USS ANUBIS - Mission 06
Paris, City of Love and Ashes
POST INDEX
Post # Character Title
001 Shar'El Sending In The Cavalry
002 Stark Antsy
003 Paquette Dorothy and the Tin Man
004 Ya'Han Battle Readiness
005 Stark Floored
006 Shar'El Tactical Review in 3D
007 Paquette A Ringing Personality
008 Morningstar Time to Think, Time to…
009 Ya'Han Colors, Sounds and Feelings
010 Shar'El Chaos Like No Other
011 Stark Full Power and More
012 Morningstar Dawn Over a Different World
013 Shar'El Slow and Easy
014 Ya'Han A Friend In Need
015 Stark Digging Through Memories
016 Shar'El Managing In Our Own Way
017 Ya'Han Not As Listed
018 Paquette Behaving Badly
019 Stark Rage and Confusion
020 Ya'Han Torn
021 Morningstar The More Things Changes…
022 Maya Life Always Finds a Way
023 Ya'Han Paris
024 Stark Dust And Tears
025 Ya'Han Underground
026 Shar'El In The In-Between
027 Morningstar To The Rescue, Sort Of
028 Stark White Walls
029 Shar'El Down We Go
030 Ya'Han Tactical Analysis, Level 3
031 Paquette Catching Up
032 Shar'El Colors and Their Meaning
033 Dalziel The Promethean Petard
034 Maya Curious And Cautious, Maybe
035 Stark From Flora to Fauna
036 Shar'El Just An Accident
037 Ya'Han Flash Briefing
038 Stark Heartbeats
039 Shar'El One Step At A Time
040 Ya'Han Quick and Sharp
041 Doyanne Medical Evaluation
042 Paquette Serious Ouch
043 Stark Looking Up
044 Ya'Han Injured
045 Shar'El Things Are Never Easy
046 Morningstar Dealing With Problems
047 Stark Knocked Down
048 Ya'Han The Color of Rage
049 Shar'El Enthusiastic Research
050 Selyara The Game And New Beginnings
051 Shar'El The Power of Words
052 Stark Celebration
053 Shar'El Parting Ways
054 Ya'Han Needing to Talk
055 Paquette Red, White And Not Playing Fair
056 Ya'Han The Morning After
057 Selyara The Helpers
058 Morningstar Taking Care of Business
059 Shar'El Contemplations
060 Stark The Man
061 Paquette Tactics and Diversions
062 Ya'Han Dancing Alone
063 Stark Who?
064 Shar'El The Ultimate Reveal
065 Maya A Multi-Day Trip Through...
066 Selyara Being Nosy
067 Dalziel The Two Faces of Eve
068 Stark Straight Thinking
069 Maya And Now For The Answer...
070 Ya'Han Here Kitty Kitty Kitty
M06-P070: USS ANUBIS: Ya'Han: Day 15 - 1045 ("Here Kitty Kitty Kitty")
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"Here Kitty Kitty Kitty"
[previous post was "Straight Thinking"]
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Setting: USS ANUBIS, Bridge
Stardate: 31299.1045

Their conversation, at least the few words that they had exchanged after what should have been a simple sparring match had not gone all that well. In fact one could say that it had gone horribly wrong.  The internal sensors had not detected any drop in temperature in the gymnasium at that particular time, but Ya'Han could clearly remember a deep icy chill engulfing them both.  As much as she had tried, the Chief of Operations had refused to look at the Sec/Tac , barely acknowledging her own words and presence.

Ya'Han kept telling herself that Jayson should not have said what he had. His words had been sharp, callus and extremely hurtful to say the least.  As the ship's Sec/Tac she knew how to deflect verbal attacks, and even to hold back any response to a physical assault targeting her own person.  Her job was to anticipate attacks and to defuse situations when they occurred, not to add fuel to the fire.

She should not have attacked him as she had, using the full extent of her skills and strength to retaliate against his words, but then again he should not have said what he had. Jayson had never come to realise that he could get to under her skin in ways that no one else could, if he had maybe he would not have said those words. The again if he had known about just how easily he could trigger a reaction from her, he might have spoken the words she now reproached him much sooner.

There was nothing Ya'Han could do for the time being other than to keep an eye on the VIPER that was following an oddly straight flight path, as if he had intended to just go and never return. That one and single thought had been the hardest part for her to deal with. There was next to no chance that this was what he had intended to do, but as small as the possibility had been, that had been what the black and red haired woman feared the most.  Somehow she would find a way to handle his hate, to accept his anger and even to bare his deafening silence, but she feared that she would never be able to find a way to manage his absence.

After giving her instruments one last glance to make sure that the VIPER had stayed on the same course and heading that it had been on, the Sec/Tac made her way off the Bridge. The options opened to Ya'Han had been simple and not overly numerous. She could elect to return to her quarters and unleash another round of unscheduled redecorating, not that the black and red haired woman believed such a course of action would actually help. In fact the Chief of Security had been relatively certain that doing so would make her friend Sonja angry for having to perform more repairs because of the woman's rage.

As a second option Ya'Han could isolate herself in one of the holodecks, this allowing the results of her rage to be contained, but the Sec/Tac doubted that releasing her anger had truly been what this situation had called for.  This left her with a single option left, to head to the VIPER launch bay and wait for his return so that she could force Jayson to speak to her about what had transpired.

The only other possible course of action had been for her to take another VIPER out and force the confrontation out there, which could degrade into a full out dogfight, a situation where Ya'Han had to admit the advantage would no longer be hers.

Without an actual mission or even a situation to officially deal with at this time the two officers had the luxury of taking time to talk and resolve this matter without it hindering the performance of their duties.  As the human expression went, the cat had been set loose from the bag and neither one of them could afford to not deal with this figurative wandering feline.

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Hanali Han

Lieutenant JG Ya'Han [Access Character BIO for Ya'Han]
Chief of Security / Chief Tactical Officer
USS ANUBIS, NCC-18501
M06-P069: USS ANUBIS: Maya: Day 15 - 0850
("And Now For The Answer Everyone Feared")
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"And Now For The Answer Everyone Feared"
(Previous Post: "Straight Thinking")
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Setting: USS ANUBIS, The Black Hole Lounge
Stardate: 31299.0850

A delighted smile danced on the lips of the Shillian Scientist as Shar'El closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead.  The First Officer could not fault their guest, there had been no way for her to know what she had done, but Selyara would discover soon enough why the Chief Science Officer was never asked such wide open questions.

"Just remember that you asked," the First Officer managed to quickly whisper to the Betazoid / Vulcan hybrid who for obvious reasons could not understand the reactions, as opposites as they were, that her simple question had created in the two women sitting with her for breakfast.

"Mass displacement?" The Chief Science Officer joyfully inquired as if she had wanted to confirm that the question had indeed been addressed to her and that an answer had been truthfully requested. Seeing a hint of a nod from Selyara, Maya jumped into her explanation ignoring the faint objecting shake of Shar'El's head.  "As I am sure you are aware, the law of conservation of mass states that any mass set in an isolated system can neither be created nor destroyed by chemical reactions or physical transformations. According to this basic law of the universe, the mass of any entity capable of shapeshifting must therefore remain constant regardless of what physical shape it takes.  Now, Founders do seem to be able to bend that law, but that's an entirely different story.  As for me, as much as I am capable of taking on forms that are much smaller than what you see here before you, my total mass does remain the same as per the stated law of conservation of mass.  Through a great deal of learning and practice, and thanks to some unique properties of the Shillian metabolism, cells within my body can compress and be reassigned to take on different biological roles.  In the case of the Trusa and Gralo for example, my total volume decreases due to cellular compression as the cells change into far denser muscular and skeletal mass than would normally be expected, this of course compensates for a creature so small having to move a much heavier form than would normally be encountered in nature."

Selyara blinked several times as she glanced to the First Officer of the ANUBIS. How had it been possible for Maya to saw so much without once stopping to take the slightest breath?

"Of course you can imagine how physiologically demanding such a transformation can be," the Shillian continued still without having taken a break of any kind.  "When I was first accepted at Starfleet Academy I was able to keep such forms for only minutes and required several days to regain the necessary strength to be able to try again. Luckily over time I have managed to extend this ability to be sustained for several hours now, that is as long as the environmental conditions are favorable.  The most recent obstacle that I have encountered is the fact that I am unable to maintain any such transformation forms should I fall asleep or be stunned by any external means.  Without a mind imposing its control over the cells of my body, said cells return to their pre-determined biological functions."

"I am sure that this is very interesting to our guest," Commander Shar'El tried to politely intervene. She could have ordered the Shillian to stop and be quiet, but the First Officer thought that this would have been a rude display that Selyara had not been required to be exposed to.

"Is it not?" Maya rhetorically asked, her smile and joy filling the room as more and more people become aware of what the guest of the ANUBIS had inadvertently unleashed.  "I still need to figure out if someone else, through some sort of remote telepathic control, would be able to have me change form and beyond that force me to maintain said form.  So far none of the telepaths on board the ANUBIS or that we have encountered have possessed the skills or ability to control another mind to the extent that would be required to test this, which I guess could be looked upon as being a good thing. That said though, as a scientist I am driven by the question and hope that one day I will be able to find the answer I seek."

"Good morning ladies," the redhead in charge of Engineering on board the ANUBIS offered in a loud and joyous tone to the trio sitting at the table.  "Let me guess," Sonja grinned as she noticed the stunned and silent pleading expressions of the faces of Selyara and Shar'El, "The Shillian guide to metamorphosis, Chapter 1?"

Commander Shar'El nodded her head as she held back her laughter.  "Have you come to join us for breakfast? I am sure that Miss Selyara would be most happy to hear about you and your accomplishments on board the ANUBIS," the first Officer continued having already pulled out the last vacant chair, grateful that the arrival of the Chief Engineering Officer had caused the Chief Science Officer to pause her seemingly unending explanation.

"I could not impose my presence," Sonja teased back as she offered a devilish grin to Shar'El. "I mean, I am certain that you are most interested in the vast knowledge that Lieutenant Commander Maya appears to be willing to share with you at this time. If I recall correctly, the next 12 to 15 chapters on her ability to transform are well worth the several *days* it will take you to listen to them all."

If Shar'El had been able to, the First Officer would have struct the Engineer down with a glare where she stood.

"Please join us Lieutenant," Maya countered adding her own invitation to that of their First Officer.  "I am sure that both Miss Selyara and Commander Shar'El would welcome both your presence as well as a new perspective on some of the questions that I am sure will be asked."

"Yes," Shar'El confirmed, "join us!" The words had been polite but had seemed to border on an order rather than a friendly request, and as much as Sonja might have wanted to continue playing this little game she had come to the Black Hole Lounge as per the report made by ANI who had identified the situation created by the question the moment that it had been asked of the Shillian.

"So Miss Selyara," the red haired Engineer continued with a beaming smile, "ready to be taken on a comprehensive tour of the inner workings of Main Engineering after breakfast?  If you are up for it I could even show you the low gravity storage cargo bays on Deck 28?"

"Yes," Selyara admitted rather rapidly, "Yes I am."  She had been ready to agree to pretty much anything if it meant being able to avoid any other long winded answers from the Shililan Chief Science Officer, this no matter what the question had been about.

---
Jessica Solarik

Lieutenant Commander Maya [Access Character BIO for Maya]
Chief Science Officer
USS ANUBIS

&

Captain Selene Fiona Iverson [Access Character BIO for Selene Iverson]
Commanding Officer
USS BASTET

"To see the world in a grain of sand,
and a heaven in a wild flower.
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
and eternity in an hour."
- William Blake (British, 1757-1827)
M06-P068: USS ANUBIS: Stark: Day 15 - 1030 ("Straight Thinking")
"Straight Thinking"
[previous "The Two Faces of Eve"]

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Setting: SPACE, High orbit of EARTH
Stardate: 31299.1030

The VIPER-Class Interceptor flew in a straight line, something that had been rare to see as the small fighter had been designed to be extremely agile with highly sensitive controls which included a helmet that permitted the on board computer to near instantly respond to the pilot's thoughts.  Even while performing the simplest of escort duties, the slightest pressure on the old-style joystick controls would be instantly translated into the ship moving to one side or the other or even do a barrel roll.

In a combat situation the sensitivity of the controls made the VIPERs that much more of a dangerous adversary, allowing it to quickly get out of harm's way and return just as fast to find a better attack vector, all in the blink of an eye.  At this time though there had not been anything for the VIPER to avoid, target or escort, so its straight line flight pattern had almost been understandable, almost.  

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Setting: VIPER 2, Cockpit
Stardate: 31299.1030

The pilot's helmet sat on the vacant rear seat, having been tossed there moments after the VIPER had launched from the ANUBIS. Although designed to be a two-man craft, the Interceptor could be easily flown by a single person, in this particular case a man who had wanted to be as alone as could be.

His hands rested on his legs while his eyes remained closed, his mind a thousand light-years from where he was.  Now he remembered. He remembered what he had purposefully forgotten what he knew, and most importantly he remembered why.  As an Ensign she had been his equal, and since they had both been promoted at the same time, the two Lieutenant Junior Grade would still be equals in regards to their ranks.

Her ability to change her hair color had been a unique oddity that had set her apart from others on a personal level, but not in a way that made any real difference. Her combat skills and tactical knowledge had been what had counted most and it had been those that had brought her to be the uncontested ANUBIS' Chief of Security.  It was because of those skills that he had respected and even feared her on a professional level from the first time they had met.

The various colors of her personality had made Ya'Han to be someone to be adired and respected through each displays of the corresponding skills. As the redheaded Chief of Security, none would dare to challenge her, and as the white haired Medical skilled Nylaan, Doctor Doyanne had found someone who could lend a hand in a time of extreme crisis.  Commander Maya had also found a kindred spirit in Ya'Han and her blue colored hair, and as a green haired entertainer everyone had witnessed first hand the woman's amazing dancing skills.

Each color pointed to a skill set that Ya'Han possessed, each commanding a certain level of respect in her possessing them, all except for one.  There had been no skills required for the last and yet most important of colors at her disposal, one that she had done everything to hide even from herself.  The royal purple commanded absolute respect for no other reason than her having been able to display it, showing her birthright and status.  It was clear that she had issues with it, and that had not helped him deal with his own issues on that same subject.

**Daughter of the High Sovereign, ruler of NYLA IV and master of the Empire,** Jayson heard Ya'Han screaming once again after she had sent him crashing to the floor beyond the training mat.  Since he had left the ANUBIS, those words had haunted him, and no distance or speed could make them sound any less loud or angry.

How was he supposed to address that aspect of her identity?  Had he been expected to bow down to the Princess or whatever title had been hers to claim by birthright?  Was he expected to worship her for no other reason than her having been able to change her hair color to that one particular shade?  Even if she did not openly display that aspect of herself and her heritage, how had he been supposed to deal with her outside of their professional responsibilities towards one another?

She had run away from her family, from her world, and from her title, so obviously she had not wanted to be associated with the significance of her purple hair. So why had she made such a powerful show of it in the gymnasium? Had she been fighting against herself all this time or had he gone too far and triggered a response that she now felt ashamed for?

Jayson could hear Shar'El and even Sonja pointing out that he had been overthinking the whole thing. There were just too many questions and only one person could give him the answers he needed, a person that he could not bring himself to speak to following their last encounter.

He needed to talk to her, that had been certain, but for the time being all he could do was to not touch the controls of the VIPER and fly straight while he thoughts, and thought some more.

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Jayson Sousa

Lieutenant JG Jayson Stark [Access Character BIO for Jayson Stark]
Chief of Operations
USS ANUBIS, NCC-18501
M06-P067: USS ANUBIS: Dalziel: Day 9 - 0900 ("The Two Faces of Eve")
“The Two Faces of Eve”
(Continued from "Being Nosy" by the Amazing Alix)

=/\=
Location: USS ANUBIS
SD: 31293.0900
Scene: Sickbay

The Counsellor of the ANUBIS found herself quiet as she searched Doctor Doyanne’s face for any signs of how the examination was proceeding. The solid ground of her home among the stars was suddenly unstable and uncertain. Captain Morningstar had tried to break the news to her gently, but nothing could have prepared her for the knowledge that she was a creation of Richard Edgerton, the deceased leader of the Neo-Essentialist movement.

After what felt like hours, the scanning devices that surrounded Eve as she lay on the biobed raised up and Lillie’s voice chimed in. “All done.” The medical officer had been skeptical of Eve’s story, but the Cardassian born woman was the most serious she had ever been in her approach to the situation. Lillie pulled up a display of both the current data as well as the records Eve had given her. Unbeknownst to her, they were those of the Eve Dalziel stationed aboard the PHOENIX.

Eve tied her long, dark hair back in a ponytail. “You’re looking for any differences between the two profiles, no matter how small.”

“Relax, I’m the Doctor here,” Doyanne gently countered, seeing the clear stress on Eve’s face and trying, somewhat unsuccessfully, to put her more at ease.

“Well, okay, Let’s start at the top, then.” The highlighted blonde examined the brain scans, trying to discern any anomalies or energy patterns that fell outside the norm. “This looks promising. There’s no sign of tampering, or brain-washing in either sample.”

Eve felt a bit of relief. “What about the brain waves themselves?”

“The brain waves don’t match, but that’s completely normal. Even identical twins’ brain activity changes as they age… or in this case, brain waves taken from the same person in different stages of their life don’t match.”

Eve hadn’t wanted to skew the Doctor’s findings, so she didn’t explain the sample’s origin beforehand. The Cns looked sheepish. “That’s why I’m not the medic, I guess.”

Lillie grinned and went to peruse dimensional scans of each internal organ, then the circulatory system, then the skeletal structure. “All systems are functioning within normal parameters.”

The dark-haired woman let out another small sigh. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Erik. She’d shared enough conversations with the man to know his honesty. You couldn’t just generate that kind of trust overnight. But the scientist in her, however underdeveloped, wanted some tenable proof that she in fact was the duplicate, and not the woman serving aboard the PHOENIX.

“Aha.” An edge crept into the CMO’s voice as she found something of interest. “There’s something at the cellular level. It’s a unique pattern of degrading matter.”

“Degrading? Like I’m going to die?”

“No, nothing like that... But there are some ramifications. The cells from the current sample are degrading at about one tenth of a percent more quickly than those from the original sample.”

“Can you explain this in a way that I can understand?”

“The average lifespan of a Cardassian is 96 years for women and 98 years for men. So to put that in perspective, your median lifespan potential would only decrease to 95.904 years.”

“Oh.” Eve tried to sound happy about the news that she wasn’t going to turn into a puddle of goo on the Sickbay floor, but to her this was the smoking gun that corroborated what she’d been told.

“I only have one question- what happened to you? To cause this?” If the crew had been exposed to something, it was more likely that it would have affected all of them, not just the Counsellor.

Dalziel sighed again. It was time to come clean. “It isn’t a before and after, Lillie. One is for the real Eve Dalziel, and one is for her replicated copy. That would easily explain the cell deterioration.”

Lillie looked puzzled, then a little upset. “You’re a clone?”

“Apparently I am. The Neo-Essentialists liked to dabble in genetics when they weren’t building Weapons of Mass Destruction. But I needed to know for sure.” Her gray eyes looked gratefully at Doctor Doyanne. “Thank you, Lillie.”

“You’re welcome,” Lillie said weakly as Eve left, somehow feeling she had not helped the Counsellor in a way she would have wanted to.

The door slid shut and Eve leaned against the wall, visibly shaken. She took a PADD out of her pocket, hesitating only a minute as she looked at the contents. It was a request to leave the ship immediately and begin a medical leave with an undetermined time frame. She closed her eyes and activated the transmission. Right now it seemed like the only way to sort things out. Eve then turned and pressed her pale hands against the metal door. “I think this is goodbye,” she whispered.

=/\=
Location: EARTH, San Francisco
Scene: Koniki’s Office
Time Index: After the events of Sarah’s Post “Change Vs. More of the Same”

Eve entered the office complex, Captain Smooshy in tow. The pug’s dark eyes looked more expressive than usual and his body trembled with what she was hoped was excitement. Dalziel had thought about dropping the service and comfort animal off somewhere first, but the request sounded more urgent than the typical. Especially when she found out it was a meeting not with the Board of Inquiry, but the newly appointed Chief of Intel.

An all-too-eager assistant, Ensign Zippel, wasted no time in ushering both Eve and the dog into an office which looked more like a temporary stop than a permanent location. With the decimation of Paris, people had scrambled to make these spaces available and habitable. Eve resisted the urge to call the young officer Zippy, secretly wondering if she had been hanging around with Kass too much.

The Admiral was a sculpted rock of a man; muscular, broad-chested, and imposing. “Why do you think you’re here, Lieutenant?”

She smiled thoughtfully and took a seat. You could always tell the Intel lifers by their penchant for cryptic conversations. “I’m not sure. The future of the PHOENIX is uncertain… I thought you might be contacting me about a job. But I’m a great second guesser too.” Smooshy stood at attention at her feet, watching the Admiral closely.

Koniki didn’t seemed to mind that she was at ease, or even that she had brought the adorable canine with her. However, he was busy wearing the carpet thin behind his desk by pacing back and forth. “Several years ago, while you were still serving with us, there was an unseen wrong committed against you. Your return to Earth has necessitated full disclosure of this matter.”

“I guess it would be hard to communicate with us while we were ‘going rogue’ out there at Elandipole and with the rebel fleet- but you said this predates that. But… I’m still alive, which for most sentient beings is considered good news.”

“Correct. Your life was not taken, but something was stolen from you: your DNA.”

Eve crossed her arms as if in protest. “Who, and why?”

Admiral Charles Koniki, a man she had never met before, until now, had spent most of his time with her staring at her and growing increasingly uncomfortable. He didn’t seem to appreciate her attempts to diffuse the situation. Now, the pause he took was equally awkward. “Richard Edgerton gathered DNA samples from agents and operatives without their permission. You were one of those agents.”

It was her turn to feel ill at ease. The man was dead and he still continued to horrify them. “That alone wouldn’t need to be communicated by a private meeting in your office. Why did he take them?”

“This was the precursor to what you and the rest of the away team saw on LAVENZA II. He wanted to replicate those people he felt had the ability to become his personal soldiers. His tactical side was just as immoral as the rest of him.”

“Was he successful?”

Koniki had a relieved but still concerned look. “Yes... and no.”

Eve knew that she was originally recruited into Intel for her combat prowess. Reading between the lines Koniki was giving her, combined with the choice she had made to leave the active field for appointment on a starship, she felt the anger rise within her, gnawing at her psyche. “Where is she, Admiral? She is alive too, correct?”

He finally sat down. “She’s been hiding in plain sight aboard the USS ANUBIS.”

“Wait- you *knew* about this?” She hadn’t expected her voice to be so harsh, and neither had the Admiral.

He grimaced. “By the time it was on my radar, it was impossible to stop his pet project. Placing her under my jurisdiction- it was the only way to keep Edgerton’s hands off of her. He had planned to ‘recondition’ her to answer his commands.”

Eve began to understand Koniki’s behavior a little better. Edgerton’s comments in the underwater bunker also were now very telling. “Does she know?”

“Yes. Captain Moningstar, her CO, informed her.”

Eve wondered if the news would have felt better to her if she had received it from Kane. But honestly, she couldn’t even imagine that right now.  “And my next assignment hasn’t come in yet.”

“Scuttlebutt is they will reactivate the PHOENIX shortly and you’ll likely be aboard. But don’t say I told you that.”

“Is that all?” she asked, staring through him to the view outside. Nothing seemed clear, other than two lives had been changed forever. Smooshy had started to try to jump up in her lap, and she obliged him by picking him up and examining his soulful eyes. He stuck his tongue out and wiggled it at her.

“I’d like to offer my sincere apologies, Lieutenant.”

“It’s not necessary, Admiral. She’d either be dead or psychotic if you hadn’t stepped in.” She gently placed Smooshy on the floor and made sure she had his leash secure.

“Are you going to be alright?” He asked.

She looked at the Samoan man, but in her mind’s eye she saw the lifeless form of Richard Edgerton aboard the Red October. His mind and body had been ravaged by a couple of the millions of people he had done wrong to. Somehow, given what she knew now, it didn’t seem like enough of a punishment. “I don’t know, Sir. Get back with me in a few months on that.”


=/\=
Location: Dalziel home, outskirts of San Francisco
Scene: Living Room
Time Index: 90 minutes later

Eve had taken the dog for another long walk after leaving Koniki, working on sorting out the circumstances, but as she told the man herself, this was going to take longer than an afternoon.

“Mom, Dad,” Eve called out. “Is anyone home?” She unlatched Smooshy and let him run through the house unfettered (well it was more of an amble) as she hung the leash on a small hook in the foyer and passed through the space into the main living area. She’d already planned on the family dinner before her shore leave was over, but now she actually had something to talk about. She needed to reach out to the ANUBIS as well before they shoved off, to see if her double wanted to meet. “I need to tell you something-”

Two people stood to greet her. One of them was her adoptive father, Seamus Dalziel. The other was… herself. Eve stared long and hard at her own image. It was strange, but it wasn’t like looking in a mirror… it was more of an out of body experience… like she was spying on herself. Other than the hollow pip on her collar indicating a rank one below her own, they were identical.

“Dad… I can explain.”

“There’s no need,” Seamus answered, a sense of wonder creeping into his Scottish brogue. Apparently the other one of them had been there long enough to fill him in.  “I’m just grateful the both of you are alright.” He held a dishtowel in his hands. “Your mother will be along in a little while. I need to get back to this leg of lamb and to set another place at the table.” He went back to the kitchen with a bounce in his step.

“He seems… happy?” The PHOENIX Eve said as she sank into a side chair.

“I never knew how much of a family man he was until I saw the look he gave me when the number of kids he had was doubled.”

“It’s only a matter of time before he starts in on you with the grandkids speech.” She looked at her ANUBIS counterpart again, taking in the stress that she’d likely been placed under. “Are you okay?”

“Can’t you feel me like a telepath or something? I mean I’m just a chip off your block.”

“I don’t think it works like that.”

“It would be mighty useful if it did.”

“Yes I agree. But you’re just a facet of our collective personalities… as am I. You know environment plays as much of a role as genetics. I mean a secret Intel ship?” Eve shook her head. “That Koniki knew what he was doing. The one place Edgerton wouldn’t be able to get to you and the fleet at large wouldn’t know about you. I guess I should have thanked him.”

“I’m not the real Eve Dalziel. I’m an impostor.”

Eve knew where the negativity was coming from, but didn’t agree with it. “No. Impostors *intend* to deceive. Neither of us knew we weren’t alone in the world anymore. Besides, this is my fault.”

“How do you figure?”

“I decided not to kill any more people. Edgerton wanted his assassin. My fault.” She looked across and saw a flicker of a smile on the other Eve’s face. “What?”

“Obviously we still agree on that.”

They looked at each other, sharing that point of commonality. But it wasn’t meant to last. “Wait,” the replicated Eve said, “What makes you so sure I wouldn’t have been able to fight off Edgerton and his plans? You’ve rarely doubted yourself. Why doubt me?”

“It wasn’t doubting *you*, as much as it was not knowing Edgerton’s abilities at that time. The man biologically bombed a city! He could have lobotomized you back then for all I know. I could ask you why you’re treating yourself as the lesser of us. That’s not in your vocabulary either.”

“I decided I need some time… and I’m taking it. I left the ship.”

“You did *what*?”

“You heard me. I resigned my position and requested an immediate leave. My job aboard the ANUBIS was based on a lie.”

“No, it was based on a unique set of circumstances. Admiral Koniki, for all his subterfuge, was trying to save your life. To continue our purpose. If you hadn’t known about this, you’d still be there. That’s the only thing that changed.”

“It doesn’t matter. I know now. I’m grateful... but anguished. And I can’t close the door once it’s been opened. Neither can you.”

“Arguing with myself is exhausting.”

Her counterpart rolled her eyes. “News flash. I’m *not* you, you said so yourself. I just look like this. We’re not identical any more. That stopped the moment I opened my eyes and started thinking and acting for myself. We’re more like twin sisters.”

“That still doesn’t explain why you left your assignment.”

“Connect the dots. We’ve given nearly our entire adult lives to Starfleet and *this* is how they repay us?”

“Have you been watching the news? One man’s actions don’t speak for a whole group. Humanity is struggling with this right now-”

“We’re not Human.”

“Cut the crap, Eve. We were raised by a Human father and a Bajoran mother. Since when did you start identifying with the Cardassians so strongly?”

The former ANUBIS Eve looked as though she was caught in a lie. “I don’t. But maybe it’s time we think that ejecting Earth from the permanent Council wasn’t such a bad idea.”

Eve was smart enough to know when a political discussion shouldn’t be started. “So, besides throwing your career away, what are you going to do with your life?” The harshness of what she said made her instantly regret it. “I’m sorry, that was wrong.”

The overreaction rolled right off her doppelganger’s back. “Don’t you think one of us working for them is enough? Just think of the possibility that I might get to explore all the other things you can’t do if you’re tied down to a ship.”

Eve paused. She was intrigued by the idea, but not so much in her double’s absoluteness. “I don’t think you’re going to feel that way forever.”

The cloned Eve raised an eyebrow in defiance. “Just watch me.”

The PHOENIX Eve nodded, slightly amused. She recognized the stubborn streak of her replicant. “I’ve always wanted a sister. There’s just one thing.”

“I doubt there’s only one thing, but what?”

“What are we going to call you?”

“Eve B? Eve Two?”

“I suppose I should have asked Mom and Dad for a middle name.”

“As you recall, we were almost named Dawn.”

“Yes, it was either going to be Eve for evening or Dawn for morning. But Dawn Dalziel? Ugh.”

“I think I’ve found a way around that. How about Zora? It’s from a Slavic word that means “dawn” or “aurora”.”

“That’s sneaky. But I like it.”

“Oh do you? I’m surprised.” The comment was dripping with sarcasm.

“You shouldn’t be.”

Seamus laughed, and the two of them turned to look at him as he stood in the kitchen doorway.

“How long have you been standing there?”

“Long enough. You might consider Sulwen as a proper name, it’s Scottish for ‘Bright as the Sun’.”

The two Eves turned back to each other, thought for a few seconds, then shook their heads. “Zora.”


=/\=
Location: EARTH, San Francisco, Starfleet HQ
Scene: Board of Inquiry
Time Index: The next morning

Eve Dalziel entered the interview room, not sure what to expect other than questioning.

There were three people waiting, a tribunal. The Andorian, R’Shee; a petite Asian woman by the name of Mizikawa, and one Commander David Gilvari, a man with brown hair, a well-shapen beard, and a sense of authority over the other two.

“So, Lieutenant, how did you come to be assigned to the PHOENIX?” Her record didn’t seem to match the others in the sense that there were no ties to questionable activity or the Neo-Essentialists.

“The ship’s original Counsellor, Lieutenant Phia, had been gravely injured shortly before the ship was to launch. I was brought in as a replacement. My guess is that I had a similar background in Counselling and Intel.” She still remembered her first meeting with Doctor Cade Foster when she arrived aboard, The severe injury to the woman he loved had put their working relationship in a strained position from the start. Cade’s acerbic wit and her pragmatic attitude had fit together at times better than expected and at other times worse than sworn enemies.

“We are here today to discuss, among other things, Cadet Lynette Ryan and her fitness to continue in Starfleet. What evidence do you have to either support or indict Miss Ryan?”

