"A Familiar Face" 
Lt. Commander Ethan Suder
Chief Engineer
Lieutenant (jg) Michael McDowell
Engineer
Ethan paced around his quarters scrolling through the latest duty roster for the upcoming week. Everything seemed to be in order. He then picked up another data padd and began reading through some data on the ship systems. Something didn't seem right. In fact it was something very odd. A huge discrepancy in the shields a short while ago.
He felt it was time that he meet up with his best friend, Michael McDowell. He knew Michael was in Engineering on his shift, so he made his way towards the heart of the ship.
*** At that same moment ***
It was around 1:30 hours in the morning when Michael decided he was at the verge of a nervous breakdown. He'd been talking to the two Bynar Engineers for nearly two hours straight,...again, and all that high speed digital babbling made him nuts. Worst thing was that they weren't getting anywhere.
Michael was leaning at the 'Pool Table' while he listened at, what he assumed to be, a discussion between Bynars on what their next answer should be. Michael slowly shook his head, got up and took a few steps towards the pulsing Warp Core. A virus, known as 'The Quick virus', wracking havoc on the ship,...and even the Bynars couldn't get rid of it. It sounded like bad dream. Michael wouldn't be very surprised if was and for a brief moment he smiled. "Please, somebody pinch me..." he mumbled, not knowing that Ethan - whom he hadn't seen for years - was standing behind him at an armslength distance.
Ethan couldn't help but let out a slight smile. He too shook his head. Things hadn't seemed to have changed. Engineering was still home, yet still haunted. Michael was, as Ethan remembered when he left, still getting one those Bynar headaches.
Ethan thought it strange that Michael too had returned to the Galaxy. He would catch up with Michael now, a task that he felt would take several hours and then at some point, on to Karyn Dallas. He had picked up some gossip on his travels and was worried about her.
But he had to think about the now. Here he was, stood right by his best friend. And at his request, Ethan reached out and gently pinched the back of his best friends neck. He tried to keep a straight face, but he once again, let out one of those very rare smiles that silently said, "good to see you".
Startled, Michael cringed slightly and then turned around. He never expected to be really pinched. Someone was trying to be funny. Nice try...bad timing. "Hey! Next time you...-" Michael was about to give the person before him a piece of his mind when he noticed it was Ethan, and not somebody else, that was standing in front him. It took only a split second to realize it was he who had pinched him.
A big smile appeared on Michael's face. "Ethan! Man, am I glad to see you! How long has it...-" He stopped abruptly, suddenly realizing he was still on duty and that by now many Engineers in Main Engineering were looking in his direction. Michael cleared his throat with the intention to continue talking to Ethan in a more formal way, as it should be when talking to a superior. He wasn't completely successful though. There was still that grin on his face. "I'm sorry sir,...I got a bit carried away."
Ethan smiled and gestured to the side of Engineering while putting one hand on Michael's shoulder lead him. "Don't worry about it. Hey, it's me." Ethan replied. "I maybe Chief, but it's still me, plain old me." Ethan strolled with Michael to the warp core where there were few Engineers. "So," Ethan started glancing at Michael's rank. "What have you been up to?"
Michael waited a moment. The last few years of his life hadn't been the happiest ones. The demotion was the hardest part and Michael wasn't eager to tell Ethan about that,...although he knew Ethan would ask for it sometime soon anyway. "Well, in short, I've been to Starbase 86 to meet up with the Windsor - never set one foot on the ship though 'cause the freighter I was on was attacked by Orions. After that I've been on Earth for about six months, and the following two years I was assigned to one of the Engineering teams at Utopia Planetia." Michael paused another few seconds before he continued. "That's about it. But you know all that since you no doubt have read the latest updates to my Bio."
Ethan shrugged a little. "To be honest, haven't really had the chance. One, I've been really busy trying to get things in shape. Engineering has... changed since I was last in charge, and two, I'd rather ask and hear the story for myself rather than read it. You know how dodgy and misleading those files can be." he half joked. "As I said, things have changed a lot, don't know if it's a good change or bad, but I've got a few things I'd like to go through with you and the Assistant Chief. Haven't ran into her yet, what's she like?" he asked.
"Ah, you mean Lieutenant' Grey..." Michael said while he quickly tried to decide how to judge Ella's character, and then concluded he didn't know her well enough to do that. "I'm just beginning to know her actually, but I heard nothing but good things so far. However, there's one thing you should know..."
"Yeah." Ethan said with some anticipation.
"She doesn't speak. At least, not in the way we are used to. Lieutenant' Grey talks via sign language or, if that's not possible, uses a PADD to communicate." Every time Michael talked about Ella's way of communicating he wondered why she didn't speak. He knew from other crewmembers that she was human, so that meant he could dismiss telepathy and the possibility of Ella being a member of a non-vocal race. The question just kept nagging him.
"Hmm, interesting, but shouldn't pose a problem." Ethan pondered. "Will be nice to meet her at last." he commented.
"You know, you're too busy or else you would've spoken to her long ago. Say, why don't you catch a few hours sleep until Alpha shift begins?" Michael said as he glanced passed Ethan to the two Bynars to see if they were done discussing the 'Quick Virus' yet. Looking back at Ethan he continued. "Just some advice from a worried friend... You can't go on like this."
Ethan turned his face away for a second, then looked back. With a forced look of confidence, he gave Michael a nod, "I've got a few things to do before Alpha Shift starts." he paused. "I got an early night last night, don't worry." he lied with a wink.
While Michael was listening to Ethan he noticed the Bynars were looking in their direction. Obviously they had decided what step to take next in battling that unbelievable persistent 'virus'. "Alright, then I'll see you after Alpha shift. In the mean time I'll see if I can make some progress in fighting that so-called virus that's pestering the ship,...although I don't have much hope on that."
Ethan nodded. "Perhaps we could go through it later, for old times sake." Ethan smiled. As he watched Michael walk off, he looked around Engineering. For the first time in a long time, he felt a small bit of goodness. The gang back in Engineering. The old kids off the block. He continued to stroll around the ship, quiet and content with racing thoughts.
To Be Continued....
"The Doctors work their Magic"
Lt. Cmdr. Vladimir Malgin
Lt. JG Klaus Fienberg
Current Location: Sickbay
Klaus was still somewhat hung over, but it gave him the determination to work to the best of his ability. At least he got a shit, shower, n' shave before he headed to work(Went straight to his quarters after Kay's.)
