S1E9 The Bright Side of Life

[Lizzie Vaughan]

PO2 Rayek
[Lounge]

As Dr. Vaughan described her own experience, Rayek reached out to pick up his chai tea and took a sip, careful so as not to spill any on the child in his care, before setting it back on the table out of reach.

Rayek seemed almost as surprised by her offer of the cookie as he was of her offer to hold the baby.  "Thank you," he accepted the circular disc of food with his free hand and testingly took a small bite. He found the flavor somewhat bland compared to the bold spiciness most Romulan foods had but what flavor was there was sweet, and it dissolved easily in the mouth. "What is it?"

Then to continue the more personal conversation, Rayek delved deeper, "You mentioned your younger brother, but do you not have several siblings which are younger?  I recall at least 3 or 4 when researching you. You like me, are eldest are you not?"

Lounge

Lizzie looked at the biscuit that the Romulan was eating.

"That one is called a hob-nob. It's basically a sweet oat biscuit, though I prefer the chocolate coated ones." She replied, nibbling on her own. "As for my younger siblings, I have four. Two Sisters and two Brothers. And you're right, I am the eldest." She added.

She paused as she took another drink.

"My siblings and I, we're all so different and have ended up doing different things. The oldest of my Brothers is an Archaeologist with the Federation Archaeological service. The oldest of my Sisters is a diplomat stationed in the embassy on Andoria." She paused again, to finish her biscuit. "My youngest Sister is a maths and engineering prodigy, she works in a research lab on Earth. And my youngest Brother is a journalist with one of the smaller news networks." She finished.

[Rayek trLhoell]

PO2 Rayek
[Lounge]

Lounge

Lizzie looked at the biscuit that the Romulan was eating.

"That one is called a hob-nob. It's basically a sweet oat biscuit, though I prefer the chocolate coated ones." She replied, nibbling on her own. "As for my younger siblings, I have four. Two Sisters and two Brothers. And you're right, I am the eldest." She added.

She paused as she took another drink.

"My siblings and I, we're all so different and have ended up doing different things. The oldest of my Brothers is an Archaeologist with the Federation Archaeological service. The oldest of my Sisters is a diplomat stationed in the embassy on Andoria." She paused again, to finish her biscuit. "My youngest Sister is a maths and engineering prodigy, she works in a research lab on Earth. And my youngest Brother is a journalist with one of the smaller news networks." She finished.

Rayek listened in interest as Liz spoke about her family.  As she spoke, he finished up the hob-nob and washed it down with another swallow of tea.  He noted that Alys was nearly finished the apple juice in her bottle and so prepared, at least mentally for the child to start fussing.  He'd seen it often on public transports - that once the food was done the child only wanted to be held by their primary caretaker.

"Your family sounds very well rounded.  I hope while we were on Andoria you got the chance to visit with your sister" he commented.

Despite Liz's willingness to share personal familial details with him, Rayek didn't return the favor.  Not because he was trying to hide anything but what good would it do to speak of the dead?

[Lizzie Vaughan]

PO2 Rayek
[Lounge]

Rayek listened in interest as Liz spoke about her family.  As she spoke, he finished up the hob-nob and washed it down with another swallow of tea.  He noted that Alys was nearly finished the apple juice in her bottle and so prepared, at least mentally for the child to start fussing.  He'd seen it often on public transports - that once the food was done the child only wanted to be held by their primary caretaker.

"Your family sounds very well rounded.  I hope while we were on Andoria you got the chance to visit with your sister" he commented.

Despite Liz's willingness to share personal familial details with him, Rayek didn't return the favor.  Not because he was trying to hide anything but what good would it do to speak of the dead?

Lounge

Lizzie smiled but couldn't help notice that, like always, he said nothing. She she decided to try and get him to open up a little.

"What about your family then? You said you have siblings, what do they do for a living?" She asked.

[Rayek trLhoell]

PO2 Rayek
[Lounge]

Lounge

Lizzie smiled but couldn't help notice that, like always, he said nothing. She she decided to try and get him to open up a little.

"What about your family then? You said you have siblings, what do they do for a living?" She asked.

