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Post by Einar on Aug 19, 2017 9:54:32 GMT
loved that!
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Post by Shawna on Aug 30, 2017 23:03:47 GMT
Stardate 10610.03
"I don't want to hear it."
"Raqiin--"
"I don't! want! to hear it!"
Zidan ch'Vhinnoth threw his hands in the air. "It's the truth, whether you like it or not. If you're not going to bother coming with me and using your gift for the good of everyone around--"
"I am so sick of you using that word," Raqiin groused, fists balled, stalks jutted dangerously forward. "A gift, like I'm something special, like there aren't whole races of empaths, like half of my parents aren't telepaths, like I'm not some kind of weird halfbreed with half the use. Like I'm something to be used, Zidan! That's what you're talking about me like!"
"You're not a thing, I just--I want you to be with me, and I think you're squandering your talents being here. We could be doing so much more together, and there's nothing here for you."
"I'm not going with you."
"You're making a mistake."
"You have all these ideas and half-baked plans, but you're being reckless, Zi. And maybe I don't want what you want, ever think of that?"
His hurt was palpable. "But...I thought that's what we agreed on... A future together, out among the stars, making new discoveries..."
"You're starting to sound like those humans in Starfleet."
"No, no, that's not what I..." He shook his head, resolve steeling. "I can't wait for you, Raqiin. I've already got a flight out, I just...need to know if I need to get another seat. For you. And we can go anywhere. Do anything. We're special; you're special, don't you see that? You're not wrong about that. Not just your ability, but your mind and your spirit, there's no one else in the universe like you. You can go do great things so long as you don't smother it by staying on this damned rock."
"This damned rock is my home!" She pointed accusingly at him. "And you're not telling me the whole truth here, Zi, I know you're not. I'm a walking lie detector, remember? Of course you think I'm special; you think I'm some gifted freak you can use to your advantage."
"That's not true. It's not! You're just being blinded by your own bullheaded anger to interpret whatever you think you're feeling the right way. And you'll get better with time, and around other people!"
"If you say 'gift' one more time--"
He reached for her hands. "Come with me, Raqiin. We'll make a better life. We don't have to stay here. We'll do something with ourselves. Carve our names into the stars."
She pulled back. "Now who's the one making a mistake? Get out of here if you want to leave so badly, but I'm not going."
"Raqiin--"
"Have fun with the rest of your life, ch'Vhinnoth! Because I won't be part of it." She turned and stormed off a few steps before breaking into a run just in case he tried to follow. Their relationship had been getting strained for months, hurtling toward a breaking point, and with time...with time she figured she'd just write it off as a stupid young love that didn't work out. But in the moment, she felt betrayed. It was the last she saw of him before he left to parts unknown. Until he arrived on the Chiron as part of a science team.
In the end, they both made something of themselves. She just didn't think she'd ever get to know about it.
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Post by Nola on Aug 31, 2017 2:45:44 GMT
That wasn't anxiety-inducing or anything... Nicely done, Shawna. The next six months are going to be weird
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Post by Einar on Aug 31, 2017 20:40:52 GMT
yikes
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Post by Shawna on Aug 31, 2017 21:51:18 GMT
Ah, young love...
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Post by Shawna on Oct 4, 2017 18:47:05 GMT
Stardate 11710.05 w/ CJ as Sara Sumner
It wasn't that Raqiin wanted to ignore the emotional turmoil and desperate outburst spilling from her captain. But with a life of dealing with emotion, she knew to set it aside and take control of the bridge. Even if every time she was left with the big decisions, she was terrified. Hamlet's optimism certainly went a long way, but she still felt like she was getting her space legs with the official position of XO. And that meant doing what she did now. Giving orders while the captain was otherwise indisposed.
"Rebecca, Hamlet, keep trying to find a workaround for the signal. We've been bought some time, but I don't want to cut this any closer if we have to. Navigation, stay on course; no sense in slowing down now unless we want to invite another boarding party. I want updates from Dr. Onishi and her team as they come. Hamlet, you have the bridge."
And so, too, was it not unusual to give orders, but even when she headed the science department along, she treated them all like equals, only giving orders when she needed to. Sometimes her anger got the better of her, the Andorian in her rearing its blue head. And even on the Bremen, she'd had to be in charge of the bridge from time to time. But as always...this is different. But she can't show how acutely stressful it was on the bridge, and she couldn't show it now, striding into the ready room to an unmuted wave of anxiety, distress, despair, hopeless anger. She nearly reeled back from the intensity of it, but if she learned anything in growing up with empathy and in her psychology classes, it was keeping herself as steady as she could in the face of rocking emotion.
Sara wasn't immediately visible, but it wasn't hard to find her. She was tucked away behind her desk, sitting in the corner with a fist balled in her hair and loosing the occasional sob.
Deep breath, then. "I'll get Evans to dismiss you, if you need it. You can't be on the bridge."
"No shit," was the terse reply. The hand in her hair fell to her lap, and she huffed, struggling to pull out of this spiral.
"Sorry," she meekly added. "I think that would be best."
