“Peckerwood” Part One

(Slight Back post – set after ‘Hand over’ end of last mission, beginning of this one)

Primary character:
Lieutenant (Jg) Dhanishta Eshe
Acting Assistant Chief of Engineering

Time always seems to go fast when you’re consumed in the task you are performing. It slips away like water through a sieve; always working against you. But on evenings like this one, time stood still; snails could move faster.

Since hearing about what O’Shea had done, Dhani couldn’t concentrate on anything. No matter the task, all that was running through her mind was O’Shea. It was annoying to say the least. Dhani didn’t really much care for the Chief, to tell the truth she quite despised the ever so ‘warm’ welcome that she received form her commanding officer and therefore was not too enamoured with the woman herself.

But still, it was hard to believe that she would turn her back on Starfleet, she was always so prim and proper. Though they always said that it was the quiet ones you had to watch out for. Even so, Dhani was still bothered; the old sayings were never comforting, even if they were true.

As she continued to work her mind ran over every encounter with O’Shea that she could remember, looking for some indication that she would defect. Analysing and over analysing every word that was ever uttered. She came rapidly to the conclusion that she had never really spoken with the woman. In fact, it came clearer and clearer that she had never had a conversation other than work related. Dhanishta ran the night shift, and Roswell ran the early morning shift and O’Shea the one that followed and Grey the one that followed that. Dhanis hand-over was from Grey and then she gave her own brief to Roswell and rarely came into contact with the Chief.

The only real conversation that she could recall was one from before her coma, when they first met. The ship was undergoing a refit after the battle of Haravars. Dhani herself was under a lot of strain, sleep deprived and exhausted from the battle, she like so many others had a lucky escape and consequently she was spouting a lot of crap about the sip being cursed. At the time she genuinely believed that the ship was, and even now the thought crossed her mind on more than one occasion, but in truth she believed that she herself was cursed.

She shivered as a chill swept through her bones. Staring down at the screen and its dull readouts she sighed at the passing of time. Frowning as she tried to recall the details of her first encounter with O’Shea; their conversation had been brief, and Dhani had been vague, in fact she was so confused at that time and hurt from the battle, not just physically but emotionally too. Starfleet was about first contact and peace, and for the last few years she had seen nothing but death and destruction. It hurt more than a knife through her heart. She signed up and took an oath, and it wasn’t so she could be a pawn in the political games of the rest of the neighbouring quadrants.

She wanted to explore, meet new cultures and really be part of the heart of Starfleet’s core purpose. She didn’t want to sit in her quarters and worry if she would survive the next encounter. Earth had its traitorous moments too, with the bombings during the Dominion war, but the Galaxy… it was just one catastrophe after another.

She could sit and catalogue every near death and also death moment that she had encountered on the Galaxy. Let’s see, first there was the time paradox that killed the crew and left her stranded on an alien planet for 30 odd years. Then there was the battle of Haravars and then the Diptharu. And in-between all that she had her own personal battles; first she had died in Michael’s arms, then later on there was the duel personality with Naught, and again she died, then there was the moment in the corridor when she was blasted off into space during the battle of Haravars, then there was the empathic eco of Samara, then the fight with Suder that rendered her unconscious for nine months, and upon waking up from that nightmare the Diptharu attacked the ship, almost as if they were her welcome back committee. She smiled slightly, if during her nine months of down time the ship enjoyed plain sailing then she would concluded that she herself was actually the curse, but she wasn’t ready to find out. Instead she checked the time again and a wave of relief washed over her as she saw it was ‘home time’!

Lucky for her someone else was telling Roswell the exciting events of the night shift, (that consisted of absolutely nothing) which meant that she could just clock out and leave without having to talk to her. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to talk to Roswell, it was just that she knew Roswell’s opinion on O’Shea, and right now she was still in denial mode, no matter what she felt personally for the woman. It just didn’t sit right.

Slipping out from the hubbub, or rather the silence, of engineering, Dhani made her way the officers deck. She shouldn’t have been surprised by the guard outside O’Shea’s quarters or the fact that they were sealed, but she just hadn’t thought that far ahead.

As she walked up to the door she tried to formulate a game plan for getting into O’Shea’s quarters. She also needed a reason for wanting to go in and look at the Chiefs belongings. It had of course crossed her mind that security and intelligence had already combed over the room and all its contents, but still she felt the need to go in and poke around.

Smiling warmly at the security guard she made her approach, purposefully; trying to project an air of authority.

“I’m sorry ma’am, but these quarters have been sealed.” The man stated clutching his rifle across his chest in an attempt to intimidate her from proceeding.

Dhani smiled in return, “As far as I am aware Intelligence and Security have finished their investigation of these quarters?” she innocently questioned.

He nodded, “Yes ma’am they have.”

“Then why is the room still sealed?” Dhani questioned. Sometimes security officers could be extremely stupid.

The guard frowned, and for a moment it seemed as if his only brain cell had temporarily stepped out to have a word with itself. “Orders.” He stated frowning still, knowing that she had caught him out, and trying to recover.

Dhani wracked her brain for a moment nodding slightly. If the man was told to go and take a long walk of a short cliff he probably would if it was ‘orders’. “Well I have my orders too. And at the moment you are in my way.”

“I haven’t received notification that anyone is to enter these quarters.” He said puzzled.

“Well why don’t you go and check that out with your superior and when you’re done come and tell me, in the mean time I must be getting on with my duties.” She took a step forward, hoping that she had outwitted him. But as the rifle turned rather menacingly in her direction she stopped and stared at the guard. A questioning and slightly insulted look crossed her features as she scowled at him.

“Waite here.” He said. Turning from her he tapped his combadge and contacted security.

Dhani sighed and pulled back. She knew she would be sent away, left with her troubled thoughts for comfort until she just had to act and would then breach orders and sneak in anyways, and probably get hauled up in the brig.

After a moment the guard turned back to her, “Who are you?”

Dhani frowned, “Eshe.” She said simply.

The guard repeated her name and then turned back; double take, “Eshe from Engineering?” he asked.

She nodded.

“Lieutenant Eshe, assistant chief?” he asked.

Dhani began to nod and she was about to correct him; she was in fact a ‘junior grade’ lieutenant and an ‘acting’ assistant chief, but before she could speak he broke in.

“Well why didn’t you say so?” he asked slightly annoyed.

Dhani stared at him bemused.

“You have clearance.” He said whilst closing the com channel.

The wrinkles on Dhani’s forehead deepened.

“You can go in Sir.” He said resuming his post at the door.

Dhani stared at him for a few seconds longer before cautiously stepping up to the door. She keyed in her access code and expected it to beep in rejection, set off several alarms and suddenly have an entire garrison of troops standing behind her with locked and loaded phayser rifles.

The door opened.

Dhani was even more confused, but she stepped inside, and paused while the door closed behind her.

It was funny in a way; she believed that she carried no weight on this ship, and she had to admit that being assistant chief, even acting, could in fact give her a huge power trip. She smiled at the thought and then pushed it aside, reminding herself that she was only ‘acting’ and like all things in life it wouldn’t last and as soon as they replaced the Chief she would resume her normal activities; of being a nobody. And if she did take the power trip and run with it she would likely find herself more ostracised than she already was. And life was tough enough in engineering what with the xenophobic Grey, the love sick Jiiles, the defective O’Shea, the rumours about Suder, the… the list went on and on.

She closed her eyes and let out a long cleansing sigh to silence her mind for a moment.

Looking around she felt a little disgusted; the room was a total tip. She knew that intelligence and security were doing their job but why did they have to ransack O’Sheas quarters? It was the height of rudeness, before she defected they all loved O’Shea, thought that she was the best Chief the Galaxy had ever had. Even though Dhani thought differently and partly hated O’Shea, she did respect her. And maybe it was just because this defecting thing didn’t make sense that she found she still did respect her.

Her chest felt heavy as she walked into the centre of the room, trying desperately not to step on photos, paperwork, pads and god only knew what else that littered the floor. When Dhani died her sister had been there to collect her belongings, and cause Dhani didn’t feel at home it had been easy for Kala, cause pretty much everything was still in cargo crates. But this room, this space was lived in; knick-knacks littered the room, mainly the floor now though, photos of friends and family, good times had been on display, the table was used for hosting dinner parties, the dogs bowl was on the floor, with food still….. Dog bowl…. PECKERWOOD!

Dhanis eyes widened. She rushed towards the door, skidding on O’Shea’s memories as she did, no longer caring about the woman’s personals. She banged the door panel and toppled out of the room grabbing the security guard for support. “Where’s Peckerwood?” Dhani demanded a little breathless from the ride down the avalanche of crap.

“Peckerwhat?” he replied trying to steady her and also prise her hands off his clean uniform.

“Peckerwood!” Dhani repeated getting her balance.

He stared blankly at her.

Dhani elaborated, “little black thing, walks on all fours, has a tail that it wags constantly… mans’ best friend and all that.”

Nothing, not even a blink.

“A Friggin dog man…. The woman had a dog, now where the hell is it?”

“Oh he’s in the kennels.” He replied somewhat bemused at her panic over a traitors pet.

Dhani frowned, “She didn’t take him with her?” she questioned allowed.

“Yes Ma’am, O’Shea took her dog with her which is why he’s in the kennels.”

Dhanis eyes narrowed, “Don’t get factious with me mate! I’ll have you hauled into the brig for insubordination!” To Dhanis surprise the man snapped to attention quicker than she could click her fingers.

“No Ma’am,” he said as his eyes flicked forward and began to boar a hole in the wall, “Sorry Ma’am.”

Dhani stared at him for a few seconds waiting for him to crack up and start laughing or something. ~Should I tell him I was joking?~ she questioned her self never expecting that someone would ever take her word seriously, but a new problem arose, “Since when did we have a ‘kennels’ on board?”

“Peckerwood” Part Two

(Slight Back post – set after ‘Hand over’ end of last mission, beginning of this one)

Primary character:
Lieutenant (Jg) Dhanishta Eshe
Acting Assistant Chief of Engineering

It took a while but Dhani did eventually find the Kennels. It wasn’t until she walked through the door mind you that she believed that they actually had one. She supposed in hind sight that she should have checked it out sooner; after all she did have a pet cat… though Salem wasn’t really a pet, more of a companion. Half the time Dhani didn’t know where he was! She wasn’t sure if it was Twister or Michael that drove him out of the apartment, or if it was herself.

Salem used to be her one and only friend, as pathetic as that sounded. She had morphed with him, explored with him; he had always been with her. Even when she was in a coma on Trill he hadn’t left, apparently. Dhani had no recollection of those events, apart from waking up. It was from that point on though that she noticed a decline on the ‘friendship’ she had with her cat. He no longer came up unexpectedly when she was down and just jump into her lap and curl up. He no longer spent each night on her bed. All she saw of him now was his shadow and the marks from where he had been. It saddened her some, but she was completely unaware of how to change it, how the hell do you reconnect with a cat?

She was sure that there was some manual somewhere of how to ‘talk’ to your pet cat, but Dhani knew Salem too well, he would find that condescending seeing as she could talk to him whenever she wanted. She knew he understood her and in a way she understood him. And so she left him to his own devises, when he was ready to tell her what was on his little feline brain he would come and sit with her. In the mean time she had to get on with things. He would call if he was hurt anyways.

So here she was standing out side of the door, and all she could hear was howling! After readjusting to the noise and readying herself for the volume increase she stepped in.

There were several harassed looking members of staff; she bypassed them! She knew where she was going now that she was inside; follow the sound.

“Excuse me Miss, can I help you?” the clerk at the desk asked looking slightly annoyed that someone had just strolled past her.

Dhani shrugged, “The one that is screaming,” Dhani said looking slightly peeved, “Peckerwood.”

The woman frowned, “I’m sorry…?”

“The Chief of Engineering’s dog, Peckerwood. Where is he?” as if she didn’t know. She began to edge down the hallway.

“Who are you?” the woman asked.

Dhani smiled to herself, “Assistant Chief of engineering. I am here to collect O’Shea’s dog.”

The woman gave Dhani a look of distaste, “Oh yes,” she muttered sarcastically, “the traitor.”

Dhanis hackles rose, “Call her that again and I will have you up on charges of slander. O’Shea has neither been tried nor charged with any offence.” She took a step closer to the woman, her demeanour aggressive, “I suggest that you make it your business to get on with your job, instead of listening to ship gossip. If I hear of you telling tails again, you will be in serious trouble. And believe me when I say that I will know if you have!” Dhanis eyes flamed as they boar holes into the woman standing, shaking, before her.

“Now, do you think you can do me the small task of retrieving Peckerwood from the cage that you put him in?”

Five minutes later Peckerwood emerged, trembling, tail between his legs, whining constantly.

The first thing Dhani noticed was the muzzle. Enraged she bit down on her tongue and stopped herself from screaming at them, instead she tried the polite version. Taking the lead from the handler she smiled at the assistant, “Please get me your superior, NOW!” well she did say *try*!

As her voice resonated around the room she noticed a distinct lack of techs as most of them scuttled to the rooms at the back, probably to bitch about her. She wasn’t too bothered by what they thought of her, what she was bothered by was the state that Peckerwood was in. She had to admit that she had only ‘met’ the dog once, but this was like a totally different animal. Someone had to take responsibility for that.

It took yet another fifteen minutes before anyone came out, probably hoping that the longer they kept her waiting the more likely she was to piss off. But they were going to have no such luck today.

Dhani watched for movement from the rooms concealed at the back of the reception area, tapping her foot getting more and more annoyed as time ticked on. She supposed that she should be comforting the petrified dog that stood in the centre of the room, but first she had to release her anger!

“My name is Yadanie.” A voice announced.

Dhani looked up, and up a little bit more. The woman before her was a clear foot taller than Dhani. She was very slim, and had legs to die for. Her hair was neatly groomed so that is shined and glimmered in the light, a clear contrast from Dhani who was bony with dry, tatty hair, dirty fingernails and scuff patches in her trousers.

Dhani wondered for a moment if she should get a new uniform, one that was spandex perhaps, show off just how skinny she was, all her curves. She too could also go to the dog grooming parlour and get her coat to be all glossy and shinny, maybe even get her nails clipped, but ah yes, she wasn’t a bitch….!

“I am the supervisor of this facility here on the Galaxy.” Yadanie continued.

“You don’t appear to do your job very well.” Dhani remarked.

Yadanie smiled, one of those smiles that you just wanted to pummel. It was total text book training when confronted with a dispute, stay calm and smile. Unfortunately this was a patronizing smile, the woman was just patronising all over really. One should really learn to use the training to its utmost advantage, changing it when needed and adapting it to fit different situations. This woman had no skill.

“What appears to be the problem?” Yadanie asked still in that soft sultry tone of calmness.

Dhani frowned, “I thought that would be obvious.” She replied, “This dog,” she pointed to the whining peckerwood, “is traumatised. Not only is he wearing a muzzle…”

Yadanie broke in, “I’m sorry that we had to muzzle him, and I’m sorry that it upsets you. But I had to issue that order for the safety of my staff.”

“Safety?” Dhani asked, “He’s tiny, couldn’t hurt a fly!”

Yadanie smiled again, a smug one, “Well after biting one of my staff I beg to differ. In fact we were thinking about putting him down as he was a danger to others.”

Dhani fumed…a danger! Did anyone here actually know how to look after an animal? “Peckerwood is not dangerous, far from it he is docile, compliant and extremely affectionate. You are incapable of doing your job, that is the problem and it is you that should be put down. Do you actually have any training?” Dhani didn’t even stop to let the woman reply, the answer was obvious, “That really was a stupid question wasn’t it? It is obvious from the sate of this dog that you don’t. He is mal-nourished, his coat is dull, he is traumatised and the gods only know what else. This dog was a picture perfect companion and you have in the space of a few days turned him into a trembling wreck. I hope that you are satisfied. If this was a person I would be putting you up on charges of abuse. If I ever see any of you again, you will be in for the hiding of your life. UNDERSTOOD?”

Dhani turned sharply from the expression of shock on the woman. Kneeling down she removed the leash and muzzle from Peckerwood and then stood, “I’d take cover if I were you, the dangerous dog is loose!” she mocked.

Marching to the door, fuming with anger she looked back at Peckerwood. For a moment he stopped trembling to cock his leg up and pee on the floor, before slowly walking out of the door behind Dhani.

"Where was the mercy?" Pt 1

Cmdr Karyn Dallas, Chief Counselor/Nurse
Lt. Cmdr Brianna O'Shea
Ensign Kio, Medical Officer
Ensign Zev Raynor, Intelligence Officer
Provisional Ensign Vorducaat, Medical Doctor
With couple security officers

:: Sickbay, USS Galaxy ::

The medical personnel had been alerted there was a medical emergency and the patient would be arriving via transport. No one knew when the patient would be arriving or who it was, for security reasons. SO when the whine of the transporter began to sound and then form began to take shape. It was a surprise for all those present, it was Brianna O'Shea. Security came into the room and brought their weapons up and held them on the woman, could this be the clone or was this the real Brianna O'Shea.

Once she was released from the transporter, Anna turned. Her once bright vibrate red hair was so dirty and matted to her head that it looked like brown. Her face dirty and smattered with dried blood, her full lips cracked and showing signs of malnutrition. Anna's eyes were distant as if she wasn't really here. When the medical personnel moved toward her she brought up her hands and backed away, her hands were blistered, bruised, dirty and looked as if she were locked in something where she had dug herself out.

She'd been humiliated, starved, beaten, sexually assaulted and hunted. Fact was she had survived, but at what price? Sinking down onto the floor, she just sat there for now looking at them looking at her.

Raynor entered following the security personnel, armed to the teeth though none of the weapons he was carrying were standard issue. Two sidearm holstered under each of his arms, and two wakizashi style phasers. He however wasn't paying attention to O'Shea yet, his attention turned towards a PADD he carried in his hand.

He turned his attention to O'Shea after he finished reading the PADD. His face did not carry its usual joy, smile, or happiness that the crew were used to seeing. It was completely unreadable to the to anyone who cared to look in his direction. As if he were part of the wall behind him, inspite of the weapons he carried. The only thing that truly stood out about him was his eyes which were intensely gazing upon the battered woman before him, though it was impossible to tell which emotion was in his eyes.

A small thought crossed his mind while he maintained his outward demeanor... closing his eyes for only a second. 'This is me... so many years ago...' And then the second past, as his stare continued upon the figure that appeared to be Lieutenant Commander Brianna O'Shea.

Ensign Kio showed no sign of outward surprise at the arrival of the Lieutenant Commander. Medical had been made ready for a patient, but there had been no specific details given. Maybe she wondered at the state of the patient and the heavy security escort that brought her to sickbay, perhaps she drew her own conclusions. But the woman was in urgent need of medical care and Kio lost no time in doing what she could.

Ignoring the intimidating presence of the security detail she retrieved her medical scanner and approached Brianna where she still sat upon the floor. The smell that came from the woman, which might have been considered bad by a human, was almost overwhelming to Kio's sensitive Vulcan nose but she resisted the urge to do anything so unprofessional as to gag."Please, lay your-self upon the biobed and I will examine you." She told the woman, her voice edged with gentleness and not in keeping with her usual mechanical tone.

It was unusual for Karyn to report to sickbay for anything other than shipwide emergencies (when counseling appointments were clearly not likely), or when she was scheduled for her weekly nursing shift (which she did to keep her skills sharp). But in this case, her concern and curiosity got the best of her, and she found herself in sickbay, half expecting to be pushed out of the way.

The sight that greeted her was beyond surreal. To say the woman she vaguely recognized as Brianna O'Shea was battered was a supreme understatement. What clothing remained on her body was caked in dirt and torn almost in shreds. The parts of her that were not covered with clothing, if the material that clung to her could still be called clothing, were also covered, in this case with bruises of all shades as well as cuts and sores which looked to Karyn to be of all different depths, some shallower than others, but all of them bleeding. From her vantage point, O'Shea's body was also covered in filth, and with the mix of blood, the dirt was an odd shade.

Karyn's eyes traveled slowly up to O'Shea's face, feeling somewhat guilty for staring at someone so unabashedly when she was clearly so vulnerable, so raw. When Dallas' gaze finally reached the woman's eyes, the hollow, glassy stare sent chills up and down her spine. Even as the counselor in her tried to remind her that they didn't know all of the facts and couldn't assume the absolute worst of abuses, the scared little girl in her, the part of her that still recalled looking in the mirror and seeing the exact expression looking back at her as if it were yesterday, just...knew.

What part of her mind that could still register the absurdity of it, that for eleven months the woman they knew to be Brianna O'Shea was actually enduring such horror while they all lived comfortably, didn't know where to begin to treat her. The curse and the blessing of being a trained counselor and medical professional was knowing the importance of not moving too quickly in order to gain trust, and yet feeling compelled to rush because she could be dying as they sat there.

She knew security had a reason to be concerned, but she also knew that having weapons drawn was not going to foster the trust they needed if they were going to be of any help.

Anna didn't move from the floor where she was sitting. She didn't know any of them, they were as alien to her as the ones that had taken her. Looking at them she knew they were like her, but beyond that who were they and could she trust them? She'd tried to trust ones that looked like her before, it only ended in a struggle for her life. When she saw the security come in with their weapons drawled she pulled a metal strip from her boot, clearly she had fashioned a weapon.

Kio saw that the woman was reacting to the security staff as a creature about to defend itself from certain death; it was in every line of her body and the dim light still burning in her hollow eyes. She knew that look, it was entirely feral, there was far more wrong with the Lieutenant Commander than simple physical injuries. Reasoning with Brianna was clearly not an option; she needed to be treated as a frightened animal, reassured by gentle treatment. Kio felt infinitely unqualified to be in such a position but at that moment there was no one else without a weapon in hand and she was the closest to her.

Edging further into the woman's line of sight she held her hands up, palms facing out and tried to pull the edges of her mouth up in a smile. The result was not at all an endearing sight but as Kio could not see her-self she persevered.

"Please be still, you are safe... no one here wishes to harm you. I need to see to your injuries... stop the pain you are feeling. Do you understand?" She spoke carefully, keeping her voice soft. Whether it was the words that she spoke or the dreadful grimace Kio was pulling she managed to get Brianna's attention.

"You... do not... understand pain!" Anna said sharply. Her hand gripped the make shift knife so hard it cut into her hand. This was the same knife she used to kill with on the planet. Same knife she slept with and held close. In a lot of ways it was her sole means of security and survival.

Karyn saw the would be weapon and knew Anna had drawn it out of instinct. The former engineer was clearly in no shape to defend herself. "Holster your weapons," Karyn ordered quietly, but clearly and firmly enough that it was clear she'd take no argument.

The security officers turned to Raynor, making it just as clear they weren't going to obey the Commander's orders without his support. He after all given the duty of determining whether or not she was a clone.

It didn't escape Karyn's attention the other security officers looked to Raynor before obeying her orders, and if it weren't for the fact she had other more pressing concerns, she would have called them on it right there. As the Galaxy's Second Officer, not to mention the senior officer in the room, they were expected to defer to her authority.

Dallas was not one to harp such issues generally, but such action was clearly not going to foster a smooth chain of command

But Raynor hadn't drawn his any of his weapons... he wasn't even worried about the knife, knowing he could disarm her nearly instantaneously if it came to that... but he could see that the security staff could make the tortured woman edgy, and he didn't want to provoke any thing else that would trigger even more aggressive behavior. For the purposes of treating her wounds he was willing to make her feel at home.

"Exit sickbay, and take vantage points from which you can see the doors clearly... do not stand guard next to the doors, that will leave you open to get stabbed in the back. If she exits without escort or holding a hostage open fire without hesitation," Raynor ordered with a strict military voice.