Rayek frowned, this was the problem with attempting to get to know others in person, it opened the doorway for personal questions, which due to circumstances he had to navigate carefully.

"I had siblings. I was informed they were on the homeworld when Hobus went nova, along with my mother."

Alys finished her bottle and began sucking air, so Rayek gently tugged the bottle free from her, which set him up perfectly to be in a position to hand her over due to squalling, but surprisingly the infant didn't cry.  She just continued to stare up at him wide-eyed.  Maybe it was the ears?  Her look was almost expectant.  He looked to Liz.  "What do I do with her now?"

[Lizzie Vaughan]

PO2 Rayek
[Lounge]

Rayek frowned, this was the problem with attempting to get to know others in person, it opened the doorway for personal questions, which due to circumstances he had to navigate carefully.

"I had siblings. I was informed they were on the homeworld when Hobus went nova, along with my mother."

Alys finished her bottle and began sucking air, so Rayek gently tugged the bottle free from her, which set him up perfectly to be in a position to hand her over due to squalling, but surprisingly the infant didn't cry.  She just continued to stare up at him wide-eyed.  Maybe it was the ears?  Her look was almost expectant.  He looked to Liz.  "What do I do with her now?"

Lounge

Lizzie blushed in embarrassment. She should have realised that at least some of his siblings had been caught when the Romulan system was destroyed. To cover it she took a towel from the bag and threw it over one shoulder.

"She needs burping." She replied. "I'd better do it as it can be messy." She added, taking Alys from Rayek and putting her on the shoulder that was covered with the towel. She then began to pat and rub the little girls back and was soon rewarded by several burps.

Thankfully there was no mess so she put the towel away and began to rock her Daughter. Soon the little girl's eyes were closed and she was clearly sleeping.

[Rayek trLhoell]

PO2 Rayek
[Lounge]

Lounge

Lizzie blushed in embarrassment. She should have realised that at least some of his siblings had been caught when the Romulan system was destroyed. To cover it she took a towel from the bag and threw it over one shoulder.

"She needs burping." She replied. "I'd better do it as it can be messy." She added, taking Alys from Rayek and putting her on the shoulder that was covered with the towel. She then began to pat and rub the little girls back and was soon rewarded by several burps.

Thankfully there was no mess so she put the towel away and began to rock her Daughter. Soon the little girl's eyes were closed and she was clearly sleeping.

Rayek was observant enough to note the embarrassed flush and lack of comment after his statement. He was grateful she didn't question further - like asking about his father or where Rayek was at the time when the sun went nova.  Those were questions he didn't think he could answer - not without lying; and Rayek found he would rather not have to lie.

He watched Dr. Vaughan as she 'burped' Alys and then rocked her to sleep.  "Is she normally this pleasant?" he asked quietly not wishing to wake the baby with a loud voice. His past experience with children usually involved them crying and fussing.  So he was curious as to the difference.  Was it the child itself that was calmer or the situation that it found itself in that made it calm?

[Lizzie Vaughan]

PO2 Rayek
[Lounge]

Rayek was observant enough to note the embarrassed flush and lack of comment after his statement. He was grateful she didn't question further - like asking about his father or where Rayek was at the time when the sun went nova.  Those were questions he didn't think he could answer - not without lying; and Rayek found he would rather not have to lie.

He watched Dr. Vaughan as she 'burped' Alys and then rocked her to sleep.  "Is she normally this pleasant?" he asked quietly not wishing to wake the baby with a loud voice. His past experience with children usually involved them crying and fussing.  So he was curious as to the difference.  Was it the child itself that was calmer or the situation that it found itself in that made it calm?

Lounge

Lizzie smiled and nodded.

"Generally yes she is." She replied. "She does however, have the attention span of a goldfish. She is never content doing one thing for very long. I think she is also going to be very smart and I hope the inquisitiveness she has shown lasts. However, when she is tired or bored, she can get very cranky. Thankfully that does not happen too often." She finished.

[Rayek trLhoell]

PO2 Rayek
[Lounge]

Lounge

Lizzie smiled and nodded.