He saw his boss, Dr. Malgin. Klaus greeted him "Guten Tag Kommandant." and went about his shift not noticing that Vlad was working on something. He finally muttered to himself somewhat audibly while holding his aching head. "Last time. Forever."
Wrong answer... Appearing in front of good ol' (well, maybe not old and definately not good, but this is usual thing that is written in stories like these) could bring harm not only to biography file, but also affect career, health, even life. Everybody knew this. Well, except for Klaus, who will, not yet knowing it, might very soon become a victim.
Medical Nemesis turned his head, and then a whole body, to lieutenant and his eyes narrowed, analizing the condition of Klaus. Then his face relaxed. It was the obvious sign of upcoming storm. This proved to be right - the next thing he yelled was "What the [BEEP!] is with you, lieutenant?! Ahem, I asked what the [BEEP!] is with you?! Are you drunk or what?! You'd better not be, else the consequences will be catastrophic... for you!"
Klaus thought to himself that this was not the time for this. Then remembered Captain Mukai. If he wasn't so stricken with fear we would have said "Not anymore."
Instead what came out was "No Sir." Then he remembered something he heard. "Excuse me, sir. Didn't Bolivar and the Ten forward manager discover the secret to the Fem-Bot's 'Spell?'" He both wanted change the subject and get to work on fixing the dillema which victumized him so.
Vladimir wasn't so easy to make him change the subject. Chief Doctor looked at Klaus, almost drilling him with his stare, then smiled and said "It;s good you are not. I need somebody here to help and I will choose you. Don't think that it is because yer good - I just don't have anyone else at my disposal."
Then he turned back to his papers and, not raising his sight to Klaus continued "Damn, all that nature... Why we still have some pheromones, shmuramones to effect us? Less nature - less problems, I say. I don't yet have an idea of a possible thing to work as antidote, whatever that thing is..." he sighed, "maybe just a garlic piece? Heh..."
Klaus felt better, and feelings of revenge were showing up. "At your disposal is something I am. Besides, I have a personal score to settle with these fem.....abominations." Klaus paused. "Well......The male sex drive is usually the stronger in alot of humanoid species in the known galaxy. I am begining the think that something that would temporarily shut down the male sex drive would work. But most of the male crew would object to this. No....bad idea." Klaus paused again...deep in thought.
Malgin gave him a shot straight between his eyes... With his glance, which as we know is more powerful than cannon.Then chief doctor said in icy tone "Mister Fienberg, does this matter for me? Does their opinion about medicine technology damn f***s me? Hell no! If we NEED to shut down their male sex drives, we WILL," he paused "I repeat WE WILL do it. I don't care if after this they will feel attraction to each other. I DON'T CARE!"
Malgin's flame was extinguished by his rational part of mind as quickly as it appeared, so more calmly he continued "Idea is not bad. Finally you said something that is good. But the problem is to find a way to knock off their sex drives. Let's think. Knock out thestosterone producing cells? This will be too much, I think - they will just turn into females. Maybe you have an idea, mister Fienberg?"
"Not really sir. But I'm working on it. I'm a little more concerned about turning them back on. You and I will also.....need to be treated in order for proper removal of the abominations." He thought for a moment longer. "Do we have anything that will counteract testosterone without damaging the male physiology.....too badly?"
"You know I will agree even to such a horrific procedure just to get rid of all those problems..." Vladimir sighed, "But the problem is that I can not imagine even a single way to this harmless. And when boss can't give the answer - he asks subordinates. You see, by my medical profile, I am a surgeon. But surgical way of solving the problem we have is permanent. Thus - give me some idea, mister."
"I understand Sir. Althought my record was General Medicine, I am personally specialized in pathogens. Personal hobby of mine. I beleive I know how though."
Klaus again went into deep thought. It was getting somewhat repetative.
"I may be able to produce a drug that would harmlessly disable the testosterone producing glands. I can't believe I didn't think of it before. Unfortunatly, all human males produce estrogen naturally, as do women produce testosterone. Unfortunatly, we would have alot of very feminine acting men aboard ship until this is all over. We would need to keep producing it and continue to pump it into life support, since my idea would need to wear off naturally. I can prepare it once I have the materials.....but things will get wierd soon after, so when things do, how you say.......don't say I didn't warn you."
"You say it as if we have any choice..." chuckled Vladimir. "However, I will warn you know that if this doesn't work, I will personally dump your dead female body into space. Clear? I hope so. Count these words as official approval of your actions. Do whatever you find neccessary. Just tell me what do you need and let's start our 'big gender-bender surprise'..."
"I have never failed before and I don't intend to now." KLaus hurried off contemplating the horror he would have to unleash.
-= Quiet short time after =-
Klaus returned to Malgin holding what appeared to be a box of chocolates. His face was blushed and he was eating them indulgantly. His voice was seriously cracked.
"Sir....I..mean..I just feel terrible....But...but as you can see by my disposition, the serum works.....I....I...can't......get it up.....if you get what I mean."
Vladimir's face almost literally turned dark shade of red as he said "You don't need to tell me about your own problems, okay? It was enough just to say 'Boss, it works', but not explain effects it made on your..." he paused "different parts of body. You voice is already enough. Now let's go and dump this box of cool stuff to crew..."
Still shakey, Klaus muttered. "Bestätigend, Kommandant."
Current Location:
Stardrive Section
Deck 10, Life Support control.
Klaus was more contained. "I suppose we'd better get started sir."
There were few seconds of uneasy silence. Then Vladimir broke it "Ahem, mister Fienberg... And how do you suppose to give it to the crew? I doubt that they will eat this. So, from what I guess, you offer to vapour them into air supply? They breath it and, voila, gender-bender works?"
Stiffening up and taking control of himself, Klaus answered. "That is how I tested it on my lab animals as well as accidentally on myself. I also created a backup plan. I also made a serum which would counteract the original and dissolve it midair, allowing for the serum still in the blood stream of those affected to wear off. I also tested it on myself. It worked too. If it doesn't work, I'll volunteerily toss myself out the airlock."
Klaus attached the serum dispencer to the life support system. Now the fun begins.
"Doctors have issues...."
Bvt Maj Saladin Bolivar NALDC
Chief intelligance officer
The gathering of intelligance on this ship was a simple adventure. Starfleet was foolish in that aspect.
A medical officer had informed him Malgin and Feinburg had not only cut him out of any assistance to find a cure, but those two fools were trying to cut all the testerone out of the males on the ship.
Just because those two fools were ashamed of their masculinity and wished they were women, didn't mean the entire ship did.