The security officers nodded and exited sickbay.

Inwardly, Dallas blanched. If the girl was as traumatized as she appeared, there was a very real possibility she could run away from them, not because of anything sinister, but because she was terrified. From the sound of Raynor's orders, if they were going to prevent Anna's death by her own people, someone from sickbay would have to make damn sure they were following close enough behind to be considered an "escort."

Yes, she and Raynor would be talking.

Anna's eyes darted from Kio, to the male voice in the room. Her eyes on him bore holes into his skin as if she was sizing him up. She then looked back to Kio and saw her step closer. "I don't know you!" Anna said, "there for if you move one step more killing you will not be a big deal in my book!" Anna said coldly.

In the meantime, Dallas had gone to the replicator and ordered a glass of cool water, announcing her request loudly enough in the hopes O'Shea would believe she wasn't going to harm her. Karyn returned to face Brianna on the floor, being careful not to come too close to make her uncomfortable, and slowly lowered her hover chair to the ground so that they were eye to eye. She reached out to hand her the cup. "It's Karyn Dallas, Brianna. Would you like some water?"

Karyn knew they had to establish some rapport, and in the meantime, the water would also begin to ease the dehydration that was clearly evident in the woman's dry cracked lips. Dallas kept her eyes on O'Shea, somewhat wary of the metal strip she still brandished. She didn't intend to step on the medical staff's toes, but it was clear Brianna wasn't just going to lie down on the biobed and consent to be examined. Several people rushing at her at once with tricorders wasn't going to help, and as yet, Karyn didn't dare open her own. Dallas was still hoping that somewhere in O'Shea's mind she recognized Karyn, having served with her on the senior staff.

Raynor had moved closer but also toward an angle from which he could get an good view and a clear path. He wasn't so close that O'Shea would feel crowded, but he was so far that he couldn't be there within a split second.

Anna looked over at Karyn at that point. She did know her, long time ago but she knew her. "Karyn..." She said softly, as if another voice was talking now. Extending her shaking hand to the glass of water she smelt of it at first, then took a small drink and held it in her hand then. Looking at Karyn. Her eyes soft, for months she'd lived on adrenaline and fear, now as she began to slow down her body was getting more and more tried from all the injuries and blood loss. She then moved quickly to Karyn and gripped her hand with her free one, moving her face up toward Karyn's Anna's eyes locked with Karyn's, but nothing was said just the look of Anna's tear filled eyes was something Karyn would never forget. "Help me.."

Dallas swallowed the lump in her own throat and placed her free hand on top of the one Anna gripped, and she offered a gentle reassuring smile. "I will, Anna, but I need some help too. Will you let Dr. Kio help me help you?" Dallas indicated the Vulcan female beside her.

"Where was the mercy?" Pt 2

Cmdr Karyn Dallas, Chief Counselor/Nurse
Lt. Cmdr Brianna O'Shea
Ensign Kio, Medical Officer
Ensign Zev Raynor, Intelligence Officer
Provisional Ensign Vorducaat, Medical Doctor
With couple security officers

:: Sickbay, USS Galaxy ::

Looking at her and then to Kio, Karyn trusted her? Perhaps Anna would try to as well. "Yes.." She said softly in a hollow voice.

Karyn wasn't sure O'Shea could get onto the biobed without aggravating her injuries, but they couldn't afford to do anything that would scare her further. "Can you ease yourself on the biobed? Don't worry, Anna. We will give you privacy once you're settled on the bed.

Anna moved to the bio bed and looked at it. Her eyes then shot to the man there, she moved and crawled up on the bed, never making a sound from the pain she. Clutching the water glass still she looked cradling it as if it was a precious gift. Her fingers looked worn and blistered, which made it difficult for her to remove her clothing. While her back was to Zev he could see the beatings she had to have taken, and the whelps and dark bruises. She so dirty her skin looked brown, almost in a dead looking way. Her rib cage was very defined, one could tell she had lost a lot of weight. Looking at her hand which held the metal blade she then shook her head, not ready to give it up to Karyn just yet.

~Why is it the only person with a penis in this room is the bad guy in her book? As enormous as it is... its just not that scary...~ echoed Madden's voice with its usual tormenting flavor. ~She looks like she's been through a variation of rule 109. 'I will see to it that plucky young lads/lasses in strange clothes and with the accent of an outlander shall REGULARLY climb some monument in the main square of my capital and denounce me, claim to know the secret of my power, rally the masses to rebellion, etc. That way, the citizens will be jaded in case the real thing ever comes along.'~

Raynor remained silent not even thinking back to Madden at this point, stone faced as he simply took in the injury to O'Shea's back... and her figure... she would need more than water that was for sure. Of course you always had to start slow... he withdrew a candy bar he had in one of his pockets and made eye contact with her again. His head moved a little, his eyes began to become more clear which indicated a yes or no motion as he torn a small chunk out of the bar ate himself, offering O'Shea the rest.

He would need her in relatively good condition for later, and he didn't want to have to aggressive make sure she was who she appeared to be, and had no hidden triggers deep in her mind. On the order of Starfleet Command HQ which had pretty much given him authority in this matter.

His mind was still trying to figure out why they choose him to do this 'duty', rather than his superiors... but he guessed it had something to do with the mixture of knowledge he had in every field combined with his telepathic ability and that he was no emotionally connected with O'Shea. But that was just a guess.

He watched O'Shea to see if she even noticed his offer. Though if she accepted he would hand it off to Dallas. Mainly because he didn't want her to try and take any of the weaponry he carried on him.

Anna's face turned to look in Raynor's direction and saw him offering the chocolate bar. before anyone could say or do anything, Anna reached out and snatched it from his hands, the brief moment her hand touched his he could feel the rough cold touch she had to his. She had to sit the water glass down to get the candy bar, but she didn't like leaving it for someone else to get so she drank it down and then sat the water glass back down on the biobed beside her. Smelling of the candy she then took a bite of it and then began to eat it quickly.

Raynor took account of how fast she could move, and adjusted his position to compensate in case of the worse case scenario occurred.

Dallas hadn't made a move as yet to help O'Shea off with her clothes, not wanting to do anything she wasn't aware off ahead of time, but she was astonished by her malnourished and battered state. Outwardly, however, she displayed none of that.

Karyn was going to stop Raynor from offering the chocolate bar because giving Brianna solid food after so much time had passed would likely make her sick, but the candy was snatched out of the over zealous ensign's hand before she could say anything. "I know you're hungry, Anna, but try to eat slowly. I don't want you to get sick."

Dallas didn't want to leave O'Shea because it seemed she was the only one the engineer trusted at the moment. Fortunately for her, she could prepare the basin of clean water and antiseptic within O'Shea's line of sight. First, however, they had to be certain there were no internal injuries. "I need to scan you with a tricorder to make sure you're ok."

Looking at Karyn she then nodded, after a few seconds she then extended her hand with the metal toward Karyn, giving it to her. For Anna it was huge symbolic of trust she felt with Karyn. To give up her only weapon was something major and doubted anyone in the room realized it.

Kio, happy to stand back and allow Dallas to calm the woman down now felt she might be able to administer some treatment. The weapon was no longer a threat and O'Shea may not look entirely relaxed but the madness seemed to have faded a little from her hollow eyes.

"We need to get her straight onto a fluid drip, she is badly dehydrated." She said quietly to those standing closest. Taking her tricorder she ran a sweep slowly over O'Sheas body making no sudden moves and avoiding eye contact. The woman may have been gone for a long time but if she was who she seemed to be then this would be a familiar procedure and might do more to calm her down. So she addressed her directly as he patient: "You have suffered extensive trauma over a long period of time. I can see evidence of broken bones that have mended badly and a fair amount of damage to the internal organs that will need attention. Other than that you are showing signs of starvation and dehydration and this we will have to address gradually. Although the list is long I feel you will be able to make a full recovery...physically speaking."

Turning off the tricorder she brought up O'Shea's stats on the medical terminal and double checked her diagnosis.

"Please allow us to make you more comfortable and perhaps you can get some sleep?"

Karyn wasn't sure how O'Shea was going to react to that. She sensed the trust they'd built was still thin and sedating her, although medically advisable, would leave her vulnerable. Although Karyn was not going to get her talking about what had happened until she was more comfortable, Dallas could also appreciate the importance of allowing her to be as in control of her treatment as possible.

O'Shea was very weak, but part of Karyn felt uncomfortable with examining her if she was sedated, especially if she had been sexually assaulted. She could have the computer keep a log of everything they did, but Brianna had other options. Evidence could be collected. All of that required express consent. Their priority was her health, of course, but it might be important to Brianna if they caught these bastards. Dallas knew that better than anyone.

"Don't... tie me down... never tie me down." Anna whispered as she held her arm over her eyes. It was so bright in here.

Dallas offered quietly to Kio. "Doctor, I'd appreciate being allowed to help treat Brianna medically in any way I can. I'd recommend we limit the number of people who are treating her at one time so as not to overwhelm her. It may slow things down a bit, but I think having the staff introduce themselves and make sure she knows what they're doing to her at all times will help keep her calm. After we get fluids started, I can have the computer record video to preserve the scene as it was when she was brought in. Once we clean her up some, we can see what we're dealing with."

When it became obvious that O'Shea's condition was going to be fine and there was no immediate threat, Raynor made an internal sigh of relief... He just hoped that this was the real O'Shea that they were going through all this effort for...

Anna looked at Raynor and then back to Karyn and Kio. She okay with their presence but Raynor, she felt as if he was a threat. Turning her eyes back toward Kio she nodded and gripped Karyn's hand. Laying down on the bed she held the candy bar in her hand, tightly. Anna looked at the two women. Suddenly when a male nurse walked up to help, Anna jumped slightly, but made no real movement as he finished and walked away.

Just as quick as her emotional state was agitated and nervous, it changed, now she laid there crying.

Dallas whispered to Kio. "We should keep this to female personnel only."

"I concur." Kio replied.

A privacy forcefield was erected so that no one could see in or out. Dallas increased the temperature in the surrounding space so that Anna would not feel cold. She helped her ease off the rest of her tattered clothing, covering her with a sheet. While Kio attended to the most severe injuries, Karyn focused her attention on starting the IV to stem dehydration and cleaning her up so they could see all her cuts and bruises.

All the while, Karyn made sure the sensors documented the larger picture, while scanners took individual records of everything. When the time came, she would complete an additional evidence kit documenting the sexual assault. "You're going to be fine, Anna," Dallas soothed, as she watched the fluids flow into her. "You're safe here."

Suddenly Anna began to shake. First it was her hands, next her body began to shake as if she was having some seizer. In fact it was her body was going into shock from the infection her body was no longer able to fight.

Dallas had her tricorder, which was beeping loudly and steadily, out in a second. "I'm reading a major systemic infection. She's septic!" Dallas yelled, panic evident. Anna's body was so battered all of the open sores and scrapes had attracted their own bacteria, fighting its way into her system. With little nourishment and water, her body was not healthy enough to fight anything off. She was literally being torn down from the inside out.

Kio helped her steady Anna long enough to administer meds to stop the seizing and Dallas immediately added the strongest antibiotic she dared given Anna's compromised health.

Anna laid there and sighed. Managing to open her eyes briefly and look up at the lights over head. As her hand gripped Karyn's shirt her fingers relaxed and her eyes rolled back into her head and heart fluttered for a moment before coming to a stop.

”Time goes by...so slowly"

by J. Andrus Suder (apc)

******

Capitol City

******

There was nothing to do now but wait.

Andrus hated waiting.

It was one of the reasons he gained a hobby with every new operation, to keep him busy while he waited in between hidden messages and secret rendezvous.

It occurred to him, however, that he wasn’t going to need a ship to get off of this rock if he had yet another cup of coffee.

Andy steepled his fingers in an almost unconscious mimic of the Ambassador and frowned. As much as he wanted otherwise, there was nothing that he could do. His cargo was ready to be shipped, their transport as secure as Andy could make it, and his own exit was precariously arranged.

Of course, he expected that Joord was going to try to double cross him at the last moment, or maybe even try to kill him- another argument for dropping a habit that relied heavily on replicators- but Andy figured that it was best not to worry about it until opening night as he couldn’t really deal with the problem until both he and his defector were off of Romulus.

And then? Well, hopefully Joord was the kind of guy no one minded seeing jettisoned out of a garbage shoot.

Grax was busy making his own arrangements and Andrus knew that it was too late in the game to call his parents or friends for a chat. And, unthinkably, Uhlan Lelok had been somewhat forgiven for his indiscretions and had been allowed to advance from waiting on the Betazoid delegation to playing gopher for a Romulan major, leaving Andy without anyone to torment in his boredom.

No, it was just Andrus and his coffee and nothing to do but wait for Omar’s funeral.

Andy hated waiting.

"Danger Abounds, Part 2"

Lt. (JG) Naranda Sol Roswell
Engineering Officer

Ensign Zev Raynor
Terran Telepath Intelligence Officer

Ensign Eytan
Security Officer

Ensign T'Rei
Security Officer

Sgt. Major Thral
SFMC, Furies Detachment (Written by Michael)

Lt. (JG) 8-ball Hunter
Chief Science Officer

2nd Lieutenant Steven Jonas
SFMC, Furies Detachment

**** Holodeck 3, Deck 11 ****

The duo made their way towards the grass. Slowly. Steven's legs were knackered from all the running that he had just done. Sprinting would have been a better definition he reasoned. You don't jog when a huge Lion is chasing you. And after her time in the quicksand, he assumed 8-Ball's were also sore.

The remains of the small hut lay several feet to the right as they walked past, the last of the fire burning pitifully on a few remaining splinters of wood, the rest being a large charred mess. What was left of the bar, a small stump of a log of wood could barely be seen amongst the remains. "You don't suppose a bottle of Romulan Ale survived?" He asked half jokingly.

"With our luck? Our luck which, may I remind you, includes burning houses and quicksand and spontaneously appearing man-eating lions?" 8-ball pretended to think about it. "I kind of doubt it."

"Yeah, that's what I thought too," Steven grinned.

They reached the grass, a patch big enough for the two of them to sit, but not affording much more than that. Steven helped 8-Ball to sit before taking a seat next to her. He looked over at her. She was sitting there, legs folded, looking down at the grass, her left hand playing with the grass while her right was brushing sand from her pants. She looked so beautiful sitting there. His heart had been beating fast when he was being chased by that Lion, and faster still as he pulled her from the quicksand, but just sitting here in the stillness of what looked like late afternoon, his heart was beating faster than all day. And he was so confused by it all.

~What the hell is wrong with me? First I love her, then I don't, then I love her again, and then I don't. And now... Man I'm so confused. Do I or don't I? What do I do now? Do I tell her that I think the stuff I said before was a mistake? Or leave it be. Why can't love be simple, like it was with 'Bella. That had been simple. I loved her and she loved me and everything else had was left on the side of the road. Oh god, I'm so fucked up.~

8-ball let her head slip down so that her forehead rested on her knees. She knew she needed to be thinking about some form of game plan---like what was causing all this psychotic weirdness and, more importantly, how to escape from it. Unfortunately, she was having trouble focusing on anything other than the fact that her legs were still screaming in agony after trying to tread fucking quicksand. Assuming she got out of this, she was never going to the holodeck again. At least, not to meet a one-night stand who wanted to talk about "stuff".

Steven sighed at the thoughts that were running through his head. He didn't know what to do. At least he could see that she was okay after her ordeal in the quicksand. "Hey, are you alright?"

8-ball glared out of him at the corner of her eye. She knew that it wasn't fair to blame him for what was happening, but hell with it, she didn't feel like being fair. "Do I look all right?" she snapped. "I just nearly got sucked into a nice little vortex of quicksand. It wasn't exactly a positive fucking experience."

Steven retreated from 8-Ball's stinging response. "I'm sorry. I was just checking if you were okay."

8-ball sighed, partly from regret, mostly from irritation. ~Okay, it's not cool to snap at the guy who just saved your life. Even if he is the reason you're here in the first place. Remember, you just brought faith back in the guy's life. Try to act the part.~

"I'm sorry," she apologized, if a little grudgingly. "I'm just... cranky. I get very irritable when I get scared. Or, you know, when I breathe. Anyway. I didn't mean to take it out on you." She turned her head to side so that she could look a him better. "Thanks for the gallant rescue, though. I'm not really brave enough to play a decent damsel in distress, but you did a nice job as hero."

"My pleasure." The marine responded.

8-ball smiled briefly at Steven and then watched him as his face settled into a frown, obviously thinking about whatever the hell was happening. She waited for him to reason it out---that way, she didn't have to do any of the serious pondering and got more time to brush off all the sand off her uniform.

Twice the strange woman had appeared and twice events that she had created, it seemed, had tried to kill them. And it didn't take a scientist to realize that the holodeck safeties were offline, though why that was the case eluded Steven. Someone was trying to kill them. And Jonas had absolutely no idea why.

"Any idea who that woman is?" He asked.

8-ball looked at him as though he was slow. "It's O'Shea," she said. "Brianna O'Shea, Ex Chief Engineer, Big Time Traitor and Super Super Bad Guy?"

"Oh...So that's her? I thought she was older. It doesn't explain why she is trying to kill us. Hell, I didn't even know who she was."

8-ball thought about that. Steven had a decent point. "I sort of knew her," 8-ball said. "I mean, Senior Staff. We were in meetings occasionally, but I don't think we ever talked outside of that. So unless I slept with her boyfriend or husband or something, I really don't know why she'd want to kill me."

8-ball chewed on that for a minute, trying to remember exactly what she'd said when she appeared the first time. 8-ball hadn't really been paying that close of attention---her concern was more about the rising flames and billowing smoke, rather than the smug taunts of a holographic villain. Still, she had said a name, a name that wasn't 8-ball's or Steven's. 8-ball couldn't remember what it had been.

"Hey," 8-ball said. "You said this wasn't your program, right? You just borrowed it?"

"Yeah, I found it in the databank and thought it sounded alright. I guess I was wrong." He responded.

"Well," 8-ball said, "O'Shea couldn't have known we were going to stroll in here. She must have been trying to kill whoever's program this is. Do you remember whose it was?"

Steven looked away from the cloud formation that looked, ever so slightly, like a bunny rabbit and focused on 8-Ball. "Um, I think it was the Captain's."

"The current captain?"

"Eh, no.. Not Henderson. Someone else, name starting with..." He thought about it for a moment. "M, I think it started with 'M'. M'Botha or MacKenzie or something like that."

"M'Kantu," 8-ball said immediately. It seemed strange to her that Steven didn't know who M'Kantu was. . .of course, she'd be on the ship much longer than he had. Still, when 8-ball thought of the captain of the ship, her immediate thought was of M'Kantu---it always took her a second to remember Henderson was in charge now. In a weird way, 8-ball sort of missed M'Kantu. Sure, he was a little twisted and evil when it came to appropriate punishments, but she had sort of liked the old man. She wanted him back.

This wasn't exactly a high concern right now, though, what with the holodeck going death trap and all. 8-ball pulled herself back to the present and focused on what Steven was saying.

"Yeah, that sounds right. Hey, didn't the O'Shea woman mention the name 'Daren' when she first appeared?"

"Yeah," 8-ball said. "That was it. Daren M'Kantu, old Captain of the Galaxy. O'Shea couldn't have known he was going to get booted off because of that tyrannical bitch Proctor. . .or at least, I'm assuming she's the reason. She usually is, for all things bad. Anyway, that's who O'Shea must have been setting this up for." She thought about that. "Not great planning, on her part."

"Do you think we can reason with her? If she appears again that is." Jonas asked.

"Do I think we can reason with the traitorous, sabotaging, holographic chick? My thought would be no. Still, I suppose it's worth a shot, assuming there's a Plan B on how to get us out of here." 8-ball looked at him. "There's some form of Plan B... right?"

Jonas shrugged his shoulders. "Not yet, but I'm working on it." He paused, thinking about the possibility of being rescued from this hell hole of a beach. "Hell, I'm sure someone is out there trying to get in to get us out right now."

"I am curious about something." Jonas looked over towards 8-ball. "You said you thought that she was targeting the Captain. She's smart enough to lock us in here, produce burning buildings, Lions and quicksand. She blocked access to the computer and the Communications system, and yet she doesn't use the sensors to detect that he isn't infact here with us. Kinda odd don't you think?"

8-ball shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe she just assumed he'd be here. Or maybe she didn't really care all that much to check because she's evil and nefarious and psychotic. I really have no idea how O'Shea's head works."

8-ball sighed, and looked back towards the sand. It looked ominious. Assuming that she lived to survive the Holodeck, 8-ball decided that she'd definitely have to make sure that no phobia of sand became of this whole incident. Otherwise, she'd never be able to go to Risa again and she'd have to find a whole, new happy place. This was, of course, slightly less important than not burning to death or being eaten alive, but it was still a small worry.

"If there are people coming," 8-ball said, "I hope they get here soon."

"Yeah, I hope so too."

Nobody appeared right away, so 8-ball turned to Steven and asked, "So, how did you escape from the evil lion?"

Jonas smiled. "Now that's a long story." He looked off into the distance. The rolling hills stretched as far as the eye could see, the covering of tall grass swaying in the breeze. Over one of the hills a fair distance away a dark shape appeared, followed shortly by more. "And now isn't the time for it. We have company, though it is too far away to tell if they are human or not."

8-ball squinted her eyes. After a moment, "Human," she said. "And Starfleet. Hey, maybe it's the rescue squad."

"With this O'Shea doing what she has, I doubt it, but we can hope." Steven paused, eyeing up the approaching people. "Should we go and meet them?"

"Do we have much of a choice?" 8-ball asked, and they went.

**** Outside Holodeck 3, Deck 11 ****

It took him a second or two for Eytan to realize that nobody was answering him, only staring at him. He blinked and looked down at himself, suddenly remembering his state of near-undress, and he quickly moved his towel from his shoulders to his waist, tying it around himself. "What?"

"Maybe you should some pants on if you wish to continue fighting evil today..." Raynor joked, not really caring one way or another.

Nara would had laughed if there wasn't a fire inside. She'll laugh later. For now she shook her head and nodded toward the holodeck, "Emergency I would guess." She walked over to the panel and tried the first thing come to mind. Having not much clearance, she tried a simple override to open the door.

While the engineer worked on that, Eytan shot a glare over at the black-collared joker. "Sorry, but I figured the families of whoever's stuck in there wouldn't be very happy with me if I let them die because I was too embarrassed to walk outside without a uniform on." He knew the man wasn't being serious, but this really wasn't the time for jokes. He stepped to the side out of everyone else's way, his eyes scanning the doorway as he tried to think of an idea.

After a few minutes passed, the armory tech arrived with the demolitions equipment that Thral had requested as well as a couple phaser rifles he hadn't asked for. Little extra firepower never hurt.

"OK kids, tell me what we're dealing with and where you want the hole and I'll make it. And don't worry, I can take em apart as well as putting them together," Thral said matter of factly.

T'Rei casually came around the corner. She was ordered to assist in any way possible, however, upon viewing the doors of the Holodeck, she had to wonder exactly in what capacity she could help. Turning to her left, she spotted another ensign of the same department as she. Showing no reaction to his attire, she nodded in acknowledgement of his presence, and then turned back to the door.

"Is there a way we can open the door without blowing it out the side of the ship?" She stated with an eyebrow raised. At times, the ensign had to wonder what drove people that liked playing with things that exploded.

