“Drink, Fight & Vomit, or not!”

(This is set while the Galaxy is undergoing the refit. After “Get Around or Not”. There was an in-between post, but it got lost)

Lieutenant Commander Ethan Suder
Chief Engineer

Lieutenant (jg) Dhanishta Eshe
Engineer

Ethan half stumbled into his quarters and instantly made his way towards a small cabinet near his desk. "Computer, lights. And music too!" he ordered. "Anything, play something at random."

The lighting shone through the green filters, giving a cosy glow across the room. Some ancient classical music from Betazoid history began playing. At last, Suder reached the cabinet and opened it. He pulled out two bottles and turned, leaning on his desk to take a moment.

The doors to his quarters opened and Commander Sanders stepped in, half leaning on the door for support. The drink was starting to get to her also. She moved in and grabbed several glasses from a near by table. She then found the mark, flopping down on Ethan's famous couch.

"Computer," she began, "play some different music, something relating to party music." Rachel requested. The classical music stopped and replacing it, new boppy music began.

The door opened again letting in the laughter of the two to follow. Dhani nudged the loud Bolian at her side as they walked into Suders quarters.

Jiiles continued to snicker, “Computer,” he half shouted drunkenly, “play something from the all time greatest hits form the land of the blue.” he slurred.

Dhani turned and gave Jiiles a hard look. Jiiles wavered slightly under her gaze. Dhani seemed to be the only one in the room who wasn’t drunk yet. But she aspired to be slightly sober for only a few minutes longer.

“You babble more rubbish now then when I first met you!” she stated, “And you’re your taste in music is …..” she didn’t finished her sentence just started laughing at the cheesy smile Jiiles gave her as he continued to wobble whilst leaning against the wall. “Computer play some music from the late 20th century and the early 21st century Earth, start with something by Queen.”

Sanders took this chance to disappear into Ethans bathroom for a very quick cold shower. Of course, the wet kind. She was still dirty from her hard days work. In fact, everyone was.

Ethan was busy pouring drinks and handing them out as the music by Queen began playing. He frowned at Dhani for her choice in music and then shook his head and began drinking again.

Jiiles drank the contents in his glass and in doing so, fell off the couch and on to the floor, laughing.

Ethan sat on the couch, next to the large Bolian. He looked down at his friend and kicked him with his foot. "You're not done yet are you?" he asked. "As the ship is not active, with no missions or anyone to blow up, and considering the hard work we've done lately, we deserve a little time off. So a late start is in order tomorrow, which means we can all have a late night tonight."

Dhani left Ethan kicking Jiiles and walked to the bathroom,

“Sanders, how long are you gonna be?” Dhani shouted through the door.

Like older showers, there was a glass door separating the shower from the rest of the bathroom. The glass was all steamed up, but a female figure could be seen.

“Not long, come on in.” Rachel offered.

Slightly surprised, Dhani walked into the bathroom and stopped when she caught a glimpse of Sanders flesh. Averting her eyes she slightly stammered, "erm…er."

Rachel slid the door open and stepped out, wrapping a towel around her. She flicked her wet hair out of the way and looked at Dhani. "It's all free." she said. She then turned to the mirror and gave it a wipe. Unlike Dhani, she did not know about the extra stack of towels in a compartment next to the door. So she slid the towel off and began drying her hair with it, occasionally swaying as the drink from earlier continued to intoxicate her.

Dhani turned and grabbed two towels form the closet by the door. Walking past Rachel she placed one on the warming rack and handed the other to Rachel.

“Here.” she said simply.

Rachel hadn't been that aware of much apart from trying to dry her hair. It wasn't until she saw the towel that Dhani had given her that she realised she was naked. But then with being drunk and hot from the shower, it didn't seem to matter at the time.

Dhani removed her clothes and stepped into the shower. It was quite strange how Ethan, Rachel and she all preferred showers with water as apposed to sonic showers. Dhani mulled over the similarities as she turned on the water and stepped under the shower head. She half moaned as the water cascaded over her body, warm and refreshing.

Ethan kicked Jiiles again. "Blue, wake up!" he muttered.

"I'm just running a diagnostic on the inside of my eyes." Jiiles mumbled back.

Ethan stood up and stumbled to his desk. Reaching behind it, he grabbed some more bottles. "You know..." he began, pouring another drink, "I think it's probably a good idea I didn't go today. I mean I would have arrived, and if she's even there, I'm pretty certain it wouldn't have gone bad. I mean good. Or is it bad?" Suder scratched his head and bit his lip. "It would have been a tragedy. Possibly. Perhaps. A little bit. Maybe a little brighter than that. A good day perhaps. A glorious and beautiful scene. A moment that would become historical fact?" he asked himself considering the possibilities of what could have been.

Dhani lingered in the shower a little more than usual. When she stepped out Rachel was still posing in front of the mirror. Dhani smiled to herself as she padded across the bathroom, dripping with each step. Pulling the warm towel off the rail she wrapped round herself and sat down on the toilet seat and began to towel dry her hair with a separate towel.

"You and Jiiles, you guys seeing each other or something?" Rachel asked glancing to the side at Dhani.

Dhani looked up through a veil of wet hair,

“What?” she asked totally surprised.

"Oh, was just wondering, wasn't sure if you guys were or not. I mean he sometimes looks at you like you are, but then he probably looks at everyone like that." she giggled to herself.

Dhani stared at Rachel for a few moments longer and shook her head, drunks, she mused. She pondered for a few minutes,

“I never noticed.” Dhani mumbled as she continued to dry her hair.

Ethan looked around and saw no one but Jiiles on the floor still. “Hmmm.” He muttered. “Where’d they all go?” he asked.

Jiiles lifted his head and looked around. “Don’t..” his head hit the floor again before he could finish his sentence.

Ethan chuckled and took his top off. “Catch you in a few.” Stumbling passed his desk, he eventually found his way into the bathroom. He rubbed his face as he took several steps towards the glass door. It felt surprisingly warm and damp already, but he shook off the thought. Taking off the rest of his clothes, he stepped into the shower and turned the water on.

Rachel’s eyes were wide open. Still standing in front of the mirror, her eyes never left Ethan. She couldn’t believe he had just strolled in. Not that he even knew her Dhani were there. Speaking of Dhani, she turned and looked at Dhani who was near by.

Dhani had been drying her hair with a towel. Said towel was now on the floor as she stared at the space where Ethan had been. Slowly she turned her wide eyed open mouthed face towards Rachel.

“Oh my god.” Rachel mimed to Dhani. Looking back towards the steamy glass, she giggled a little and covered her own gaping mouth.

Dhani was surprised at the thoughts flowing through her head. She raised an eyebrow at Rachel and then smiled broadly and looked down at the floor. Picking up the towel she signalled Rachel to follow as she tip toed out of the bathroom.

Once out she and Rachel broke out into fits of giggles.

Rachel rested her hand against the door to support herself. “Wow, I had no idea.” She managed to get out.

Ethan stumbled to the doorway, towel wrapped around his waist. Rubbing his wet face again, he looked up to see Dhani and Rachel stood by the door. Confused, he pointed at them. “I thought you guys had gone.”

Rachel placed a hand on his shoulder and looked at Dhani. “No, we’ve been here the whole time.”

Ethan looked down and then across at Dhani. Both also wrapped in towels. “Oh.” He whispered.

Dhani tried with all her might to keep a straight face, eventually she had to turn away as she thought her face would explode.

All three looked over at the moaning coming from the floor in front of the couch. Jiiles was getting to his feet. “More drinks everyone?” He looked around, surprised to see no one sat around him. Finally, his drunk eyes narrowed down on the doorway leading to the bathroom. There, all stood in towels, dripping wet, he saw Dhani, Rachel and Ethan. “What?” he mumbled to Ethan as he approached them.

Ethan looked at Dhani and Rachel, then at Jiiles. “Shit.” He mumbled. “You know it’s not like that.”

Jiiles lunged forward and hit Ethan, square on his jaw.

As Jiiles stumbled back a couple of steps, Rachel dropped to her knees and looked at Ethan. “Are you ok?” she asked. “What was that about?”

With one hand securing her towel Dhani pushed Jilles back putting her self between both men. At first Jiiles struggled against her trying to reach out towards Ethan, all his might against her. As they neared the wall he stopped and looked down at Dhani. Her eyes boarded into him as he tried to explain himself.

Rachel heard the muttering between Dhani and Jiiles and got to her feet. Standing in front of the Bolian, she pushed his shoulder to get his attention. “What’s wrong with you?” she asked.

Ethan, back on his feet took the chance to return the favour. He lunged forward between the girls and hit Jiiles.

The Bolian bounced off the couch and landed on the floor. But he was up to his feet in no time at all.

“What the hell’s gotten into you?” Ethan snapped.

“Drink?” Rachel asked, offering Dhani a glass that she had just filled. “I wouldn’t worry about them, it’ll finish in a few seconds.

Dhani held up her hand and shook her head. She turned and stared at Jiiles and Ethan her hand across her chest holding her towel up that was now slipping down.

“Come on man, I should be asking you what you were doing?” Jiiles shot back to Ethan. “You know what I thought and felt, but that didn’t matter. Was it because you were mad about not getting out today?” Jiiles punched out again, hitting Ethan hard.

Ethan dropped down to one knee. “I’m not going to do this Jiiles. I’m not going to fight you. I’ve not had to hit anyone for a long time. I sure as hell don’t want to start now!”

Jiiles hit Ethan again, ignoring what the Chief was saying. “Was it because we had to call you back?” Another hard hit. “Is Klingon woman not enough for you?” He punched again.

Ethan, now on both knees looked at the floor, staring at it. He slowly raised one leg and planted it flat on the floor. One of his hands were on the wall, ready to help him up. His cold eyes moved from the floor to Jiiles, who had his back turned to him.

Jiiles had heard his name called out and had turned to see Rachel holding a glass. “Perhaps we should get you in the shower as well?” she asked.

“Is that where the party was when I was sleeping?” he asked a little confused. Turning around, he didn’t have time to react as Ethan launched himself from the floor. Raising his right foot, he kicked out, smashing his foot into Jiiles’ jaw.

The Bolian came crashing down to the floor. Dazed, drunk and a little dizzy.

Ethan rubbed his jaw and the side of his head. He walked over to Rachel and took the glass off her. Drinking some, he moved back over to Jiiles and looked down into his eyes.

“I should have seen that coming.” The blue skinned beast said quietly.

Ethan held out his hand and pulled Jiiles up to his feet. “No one ever does.” He replied with a chuckle.

“One day you’ll have to teach me that kick.” Jiiles took the glass away from Ethan and put a hand on his shoulder. “So, you didn’t…?” he nodded towards the girls.

Ethan looked in their direction and then laughed at Jiiles. “No. Not my style to move in on someone a good friend likes. And more than two people’s a crowd.”

Jiiles laughed a little and shook his head. “I’m sorry. I just saw you guys, thought the worse.”

“And I thought I had troubles.” Ethan smiled before taking his drink back. “Now, girls, get some music on and more drinks.”

Dhani watched Rachel as she moved across the room to get more drinks. The music started up again and still Dhani stared across the room at Jiiles and Ethan. She didn’t understand what was going on. Why did Jiiles hit Ethan? What did Ethan mean when he said ‘Not my style to move in on someone a good friend likes.’ Who was he talking about? Jiiles likes Rachel?

Ignoring the others Dhani moved across the room and grabbed her clothes. She slipped back into the bathroom relatively unnoticed and got dressed. As she pulled on her top she looked into the mirror.

Ethan moved into his bedroom and slid on some trousers and a shirt. Strolling back out, he gave Jiiles a pat on the shoulder. After grabbing some drinks and handing them to Rachel and Jiiles, he raised his hand. “To us, I guess. A group that will never fall apart. And you can pass that on to Commander Ford.” Ethan said winking at Rachel.