And those doctors had some SERIOUS issues, something either therapy or a bullet in the brain.
That migth be a good idea, the bullet. But instead he decided to fix the problem.
"Computer open backdoor program Break seven strike three."
=Working=
He flipped on the console, "Backdoor, remove access for life support from Lt JG Klaus Feinburg and Lt Commander Vladimer Malgin."
=Access removed=
He then went back to the lab, "the actual solution was easier then the doctors Intel had reverse engineered the pheremones and made a conductive antidote which when introduced cancelled out the pheremones and made people not want to screw a robot. Yet not turn the men of the ship in to eunuchs.
"The Pedaler and the Countess"
By: Lt. Commander Rose Isis MacAllen, Chief of Archology
Erik Stiener, Owner of "Stiener's Inventions & Noveltys"
**In the Promenade, "Stiener's Inventions & Noveltys"**
The prenancy Rose was looking around the Novelty store, she never been in one before so this was something new for her. Thank to Kay who is watching her daughter Karyn while the young science officer can relax and enjoy herself alittle bit.
Erik was in the back with the Fab 3(Th Fem-bots he managed to gain control over.) working on a interesting new invention. When he heard someone outside, the business side of his kicked in. The side that made him comparable to many, as well as respected amoung many ferengi. The Side that won him many a game of Tongo. He walked out with the new invention still attached to his bad arm.
He put a slick car salesman look on. "May I help you my dear?"
"Yes, do you have anything..sexy?"
Erik was a little surprise by what the clearly pregnant woman was looking for. "Well, it's not normally what I stock, but I do have edible lingerie. Not a favourite of mine, but it seems to be a popular item these days. I happen to have some on stock"
Suddenly the device on his bad arm began moving slightly out of control. He grabbed it and restrained it. He chuckled "Something I've been working on. It gets a little tiresome only having on usable arm. Normal bionics failed me, so I've been working on this device for a while....oh sorry, I trailed off on you there didn't I. I'll go in the back and get the items you want if you wish."
"Lets see what you got." the young Betazoid said while walking with him, she got both beauty and grace.
Erik smiled again and led the woman in the back. The extent of his control over the Fem-bots truely seen. They didn't immediatly come forth to him. They merely sat in the back awaiting him. They completely ignored rose. He opened a suitcase and began rifling through it. He proped up his bad left arm as he laid the lingerie acrossed it. He turned to Rose with the arm out. A hot pink teddy was on top.
"Go ahead and look through them. And please excuse my arm. It's just unusable and has no feeling. The hand that reachs into the past."
"It beautiful, and it my size which is size 2 after my prenancy."
"Yes, a favourite of many my dear. And you are beautiful enough as you are now." Erik's accent had a strange ting to it. After all, he did live in newjersey for a good long while.
"You look a little like my Ex-wife. Thank god you aren't the greedy bitch she is. I get this good, friendly vibe from you."
"I'm not greedy, but I can be an bitch sometimes. Do you have any soaps and stuff like that." the young Betazoid replied with an grin while looking around.
Erik chuckled. "Yes, I do." He started rifling through his stock in the back. "Oh, I remember, they're over here." He moved to another set of boxes. "'Entrepenuers' like myself tend to attract the gold diggers like my ex-wife." He opened it and asked "Anything in particular?"
"Something from Risa or Betazed."
Erik Rifled through it again. "Well, I have Risan bath oil--" He opened and sniffed it."Not sure about it's authenticity. Still seems decent."
Rifling through it again he picked up what appeared to be a loofa. "I found this on my travels. The pedaler claimed that it was from Betazed. You judge it for yourself. I barely keep track of things these days."
The young Science Officer looked over the pedaler, it was from Betazed.
"This is from Betazed, I will take this and the Risan bath oil."
"I'll give you a discount, 15 credits(Whats the standard form or currency these days) I suppose."
"No, that ok I will pay full price I would like to look at more nightgowns and some other things if you can help me." Rose replied with an grin, boy if he knew that she was part of the Betazoid royal family the young woman don't know what he would do.
"Are you sure?" She nodded. "40 credits then."
He handed them over.
"Thank you hon, I will be coming back soon for nightgowns." the young Betazoid said with an beautiful grin.
"So you have an books of nightgowns I can look at from Betazed and Risa?"
"I'm glad you asked. Keller's big book of Nighties. No kidding, that's really the name."
He pulled the book out fo the same box. "Here you go."
Rose took the books with an smile and sat down slowly in an chair, she started to look though the books at some beautiful nightgowns.
Erik watched his customer take a seat and look through the book. He thought to himself. "She is different. I wonder who was lucky enough to land her." Fiddled with the device on his arm and asked, "So what do you think?"
"I will take all this gowns and outfits on this three pages, when they come in just hold on to them for me if you can." the young woman replied while getting up from the chair.
"Well, I kinda meant my establishment, but you definitely have cash to throw around." He almost thought he recognized her from somewhere. The merchant stood up and received the book. "Done deal." In his travels he had picked up many a phrase and mannerism that made him seem alot less german than he really was. "I will call you when they arrive. I better contact Tullie for this order. It's been awhile since I've had and order from this catalog."
"I will give you 1,000 credits plus extra..."
Erik was stunned. "Can't beat that deal. I'll take it, I am a businessman you know. I would ask you where you get the money, but that is none of my business."
"Oh you will know soon my dear German friend, I will let my Asst. Kay pick it up for me when it comes in." the young Betazoid said with an grin while getting up from the chair and started to walk out.
An crewmen droped off an bundle of magaize from Betazed called the "Royal Family of Betazed" and right in front of the cover was Rose dressed in an long red ballgown while prenancy. On the bottom is the title of the story called "The Working Countess"
Eirk looked at it with absolute surprise. "What the hell!" He took several double takes. "Well.....I guess that explains it. I really don't know what to say. I will inform you upon it's arrival." Erik sat down and a thud. He was gaunt with shock. He muttered to himself and her. "So you're a countess are you."
Rose grins alittle while walking out the doors, "See you around Erik, be good."
NRPG: She's baack! The semester is over and I'm finally caught up on logs! Please read and review (be gentle, please.;-) *prepares for the fruit throwing* Just another take given some previous logs... ~Lori
"Consent"
Commander Karyn Dallas
Chief Counselor/ Second Officer
Ensign Jennifer Reynaldi NPC
Trauma Counselor
Ensign Lance Garcia NPC
Trauma Counselor USS Galaxy
***Counseling Center, USS Galaxy***
"...what you're talking about is every man's fantasy, Lance... A few hundred guys getting their rocks off while several ready and willing pleasure 'experts' cater to their every whim. Trust me, the only problem we're going to have after this is all over is weaning the guys off the VIP treatment and knocking some sense into them when they demand the same undying love from their wives and girlfriends." countered Jennifer Reynaldi, the Betazoid Trauma Counselor to her Trill counterpart Lance Garcia.