"Nara that won't work the door is jammed pyschically by some unidentified object that was beamed into the wall and theres a forcefield..." Raynor explained. Noting that Nara was in fact now the commanding officer of this operation and so he started acting like that.

Turning to Nara, he started stating options, "Sir, we have four options as I see it, the quickest way would be to try a bomb, though it is possible that doing that might kill whoever's inside unless we get a clear picture of who in there, simply because we can be sure of how much force to use. This is sabotage, and O'Shea could of reinforced the door with holograms," Raynor said thinking a looney toons episode he saw once.

"The safe way would be to phaser through once we get the forcefield down... though that could take a while and if she has reinforced with holograms, the least damaging way would be to engineer or hack up some miracle to get our people out... or last, we cut the power," Raynor finished stating all options availiable to them.

Then turning to the Marine who seemed a wee bit bomb happy, "And were not blowing anything up without orders... got it?"

T'Rei watched the exchange curiously. She pondered to herself about the situation. It would make the most sense to cut the power and gain entry that way. But, what if the supposed force field was powered by another source located somewhere on the ship? They could locate it, but it would be next to impossible. The ensign felt helpless as she stood by.

"It would be tricky, but I could blow the door without too much of the force pushing in. Same trick we used on Tallus VII. Forcefields though I can't do much with, though I might be able to rig something up. And Ensign, leave the exploding stuff to the expert," Thral said with his usual disregard to the pip on the intellgence officer's collar.

"Isn't there any way we could shut the program down from out here?" Eytan inquired, casting a dubious look at the Marine. He wouldn't be surprised if all he succeeded in doing was blowing himself up if he tried blasting through. "I assume someone here has notified the bridge of this situation--couldn't they just cut the power to Holodeck three?" He glanced over at T'Rei. "You might want to let Corgan know what's going on here..."

She shot an icy glance over at Eytan. "Corgan is aware of the situation at hand." T'Rei stated firmly. The ensign continued. "I am positive that those in command are paying adequate attention to this situation. I was sent to assist."

Eytan raised a bemused eyebrow at T'Rei's frigid demeanor. "Alright, then. Just making sure that everyone who needs to know about this does."

Nara had already decided cutting off power was the simplest, least dangerous option, but getting a word in edge-wise was near impossible. Finally she just walked back over to the console and started removing a panel, "Cutting power to the holodeck if anyone cares to know."

"Mam, are you sure that's wise without checking things out? I mean, don't you think she would have thought of that?"

Nara rolled her eyes as she took out a tricorder and scanned it. "Looks fine." She felt more in control now. The momentary surprise of finding she was in charge was taken over by her command mode she used in the Sakarian Civil War. She looked at the wires, concentrating. She shook her head, "Best I can do from here is get that forcefield down." So she did. She stood and looked at the others, "Who wants to beam in?"

Raynor simply raised his hand in response with a look which seemed to say 'Lets get this over with...'

Eytan glanced down at himself, seriously wishing now that he'd just taken the extra time to run back into the pool's locker rooms and change. What sort of rescue could he pull off in a towel? He looked back up at Nara and shrugged. "I wouldn't be of much use here if I didn't go, too," he said before double-checking the settings on his phaser..

Nara nodded and went to the console, tapping into the transporter controls. She looked over again and seeing they were ready, beamed them in. She got to work the transporters even less than she got to work on the bridge. It was kind of disconcerting knowing you were in control of someone's molecules and one mistake and they would be scattered. Thank goodness she was too much in crisis mode not to consider this now.

She looked at Thral and nodded at the door? "We might need that hole." Then she got back to the panel to figure out how to be a hero or something.

"Your wish is my command boss", Thral said as he checked a few more scans and schematics. As was his custom, he started thinking out loud "Ok we need to do this while limiting collateral damage. Even without someone screwing with the power systems there's enough plasma running through that wall to breach the hull. Rope charges, that's what we need. Five segments should do it."

Within a moment, the proper charges had been fabricated and Thral began placing them around the edge of the door. The idea was to cut through the duranium and basically make something akin to a 'doggie door'. Once the charges were placed he looked to Nara and said "You might want to back up".

Nara did as she was asked. Of course any smart person would move when there would be a boom large enough to blow through a door on a spaceship.

After Thral backed up to a safe place, he triggered the charges and with surprisingly little noise, a humanoid size door was cut in the holodeck door. After pulling away the debris, Thral grabbed a rifle with the armory private right behind him.

"I'm going in"

"Every Moment of Every Day"

By
Commander Karyn Dallas, RN
Chief Counselor/Second Officer

Kylar Curran,
Chief Liaison Officer

"She raped you," Karyn answered quietly. "She. raped. you. In your bed, in your shower. I found you. I helped you. I reached out to you. I watched you suffer, despise me, laugh over my bloodied body when you found me later that night. I never said a word to them. To you, when I could have humiliated you. When you continued to hurt me. Why did you do it?? Why do you hate me so? All I did was help you then. You laughed. You told me I was to blame for what Victor did? Why?"

It hit him like a sudden tidal wave, tumbling him over the abyss. It all came back to him with a sudden clarity, to the point of inducing a sharp, writing pain through his cranium. His vision reacted the opposite of the memory block falling; a red haze settled down over it as the images beat at him internally as if he were trapped in a room full of bats. He shook his head from side to side, eyes squeezed shut to press away to onslaught.

"Because you wouldn't let me finish what I started!" He finally let it break through, a nervous giggle escaping his lips. The memory of her taking the phaser away from him, coddling him, trying to get into his head and twist his loyalties. "You wouldn't kill me when I begged you to. I had to *BEG* you to end it all, and you wouldn't do it! You let me live in my own humiliation for every second of every minute of every day of my life for the last two years. You used that weakness, and hang it over me every second you can. You say I disgust you? I *loathe* you. You truly are a pathetic human being. Just because you can live with your own disability doesn't mean you get to disregard other cultures societal values and make us be and live as you do. You don't have the RIGHT nor do you RESPECT them. You think you're some self-appointed goddess of all there is in the universe, and it sickens me. You have a bigger ego than you say I do, and it's truly a tragedy that you don't see it. I only have issues because you think you are perfectly rational in all the errors you have made, from your almost complete destruction of everything the Federation stands for at lanjep, to your self-appointed position as moral issuer in the guise of counselor. You're a fake, and you don't belong on this ship or anywhere in Starfleet! Your complete disregard for other beings moral and ethical standings only proves it.

"*You* made me into what I am today, Counselor. Only problem is that you won't admit it. You like this power you have over people too much, and now you want to evoke that self-righteousness over me right here, this minute. I reject your notions." It took every last ounce of willpower to keep himself seated in a non-threatening manner, because right now, at this very moment, he wanted to strangle her.

She supposed she had to be grateful for his tirade. It was the most he had said to her since that night. Her objective self knew he was threatened by her, and her subjective self wanted to shut down. They were traveling in circles, her objective self reasoned, and her anger, as justified as it was, was not helping her.

"You can reject me all you want, Legate, but here we are. You need me. The fact of the matter is, I couldn't kill you. Maybe it's you who should respect that about who I am. That night, before Victor attacked me and I found you with... with that android who released pheromones like poison, I knew you were not to blame for what she had done. I didn't want to see you die. Maybe that was arrogant of me, but you've had plenty of opportunities to do it yourself since then, so I refuse to be your excuse anymore."

He jutted his chin out, pushing the bitten part of his tongue against the front teeth to exaggerate the physical pain that mirrored his own psychological one. Or perhaps to dull it.

"I don't want your pity. All I see is you trying to validate your own misgivings by transferring it on what you hope is guilt for me." He rubbed at his temples, averting his eyes momentarily. The images of the woman with red hair kept interchanging with Dallas' own. "Your hope to paint others with your weaknesses to make yourself feel better about your own is an abomination."

Karyn knew Curran was struggling with something, memories perhaps. If it were anyone else, she might have asked after his well-being, but he recovered quickly enough to hurl insults again. She smiled sweetly. "My dear, I think you're projecting."

"Stop your counseling games. I'm not apologizing for your genetics or insecurities, Counselor, so don't even try to make me out to be the criminal here. You need *me*, whether you like it or not. Your ego is so self-evident, if I weren't here, you'd have no clue how to take your next steps in the most rational and logical sense. I won't be your minion, bowing to your omnipotence and fervor like your patients who come running for their next dose of manipulation. Look in the mirror, Counselor. I'm your self-conscience. I like it even less than you do, but the fact remains that it is the truth."

Karyn smirked. "And yet, I've managed to make it this far in Starfleet without you, and I have gone this long without speaking to you. And," she continued with conviction, "the fact remains you need me or one of my staff to evaluate you or you wouldn't be here now. You can act like you're doing me a favor all you want, Legate, but it's you who is going to have to compromise and confront what you've been through if you want to be cleared again."

Dallas softened. "I'm being honest with you, Kylar. Getting angry at me and hurling insults and contempt at me or any counselor is not going to get you what you seek. Maybe the answer is for you to see my assistant chief, Brian Elessidil, if you can't talk to me. We're intertwined you and I, and I used to think I could help you, but all I seem to do is bring you pain."

Kylar grinned, curling his already pale lips inward. It was completely un-natural, like a monster who came out of your closet at night, or perhaps a Wendigo. His eyes beamed out cold fire, the irises natural shade of azure blue even brighter than before.

"And I've managed to make it just far in the Federation and continue to do so without you, Counselor. Now, all I came here for was your simple recommendation to your superiors at Starfleet to grant me my activation to on-site representative of the Federation, but again, your ego has twisted that into a play on your ego that I somehow need you more than ever." His grin fell away, the humor in it never having shown by the apparent shift of facial muscles to a pursed look again. The sheer ire behind his eyes remained.

"And here you are making yet another error in judgment. It's lanjep all over again, and you refuse to see it as your own fault. Just like you did back then. I can see we're going nowhere here. Do whatever you want, Counselor. But if something happens here at ch'Rihan that I was unable to disarm because you wouldn't allow me access to my resources, then be sure you take a good long look in the mirror and tell me if you still think it isn't your fault why I treat you the way I do." Picking up his PADD from the table with the sculpture, he rose from the sofa one last time.

"One last time I will ask you. Will you make the recommendation to your supervisors at Starfleet Command to reactivate my status as Federation Representative?"

Her answer was simple and immediate. "No, I *cannot.*" He was under the mistaken impression she was witholding approval out of spite, when in fact, she was doing her duty, no matter how much he infuriated her.

"And what would it take for you to relinquish the one piece of leverage you have over me, Counselor? Do I need to give up my soul? I'm already in an inner circle of hell; it probably wouldn't take much more convincing."

"As I said, you need to be able to discuss what happened to you with regard to Mudd's androids. I know how much you are loathe to discuss it, but it is the one experience that you must face if you're ever to accept who you are now. Some things even you cannot do alone."

"That's your opinion, Counselor. Who are you to know if I haven't already discussed it with someone? One of my *own* kind, perhaps?" He abruptly drew a sharp intake of breath, and lifted the hand with the PADD in it, drifting it up and down at Dallas.

"Oh, but Starfleet's counselors are the epitome of all that is holy... I had forgotten that. I must apologize. My incomplete human genetics must be making me inferior to your absolute perfection in knowing what is right and proper for me."

Karyn sighed. "For someone who hates to be judged by someone else's cultural standards, you have certainly denigrated my heritage often enough. And if you've discussed it with someone else and worked through it, you should have no problem speaking with a counselor to be cleared. At the risk of being insulted once more, I will say again that what happened to you was not your fault and that I do not think less of you for it."

Kylar did what could only be characterized as a 'harumph'. Then so be it, so long as it's anyone but you. You're compromised." As he turned his back to her, a shapr pain arched through his temples that connected behind his eyes, but he wouldn't allow the woman to see him in a moment of weakness.

"We're done here. Update my calendar with your appointment. Goodbye Counselor."

Karyn watched him go, certain they would never be done.

"Meeting a Marvel: Part 5"

Ens Eve, Tech Op, Intelligence

Lt.(jg) Nara Roswell, Engineering

*****Nara's Quarters*****

Nara looked at her and concern etched on her face, "To be honest, I don't think anyone, not even yourself know what you--or what's in you--is capable of."

Eve quirked her head to one side. "You have a good point there, Nara."

Nara smiled at her, "So now that I pretty well know you, what would you like to know about me?"

"Hmmmm .... What do people normally ask?"

Nara shrugged, "I'll just tell you what I can think of. I'm an engineer. I was born on Sakaria, fought the civil war a few years back. That's the basics. You already know I'm a curious geek."

Eve giggled at that last comment. "Sakaria, where is that?"

"On the edge of Federation Space."

"What do you like to do when you're not on duty," was asked next.

"Peruse the Holodeck, swim with the dolphin crew-members, see Saul, take care of Saia and go to the gym. What do you do?"

"Not much, actually. Wander around for a bit, then go to sleep, mostly."

Nara looked at Eve a bit amused and a bit with pity, "That doesn't sound like much fun."

"I haven't really explored the various activities available to me," Eve said, starting to explain. "Technically, I've only been awake for about 10 years, so I haven't had that much time to develop certain things."

Nara perked up an eyebrow, "Saia's only 10." She narrowed her eyes a bit regarding Eve, having found an explanation for the woman's naiavte. "Well, I can suggest some activities. Develop things like what? Like I said, you seem finely tuned. You could learn any sport or recreation quickly. You don't seem to have much problem with social interaction, though a bit niave."

Eve perked a brow. "I know what the encylopedic reference says, but what does that REALLY mean?"

Nara smiled, "For one thing, you don't know me very well, but you came to my quarters and I've scanned you in two different ways. Not that it matters. There are enough safeguards even if you do innocently put yourself in danger." She looked serious, "I was simply intriqued. Other people may have different motives."

"I think I get the idea, but I might need a little more help every now and again." Eve did indeed have the idea, as far as that one type of scenario was concerned, though intuitive observations would probably help widen her range of warrieness.

Nara nodded, "Did they train you on how to fight?"

Eve nodded. "Basic combat techniques in the Academy, some of the more advanced stuff in Intell school, that's about it."

"Well, if we're ever in the same area, I'll watch your back." Nara winked.

"Thanks," she replied with a wink of her own - though truth be told that was another of those mannerisms Eve never truly comprehended.

Nara smiled, "When do you have to be on duty?"

She consulted her internal chronometer. "It'll still be some hours, why?"

Nara smiled mischeviously, "I'm gonna show you a meaning of fun that encyclopedia doesn't have. Not sure how yet, but the Holodeck is full of infinate possibilities and I think there's one open." She stood eagerly.

"When things came to a head"

1st Lt. Jebidiah Baile
2nd Lt. Branwen London

Branwen was one of the first to hear that Baile was back. The announcement filled her with a lot of different feelings. Trepidation that he would not be satisfied with how she had run things in his absence, relief that her job would be easier from now on, and also a little bit off sadness of having to let go of being the boss.

Five minutes after learning that he was back, she heard that her boss had been placed in the brig. No explanation, just that message.

"This is ridiculous." Branwen muttered. It luckily she didn't have any patients at the moment, and she made for the brig straightaway.

"I am here to see Lieutenant Baile." She told the guard on duty. "And don't even try to tell me no." She growled at him marine style.

"Second cell on the right ma'am." He told her.

He had told the guard to turn the lights off in his cell. They knew he was unarmed and quite frankly they didn't know how to treat the Marine CO. The Marines themselves had beamed him directly to the brig where he had let them disarm him and place him behind the forcefield.

Now he just sat on the bunk, leaning against the wall with his eyes closed. Somehow being stuck in the brig seemed like a good thing at the moment. Less people to talk to. Security would come down here eventually. He was in no hurry.

Someone stopped outside the forcefield and took a deep breath before talking to him. "Lieutenant London.. " he said without looking up.

"Sir." She said. Branwen could feel the nerves in her belly, but she was not going to abandon him now. "What happened, how can they put you in here. What can I do to help?" The words rolled out in her nervousness.

"Lieutenant.." Baile said to her when she finished talking.

"Sir." She squeaked back.

"You're babbling."

"Sorry Sir." After that she stayed quiet, and waited for him to say anything more.

"What do you want, Lieutenant?" the man inside the dark cell asked.

Branwen took another deep breath. "I am here to listen and to help, Sir."

Baile cocked an eyebrow at her. He didn't remember her looking so.. haunted and stressed out. "Help me with what, Lieutenant?"

"Whatever happened to you that made you end up in here, Sir." She said softly.

"What happened was I left without permission.. " He sagged down on the bunk until he was laying down on it and rested his head on his arms. The room was vivid with colors despite the fact the light was turned off. "Now its up to the brass to decide what to do with me.."

"Where did you go, Sir. Or is it something you cannot talk about, was it successful?" She relaxed a little bit.

"I went to prison.." he laughed a short and ironic laughter and held up his arm in air. Very faintly the words 'Property of Warden Élysée' could be seen. It had been burnt into his skin, leaving ugly scars in its wake.

"Jesus Baile." Branwen lowered the forcefield and moved inside. "Have you seen a doctor yet?" In her concern her fear was forgotten.

"It has healed. I'm going to get it removed later." he responded with a shrug and sat up. He didn't think his new.. abilities.. involved regenerating the skin. At least he hoped it didn't. If it did then all of his tattoos would be screwed and THAT would seriously mess with his day.

She sat down next to him on the bed. "What happened?" She asked again softly, thinking of her own experiences while he was away.

What happened? ~I flew to a fucking penal colony to find out if Newbie had revealed the old man's code or not. I got tortured by a man so fat it's hard to describe. I then ran for nearly three days straight with about three hours of sleep in total only to be forced to drag Newbie and some goddamn kid with me back to the damn prison where I tortured and stabbed the man who's name is crispy on my arm. Then I killed him. After that I counted on the greed of mercs to get me out of there and now I'm here~ he thought to himself.

Of course that's not what he said out loud. "Nothing, Lieutenant, and at the moment you are endangering yourself. I could be a traitor for all you know and you just volunteered to be hostage."

"Nonsense, you live for the corps." She said. "And Marines stick together. Tell me what I can do to help."

Baile's face darkened in the already poorly lit cell. "Nonsense?" he asked darkly. "O'Shea was replaced with a clone and no one noticed until it was too late... I could be one of those clones for all you know." He stood up in his full height. Physically he had changed. He was more bulky, but yet it was easy to see the agility with which he moved. He was a full fledged killing machine on two legs.

She shrunk back from him, hugging the wall and swallowing hard. Then she tried to get her courage back. "You would have been scanned when you were brought aboard. Because we know about the clone problem now. The Anna clone she... she betrayed some people on board. Why must you be so horrible."

"Lieutenant. You need to get your head out of your ass and grow some backbone.. This ain't the Reserves your serving in.. this is the Starfleet Marines. We're as tough as it gets. Act like one."

"Stop it!" She told him, finally anger shone through. "You were the one who left without saying a word, leaving your job for me, not knowing when to expect you back, if ever. But I have kept things running. And you have no idea what happened here. Stop judging me! I am not like you, I don't ever want to be like you, but I have a backbone." She whispered at him, head held high but tears in her eyes.

The bald marine looked at Bran for a few seconds. Then a grin spread across his face as he leaned his head against the wall. "I'm not judging you, Sparky.. I don't need to.. you're doing that all on your own.. You're the one that came down here, you're the one that keeps reminding me how good and brave you really are deep down. You're the one that twists yourself inside out to prove yourself.. Stop making excuses for yourself.. If the job is too tough just say so instead of sticking your head in the sand and getting people killed." He stopped talking, still looking at the colors in the room, visible only to him.

"Or don't.." he shrugged. "I really don't care which Lieutenant. I can only make soldiers out of people who knows what they want."

"It's never good enough for you, is it." She said bitter. "I know damn well what I want, and I am working very hard to get there. Pardon your rank, Sir, but screw you. I will not let you get me down. And I am going to help you get out of here if you like it or not. Because our Marines need you. And you should be there for them. And don't ever say that I get people killed." She was really angry now.

It was so easy to push her buttons it wasn't even fun. "You... get... people... killed..." he repeated. "Dolly.. you got a lot of growing up to do. If the truth sets of the sprinklers then you're in for a very long walk.. You want to be a shrink and a marine at the same time. Fine. You're a marine. But I'll be damned if you understand what it means to be a shit-eating dirthugging no-bars hold marine... How many people have you killed, Lieutenant?"

"What has that got to do with anything?" She asked.

"It's a simple question, Lieutenant. Just answer it."

Branwen hesitated. "I'm not sure, I have been in firefights. I don't think so."

"So you think you know what it's like to be a marine, a glorified killer, without having killed anyone?" Baile replied calmly, resting his head against the wall with his eyes closed. "How can you say you can help the marines when you don't even know that? Books are no good, Lieutenant. Books won't tell you what its like. Bokos will tell you how others percieve it, but you won't understand it until you actually kill someone up close, with a knife or your hands."

"I know it won't help if I tell you I don't agree with you." She said.

"You know why humans make for the best marines?"

"Because according to you they make the best killers. You know what, Lieutenant, it would be so much more helpful if you would teach me to be a good marine, instead of putting down everything I do, and only criticising me."

"Glad to see you've been paying attention, Dorothy.. " he ignored the last part of her retort for the time being. "Humans are amazing killers, Lieutenant.. Klingons are good warriors, but they got that whole honor before death thing going... but humans.. Humans, Sunshine.. they grabbed as much of the killergenes when the rest was busy trying to be civilized creature. That's what you have inside.. ready to pop its ugly head out when the tough gets tough enough.. Think you can handle it? When the rage inside is so strong it blocks out everything but the kill? When your head is pounding so hard you think your skull is going to crack and all you can think of is how much you want the other guy dead.. Think you can survive the aftermath? The knowledge of what you did and the breaking of the illusion of selfcontrol?" he whispered, slowly closing his hand until the knuckles cracked loudly.

"Then again... you're civilized.. you're above such things.. only monsters like me falls for that temptation.. " Baile replied with a chuckle, amused by a joke of long times past. "I can teach you how to be a good marine, I can show you how to be an outstanding marine.. but its like a fine wine.. it has to reach a certain.. point.. before its ready."

She looked at him. "You think I don't have that rage inside me, that killer instinct? You really think that, dream on. But instead of you I fight it. Because I don't want to end up cold and bitter."

"You fight it.. and that's why you'll never be more than a second rate wannabe with a chip on her shoulder. " Baile replied with a shrug. "A good soldier is not about how well you shoot or how far you can march.. it's an attitude.. An attitude you will never understand, Lieutenant, because for you that attitude is something that is broken, something that needs fixing... Go back to shrinking.. you'll be a hell of a lot better at it than being a soldier."

She came nose to nose with him. "You can only see your way, you dinosaur. But you will not pester me away, I will not give in because I am stronger then you think. I will be a good marine despite you."

Baile opened a pair of silvery alien eyes. The eyes of a merciless predator. A soulless killer. The King of Killers. He met her gaze evenly, seeing the faint persperation on her skin, hearing her heart beat, smelling her angers and fears. He felt her breath on his skin. He had been that close to enemies just before ending their lives. "Stop saying it... Start showing it.."

"Give...me...a... chance." She stared back.

He closed his eyes again, lowering his head to get some rest. The last week had drained him of more strength than he could ever imagined having. "Lieutenant... you're still talking.. I'd look into that if I were you.."

"Bastard." She hissed but saw he was tired. "I will try to get you out of here whatever." She promised. "And you need to see a doctor."

"Lieutenant.. Stay out of this.. it's an order. Guard!" he barked. "Escort the Lieutenant out of here."

"Afraid of seeing a doctor, Baile?" She taunted him. "Scared of leaving the brig?"

