Star Trek: Theurgy

CH05 S: [D06|1015] From the Front

February 07, 2019, 05:13:59 AM

Chapter 05: Supplemental [Day 06 | 1015 hrs] From the Front

[Selena Ravenholm | Junior Officer’s Quarters | Deck 7 | Vector 1 | USS Theurgy]

As soon as she rushed into the room, Selena dove to her desk to retrieve the small drone that was sitting next to her console.  The last of her footage should’ve uploaded by now, and with less than 45 minutes to get back to the Bridge she didn’t have much time to finish compiling everything together.  With everything that has happened this project had languished for far too long, and with the Borg coming up over the horizon if it wasn’t finished now it may never be.

Bringing up a large file stored in her private database, Selena opens up the newest download from the drone and runs it though some preset algorithms she had set up, automatically filtering out excess recordings.  The rest of the editing she had to do by hand, watching a clip to make sure everything was set up the way it needed to be then adding it to the main file.  It took nearly 15 minutes to get the rough cuts done.  Normally she’d start running through it over and over again, but there just wasn’t time.  Hopefully the editor will recognize that and leave their edits to the bare minimum.  Assuming there’s still an FNN to play this tomorrow… Selena muttered to no one in particular.

Left with just enough time for a final review, Selena leaned back in her chair, propped her feet on the seat edge, and wrapped her arms around her knees.  With her chin propped up in the V formed that way, Selena told the computer to play from the beginning…

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[Selena Ravenholm | Corridors | USS Theurgy]

Dressed in a simple light blue blouse and dark grey pants, Selena Ravenholm, Federation News Network Contributor, looked into the camera drone hovering in the air in front of her.  It kept pace with her as she walked down the corridors of a Federation starship, dutifully recording everything she did and said.  Framed in a way to show off the look of the ship around her, Selena still took up an appropriate amount of frame.

“For the past few months few stories have rattled the Federation than the one about the USS Theurgy.  Commandeered by her own captain and crew back in November, she has been the target of a full scale Task Force as well as several individual units.  I was on board one such independent ship, the USS Harbinger, when she finally located the rogue dreadnought, but instead of battle, a far different story came.”

Still walking, Selena’s narration paused as she nodded in greeting to a passing crewmember.  “According to both Theurgy’s Captain Ives and Harbinger’s Captain Declan Vasser, Starfleet Command had been corrupted by external forces and were working in secret to destroy the Federation, and every other government in the galaxy.  Clearly a preposterous tale at first glance, but as the evidence presented started to pile up…well, lets just say that the truth is not always pleasant.  Knowing that finding the truth is a reporter’s primary duty…”  Selena paused again, this time next to a sign that read USS Theurgy in large letter, giving it a knowing look before turning back to the camera, “I stuck around in the hopes of finding out just what exactly was going on, and learn just what the crew themselves thought about their Captain’s crusade.”

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OOC: Since this is set up as a news documentary, time is a bit meaningless in here.  In theory any character that has been on Theurgy since Selena came on board could have been interviewed or allowed to share their story for her film.  As such, there is no posting order, or anything of that sort.  If you want to have a character just tell their story go right on ahead.  If you'd like to have a more traditional interview between them and Selena, please send me a PM and we'll get one started. (Bear in mind that Auctor will be CC'd in all JP message threads per sim rules, just an FYI).  If anyone has any questions on format or anything, feel free to PM me here or on Discord and I'll do my best to answer.

Long story short, have fun with this!

Re: CH05 S: [D06|1015] From the Front

Reply #1 – February 08, 2019, 12:46:05 AM

[ Lieutenant ThanIda zh'Wann | Upper Gymnasium | Before the Battle of Starbase 84 | USS Theurgy ]
[Show/Hide]

The first clip showed an Andorian woman in gym clothing, seated on a bench. She was taping her knuckles when she looked up, her blue eyes locking on the lens of the recording drone. Her white hair was braided and hung over her shoulder, and she didn’t appear very happy about being disturbed.

