[2374] | Where Did It All Go Gornish?

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[2374] | Where Did It All Go Gornish?

February 21, 2019, 02:58:37 PM

Lt. JG Donna ‘Chance’ Petterson | Alias: Lieutenant Donna Nomen |Bridge | USS El Dorado ] Attn: @Masorin
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Walking onto the bride of the USS El Dorado, Donna was reminded of how cramped Defiant-class vessels really were. Even the bridge was small. The main monitor showed the ship to be at warp but that wasn’t why she had come here. No, she was here because the El Dorado had dropped out of warp for several seconds before re-entering it.

“What can I do for you Lieutenant Nomen?” Captain Lenai Adams asked from her seat in the centre of the room. “We’re a little busy here.”

“Just wondering why we dropped out of warp a few minutes ago,” Nomen responded. “Anything to be concerned about?”

“That depends upon your definition of concern,” Adams replied, finishing reading a PADD before looking at the new arrival. “We received a distress call from a squadron of Klingon ships. They seem to have fallen into a Jem’Hadar ambush. We are the closest ship and so have been ordered to bail them out.”

“Details on the two group’s compositions?” Nomen asked, trying to gauge the situation.

“A battle cruiser and 9 attack fighters against a Vor’cha, K’Vort and six B’rels. Apparently, the battle cruiser was the bait,” Adams briefed her passenger. “Would you be willing to man the secondary tactical console? We’re still short-handed from our last run in with the Jem’Hadar.”

“Of course,” Nomen acknowledged, moving around the bridge to the forward starboard console. Though her subsequent training had been of a different nature to starship combat, she was a graduate of Starfleet Academy, and the captain would not have directed her to the station unless she felt that Nomen could handle it.

“Helm, status?” Adams asked.

“We’ll be dropping from warp in a little over 9 minutes Captain,” the ensign replied.

“Good,” Adams acknowledged as she pushed a button on her armrest. “This is the captain. Red Alert!”

“Come left to course 317 mark 2,” Adams ordered as the ship shook from another impact. “Stand by quantum torpedoes. We have to take some of the pressure off the Vor’cha.”

“Captain, Jem’Hadar fighter approaching from behind,” the helmsman warned.

“Aft torpedoes fire!” Adams ordered and Nomen moved to complete the command, waiting only just long enough to ensure an optimum firing angle. A pair of photon torpedoes streaked from their launch tubes, crossing the diminishing expanse between the two ships before impacting against the Dominion ship, forcing it to break off.

“Nice shooting, Lieutenant,” Adams complimented. “Now how about doing the same to the big one in front of us.”

“My pleasure, maam,” Nomen replied, her hands tracing across the panels beneath them to do as she was directed. Phaser bursts rippled away from the El Dorado, a quartet of quantum torpedoes soon following. But it was too late.

The battle cruiser’s onslaught against the Vor’cha had been too much for the Klingon ship and rather than die for nothing, the warriors aboard decided to take their enemy with them as they rammed their attack cruiser in the Dominion warship. The resulting explosion caused everyone on the bridge to flinch before the ensign directed the El Dorado away.

“Dammit,” Captain Adams cursed. “Status report?”

“The B’rel’s are all gone, and the last fighter is on a head to head run against the Rok’Tar,” the ensign responded.

“K’vort against a fighter, the Klingons will have it easy,” someone commented.

Re: [2374] | Where Did It All Go Gornish?

Reply #1 – April 22, 2020, 06:16:50 AM

STARDATE: 51407.6
June 29, 2374
18:10 hrs

[jegjpu’wI ghor’Ingan | Promenade | Taivok Nor] attn: @Stegro88

The Gorn crossed through the airlock onto the promenade of the Cardassian station Taivok Nor. The Cardassian life support system maintained a steady temperature of 25 degrees C. Warm enough to keep the murder lizard comfortably active. Normally he would not have been allowed to leave the ship, however, Commander Korris had personally requested his presence; surely due to some repair that was needed on the station. Starfleet’s 523rd Tactical Wing lead by Captain Daik’oth of the USS Novgorod had done extensive damage to the defensive systems of the station in its push to capture both the Svandroth System and this station from the Dominion.