"Yeah, that's it, Barbie.. I'm scared shitless.. But it's still an order and you're still talking."

"I will get you that doctor and release, butcher.' She said before turning and walking to the door.

He moved. Fluidly. A poetry in motion. His hand grabbed her around the arm and pulled her back into the cell. The strength of his grip matched the fittest of Vulcans and Klingons. The darkness in Baile flowed freely. The Killer surfaced in all its terrible glory. Baile reborn into something even Hell wouldn't let in. He practically lifted her off the ground. "Lieutenant.. this goes way beyond you and the marines.. take this advice since you can't follow orders.. Stay out of this." If he pressed any harder then it was likely he would break her arm. No human possessed such a strength.

Fear overtook her looking at the terrible look on his face and the strength in that grip. She had no idea a human could be so strong. So she struggled against him, tried to hit him so he would let go of her, but hanging in the air she didn't have much of a chance against the unleashed demon.

"A good marine knows when to back down.. do we have an understanding?" he asked her calmly, barely feeling the blows, including one that hit him on the cheek. He pressed a little more to show her he was serious.

She felt something in her arm, and cried out in fear and pain.

He lowered her and escorted her out of the cell. The guard was already pulling his phaser from the holster on his hip. "Go see to that arm and stay out of this, Lieutenant." He turned around before the guard could fully draw the phaser and sat down on the bunk again, leaned against the wall and closed his eyes.

"Smooth.." Maya's voice sighed heavily. "Real smooth, Killer."

"Go away.. I'm resting." he said to the empty air, unknowingly at the same time the guard looked inside to see where he had gone.

Corgan definately needed to know what had happened. "Are you alright, Ma'am?" he asked Branwen, still trying to piece together what had just happened.

"Fine." She said through clenched teeth, although she knew the arm was not ok. "Fine." With that she staggered out of sickbay.

"Hunting Ghosts" Part 1

Commander James Lionel Corgan
Chief of Security

Lieutenant Tarin Iniara
Chief of Operations

---------------
Main Operations
Deck 9
---------------

After finishing up her impromptu meeting with Legate Curran, Lieutenant Tarin had quickly made her way back to Main Ops. There were far more important people than the Liaison Officer who needed to be told about their uninvited guests-- and soon.

But what would be the best way to inform Commander Corgan, she asked herself. If the Jem'Hadar were here for some purpose other than eliminating Goran'Agar, it was possible they had already infiltrated other areas of the ship. Areas which he could be passing through even now. There was no way to quickly confirm an area was secure, not when the Jem'Hadar shrouding technology made them invisible to the internal sensors as well as the naked eye. That made the comm channels or an in-person visit less than desirable.

That left her with few options. Iniara grumbled, exiting the turbolift as fast as her only slightly defective legs would carry her. She'd just have to send him a text message, and hope that a shrouded warrior wasn't looking over his shoulder when he read it.

Crossing the threshold into Ops she glanced around the room, the realization that there could already be Jem'Hadar milling about quickly dawning on her. Well, she would just have to hope that they found a department full of PADD-pushers and maintenance techs to be rather dull, and had chosen another area to haunt instead.

Iniara continued to the back and into her office, activating her desktop console before she even had a chance to fully slide into her chair. Carelessly propping her cane against the wall she spun the screen towards her, then began to type out a quick message.

TO: Corgan, James
FROM: Tarin, Iniara PRIORITY: URGENT

Sir:

Please forgive the brief nature of this message. I have stumbled upon a possible security risk relating to our guests. Please meet me in my office at your earliest convenience so that I may elaborate.

Without a second thought she sent the message, then leaned back into her chair and sighed heavily. Hopefully this would turn out to be a lot less serious than what she was anticipating.

----------------
Security Central
Deck 38
----------------

The news had been shared. The champagne poured (non alcoholic; they were all on duty), the hand shook, the congratulations taken place and more cigars smoked than James' aching, hacking lungs cared to admit.

He was riding on the high of being the father of a baby girl.

One he wouldn't be able to raise. A fact that wasn't, at the moment, important lest it crush the festivities. His deputies were joyous enough. For James, that was some consolation.

Lieutenant T'lan, exempt from the celebrations due to her stick-in-the-mud Vulcan heritage, approached the commander with some reverence. "Sir." T'lan said, "I congratulate you on the birth of your daughter. May she live long and prosper."

"Thank you T'lan." James looked up from his flute of synthesized champagne. In front of his more emotional deputies he could keep the sour part of his personality from ruining their fun, but in front of T'lan he might as well had been transparent. So he admitted, "Too bad I won't be there to watch her live long and prosper. To Nuhir." He downed his champagne and made a sour face, "Cheap and fake champagne. That's no way to celebrate."

T'lan said, "Perhaps if you want to cut the festivities short, I could remind you of a memo that was sent three minutes, twelve seconds ago." She handed James a PADD, "Here."

"Thank you." James nodded. He thumbed through the options on the PADD and cycled through the sentences. His eyes widened. There was something of interest there. "Figures." He sighed, resigned, looking down at the custom phaser he reclaimed both from his aching ribs and a nubile teenage Jem'Hadar peasant, "The Jem'Hadar were being very quiet lately. If they somehow had my weapon, god knows what else they are up to. How are the preparations for a raid on the refugees?"

His Vulcan deputy raised an eyebrow, which for her people was very questioning, "Sir... that may violate their rights."

"Then get search warrants ready." James Corgan ordered, "We may have to step up some plans. How are the patrols near that area?"

"Nothing to report sir." T'lan said astutely; James could always count on her to be prepared when he was not, "They report no unauthorized movement."

"And aside from Marsh and myself, I don't have a single veteran in security that would know a phased Jem'Hadar if it took a sh*t on him. Arrange for Marsh to take one of those patrols, get the current squads ready and stand by. I'm going to talk to Lieutenant Tarin. Just hope this doesn't get serious!"

"A strange little conversation.."

Featuring:
Second Lieutenant Greg Ward
ARC Operations Command, USS Galaxy

Corporal Richard Simmons
Marine Trooper/ARC Commando, USS Galaxy --NPC

Lance Corporal M. Lavernius Tucker
Marine Trooper/ARC Commando, USS Galaxy --NPC

========

Location: 2nd LT Ward's office,
"Marine Country"-USS Galaxy

Greg was hammering out another one of usual status reports to the head of the ARC Project which in recent months had gotten to be more and more specific as if something had happened that only a scant few knew about and following the change in the project's head from Major General Don Hammond to Rear Admiral Andrew Slayton following the events of the so called "Federation Day Coup" that the crew of the USS Miranda stopped.

Greg was filling out another part of the report when he felt a presence that made him look up to see Corporal Simmons, one of his ARC Troopers, standing in the doorway of his office. "Hey LT did you hear the news yet?" Simmons asked in a questioning tone.

"What news?" Greg asked as he put the screen of his desktop mounted terminal to on standby then blacked the screen for the moment. "Did the Romulans decide to take our people on Romulas hostage?" he asked.

Simmons shook his head negatively, "Nope, it seems somehow Lieutenant Baile has reappeared after his little disappearing act and there seems to be something else but that's all I know, LT." Simmons informed Greg who's questioning look went to one of disgust. "Um, did I say something that offended you, Chief?" Simmons then asked, using the term that he knew Greg preferred when talking with other ARCs sometimes.

"Yes, you've informed me that Mister Baile who abandonded his post just under a month ago has reappeared out of no where back on the Galaxy. That's what offended me, Simmons." Greg said, the spots that were faintly visible on the sides of his head and neck where a little bit more promedient than they normally was. "Mister Simmons, at this moment our commanding officer is Lieutenant London, not Civilian Baile do you under stand me?" Greg said in a short form.

"But sir, Lieutenant Baile didn't.." Simmons started to say but before he could finish, Ward was from around his desk and was in Simmons' face, instead of a look of rage like most marine officers would have, the half-trill marine lieutenant had an almost..calm look about him.

"Mister Simmons, what Mister Baile did was against most of the standard orders of the Starfleet Marines. He abandonded his post, put the officers and enlisted of his unit at risk by abandonding them in the field, and most important of all, he abandonded his post. There for, his actions are to be questioned to the highest degree by the brass." Greg said in a calm tone but his eyes revealed that this was a very serious matter since Ward was a ninth generation marine.

"So, basically..we can't trust our own people?" Simmons asked in a curious tone as he kind of tested the waters on the topic.

Greg closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, "No Simmons, the point is that he's not our CO at the moment because of what he did. I want a descreet eye kept on him because no matter his reason, he abandonded his post and that is something that no marine can forgive easily...no matter what." Greg said sharply as he took a few steps back towards his desk.

Before Simmons could respond, Tucker ran into the room with a PADD in his hand which he then thrusted towards Ward before he could sit down which made the half-trill raise an eyebrow in confusion.

"Sir, this is *IMPORTANT*...it concerns you..and Dense Flores.." Tucker said between gasps of air and at the mention of the name "Flores", he snatched the PADD right out of Tucker's hand and started to read it, Ward's eyes getting bigger as he did so...

"New Toys, anyone?

Ensign Eve
Intelligence Officer (Technical Operations)

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

Deep within the bowels of the Galaxy's intelligence complex resided one particular compartment, singular in nature and intent. This compartment resembled a science lab, and at the same time the workshop of an engineer. Toss in a smattering of wizard gadgetry and you had the makings of an Intel TechOp's private sanctum sanctorum. Each techOp had their own flair, their own little quirks and idiosyncrasies. Eve was no different, her workspace a masterpiece of "organized chaos," as she called it. She knew exactly where everything was - with her memory she would - and it was all in a rather complicated pattern of arrangements that made for the most efficient use of space according to her style of work.

Currently, Eve was seated at her lab station, hard at work on a rather intricate object. It was rectangular, with various tidbits of odds and ends sticking out here and there. A single handle emerged from one side, ergonomically shaped for either right or left hand use. A trigger was mounted on the underside, nearly flush with the surface but protruding enough to let even a gloved hand know it was there. A display was embedded within the upper surface, cannibalized from a spare PADD that had been lying around. A smattering of tricorders, two combadges, a number of medical implements - replicated, so she wouldn't impinge upon the ships medical readiness - and a whole gaggle of tools was also arrayed about her, cases opened, and various odds and ends scavenged from each, said parts ending up in a variety of arrangements within the rectangular case. Sensor grids; pressure regulator monitors; two subspace transceiver assemblies: one for an up link with the infernal sensor net, the other for a posited interlinking of multiple units, if she ever made more than just the one; biorhythm algorithmic processors, and a variety of other odds and ends went into the contraption.

Holding a battery - one intended for a type 2 phaser - Eve frowned. Where would this fit? a-HAH! The handle! She'd need to hollow it out a bit, install some reinforcement, power leads, and what the heck, an adaptor for a phaser charger to plug into it. After all, Security was going to want to use this, were they?

Two hours later Eve sat back and admired her handiwork. All in all, it was bulkier and heavier than she had initially anticipated, but it should do the job. It was based off of something from an old science fiction movie one of her roommates in the Academy had loved watching, Alien. There had been some in-human nasty that was killing off the crew of the ship, and they didn't even have tricorders! What primitive technology, even for spacefaring people. Anyways, they put together a motion sensor that measured air pressure to tell where the alien was ... but it was a limited thing, restricted to a verry specific arc, and even then it didn't work half the times!

Well, Eve had been busy at work with her own Motion Tracker. Theoretically, this one would 'see' in all directions, and the embeded bio sensors would filter out living beings as programed by the operator. The uplink to the ship would let it use the medical database to corelate the readings with those in it's filter ... well, we could go on and on about it's specific operations, but that's for the Security guys to figure out. After all, Eve hadn't crafted a Users Guide for this. The PADD display was user friendly as it was, everything was a fingers touch away.

All of this, just to try and catch any shrouded Jem'Hadar. Since they didn't emit biosigns, at least not while shrouded, this thing would work beautifully, because then all you'd have to do is filter out all life signs, and any movement that results is either an object, or a shrouded Jem'Hadar.

Theoretically.

Pulling out a complete tricorder, the scanned the device and it's specifications, miscelanious details, and other tidbis onto an isolinear chip and then set the tricorder off to the side. Picking up the motion tracker, she pulled the trigger to activate it. The screen came alive, displaying the BIT diagnostic as it progressed. So far all was well.

*fizzle-POP!*

Eve dropped the device, jumping back as it clattered to the deck. a brightness could be seen glowing within the case, and with an surprisingly quiet bang it died. Retrieving her tricorder, Eve knelt down and started scanning the misshapen hulk, Looks like the second model would need more fuses than she'd anticipated. Hmm ...

Depositing the warped mess into the industrial strength replicator for breakdown, Eve turned back to the workbench to start over once again. She'd get it right, eventually.

"They Say Time's A Healer - Part 2"

Michael McDowell
Civilian Engineering specialist

Private Alliya Yhwalyan
Marine, Corporal (APC, Written by Dru)

*** Eshe/McDowell's quarters ***

"There'szz no one here for freaking szzsake! So shoo..go do szzomethhing uszzsefull. Geezzz!" That should be clear enough. Michael reached to the floor trying to find the bottle he'd dropped just a minute ago.

Again there was a pause, obviously the visitors thinking time. And then there was a familiar sound of the door lock being overridden, followed by the gentle hiss as the door opened. A figure stood shadowed by the flood of light from the corridor behind, it was almost angelic.

"Mr., er...McDowell?" a detached voice asked from the heavens above.

Michael narrowed his eyes against the blinding light. It hurt like hell, like someone poking an ice pick into his eyes. But that experience was nothing compared to the religious one Michael had right now at the same moment. "Zzso, Angelszz do exciszt." he whispered.

- And now the story is continued -

*** Eshe/McDowell's quarters ***

Michael was still staring at the 'Angel' before him. His eyes and mouth were wide open but he did little else.

Aliya looked at the state of a man before her and shook her head. "No angels for you mate." she announced waltzing through the door. "Just a strong cup," she turned and looked at him as she scanned the room looking for the replicator, "make that an entire pot of coffee." she let out an aggravated sigh as she tapped the order.

"Coffee??" Michael exclaimed. "No wayzz, not that black zstuff. Not for me. Give me zssome of that over there. Tazste zssoo much better." He pointed at a bottle that still stood at the table.

Alliya shook her head. There was no room for argument, nothing, not even a totally intoxicated engineer got in the way of what she wanted. walking over to the disheveled man she heaved him up and half dragged him towards the couch and plonked him down. she was a lot stronger than she looked.

"No more drink for you, its time for you to sober up and actually do something useful on this ship." she replied with a note of distasted. she hated layabouts, especially drunk lay abouts.

That latest remark didn't go unnoticed by Michael, drunk as he was. "Who are you to szzsay that!? You don't even know me,...and I sszzure aszz hell can be useful...in more wayszz then you know, mind you."

"Really?" she replied folding her arms, "Drink the coffee, sober up and then

prove it to me." she leaned in forward so that he might just be able to make

out her features, maybe even her uniform!, "Think you can manage that civilian?" she added in a degrading tone.

"I..uh..dunno. Szzomeone said that drinking izzss bad for your libido. Zssoo you zssee...it might not work." Michael said in sheepish way.

Alliya rolled her eyes, "If you want a fuck you need to look elsewhere boyo!" she shook her head as the image floated through her mind, coupled with the image of a toilet basin and the contents of her stomach!

"Hey, you sszugessted it, not me. Geez. I wasszz only trying to be friendly." Michael really had no idea why the woman was acting so strange. He could've sworn she'd hinted at sex. He looked at the pot of coffee that stood before him. "Musszt I really? That'ss two potsz of coffee you know. Way too much caffeine."

"I didn't pour it for me did I. Wouldn't be caught dead drinking that swill!" she replied coldly. She sighed again shifting her weight, "Look, McDowell. I need an engineer, you are the only one that is available. Intoxicated or not, you are going to help me. It is an order, not a request. Now drink it and sober up I don't want this to take all night. If you lot took better notice of engineering then you would have perhaps caught O'Shea *before* she planted bugs in every system!"

"Ouchzz, that hurts. We alwayssz getsz to blame when suchzs thingz happensz. Iszz...not fair." Michael said before he took his first infinitesimal sip of coffee. After he'd swallowed it his facial contractions made it all to clear what he thought of the hot liquid. "Yikeszz, you call thiszz Coffee!??"

"No." Alliya replied, "I call it Rak'd'jeno! Klingons have a way with coffee, like no other. The smell tends to wake most up. The taste, so I am told, takes your taste buds with it. Makes sense seeing as Klingons eat gagh and blood worm pie!" she said, a cruel smile dancing across her rose bud lips.

"Well, call it whatz you want. I'm not drinking this Rajko..., Raljzok..., zstuff." Michael said while placing the hot steamy cup back on the table. At least, he thought he did. Instead, when he released the cup, it fell on the ground. "Oopszz... Dhani won't likesz that."

"I don't like it either but its not my quarters so I cant complain. And I'm not about to mother you and clean it up for you." she told him sternly. "Now I'm not going to tell you again to sober up. What I am going to tell you though is that you are a worthless piece of scum. No better than the dirt on my shoes. I cant believe that you even were an officer on this ship. you certainly don't act like one. What's more you don't even do anything here. How can you face yourself every day? Getting up and wasting your time while your room mate goes out to work every night? Humm? Tell me that Mr. McDowell. I will admit that it was a bad piece of luck being demoted and all, but to sit here in your own filth and let yourself go.... its a waste. You should just shoot yourself now and be done with it." she took off her phaser and threw it on the ground before him and turned around, marched to the door.

"However if you want to actually contribute something to this garbage hauler

that you live on, and take from and eat from.... come and find me!"

The door opened, light spilling into the darkened room. Her silhouette moved with grace as she stormed out, completely frustrated.

Michael was stumped. Alright, so he was demoted, but that was years and years back. He got over that eventually. And he got his revenge on the people that really were the cause of the freighter incident and his demotion. A smile played around his mouth when he thought back on that adventure.

He looked down at the Phaser. Did she really think he would use that? He was at an all time low point of his life, yes. Who wouldn't be when they heard one of their parents had died a few days ago? The pain came back as soon as Michael's thoughts went back to this morning when he read the subspace message from Starfleet Command. A tear formed and rolled over his cheek. Why? Always that same question.

But commit suicide? No way. He wasn't that desperate. So his life meant nothing at the moment, he didn't make a difference,...and his mother passed away, but that didn't mean he should kill himself. He just got drunk for once to get away from it all for a few hours. That behavior alone was strange enough for Michael since he never got drunk. He never touched the stuff, except for this time. And now, right at this moment, SHE came barging in. All she saw was a drunk guy and nothing else. She couldn't know that he wasn't really like this and what really was going on. But the fact was that she did see him in that way now.

"Well, the hell withzz it!" He stumbled towards the replicator and ordered a large cup of Rak'd'jeno. Within a few minutes he´d drank it all. Same thing happened with the second cup. Finally, after some half hour the strong beverage kicked in. Though Michael still felt lightheaded, it gave him the strength to start cleaning up the mess he made.

*** Almost two hours later ***

Michael cleared his throat and straightened his tunic. He was standing in front of Private Alliya Yhwalyan's quarters and was about to press the chime. He hesitated, his finger hovering above the actuator the controlled the him, not sure if he should really go through with this. After all, she did say she found him "a worthless piece of scum". What would she do when saw him? Punch him in the face? That was hardly something he looked forward to.

In the end he pressed the chime anyway. Whatever she thought of him, it couldn't be good. That he had to change.

The door parted after a few minutes revealing a smirking marine, "Took you long enough." she replied.

Breezing past him she began to walk down the corridor, "We will swing by engineering to get you a tool kit and a Tricorder, you'll need one..." she paused and turned around. McDowell was still standing in the doorway to her quarters, a slightly stunned look on his face, "Well are you coming or not?"

"Something wrong?" Michael asked surprised. "I mean, I just came down here to explain e few things..."

Alliya shook her head, "You came down here to prove to me that you weren't a

waste of space. And that is exactly what your going to do."

She took a small step towards him, "I'm not a counselor, Mr. McDowell. Don't let my back eyes fool you into thinking that I give a dam about your welfare. I am a marine Mr McDowell. I have a job to you, and whatever and whoever gets in my way is dealt with, do you comprehend that Mr. McDowell? Or would you like to meet my commanding officer? His name is Baile, has lovely eyes.." she digressed, smiling at him she chuckled, "Believe me, you don't want to be face to face with him. So I ask you, what's it going to be? Me or Baile?"

Michael sighed. What kind of woman was this? The type that ate guys like him for breakfast it seemed. "Don't tell me you Marines don't talk. You may tell all the world you have a hard of pure Titanium and that talking is for sissies, but I don't buy that."

"Well how about you ask that question to Baile. I'm sure he would give you something to chew on!" she remarked.

That was it for Michael. She was as stubborn as could be. The most stubborn ´lady´ he'd ever met. "Well hey, sorry for stopping by and thinking I could set some things straight. You go ahead and get a Toolkit and Tricorder. I'm sure you know how to use them. I'm out of here!"

"Fine!" Alliya shouted after him, "Go on, be a useless fuck wit. You will *never* be allowed back into Starfleet, they know what you are. The truth that you deny, you are nothing McDowell. You are worthless. And you had so much potential. Such a waste."

Michael stopped dead in his tracks, then did a 180 on his heels and walked straight back to that spoiled brat of a Marine. He was this close to yell at her at the top of his lungs. As he saw it now it was simply impossible to even be near her without getting a huge argument. "Listen Lady, whatever you may think of me, I'm no 'fuck wit' and I'm sure not worthless! At least I know that much. And if I was worthless, why ask for ME to repair something? That could only be someone without even this much knowledge of Engineering. Now, THAT is what I call...being worthless!"

"Worth; adjective, meaning meriting or justifying; having value of, excellence; value or price; amount to be had or given sum. That is the definition of 'worth'." She replied as if quoting from a dictionary, "Worthless adjective the opposite of worth. You have this knowledge yet you do not use it. That is a definition of worthless Mr. McDowell." she replied flatly.

"Great, a walking dictionary." Michael commented dryly. "Your point exactly? And please, don't come with language specific details. It's booooring!"

"My point Mr. McDowell is simple, and I am surprised that you , an incredibly intelligent engineer can so easily miss it! You are worthless. You are as such because you do not respect the ship you are on, nor the people around you. You sit in *someone-else's* quarters on your arse every minuet of the day doing nothing to help the community around you. You were an outstanding officer. And now you are nothing. You do not put to use the years of training and experience you have. Therefore you are worthless. For to have worth you would need to justify your reasons for being here. And alas you can not. You contribute nothing McDowell. And I suggest that your room mate whoever she is, is most likely getting sick and tired of you. If you were my roommate i would have kicked you off this ship a log time ago. either pack up your bags McDowell or pick up a spanner!"

Michael took a few moments to digest all what she'd said, the shook his head in unbelief. "You don't know what you're talking about. Really, you don't. And I'm surprised I am having this conversation with you at all. Talking to you is like talking to a brick wall! You're pretty darn egocentric bit...-woman." That was the end of the their little chat as for he was concerned and so he simply walked passed her in the direction of the nearest Turbo Lift.

Alliya watched him go, astonished slightly that he was so arrogant not to help an officer, on a ship that he basically sponged off. Biting down on her anger she shrugged it off and resigned to go it alone. so she couldn't get an engineer to help her.... but she was resourceful, and besides how hard could it be any ways?

