door chime. Turning Vivian directed her glare at the door, all she wanted were a few short minutes to clear her head. She stomped toward the door, intending to give the person on the other side a piece of her mind. She opened the door, her mouth opening with the intent to let not very politely ask the visitor to leave. However the words died in her throat as she beheld the face of the man who had come to see her.

Salem.

Her brother.

He was here.

He had come to visit her.

Sure that she must be dreaming Vivian reached out and poked him in the chest. Feeling resistance she knew that he was really here. She looked up at him, a thousand different thought and emotions racing through her head.

Then she slapped him.

A resounding crack split the air as she struck him straight across the cheek with all of her might.  ”WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE SALEM!!” She yelled at him, fury etched into her features.

It took Vivian a moment to realize that she had just slapped, and then yelled at her brother. When the cogs finally clicked into place her eyes widened and her hands flew to her mouth in horror. ”Oh shit, Salem, I didn’t mean...I slapped you...oh god I’m so sorry!” She leaped forward and wrapped her arm around him and burying her face in his shoulder. She could feel hot, wet, salty tears flowing freely from her eyes, and Salem could no doubt feel them soaking into the shoulder of his uniform. She began to cry properly, sobs wracking her frame as the stress of the past few days caught up with her and Vivian surrendered gladly to her tumultuous emotions as she held herself close to her twin, seeking comfort in his embrace.

Re: CH03: S [D06|0940] Family First

Reply #2 –
Lt JG Salem Martin| USS Theurgy | Vivian's Quarters] Attn: @The Ostrich
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When Vivian poked him he wondered if she had enough coffee, or if he had caught her while she was half asleep. He had expected her to say hi, or really say anything, instead she slapped him hard across the face. He felt his jaw sting as he rubbed his face, she yelled at him. "Yeah love you too." He said  rubbing his jaw, there was a quick flash of anger where he wanted to yell at her. What the fuck was she doing here?

Why was she assisting traitors and pirates? what the hell happened to her old ship the resolve, what brought her here?

Instead he felt her hug him. He listened to her meek apology, and then felt her break down and cry. His arms offered no judgement as he returned Vivian's embrace, his family was here. She was crying, and held Vivian for a moment, brushing her hair, gently and slowly moving her back into her room so that he could close the door. No one on this ship needed to see their chief science officer cry.

Plus his own tears were joining hers now. He held her, as his eyes became wet and stung. He cried less out of the stress from the last few days, but more out of a sudden feeling of joy at just having back someone he had thought he had lost. Was this how she had felt back when he had showed up on earth?

His hand brushed through his twins dark hair. gently holding her and supporting her as she got her shit together enough to at least stand on her own legs. "It's okay."

He ran the sleeve of his uniform to Vivian's cheek cleaning her tears. "Yes, I'm here."

"How the hell did you get here? The Resolve went MIA, what the hell happened?"

Re: CH03: S [D06|0940] Family First

Reply #3 –
[ LtCmdr Vivian Martin | Vivian’s Quarters | Deck 15 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Masorin

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Vaguely Vivian was aware of moving backwards. When she heard the door slide closed she figured that Salem must have carried her into her quarters. She held him close for several minutes, sobbing into his shoulder. She could feel him running his hand through her hair. It was an oddly calming gesture and finally, when she began to feel like herself again, Vivian gently removed her face from his shoulder. Her eyes were red and her face stained with tears. She gave a choking, sobbing, laugh as he used his sleeve to wipe away her tears.

She gently took his hand into hers and smiled, her eyes still brimming with tears. ”Its...its a long story. T-take a seat.” She gently led him to her couch and sat. She kicked off her boots, then tucked her feet up under her bum and rested her head on his shoulder. ”The Resolve...we were investigating an unusual anomaly which flung us across the far side of Romulan space. Three years it took us to get back to Starbase eighty-four. We thought we were home. That all would be well again and we would be able to finally relax and tell our families we were alive. But that was not so.”

Vivian felt a surge of anger. Had the crew of the Resolve not suffered enough? Had they not been tested to their limit already? To come back to a heroes welcome at Starbase 84, only to find that their dear Federation was no longer in control of itself. ”The Theurgy showed up and we learnt the truth, Salem. After being gone for so long we thought our trial had ended. We thought all would be well in the universe, but no! These thrice blasted parasites ruined that too!”