That was three months ago. Since then a combined team from the Starfleet Corps of Engineers and the Klingon Order of Nol qach had worked around the clock getting the station back online to serve as a forward base of operation for Alliance forces including the rebuilt Starfleet 523rd Tactical Wing and House Torg Fleet Wing 271.

As the Gorn walked toward the turbolift, he passed various crewmen in Starfleet gold uniforms repairing battle damage. A couple dropped their tools as the towering lizard walked passed with his taloned feet clicking across the floor plating. They must never have seen a Gorn, much less one in Klingon leather. He did not have time to socialize, as jeghpu’wI why would he, instead the Gorn continued along the promenade to awaiting Klingon officer that had summoned him.

“There! A warrior of my word,” exclaimed Korris. “I told you I had a Gorn serving aboard the Roc’Tar!”

“Well. I guess I owe you that case of bloodwine after all.” The Starfleet captain standing next to Korris responded.

“We can drink it together when we return victorious! Come SuD roQ as we plan what is sure to be the greatest battle this side of the Alpha Quadrant has ever seen” Korris said as he ushered the Gorn to join the senior officers in a vacant shop that had been converted into a makeshift wardroom.

--------------

STARDATE: 51412.7
2 Days Later
Battle of Oroan IV

[jegjpu’wI ghor’Ingan | Upper Torpedo Bay| Deck 05 | Roc’Tar]

“Give me torpedoes, now!” barked Commander Korris in Klingon.
Sparks and smoke filled the torpedo bay. The Gorn moved with purpose as he tried to put the severely damaged weapons system back together. Pink blood pooled around the dead bodies of the two Klingons who were station here. The taste/smell teased the Gorn’s senses. He had tasted Klingon blood and flesh before during one of many crew combat challenges. It was not as pleasant as it looked.

How had they gotten here? The Roc’Tar had left Taivok Nor with a Klingon war fleet with the plan to draw out the Dominion fleet protecting their supply outpost on Oroan IV while the larger Klingon feet destroyed the base. However, things had not gone according to plan. The Dominion were prepared for the attack. Not only had they took the Roc’Tar’s group by surprise, but a much larger force was awaiting the main fleet as it approached Oroan IV.

Outside the Roc’Tar, their lead Vor’cha class cruiser and six B’Rel Bird of Prey were destroyed. The battle group had fought to the last. All that remained was the Roc’Tar and a lone Federation ship that had dropped in to help.

“Where are my torpedos? Those honorless petaQs are planning to ram us!”

The Gorn could only respond with a hiss, his grasp of Klingonese was iffy at best. Without the universal translator online it was impossible.

“SuD roQ report here now!” barked Korris. The one command that the Gorn understood without aid.

Dropping the repair tools on the wrecked weapons console, the Gorn climbed the ladder to the Bridge. Klingon bridge crew laid across their consoles. The only one alive was the captain, commander Korris. “SuD roQ, with haste. Here.” Korris shoved a small cargo container into the giant lizard's arms. “Today is a good day to die. But not for you. A warrior’s death is an honorable one and you are not yet worthy of such. Go! Into the docking port airlock! Make sure that songs are sung about this day!.”

The Gorn stared at the box in his hands. Korris slapped him on the shoulders in a failed attempt to move the creature. “Go! Now, my friend, live to claim your place in Stovokor!” With more strength than the Klingon should have had he shoved the Gorn toward the ladder to the next deck and toward the docking port and escape hatch. Klingon ships did not have escape pods, however, due to the engineering nature of the docking ports and escape hatches of Bird’s of Pray, their reinforced hull plating and environmental controls could easily serve as such.

Content that the Gorn was secure. Korris turned to face the viewer. “taH pagh taHbe’!” he spoke as the image of the Dominion fighter drew closer and closer to the Roc’Tar.

The Gorn crawled into the docking port and sealed the hatch, moments later he felt the explosion tearing the ship apart. Then the pressure cylinders surrounding the room ruptured propelling the docking port/escape pod away from the Roc’Tar. It would have been a clean escape except, the Gorn heard a loud clang and felt a jolt as the room hit something and changed course. Warning claxons began blaring.

“HoS patlh 'eS” a computer voice spoke. The Gorn didn’t understand what it said but could tell by the indicators that there was not enough power for life support or a beacon. He would have to make a choice.