Dhani could hear the clinks of glasses as she stood motionless in the damp bathroom. A slight steam lingered from the shower fogging the mirror slightly. And still she stared into herself. Her mind ticking over previous events. This wasn’t the first time Jiiles had struck out at Ethan. A pattern was occurring and she seemed to be there every time. Jiiles thinks Ethan is moving in on someone he likes. Likes as in wants to date. And that someone is……. Me!

Dhani began to laugh. No way! She thought. Never!

Shit.

Sitting heavily on the toilet seat her laughing waned and she just sat with a look of shock and horror, shaking her head.

The drinking continued into the early hours of the next morning. Laughs were high, music was loudish and the fun was had. And like all parties, it eventually died down. Jiiles made an attempt to find his quarters. Rachel fell asleep on the couch with a blanket wrapped around her. Ethan fell asleep at his desk, the picture on it in his hands. And Dhani sat in Ethan’s leather arm chair with a pint in her hands staring at the light weights with a smug smile on her face.

BACK POST

"Honey-Pot of fire Part 1 of 6"

(This is set when the Galaxy was undergoing the refit. It was also written bout two years ago, and now its finally making its début. I’ll take a moment! LOL!)

Lieutenant (Jg) Dhanishta Eshe - Engineering
Lieutenant Commander Ethan Suder - Chief of Engineering
Commander Karyn Dallas - Chief Counsellor

Dhanishta came out of her trance like state and grabbed the honey jar next to her, she couldn't stand the taste but it helped to bring her back down to earth, as it were, quickly.

She had been managing her insomnia by meditating and falling into a deep trance like state for an hour or so before each shift; it gave her body and mind time to relax so that she was able to focus on her work. Her vacation at the Vulcan monastery had been more than relaxing and inspiring, but still even though she had had her first nights sleep in over a year, now that she was back on the Galaxy her insomnia was back with a vengeance. She sighed and stood up, her shift was due to start in 10 minutes, she left her 'circle' as it was; no use packing it away, she would need it for tomorrow, and the next day and the next…!

As she stood up her head swam a bit, she ate another spoonful of the sticky honey, and placed the jar on her desk. Slipping on her jacket she left her quarters and headed to engineering.

The refit was going well. The new saucer section had been installed and welding hade begun weeks ago, and was almost finished. The warp core had finally been inserted. Though due to the complications they were now running behind slightly, which meant another double, maybe even a triple shift. But there was no point to complaining, after all Dhani didn't have much of a social life to be missing out on any way.

It was a-shame that Suder hadn’t been able to get his vacation. He was still moody; there wasn’t one datapadd intact in his office anymore. She sighed as she strolled in, nodded to Jiiles and Jason as she passed them. She was sad for Suder yet happy for herself, things were finally going right for her. Grabbing her tool kit she smiled and left engineering, with a datapadd full of work to do.

*A short while later*

Dhanishta was crawling through the jefferies tubes. She had to reconfigure the EPS conduits. She opened up a panel which revealed a mass of circuitry and a small control panel which maintained the EPS power grid. She removed a few isoliner chips and placed them into different slots.

Tapping her communicator, she called out, "Eshe to Engineering."

"Suder here." came the simple reply from the Chief.

"I'm ready when you are." Dhani replied.

"Everything's set down here, go ahead." Suder ordered.

Dhanishta activated the dormant EPS conduit and waited a few seconds for a light to begin blinking green. She smiled slightly as the tiny light flashed green. She closed the panel and moved on to the next one.

*** A few hours later ***

She crawled up to the last EPS conduit, glad that this was the last one, and removed the panel. She took a deep breath, she'd been crawling round for the last few hours and would be glad to get back on to her feet; her knees were beginning to get sore. She rested her head on the wall and closed her eyes for just a second.

Once again removed several isoliner chips and placed them into different slots. Tapping her communicator, for the last time; she called out,

"Eshe to Engineering."

"Suder here." came the dull reply from the Chief; he sounded almost as board as she was.

"I'm ready when you are." Dhani replied.

"Go ahead." Suder ordered.

Dhanishta activated the EPS conduit and waited a few seconds for a light to begin blinking green. She put the panel back in place and sat back on her haunches and sighed, turned and began to crawl towards the exit.

The deck vibrated beneath her; the tremors rose through her hands into her shoulders and through her whole being. She glanced behind and saw a section of the conduit blow up into shrapnel.

Her heart pounded through her rib cage, she began to crawl as fast as she could. The pain in her knees was suppressed by the adrenaline which erupted through her blood stream.

The fire flashed behind her. She could feel its heat and ferocity as she cried out; "Computer, local EPS grid shut." her words were cut short as the blast enveloped her, forcing her down the tube.

She felt as if she were floating, sensations ran through her body rippling her skin. Her throat and mouth dried out like a sponge on Vulcan. She was still crawling fast. Though her vision was blurred she could see that the exit was near. She pummelled the access panel till it opened and fell out in a heap on the floor. Her breathing was fast and she couldn't slow it down her skin prickled with heat and her throat and nostrils felt like the inside of a furnace. She curled up on the floor holding her knees up to her chest, her body began to shake and her eyes welled up. She couldn't contain it anymore; she wailed and sobbed, tears gushing down her cheeks. Her stomach hurt with every sob that tensed her muscles, increasing her agony. The emotions were alien to her, her body felt unfamiliar. She retreated inside her mind.

After a while her sobs waned and she lay on the floor staring blankly, tear after tear dripping silently on to the metal floor.

Back Post

"Honey-Pot of fire Part 2 of 6"

Lieutenant (Jg) Dhanishta Eshe - Engineering
Lieutenant Commander Ethan Suder - Chief of Engineering
Commander Karyn Dallas - Chief Counsellor

(This is set when the Galaxy was undergoing the refit.)

*** Main Engineering***

Ethan came out of his office and glanced around Engineering. He walked up to a young Engineer, he wasn't sure who he was. "Ensign." He called out.

The Ensign looked up from his console at the Chief. "Chief?" he replied.

"Where's, Lieutenant Eshe?" he asked.

The Engineer kid shrugged his shoulders and pointed at the main display near his console. "Last thing I heard, she was working on the EPS power grid."

Ethan looked closer at the console. There were several lights flashing indicating that the EPS power conduits had been checked out.

"No reported problems with the EPS power systems?" he asked.

The Ensign shook his head. "No, sir."

Ethan turned away from the younger Engineer and made his way out of Engineering. Dhanishta's shift had finished twenty minutes ago but she hadn't checked in when she finished working on the last EPS conduit.

After a few minutes of walking through corridors and travelling through a turbolift, Ethan arrived at the junction in the corridor that would lead to the EPS conduits Dhanishta had been working on. He removed an access panel on the wall and climbed inside the jefferies tube. He crawled forward for about two minutes and came to a junction that lead down three different jefferies tubes. He began crawling down one and when he reached the end, he climbed out into a very tiny room. He looked down and saw Dhanishta lying on the floor.

He knelt down and moved his hand over her head. He didn't touch her head, just held his hand several inches above it. He then tapped his communicator. "Suder to sickbay, could you send a team down to section 24 Beta, near the EPS conduits."

"Acknowledged." came the response.

Ethan continued to look at Dhanishta and then back down the jefferies tube. He moved over to the last conduit that she had worked on. He removed a panel and looked at the insides of the conduit. It seemed that she had finished work on all conduits except the last one which was still dormant. He replaced the panel and moved over to where Dhanishta was again.

*** Two days later ***

Ethan sat back in his chair. He was waiting for an extensive report to come through from Sickbay. They had told him that from what they could tell, Dhanishta was in sever shock. He felt a little uncomfortable. He didn't like anyone in his department being so much as ill, let alone passing out in a jefferies tube, or whatever had happened to her. He looked at the time on his console. His shift had finished an hour ago, but he thought he'd stay until he heard from Sickbay. If no message had come his way in about half an hour, he'd drop by Sickbay himself.

Dhanishta came to on a bio bed. Her head spun and she didn't know where she was. The only thing she could remember was working. She slid off the bio bed and landed quite gracefully on the floor. All was quiet and the lights were low, she couldn't see anyone or hear them. She pulled her self up using the bio bed for support and like a homing pigeon returned to engineering; took her a while to get there as the halls kept rocking about like a seesaw but she managed to keep her balance, most of the way!

Upon entering engineering Dhani walked up to the jobs board and scanned it; she couldn't remember what it was that she was doing but she knew that she hadn't finished whatever it was. The jobs board kept shifting in and out of view; she started swaying as she tried to read it. After 5 minutes Dhani gave up on the jobs board and stumbled her way to Suder's office.

Dhani forgot to ring the chime and just wandered straight into the Chiefs office and stood in front of his desk, swaying slightly. "I'm sorry sir," she blurted out before Suder had even looked up at the intruder, "I forgot what I was doing."

Suder was taken by surprise. "Have a seat." He said gesturing towards the chair.

Sit, that sounded like a good idea. Dhanishta sat down, on the floor. The room was spinning round, colours phased in and out changing like looking through a kaleidoscope.

Ethan studied Dhanishta for a while and then focused on a data padd. He slid it across the table so it was directly in front of him. "So." He started. Ethan made a few notes on his console and looked back over at Dhanishta. "How's things?"

Dhanishta closed her eyes for a moment. If only the room would stop spinning that would be a good start she thought. She could hear someone talking to her but it made no sense; she couldn't focus.

Suder tapped his console. "Suder to Sickbay, could you send someone down to my office? I have a bit of a situation here, would you also be able to get Commander Dallas to attend?" Ethan tapped another button on the console to close the channel. He stood up and walked over to Dhanishta and knelt down next to her. There was something going on in her head, but he couldn't make out what.

Dhanishta turned and focused in on Suder, "I didn't finish." she stated. "What was I doing?" her face scrunched up in confusion. Trying desperately to remember what she was doing, where she was and why.

"Working on the EPS power grid." Ethan explained. "You didn't finish working on the last conduit, but don't worry. I'll sort it out."

"Hummm." she mumbled acknowledging Suder. "I have to..humm." she mumbled laying down. "Spinning." she said. The room continued to spin. Dhani focused in on a panel on the ceiling. The rest of the room spun but that panel stayed stationary. "I was in a jeffries tube. EPS conduit. It...humm." she tried to remember.

She sat up quickly and back-pedalled into a corner as the memory came rushing back to her; the heat and the pain. She started to hyperventilate, she tried to explain to Suder but the words couldn't come out. Panic set in and tears ran down her cheeks. She fought to keep on the same plain and not retreat as she had before. She remembered everything.

Ethan jumped to his feet and grabbed a tricorder off his desk. He began scanning the delusional Engineer and then slammed the tricorder shut and threw it to the side. Engineering tricorder! Need a medical tricorder! He rushed over to the replicator and tapped in a few buttons. A small device appeared that looked like an old breathing mask of some kind. Simple. He got back over to Dhanishta as soon as he could and placed the device in front of her mouth and nose to help her breath and calm down. The other hand was placed on the back of her head, on her soft long hair. He held it there to ensure her head would stay still so she could get oxygen from the breathing apparatus.

Dhanis breathing was short and fast, she tried to breathe deeply but she could feel herself retreating further and further. The sandy plains of Vulcan floated through her mind, the sun felt warm on her back. She could feel Sark's hand on her face; it was warm and warn with age, his eyes were full of wisdom, she felt so safe there with her mentor, she relinquished her self to him and him only. Dhani bucked against the imagery, kicking it away trying to return to herself. She could feel something on her face and tried to push it away, she began to struggle.

Ethan stood up and jumped over to his console and punched a button. "Sickbay, need that medical down here now!" he demanded. He ran back over to Dhani and picked up the breathing device that she had thrown to the floor. He placed his hand at the back of her head and squeezed gently, but firmly. It was a technique he had learnt on Betazed a long time ago. It temporarily seized that persons nervous system for a few seconds. He used those few seconds to try and get her to breathe normally.