“The truth?” she asked, frowning, and looked away for a moment. “By Lor’Vela, the truth is that the rate of success of this mission, to show the ignorant what kind of enemy we now face, it is the yardstick that our actions will be measured with. If we fail, we will be dismissed as the traitors that Starfleet Command has made us out to be. If we just succeed, and the domestic threat is addressed, we might still be the convenient scapegoats, and stand trial for the deaths of other Starfleet officers. I don’t know how, but I suspect we might have to succeed any expectations in our duty if we’re to escape being court martialed, the whole lot of us.”

The woman’s antennae rose before she got up from the bench. “You wanted the truth? That’s the truth as I know it, and I live by it. Expectations are high, so we will do our utmost. If we don’t, we might have done it all for naught. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

Having said as much, ThanIda zh’Wann walked away from the drone and the interviewer, beginning her exercise by one of the sand bags.

Re: CH05 S: [D06|1015] From the Front

Reply #2 – February 26, 2019, 03:50:22 AM

[Selena Ravenholm & Sithick | Public Baths | Deck 6 | Vector 2 | USS Theurgy] (JP with @Masorin )

Unlike the opening narration, for this segment Selena was decked out in an off-white two- piece bathing suit of all things.  A decidedly not Starfleet issue string top kept her bosom contained, if barely, but her legs were covered in a towel as she sat on a wooden bench.  Very unprofessional for a news report, but considering the environment she was currently sitting in normal clothing was not exactly an option.  Beads of sweat clung to her skin and the camera was clearly running defog operations, both physically and optically.  If Selena was uncomfortable showing off that much skin in a public broadcast, she showed no sign of it.

"As my presence on board the Theurgy can attest, her crew has changed over the past few months, absorbing the crew of the Harbinger, the Resolve, and even the crew of a Starfleet supply depot.  Most of these beings came aboard by necessity, their ship being destroyed while Theurgy was nearby.  While I'm sure Starfleet has declared these crews dead, missing, coopted via force, or outright traitors, I can attest with personal experience that no one is on this ship against their will."

Pausing just long enough to let that statement drive home, and to shift a touch on the bench (giving those interested a little bit of a show), Selena continued, her bright silvery-blue eyes looking straight at the viewer.  "Thanks to the mingling of these crews I've been honored to meet some very unique individuals.  Most Federation citizens have met Humans, Andorians, Vulcans, Bajorans, Betazoids, Zakdorn, Bolians, and other myriad member species, Starfleet isn't limited to just member worlds and colonies.  Command level officers have the ability to sponsor just about anyone they feel worthy to serve in Starfleet, regardless of their citizenship.  With me now is the first, and so far only, Gorn in Starfleet: Petty Officer Sithick."

The camera turns to the bench opposing Selena to reveal the scaled bulk of said Gorn, relaxing with a much larger towel covering his own waist.

Sithick swallowed lightly, he had chosen the sauna because he had few precious hours these days to deal with his skin and properly keep himself maintained. The Sauna best reflected the hot humid atmosphere that the Gorn needed in order for his complexion to stay green, that said it was clear that he was not exactly comfortable in being recorded. He wore shorts under his towel, and he had taken the largest of his towels to wrap around his upper body, despite not really needing to cover himself. His yellow eyes kept drifting to the camera.

He had watched FNN back on the Opal. It had been one of the few things that had kept the majority of the crew connected to the outside world while working on the Federation Black site. So when he had recieved a message about an interview for them it had been an easy thing to agree too, but now that he was sitting across from the woman whom would be interviewing him the Gorn found himself wondering if this was the right choice. His fear of women keeping him if slightly on edge.

He had never enjoyed being the center of attention.

He raised a claw, waving it nervously towards the camera that was floating about. "Iz good to be here." He had to wonder with his low growl if the translator would have been a smarter option. If the people who eventually had to watch this report would require subtitles added to his words. "Federation, iz my third language, ssso do forgife mine achent."