Re: [2374] | Where Did It All Go Gornish?

Reply #2 – August 26, 2020, 03:09:13 AM

Lt. JG Donna ‘Chance’ Petterson | Alias: Lieutenant Donna Nomen |Bridge | USS El Dorado ] Attn: @jreeves1701
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“The Rok’Tar is gone, Captain,” Nomen announced as she reviewed the tactical situation.

“Status of the remaining Dominion ship?” Captain Adams asked, her hands folded in her lap. “And anything else on the sensors?”

“The Dominion are breaking off,” the Primary Tactical Officer responded. “I am reading significant damage to their outer hull from their confrontation with the Klingons. I am also picking up fluctuations in their power grid. Looks like their warp core has sustained damage of some sort.”

“Long range sensors are clear,” Nomen replied calmly as the situation deescalated. “Nothing but wreckage and the Dominion.”

“Very well. Once they are out of weapons range, we’ll stand down to yellow alert and being recovering any survivors,” Captain Adams declared. “Begin search and rescue operations.”

The pod sitting in the cramped shuttlebay was blackened from battle and visibly damaged. The fact that the sensors had detected a viable life sign inside it was a testament to the sturdiness of Klingon construction. What that life sign was identified as made everyone on board nervous. They’d all heard the stories of them during their time at the Academy but for many, this would be their first interaction with one.

“I have the hatch free, Captain,” Chief Jones announced.

“Alright, open it,” Captain Adams ordered, and the chief did so without preamble, moving the hatch aside and revealing the unconscious occupant within. “Alright, does anyone have any ideas how we are going to get them out of the pod without a working transporter?”

Re: [2374] | Where Did It All Go Gornish?

Reply #3 – October 10, 2020, 06:07:22 PM

[ jegjpu'wI ghor'Ingan | Shuttlebay 1 | Deck 3 | USS El Dorado ] attn: @Stegro88

"Well, we could strap some antigravs to its ankles, wrists, waist, and neck. Then hoist it up to the upper-level catwalk. Sickbay is just on the other side of the starboard bulkhead." Chief Jones responded.

"I don't think the Doc is going to like it." retorted the Chief's assistant.

"You're right, she won't. Pity on the person who has to tell her."

"Alright, enough!" Captain Adams commanded. "Make it... make it happen and I'll inform Dr. Thatcher."

[ Science/Medical Lab | Deck 2 | USS El Dorado ]

Doctor Sheila Thatcher stood squarely opposite of Captain Adams. "No! Absolutely not. Get that thing out of my sickbay." She pointed to the adjacent forcefield reinforced doorway leading to the El Dorado's sickbay. "This is a medical facility, not a herpetarium. I am a doctor, not a vet."

With a sign, Adams responded to her former Academy roommate, "Sheila, look it was found inside a Klingon escape pod. A Gorn, in a Klingon uniform. The only survivor of House Torg Fleet Wing 271. It raises so many questions. Starfleet Intelligence is going to want it alive for interrogation."

"What if it's a Changeling? Do you think that forcefield is going to hold it? You made me clean out sickbay, move my patients to the mess hall and now want me to..." Thatcher stopped midsentence and turned to address two ensign medics... "What in the name Hippocrates do you two think you are doing?"

The two ensigns snap their attention away from the tricorder and pole they were attaching it to. "Uh... In case it bites," they replied in unison.

Thatcher snatched the tricorder-on-a-stick. "Of course it bites. It's a giant lizard!" She had read all the medical briefings on Homo Lacertae, especially the entries made by a Doctor Leonard McCoy who had performed a C-section on a pregnant one. Looking at the device in her hand, Thatcher mentally admitted it wasn't a bad idea. Turning back to Captain Adams, "Lenai, it better not be a Changeling and you owe me."

"Just add it to my tab." Adams smiled and left the medical staff to work.

[ Sickbay | Deck 2 | USS El Dorado ]

Sithick's head throbbed. The source he soon discovered was the pulsing lights and oscillating harmony of beeps coming from a device inches from his skull. His body was still responding on instinctual reflex while his brain was coming out of hibernation. With a snap, his jaws clamped down on the metallic insect buzzing in front of him.