She wanted the throw things and yell and curse and scream the unfairness out to the world. She had lost too many good friends that day, including her dearest Jessica Lyhn. Vivian draped an arm across her brother’s shoulders, her hand coming to rest on his bicep. She sighed deeply and squeezed his arm for comfort. None of that mattered now. She had her brother back. The one person in the universe she knew she could trust beyond any other.

”You haven’t answered my question though, what are you doing here? What happened to the ship you were on that caused you to get picked up by us?”

Re: CH03: S [D06|0940] Family First

Reply #4 –
Lt JG Salem Martin| USS Theurgy | Vivian's Quarters] Attn: @The Ostrich
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Sitting on the comfortable sofa, sprawling out for a moment, and feeling Vivian put her head on his shoulder Salem had one immediate thought. 'Her quarters are so much better than mine'. After that moment of envy passed him and he eased into the situation listening to what happened to the resolve he sighed. Had it really been three years? The time had blended together so quickly that he didn't really know what to say about it. He looked at Vivian hearing her story. When she said that she learned the truth he was guessing she was talking about the parasite stuff.

"So you actually believe that the Federation has been taken over by pod people?" He said in a gross simplification of the situation that had been explained to him. To him the 'truth' didn't really make a lot of sense. But he had a long history of disliking the decisions made by Starfleet command.  Though not because they were becoming a hawk faction, but because they weren't extreme enough.

Cardassia should have burned to glass. If it was true that there were monsters in the Federation who lived off of suffering of others, than it was a hard arguement to him because that choice should have been easy rather than yet more boarder agreements and treaties. Another time and another universe there would have been an easy solution to the dominion war.

She said the parasites ruined the 84 reunion, he shrugged his shoulders, he had yet to see any personal evidence on that front. "Well a little while after you vanished, I was posted to the Cayuuga."

He paused for a moment brushing his chin and looking at Vivian. "for the last week or so we were doing some expedition into the nebula, communications cut off from the rest of the Federation. We hit a Borg Cube, and barely managed to get out with our lives. Our ship was damaged to the point where we couldn't go into warp speeds."

"We met up with one of the vectors answering our distress call in disguise as another ship, something that did not go well immediately, but with the pressing threat of the borg, there was more immediate things to do than get our asses handed to us a second time. I joined up with an away mission with a mix of our crews, saw two borg cubes, a frozen drone in space, and well... after all of that I heard my sister was aboard the theurgy, so I signed up after we got back to the ship."

His long winded explination of how he got here helped to really prioritize the information that he had in the moment.  "I don't know if I believe the pod person, parasite thing. I honestly don't know if i even care, the Borg were a more present danger to our health that needed to be addressed, and well... your the last of the family I have. I had to put first ahead of the Federation and Starfleet. Your the science geek, You can probably figure out that parasite thing, me I'm just here to fire the cannons." He pressed his elbow against his sister ribbing her slightly when he called her a geek. He firmly believed that if their positions were reversed she would have done the same.

Re: CH03: S [D06|0940] Family First

Reply #5 –
[ LtCmdr Vivian Martin | Vivian’s Quarters | Deck 15 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Masorin

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She listened closely as her twin recounted his recent adventures in the nebula. She gently squeezed his arm as he described the Borg attack, and smirked when he explained his reasons for jumping ship upon their rescue.

Vivian squirmed and moved away slightly as the elbow dug gently into her ribs. ”They’re real Salem.” She spoke with complete confidence, stating it as a fact. ”We have one of them locked in the brig as we speak. He was our chief medical officer and a man that I...never mind.” The memory of Nicander and the night she had spent with him caused Vivian to shudder. Trying to forget. Vivian laid her head back on her twins shoulder. ”As for being pod people...we actually know very little about these parasites. I could give you the full run down, but as you said, I’m the science geek, and it is very sciency in places.”

Closing her eyes Vivian let out a long sigh, letting her stress and weariness drain away. The presence of Salem was comforting, somebody who would always be there for her, of that she was sure. She wrapped her other arm around his body, hugging him close, afraid that if she let go he might suddenly vanish. She knew that was a stupid thought. He was here and he was real. But the irrational part of her mind kept insisting that he would disappear the moment she let go of him.