“Commander Gilvari, have you ever worn a cocktail dress and heels?”

David shook his head. After Thytos’ impromptu strip number he hadn’t thought things could have gotten any stranger. But apparently, he was wrong. “I object to this line of questioning, Lieutenant.”

“Then I am guessing the answer is no.” A smile threatened to form on her face.

“What does this have to do with Cadet Ryan’s guilt or innocence?” His question was delivered with an eroding calm, almost like he was going to explode. His female counterparts perked up a little, interested at this odd deposition.

“That’s how we found Lynette Ryan. She was scrambling around the underwater bunker, in a dress and high heels, accompanied by her cat in a carrier.”

“I trust you have a point here, Lieutenant Dalziel?”

“If she had been an evil mastermind, fully complicit in the Neo-Essentialists’ plans, why was she hiding? Why was she dressed so impractically?”

“Point taken. Do you have anything else?”

“It was her computer expertise that allowed the satellites to be destroyed.”

“It was also her expertise that assisted the Neo-Essentialists to begin with,” R’Shee spat.

David glared at R’Shee, but she did not continue. “Okay, duly noted.”

“I would also like to use this platform to provide a character reference for James Prophecy Barton.”

Gilvari took a moment to access his information. “At this moment, James Barton is AWOL and has a list of charges longer than your arm. His crimes go back much further than those in recent memory. Why do you feel the need to speak for his defense today?”

“I would ask for leniency. Because, we’re all only one step away from an impulsive act. I wouldn’t have believed that as a Cadet… but I believe it now.”

“Why do you say that, Lieutenant?” R’Shee had been mostly quiet during the session, glaring at Eve with belligerence. But this statement stuck in the blue woman’s craw and she felt compelled to respond.

“In the efforts of full disclosure, I have been made aware in the last twenty-four hours that Edgerton cloned me several years ago as a precursor to Project Promethean. Before then, as incredibly devious and hate mongering as he was, I felt due process would be the best solution to see that justice was served.”

There was a pause as the triumvirate let this news sink in. “You don’t anymore?” Mizikawa finally queried.

“I’m certain that if Richard Edgerton wasn’t already dead, you’d find the two of us standing in line to do the job… with thousands of others right there with us. Surely you’re aware of how he was killed. I didn’t understand before how easily a person could snap.”

“Shouldn’t people be held accountable for their actions?” The soft spoken Asian woman continued.

“For the past two years or so his actions in protecting and serving the PHOENIX were difficult, but he overcame those challenges. He doesn’t forget what he did or the blood on his hands from those that died. For the families that he destroyed, I’m not asking for forgiveness, but I’m asking for his good works since then to be taken into account.”

David Gilvari detected no deception on her part, although he didn’t see the same possibility of redemption that Dalziel did. “Thank you, Lieutenant. I have put this on his record. One last question- where would you like to go from here?”

Eve stood up. “If it’s all the same to you, I’d like to go back to the PHOENIX.”

Gilvari stroked his beard. “Why?”

“Commander, who better to help this crew than someone who’s gone through a small piece of their experience with them? Besides, Edgerton thought I would be a better hitman than a Counsellor. Right now the best use of my time is anything that proves him wrong.”

And with that, she walked out.

=/\=
Susan Ledbetter
Writing For

Lieutenant JG Zora Dalziel
Unassigned, on leave

Cns
USS PHOENIX
M06-P066: USS ANUBIS: Selyara: Day 15 - 0830 ("Being Nosy")
"Being nosy" 
(Previous post "A Multi-Day Trip Through Memory Lane")
--

Scene: USS ANUBIS, the Black Hole
Stardate: 31299.0830

Selyara picked at the fingers of her gloves as she sat at a table in the Black Hole. Five days since her insertion on the Anubis, and the gloves were driving her crazy. Except if she was honest, it wasn’t the gloves, it was the fact that she was completely unused to working without the benefit of her telepathy. A touch here, an ‘accidental’ jostle that gave her the brief contact she needed to ‘read’ another person, she hadn’t realized how much she relied on it until she wasn’t supposed to use it. Koniki’s challenge had been useful, though she was uncertain whether that was intentional, because it was a clear demonstration of how much she relied on her talents. Navigating without them was much harder than she’d realized- much harder than it should be, and much harder than it used to be.

She was ruminating over how things used to be long ago, before she’d been branded a traitor, when a voice broke into her thoughts.

“Do you mind if I sit here, Selyara?” Shar’El’s voice broke in. Selyara’s eyes flicked up and she nodded.

“Yes, sorry. I was just lost in thought, remembering when I used to captain a starship like this,” Selyara apologized, sweeping up her stack of padds so that the XO could place her plate of food down. The other woman gave her an odd look.

“No you weren’t. Not *really,*” Shar’El said, the odd look vanishing into a smile. “The look on your face didn’t say remembering the good old times.”

“No, I suppose you are correct. I’m not really remembering, as much as… Analyzing, I suppose. It has been a long time since I was on a starship, functioning as a crew member. Things are much different- no, actually- everything is the same, but I’m different. It is… unsettling?” Selyara drummed her fingers on the table. “But that is neither here nor there,” Selyara added quickly, to dismiss the subject, then remembering her conversation with Koniki almost a week ago she added: “I am happy to be here. Considering the alternative.”

“The Admiral does know how to twist arms quite well,” Shar’El said with a smile. Selyara’s eyes narrowed. The woman sometimes said things which made Selyara feel as though she had more background knowledge than she should have. Had Koniki shared the content of their conversation? Or was the Anubis’ reach far longer than she would have expected? “I’m surprised to find you working here, I’d find it difficult to concentrate among the all the hubbub, not to mention the interruptions.”

“I prefer open spaces when I can get them,” Selyara said, thinking of the monotony of her cell back in the Jaros Stockade. “I’ve spent a very long time confined to small spaces over the last decade, I don’t really like the idea of voluntarily staying in one unless I have to.”

“The Stockade,” Shar’El nodded. “Do you mind if I inquire how you ended up there?

* * *=(/\)=* * *

Scene: The Black Nova, an Orion Syndicate vessel, the slave quarters.
Stardate: 9 years ago, give or take

Selyara’s head swum, and she felt woozy, as though she was hovering above her body. The room still smelled vaguely of some sort of heavy incense. She had no name for it, but whatever it was, it was what was making her feel so odd.

“Well? How soon will she be ready?” The Orion male stood over her, his arms crossed, looking impatient.

“Patience, Xon.” This voice was a soft voice, a female voice, that belonged to a green eyed Betazoid. “It’s difficult work to reshape a mind so that it willingly does something that goes against its very grain.”

“I still don’t see why you don’t just take over her mind and force her to do it.” Xon groused half heartedly. He seemed to trust the Betazoid, respect her, even, which was odd, Selyara thought, because she’d told Selyara she was a slave. But the Betazoid was helping Selyara escape- she was playing along so they’d be able to make a break for it, right?

“Because, if you just use brute force like that then the subject becomes little better than a mindless zombie.” The woman’s green eyes glittered, and Selyara thought distantly that there was more than a hint of insanity behind them. Maybe it was because she spent too much time in other people’s minds. Selyara had often heard that telepaths who invaded the minds of others too often ended up insane.

“Making someone do something they would not normally do shatters their psyche. Convincing them they want to do it takes longer, but is ultimately more likely to succeed. Right now, I have her drugged with something to make her more suggestible, to lower her mental resistance, and I have dropped enough information to convince her that I am her long lost mother- and that we could be together again if only she would deliver her ship to you on a silver plate. Tomorrow, I’ll begin to break down her sense of morality, cut her off from her empathy and compassion, make it easier for her to consider hurting her crew. Then I’ll begin to build her narcissism, and sever her emotional connection to her memories, destroy her sense of identity. When I’m done, she’ll think it was her idea. It takes time to build a sociopath.”
* * *=(/\)=* * *

Scene: USS ANUBIS, the Black Hole
Stardate: 31299.0845

“Ah. I’m surprised you don’t know already, unless you’re interested in how I’ll try to spin it,” Selyara shook off the cursed snatch of memory. “I delivered the USS PATRIOT to the Orion Syndicate to be stripped of parts and technology, causing Starfleet to have to scuttle the entire Nova Class Destroyer fleet, and setting them up to be in the place they are now, as a potential galactic power. I was in the Stockade for high treason, aiding and abetting the enemy, sabotage of a Federation Starship, theft of Federation property, selling Federation equipment, eluding arrest, and endangering the lives of my crew.”

“Why did you do it?” Shar’El cocked her head, as though she knew something Selyara didn’t, and Selyara once again had the oddest feeling that the woman had some sort of preternatural knowledge of her life.

“They had something that I wanted,” Selyara said, and left it at that. “I had meant to ask you; I’ve yet to meet some of your command crew formally, more specifically Doyenne and Paquette. I would rather not meet them in a manner that seemed like I was specifically ‘hunting them down’ or something similar- I suppose I could claim a headache to go talk to your medical officer, but I’m at a loss how to meet your engineer. Do you have suggestions?”

“I do, but for now, I see Commander Maya got here early,” Shar’El said, waving down the Shillan woman. The Lieutenant Commander nodded in recognition, before moving towards the replicators to get some food. She came back bearing a tray and sat down. Selyara smiled, and began to make small talk, politely dancing around the subject that was on her mind- the woman’s origins, and the mechanics of her shape shifting. She knew as well as anyone that being different always elicited questions that were often tiresome and tedious. How many times had she been asked what it was like to be a telepath, or how did a Vulcan/Betazoid hybrid come to be? More than she cared to count.

“You might as well ask,” Maya said suddenly. “I can tell you want to.”

“Ask what?” Selyara politely pretended that she had no idea what the other woman was talking about.

“About my shape shifting. You’ve been very careful to avoid it, which tells me that you’re actually quite curious about it.”

“I wasn’t aware I was being quite so transparent. I’m afraid my main question is rather silly: What about mass displacement? Can you only transform into similarly sized creatures, does your mass stay the same, or do you get lighter and heavier?” A little bit of Selyara’s deeply buried science nerd was showing.

--
Alix Fowler

Section 31
Starfleet Intelligence
M06-P065: USS ANUBIS: Maya: Day 15 - 0600
("A Multi-Day Trip Through Memory Lane")
---
"A Multi-Day Trip Through Memory Lane"
(Previous Post: "The Ultimate Reveal")
---

Setting: USS ANUBIS, Maya's Quarters
Stardate: 31299.0600

After the high-adrenaline rush of NEW ALEXANDRIA coming to help liberate EARTH from the grasp of the Neo-Essentialists; after the sorrows of dealing with the death and destruction in orbit and the 28 million casualties of Paris; after the questions and fears of the away team during their search of the underground research facility; and finally after the excitement of the research on the ooze that would become Parisium, the Shillian had believed that they all had earned some time for themselves.

Those promotions had opened the door to this, given the members of the crew a joyous event to celebrate and shift their attention away from the strife that they all had been forced to deal in one shape or another. Anger from what had happened to EARTH had taken many forms, and the political uncertainties had only made matters worse.  Terrans and non-Terrans alike needed something positive, something good to be injected into their lives and everyone had been more than happy to welcome it with open arms.

The Chief Science Officer had taken the opportunity to do some house cleaning both in her quarters and department. As strange as it might have seemed for some, this had allowed her to let memories to take her back to a time and place which she had stayed away from.  Maya could imagine the disapproving glare of their First Officer who would have been tired of picking up on the same memories being relived over and over again, so that is why the Shillian had insured that Shar'El had not been anywhere near the scientist when it happened.

The limited bank of memories the Shillian woman possessed of her father and homeworld made each and every single one of them beyond special and even more so emotional. This had been another reason to insure a reasonable distance had been kept between Commander Shar'El and herself so as to not submit the First Officer to unnecessary traumatic visions.

By cleaning her quarters on board the ANUBIS, Maya could recall how her own room had been on SHILLIA PRIME, allowing the handful of colours and scents to reclaim their rightful places in the halls of her mind.  In the many laboratories on board the ship, the Chief Science Officer could relive the moments she had spent with her father, learning all that she could about the universe around her as well as what it meant to be Shillian.

Maya had also spent a fair amount of time in Stellar Cartography over the last several days, her mind and memories focussed on a specific asteroid field where a planet had once stood.  In the five-stories high room she could allow herself to remember how she had been rescued by a Federation vessel and brought back to EARTH as the one and only surviving member of a doomed world.

Today, the Shillian had decided to take an early morning journey to one of the holodecks where she would further explore the legacy of the father's teachings.  It had been far too long since she had pushed the limits of her shapeshifting skills and the Shillian had in fact feared that maybe she would have lost some of her abilities. So today would be dedicated, for the most part, to testing and if possible pushing back those boundaries.

---
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Deck 13, Corridor
Stardate: 31299.0620

Maya had selected Holodeck 5 on Deck 13 for her early morning shapeshifting exercise. The plan had been that she would walk by Stellar Cartography on her way to get her mind that much more ready and prepared for what she would be doing. It was with great surprise that she noticed Commander Shar'El and their guest Miss Selyara emerging from the gymnasium, a rather amused expression on their faces.

"Good morning Commander, Miss Selyara," the Shillian offered to the two women as their paths crossed.

"Good morning Lieutenant Commander Maya. I hope that you are not heading to the gym?" Shar'El asked in an indirect manner, the efforts of the First Officer to have that particular location empty at this time not having included the Chief Science Officer whom as far as the Commander had been concerned had never made any point in using it.

The Shillian confirmed with a mild shake of her head. "No, I am heading to Holodeck 5 for a little bit of personal animal training."

"Have fun then. Maybe if you are interested you could join us for breakfast afterwards, say around 9:00?" The First Officer offered, easily picking up on a few of the transformation memories of the Shillian.

"I would not want to intrude," Maya countered with, suspecting that Shar'El and Selyara had likely a great deal to talk about, the ANUBIS having had a fair share of strange and unusual Intelligence gathering missions and dealings.

"It would be no trouble at all," Selyara reassured, the Betazoid / Vulcan hybrid having been interested in learning more about the Shillian to insure that the information she possessed on her had been up-to-date and accurate.

"Then it will be my pleasure to join you at 0900," Maya confirmed before nodding her goodbyes and resuming her journey to the holodeck she had mentioned earlier.

Selyara and Shar'El watched the Shillian woman head down the corridor until she vanished from view.

"Does she practice her animal shapeshifting skills every morning?" the observer to the ANUBIS asked of the First Officer who turned to face the woman with a short lived air of surprise.  An off centered smile was all the answer Selyara had needed to confirm that her information on the woman had been for the most part accurate, even if she did not practice the ability on a regular basis.

---
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Holodeck 5
Stardate: 31299.0630

The door to the holodeck had been locked and secured to insure that no one would inadvertently walk in. With her uniform neatly folded and placed within the archway, the Shillian had presented herself in her most natural form to the wilderness that had been created as per her request.

The soft, almost fragile shape of the woman soon began to give way to that of her favorite and most practiced animal form. In a matter of seconds, the Trusa climbed up the nearest tree and moved from branch to branch with the ease that had been expected of any similar small monkey-like animal.  In the blink of an eye the small creature had vanished from sight, galavanting about the forest without a care in the world.

---
Jessica Solarik

Lieutenant Commander Maya [Access Character BIO for Maya]
Chief Science Officer
USS ANUBIS

&

Captain Selene Fiona Iverson [Access Character BIO for Selene Iverson]
Commanding Officer
USS BASTET

"To see the world in a grain of sand,
and a heaven in a wild flower.
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
and eternity in an hour."
- William Blake (British, 1757-1827)
M06-P064: USS ANUBIS: Shar'El: Day 15 - 0600 ("The Ultimate Reveal")
=-=
"The Ultimate Reveal"
[previous post was "Who?" by the defeated Jayson]
=-=

Setting: USS ANUBIS, Deck 13, Gymnasium
Stardate: 31299.0600

Since the Officer's' promotion party five days ago, Selyara and Shar'El had spent a fair amount of time together, at least as much as two individuals who enjoyed their own solitude could stand being with someone else for any amount of time.  Although different in countless ways, the two women shared experiences and knowledge that had set them apart from everyone else on board the ANUBIS.  That had become the basis for their *friendship*, if one would dare to label their association in such an informal manner

The ExO / ILO had thought that they might share a small breakfast and talk a little more about the rumors from the shadowy world of Intel, but instead she had decided on a more physical approach to the start of their day. The time for their meeting at been set at 0600 and the location had been the ship's main gymnasium. Although a properly prepared holodeck might have provided a better setting for the exercise, Shar'El had selected the gymnasium for another completely different reason.

"You are sure you want to spar with me?" Selyara asked out of respect for the Commander, the Vulcan / Betazoid hybrid suspecting that her skill and strength had been well beyond a match for the Ullian, however fit she might have been.

Shar'El smiled and nodded her readiness, her gaze shooting over her adversary's shoulder to the only other people in the gymnasium who had also been sparring not too far away.

Over the last five days, Ya'Han and Jayson had barely spoken, in fact it had been surprising to see them in the same room even while on duty, each finding a professional and viable reason to being somewhere else.  The tension had grown to such a point that the ExO / ILO had found it necessary to intervene, quoting crew moral and work efficiency in order to do so.  During the individual talk with each Junior Lieutenant, the Commander and suggested to both the Chief of Security and Chief of Operations to have a serious talk with the other.  The situation, according to the First Officer could not be permitted to continue as it stood.

As the ship's ILO, it had been easy for Shar'El to know when and where this meeting had been finally set, especially given that she had guided them to this particular location and time, making sure that all had been as it should.  The gymnasium would be a public venue although for this particular instance it would be nearly empty as per the ExO / ILO's arrangements, and the physical requirements of the selected activity would allow them to find a way to break the ice between them.

Shar'El blinked a few times as she looked up to the puzzled expression on Selyara who was now looking down at the woman who had been far too easily sent to the floor by the Vulcan / Betazoid hybrid.

"My apologies Commander," Selyara offered as she extended a gloved hand to help Shar'El back to her feet. "I thought you were prepared, I had not realized that you were distracted."

"No apologies needed," the ExO / ILO offered as she accepted the helping covered hand, her focus still very much on the other sparring team.  "The fault was mine for not having given you my fullest attention. Unfortunately, as this ship's First Officer I need to keep on top of *that* particular situation."

After pulling Shar'El back up onto her feet Selyara glanced over her shoulder to see Ya'Han and Jayson sizing each other before the inevitable engagement.  "Yes, the friction between your Chief of Security and Chief of Operations," the hybrid acknowledged without concern. "Many on the ANUBIS have been speaking about this situation, making it difficult not to be aware of it, especially after the interesting display from the Nylaan woman during the celebration."

"Nylaan woman?" Shar'El echoed, trying to figure out how Selyara had reached that conclusion, not that it had been an error.  Ya'Han true point of origin having been kept out of the woman's official records.

"It was easy to put the stories together," the Vulcan / Betazoid admitted. "The changing and varied hair colors, as well as the impressive display of dancing skills in the Black Hole lounge had greatly narrowed the possibilities. Beyond that point, it was just a matter of extrapolating out of the possible races those that appear humanoid and could have been accepted into Starfleet based on political tensions between governments. Since NYLA IV has no official political standing with EARTH, that world was and is the most likely candidate for your Chief of Security's origin."

As straightforward and logical as Selyara had made it appeared to be, the reaching of such an accurate conclusion had still impressed the ExO / ILO.  Before the two women from the Intel world could say anything more, their combined attention was shifted onto the couple, their sparring having moved to a more verbal exchange.

"Something *is* on your mind," Jayson loudly pointed out as he deflected her latest strike, something that he had never until now been able to do. "Since Paris you have not been the same."

"28 million people killed will do that to anyone," the black and red haired woman responded with as she shuffled her feet to one side in order to get a better position to attack.

"You know very well that's not what I meant," Jayson snapped back. "From one day to the next while we were in Paris your attitude towards me changed, and since we have been back on the ANUBIS I have been unable to make sense of you in any way.  In fact I can't even begin to understand you and have been asking myself who you are since the party."

"I am who I have always been," Ya'Han shot back, almost taking affront to what Jayson had said.

"Really?" the OPS Officer gasped. "Until five days ago. no one knew that you could move that way.  Hell, I even thought that you might be half Orion slave girl. How else was I supposed to explain your green hair."

"You know exactly why I am able to change my hair color," the Chief of Security spat. "You have known for a while and yet to act as if you know nothing about me."

"Maybe I do know," Jayson dismissed, "or maybe I don't. Maybe I pushed that knowledge out of my head because I could not handle who you were back then and who you are today, or hell who you are trying to become by dancing around like some harlot looking to make an impression on a would be mate or husband."

Maybe he had meant to say those exact words. Maybe he had wanted to provoke her into some sort of reaction. All Jayson knew was that for the next few seconds her eyes had narrowed as her hair changed back to the bright red that it had been before.

"You want to know who I am?" the woman sternly asked, a quiet anger flowing from her words as she landed one powerful blow after another against her sparring partner. "You really want to know WHO I AM?" she added as her voice increased in strength as did the next few strikes against the man's chest.

[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]
Setting: NYLA IV, Imperial Castle, Courtyard
Stardate: 20265.1 (Over eleven years ago)

She stood surrounded by four opponents, each one holding a weapon while her hands remained empty.

"Remember who you are," the combat instructor said to the purple haired girl whom he had been tasked to train for her to earn her red hair.  Most Nylaans never tried to earn this right, this privilege reserved to the few strong enough to be considered for the protection of their world and its citizens.  As the daughter of their ruler though, the young girl did not have the option to stay away from the grueling training and test that she would have to pass as had each and every one of her siblings before her.

The first attack came and was skillfully avoided placing Ya'Han in a position to face her next attacker whom she also dodge with ease, but as she turned to face the third opponent she found herself falling to the ground thanks to a sweeping leg kick from the fourth man whom she had lost track of.  The cutting edge of two weapons stopped only millimeters from her throat as the instructor called for the end of the exercise.

"Who are you?" he demanded of the young girl as he motioned for her adversaries to clear the training area.

"I am Ya'Han..." she began, her voice defeated and weak.

"I ASKED YOU WHO YOU ARE!" the instructor screamed before the first reply could be completed in the unacceptable manner it had begun in.

"I am Ya'Han!" the purple haired girl repeated, this time in as much a forceful and commanding voice as she could.  "Daughter of the High Sovereign, ruler of NYLA IV and master of the Empire."

"Good," the instructor acknowledged as he took several steps back and motioned for the girl's adversaries to return to the training area. "Now prove it! ATACK!"

[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Deck 13, Gymnasium
Stardate: 31299.0615

"I am Ya'Han!" the Chief of Security stated as loud as she could, her last blow against Jayson sending him flying a meter or so backwards beyond the edge of the training mat.  "Daughter of the High Sovereign, ruler of NYLA IV and master of the Empire," she added as she closed in for what would have been the killing strike but the woman stopped short of unleashing the last blow as her purple hair cascaded down over her shoulders and towards the face of a stunned Chief of Operations.

"*She* is the lost daughter of the High Sovereign?" Selyara gasped to Shar'El actual amusement, not having expected to see such surprise to be displayed on the features of the woman, not that it had been there for very long. "I had heard rumors and came across unconfirmed reports about her having made her way into Federation space but how did she manage to make it through the Academy without anyone knowing about where she came from?"

Selyara and Shar'El looked at each other for a brief moment as the answer to the question became clear to them both. "Koniki," they sighed in unison.

"Now, should we go and help or leave them to figure it out on their own?" Shar'El asked having noticed that the hair of the Chief of Security had shifted away from the purple it had so rapidly become to reappear as the black and red that had become her standard indicating that the woman they all knew had returned to them. Whatever color Ya'Han's hair might have been, the ExO / ILO had been glad to see that at the very least the two of them had finally broken through the wall that had come between them.

"I believe that this matter falls well outside Federation jurisdiction," Selyara noted as she headed for the nearest exit with the agreeing ExO / ILO following closely behind.

=-=
Tiffany Reeve

Executive Officer / Intel Liaison Officer
USS ANUBIS

Lieutenant Commander Janeel [Access Character BIO for Janeel]
Intel Liaison Officer / Mission Specialist
USS BASTET
M06-P063: USS ANUBIS: Stark: Day 10 - 2045 ("Who?")
"Who?"
[previous "Dancing Alone"]

[/\]

Setting: USS ANUBIS, Deck 16, Black Hole Lounge (Main Section)
Stardate: 31294.2045

Despite the 'knock-your-socks-off' kiss that she had planted on his lips a while back, despite her literally hanging on his neck and refusing to let go while sitting on his lap, despite his trying his best not to look at the dance floor, his attention had been completely on Ya'Han.

He knew that the Chief of Security was strong, the way she always so easily tossed him on the floor mat during their sparring practices had been ample proof of that. He also knew that she had been quick and agile, the way she could so effortlessly dodge his every strikes during those same sparring matches had again been proof of that. Yet, as he looked at the woman dancing he could not help himself in asking over and over again the same question; "Who was she?"

She looked like their Chief of Security, there had been no denying that, and her voice had sounded the exact same as Ya'Han's during those few times when he had been able to hear her say something to Sonja while dancing.  Still, the woman who had taken ownership of the dance floor could not have been the same person as the one he knew, or thought he knew.

The ANUBIS' Chief of Security had been a dedicated officer, one driven by a passion that he often found himself envying. The woman radiated a strength and warned others of her extensive skills and he, as well as most other officers on board the ship, felt safer when she was around. The lady who had been so gracefully floating on the dance floor could not be by any stretch of the imagination the same one. This left Jayson to silently wonder if maybe Ya'Han had a twin sister that no one, absolutely no one, knew of.

The more reasonable explanation, one that the OPS Officer still could not bring himself to accept, was that Ya'Han possessed skills well beyond those he and many others knew about.  The way she moved had been beyond enchanting, beyond mesmerizing, beyond spellbinding leaving many including himself to look at her in complete disbelief, not to mention lusting to be right there by her side.

Even if he had gone to Risa and ventured to some of the more well known establishments where the dancers were renowned for their skills, never would he have expected to see someone like Ya'Han as she was now.  Sensual in every way, she retained a class that made her into an artistic display that one could not simply look away from.  More than once Ya'Han had made a move that had caused everyone to gasp in stunned surprise and incomprehensible admiration.

Who had she been prior to joining Starfleet?

The question may have seemed strange but it made perfect sense based on the simple fact that there had been no Academy classes he could see as having been responsible for the skills and knowledge the woman had displayed over the full extent of her dancing.  Even sitting down Jayson had felt tired for her, Ya'Han apparently having endurance and stamina that far exceeded what anyone could have expected.

Flashes of memories of their time in Paris came into his mind in between some of the more astonishing dance moves she was freely sharing with everyone to see.  She had been the woman he had shared a room with, so how had it been possible that he had not known about her being able to do this... or *that* he thought, almost choking on air at the latest mind and body bending move done by the woman in question.

**Could she have been an Orion slave girl, even if only in part?** he thought, it would explain her having had green hair, but not her ability to switch color at will nor being able to dance as she did. No, there was something else about Ya'Han, a well kept secret from her past, but how could a single secret explain all of this... or *that*!  Flexibility had not been a stranger to the woman, not by a longshot.

If she continued this way Jayson feared that he would never again be able to work or sleep, his thoughts forever locked into reliving this particular moment for the rest of his days.  Her name and rank were Lieutenant Ya'Han, recently promoted Starfleet Officer, and the Chief of Security and Tactical Officer of the USS ANUBIS, but still he found himself asking the same question; "Who was she?"

[/\]
Jayson Sousa

Lieutenant JG Jayson Stark [Access Character BIO for Jayson Stark]
Chief of Operations
USS ANUBIS, NCC-18501
M06-P062: USS ANUBIS: Ya'Han: Day 10 - 2030 ("Dancing Alone")
[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]
"Dancing Alone"
[previous post was "Tactics and Diversions"]
[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]

Setting: USS ANUBIS, Deck 16, Black Hole Lounge (Main Section)
Stardate: 31294.2030

She had abandoned herself to the music, her body sensually swaying without Ya'Han having to think about it in the least. Her moves seemed to originate from the most primal of instincts and told a story that had been reserved for passionate lovers.  As the Chief of Security, her body and mind had been kept fit and trained to react a specific way depending on the situation she faced. As a daughter of the High Sovereign who had earned her green hair, her body and mind had been just as equally trained and kept fit to entice, invite and suggest things to fulfil anyone's wildest dreams.

Ya'Han had become conscious on the smallest of levels of the stunned and admiring gazes she had been the target of, including the absolute shock of disbelief from Lieutenant Stark.  Thanks to the enchanting moves of the Nylaan which easily flowed one into the next, most had forgotten that she had been the head of Security for the ANUBIS.  Some had been ready to accept the woman's unspoken sensual invitations, but when reminded of the new Lieutenant's role on board the ship, all had decided against it.

As alluring as she had made herself to be, everyone knew how dangerous the woman could also be. So it had been best for all to simply watch and enjoy the entertainment.

[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]
Setting: NYLA IV, Imperial Castle, Dance Studio
Stardate: 19188.1 (Over twelve years ago)

She danced alone in the center of the large room, her purple hair swaying as if being moved by a mystical wind, her body seemingly floating to the sound of music that only she could hear.  The mirrors lining the entire length of the inner wall reflected the soft red shade of the Nylaan sky which could be seen through the open archways of the outer wall.

Her eyes had been kept closed as her body moved without effort. Even at the tender age of 11 Ya'Han had already endured countless years of training and it showed.  Strength, agility and control could all be seen in abundance with each and every move she made, and yet the dancing girls displayed no signs of fatigue or even effort.  As complex as some of the moves had been, they came to her with ease and simplicity, appearing beyond perfect to an untrained eye.

The silence that reigned through the room was suddenly shattered by the sound of a wooden stick crashing against the dancing girl's shoulder, the force of the impact having been more than enough to break her concentration and send Ya'Han to the floor in excrutiating pain.

"Keep your shoulders straight," the instructor bellowed in disgust. "No one wants to see you slouching. You are the daughter of the High Sovereign and your performance as a dancer will reflect on your father, OUR RULER.  Your father, his guests, and in time your future husband need to see perfection, nothing less. Now, AGAIN!"

She could not cry, if she did her punishment would have been a thousand times worse.  The shape and size and of the wooden stick had been perfectly set to inflict as much pain as possible without leaving any marks, for that too had not been permitted.  The instructor had been tasked to teach the ruler's daughters, and any mark he would leave on his students would have been taken from his flesh a hundred times over.

Ya'Han forced herself back onto her bare feet and started over, painfully aware that the stick had not been far from her delicate skin, and that the instructor knew all too well how to use it to motive the High Sovereign's daughter to do better than she thought possible, to become more than the best her father demanded.

To the tune of a music only she could hear, Ya'Han resumed her training focussing on every aspects of her body and its motion through the large empty room.

[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Deck 16, Black Hole Lounge (Main Section)
Stardate: 31294.2045

Unlike then there had not been any mirrors on the walls, and instead of the red sky of her world visible through the open archways, only the twinkling stars beyond the blue and white sphere of the planet they orbited could be seen. Instead of silence, actual music filled the air; instead of an empty room, the Black Hole Lounge had been filled to near capacity; and instead of harsh criticism Ya'Han had danced to the admiration and awe of those who had become her new family.