"Generally yes she is." She replied. "She does however, have the attention span of a goldfish. She is never content doing one thing for very long. I think she is also going to be very smart and I hope the inquisitiveness she has shown lasts. However, when she is tired or bored, she can get very cranky. Thankfully that does not happen too often." She finished.

Rayek sipped at his chai and glanced about the room as she replied.   He looked at her a bit perplexed at the 'goldfish' reference, though he smiled as he got the sense that the comment was meant to be humorous and the implication that it was extremely short.  He would need to check on it's relevance a bit later.

"You are fortunate then that she is so even-tempered. I am told I was an absolute terror to my mother as an infant, demanding constant attention, and stirring up a ruckus when I didn't get my way." he offered up half-jokingly, then looked pensive a moment "I, of course, have no recollection of such though it seems I haven't changed much.  I still cause havoc wherever I go."

Rayek looked to his near empty tea and drained the last of it, realizing that now was probably a good time to take his leave.  "Thank you for the pleasant company, Dr. Vaughan; and thank you for introducing me to Alys." He stood up and gathered his empty cup to recycle it.  "I hope we can do this again, but I should be getting ready, my shift is up next and I need to prepare."

[Dylan Torngate]

Bridge

Bonnie had been sat silently on the bridge listening to the chatter between the XO and the ambassador when she was called by the commander. She stood up and looked towards Taylor, motioning her to take the main console and then making her way towards the commander. She nodded towards the commander and smiled, making sure she was given the ok to speak. Once he nodded back, she looked towards the view screen.

"Ambassador, my name is Doctor Bonnie Moors, I am the head of science aboard the ship. Would you like to tell us more about the situation and we'll see what we can do." She finished.

[As- Tholian Ambassador]

The Tholian on the viewscreen emitted several more screeches, which the computer translated into a very processed language. "Why is none of your concern. An experiment went wrong. As near as we can tell, in your terms, it would result in a massive Coronal Mass Ejection that we estimate will irradiate any exposed to a deadly degree. We require your assistance in the evacuation of our colony. Our ship has been ordered to escort you to the colony."

The creature on the screen looked around the room it was in, the atmosphere very different than what the Challenger had. "Our data reports you are an Excelsior class Starship. We will require you convert decks four through twelve, except for critical areas, to your "Class Y", or similar, immediately."

The deal was tricky for the Challenger. They would have, for the first time in recient memory for a starship, relatively unrestricted access to Tholian space, a break from the relentless patrol, and the ability to assist another species and race, which meant better relations with the Federation.

On the downside, they'd be leaving the border relatively unprotected, be sacrificing half the ship to what was literally called "Demon" planet atmosphere, and be going into a situation that could put the Challenger herself at risk. It was a gamble.

[Bridge]

Dylan walked onto the bridge, having been called up. "Report." he said, as he looked around and walked to the fore of the Bridge. He saw the screen. Tholians. It had to be the Tholians.

[Olivia Briggs]

[Deck 8 - Lounge]

Liv smiled at her friend before walking back over to the bar and placed the empty tray where it belonged underneath the counter. With everyone's orders out of the way for now and all of her main tasks completed, Liv decided to tackle the roster for the next week as she waited for Jeessa to show for her shift and drop off Elijah.

But first she had earned herself a drink, settling on one of the mixed fruit smoothies she always made up every morning and poured a large glass, putting the jug back into the cooler unit then placed it on the counter, picked up a PADD and sat down on one of the stools. That way she could still be seen and serve those who needed anything and began looking through those who would be available and arranged the shifts for both the Mess Hall and Lounge.

[Rayek trLhoell]

PO2 Rayek

[Deck 8 - Lounge]
With a dip of his head Rayek bid good day to Dr. Vaughan and another nod towards Mrs. Briggs as he passed her on the way out.

[Deck 17 - Enlisted Crew Quarters]
After leaving the Lounge, Rayek made his way back to his room to change into his uniform and take his afternoon dose of inhibitor.  There he also checked his PADD and reviewed the latest security detail updates and checked his mail. Lt Taray, in her wisdom following the time-loop incident, had separated Cleroux and Rayek, giving Cleroux mainly the duties of a Tactical Officer, and Rayek the responsibility of overseeing the day to day Security details.