Raqiin didn't want to crowd her, and given how informal Sara was and how informal this entire situation with her would be, she opted to sit on the desk. Out of immediate reach, still in view.
"You haven't been dealing well ever since we got here," she noted, just to get that bit of obviousness out of the way. "You've been able to push it back when you need to, but this is...the last straw to it. I'd say you need to be with him, but it won't do much good haunting sickbay while he's in stasis. So be with your child. She absolutely needs you. Once you've...gotten the worst of it out."
Sara felt a flash of rage, white-hot and consuming. She clenched her jaw and locked eyes on Raqiin, pushing herself to her feet and stalking towards her desk. Inside, a score of alarms sounded in her mind, and a conflagration ensued, one of those internal clashes that was both interminable and instant.
How dare she? Of course she hadn't been taking it well! Maybe if Raqiin had people she actually gave a shit about, she'd know how it feels. And it's HER FAULT we're here anyway!
Hey, you're the one floundering here! She's doing her fucking job, the one YOU picked her to do! It was YOUR decision to have a family, it was YOUR decision to bring them aboard, and holding her responsible for the Cardassians being assholes is bullshit, and you know it!
Sara clenched and released her hands, exerting all her will to bring herself back from the edge, to keep her from saying or doing something she would absolutely regret. She tore her eyes from Raqiin and sat in her chair, closing her eyes and breathing carefully.
"I will report my unfit state to Doctor Evans," she said in a high-controlled voice. "Until such time as I am deemed fit to return to duty, the Chiron is yours. Have Lieutenant Terell note the time and date in the ship's log."
Raqiin met the fury as steadily, as calmly as she could. That it's against her put her ill at ease, but a fight was the last thing either of them needed right now. The last thing the crew needed.
But it meant that she'd be in control. Of not only the lives of the crew, but the awaiting Hirogen refugees. She suspected they had, in the end, differing views on the situation. Much as she'd love to help them, they cannot. (In by doing nothing, they might come to harm. But in doing something, they all might. Vulcans had this so much easier...)
She breathed out slowly, pushing the worries aside. At least until she could properly express it herself. A nod of acknowledgement at the order. They'd make it official once they were done here. For the moment: "Onishi and her team are making preparations to allow us to go in and out of underspace. She's as sure as she can be under the circumstances. We'll work on the signal, but I think getting us in underspace and out of the sector is going to be the best choice. For us and for him."
Sara opened her mouth to speak, her lips trembling for a moment as tears threatened to spill anew. She hid her face in her hands for a moment, a symbolic gesture as her expression, save the tear-stained cheeks and moist eyes, was back to something close to professional.
"I have faith in you, Raqiin," she finally managed. "Absolute faith. The ship is in good hands, just... all you have to do is believe it."
She still didn't look at her First Officer, and she wasn't sure if it was because she was embarrassed, or cross with her, or some combination of the two.
"I appreciate the sentiment, ma'am, but I think belief in myself is just going to have to wait a while. It's the crew I have faith in. If I screw up, they'll have my back. If I don't know what I can do, they'll give me options. And when you need to step back, we'll be here to support you and get the job done."
Raqiin averted her eyes from her captain, her own way of giving space without moving. None of the situation was easy, for any of them. And it was tiring to have to try and reel herself back from how expressive she used to be (around Griffiths, around Henry, around Tony), to try and temper the vibrant and explosive Sumner personality. She's not a damn counselor, so why did it always feel like every other conversation was turning into counseling?
But she could focus until she ran herself into the ground if need be. All of them could. Only one of them had a family in dire need right now. Raqiin extended a pale hand, an offer for comforting touch without hopping off the desk and pulling her into a hug that might not be welcome. "Sara. Nobody's going to think less of you. He's your husband. The Hirogen boarders have done nothing but harass him. We're too close to Borg skirmishes for anyone's liking. And now he's caught in the crossfire. It's okay. It's okay to do this. You just can't do it on the bridge, that's all."
Sara lowered her head and put her hand on Raqiin's, closing her eyes as the storm passed, at least for the moment. What was done was done - she would be relieved, and it would be for the best. Her First Officer had been right about a number of things, including the fact that Ulani needed her. She accepted that she needed to let go of command, if only for a little while. With that said, she had one last piece of advice for her friend.
"You have to believe in yourself," she said. "Not just for you, Raqiin, but for the crew. Their safety and security depends on your ability to be decisive. You have that in you. That's why you came in here. That's why I named you XO. You've earned that chair. For everyone's sake, believe it."
Despite time spent as XO, Raqiin still had her doubts. It'd be one thing if they were still where they were supposed to be, if it wasn't a time of war, if they weren't under a time crunch, but things never turn out that way for this crew. Not on the Bremen, not on the Chiron. Not anywhere they go. Command skills might need her to make decisions she can't make. She might falter and hesitate when she needs to be decisive the most.
She passed her hand over her eyes for a long moment, breathing, deep in, deep out. Centered. As much as she could be. It's her job to succeed where her captain might fail, and if Sara had that much confidence in her, misguided or not, then she had to prove her right.