Despite her abandonment to the music and to the skills she had been required to learn, the black and red hair flowing through the air had remained so colored. Normally, the green of her hair that she had worked so hard to earn would have long ago made an appearance, but that would have indicated that she had been doing what she had for *their* entertainment. Instead, and thanks to the encouragement of her friend Sonja, she had made her way onto the dance floor and danced as she had for no one else's entertainment but her own.

[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]
Hanali Han

Lieutenant JG Ya'Han [Access Character BIO for Ya'Han]
Chief of Security / Chief Tactical Officer
USS ANUBIS, NCC-18501
M06-P061: USS ANUBIS: Paquette: Day 10 – 1905 ("Tactics and Diversions")
"Tactics and Diversions"
previous post was "The Man"

=====
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Deck 16, Black Hole Lounge (Main Section)
Stardate: 31294.1905

"He's coming this way," Ya'Han pointed out, having only glanced in the man's direction long enough to figure out where he had been heading before casting her eyes away from him.

"Don't worry," Sonja whispered with a faint chuckle as she nodded to one of the woman who had been on the dance floor.

Ya'Han watched unsure of what was happening, then her head tilted to one side in confused astonishment as she witnessed the woman the redhead had nodded to beelining for Jayson and without any warning locking lips with him.  "What's going on?"

"Call it an effective diversion," Sonja explained, "and you have nothing to worry about, I mean *really* nothing to worry about, she doesn't swing that way," the CEO explained drawing a raised eyebrow from the Chief of Security.  "She's one of my junior officers and I made a deal with her. All she has to do was to keep him distracted for a few hours and I will make sure she doesn't land any night shifts for the next few months."

"Why?" the Chief of Security asked, actually appearing puzzled and hurt as she watched Jayson and the unknown woman lost in each other's embrace.

"Because we need to be able to talk and plan our next move without senior cocky over there busting in and making sure you go all greeny-locks over him. Your attention needs to be on the reason why we are all here - you and your promotion."

"You were promoted too you know," Ya'Han pointed out to the full Lieutenant grinning in front of her.

"Even more of a reason to keep him from getting in the way of our fun," Sonja added with absolute certainty.  "She'll find a way to let him down easy at the end of the night and he won't be the wiser as to what happened," the CEO continued referring to the woman she had enlisted to help in keeping Jayson out of their hair.

"She doesn't have to let him down *that* easily," the black and red haired woman hesitantly said, her voice quiet and yet possessing a distinct hint of deviousness.

"That's my girl!" Sonja exclaimed as she reached for two glasses at the nearest beverage table and offered one to her partner in crime.  "Here, have a drink."

"No thank you. I think I have had enough accepting drinks from you for a little while," the Chief of Security said in a half serious tone.

"You wound me," Sonja said, overacting the gesture of her having been hit by some kind of projectile.  "Would I offer you any sort of drink that would reduce your inhibitions and allow you to have a real good time?"

"Yes," came the nearly immediate reply.

"Alright ya got me there," the redhead conceded with a grin, "but the real question is would you truly feel bad about it if I did? Now be honest."

"Well... Maybe not," Ya'Han quietly admitted after several long seconds of hesitations.

"Then you have nothing to lose," Sonja said as she again offered one of the two drinks to her friend. "Eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we may die," the CEO added partially quoting Shakespeare's Hamlet, adding the word *may* as she believed it to be better fitting the current circumstances.

"Think you have had a little too much chech'tluth," Ya'Han grinned, knowing how much Sonja loved the rather strong Klingon drink.

"I haven't had any," the redhead happily corrected, "at least not yet. Now drink up so we can go dancing."

"I don't think I should, " Ya'Han objected as she glanced in Jayson's direction for only a few seconds, the OPS officer appearing rather occupied with the woman the CEO had sent his way.

"You need to show *him* what he is missing," Sonja sighed in frustration. "Remember what mom said?  Don't make me get her on the nearest comm system.  I could always have her talk to good old lover boy over there if you won't listen to reason."
"Alright," Ya'Han sighed as she threw her hands in the air, "you win. There is just no winning anything with you. You don't know how to play fair."

"All's fair in love and war Lassie," the redhead continued, using her thick Scottish accent again, "and this is war. Do you want to play nice and lose this fight or do you want to win and have him crawlin' on his hands and knees to you like the sad puppy that he is, begging for your attention and forgiveness? Remember mom said, and I truly believe it, you should never run after a man, but have him run after you. Now we need to go and set the bait."

The Chief of Security forced herself to look at the man in question once more, trying to look beyond the moment and her own feelings.  After several seconds, Ya'Han filled her lungs with a long deep breath and returned her gaze onto her waiting friend.

"Alright, let's go," the black and red haired woman said before downing the drink that she had been given in a single gulp before making her way onto the dance floor under the watchful eyes of the visibly happy CEO.

"This is going to be one heck of a night," Sonja whispered to herself as she watched Ya'Han make her way deeper into the dancing crowd, her body swaying to the beat of the music in a way that would most certainly draw the attention of not only the OPS Officer but everyone else in the room, be them man, woman or otherwise. "Damn," the redhead noted to herself as she followed her friend, "and she hasn't gone green yet, what have I done?"

It had not taken long for Jayson to notice Ya'Han's arrival on the dance floor, but Sonja was pleased to see that the junior officer the CEO had selected and sent in had been doing a remarkable job at keeping him busy and away from the Chief of Security.  Without Jayson bothering her, the Nylaan would soon feel comfortable enough to unleash moves that only the most skilled of green haired entertainers of her world could and would display.

=====
Lorraine Paquette

Chief Engineering Officer
USS ANUBIS, NCC 18501
M06-P060: USS ANUBIS: Stark: Day 10 - 1900 ("The Man")
"The Man"
[previous "Contemplations"]

[/\]

Setting: USS ANUBIS, Deck 16, Black Hole Lounge (Main Section)
Stardate: 31294.1900

There had been no denying it, he was strutting around like a peacock with its tail feathers spread as far as physically possible.  Lieutenant Junior Grade!  Jayson liked the sound of that. It was true that he would have enjoyed a lot more hearing the phrase Captain Stark or even Admiral Stark, but he needed to start somewhere and this was the right step in the right direction.

For a moment he wished that Sofia had been here to see this, then his mind drifted to another blonde woman who would have been thrilled for him.  Jayson caught from the corner of his eye the silhouette of the ship's Counselor and immediately refocused his thoughts. Neither woman could be here to join in the celebration, and he was not about to allow their absence to dampen his mood.

Tonight was a time of joy, happiness and festivities. The food had been beyond belief and the drinks had tasted especially sweet, so much so that Jayson wondered if maybe, just maybe, the Captain had authorized real alcohol to be served. It was not everyday that an officer got promoted, let alone five, so this called for an equally memorial celebration.

Jayson had just stepped off the dance floor, needing something to quench his thirst when he noticed two women talking instead of enjoying the moment. The music had been nice, with a good enough beat to break some good dance moves to, but for some reason Ya'Han and Sonja had seemed unwilling to join in on the dance floor.  Given what he knew of them both, he knew that something was not right, neither one of them having been the type to ignore such a perfect opportunity to have fun.

He downed the drink that had been in his hand before trying to make his way across the dance floor to reach the two party poopers.  Jayson thought that the trip would have been an easy one but the music and the demands of many junior officers also present had made it impossible for him to easily reach the other side.  Along with respect, it appeared that his new rank had given the OPS officer a certain celebrity status.  He had not been sure why, but who had he been to refuse all of the attention he had been getting.

Every thought and concern regarding Ya'Han and Sonja suddenly vanished from his mind when a pair of lips came to be forcefully pressed against his. He knew nothing of the woman who had pulled him to share this unexpected kiss, but he sure was not going to say no.

As the kiss ended, she smiled at him. He still had no idea of who she was although he did remember seeing her somewhere on the ship, but mattered little right now. She wanted him to dance and he had been more than happy to oblige to the cheers of the other junior officers who had been part of the celebration.

Jayson let loose and danced without reservation, wondering to himself how the party would be when he would make full Lieutenant. Although it had not been the only reason, the idea of a party better than this one had made the OPS officer already think of what he would need to do to secure his next promotion.  For now though, all he needed to do was to focus on the moment at hand, the great bat music and the smiling women who had come to surround him on every side.

[/\]
Jayson Sousa

Lieutenant JG Jayson Stark [Access Character BIO for Jayson Stark]
Chief of Operations
USS ANUBIS, NCC-18501
M06-P059: USS ANUBIS: Shar'El: Day 10 - 1845 ("Contemplations")
=-=
"Contemplations"
[previous post was "Taking Care of Business" by the admirable Francois]
=-=

Setting: USS ANUBIS, Deck 15, Black Hole Lounge (Upper Section)
Stardate: 31294.1845

Shar'El sat alone at one of the tables on the upper level of the Black Hole crew lounge, her gaze casually scrutinizing the celebration below. Each and every promotion had been well earned and given the more somber atmosphere that had taken over EARTH it had been nice to see so many people smile and hear from them so much laughter.

"I realize that being anti-social is part of being an ILO, but still I thought you would be down there with the others. After all, this celebration is for you as well as the others," the Captain said as he joined his First Officer at he table.

"Too many memories," the ExO / ILO quietly said, her gaze still lost amongst the crowd below.  "Plus, consider this my keeping up a promise made to you and the rest of the crew," Shar'El added. "At least from up here I can ignore most of what is being remembered."

"I would have thought that, like a Betazoid, Ullians would have learned to block such things," the Captain pointed out wondering if he truly understood the woman who had been his First Officer for the last few missions.

"Basic memories, those that just come up for no other reason than to present someone with a base of reference on what is happening are easily dismissed," the raven haired woman explained, finally taking her eyes off the crowd and directing her gaze directly at the man now sitting with her. "Memories with an emotional weight, those that make someone smile or cry, those are harder to block. The stronger the emotion attached to the memory, the more difficult it is for me to ignore it, plus you know that this gift only works on a line-of-sight.  If I am too close to someone, I cannot simply look away and in a situation like this where people are sharing stories about things that have happened to them, I am at the mercy of the tidal wave of emotionally loaded memories they freely share."

Erik found himself thinking back to his own promotions, namely the one when he became Captain and how the normally stoic man hd emotionally felt at the crowning moment of his career to that point.  As Shar'El closed her eyes to break the connection, the Captain felt his memory become his once again.  The demonstration had been short but all so effective.

"It is not that I don't' want to be there with them," Shar'El admitted, her gaze having returned to the crowd below.  "I remember when I first came on board and what Admiral Koniki had expected of me, and as much as I might have understood his reasons back then for doing what he did I came to see that it was wrong." The ExO / ILO paused as she looked back to her Captain. "You and the rest of the crew showed me that it was wrong. That I did not have to be the ILO he wanted me to be in order to be part of your crew. In fact I am sure that if I had remained whom he had wanted me to be, I never would have become the First Officer that you and the rest of the crew have come to respect as you do."

"Koniki is a paranoid man," Erik faintly chuckled, "and he would not have made it where he is if he had not been that way.  The man sees conspiracies everywhere and I know for a fact that as strange as it may seem, his way of looking at people and events has managed to save lives."  It was the Captain's turn to pause and turn his attention to the crowd below.  "I will be honest, if I knew half of what he knows, I would be far more paranoid than he lets on. You have nothing to reproach yourself, and we are all very glad to having you here with us."

"Thank you for being so understanding," Shar'El offered with a gentle smile gracing her lips.

"My pleasure," the Captain smiled back as he stood from his chair. "If you want to stay up here, it is your prerogative, but as the Commanding Officer and the one technically responsible for this little party, I should be heading back down."

"Give me a few minutes and I will join you and the others," the ExO / ILO offered allowing the CO to leave without concern.  As she followed Erik going down the circular stairs to rejoin the rest of the gathered Officers, Shar'El noted their guest sitting at a table lost in one of the corners of the room. It made sense for Selyara to not be part of the celebrations as she knew nothing of the ship or of the achievements of the officers which had led to their promotions.

=-=
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Deck 16, Black Hole Lounge (Main Section)
Stardate: 31294.1900

"Miss Selyara?" Shar'El queried as she pulled out a chair to join the special envoy of Admiral Koniki.  "This is the kind of situation we love to be on the outskirts of but hate being right in he middle of."

The Betazoid / Vulcan hybrid debated for a brief moment if she should force a smile on her lips to show some sort of acknowledgement and agreement with what the ExO / ILO had just said.

"It is difficult for them to understand what it takes for us to work as we do," the newly promoted full Commander stated as she looked at the rest of the crowd, not wanting Selyara to feel pressured or even under any sort of scrutiny.  "It takes a special kind of person to work in the field of Intel, and the more we find ourselves drawn into that world, the harder it is for us to come back and fit in with the rest of the world."

Shar'El paused and smiled a faint, and gentle smile, her gaze lost into the crowd while her attention had been completely focussed on the woman sitting next to her. All that the ExO / ILO had hoped to do was to have the woman feel as if she had not been alone on the ANUBIS, to try and make her understand that someone else understood, at least in some minor way, the difficulties she had likely been faced with at this very moment.

=-=
NM:

Yes Francois I copy/pasted some of your words to me from your NM, hope you won't mind.

Alix, up to you. We can leave it there or Selyara might just allow her guard down a little, or even better yet she could flip the table and challenge Shar'El to a match of Greco Roman wrestling.  Nah, you are right, would be better to do that in one of the gymnasiums or holodecks.

=-=
Tiffany Reeve

Executive Officer / Intel Liaison Officer
USS ANUBIS

Lieutenant Commander Janeel [Access Character BIO for Janeel]
Intel Liaison Officer / Mission Specialist
USS BASTET
M06-P058: USS ANUBIS: Morningstar: Day 10 - 0900 ("Taking Care of Business")
##########
"Taking Care of Business"
Previous post "The Helpers"
##########

"Who are we? We find that we live on an insignificant planet of a humdrum star lost in a galaxy tucked away in some forgotten corner of a universe in which there are far more galaxies than people."
- Carl Sagan

=====
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Bridge
Stardate: 31294.0900

All eyes had been on the woman as silence ruled the ANUBIS' Command Deck.  The whispered echoes of stories and rumours about who the woman had been and why she had come on board the Intel Cruiser filled every deck.

ANI had, as per the request of the Chief of Security, created a report on what the Avatar through her numerous ways had heard and learned about the woman known as Selyara.  As head of Security for the ANUBIS it has been Ya'Han's responsibility to ascertain what kind of woman their guest had been, and if she would be considered a welcomed friend or a possible dangerous threat.

Whatever Captain Morningstar would say would be, but that had in no way diminished the red haired woman's drive to understand why someone with her lengthy and troubled history had been assigned to the ANUBIS by none other than Admiral Koniki, newly appointed head of Starfleet Intelligence.

=====
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Captain’s Ready Room
Stardate: 31294.0915

(Partial excerpt and minor rewrite of this section of Alix's post)

“Ensign Ya’Han? Please report to my ready room. Ensign Ya’Han is our chief of Security.” Morningstar said for Selyara’s benefit. She refrained from commenting about her security escort to her rooms.

**Take everything in good faith,** she reminded herself. **Not everyone is out to get you now.**

The doors hissed open to admit a lithe woman in a security uniform. Selyara’s usually keen skills of observation shuddered to a halt and got slightly stuck on the shock of bright red hair on the woman’s head. It wasn’t so much the color- she’d seen far more colorful locks on LIMBO- it was the unexpectedness in conjunction with Starfleet, combined with the fact that it looked natural. Selyara scrutinized Ensign Ya’Han, before she realized that her stare was beginning to border on inappropriate.

“You must be Ensign Ya’Han,” Selyara said in what she hoped was a graceful transition from staring. She reached out a hand. The other woman looked rather suspiciously at Selyara’s gloved hand, before grasping it firmly and giving it perfunctory shake. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Selyara.”

“Likewise.” Ya’Han said politely, but certainly without warmth. Selyara squirmed inwardly, hating her awkwardness, and wishing that she could fall back on one of her many personae. It was much easier to put on an act than to be oneself. “Follow me.”

Selyara turned and smiled at Captain Morningstar, mouthing “thank you” as she followed the woman from the room.

(End of excerpt)

=====
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Deck 2, Corridor
Stardate: 31294.0920

"Standard guest quarters have been assigned to you for the duration of your stay on board the ANUBIS," Ya'Han informed the woman who had been walking a single step behind the Chief of Security who had done her best to reign in her misgivings about their guest, the still bright red colour of her hair being a visible display of just how unsuccessful the Ensign had been.

"I am sure that they will be fine," Selyara offered in return, glad that her location had permitted a certain amount of unnoticed stairing to be done on the Chief of Security's hair.  There was something strange about it, but the Director of Section 31 could not put her finger on it, not yet.

"You have been granted access to every section of the ship," Ya'Han added as she stopped, pressed the controls on the wall to open the doors to the guest quarters before pivoting on her heels to face Selyara. "Should you have any questions, the computer is at your disposal and will help you find whatever you may be looking for.  Also, our ship's Avatar, named ANI, will be more than happy to show you around the ship should you desire it."

"Good morning Miss Selyara," ANI stated announcing her presence behind the woman who had been following the Chief of Security apparently too distracted to notice something had been following her.

**Where did she come from?** Selyara gasped inwardly, not having heard or sensed in any way the android's presence.  "Good morning," the ANUBIS' guest cautiously acknowledged after a few seconds more. "You seem somewhat *happier* than I would have expected an ship's Avatar to be."

"Our Chief Engineer, Lieutenant Sonja Paquette, with some assistance from our robotics expert on NEW ALEXANDRIA Lieutenant Commander Elan Fairborn have created several behavioural subroutines to permit me to be more *human* in my interactions with the crew," the Avatar joyfully explained, showing by the freely divulged information that security clearance had obviously not been an issue for their guest.

"So noted, thank you both," Selyara said as she made her way into the quarters Ya'Han had shown her.  "I will let you know if there is a problem, but given what I am seeing of these quarters so far, I am sure that everything will be beyond reproach."

The Chief of Security and Avatar waited quietly until the door hissed closed before heading to the nearest turbolift.

"Ensign Ya'Han," ANI began with a quizzical expression engraved on her artificial features, "if I may, Lieutenant Paquette had mentioned that you had adopted a darker colour of red for your hair. Was she in error or have you decided to return to your previous settings?"

"It would be more of a choice than a setting," Ya'Han corrected with a hint of amusement in her voice, the Chief of Security having lowered her guard in the absence of their guest.  "No, I was just a little on edge," she continued and admitted as her hair gradually returned to the black and red mixture that had become the standard since their return from Paris.  "Keep an eye on our guest's whereabouts will you? Just in case."

"Of course," ANI replied as if the request had been perfectly normal. "Commander Shar'El has already requested that I do the same."

=====
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Captain's Ready Room
Stardate: 31294.1645

Selyara stood across the desk of the ANUBIS' Commanding Officer once more, her gloved hands tightly clasped behind her back, the woman having complied with the request to see the Captain as soon as he had made it, not that it had sounded like an alternate option had been available in the matter.

"Just wanted to warn you," Erik offered to the Vulcan/Betazoid hybrid, as he stood, "although the ANUBIS has always operated under the rules and regulations set for personnel by Starfleet Command, our previous mission profiles, which were far from standard, did force each and every member of my crew to become more than what might be considered acceptable."

"More?"

"I am sure that you have already noticed what I am trying to explain, so let's just say that some members of the senior staff might be more free spirited than what you may be accustomed to," the Native American offered so that at the very least he could state that he had gone on record for Selyara's sake about the high level of camaraderie that could be encountered on board the ANUBIS.  "Now if you will follow me, I have a few matters to address," he concluded with as she took hold of a plain looking container that had been resting on his desk.

=====
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Observation Lounge
Stardate: 31294.1700

With the hustle and bustle of their last adventure, this one having taken the senior staff into an underground secret research facility beneath Paris, having died down things had finally returned to normal. At least as normal as could be considered for the SCARAB-Class Intel Cruiser and its crew.  This relative peace and quiet would allow the Native American to take care of issues that had been long overdue.

"Alright," the Native American began as he put the plain looking container down and quickly scanned the room to insure that everyone who needed to be there had in fact shown up for this meeting.  "As you all should be aware, Admiral Koniki is now the Head of Starfleet Intelligence, although this has greatly broadened his role and responsibilities the mission profile of the ANUBIS and of the rest of NEW ALEXANDRIA has not changed."

"To boldly go where no one else dares to go and kick some bad guy's aft section into never-again-land," the redheaded Chief Engineering Officer said in laughter before quickly returning to a more serious and official posture after seeing Captain Morningstar sending a quick grin towards their yet to be identified guest whom most had already guessed the identity of.

"Next on the agenda," the Captain continued, "please allow me to introduce Director Selyara, the newly appointed Head of what will become a revamped Section 31. She has been assigned to the ANUBIS by Admiral Koniki as an observer. Please extend her all possible courtesies."

A general air of quiet acceptance filled the room, everyone trying to figure out why the Admiral would have sent an observer on board and what exactly she had been meant to observe.  The Captain made a point to look at his First Officer to make sure she understood that the woman had officially become a member of the crew and that as such she fell under the agreement that had been reached between the Ullian and her CO some time ago.

"Moving right along," Erik continued knowing that the crew needed to be given something else to focus on.  "It is with great pleasure that I hereby award the following, and very overdue, promotions to the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade in recognition of exceptional work and continued devotion to this ship and crew to Ensign Jayson Stark, Ensign Ya'Han, and Ensign Lillie Doyanne. Please stand and approach."

The rest of the senior officers wasted no time in quietly acknowledging the three officers who had proven time and time again their worth as members of the crew.  Erik reached for one of the three blue velvet box that he had produced from the container he had placed on the table and opened one as the CMO was the first to present herself for the customary placement of her new pip on her collar.  "Ensign Doyanne, I am pleased to promote you to the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade with all of the privileges and respect associated with that rank."

The moment the new pip was snapped into place, Lillie beamed a radiant smile and took a step back to allow for the next Ensign to receive the same honour, who in this case had been the Chief of Operations.

"Ensign Stark, I am pleased to promote you to the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade with all of the privileges and respect associated with that rank," the Captain repeated as he placed the black pip on the man's collar making the promotion official.

As he also took a step back, he noted a faint yet genuine smile from the ship's Chief Engineer, a reaction that he had truly not expected given all that had taken place between Ya'Han and himself.

The next person to step forward was the Chief of Security, Ensign Ya'Han who above and beyond her new hair colour appeared in possession of a new personal identity that had not been there before. "Ensign Ya'Han, I am pleased to promote you to the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade with all of the privileges and respect associated with that rank," the Captain said once again as he affixed the black pip on the woman's collar.  "Please hold your applauds as we have one more promotion to acknowledge.  Lieutenant Paquette, please stand and step forward."

Sonja's face quickly grew to match the hue of her hair, a fact that was noticed by everyone present including the ship's Avatar who smiled.  After a few seconds of hesitation, the CEO stood and approached her Captain as the others had.

"In recognition for your outstanding performance as this ship's Chief Engineering Officer, and your rapidly accumulating achievements in the field of cybernetics I am awarding you a promotion to the rank of full Lieutenant with all of the privileges and respect associated with that rank," Erik said as drew a fourth blue velvet box from the plain looking container, opened it to reveal a solid pip.  After having removed the black pip from Sonja's collar the Captain placed the new solid one in is place making the promotion official.  "Congratulations to you all," the Captain said as he applauded the newly promoted officers as they returned to their seat.

"Guess there will be a party in the Black Hole Lounge next," the First Officer said as she too applauded the promoted officers, having been more than happy to seeing their hard work finally acknowledged.

"No party, at least not quite yet," the Native American added as he produced one last blue velvet box from the container.  "This one will be the last but not the least.  Commander Shar'El, if you would please stand."

"What?" came the surprised exclamation, the First Officer never having expected that Erik would have added her name to the promotions list, a list that she had been consulted about well before this gathering.

"I am sure that each and every member of the senior staff will agree that the ANUBIS would not be the ship that it is without you here," the Captain said as he invited the woman to stand with a gesture from his hand.  "As an ILO you have proven yourself to be more than an asset to this ship, its crew and to the continued work that we undertake each and every day.  As this ship's First Officer you have been a presence and strength that we all have come to admire and call upon when in need, it is because of this and so much more that I am pleased to promote you to the rank of full Commander with all of the privileges and respect associated with that rank," Erik announced as he replaced the black pip on her collar with a solid one.  "Congratulations Commander, it is well earned."

As soon as as Shar'El had been over the shock and turned to face the rest of the gathered officers, a massive round of applauds filled the Observation Lounge.

"Alright," Erik said with a great smile gracing his face, "now we can go to the Black Hole Lounge. Food and drinks have already been set for us."

<
--==(/\)==--
Francois Charette

Commanding Officer
USS ANUBIS, NCC 18501

AND

Lt. Commander Elan Fairborn [Access Character BIO for Elan Fairborn]
Robotics Engineering Officer
NEW ALEXANDRIA
M06-P057: USS ANUBIS: Selyara: Day 10 - 0800 ("The Helpers")
“The Helpers”
(Cont. “The Morning After”)
* * *=[/\]=* * *

"My mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.' To this day, especially in times of disaster, I remember my mother's words, and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers — so many caring people in this world."
-Mister Rogers

* * *=[/\]=* * *

Setting: Earth, Outside the fallout zone of Paris
Stardate: 31294.0800

If you had told Sareb even two days ago that he would be sharing the secrets of building Vre’katras with members of all the races of the Federation, he would have… Well, he wouldn’t have laughed, being a Vulcan, but he would have told you that the very idea was illogical.

Sareb was a member of the Kolinahru Order, Vulcan ascetics that guarded the Hall of Memory, where Vulcan Katras were kept. But Sareb had decided to leave the monastery in order to minister to Vulcans on other worlds, and because he felt that perhaps he needed to test his control over his emotions somewhere outside of the sedate confines of the monastery.

There had been as well, he had to admit, now that there was distance between him and his decision, a bit of conceit there as well. He thought that perhaps he would also test his mastery of the teachings of Sarek by attempting to proselytize to Humans, after all recently it seemed as though they could use some
Logic.

He had arrived on Earth only hours before the Aegis shield went up, and had been staying in Paris for a day or so, before he’d met Sister Mary Sophia. The woman was a Poor Clare, a follower of one of Earth’s multitude of religions. They’d exchanged notes, and found that they lived very similar lives, though one was devoted to Logic, and the other to the enrichment of the soul. It was she that had suggested that he might find it instructive to take the Camino Santiago, an ancient Terran religious pilgrimage, and understand a little bit more about Terrans through their philosophy. It had seemed like a good idea at the time, and he had been intrigued by the ideas and philosophy that Humans had built their civilization on. So he and Mary Sophia had set out to complete the pilgrimage, mere hours before the green light came down from the sky, irradiating Paris.

In this manner, deciding to delve into Terran religions had saved his life, which Mary Sophia insisted was proof that fate- although she had not called it fate, she had called it God- was protecting him for some reason. She was doubly convinced that it was fate after Sareb woke up after being hit with the psionic aftershocks and realized that his mind and the mind of other psionics was filled with the last thoughts of the citizens of Paris. The thoughts had been flung out into the psionic weft of the world as their owners had perished, and even here a being’s singular will for survival manifested, those thoughts desperately attached themselves, imbedded themselves, into the minds of telepaths which were capable of receiving these shreds of consciousness, in an attempt at immortality.

Sareb had found himself unwilling to purge himself of these bits of consciousness, even though that would have been the most logical course of action.  Others telepaths, like the Betazoids and the Deltans, were vociferous in their disinclination to rid themselves of their psionic baggage, even though the wisps of thoughts caused them significantly more emotional distress than they did the Vulcans.

It was Sister Mary Sophia who had come up with the idea of using Vre’katras to provide a solution, a fitting memorial to the recent tragedy, and hopefully some closure and respite of grief to the friends and loved ones left behind. All through the day, Sister Mary Sophia, the Poor Clares, and a never ending stream of well meaning volunteers worked hard crafting the vessels, while Sareb and a small group of Vulcans performed mind melds with the other telepaths, gathering up the psionic debris and then filling the Vre’katras with them. Someday, once they’d collected them all up, Sareb and the others would sort all these thoughts where they could, find the pieces that fit together, and perhaps even put names to them.

Those non psionic species not occupied constructing the Vre’katras were busy constructing an undulating wall made of Lutetian limestone with hundreds of little alcoves deep enough to hold the Vre’katras, with one small flame flickering in front of each. When it was finished, the effect of the white limestone, the polished Vre’katras, and the flames would be a haunting memorial to the dead of Paris, a modern catacomb for the victims.

“I think you’ve got another visitor,” Mary Sophia said with a smile on her face, one hand falling gently onto Sareb’s shoulder as she pointed across the camp. Sareb followed her finger to see a tall Vulcan woman standing in the center of the clearing looking lost. He stood and walked towards her. As he drew nearer he could see that she wasn’t a pure Vulcan, her eyes were dark green and pupiless, like a Betazoid. An interesting combination, and possibly the only of it’s kind. She was dressed in a steel grey jumpsuit with gloves that covered her hands, and a hood attached to the shoulders by decorative clasps. She was lean and cagy looking, her eyes darting around the camp as though looking for threats.

“Hello, have you come to share your memories?” Sareb said automatically. The phrase was not his, it was Sister Mary Sophia’s. She insisted that the euphemistic phrasing would be more palatable to those who came seeking his help, and that his inclination for clinical descriptions might offend some of the more sensitive telepaths’ sensibilities. So far she seemed to be correct, and others didn’t find the phrasing as awkward as he.

“I have, yes.” The woman’s voice was tight, as controlled as her expression, and hard. He waited politely for her to elaborate, not sure what to expect of her behavior. When she didn’t continue, he motioned her towards his tent and directed her to the cushions in the center.
She settled down into the cushions, and he sat across from her.

“Have you performed a meld before?” Sareb asked.

“Yes.” Again she did not elaborate.

“Will we begin, then?” She nodded her assent.

The meld was brief, and the psionic equivalent of someone shoving a package out the door at you, then slamming said door in your face. If Sareb was capable of being insulted, he would have been. It was by most species standards, rather rude, but Sareb didn’t mind. In the last few weeks he’d come into more diversity of thought and emotion than he had in his entire time on Vulcan, and certainly more than his time at the monastery. It had been a true test of his control, of his dedication to the Kolinahr, and it had made him appreciate the idea of infinite diversity in infinite combinations.

The woman thanked him, and stood, moving back towards the crowds outside the tent. As she stepped into the light, a tall man in a Starfleet Uniform approached her. He wore the rank pips of a captain, and he would have been a handsome man in his youth, and indeed might still have been a handsome man, were it not for one yellow, mismatched eye, and an air of worldweariness.

“Selyara, I’d heard they’d released you today, I figured I’d find you here.” The man halted when he got close to her, at an awkward distance too close for a mere acquaintance, but too distant for an intimate friend. He paused, then crossed his arms, and tried to look casual.

“Or you asked them where I’d transported to,” she retorted, though it was light enough to let him know she was teasing. The woman was also surprisingly awkward around the man. She hesitated. “They didn’t say specifically, but I gather you had something to do with my release. Thank you.”

“Did… What are you going to do now?” the captain asked. Still the awkward dance.

“They gave me a job, so I guess there’s that.”

“Oh? Where?”

“Federation Spaceport Cargo Control. I’ll be the director of the lost cargo and complaints department.” Sareb could tell she was lying to the captain, though he had no idea why she would be. The man seemed oblivious.

