S2 M4: Effigy

[Jada]

Posting as Cadet s'Metra Nozama, Science

[Bridge]

That was Naga? Cruk! Jada had tricked her! She had no time to swear a vengeance oath. 'Uh...' s'Metra stammered, trying to remember her pre-prepared story about Orion cultural standards or how to charm her way out of this, but it all just faded away under the XO's and her new boss's words, and especially in the face of her new boss's terrifying jaws. 'Um...'

To her credit, she thought, she didn't immediately bail on this whole Starfleet right then and there. You're cool, girl, you can salvage this. She stood attention and her meagre height, promising 'Forgive me, ma'am, sir. I was... mistaken.' She swallowed and faced Naga again. 'Cadet s'Metra, reporting for duty, ma'am. I can go change.'

[James H. Hawk]

Posting as Cadet s'Metra Nozama, Science

[Bridge]

That was Naga? Cruk! Jada had tricked her! She had no time to swear a vengeance oath. 'Uh...' s'Metra stammered, trying to remember her pre-prepared story about Orion cultural standards or how to charm her way out of this, but it all just faded away under the XO's and her new boss's words, and especially in the face of her new boss's terrifying jaws. 'Um...'

To her credit, she thought, she didn't immediately bail on this whole Starfleet right then and there. You're cool, girl, you can salvage this. She stood attention and her meagre height, promising 'Forgive me, ma'am, sir. I was... mistaken.' She swallowed and faced Naga again. 'Cadet s'Metra, reporting for duty, ma'am. I can go change.'

[Bridge]

"Oh," James said disappointedly, "You were just mistaken? I was looking forward to a more creative way to bullshit your way out," James joked with a smile. "You're on the Bridge now, you might as well stay. If Chief Naga needs your help, I'll let you stay for now and you can get changed later. But it will not happen again, Cadet. Do you understand?" James said having a bit of fun with the Cadet. She probably didn't realise it, but after a long and uneventful shift, James needed something to amuse him. He really was a tad disapointed that he didn't get to hear the creative exuse that he was hoping for. Oh well,, he thought, there's always inspection time... His favorite, or rather only enjoyable part of inspection and rounds was listening to some of the crew try to come up with creative ways out of situations. They often gave him a good laugh.

[Jada]

Posting as Cadet s'Metra Nozama, Science

[Bridge]

'Yes, bharÁ¢â,¬" sir' s'Metra began, momentarily slipping into traditional Orion terms of address. But, sparked by the handsome XO's joke, she felt it okay to play along. Since he'd been looking for a creative excuse, the Orion was happy to provide with a mischievous smile. 'Actually, I was practising knife-fighting with Jada. She came at me savagely and slashed my uniform. She's a beast, sir. I thought it would be better to remove the ripped bit rather than report for duty all dishevelled.'

[Ian Galloway]

[Bridge]

Ian did his best to ignore that blithering chatter of the new Orion woman and concentrated on the simulations to narrow the search parameters of the long lost starship and after six run iterations of the program, he had an answer.

"Ma'am. The gravimetric sheer in the nebula is intense, but the main focal point is fairly constant. A heading of 247 mark 141 is the most likely vector the nebula pulled the Darwin. However, havin' a vector is nae the same thing as findin' the bloody thing. Given the local conditions are makin' hash of our sensors. I would recommend we use our shuttles ta widen our search arc."

Ian waited for the admiral to reply and that reminded him of something he'd forgotten to do earlier. He turned in his chair to face her and added.

"Ma'am, I have been remiss in doin' summat that needed doin' some time ago. Congratulations on yer promotion ta admiral. The new pips look good on you Ma'am and are more'n deserved."

[Solluk]

Counselor's Office

Izzy's eyes fixed gently on Solluk thinking carefully on his words. "Unworthy. Unacceptable. I think it's important we set a proper definition for those words as they apply to this situation. My definition of those words likely are different than yours." The counselor replied softly. "I think that's probably a good starting point for us. Without using a dictionary definition, what is unacceptable to you?" She finally asked.

-=-=-=-=-

Solluk arched a brow, then his forehead creased as he considered it.  Establishing a common frame of reference was logical.  "In particular," he said, "selfishly desiring patterns of behavior in others, merely to assuage the difficulties imposed by personal weaknesses."

He sighed slightly.  "I suppose I should explain further...  One of the first friends I made upon coming aboard the Tempest was an Orion woman.  Soon, I began to feel something other than friendship for her.  I realize that this is hardly an original tale within the fleet.  However, as you know, many Vulcans have a high resistance to the Orion pheremonic influences.  A quirk of biochemical interaction.  I believe my feelings for her to have developed naturally, as a response to her salient qualities.  Strength, Intelligence, Boldness, Empathy, an accepting nature.  I suppose almost a list of things I find lacking in myself.  And yet, she brings out these qualities in me to a degree I had not believed possible.  I feel that when we stand together, I am a better person."