"Holodeck Adventures: Part 1"

Ens Eve, Tech Op, Intelligence

Lt.(jg) Nara Roswell, Engineering

*****Nara's Quarters*****

Eve's interest piqued as she stood. "What do you have in mind?"

"Dunno. Rock climbing? Swimming?" Then her eyes widened, "Horse-back riding! I think you'll enjoy that." She kept her tongue about revamping the default program. That would be bragging.

Eve cocked her head to the side. "Hose-back riding?" That was one of the things she had aparently missed. "What planet is a horse-back from?"

A huge grin came over Nara's face. "Earth. They're actually just horses. We ride their backs. Using saddles and..." She stopped and waved Eve toward the door, "Come on, I'll show you."

*****Minutes Later at Holodeck 3*****

Nara entered first. It was the typical pasture layout. Rolling green hills with a man-made pond with trees scattered about. There was a white fence surrounding an area. There were a few horses in the pasture, but Nara's favorite was in the stable. As she programmed it so she could find it easily.

It was a sunny day with the ambient noise of birds and wind. And of course holographic birds and wind from vents somewhere. She looked at Eve, "Welcome to unnamed country side! Follow me to the stables."

Eve knew all about holograms, the holodeck ... if her eyes were set to certain receptors, she could even watch the various forcefields interact with eachother in ways human sight was never intended. To preserve the purity of the scene, as it were, she left her eyes on the "standard" visual spectrum and followed Nara to the stables, and the equines penned within.

Nara smiled looking at the beasts. She petted one's muzzle talking to Eve, "Stereotypical personality on these. Someday you need to meet real ones. Magnificent creatures. This one here I programmed with a bit more edge. Named him Gazrei. Loose translation from Sakarian is 'wind runner.' I left the others pretty docile, so just pick one."

As she let Eve do that, she muttered some Sakarian words to Gazrei, petting his white-striped nose. The rest of him was a dark chestnut color, with a lighter shade for mane and tail. He showed not much of a reaction other than random snorts. She knew the hologram could care less of her gentleness, but she felt the need to do this pre-ride ritual.

Eve swept her gaze over the beasts, her eyes stopping when she caught sight of one in particular. He was a black stallion, not a single scrap of hair or hide anything but beautifull ebony darkness. This was a different creature from all of the rest of the holograms. She could see the same randomly patterend movements to the other horses, but this one moved differently.

It wasn't something someone could normally see or discern, but Eve could just tell, this one had been programed far differently than the rest - it just didn't really show through.

Nara walked further in, grabbing a saddle and bridle, "Ah, he's gorgeous. Grab a saddle and I'll show you how to set him up." She would had advised she talk to the horse a bit, but there really was no need. The horse would let her on regardless. Even some well-trained real horses didn't need much introduction before a stranger weighed them down.

Eve followed the engineer into the back, assembling the indicated gear and taking it all back to the georgious black stallion. He nickered softly, butting his nose gently against Eve's head affectionately, which in turned caused eve to smile. "I think he likes me."

Nara turned to her, "Yes, it would seem so." Nara decided not to wonder about programming or anything. After they saddled, and she showed Eve how to mount outside, she started her horse off at a slow walk, walking close to the stallion and holding the reign. "They should do exactly as you command." Nara then explained the steering. "Don't bump your heels against him. He'll think he needs to go faster. If you want him to stop, pull both sides at the same time." Nara let go of the reigns. "If he gets out of control, just pause the program. Safeties are on, so you shouldn't get hurt."

Eve nodded and urged the stallion off at a canter, slipping into the natural riding rythm that made being in the saddle so much easier to handle. It was almost as if she had done it before. Never one to take things slow, she squeezed the stallions flanks gently and took off at a full gallop. There was a trail up ahead and she took it, letting the horse do as much driving as she.

"I said..." Nara called after her, but seeing her already off toward the trail, she muttered, "not yet." Shaking her head, she got hers off to a full run, then slowing to a gallop beside the stallion and called over, "If you were really ten, I'd scold you for running off."

Eve reigned in, gently slowing back to a mild trot. Eve didn't look as if she'd never done this before; her posture was perfect, her hands held the reigns easily, and she responded to the horse almost as much as he responded to her. She looked over to Nara, a grin on her face. "Sorry, but .. I feel like I've always known how to do this."

"Yea." Nara watched her a moment, "The mystery they must had programmed it in you."

Eve shook her head. "This wasn't programming. They didn't have to teach me how to walk after I was removed from stasis, that and a few other things I already knew how to do."

"Maybe something in your life before they took you. I'm sure in those ancient times, you rode a horse. Or something."

"Probably, I wouldn't doubt it. I was born in the 17 hundreds, I don't think they had automated vehicles then." Eve followed the trail, picking up the pace a bit. Even though the beast and environment was holographic, there was something to be said for the experience.

"There's some logs and such ahead..." Nara's voice trailed off wondering why to bother. The woman likely wouldn't be phased and the horse knew to jump.

Eve nodded and slowed as they came within view of the obstacles. Circling back around, she kicked Darkstar - for that was what she would call this magnificence from now on - into a run, clearing each obstacle in turn, until the unexpected occured - an explosion of dirt gysered into the air to Eve's left, then a second explosion followed just to her right. Darkstar kept his footing and Eve her seat as she continued forward, not trusting to stop as the gouts of flame and debri continued to pepper her and the holographic horse. "Computer! End Program!"

Except it didn't. Well the horses did, letting the women fall the few feet to their butts. Nara landed a bit on her ankle as well. She didn't realize at first as she was still taking in the part about exploding dirt. Still not quite understanding, she shouted to Eve, "Stay still!"

Eve looked at the horse frozen mid-jump, the clods of dirt from the last explosion raining down for a few more seconds, and the program - still active. "Nara?" She switched her eyes through various image modes, but that was the beauty of a holodeck - you couldn't see the program, only the forcefields and photons, even with her various vision modes. "I can't tell where the mines are!"

Nara wasn't sure if to be un-phased or worried. Anyone else saying that wouldn't bother her. Eve saying that caused a bit of concern showing how she seemed to be able to do everything else. "Well, we're not sure there are anymore." Nara took a rock and tossed it. She sighed, "Well, that won't do anything." Something about it only being holographic and not matter crossed her mind. She tried to stand, wincing realizing her ankle was sore. She managed to stand herself and looked at Eve, "See if you can stand. Take the same path I do. I don't think there are any mines the other way."

Eve picked herself up off of the ground and began to make her way back through the path she had ridden Darkstar through, rejoining Nara at the begining of the obstacle course. "Shall we try to go back to the begining from here or call the arch?"

Nara limped a bit as she walked. She hated limping, but her ankle gave her no choice. She just hated looking weaker. At the area they stopped, Nara called out, "Computer...Arch."

The arch apeared, wavered and then the entire program began to shimmer and waver back and forth. The room went completly white, to be replaced by a strange looking compartment. The walls were gray, a viewscreen to the forward, a second level lining the side and aft walls. There were two rows of consols running from the front to the aft, the operators placed so they were facing the walls.

And the operators were strange. White bodysuit uniforms with great round helmets that looked like a ball had been placed instead of a head. What apeared to be guards - they were armed - stood at regular intervals around the floor and second level balcony, their uniforms silver with black plating and black helmet balls.

"What in the world?"

"More like what the hell." Nara lifted her hands. First reaction. Could always fight later after the situation was accessed. Taking a shot in the dark, she asked, "Whose in charge here?"

"Holodeck Adventures: Part 2"

Ens Eve, Tech Op, Intelligence

Lt.(jg) Nara Roswell, Engineering

*****Holodeck 3*****

No one responded. Either they weren't meant to talk, the program was malfunctioning, or the program was paused. Eve looked around, her eyes catching a display off to one side. There was a whole lot of bubbling and churning, gurgling and dripping emanating from it. The label above the odd looking display read 'Mr Coffee.' "Nara .. what's a Mister Coffee?"

Nara's brow furrowed at the oddness of the question, "I...I don't know! See if your special eyes or something see anything here please."

Eve shook her head. "These are all holograms, it's all forcefields and photons! You should know that, you're an engineer," Eve spat, frustrated. "Computer."

Nara gave Eve a look, the frustration and fear of the situation they obviously took out on each other."Last time we called on the computer, it screwed us over."

Nara looked around and approached a console. She made a face seeing a reddish goo coming out of the screen. She pulled the screen out anyway. "Maybe we can find a way to control it in here."

Eve shook her head. "I think all that's happened is whatever changes that were made to the riding program have screwed up the holodeck operation protocols. We ask for the arch, it changes programs." Eve stepped forward, examining the lone podium like consol situated infront of the view screen. "Light speed ... Hyper speed .. Ludicrous speed .. "She frowned. Ludicrous speed? Who thought of such odd labels? Meanwhile, that reddish good seeped down the face of the screen .. but when it dropped onto the consol it began hissing and sputtering, eating straight through the consol and down into the decking bellow. "Uh .. Nara, do you think our Combadges will still work in here?"

A bit of the goo got on Nara's boot. She saw it eat at the decking, and when it touched her boot, she heard the sizzle it made and quickly removed said boot stepping away, but looking at the boot and then the floor, "Think it really ate away the metal of the ship?" She turned to Eve, "Let's try." She hit her combadge, "Roswell to...anyone."

There was no reply. Nara got a bit upset at this and used her boot to start smashing into things. Well she would had kept going if the podium she hit didn't throw sparks at her, some hitting her shoulder as she turned. She held her arm as she looked around. "Come on Galaxy, baby. We didn't do this. O'shea did. Now, be a nice girl and let us out." She didn't expect an answer, so she rephrased, "Computer, exit!"

The lights went out completly. Well, not just the lights, but everything. There was no humming, chirping, beeping, nothing. Eve flipped her eyes to an IR mode, noting the lack of forcefields, projections, only herself and Nara. "Uhm ... I think that's a good thing. Stay where you are, I'm going to go open the door."

"Fine." Nara muttered. She stayed still, and the sting where the sparks hit her arm and the throbbing pain in her ankle were her only company.

Eve turned around in a circle untill she spied the door. The hydraulic mechanism within, not to mention the door itself, showed as a faint heat source different from the holoemitters lining the walls. Aproaching, she ignored the controll pannel and the Manual Release that was probably broken or rigged.

Not five seconds and Nara was ansy, starting to move slowly in a random direction, "Eve?"

Eve amped up the settings in her arms, braced herself, and got a good grip on the door, the duranium buckling under her hands like thin aluminum. "Here goes nothing," she said, and PULLED! The hydraulics squealed in protest as Eve slowly forced the heavy doors apart. Light shone in from the corridor, iluminating the interior. "Out! I can't hold this for very long," she said, on obvious strain in her voice.

Nara ran, ignoring the pain in her ankle and got outside, helping hold the door open for Eve.

There was little Nara could do to help, though Eve apreciated the thought. "I can't make it through ... you can do more out there," Eve said as the gap slowly began to close."

Nara frowned and taking what she did before, not thinking that Eve wasn't even in as much danger as the others, yanked open a panel and was about to pull wires, when she stood and looked at the controls. She typed in some commands and the door opened freely.

They opened freely. Two inches, that is, before the hydraulic mechanism gave out and froze solid. Even with a firm grip inside the gap, Eve couldn't budge it. "No good, frozen tight. I could rip the door apart, but that wouldn't be fun at all."

"Well, we need to get out of there, Eve. Let me try the transporter." Nara tapped at the console again.

Eve nodded and stood back to give the targeting sensors a clear view. Seconds later she was in the corridor outside, next to Nara. "Well, that was fun."

The engineer bent down to replace the panel. "It normally runs a lot smoother. O'shea messed with so much stuff, we never know when we'll fall into a landmine." Standing, Nara typed some commands into the console, locking the holodeck. It was too much of a mess to clean up right now and she really wanted to get her ankle looked at. It was starting to feel as if it were swollen within the boot. Not to mention her good foot was bare; her other boot in the holodeck somewhere. "I think we'll start locking things down. But as soon as we know they're safe, we'll try again."

She looked at Eve and asked, "How are you?"

It was a stupid question seeing how Nara had learned that the woman was cybernetically enhanced, beyond anyone's comprehension, even Eve's. Nara stood, "Well, I think I need to terrorize the doctors. See ya later, Eve."

“Dancing with the Devil” Pt 1

Lieutenant Kimberly Burton
CMO
& Lieutenant (Jg) Dhanishta Eshe
ACE

*Character development mini series*

***Location: Somewhere...***

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Looking down at her bare feet Kimberly had to spend a moment contemplating a universe where there were still people who'd steal your boots and socks. ~ Those were good boots! ~ she realised, comfortable, easy to wear, not like replicated boots that never quite fit right.

~ And the deck is cold! ~ she added to herself as she tucked her feet under her. The tiny bunk wasn't exactly the smallest bed she'd slept on, but it would require a certain amount of patience to stay on it. Looking around at the small room she had woken in she spent a moment contemplating her situation, ~ Not exactly an auspicious first command! ~ she realised, so far she could only account for one of her crew, the rest having been nowhere to be seen when she had awoken. The Romulan shock grenade had worked exactly as advertised she realised, knocking out everyone in the cockpit, and thought their Security officer had been aft and likely shielded from its effects, obviously he hadn't been able to do anything.

Hearing a sound from above she carefully leaned forward as much as she dared and looked up and the slumbering Engineer above her, ~ Now why didn't I think of throwing a shock grenade into her room to put her to sleep! ~ Kimberly thought a little sarcastically, recalling the trouble Eshe had getting to sleep.

"You awake then?" she asked softly.

The bunk creaked and squeaked as Dhani rolled over, carefully! There really wasn’t much to this bed, she realised almost falling out. “I am now.” she replied groggily. Opening her eyes she surveyed the room, well the ceiling first as that was the closest, “Where we at?” she asked her voice hoarse from lack of fluids.

"Off hand, in a very small room," Kimberly quipped, unable to stop the feeble attempt at humour from escaping, "how're you feeling?" she asked, standing carefully she turned to face Dhani.

"Like I got smacked in the face with an engineering consol!" Dhani replied with the same lame attempt at humour, "So much for increasing the inertial dampeners." she griped.

“Maybe next time I’ll take your advice then and fit seat belts,” Kimberly said, wondering why Starfleet ships didn’t have them, her shuttle did! “I’ve not be awake long, but so far things are quiet,” she informed her cell mate, satisfied that Dhani was a reasonable colour, she sat back down with a thump and folded her legs up again, “I should point out though, this is all there is, two bunks and a door. They obviously believe those stories about Starfleet engineers being miracle workers I guess.”

"Miracles?" Dhani questioned with a grin, "Ah yes we are at that, apparently. Though I must inform you that I skipped that lecture in favour of a rather enjoyable afternoon of sex!" Dhani said chuckling to herself. She was never so forward, must be the bang to the head. The worst part was that she could not see Burtons’ expression; that she would have loved to catch on camera!

Staring at the wall opposite Kimberly shook her head and sighed quietly, “Well, I have to admit then,” she said after a moment, “I’m a little disappointed, here was me thinking all engineers were miracle workers… Not that even Captain Scott himself couldn’t have done more probably,” somewhat quieter, “Perhaps next time I’ll leave the commanding to a command officer,” she declared suddenly.

Dhani rolled again, shuffled a bit so that she could role over. Once on her front she pulled herself towards the edge and peered over the side.

A disembodied face appeared from the top bunk, dark hair cascading down around; such a contrast to the pale skin.

“It’s not so bad you know.” Dhani said, “The first time I was in charge of Engineering the ship got the shit kicked out of it and I was rescued by the Relentless.” She smiled hoping the anecdote was something of a pep talk.

Looking up at the upside down face Kimberly shrugged, “But you weren’t in command of the ship,” she reminded the engineer, shaking her head, “never mind, it’s nothing we can change.” dismissing the train of thought she rolled over and faced away from Eshe, bushing her hair out of her eyes she let her eyes close, “I just wish I knew what was going to happen next?”

“No you don’t.” Dhani told her shifting on the bunk above to look up at the ceiling and make sure she had enough room to sit up, she hated top bunks; she could never get down without injuring herself. Manoeuvring back and forth she pondered on an escape route.

“Being able to see into the future takes all the fun out of living in the moment.” Cocking her head to one side as she studied her next move, wondering what was going through the CMO’s mind. Of course she could just step in and take a look for herself, but that would take the fun out of hypothesizing. Finally she gave up and decided to jump. Who the hell built bunk beds and didn’t put ladders with them anyways?

Launching herself off the top bunk she yelped slightly as her bare feet smacked on to the cold floor. Wincing, she sat down and rubbed her smarting toes. Who in the hell took both your shoes and socks? She gripped, adding it to the previous questions about ladders and bunks.

Shaking her head she looked over at Burton. She had never seen the doctor so downcast before. Though she had to admit that when in the doctors company it was usually a one tracked conversation; sit on the bio bed and let me look at you mmwahahaah!

“What would you like to happen next?” Dhani asked as she began to take a more detailed scan of the room they were imprisoned in.

Turning her head so she could see Eshe, Kimberly raised an eyebrow, "So, Counsellor Eshe," she started with a small quirky smile, "when do you set up offices on the ship?" sitting up she shrugged, "Sorry," she apologised quickly, "I guess I should think more about what's happening. Any ideas?"

Dhani cast her eyes around the room, standing up she tiptoed across the cell and began to note down the structure. “The walls are seamless.” she noted aloud, “We have no way of taking any panels off that might lead to anywhere else.” her fingertips trailed along the wall as she headed towards the door, “Tritanium, duranuim alloy no doubt, common on most vessels these days.” she informed Burton.

Pausing at the door Dhani closed her eyes resting her palm on it as she did so. After a few minutes she spoke very softly, concentrating hard, “Locking mechanism is electronic. Key pad activated… I can’t quite … work out the sequence…” she turned back to face Burton, “I might be able to work it out but I would have to go onto the Astral Plain.”

She smiled at the look of confusion on Burtons face, “Well I’d say we have a few options… We could make a racket till someone comes and see just who we are up against. I could try and figure out the sequence to the lock, but that might take some time. We could wait here quietly and get bored till someone comes, and then take them down, and again get out…. the options are endless!” Dhani quipped.

~ Astral! ~ she'd heard of the ability, but it was fairly rare to actually meet someone who could do it, and add to that the fact there was no mention of this on her file either. "Is there, ah, something you've neglected to tell your friendly neighbourhood Doctor?" she asked as she tucked her feet under her again, "like, Astral? When did you learn that trick?" she asked gently.

Dhani shrugged. “Always been able to.” she replied in a non-comitial tone looking around the room trying to be distracted by something, anything….

Without all the hi-tech medical instruments Dhani felt a lot safer talking about the things she could do. Things that she never mentioned, things that she hadn’t explored to their full potential, but knew deep down that at some point in time she had. And that was why she had refrained for so many years, hid all the things that she could do. Hid from herself. But since the coma it felt like she was waking up, all be it slowly.

In her dreams she did so many things, so many awful things. Unlike a nightmare, when she awoke, she was unable to put it to the back of her mind, shrug it away as anybody would a dream. She was more scared of herself than anything else.

She knew when she woke up that everything she saw was by her own hand. It left a bitter taste in her mouth, haunted her throughout her waking hours, but she was tired of hiding from who and what she was. She was on a journey now, one that she couldn’t change, one that was long overdue perhaps.

Making a mental note to get together with the engineer should they ever get out of here Kimberly stood, instantly regretted it as the cold floor bit into her feet, and walked over to Eshe, "Have you done this sort of thing before?" she asked, "'cause if I remember my studies right, Astral projection's not without it's hazards." she offered.

Dhani shrugged again, “Doctor Burton,” she addressed her cell mate with her full title, “death has tried to take me on more than one occasion. If a punctured lung, severe head injuries, a paradox creating a duel personality who slit my wrists, an empathic echo of a past crew member, a Hell Bore cannon and a nine month coma, where I was actually proclaimed dead can’t kill me, and keep me dead.” she added, “I really doubt that the hazards, as you put it; of entering the Astral Plain, is something that I have to worry about, do you?” she countered curiously.

~ Interesting experiences, ~ the CMO thought a little surprised and shocked at the revelations, some of which she couldn't recall reading in her file, filing the information away for future reference she tried to focus on their current situation, "Well, if energramitic disassociation doesn't worry you then sure, but, and no pun intended, I'd keep it in mind if I were you, Astral travel if I recall is quite literally separating your conscious mind from your body and taking a little side trip without it, be careful not to take your unconscious mind with you, we've not exactly got the equipment to keep your body alive until you get back if you do," she cautioned the engineer.

Dhani smiled, “So we are settled then are we Captain?” she asked with a hint of a grin. “If you get worried keep screaming.”

"Screaming." Kimberly objected, "I haven't screamed, "~ Yet! ~ she added silently, "Are you sure about this?" she asked, "I mean, 'can' you do this?"

Dhani smiled, a slightly evil grin danced about her face. She shrugged, obviously unable to convince the doctor any other way. Pulling the blanket off the top bunk she sat down cross legged on the floor with half the blanket underneath her and the other half across her knees.

Taking a deep breath in she closed her eyes and began to focus. The last time she had visited the astral plains she had morphed into a cat and gone travelling with Salem. She remembered that it hadn’t been that difficult. In fact it felt as if she had done it many times. The strange part of all of it was that she hadn’t. But somehow it felt as natural as breathing. She didn’t have to think much about the process, she just sat there and it came to her.

Opening her eyes she stood up slowly and felt herself walking on air. Turning round she watched as her body fell away, gracefully lowering onto the cold deck beneath.

Watching as Eshe closed her eyes and relaxed Kimberly waited for what seemed an absolute eternity, then blinked owlishly as Eshe slowly relaxed and laid herself out on the floor. Kneeling beside her she checked her pulse and vitals as best she could under the circumstances, slightly concerned that her pulse was nearly non existent, ~ Girl, you'd better know what you're doing! ~ she muttered to herself.

For a moment she watched Burton who sat over her body, obviously concerned but sat patient, awaiting the return of her psyche to her body. Placing a hand gently on Burtons shoulder Dhani whispered a comforting line, “Everything will be fine doctor.” she assured her, knowing full well that she couldn’t hear her.

For a second the notion to sit here and tell Burton her deepest darkest fears and everything that she had remembered of late was tempting. But her own sanity verses the safety of the rest of the crew didn’t really tip the balance.

Turning away she crossed the room and passed through the door out into the beyond.

“Dancing with the Devil” Pt 2

Lieutenant Kimberly Burton
CMO
& Lieutenant (Jg) Dhanishta Eshe
ACE

*Character development mini series*

*** Location: Somewhere...***

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She felt light as a feather and giddy with the sensation as she passed through the quite substantial metal door. A memory from long ago reminded her of the power in death. When she had been with the stars, been one of them, she could have gone anywhere. She could feel the pull of the tides from an endless amount of oceans from planets that she had never been to, never explored, never even heard of when she had been alive. It was all so surreal looking back. It had been final then, or so she thought, an escape to this dull existence, one that she had never contemplated yet when it came she had accepted it whole heartedly, without fear or trepidation.

She had grown up with values and beliefs that were not of her own making, they had been imposed upon her, and with good reason; though Dhani didn’t know that, and still didn’t.

When death took her, she felt no fear, felt no remorse or guilt for the life she had lead. It was the coma that changed all that. Made her beg for her life. Beg for one last moment to be with the ones she loved. Begged for just one more breath; never expecting the universe to be so harsh and cold when she awoke.

And now in a way she was back with the stars. In this form, on this Plain of existence she could go anywhere, she could reach out and touch those stars that she dreamt of since she was a baby in arms.