Dhanishta gasped for air like a fish out of water, as she forcefully retuned. She took in huge lung fulls of air one after another. Suder's face finally came back into view. She smiled weakly at him. Her head hurt but at least the room had stopped spinning.

"Dhanishta, you know where you are?" he asked.

She looked around rubbing her throbbing head, "Your office?" she croaked.

"Good guess. Yeah, you are." He said sitting down in front of her. "This is my office." He continued nodding along. "Been mine for a short while, that makes me the Chief Engineer. True story." He explained.

Dhani looked at him confused, "Huh?" she questioned. She felt exhausted.

"Just keep breathing." Ethan said. Ethan glanced over at the console on his desk. He could just about make out the time. The medical team should be here any second now.

Dhani leaned her head back on the wall behind her, did as she was told, she breathed deeply.

Ethan's office doors opened and a medical team walked in. They knelt down next to Dhanishta and began doing their thing. Giving her hypo's and scanning her with proper tricorders.

"She came into my office a little disoriented. Sat on the floor, complained of the room spinning and began hyperventilating." Ethan explained so that the medical team could have a rough idea of what happened.

The doors to Suder's office opened again and the renowned Commander Karyn Dallas came in. Ethan approached her with a slight smile,

"Sorry to call you down so late." He started. "Obviously, you know Dhanishta." He stated.

"We're going to get her back to Sickbay, we'll let you know more shortly." A medical officer said.

Ethan gave a nod and turned back to Karyn. "I'll explain on the way." He said as he gestured to leave his office and follow Dhanishta and the medical team to Sickbay.

Karyn looked from the young woman to Ethan, not quite sure what the emergency was or why she had been called, but for the moment that didn't matter. Someone was in distress and she had been called. She paused to peek at the latest tricorder scan before Dhanishta was transported to sickbay.

Back Post

"Honey-Pot of fire Part 3 of 6"

(This was set whilst the Galaxy was undergoing the refit)

Lieutenant (Jg) Dhanishta Eshe - Engineering
Lieutenant Commander Ethan Suder - Chief of Engineering
Commander Karyn Dallas - Chief Counsellor

Karyn turned to Ethan. "We'll get to the bottom of it, Ethan. What can you tell me about what happened?"

"Salem!" Dhani cried before Suder had a chance to answer the counsellor's question.

Ethan jumped a little and raised an eyebrow at Dhanishta.

"My cat." she explained, "Can someone look in on him for me? I'm not sure how long I've been out, and he hasn't figured out how to use the replicator." she added.

Ethan then slowly turned his head and looked at Karyn. He figured they now had an obligated duty to go check in on her cat. He sighed and began walking down the corridor with Karyn. For a short while, he remained silent. Her body language, for the most part gave off that content impression, but Ethan had the feeling things ran a little deeper.

In truth, Karyn was a little tense. Ethan was suddenly back around and trying to keep things steady, what with Michael now gone, but this was not the same old Galaxy. They weren't the same people they were years ago, and while she considered Ethan to be a close friend, and Michael, gods knew how she felt about him...everything seemed that much more complicated.

She had her work, but not much beyond that. It was hard to know how to just pick up again. She wondered if Ethan felt the same way. Now, though, just didn't seem the right time to address them. It was silly. She'd known him for a long time, but it was like she didn't know how to talk to him.

Ethan spoke at last. "How have you been?" he asked.

"Well." she lied casually. "Even busier than when we first talked. I've been given a lot to think about." She added as an afterthought. "How about you?" she asked.

"Same as always." Ethan replied softly. He glanced at Karyn as they made their way down the corridor. "I've been trying to catch up on things, everything that happened after I left. Seems so long ago now. It's annoying really, I feel that I've missed out on so much." He admitted. "It seems everyone I care about, my friends, have gone through so much over the last few years. I feel guilty that I wasn't there for them. Busy dealing with my own problems." He explained.

Karyn dismissed the concern. "Sometimes we need to care for ourselves before we can care for others. Don't feel bad. If anything, I owe you an apology for not keeping in touch. I guess I was just overwhelmed by the transfer. It...it's not the same here, but we should be focused on creating new memories, or some other cliche or something." She added, somewhat at a loss for words.

"Agreed." Ethan replied with a warm smile.

They continued to make their way towards the Dhanishta's quarters when Ethan spoke again. "I've missed you. I've missed the ship. At the time, a few years back, thought I would never get over things as long as I were here. But it made no difference. After a while, I discovered I still couldn't get out of the dark pit I was in..." he trailed off and glanced at Karyn. "Anyway, this isn't a session. I'm concerned about Dhanishta." he began. "She was working on the EPS conduits. It seems that she thinks there was an accident or something. Well, there was, but it was a few years ago. She was taken to sickbay and after a while, left on her own accord. She came to my office. Confused and somewhat delusional. She was going on about the EPS conduits. Saying that she had to finish working on them. Then she had that... fit of some kind. Like she had completely lost it. An attack of some kind, she had trouble breathing. I quickly called for you and the medical team. I'm not quite sure what's going on with her though. Any ideas from the cryptic information I've given you?" he asked.

Karyn frowned. "From what you've told me, it sounds like some sort of telepathic echo event. Normally, I'd classify it as a possible panic attack, but Dhanishta wasn't here when the accident occurred, so unless she's experienced something similar to that accident in the past and just happened to react to it here and now, I'd say she somehow managed to pick up on it. I wasn't aware of any accident from dry dock? Did something happen that I wasn't privy to?" It certainly wouldn't have been the first time.

"No." Ethan replied. "I've not read anything in her bio that might indicate that she's been in some kind of accident, similar to what I think might be going on." he explained.

They reached Dhanishta's quarters and made their way inside. At first, the cat mentioned earlier was no where to be seen. Ethan let Karyn enter first and then followed, looking around from the doorway. He saw some markings on the floor and some stones too. Plenty of candles to light up even Ethan's quarters.

Ethan proceeded to prepare food for the cat. "So I can't really think about what happened to her. There hasn't been a major incident with the EPS conduits since.... For a long time, present situation excused of course. No one was lost in the conduits." Ethan said with a sigh. His mind drifted off for a while before coming down to the ship again.

"I don't know why it happened to her." he whispered. After a few seconds he turned and looked at Karyn and then realised what he said. He used a lot of gesturing with his hands after seeing Karyn's confused look. "Um, Dhanishta." he lied. "Don't know, why... what," he said shaking his head, "happened to her. I meant to say 'what'." he said hoping that he had stupidly pulled off the false statement.

"Sure." replied Karyn, filing it all away for later. "I guess we should get back to her then. I'll speak to her as soon as she's been stabilized. I suppose Salem will eat when he's hungry." she said, indicating the food Ethan had replicated.

(OOC: Warning, some klingon words/phases included, this is also set shortly before the Galaxy arrives at Trill)

"Outtage"

Ensign Marcus A. Slayton

Catalen Morka, Trill Civilian Technican

Location: Emored Dax Memorial Hospital-Outskirts of Leran Manev, Trill

++++++

Even after a few hours after the crashing of the federation ship, chunks of the large vessel was still on fire and causing damage to the surrounding buildings and there was power still fluxating throughout the entire city and at one of the larger hospitals that was still in one piece on the outskirts of the city was where Marcus Alexander Slayton, formerly of the USS Lenoard H. McCoy was, working on the hospital's power core.

"Frakking peace of second hand ferengi bachHa'!!" Marcus snarled in general as he worked underneath an open hatch next to the main power couplings of the generator, a tool kit and tricorder sat on the ground next to him and he was wrapped up enough in trying to get the system to come back online fully that he didn't hear the door to the generator room open or the young man's voice shouting to get his attention that he didn't realize there was anyone else in the room until the young man's face looked at him from leaning so that he could see Marcus underneath the panel.

"Ensign Slayton, sir! It's me, Catalen!" the young trill shouted which Marcus' jump and bang his head on the panel directly above his head. Catalen moved out of the way to allow Slayton to slide out from where he was and into a sitting position, muttering a few choice words in Andorian before looking at the younger man.

"What's wrong, Catalen? Did the power finally go out completely?" Marcus said with a look of intense worry on his face as he took off his glasses, wiped the sweat off of them and then put them back on.

"No sir, actually Doctor Meahros heard something important but the city's comm-net is still offline so he had me run down here to get the message to you. Starfleet is sending aide to us and the first relief ship should be here in a while." Catalen said, his eyes big as he was panting a little. This made Marcus snicker just a little because Catalen must have ran from Doctor Eloa Meahros' office on the eighth floor all the way down here just to make sure that he heard about it. Doctor Meahros had little respect for anyone that hadn't earned it and ever since Marcus had joined the effort to get the hospital working so that the flood of refuges could be properally taken care of which was made more interesting as Meahros refused to give him anything hardly and things didn't improve when the infamous "Slayton Temper" came into play and he mouthed off to the doctor and then stormed down here. But Catalen he liked, the kid was okay in his book...

..wait, did he just say that the Galaxy was coming here?

"Catalen, you did say that the USS Galaxy was coming here right? NCC seven zero six three seven right?" Marcus asked with just a hint of disbelief.

"Um, I don't know about those numbers but yeah the Galaxy is coming here as a part of a full relief fleet..why?" Catalen asked, confusion written all over his young face.

"Everyone's A Stranger"

Naranda Sol Roswell
Saia Juis (APC)

LOCATION: Trill

Nara held the cloak tighter. The wind was blowing hard this afternoon. Saia was quiet and Nara wasn't sure what she was thinking. Klaus and the other man seemed to deep in argument to even hear Saia's exclamation and Nara had to pick her up to get out of the tent. Now they were lagging behind everyone and Nara had to use both hands to keep the hood from flying away from her head and keep the cloak around her body. Not that her body looked any different from a Trill, but still. Better safe than sorry.

A symbiont in a human? That's what Saia had cried out before she was picked up by Nara. Was that even possible?

Nara looked ahead. Another tent. She sighed. She hated being on this planet and not being able to do anything. She looked at Saia. She should be somewhere safe. She was just a child and the person who seemed to had taken up caring for her couldn't even speak.

Suddenly Saia turned and with her hands on her hips pouted at Nara, "Why are you hiding?"

Nara stopped and bent down to look at her.

"And why don't you speak?" The child asked. Everything was weird. A ship crashes on her home. A mysterious stranger appears. They want to put symbionts in humans. "You're not Trill are you?"

Nara looked down not sure how to react. She thought of something. She pointed to Saia's head, then herself, punched her other hand and then pointed at Saia again.

Saia took a moment to sort through the gestures. "No. I don't think you'd hurt me, but I'm scared."

Nara wrapped her arms around Saia as if to say she would protect her. She then looked the child in the eyes again and put a finger to her lip.

Saia laughed, "What would I say! You're just a stranger in a cloak."

"May The Fire In Your Heart Burn Bright"

Commodore Gareth Chandler Roswell,
Commander Of Sakarian Fighting Force Against The Rebels (APC)

Lt. Allas Aria Tris-Roswell,
Counselor (APC)

Suyel Veris,
Ruler of Sakaria (NPC) <And Other NPCs>

LOCATION: Sakaria

The meat sizzled on the pan over the large fire. Everyone in the village was helping prepare food. Several homes were destroyed and most were living in tents or in homes that were covered in plastic. Allas decided to have everyone group together to eat so they could share the food they had. Traveling to market was pretty dangerous and Gary had several men surrounding their village as protection.

The planet had turned back into how it was when he first came to it. It took years to bring it to a new glory and now rebels were tearing it to pieces. He had gotten some ideas about how to find Nara's assassin and was packing up for a trip to wander out to hunt down his first lead. The rebel leader seemed awfully cocky and careless lately. Like they expected for the Gary to be weaker or dumber. He set his pack by the tent flap and went to eat dinner with his wife before he left.

He was glad that some of their neighbors were helping build temporary shelters. They were taking any usable wood and making a small shelter. Enough for two people to sleep. It was almost done and Allas would help the others build shelters as well as help cook. For the week she had left anyway.