He paused for a moment, wondering if that was a selfish reason to have feelings for someone.  They make me feel like a better person.  That was all well and good, but what had he ever done for her?

"In any event, I feel that she enjoys my company.  She would probably be receptive to advances.  We could probably take our relationship into a new realm.  Everything should be optimal."

He touched a hand to his chest, "The problem is me.  My ability to accept her cultural norms.  I hesitate to pursue things more vigorously because of my internal weaknesses.  You see, I do not believe that monogomy is an aspect of her nature.  It is normal for Orions... or at least for her... to take lovers as often and as casually as the mood strikes them.  Already I often feel the stabs of jealousy when she takes a lover.  As recently as our last mission."

He shrugged, "She is as discrete as I've ever seen her, but she does not hide her relations with a sense of shame or secrecy.  Nor should she.  It is her way, and she has a right to it."

He leaned forward now, "The problem is me," he repeated, "I would not share her.  And so... I do not have her at all.  I am getting in the way of my own happiness.  Because of petty, unworthy sentiments:  Jealousy.  Ownership.  She should not have to change herself to be with me.  She should not even be asked to change, or posed with the dilemma.  I need help exorcising these illogical emotions from myself.  Only then can I be considered as a worthy partner."

[Naga Rylu]

Posting as Cadet s'Metra Nozama, Science

[Bridge]

That was Naga? Cruk! Jada had tricked her! She had no time to swear a vengeance oath. 'Uh...' s'Metra stammered, trying to remember her pre-prepared story about Orion cultural standards or how to charm her way out of this, but it all just faded away under the XO's and her new boss's words, and especially in the face of her new boss's terrifying jaws. 'Um...'

To her credit, she thought, she didn't immediately bail on this whole Starfleet right then and there. You're cool, girl, you can salvage this. She stood attention and her meagre height, promising 'Forgive me, ma'am, sir. I was... mistaken.' She swallowed and faced Naga again. 'Cadet s'Metra, reporting for duty, ma'am. I can go change.'

Naga watched the byplay between her and the Hawk, raising her brow-ridges before speaking.  She was glad she caught on to the... joke?  about Jada.  The Orion had excellent knife control, she had every reason to believe that she would have executed any move required for victory without damaging the top. "Ma'am would be the correct gender terminology, or Chief if you find that easier."  She told the Cadet once she was more relaxed, making her own attempt at levity.  "And despite what you have heard of Gorn, I will not eat you."  She waved a claw at the place beside her, opting to still remain seated.  Seven and a half feet of Gorn (not counting the tail) could be a lot for a person to take in.  "You're just in time.  Please assist me in simplifying these scenario grids, we are collaborating with Mr. Galloway."

[Julia Rellek]

[Bridge]

Ian did his best to ignore that blithering chatter of the new Orion woman and concentrated on the simulations to narrow the search parameters of the long lost starship and after six run iterations of the program, he had an answer.

"Ma'am. The gravimetric sheer in the nebula is intense, but the main focal point is fairly constant. A heading of 247 mark 141 is the most likely vector the nebula pulled the Darwin. However, havin' a vector is nae the same thing as findin' the bloody thing. Given the local conditions are makin' hash of our sensors. I would recommend we use our shuttles ta widen our search arc."

Ian waited for the admiral to reply and that reminded him of something he'd forgotten to do earlier. He turned in his chair to face her and added.

"Ma'am, I have been remiss in doin' summat that needed doin' some time ago. Congratulations on yer promotion ta admiral. The new pips look good on you Ma'am and are more'n deserved."

[Bridge]

Julia stood up and went to the back of the bridge to confirm the data. "I concur Commander." She said as she lened over Naga reviewing the scans from the nebula. Julia actively worked to ignore the disciplinary action that James had had with the new science cadet. She was more than a little mortified by the appearance of this cadet on her bridge. She made the decision to intervene.

"Cadet, why dont you leave the bridge and come back in appropriate uniform standards." She said without moving her eyes fro the screen.

"And Mr. Galloway, chart the course and take us in." She ordered.

[Ian Galloway]

[Bridge]

Julia stood up and went to the back of the bridge to confirm the data. "I concur Commander." She said as she lened over Naga reviewing the scans from the nebula. Julia actively worked to ignore the disciplinary action that James had had with the new science cadet. She was more than a little mortified by the appearance of this cadet on her bridge. She made the decision to intervene.

"Cadet, why dont you leave the bridge and come back in appropriate uniform standards." She said without moving her eyes fro the screen.

"And Mr. Galloway, chart the course and take us in." She ordered.

[Bridge]

Ian nodded and took theTempest off computer control and cracked his knuckles prior to taking manual control.