She cast an eye back towards the cell door that she had just come through, as if she could see Burton through it, sitting ever so diligently over her body. Could she just take off? Leave her body to die and Burton to rot in that cell? She could feel the draw of the universe outside. Beyond the metal bulk heads was her dream; out there was salvation.

And in here?

In here were ties to morality, ties to loyalty, duty and honour. It was not an honourable death in that cell, for either of its occupants. And it was not logical to kill oneself for a dream.

No matter how much Dhani wanted to free herself from this existence, free herself from the nightmares and the awful truths of this world, she could not ever let go of the values that had been imprinted onto her psyche, so much so that it almost ran in her DNA.

Her life was, and always had been, unimportant in the balance.

Squatting she shuffled forward so that her head was inside the door, she mused on how Astral projection could be very useful in Engineering, especially if the problematic area was confined in space, or such like this one; where under normal circumstances she would never be able to look at it without taking the door apart.. In this form she could move easily around the door, through the wall and everything!

The door was sealed electromagnetically. When the code was imputed the EPS system alters the electromagnets and the door is released. Hydraulics then open the unlocked door. The manual release simply disengages the electromagnets and releases pressure on the hydraulics so it can be pushed open.

In both cases however, Dhani was going to need the code. If she had her kit with her she could plug in the decoder and find the code relatively easily but she didn’t, and the woman inside was waiting on an engineering miracle. Dhani wondered how long she was prepared to wait.

Sitting back on her haunches she stared at the mechanics of the door and let her mind wander to other non engineering related possibilities.

A computer was very much like a humanoid brain, it stored information and carried out intricate tasks. In theory she would be able to read a computer much like a mind of a humanoid. The difference of course was the language, and mainly the format. She had studied binary (computer language) when she was at the Academy, but that was going to take a while. And they didn’t have time. She still had no idea who had taken them, what ship they were on, or even if they were on a ship, and on top of that she didn’t know where they were, where their ship was, how far from the Federation they were or if they could get any help; hell they all needed a miracle!

Option ‘A’ was out of the window. She didn’t have anything to use, nothing in her cell was of any use, she had no tool kit, no federation technology to aide her escape. That left only one thing; herself. Her own skills were the only thing left to get her and Burton and the rest of the team out of here. She couldn’t rely on anyone else to save them.

She felt herself stiffen as she resigned herself to the only other option she could think of. She cringed at herself, remembering a time when she was pinned down under a bulk head and even then debated whether to use her abilities to save her own life. But this wasn’t just her life there were others involved, and that seemed to justify it.

With her mind made up she stood.

There was only one thing left to do; recon.

“Dancing with the Devil” Pt 3

Lieutenant Kimberly Burton
CMO
& Lieutenant (Jg) Dhanishta Eshe
ACE

Various captors, NPC’S (Written by Rob Snow)

*Character development mini series*

***Location: Somewhere...***

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Dhanishta left the door and began to look around the cell block, hearing voices she continued down the corridor. It widened out a little coming to a cul-de-sac. In the centre of which was a group of ‘pirates’ stood around a nearby field replicator that had been shoddily hooked into the base power supply, a few of them were chatting.

Dhanishta stayed in the shadows, not that she needed to mind; it was habit.

The group, one Klingon, two Naussicans, a Green Orion male and two Humans were fairly relaxed, confident it seemed in the sturdiness of their cells to hold the prisoners.

“How much?” one of the Naussicans growled, trying to get the recalcitrant device to work.

“For the women?” the Orion asked rhetorically, “Well, the Terrans should fetch a reasonable sum almost anywhere. The Trills, we'll get loads for, if either are joined. The slugs always fetch a good price from the un-joined underground.” he said with a smile, “The Vulcan could be tricky to sell, you know how Vulcans are, and so few people want the hassle unless they've had their vocal chords removed. I'll speak to the surgeon later.” he added absently.

“And the men?” the Klingon rumbled as he kicked the tinkering Naussican, “Hurry up!”

“The Romulan should be no trouble, we'll ransom him the usual way, but we'll be lucky to shift the Terran male, so few people want them and he looks too stupid to be of any worth anyway, we should just kill him now really, get rid of him before we waste too many resources on him.”

“Do you want me to do it now?” the Klingon offered, checking his disruptor.

“Why not!” the Orion agreed, clearly the senior of the small group, “I'll let Mac know later.”

Drawing his disruptor the Klingon walked off, “I'll see to it.”

As he walked off the Orion turned to the two Humans, “Get back to their Runabout and get the anti-matter transferred to the Sho-Sa now, then strip the warp nacelles.”

Looking at the remaining Naussicans, “Forget it, it's not going to work, we can replace it with the one from the Runabout, they should have it stripped by this evening. Keep an eye on this lot, I'll be back later.”

~Shit~ was the singular thought that ran through the engineers mind. With a renewed urgency Dhanishta made her way through the cell block, wandering in and out of rooms in search of the rest of the crew. Eventually she came across Lela and Ember, both of which she didn’t know particularly well, not stopping to listen to them she pressed on, noting their location for later. There were a lot of prisoners here; all had the same fate it seemed. The conversations were diverse and in some cases non existent. It was like travelling on public transport, you always got stuck sitting next to someone that you didn’t know, constantly wondering whether you should spark up a conversation, or if that would just annoy the other person. Then there was the thought ‘what if they were an axe murderer’ so in the end you travel the journey in total silence.

Pushing on she walked through another few cells looking for Kio, Delon and Victor. They were quite spread out, she had walked through several cells before she had found Lela and Ember, and it seemed she was going to have to walk through quite a few more.

Suddenly the ice cold metal floor changed into dust and sand. She stared down at her feet for a moment in shock, wondering why the sudden change.

As her eyes drew upwards to check out the rest of the scene she realised something, something that she should have perhaps considered earlier.

Whilst travelling on the Astral plain things were not as they appeared in the ‘real’ world. Here people appeared as they truly were. Most were the same, no matter what pain you were on, but there were a few who wore a face, a mask if you will, in the ‘real’ world. Dhani would have kicked herself for not remembering that sooner and said sod it, just break out and *then* find the others. That would have been if she could move!

The image was familiar, yet still it managed to paralyse her. Beneath her bare feet she felt the sand between her toes. But this was no beach. There was no crystal blue ocean, no surfers taking advantage of the warm weather and high waves. This was the desert, dry, barren; no hint of life. The heat was stifling, it always had been. She knew this place; she had been here in life and in death. This was the place she had hidden, deep in her own psyche.

Above her the thunder rumbled, loud and fierce and the sky split with lightening. Behind her the steep cliff face rose up towards the sky. To the left of the cliff the hills, made of compact sand, rolled across the horizon. And there on the ridge the dust cloud formed. It gathered momentum like a hurricane and began to form a shaft. It twisted like a tornado as it began its decent across the golden hill. Growing larger and larger as it collected more and more sand and dust.

Dhani stood, staring, paralysed and numb.

It was no less frightening during the replay.

But this was different.

Her eyes widened as the cloud gathered speed, coming closer and closer. It had never moved this fast before! She felt her heart rate increase, felt the blood pounding in her ears. Her hands clenched, fingernails digging into her palms. Her chest tightened as she felt a wave of heat up her spine.

The wind whipped around her, tossed her hair and pulled at her clothes. Dhani remembered clearly now the first time she had seen that cloud; trapped inside her mind, begging for just one more breath as she suffocated. And now she was almost nose to nose with it, the same cloud that had tried to take her life; it was back, a new refilled ferocity coursed through its preverbal veins.

Another crack of light spewed from above, bathing her and the sand in its eerie shards of white light. And then the cloud was upon her. She could feel its hunger now, it had consumed everything; sucked the sand from the ground, leaving nothing in its wake, and still wanted more, it wanted her. The energy hovered above her in the air, wriggling like a snake emanating a blue glow. And then the thunder roared again and the lightning struck, passing through the blue ‘snake’; it split the sky, tore through the twister, ripped it open, tearing through the fibbers of reality.

And then she saw it, as the twister swirled around her; each tiny grain of sand shimmered, refracting a million tones of colour, each like a tiny rainbow, and there, in its midst, it hung; like a ragged piece of cloth torn from a patchwork quilt…

A face.

The dust cloud had a face!

Death had a face.

And it was hers.

Unmistakable.

The face before her, the face of the cloud, it was Dhanishtas. In every detail it was the same.

This was the face from her nightmares. The face of the woman that killed in cold blood. The one that Dhani would watch, as if in some drug induced hallucination, she would stare down at her hands, dripping with blood and wonder just how high her kill count was now, each life, each victim; faceless, merging with the one before.

But Dhani never forgot their faces. She saw them every night, every day, in every room and every corridor that she walked.

And so she stared at the face of Death, her face, and gaped.

And then it spoke.

“This isn’t your place,” the face in the cloud whispered, “Move on – go to where you should be.”

The Dust cloud pushed her, thrust her backwards, she felt the air spinning around her heard it whistle through her hair. The momentum gathered more and more till everything else was a blur, and she wanted to scream. Scream for it to stop but she couldn’t. The force was so strong that she couldn’t open her mouth. It kept pushing on and on until she reached the destination…

“Dancing with the Devil” Pt 4

Lieutenant Kimberly Burton
CMO
& Lieutenant (Jg) Dhanishta Eshe
ACE

*Character development mini series*

***Location: Somewhere...***

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Sat watching over Dhanishtas unconscious body, Kimberly grew more and more concerned as time slowly ticked away. Eshe was slipping deeper and deeper into a comatose state, her breathing was slowing, her pulse was becoming thready and erratic, and her skin was taking on a pale and chilled feeling.

“All in all girl, perhaps not your best idea!” she muttered to Eshe's silent form. Making sure Eshe was laid out on the floor she got ready to begin manual respiration in case it became necessary, “If you can hear me, hurry the hell up and get your astral ass back here!” she ordered softly.

Leaning over Eshe and checking on the location of her heart Kimberly fell back in surprise as Eshe suddenly awoke.

With a thud Dhani landed back into her own body, it shook violently. Her eyes opened and she took in a sharp long over due breath, her back arched to the point of breaking as she did.

“Damn girl, don't scare me like that!” Kimberly griped.

Dhani sat up, her astral body had returned but it was not yet in sync. She began to mutter as if on auto repeat, "One outside, two in the hall."

Shuffling forwards she reached the door, placing a hand on it, "It’s all energy and energy can be manipulated. It’s all energy and energy can be manipulated." she repeated the mantra over an over.

Staring at the door concentrating hard, she saw the world as she did in her dreams and memories that she didn't know she had, the ones that made her scream and run. She felt the energy crackle around her see the ribbons dance. Focusing on the electromagnets inside, all she had to do was change the frequency and the magnets would be released... she used her strength and pushed pulses with her mind into the field. Her fingers twitched as they rested on the door just like in a ritual, focusing the intent. The door opened and Dhani sat back, breathing hard and sweating.

Watching as Eshe focussed on the door Kimberly watched the engineer as her brow furrowed and took on an intense look of concentration, ~ Don't you dare pop an artery on me! ~ she warned Eshe silently, seeing her face grow redder and redder as she did whatever the hell she was doing.

Dhanis hand twitched to the left, the door sliding open as she did so.

“One outside, two in the hall.” Dhani repeated again cocking her head to look back at Burton with cold jet black eyes.

Involuntarily taking half a step back as she saw Eshe’s eyes Kimberly took a deep breath, ~ Massive pupillary dilation and increased blood flow, ~ she thought quickly, ~ Sure sign of increased need for blood in the brain, soft tissue will be the first to fill! ~

“Uh, Dhanishta, you ah wanna get a move on, then relax, before you pop something important?”

Dhani slumped on the floor, leaning heavily against the wall; she was exhausted,

“One outside, two in the hall…” she repeated through clenched teeth. But it was too late. A shadow loomed in the doorway, accompanied by a gruff voice,

“What the…?” the guard muttered as he entered the room.

“Hi,” Kimberly said brightly trying to keep him confused, “you wouldn’t by any chance have a little pick me up handy, my friend here isn’t feeling too good.” she asked wondering just what the hell they could do next, this guy was easily twice her weight, and more than a foot taller than her, standing she smiled at him, “You ah, might wanna get someone to have a look at the door as well, looks a little freaky to me,” knowing she was babbling she tried to keep talking until she could come up with a plan.

Hopefully a very good plan, very quickly.

~Take him out!~ Dhanishta screamed at Burton, the shrill of her voice echoing inside the medical officers mind.

Hearing Eshe quite clearly, Kimberly recoiled both physically and mentally at the thought of trying to take on the Neanderthal before her, not just because he was bigger, but also because she had no desire to actually fight anyone, her own personal prohibitions coming to the fore of her mind with a vengeance.

~ You take him out! ~ she replied unconsciously as she took a step back from the pirate.

Dhani watched as Burton hesitated and drew back. If she had the strength to bitch slap the woman before her, Dhani would have not faltered in breaking regulations, again, and laid her out cold on the deck. As a doctor who preserved life she had very little respect for her own.

The guard entered aggressively, making a bee line for the officer; the one that was standing.

Dhani watched him for a moment, saw his colours as his energy coiled. Focusing on his chest she muttered a singular command ~accelerate.~

Backing away from the brute before her Kimberly was surprised when he suddenly stopped and grabbed at his chest, halting and looking on with some confusion she watched as he slowly toppled over, then started twitching on the floor, his face set in a rictus of agony and his skin going so pale she wondered briefly if his blood had been beamed out.

Kneeling beside him she swiftly started assessing his situation, “Eshe, get over here, lend a hand!” she ordered as she tried to move his arms, locked as they were across his chest she couldn’t even think about CPR until she could move them.

Gathering energy from the kill Dhani stood up slowly using the wall for support and simply stared at Burton.

Was this woman insane?

“He had a bad heart anyway.” Dhani remarked with a voice colder than ice. Her black eyes centring on the depleting energy form on the floor, she made no attempt to help.

Peeling the mans arms away from his chest Kimberly checked his pulse, realising his arms had moved because he was quite simply dead she began trying to administer CPR, “Damit Lieutenant, get over here now! I need help,” this guy was no light weight, “that’s an order!” she snapped.

Dhani crouched where she stood. Her dark eyes on level with Burton. She could see the medical officer, like the man on the floor; she was pure energy. Though the doctor herself was not pure, Dhani could see that clear as day. Just like the man on the floor Burton was tainted. Though that didn’t bother Dhani, after all Dhani had more blood on her hands than the two of them put together.

“He is dead doctor, and no matter what you do he is *not* going to wake up. I did what you couldn’t. He has been ‘taken care’ of.” Dhani said slowly punctuating each word, hammering home the fact.

Pausing in her efforts to resuscitate the man Kimberly sat back and looked Eshe in the eye, “You killed him!” she stated flatly.

It wasn’t a question.

“Couldn’t you just put him to sleep, or knock him out, did you have to kill!” she asked, a combination of anger and sadness in her voice.

“He had a bad heart.” Dhani stated again, “Would have happened sooner or later.” She gave the CMO a questioning look her head tilting to one side as she did so, “What do you think he was going to do to us?”

“Perhaps he did have a bad heart, but there was no need to help it along!” she snapped, “and I don’t ‘know’ what he was going to do! There’s no justification for murder though… It never solves anything.” She added softly.

“He planed to sell us, and kill Victor; as he was the most useless. He planed to cut out the symboints from any joined Trills and sell them on the black market. Not only that but he is also scheduling surgery to have Kio’s vocal chords removed. And you think death is not befitting to a man of that calibre? And I was telling you that he had a bad heart, not questioning or debating it.” she added as an after thought.

Rising slowly she asked; “And what were you going to do? Quote the Hippocratic Oath and expect him to let you go. Are you that naive Doctor? While you hesitate to act both of us could have been killed. How does that play into your preserving life repetitious BULL SHIT?”

Standing as well Kimberly looked Eshe in the eye, “No, I’m not that naive, I know how low some people can sink. But life is something that once taken can never be replaced, I don’t care how depraved someone is, we do not have the right to take their life in vengeance. It isn’t bull shit to want to save and protect life. Now, while I am in command we ‘will’ look for alternatives, and if you don’t like it, keep it to yourself. Clear!”

“That’s fine.” Dhani replied, “You go for the pacifist option and get yourself killed. I’ll preserve my life if you don’t mind. And take your body back in a box. Is that more preferable to you Doctor, does that option sit better in your conscious? After all lets face it, it’s better to die for what *you* believe in, fuck the rest of the crew under your command. Or did you forget about them Commander? You are the one in charge, you are the one that could have stopped all this if you had only relayed the order to fire upon the hostile Bird of Prey.”

Dhani took a step closer towards Burton, “Don’t ever forget that when looking back. Because of your failings, *your* failing as a commanding officer, we are all stuck here.”

Tilting her head so she could look Eshe in the eye she bit back the first response that came to mind, ‘gos se,’ she muttered under her breath, trying not to let the bitch see that she was getting to her, “Lieutenant, you are outta line, I ‘never’ said anything about not protecting ourselves, I just said we will consider options! And if I recall, we had a complete systems failure on the Runabout despite your pre-flight checks, something I believe falls under your area of responsibility! Even had I instantly given the order to open fire we’d have managed perhaps one salvo before we lost all systems… Got an answer for that?” she shot back.

Taking a deep breath she looked to the still open door, “We are leaving, now. You will also do as I’ve ordered, clear, and we’ll discuss this further when we get back, we can invite the Captain if you like, get his take on all of this.” Looking at the open door Kimberly stuck her head out and looked left and right, then looked back at the dead man on the floor of the cell. Blinking she let her brain catch up with the current situation, ~ Just how is she doing all this anyways? ~ she thought suddenly, ~ Her file doesn’t mention much in the way of PSI abilities! ~

“You want to show yourself up in front of the Captain that’s fine with me!” Dhani retorted.

Shaking her head in frustration Kimberly took a deep breath to calm herself, “Lieutenant, move your ass,” she ordered bluntly, “and let’s go, we can argue this out when we get back to the ship, the merits and shortcomings of my personal beliefs and the debate as to whether you’ve committed murder here today. Clear. Now, you may not like me but whether you believe it or not I want to get out of here alive as much as you do, so let’s stop arguing, move out and try to stay alive. Everything else we can worry about when we get home and file the reports… I’m sure Kol will love this one,” she added slightly sarcastically, almost able to picture the massive Klingon’s look of satisfaction at this turn of events.

~ Why me! ~ she asked the universe, “Why is everyone so ready to kill, doesn’t anyone ‘ever’ look for alternatives?” she muttered as she looked to the fallen pirate, “If you want it I’d suggest grabbing his phaser, but keep it on stun,” she ordered firmly, “and not just because I don’t want any killing, but because the low power setting should avoid setting off any weapons sensors, and it’ll conserve power as well. Though with your hidden talents, do you need it? I mean, where’d all these abilities spring from, you file doesn’t say anything about what you’ve been up to this last hour?” When we get back to the ship, you and me are gonna sit down and have along chat in the PSI lab, your file needs a serious update.” ~ And a long chat about the ethics of PSI usage as well, ~ she thought, ~ the Federation and the Fleet have rules about this gos se, and I need to check them again! ~ she thought to herself.

She watched as Burtons energy changed ever so slightly, she could see the thoughts and the words; always two separate things.

And then it came to her, a disjointed flash from the past. This was always how it was. They stood beside her emanating their colours for her to see, never knowing that she could just reach out and change it, taint the colour with another and they would fade away, fade into the nothing that lined a coffin. She remembered how she heard one thing and saw another, saw their intention before they even realised they even had it. She remembered how the ropes burned her flesh, how the images tore through her mind. She would die every night over and over. Felt it as if it were her own, wishing every time that it was. She remembered what it was like to feel her heart stop, her brain bleed, her bones brake. She remembered what it was like to inflict that pain, remembered the enjoyment, the sick, twisted thrill of killing.

And so she knew they lied when they said they would stop. She knew that it would hurt when they said that it wouldn’t. She knew they would ignore her when she cried out loud. And she knew that her daddy would never come, no matter how much she pined.

She remembered the pain, remembered the fear, remembered the isolation.

And it was never going to happen again.

She wouldn’t let them hurt her again.

She would never be pinned down helpless again.

“You won’t have a chance to!” Dhani hissed. Before she had time to think it through, to realise what she was doing she had done it.

~Forget~

As Dhani uttered this command Kimberly’s short term memory faded…

“Huh?” Kimberly muttered absently as she heard Eshe mutter something behind her, turning away from the door she was about to berate her cell mate again and get moving but something stopped her. Blinking several times she tried to focus on a thought, something elusive was flitting through her mind and she found herself trying to remember… something.

Staggering suddenly she collapsed, like a marionette with it’s strings cut she fell in an ungraceful heap onto the floor, silent and unmoving. Then, after a moment she stirred slightly and opened her eyes, a vague expression glazing over her eyes for a moment before she focussed on the corpse before her.

“Wha…?”

Dhanishta couldn’t believe what she had just done. The boundaries she had crossed the rules she had broken. But what came next was much, much worse.

“That’s some mean right hook you have there.” Dhani said in a cold detached voice, implanting a false memory into the Doctors mind, “Didn’t think you had it in you.”

Slowly her dark eyes crossed the divide until they rested on Burtons form. She readied herself for the onslaught of emotions that would burst from the woman. But her own hit first.

Turning sharply she spilled the contents of her stomach out across the deck.

Looking at the cooling corpse on the deck beside her Kimberly barely heard Eshe, she was too busy ‘remembering’ what had happened. His entrance, the looks, the comments, the grappling, the punch.

“Goddess, what have I done!” she whispered in horror. Staring at the body she heard Eshe empty her guts all over the floor behind her, the smell plus the ‘thought’ of what she had done made her turn her own head and retch loudly in unison with Dhani.

~ What have I done! ~

“One Wrong” - Part I

Takes place just after "Distorted Perception"

Lieutenant (Jg) Dhanishta Eshe, Acting Assistant Chief of Engineering
Ensign Keldan, Operations Officer

It had been a slow night in engineering, giving Dhani some time to pause and think about things. Although she *really* didn’t want to think about anything. She sighed as she packed up her tool kit and singed out of Engineering.

She wondered why life was so complicated and why her mind was disturbed. Doctor Burton was still pressing her, almost every second of every day, for physicals and blood tests and psyc examinations and bitching about her mental state and the fact that she was under weight. It just didn’t seem to end. And the fear of being anywhere near Sick Bay had come back with a vengeance.

And then her conversation with Jiiles entered her mind. She hadn’t thought about it since it happened, too afraid to dissect it. If she sat down and really thought about everything that he said, she wouldn’t get back up again. Denial was always the best course of action. Just like pain, push it down and carry on. Don’t let it fester; emotion is illogical.

The only thing she did let herself think about from her ‘discussion’ with Jiiles was Kel.

And of all the wrongs she had done, he really was one. She shouldn’t have slapped him; punched him rather. Twisting in mid motion she changed direction and headed to his quarters.

On the short trip to his place she wondered what she would say to him, if anything. Fact was she didn’t really want to talk she just wanted to make a gesture and fixing his replicator, all be it several weeks late, was the only thing she could think of doing.

Taking a deep breath she pressed the chime and waited for an answer.

Nothing, not a peep.

“Computer,” Dhani requested, “Locate …” she paused, she didn’t even know what rank he was now. ~well that will teach him for not keeping in touch all this time~ she frowned and decided to change her line of questioning instead she asked if there were any life forms inside his quarters.

The reply was negative, so she bypassed the door lock and let herself in.