Lance offered her a wry smile. "Listen, I'm not saying it can't be enjoyable... Hell, some of these guys are getting to do what I've only dreamed of since the Academy, but really, who am I to say what every man's fantasy is? What are we supposed to do, say 'Sorry, fellas, just go with it and enjoy it while it lasts?' Look, remember Lord Vlad and Lady Lillith?"
The raven haired counselor put down her PADD and frowned. "The Sanguinarians? I don't see how they have anything to do with this-"
"He's talking about consent, Jenn." came a voice from the door. Karyn Dallas faced them both, arms crossed. Her eyes were still red and puffy and there were still hives on her arms and neck, but she looked and felt better than she had since experiencing the severe allergic reaction to the Pacifica shellfish she'd consumed.
Both counselors whirled around in surprise. They hadn't seen their boss in days, and now here she was having broken quarantine. Karyn held up a hand to stifle their questions and concerns regarding her health.
"The Sanguinarians used sexual fantasy to extract the blood from us that they needed to survive. Sex was a lure, a weapon, used to meet their ends. Under their influence, none of us could say no. In essence, we were completely overpowered. Sure, some people talked about being left with a pleasant sensation, despite not being able to remember anything else that had happened, but some of the memories weren't so great."
Lance met her gaze. He was one of the few who knew just what sort of painful memory Karyn had experienced at the hands of Lord Vlad, and just how vivid the memory of her father's abuse was thanks to his efforts. He spoke. "I'm still treating people for that experience. People don't know what's real and what isn't because all they have are bits and pieces of what they *think* may have happened, but they have no recollection of actually being present in the experience. Ask Bruce in debriefing this week. He'll tell you he has people ready to walk because their significant others can recall bits and pieces of having sex with Vlad or Lilith, but can't determine if or how much a part of them was a willing participant in the fantasy."
Jennifer shook her head. "If the fembots were humanoid I think I could see your point, but we're talking about machines. Consenting adults want to buy these machines for their pleasure. There's no coercion involved."
Garcia replied. "But what is consent? Is the absence of resistance consent? You're talking about allowing Mudd and anyone else to sell these fembots who we know emit a pheromone that is irresistable to men. Once under its spell, that's it, you're robbed of any control. Who's to say that once you surrender to the pheromones you aren't compelled to do things you wouldn't ordinarily feel comfortable doing without the influence of the pheromones? These things don't have to knock you unconscious or rob you of your memory of the event to be damaging."
Karyn nodded. "He's right, Jenn. Let's face it, if we were talking about a man who slipped some drug in a woman's drink which knocked her out or released her 'inhibitions,' before sex, you and I would be all over that, especially if there was a question as to whether the acts were voluntary..."
"And you 'd beat me and any other man to death if we said word one about determining that by checking for bruises on her body or if we made some snide comment about the finger nail scratches she left on our backs the night before." added Lance, chucking his pointer finger in Reynaldi's direction.
Jennifer frowned, deep in thought. Was her own bias getting in the way?
Karyn looked at both of them and sighed. "However we feel about the sentience of these androids, there is a bigger picture here. Are we saying to potential customers that they get whatever they deserve because they wanted to purchase these sex slaves to begin with? Are we to assume the experienced customer will be told what to expect from them? Are we even sure that if we give them to the Orions, they're going to stay with the Orions? What's to keep Mudd from selling these to any psycho with the credits, bent on assaulting and robbing anyone they can get their hands on?"
"But Karyn, psychos aside, there are people out there buying holodeck programs and sex workers all willingly. Isn't this just another commodity?"
Karyn shrugged. "It depends on who has the control. Customers pay sex workers to do whatever they are ordered to do. Holodeck programs are designed and controlled by the user. Nothing is done that isn't in the script or the plan, but unless Mudd and the Orions are willing and capable of customizing these fembots to the needs of the customer AND controlling the buying and selling, you've got a loaded gun on your hands, the equivalent of a dangerous drug that could be manufactured to work on men, women and kids."
She shuddered. "I know we can't police everyone and everything, but I have to question why the hell we're even considering giving the Orions the right to sell anyone or anything."
Lance stepped forward. "And in the meantime, we've got a ship full of men who are either very happy or very confused right now. Come on, Jenn, we should go and make sure our schedules are open."
"And make sure you're prepared for anything," added Dallas. "the relationship fall out could be huge. I'm going to sickbay to demand my last treatment. Keep in mind, you may have to bail me out of the brig. I can't BELIEVE Malgin could forget about me this long."
"Freedom Fries: AKA Title Pending"
Leftenant Jack Valhoun, SFMC
MGSM Elizabeth 'Betty' Goldstein, SFMC
And whoever is added through the course of this JP, asides from a bunch of Marine NPC's and generic types
Time: Immediately after "A Shower Scene" during the Orion attack. Or whenever the hell it is now... I dunno. Where's that Aussie Guy?
Jack thought--hoped--that the fighting was dying down. Casualty reports were sporadic at best but even the best estimates looked gloomy. The Orions had been repulsed twice from the Marine Armory and the return of two squads of marines made it seem like there was little chance of the pirates from stealing any weapons. Of course, Security could be sitting with their collective thumb up their collective behind while the Orions raided their arms room but that wasn't Jack's problem.
If only because he was slightly masochistic he tapped his combadge. It chirped lamely. Of course, this is what he had expected. The ships internal communications were on the fritz since the attack began. Some Engineer was probably sweating like a Pakled in a spelling bee, trying to get them back up.
"Alright, you and you, come with me. I'm going to find Gunny and Major Log and see if we can't establish some order around here." A number of tired looking marines nodded, still staring down the corridor for any threat. "I'll try to stay in contact as best I can but I think you'll be on your own for awhile. The arms room is still a target so listen to what Stark has to say." Jack motioned to the armorer (who was looking forward to get his revenge on those who had tried to ravage his impeccably organized room.)
With that Jack took off down the hall with two marines in tow. He had only guesses, rumors, and third hand information as to the location of Betty and Major Log but that was better than nothing.