Cracking open an eye she twisted her head around until she could see his face at some crazy angle above her. ”I’m being a poor host, do you want something to drink brother?” She gestured to the small replicator sitting in its alcove across the room.

Re: CH03: S [D06|0940] Family First

Reply #6 –
Lt JG Salem Martin| USS Theurgy | Vivian's Quarters] Attn: @The Ostrich
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The confidence with which Vivian spoke to the reality of these parasites was kind of scary. When she elaborated that there was one in the brig, he became more curious, and when she cut herself off, he could fill in the rest. Someone had hurt his sister. He was trying to make jokes, but there was really no making light of that situation. "I'm... sorry." He said rubbing his neck for a moment, it wasn't like he would have been able to stop it from happening, he just felt bad that he hadn't been there to support his sister through all of these trying times that she had.

He felt her body wrap around his, and his own arms returned that hug. He sighed looking her over, he felt tired, but didn't really want to close his eyes at the moment. He was still recovering from their crying fit, and every time he blinked he wasn't sure if he was dreaming or if he was awake. This past week had been so full of horrors that honestly he wasn't really sure if he was here, or if he had just fallen asleep on the tactical display on the Cayuga and was just hearing the red alert in his sleep.  He brushed his sisters hair enjoying a quiet moment before she offered him a drink.

"Can't we have to be on the bridge in like 30 minutes." He muttered half asleep, the offer of a drink equated to alchohol in his mind, he did drink, but not during what would otherwise be a work day. "Your sofa is more comfortable than my bed." He said softly his eyes half closed.

Actually he had never been in a department heads room, his eye opened, and he looked about for decorations if there were any. He didn't really know what to expect in looking around. He could see the door way to her sleeping area. there was of course the dining area, the shelves. His room, had a desk, a private shower, and a bed. So this is what heading up a department got you."Is it true you get a bathtub in these rooms? if so, I'm kicking you out, don't need to change the name plate I live here now."

Re: CH03: S [D06|0940] Family First

Reply #7 –
[ LtCmdr Vivian Martin | Vivian’s Quarters | Deck 15 | USS Theurgy ] Attn:

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Nodding she closed her eyes again and allowed her head to seek out his shoulder once again. ”No drinks, good, that means I don’t need to get off the couch.” She smirked at his next comment ”Surely your bed isn’t that bad.”

When he mentioned kicking her out of her own quarters Vivian laughed loudly and gently pushed her brother forward in a deliberately weak attempt to push him off the couch. ”Perks of being a department head brother. I get a bathtub. After a long day it is quite nice to sit and soak in it for a while.” She laughed again and stuck her tongue out at him. ”You aren’t kicking me out. I like these quarters too much. If it’s the bathtub you want then all you need to do is ask. I’d let you use it any time. You know that, anything for my brother.”

She gave Salem a quick peck on his cheek, as a token of her sisterly love for him. ”I mean that Salem, anything you need on this ship, you come to me yeah?” She had lost him during the Dominion War, and he had lost her when the Resolve had been reported MIA. The twins had spent too much time apart, and Vivian was going to do everything in her power to make sure that they stayed together for as long as possible.

Re: CH03: S [D06|0940] Family First

Reply #8 –
Lt JG Salem Martin| USS Theurgy | Vivian's Quarters] Attn: @The Ostrich
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"It's better than most of the beds I have slept on, but no I'd still call your sofa the winner here. Gotta remember I was a Crewman at one point in my career, while you were studying in the fancy academy I was sharing bunks." Salem said with a soft scoff, he didn't know what else to really say, when he felt Vivian give him a peck on the cheek he chuckled. He did however need to move. If he fell asleep here and now, a thought that was very tempting with his sister so closely cuddled up to him he would be exhausted by the time it was actually due for him to do real work.

The promise that he could use her bathtub whenever he desired was a sweet bonus. "Hurrah for nepotism." He said giving his arm a wave, but he adjusted himself gently pushing vivian to sit up. "If we keep cuddled together like this, I'm gonna fall asleep, and I'd really like that cause I have been on my feet since." He blinked, the away mission had been a day's gig, then the rejoining of the ship happened, when the crap was the last time he slept? He didn't remember, there had to be some rules about pulling quadruple shifts.

"I think I'm gonna take you up on the offer of a drink, coffee, double double." He said softly as he ran a hand over his chin and looked at the table. "and hey, just to get the brain going again, how about a game?"