Since the duty announcement went out just the other day, Rayek noted he had received numerous, non-urgent sick-leave requests from security crewmembers, to the point that Rayek suspected either a ship-wide epidemic of the Urodelan flu or a conscious effort on the crews part to make his work look bad.  And given that the Urodelan flu was not normally contractible by humans it made the epidemic option a less viable option.

'How stupid do they think I am?' Rayek grumbled as he replied to over 15 messages reminding each that they were required to provide a medical note by the end of shift or face reprimand and given that they were currently requesting it during a yellow-alert that reprimand could be a permanent mark against their record.  Within a minute of his message, 5 retracted their request. After 5 minutes, all but one were retracted - and that one he figured might actually have caught something.  The man's constitution was a wreck. How the man ever made it into Starfleet much less Security was a wonder to Rayek.

Rayek then reworked the next shifts schedule, adjusting duties to make up for the missing crewman and then sent out the schedule to the remaining staff an hour prior to their shift.

Then with an hour remaining before his own shift detail, which he humorously assigned at Engineering, Rayek left his quarters to check on the tail end of the current shift.  He'd start with Engineering just to check in with Lek.  The more Rayek considered the Ferengi's words, the more they made some small measure of sense; but the notion rankled Rayek that he might have to 'let go' his ideas of payback, if he hoped to ever fit in.

[Corridor Outside Engineering]
Soon he arrived outside Engineering, noting approvingly that at least two security crew had showed up for their shifts today.  They seemed to tense as he approached.  Likely thought he was down here to help Lek dump another warp core, Rayek mused and part of him might have been tempted to check that out if he hadn't taken his inhibitor earlier.

"Report," he requested as he stopped just outside of range of the door sensors.  The guards noted that nothing of significance had occurred other than the bridge's call to yellow alert.  Their expressions asked if he knew the reason for the alert.  Rayek shook his head slightly as he replied to the unspoken question. "We'll be informed of what we need to know, when we need to know it. Until then..." Rayek nodded to each. "Keep alert." he stated, and then moved to enter Engineering.

Both security crewmen frowned as he stepped towards the doors and for a moment Rayek though they were going to act to prevent his entry, that maybe Lt Taray had given them orders to keep him out of Engineering but they merely glanced at each other still frowning but shrugged and turned back to their standing watch.  Rayek didn't smirk or smile at their tired expressions - that would be him soon enough.  Security duty was so dull at times.

[Engineering] 
As he entered Engineering, Rayek glanced over the large room, noting the activity of the engineers.  He moved just past the door sensors to allow them to close behind him and waited by the entrance to be noticed. 

[Lizzie Vaughan]

Lounge

Lizzie was sitting relaxing as Rayek left to start his shift when a call came through.

Sickbay to Dr Vaughan. Sorry for disturbing you Doctor but we need you in Sickbay. We have over 20 security personnel reporting in sick with various flu like symptoms. We can find nothing wrong, but they all insist they feel unwell.

Lizzie groaned, this was all she needed!

Vaughan to Sickbay. I'm on my way. Let none leave until I arrive. Vaughan out.

Lizzie turned to Liv who was back behind the bar.

"I'm needed in Sickbay so I'm going to need to take you up on your offer to look after Alys. I'll give Alex Munroe a call and she'll be down to collect her as soon as she can." She said as she handed the little girl to the woman. "Her changing bag is  on the table. Be good sweetheart." She said finally, giving her Daughter a kiss on the forehead.

Taking one more look to make sure her daughter was safe, she left the lounge and headed to Sickbay, sending a message to Alex to go to the lounge and pick up Alys ASAP.

Sickbay

Lizzie walked into Sickbay and saw absolute pandemonium. She went into the middle of the room, put two fingers in her mouth and whistled loundly. This caused everyone to look at her.

"Right, quiet down all of you!" She said loudly.

Seconds later, everyone was silent.

"Right. What has brought this on?" She asked

She took a tricorder from the shelf and scanned the nearest crewman. Finding nothing wrong, she went onto the next one and then the next, finding no symptoms. She then glared at the whole group.