* * * * * * * * *
The Orion never saw the shadow loom behind him. In one enveloping movement, the massive dark form seemed to flow from the Jeffries Tube access and sweep up behind and over the Orion raider. The Orion was enveloped byt he shadow, like a goldfish swallowed by an Orca Whale.
One arm, easily the size of a normal terran's thigh, encircled the Orion's trachea. That mighty appendage flexed, muscle swelling under the skin, stretching teh balck and Grey sleeve tighter over the massive arm.
With a disgusting ##CRUNCH## the Orion's head was twisted violently back, almost wrenching itself off the neck.
The lifeless body fell to the deck at the black clad feet of Major Laughing Horse Log. He gave a satisfied grunt, as he loomed over the still twitching body. On his heels was a smaller and bustier shadow.
Betty frowned. "What is it with your family, you guys -never- use a gun if you don't have to?" she demanded, handing the Corps issue Mk. 505 phaser rifle back to the Major.
[Grunt] was her only reply. Log seemed to flow down the corridor without a whisper, his bulk seeming more spun of shadow than massive muscle and sinew.
"Riight....I'll go get some more guys and we'll secure this shuttle in the Bay? OKAY?" Betty shouted at the massive back. A faint grunt was her only response, drifting down the corridor.
"Great. Stuck doing officer work again. . . " she muttered under her sigh.
"Gunny. . . ?" came the voice from behind her.
"Shaddup East." she muttered, more to herself.
"We need guns, Gunny." muttered East, casting envious eyes on Betty's rifle.
"Yeah? For What? You'll shoot your eye out Joe. Right. Emergency Locker, Corgan most likely has the Main Armory locked up. Or his crying has killed every invader there." Betty muttered, mostly to herself. She turned and eyed the five Marines who had been in the gym with her.
"Right. Who wants to follow the Major?" she demanded with a glare. No volunteers. BIG surprise there.
"Right. Dalhquist and East, with me. The rest of you stick here and mop up any hostiles that wander past. Try not to jump the Major, he might get upset and rip your heads off." she added spitefully.
"Time to get the guns!" mumbled East, eyes beaming at the thought, his hands rubbing furtively tgether. Joe East DID like his ordinance.
"Shaddup." Betty muttered, eying the Jeffries tube with loathing. She didn't like the enclosed tubes, but had to make it back to 'Marine Land' to arm her band.
"I get a gun, right?" demanded Rifleman East.
"Technically, it's not a gun but rather an energy rifle. As per Starfleet Inventory Description five oh six dot. . ." Began Private Dahlquist, behind East.
"You shaddup too. Canon Nazi. You both sound like Streeley." Betty muttered, beginning the climb.
"Cannon Nazi? Aside from the Fieldenwertzschtupfel device, them ther NAzis used rockets with a chemical propellant, Gunny." was her reply
~~ Maybe I should start grunting? Or twisting heads off? ~~ she mused to herself.
* * * * * * * * *
Jack sprinted down the corridor, making good progress across the Marine Deck. The two marines behind him kept pace, glancing around warily. They were making good time until, that is, they ran right into a group of angry looking Orions.
The three marines were left panting and going through the possible options of the situation in their heads. Three marines and six Orions. What to do, what to do.
The Orions looked just as surprised as Jack must have. Bags of loot lay at their feet and they had the look of confusion about them. They got what they came for so do they stand and fight? Or take what they can and leave? The disruptors they pointed at the marines answered the question.
Both groups eyed each other a moment.
"Lay down your weapons and kick them over to us," ordered what appeared to be the leader of the Orions. A few more phaser rifles would be a nice addition to his catch.
"Oh, bloody hell...," muttered Valhoun. He couldn't surrender and he also didn't really want to die. He glances at the young marines to his right and left. They were itching to fire and he was about to until he saw a utility hatch open and fall to the floor. A figure in a marine uniform crawled out followed by a handful of others.
It didn't take Jack long to figure out that it was Betty and her marines. The boobs gave her away. The boobs and the scowl.
"Alright... just don't hurt my men," said Jack. He needed to stall just long enough for Betty to figure out what was going on and to make her move. He hoped she was ont he same plan....
"You aren't in a position to demand anything, give us your weapons." the Orion snarled.
Betty eyed the situation with loathing. Valhoun. It figured. Surrender Monkey. Surrounded and some pipsqueak has the drop on him.
~~Great~~ she mused to herself. ~~All I need is Kreighoff or Streeley and I'll have every useless sack of testerone on the ship. Add some whiny Fleet nerps and it's a picnic on Planet Doom.~~
"Hey." Betty answered the Orion, as she hoped East and Dahlquist had ended their endless discussion of Cannon nonclemature behind her.
The orange skinned Orion eyed her with a leer. His buddies chuckled behind him.
"You want THIS gun too? Or should I shoot the officer for you?" Betty asked innocently, extending the M-505 towards the raider.
She noticed Valhoun's eyes widen in her periphery.
"Or... ah, that is to say... you could do that other thing. Like, for example, what your supposed to do, maybe? Oh, damn. Whatever," replied Jack, not really sure what was going on.
"Shut up, you," cautioned the Orion leader, shifting attention from BEtty back to Jack and suddenly seeing himself lose all sense of control, having to deal with more than he could handle.
"Right. Of course Sir. Shut up. Sir. " Betty replied to Valhoun.
The Orion turned back to Betty, not really sure just where to point his disruptor at any given time, "What do you mean, wench?"
"That Officer? He's a rummy. A Drunk. Useless as tits on a spacer. You gonna ice him or should I do it myself? Before you get this nice rifle and all..." Betty demanded, waggling the rifle.
As the first Orion stepped forward, the Rifle clattered to the floor. "Oooops!" said Betty, eyes wide in feigned shock. He bent over to pick it up. . . and his nose splattered all over Betty's knee. The five remaining Orions weren't sure if they should cover Valhoun or Betty, and their wavering indecision cost them. East and Dahlquist opened up a fraction behind Valhoun's half squad. The Orions measured their lengths alongside their former plunder, the smoking patches of phaser STUN fire smouldering on their uniforms.
"Leftenant. Orders?" Betty murmured, wiping at the bloody patch on her knee.
Jack steadied himself then said, "Good work, Gunny." He said nothing more of the ambush. It would do no good to try and explain his actions as he was sure that Betty already formed her own opinion. But he took some solace in the fact that he was with two enlisted and word would get around that they didn't surrender so much as take advantage of a change in the situation.
"I'd like to reestablish some form of the chain of command. No one seems to know just what is going on. Where is the Major? I haven't had contact with him?" On second thought, why did they go through some trouble just to get to this deck? "Actually, strike that. First, what do you need? You didn't stroll by here randomly."