"Before I came here to the Theurgy, I was aboard the black Opal, a Ztation vhere we built weaponsssk for the Federation, I helped to dezign some of the attachablez that are uzed for the Valkyz. We were attacked by Theurgy, and Romulan." SIthick wasn't sure which parts of his story would be classified and which could be spoken about openly, so for now he decided to speak openly, up until he was otherwise corrected, or Selena chose to edit something. "The ztation had to be deztroyed, and we joined Theurgy willingly after."

If Selena was concerned about Sithick willfully giving out the classified existence of the Black Opal station she didn't show any of it on her face.  She fully intended to show the finished product to Captain Ives before figuring out a way to smuggle it to the FNN offices, so if they wanted something excised it could be done.  All of that flashed through her mind in an instant, her eyes never moved from the Gorn's elongated face.  "That had to be quite a personal blow, losing the station that had been your home for the past few months?"

"Ish no different from transfer. Black Opal, was small, lacked many features you find on starbase, cramped. My living quarterz were akin to those uzed by crewmen here, consisting of one room, two bunks. My bestie would often change our rooms climate to suit her needs causing health problems for me. Frankly, the upgrade is a relief. Heir Theurgy is largezt ship I hass zerved on, much comfort."

"Going back a bit, what led to you joining Starfleet Sithick?  The Gorn are usually considered adversaries of the Federation, border skirmishes aren't uncommon considering how protective your people are of their territory."

Sithick scratched his chin for a moment pausing. that was a long story, and he closed his eyes for a second as he recounted it. "The boarder, you speak of izt The Hegemony, I do not know theze Gorn, if found by zhem I would be considered influenced by outside cultures, uncivil, and likely executed."

"I know only so much about those people as you do, I come from a different line, those of the sslavesss and enforcerment of the  Syndicate," His tone hissed the last word, with all anger, the larger creature could muster. He sat back for a moment his yellow eyes closed as he recounted some of his past.

"I was hatched, slave, I grew up on the ships of the Syndicate, a fleet of taken, bought, or borrowed piezes from worlds and cultures, an intermingled mess of parts. I was the smallest of my clutch, not good warrior. I would never get to be enforcer, or get to be used for breeding. But I was property of pirate. I was quick of mind, good of claw. I was good 'mech boy.' what you call engineer."

"During dominion war, the syndicate, required funding from the Empire of Klingons. Many ships, people, weapons, would exchange hands during this time. I found myself on bird of brey during dominion war battle. The Klingon weapons broke, some mech boy, may have put wires in wrong place. They prepare to ram dominion ship. I made for escape pod, only one on ship." Sithick closed his eyes for a moment remembering something unpleasant, he shook his head. "I wanted to live."

"An escaped slave?"  Selena couldn't believe her ears.  Everyone knew that the Orions enslaved their women (though Selena and many others knew the real truth there), and it's been said that serving the Syndicate was effectively slavery (or indentured servitude at minimum), but to hear straight from the mouth of one that they were literally enslaving sentient beings from birth...this will cause an uproar.  "Lucky for you that you ended up on a Klingon ship then, they tend to forget about the 'lower castes' when they keep out of the way."

"The pod, damaged, I had limited power, I froze myself, Gorn are very hard to kill. I had to choose between S.O.S. or life ssuport. I chozen chance to be found." He chuckled. "I awoke on medical bay of U.S.S. El Dorado, Defiant Class, Federation. During those early days they called me murder lizard I had yet to pick a name. They would tie sensor to stick, and medical staff would scan me while standing outside med bay. I found... very amusing. In battle engines had been damaged, I offer service in return for amnesty, no desire to go back to Empire, or Syndacate. I join Federation, and serve proudly."

"They should be ashamed of themselves, treating a sentient being that way!" Selena nearly popped out of her top at the revelation about the crew of the El Dorado.  "It's a good thing for them that you don't seem to be one to hold a grudge." she adds with an unspoken "harumph', simply crossing her arms under her chest.  "So you serve as an operations officer, spending your on-duty time doing repairs and helping the engineers with their projects?  How do you like the work?"