Though he hated calling up the ships holo emitters as he had a perfectly good board in his room made of a fine replicated ivory, he didn't want to actually leave the comfort of his seat as he was forcing Vivian out of her chair to do so. So he went about requesting a chess board be made for the two of them. "I'll let you take the first turn, You may need the advantage."










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Re: CH03: S [D06|0940] Family First

Reply #9 –
[ LtCmdr Vivian Martin | Vivian’s Quarters | Deck 15 | USS Theurgy ] Attn:

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”Hey! Its not nepotism, its just me being kind to my brother.” Vivian poked her tongue out at him as her pushed her up, until she was supporting her own weight. ”Two double coffees, and a game, I like the sound of that.” Smiling she moved across the room and quickly replicated the drinks. The appeared in the usual whirring shower of light, and were gently steaming as she picked them up and returned to her seat.

The board was already prepared when she sat. She took a sip of her drink and passed the other to Salem. She smiled slyly at him over the rim of her mug as he gave her the advantage of going first. ”I’ll make you regret that mistake later.” Her gaze shifted to the board, and after two brief seconds of contemplation she moved one of her pawns. A simple and standard opening move, nothing fancy or funny going on just yet.



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Re: CH03: S [D06|0940] Family First

Reply #10 –
Lt JG Salem Martin| USS Theurgy | Vivian's Quarters] Attn: @The Ostrich
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Salem took his coffee, and blew on it, watching the steam rise up from the hot cup. It smelled delicious, coffee was one of those things that was different on every single starship that you served on. Allegedly the preset coffee roast was something selected by the captain before the ship even leaves dry dock, as there are over 100 different species of coffee beans on earth alone, though if that is true it's a rule of ship construction that was never written down. He chuckled at Vivian's threat to make him regret going first. "You're probably right Nerd."

"You have been with the Theurgy crew a bit now right? What's your general take on them?" Before meeting this crew himself his own vision of them was that they were a mad bunch of pirates, something he was still kinda disappointed in as it meant he didn't get to replicate a fancy hat. He wanted to get more of his sisters opinion of the people he was going to be working with for the long foreseeable future.

"I mean they are letting you be their head scientist so their safety seems a little lax." He stuck out his tongue as he teased her. "Started any lab fires on this ship yet?"

He reached over to the board and moved his king side knight to F3, stroking his chin in consideration for a moment. Before shifting in his seat, and taking off his uniforms jacket revealing the white muscle shirt and strengthened core. Hanging the jacket over the side of the sofa so it wouldn't wrinkle as he took a sip of coffee.


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Re: CH03: S [D06|0940] Family First

Reply #11 –
[ LtCmdr Vivian Martin | Vivian’s Quarters | Deck 15 | USS Theurgy ]

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”The crew?” Vivian wriggled her shoulders as she settled comfortably into her seat ”They’re a good crew. They’ve upheld their honour and the principals of Starfleet and the Federation despite being hunted and branded traitors.”

”I’ll have you know I haven’t started a lab fire since the academy” She grinned back at him and took a sip of her coffee. She watched Salem keenly, hoping that something about him, his posture, the way he stroked his chin, anything, would give away his strategy.

The casual way in which he moved one of his knights put Vivian slightly at ease. Perhaps he had not yet decided upon a strategy. Vivian looked quickly at the board and moved one of her pawns.

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Reply #12 –
Lt JG Salem Martin| USS Theurgy | Vivian's Quarters] Attn: @The Ostrich
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"Well yeah, I could see that the moment one of their crew members came to me with concerns of being bullied. They conduct themselves like officers, that's not what I wanted to know. I don't want to know about proffessional Vivian's opinion, I want to know about how you feel they are. Do you have any friends aboard the ship? people you trust? enemies to watch out for? Anyone that's cute?"

Salem sighed, he could feel her eyes upon him trying to read his expressions during the game. He had a passion for strategy games, this was usually his Saturday night back in the barracks trying to find people to play board games. In his room he had packed a bag full of all the miniature ships he had replicated for his various war games. So he had long ago worked out his tells, and as he sat looking at the board he was calm. Taking one of his pawns and moving it one space forward.