"Major Log is. . . indisposed. ANd I need guns, men and some idea what the hell is going on. " Betty murmered, obviously covering for her boss.
"Well, I'll talk to him when he is disposed then." Despite his nonchalant answer, Jack wished the brick of a man was here so that he would have quite so much to deal with.
"I want to secure the Shuttle Bay. Corgan and his Security Idiots most likely forgot all about it. Some kind of shuttle came in, the last I heard. Before the Fleeties broke the comm relays. We need firearms to do that." Betty eyed her two Marines, eagerly breaking open the Emergency Cache of Security Weapons, in a bulkhead.
Her ice blue eyes assessed Valhoun again.
"Nice ambush, nice shooting. Sir." she added the honorific as an afterthought.
"All's well that ends well, Gunny. There have been some raids on our deck but they've all been fought off. Your training seems to have been effective. A lot of Orions are having a very, very bad day. And that's just peachy. What else are your thinking?"
"Thank you." Her eyes re-appraised him again. Not as useless as she'd thought. Hmmm...... "The Main Armory is run by Security. Major Log preferred to keep our equipment separate, after he found Commander Corgan using an ARGOS Assault Vehicle for a picnic." Betty replied, totally straight-faced. Behind her, the Marines sniggered at the thought.
"Well, hopefully the twit at least got some if he had the damn thing to impress some floozy. I mean, it's at least understandable then, ya know? Anyway, since he's security he probably got rejected and spent the night weeping has he pleasured himself..." Off on some random train of thought again, Jack.
"No doubt. Orders, Leftenant?" Betty asked again, her hands busy with a Mark III phaser rifle and its powerpack. Her eyes never stopped appraising Valhoun, though. Her request cut off Jack's rambling Anti-Corgan diatribe.
"Oh yes, well..." ~Think Jack, think~ "Alright, we're going to secure the Shuttle Bay. Then get in contact with the Captain or whoever is on the bridge and figure out the next move. I suspect that the battle in going well since we are all still alive. That means that prisoners will need to be kept apart and questioned and I'm sure the Captain will have a million and one things to do so we best get organized now."
Betty eyed Valhoun. He'd managed to already figure out what she already had decided was their best course of action.
Interesting.
Jack didn't leave any time for a response before he added, "Those are my orders, Gunny, but that doesn't mean you can't speak your mind if you have any ideas. I want to be moving in 30 seconds so talk fast."
"If you'd rather leave the Bay to the Nerps...errr.. Security Officers..." Betty began.
"If they can handle it... all the better," Valhoun saw no reason to waste marines doing what security should be doing. "I'll yell up to Corgan to make sure he's on it. But, no promises. They might still have their heads misplaced, if you know what I mean."
"Yes, I do sir. unfortunatly. Still, I'd like to find out how these supposed pirates snuck aboard a Federation Ship." Betty was saying, when a looming shadow appeared behind her.
"Gunny. Go with Valhoun. East, Dahlquist. Secure these prisoners." Major Log grunted out. His uniform was ripped on the shoulder, letting a shoulder the size of Valhoun's head peek out of its black and green depths. His hulking form paused for a moment, and then drove a massive boot into the midriff of one of the downed Orions.
Log didn't show one whit of expression on his face. He studied the groaning form, and kicked it yet again. Impassively and without an ounce of compassion or emotion. Then he drove his boot into the same spot a third time, the Orion's body rocking with the force of the kicks.
Even Betty blanched a bit and looked away.
"I think they've already lost, sir," commented Jack, noting that breaking a few more ribs on a semi-conscious Orion probably didn't mean the difference between victory and defeat.
Glittering black obsidian eyes held Valhoun's for a moment. The blocky Indian face was impassive and devoid of any emotion. He stopped booting the Orion's ribs to study his under-officer.
"Problem?" Log grunted, breaking the silence.
"No, sir." Jack grabbed the nearest Orion and pulled him to his feet. With a shove the prisoner started moving. He nodded towards East and Dahlquist and they began doing the same. As the other marines did their jobs Jack asked, "Gunny, are you ready?"
"Ready sir." Betty replied, pushing another Orion to their feet.
"And sir, how does the rest of the ship look?" Jack asked, "Communications have been spotty. The Orions hit our deck pretty hard, the armory mostly. They didn't steal anything but there were some casualties."
"Mess." Log grunted, studying the Orions.
"Security. The security on this ship is ALWAYS a mess.." Betty began to gripe.
"No." Log grunted again. "Put the prisoners in the Marine Mess. Then you and Valhoun take the rest of these men and go secure the Shuttle Bay. Co-ordinate with the Bridge."
"Yessir," Jack couldn't get much more out than that before Betty made her reservations clear.
"But... we're not supposed to leave one man with six prisoners..." Betty began to complain.
"Six?" Log asked with an impassive and blank face. Without removong his eyes from Betty's, he turned and grabbed the last Orion on the deck. Log jerked the Orion to his feet... and casually broke his neck.
"Looks like only five now." Log commented. The other Orions had watched wide-eyed. Most of the Marines found something far more interesting in another direction, to watch.
The dead Orion slumped to the deck.
Jack checked the pulse, or lack thereof, of the dead Orion. A look of almost disbelief washed over his face. He'd never seen a clearly surrendered enemy murdered before... no matter how fierce the preceding battle.
"Leave me with the prisoners. I'll find out exactly what brought this little visit on." Log promised, watching the Marines herd the five remaining Orions into the Marine Mess, their hands bound behind them with molecular annealing cuffs.
Then, Log did something creepy. He smiled.
"What the hell did you do that for? You crazy bastard!" There was no honor in what the Major had done. Anger welled up inside Jack and the part of his brain that regulated self-restraint turned off. Valhoun pointed his phaser at the Major. "Sir, you are under arrest." His eyes never left the Major as addressed Betty, "Gunny, you saw this. He's in violation of a half-dozen regulations."
Betty's eyes flickered between the two men.
"Didn't see nothing, Leftenant." she mumbled.
Log's own phaser came up like an uncoiling snake.
Sweat poured from Jack's brow, the situation had obviously began to deteriorate rather quickly. Visions of the various outcomes flashed in his mind, most of them bad. "I see how it is... I see how it is Gunny. From you, this hurts, ya know? I mean..." His words trailed off into nothingness, perhaps Jack's eyes were far more able to express what he felt. It looked as if anger and shock were wrestling for control of his expression.