"Okay. We'll get Evans to do this officially, Terell to mark it down for the log. You go hug your daughter when you aren't collapsing in on yourself. We're going to fix this. And we're going home."
Sara lowered her head and nodded meekly, feeling a distinct sense of failure. She could rationalize all she wanted, but her feelings were under no obligation to comply, which was exactly why this was the right choice to make.
"Let's do it, then."
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Post by Einar on Oct 5, 2017 9:15:51 GMT
amazing writing guys. Really touching upon topics Star Trek never has before. I love it.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Oct 5, 2017 13:08:20 GMT
Excellent log. I love how you are all finding stuff from the mission situations for character growth. More, please!
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Post by Shawna on Oct 26, 2017 17:35:50 GMT
Stardate 11710.26 w/ Andrew Rice as Hamlet
The bridge was abuzz with excitement that, they may all be returning to the Alpha Quadrant soon. Hamlet and Onishi had chosen a spot to test the "underspace drive", and while they didn't want to get theirs or anyone else's hopes up; it was impossible to not feel good about they were doing. Yet, as the Hirogen female crossed the bridge to the turbolift, with a look of disappointment on her face, he could feel his excitement sour somewhat. He took the brief lull in activity as an opportunity to update the Commander, sensing that she may also have a look of disappointment on her face. He walked up to the ready room door and rang the bell, waiting for a response.
Raqiin rubbed between her antennae, already starting to feel the tension starting to build. That...did not go well, but it went about as expected. She sat up straighter at the sound of the tone, hoping Tyna wasn't coming back for seconds. "Come."
Hamlet stepped through the door, throwing her a warm, calming smile; one that may be considered unusual for a Klingon. "Commander..." He sighed, before correcting himself. "Captain." He looked back to the door, then back to her. "Expecting someone else?"
"No, I just wish that talk with Tyna had gone better." It was strange, hearing anyone call her 'captain', even if that was technically her position for the moment. The temporary moment. The sooner they left, the better. "We'll be making a quick pitstop before we give this test a go, but I'm sure you and the doctor are as ready as you can be."
He nodded. "We are. We've chosen a nice little B-type star to use as cover. Little of course being relative." He smiled again and took a seat opposite her, cupping his hand in a professorly manner. "How are you doing through all of this? I take it the Hirogen will not be joining us."
Raqiin gave a small smile in return, however brief, with a shake of her head. "Your concern is touching, Hamlet, really, but I've got this." Like Sara said. Raqiin has to be confident, fully. When this was all over, they would just have to hopefully take a week, decompress maybe... (Fat chance of that with the war, isn't it?) "Sadly, no, none of the Hirogen, nor their representatives, are going with us. We'll drop her and her entourage off and then go to the star."
"I understand." He soften his hands, but remained genial. "This mission has had a few... twist and turns.... let's say. They've affected all of us, to varying degrees." His tone sombred, as his mind wandered, thinking on those degrees. "But, you're right."He lightened up again. "You have got this. You were already First Officer, which means the Captain is confident of you; the crew know and respect you, which means they are already confident in you."
Hamlet did have the habit to waffle on, no doubt picked up from Ilaihr; the thought of which made him chuckle, considering sh'Hruvek was exactly the same species. "I'm still new here, and I haven't fully assimilated into the crew yet, to become part of the woodwork." He mentally and visably chastised himself at his poor choice of words, considering the circumstances, before forging on. "I'm confident in you ma'am. And us scientists have gotta stick together..." He winked, trying to divert from his previous sentence.
"Its a shame about our guests... but perhaps, not all is lost."
"I've taken more than a passing glance at your file, Hamlet." The topic of science was always a welcome one. "You're more than suited to the job...and this crew. You're unconventional, and so is the captain. Even I've been known to do the unconventional every once in a great while. I do miss my science station, but there's nothing wrong with branching out."
Although his leaving her hanging piqued her interest, her stalks perking up with curiosity. "I'm all for a little hope if that's what you're about to dish out."
She made him feel even more confident in her, as she also gave him a sense of place here on the Chiron. "Thank you, Captain." He smiled, even though there was still one thing missing for him to call it home, he felt ready to call it that when it came.
He leaned in, being professorly again with his hands and tone of voice. "There is one bastion of the Federation, beside us, here in the Delta Quadrant."
"Would it be enough to give aid to these people?" She couldn't hide the skepticism, of course, but anything was always better than nothing at all.
"The Talaxians, ma'am." He cleared his throat to clarify. "When we got here, I, and probably every other bugger read up on what's known of the region. The Voyager left a member of their crew to act as a Federation ambassador to the Delta Quadrant." He became detectably excited. "We have the coordinates, and it's somewhere the Midas array, back in the Alpha Quadrant can contact."
"It's not much, but... it was a thought." He added.
"An ambassador...it's a start. It's something. More than we had before. We can let our guests know that there's a potential ally they can contact, and when we're back home, when we get the chance to explain the situation, then...it can start getting sorted out." She relaxed back in her seat, blowing out a huff of air. "Okay. Good. Good, thank you, that's just the sort of offer we needed."