He could see that Vivian was trying to keep the battle to the center of the board. He leaned back in his chair. "I met a Borg drone, well former one anyway. We literally had to follow the voices in her head to find the collective. She seemed kinda immature, so I was thinking maybe I would send her way. She wanted to know more about the computer science side of life. Plus you can datamine her skull for good ideas."





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Re: CH03: S [D06|0940] Family First

Reply #13 –
[ LtCmdr Vivian Martin | Vivian’s Quarters | Deck 15 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Masorin

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She almost choked on her drink as he questioned her further about the crew. Anyone that’s cute? She struggled to keep her face neutral, but knew she was failing. There were many cute people on the crew. And Vivian had screwed more than one of them. However that was information that Salem didn’t need to know and would not find out any time soon. ”Umm...ahhh...cute, ummm, yeah, there are some cute people on the ship, and I have several friends, don’t worry about that.”

Enemies on the other hand, there were a few of those. Task Force Archeron for a start, and the parasites. However she was confident those were not the enemies he was referring to. The Devoted wouldn’t necessarily be considered an enemy, but certainly a danger to those whom they suspected to oppose their cult. ”Beware of the Devoted brother.” That came out more cryptic than she had intended and she screwed up her face as she reconsidered her words ”They’re a cult, for lack of a better description. Worshiping Sarresh Morali, one of the science officers who was kidnapped by the Versant. I don’t recall exactly what their goals were, but they attacked several people, including me.” She absently rubbed the side of her head, recalling the blows that had struck her and knocked her to the floor.

He spoke again once he had moved his piece, and she listened as she observed the board, looking at the layout of the pieces. After a short period of contemplation she moved one of her Bishops. ”I don’t suppose this ex-Borg came with you? She could prove useful. Also, Check.” She grinned at him as she warned him of her early attack toward his king.


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Re: CH03: S [D06|0940] Family First

Reply #14 –
Lt JG Salem Martin| USS Theurgy | Vivian's Quarters] Attn: @The Ostrich
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"A cult? Like what out of an old holonovel?" If it weren't for the fact that this was Viivian talking he would tell her she was crazy. Cults were a thing of the long past. The last real cult he had ever heard of was about a hundred years ago when a group of radical Vulcan's tried to take over the enterprise, and why was someone from the science department being worshiped like a god?

"The hell is with this ship?" He said shaking his head a little. He supposed invisible parasites that controlled the minds of others was a stretch to believe so why not some cult in the science department. When Vivian called check Salem moved a pawn in front of the bishops movement.

"Yeah the Borg Drone is actually one of your's she's a security officer on your ship somewhere. Ensign Six, you'll like her." He said slightly amused for the moment. He took a sip of his coffee, and sighed for a moment putting it down so he could get up to his feet for a moment to stretch himself out. Though he had been having fun his look turned for the more dower and sad, he sighed for a moment knowing that there was something that Vivian didn't know. "Vivian, I have some bad news. While you were gone, mom's health took a turn for the worst. Neurological disorder... she, died."

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Re: CH03: S [D06|0940] Family First

Reply #15 –
[ LtCmdr Vivian Martin | Vivian’s Quarters | Deck 15 | USS Theurgy ]

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Fully expecting a move similar to the one Salem had just performed Vivian quickly pulled her Bishop back a square to safety. She grinned at him, a sign that her test of his reactions had gone exactly as she had hoped. Her smiled quickly faded however when she saw the expression he now wore and heard the words coming out of his mouth.

"Vivian, I have some bad news. While you were gone, mom's health took a turn for the worst. Neurological disorder... she, died."

She heard the words, but they didn’t register and simply bounced around in her head. Dead. Their mother. Gone. Her mouth opened and closed several times, but no sounds came out. She could feel hot wet tears leaving trails down her face. She held her arms out to Salem, and pulled him in to another hug, sobbing into his shoulder again. Their mother was gone, and she had died unsure of the fate of her daughter. After a time Vivian managed to pull herself together and sit back on her couch, her face stained with tears once more. ”Wh-wh-when d-did it happen? H-how is dad? Did-did she s-suffer?”

She could feel her lip trembling and more tears building up as she asked her questions. Bravely she held herself back from bursting in to more tears. She had to be strong. Her mother would have wanted her daughter to be strong and keep her chin up.