If she had been the nosy type she would have poked around, but she wasn’t. Instead she requested a low level light setting and made a B-line for the replicator and set straight to work.

***

The first few times Keldan had left his appointments with Dr. Burton, he had required the assistance of a med tech to get him back to his quarters. Fortunately, those days were past now that his vision was somewhat improved; at least he could make it around the starship's corridors on his own. And of course, he had the path between sickbay and his personal quarters down pat. The new spectacles the doctor had given him were working admirably, though they were a bit awkward. He was perfectly used to wearing eye protection when working or relaxing outdoors, but he'd never been in the position of needing any device to make him...normal. Despite his slow progress, the good doctor seemed to be of the opinion he would make a full recovery, and that's all that really mattered.

Personal life aboard the Galaxy had been relatively uneventful...his accident on the Jem'Hadar planet notwithstanding. He knew he needed to get out and meet more of his new shipmates, and he kept telling himself he would just as soon as his sight and his activity level returned to normal.

And of course, as soon as he figured out what the hell to do with Dhanishta Eshe.

Reaching his quarters, he guided his hand down the side of the wall near the door, locating the control. The door swished open and he walked through.

Something wasn’t right.

Actually, two something’s weren’t right. First, the lights were on. He always kept the lights in his quarters off when he wasn't there. Squinting, he could easily make out fuzzy sources of light through the dark shadows, but little in the way of detail.

The second something was more subtle. The smell wasn’t right. Someone had been in the room for quite some time. While the Talarian sense of smell certainly wasn't on par with some races, he could detect subtle differences. This particular scent was delicate…understated.

He’d have spent a few more seconds trying to ascertain what he could from the smell, but his old security training belatedly kicked in as he realized that whoever it was might still be in the room. Unfortunately, his testosterone also kicked in rather suddenly, and he took several steps into the room, ready to show whoever might be there they’d made a grave mistake in violating his living space. The fact that he couldn’t see much of anything didn’t really hit him until after he’d blurted out a belligerent taunt to his unseen enemy.

“Who’s in here? Show yourself or in a minute you’ll be thanking me for calling security!”

“One Wrong” - Part II

Lieutenant (Jg) Dhanishta Eshe, Acting Assistant Chief of Engineering
Ensign Keldan, Operations Officer

Dhani looked up completely unfazed by his aggression.

“Pipe down Kel.” she said turning back to the replicator. She actually had to concentrate on this part! While it was clear that some Talarian cuisine had been programmed into the replicator already it wasn’t to the standard Dhani would have done it. Which meant now that she was here her task had changed somewhat; instead of uploading the dishes she was tweaking with the ones now installed in the machine.

Taken aback by the abrupt reply, Keldan tensed even more and had to force himself to relax. He hadn't recognized the voice at first, but there were only a handful of people who had ever referred to him as "Kel."

"Dhanishta." The word came off a bit colder than he'd intended, but then it had been her who'd struck him at their last encounter, for no apparent reason. "I have to say this is the last place on the ship I expected to bump into you, but I knew it would have to happen, sooner or later." He wanted to tell her how much he'd been thinking about her since the incident in engineering, but he wasn't about to lay himself that far open. Was there any of the Dhanishta Eshe left in there that he'd once known?

“Well then it’s easier to get it over with now isn’t it? Like ripping off a band-aid, quick and painful.” she said tonelessly distracted by her work. Biting her tongue from saying anything else hostile she began to down load the next modification. As she didn’t have to monitor the transfer she turned around and actually looked at him.

She tried not to smile as she looked at the face of her old friend. It pained her that he had just disappeared off into oblivion as soon as she transferred to the Galaxy. It pained her more that he was a remnant of part of her life that no longer existed. He was her friend during the Academy, he was there the day the bombs hit, the day *he* died, he was there the day *he* was buried, he even attended the bastard’s funeral, while she watched from a distance; heart breaking as they buried *his* body.

Kel was a reminder of all the things she was trying for so long to forget. And what hurt even more was that she loved Kel and she missed him and …fuck! Why did she have to hit him? Why couldn’t she have jumped into his arms and hugged him like she would never let go?

She shook her head and sighed. The computer beeped signalling that the transfer was complete so she turned back to it, as always using work as an excuse to not deal with her problems. They should actually have some sort of therapy program that was just that, instead of talking to whiny counsellors!

Keldan wondered what was going through the woman's mind. With some hesitancy, he remembered her half-betazoid heritage and wondered if she was reading his thoughts right now. The two of them had never been close enough for him to learn to read her like...well, like others had. It all seemed like it had been a lifetime ago. The reality of the situation was that the person he'd once thought his friend had turned on him.

"I don't understand why it has to be painful at all, Dhanishta." He could make her out only somewhat, but since her voice had come from the direction of his replicator, he took several steps in that direction. Unfortunately, he misjudged the location of the dining table by a good deal and he caught his ankle on one of the protruding chairs. He cursed as he realized he was falling face first into the floor.

“One Wrong” - Part III

Lieutenant (Jg) Dhanishta Eshe, Acting Assistant Chief of Engineering
Ensign Keldan, Operations Officer

“Keldan!” Dhani screamed. Dropping what she was doing she scrabbled to her feet and ran across the room. Sliding to the floor beside him she gently rolled him over and began to check him out.

He had tried futilely to twist himself onto his back before he hit the ground, but only managed to come up on his side. He came down hard enough that it knocked away the new spectacles the doctor had given him. At least I didn't break my nose, he thought to himself and suddenly realized that Dhanishta was turning him onto his back.

He looked up at her face, squinting hard to make out the features. He had no idea what to make of what was going inside her head, but then he so rarely tried to do that with women. But this didn't seem like a manifestation of some experiment in female-prerogative gone awry. This was sincere concern for a friend. It was so far from what he had witnessed in the engineering station.

Checking himself for strains and sprains, he concluded bruises would probably be the worse of his fare. He tried to laugh off what had just transpired. "Well...maybe I was wrong. Maybe it does have to be painful." He squinted hard at her again. "You know, you look like shit, Dhanishta."

She sat back for a moment, un-amused, and folded her arms, but she couldn’t keep her face straight. “Thanks for the compliment!” she said trying to hide her smile, “Though right now I’m going to blame it on *your* bad eyesight.” Pulling him up she too stood, and then walked him to the couch. “So,” she said sitting him down, “what the hell happened to you?” Crossing the room she stood and stared at the replicator, “I would get you a drink … but… I kinda dismantled your replicator. Give me ten minutes and I’ll have it back in order.” Sitting back down she resumed the transfer and continued to tinker awaiting Keldan’s explanation.

She was waiting for him to initiate. Gods, he hated it when women did that. Which would be the better route? She wasn't a Talarian female. She certainly didn't have human female sensibilities either, and he'd had more exposure to their kind than any other alien race since entering Starfleet. No, this was Dhanishta Eshe. Trill and Betazoid, but also one part Vulcan and some Klingon to top it off. Logic, attitude, guile and clarity of perception. Singular and unique. Gods, he wanted to just smack her for making this so difficult.

He pulled himself up and sat cross-legged on the couch, talking in the general direction of the replicator. What the hell happened to me, he thought. What the hell happened to her? “Well, it seems some of our new Jem’ Hadar friends didn’t really want too much to be friends after all. I was investigating some fluctuations they were having in their power grid when one of the not-so-friendly sort fired their disruptor into the conduit I was about to work on. Big flash. Sharp bang. Loud sizzle.” He rubbed his eyes with his fingers and thumb. “Dr. Burton says I should be able to resume full duties soon.” He squinted at her again, noting that his eyesight had continued to improve. Now instead of a big, dark, blurry mass, she was a big, dark, blurry mass wearing engineering gold.

“So that’s my story, at least the last couple weeks or so of it. So what the hell happened to you?” He’d liked for her to have started with the moment the bombs started going off at Starfleeet Academy, and where the hell had she been at the funeral, but that was probably asking a bit much. He’d help her by steering the conversation a little more precisely. “That was a nice bruise I saw on your face, the last time I could see your face. Why don’t you tell me who did it, and why. And don’t tell me to mind my own business because I’m making it my business.”

Dhani smiled as she began to put the replicator back together, “Always looking out for me, hey Kel.” she said, “Just like the big brother I never had, huh…?” she let her comment hang there like a question or statement, which ever he decided to take it.

As she replaced the panel and fixed it into position she cast an eye back to the woman that she was, the one he knew. “I’m sorry. I’m not the same person that you knew.” That was the understatement of the year! She smiled in regret, “I will understand if I’m too different for you to… want to be friends.” she sighed hating the way her words came out, so imprecise, so full of emotion, the total opposite of the person that he knew.

Kel mulled over what she said for a moment, admiring her directness. "Don't be ridiculous. Of course, I still want to be friends." He could tell she was straining for words. He wasn't doing much better.

"A friend of mine once told me that a person's core personality never changes. I don't know if our illustrious Starfleet psychologists would agree with that statement, but from my perspective, it seems valid. Are you so different now than what you used to be?"

“Yeah cause I always hit you in greeting!” she said musing the new selection in the replicator. “Humm..” she nodded and smiled at her selection. As the beverage appeared she took it out and sniffed it. Once satisfied she walked over to Kel and sat down in front of him. Taking his hand she guided it to the drink, careful not to spill it on him. “Here’s hoping that you haven’t changed as much as me!” Inwardly she was proud of the almost perfect replicate of Kel’s favourite drink, it would never be completely perfect as it came from a replicator, but it was a hell of a lot better than the basic formula that had been installed.

“Well, if it would make you feel better, I could always smack you and we could call it even. Better yet, once my vision is up to par, I’m going to drag your bony ass down to the anbo-jitsyu court and give you the beating of your life.” He took a sip. Talarian Dark Mead. His favourite. “Damn, that’s good.”

“And to answer you, chances are I’ve probably changed a lot since I last saw you as well, and not all in good ways.” He paused a minute before continuing, questioning the line he was about to take, but decided to press ahead. “You do a good job aggravating the hell out of Dr. Burton you know. She’s only trying to look out for you. Hell, *I’m* just trying to understand what the hell is going on with you. Are you going to talk to me about it or are we just going to dance around it?”

“One Wrong” - Part IV

Lieutenant (Jg) Dhanishta Eshe, Acting Assistant Chief of Engineering
Ensign Keldan, Operations Officer

“I haven’t danced in a years.” Dhani said with a smirk. At his peeved look she sighed and decided that joking with him would have to wait till he got used to the fact that she could joke now.

Looking down at the floor she began to pick at the carpet, “What would you like to know first?” she asked tentatively.

"Well, the first thing I want to know is who is sitting in front of me." He squinted hard to see her face, which was slowly coming into focus more and more clearly. "I suppose an explanation for why you hit me in Engineering would be a good start. If it's the reason I think it, I think it's long past time you heard yourself say it."

Dhani cringed. He sure liked to go with the hard questions first. But what if he was just easing into it and the really hard questions were coming later….. she stood up and got herself a drink; they could be here a while.

As she walked back to her spot she wondered if he was really ready for the answer to his question. The person he had known was similar to a Vulcan, cold detached and quiet. Was he really ready for the emotional screw up that she was now? Could he handle the answer that he was going to get and could she bring herself to actually say what she felt, what she *really* felt and not just dance around the subject without really answering, but diverting attention to something totally irrelevant; a technique that she had seemed to master recently.

Sitting down again she took a deep breath and closed her eyes. “Firstly I am Dhanishta Eshe, no change there.” She smiled slightly, feeling a pang in her stomach; this was the hardest conversation she had ever had, even more than the one she had with Jiiles. The man before her knew her. He knew the person that she was, Jiiles didn’t. The man before her knew Chang; they had been friends of a sort. Kel was there the day of her engagement party. He was there the day Chang left. And the day he died and all those in-between.

Another deep breath; another stall.

And launch; “No one here calls me ‘Nish’, no one has called me that since the Academy.” roughly translated that meant since Chang! But she skipped names; it was too much at this moment. “It was a shock, seeing you again. You embody my past, a past that I have tried to escape from. A past that is just too painful for me to even…” she swallowed hard. “It was a shock, just a ….” Why did she even bother to try and skip details with him? He could see through her like tracing paper! Another deep breath, and another long sigh.

She shifted and opened her eyes, meeting his perplexed and strained gaze, “In your minds eye, picture me, the last time you saw me, what was I like, how would you describe me to others?” she asked.

Well, he had succeeded in a manner of speaking, but he wasn’t interested in winning. This wasn’t a game.

“The Dhanishta Eshe I knew was too complex a creature to be pigeon-holed. Intellectual and logical, competitive and intense, witty, cunning, and compassionate.” He tried to make out her expression to gauge her reaction, but it was pointless. And he felt something rising in his stomach. It tasted like anger. “Escape your past? No one can escape their past, Dhanishta. Everyone’s life turns to shit sooner or later. But you either turn and face it or you wind up running away from it. Is that what you’ve been doing? Running away? The Dhanishta Eshe I knew lived life on her terms and no one else’s. Do you think Chang would have wanted this for you now that he’s gone? Would he? Nish?”

And there, he had said it; said the name that drove a stake into her heart that made her well up with wow and anger all at the same time. She wanted to hit him, she wanted to cry, she wanted to scream; she wanted to scream and never stop and let out all the pain, just let it go. But she held on to it like a legacy; the legacy of Chang. The one love she had ever had, the one she thought that would last forever, the one that left and broke her, the one that died in her arms, yet was still out there living a lie of a life. He was still breathing and as long as he did, so did her love and hatred for him, and it tore her up. Twisted inside. A pain that she had never realised existed until Suder had removed her logical way of dealing with emotions; don’t feel them and they can’t hurt.

But since Suder had taken the cork out of the bottle she had never stopped feeling that pain. It ran deeper than she knew was possible, hurt more than she knew pain could and angered her to a point of no return.

For a long while she was silent; battling with a torrent of emotion. Slowly she stood up, tempted to just walk out of the door. But she had done that too many times. And this wasn’t Suder or Jiiles, or Burton before her. She couldn’t scream and walk away. She owed Kel more than that.

Her eyes welled and for a second her vision was blurred. Blinking several times she tried to stifle a sniff, passing it off as an itch she rubbed her nose and swallowed hard. She could feel the hostility building inside; it was a defence mechanism. Piss the other person off and they just won’t ask anymore. Why did she have to try to right this wrong? She could have just gone back to her quarters and…. done nothing!

There was no sigh this time, there was no deep breath taken. She sat at the table, placing the cooling drink before her. Slowly her eyes drew up from the mug and focused on Kel’s form; not his eyes. It was slightly comforting that he couldn’t see her.

“I loved… Chang…” his name was difficult to say, it was clear by the long pause before and after. Almost as if she had never uttered it before. In fact she hadn’t, not recently, not to a soul. But in her head his name rolled around over and over and over.

“He left me. And I will always ask why, and I will never get an answer. All I have to hold on to is what he told me; and I didn’t like that much. I dealt, I continued, I existed. And then the Breen attacked and in the rubble I held his body. I kissed him as his life slipped away and I watched him die.” It wasn’t the whole truth but it was what everyone else knew and it was what she had to stick too.

“I felt that I had no right to grieve. I was no longer his fiancée. I remember the day that they buried him as if it were yesterday. I watched you all, the procession to the empty grave. I heard his new girlfriend wail as loudly as she could, watched her crocodile tears falling for a man that she didn’t even know. I knew him, and yet she took my place at his side. I stood there till dawn.” Her voice didn’t waver even as the tears fell.

“I tried to move on. I thought I had. I finished at the academy and I was placed at Starfleet Engineering. I did my job. I thought that I was living my life. I didn’t let myself feel anything. I never had. That was just how I was. That was the woman you knew; ‘vulcinased’ I think was the expression used to describe me.”

“And then I came here and my world changed and things happened, things I had no control over. I didn’t understand it, still don’t. I feel everything Kel. *Everything*.” she stressed finally meeting his eyes.

For a moment Keldan felt as if he’d just been struck again, only this time it was he who had struck himself. Chang had left her? Why? Was Chang an idiot? Apparently. And why hadn’t he seen it? He didn’t remember much about the funeral; only that Dhanishta hadn’t been there. He wanted to apologize. To say how sorry he was. But then he reconsidered it. She certainly didn’t want his pity. She just wanted his understanding.

He faltered, unsure of where to take her and this conversation. But he wasn’t about to leave her hanging. She’d already had too much of that. But everything that came to mind was so unfalteringly pathetic compared to the scope of what she must be feeling.

“You feel.” It was more a question. “There are some who would consider that a good thing, you know. But I know you so I know it must be a living hell for you right now.” He honestly had no idea what it must be like, having a Vulcan’s mental discipline suddenly waver into an onslaught of pent up emotion. Coupling that with her betazoid telepathy must be like holding back a dam about to burst. This Dhanishta had no ability to deal with that. He knew there were counsellors on board who could help her out with this sort of thing, but it would be easier and less painful to drive nails in using only your hand.

“Despite what Chang did to you…despite what has happened since you came aboard the Galaxy…you’ve still got two choices. Deal with your present situation as best you can. What’s past is past and you can’t change it. Or you could just give up.” His tone was serious. “The Dhanishta Eshe I knew wasn’t a quitter, and I don’t think this one is either. There is no honour in giving up. Our friendship and your life are hanging in the balance. Please make the right choice, Nish.”

Dhani shook her head slightly, “My present situation…?” she questioned that, wondering what he meant.

"You said your world changed when you came here. Changes that you had no control over. You..." He cursed his inability to find the right words. "The universe treats everyone like shit, you know? Even when it seems like it has singled you out for the motherlode. All we petty mortals can do is give up or keep fighting." He paused and let out a deep sigh. "I'm sorry, Nish. I'm probably the last person you should be taking advice from. But I am here, and I do want to help."

She smiled softly and shrugged, “Your advice is always welcome, if not long overdue.” She gave him a wink and half a smile indicating that there was no malice intended in her little dig.

Pushing her self up from the table she joined him and sighed. “And in regards to the other comment, I’m still here. Fighting. Not quite sure what I’m fighting, or what I am fighting for but….” she shrugged again and rested her head against his shoulder. “I’m still here.” she repeated with a little regret in her tone. She wanted to add that not even death seems to change that, but decided against it. She wasn’t about to sit here and play who’s life has been the crappiest, or whose death for that matter. And there were things that he didn’t need to know, like what had happened with her and Suder. Things like that would just upset him and cause pain. She knew what knowledge did now, how much things hurt and how they could really screw with your head, and she wasn’t for a second going to off load on him. A problem shared just meant that there were two people crying or screaming.

"Do Bacteria Scream In Eclectic Fear?"

(Takes Place Shortly After "So Not Good.")

Principal Characters

Lt (JG) Victor Krieghoff
Thrawinki the Ferengi (NPC)
Unnamed Klingon

*****

Pirate Base Deck - Not Known (Yet) Cell - One of Many

"If you hurt them," Victor said to the pirates outside the cell door as they roughly shoved him inside, "I'll kill you."

The statement was met with rough laughter from the pirates in the corridor:

"We've heard that before!"

"Big words from a man in a cell!"

"Human fool!"

Victor smiled. As the sense of his presence suddenly magnified, expanding out from him in all directions, shoving at the pirates outside his cell door like a tangible, physical force, something about him changed. It was as if someone - *something* - else had slipped into the cell and entered the security officer, wearing him like a change of clothes. "Remember that," Victor whispered in a voice that wasn't his any longer, a voice that reached out into the hallway and slid inside the bodies of those that could hear him, wrapping icy fingers around their hearts. "If you hurt them, I'll kill you, all of you. I'll kill everything that lives here down to the bacteria growing in your food processors." His terrible smile widened. "Remember that... or I'll be the last thing any of you see before you die screaming."

The pirates glanced at each other; weapons aimed at the apparently unarmed man in front of them, and laughed again, a weak sickly sound that died as fast as it appeared. One of them jammed a hand down on the switch and activated the force field door, and then the lot moved off down the corridor as quickly as they could.

Victor watched them go, laughed once in a way that was even more terrifying than the voice he'd just used, and turned to look behind him in the cell, the palpable wave of presence shoving away from him withdrawing until it was gone, leaving only the normal sense of his presence to fill the cell. It was a small cell, the designers hadn't intended to hold captives for long or in comfort - but it did hold something he hadn't expected: another resident.

His cellmate appeared at first to be nothing more than a child, curled up into a tight little bundle in the corner with their head tucked away under their scrawny arms. But presently a pair of sharp little eyes appeared and then the bundle uncurled a little to reveal that it was a Ferengi, a female Ferengi, judging by the size of her stature and small ears.

Her clothing was soiled and torn and there were a few superficial cuts and bruises on her face but she looked to be in fairly good health. She tried to smile through her jagged little teeth, but that she was terrified was apparent and all she managed was an odd grimace and a bobbing of her large head in nervous greeting. She didn't dare stand up fully, or to speak. But she did rise into a submissive crouch, scuttling a little across the cell towards a corner further away from where Victor stood.

Victor tilted his head to the side and studied the figure for a moment; a Ferengi, and a female at that. Victor's only real experience with the species had been while he was stationed at DS9 after the War, and that had only been with males - particularly the ones working or patronizing Quark's establishment. He doubted that anything learned there would apply here except in the most general of terms, though. The possibility that the Ferengi woman was a plant occurred to him, and he considered that. No one would suspect her of being one of the pirates, that was certain, and it was possible that she might be able to learn useful information that way. If that was the case, then she was in the wrong cell. She'd have done better with Lieutenant Burton as a cellmate, playing on the Lieutenant's skills as a physician to gain sympathy. Not, of course, that the pirates would know that. On the other hand, she could just be what she appeared: a terrified prisoner. Either way he'd know soon enough.

"Unless you give me one," he said to the woman quietly, "I have no reason or need to harm you. I cannot do anything about the effect my presence may or may not have on you; I am what I am, and I cannot change that. Based on past experience, the cell is too small for you to be able to completely escape the effects should you find my presence to be... disturbing, although you may find some relief by doing what you are doing and moving as far away from me as possible."

The female Ferengi had raised her eyes to his face only once during this speech and she soon looked down at the floor again. But despite the shaking of her pathetic little body she attempted to answer him. "My n-name is Th-Thrawinki. I have been here oh... many, many, days, perhaps weeks." She stopped, seemed to gather herself together a little and once more cast him that furtive glance so common amongst her kind, terrified and yet somehow hinting at the need to profit from every encounter.

"Can you... tell me where we are kind sir? I can see from your uniform that you are a Hu-maarn from Starfleet... Can it be that... your people might... rescue us?" And her little eyes glinted with hope as they fixed on his face and she bared her little sharp teeth in a ghastly smile.

Why, Victor wondered for a moment, did people continue to ask him questions with answers so obvious that a rock could answer them? "We're in a cell," he replied patiently. He looked around for a moment. "A small one. It's dirty."

"Yes, but where is this cell? And will not your people come for us?"

"In my experience," he said with a frown as he examined the field emitters for the door's force field, finding them to be in need of cleaning, but still functional; if they'd been failing, he would have expected a trap of some sort. "Waiting for someone else to come and rescue you is a poor plan." He began to move along the cell walls, peripherally watching the Ferengi as she skittered in opposition to him so that she stayed on the opposite corner of the cell from his current position. "Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn't. Usually you're better off handling things yourself."

She licked her lips and bowed her head in acknowledgment of the truth in what he said. But she continued to look at him hopefully. "Then how can we escape this place? What can I do to help you? If we are not free soon we will be sold either into labor or some other slavery. I have heard them talking and seen others taken away!"