He smiled proudly as he smelled the spiced meat. She had become quite proficient with the Sakarian menu. This helping out was good for her. She had spent two days in a heap of tears, but then she saw a man outside the tent peeking in.

"Dreio?" She had asked. His face seemed familiar; if older. Dreio was about a year younger than Nara and was few of the children who wanted to be Nara's friend. He didn't care about her being the daughter of the Resurrected Hero or that she wasn't "really" Sakarian. He was only four. All he knew was Nara was bigger and could reach the cookie jar. Nara seemed indifferent to him.

He looked at her and started to turn away. Allas stood, "Wait!" She stepped outside the tent and looked at the dirty young man. She smiled, "Looking for a cookie?"

He smiled and stepped closer. "Mrs. Roswell, we're running out of food and there isn't much at market as people are too afraid to travel and." His face grew weary as he talked.

Allas put her hand on his arm, "Well, we'll have to help each other then."

Now Allas held out a plate to the young man who quickly nodded a thanks and sat to eat with his wife of two years.

As Gary stepped out of the tent, he saw specks moving on the road. He grabbed the binoculars from his pack and held it to his face. It was four hover vehicles. One was a dark green with purple stripes with a golden emblem on the sides. The ones surrounding it were a dark charcoal grey. ~Now, what's he doing here?~ He walked out and went to Allas. "There is someone coming up the road. I'm going to meet him. I'll be back for supper and perhaps with a guest and his friends."

Allas looked at him a moment as he kissed her cheek, "Are you taking some of your men in case."

Gary smiled, "Trust me, my love. It's someone we'll welcome." He then leaned into her ear and whispered, "Too bad we don't have a red carpet."

That was a clue to Allas. "Oh." She nodded and went back to handing out plates of food. They couldn't know the Suyel was here. They would swarm the poor man to death.

Gary walked down the road and several minutes later stood and noticed the vehicles slow to a humming stop a few yards before him. A tall muscular man stepped out of a black hover and walked over to him, "Commodore Gareth Chandler Roswell?"

Gary kept a straight face, "That's Resurrected Hero of Sakaria to you, sir."

They both broke into smiles as the guard stated, "Suyel Veris knew you would meet him on the road. He would like you to enter the vehicle, Commodore."

Gary nodded and walked over to the hover and waited for the door to open before he entered the vehicle. He looked over at the man beside him. The ruler of Sakaria sat staring ahead. His frame was covered with richly colored robes. His eyes shown wisdom and age as he turned to look at Gary. "I am sorry about Naranda."

Gary frowned, "How do you know sir?" He felt his body be pushed into the seat as the hover continued down the path.

"You know I make it a matter to know what happens to my people. Allas had to provide orders from her captain that she was to return in two weeks. They know of the war, and wanted to make sure we would allow it in the case of a transport ban." The man touched Gary's hand. "She was a true hero. A true testament to her bloodline. And what happened on Trill.It is enough to turn someone away from the Federation for what that ship did, or to turn them to the Federation for the aide they are giving."

Gary nodded. Veris was one of the few people aside from himself that kept up with news from the Federation. "I have thought of a compromise to give the rebels."

The old ruler smiled, "I believe I know what it is. Know, however, that there is no such thing as complete peace. As long as someone can get weapons and people they will try to conquer. Will this appease the rebels enough to stop their fighting? Maybe. Will signing a paper guarantee peace? No. Will it bring us back to the same Sakaria we had before? For a time. We must make conditions with the Federation as well, Gary. We must be able to say no to fighting a war that is not our own and they can not have any say how we rule Sakaria."

Gary nodded, "I understand sir. Shall we make a meeting with the rebel leader to discuss this?"

Veris nodded, "I prefer you speak to him for a bit first. Then if he agrees, we may meet together."

"Actually, I was going to go find him after we had dinner tonight."

As the vehicle stopped, Veris motioned for his guards to wait. "You are leaving Allas alone?"

"There is not much I can do for her. She told me she plans to help the village this remaining week she has for leave."

"What of a ceremony for Naranda?"

Gary sighed, "Allas and I agreed that could wait until the village is repaired." He gulped away the lump, "There is no body.." He closed his eyes amazed at how emotional he felt when he knew the truth. "We believe Nara would have agreed to this plan. Allas had her mourning time and to spend another day mourning seemed wasteful when there is so much to do."

"You Gary. Those females had softened a warrior's heart. Their love opened your heart. And now that heart has to be broken. To lose one and to watch the other in such agony must be hard on you. We have known each other for over 30 years, I've seen your heart bleed for Sakaria and I've seen it healed by your union with Allas. I saw it enlarge with the birth of Naranda. I see in your face, it is bleeding again. Not for Sakaria, but for your daughter."

Gary shook his head at the words of the Suyel, "You should had become a poet or a priest old friend." After a moment to compose himself, he asked, "Join friends for dinner, Suyel Veris?"

"If I am allowed to work afterward." The old man sat taller. Truly a Sakarian; proud and strong.

Gary was about to protest but knew better, "Only within your limits."

Later, Allas sat with her husband and the Suyel eating. She spoke abruptly, "I want to ask for an extended leave."

Veris and Gary both looked at her. Gary took her hand, "Will they let you?"

Allas looked at Veris, "If the Ruler of Sakaria requested it, I'm sure it would have better chance." She turned to look Gary in the eye, "I can do much more here than on the Miranda. I would feel so useless up there listening to some girl complain of a bad hair day the same day she was late for work when down here people need grief counseling and help with food and." She looked back at Veris, "Would you send the request?"

He simply nodded, "I will."

Gary smiled, "I can't help but be glad you'll be near, but." He frowned looking into her eyes as worry filled his mind.

Allas smiled, "I know. You'll be gone fighting and you're not sure I'll be safe. There's wars in space too, Imzadi. I'd rather be in danger here, at home, near you."

Gary smiled, shaking his head, "You're so full of sap." He kissed her nose, "You could have just said something about duty and spilling blood on your home planet or something."

Allas laughed, "And what? Sound like you?"

Gary hugged her. It was good to hear her laugh again. "Speaking of duty." He stood. "I."

She stood with him, "I know. I'll keep things going here."

They kissed and Gary went to pick up his pack before he left.

Allas walked over to the Suyel before he had a chance to pick up a tool. "Ok Suyel Veris. You can help by telling stories to the children."

Veris looked at her and smiled, "You know I rather get my hands dirty."

"Believe me. Those kids found a mud puddle today. You'll have lots of dirt to deal with."

The Suyel went toward the children and asked them if they heard the story of the day the sun was ten times darker. It was a fairy tale, but it would keep the kids out of the adults' way while they worked for the remaining three or four hours of daylight.

Allas and several other men and women walked toward another ruined house to start building shelter out of the remaining wood. The pain of Nara's death still ached in her heart and she had wished Gary would stay, but in spite of all that, the strong endurance of the Sakarians rubbed off on her. She continued to mourn for Nara in the dark, but during the day she would help keep her people alive and make sure their leader felt useful without hurting himself.

It's something Naranda would have done. It seemed turned around, but she hoped her daughter would be proud of her. She knew she was proud of her daughter.

OOC: To the USS Miranda: You may consider this my last post. It's been fun!

Ensign Correy Smith,
Flight Control Officer
USS Galaxy

"Rest"

Correy stood, once again, in a ruined street of the Trill Capital. Each street now starting to merge into the next. He couldnt help feeling lost, not knowing which way he'd come, or which way he was going. Taking a glance around, he remembered back to the events of the last few hours.

The dead woman in the museum, the dead bodies on the way, and the man he'd saved in the street. He felt ashamed that he hadnt been able to help anymore, but deep down was holding back. The fear of what he could find was daunting. And now, as he stood infront of the collapsed building he'd ran to hours ago, he learned of the death of one of the Galaxy's officers.

Someone he no doubt would have got to know onboard, had been reduced to nothing, by the ever increasing force of the sabotaged ship.

His thoughts were inteupted with a large gust of wind. A wind that whistled around the last few standing buildings. A wind that penetrated the rips in his uniform, and once again sent a shivering chill up his spine.

He needed rest, food, drink. He felt guilt for thinking of himself at a time like this, but his stomach and throat insisted. He made his way to the nearest food station, and took a seat inside the tent. Stretching out his legs, he took a towel from a passing aide. Wiping his face clear of dirt, he lowered the towel to find a glass of water.

"Can I getcya sum food?" said the elderley trill woman infront of him

"Erm...I'll do it......you should rest"

"Lad, I may be old, but im not completely useless yet" As she totted off, Correy couldnt help but smile at her. Returning with basic rations, she sat next to correy.

"This is all we have, but it should keep you until later" she passed him the food.

"Thanks..." Correy replied. He opened the packet, and she watched. "So...you injured or anything?"

"No...no, I was one of the lucky ones...Least I could do is come here and help...Its not much, but people need to eat right?" she looked at Correy for reassurance "T'Mal..." she said reaching out her hand

"Correy, Correy Smith" he replied, taking her hand and shaking "And really, thanks for this"

"Its okay, I dont have anyone else to look after....family are all gone now"

"Oh.... I'm errr.....im really sorry..."

She let out a loud cackle to Correys surprise "Ah lad, dont be silly.... didnt die today. My husband died 8 years ago now....never had any children.............."

There was a long silence between the two, Correy covered it by eating.

"Anyway Mr Smith, I'd best be getting off, plenty more hungry like you..... good luck, and keep up the good work..."

With that she left, and Correy began to think about the "good work" that he'd done. Which, at the moment, wasnt that much. Five more minutes wouldnt do any harm though...would it?

Back Post

“Honey-Pot of fire Part 4 of 6"

(This is set while the Galaxy is undergoing the refit)

Lieutenant (Jg) Dhanishta Eshe - Engineering
Lieutenant Commander Ethan Suder - Chief of Engineering
Commander Karyn Dallas - Chief Counsellor

** Sick Bay ***

Dhanishta had been probed and scanned and then some as she lay on the bio bed. Her head swam a bit as the nurses and doctors ran around. She couldn't keep track of them all. She kept taking deep breaths as she lay there looking up at the ceiling, since she'd been on this ship she was spending quite a lot of time here. And she was in for yet another session with the counsellor! Life was great, could it get any better? She grumbled to herself.

The memory of the EPS conduits flashed through her mind and she shuddered. A crawling sensation rippled along her skin, and the smell seemed to cling inside her nostrils, reluctant to let go. She shook her head and returned her focus to the panel above her.

The familiar sound of Commander Dallas's voice floated through sick bay, and Dhani turned her attention to her as she entered.

Karyn immediately went to Eshe's bedside and smiled a reassuring smile. "How are you feeling?"

"A little disoriented." Dhani replied keeping her eyes fixed on the ceiling panel.

Dallas placed a hand on Eshe's arm to offer reassurance and also to encourage her to make eye contact with her. "Can you tell me what you remember?"

She looked up at the counsellor, a little surprised, "Unless I'm imagining things I was burned in an explosion in the EPS conduit." She said, eyebrows raised. As she spoke those words her mind started ticking over the word imagine. A frown crossed her face as she looked up at the counsellor, gauging her reaction. It matched everyone else's: surprise. Pushing herself up on her elbows she glanced around sick bay, "The EPS conduit overloaded." She stated vaguely as her eyes met Dallas' again.

"I believe you," she replied. "I'm thinking you experienced some sort of empathic echo. We're not sure yet, but we're going to find out. You're not crazy. Have you experienced anything like this before? I have to rule out a panic attack."

"An echo?" Dhani asked her forehead wrinkling as she frowned, "An empathic echo? It happened, I was there. I was burned!" she said thrusting her arm out as evidence. But all there was to show was pale, smooth, unblemished skin. "No!" she said sitting up and sliding off the bed, "It happened!"