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Re: CH03: S [D06|0940] Family First

Reply #16 –
Lt JG Salem Martin| USS Theurgy | Vivian's Quarters] Attn: @The Ostrich
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Holding his sister today had been a very stressful day. He held her gently rubbing her back as she cried into him, his eyes leaving the chessboard alone for a moment, half tempted to tel the computer to pause the game there would be other chances to play, but at the same time he was starting to see his strategy work. That said he knew Vivian would need him in the moment. He held her as she sobbed into his shoulder. Till she had regained some of herself, and he watched her go through some of the questions on her mind.

"About a year ago. Her memory deteriorated quickly advanced Irumodic Syndrome. By the time I got to Edessa she was already in Palliative. I was there for her to help. She asked about you a lot, I always told her you were alive, safe, but couldn't get away from your work." Salem had seen the resolve go MIA, and never once for a second did he believe that Vivian was dead. Killing a Martin was no easy task. "She went peacefully in her sleep." He held Vivian's hand gently.

"Dad is okay, last time I talked to him was a few hours before we entered the Nebula. Edessa is still the... beautiful paradise that we left behind so that I could go scrub decks for the rest of my life." He said with a wry sense of humor. "He didn't take it too well, he lost the love of his life, but he's still young, and strong. He's determined to outlive us both." Their father would have been proud to hear Vivian was alive, after Salem's return to life the two of them had known she couldn't just be gone.

"We never gave up on you."


~Game paused~
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Re: CH03: S [D06|0940] Family First

Reply #17 –
[ LtCmdr Vivian Martin | Vivian’s Quarters | Deck 15 | USS Theurgy ]

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Never gave up on her. Vivian knew that her brother spoke the truth. Just as when he had vanished during the war, she had known he was alive and would return one day, and he had. She smiled kindly at him as she wiped the last few tears from her cheeks. ”I know you didn’t. Just as I never gave up hope that I would see you again.”

There was something nagging in the back of her mind. Something he had said about their mother and her illness. She mentally shrugged, she was sure she would figure it out sooner or later. ”I’m sure dad would...” Then it clicked ”Wait, did you say she had Irumodic Syndrome? Salem! That’s a genetic disease!”

With Irumodic Syndrome being a genetic disease it meant that Vivian and Salem were both at risk of developing it too, seeing as their mother had been a carrier. Vivian was deeply concerned now. If either she or her brother developed the illness it would kill them, as their mother had gone, so would they. ”We need to visit sickbay, as soon as we can. We need to get tested to see if we are likely to develop the disease..”


~Game paused~
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Re: CH03: S [D06|0940] Family First

Reply #18 –
Lt JG Salem Martin| USS Theurgy | Vivian's Quarters] Attn: @The Ostrich
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"Uh, yeah... actually about that." Salem sat back down sliding into his chair, and took a deep breath. The day was about to get a touch more trippy, so he decided to show rather than tell. He took out a small hypospray putting it on the table. The moment he did he blushed slightly as he looked at Vivian, and then at the ground almost like he was embarassed to admit it, but it wasn't embarassement so much as fear. "I haven't shown symptoms yet."

"The disease is accelerated by old age, my time in the cardassian labor camp, stressed my body and took a few extra years off my life. I'm Asymptomatic for the moment, but the doctors started me on a treatment of peridaxon and a regulated diet. Mom's case was rapid onset yes, but she was also nearing her sixties and didn't take care of herself. With proper diet and exercise I should die in an explosion way before I start to show actual symptoms." He leaned back in his chair.

He shrugged softly. "Six, maybe seven years with current treatments? and even then it won't be rapid onset. there is a very good chance I could live well into my forties." They were thirty four, fourty was not that far off, then again this was also a ship where Salem didn't think very many people had long and fruitful careers. He had seen the Theurgy from space, it seemed to get a lot of holes blown through it.

As if to prove his point he moved a steady hand to take a pawn and used it to follow her bishop on the chess board. "If the Cardassians, Borg, and Theurgy couldn't kill me, what chance does a disease?"

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Re: CH03: S [D06|0940] Family First

Reply #19 –
[ LtCmdr Vivian Martin | Vivian’s Quarters | Deck 15 | USS Theurgy ]

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"I haven't shown symptoms yet."