"I am petty officer, 2nd class, I am an engineer, I specialize in building and maintining weapons systems for the Federation." He said nodding lightly. "Since joining the Federation, I have gotten to pick my shifts like every other engineer, I get time for meals, I haz common eight hours of rest depending on shift rotations. I has people that will follow my orderz, within reason." He chuckled at that last bit, a bit of glee showing in the reptilian creatures eyes.

"The Federation hast treated me better zhan any place I could haz imagined. Even the crew of the El Dorado would eventually sit with me at meal time. I had friendz, I even has... a relationship aboard this ship." Not that he wanted to divulge that personal information but he wanted to stress how good his life was, and the two women whom had entered his life at this time, were vastly important to him. "I may never see one of my people again, which is sad. I think of the Gorn I knew from time time, we are a very social creature, long periods of isolation were used as a punishment by zhe syndicate. Many would fall into madness, become, aggressive, loose themselves."

"I was lucky, I no longer need my people, for I has new people. I hast found a home with Federation, I am a touch bigger than the crewz you are uzed to aboard thiz ssship, but I have been treated the zame as any officer that came before me or after. If it had not been for... current posting, I would one day in six years, be chief engineer of another ship."

Selena's eyebrows rose a tic when Sithick revealed his relationship with someone on board, but she didn't follow up.  If he didn't want to say much about it then there was no reason for her to try to get him to open.  Instead she just sat and listened attentively, soaking up every little bit that the Gorn had to say.  From what he revealed about the actions of the Syndicate it was a fair bet that the Federation Council would launch all sorts of investigations and panels into the fiercely independent group, not that it would amount to much.  The Orions seldom cared what others thought of their little empires as long as they got what they wanted in the end.

Sithick's followup about life in Starfleet and the Federation could probably be used as recruitment poster material.  Granted, it was a stark contrast with life as a Syndicate slave, but she could almost see the smile on the lizard's face at the possibilities his life now had.  But of course, there was that one specter looming over them all.  "Since you are on board this ship, you've seen the recordings, listened and read to the different reports from Captain Ives and many of the others.  What are your thoughts on this parasite threat?  Do you believe the claims?”

Sithick moved a claw to his chin for a moment pondering over his answer. He leaned back into his seat as he thought of the evidence that had been presented, and what had happened so far. He wasn't sure. He didn't know any people in positions of power at star-fleet command, but he did know what he had seen. "A Starfleet captain, by zhe name Hawthorne, attempted to sell me and the other members of black opal to romulansssk. If sssucceeded I would be the ssslave again, or dead. It was the Theurgy that stopped them."

"That Captain, and the actions of others do not fit with the Starfleet I know. It is not the crew I joined when Captain Adamz allowed me to join. Theurgy, seems to be the Starfleet I recognize, shift rotations, rules, we follow the directives, I hast seen no treason here. So there muzt be something the command hast missed. Parazite, or otherwise these things no matter. What matter ist that we fix the fleet.”

Selena could only shake her head sadly at the idea that the commander of a Federation starbase would try to sell fellow citizens into slavery.  "If the Theurgy hadn't discovered that Captain Hawthorne had been taken as a parasite's host, a story like that would probably be dismissed as pure lies.  But with what we know now.." she shuddered at the implications.  “Per your own words though, there’s no sense of treason with the crew of the Theurgy.  If this ship hadn’t arrived when it did you’d be dead or worse thanks to the parasites.”

Looking back towards the drone, Selena gave it a sad smile.  “Even when things are at their darkest, Starfleet officers manage to hold onto the guiding principles behind the uniform.  Everyone will have to choose at some point in their career, ‘Do I stand with the ideals, or do I slip into the easy road and let others pick up the slack?  Everyone on this ship, regardless of how they came aboard, has had to ask themselves that question.”

- FIN