Karyn was startled and belatedly tried to calm the young woman. "Dhani, it's ok, I believe you. Just calm-"

Pushing her way past the fumbling doctors she ran out the door of sick bay. Her mind was racing. Images of the explosion flashing through her mind like a slide show. ~I'm not imagining things ~ she told her self, ~I'm not crazy. I was there it happened, I know it did.~ But there was still that uncertainty, that need for clarification.

She ran into the nearest turbo lift the momentum she had gathered made her crash into the wall, "Main engineering." She called out breathlessly.

As the doors opened she fell out of them, staggering somewhat to regain her balance and speed.

Flying through the doors of engineering she made a b-line for the master systems consol display, barging past her colleagues to get to the truth. Her fingers raced over the consol bringing up the logs for the previous days. Her eyes darted across the information displayed.

Ethan turned around after hearing some grumbles of confusion. Looking across Engineering, he narrowed his vision on Dhani, stood at the Master display console. He gave a data padd to the Ensign he had just been dealing with and then slowly moved over towards Dhani. Not saying anything, he placed his hand on the edge and traced the corners and edges with his fingers as he walked around the console, observing what Dhani was looking for.

"Looking for something?" he finally asked.

Dhanishta blanked him as she recalled the logs for the past two weeks. Her hands darted across the consol. ~It's got to be here somewhere. ~ she told herself. Across her brow her frown lines increased as her searches returned fruitless. Widening her search she brought up all the records for the EPS grid from the launch date of the Galaxy. Nothing! Banging her fists down on the console with frustration she brought up the entries for the last week again, maybe she'd missed it!

Ethan, now standing beside Dhani gently placed a hand on her left shoulder.

"Dhani, what is it about the EPS grid that you're trying to find? I can help you. Trust me."

"Back off!" she shouted. Her voice echoed through engineering, others stopped and stared, none of them would have ever dreamed of talking to the Chief like that. As her eyes scanned over the information again she felt her stomach flutter as the truth she sought was what she feared. It wasn't there. The EPS conduit didn't overload. She had imagined it.

Her hands slid from the display, flopping, defeated by her sides. She stepped back from the consol as if repulsed by it. Her bottom lip began to waver a little, "It didn't overload." she stated, more to herself than Suder. She covered her mouth with her hand her eyes widening with shock. If it didn't happen then what the hell happened to her? Her face paled as her hands trembled.

BACKPOST - December 2381

"Lost and Found" - Part VI

by

Kylar Curran,
Chief Liaison Officer,
USS Galaxy

**

Gorn Marauder
Cargo Hold

Hours or days passed. In the bowels of a Gorn cargohold locked in with only a half dozen glassy-eyed, radiation poisoned, disfigured creatures, the lone humanoid had long lost the awareness of time passing.

In the section of the hold he had marked as his own, the Kelvan had seated himself in a Lotus position; palms up, eyes closed, back straight. he had placed himself into a deep meditative trance to give him the mental and physical strength he would need when he arrived on Kelva II. The cleansing of his soul would not be pleasurable in any form, and nor should it be. The punishment he would endure at the hands of the Cleansers would be righteous and deserving indeed. Yes, he would need every ounce of strength if he were to survive the rite.

His heart, still pumping its viscous Terran fluid throughout the shell of a body he was forced to inhabit, had begun to slow down its mad pace. It would be almost time for another dose of the stimulant that prevented the nightmares to overcome him. He needed to focus.

As he pondered what he would trade to the Maggot for enough to prevent theonset of mental instability that was surely to come if he fell to the human biological frailties, the bay was bathed in a wash of scarlet red, followed by the bleating of a shrill siren that undulated with the waves of light.

He hesitated as the inability to absorb the meaning of the event escaped him. It had been so long in this hold with nothing to occupy him but his own thoughts and the stench of the animals that shared it with the Kelvan... it had permeated his mental processes, suffocating logical and efficient thought.

[Monk! Up to the Bridge with you. You're time has come!] The distinct click of a bulkhead door, and upon the balcony above, a heavy ovular panel rolled to the side. The Ugnaughts scrambled, shrieking as they bounded up a flight of steps at the opposite end of the hold.

[Back! The lot of you!] Curran heard a whirring somewhere up above, a flash of green, and the whole bundle of creatures tumbled off the steps to a pile on the floor, still.

[I don't have time to this, Monk. Up here now, or I make sure you don't make it to Kelva.] Faded into the background was the chatter of muffled voices and alert echoes.

The importance of his destination could not be put in jeopardy. If all was lost on him to be healed of this form, he would commit himself to the void of space quite contentedly. Until then, though, he would take whatever options he had to get to Kelva I, no matter the cost. He wasn't hear to make friends.

Scrambling over the fallen bodies of the Ugnaughts, Curran hopped the stairs nimbly two at a time in a surge of adrenaline. His cloaks flowed flappable behind him as his leather boots gliding over the balcony plating in an easy flow as if on air until he slipped through the dark exit.

As soon as he carried himself over the threshold, the bulkhead behind clamped shut with a solid thud. The corridor beyond was cast in a dusky haze, and the acrid scent of burnt toast reached his nostrils. A panel sparked beside him, the dancing flint escaping along the pipes and conduits down into the darkness. He surmised this as the source of the smell. Fluorescent lighting above him bounded back and forth between lit and unlit. Cautiously, he moved forward in the corridor into the unknown sections of the ship.

[Hurry, monk. Your usefulness is required *now*.]

"If you'd give me proper direction to wherever you are, I could probably get there a bit faster for your liking, Grelkor.] Kylar jerked his arm back as the cuff of his cloak hung precariously close to yet another electrical eruption.

[Impudent pup!] A pause. [There. Follow the lights.]

Curran looked around for something remotely close to whatever the Gorn was talking about. Was he talking about the broken panels that hadn't changed their inept appearance? He continued to walk hesitantly through the murky corridor for anything to assist his navigation.

"What lights? Only ones I see are the damaged ones with wiring harnesses hanging out." Over the intercom, he heard a thump and smash. Shortly after, a row of red dots strung themselves along the edges of the deck plating on either side of him.

[Those lights, pastyface. Now get up here!] Curran shook his head. This was what the Federation was paying to protect borders? If they hadn't given so many luxuries to Starfleeters, maybe there would have been enough to make these clunkers more worthwhile. Holodecks and cantinas. Worthless.

*****

Main Bridge

Curran stepped through the last bulkhead to find himself in a mish-mash of parts and more sparking panels. The one closest to Grelkor's reptilian head, with its freshly hanging wires and broken switches, signified his 'repairs' to the navigation aid Kylar used to get here.

"Sit." The huge talons on the being clawed their way over the steering column in front of him. Curran had to duck to avoid more debris as he settled into the much larger seat for his frame. He felt lost in it. The communications panel to his left was lit up with overlapping signals. Some he recognized as Starfleet, others not.

"Are we in the Alpha Onias system?" He gazed out his port window at nothingness. It had been earlier this year he'd been here at Quentin where the Galaxy had experienced a time paradox when another Guardian of Forever found on the planet below had been accidentally damaged. Only he and a few select others knew about the portal below. The timeline had been restored when the timeship he and Karyn Dallas had been aboard returned them to the proper timeline and removed the biological weapon that would have destroyed the planet as it had in another divergence.

"Near enough." Grelkor sniffed the air, turning to Curran, who continued to peer out the portal. "You stink." He rummaged through a pack in a unit between the two seats, producing a hypospray. He jabbed Curran with it.

"What...?" The Kelvan jumped, grasping his arm in the process while the Gorn put the unit away.

"Radiation treatment. You'll need another one in 3 Terran hours. You can compensate me for it later."

Curran slanted his eyes warily, weariness overcoming him as the stimulants wore off faster - probably due to an element in the medication he'd just received. The Gorn wasn't intimidated slightly. In fact, he just shrugged. "The herd damaged a plasma manifold intake in the cargo bay. Costs a fortune to repair it."

"Are you offering them the same treatment?" He hadn't seen anything come down during his stay there.

"They get it in their gruel. What does it matter to you? Just put your codes in. Starfleet is hanging around." The Gorn handed him a PADD. "It interfaces with the commsystem, since I doubt you can read or operate Gorn systems." Curran couldn't operate the system, but he did know a little Gorn. Enough to know that they were actually in deep to the system according to the navigational map above them. How Grelkor got that far, he'd never know, nor would he ask. He also knew that the label on the hypospray read a sedative as well as his 'treatment'. Grelkor wanted very little resistance if he had to kill his passenger.

Curran entered in a series of varying access levels to obtain a telemetry path around the outskirts of the system away from Quentin, which would guarantee the highest levels of success. Anything higher would betray his identity. He was sure there were bounties on him still from deals bartered while serving in Intelligence and JAG offices on Earth. Grelkor would very much likely sell him to the highest bidder if this were revealed.

There was a long pause after Grelkor had transmitted the codes, one of which was of painful suspense. The faceted eye of the reptile fixed on Curran in the meantime, who had settled into his enormous seat with confidence, crossing his arms at the chest.

[Your flight path has been approved, Marauder. We will send a fighter escort with you to carry you out of the system safely] Grelkor let out a long breath he didn't know he was holding.

"Looks like you might be of use after all, Monk. I don't know how you acquired those codes, but they could be worth a lot on the open market if you're willing to part with the algorithm."

"That is not an option, Grelkor. I've done my part now. Do yours and get me to Kelva. I'll be staying up here form now on in, though if you don't mind."

"I don't think so, Monk. Back down into the hold with you. You smell like a Targ having rolled in Rigellian Bat feces. It's infesting my equipment."

"Then what'll you do when they signal you for anything related to those codes?" He pointed out to the 3 Banzai class fighter craft that settled into formation along and above the ship, away from the pulse cannon below.

The Gorn bared his teeth in exasperation. "Fine. But change those clothes. I've got some Terran clothing that was 'left behind' in one of the staterooms. Help yourself to it." He waved a talon in front of his face. "And get cleaned up. The waste of electricity is worth it. The room is yours. I don't want you up here unless I call for you, understand?"

"Aye, Captain. Signal me when we arrive at Kelva. I do not wish to be disturbed until then. Unless the escorts deem it necessary." Curran slipped out of the monstrous berth and hurriedly escaped the bridge. The Gorn smelled just as bad.

(OOC: This takes place after the arrival of the Galaxy at Trill)

"Odd Timing" part 1

Principal Characters

Ensign Marcus A. Slayton

Catalen Morka, Trill Civilian Technican (NPC)

Private Richard Simmons, Marine Trooper-USS Galaxy (NPC)

Secondary Characters:

Private/Medic Salu Digby, Marine Field Medic-USS Galaxy (NPC)

Location: Emored Dax Memorial Hospital-outskirts of Leran Manev, Trill

+++++++++++++++++++++++

Marcus Slayton was getting the last of the hospital's power grid up and going when he looked up and noticed three people enter the room. One of them he knew off the back as Catalen Morka, the civilian who'd been helping him off and on since the crisis began but the other two he wasn't too sure of but he knew that they were starfleet due to the fact that they were both wearing the black and green field uniforms of the Marines. One was a human with short reddish-blonde hair and dull shade of green eyes with a slightly wiry build like he came from a high gravity world and the other was a peite woman with had slight vulcan features. The man had a mark four compression phaser rifle at the ready while the woman had a medical tricorder out and she saluted along with the man.

"Sir, Privates Salu Digby and Richard Simmons from the United Star Ship Galaxy marine detachment. Are you in need of any assistance?" the woman, who was apparentally Salu said as she saluted, causing Marcus to salute back.

"Ensign Marcus Slayton, I take it the Galaxy has arrived?" Marcus asked as he lowered his hand from his salute and inwardly winced at his dumb question which made Simmons kind of snicker which caused a sharp look from Salu. She then turned to face Marcus again.

"Sir, I've been asked to bring any starfleet personnel who's been here a while to meet with the chief of engineering of the Galaxy who's arrived on planet in hopes of providing any infromation of what has happened here since the Akula crashed, sir." Salu said to which Marcus nodded in response.