“Oh.” The man looked disappointed, or something like that. The woman looked worried then reached out and gingerly grasped his hand

“No, really, it’s okay. I’ll be able to make up for lost time with my family. My mother’s talking to me again, my sister too. I’ll have lots of opportunity to see them, since I’ll be travelling around the ports. Da’s ready to retired now, he’s saying that he’ll use me as an excuse to travel. It may not be the most exciting of jobs, and I may be underutilized, but being with my family while I can is more important… And maybe you can come and see me, if we happen to be in the same place. I’d like that.”

“So would I…” There was another awkward pause as though he was trying to figure out what he wanted to say. “Good luck.”

“Thanks.” She leaned forward and gave him a quick hug. “I hear you’ve got a ship again. That’s good. I can’t imagine you anywhere else. Stay safe. Live long and prosper, Michael.”

Then she was in motion again, pressing away through the crowd in the direction from whence she’d come, and the man was disappearing into the shimmer of a transport.

* * *=(/\)=* * *

Setting: USS ANUBIS, Captain’s Ready Room
Stardate: 31294.0915

Whatever Selyara had expected a captain of a flagship of Koniki’s clandestine fleet to be like, Captain Morningstar wasn’t it. It wasn’t that there was anything wrong with him, he just wasn’t as… scary… as she’d expected from someone handpicked by Koniki to be. But then perhaps Koniki didn’t want someone who might eventually challenge him? No, that was unfair. He had given her a job, after all, and looks were often deceiving, but-

**Stop it,** she told herself quietly, reining in the tangent her mind had taken. **Paranoia is not the appropriate way to approach this particular situation. Assume this is all in good faith, act accordingly. Don’t jump at shadows.**

“Captain. I’m Selyara Chen. Admiral Koniki informed you of my visit, and my current assignment?” Selyara drew herself to attention, but stopped short of saluting the man.

“He did. Section 31 coming to roost with SFI? That’s unexpected.”

“As unexpected as a whole fleet and top secret facility suddenly appearing out of nowhere to save Earth?” Selyara quipped. Captain Morningstar looked amused.

“Touche.”

“I’m glad you’re aware of my eventual position. I’ve had to tell everyone I know I’m the head the lost cargo division of Federation Cargo Control,” Selyara said, exploratorily.

“Ah. You’ll get used to his sense of humor, eventually. Now, the crew knows who you are, there’s no way to keep that particular piece of information under wraps on an intelligence vessel, but they don’t know what you will be doing. As far as they’re concerned, you’re a regular SFI agent, albeit one that Koniki chose for service despite or because of your recent checkered past. They also know of your particular skill set, although I see that you’ve taken steps to put them at ease in that regard.” He nodded to indicate her covered hands.

“The Admiral made me a challenge in that regard. I hate losing a challenge,” Selyara smiled her best charming smile at him, trying to ignore the niggling sensation that maybe, just maybe Morningstar was obfuscation just a teensy tiny bit.

“And I’m sure the Admiral knows that.” Morningstar smiled back. “Why don’t we let you get settled in your quarters, and then we can introduce you my department heads this evening?” He pressed a button. “Ensign Ya’Han? Please report to my ready room. Ensign Ya’Han is our chief of Security.” Morningstar said for Selyara’s benefit. She refrained from commenting about her security escort to her rooms.

**Take everything in good faith,** she reminded herself. **Not everyone is out to get you now.**

The doors hissed open to admit a lithe woman in a security uniform. Selyara’s usually keen skills of observation shuddered to a halt and got slightly stuck on the shock of bright red hair on the woman’s head. It wasn’t so much the color- she’d seen far more colorful locks on LIMBO- it was the unexpectedness in conjunction with Starfleet, combined with the fact that it looked natural. Selyara scrutinized Ensign Ya’Han, before she realized that her stare was beginning to border on inappropriate.

“You must be Ensign Ya’Han,” Selyara said in what she hoped was a graceful transition from staring. She reached out a hand. The other woman looked rather suspiciously at Selyara’s gloved hand, before grasping it firmly and giving it perfunctory shake. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Selyara.”

“Likewise.” Ya’Han said politely, but certainly without warmth. Selyara squirmed inwardly, hating her awkwardness, and wishing that she could fall back on one of her many personae. It was much easier to put on an act than to be oneself. “Follow me.”

Selyara turned and smiled at Captain Morningstar, mouthing “thank you” as she followed the woman from the room.

* * *=(/\)=* * *
Alix Fowler

Section 31
Starfleet Intelligence
M06-P056: USS ANUBIS: Ya'Han: Day 10 - 0615 ("The Morning After")
[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]
"The Morning After"
[previous post was "Red, White And Not Playing Fair"]
[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]

Setting: USS ANUBIS, Paquette's Quarters
Stardate: 31294.0615

Her bed had felt weird, harder than usual. Her dreams had been ever stranger. The room felt as if it had been spinning yet she knew that neither her or the room had been moving. When she opened her eyes Ya'Han began to understand why everything had felt so weird. Instead of having been in her bed she had apparently spent the night on a couch. Worst part in all of this had been that the couch had *not* been hers.

"Good morning *Red*," Sonja cheerfully said as she skipped out of her bedroom, the CEO having apparently had a tremendous evening and night.

"I will take your word for it about being morning," Ya'Han groggily replied. "As for the good part, I will let you know as soon as the room stops spinning."

"What be the trouble Lassie?" Sonja kicked in with a thick Scottish accent. "This was but a wee bit of wine we had."

"Wine," Ya'Han carefully nodded, "that as I recall you admitted not being synthehol."

"You did say that I didn't play fair," the CEO continued adding a playful wink as she did so.  "All that said and done, I will admit that you have some amazing moves."

Ya'Han's eyes grew as large as photon torpedoes.

"Dance moves! Dance moves!" Sonja quickly corrected, "Sheesh, one chat with my mother and your mind goes straight into the gutter."

"Gutter?" the Chief of Security repeated not understanding the reference.

"Nevermind," the CEO said dismissively as she made her way to the food replicator.  "Two glasses of Risian morning juice."

Ya'Han, sitting on the couch still hoping for the room to stop spinning, waited for Sonja to return with the drink she had requested.  "Thank you," the Chief of Security said as one of the two glasses was offered to her.

"It will help," Sonja smiled. "Those Risians have something to help for everything, which by the way, if you ever decided to seek employment outside of Starfleet, I know that they would be more thrilled to have you there.  I never realized that you could dance like that."

The cheeks of the Chief of Security became as red as her hair used to be.  To earn the green of her hair, Ya'Han had learned a great deal, even more than what had been required by their culture because of her status as a Daughter of the High Sovereign.  Her skill had been renowned even before she had them, so the bar had been set exceptionally high.  She could easily recall the pride she had felt when, in front of her entire family including her father, she had passed all of her tests.  Now, what seemed like a lifetime ago, that same achievement seemed so trivial and unimportant.

Both the skills and green color of her hair had been meant to be a marketable commodity, one that would help her father and their world economically.  It had been because of these that she had been betrothed to that Ferengi troll and why she had soon after run away from her family, her world and everything that she had ever known.

"Thank you," Ya'Han offered after taking a few sips of her drink leaving Sonja to wonder what exactly she had been thanked for.

"Relax *Red*," the CEO said as she sat next to her friend. "Nothing worthy of a court-martial happened last night. Just two girlfriends having a drink and chatting about boys."

Ya'Han chuckled lightly as she finished her drink. "I should head back to my quarters and freshen up before reporting for duty," the Chief of Security said as she stood and headed straight for the door. She might not have regretted what had happened the night before, for what she could actually remember of it, but she did feel rather uncomfortable in her own skin.  Sonja was a good friend but still it had been strange to have shared so much with her, or anyone else like this.

"*RED!*" the CEO called out as if the woman who had just stepped out into the corridor had forgotten something.

"What?" the Chief of Security replied as she turned back to look at her friend.

"Hey, nice hair color," Jayson offered, the OPS Officer having been walking down the corridor just as the Chief of Security had stepped out.  "Would never have thought you'd go green, but it does look good on you. Kind of an Orion Slave Girl thing."

Ya'Han sighed and walked back into Sonja's quarters with her head held low, and just as Jayson had been ready to follow, not having realized whose quarters they had been, the redheaded Chief Engineer stepped up directly in his path before he could cross the doorway.

"Sorry there lover boy but these quarters are under *Red* or *Green* access only," Sonja snapped as she closed the door in the man's face leaving him outside and wondering as to what had just happened.

[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]
Hanali Han

Chief of Security / Chief Tactical Officer
USS ANUBIS, NCC-18501
M06-P055: USS ANUBIS: Paquette: Day 9 – 1815 ("Red, White And Not Playing Fair")
"Red, White And Not Playing Fair"
previous post was "Needing To Talk"

=====
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Deck 8, Security Center
Stardate: 31293.1815

"Hey there Rainbow girl," Sonja cheerfully said as she walked into the Security Center where Ya'Han had still been.  "ANI said that something needed to be fixed."

"When she said that the repair request had been submitted I never expected that it would be you showing up," Ya'Han said, feeling even worse about the CEO having been the one to come and repair what the Chief of Security had broken.

"Relax Red," Sonja said as she put her Engineering kit down and opened it to pull out a few tools needed for the job. "It's part of my contract, right under the fine print.  It clearly states that it is my responsibility to fix what my friends break so that there are not too many questions asked."

"Why would there be "too many" questions asked about a broken panel?" Ya'Han questioned a little puzzled by what the redheaded Chief Engineer said.

"That's not the only thing broken that I am here to fix," Sonja replied with a friendly smile as the Engineer glanced back at the Chief of Security. "Or would you rather that my maintenance report show a broken panel that I suspect might have been caused by a targeted outburst of an emotional matter that I strongly suspect originated from the ship's own Chief of Security?"

"You don't play fair," Ya'Han sighed while shaking her head from side to side.

"Playing fair is for the rest of the fleet," Sonja chuckled as she disconnected the broken panel from the wall. "We are on the ANUBIS here, we laugh at fairness and all those who hide behind its flowery summer dress and cry foul whenever life throws an unexpected curve ball their way," the CEO said finishing with a toe curling maniacal laugh.

"You scare me some times," Ya'Han quietly admitted.  "It seems that I have little choice in the matter," the black and red haired woman continued with a smile.

"None whatsoever Red," Sonja confirmed as a replacement panel was installed.  "In fact, you have no other choice but to say 'Yes, thank you'."

"Yes, thank you, to what?"

"To my saying that as soon as I am done here we are heading back to my quarters for a friendly dinner," the CEO answered matter-of-factly.  "Don't worry, you won't be tortured by my cooking, the replicator is in charge."

Ya'Han had been ready to offer some sort of reason as to why she would not be able to accompany Sonja back to her quarters but stopped before speaking a single word.  After the CEO had completed her work, she returned the tools to the Engineering kit and stood, facing the still sitting Chief of Security.

"You coming?"

Ya'Han hesitated for a few seconds then sighed, "Yes, Thank you."

=====
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Paquette's Quarters
Stardate: 31292.1830

"Come on in Ya'Han, and don't mind the mess" the CEO said as she invited her friend inside, Sonja having figured that should there be any sort of additional emotional outburst it had been best that it happened in the seclusion of her quarters, away from wandering eyes and ears.

"How about a drink before supper?" The redheaded Engineer inquired already making her way to the food replicator. "Two *bottle-sized* glasses of red wine... no make that white wine chilled to 7.5 degrees Celsius."

"White wine?"

"Yesss," Sonja chuckled, "I think there is enough red in the room already, plus red wine is better suited for anger, white will go down easier with the sad story of love lost you are about to tell me."

"You are not playing fair again," Ya'Han argued suspecting that her friend had been given additional inside information on what had transpired between Jayson and her following the admission made by the Chief of Security back in the underground facility.

"Alright, start talking," the CEO said as she handed over one of the two oversized wine glasses that she had requested from the replicator.

"A little on the large size are they not?" Ya'Han gasped as she took hold of the imposing wine glass that had been just shy or needing both of her hands to hold. The black and red haired woman suspected that it would take her a few hours just to drink half of the glass' contents.

"I strongly believe in the idea of go big or get out of my way," Sonja grinned, "and frankly I think that this conversation is going to require us having a few of these."

"It isn't that bad," the Chief of Security said trying to downplay the whole affair before actually taking a single, small sip from the glass.

=====
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Paquette's Quarters
Stardate: 31292.1930

Two empty oversize wine glasses sat on the small table next to the dishes displaying the remnants of their barely eaten dinner.  Two new and half emptied glasses were being firmly held by the two women as their conversation continued until the sound of a communications chime interrupted them.  Sonja quickly reached over and muted the signal after having confirmed who the call had been from.

"You are not going to answer that?" Ya'Han inquired.

"She can leave a message," Sonja shrugged off. "I can talk to her later, this is more important."

The chief of Security grinned as she took another gulp just as the chime went off again forcing the Chief Engineer to mute it once more.

"Persistent, aren't they?"

"Oh, you have no idea," Sonja admitted with rolling eyes.

The conversation resumed for the next few minutes at which time a third chime echoed through the room, but before Sonja could react to it the voice of an all too familiar person came over the comm system.

=/\= It's no use ignoring me, =/\= the voice of Sonja's mother filled the room, the woman clearly irritated, =/\= I spoke to ANI and know that you are in your quarters and off duty. =/\=

The Chief Engineering Officer turned on the visual display while at the same time turning to face her guest to apologize profusely. "You are about to meet my mother, brace yourself," Sonja offered before turning back to the comm system and the image of her mother. "I was busy mother."

[/\] Too busy to speak to your own mother, [/\] the woman said having placed her hand on her chest in a clear display of pretend emotionally hurt. [/\] At least tell me he's cute. [/\]

"He's a she mother," Sonja retaliated with a sigh.

[/\] Again? [/\] the woman said sounding somewhat surprised, [/\ ] I thought experimenting was reserved for the Academy but it's your life.  By now though I was hoping that you would have stretched your wings towards the other side of the pond. [/\]

"Sheesh mother, she's the Chief of Security and a friend," Sonja said exasperated as she brought Ya'Han into view, the red and black haired woman still holding her half empty glass of wine in her hand.

[/\] Oh, that glass of wine means that there is something going on, [/\] Sonja's mother gasped. [/\] This is a gab fest, isn't it? That is the only time that those glasses get used, there has to be a man at the center of this discussion, there is always a man involved, that's all they are good for really, to give us a reason to drink, so go on, tell your mother what the problem is.  I want to hear all of the details, all of the stupidities he did and what you plan to do about it to set him back on track.  I can help, I have lots of plans and Ideas, after all I did marry your father and he required a lot of planning and even more ideas, it took a while but I did it, I convinced him that this was the best for him while making sure that he believed it was all his idea. After all I am just a female who doesn't know any better while the truth is that as much as they want to believe that they are the heads of the universe, we are the necks on which they rest upon, and it is us that decides which way they look.[/\]

During this lengthy explanation, Sonja had turned to Ya'Han to again apologize and silently ask if the Chief of Security wanted an outside opinion on the matter at hand.

Not seeing a reason to oppose, and having been under the influence to a rather large glass and a half of wine, Ya'Han agreed with an exaggerated, off centered, nod of her head, the words having escaped her.

"Mom. *Mom*. MOM!" Sonja tried to get her mother to stop ranting on whatever line of thinking she had gone off on.  "Okay, Ya'Han has agreed to let you help."

[/\] Ya'Han is it, [/\] Sonja's mother huffed, [/\] well it's about time that you give me a name.  We have not even been introduced yet, not that I expected you to let me into you love affairs, but you said that she is just a friend.[/\]

"Quit the Jewish mother guilting," Sonja sighed. "It does not suit you, not to mention that it's not your beliefs, unless you changed... again.  Ya'Han *is* a friend and it is about a man in *her* life that we were discussing."

[/\] Oh goodie, so glad to hear that, [/\] Sonja's mother exclaimed before turning her attention to her daughter's guest. [/\] Now darling, give me the basic facts, no details. [/\]

Ya'han glanced over at Sonja who gave her a simple and silent go ahead, to which the Chief of Security acknowledged by giving the woman on the other side of the communications channel what she had requested.  Over the next 15 minutes or so, Ya'Han relayed all of the facts that she believed pertinent to this story while the Chief Engineering Officer leaned back in on the couch to drink the refilled glass of wine in her hand.

[/\] Alright, then. Let me see if i got all of this straight.  He was married? [/\]

"Yes," Ya'Han and Sonja confirmed simultaneously.

[/\] Wife died while she was pregnant five or so years ago? [/\]

"Yes," Ya'Han answered, this time alone.

[/\] Tragic, and up until recently he was still mourning over what he lost? [/\]

"Yes," Sonja answered, "Counselor Dalziel can easily confirm that."

[/\] I am sure she could and would agree that five years is more than enough to be living in the past, that boy need to move on, [/\] the woman explained causing both Ya'Han and Sonja to nod in agreement. [/\] Alright, the pitiful mouse who was the only competition is now gone? [/\]

"Yes, she was assigned to another ship," Sonja confirmed.

[/\] At least we know that he is open to the idea of moving on, he just can't see what's right in front of him.  You girl need to set the bait and reel him in. [/\]

Drunkenly, Ya'Han pointed out, "I tried and made a fool of myself in the process.  All he wanted to do was to talk and think about her."

[/\] That's because he didn't know he was ready then. Now that he has a renewed taste for it, he will be far more receptive to whatever you can throw his way. Now darling, stand up and give me a whirl. I need to see what assets we are working with. [/\]

Under normal circumstances the chief of Security would not have been so willing to accommodate such a request, but in her current inebriated state, she had been more than happy to stand up and do as she had been asked.

[/\] Well, you obviously have the right assets. Now do you have any experience, special talents or skills and please tell me by all the deities on RISA that you are not a virgin. [/\]

"Oh my gawd MOTHER!" Sonja said as she bounced off the couch.

Ya'Han closed her eyes for a brief moment before taking a short breath and reopening her eyes as her hair turned green. "I have skills, talents and a fair amount of practical experience."

Completely shocked, Sonja's mother gasped at the sight of the woman's new hair colour. [/\] Can you do other colours? Does it change color *everywhere*, because if it does that would be *awesome* and would rank you right up there in the *exotic* category.  Man love exotic and mysterious and you my dear have just proven yourself to being both.  You have everything you need, all that's left is for him to have his eyes opened to that fact. [/\]

"Jesus, Mary, Michael and bride," Sonja exclaimed while facepalming, "this is way more information about a friend of mine than I needed to know.

Ya'Han laughed as she turned to face her friend.  "Just wait until you see my moves."

[/\] Guess it's time for me to leave you two alone.  Have fun! Go get 'em. [/\]

"MOTHER!" both Ya'Han and Sonja bellowed at the same time just as the screen went dark before turning back to look at one another and bursting out laughing.

"That was not synthehol in those glasses was it?" Ya'Han asked with glazed eyes.

"Nope," Sonja replied with an exuberant display of pride.

Ya'Han half grinned. "You don't play fair." 

=====
Lorraine Paquette

Lieutenant JG Sonja Paquette [Access Character BIO for Sonja Paquette]
Chief Engineering Officer
USS ANUBIS, NCC 18501 
M06-P054: USS ANUBIS: Ya'Han: Day 09 - 1735 ("Needing to Talk")
[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]
"Needing to Talk"
[previous post was "Parting Ways"]
[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]

Setting: USS ANUBIS, Corridor
Stardate: 31293.1735

As soon as the shuttle had departed, the Sec/Tac had exited the shuttle bay to return to her duties, her conflicting emotions making her want to be alone.  How many times would she have to go through this internal conflict?  Jayson had made his choice back on EARTH and Ya'Han had no right to feel as she did. Jealousy would serve her in no ways and would in time hinder her ability to interact with Jayson and maybe even the rest of the ANUBIS' crew, and that she could not allow.

"Hey, Ya'Han! Wait up!"

She sighed at the sound of Jayson's voice as he ran to catch up to the Sec/Tac.  She had hoped that he would have been too busy, or distracted to want to talk, but that had been a simple wish that the OPS Officer had find a way to deny her, like so many other simple wishes.

"Where are you going to in such a rush?" Jayson asked having finally caught up to the Sec/Tac who had not slowed down despite his efforts to get her to do so.

"I have security reports to review, I need to check on the weapon's calibration of our pulse cannons and I have to coordinate with my security team leaders to set up training exercises," Ya'Han replied as she continued to walk, not taking a moment to look at the man who had now been walking next to her.

"You need to learn to relax," Stark chuckled. "We are in EARTH's orbit and the Neo-Essentialists have been defeated. If this should have taught us anything is it to enjoy life while we can."

"Jayson," Ya'Han snapped as he finally came to a stop and turned to face the man who was surprised by the sudden change in speed.  "I understand your need to embrace life, especially given what happened to Paris and to us while we were down there, bu the fact is that there will always be other threats.  I did relax while we were on EARTH, at least until we were attacked by that radiation mutated speed demon.  Now I need to insure that we are ready to deal with the next threat so that we can all have the chance to relax a little more."

"You know I thought that the new hair color was a nice change, but now I wonder if it is an outward display of you having become somehow darker, less fun?" Jayson said trying to sound as much as a Ship's Counselor as he could.

"My hair color has nothing to do with how I go about my duties and responsibilities," Ya'Han offered as a counter argument knowing all too well that the new red and black that had become her standard color had been brought upon because of the man she had been speaking to.  A pure and simple fact that the Sec/Tac had not been ready to admit to him, not today and likely not ever.

"Speaking of responsibilities and since you mentioned training schedules before, care to go for a few sparring rounds?" the OPS Officer asked sounding as if he had no care in the world and that the request had been perfectly timed.

"I will always be amazed by the way you select what it is you hear and see," Ya'Han huffed as she turned on her heels and resumed her hastily walk down the corridor, this time leaving Jayson behind, puzzled and confused.

[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Deck 8, Security Center
Stardate: 31293.1750

Ya'Han sat at the desk, the broken panel she had slammed with all of her force as she walked in still spitting the occasional spark.  Jayson had a way to bring out in her the best as well as the worst, and the more he managed to do so the more the Sec/Tac hated herself for letting him have so much power over her.  The most frustrating part of all this had been that the OPS officer had no idea of the influence he had over the actions and emotions of the Sec/Tac.

"Please forgive my intrusion Ensign Ya'Han, I hope that I am not interrupting you in a crucial part of your work?" ANI asked as she stepped inside the Security Center.

"Just reviewing some of the security reports and the realignment done by Sonja to the pulse cannons," the Sec/Tac replied.  "I was going to ask her to perform the work only to find out that it was already done.  That woman is unbelievable," Ya'Han said as she finally managed to calm herself down, her thoughts having moved from the OPS Officer to the CEO.  "What brings you here?"

"I informed Lieutenant Paquette of a panel malfunction and she sent me to investigate," the Avatar promptly replied, the androids gaze turning to the damage panel in question, the one that the Sec/Tac had broken upon her arrival into the room.

"I'm sorry," Ya'Han offered apologetically, "I guess I hit it just right."

"Nonsense," the purple haired ship's Avatar noted in a tone that sounded far more human than artificial. "The panel likely had some sort of micro fracture or was damaged during our attack against the Aegis Satellites, damage that was someone missed. I will dispatch a team to effect the repairs immediately."

"There is no need," Ya'Han tried to argue with the Avatar, thinking that the repair work should have at least been done by the one who had caused the damage.  "I can take care of this myself."

"Lieutenant Paquette would likely remind you that she likes things done a certain way," ANI pointed out, a hint of a smile dancing on her synthetic lips. "Plus the repair request has already been submitted."

"Some days there is just no winning anything," Ya'Han sighed, still managing to smile as she did so thanks to the distraction provided by the Avatar, a fact that had likely been unnoticed by the artificial woman.  "Thank you ANI."

"Don't mention it," the Avatar said in a very chipper tone as she walked out of the Security Center, likely heading to another location on the ship that she had been instructed to by the other redhead of the senior staff of the ANUBIS.

[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]
Hanali Han

Chief of Security / Chief Tactical Officer
USS ANUBIS, NCC-18501
M06-P053: USS ANUBIS: Shar'El: Day 9 - 1720 ("Parting Ways")
=-=
"Parting Ways"
[previous post was "Celebration" by the sweet Jayson]
=-=

Setting: USS ANUBIS, Corridor en route to Shuttlebay
Stardate: 31293.1720

Life is all about perception and Sofia had been made to understand this better than anyone over the last few days and hours.  She had every right to resent and even despise two security guards who had been following her every move, but she would actually miss their silent omnipresence.  Instead of seeing them as a way to restrict her movements and actions, the blonde woman had looked upon them as protectors insuring that nothing would happen to her. If only they had been there back when she was a naive Starfleet Academy cadet.

As they turned a corner, Sofia came face-to-face with the ship's Chief of Security, an all-too-serious scowl on her face.  With a nod of her head she dismissed the two security officers as she added "I'll take it from here."

"Good day Ya'Han," Sofia said, trying to sound as cheerful as she could despite what she knew was happening.  The guards might not have said anything but the blonde woman had suspected that they were escorting her to some sort of transport to take her back down to EARTH. The fact that the Chief of Security had taken over only confirmed this.

She feel in step behind the redhead, noting that her hair appeared far darker than she remembered it. Given that Ya'Han had chosen not to speak to her, there had been little for Sofia to do other than to study the new coloration of the woman's hair.

"Why do I feel like I am being taken to firing squad?" Sofia said trying to come across as joking but realizing that the gulp that had followed had made her nervousness all too apparent.

"The Marines are on deck 20," Ya'Han stated in a seriousness that sent a chill down the blonde woman's back.  "That's not where you are going."

Those last words did nothing to ease Sofia's rapidly growing concerns which had moved to become full blown fears.  As they came near a larger set of doors, the Chief of Security reached for the panel and opened them, instructing her ward to step inside.

Nightmarish images filled her mind as she walked in, barely able to keep her eyes opened, at least that was when she hard Jayson welcoming her into the room.  Sofia's heart skipped a beat when she saw the ship's First Officer, Chief Science Officer, Chief Medical Officer and the Chief of Operations standing in front of her.

"I am so glad to see you all one last time before I return to EARTH," Sofia admitted, her joy ready to explode in a less than dignified manner for all to witness.

"Speaking about that," Shar'El noted in the general same seriousness as Ya'Han had been displaying before.  "You are not going back to EARTH."

Sofia's legs nearly gave out from under her, imagines of the lunar detention facility flooding her thoughts. She had broken curfew and had gone off world this despite the strict instructions she had been under. How could she have believed that having been with members of Starfleet on any sort of assignment would save her from the consequences?

"Relax," Jayson said as she rushed in to take hold of her arm fearing that she would pass out right there and then. "It's all good."

"It is?"

"Yes," Shar'El confirmed as she stepped closer and offered a PADD to the shaking woman.  "Captain Morningstar was able to pull some strings in your favour."

"Well," Lillie jumped in with, "I would guess that our accompanying letters of recommendations helped somewhat," the ANUBIS' CMO added having been asked by the man in question to add her medical opinion to those of the First Officer and Chief Science Officer.

"Where am I being sent to?" Sofia asked, still not sure if this was real or a dream that she would all too soon wake from.

"The USS PHOENIX," the First Officer replied. "Captain Kane is looking to fill his crew roster and he had an opening for an Assistant Chief Medical Officer."

The blonde woman was stunned and confused. Her rank, as insignificant as it had been, had been stripped from her and without it there had been no way that she could take on the responsibilities the mentioned position demanded.

Recognizing the expression on the woman's face for what it was Shar'El smile and gently tapped on the PADD now in Sofia's hands.  "Everything is in there. Your reinstatement as an Ensign as well as your appointment to the USS PHOENIX. Captain Kane is expecting you."

"I don't know what to say," Sofia said trying to keep her tears of joy from flowing beyond her ability to hold back.

"Just say that you will stay in touch with us," Jayson replied as he gave the blonde woman a large heartfelt hug which caused Ya'Han to momentarily look away.

"You better get going," Maya stated, "we would not want you to keep your new Commanding Officer waiting."

"Of course, of course," Sofia agreed in a hurry as she gave the four officers standing in front of her a huge hug, Jayson appearing more than happy to be getting a second one so soon after the first that he had given.  "Thank you, for everything," the blonde woman announced as she made her way into the shuttle pod.

She had remained quiet throughout this, keeping her conflicting emotions to herself. bu that all ended when a quick smile flashed over the lips of the Chief of Security as the door to the shuttle pod closed.  Since that night when Jayson had done nothing but think of the blonde haired woman Ya'Han had wanted to see her go, and now that shuttle pod was going to be doing just that - taking the woman away, hopefully for good.

=-=
Tiffany Reeve

Lieutenant Commander Shar'El [Access Character BIO for Shar'El]
Executive Officer / Intel Liaison Officer
USS ANUBIS

Lieutenant Commander Janeel [Access Character BIO for Janeel]
Intel Liaison Officer / Mission Specialist
USS BASTET

Assistant Chief Medical Officer
USS PHOENIX
M06-P052: USS ANUBIS: Stark: Day 9 - 1230 ("Celebration")
"Celebration"
[previous "The Power of Words"]

[/\]

Setting: USS ANUBIS, Black Hole Lounge
Stardate: 31293.1230

He walked in to see two of Ya'Han's larger goos standing watch. All that Jayson needed to do was to see where they were looking to find Sofia.  He had not agreed with the need for security to follow the blonde haired woman's every move, but that had been the Captain's wishes and there was nothing he could do about it.

"Come, join us!" Sofia called out as she noticed Jayson heading their way, the woman appearing exceptionally pleased as she called for the waiter to bring an extra glass of whatever bubbly she had been drinking.

For a split second the OPS officer believed that it had been because of him that sh had been so happy but when he saw an equally joyous smile on Commander Maya's lips, he knew that their research had likely been the cause of this happiness.

"We are celebrating the official discovery of *Parisium*," Sofia confirmed, the twinkle in her eyes hinting that she had been happy to see him.

"I hate to break it to you both but Paris was discovered a long time ago," Jayson said in all seriousness as he joined the two women at the table.

"Parisium," Commander Maya corrected unimpressed by the man's effort at humor, "not Paris.  It is the name given by Miss Andersson to the ooze we brought back from that secret research facility."

"All of the research was submitted to Starfleet for review," Sofia added, a hint of sadness having appeared in her voice.

"I suspect that they are going to be wanting all of the samples to be beamed down," the OPS officer sighed, figuring that somehow that task would land on him to do.

"Yes," Maya confirmed, "all *9* samples that we brought back," the CSciO added causing Sofia to chuckle. Not having been part of the research in any way there had been no way for Jayson to know that through the various tests they had conducted, several of the samples had grown so much that they had needed to be divided once again.  It made sense for the Commander to keep at least one of the samples on board the ANUBIS, even if the OPS officer knew nothing of this.

"We thought we could celebrate before I was sent back to EARTH," the blonde haired woman said, unable to hide her efforts to keep the sadness from overtaking her.  "I am going to miss you guys."

"Don't say that," Jayson snapped back almost as quickly as Sofia had spoken.  "You are not going anywhere."

"Ensign Stark," the Chief Science Officer began, her voice as calm and collected as always, the woman rarely showing any emotion on a larger scale.  "Captain Morningstar made it very clear that she would be returned to EARTH once her assistance in the research on the ooze had been completed.  I understand that you have developped an attachment with Miss Andersson but this does not change the situation."