Even as she spoke there was the sound of heavy footfalls approaching and before long the shape of a man approaching their cell became discernable in the gloom of the corridor outside. He moved as furtively as a person of his bulk might do and was surprising light on his feet for his size; it was soon apparent that he was coming to see them and doing so surreptitiously.

At last reaching the cell door his face was illuminated by the dim lighting revealing the heavy browed visage of a Klingon man, his face pitted and scarred and a fierce smile pulling at his lips.

"Starfleet," the Klingon muttered as he attached something to the door frame, activating the device the glow from the door didn't lessen, but a rapidly expanding opening formed in the field. Looking left and right he stepped in quickly and grabbed the device pulling it in behind him, letting the field reform.

Pulling out a disruptor he aimed it casually in Victor's direction, "Who are you Human?" he asked, looking Victor up and down, "Lieutenant..?"

"Krieghoff," Victor replied tonelessly. As close as the Klingon was, it would be difficult to avoid the single disruptor discharge that would be fired before Victor could get his hands on the Klingon. Better to talk for a moment, since that was obviously why the Klingon was here - if he'd wanted to kill Victor he'd have opened fire from the door, and if this were an interrogation there would be more of them.

"If you desire to live Krieghoff you will do as I say..." he started. Glancing around the cell he spied the diminutive Ferengi curled up in a dark corner and growled. "What are you doing in here creature?!" he snarled, taking aim at her but holding his fire as she scuttled behind Krieghoff. He looked to Victor, "Move aside human, let me kill that despicable slug, there is very little time!"

Thrawinki uttered a cry of despair, throwing her thin little arms over her head and ducking down behind Victor.

"Is there a reason to?" Victor asked in his toneless way. There might be any number of reasons why the Klingon wanted to kill the Ferengi woman, some of them perhaps even reasonable.

"Move human or I will shoot trough you," the Klingon stated simply, aiming slightly below Victors waist to ensure he got the Ferengi should he choose to shoot.

"No," Victor replied patiently. "Not 'Is there a reason to move?' but 'Is there a reason to kill her?'"

Looking Victor in the eye, the Klingon kept his hearing focused on the Ferengi, "Know this Human, on my Honour I tell you this: I am with Klingon Intelligence. I was tasked to work with Starfleet to track down these despicable scavengers several months ago. This," spitting in the direction of the female Ferengi, "is 'one' of these p'taks; if she lives, we all die!"

"No! No! It is all lies!" Thrawinki cried in fear. "He knows that I know him to be a true pirate! It is all a trick, I heard this Klingon discussing it with his men! He wishes to deceive you into giving him the security codes to your ship so that they may access the federation shipping routes... it is all a trick! Don't let him kill me... please, please stop him!"

"I would decide quickly Starfleet," the Klingon growled, "I do not have long before I'm supposed to deliver your head, do not make me regret what I am doing and deliver your head!"

Victor looked at the Klingon then at the cringing Ferengi, and then paused as something caught his attention out of the corner of his eye, as if something were moving there but vanished when he looked at it directly. He frowned, concentrated, and tried to catch it in his field of vision again, but failed. There was something there, though, something that shouldn't be. A thought occurred to him, a memory from the surface of Trill and the oppressive weight of the souls he'd felt there - or thought he'd felt there - and he let himself smile again.

As before, the sense of his presence expanded, filling the room and pushing through the walls as if they were not even there, sending the Ferengi back into her corner with a wail of terror and making the Klingon step back and raise his disruptor. Victor ignored them and turned around; facing the back of the cell and the figure he now could locate as easily as he had the lost souls on Trill. "This isn't your place," Death whispered through Victor's lips. "Move on - go to where you should be." The thing inside Victor waved a hand in dismissal.

The dim shape vanished, as if blown away in a strong wind, and Death looked down at the Ferengi for a moment. "Pitiful thing," it whispered, "a poor choice." It turned and examined the Klingon. "Cleaner," it observed "A better choice." It closed Victor's eyes and withdrew, leaving only Victor behind the eyes that opened a moment later.

Without a word, Victor turned and drove a fist into the Ferengi's temple, spinning her around and into the corner, so that his follow-up blow to the back of her head drove her forward into the cell wall face-first and dropped her to the floor, unconscious.

"I have a better idea," Victor said softly as he turned back to face the Klingon. "She might still be useful."

"Explain," the Klingon asked as he lowered his Disruptor cautiously, still holding it ready though.

Victor's smile echoed Death's of a moment before. "The Romulans will want a prisoner to interrogate - I'll give her to them."

"Make sure you do Starfleet, for if she causes my death at the hands of these worthless scum, someone will pay," opening a small pouch at his side he tossed several items onto the lower bunk, a knife of Naussican design, wickedly curved and barbed, the sort that was illegal to own in Federation space, a sonic coder for doors, Victor's own Type I phaser though with no power lights on it and a field inhibitor similar to the one he had used, "take these, the coder will open most of the doors around here, the knife is all I can offer though you should be able to charge your phaser once you're clear of the cells. Go down three levels and head for the rim of the base," tossing a small PADD on the bunk as well, "your Runabout is already being stripped, but there is a courier there, the PADD should help you get there and gain access. It is fast and has a cloak, of sorts. You are on your own Starfleet, if you must die; at least do so with Honour," he declared as he returned to the door.

"Does the warrior have a name?" Victor asked tonelessly as the Klingon turned to leave. It was possible that he knew the Attendant, although more likely that she knew of him - or could find out. If she ever got in touch with him in answer to his requests for clarification of his illegal lung's presence he'd mention the man's name. "There are those that might be contacted to tell of his deeds if it were known."

"No Human, who I am is not for you to know," stepping out through the gap in the field he turned left and slipped out of sight.

Victor watched him go, and then frowned and picked up the items he'd been given. He'd need to give the knife to someone else - unless he was cutting up food to cook, he was more of a danger to himself than anyone else with it - and cobble together a recharge clip for the phaser. The last shouldn't be too difficult if he was given the time. All that was left was to deal with the Ferengi and then he could leave and find the others.

He would, he decided, allow the Klingon to live if any of the others had been harmed for the assistance he'd given. He owed the alien that much. The others though - he'd been quite clear in his promise. If they had chosen not to listen.... Well, then he supposed then he'd find out if bacteria screamed as they died.

He thought they might, in their own eclectic way.

"A Bad Case of Foot and Mouth Disease"

Lt. (jg) Naranda Roswell, Engineer
Ensign Robert Mathieson, Medical Officer

*****Sickbay*****

Through the door, a limping figure appeared. Oddly enough, the limping foot was the only one with a boot. The woman wore a gold uniform, so one might assume she was security and had to break up some scruff in the new bar or something. That didn't much explain the scorch marks on one of her sleeves. So that may make one think Engineer. But how did her ankle get hurt?

Well, this may be a reason why doctors ask all their questions. Regardless, the woman didn't seem to enjoy the fact she had gotten so injured she had to come here. The lone occupant in Sickbay, a short, bald ensign watched her limp in through the door's threshold. He quickly dropped the padd he was reviewing and escorted the limping woman to a biobed.

Praying Hipocrates would forgive him, Robert Mathieson was grateful for some-thing to do other than review "Emergency Treatment of Romulan Disruptor Trauma" by Starfleet's own Doctor Melissa Schowalter.

~Utter tripe. Probably wouldn't know a Romulan disruptor if one had shot her ass off~, he mused.

Once the patient had hopped on the biobed, her medical chart appeared on the display. The old physician took a quick look at the monitor, then a thoroughlook at the foot as he gently probed the swollen ankle. "So, Lieutenant Roswell - ye've moved about on yer pin's OK so it shouldn't be too bad. Care t' let me know how this 'appened?" he asked as he reached for a laser scalpel to split the boot open.

Nara instinctively pulled her foot back as she answered bitterly, "That damn traitor messed with the holodeck. So I fell off a horse and then got spat at by a strange console from some weird science fiction holoprogram."

Mathieson paused for a moment, then shrugged. "No - can't say I've heard that one before. The horse bit yes, spat at by a console? That's new." Activating the laserscalpel, the doctor neatly sliced Nara's boot open, and delicately removed the remains. The engineer's ankle had swollen to about double in size, and a large circle of tissue the size of Mathieson's fist turned an angry shade of deep violet.

"S' not as bad as it looks", he said, "but let's scan it jus' to be safe. I'll also scan that 'consolar phlegm' wot's hit ye, jus' to be safer still." The medi-scanner in his hand came to life as he began to read the physical details of Nara's injury.

She sighed to show her dislike of even being there. "Poor ships worse off than anything."

Mathieson grunted in agreement. "Ain't that the truth? Yer not the fist holodeck FUBAR this week. Got burns, broken arms, and scraped tushkas to mend all the bleedin' time. Ship'll probably implode when the crew decides t' hang me from th' rafters - I'm askin' the CMO t' have the holo- decks shut down once we're done 'ere. As fer yer ankle, you've for a tiny fracture an' a bad sprain - and a threshold for pain a Klingon'd give his own granny for. Won't be half a mo' to fix."

She smiled proudly, but added to his shutting down the holodecks comment, "I'll mention it to my superior as well."

The bald doctor went to a cabinet and returned with a sleek, silvey instrument that looked like a cross between a hand phaser and an engineering multitool. Placing the device carefully over the young woman's ankle after quickly calibrating it, he focused the protoplaser's low-watt lasers on one of the small ankle bones - Nara quickly experienced a pleasent warming sensation spreading over her foot. Mathieson's eyes never left her ankle as he continued with some questions. "Aside from th' foot, all's right? No dizzyness? Back or backside givin' ye any problems?"

Nara shook her head, "None that I know of. Though..." Something came to mind, but she really didn't want this strange male doctor to be involved, "No everything else is fine. Well, except this stinging on my arm that is."

"Stingin'?" Mathieson asked? "Wot kind o' stingin', luv? From the console barfin' incident? Lemme look." Again, the mediscanner hummed in the doctor's hands. "Hmmm... some small burns. Traces of some kind o' acid. Let's get rid 'o the sleeve." He quickly activated the laserscalpel once more, splitting Nara's sleeve to just above her deltoid. Sure enough, dozens of small firey red burns ran along the engineer's arm.

Mathieson made his summary above the humming of the mediscanner "Small stuff - easy enough t' deal with, but what's this red crap that's eatin' yer sleeve here? Jus' wot kind o' program were you runnin'?" He quickly recalibrated the protoplaser to a shallower, gentler setting and went about repairing the epidermis on Nara's arm.

"I don't know. Never seen it before." Did he just call her luv? She sighed, not letting herself get worked up over it.

The doctor, however, had noticed Nara's biosigns spike and realized that once again his foot had once more occupied it's favorite place - in his mouth. He chuckled, as he finished regenerating the top cells of the young woman's epidermis. "It's an expression, Lieutenant! Sorry fer causin' yer some embarrasment. Blimey, don't take it the wrong way, but I've got calluses that were around before you were a gleam in yer father's eye. S' jus' the way folks on my part o' Earth speak."

She looked at him, "How did you know..."

Mathieson smiled ackwardly, turning a pale shade of red. "The biobed - look above you. Sometimes it tells a person too much information or no' enough of the right stuff. And that was pretty normal speech. If I were speakin' real Cockney, I'd tell yer t' use yer loaf th' next time yer on 'holodeck."

Nara just looked at him oddly, "Huh?"

"Loaf of bread - head. Use yer head." The old man sighed. "O'er thirty years in th' fleet, an' I still sound like I'm sellin fish n' chipssomewhere in Shoreditch. Anyways, wot I'm sayin' is I'm sorry fer the 'luv' crack, and yer now right as rain. That means ye can go an' lock up them holodecks."

As the meaning of his words hit her, she got offended. "I was using my head! How do you think we got out of there? I'll go make sure the holodecks are locked and you just make sure you use your bloody loaf for fixing people. We'll both do our jobs and all will be dandy." With that, she hopped off the bed, still careful of her ankle, but feeling it was fine, she began to stomp out.

The old physician simply shook his head and watched her leave, keeping a close watch on the flexibility of the woman s ankle. ~ Cor, what s with this fekkin ship? First that Curran bloke an now an engineer even more full o vinegar.~ Still, Bob chided for gearing Lieutenant Roswell s temper up in the first place, no matter how hard he has tried to calm the situation.

He went into the back office to prepare the dreaded paperwork required to update Roswell s medical records, and his formal suggestion that the holodecks remain closed until the safety protocols were re-established. Finishing the document, he considered the report s ramifications.

~Heh. If I m not the most popular bloke on ship now, jus wait till this hits th fan.~

"In the end we all die alone."

1st Lt Jebidiah Baile, Marine CO, USS Galaxy

Brig, Cell no Five. USS Galaxy.

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

This was a bad idea... why the fuck did I come back? I've been back, what? - four hours? - and I've already put one marine in sickbay.

Great start, asshole.

My eyes are closed. It doesn't hurt as much when I keep them closed. Right now I'm fed up with pain. Fed up with it all.

This place smells. Oh yeah. That's another gift from the lunatics that did this to me. Gift? Right. All scents are so strong I feel like gagging half the time. You'd think that fear would be a good thing to smell on others - let me tell you - its not. It makes you want to puke.

The antiseptic they use to clean the cells is enough to make my eyes water. If it had been possible.

I'm stronger than before. Faster. More.. agile. But I didn't ask for it. I didn't want it. I still don't want it.

I may have been an asshole before.. but at least.. may have been? Alright. I was an asshole before but at least I was a human asshole. Now I don't know what the hell I am except that I scare the shit out of myself sometimes.

I know the stories about me. I know what the marines say when I turn my back to them. Half of them look up to me, the other half.. well.. let's just say my methods don't agree with them.

I'm fearless. I don't know the meaning of the word fear.

Or so I've heard.

I'm definately not fearless.

Just good at not showing when I'm scared shitless.

But here's a clue - people generally die when I'm scared. So considering the stack of bodies I've produced over the years I think it's pretty safe to say I've been scared a lot in my days.

Fear isn't a bad thing. Fear made me concentrate, kept me alive. I learned to control it. Most of the time.

At Roth Valley I didn't control shit.

My eyes start stinging again. It's like someone is pouring salt in them. Hurts like hell, but I'm used to it.

That's the wierd thing. I've always been good at dealing with pain. I don't know why and now - quite frankly - I wouldn't mind screaming in pain, but I won't. I can't.

Bran's smell is lingering in the air despite the scrubbers. Why the hell am I so violent? Pissed off and surly - yes. Violent? It's like I have no tolerance left and at the same time I've got more patience than I've ever had.

I can't make heads or bloody tails of it. Maybe I've gone around the bend.

Shit. This is the kind of creative thinking that gets people institutionalized.

She's a good marine. That's the funny part. She's so wrapped up in trying to show me that she is that she completely overshots the target. I know she's good. She's just got to understand it herself.

'Course - she's got to learn when to back off.

And I've got to learn that I'm a tad stronger than before.

Christ. what I wouldn't give for a shag and a bottle of whisky right now..

What I can't understand is - why me? Why do this shit to me? I'm simple. I hate games and lies. I've lived it once and it cost me..

I sit still, wishing I really could shed tears. Not for me but for her.

I lived the lies and played the games and she died as a cause of it.

She asked me once why I never cried. I told her that if I did I wasn't sure if I could ever stop.

There's another answer too.

I can't. I've tried. I can't.

Sometimes I want it so bad the burn from the tears I can't shed overwhelms the sting from my eyes.

But still I can't.

I'm I so cynical and fucked up that I've lost the ability to cry?

I'd say so. Yes.

The metal in here smells. I can hear the forcefield hum in the background. Hell, I can even hear the guard's heart beat. What for? I don't want to. I wan't to be me.. the man I was and not this.. abomination..

Why can't I be me? There's something inside me.. inside my mind and I'm not talking about Maya.. When I first felt it there was a clear and distinct line between me and it.. but these last few days it's definately not so distinct and it's certainly not clear.

More.. opaque if you ask me. Which you won't because you have got no idea what the fuck is happening to me. You see.. what did she call it? Ah, yes.. A dinosaur.. that's what you see.. You see a Marine with an attitude.. someone who thinks he's better than the rest..

You don't feel how my body changes.. and let me tell you - it's not painless.. far from it..

Then she appears. She always does. I'm not sure what to feel or think when it comes to her. Part of me feel betrayed that it wasn't m y Maya.. then again I should be grateful it really wasn't her.. I mean I would have been a little peeved if she had killed me and I would have been given the opportunity to much around in her head.

I killed her. Killed her to preserve SI's goddamn secrets. I hate secrets. Yet I tell no one what is happening to me. I've tried, but everytime I'm about to I change my mind.

Would I have done it differently today? Yes. That's about the only thing I would have done differently. I think that had it happened today I would have killed Smith myself and taken Maya to some place safe.

Who am I kidding? There's no safe place in the universe for someone like me.. much less anyone travelling with me.

She sits down beside me. I feel the heat from her body, smell her.. flowers.. and sun.. that's what she smells like.. She touches me and a sting of guilt stabs me where my soul should be.

"What do you want?" I ask her silently. I'm tired. I'm confused.

"I'm worried about you." she replies honestly.

"Give it a rest, Maya.." I'm too tired to say it out loud. I can barely hear my own voice. Quite a feat considering I can hear the guard's heart beat outside the cell.

She leans against the wall, mimicking the way I sit. "We sure made a mess of things, didn't we?" she says, sounding almost as tired as me.

"We?" I ask her with mild surprise in my voice.

"Yes, we.. In case you didn't notice I'm stuck with you." Her words would have hurt if I hadn't notice the playful tone. Joking? At a time like this?

I just sigh, holding my hands on top of my head. My hands are cold.

"Would you have killed her if she had told someone the code?"

Her question startles me somewhat. I realize I've been avoiding that very question myself. She's like my Maya in that way. Asking the tough questions. I loved her for that. That and a number of things. I sit silently, with Maya sitting patiently at my side. Finally I answer her with a quiet nod. "Yes.. I would have."

Her hand touches me arm, comforting me even though I haven't deserved it. "Would you have left her?"

Again I nod. "I don't understand it, Maya.. I'm a Marine.. I never leave anyone behind... ever.. But it was as if when I smelled how sick she was a part of me considered her to be dead weight.."

"I know." she replies and I believe her. She knows what I mean even though I don't understand it myself. It's reassuring in a wierd sort of way.

"I don't think you went there because Smith told you to." Maya continues, her hand still touching my arm. "I think you went there because of her. You're her.. guardian. You made her a promise once to help her out and that became more important than anything to you at that moment."

Listen is all I can do. Listen as her words stabs me, one after the other. The worst thing is that she's right. One insight after the other hits me like a sledgehammer in the head.

God, I am so tired.

I feel her place a kiss on the top of my head. Flowers and summer. That's what she smells like. A meadow after the rain.

"What will happen now?" she asks me softly.

"Games.. more games." I tell her and sigh. "Some will like what I did - others won't. If I'm lucky they'll courtmartial my ass and send me to prison.. then all of this is over for me."

She doesn't protest. She listens. Just like my Maya used to do. God, I miss her so much..

"If that happens I hope they let Lieutenant London remain in charge. She's got what it takes if she just toughens up a bit.. " I chuckle, maybe feeling a little morbid. "Worst case - SI pulls some strings and gets me off the hook. It's the SI's way. All they have to do is say I was on a mission and classify it. Technically I'm still SI. I've never been dismissed from the SpecOps."

"But you hope they send you to jail?" she asks me. She moves around a little to find a more comfortable position.

I just nod. "Less games.." Then I shake my head and correct myself. "Smaller games at any rate."

"But if they don´t?"

That was the thing I dreaded the most. What if they didn't send me to prison? Prison I could deal with. From there I could escape. Start over again. Resigning was out of the question. SI would always keep an eye on me no matter where I went. But be forced to stay in service?

There will no doubt be fights. Some would probably try and teach me a lesson. That is the Marine way. The question is who? Gunny? Maybe. London? No, she don't believe in that sort of thing. Ward? No, the guy has no backbone unless ten people holds it up for him. Probably why he's got a stick up his ass. Donut? Could be if he can find some people to help him.

I know why I dread it. I don't believe in Starfleet or the Federation. I wasn't sure about it earlier but the moment I set my foot on the Galaxy I knew. It was like I was trying to wear a pair of shoes that didn't fit any more.

With the exception of Maya I've never had a home or a family. I don't consider the joke that calls himself my father as family. But it's never bothered me. After I joined the Marines I did have a family of sorts, as screwed up as it was. Then, when I joined the Crows I sort of found the brothers I never had, but nothing ever remains the same and that was one dysfunctional family if there ever was one.

'What do you do for family entertainment?'

'Oh, we go really deep behind the enemy lines and make them scream really loud before we kill them really hard. Ain't that right Uncle Dad?'

I shake my head at the thought. I'll cross that bridge if I get there. "Then they don't. It's as simple as that."

I don't care if I don't have a family or a home as long as I have something to believe in. But if I don't even have that then what do I have?

"Look at me, Jeb." she says to me, softly as a spring breeze.

I do as she says. Beams of light touches my eyes and the darkness I so deeply enjoyed vanishes. I want to blink, but I force myself not to. I wish I could show you what it's like to see the world through my eyes. To see what I see when I look at the dark space. You'd never be the same again.

Is she my guardian angel or my bane of my existance? I decide she's both at once.

Her smile dazzles me. It's so caring that I want nothing more than to run away.

In a way I am fearless. Combat doesn't scare me. Neither does the prospect of dying. In fact I like combat. It's the only time I'm at peace.

How's that for a punchline? Make war to gain peace. Guess it is possible to screw someone and become a virgin.

But I am afraid of this.

I'm afraid when someone sees into me. I'm afraid when there's no battlefield. I'm afraid when there are no enemies to kill. I'm afraid when there's no mission to go on. I'm afraid when the demons knock on the door. I'm afraid of being pitied. I'm afraid of falling down. I'm afraid of what I'll be when I get back up again.

I know she sees all of my fears when I look at her. I can't hide anything from her.

Our eyes meet.

"Not everything in life is death and pain. There is so much more you can discover if you only let yourself."

That's something my Maya would have said. To her the cup was never half-empty. It simply had more room for new experiences.

Death comes easy to me. Especially after... I started changing. Killing has always been easy for me. I don't mean the emotional part, I mean the physical aspect of it. Everyone has a sweet spot and once I learned it I could always find it.

Now I just need to look at someone to know where it is. On Vaden I saw species I've never fought before but I knew, I bloody knew where their sweet spots were.

There's something in death that I want to understand. Life isn't half as interesting as death. I don't mean the killing. I may be an asshole, but I'm not getting any kicks from killing.

But death is.. impartial. It plays no favorites. No games. Death refuses to give up its secrets. It's not like you can threaten it or bribe it. To death it doesn't matter who you are or how much wealth and power you have accumulated. In the end death wins.

The road leading up to death can be quick, slow, gruesome, painless.. but death itself is clean. It closes the circle. I don't fear death. One of the few things that doesn't scare the shit out of me. Death isn't dark, light, evil or good. It just is. End of the line.

Everything I've ever learned, every skill I've trained and perfected is connected to death. War and death. It's what I can teach to others.

Not everything in life is death and pain.

I know. I know.

O for a voice like thunder, and a tongue To drown the throat of war! - When the senses Are shaken, and the soul is driven to madness, Who can stand?

Willam Blake wrote that. He was right, you know? Who can stand against it when the battle rage around you? I know I can't.

Some people can't stand me. I don't blame them. Hell, there are times I can't stand myself.

It really was a fucking bad idea to come back.

I'm so goddamn tired.

I need sleep.

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