"Sure, as long as mister Morka comes with me as he's been my primary assistant in restoring the power grid here. He's a civilian technican and a student at the local college who's been helping me. Is that alright, private?" Marcus asked and Salu nodded.

"Yes sir, Private Simmons." Salu said and the wiry looked at Salu with a questioning look.

"Yes ma'am?" Simmons asked as he moved his phaser rifle into a lower ready position

"I have to remain here and help with any medical cases here. I want you to escort Misters Slayton and Morka here, Understood trooper?" Salu said and Simmons came to attention and saluted her.

"Yes ma'am, understood." Simmons said and then turned to face Marcus. "Sir, if you would please come with me. You too Mister Morka." Simmons said also to Catalen and Marcus stopped only long enough to grab the tool kit and along with Catalen followed the young private out of the hospital, leaving Private Digby behind to help with the cases that needed attention.

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

Location: Relief-Engineering Center, outskirts of Leran Manev, Trill

Time: 45 minutes later

As Private Simmons lead Marcus and Catalen through a commerical district of the city towards where the Galaxy's staff had managed to make in order to start full relief efforts for the people of Leran Manev. Simmons filled Marcus in on what had happened in other parts of the city while he was working to restore power to the hospital and Marcus had to give up props to the Galaxy's crew because apparentally from the moment that they got the order to help with relief efforts, the crew of the ship had already gotten stuff ready to help with the relief efforts. Simmons, as Marcus found out, was not high on the totem pole so to speak and wasn't able to fill him in on much. After a few minutes, they arrived at the main center for the relief effort's engineering section. It was a standard pre-fabricated building complete with a situation table, and Simmons opened the door and lead the three of them in. Simmons came to attention before a man with a slight caitian look to hi! m wearing the same black and green as Simmons.

"Sergeant Stacker, Private Richard Simmons of Red Team reporting with Civilian Technican Catalen Morka and Ensign Marcus Slayton, sir." Simmons said as he saluted the caitian who returned the salute.

"Very well, private. Report to your duty station." Stacker said to Simmons who quickly left them and then turned to face Slayton and Morka. "Welcome to the forward position so to speak, gentlemen. I'm Master Sergeant Peter Stacker of the USS Galaxy, in command of Blue Team. Ensign Slayton, I think that you might want to speak with Lieutenant Commander O'Shea, so if you'll please come with me sir." Stacker said as he geastured towards the situation table was and Marcus nodded and followed the caitian officer over to the situation table where Sergeant Stacker got O'Shea's attention and that allowed for Marcus to look at his possible superior at least from the back and abject part of his mind took note of O'Shea's movements, they indicated that she was annoyed and troubled by what had happened but when she turned fully around to face him, Marcus' came to attention.

"Ensign Marcus Alexander Slayton, reporting for duty ma'am." Marcus said and when the other officer turned around to face him and he took in her features and noticed that she looked familiar and then suddenly it came to him and a part of his mind that also remembered that fact abjectly said one thing..

(OOC1: This takes place after the arrival of the Galaxy at Trill)

(OOC2: Snip taking from "Odd Timing" part 1)

"Odd Timing" Pt 2

Lieutenant Commander Brianna “Anna” O’Shea

Chief Engineer / Liaison to Starfleet Corp of Engineers

Master Sergeant Peter Stacker. -NPC

Present:

Ensign Marcus A. Slayton, Engineering Officer

-----

Location: Relief-Engineering Center, outskirts of Leran Manev, Trill

"Ensign Marcus Alexander Slayton, reporting for duty ma'am." Marcus said and when the other officer turned around to face him and he took in her features and noticed that she looked familiar and then suddenly it came to him and a part of his mind that also remembered that fact abjectly said one thing..

Of all people that were in Starfleet and all the unified and unaligned worlds Anna had never thought this person would ever be in her presence again. Standing there before him her mind saw the same boy she saw when she was at the academy. She looked at him for a long time, slipping into memories of what was then. Her mind took her back to the academy where she was just a sprig of a girl, trying to prove to her father she had what it took and he, Marcus, was a man trying to run from his father’s control. She had her cliqe at the academy, which consisted of Lisa, Dina and Josie whom she shared a dorm room with. The minute Brianna O’Shea and Marcus Slayton first met in the cafeteria at Starfleet Academy her friends and his both began to plot to get them together. They were attracted to each other, but both were either to shy or blind to notice it and ask the other out. So it was up to the friends to get them together.

When it did finally work and they went out, their relationship was anything but tame. Dina used to tell Brianna their relationship was one that loved to fight and then loved to make up. It wasn’t until Marcus and his friends raided the their room and took their panties did the true war began before the ‘Starfleet Angels and the Starfleet Cavaliers.’ Took a whole knew meaning for war zone. The girls punished them without mercy, only in the end to be reprimanded for insulting the Bolian and Andorian people because of the blue pigment dye they used to stain the boys skin. Weeks had passed and once again, they all were friends again.

Glancing at Master Sgt. Stacker she saw his look and knew he was wondering if she was alright. “Thank you, Peter… I’ll handle things from here.” She said, nodded in return when he did to her and then watched him walk away. Turning her head she brushed her dirty hand against her face, pushing her red hair back behind her ear that had fallen down from the ponytail.

Again her mind took her back several years to the academy. To the night Marcus had hide her and took the whole reprimand for the late night encounter they both were guilty for. Brianna turned her head as she thought about it for a moment. She could still remember the fight they’d had after words. She wanted to come forward and take her share of the punishment, he’d protested and told her not to. Marcus was the one that started people calling her Anna, that was the name he called her. He was the start of so many things and then end of so many things. Looking back to him she studied his face for a moment, wondering if he was having the same vivid memories she was relieving right now. As she looked at him it reminded herself of the last real time they were together, the night of the Academy Gala, the great party which honored the graduating class.

It was the night she just about told him she was falling in love with him as they danced. Least he never knew how close she came to telling him. The only reason she didn’t tell him was she knew her path and his wouldn’t be going the same way. He was still fighting his father, she was still proving to hers. As much as she did love him, it wasn’t enough to work at a long range relationship. Looking back to him she took a deep breath.

“Ensign,” She said finally talking to him. “Still holding on to my panties?” Anna finally said as she stood there now with her arms loosely folded over her body.

"Odd Timing" Pt 3 or "Of all the disaster zones, you had to walk into mine.."

Lieutenant Commander Brianna “Anna” O'Shea
Chief Engineer / Liaison to Starfleet Corp of Engineers

Ensign Marcus A. Slayton, Engineering Officer

When she turned fully to look at him, Marcus' throat suddenly found a quick way to wind up into his wind pipe. She was still as striking as she was all of those years ago. He remember when Irving and Shran finally pointed out that he had feelings for her, he remembered coming out of the dorm room shower with his skin dyed blue and having Shran promptly falling out of his bunk with laughter as he said a series of words that stayed with Marcus for years.

"What's the matter pinkskin? Figured that if you dyed your skin to match mine that you'd fit in better?" Shran managed to force out between the gales of laughter. He remembered confronting her after the incident and how the words quickly turned to other things. He remembered having fun with her and his friends, he also remembered having to drag Aya Nakajima out of one bar after another but that was a completely different subject all togther.

But one thought stuck with Marcus out of all of them, the night of the Formal for the graduating class. He remembered how she looked in her dress as the formal was one of the three events that the commandant of the academy would allow the female students to wear something else than the standard dress uniforms. Marcus vividly remembered holding onto her as they danced.

<Mental Flashback>

Location: Starfleet Academy, San Francisco CA-Earth

Date: A few years ago...

The Academy Gala was big, alot of the officers of the fleet was there including a few of his father's friends but Marcus didn't care about the great Andrew Slayton and his cadre of officers who wanted to ensure that Marcus followed his father's footsteps in an honorable service to the Federation. Marcus was more concerned with the angel in his arms as he was dancing with Anna which was saying something since he always considered himself to having two left feet despite what Arwen 619 said, bless hir hermat soul.

"Marcus, I need to tell you something.." he heard Anna say to him in his ear and Marcus pulled back just enough so that he could look her in the eyes.

"Yes, Anna?" he asked, Marcus was hardly at a loss for words but with her unless they were fighting or working on a project together for engineering, he couldn't say much because deep down he was fighting his feelings for her that he was afraid of saying.

"Um..I'm glad that I met you. You're important to me..." Anna said, like she was afraid of something which caused him to tilt his head quizzly to the left as he always did when he was confused but Anna couldn't finished and simply blushed a bright pink and laid her head on his shoulder again and sighed against him and he resolved to ask her about it later...but that would not happen...

<Present Day>

Marcus shakes his head when he noticed out of the corner of his left eye did he notice Catalen looking at him funny.

"Um, Mister Slayton..are you okay?" Catalen asked in a very confused manner, apparently thrown off by Anna's panty comment but her comment demanded an answer and as such he titled his head to the left and simply answered her question with a question

Still standing there she watched him. "I don't believe he is fine." She finally said, then shrugged slightly. She then snapped her fingers in front of his face. "Earth to Slayton... " She finally said. She was unsure how to respond to him being here. Anna didn't like being put on the spot, right now she felt as if she was about to have a stroke cause here he stood and she wasn't able to prepare herself for meeting him again. "Which ship are you with?" She asked then.

Marcus snapped out of his thoughts and looked at Ann with a slight smile. "I was on Trill awaiting transfer to the USS Galaxy, ma'am. I was twenty seven miles away from the impact zone." Marcus said on reflex. Marcus came to full attention like his father taught him and hammered into him so many times and said "Ensign Marcus Alexander Slayton transferring from Engineering of the USS Leonard H. McCoy to engineering section of the USS Galaxy as per request of Captain Daren M'Kantu and Captain Jonah Metis, ma'am."

"At ease..." Anna replied. She knew he did it just to sting her with such formality. He knew she rarely used ranks, unless she was barking an order to someone. "Leave us." Anna said, to Catalen who nodded and began to walk away. Once she and Marcus was alone she looked at him. Brianna was covered in dirty, hair a mess, hands caked with dirt and dried blood from herself and she shook her head. "You look like hell..." She said, "that means something coming from how I look right now." She said, then turned to the situation table. "So your working in the engineering department. How you going to handle that knowing I'm the head of it?" She asked.

Marcus smiled at her "To be utterly honest, I'm glad it's you in a strange way. I guess the Galaxy will have the best damn engineering staff in the fleet now, huh?" he said and then his expression changed to a bit solemn, "Anna, it's bad. When I woke up after the crash of the Akula and I saw the damage, I thought I was in hell. It's actually kind of funny as it was Catalen who found me."

He took his glasses off and used a piece of his inner uniform to clean them off with before putting them back on.

"I know it's bad." She said, turning back to look at him. Anna didn't comment on his statement being the best engineering team in fleet service, but slightly she liked the idea of it. "Starship just doesn't do this sort of thing, Marcus." Anna said as she reached for her water canteen to get a drink. "My people are about to drop down here from exhaustion."

Marcus nodded and then put his hands on his hips, looking at her. "So, what do you think happened? Anna, we know how a starship works. It might have been the gravimetric systems failed or the warp core simply broke down but I'm at a loss for what happened."

"I don't much, Intelligence has pretty much moved in and taken over. Got me assing around with my people shoring up buildings. When we found the flight box, ordered to turn it over to Intelligence. I know nothing and they don't want me to know anything." Anna said, then looked at him.

Marcus nodded and moved over to the situation table it's self and brought up a map of the outskirts of the city and brought up the Emored Dax Memorial Hospital. "I managed to get their power grid working after working on it for a while. If it's possible to spare a few of the engineering personnel, we might want to check out the only other hospital that wasn't in the crash zone just to be certain."

Anna nodded, standing there beside him she leaned over the table. "Sure I can get you some personnel." She responded. "I've managed to get this grid to this grid done... only got this section to go with shoring up. Then I'm moving there." Brianna said, pointing to the grid next to the symbiontical pools in the caves. "Did you request this transfer to here and if so, did you know I was here?" Anna asked just out of the blue.