His own phaser pointed squarely at the Major Jack didn't know what to do. He glanced over to Gunny once again, wondering if he'd be shot by the Major, Gunny, or some random pirate first. He wondered which phaser setting would be used. He wondered whether he even cared all that much.
"Cleanup On Isle 5"
Lieutenant Cassius Henderson, Chief Tactical Officer
Lieutenant JG Ella Grey, Assistant Chief Engineer
-Torpedo Control Room-
Cassius sighed as he played with another set of isolinear chips and fried equipment. It wasn't very often that you walked into the Torpedo Control Room and had to break up a raunchy foursome taking place on the launching rails for the main torpedo launcher. But at least that was done. Problem was, there was chocolate sauce everywhere, as well as some truly random pieces of erotic hardware that he was having to dig out of the launching rail's insides.
Not that he even wanted to know how it had gotten there. Or how one of the androids involved had been broken. Or why it was lying in an empty torpedo, covered in... goo.
Finally he gave up.He was going to need help on this one, especially since he'd been at it for several hours and Beta Shift was nearly over. Tapping his commbadge, "Henderson to Grey, any chance you could come help with a delicate engineering problem."
Since she couldnt find anyone near here that had the time to answer, the women of Engineering were running about like crazy (the men too but mostly in hopes that they might accidently run into another fembot), Ella shrugged and then clapped loudly. One clap for yes.
"Great. I'm in the Main Torpedo Room, and god is it a mess. Come right up?" he said, standing up from his work.
Ella clapped again.
***
She looked around her in...there were hardly words to describe how she was feeling. Probably awe. Chocolate syrup was everywhere, pooling around her feet, in almost delicate swirls up on the ceiling, in undenaible shapes of bodies pressed up against the walls.
Oh my, Ella thought.
~~Someone had fun.~~ She signed with a smile to Cassius.
He blushed a bit and Ella tilted her head and raised her eyebrow. Apparently Willie Wonka and Co weren't the only ones. Cass was almost radiating guilt.
She walked over to where he was, looked down at the items that were jamming the launch rails. ~~Is that what I think it is?~~
"I think so," he said, deciding not to go into excruciating detail. "Either way, it's jammed in there nice and good, and I don't know what to touch and what not to." He quietly tried not to look so guilty, but it wasn't easy.
Ella wrinkled her nose and looked in her kit for a pair of gloves. There was no way she was touching it, knowing full well were it had been. ~~I wonder if everyones experience with these fembots is so... raunchy.~~ Ella signed, looking out the corner of her eye at Cass. She started on trying to pry the stuff up.
Cassius sighed shamefully, "Uhm... No, I expect not. I think it's more that they err... cater to the particular customer's desires and err... I guess I know from experience."
"It's so damn disgusting. They're nothing more than masturbationary aides, but it's like they force themselves upon you, with those goddamned pheromones. I'm err... sorry."
Ella set the laser tool aside. ~~It's okay, I understand. So once you got that out of your system...~~~
"Well, after that... we umm..."
~~Okay, two times then.~~ Ella began but stopped as she saw him shift from foot to foot. Ella's brow furrowed.~~My god, Cass. Do I even want to know how many times?~~
"Probably not," he laughed, "I think they enhance the sex drive. Either that or I'm extremely repressed."
Ella laughed. ~~You sex machine.~~ her fingers teased. She was determined not to let the image of Cass and some android happily engaged, multiple times, in...well, get to her.
Cassius laughed, bowing his head in a display of mock surrender, "What can I say, she was a beautiful machine," he said, pretending to be wistful. "I just hope you'll forgive me."
~~Cass, it's not as if we're even dating. So don't feel bad about.~~ Just don't do it again, she thought.
"You have no idea how good that sounds," he smiled, "But at least I wasn't as crazy as Ensign Kendrick and his companions."
~~Well, for future reference, I'm not really into things like this.~~ Ella signed before pointing to the partially unwedged toy. She gave him a sly look. ~~But chocolate could be fun.~~
"Right. I'll file that little bit of information away for future retrieval," he laughed, "Seriously though, I'm not much for things like that either." He indicated a suit of leather underwear and a whip that had been discarded at some point. "I'm probably going to have to transfer Kendrick now, or Bhrode will kill him."
The image came, unwanted, and Ella made a disgusted sound, and giggled, and threw her hands up as if to ward off evil. ~~I wonder how our captain is fairing against the machines.~~
"I'm not sure I want to know," Cass said, wincing, "I can only imagine what sort of creepy nonsense he'd be into..." Then he too started laughing again as a particularly vivid and not so pleasent image popped into his head.
Ella, still laughing, thought she had managed to loosen the thing up enough. She grabbed it, made a face at, and pulled hard. It came out and Ella flew back, landing in a lot of chocolate. She tossed the toy aside.
~~Someone owes me a raise for all this~~ her fingers said wryly.
Cassius, when he had managed to stop laughing, reached out to her, offering to help her up, "I didn't think you were that adventurous, Ella," he laughed, looking at her lying in the mess.
Ella smiled before reaching out to grab his hand and pull him down in the mess with her. Cass went down with a thud and a chocolate splash. With chocolate coated fingers, Ella signed ~~There's a lot you dont know about me.~~
~~Someday, I hope, I'll find out,~~ he smiled, "But until then, this'll have to do,"?With a laugh he smeared some of the chocolate on her face, "You had it coming.?Now I have to replicate a new uniform," he teased.
Figuring that her shift was nearly over anyway, Ella grinned and moved into Cass, looking at him through her eyelashes coyly. She leaned in to kiss him, the glob of chocolate waiting in her hand. Her lips nearly met his when she struck, smearing the goop down the side of his face.?Ella scooted away before he could retaliate.
~~Boo-hoo.~~ she signed sweetly in sympathy for his uniform.
"Devil woman!" he laughed, launching a gob chocolate sauce at her, "So what do we do with all of this?"
She tried to duck but was hit anyway. ~~Call Housekeeping~~ Ella signed with a shrug. ~~I'm not cleaning it up, thats for sure.~~ She swooped her hand down and came up quickly so that a mini chocolate wave headed toward him.
At this point, he was mostly covered in the sticky messy stuff. Swallowing a bit of it and hoping that it hadn't been anywhere too intimate, he wiped his eyes clean.?"You do realize what took place in this chocolate, right?" he laughed, flinging some at her legs, "I'll call operations once you and I get away from here safely, since I doubt we'd want anyone seeing us like this."