"I'm not just a pretty face." He chuckled. "I'm just glad I can be helpful." Noting her relax, he could see his work was done. "I will leave that to you then, ma'am. I'm sure the Doctor and I still have things to meticulously go over some more."
"We still have a lot to do even if this does work and if we do get home, but you're constantly bringing us a step in the right direction. You'll fit in just fine, Lieutenant. All right," she said with a little wave of her hand, "if that's everything, I'll be out in another few minutes and get us where we need going. Hopefully at the end of this all, you can affix your name to whatever future research papers Dr. Onishi will write on underspace travel in the future."
"I hadn't really thought of that... but they can go with and maybe one day help understand some of the Tkon stuff I've been working on." He gave sh'Hruvek a final smile, before getting up and making his way back to his station on the bridge, leaving her to the contemplative silence of a Captain's ready room.
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Post by aoibheni on Nov 5, 2017 19:10:35 GMT
oooh, underspace... I'm intrigued.
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Post by Shawna on Jan 19, 2018 23:20:37 GMT
Stardate 11712.25 (one month and change after the official statement on the status of the USS Chiron)
Chavrintushik infrequently made trips to the primarily Aenar inhabited underground city in the north where her daughter had spent several of her first years of life growing up. She had nothing personally against Thrit or Alaneb, of course; she was in a bondgroup with them after all, and in her own ways, she loved them dearly. But they had all been such different people with different ways of seeing the world. But Tushik had always considered Shelhabathi to be the glue that held them all together. After his passing...
Things had changed. Whether it was her stubborn pride or her insecurities and fear, or Thrit's insufferable and inconsolable grief that permeated everything--perhaps it was all of it and more. And she'd taken their sensitive but entirely too curious daughter with her farther south. Seen to her care, her eyes, her education, and only when she was older did Tushik allow her to travel and visit her other parents. Oh, they talked plenty, but physical visits were rare.
And these days, even the talking had died down. Unless it had to do with Raqiin.
News always reached Tushik first, the ancestral homeland of the Aenar a bit out of reach for immediate information, though surely by now they had been told or at least read the news. It didn't matter. She was on her way. Her eyes brushed over the well-preserved ice architecture and sculpting that dotted the city, more modern than in the days of old, but still very much old in its own right, a historical site. It was beautiful, graceful, and it was a shame she didn't take more time to appreciate the city for what it was. Or to appreciate the people who lived there.
Her skin of much darker blue than the Aenar around her made her stand out, but then, the Aenar wouldn't know, would they? Not with their inherent biological blindness. Her feet still knew the way to go even after all this time, and she swore she could feel Habathi's presence beside her.
But with a shake of her head, she banished the feeling, knocking on the door and letting herself inside.
Thrit was at least not shaking the very walls with his cries, though he sat like a small and fragile doll in the living area. He raised his head toward her, stalks skewed with concern, bordering on grief. There was a brush of voice against her mind, the suggestion of a word (the suggestion of a name) before he caught himself and cleared his throat. Whether his words were rough from emotion or disuse, she couldn't say.
"You think it's true."
He did not aim to hurt, and yet it stung like an accusation.
"And good afternoon to you, too, th'se."
Mildly chastised for his impoliteness, Thrit hung his head again. Cleared his throat again. "I don't find this afternoon to be particularly good." It wasn't just the news that weighed on him, Tushik knew. His health had begun to deteriorate over the past few years, though with treatment he should still have several more in him. If not even more than that. But these kind of emotional blows weren't going to do him any good.
"Don't mind him." Alaneb sounded much less rough, and she even wore a smile, however small and pitiable, when she drifted into the room. "He's still recovering from this morning's treatment."
"I'm sorry, I know I should have given you more warning--"
Alaneb stepped into Tushik's space and embraced her. Though Tushik froze, she eventually brought an arm around the slighter woman. Physical affection had always come to her with difficulty, though she liked to think she had softened over the years. "You are always welcome here, zh'yi. We are a family no matter how many kilometers or lightyears separate us."
Tushik kept up her stern facade, though it wouldn't do much for the blind telepaths who knew her inside and out without even having to read her mind. "I was worried how you might take it. ...And I was worried in a more general sense." She gave Alaneb one last pat and pulled away, tension keeping her from sitting but not wanting to rudely pace around. "'Missing' could mean a lot of things."
They hadn't taken the news of Habathi's passing during the Dominion War well, but they had also known he was dead. Not missing in action. It didn't sit well with her, and it didn't sit well that it had taken so long to get word to them. Starfleet was certainly busy, but...
"And she's been missing before. I have faith she'll return to us."
"It's been--" she struggled with the words for a moment, still reeling, still emotional "--two months, Alaneb. A few days, a few weeks, that's one thing, and you're right. She's come back every time. But this is something else."
"Is it?"
Thrit brought his hands up to place them on the table, like he didn't know what to do with them. "There is nothing to do but sit and wait. As you said, every time. What Admiral Walker says means nothing until they find her or they do not." At last, he rose from the table with a mild groan. "But you have come all this way to see us. Sit, we'll make you something."
"That's not nec--"
"Tushik, please." Alaneb kept her volume in check, but her tone was bordering on hostile. At least for an Aenar. "We gave each other time to consider this, now we can do so as a family. For once."