"There is nothing wrong with any of you. Now you can either explain it, or continue the lie. If you continue, I will be forced to report this to your supervisor and the XO. If you explain it, I might be persuaded to overlook this incident! Well?"

There was silence.

Lizzie frowned, this was serious. She looked again at the nearest crewman.

"Who is your supervisor?" She asked.

"Petty Officer Rayek." The man replied sullenly.

Lizzie gave a sigh before tapping her com-badge.

Vaughan to Rayek. Please can you report to Sickbay as I have a number of your security personnel who have attempted to report sick when they are not actually ill. I will be informing the XO too. Vaughan out!=/\=

Lizzie closed the channel and opened up another.

=/\=Vaughan to Commander Briggs. Please report to Sickbay as we have a 20 or so Security personnel who have attempted to report sick when there is nothing wrong with them. I have already summoned their supervisor.

[Rayek trLhoell]

PO2 Rayek

Sickbay

Lizzie walked into Sickbay and saw absolute pandemonium. She went into the middle of the room, put two fingers in her mouth and whistled loundly. This caused everyone to look at her.

"Right, quiet down all of you!" She said loudly.

Seconds later, everyone was silent.

"Right. What has brought this on?" She asked

She took a tricorder from the shelf and scanned the nearest crewman. Finding nothing wrong, she went onto the next one and then the next, finding no symptoms. She then glared at the whole group.

"There is nothing wrong with any of you. Now you can either explain it, or continue the lie. If you continue, I will be forced to report this to your supervisor and the XO. If you explain it, I might be persuaded to overlook this incident! Well?"

There was silence.

Lizzie frowned, this was serious. She looked again at the nearest crewman.

"Who is your supervisor?" She asked.

"Petty Officer Rayek." The man replied sullenly.

Lizzie gave a sigh before tapping her com-badge.

Vaughan to Rayek. Please can you report to Sickbay as I have a number of your security personnel who have attempted to report sick when they are not actually ill. I will be informing the XO too. Vaughan out!=/\=

Lizzie closed the channel and opened up another.

=/\=Vaughan to Commander Briggs. Please report to Sickbay as we have a 20 or so Security personnel who have attempted to report sick when there is nothing wrong with them. I have already summoned their supervisor.

[Engineering]

Rayek would have face-palmed, if he'd known such an action existed. As it was he let out a slow sigh.  The doctor was upset, he could tell by just her tone of voice and the fact that she didn't even let him acknowledge her call before cutting the connection.

He turned about and exited engineering without actually speaking to anyone.  He'd be back later - hopefully he had time then to speak to Lek.  He made his way up to Sickbay.

[Sickbay]

In Sickbay, Rayek found well over half of his enlisted Security staff loitering about, some whose names he recognized as having retracted their sick-leave request.  Evidently, they'd changed their mind - yet again.  "Fall in!" He called out loudly to be heard over the general chatter of the room, trying to attain some semblance of order amidst the chaos.  To their credit, it took less than a minute for the security crewmen to gather into neat organized rows in the cramped space Sickbay provided.

Rayek stalked up to the 'front' of the group and eyed them briefly with a scowl but refrained from dressing them down in front of the whole of the medical staff, instead he tempered his expression and turned to the doctor.

"My apologies, Dr. Vaughan. It seems my crewmen have wasted your staff's time in an attempt to show some resistance to recent changes in Security supervisory roles.  I assure you this WON'T happen again." As he stressed the word 'won't' he glanced over towards the group meaningfully.

Most looked away.  One of the newer crewmen however, a simple-minded fellow who had transferred in just shortly after Rayek had, offered up a quiet, "Some of us tried to leave after we got your message... The medical staff said they had orders to keep us here."

Rayek quirked an eyebrow at that before he turned on the hapless man. "The fact that you changed your mind about lying AFTER getting caught is not going to win you any reprieve from reprimand, Crewman."

He paused a moment hesitant to air their issues in such a public manner but there would not likely be a more meaningful time to say his piece.  "From this moment on," Rayek looked over the group addressing each and everyone, "if you have an issue with me as your supervisor, you have one of two options; you can put your issue aside and act like the Starfleet member you are supposed to be, or you can put in your transfer papers and I'll be sure Command sends you to the worst ship in the fleet. The highlight of your career will be doing passport checks on interplanetary garbage scows.  Is that understood?" he asked.