"See! I told you it would happen. Pay up, you owe me a week's combat rations!" one of the ensign medics exclaimed.

"Shhh. Put it on my tab. Doctor shall I stun the 'murder lizard'?" the other medic responded as he dialed up the phaser in his hand to the highest stun setting. He wanted the beast to sleep for the remainder of the El Dorado's journey to the nearest starbase.

Doctor Thatcher rolled her eyes at the incompetence around her. She had to get a better posting after this war was over, she thought to herself. "Wait. Computer, activate medical containment protocol Thatcher 1 Alpha."

A shimmering gold forcefield materialized around the tiny biobed the Gorn patient laid on. An occasional spark emitted from contact that the Gorn's feet made with the forcefield.

The pain of hitting the forcefield caused Sithick to spit out the metallic device he had been chewing on since bitting the tricorder-on-a-stick. The shrapnel ricocheted off the forcefield with a pop. "ssssss.....thssszzzz.....rrrrrssssshhh."

"Great, the UT is out. Can anyone on this bucket speak Gorn?" Thatcher started rubbing her temple as she dropped the broken shaft of the tricorder-on-a-stick.

Re: [2374] | Where Did It All Go Gornish?

Reply #4 – December 27, 2020, 11:23:07 AM

Lt. JG Donna ‘Chance’ Petterson | Alias: Lieutenant Donna Nomen |Sickbay | USS El Dorado ] Attn: @jreeves1701
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“Funny, the universal translator dies and everyone’s ability to communicate drops back to the Stone Age,” Donna thought to herself as she approached the El Dorado’s sickbay. She had been monitoring the continued search and rescue operations while working on her after action report for Captain Adams when a life sign had been discovered in the debris field. The revelation that it was a Gorn life sign had been unsettling for almost everyone present around Donna and she couldn’t help but find the humour in their discomfort. She’d met several Gorn before and based on those encounters, Gorn had an almost as broad a spectrum of personalities as most any other race known to the Federation. If you could get past their appearance, some of them could be great conversationalists.

“Which is currently the problem,” Donna noted as she entered the sickbay. “Without the UT, no one can converse with the Gorn. But at least someone besides me had the intelligence to figure out that a Gorn on a Klingon ship might be able to at least understand Klingon, if not actually speak it as well,” she mused. “Luckily, I don’t need the UT.”

Entering the sickbay, Donna’s attention was drawn to the Gorn that was encased behind the medical containment field. She didn’t know much about Gorn physiology but he seemed to have all his fingers and toes so he couldn’t be that injured, she guessed. Nearby, the El Dorado’s CMO was waiting, a sour look on her face.

“You Lieutenant Nomen?” Thatcher asked impatiently.

“I am,” Donna replied calmly.

“Good, could you talk to the lizard and figure out how I quickly I can get it out of here?” Thatcher urged firmly. “I have other patients that need my attention.”

“Of course,” Donna acknowledged, holding her tongue. The doctor’s tone was abrasive, and her body language told Donna that she felt that the Gorn was wasting her time. Donna chose not to comment, believing perhaps the that Doctor simply wanted to see to the needs of her own crew, and instead walked over to stand next to the forcefielded Gorn. Looking down at his face, Donna considered how best to begin.

“Do you speak Klingon?” the Terran undercover operative asked in Klingonese.

Re: [2374] | Where Did It All Go Gornish?

Reply #5 – February 14, 2021, 10:08:26 PM

[ jegjpu'wI ghor'Ingan | Sickbay | Deck 2 | USS El Dorado ] attn: @Stegro88

The stings of the medical forcefield enraged Sithick. He was no longer a slave! He would not be caged! He hit the field with both of his fists. His scaly hide protecting him from burns. As if sensing the need for space and the possibility of a containment breach the officers around the biobed stepped back and one of the mammals made a command he didn't understand but the effect was obvious as the forcefield expanded. Then he heard it, Klingon.

Sithick snapped his head locking eyes on the humanoid female that spoke to him in the language he knew just enough of to be useful.

"tlhInganpu'sss,"¹ he hissed at the female. "yIqatlhsss."² The constant lisp of Gorn speach turning the guttural Klingon into a unique dialect akin to hot steam escaping under pressure.