Those words echoed in her ears as she felt her eyes brimming with tears once more. Determined to be strong she quickly wiped her eyes and stood, moving away from the couch and staring out the window at the starfield streaking past. She listened as he spoke, explaining the situation to her. Eventually she managed to choke out a single question. ”How long?”

"Six, maybe seven years with current treatments? and even then it won't be rapid onset. there is a very good chance I could live well into my forties." Well into his forties? The twins were already thirty four. In the grand scheme of things, fourty was not very far away. Vivian was furious, not at Salem, nor at the disease, but at the universe itself. To put it simply it was not fair. First the Resolve had been flung across the quadrant, then upon their return they had discovered the corruption of Starfleet and had thus been forced to flee and be branded as traitors. Having barely had time to process that she had been reunited with her brother, who had informed her of their mother’s death, and the fact that he carried the very same disease that had killed her, a disease that Vivian likely carried too.

"If the Cardassians, Borg, and Theurgy couldn't kill me, what chance does a disease?"

She punched the wall angrily, then swore violently, cradling her sore knuckles. She turned back from the window, her glare fixed upon her twin.  ”That’s not funny Salem.” One of her boots was lying on the floor nearby. She gave it a solid kick and was supremely satisfied as it flew across the room and thumped against the door before falling to the ground. Growling under her breath she flopped down on the couch again and unthinkingly moved her Bishop away from the advancing Pawn. ”Why the hell does the universe hate me? What did I ever do to offend it Salem?” That was the only explanation currently coming to her emotional mind, some cosmic force was out to make her life a misery.


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Re: CH03: S [D06|0940] Family First

Reply #20 –

Lt JG Salem Martin| USS Theurgy | Vivian's Quarters] Attn: @The Ostrich
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Salem watched as Vivian attacked the wall, in an excersize of futility. He understood her anger, but he had gotten used to the idea that he wouldn't have lived that long a life a long time ago. In his mind he had cheated death so many times that the bill was bound to come through eventually. Having a time limit to his burning candle just meant that he had to do what he could to make sure the most good came from his remaining life. He watched her sit back down and rejoin the game of chess. He moved close to his sister, pulling her into a gentle embrace.

His hand rubbed Vivian's back for a moment as he looked at her, a soft smile on his features. He leaned her body so that her head could once again rest on his shoulders. "Vivian, if I have learned one thing in my life it is that the universe cares very little for us on an individual level, but we as an individual can leave a great impact on the universe." He didn't really know if what he was about to say was going to make sense. So he took the break in silence to lift his previously moved knight and move it to a new safe location.

"I've seen the worst that the universe can offer a person, time and time again. I don't talk a lot about all of the stuff I saw in the past, in the labor camp, I try to keep it behind me, but do you know what I saw a lot of?" He smiled for a moment as he probed his mind for those memories in the darker times that he would rather forget. "Every time we would get kicked down, every time we were withheld food, or pulled away for punishment, I saw people pull together. If one prisoner was denied a meal two more would risk their necks to sneak some of theirs to them. When my back was torn open, an old Bajoran nurse used some thread and needle to stitch it back together."

"I'm trying to say that you can focus on how the universe has wronged us, taken time away from us, and it has, or you can look at all the things it took for us to meet up again, and you realize that the universe... is a lot smaller than the massive star charts. The good we do with our lives seems to have a gross positive gain, as it inspires others to do good, and so forth. You can't focus on all the wrong. You can look at it as though I may only have seven years or you can see it the way I do, that I have seven good years to do with as I please, a free man, able to pay forward and do as much good as I can with that time."


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Re: CH03: S [D06|0940] Family First

Reply #21 –
[ LtCmdr Vivian Martin | Vivian’s Quarters | Deck 15 | USS Theurgy ]

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Vivian had no words after her brother’s long speech. He had never mentioned anything about the labor camp to her, and she knew nothing of what he had endured there. She chewed her lip and moved one of her pawns as she contemplated his words.

”What...what do you mean, your back was torn open?” She didn’t want to try and force anything from him, but she was curious and concerned for her twin. If she could help him to work through that in any way then she was determined to do her best. ”A thread and needle? Stitches? Salem...oh my brother...that...that would have left scars...no?” Her lip trembled as her mind jumped from one terrible scenario to another at the speed of light.