~~I think the action took place primarily over there.~~ She signed with a nod towards the rail. ~But I see your point.~~ Ella slowly stood up, making sure her feet wouldn't slip.
~~Truce?~~ she signed before extending her hand out to him.
"Sure," he laughed, warily taking her hand.
Ella helped him off the ground and then surveyed her messy uniform. Then shrugged. She found her computer PADD, swiping some of the mess off with her thumb, and checked the time. Three minutes past her shift. Time to go home. ~~If you find another mess like this, you'll have to wait till Alpha Shift. ~~ she signed. ~~I'm going to go take a long sonic shower and then do nothing remotely connected with those machines until morning.~~
Glancing at the time on the wall chrono he shruged, "I'll call Ops and let them handle this. My shift is over and I have no intention of being seen like this," he laughed, "My plans are very similar to yours. I'll be seeing you, Ella."
Ella nodded and headed for her quarters, leaving Cass standing alone in the mess, "Henderson to Ops, Cleanup in Torpedo Control," he said, then made a beeline for his quarters.
OOC: No disrespect to the medical players, just trying to write myself back into things. ~Lori
"If You Want Something Done Right..."
Commander Karyn Dallas, RN
Chief Counselor/Second Officer
Ensign Susan Hayden,
RN Nurse
***Main Sickbay, USS Galaxy - A***
The doors to sickbay swished open to reveal a bustling ward. Between treating the most serious of the injuries left over from the Orion boarding and working on a counteragent for the pheromones introduced by Mudd's fembots, Karyn could see immediately the Galaxy's doctors and nurses were hard pressed to worry about something as minor as giving the Chief Counselor her medication...
Of course, Karyn might have been more understanding had she not been waiting under quarantine. Stuck in her quarters. For days. With a perpetually stuffed nose and a swollen everything else. And watery eyes. And hives.
At first, Karyn had taken it like a trooper. What else could she do? It wasn't anyone's fault. She didn't even know she was allergic to the little monsters disguised as delicious Pacifica shellfish. She woud be fine. Medical wouldn't forget her... trapped... Alone... With nothing but her computer and her PADDS to keep her company....would they?
It's amazing how one's perspective can change when one is suddenly forced from the action. For all Karyn's rushing around, she couldn't really say she knew much about who or what she was. After an extended period of time in her quarters, she came to realize exactly why she buried herself in her work. It was so she didn't have to think about who she was and what she would be if she couldn't be a counselor.
Then the battle started and the Orions showed up. Of course she had kept herself apprised via her monitor and the ship's computer, but aside from the occasional jerk and the sound of pounding feet outside, the experience was quite surreal. So this was how it felt to be a civilan in hiding while other people fought for your life... A life that could be lost be lost no matter where she was or was doing at the time.
Then came the crazy thoughts. If the Orions beamed into her quarters, what would she do? Ram them? Use them for Kleenex? (Was it possible to asphyxiate from snot?) Hm. Now there was synapses well spent.
So she had waited. And prayed. *Please don't let me die today.*
***
"Karyn! What the hell-" Dallas' reverie was interrupted by a very ticked Susan Hayden. Karyn held up her hand. "The swelling's down, the hives are almost gone and the sneezing stopped an hour ago. Now, can you give me my last hypo?"
Susan sighed. "We've been a little busy, Karyn. Still, I'm sorry if you felt trapped. Malgin will be pleased to know you're alright. I'll let him know you came by." She emptied the last of Karyn's treatments into her bloodstream.
Karyn smiled wanly. "No problem. There wasn't much else to do or think about except counting the hives and scanning myself. I'll need to get back to work n--"
The sound of an incoming message interrupted them. Hayden walked over the terminal and tapped a few keys. "It's from Ella. Apparently, Krieghoff was hurt repelling the Orions, but doesn't want to come to sickbay for it." She sighed. "Why these guys can't follow protocol I'll never know..."
"Maybe it has something to do with your prompt and discreet attention." Karyn teased. She grabbed a medkit. "I'll go. I need to make myself useful." And she was out the door before Hayden could protest.
"Redemption Part 1"
Lieutenant Commander Ethan Suder
Chief Engineer
Ethan stood on the second level of Engineering and looked at the crew working, doing their daily jobs. He remained quiet, and continued to watch people go about their business. As he leaned on the railings overlooking Main Engineering, he twiddle his thumbs and fingers.
He stood up straight and strolled over to the lift that within seconds transported him down to the first level. He walked slowly to the master display console in the center of Engineering. Looking at it for a few seconds, Ethan pressed several buttons that brought up a display of the EPS power grid. All seemed to be working well.
He looked around at the people working again. Some people were performing their duties by themselves, others talking and having a good laugh, one or two of them, on a break, chatting about the latest gossip on the Galaxy. They all seemed so content, so at peace and very happy to be where they were.
But it was a blazing fire that kept Ethan warm. He could feel it in his veins most of the time. It was a burning fuel that kept him running from one day to the next. Was it hope? The question plagued his mind over and over again. And if it was hope... Hope for what?
His shift had finished a couple of hours ago and without another word, he left Engineering, storming through the corridors. He saw a couple up ahead, strolling through the corridor, hand in hand, laughing and giggling at each other. He turned away as they passed and then came to a halt in the corridor. He softly placed his hand on the wall to his left and turned slightly so he could look back. He watched the beaming couple stroll around a corner out of sight. He sighed and continued down the corridor.
After a short while, Ethan arrived at his quarters. He strolled over to his quarters. He didn't want the lights on and so didn't request them. There was a very tiny amount of light coming from the outside. He looked at the panel on the top of the replicator and saw his reflection. His eyes met themselves in the reflection and for a short while, he saw the emptiness that had haunted him for so long. His eyes were always black, being Betazoid and all, but there was something unusually dark and cold about them. He turned away and took another deep breath. He started for his desk and picked up an old book that had been resting on it for a few days now collecting dust. Opening the book up to the last page that he had read days ago, he made his way over to the couch and sat down, reading the book in the dark, alone.
Thoughts continued to spin themselves in his mind like a web. Things had to get better. He had a good position on a good ship around good people. He just had to wait, bide his time. The day would come, the day that would make him who he once was. The man that had once been lost would be awakened again. But when would that happen? And what would he have to do to get back what he used to be, to get his Redemption. He closed the book and looked at the floor near the door for a very long time. The hours passed by as Ethan just sat there, thinking of the past that was, and the future that was to be.
A new world would be waiting for him. Or would it be the old one he once knew? Time would tell. The right moment would present itself and clear things up once and for all...
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