Klingon Translations
¹ "Klingonese"
² "I speak it."

Re: [2374] | Where Did It All Go Gornish?

Reply #6 – February 21, 2021, 11:13:47 AM

Lt. JG Donna ‘Chance’ Petterson | Alias: Lieutenant Donna Nomen |Sickbay | USS El Dorado ] Attn: @jreeves1701
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"It speaks Klingon,” Donna announced to Thatcher before turning back to the Gorn, considering how best to proceed. “My name is Lieutenant Nomen,” Donna said in Klingonese. “Your ship was destroyed. We found you floating in the pod amongst the debris field. How are you feeling?”

As the Gorn answered, Donna wondered just how much of a delay this side trip was going to cause for her mission. It wasn’t time sensitive, but she did need to reach a certain place by a certain time so that she could get to her next form of transport. Otherwise, this whole trip will have been for nothing.

“Can you tell me about yourself? Your name and what you did aboard the ship?” Donna asked calmly, struggling slightly to remember the words from a language she hadn’t used for a while. Listening to its response and questions, Donna nodded, and then answered as best she could.

“You are aboard the USS El Dorado and no, you are not a prisoner. As soon as we can get to a safe place, we can arrange for passage back to the Klingon fleet for you. I hope that is ok?” she asked, trying to get a judge of the Gorn’s body langauge. Unfortunately, she didn’t know the species well enough to get more than a very basic read from him. And even that might not be accurate as she listened to his lisping speech.

Re: [2374] | Where Did It All Go Gornish?

Reply #7 – February 22, 2021, 01:12:55 PM

[ jegjpu'wI ghor'Ingan | Sickbay | Deck 2 | USS El Dorado ] attn: @Stegro88

The fleshy human rattled off a line of questions. This was obviously an interrogation. Even as a jegjpu'wI for the Klingons, he had heard of the Dominion tactics of gathering information. The last thing he remembered was evacuating the Roc'Tar because of a Dominion attack. This could very well be an elaborate simulation to gather information for Dominion generals to plan their next attack.

"jegjpu'wIsss pongsss"¹ He would keep his responses brief. "HablI' toy'wI''a'sss."²

For a holographic simulation, the Dominion was doing a terrible job. "You are not a prisoner," yet he was confined by a forcefield. Then the human offered to return him to the Empire. Ha, the Dominion know nothing of the Klingons. To be taken prisoner and then returned like a weak warrior would be a dishonor, even for a jegjpu'wI. No, worse. A jegjpu'wI might even earn more respect and honor by fighting for his own freedom, not by being handed over like a child.

"chaHsss viSopmeHsss cheghpu'DIsss'"³ Which was true on multiple levels. As jegjpu'wI he was dead to society. As a warrior whose ship and crew was lost in battle, he, a lone survivor who escaped in a pod, he was dishonored and more disgraced.

KLINGON TRANSLATION
¹ "Servant Species no name."
² "Mech slave, or repair boy."
³ "I am dead to the Empire."

Re: [2374] | Where Did It All Go Gornish?

Reply #8 – March 03, 2021, 03:48:54 PM

Lt. JG Donna ‘Chance’ Petterson | Alias: Lieutenant Donna Nomen |Sickbay | USS El Dorado ] Attn: @jreeves1701
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"You look pretty alive to me,” Donna observed as she eyed the Gorn before her, trying to judge how he was feeling emotionally. Which wasn’t easy on account of his species. Gorn was easily the hardest species she had ever tried to understand or get a feel for visually, though she put most of that difficulty down to a lack of practice. There weren’t many Gorn within the Federation. Still, his tone was telling enough, she believed.

“And if my understanding of what you are saying is right, then I have some good news for you,” Donna remarked. “If the Klingons won’t take you back or you simply do not want to go back, then why not stay within the Federation. With enough time, study and hard work, I’d imagine you could be just about anything you want to be. And I know a bunch of scientists that would just love to ask you questions.”

“For now, let's put aside your future. If you are feeling well enough, I think we should get you out of sickbay and get some food. From experience, I can imagine that you are feeling absolutely famished,” Donna said, looking across at Thatcher. “Doctor, please remove the forcefield.”