Tushik's anger had never waned in intensity, but she had learned to keep it tamped down instead of flying off the handle. Alaneb meant well, had always meant well, and there was no point in taking some kind of philosophical or emotional stand over being treated as a bondmate and a guest. She sighed at herself more than anything and nodded, moving to sit at the table. Thrit's shoulders relaxed and seemed happy to have something to occupy himself. "There's talk of a lawsuit. Other families who thought due diligence was neglected. I don't think it'll go anywhere. A month seems enough time to wait before saying anything--some of the missions these ships go out on last weeks or months or longer. How short are they supposed to wait before they jump to declaring a ship missing? If they had waited until now, yes, I would be furious, but..." She trailed off with another sigh, one borne of frustration.
Alaneb laid a hand on hers. "It's not about the length of time or even how we found out. It's that they weren't going to tell the public at all. Admiral Walker made that statement, you remember, about how unacceptable it was that they bungled telling the families. But it was also his deliberate choice not to make the information known to everyone, to keep proper tabs. Unless they're on some highly classified mission, shouldn't that be public knowledge at all times?"
"You're too understanding sometimes, Alaneb." Tushik didn't say it like an insult. "You know how I am. I want to be angry about this. I want to be upset about it like Thrit." The Aenar in question made a humming noise at his name. "I'm trying not to, for your sake. And mine. And hers."
"She'll come back to us, one way or another."
Thrit set down some glassware with a particular strength, or perhaps he had been just shy of dropping the glasses. He said nothing, but Tushik could read his thoughts as easily as if she were a telepath and spoke the unspoken aloud. "It's the 'another' that worries me."
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Post by Nola on Jan 20, 2018 0:02:17 GMT
This was wonderful, Shawna. You have such a strong grasp of familial complication, and the way you arranged all the parts immerses me in the tension. Lovely, as always
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Post by Shawna on Feb 22, 2018 18:31:45 GMT
Stardate 11802.15 w/ CJ Short as Sara Sumner
Raqiin stayed in the ready room for about ten minutes breathing after she and Lieutenant Davaru had settled that a trial could be postponed until after they were at least back in Federation space. While they were, of course, fully equipped to handle situations like that on long missions, they could both understand that this was hardly the ideal time. And it would give them all time to figure out how to go about it. She'd have to speak to Hamlet with his former JAG experience, and newly-promoted Evans to see how this slipped through the cracks, and then...Tallush. The postpone would at least help her get put into the right mindset, rather than immediately face it after being partially indirectly responsible for the death.
Davaru's grief and anger was still palpable, practically on her tongue--and the worst part was that, with the information as she knew it at the moment, he was fully justified. But even more than that, now that they could see stars again, she had to figure out where to go. Turei space was the best bet, and so long as Mac (or Oleg; Mac wasn't doing as well as she wanted to let on) gave the okay for pushing warp higher than five, they could cut down the time to get there. And there were other options to consider. People to contact. Courses that could divert.
She had relied on Hamlet enough--or, perhaps, Hamlet had pushed into her space to offer counsel enough times. He'd be needed for something else, though his opinions were invaluable. After doing a quick debrief with him and Terell on the options, she excused herself again. There was someone she desperately needed to visit.
Which was how she found herself at Sara's door, hitting the chime. She hoped she wasn't interrupting valuable family time, but...she felt so in over her head. If there was one person who could understand that...
Sara jumped as the chime sounded, startled awake by the insistent noise. She'd fallen asleep reading one of Thalev's books, some absurdist Russian novel by an author whose name she couldn't pronounce. Ulani was staying over at a friend's, and Thalev was resting, so she'd curled up with a drink and a book and drifted off at some point.
With a glance to the chronometer, she rolled off the couch with a groan to answer the door.
"Oh-ey," she said through a yawn, bringing up the back of her hand too late.
"Hi." Raqiin couldn't manage the stoicism--the attempt at stoicism--that she knew she was going to have to show everyone else. That in this capacity, at least, she didn't have to put on the show of captain. "Is this a bad time? ...Because if I'm honest, I don't care if it is, because--can I come in? Please? I need...help."
Sara stepped aside and motioned for Raqiin to enter without hesitation. She tossed the book gently onto Thalev's desk before shuffling over to the replicator.
"Rum and cola," she bids, before glancing over her shoulder. "Want anything?"
"Only stuff I shouldn't have on duty." Raqiin meandered in and almost immediately collapsed in the nearest chair. "It's a mess. This is a mess right now. I'm pretty sure I'm going to ruin everything. You're gonna take the big seat back and just go 'what did you DO?' And I won't have a good answer for it, and. Whew."
Sara returned with her drink, and a steaming mug of cocoa for Raqiin, just in case she changed her mind. She resumed her perch on the couch, twirling her glass as her friend ruminated.
"So, are you gonna tell me what happened, or...?" she asked, taking a sip of her drink.