"Fine!" Jayson said as he pushed the chair he had been sitting on back in order to stand.  "I will go speak to the Captain myself."

"Ensign Stark!" Maya called out making it clear to everyone in the Black Hole Lounge that she had now been speaking to his as his superior officer.  "Have a seat."

"I do appreciate what you are trying to do but you getting busted down for insubordination is not going to make things better," Sofia said as she placed her hand on his. "In fact it would make me feel very bad to you that you would be suffering because of me.  I will forever be grateful for everything that you all have done for me, especially Commander Maya and her letter of recommendation."

"Letter of recommendation?" Jayson questioned as he looked at the Chief Science Officer.

"I simply wanted to insure that Miss Andersson's work and contribution to the research did not go unnoticed," Maya explained. "I have no idea of the final impact it will have on her case, but I felt that it needed to be done. So I wrote to our Captain, a simple letter that stated my *professional* opinion."

"I got it," Jayson admitted sheepishly.  "A professional opinion is not likely to get you thrown into the nearest airlock."

"Don't feel bad," Sofia smiled, giving Jayson's hand a squeeze.  "I truly appreciate what you were willing to do for me. I will not soon forget everything that you have done for me."

Feeling far calmer than he was, Jayson reached for the glass that had been brought for him and raised it high in their air for a toast.  "Here's to your discovery and to the hopes of a better life, for you and us all."

"Cheers!"

[/\]
Jayson Sousa

Chief of Operations
USS ANUBIS, NCC-18501
M06-P051: USS ANUBIS: Shar'El: Day 9 - 0600 ("The Power of Words")
=-=
"The Power of Words"
[previous post was "The Game and New Beginnings" by the insightful Alix]
=-=

Setting: USS ANUBIS, Guest Quarters
Stardate: 31293.0600

From the window of her temporary quarters she could see EARTH and stars beyond.  A grateful yet timid smile danced on the woman's lips as she took in the view and the relaxed sensation that still enveloped her like a soft, warm blanket.  The bed had been oh so comfortable and the night had been more peaceful than she could remember having in a long time, but as pleasant as it all had been, it had been but a dream and nothing more.

Reality would soon come crashing through this wonderful world that she had somehow found her way into as soon as her work on understanding the ooze would be completed.  She would all too soon be returned to the Versailles triage center and handed over to the local authorities, and from there who knew what her future would hold.

Sofia closed her eyes and held back her tears. There had been no use to fear what was to come. She had made several questionable decisions, as pointed out by so many, and she had to pay for the errors of her past. All that the blonde woman could do was hope that her making friends and being part of something truly greater and better than herself as she had over the last few days would not be a single, isolated occurrence.

In her naivete she had fallen for the wrong guy and through him had aligned herself with the Neo-Essentialists. From there the mistakes she made piled one on top of the other and she knew that it would take a lifetime to make even begin to make amends for what she had helped bring about.  The best she could do was to focus on the present and take things one day at a time

=-=
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Deck A-4, IGC
Stardate: 31293.0630

There was something to be said about being part of an away mission, to deal first-hand with the situations, to be part of the action right there in the trenches. That said though, the ExO / ILO could not help but feel relieved at being back in her domain, in charge and overseeing the actions in the Intel Gathering Center of the USS ANUBIS. This is where she felt most at ease and most effective in her work.

Shar'El perused the reports spread over the multiple screens set in front of her. The internal sensors had not shown anything out of the ordinary on board the ANUBIS, everyone having eventually made it back to their quarters for the night including Lieutenant Paquette and Ensign Stark who had finally been released from Sickbay.

The only notable exception had been the internal sensors picking up some sort of disturbance in Ensign Ya'Han's quarters during the night.  Likely their Chief of Security had gone through a rough night for reasons that the ExO / ILO could easily imagine.  Because of this Shar'El made a mental note to run into the ship's Chief of Security later that morning just to make sure that she had been alright.

The rest of the reports dealt with external matters dealing with EARTH, its current political struggles as well as the shuffling of personnel and vessels in Starfleet.  As nothing stuck out as having been unusual or worthy of further investigation, the ExO / ILO fetched a PADD and placed it on top of one of the consoles.

"Computer, download 'Away Mission Report: Paris' to the device on console 1.

=/\= Downloading. =/\=

=-=
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Exo-biology Lab
Stardate: 31293.0700

Commander Shar'El walked into the lab not at all surprised to see both Maya and Sofia already hard at work on their continued research.  The ExO / ILO had wanted to get an estimate on the time for completion of their work before meeting with the Captain, but her attention was diverted by the broadcasted memories of Miss Andersson.

For the next several minutes Shar'El simply listened to the woman's memories which were being kept right below the conscious surface, Sofia doing her best to focus on her work and not allow those memories to overwhelm her.  The more the ExO / ILO saw, the more she needed to know in order to better understand the woman.

Shar'El had made a promise to her Captain that she would never pry into the memories of a member of the ANUBIS' crew, but Sofia had not been so protected by the vow.  As the Intel Liaison Officer that she was and had always been under the tutelage of Admiral Koniki, the blonde woman's memories had been more than fair game.

=-=
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Captain's Ready Room
Stardate: 31293.0830

"Good morning Commander," Erik said as he welcomed his First Officer into the room, two cups of steaming Risian tea sitting on his desk.  "I gather the PADD contains your mission report on that underground research facility that was discovered by Ensigns Stark and Ya'Han."

"Yes Captain," Shar'El smiled as she handed the PADD in question to her Commander officer.  "There is also a file on there about Miss Sofia Andersson."

"Problems?" The Captain queried, Erik wondering if Shar'El and he had made a mistake in having allowed the woman to come aboard the ANUBIS.

"No problems whatsoever Captain," the ExO / ILO quickly reassured, "I went to the ExO-Biology lab earlier this morning and saw the woman in action.  By 0700 both she and Commander Maya had already resumed their work on the ooze.  With them being so occupied I saw an opportunity to better understand the woman."

"You scanned her memories," Erik noted in a mixture of understanding and mild disappointment.  "Well, I can't exactly blame you for doing so. If I had your abilities I probably would have done the same.  So what's the final verdict?"

"She made several questionable decisions which led her to be on the wrong side of the recent conflict against the Neo-Essentialists," the ExO / ILO explained in a very emotional and empathetic tone.  "The board of Inquiry who sentenced her to the Versaille triage center did so under the belief that she would be able to show her true allegiances while being made to see first hand the results of those she had associated with.  I fear that her perceived crime may make it impossible for her to ever truly be able to get out of the logistic and political abyss she has found herself into."

"You believe, and I might add possibly rightfully so, that her having been a member of the Neo-Essentialist will insure that she never gets the chance she deserves to prove herself," Morningstar said, "Am I correct?"

"I do Captain," Shar'El replied with as much conviction as the Captain had ever heard in his First Officer's voice before.

"Seems that you and Maya share a certain admiration for the woman," Erik offered as he reached for another PADD and placed it next to the one Shar'El had just handed over.  "I cannot make any promises but I will see what I can do."

"Maybe you could contact Captain Kane," the ExO / ILO innocently offered knowing very well that her Captain would see through her without even trying.  "The USS PHOENIX has been returned to active status under his command and as of the last report I saw he was still looking for several key officers to fill the vacancies on the ship."

Erik just grinned. There was a good reason why Shar'El had been his first Officer *and* Intel Liaison Officer for the ANUBIS.

=-=
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Exo-biology Lab
Stardate: 31293.1145

"I believe that the preliminary work has been completed beyond what would have been anyone's expectations," Commander Maya noted with pride.  "We should be able to send our report later this afternoon."

"Are you certain that there is not more research that we could dom" Sofia asked, not wanting for the dream to end so soon.  As much as she knew that this time would come, the blonde haired woman had still hoped that she would be able to remain in this fantasy a little while longer.

"I understand your position, but there is little more I can do," Maya stated, adding a smile to show that her words had been carefully chosen.

"More?"

"I submitted a report to Captain Morningstar earlier this morning regarding your help and work on this project," the Chief Science Officer explained. "Whatever came our way, I saw how you did everything you could down in the facility. Once we came back to the ANUBIS, you continued showing your focus and dedication. Although I can guess that it was not entirely driven by a professional need to get the job done, I thought I should at the very least go on record that you have been more than a valued asset to this research."

"Thank you Commander," Sofia said on the verge of tears, these ones being of joy.  "I do not know what to say?"

"Well, there is one piece missing on our report," Maya happily announced.  "A name.  The ooze will beyond a doubt be classified as a new organism and as such will require a name.  I thought the honor should be yours."

"Commander," Sofia quickly argued against, "you outrank me not to mention that without you and the rest of the crew of the ANUBIS the survey team might not have made it back out alive, that speed demon would have likely cut us all to shreds before we knew what was happening."

"This is not a question of rank or achievement," Maya explained, "it is a matter of making sure that someone worthy gets the recognition they deserve."  The Commander had wanted to say more but it would have required her going into details of the kind of work that had done under the before now unknown banner of NEW ALEXANDRIA, work that had always remained anonymous for security reasons. "I believe that it is better for everyone if your name is linked to the article that will be sure to be published in the next scientific journals."

"Again, thank you Commander," Andersson said now more than ever unable to reconcile the ideas of the Neo-Essentialists with the reality that she had been made to see.  Here, a woman from an entirely different race had freely and happily gave up the honors associated with all the work they had done to instead give it to a person Sofia who still had difficulty seeing herself as having been worthy of anything in any way.

"So, what shall the name of the organism be?"

Overwhelmed with emotions the blonde woman could barely think straight. Offering to name it after the Commander would certainly be refused and could even be seen as an insult for having wasted this opportunity, but still Sofia could not bring herself to name it after anything that was directly associated with her as a person.  "I have an idea," she voiced after a few more seconds of heavy thinking.  "Parisium, it means Paris in latin and I think it would be nice for everyone to in time be able to again look upon the city without instantly thinking of the death and desolation that was caused."

"Parisium it is," Maya so noted as she typed the name on the PADD in her hand, the Chief Science Officer more than happy to see that her confidence in the woman had not at all been misplaced.  "I think we should celebrate," the Commander added thinking that the Black Hole Lounge would be the perfect location to rest, eat and acknowledge their accomplishments.

=-=
Tiffany Reeve

Lieutenant Commander Shar'El [Access Character BIO for Shar'El]
Executive Officer / Intel Liaison Officer
USS ANUBIS

Lieutenant Commander Janeel [Access Character BIO for Janeel]
Intel Liaison Officer / Mission Specialist
USS BASTET

Currently sentenced to the
VERSAILLES Triage Center
M06-P050: USS ANUBIS: Selyara: Day 9 - 1700 ("The Game And New Beginnings")
"The Game And New Beginnings"
(previous post was "Enthusiastic Research" by)
* * *=(/\)=* * *

Setting: Earth, Starfleet Intelligence HQ
Stardate: 31293.1700

Things were not going exactly to the erstwhile Shadow Master’s plans, a state of affairs that was becoming distressingly familiar to her in recent months. First, she’d been arrested and taken to Starfleet Intelligence, rather than the Federation Security, which had been rather unexpected. She’d known that there was a slim chance that SFI would be the ones heading her case considering her theft of the USS Pendragon’s data files, and the fact that she’d managed to become a well known, if small-scale, information broker while incarcerated in a Starfleet Security run stockade, but had figured that her status on Starfleet Security’s most wanted list would give them precedence.

That had been mistake number one. Mistake number two had been to try and argue the fact that she should be released because she’d been wrongly imprisoned in the first place. The ploy had worked in the sense that the Vulcan Intelligence Officer who had agreed to perform a mind meld with her had agreed that her original conviction had been in error, but had backfired spectacularly in that the Vulcan had *also* determined that she was now ‘dangerous’ and that her actions since her escape from the Jaros Stockade demonstrated ‘callousness, lack of regard for sentient life, and a ruthlessness’ that ‘made her a considerable security risk.’

All this left her with the unenviable task of trying to negotiate something that didn’t involve her going back to the Jaros Stockade from a position of extreme weakness.

“I’m not telling you what I did with the information from the Pendragon’s computer cores until I am granted some basic rights and assurances, and I most certainly am not going to hand over my information network, full stop. Even if I gave you the name of all my informants it would do you absolutely no good because-”

“Because they are the sort of people for whom you incarceration for treason against the Federation was a badge of honor, am I right?” The door swished open to admit a tall bald man with broad shoulders and an imposing air who surveyed Selyara with a probing look that made the hairs stand up on her neck.

**A dangerous man,** Selyara thought to herself, **and one already adept at playing the role I’ve aspired to. If I have to deal with him, I’m in more trouble than I thought.**

“You’re correct,” Selyara said aloud, taking in his uniform and rank pips “Vice Admiral-?”

“Koniki,” the Vice Admiral smiled at her, but it was a smile in the name of social convention, rather than any sort of pleasure.

“You say that like I should know that name, but it doesn’t ring a bell.” Selyara returned the smile, and locked eyes with him.

“I daresay there is quite a bit you don’t know, like, evidently, that I am the head of Starfleet Intelligence,” Koniki said smoothly, and Selyara had to silently admit that he had won that round, “now, if everyone would kindly leave, I wish to talk to Miss Chen in private. That *is* an order. The guards too. I trust Miss Chen will behave reasonably.”

The panel of Intelligence Officers looked as though they were going to object, but the look Koniki gave them sent them scrambling to the door. Selyara cocked her head, she’d have to working on adding that look to her arsenal. Koniki turned back to her and she swallowed involuntarily; It was likely not a good sign that the head of Starfleet Intelligence was taking a personal interest in her. Koniki sat his muscular frame down into one of the now vacant chairs across the table from her, and folded his hands on the table.

“Selyara Chen, disgraced Captain of the USS PATRIOT, Starfleet Security’s most wanted, hero of the Siege of Earth, and self styled Shadow Master, what *are* we supposed to do with you?”

“I’m assuming that my first choice, you let me go, and leave me alone, and I promise not to interfere with the Federation is not on the table.” Selyara did her best to sound cocky and self assured. She could tell this was a man who would not be distracted by flirtation, that power and quick wits were the only thing that would gain her respect.

“Absolutely not. You and I both know that the odds are if I let you do that you’ll eventually amass enough influence in the rim worlds and the unclaimed territories that you won’t be able to resist meddling, either directly or indirectly, with the Federation.” Koniki steepled his fingers. Selyara frowned. He sounded so certain, as though he knew something she didn’t. She waited silently for him to suggest an alternative until it became obvious that he was using his silence as a power play. She remained silent long enough to make it obvious to him that she knew what he was doing, and then let him win the round.

“Why don’t we stop this ridiculous posturing. Tell me what you want, or have in mind for me. I have already wasted the bulk of five hours with those idiots you call Intelligence Officers that don’t understand the art of negotiation, and I have no desire to go through the whole process again with you.” Selyara mimicked the Admiral’s pose, and leaned in.

“Let us be clear, Miss Chen: This is not a negotiation,” Koniki smiled again, his white teeth flashing, but this time it was the feral enjoyment of a man who knows that he is in complete control of the situation. Selyara’s stomach sank. “You do not have the upper hand, or indeed any hand worth playing here. I’m not interested in your network of informants, I know already that your success as the Shadow Master was largely based on your ability to see patterns and connections in readily available data, rather than access to *real* secret information, and that ability, while impressive, has no real capital with me. Likewise, I don’t really care much about the data from the Pendragon; with the drastic changes to the timeline it has no practical predictive value as far as the security of the Federation is concerned. So, as you said, why don’t we stop this ridiculous posturing.”

“Fine. What do you want from me, and what, if anything, do I get out of it?”

“I want you to take over as  the head of Section 31,” Koniki flashed his feral smile again as he watched her reaction. Selyara suddenly found herself grateful that Raxl Dreyton was not around to watch her get a taste of her own medicine.

“Section 31, as in, the covert security operations formerly headed by one Richard Edgerton, known for operating with… flexible ethics?” Selyara stared at the man stupidly, her mouth hanging open, “*that* Section 31?”

“Yes and no. As this most recent catastrophe has shown us, Section 31 suffered from far too much autonomy, and far too few ethics and limitations.”

“So you’re offering me a neutered Section 31,” Selyara was getting offended in spite of herself.

“For now. Did you expect anything else? We may revisit the issue later when you’ve cleaned the house of Neo-Essentialists and proven yourself to be reliable and trustworthy. Besides, you’re still green. You don’t have the ability to oversee a large operation. Yet.”  Selyara glared at him, well aware he was offering the last bits of flattery as a subtle manipulation.

“And I  suppose if I say ‘thanks but no thanks’ I’ll be sent straight back to the Jaros Stockade?”

“And thrown into solitary for the rest of your sentence. After all, we can’t have you building up a power base or making friends that can break you out of the stockade again, can we?” the two of them locked eyes for a long moment, and Selyara half wondered what the odds were on her being able to reach across the table, thinkstrike the Vice Admiral, take out whatever security was on the other side of the door, and make an escape to the Briar Patch or some similarly unsavory section of the galaxy. “But let’s not dwell on that, because I wanted this to be pleasant; A discussion between colleagues.”

“You win, Admiral, though I suspect you knew you would already,” Selyara wilted in her chair. She was tired of running, and she was tired of the specter of the Stockade looming over her. No matter what this position entailed, it had to be better than the alternatives. “Perhaps you’d better tell me what I said yes to.”

“The odds were stacked heavily in my favor,” Koniki said dryly, and reached over to one of the padds the panel had been using, he pulled up a file and spun it across the table towards her. Her eyes flicked over it quickly, taking in the information. “Section 31 can’t be allowed to operate the way it has been. Edgerton would not have been able to stage his coup without having first gotten a toehold in an organization as large, sweeping, and well funded as Section 31. But I cannot deny that having a group of people who are willing and able to go to, shall we say, extreme lengths to protect the Federation’s interests is something that I’m not willing to give up. I need lone wolf operatives that we can send in to do the dirty missions that regular SFI can’t be seen to be involved in.”

“Unofficially, of course. If someone gets caught, no doubt you’ll vigorously deny knowledge of us,” Selyara cocked her head and stared ruminatively at him, “all of a sudden it makes sense, you deciding to put me in charge of this unit. After all, if everything goes sideways, who better to scapegoat than a former traitor and black market information broker.”

“You were well aware that there would be strings attached, Miss Chen. Don’t insult both our intelligence by pretending to be surprised,” Koniki said dryly, raising his eyebrows at her. “I know you’re going to feel the need to test the boundaries of this relationship, but I would much rather we just be upfront about it.”

“As you like it,” Selyara placed the padd on the table in front of her. “Why don’t you tell me exactly what you expect from me in this role, and exactly how much autonomy do I have?”

“You will report directly to me, but as far as your agents will be concerned, the buck stops with you. I may give you missions to hand on to your people, or you may clear missions through me. As far as you and your Agents go, the old Section 31 motto ‘by any means necessary’ will be your operating parameters.”

“What makes you think you can trust me? It’s odd for you to put someone like me in charge of something like this,” Selyara searched his face, her eyes narrowed. Koniki smiled again, that damn enigmatic Cheshire cat grin that she knew would never cease to annoy her.

“I don’t trust you, not yet, anyway. But fortunately for you some little birds told me that you’re liable to be as trustworthy as any of my assets as long as you find this job challenging and having met you, I agree with them. You’re ruthless enough to sacrifice your agents if necessary, you don’t have many of the sensitivities and qualms that most beings have, and above all, you like winning. Who you’re winning for is immaterial to you, I think,” Koniki stood and indicated she should do the same.

“So what now, I’m free to go? I’m assuming my first duty is to assemble a section, followed by dismantling the old Section 31 with extreme prejudice,” Selyara felt a smile playing on her lips. She didn’t know how Koniki knew what he did about her, but he was right. As long as it was interesting, she didn’t care who she was working for, and this sounded *very* interesting.

“Almost. Your first duty is to report to Captain Morningstar of the USS Anubis,” Koniki said, another irritating smile flitting across his lips as he took in her surprise. “You can’t run an off the books mission if you’ve never seen a mission run by the books. Besides which, you can do me a favor while you’re there - Observe them, write a detailed report on the Anubis, the dynamics of the crew, and how they operate for Starfleet. Command is understandably perturbed by the appearance of a fleet they knew nothing about, and I would like to give them something to allay their fears. It will also give me a chance to see how your mind works. ”

“I hardly think a report from *me* is going to soothe any ruffled feathers over at Starfleet Command,” Selyara said dryly “but your wish is my command, sir.”

“Excellent.” He walked her to the door. “Oh, and Miss Chen - No cheating and using your touch telepathy. I want to see what you’re able to observe and learn about them by observation. I’ll let Captain Morningstar know to expect you.”

* * *=(/\)=* * *
Alix Fowler

Section 31
Starfleet Intelligence
M06-P049: USS ANUBIS: Shar'El: Day 8 - 2300 ("Enthusiastic Research")
=-=
"Enthusiastic Research"
[previous post was "The Color of Rage" by the raged filled passionate Hanali]
=-=

Setting: USS ANUBIS, Exo-biology Lab
Stardate: 31292.2300

After her visit to Sickbay to check up on Ensign Stark and Lieutenant Paquette, the ExO / ILO had headed for the Exo-Biology lab which had been on the same deck.  There, over the last 30 or so minutes, Commander Maya and Miss Andersson had been running a plethora of tests on the radiation absorbing ooze that had been discovered on the lowest level of the secret underground research facility.

Given the hour and the rather long day that they had all endured, Shar'El had expected the two women to be casually going about their work until they would call it a night. Instead the ExO / ILO found the scientist and medical officer working as if time itself was about to come to an end.

A total of nine samples had been brought back to the ANUBIS, yet as Shar'El entered the lab she could clearly identify over a dozen separate stations, each performing some sort of test on an individual sample.  Cautiously the raven haired woman approached, trying to insure that she did not startle anyone or disturb any of the work that had clearly been in progress.

"You two having fun?" the ExO / ILO quietly asked, announcing her presence in so doing while trying to get an idea of just what sort of tests the green colored ooze had been subjected to.

"This ooze is amazing," Sofia exclaimed as she tossed another sample, this one contained inside a transparent cube, towards the surprised First Officer who rapidly grabbed hold of the small box in mid air.

"I'm guessing that you have found some interesting facts about this ooze," Shar'El stated as she carefully looked at the sample that had been unceremoniously sent her way, not seeing anything different from the samples she had seen before their return to the ANUBIS.

"As initially suspected," Commander Maya began, "The ooze appears to have a crystalline chemical structure which according to our analysis most probably originated deep within the borders of Tholian space. This is likely the basic explanation as to why the Thalaron radiation did not destroy it but instead caused it to mutate as it had the other creature.  Our first tests confirmed that the ooze absorbs Thalaron radiation and actually needs a constant exposure to specific radiations to be able to survive.  If placed in a radiation free environment the ooze eventually becomes inert and begins to lose molecular adhesion."

"Looks like you two have discovered a new toy," the ExO / ILO stated as she carefully placed the sample that she had received on the nearest available flat surface.

"This is no toy," Sofia followed up with, her voice filled with wonder. "There is so much to learn about this amazing substance."

"You have already mentioned how *amazing* it is," Shar'El pointed out finding the woman's overflowing enthusiasm a little over the top.

"Amazing is just the tip of the iceberg as the expression goes," Andersson continued, "It feels like we are discovering new properties every few minutes. The ooze needs constant exposure to certain radiations to survive, metabolizing these radiations as a living body would food, but the ooze is not *alive*, at least not by any definition we currently go by.  The reactions, including its movements are pure and simple bio-chemical responses to external stimuli."

"As you may remember," Maya jumped in next, "we noticed that the ooze actually moved. At first we believed that it was consciously reacting to motion or sound but we discovered that it is actually responding to thermal radiation. The same way the mutated creature was attracted to higher thermal emissions, the ooze response in he same way to heat.  We suspect that it is able to differentiate various heat sources by as much as a 1 degree difference."

"Along the same level, the ooze clearly dislikes the cold and shies away from it as best as it can," Sofia continued, the two woman appearing almost as if they had become a single entity working on this specific research.  "So far it appears as if exposure to Thalaron radiation triggers the greatest growth ratio in the organism, causing it to double in volume inside of an hour as long as the radiation level remains constant, which of course it does not as the ooze absorbs it."

"At least that way we now know that the rest of the ooze that was left in that research facility on EARTH is not going anywhere since the Thalaron readings were at zero a full level above," Shar'El stated believing that this gave them more time to complete their research before informing the authorities of their findings.

"That may not be the case," Maya said as she passed a PADD on to the ExO / ILO. "The ooze appears able to absorb and metabolize certain radiations, including Thalaron, from a distance.  We have observed a drastic reduction in the rate at which it does so as the distance increases, but we have yet to determine an exact final range.  For the ooze still on EARTH, it is very likely that the process has not stopped but merely greatly slowed down."

"Even more amazing," Sofia continued using the word that was rapidly becoming an annoyance to the ExO / ILO, "is the ooze's ability to transfer absorbed radiation to other parts of itself as long as it is physically in contact, thus allowing it to somehow control its own growth."

"Wouldn't that imply that the ooze is alive in some way?" Shar'El quired, the confusion very apparent on her face.

"Again not by any definition we currently use, that's what's amazing," Sofia replied using once again the word that was making the Ullian twitch.  "From what we can deduce from our observations, all of the responses are triggered by extremal thermal or radiation emissions. In short the ooze behaves in a way that best support its continued existence."

"Not bad for something that is not alive," Maya added, the Chief Science Officer clearly beyond thrilled with their work and discoveries.

"Yes," Shar'El said unable to share in the two women's excitement. "Truly amazing," she added before Sofia could voice the word once again.  "May I suggest that you both take some rest. You can resume this research first thing tomorrow morning."

"I have to get back," Sofia said suddenly falling into a panic.  "I am sure that I am overdue to return and I will be made to pay for not having followed instructions and not having returned with Angelo and Sheila."

"Relax," Shar'El promptly offered as she placed a calming hand on the blonde woman's shoulder.  "Mr. Tannahill provided the authorities with enough information about what happened as well as your help and continued involvement in the current research to allow you to now be under the jurisdiction of Captain Morningstar, the Commanding Officer of this vessel.  For as long as your assistance is considered necessary in the research of the ooze, you will be staying here on the ANUBIS and provided temporary quarters. Of course you will be escorted by security at all times and your access to this ship will be very limited."

"I fully understand," Sofia nodded, the blonde woman being more than thankful that she had been permitted to continue assisting with the research and be provided with quarters that would certainly be folds superior to what she had been using at the Versailles triage center, not to mention the possibility of having access to actual eatable replicated food instead of whatever rations she had been given before.

=-=
Tiffany Reeve

Lieutenant Commander Shar'El [Access Character BIO for Shar'El]
Executive Officer / Intel Liaison Officer
USS ANUBIS

Lieutenant Commander Janeel [Access Character BIO for Janeel]
Intel Liaison Officer / Mission Specialist
USS BASTET

Currently sentenced to the
VERSAILLES Triage Center
M06-P048: USS ANUBIS: Ya'Han: Day 08 - 2315 ("The Color of Rage")
[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]
"The Color of Rage"
[previous post was "Knocked Down"]
[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]

Setting: USS ANUBIS, Holodeck
Stardate: 31292.2315

It was late and she was tired. When she left Sickbay all Ya'Han wanted was to walk away and be left alone, without having a specific destination in mind she just headed down the first corridor she came across.  As she walked on the edge of an all out dash she could feel the rage mounting with each step and it soon became evident that if she returned to her quarters an unscheduled redecorating session would take place.

Since aimlessly wandering the corridors had not been an option, and going to any public location entailed the risk of her running into someone where she would have to either explain her mood or cause everyone else to run out frighten for their lives, there had been only a few options available.  With a selection made the redheaded Sec/Tac entered the first turbolift she found and rapidly made her way to the nearest Holodeck located one deck above.

With the technology to create anything she could conceive at her disposal Ya'Han had requested the first thing that came into mind.  From the possibility of an army of enraged Klingon warriors charging into battle for honor and glory to half a dozen beasts born from the nightmares of a deranged lunatic, the Chief of Security had selected a simple black colored punching bag held in place by a small chain coming down from a metal frame. The holographically created item had been very close to those found in the gymnasium of the ANUBIS, the only difference here being that she knew no one would come into the room and question her on the origin of her rage.

The sand filled bag silently accepted the punches and kicks that landed against it in rapid succession.  Maybe if it had been given the ability to voice some level of discomfort at the relentless assault she would have felt better. Maybe if she instructed the computer to create a holographic representation of the Chief of Operations, her rage would subside quicker as her blows landed against the cause of her feelings.

As much as she might have wanted to see Jayson hurt by her own hand, even if only through the illusions of a holodeck, Ya'Han could not bring herself to summon his likeness.  For a brief moment the flamed hair Chief of Security even entertained the idea of having the likeness of Sofia Andersson be created and made to feel the full extent of the Nylaan's rage, but again she decided against it.

Jayson had not been at fault and neither had Sofia, the two of them having responded on the most basic level to a connection that the two shared. Ya'Han understood that her rage had not been directed at them but rather at herself for feeling how she did. Sonja had been correct, the Sec/Tac had been jealous and maybe that had been the part of all this which bothered her the most.

Out of breath and with the muscles in her arms aching beyond what they had ever done before Ya'Han terminated the program she had created and exited the holodeck.  As she stepped into the corridor she decided to head to her quarters being secure in her feelings that they would no longer be made to show the scars of her rage.  The sheets on her bed though might not be as safe but they would be the necessary sacrifice to grant the redhead the peace she needed.

[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Ya'Han's Quarters
Stardate: 31293.0545

Ya'Han rolled out of her bed to gaze upon the pieces of her shredded pillows and sheets scattered all over the room. Whatever cataclysm had come to pass had been violent, but at least it had ended with its damage have been entirely focussed on the destroyed bedding items.

She could not remember much of the night aside from the tears and screams, but Ya'Han found comfort in that the outburst and proof of it had been limited to being in her personal quarters.  With just a little bit of time the evidence of what had taken place would be removed leaving only the emotional scars to be with the Sec/Tac, scars that she would hide as she had so many others.

The hot water shower that followed felt beyond refreshing and allowed Ya'Han to wash away the last remnant of her rage, not that there had been a lot left after last night. Still the feeling of not having been burdened by this anger had been very welcomed.

As she stepped out of the shower and reached for a towel to wrap herself in with, Ya'Han glanced at the water vapor covered mirror on the other side of the room. There she had expected to see the slightly distorted dark black color framing the reflection of her face. After all she felt as common as could be and given how her hair echoed her feelings as so many had pointed out, it had been a foregone conclusion that this would be the color that would greet her.  What she saw instead confused her and made the woman quickly approach the mirror to see if the light had played some trick.  Using her hand she wiped the smooth surface clean and gazed upon a reflection that she had never could have expected or imagined.

Her hair had neither been the solid black she had expected nor the fiery red that had become the standard for the Sec/Tac, instead her hair had taken on an odd neutral stance between the two colors.  Worried that this had been some sort of permanent change, Ya'Han quickly forced the other colors to appear confirming that the ability had still been hers to use and control.  As one last test she closed her eyes and relaxed, expecting that the default color, for a lack of a better way to describe it, would be the red she had become accustomed to or the black that had been standard for her people.