Marcus turned to look at her and shook his head. "I was stationed on the McCoy by request of my father and since Captain Metis was one of my dad's old crew from the Sulu and I got put on there. After two years I asked for a transfer and Captain Metis told me about Captain M'Kantu and Lieutenant Commander O'Shea's request for personnel to replace those that was either lost to your conflict in Breen space or when the Galaxy was upgraded."

Marcus closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them again, turned just enough to try and look her in the eyes and said "Anna, I didn't put two and two together until I saw you standing there with the pips of a LC. It doesn't matter if you're my boss or if Geordi La Forge or even a EMH mark 1 is my boss, I still would've taken the transfer. Captain Metis said that the Galaxy is where I would fit in and make my own way."

"Metis know what was at the academy?" She asked ,looking at him. "I need to know all this so I know what to do about it all." She said, moving now to sit down in a chair. Her legs was so tried and achy she just looked at him. "You have to know that I'll be hardest on you more so then anyone else. I need to know you are going to be able to handle that, handle me when I get in your face. I won't be able to show you any mercy, everything you get from me will have to be because you earned it, I don't give a shit who your father is." She said, being honest with him. Anna and Marcus had always had that honesty with each other. Now was no different.

"Anna, I wouldn't expect any less and nor do I expect any special treatment. I signed on to be an engineer and that's my life so don't expect me to try and win brownie points with you but at least you know that I won't try to go over your head, I respect you too much to do that to you." Marcus said as he crossed his arms over his chest

"I would even entertain the thought of you doing that. I don't do that and know you don't either." She replied. "Suppose I say welcome aboard," Anna said standing and offering her hand to him. "Welcome to the department.." She said, wanting to say so much more but didn't, just like at the gala.

Marcus took her hand and shook it with a smile. "May I say it will be a pleasure working with you again, Anna. We'll get the people of Trill through this, trust me and then we'll help point Intelligence where to go with our dazzling genius to the source of what happened."

Marcus looked at her and fought down saying what he wanted to say, but he didn't but he knew that his eyes betrayed what he was feeling but he quickly looked away and took of his glasses and made like he needed to rub them for some reason.

Turning her head she looked at the situation table, "So what became of you since our last communication. Stealing more panties to add to your collection?" She asked, forcing a grin, even though she wondered if he had met someone and was in a relationship but didn't dare ask.

"No, I haven't been in a relationship not since the academy. If it wasn't one crisis or another, it was my father. I mean Aya, you remember her from the academy right? Well she tried to hook up with me but it didn't feel right to even think about it, her family and mine have been friends for years." Marcus said He snickered "Oh, and I still have your panties if you ever want them back by the way." he said without looking at her

"Such a sad soul there... she lusted after you something awful. Really pathetic if you think about it." Anna said, then looked over at him with a dead pan serious stair. "If I wore panties I might want them back." She said very seriously, then broke into a grin to show she was joking.

Marcus smiled back and then the smile got even bigger. "Oh yeah, Aya along with her twin brother Homare, Shran, Arwen 619, Irving, Claire and T'Pall have gotten plum assignments if you haven't heard. They're serving under Captain Muller on the USS Trident." Marcus said with a smile

"Who dog did you do not to get a plum assignment?" Brianna chuckled. Then shook her head. "Never mind, I really don't need to know the details of your sex life." She said, teasing him. Besides, he was the one that managed to take her own virginity back at the academy. "Last thing I need to know is what your into now." She grinned, as she picked up a data padd and looked over the information on it.

"Actually, I requested not to join the Trident's crew. I enjoy working on ships with their own histories you know? Not to be on a Hollywood ship and besides, the Trident has only been in service for a handful of years while the Galaxy is...well, the USS Galaxy. One of the most historic ships in the fleet and besides, name one place where I could find the "Angel of the Class of 2373, Anna?" Marcus said with all honesty "Besides, it was my choice to join the USS Galaxy and not a ploy of my father or anything. I was told about the request for personnel and Captain Metis suggested it." Marcus finished after a couple of seconds

"Metis suggested it then I have to assume your qualified to be here." She responded. Anna then looked at him, "don't start with the angel of the class. You know I didn't like that. Everything I got while at the academy I did so by working my behind off for...." She said then looked at him again, locking her eyes with his. "I'm sorry... just always feel like I've got to justify what I've got and how I got it." Brianna said, she knew he understood her father's mind set. "that comment every time I hear it just irritates me." She said, turning her back to him now as she leaned back over the situation table.

"Trust me, I understand. Try living with the moniker of "Fleet Captain Slayton's son" hanging over you. But you've earned every thing that you've worked and fought for since the academy, Anna. I know it may not seem like much now, what a full year or two after you got the position but congratulations on making Lieutenant Commander" Marcus said, but somewhere deep inside of him he suddenly felt very afraid to look at her as a familiar feeling started to grow inside of his stomach.

"Rank still feels foreign to my ears when I hear it." She said, still with her back to him. "It resonates like that's the high point of my career. Times I find myself wondering who they are talking to when I hear it, only to realize it's me." She said then shook her head. "That's something for the counselors I suppose." Anna said then picked up a data padd and put some names down on it. "Here is some personnel you can assemble together and check out the grid for electrical problems and power supply." Anna said, just as she always did, diverted to a new subject when things started to get to serious.

Marcus took the padd and looked it over then nodded. "If you don't mind, I would like to bring mister Morka with me. He's been a real help while I was working on the hospital's power grid."

"That's fine.. his safety is your concern. Do not put him in danger." Anna said, knowing he knew better then that anyway. "When you finish with that... get some rest, don't need more people dropping." Anna said, then picked up her padd and began to move out form under the canopy tent.

Marcus lowered the padd and called out to her. "Anna, wait a second, please." he asked

Turning she looked back to him. "Yes?" She asked, furrowing her brow slightly.

"I was wondering when we both have a few moments free during all of this if you want to talk, you know two old friends talking about nothing or anything or everything." Marcus said as he walked over to her and gently placed a hand on her right shoulder comfortably. "Plus if you remember right, I'm a good person to distress to and I hope that I still am." he said, looking at her face.

He then raised his free hand up and even with the PADD in his hand, he did a passable imitation of the old terran "Boy Scouts of America" hand motion. "I promise there is no hidden reasons or anything like that, just a friend wanting to be there for a friend. Scout's honor." he said

Anna thought about it for a minute, then nodded her head. "Sure... sounds good. Could use good drank later on. Only when this is over." She said, then added more of a whisper. "Thanks." Before turning and headed on to her task at hand. As she walked away she couldn't help but wondered if he saw the pain and sadness in her eyes, or if he was driven by needing to be near her for old time sake. Swiping her face with the back of her hand she tried not to think to much or read to much into his question, one thing was for sure, life had certainly just slapped her across the face with him coming back into her life.

Marcus nodded and then tagged his comm-badge as he watched her leave. He knew Anna better than that, her body language was screaming that she was upset at seeing him again which was something that he wasn't even ready to see yet. "Master Sergeant Stacker, this is Ensign Slayton. For the sake of security I need to borrow some of your squad to help with the engineering team that I'm assembling. Please ask your CO if there are a few troopers that she can do without." Marcus said pausing for a moment, After contacting Stacker, and said quietly something that a friend of his aboard the McCoy had taught him.

"Blessed prophets heed me please. Jia kasha tren tolaren lapur ila nekos ina Brianna Catherine O'Shea, Via korvais ver." he said in a combination of a traditional Bajoran prayer of protection and naming her specifically to be protected by it but the last part of it he said softly, as it was something that he had hoped to tell her many years ago. Marcus snapped out of his funk and switching over to "business" mode and a few seconds later Stacker's voice came back with a confirmation and then Marcus began contacting each of the engineers on the PADD that Anna had given him and started giving off orders. But he couldn't stop thinking about the pain that he saw in her eyes...was joining the USS Galaxy a bad choice or a good one now...

{{OOC: Takes place before "Did Ya Miss Me"}}

"The Irregular Suspects"

Lt.Commander James Corgan, Chief Security Officer
Lieutenant J.G. Cora Dobryin, Chief Intelligence Officer
Lieutenant J.G. Saul Bental, Intelligence Officer
Ensign Paulo DiMillo, Intelligence Officer
Petty Officer Lysandra Stuart, Intelligence Analyst (NPC of Cass Henderson)

"Excuse me ma'am, I don't understand a word of what you're saying."

The image flickered, then returned to life. Saul brought the PADD as far as possible from his eyes, desperately trying to avoid a headache. He didn't completely recover from his fainting, and he surely didn't want to faint again.

Not here, not now.

"Again.", She said, "I was asking if you are Lieutenant Bental, the senior Galaxy Intelligence officer in the field."

Saul blinked. Technically, he was, with Cora investigating the black box on the ship. But the title somehow sounded absurd in his ears.

"That's me, and you are.?"

"I was ordered by SFI HQ to deliver you the manifest of the Akula via encrypted uplink. The data is being transmitted as we speak.", She continued flatly, without responding to his question. She was a Lieutenant, of an insectoid species (Saul couldn't recall the name exactly, and rebuked himself for that), and right now seemed to be in a hurry to end the conversation.

"Finally.", He said, satisfied. He wondered for a moment why this information was relayed to him directly and not, say, to the Captain or to Cora.

"I'm also sending you a list of Galaxy personnel who are allowed to access the material. Starfleet has decided to classify all details regarding the Akula until the investigation yields results. Also, we dispatched some. Good men to aid you."

Saul scowled. Basically, she just told him that the higher-ups in Starfleet Intelligence reached the same conclusion as the Galaxy Intel department did - that the story behind the crash stunk like a bowl of Gagh left to dry in the Vulcan sun for seven days - and they sent their best agents to the scene because they didn't trust the Galaxy and the local Trill Intelligence elements to solve it.

Well, Saul wasn't going to give these Super-Ultra-Austin-Powers-Wannabes a chance to mess with the investigation. He swore to sort it out long before they will put their expensive shoes on Trill soil.

"Thank you ma'am. We'll put it to good use."

Once the PADD turned blank, Saul asked Xil to stop the vessel, then set up an online conference with several key names in the 'clearance list'. It was quite complicated, but after toying with the PADD for two minutes the resourceful Intelligence officer finally succeeded, and the first faces emerged on the screen.

=/\="Hello?"=/\= Called out James Corgan, the security chief. His glasses, hair and skin were flecked with dust, but the background of his screen was the security office. He was pulled from his humanitarian work to return to the ship. Though James was grateful to be out of the ruins, he still had enough worry for everyone. As the chief of security, he would be not only key to the investigation; he would also have to go into harm's way when a suspect was found.

But a chance to one up Starfleet Intelligence? How could a security officer pass that up?

"Shalom chief." Saul replied.

More faces appeared on the divided screen. Paulo was next, sitting down at the conference table. Since he and Cora were still in the Intel offices it had been decided to just use the conference room and to lock the doors. He really didn't look forward to this meeting as the "heat" between he and Saul could come out, as was the chance in every meeting, and he didn't want that right now, especially with the XO in on the meeting.

Paulo himself had brought all the information he had gathered about the Akula. It still stunk bad. All the data he had looked at gave no clue to what went wrong, or who was even on board. As was the standard for passing by ships to just make surface scans, he had pretty much nothing.

The image of Lysandra Stuart, a minor intelligence analyst from the USS Galaxy appeared next to Paulo's. She was sitting in the same room as the two senior intelligence officers.. She had only been invited in on the meeting because she'd handed off some information to Dobryin that she had received from a 'superior officer' in SFI. Nobody but Dobryin knew that Stuart was, as usual, acting as Cass Henderson's go between.

"Hello all." Saul began. "First, be aware that this uplink is heavily encrypted, so we might experience communications difficulties. Next, I just received the manifest of the Akula, and I figured we might take a look on it together."