"...Well, we can see stars out the window now, so that's about the best thing I can say. It doesn't seem like we're specifically in anyone's particular claimed space. I think we're just going to book it for Turei space. And we could probably either talk to or go to New Talax instead if we wanted some friendlier faces, maybe stop for repairs, but I'm not sure how much help that'll be on that front. We should at least try to get word back to Starfleet, that we're alive. Get them a warning about what we know if it's...not already far too late."
There were options, but that seemed like the best course right now. Get word out to someone, anyone, that they were here. And then push the engines.
"I'm worried about having another incident, damaging the ship more, but Mac seems to think with some diagnostics and luck we should be fine. But...now there's another incident on our hands." Yes, time to pick up the cocoa. Of course she was going to change her mind. "Ensign Tallush is an Orion, as you know, and needs treatments to help suppress her pheromones. Something happened, wires got crossed, I don't yet fully know the extent of the circumstances, but a treatment got missed. Drove people crazy, especially once she got stuck in jeffries tubes when we slammed out of slipstream. One of our engineers murdered a Bradfield crewmember. Their CO demands a trial for Tallush. It's a mess. Everything's a mess."
Sara frowned as she listened, thought it was a sympathetic frown, or at least as sympathetic as a frown could possibly be. She knew about dropping out of slipstream, of course, but the pheromone issue was new. It did, however, explain a few things that had happened earlier...
"That is, in fact, a mess," she agrees, sipping her drink. "Hell, I can't imagine what that Bradfield crew must be thinking. We're not really in a position to hold a proper trial."
She chews her lip and takes another drink, her brow furrowed in thought for a moment as she looks to Raqiin, her friend and, for the moment, her Captain.
"Okay," she says, with a small huff. "I don't think I'm ready to come take the reins. Not yet. But, I will help you however I can. Want me to work with Davaru on what to do about our engineer?"
"I managed to talk him down from doing something immediate. We're in no way, shape, or form prepared to do something like that. We need to get back home first, and thankfully Davaru is a reasonable man. Just suffering from even more loss that never should have happened." Raqiin turned the warm mug in her hands slowly.
"I'd hate to take away any of the engineering team, but I don't think anyone's going to be happy if I let him out. I'll keep him in the brig. It just has to be done. As far as Tallush...maybe confine her to quarters. Waiting until we're in friendlier skies gives everyone a chance to figure out what's what and how to proceed, and let cooler heads prevail." Talking it through was easier. It was easier with Hamlet, and easier with someone like Sara who could truly understand the impossible positions of captaincy. "I...don't really know what to do about Davaru, despite being reasonable. He's angry. He's hurt. He should be after what happened, and I think I surprised him. I definitely surprised him. I gave a bit of an argument, but he's in the right, and we both knew it. You would have fought him harder on it."
The admission made Raqiin lower her head, her stalks drooping as well. "I'm not saying I'm not going to fight tooth and nail for my crew. And I'm going to defend them. But one of his own is dead, and I don't know where everything went wrong. A man is dead, and that can't go unanswered. How do you do this, Sara? Does it always feel like fumbling and tripping with every step, only you have to pretend like you know exactly where your footing is?"
"Yep," said Sara, giving a small nod. "Not to get too philosophical, but we live in a random-ass universe, where crazy shit happens all the time, and often there's fuck-all you can do to prepare for it. Some Captains prefer to be strict, to be a rigid stone amidst the waves, and that makes them feel like they have some form of control. Me? I try to become the wave. I stay loose, and I take things as they come, and I do my best to navigate them."
She stared ahead for a long moment, not focused on anything as she mulled over what she'd just said. Something inside of her seemed to click, and, for just a moment, she felt like herself. With that, she gave Raqiin a warm smile.
"This is a frustrating job," she said, setting her drink aside after taking a last sip. "It'll knock you on your ass."
She motioned to herself to illustrate the point.
"What's important is that you get back on your feet so you can keep looking out for your crew, and you've done that, Raq. Taking over after my meltdown was hard. Deciding what to do about the Hirogen was hard. Us getting flung into the Void was hard. And now? This is hard, too, but it sounds like you've already figured out what to do. Keep our crewman in the Brig, keep Tallush isolated until we're sure she's not a danger, and you've already come to an agreement with Davaru.
"You might feel harried, and you might feel lost, but I hope you can see how well you've managed an extraordinarily shitty situation. If this were my first go at command, I don't think I'd have done nearly as well. Hell, I almost started the Tzenkethi War two years earlier than it did when I first sat in that chair. I was basically demoted until the Bremen needed a CO."
Raqiin felt a smile on her lips, and she finally took a sip. Maybe with more time and training, she would be able to go into these wild situations without needing some time to panic. She wondered if she relied too heavy on her senior staff for options, but then again, what else were they for? She would never be the gung-ho type. And hadn't that been the point when Sara made her XO? Someone to keep her grounded, someone to call her out. Hamlet was gentle with Raqiin, even when he didn't need to be, and maybe in a way that's what she needed, to know there was support under her to settle her into her decisions.
"I think you owe me several drinks for this while you sit cozy on your impromptu vacation," she said in jest. And while, yes, she did like to have advice, and someone to bounce ideas on, and if Sara wanted to help in any capacity then she wouldn't turn it down, she altered the subject. For a moment.