"Yessir!" came the unhappy but unanimous response.

"Good. Consider this is your one and only warning on the subject. I'll speak with each of you individually later to discuss reparations you owe Dr. Vaughan and her staff for wasting their time. Dismissed!"

[Olivia Briggs]

Lounge

Lizzie turned to Liv who was back behind the bar.

"I'm needed in Sickbay so I'm going to need to take you up on your offer to look after Alys. I'll give Alex Munroe a call and she'll be down to collect her as soon as she can." She said as she handed the little girl to the woman. "Her changing bag is  on the table. Be good sweetheart." She said finally, giving her Daughter a kiss on the forehead.

Taking one more look to make sure her daughter was safe, she left the lounge and headed to Sickbay, sending a message to Alex to go to the lounge and pick up Alys ASAP.

[Deck 8 - Lounge]

Liv looked up from the PADD as Lizzie spoke to her about having to go to Sickbay and taking her up on her offer of watching Alys until Alex could come collect the little one. " Sure no problem and she'll be fine here with me until she does" Liv replied with a smile accepting Alys from Lizzie before she left the Lounge for Sickbay.

With the little girl in her arms and cooing happily, Liv smiled as she got up from the stool and moved over to where Lizzie had been sat so she had easy access to Alys's changing bag and after taking some toys out handed them to Alys who began to play with them and occasionally banged them on the table.

[Lizzie Vaughan]

PO2 Rayek

[Engineering]

Rayek would have face-palmed, if he'd known such an action existed. As it was he let out a slow sigh.  The doctor was upset, he could tell by just her tone of voice and the fact that she didn't even let him acknowledge her call before cutting the connection.

He turned about and exited engineering without actually speaking to anyone.  He'd be back later - hopefully he had time then to speak to Lek.  He made his way up to Sickbay.

[Sickbay]

In Sickbay, Rayek found well over half of his enlisted Security staff loitering about, some whose names he recognized as having retracted their sick-leave request.  Evidently, they'd changed their mind - yet again.  "Fall in!" He called out loudly to be heard over the general chatter of the room, trying to attain some semblance of order amidst the chaos.  To their credit, it took less than a minute for the security crewmen to gather into neat organized rows in the cramped space Sickbay provided.

Rayek stalked up to the 'front' of the group and eyed them briefly with a scowl but refrained from dressing them down in front of the whole of the medical staff, instead he tempered his expression and turned to the doctor.

"My apologies, Dr. Vaughan. It seems my crewmen have wasted your staff's time in an attempt to show some resistance to recent changes in Security supervisory roles.  I assure you this WON'T happen again." As he stressed the word 'won't' he glanced over towards the group meaningfully.

Most looked away.  One of the newer crewmen however, a simple-minded fellow who had transferred in just shortly after Rayek had, offered up a quiet, "Some of us tried to leave after we got your message... The medical staff said they had orders to keep us here."

Rayek quirked an eyebrow at that before he turned on the hapless man. "The fact that you changed your mind about lying AFTER getting caught is not going to win you any reprieve from reprimand, Crewman."

He paused a moment hesitant to air their issues in such a public manner but there would not likely be a more meaningful time to say his piece.  "From this moment on," Rayek looked over the group addressing each and everyone, "if you have an issue with me as your supervisor, you have one of two options; you can put your issue aside and act like the Starfleet member you are supposed to be, or you can put in your transfer papers and I'll be sure Command sends you to the worst ship in the fleet. The highlight of your career will be doing passport checks on interplanetary garbage scows.  Is that understood?" he asked.

"Yessir!" came the unhappy but unanimous response.

"Good. Consider this is your one and only warning on the subject. I'll speak with each of you individually later to discuss reparations you owe Dr. Vaughan and her staff for wasting their time. Dismissed!"

Sickbay

As Soon as Rayek Ddismissed the crewmenr she held up her hand.

"Hold it, no-one is going anywhere until the XO has had chance to review the matter. Please remain here until we hear from him." She ordered crisply before turning to Rayek.

"Do you need any of them right away?" She asked.