Paulo nodded. "Before we get to far in," Paulo started. "Do we know if any crew were on board? All the data I have been able to collect has been, well, not helpful, and the fact that no bio matter has been found."

"I took a glance at the forensics reports." James added, "You would expect to have bodies everywhere, mostly impacts from a high speed collision. Problem is, we're not seeing that. We're not ruling out that they're still there, though, but it looks suspicious. Have they found anything on high resolution bioscans yet?"

"Not that I have seen," Paulo replied, "but we are still in the process of scanning, and with the surge of power from the auto destruct system we can't get clear readings.

Corgan dropped another question, "Will it also obscure any signs of phaser and disruptor fire inside the ship?"

"It could," Paulo replied. "We will know more as soon as engineering can disable the auto destruct and we can send some teams in to take a look around. Not that I would like to find any, but it would be helpful to find some bodies inside the parts of the ship that are still intact. They could tell us some more about what happened."

Saul raised his eyebrows. He didn't hear anything about surge of power from the self destruct mechanism. "We were also asked to check a possible... method used to fool sensors with false life signs prior to the crash.", He said, referring to the Neural Jellpacks, "But I can't discuss it right now."

"By the way, has anyone checked the navigation records?" Asked the security chief, "A ship like that couldn't chart a course straight into a planet without some override activating. It would need a command officer's override. That's what i'd like to find."

Paulo looked over at Cora who would have that answer.

Cora had exactly the answers they were seeking. A series of charts and various other data from Akula's black box appeared on the encrypted data screens. "This tell us exactly what we need to know. Due to impact damage it took some time to extract the data but it tells the story we needed from the very start of this mess." A well defined star chart with the appropriate flight recorder data superimposed on it relayed more than words could.

Saul glanced at the chart as it was transmitted to his display. Behind his shoulder, Lieutenant Xil also inspected the data.

"It looks just like we theorized.", Said Saul, "The Akula went through here, here and here on its regular patrol... it went radio-silent here, due to 'malfunction'... then changed course and headed toward Trill. No wonder they Trill ground control figured the ship was arriving to get assistance, it was all done by the protocol."

"I hope crashing into major cities isn't part of the protocol.", Lysandra Stuart said cynically.

"All right.", Saul cleared his throat. "You can all see the manifest on the top right corner of your screen. Our first 'suspect' is obviously the Captain. Bolian, Forty-Eight standard years old, goes by the name of Zedbi Geliba…"

There was no way that Saul or the other conferring officers could know, at that time, that the USS DISS carrying Commander Christopher Thomas was heading full speed toward Trill and the Galaxy.

And yet, their efforts were not futile, as - again, unknown to them at that time - they were going to talk about Thomas' mole, as well as a one-of-a-kind hero...

TO BE CONTINUED...

"An Engineers Break"

Lt. Commander Brianna "Anna" O'Shea
Chief Engineer / Liaison S.C.E.

:: Ten-forward Lounge, Deck Ten, USS Galaxy ::

It had been couple hours since she had finished shoring up the buildings around the crash site. Anna knew she was pushing her people hard, that was when counseling offices and Baile told her to take a break or she was going to make her department mutiny against her. So after some reservations about taking a break from it all she did just that, returning to the ship to clean up, get something to eat and then take moment to collect herself before heading down to the main crash site to inspect the Akula.

As she entered the lounge she glanced around and nodded to a few people as she moved over toward the table which sat by itself near the large forward windows. Looking out she looked down on Trill, and realized just how peaceful chaos looked from the heavens. Brianna’s thoughts were interrupted when she heard the waitress speak to her.

“Can I get you something, ‘Commander?” The lady asked softly.

“Yes,” Anna replied. “I’ll have fried chicken, French fries and small side chef salad.” She said, before continuing. “I’d also like a sweetened iced tea to please.”

“Sure thing, be one moment.” The lady replied, turning she then walked away.

Anna turned her head and looked back out the window. Only this time she wasn’t thinking about the destructive wake of the USS Akula. She was thinking about the wake of realizing Marc was back in her life so to speak. She didn’t know if she could go through this again. Their previous relationship was as stormy as the weather on Fregnar. One thing was said for them, they were always loyal to the other. Neither of them cheated on the other and well at the end it all came down to different career paths. Neither was brave enough to ask the other to follow them. Anna knew why she didn’t, only speculate why he never asked her. Maybe he was still trying to be something his father wanted, doubtful, but over the years that is what Anna told herself to keep from thinking he felt more attracted to his career then her.

When the lady returned with the food, Anna again was taken from her thoughts and looked down at her food as the waitress sat it out. “Thank you.” She responded, before picking up her napkin and placing it on her lap.

Just before she took a bite, she paused thinking about how suddenly all this came about and her mind instantly clicked. “Dina…” She whispered. It had her written all over it, Dina was the one she’d talked to about Marc no more then a few weeks ago, shaking her head she just signed, yes, retribution would be hell. Anna began to plot a Texas chain-saw massacre style ass whooping on her friend.

"Views of a forum"

Starring..

Ensign Marcus Slayton, Engineering Officer/USS Galaxy

Private Michael J. Caboose, Marine/USS Galaxy (NPC)

Ensign Rena Lanford, Starfleet Medical Officer (NPC)

Also featuring:

Lance Corpral Grace Waldron, Marine/USS Galaxy (NPC)

Private Peter Tempus, Marine/USS Galaxy (NPC)

Location: outskirts of Leran Manev, Trill

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

At one of the many replimats in the city where Starfleet had set up a food center, Ensign Marcus Slayton was working hard to help get the food services flowing easily and steadly as the main planetary power-grid for all of the planet was still in "shock" over what happened to Leran Manev. He felt a presence behind him and that's when he noticed the black and green body armor of a starfleet marine and to his bigger surprise, the marine was one that he knew from their days on the USS Hiroshima but the young woman with the slightly tapered ears like a vulcan threw him off. She wore the standard blue that made her either medical or sciences but the fact that she was running a medical tricorder over him made it obvious which branch of the fleet that she was apart of. Marcus turned to the marine with a slight smile.

"MJ, what are you doing here on Trill?" he asked as he took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes tiredly. He heard Caboose's easily soft and somewhat slow but stead voice speak.

"Oh, I got transferred to the Galaxy after the war, Marcus. It's been fun, especially with the rest of the unit also being on the Galaxy also but Miss Lanford here is from the medical section of the ship and she seems to be rather cross with you right now..." the marine known as Michael J. Caboose said in a low steady tone but he added in a slight exaggerated and lower voice when he said "she is kind of scary, isn't she?" to which Miss Lanford rolled her eyes.

"Sir, how long have you been doing disaster work here planetside?" she asked, her voice somewhat harsh but her eyes was locked on him as Marcus slide his glasses back onto his face.

"Since before the crash of the 'Akula. I was awaiting the arrival of the Galaxy, why doctor?" Marcus responded with more than a small hint of confusion in his voice which Miss Lanford easily and quickly responded.

"Ensign Slayton, my scans are showing that you are having issues with stress right now both mental and physical. Therefore I'm hereby ordering you to beam up to the Galaxy for a rest period of at least a day. If you have any problems with that, then I suggest that you take it up with Lieutenant Klaus Fienberg, Chief Medical Officer of the USS Galaxy." Doctor Lanford said and Marcus simply nodded and reached up to tag his comm-badge, Caboose caught his hand.

"Marcus, if you're hungry. Me and the gang is getting some food in the lounge...that is if you wouldn't feel dirty eating with marines.." Caboose said in his usual strange way which made Marcus smile for the first time in a few hours.

"Sure Caboose, hold on." Marcus said as he tagged his comm-badge. "Slayton to Galaxy, two to beam up." he said and a few seconds later, the damaged landscape of Leran Manev fades to a blue as the transporter beam sweeps him and his friend up.

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

Location: USS Galaxy's Lounge

Date: a few minutes later.

Marcus, cleaned up slightly and in a clean uniform, stepped into the lounge of the Galaxy and smiled. Marcus looked around the room and finally caught sight of the members of the 42nd Tactical Unit sitting at one of the larger tables in the corner and he ambled over there. He noticed that Peter Tempus, the team's resident loud mouth and sniper, was trying to tell a story or something that had a punchline while Grace Waldron, Tempus' "spotter" who was apparentally trying to eat some sushi but everytime that she brought a piece to her mouth, Tempus made her stop in mid motion. Marcus made his way over to the table and said "You know, petey, if you don't let Grace eat she'll probally show you why she's one of the more dangerous members of your squad." he said while standing directly behind Tempus.

"What the?!" Tempus said as he turned around and when he saw Marcus standing there with a big smile on his face, the sniper shouted "MARCUS, YOU OLD SEA DOG!!" and then caught the engineering officer up in a hug mean while, Grace-noticing that the attention was off of her, scarfed several pieces of food into her mouth and chewed quickly. After a few minutes, of exchanging hellos, Marcus was finally able to sit down and relax and the various topics until finally Grace leaned over and tapped Marcus on the shoulder.

"So, have you noticed that your new boss is your ex-flame yet or are you as dense as you were in the acdemy?" Grace said in her soft voice so that the others wouldn't hear the topic.

"Yeah, I just don't know what to do Grace. I guess I should've expected this when Dina suggested that I take the post huh?" Marcus said as he leaned back with a troubled look on his face to which Grace only nodded and then Marcus stood up and excused himself saying that he wanted some time to himself and he made his way to the holo-decks, but as he was leaving the lounge, Marcus noticed Anna eating and looking distracted over in one corner and he fought against his feelings and left the room. After a couple of wrong turns, Marcus finally found himself in front of the holo-decks.

"Computer, do you have an records of a bajoran temple of worship on file?" Marcus asked the ship's computer

"Yes, the database contains over a hundred styles of bajoran temples including the main temple of Kendar Provience on Bajor.." the computer responded

"Alright, run the Kendar Provience temple program and add simple monks robes for the sizes of personnel known as Slayton, Marcus Alexander." he said and a few seconds later the computer responded with "Completed, enter when ready" and then Marcus stepped towards the doors which opened and he was greeted by a bajoran vedek character after he passed through the arch and then he proceeded to loose himself in the teachings of what was taught to him by a friend and he proceeded to loose himself in the program...

...Meanwhile, back in the lounge. Grace got up from where she was sitting and walked over to Brianna's table and coughed politly. When her superior officer looked up Grace simply said one thing.

"May I join you, ma'am?"

(OOC: Takes places hours after "Odd Timing" part 3)

"Odd Timing" part 4

Starring:

Lt. Commander Brianna "Anna" O'Shea

Chief Engineer/Liasion S.C.E.

Lance Corporal Grace Waldron-(NPC)

Starfleet Marines

:: Ten-forward Lounge, Deck Ten, USS Galaxy ::

Looking up she heard the voice of Grace, asking if she could join her at the table. Anna remembered Grace only briefly from the academy, she was part of Marcus' circle of friends.

"Sure.." she said, geasturing to the chair. "Something I can help you with?" Brianna asked, as she took a bite of her salad.

Grace sat down in the chair directly opposite of Brianna. "You know that Marc's on board don't you?" she said, as usual going for the throat of the matter.

Anna nodded. "Yes. I know". She responded. "He reported to me a few hours ago." Brianna said, as she then took a drink of her tea. "Surprise to have him here, is it not?" Anna asked.

Grace leaned back casually in her chair, keeping her cobalt blue gaze on Brianna. "Not so much, no. But then again I've kept in more regular touch with him. You see, right after I got out of the academy I got sent to marine boot camp for special cross-department training and the I wound up with the rest of my unit stationed on the USS Hiroshima which was Marc's first assignment out of the academy."

"So you two have remained in close contact with each other?" Anna said, then leaned back herself. "Did you know about him coming here?" The Chief Engineer asked as she looked down in her tea glass. "Just all seems strange, just last week I was talking with Dina about him and now he's here." She said, looking back upto Grace's face.

Grace allowed a very rare smile to cross her features. "Brianna, I didn't know he was stationed on the G