"Are they doing okay? The Void was driving people batty, and the pheromones can't have helped, and it seems every time we try to get somewhere, something's gotta give."
"As well as can be expected, I think," Sara answered after a pause. "Thalev's coming along. Ula... Ula's just weird."
She laughed as she rubbed her eyes.
"The things I think would scare her are the things that roll off her back, and the things I think would be fine are what bother her. She knows what to do when the ship rocks or tumbles. She doesn't know how to play with other kids without plotting their doom, or how to handle being bored. It's been a challenge, but an enjoyable one, save the existential crisis and occasional ship-wide calamity."
She picked her drink back up, deciding she wasn't done quite yet.
"It won't be an easy life for her. But she's got a mother and father who love her dearly. And being on a ship with this many people that gets caught up in wild scenarios, even if they're dangerous, she's gonna grow up to be a well-rounded young lady." Raqiin finally took a long drink to settle herself, collect her thoughts.
Sometimes she wondered if Sara ever regretted not having a biological kid. If she resented Raqiin even just for a moment that she'd balked at the idea of using research from the zoo to try and figure it out. She had long forgiven the bungle, of course, with no hard feelings--she'd even tried to do some research on her own that never truly materialized into anything worth noting. And then Sara adopted. Ulani was going to be a child of at least three different worlds, and it would be difficult. But if anyone was up for the challenge, it was Sara and Thalev.
She voiced none of these thoughts. Instead: "When we're back home, nobody's going to think any less if you do actually take a leave. Go rent a beach house somewhere you can actually relax and recoup."
Sara scoffed a bit.
"Hard pass," she said. "I've spent enough time on the ground already. I'll be ready to go soon enough. Besides, I'd hate for you to get too comfortable in my chair."
"It's so close to being molded to my butt just right." Raqiin's smile grew. "Thanks for...hearing me out. I guess in a way I just...needed a sounding board. Sometimes I still think you made a mistake, but...I'm trying to be worthy of your confidence."
Sara leaned forward and gave Raqiin a significant look.
"I'm already proud of you, Raqiin," she said. "Now it's time to be proud of yourself."
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Post by Shawna on Feb 22, 2018 18:35:12 GMT
Stardate 11802.15 w/ Andrew Rice as Hamlet
Okay. Trial. It had gotten postponed instead of happening immediately, thankfully, but it still meant setting everything up. And while Raqiin was versed in the basics that anyone in the Academy would, plus a little more of her own studying from unexpectedly jumping to a command position, she was still fairly clueless to the legal system in its intricacies.
Enter Hamlet. She almost made a joke about 'we have to stop meeting like this' when summoning him to the ready room but wasn't actually in the mood for it. "You have JAG experience? We need to talk. Lieutenant Davaru is insisting he put Tallush on trial for the murder of his crew. And he's got every right to do that. But we need to start prepping."
Hamlet struggled to reply to a long moment, standing silently in the doorway, before quickly sitting down. "Well..." He uttered, pensively stroking his chin, and giving Raqiin a serious look. "Shite... My old man, always wanted me to go into law."
"He does... he does have every right." He let out a long drawn out sigh, as he ran the process through his head. "And the charge of murder, I'm afraid, means this goes beyond the standard of civilian law. The proceedings will have to be for a general court martial, under Article 118 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice." He cleared his throat. "But, I'm getting ahead of myself with a charge. A full pre-trial investigation is required, to ascertain exactly what charge must be brought about."
"She can't be tried for murder when she didn't do anything!" The outburst came on suddenly, and just as suddenly, Raqiin took a breath and rubbed at her eyes. Right, calm down, think this through. "There was negligence involved, as far as I'm aware of the situation. But murder takes it too far. Same for Grick. He did the deed, but it can be proved he was in an altered state of consciousness. It's--manslaughter at best, right?"
Right. Slow down. Breathe. "Investigation. I can have Marcus put a security team together, one or two from medical for the pheromone part. I need to talk to Penelope. If Davaru wants one of his people to help investigate so he's not led to think there's a bent toward our own staff, he's welcome to it. ...Hold on, now I'm the one getting ahead of myself." She sat on the edge of the desk and anxiously plucked at the cuff of her sleeve. "Sorry. Just...walk me through this."
"That's probably the right course of action." He nodded. "Need full transparency, but either way... since a death was involved, it falls under a general court martial. And, Tallush and Grick must be detained until trial proceedings begin; I recommend confinement to quarters."
"Whatever the investigation finds, determines how the trial will commence. Do we try Tallush, do we try Grick... do we try them together or seperately... are there more parties involved...?" He continued. "Normally, from that, this woulda been taken to the nearest Starbase, where an actual judge advocate general would preside over it. Most ships don't tend to have JAG officers for that reason; since offences under the umbrella of a summary court martial are more or less to a captain's discretion."
"But by default, the captain (ie you) would be defence unless a JAG officer (ie me) is present . But since we don't have an actual judge... I would have to take the position of convening authority, as the nearest qualified... and you would be defending. And I'm supposing there's no doubt that Lieutenant Davaru will be prosecuting."