When she reopened her eyes, the new mixture of colors dawned her head once again and as strange as it appeared it was something that Ya'Han saw herself easily accepting.  It would become a public display of the person she had become, one who had survived the latest challenges of her life to emerge as someone with a greater understanding of herself and the world around her.

[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]
Hanali Han

Chief of Security / Chief Tactical Officer
USS ANUBIS, NCC-18501
M06-P047: USS ANUBIS: Stark: Day 8 - 2250 ("Knocked Down")
"Knocked Down"
[previous "Dealing With Problems"]

[/\]

Setting: USS ANUBIS, Sickbay
Stardate: 31292.2250

As fun as the time spent on EARTH had been, being back on the ANUBIS had been nice, even if he had been stuck in Sickbay. His wounds had been mended but Doctor Doyanne insisted on running her tests to make sure that everything was as it should be. The woman was thorough if not over zealous in her medical duties.  If only Commander Shar'El had still been in Sickbay he would have been able to ask the First Officer if she could use her influence to speed their release in some way

"You will be pleased to hear that there are no signs of infections or radiation anywhere in your body that resulted from your injuries," the CMO said to which Jayson responded to by immediately sending his legs over the edge of he biobed. "Where do you think you are going?"

"Out of here, you just said that..." he replied but stopped mid sentence as he watched the Doctor shaking her head in a very disapproving fashion.  "Let me guess, more tests?"

Lillie nodded her head and smiled before walking away, her attention back on the PADD she had been carrying with her.  With nothing else to do, Jayson flopped back on the biobed and sighed. 

"Sonja is not overly thrilled with being stuck here either," Ya'Han said to Jayson as she walked up to his biobed, the red haired woman having decided to speak to him.

"The white hair was... interesting," he said as he smiled at the woman who could change her hair color to match her mood, or more accurately who's hair color changed according to said mood.  "You and I still have to have that talk about all of the colors and the reason behind them. I am looking forward to spending some quiet time with you and hearing all about it.  Guess I was lucky that Sofia was there."

"What?" Ya'Han asked shaking her head, not having expected to hear the woman's name immediately after Jayson having said that he had been looking forward to spending some quiet time with her.

"I mean down in that secret research facility," he explained while trying to make himself as comfortable as possible on the biobed. "I was lucky that she was there to help take care of me.  Not sure what would have happened had she not been there. Both Lillie and her said that the injuries had not been life-threatening but given all of the tests we are being to go through, I have to wonder. Maybe I owe my life to her."

Ya'Han's hair instantly grew a brighter shade of red, not that he noticed, his gaze lost on the ceiling mounted medical equipment over the biobed.  If he had been looking at the Chief of Security, maybe the OPS officer would have seen her confusion turning into pain which soon after changed into anger. By the time she had stormed away from the biobed, that anger had grown into full blown rage which took Jayson by complete surprise.

"Ya'Han!" he called out trying to have the bright red haired woman stop and turn around, but instead she continued her rushed exit out of Sickbay without acknowledging the man in the least. "What happened?" Jayson asked completely unable to make sense of what had just happened.

"You are an idiot," Sonja spat from where we was, Jayson not realising in the least as to how lucky he had been that the CEO had been unable to jump off her biobed to teach the man a lesson that had been a long time coming.

[/\]
Jayson Sousa

Chief of Operations
USS ANUBIS, NCC-18501
M06-P046: USS ANUBIS: Morningstar: Day 8 - 2145 ("Dealing With Problems")
##########
"Dealing With Problems"
Previous post "Things Are Never Easy"
##########

"Who are we? We find that we live on an insignificant planet of a humdrum star lost in a galaxy tucked away in some forgotten corner of a universe in which there are far more galaxies than people."
- Carl Sagan

=====
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Bridge
Stardate: 31292.2145

The Native American stood in the middle of the Command Deck, his eyes lost amidst the white swirls dancing over the blue planet known as EARTH.  From orbit it had been hard to believe that the world below had been in such political upheaval and that personally many members of the ANUBIS' family were being faced with problems of their own.

Eve Dalziel, a proficient Counselor, admired member of his crew and cherished friend had retreated to the sanctity of her quarters following the news of her identity.  Erik had wanted to be there for her, to comfort her as she had done him countless times before, but the Native American knew that the best thing for her at the moment had been to be alone with her thoughts and feelings.  Should Eve truly need to talk to someone, she knew where to find him and that he would be there for her.

As for the others, Ensign Ya'Han and Stark had gone done to the planet's surface to help with the troubled mess Paris had become. It had been admirable to see them so willing to get to work instead of waiting around for the politicians to make up their minds, but alas things had as always never been so easy.  After having lost contact with them, Commander Shar'El had taken the rest of the Senior Officers down in the SPHINX to search for the missing officers.

Erik understood the need they all shared in wanting to do something, and this problem had provided them with the perfect excuse. The problem now had been that all communications had also been lost with the team lead by the ANUBIS' First Officer, the only contact remaining having been with the Pilot Ensign Ttosk and the ship's Avatar who had been standing guard at the entrance of some sort of secret underground base that had been discovered.

The Native American had to laugh at the situation, if trouble could be found in the most unlikely places, Shar'El and the rest of the senior staff of the ANUBIS had been the ones to find it.  As troubling as that thought might have been, Erik knew that the combined skills and knowledge of his officers would be more than enough to see them through whatever they would have come across.

"Captain," the Assistant Operations Officer called out from the station usually manned by Ensign Stark.  "The SPHINX is on return approach and Commander Shar'El is requesting permission to come board with one extra."

Normally the Captain of the USS ANUBIS would have asked a thousand and one questions about this extra person coming aboard his ship, the SCARAB-Class Intel Cruiser not having been one to be freely boarded by anyone without clearance, but that had been before. With the existence of NEW ALEXANDRIA and its fleet of ships now openly known to all, the barriers of secrecy no longer needed to be as thick and impenetrable as they had once been.

"Since Commander Shar'El is the one asking," Erik noted out loud, "Permission granted but I want to see her as soon as she returns to the ship."

"Relaying instructions now," the aOPS stated leaving the Native American to wonder what had happened and who this 'plus one' had been.

=====
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Deck 29, Ventral Access Bay
Stardate: 31292.2210

The door to the SPHINX opened and the members of the away team stepped out with a carefree attitude that had been from the fact that they had returned home.  Lieutenant Paquette, despite her arguments to the contrary had accepted the assistance of ANI to help her walk while Ensign Stark had been so helped by the extra person mentioned by Commander Shar'El.

"Doctor Doyanne," the First Officer began as she made sure that everyone had a specific task or objective to meet. "Please make sure that both injured officers are taken care of and report their status as soon as it is available to myself and Captain Morningstar.  Commander Maya, please start looking into the properties of those samples we have brought back, I am sure that Starfleet Command will be happy to learn about what we have discovered, but I would prefer to give them a complete report over a simple footnote about what we discovered."

"Of course Commander," the Chief Science Officer confirmed before turning her attention to the Chief of Security. "Ensign Ya'Han, would you mind helping me bring all of these samples to the Exo-Biology lab on Deck 7?"

"Of course," Ya'Han agreed all so rapidly, glad that the Commander in charge of the Science Department on board the ANUBIS had selected the lab located on the same deck as Sickbay. The woman's enthusiasm had not been due to the fact that she would be able to stay in touch with injured Ensign or even the Lieutenant but rather because it would insure that Jayson's stuck-at-the-hip companion would not escape the watch of the ship's Chief of Security. After all, the woman had not been cleared to be anywhere else but the most essential sections of the ultra secret ship, and Ya'Han would make sure that those would be the only places Miss Sofia Andersson would get to see.

=====
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Deck 7, Corridor, en route to Sickbay
Stardate: 31292.2220

"What starbase are we on?" Sofia inquired, the inner design of the ANUBIS not having been like anything she had ever seen.

"Not a starbase," Jayson said finding some level of pleasure in showing off the ship on which he served as Chief of Operations.  "The ANUBIS if a state of the art ship that..."

Ya'Han interrupted without hesitation before the love stricken man would reveal more than he should. "That has a lot of people needing to get to their work and who are waiting on us to bring them what they have been waiting for," the Chief of Security said in a growled tone as she glared at Jayson making it clear that he was not to reveal anything about the status and capabilities of their ship.

"This is my domain," Lillie announced with pride, inviting the two injured officers and those helping them to walk inside.  "We'll have you fresh as rain and back on your feet in no time."

"Doctor," the Chief of Security whispered as she leaned in closer to the CMO. "Captain Morningstar may have allowed Miss Andersson on board but I am sure that he did not give her full access to all of our systems, please keep an eye on her and let me know if she is any sort of trouble."

"You are being paranoid Ya'Han," Doctor Doyanne half laughed, "but you are right, she is new and likely does not have any clearances to be on a ship like the ANUBIS. I will keep a watchful eye on her and report any problems."

"Thank you Doctor," the red haired Chief of Security nodded and as soon Lillie, Jayson and Sofia entered Sickbay, Ya'Han reached for her comm badge. "Ensign Ya'Han to security, I need a two-man detail posted at the entrance of Sickbay.  We have a guest on board and I want to make sure that she keeps her hands off unauthorized material."

"You might want to change your hair to green there Rainbow girl," Sonja chuckled. "The jealousy monster is coming out loud and clear."

"I am not jealous," Ya'Han quickly countered in her defence. "She is an outsider and we have no idea who she could talk to about what she sees here. Plus, she is a convicted felon whom we have removed from her place of detention on EARTH.  I do not intend to allow her access to anything she is not specifically permitted to by Captain Morningstar or Commander Shar'El."

"That poor girl has no idea who she pissed off by digging her claws in Jayson," the redheaded Engineer laughed.  "Alright ANI, take me in before Security shows up and puts this entire section under armed quarantine."

=====
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Bridge
Stardate: 31292.2225

"Welcome back Commander," the Native American said as his First Officer stepped onto the command deck. "I gather that you had some excitement while on EARTH."

"Excitement is one way to describe it," Shar'El grinned.  "We discovered a secret, heavily shielded, multi-level, underground research facility beneath a park on the outskirts of Paris. On the lower most of seven levels, we found some sort of living ooze which had been mutated by absorbing the Thalaron radiation which caused the drop in said radiation. That drop is what drew Ensigns Stark and Ya'Han to investigate the phenomenon in the first place and discover the entrance to the secret facility.  Commander Maya is currently doing research on the samples we brought back, samples that permitted us to safely return to the surface after three of the members of the away team saw their HAZMAT suits shredded by a crystalline-based creature which had also survive the Thalaron radiation. That creature is also the one responsible for the injuries suffered by Ensign Stark and Lieutenant Paquette, injuries that were treated on site by Doctor Doyanne and another medical officer by the name of Miss Sofia Anderson, the person I requested your permission to bring on board.  Right now they are both completing the medical treatment of our injured officers who should be declared fit for duty well before mid-day tomorrow."

"I look forward to reading your complete report on what transpired down there," Erik grinned as he still tried to process all of the information that had been verbally unloaded to him by his First Officer.  "I have the feeling that I am going to have to set several hours to its reading."

"I would set at least half a day if I were you Sir," Shar'El pointed out as she came to stand at full attention. "With your permission I would like to return to Sickbay and make sure that everything is alright before heading to the science lab to check up on Maya and her work.  We brought back a total of nine samples and there is still several dozen kilograms of the ooze still in the lowest level of that facility for us to figure out what to do with."

"Several dozen kilograms?" Erik gasped. "Half a day it is then," the Native American chuckled, certain that the full report would be an interesting read within the first few paragraphs.

=====
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Sickbay
Stardate: 31292.2240

"How are you feeling?" Sonja inquired of the Avatar, the Chief Engineering officer not having had the chance since their departure from EARTH to confirm that ANI had returned to her normal self.

"You know that I am unable to experience actual feelings," the artificial woman replied, adding a faint smile as she did so to prove her next statement. "That said, access to my behavioural subroutines has been fully restored."

"How are your patients Doctor?" the First Officer inquired as she stepped into the room, not at all surprised by the fact that ANI had remained by Sonja's side and that along the same pattern Sofia Andersson had remained glued to Jayson's bedside.

"Both are responding well to treatments," Lillie confirmed. "It's nice to have access to all of my equipment, my only problem is that I have to work around these two," the CMO added referring to the blonde medical officer and purple haired artificial woman.

"Looks like you are no longer welcomed here," Sonja joked to the Avatar who did not appear hurt in the least, not that she should have.  "How about you do a favour for our good Doctor and escort Miss Andersson to the science lab, maybe she can help Maya in her research?"

"Great," Shar'El chuckled softly, "first Jayson, now Maya, do you have it in for everyone on the ship?"

"I would never dare to have you on my list Commander," the redheaded Engineer quickly stated, "I need you to beam me to every corner of the ship so that I can keep my reputation as a miracle worker."

The two women shared a smile just as Ya'Han returned to Sickbay to insure that the guest had not caused any problems.  Upon seeing the arrival of the Chief of Security, Sonja motioned for the Avatar to get moving prompting ANI to make her way to the other biobed in order to comply with the instructions she had received.

"Was Captain Morningstar pleased with your report?" Ya'Han inquired of the First Officer who again smiled.

"The abridged version piqued his interest and he has set a full half day to read the full report," Shar'El stated. "I just have to sit down and actually write that blasted report for him to read."

"Maybe I should ask for a copy of it," the red haired Chief of Security stated before returning the First Officer's smile. "It will keep me from focussing on other things," Ya'Han added with a sigh as she glanced at Jayson and Sofia just as the Avatar was taking the blonde haired woman away.  "Where are they going?"

"Relax," Sonja offered in a calming tone. "ANI is taking Sofia to the Science Lab to help Maya figure out that green goo we brought back and to give Lillie the chance to actually get two hands on Jayson without the blonde glue-stick getting in the way."

Ya'Han's narrowed eyes watched with heightened interest as their guest was escorted out of Sickbay by the ship's Avatar leaving Jayson alone on the biobed.  For a moment she wondered as to whether or not to go and see him, if only to confirm that he had been alright and recuperating from his injuries.

--==(/\)==--
Francois Charette

Commanding Officer
USS ANUBIS, NCC 18501

AND

Lt. Commander Elan Fairborn [Access Character BIO for Elan Fairborn]
Robotics Engineering Officer
NEW ALEXANDRIA
M06-P045: USS ANUBIS: Shar'El: Day 8 - 1950 ("Things Are Never Easy")
=-=
"Things Are Never Easy"
[previous post was "Injured" by the amazing Hanali]
=-=

Setting: EARTH, Paris, Underground Research Facility, Level 6 (Purple)
Stardate: 31292.1950

"Be careful," Shar'El instructed the two officers as they ventured beyond the door that had been reopened to grant them access to the next sub-level.

"You will need to close the door behind us," the Chief of Security said in return. "We can't have the creature go back up. If it decided to attack either Jayson or Sonja again I doubt that they would be as lucky as they were the last time, plus you did say that you did not want anymore injuries on this mission."

The ExO / ILO reluctantly agreed to the stated course of action. Despite the troubling memories that Shar'El had seen from Ya'Han it had been clear that the statement made had been that of a concerned Chief of Security and not that of a troubled, emotionally injured woman.  "Stay in communication contact for as long as possible," was the last thing the Commander said before the heavy door was slid closed behind the two women.

=/\= Heading down the stairs, =/\= Maya reported over the comm channel, the amount of static increasing rapidly with each step down they took.

=/\= Just a few more stairs, =/\= Ya'Han added, the Chief of Security having for obvious reasons taking point.  =/\= ... walls are red... dead... moving forward... =/\=

Although they had been only a dozen meters or so away, the communication channel had barely been able to carry the signal leaving the ExO / ILO to try and extrapolate what had been meant. Had the walls been painted red to identify the level as the wall colors had for the previous levels or had the Chief of Security meant something entirely more gruesome?  Her stating 'dead' could have just as easily referred to the same carnage that they had witnessed on every other levels before.  All that Shar'El could do was to focus on the tone of the words which had been perfectly calm meaning that whatever the officers had encountered it had not been troubling to them in the last.

"Where is Ya'Han?" the OPS Officer inquired as he joined the ExO / ILO with the help of the medical officer who had been tending to his wounds. Sofia had her arm around his waist but she had not been carrying any of his weight, the gesture having only been a precautionary measure.

"She went down to see what happened to the creature and hopefully get some answers," the Commander replied, looking at Jayson in a way that her position as First Officer had not permitted. It had not been her place to get involved in the personal affairs of her officers, whatever knowledge she might have gained through her having been Ullian. That is as long as said affairs did not interfere with the normal functioning of the ship and its crew.

"Let me go in after her," Jayson quickly offered in a way that almost hinted to his concern having been more than that of a simple fellow shipmate.

"Jayson!" Sofia objected well before the ExO / ILO could even began to formulate a reply.  "You are in no condition to go down there.  I have seen Ya'Han in action and I believe that she is very well capable of taking care of herself."

"Plus, she is not alone," Shar'El added. "Commander Maya went down with her."

The OPS Officer thought for a moment and abandoned his concerns accepting, although somewhat reluctantly, that the Shillian and Nylaan women would be a match for a great many trouble encountered anywhere in this galaxy.

"Miss Andersson, maybe you could lend your medical expertise to Doctor Doyanne. The injuries suffered by Lieutenant Paquette were far more severe than those Ensign Stark had," the Commander said in a tone that leaned far more on the side of an order over it having been a suggestion.  Maybe if Shar'El could get a few seconds alone with Jayson she would be able to open his eyes to what he had done, bu she thought against it knowing that doing so would be a breach of confidentiality not to mention a drastic over stepping boundaries.

=/\= Heading back, open the door, =/\= Ya'Han said over the still open comm channel, her out of breath voice having come across far clearer than before hinting that she had been close.  Without any hesitation Jayson rushed for the door and forced it open, the physical effort required to accomplish this causing him to wince in excruciating pain. The sound of his lamentations were more than enough to summon Sofia back to his side.

Shar'El had no idea what to expect, figuring that something had been encountered to hasten the return of the two officer.  As soon as the door was opened the Chief of Security came into view, the creature that had previously attacked them in her arms, the Chief Science Officer not too far behind her.

The question from the ExO / ILO should have been more than expected by the two officers who had ventured to the next sublevel but she still felt the need to voice it. "What happened?"

"We were scanning the level and discovered the creature in a pool of green colored ooze," Maya reported as she closed the heavy door behind her.  "We had every intention of performing a complete biological analysis on the corpse when it move."

"It?" Sofia asked while helping Jayson to stand, the blonde hair woman's gaze on the creature that appeared well beyond any ability to move.

"Not the creature," Ya'Han clarified, "the ooze.  We figured that it might be safer to come back."

"Any idea what the ooze is?" the Commander inquired as she looked at the creature, getting for the first time a good look at it,

"No idea but the clues seem to point to the ooze having killed the creature," Maya explained as Ya'Han carefully deposited the creature on the nearest clear surface available.

"I'm fine," Jayson stated to the woman trying her best to hold him up.  "Go help them figure out what happened.

Hesitantly Sofia let go of Jayson as if to insure that he would be able to stand without her help before making her way to the table where the creature had been brought.  The blonde haired woman was quickly joined by the ANUBIS' Chief Science Officer, the two of them performing the examination that had been planned before the ooze had shown signs of life.

"Did the Thalaron radiation not reach that level?" Shar'El asked, trying to understand how a living ooze could have come to be on that level.

"No," Ya'Han confirmed, "Everything else down there was as dead as what we saw on the other levels. Somehow that ooze, like that creature, managed to survive the radiation, the only problem it seems was that they could not survive each other's presence," the Chief of Security further explained trying her best to ignore Jayson who had come to unsteadily stand next to her.

"Most interesting," Maya announced in what seemed to be complete surprise.

"What had you found?" Shar'el demanded turning her attention to the two women, leaving Jayson and Ya'Han to deal with their own issue as they saw fit.

"Commander Maya had earlier reported that the creature displayed signs very similar to that of Thalaron emissions, which led us to believe that it's crystalline biological structure had somehow been altered by the radiation," Sofia explained with a medical tricorder in her hands, obviously having been listening during all previous conversations.

"It was the only logical explanation to account for both the readings and the fact that the creature had survived being exposed to what would normally be a type of highly lethal radiation," Maya offered.  "These readings also leave us with a single logical explanation to account for everything else we have observed thus far," the Chief Science Officer added.

"Which would be?" the ExO / ILO asked, not enjoying in the least having to fish for answers.

"The ooze is the cause of the radiation absorption," Sofia stated in a matter-of-fact manner.  "The creature we encountered before had been altered by the radiation and likely it become an integral part of its new metabolism. So when the creature came in contact with the ooze, regardless of the speed at which it did so, that modified radiation was drained from its body, killing the creature within seconds from what we were able to see."

"Were you able to see or detect anything else?" Commander Shar'El asked as she tried to assess what their next best move would be.

"The tricorder picked up nothing other than the ooze which is covering a fair size of the lower level, obvious having used the radiation as a catalyst to promote its own growth," Maya offered, her theory having been easily acceptable by everyone present including Angelo Tannahill and Shiela Grant, both having remained as silent and out of the way as possible.

"If this is true," Sheila carefully began, not wanting to step into a discussion where she might not have a say in. "If the ooze does actually absorb Thalaron radiation, do you realize what this could mean to the restoration of Paris?"

"It is too early to make any such claims," Sofia quickly added, "There would be a need for extensive research, but I will admit that our initial findings do seem rather promising.  All we need is to take some sample and gain access to a *good* science lab, one able to handle high intensity radiation research as well as secured containment facilities."

Maya grinned as she turned to look at Commander Shar'El, both of them having reached the same conclusion without having needed to say anything.  "We have three people which damaged HAZMAT suits, which means that we cannot return to the surface as the upper levels of this facility are still irradiated by Thalaron radiation, not to mention the whole of Paris."

"We would need to perform some tests but given what we have seen, we should be able to use samples of the ooze to create some sort of radiation absorption field around individuals," Sofia suggested.

"If the ooze does absorb radiation on the scale we have seen here," Sheila jumped in with, her field of expertise making her feel like she could actually contribute in this conversation.  "It is very possible that a small sample will be able to shield an individual."

"The problem will be the growth factor," Maya followed up with. "It is beyond certainty that the ooze did not start being the size that it currently is, so we have to consider that any further exposure will trigger some sort of growth in the samples we take."

"Nothing is ever easy," Shar'El sighed.  "Let's get started on the needed research to getting us back to the ANUBIS *with* some of this ooze for further examination."

Just as everyone had been ready to get to work, Jayson took a bad turn and collapsed from the pain he inflicted onto himself, but instead of falling to the floor, the quick reflexes of the Chief of Security kicked in and he instead fell into her arms.  Sofia immediately ran to assist the man leaving Shar'El to mutter to herself the same line she had just recently said -- "Nothing is ever easy."

=-=
Tiffany Reeve

Lieutenant Commander Shar'El [Access Character BIO for Shar'El]
Executive Officer / Intel Liaison Officer
USS ANUBIS

Lieutenant Commander Janeel [Access Character BIO for Janeel]
Intel Liaison Officer / Mission Specialist
USS BASTET

Currently sentenced to the
VERSAILLES Triage Center
M06-P044: USS ANUBIS: Ya'Han: Day 08 - 1945 ("Injured")
[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]
"Injured"
[previous post was "Looking Up"]
[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]

Setting: EARTH, Paris, Underground Research Facility, Level 6 (Purple)
Stardate: 31292.1945

She was the Chief of Security, responsible for the safety of the crew be them on board the ANUBIS or during an away mission. Although this survey mission had started out to be nothing more than an extension of her volunteering efforts to help, the situation had changed and in so doing so had her responsibilities.  Personal feelings had no place here as they only served to get in the way of what she needed to do.

Helping Doctor Doyanne attend to Sonja had been a necessity brought upon by the Sec/Tac's proximity to what had taken place.  Ya'Han keeping a vigilant eye on the door that had been closed behind the creature had also fallen squarely into the defined role of the Chief of Security.  Each time she glanced over at Jayson and Sofia though, the now white haired woman chastised herself for thinking and feeling outside of her required mandate. Why had it been so difficult to get passed the fact that he had made his choice? Why had it been so hard to accept that he had feelings for Sofia and none for her?

As the youngest daughter of the High Sovereign of NYLA IV she had been trained in all matters of state, never having time for the frivolity of romance, let alone love. Her arranged marriage to a Ferengi troll had been for no other reason than to solidify her world's economical foundations, her skills as an entertainer having been valued above all others.  Love had certainly not been part of her escape from Ferengi controlled space, although her skills as an entertainer and lover had saved her life more than once.  After having been accepted to Starfleet Academy, her focus had solely been on her schooling to prove herself worthy by her own merits and not by her ancestry and color of her hair.

What had she then known about love?  Her own mother spoke of this emotion on exceptionally rare instances and never in reference to herself. The knowledge of her siblings had been equally lacking although her brothers would have liked to claim otherwise, self proclaiming themselves to being galaxy renowned experts.

As great as her physical skills might have been, Ya'Han had to admit that in matters of love she had been ill equipped lacking some of the most basic knowledge in the field.  She thought that maybe he would have been the one to teach her, the one to make her feel what she had only been able to imagine based on the accounts of others.

She closed her eyes for a brief moment, focussing her thoughts. Ya'Han needed to address situation at hand as well as taking on the responsibilities that it demanded of her.  The attack on the members of the away team had ended her journey to the planet's surface as a volunteer, reinstating her position and duties as Chief of Security.

"How is she doing?" Commander Shar'El asked of Ya'Han as the First Officer handed a white shirt over.

"Doctor Doyanne is a skilled physician and I have no doubts that Lieutenant Paquette will make a full recovery," the Sec/Tac replied as she stood after having placed the shirt in reach of the woman laying on the floor.  "I would even go as far as to say that her sense of humor has made a rapid and complete recovery."

"Hard to keep a good officer down," Shar'El noted with a faint smile. "You are all proof of that.  We need to figure out what we are doing next. The answers we seek are beyond that door and now we have a problem that is also there waiting for us."

"I will head down and see what has happened to the creature," Ya'Han offered without hesitation. "Based on what I heard and the suspicions of both Doctor Doyanne and Lieutenant Paquette, the creature may have encountered something on the level below. I might be too dangerous to have the entire team go down, so let me do a recon."

"No," Shar'El quickly replied. "I appreciate that you are ready and willing to risk your life this way but I would be a poor First Officer if I allowed you to do so... without backup." the ExO said, shooting a quick glance at Jayson and Sofia to indicate that she knew about how the situation that plagued the Sec/Tac, her broadcasted memories having betrayed her to the Ullian.

"I will go with her," the Chief Science Officer offered shortly after. "I have had time to better calibrate my tricorder and I should be able to track the creature along with anything else down there that may have reacted in an unexpected manner to the Thalaron radiation."

"Very well," the ExO agreed.  "No unnecessary risks, you go down get some readings and come back up with a report.  I already have to deal with injured officers and I do not need nor want to have to deal with more," Shar'El said in such a specific manner that Ya'Han understood that she had been included in those the Commander had referred to as having been injured, hers having been emotional in nature instead of physical.

"We will be careful," Ya'Han confirmed as she offered a quick thank you smile to the woman from whom it had been impossible to keep any secrets from. 

[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]
Hanali Han

Chief of Security / Chief Tactical Officer
USS ANUBIS, NCC-18501
M06-P043: USS ANUBIS: Stark: Day 8 - 1935 ("Looking Up")
"Looking Up"
[previous "Serious Ouch"]

[/\]

Setting: EARTH, Paris, Underground Research Facility, Level 6 (Purple)
Stardate: 31292.1935

This had not been the first time he had found himself flat on his back and looking up at a woman. All other times it had been Ya'Han who had been standing over him, a victorious grin on her face after having flipped him onto the closest training mat.  As much as he might have tried, as much as he might have trained, Jayson had never been able to best the Chief of Security during any of their sparring matches which always ended in the same way.

There had always been something in her eyes when she would look down at him that way. He never felt intimidated or belittled, in fact she seemed almost sorry that her skill set had been so much above his. Still she never said no when he would challenge her, and to be perfectly honest he found their sparring matches interesting in a way that he could not fully understand.

This time though things had been different, and he was not talking about the lack of a training mat beneath him. Yes he had been on his back looking up at a woman but she had been blonde and kneeling instead of standing over him.  There had been something similar in her eyes and yet entirely different all at the same time.  As much as he tried to figure it out, Jayson had been unable to pick out the reason for the difference or even what that difference had actually been. True that she had been taking care of his injuries instead of causing them but Jayson could not help make the connection between the two women, at least that was until he felt a shot of pain flash through his chest.

"I'm so sorry," Sofia said, the blonde haired woman appearing as if she had been ready to cry because of the pain she had inflicted him.

"Don't worry," he said holding his breath in an effort to not increase the pain he felt.  "I've been through worse."  Sofia and Jayson locked eyes for a moment. Him remembering the injuries he had suffered during some of their undercover missions, she thinking that he had made a reference to his heart having been broken.

"Do you mind if I remove the rest of your HAZMAT suit?" Sofia hesitantly asked. As a medical officer she would not have normally bothered with such a question, but for some reason she had wanted to get his permission.  "I mean the shredded part, it will make it easier for me to make sure that all of your wounds are properly treated," she added as if needing to justify her earlier query.

"I would help but I suspect that you are going to order me not to move," Jayson replied, a grin glowing on his face.

"Are you always this cheeky when trying to impress a girl?" Sofia asked, her hands carefully removing the remainder of the HAZMAT suit as well as the ripped shirt beneath it.

"Sorry," he laughed softly, "didn;t mean to be that obvious."

The two locked eyes once again, unspoken emotions bouncing back and forth with such intensity that Jayson had been sure they would register on Maya's tricoder several meters away.

"How is my Operations Officer doing?" Commander Shar'El asked as she came to stand over Jayson, snapping the other two out of the moment they had been sharing.

"The cuts were deep but did not hit any vital organs or veins," Sofia replied in the professional tone of a seasoned medical officer.  "The wounds should be all sealed within the next 5 minutes, but he will need time to fully heal and get over the soreness but with some TLC I am sure that he will be back on his feet within a week."

"Within a week?" the First Officer asked with a raised eyebrow directly squarely at the blonde haired woman before Shar'El tossed a white shirt down onto Jayson's shoulder which had not shown any signs of injury.  "Found these on a shelf, it will have to do until we can find you something more appropriate to wear, she told Jayson before turning to look at Sofia, "Patch him up and get him up. There are still a lot of answers that we need get before we head back to the ANUBIS."

Without waiting for any sort of reply or acknowledgement the Commander left. Sofia had been ready to challenge the order as a Medical Officer but Jayson quickly reached out and took hold of her arm stopping her before she could say anything.

"Don't," the OPS Officer whispered through clenched teeth as she forced himself into a sitting posture.  "Just finish with what you need to do and then help me put on that shirt."

"You need to rest," Sofia argued, concern having returned to her features.

"What I need to do is to follow the orders of the First Officer of my ship," Jayson stated as a counter argument, one that he suspected would be accepted without further discussion.  "Just do what you have to do to get me back on my feet," he continued before pausing and gently caressing Sofia's face with his hand. "I'm not worried, I know that you'll be there if something happens."