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Re: CH03: S [D06|0940] Family First

Reply #22 –
Lt JG Salem Martin| USS Theurgy | Vivian's Quarters] Attn: @The Ostrich
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Moving his knight to a safe spot between her pawns was probably the easiest thing he had to do in the current moment. He gave a steady sigh. He didn't talk about his experiences much because they were still uncomfortable for him to work through. A lot had happened during the years that he had been a Cardassian prisoner. He had endured a lot of pain, and even some humiliations that he couldn't exactly talk about. The only people who had seen his back were Starfleet medical. Sharing details like this, even with Vivian was difficult for him.

His face remained neutral as he stood up, his hands going to the hem of his shirt, lifting it up, and pulling it off. He turned his back towards Vivian, so that she could see everything. His body trembled slightly as he did, he never took off his shirt unless he was completely alone and in a shower. He slept with it, he swam with it, it was a layer that protected him from the outside world, exposing this even to his sister left him feeling vulnerable. His arms shook slightly as he let her look. The disfigurement was obvious. massive lines of his flesh had been ripped apart at one point, and the quick way it looked like had been put back together, had left it with branching scars up and down his back.

"Corpral punishment, I tried to shield another prisoner, so they made an example of me. They did that a lot." His voice was dark, echoing resentment. his eyes faced away from Vivian because he didn't want to see her reaction. And as quickly as he had taken off his shirt, he had put it back on. His breathing steadied a bit more, but the fact remained that Vivian had seen it, he had shown another person something that was beyond personal, it was a piece of his history.

"The amount of sessions that it would take to fix the damage, would take months with a dermal re-generator, and when they use it, they have to touch my back... at this point... it's just easier to hide it all under my uniform." He was trying to steady his breath for a moment, his mind going back to the game, trying to focus, but he felt vulnerable, naked. Part of him just wanted to leave the room.


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Re: CH03: S [D06|0940] Family First

Reply #23 –
[ LtCmdr Vivian Martin | Vivian’s Quarters | Deck 15 | USS Theurgy ]

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Vivian made a small squeaking noise and her hand flew to her mouth as she saw the damage done to his back. She had no words as her eyes traced the lines crossing his back. When he pulled his shirt back on she reached out and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. ”I...I didn’t know...Salem...I’m proud of you...protecting that other prisoner...you did a good thing. You don’t need to hide those scars from me, or from anybody. Wear them as a badge of honour and integrity. You did right by yourself, and the other prisoner, that is all that could be asked of you.”

She smiled kindly at her brother, then moved her attention back to their game. After a few moments of deliberation she moved one of her Pawns forward a couple of squares.

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Re: CH03: S [D06|0940] Family First

Reply #24 –
[ LtCmdr Vivian Martin | Vivian’s Quarters | Deck 15 | USS Theurgy ]

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Salem flinched as he felt Vivain's hand upon him. His eyes were slightly wet, and he shook his head. In his mind he hadn't really done anything. He had managed to complete that mission, he had shut down the labor camp, and the last time he had heard from that prisoner had been when he had gone to Bajor at the end of the war. It was all supposed to be behind him now like the scars. He turned towards Vivian and shook his head.

"I don't like it when people look at me. I'm not some hero, I didn't want a medal, I wanted revenge." He said softly, unable to really articulate the feeling of gut punch that had been dealt to him just by taking off his shirt, he looked at the board, and saw that Vivian had freed up her king side bishop to threaten his knight and moved it along to the next free space he could find.

"We are told in Tactical never to keep count, but everyone does. Everyone that fires a torpedo knows how many ships they have destroyed, it's not a fun job. But every time I shot at a Cardassian ship I couldn't stop myself from smiling. I was there in orbit when they were signing the peace treaty, I was sitting at my tactical station, I could feel it in my soul, and when I close my eyes I can see my hands dancing across that console, and in my dreams I turn that world to ash." Salem let out a long breath, looking at Vivian. He leaned down, and gently took Vivian's hand, squeezing it for comfort. "The scars, aren't what I am trying to hide Vivian... I think I might be a monster because of what they did."

"I know what I said earlier about trying to do the most amount of good, and paying forward everything, I do want to believe that, but I also know I'm a hypocrite, because in that moment all I wanted to do was kill them all... I try to do good, but I also know that I have a lot of blood on my hands, and the problem isn't that it's there, the problem is that I'm happy with it."


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