"From there, we begin the compostion of the court; I would choose a panel of no less than five officers to act as jury . But since this isn't a civilian judicial matter, a jury is not actually mandatory; any member of the proceedings (the prosocutor, the defence or the accused) can appeal for trial by judge. Also they may challenge any member of the panel or even me for cause, but I would decide on the overall validity of the challenge." He stopped, to let that round of information to sink in; trying to give her a look of reassurance.
"The good news is that Davaru is a reasonable guy who sees that this is not a good place to have a trial when we barely know where we are and where we're going. He's willing to put it off until we're safely back in Federation space. Which hopefully means by that point, we can actually get to a starbase and get someone a little more...officially official involved. Depending on the investigation."
Raqiin plucked at her sleeve a little harder, considering the information. "A jury would be better, I think. I don't intend to drag it out if it doesn't need dragged out, and I'm just as upset about this as Davaru, but I also don't need to see someone under my command end up tanking their career like this because of...a slip-up." She shook her head. "But it all really hinges on an investigation. They'll have to talk to the medical staff. Evans. The engineering staff." She hadn't had any time all day to ask after Oleg. But she couldn't start now. "Anyone else who felt the impacts in the area. Not everyone at all, or they'll have to interview practically the whole ship."
"He's a good officer, and he handled command of the Bradfield during her final days, well. He stepped up beyond his rank and station for his crew." He sighed. "Luckily, there is no upward limit to how long detention, and by extension the investigation must take. 120 days is an advisory limit."
"But, Trev knows what he's doing; he's trained for an investigation like this, he'll know who to question."
Hamlet couldn't help but stare, as Raqiin continued to fiddle with her sleeve. He frowned, before going to the replicator and returning with an order of two teas. "Take this... to keep your hands busy." He gave a knowing nod. "And to settle your nerves."
"...Thanks." Her fingers loosened, and the warmth of the tea was nice against her skin. "I try to keep my nervous habits to myself. I just...have to do something with my hands. Good about not doing it on the bridge usually, but..." Plenty to be nervous about.
"I think Davaru has been through a lot, and losing that much crew? And to lose one more? Somewhere he should be safe? I don't want to damage that crew any further. And I know there's only so much I can be on top of, but there's that guilt. As acting captain, I'm responsible. Even knowing there's no reasonable way I could've prevented this." She sighed into her tea, bringing it up but not sipping from it yet. "And I don't want something to happen to Tallush's career before it has a chance to go anywhere, and it being my fault because I couldn't stand up for her well enough. But that's...the future. A future, one that might not even come to pass."
"I sometimes smoke." He shrugged, sipping his tea. "Its super bad for you in the long run, but we have advanced medical technology enough for it to not matter, and I only do it when I'm really stressed." He smiled at her, to lift her spirits. "And I dunno if you've noticed... but I also try to use humour to make light of bad situations."
"I can't really say anything to help, that you haven't; I'd just be an echo chamber... but you really couldn't of stopped this. Its not your job to know the ins and outs of the personal lives of your officers, and you can't control the decisions they do or do not make. Like the damnable pink skins would say 'You're only human', which means you can only do so much." He sighed unsure whether he was helping. "In the end, all you can do is the best you can; and no one can fault you for that."
"Believe me, Hamlet, your humor is much appreciated on this ship. Especially since you've proven you can crack a joke and do your job admirably at the same time."
She took a long sip of tea before setting it aside on her desk. "I've got to go put on a serious face to the others, be captain again. And take responsibility. I guess the good thing is that you've all already seen how I am when I don't have to play captain; you know I'm not hard unless I have to be."
"Exactly... so everything will work out in the end." He finished off his tea, and gave a relaxed sigh. "I don't bledy envy you though; Davaru tried to hand over command of Bradfield to me, when we arrived... I couldn't have done it."
"But you've got this." He gave an overly animated and enthusiastic, almost cartoonish thumbs up.
She laughed a little at his over-the-top...Hamlet-ness. "Don't worry, I'm not going to get up and suddenly declare you captain. You're safe...for now. I still have some people I need to talk to, but otherwise...I guess there's not a whole lot to be done on the legal front until we have all the information and are sailing friendlier skies. But your advice on the legal front is still very much appreciated, and I'll be leaning on you more for that when the time comes."
"Well, yer only wee tall..." His hand flatly measuring an arbritrary height. "I don't suppose you'll be too heavy." He smiled unabashedly, before stadning up, and straightening his uniform. "...And on that... I will leave you to it ma'am."
"Don't hesistate to call, if you have any more questions; or if you just can't live, without hearing more of my jokes. I've got a million of 'em." He decided to take the cup with him, realising he was just going to put more tea in it the moment he leaves the room. "Perhaps we can meet in my office, next time?" He quipped, chuckling to himself, waiting to be properly dismissed.
"What I wouldn't give to be busy in a science lab most of the day anymore." Raqiin sighed, shaking her head, and giving him a little 'shoo' motion with a hand. "All right, get out of here, back to work. As always."
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Post by Einar on Feb 22, 2018 21:01:34 GMT
great logs!
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