[/\]
Jayson Sousa

Chief of Operations
USS ANUBIS, NCC-18501
M06-P042: USS ANUBIS: Paquette: Day 8 - 1925 ("Serious Ouch")
"Serious Ouch"
previous post was "Medical Evaluation"

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Setting: EARTH, Paris, Underground Research Facility, Level 6 (Purple)
Stardate: 31292.1925

"You will be alright, " Ya'Han offered to the injured redheaded engineer, the now white haired Chief of Security doing her best to comfort the injured woman and her friend.

"Please tell me that razor bladed roadrunner went splat on the wall," Sonja asked through clenched teeth as Lillie attended to the deepest and most painful cut on her back.

"Maybe not 'splat'," Ya'Han replied,  "but I did hear it tumble down the stairs and make an odd splash when it finally hit bottom," the Chief of Security added hoping that the later part of her answer would be enough to cheer the CEO in some way.

"Splash?" Both Lillie and Sonja ask simultaneously as they looked back at Ya'Han,  the description of the sound the creature had made having stunned and confused the two officers.

"I don't know how else to describe it," the white haired woman said in her defense. "I was not paying that much attention to the sound the creature was making while I was trying to close the door behind it."

Sonja glanced at Lillie for a second or so then turned back to look at her friend in a rather quizzical manner. "That 'splash', was it a wet 'Jayson hitting the gymnasium training mat' kind of 'splash', or was it more like a 'dry Jayson being tossed into the river on the holodeck' kind of 'splash'?" Sonja inquired making references to two separate events which both the Sec/Tac and CEO had witnessed at an earlier time together.

Ya'Han hesitated for a few seconds before offering an answer,  the woman having actually tried to fully recall the two occurrences.  "Wet Jayson on mat I guess," the Chief of Security dismissively replied.  "How about we all focus on getting you better?"

"The creature hit something when it went down," the Chief Medical Officer suggested in all seriousness while continuing attending to her patient's deep wounds.

"Agreed," Sonja followed up with before giving her full attention back to the Chief of Security,  "and this *is* making me feel better, it's keeping my mind occupied while the good Doctor here is patching me back up." The redheaded Engineer added before being made to yelp one more.

"Stop moving so much," Doctor Doyanne amicably yet still very professionally argued with her patient. "I need to disinfect these cuts and repair the deep tissue damage before I can close the wounds and I can't risk giving you a sedative at this stage. So stay still."

"Maybe I should be taking that *good* bit back," Sonja playfully teased before being made to wince and scream in pain.  "Ouch! You did that one on purpose. Ya'Han! Protect me. That mad woman is trying to kill me and she'll likely be going after all of you next."

"Sonja," Lillie sighed as she shook her head in disbelief.  "Are you ever able to be serious?"

"Well I was serious before we crashed on the moon of PI ALPHA III and shattered my leg," the Engineer replied sounding as serious as she could.  "I was also serious back on the MASQUERADES DREAM just before that lunatic tried to blow us all up, and I clearly recall having been perfectly serious seconds before the 'running with scissors' creature tried to shave a slice of bacon off my backside."

Ya'Han just grinned and shrugged, "Really, that's what you call being serious? As I recall the crash on the moon of PI ALPHA III, you were making some rather risqué suggestions and instructions as we entered the atmosphere."

"Well it was helpful and if I might add appropriate at the time," Sonja said in her defense.  "Are you done back there? We have a 'splash' to look into. Maybe we can toss lover boy down and see if the sounds match."

Ya'Han sighed and looked at Jayson who had been under the care of Sofia Andersson before her gaze ever so slowly drifted back to the door as she wondered about the creature beyond it.

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Lorraine Paquette

Lieutenant JG Sonja Paquette [Access Character BIO for Sonja Paquette]
Chief Engineering Officer
USS ANUBIS, NCC 18501
M06-P041: USS ANUBIS: Doyanne: Day 8 - 1850 ("Medical Evaluation")
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Medical Evaluation"
[previous post was "Quick and Sharp"]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

==========^*^==========
Setting: EARTH, Paris, Underground Research Facility, Level 5 (Dark Blue)
Stardate: 31292.1850
==========^*^==========

As a member of the Medical field, Lillie had been unable to escape the emotional impact of what had happened to the 28 million people who had been in Paris, no one could.  Everyone had been put in a position where they had no other option but to deal with the situation, some had buried their heads into whatever they could, others like Jayson and Ya'Han had jumped into action to help in whatever way they could.

Everyone dealt in their own way, that Lillie understood, but it still had been hard for her to make sense of what she had encountered in the form of the torn HAZMAT suit of Sofia Andersson.

Jayson had been quick and adamant about this having been an accident, that Sofia had somehow fallen and torn her HAZMAT suit.  Due to the potency of the Thalaron radiation which had decimated all of Paris as well as any and all life in the secret research facility beneath the city, the accident should have been fatal to the blonde haired woman.  Something had been absorbing this radiation and in doing so had saved the woman's life.  Based on the expressions on their faces, Jayson had been more than happy about this, Sofia not so much.

That alone had been enough to point the Doctor to another cause for the slit in the suit, and the small metal tool with the sharp edge had only confirmed her suspicions.  Under normal circumstances dealing with this situation would have been left to the Ship's Counselor, but since Eve had remained on the ANUBIS with Captain Morningstar, Lillie had been the next most qualified person to assess the woman's state of mind and potential danger to herself and the rest of the group.

The medical tricorder had shown Sofia Andersson to be physically fit and uninjured by the *accident*, a fact that was confirmed by the woman's own admission - both that she had been fine and that this had been nothing but an accident.

Denial had been expected following what Lillie considered a failed attempt to end her life, but the question remained as to why she had chosen that course of action?  Without knowing more about the woman's history there had been little Doctor Doyanne could do to evaluate the woman's current state of mind.

"I know why Jayson and Ya'Han were at Versailles and why they were driven to investigate the mystery of this place, but how did you get dragged into this?" The question had been innocent enough, partially directed to others leaving Lillie hoping that a truthful answer would be forthcoming.

"She was a Neo-Essentialist sentenced to help with the cleanup of Paris," Jayson replied as he shouldered the majority of the woman's weight on him, clearly he man having taking on the responsibility of her defense.  "We met her at the triage center and we were all asked to join the survey team to get onsite readings of the radiation. It has been a long day and we are all tired.  Thank you Doctor," Stark added as he took Sofia away from Lillie's hold and reach.

Doctor Doyanne watched as the couple walked up ahead, catching up with the rest of the team.  Both Jayson and Sofia had displayed clear signs of guilt and Lillie's professional opinion had been that the woman's had been caused by her involvement with the Neo-Essentialists while his had been caused by the fact that he had allowed that *accident* to take place.

There was nothing she could do about it, but for the time being Lillie would just have to keep an eye on them both.

These insignificant warning signs were difficult to detect, even for an officer trained as she was. Luckily, or perhaps unfortunately, the Terran had been witness to countless attempts such as this while living among her own people. The plague lead many to believe that their race was destined for destruction, no longer salvageable. Could it be possible that this Neo-Essential felt such guilt that she believed the same of herself? Lillie felt a wave of sympathy for her regardless of if the intuitive sense was truth or not.

==========^*^==========
Setting: EARTH, Paris, Underground Research Facility, Level 6 (Purple)
Stardate: 31292.1920
==========^*^==========

The attack against Ya'Han had been lightning quick but had only damaged her HAZMAT suit. At first the CMO had believed that this might have been by design, that the creature had not wanted to hurt anyone, but Lillie quickly changed her mind when she saw Jayson's wounds.  As non life-threatening as they might have been the cuts had been deep.

Doyanne had been more than ready to treat the injuries but seeing the immeasurable concern and fear in Sofia's eyes, the CMO had thought it best for both of them if she allowed the other medical officer the chance to make things better.  That decision had been meant to help the couple further seal the link that the Doctor had recognized between them, and it had also served to allow her to leave in a hurry when Sonja fell next.

"She's hurt," Ya'Han announced not that Lillie had been unable to make that determination, the back of the CEO's HAZMAT suit having been shredded beyond recognition.  Although Lille had considered Jayson's wounds bad, those on Sonja's back had been a lot worse, but far from being untreatable.

"Hold her still, this may sting a little," the Doctor instructed the Chief of Security, taking note of the woman's now white hair which reflected her having taken on a complete medical stand over that of her chosen field of work.

Ya'Han simply nodded her understanding and proceeded as she had been instructed.  Sonja had been ready to unleash one of her famous lines but only a sharp yelp emerged from between her lips as Lille began to work on the numerous deep cuts.

"Report," Commander Shar'El demanded as the First Officer came to stand over the third and last victim of the unknown speedy creature.

"Ya'Han was not injured although her suit is trashed; Jayson suffered several deep chest lacerations but nothing life-threatening, Sofia is attending to his medical needs; Sonja's injuries are the worst and appear to be just as deep if not deeper, we should have them both brought back to Sickbay," Lillie stated before looking up at the raven haired woman, standing over them like an ominous tower.  "That said, since I know that you are going to tell me that we cannot go back for whatever reason you are going to come up with, I will take care of Sonja and stabilize her condition."

"Thank you Doctor," Shar'El ever so gently smiled before turning her attention to the now closed door which stood between them, the creature and the answers they had been searching for through all of these sub-levels.

==========^*^==========
Ashley Shane

Chief Medical Officer/Researcher
USS ANUBIS
M06-P040: USS ANUBIS: Ya'Han: Day 08 - 1910 ("Quick and Sharp")
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"Quick and Sharp"
[previous post was "One Step At A Time"]
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Setting: EARTH, Paris, Underground Research Facility, Level 6 (Purple)
Stardate: 31292.1910

Again the two redheads had taken point and again Sonja had tried to help Ya'Han in the best way the CEO knew how.  The Sec/Tac had clearly still been upset about the displayed affection between Ensign Jayson Stark and Ensign Sofia Andersson.

"Here's the plan," the Engineer wickedly whispered after having disabled her communications system to make sure no one else heard what she had been about to say.  "We don't go down to the next level, instead we hide at the top of the stairway, wait for Miss blondie over there to walk by us and we trigger an unfortunate accident, one that will see her go head first down the stairs.  If we are lucky, Jayson will blindly jump down after her and we get to solve two problems at the same time. No?"

"I could never do that," Ya'Han sadly clarified as she shook her head, once again causing a lock of red hair to come into view.

"See, *that* tells me otherwise," Sonja joked as she pointed to the red lock.  "Fine, be that way.  I'll just have to make her an offer she can't refuse," the Chief Engineer added sounding like a truly evil Godfather, a reference that unfortunately the Sec/Tac knew nothing about.

Before Sonja could comment further, something pounced from behind one of the isolation rooms and took down the ANUBIS' Chief of Security in a split second.  Skill, reflexes and training quickly kicked in and Ya'Han found her way back onto her feet soon after, but not before the front of her HAZMAT suit had been ripped open in several locations.

"What the heck was that?" Sonja gasped as she reached for her phaser with one hand and for her friend with the other.  "Are you alright?"

"I'm alright, but whatever it is has a lot of sharp edges," the Sec/Tac replied as she ran her fingers through the newly carved openings in her protective wear.  "I didn't see it coming, or going, but what I did get seemed to be like nothing I have ever seen before."

"There shouldn't be anything alive down here," Doctor Doyanne said as she rushed to the side of the Sec/Tac to make sure she had not suffered any injuries.  "The Thalaron radiation would have killed anything that was down here, unless it came to be here after the radiation was fully absorbed."

"Unlikely," Maya objected while Lillie gave Ya'Han a quick once over. "There was no indication that anything other than the survey team had come down to these levels before us, not to mention that the radiation present at the upper levels would have killed any biological matter. The most likely possibility is that we are dealing with one of the creatures that had been kept here in one of these rooms."

"One that is immune to Thalaron radiation? How would that be possible?" Commander Shar'El asked, everyone trying their best to locate where the creature had disappeared to.

"There!" Jayson called out, pointing to where he had seen something moving very rapidly, likely the creature that they had been searching for.

"No there!" Sonja said, pointing to an entirely different location. Either they had been dealing with multiple creatures or the one that had attacked Ya'Han had been beyond fast.

"I might have an answer as to what we are dealing with, at least on a very general level," Sofia said as she and Jayson made their way around one of the isolation rooms, one that displayed severe structure damage on one side.  "The identification plaque on the shattered cage in this room shows a set of coordinate that are clearly within Tholian space."

"We are therefore likely dealing with a crystalline-based life form which would explain why the Thalaron radiation had little if any effect on it.  The crystalline structure of its body would also explain it possessing sharp edges. It would also mean that our weapons will have very limited impact against it, although I do not recall any creatures within the sphere of influence of the Tholians possessing such a high level speed and agility," Maya explained, already modifying her tricorder to register crystalline-based life forms.

"Somebody forgot to tell someone about that speed and agility," Sonja softly growled, both she and Ya'Han having taken clear defensive postures with their phasers firmly in hand.

"Based on the tracks that were left through the ashes, that creature escaped from the cage and room *after* the Thalaron radiation reached this level," Sofia added, her attention focussed on the inside of the room while Jayson kept a vigilant watch for the creature they all had been trying to figure out.

"There is nothing on record that would even come close to hint as to how Thalaron radiation would affect crystalline-base physiology," the CSciO pointed out, still unable to get a tricorder fix on the rapidly moving creature or creatures.  "Whatever was in the cage might have been altered or even made to gain some level of heightened abilities because of its exposure."

"Great," Sonja sighed, "we're dealing with the Tholian version of the Hulk, and by the looks of things it's already pretty mad."

"The who?" Ya'Han asked, never taking her eyes away from her search for the creature in question.

"No, *The Who* was a music band, a good one at that, *The Hulk* was a fictional big mean green pounding machine.  But that's not important, we need to figure out how to deal with it," the redheaded Engineer explained.  "Anyone has a metal suit or armor handy?"

"If our weapons are going to be ineffective against it, can we somehow try to trap it?" Commander Shar'El suggested.

"Given how it broke out of its cage and the isolation room, I doubt that there is anything in here strong enough to hold it," Sofia replied as she made her way through the breach and inside the room to get a closer look at the identification plaque, leaving Jayson alone to keep watch.  Maybe she would be able to find something to help them better understand what it was they were dealing with.

Once inside, Sofia looked back and noticed something that froze her blood in her veins.  "Look out!" she called out, the warning having come too late for the OPS Officer to react.  In a split second the creature had come and gone sending Jayson crashing again another isolation room, his HAZMAT suit in a worst state than that of the Sec/Tac.  "JAYSON!" Sofia screamed, the irony of the rapid switch in their situation not having been lost on her.

"Oh yeah, those things on its body are real sharp," Jayson admitted as she searched for his breath, his gaze slowly dropping down at his blood stained hand. "Ouch."

Sofia quickly exited the isolation room the same way she had entered and applied pressure on the man's wounds as she called out in a panic for Doctor Doyanne, the CMO of the ANUBIS having been the only one with a medical kit.

"That thing is going to take us down one by one," the First Officer pointed out in anger, "We need options and we need them now."

"Time for a change of plan," Sonja said as she tapped Ya'Han on the shoulder.  "We need to get its attention and have it come for us dead on."

The Sec/Tac quickly looked around and understood what the redhead Engineer had wanted. The plan had been simple and hopefully through that the odds of it working had been in their favor.  "How do make draw its attention?"

"Heat!" Sonja replied as she forced the door to the stairways open. "Tholians like things hot and we have nothing else to work with," the CEO added as she modified her phaser to emit the hottest possible beam, aiming it at the back wall of the stairways leading to the next sublevel.  Ya'Han quickly did the same, and with the combined heat generated by the two weapons it had not taken long for the creature to respond.

This time it was Sonja who found herself thrown to the floor as the creature rapidly passed by them, leaving the Sec/Tac with the task of closing the door before it could figure out what had happened and try to return.  Once this had been accomplished, the now white haired Nylaan quickly returned to her friend's side, fear filling her mind as she saw the state in which the HAZMAT suit had been left in.

"Be careful Rainbow girl, I think that thing might have given me a booboo or two... or ten," Sonja winced, her back showing several cuts beneath the shredded suit.

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Hanali Han

Chief of Security / Chief Tactical Officer
USS ANUBIS, NCC-18501
M06-P039: USS ANUBIS: Shar'El: Day 8 - 1855 ("One Step At A Time")
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"One Step At A Time"
[previous post was "Heartbeats" by the intuitive Jayson]
=-=

Setting: EARTH, Paris, Underground Research Facility, Level 5 (Dark Blue)
Stardate: 31292.1855

Sofia focussed on her feet, making sure that she kept walking forward.  The blonde woman had not been worried of falling, but this had been the best way to avoid the looks from those around her.  No one had accepted the story of her having had an accident, this despite Jayson's valiant and repeated efforts to convince everyone otherwise. Maybe he did believe that it had been an accident, or maybe he had just been trying to convince himself above everyone else. Either way she did appreciate what he had done and continued to do.

There was a lot for her to think about, not the least of which had been what had led to the split second decision to let herself be exposed to the Thalaron radiation. She had been ready to give up, to surrender and join the 28 million victims, to become nothing more than ashes on the floor like so many others, but fate it seemed had other plans.

She had never been one to believe in such things, but the sequence of events that had taken place over the last few weeks had begun to make her wonder if there had not been some higher power at play.  The board of Inquiry had given her a chance where none should have been given. She had made friends with people who had happily ignored her past affiliations where most would have left her alone because of it. Lastly some unknown force had absorbed the radiation that she had been ready to surrender her life and future to.

What did she know of such things? The universe was by all accounts a marvel of endless possibilities.  So who could tell what powers were actually at play in each of our lives? Many believed that a person needed to hit rock bottom to be able to even begin to understand this concept, to gain a new perspective and open mindedness to life and beyond.  Some would decide to remain where they had fallen, but Sofia had decided to climb back out from that abyss, to walk down she had lost sight of, to instead move ahead one step at a time.

"Thank you," the blonde woman offered to the man walking by her side, his hand tightly wrapped around hers to insure that another accident would not happen.  The gratefulness that echoed in those two simple words had left no doubt in his mind that she had been sincere, still he had not been ready to let go, not that she blamed him nor wished him to.

=-=
Setting: EARTH, Paris, Underground Research Facility, Level 6 (Purple)
Stardate: 31292.1900

Although everyone appeared a little surprised as they stepped into the next sub-level, the size of the cages within the isolation chambers had not been entirely unexpected.  The pattern from the previous levels had remained constant hinting to some sort of administrative logic having been used during the complex's construction.

Sofia took a step towards one of the clear walled isolation rooms and was immediately held back by Jayson.  "I'm just looking, I promise," the blonde woman said with a thoughtful and caring smile which proved enough to let him slowly release his grip on her.

"Saw something?" Lillie inquired as she came to stand by Sofia's side.  As much as the blonde woman might have wanted to be annoyed by all of the attention, she actually found it sweet that so many people, including strangers, had been so concerned about her. That had been another reason to keep on going, leaving the mistakes done where they belonged - in the past.

"Trying to understand the reason for all of this," Andersson said as if thinking out loud instead of answering the question that had been presented to her.  "This entire facility was obviously geared for research, but we have found little in the likes of actual work space. All of the levels we have gone through so far have been set for keeping specimens, specimens growing in size and complexity the further down we go."

"If this place was meant to be some sort of holding facility, the actual laboratories could be in an entirely separate location," the Chief Science Officer of the ANUBIS explained. "From an Intel standpoint keeping the sample source and research area isolated from one another would make sense in that one would be protected by physical separation should the other was discovered.  Find the laboratories and the samples and sources are still available for further research, find this place and the work that had been completed or in progress remains intact."

"Sounds like the more we discover about this place the more sinister those who were responsible for it appear to be," Shar'El noted as she joined Maya who had come to stand next to the two blonde woman who also happen to be Medical Officers.  As the ExO / ILO of the ANUBIS, the Commander had felt something odd about this place, as if it had belonged in the same shadowy world as their base of operations: NEW ALEXANDRIA.

"Like the identification plaques that we noted on the levels above, these seem to indicate locations that are either on the edge of Federation space or well beyond them," Sofia pointed out. "Someone had gone through a lot of work to bring all of these specimens here."

"Bringing them here was just the tip of the iceberg," Sonja added as she scanned the room with her tricorder.  "Any shipment marked for the surface goes through several verifications and scans to insure that nothing ecologically toxic or illegal makes its way onto the planet.  I am sure that most of these would have been stopped and flagged well before making it past EARTH's orbit.  Someone with high-end influence wanted these things here and made it possible for them to be brought to this facility undetected by the authorities."

"Who would want to do that?" the Chief of Security demanded out of sheer confusion. "What possible reasons would someone have to set up a secret research lab on EARTH, under Paris of all places?  More to the point, what had been the goal of this research?"

"Frankly Scarlet I have no idea," the redheaded Engineer replied in her best Clark Gable impersonation.

"Maybe we can find some answers on the next level," Angelo Tannahill suggested. As much as the survey team leader had wanted to head back up to the surface and forget about this place, his curiosity had been piqued.

"Still reading zero traces of Thalaron radiation or any other residual energy reading," Sheila Grant reported, the radiation specialist trying her best to remain useful in the company of far more trained and experienced people.

"We do need to identify the cause of the radiation absorption and confirm that it does not pose an equal or greater threat," Maya stated, appearing more than anxious for them to resume their search.

"Leave it to you to take all the fun out of us wandering through an unknown underground facility, Sir," Sonja chuckled as she and Ya'Han took point once again.

"You guys are Starfleet?" Sofia asked uncertain of the claim that had been made earlier by Commander Shar'El, the interaction between the officers having been unlike anything the blonde woman would have expected from officers.

"Yes," Lillie replied with some hesitation.  "Let's just say that we are from a remote branch of the service, a very remote one."

"I'm not sure *remote* truly covers it Doctor, but I guess it will have to do for the time being," Jayson chuckled as he took hold of Sofia's hand once more.  The gesture made sure that they would remain close in addition to insure that there would not be any other accidents. "We'll just have to take things one step at a time."

=-=
Tiffany Reeve

Lieutenant Commander Shar'El [Access Character BIO for Shar'El]
Executive Officer / Intel Liaison Officer
USS ANUBIS

Lieutenant Commander Janeel [Access Character BIO for Janeel]
Intel Liaison Officer / Mission Specialist
USS BASTET

Currently sentenced to the
VERSAILLES Triage Center
M06-P038: USS ANUBIS: Stark: Day 8 - 1855 ("Heartbeats")
"Heartbeats"
[previous "Flash Briefing"]

[/\]

Setting: EARTH, Paris, Underground Research Facility, Level 5 (Dark Blue)
Stardate: 31292.1855

The first time he saw her, his life changed in a heartbeat. There was something about Sofia that had taken him. In some strange way she did remind him of Leena, but for the most part the blonde haired woman he had seen for the first time at the Versailles Triage center had been unique, and that's what had drawn him to her.

There had been a need in her eyes, a void that desperately needed to be filled. Maybe that had been the reason why he and Ya'Han had been so willing to offer their friendship.  Learning that she had been a member of the Neo-Essentialists had not made any difference to them, mistakes having been part of life.  Sofia might have held herself responsible for what had happened to Paris, but he knew better. This had not been a case of passing on blame, but rather of accepting blame where none should have been. That he understood all too well, and maybe that had been the reason why she reminded him of Leena, not because of the similarities the two women shared, but because Sofia felt a way that he had long ago.

It had taken him a lot of time and work with Counselor Dalziel to get where he was, to have moved on from the pain he had carried with him for years after the terrorist attack.  Before, each heartbeat had been a reminder of what he had lost, of the pain and the emptiness he felt, of the guilt he had placed onto his own shoulders because it had been her instead of him that had died.  Somehow Jayson figured that this was how Sofia felt, that each heartbeat made her feel guilty for having survived where so many had not.  Although very different, he two cases had shared one very specific and important point: neither one of them had been responsible for what had happened,

He had wanted to help her, to make her feel safe and to see her move on from the dark place he knew she was in.  Traveling through Paris had not been easy, but following what Counselor Dalziel had said time and time again to him, Sofia needed to confront her past, her fears and see the truth through the pain.  The city had been devastated and left to be but a sad shadow of its former self, but in time, from the ashes, life would blossom once again, and that was what he wanted to make her understand.

From one survey station to the next Jayson saw some faint progress in her eyes, but he knew that the road ahead would be long and difficult, as it had been for him.  Eve had been there for him, and he vowed to be there for her knowing that the journey out of the darkness could not be made alone.

In a heartbeat she had changed his world with a smile. A simple gesture that had made him feel more alive than he had ever thought possible since that fateful dark day.  In that one moment locked in time he knew that everything would be be alright, that was why he said those words to her, to make her see what he saw, what he believed.

In the next heartbeat she had smiled back at him, a smile that he thought had been odd but one that he had dismissed as having been seen wrong through the clear face shield of their HAZMAT suits.  She had thanked him, for everything, a line that again should have raised countless warning flags, but again he dismissed it as having been nothing more than her being appreciative of his efforts to help her.

In a single innocent heartbeat he had let go of her and looked away. That's all that had been needed for the darkness to show itself in her actions.  That insignificant beep in time had been all that Sofia needed to convince herself that she had made the right decision and that her action had been justified. This would allow her to make amends for what she believed herself to be responsible for, to end her doubts and share in the fate that so many had suffered through.  In that one heartbeat she also made someone else realize just how fragile and vulnerable life could be, as well as how powerless they all had been to do anything once certain actions beyond their control were taken.

Everything came to an end in one final heartbeat as he slowly removed his hand from her torn HAZMAT suit. There had been nothing he or anyone else could have done to change what had happened.

Time stood still for several more heartbeats, and the fact that even more followed from within her chest changed everything once again.  Sofia would live through the accident, and that would be the official story for as long as his own heart beated, whatever anyone else said.

An entire life should not be made to echo the mistake of a single second.

[/\]
Jayson Sousa

Chief of Operations
USS ANUBIS, NCC-18501
M06-P037: USS ANUBIS: Ya'Han: Day 08 - 1850 ("Flash Briefing")
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"Flash Briefing"
[previous post was "Just An Accident"]
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Setting: EARTH, Paris, Underground Research Facility, Level 5 (Dark Blue)
Stardate: 31292.1850

"Yellow rubber isn't your color," Sonja said jokingly as she shot a quick glance over her own shoulder to make sure that they had been out of earshot of the others before turning off the comm system of her HAZMAT suit.  "What's the deal with Miss 'I had an accident and I can't get up?'"

"Flash or long version?" the Sec/Tac replied, her own gaze having followed that of the CEO, but hers had been meant to see if Jayson and Sofia had still be together.

With her eyes wide opened Sonja quickly moved to stand in front of the Nylaan woman to block her path.  "With an answer like that you have to give me all of the details."

Ya'Han sighed, then grinned, and then reached for the communication controls to turn her comm system off insuring that only the Engineer would hear what the Sec/Tac had to say.

"We met her a few days back when we arrived at the Versailles triage center," Ya'Han began as her hair once again took on the distinct red color of her chosen field of work.  "She's a Starfleet Ensign in the medical field and apparently she's a former Neo-Essentialist who was sentenced to help with the clean-up efforts of Paris."

"Alright, so everyone makes mistakes, she's blonde so no big surprises there," Sonja grinned, keeping the fact that she had never seen Ya'Han in such an angered mood before to herself.  "Go on."

"Her and Jayson have been getting close," the Sec/Tac continued.

"Well I can see that, heck, I'm sure both the Captain and Counsellor can see that as well and they're in orbit on the ANUBIS," the CEO shrugged playfully, "It's almost a miracle that he is not drooling all over the inside of his HAZMAT suit. So what did she do to get you so worked up?"

"Worked up?" Ya'Han echoed with surprise.

"Like it or not Rainbow girl, your moods and emotions are very easy to pick up on," Sonja replied as she pointed to the top of her friend's head just as a lock of red hair fell down into view of the Sec/Tac.

"I'm not worked up," Ya'Han said as she searched for some way to explain how she felt as well as to why her hair color had betrayed her.  "I'm just bothered by the way Jayson is focussing on her instead on what he should be, like this mission."

"You've got to be kidding me!" Sonja nearly screamed through her HAZMAT suit, "You're jealous? WAIT, are you suffering from some sort of radiation sickness? Should I be calling Lillie over? You can't be serious?  Of all the unevolved guys on the ANUBIS, heck of all the grunting males we have come across in our travels, *he's* the one you have feelings for?"

Ya'Han had wanted to argue, to claim that Sonja had it all wrong, that her feelings had been entirely professional, but the more the Sec/Tac tried to find the words the more she realized that there had been no way for her to win this.  Sonja had as the expression went 'nailed it on the head' and there had been nothing the Sec/Tac could do about it.

"Is everything alright here?" Maya asked, seeing that the two officers had been talking but not hearing anything over the communication system.

"Everything is fine," Sonja replied in all seriousness having turned her comm system back on just before.  "Ya'Han and I needed to clarify a few details about how to go about heading to the next sublevel.  Things can get hazardous quickly and I wanted to make sure she knew that I had her back."

"Are we ready to go?" the Commander asked, figuring that it had been the safest course of action to have the Chief of Security take point, regardless of what discussion had taken place between the Sec/Tac and CEO.

"We'll discuss the rest later," Ya'Han said to Sonja with a smile, grateful that she had kept her admission as a personal secret.

Sonja quickly nodded and jumped into a thick Scottish accent. "Aye lassie, we are goin' to be talking about this a whole lot more but first, we tackle this wee mystery, then we talk."

[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]
Hanali Han

Chief of Security / Chief Tactical Officer
USS ANUBIS, NCC-18501
M06-P036: USS ANUBIS: Shar'El: Day 8 - 1840 ("Just An Accident")
=-=
"Just An Accident"
[previous post was "From Flora to Fauna" by the accommodating Jayson]
=-=

Setting: EARTH, Paris, Underground Research Facility, Level 5 (Dark Blue)
Stardate: 31292.1840

Every level of this underground complex had been more surprising than the previous.  From the yellow small plants sub-level the survey team had gone down three more floors to their latest discovery, the dark blue small animals research section. Being below the city had left Sofia believing that she would be able to leave her sorrows behind, to forget for a short while about the death that had covered every square centimeter of the 'city of light' in ashes. Never had she expected to have to deal with more of the same down here.

What had been a few hundred animals compared to the 28 million that Richard Edgerton had killed under the banner of the Neo-Essentialists, a banner that she had rallied beneath of her own free will and accord?  How many more unaccounted individuals and creatures had paid with their lives for the ideals of the man she had supported?  How many more ashen remains could she bare to walk through?

Sofia collapsed onto her knees, the weight of her guilt having been too much for her to hold any longer. She had tried her best, she had wanted to make amends and prove that she could be more than what her associations had painted her to be, but there had simply been too many ghosts for her to deal with.  She could either give into the crushing weight on her soul or lash out to release the pressure; she chose the later but still the ghosts remained having been unable to escape their ashes.

=-=
Excerpt from Jayson's "From Flora to Fauna"
=-=

Jayson recognised the look of utter despair on the blonde woman's face and immediately moved in to help.  As much as their HAZMAT suits separated them, he did his best to comfort her, kneeling before the troubled woman as he held her shoulders.  "This, like Paris, was not your fault. You cannot hold yourself responsible or even accountable for everything the Neo-Essentialists did. Only one man was responsible for everything that happened. *He* did this, not you."