"Aye Admiral. Into the soup we go. I won't be doin' anything fancy, but it will get rougher than the inertia dampeners are likely ta handle. I suggest we go ta yellow alert and warn everyone ta hold onto summat or another."

To punctuate Ian's suggestion, the Tempest rocked as the ship entered the nebula. Nothing serious, but a possible harbinger of things to come.

[Jada]

Posting as Cadet s'Metra Nozama, Science

[Bridge]

"Ma'am would be the correct gender terminology, or Chief if you find that easier."  She told the Cadet once she was more relaxed, making her own attempt at levity.  "And despite what you have heard of Gorn, I will not eat you." She waved a claw at the place beside her, opting to still remain seated.  Seven and a half feet of Gorn (not counting the tail) could be a lot for a person to take in.  "You're just in time.  Please assist me in simplifying these scenario grids, we are collaborating with Mr. Galloway."

'Yes, ma'am. I'm, um, glad.' s'Metra acknowledged Naga. Although she'd intended the "sir" for the commander, she figured it better not to correct the fearsome science officer. Who could still well choose to eat her, whatever she said. She began to take a seat, curious about the mission. Something about looking for a lost ship? It sounded intriguing, but why? Maybe there was treasure on board...

She began looking over said scenario grids, marking different volumes of mapped space as nebula, planet, asteroids, star, open space, gravity well, as appropriate, enabling different sensor protocols and techniques to be applied in each to run scans more efficiently and accurately. It was a basic aspect of sensor work, but one the cadet took carefully, since she'd only just learned it. The nebula was too small and dense for an true nebula, which only noticeable on interstellar scales, but more of a micro-nebula, the type ships could hide in, or get lost in. Ironically, for their size. 'What sort of nebula is this, ma'am? Supernova remnant or HerbigÁ¢â,¬"œHaro object?' She didn't get to work on it long before the captain dismissed her.

"Cadet, why dont you leave the bridge and come back in appropriate uniform standards." She said without moving her eyes fro the screen.

s'Metra looked, torn, between Chief Naga and the XO, who'd asked her to stay, and the Captain, who'd asked her to leave. Ultimately, the captain overruled. 'Yes, captain.' She rose, and said to Naga 'Ma'am, I can continue my work in Stellar Cartography?' With Naga's leave, she slipped away at speed to the turbolift, where she wondered if and how she could murder Jada.

[Octavia Phae]

[Holodeck]

"Ooft!" That was the sound that escaped her mouth in a painful grunt as her back slammed onto the mat. She had been scooped up and slammed so many times now she lost track and her back was beginning to really hurt. Was this really how she wanted to spend her time off? Standing above her was a perfect simulation of Hulk Hogan at one time in history a name known to just about every household on Earth.
He was dressed in yellow trunks, boots, red knee pads, and a red bandana wrapped around his head. Written on that bandana was the phrase Hulkamania; Octavia had no idea what it meant only that it was related to this warriors persona somehow.
"We'll let me to you something!" He said excitedly. "It's just your first day once you've learned to take the bumps I can start teaching you some moves."
Octavia was half standing and half bent over with one had on a knee and the other hand on the small of her back. "I don't know Hulk when I asked the computer for a legendary and well known heroic fighting champion I didn't expect some giant tan guy in his underwear. And you know what? Maybe I'm just not cut out to be a fighter. Maybe I just don't have it in me" Hogan walked over to Phae and put his hand on her shoulder. "It's I like I told you all you have to do is follow the four Demandments of Hulkamania. Say your prayers, eat your vitamins, train, and most importantly believe in yourself." He said sincerely. Octavia rolled her eyes. "Right... And I'm done now. Computer end program." She then started to make her way to sickbay.

[Klizh]

[Bridge]

"We have all of the time we need, Commander." She picked up her coffee and took a sip. "Starfleet made it clear that this is our priority. We need to see if we can narrow the search grid. See if you can get K'Lizh and Naga to assist you in creating a more precise search grid. If we factor in natural phenomena we should be able to refine the grid." She said as she set her cup back down.

The turbolift doors opened and spat out a very anxious Caitian, tail and head seeming twice as thick as his fur kept trying to raise. It was taking all his willpower to keep from vibrating through the hull, and he seemed, not so much to walk, but teleport from place to place, as he manifested at the ops station and began feeding data from his PADD into the console, sending high-resolution telemetry from astrometrics into the science and navigation stations. "I'm inputting data from astrometrics," he informed the relevant members of the bridge crew, barely noticing the rumble of the ship as it entered the nebula. "We detected three anomalies that are very promising. The closest one is..." he glanced up and realized where the ship was, "Oh. Straight ahead, apparently."

He had a personal stake in this mission. The Darwin's science officer had been K'lizh's cousin. Lieutenant Commander C'rugh, who had left behind a wife, a co-husband, and two children. K'lizh remembered meeting him only once or twice as a child, but he had always been a hero to his pride, and probably one of his own inspirations for joining Starfleet. As soon as K'lizh had heard of this assignment, he had called his mother to inform her. As the clan matriarch, she had personally charged him with the somber but proud duty of bringing whatever remains or personal belongings that could be found home. It would mean a lot to his clan, and he had made no secret of this.

[Julia Rellek]

[Bridge]

Ian nodded and took theTempest off computer control and cracked his knuckles prior to taking manual control.

"Aye Admiral. Into the soup we go. I won't be doin' anything fancy, but it will get rougher than the inertia dampeners are likely ta handle. I suggest we go ta yellow alert and warn everyone ta hold onto summat or another."

To punctuate Ian's suggestion, the Tempest rocked as the ship entered the nebula. Nothing serious, but a possible harbinger of things to come.

[Bridge]

"Acknowledged. And Commander, I appreciate the acknowledgement of my new rank but Captain will suffice. Yellow alert." She ordered looking down the bridge from the science station. "Let me get Jada up here." Anytime the ship was under any kind of alert Julia alwasy felt safer with her security chief close by. "Bridge to Chief Jada, please report to the bridge." She ordered.

The turbolift doors opened and spat out a very anxious Caitian, tail and head seeming twice as thick as his fur kept trying to raise. It was taking all his willpower to keep from vibrating through the hull, and he seemed, not so much to walk, but teleport from place to place, as he manifested at the ops station and began feeding data from his PADD into the console, sending high-resolution telemetry from astrometrics into the science and navigation stations. "I'm inputting data from astrometrics," he informed the relevant members of the bridge crew, barely noticing the rumble of the ship as it entered the nebula. "We detected three anomalies that are very promising. The closest one is..." he glanced up and realized where the ship was, "Oh. Straight ahead, apparently."

He had a personal stake in this mission. The Darwin's science officer had been K'lizh's cousin. Lieutenant Commander C'rugh, who had left behind a wife, a co-husband, and two children. K'lizh remembered meeting him only once or twice as a child, but he had always been a hero to his pride, and probably one of his own inspirations for joining Starfleet. As soon as K'lizh had heard of this assignment, he had called his mother to inform her. As the clan matriarch, she had personally charged him with the somber but proud duty of bringing whatever remains or personal belongings that could be found home. It would mean a lot to his clan, and he had made no secret of this.

Julia was instantly alarmed by the announcement of an anomaly. "Report, Commander?" She asked.

[Jada]

[Deck 10, Forward, Mess Hall

Jada's attempt to welcome the taciturn Crewman Garlande was interrupted by the call from the Captain, and the yellow alert. Privately relieved she didn't have to play hostess after all, Jada tapped her combadge.  'Coming, captain.' she acknowledged, adding to Garlande 'Excuse me.' She left, eating the rest of her breakfast on the run.

[Bridge]

It wasn't long before Jada arrived on the bridge, finishing off a Kaferian apple. She dumped the core in a repli-bin and approached the Tactical station. 'Reporting for duty, Captain.' She excused Bex, who'd been doing a fine job holding down the fort, but Starfleet preferred its top people in charge during a serious situation, probably to ensure the right people took responsibility for general covering of arses in the event of catastrophe. Jada wasn't quite sure she was right people; she still felt her place was on the deck in Security. It hadn't been so long ago that Hawk had invited her to the Bridge and quizzed her on Tactical situations. Regardless, Jada felt confident being here now. From slave to teen soldier to Security grunt to the Tactical station of a starship; she hoped her family and clan could be proud.

'Shields energised, Security personnel on standby. Yellow-alert status achieved.' Jada confirmed, then familiarised herself with the mission profile and current sitrep. Uncharted nebula, last known location of a lost starship, over 20 standard years ago. Jada hoped no-one else was getting their hopes up.

[Solluk]

Counselor's Office

The tone of the Yellow Alert sounded, and Solluk lifted his chin like some animal in the wild, sensing a predator.  Then a slight tremor could be felt coming up from the deck.  It seemed that if the Counselor had any wisdom or advice for him, he'd have to collect it on another day.

"Pardon me, Doctor.  I should check on Engineering.  Perhaps you could send me an electronic message later with instructions about how best to dismiss these unwelcome attitudes."

Then he got up, exited the office, and headed back towards the other axis upon which his life had begun to turn.

[Klizh]

[Bridge]
Julia was instantly alarmed by the announcement of an anomaly. "Report, Commander?" She asked.

Detecting the alarmed tone in his CO's voice, K'lizh swiveled in his chair to face her. "By anomalies I as referring to metallurgical signatures I detected down in Stellar Cartography that could be the Darwin," he explained, somewhat apologetically. He had been so swept up in his work that it was entirely possible he had miscommunicated.