Sofia could hear his voice but it sounded distant, as if he had been talking to her from across the room instead of him being right there in front of her. Slowly, and through tear filled eyes Sofia eventually looked back at the man who had once again given more than she could have ever expected.  Despite all of the death that surrounded them, she could see life reflecting in his gaze.

He had not been a Neo-Essentialist but Sofia had recognized in him a pain that in a way mirrored his own, yet he displayed no guilt or remorse.  There even was a joy of life that he radiated, something that she now found herself jealous for.  What hell had he survived through to be able to show so much strength and affection while surrounded by such absolute devastation?

"Come on you two," Angelo called out to Jayson and Sofia who had fallen behind, Ya'Han not having lingered on this level any more than she had to forcing the rest of the survey team to keep up.

With gentle care he helped Sofia back onto her feet and invited her to follow. Once again he would gladly offer his arm as support and comfort knowing how difficult it could be to overcome the dark emotions he had seen claw into her soul.

=-=
End of Excerpt
=-=

He had been so kind. They all had been, giving her the chance to prove herself despite her past. The board of inquiry had been harsh in their words but kind in their actions. They could just as easily have tossed her into a deep hole and forgotten that she had ever existed, and thanks to her guilt Sofia wondered if maybe they should have done exactly that.  For someone who had vowed to do no harm, making amends for a single death had been a tall task, to do so for 28 million had been an impossibility.

The Thalaron radiation had not only killed these people but it had done so in a most atrocious manner, insuring that their last moments on this world had been filled with pain.  The state of the wire cages and deep claw marks on the clear ones had made that beyond clear.  Their passage into whatever would be found beyond this life had been heralded by screams of absolute agony.

Sofia stopped as she came up to a lab coat on the floor, and in so doing caused Jayson to do the same as they had been holding onto each other's arms.

He looked back at her once again, not a hint of judgement in his features.  "Everything will be alright," Jayson offered, his smile warm and comforting.

She forced a smile on her lips as she let go of his arm. "Thank you, for everything."

He returned her smile but turned away before he could notice a single stray tear making is way down her cheek. Given how much she had cried over the last several days, it actually amazed her that she had been able to do so once again.

With both her hands free she reached down into the pocket of the lab coat where she had noticed a small little tool. There had been nothing special about the small metal rod other than possessing a sharpened edge meant to help collect tissue samples.  As a student in the medical field she easily recognized it, and as a guilt filled ex-Neo-Essentialist she knew how to put it to one last useful use.

It only took a few seconds for Jayson to realise that he had not been holding the blonde woman's hand, and only a few more to rush back to her side.  "SOFIA!"

The scream had been more than enough to draw the rest of the survey team back with the utmost haste, Ya'Han, Sheila and Angelo arriving to find Jayson holding the woman's lower arm as if her life had depended on it.

"What happened?" the radiation specialists asked, not sure how to help or even if she could.

"She fell and ripped her suit," Jayson quickly explained even if that had not been what he suspected had happened.

Sheila gasped, frozen in her stance.  "Even at the lowest possible levels, any exposure to Thalaron radiation will be fatal."

"Everything will be alright," Sofia said as she looked into Jayson's eyes, repeating his words in an effort to make him understand what had happened and that it had not been his fault.

Slowly, the OPS Officer removed his hand from the tear in the woman's HAZMAT suit, knowing that there had been no way for him to have reacted fast enough to insure her not having been exposed.

Angelo Tannahill let out a long and deep sigh as she showed his scanner to the woman who had taken on the role of mission leader.  Ya'Han closed her eyes for a brief moment before she reached down to take a hold of her friend and shipmate's shoulder.

"She'll be fine. The scanner shows absolutely no radiation.  She was not exposed to any residual Thalaron emissions."

Sofia remained still and silent as Jayson echoed Angelo's sigh of relief.

"The closer we come to whatever is absorbing the radiation, the faster the process appears to be," Sheila Grant noted barely able to contain her joy at the timing of the accident. Had it happened any sooner, Sofia would have likely not survived.

"So she got lucky," Ya'Han said as she quickly gave the tear a once over.

"We heard the screaming, is everything alright?" Commander Shar'El asked as she and the rest of the ANUBIS' away team came rushing in.  Without being asked, Doctor Doyanne zeroed in on the woman sitting on the floor, suspecting that the individual had been the cause of the commotion or at the very least closely involved in it.

"You heard the screaming from the surface?" Jayson asked, wondering how he could have been so loud. The fact that the away team had been wearing HAZMAT suits had not even come into effect in the OPS Officer's mind.

"Of course not," the redheaded Engineer snapped back as she rolled her eyes.  "We came down here looking for you after we lost both your signals," Sonja added while smiling at the Chief of Security.  "So you guys were having a party down here and decided not to invite us?"

"Apparently Miss Andersson fell and tore her hazmat suit," Ya'Han reported, the tone of her voice hinting that she suspected there to be a lot more to that story.

"It was just an accident," Jayson quickly stated as he stood. never having expected to see his First Officer along with the rest of the senior staff here of all places.

"Of course it was," the Ullian agreed, the memory of what had happened still very clear in the man's mind.  "Please allow me to introduce ourselves, I am Commander Shar'El, First Officer of the USS ANUBIS.  This is Commander Maya our Chief Science Officer, Lieutenant Sonja Paquette our Chief Engineering Officer and Ensign Lillie Doyanne our Chief Medical Officer.  As stated, we came down to insure that everything was alright with our officers."

"We are all fine," Ya'Han began her report. "This was the first and only accident and luckily it happened after the radiation count dropped to zero."

"We did notice the lower radiation readings while on the surface and figured that this had been the reason why you all had come here to investigate," Maya detailed, her tricorder firmly in hand not only to confirm the zero radiation reading but also be certain that no other surprises had been waiting.

"I'm Angelo Tannahill, the survey team lead although I was more than happy to forgo that role to Miss Ya'Han when we discovered this place."

"You were in good hands with Rainbow girl," Sonja chuckled.  "I'm actually surprised that she hasn't already solved this mystery and have you all back home safe and sound, then again I guess you encountered a few delays along the way," the redheaded Engineer added as her gaze dropped onto the blonde woman and the trembling man kneeling by her side.

"Well, if there are no injuries, maybe we should continue with this search," Shar'El suggested in a commanding manner.  "Commander Maya is concerned that the radiation energy is being transformed into something that could possibly prove more dangerous than the Thalaron radiation, and I for one would not mind proving her wrong."

Sonja moved ahead and took hold of Ya'Han's arm. "How about you and I check what's going on down below and leave the others to deal with the 'accident'?  Commander Maya, you coming? I am sure that if would help to have our eloquently verbal science nerd along, with all due respects of course."

"Doctor?" Shar'El inquired of the CMO, wondering if there had been any medical reasons to hold the now much larger team back.

"Thalaron readings are at zero, and if the cause of this absorption is indeed on the lower levels, the further down we go the safer we will be from that particular threat," Lillie stated, her medical tridorder picking up nothing that would even cause the Doctor to hesitate in the slightest.

"If you are able to travel," the ExO / ILO began while looking at the accident victim still sitting on the floor of the research facility.

"I'm fine," Sofia confirmed as she returned to her feet with the help of both Jayson and Lille. "It was just an accident," she added as if trying to convince herself along with those who had come to surround her.

=-=
Tiffany Reeve

Lieutenant Commander Shar'El [Access Character BIO for Shar'El]
Executive Officer / Intel Liaison Officer
USS ANUBIS

Lieutenant Commander Janeel [Access Character BIO for Janeel]
Intel Liaison Officer / Mission Specialist
USS BASTET

Currently sentenced to the
VERSAILLES Triage Center
M06-P035: USS ANUBIS: Stark: Day 8 - 1830 ("From Flora to Fauna")
"From Flora to Fauna"
[previous "Curious And Cautious, Maybe"]

[/\]

Setting: EARTH, Paris, Underground Research Facility, Level 5 (Dark Blue)
Stardate: 31292.1830

Another level, another color, and a whole new set of questions.

The layout of the level had been identical to the previous ones, the differences being the color of the walls and what they had found inside the isolation chambers.  Instead of pots or basins that were designed to hold various plants, this level had shelves upon shelves of small wire cages, many of them having fallen to the ground.  Whatever this facility had been working on, it had not been limited to simple plant or atmospheric research.

"Well, this place just got a lot creepier," Sheila said as she glanced at the numerous cages that had fallen to the floor of each and every isolation room.  The cause had been frightfully evident, the pain and agony the small animals had felt when they had been first touched by the Thalaron radiation had sent them crashing against the sides of their cages.  An icy shiver coursed through her body as she imagined the sights and sounds of that particular moment, one that would likely haunt her for the rest of her life, the ashe covered floors of the rooms making sure of that.

"Maybe the plants from the higher levels were meant to feed the critters that were in these cages," Sofia suggested, still overly hopeful in her own views of what this entire complex had been designed for.  The same shiver that had gone through Sheila almost made its way through her body, adding to the guilt that she had worked so hard to push back.

"Maybe for some, but I suspect that whatever had been in these particular cages were not herbivores," Ya'Han said as she pointed to the numerous bite marks on the bars of several of the cages.  That possibility was further confirmed when the survey team came across a set of ash filled transparent polymer cages, each and every one of them engraved with deep claw and teeth marks.

Seeing that was what pushed Sofia over the proverbial edge.  Everyone has a breaking point, and this had been hers.

"Keeping plants in a place like this is one thing, but why all these animals?  What kind of sick research were they doing in here?" Sofia demanded as she dropped onto her knees, her sadness and guilt having completely overtaken her.  While in this complex she had been able to forget, even for a little while, the death and desolation that reigned throughout Paris.  That same feeling had ruled the levels above but not in a manner that had been as visible, that was until now.  This level displayed the same type of atrocities and silent eternal pain that she had been unable to fully escape from while on the surface.

Her rage and sorrow had not been targeted onto anything specific, it just needed to be voiced because Sofia knew that if she kept it in, even in the slightest way, she would never be able to return to the world of the living. The guilt would be too great, and the ability to deal with death on an even larger scale had fallen far beyond her reach.

Jayson recognised the look of utter despair on the blonde woman's face and immediately moved in to help.  As much as their HAZMAT suits separated them, he did his best to comfort her, kneeling before the troubled woman as he held her shoulders.  "This, like Paris, was not your fault. You cannot hold yourself responsible or even accountable for everything the Neo-Essentialists did. Only one man was responsible for everything that happened. *He* did this, not you."

Sofia could hear his voice but it sounded distant, as if he had been talking to her from across the room instead of him being right there in front of her. Slowly, and through tear filled eyes Sofia eventually looked back at the man who had once again given more than she could have ever expected.  Despite all of the death that surrounded them, she could see life reflecting in his gaze.

He had not been a Neo-Essentialist but Sofia had recognized in him a pain that in a way mirrored her own, yet he displayed no guilt or remorse.  There even was a joy of life that he radiated, something that she now found herself jealous for.  What hell had he survived through to be able to show so much strength and affection while surrounded by such absolute devastation?

"Come on you two," Angelo called out to Jayson and Sofia who had fallen behind, Ya'Han not having lingered on this level any more than she had to forcing the rest of the survey team to keep up.

With gentle care he helped Sofia back onto her feet and invited her to follow. Once again he would gladly offer his arm as support and comfort knowing how difficult it could be to overcome the dark emotions he had seen claw into her soul.

[/\]
Jayson Sousa

Chief of Operations
USS ANUBIS, NCC-18501
M06-P034: USS ANUBIS: Maya: Day 8 - 1300 ("Curious And Cautious, Maybe")
---
"Curious And Cautious, Maybe"
(Previous Post: "The Promethean Petard")
---

Setting: EARTH, Paris, Underground Research Facility, Level 1 (White)
Stardate: 31292.1810

The long white-walled corridor had struck the Shillian scientist as somewhat odd, not because it had been hidden beneath an underground water treatment facility,  but because it had seemed completely out of place.  From the metal pipes of the previous location above, this one felt sterile and almost alien as if it belonged to another world in another time.

Gaining access to the corridor had relatively been simple in comparison to what should have been the security protocol described by Lieutenant Paquette, as if the advanced security here had been an afterthought.  Yes, there had been a bio scanner set up to gain entrance to the white-walled passageway but the rest just came across as being unbridled paranoid overkill.

Even with Admiral Koniki in charge, as neurotic as he have seemed to be from time to time, the ultra secret base of operation known as NEW ALEXANDRIA had never utilize such over the top security measures.  Using simple scientific reasoning Maya could only reach one inescapable conclusion to account for what they had encountered thus far - whatever was beyond this corridor was big, huge even, and that was on an Intel scale.

---
Setting: EARTH, Paris, Underground Research Facility, Level 2 (Yellow)
Stardate: 31292.1820

The moment Maya stepped off the circular metal stairway and into the next sub-level she stopped dead in her tracks.  The yellow coloured walls had taken the Shillian scientist by surprise, but this was short lived as logic and reasoning quickly stepped in. Given what the Chief Science Officer had already observed it made perfect sense for this secret underground base to have colour-coded levels.  Without any sort of clear visual queue to keep everyone aware of where they were, mistakes could happen and depending on what they were working with here those mistakes could quickly prove individually or even globally fatal.

Cautiously the Shillian made her way between the sealed see-through walled isolation chambers as she expressed her thoughts, "Why have an exo-botanical isolation lab here?" The Chief Science Officer of the USS ANUBIS asked out loud but to no one specific. "Starfleet research has the same in several locations including one on EARTH, so why have another?"

"Because the odds are well in favour of this place not having been run by Starfleet or any organization aligned or even remotely associated to it," Doctor Doyanne pointed out before she looked down at her medical tricorder. "Commander Shar'El, reading less than 350 rads, something is clearly absorbing the Thalaron radiation down here, a fact that up until a few seconds ago I believed to be impossible."

"A secret underground structure; paranoid security measures; and an impossible never before seen deadly radiation absorption," Shar'El sighed in disbelief. "Leave it to Ya'Han and Jayson to find this place.  Is it safe to continue?"  Although not clearly specified as such, the question had been directed towards the Chief Medical Officer and Chief Science Officer.

As much as the First Officer had wanted to find their missing officers it had been evident that the safety of this team had been on the woman's mind as this had no longer been a simple 'find and return' mission.

Doctor Doyanne and Lieutenant Commander Maya exchanged a rapid look to confirm that they had arrived at the same conclusion; that as strange and creepy as this place had been, there had been no signs of danger or any other reason that would lead either one of them to suggest an immediate return to the surface.

"Lieutenant Paquette, try to get a message to ANI" Shar'El ordered as she resumed her course to the opposing wall where a door seemed to be waiting for them, "All is well and we are proceeding down to the next sub-level."

---
Setting: EARTH, Paris, Underground Research Facility, Level 3 (Light Green)
Stardate: 31292.1830

From the small plant receptacles of the level above, the away team had come down to a light-green painted level filled which much larger basins, hinting that whatever this place had been working on included larger plants and even trees in addition to smaller flora that would have been on the yellow level.

"They sure went to a lot of trouble to establish a secret multi-environmental exo-botanical laboratory," the Chief Science Officer admitted not yet certain if she had been puzzled or in admiration with the discovery.

"Multi-environmental?" the First Officer asked although she immediately suspected that she would come to regret it, this opening the door for one of Maya's infamous scientific explanations.

"If all the plants that were here belonged to the same eco-system, there would not have been a need for this isolation chambers," Lille replied, having cut off Maya and in so doing saving the away team from an explanation that would have likely delayed their progress by several minutes.

Sonja thought for a moment as she scanned the lifeless room, "Alright, that makes sense.  This place may have been heavily shielded from scanners, sensors and other active search systems, but they never expected to be hit by an immense burst of Thalaron radiation.  Speaking of which, my tricorder is reading the radiation at 325 rads."

"Whatever is absorbing the radiation is doing so at an alarming rate," Maya said sounding almost in a panic.

"I guess I am missing something, but isn't a rapidly decreasing level of a very deadly radiation a good thing?" the Chief Engineering Officer countered with not understanding where the panic in the voice of the Shillian woman had originated from.

Maya wasted no time to address the question that she had been presented with, making sure that this time she would be able to do so before Doctor Doyanne or anyone else stepped in to offer an abridged version.  "Radiation is just another type of energy, which means that it cannot be destroyed.  The forceful decomposition of specific atoms is what created the Thalaron radiation in the amount that we saw hit Paris, and that energy is still very much present in everything around us.  Whatever is absorbing this radiation has to take this energy and do something with it.  Either it is transforming it into another type of energy, one that we have yet to register on our instruments, or it is using that energy to fuel some sort of process.  In either cases, the rate of absorption indicates a rapid transformation of this energy into something else, and that could prove to be a problem worse than the one we are currently faced with by the Thalaron radiation."

Shar'El sighed, this mission had taken a quick turn down a path that she had not expected or desired.  "The devil you know against the one you don't. Great, this means that we better find our missing officers quickly and figure out what this energy is being used for and if it poses a threat."

Sonja turned to look at their First Officer and gently shook her head. "Let me guess, call ANI and let her know that we are shifting this operation into high gear?"

"Why can't I ever take part in a simple away mission?" Lillie asked in exasperation just before she joined the others into a dash for the next door and whatever they would find in the next sub-level.

---
Jessica Solarik

Lieutenant Commander Maya [Access Character BIO for Maya]
Chief Science Officer
USS ANUBIS

&

Captain Selene Fiona Iverson [Access Character BIO for Selene Iverson]
Commanding Officer
USS BASTET

"To see the world in a grain of sand,
and a heaven in a wild flower.
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
and eternity in an hour."
- William Blake (British, 1757-1827)
M06-P033: USS ANUBIS: Dalziel: Day 8- 1720 ("The Promethean Petard")
“The Promethean Petard”
(Continued from “Colors and Their Meaning” by the amazingly prolific Tiffany)

=/\=

Location: USS ANUBIS
SD: 31292.1720
Scene: Bridge

The away team was bound for Earth, and for the first time in several days, things had reached a tentative balance. With the removal of Earth from the permanent Council, one could easily disagree with the Counsellor’s assessment, but for now, the physical fighting was over and there was a general agreement that a rebuilding process was underway. However, one would be hard pressed to decide in what image the ruins of Paris and the ruins of the government would be reborn. But that was not her decision to make, nor was it one for the ANUBIS to presume. And for now, that was enough to know.

“Erik,” she began, not sure how to continue.

“Eve? Something wrong?” It was rare for his Cns and occasional confidante to sound conflicted. But these were rare times.

“I’m still thinking about the destruction of the CENTURY,” she revealed, in her customary position seated next to him. “Something seemed… off.”

“In what way?”

Dalziel struggled to find the words. “Well, not about the decommissioning itself. I understand that. But the CO of the PHOENIX… I got the impression I made him, for lack of a better word- uncomfortable.”

Morningstar thought for a moment. “I didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary with Captain Kane.”

“The stress of the loss of life and a ship can affect people in different ways,” Eve rationalized. “Both Captains had served aboard the CENTURY before.”

The CO thought back, and the apprehensive face of Captain Reardon, her grief still all too palpable, that was foremost in his mind. Perhaps it overshadowed any unusual behavior by their other guest. Perception was a tricky thing. It was like a fingerprint- everyone’s was unique.
“I wouldn’t be too concerned about it. We’re all waking up to a new world.”

Eve nodded. “Hopefully a better one.”

The arm of the command chair came to life, a small light and beeping noise signaling gently that Erik was wanted in his office. He stood and gestured a temporary farewell. “If you will excuse me, our esteemed head of Starfleet Intel calls.”

“Sure, Captain.”


=/\=

Scene: Ready Room

As the door slid open, Koniki was already on the viewscreen in anticipation of the CO’s arrival. {{Good day to you, Erik- I hope you don’t mind the intrusion.}} The man of Samoan heritage was no less imposing on screen than he was in person. Not only did he carry himself with authority, he had the stance of a man at least five years younger.

“Admiral, is it my imagination that I’ve seen more of you in the past three days than in the past year?” the ANUBIS’ CO asked warmly.

{{Given my recent additional responsibilities, I wouldn’t get used to it if I were you.}}

Morningstar sat behind his desk, bringing the lights up a little. “So, not a social call. What do you need?”

He rubbed the back of his neck, a shadow of steely stubble covering his head. {{Secrets are part and parcel of this job.”}}

“I know that.” The Native American inclined his head in agreement.

Koniki’s eyes gave a small flicker of acknowledgment, but it quickly faded. {{But even for an old hand like myself, there comes a time that you can’t hide things any longer. We are being welcomed back into the fold, but with that comes a higher degree of transparency we didn’t have to have while solely on NEW ALEXANDRIA. Probably the only thing I don’t like about the position.}}

“Sir? I don’t understand.”

The Admiral looked down at his console and activated a communiqué. Within an instant, it had hit Morningstar’s desk in a display that Erik quickly brought up so he could review it.

{{I’ve transmitted an encrypted file to you. It is an abbreviated mission overview of the PHOENIX and her trip to LAVENZA II. Richard Edgerton was a megalomaniac, wearing many hats technology-wise. In addition to such diabolical devices as the Aegis Shield, he also dabbled in genetic testing and melding. One of his goals was to create the perfect soldier, something part man, part beast, and all fighting machine. The base on LAVENZA II held a number of these “experiments”, and the away team from the PHOENIX barely managed to escape while also destroying the base to prevent any more of these unethical experiments. Their aCMO was killed, and Doctor Conniston, the base’s “keeper”, used transporter logs and the residual biological matter to create former Starfleet Officer Thomas Varn, who had actually died months before.}}

Erik took a pause from the reading material and looked back to Koniki. “Excuse me? Are you talking about reincarnation?”
Koniki shook his head. {{More like reassembly. Thomas Varn is, for all intents and purposes, alive. But additional information indicates a change to his personality. I’ve seen reports both before and after his rebirth from the PHOENIX’s Counsellor. He is not the same man he once was.}}

“Why are you telling me this, Admiral?”

{{Earlier in the program, Edgerton was more strictly into cloning. He farmed dna from those he felt would have either a physical or mental edge in being a war machine. And because of his Intel position, most of it went under the radar.}}

“Did you know about it?”

{{Not at first. And, when I did eventually find out, I didn’t blow the whistle on it.}} Admiral Charles Koniki still looked conflicted by his decision.

“Why not?”

Koniki had a pained expression. {{I thought I could gain Edgerton’s trust, convince him the program had no merit, and stop it.}}

As Erik continued to scan the report, he knew that’s not what happened. The experiments had continued to escalate over the years. “But something did take place, didn’t it?”

{{I did come to serve with the man, and he did, in time, entrust me with one of his ‘soldiers’. Each clone was to be brainwashed and placed among the fleet as a sleeper to be activated at Edgerton’s whim. But I falsified the history of the candidate, leaving their mental faculties intact and took them on as one of our own staff, explaining just enough about our Intel operation to Richard convince him they would be getting a top notch education and come out on the other side as an ideal killer. We’d be far enough away from the main activities that no one would ever know.}}

*Our* staff. *Our* Intel operation. Erik’s brow creased with the Admiral’s words. “Sir, are you saying this duplicate is here, on the ship?”

{{Yes.}} Morningstar could see the burden of the information rolling off the older man’s shoulders even as he still looked troubled. {{And the original officer is still in active service and part of the fleet that helped bring down Edgerton’s reign. Neither one knows of the other but there’s already been a near miss. They must be told.}}

Erik sighed. Two more lives impacted by the past machinations of a dead man. And one of them belonged to his ship. “Who is it?”

Koniki hesitated, but knew the time for holding back was long past. {{It’s Eve Dalziel, Captain Morningstar.}}

Erik looked puzzled as his breath caught in his throat. But the records from the earliest part of her career indicated a physical aptitude beyond the norm. Indeed her whole upbringing was unconventional. Rescued from a small, derelict Cardassian ship as an only survivor at the age of six, she had been raised by a Human father and Bajoran mother, almost exclusively as a Starfleet brat. She had rejected her home world by changing her physical appearance and had  been headed for Intel mission work until she decided a more behind the scenes approach was for her. Maybe Edgerton hadn’t been willing to let that warrior go. “I see.”

{{I’m going to leave you to it. She needs to have a complete physical examination to ensure her dna was not augmented or corrupted in any way. From there, I don’t know what the next steps could be.}}

“I know… this was not easy for you, Admiral.”

Koniki’s face was hard as stone. {{It’s her I’m worried about now, Morningstar.}} Then he was gone.


=/\=

Time Index: About ten minutes later

“You knocked?” Eve asked, carrying a PADD with her as she entered the ready room. Her mood had been a bit lighter until she saw the grave look on Erik’s face. “What’s going on?”

He took the data device from her and offered her a seat. There wouldn’t be a need for notes today. “I’m sorry.”

She took the chair. “For?”

“What I’m about to tell you.”

She tried to get a read on Erik but was unsuccessful. “Are my parents okay? I just talked to them this morning-”

“Your family is fine. This is about you… and your connection to Richard Edgerton.”

“I’ve never met the man in my life. What do you mean?”

“He had an extensive history of genetic work in trying to create his own army of fighters. I was just briefed by Admiral Koniki of his work with the Promethean project. In the beginning he misappropriated samples from his staff and operatives in an attempt to build a more  indestructible soldier.”

“Are you saying you think I’m a Neo-Essentialist? I mean I cut my teeth in Intel but that doesn’t mean I supported his ideals, or even were aware of them.”

“No, it’s not that. What I’m trying to explain is that we have good reason to believe Edgerton chose your genetic makeup as part of his plan.”

“How good of a reason?”

Morningstar presented her with two personnel files. “The first file is yours. I want you to take a look at the second.”

Confusion mixed with anger as she read a history that at once was both hers and not hers. “The picture is different. The rank is different. And the ship is different. Her service record starts the same as mine, then diverges. Who the hell is she?”

“She’s you. She’s Eve Dalziel. She’s been the Counsellor on the PHOENIX.”

“You’re… you’re saying I have a clone,” she replied breathlessly. “A clone created by Edgerton?”

“No… I’m saying you’re the clone.”

A look of shock and hurt played in her gray eyes as she made an attempt to process this highly unexpected information. She didn’t feel like an impostor. There must be a mistake. “What?” she asked softly.

“The Dalziel aboard the PHOENIX is the original. Koniki took you here to protect you from Edgerton. You’ll have to submit to a medical exam, to make sure you’re okay.”

She looked away, staring an imaginary hole into the wall behind him. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Edgerton sometimes used blended genetic material or enhancements to his creations to improve upon them. We need to ensure beyond any doubt he didn’t do that with you.”

“But Doctor Doyanne isn’t here.”

“Our entire medical staff is of a high calibre. Surely-”

“No,” Eve said firmly. If there was a chance she had a medical anomaly, she wanted Lillie to be a part of the team that discovered it.

“We don’t know exactly when the away team will return, Eve.”

“Have I ever given you a reason not to trust me?”

“No, you haven’t.” He meant his words, but there was an uncertainty in his eyes that he couldn’t mask completely. “Just as a precaution I will have to relieve you of active duty pending the outcome of your evaluation.”

“Fine,” she huffed. “But this isn’t my fault.”

“Agreed. The only person at fault can no longer hurt you.”

She rose to her feet and looked at her CO, betrayal and judgement in her eyes as she went to go to her quarters. “I think he’s done enough. If he wasn’t already dead, I’d kill him myself.”

=/\=
Susan Ledbetter
Writing for

Lieutenant JG Eve Dalziel
Cns
USS ANUBIS
M06-P032: USS ANUBIS: Shar'El: Day 8 - 1755 ("Colors and Their Meaning")
=-=
"Colors and Their Meaning"
[previous post was "Catching Up" by the hilarious Lorraine]
=-=

Setting: EARTH, Paris, Underground Research Facility, Level 4 (Light Blue)
Stardate: 31292.1755

Each sublevel displayed a different color on their perimeter walls making it clear that someone had been in a different location despite the layout of the transparent walled labs being nearly identical.  The sublevels of this underground research facility had likely appeared very different from one another prior to all life in the city above and in the facility below being reduced to ashes.  Now each level came across as a desolate and empty memory of life in general.

"So the white level was just for security," Sofia said to no one in particular, the sound of her own voice having served to fill some of the emptiness she felt echoing through the levels they had visited.  "The yellow level below that was for small plant samples, the third level which was green was for larger plant samples.  What do you suspect was on this light blue level?"

"Hard to tell," Ya'Han said, the woman still in the lead of the group where it was clear she belonged. Fearless and driven, she embodied the best of Starfleet. How had Jayson never fallen for her had been beyond Sofia's comprehension.  "I would have expected there to be more actual laboratory and research equipment here to deal with the samples collected above."

"The labs here are completely empty," Jayson pointed out in obvious agreement, "yet the rooms are just as secured as those we saw above.  It makes no sense, why have a decon-style access to empty rooms?"

"There are no containers of any kind, no tables and no ashes," Sheila added as she stopped and more closely investigated one of the sealed labs.  "It's like the room were empty before the Thalaron blast occurred."

Sofia's gaze dropped onto the empty lab coat that rested on the floor, the ashes of its owner proving that the lab had been in use and that the Thalaron radiation had hit this level like all others, with deadly force.

"Could these labs have been prepared for something that had not been brought in yet?" Angelo suggested, that having been the only way he could explain what they ha discovered.

"That would entail that this facility was not fully operational," Ya'Han added in disbelief, "but based on everything we have seen so far, it that makes no sense."

"I agree," Sofia said in support. "Forgetting that this was some sort of secret lab, medical facilities will always bring in the most dangerous material and specimens first, that way if something goes wrong they won't lose everything else.  Since it is very likely that there are more levels below us, something was on this level, we just haven't figured out what yet."

"Jayson," Ya'Han continued, drawing her shipmate's attention to the equipment in the corner one particular lab. "What do you make of these? They appear slightly different from those we noticed in the higher levels"

"Hard to see from this angle," the OPS Officer replied as he tried to get a good look at one of the devices that had been pointed out to him. "Whatever they are, they were in every lab, the difference is that on this level there is one on every inner corner and they appear to be more sophisticated.  That would in theory mean that they were of a greater importance here than on the previous levels."

"Air quality controls?" Sheila offered. "I had not made the connection until now, but they do look like some of the controls used inside isolation chambers I have worked in, they are meant to monitor and maintain air quality."

"Would make sense that there would be one in every lab, but why have four of them in these ones?" Sofia inquired.  "Why be so concerned about the air quality in an empty room?"

"What if the rooms weren't empty?" Jason theorized. "We could be dealing with spores or even radiation.  This place has gone through a lot of work to bring in specimens in from all over the blasted galaxy, I doubt it very much that they would leave any labs empty, and certainly not an entire level."

"Could be," Sofia noted as she moved to stand next to Jayson. "Air samples or maybe even airborne microorganisms, anything that requires a very specific type of atmospheric conditions to survive.  Even if the specimens were biological, there would not have been all that much to be turned to ashes."

"Which explains the empty labs and the lack of ashes on the ground inside them," Ya'Han nodded, the explanation having been sufficient for her to leave this level for the next, their quest for a reason to account for the lower radiation readings still unanswered.  According to the last scan performed by Angelo Tannahill, the Thalaron count had dropped to less than 10.

=-=
Setting: EARTH, Paris, Underground Water Treatment Facility
Stardate: 31292.1755

The away team had made its way down another set of metal stairs and through the maze of pipes to arrive where ANI had located the highest level of disturbance in the dust on the floor.

"A bio-identification scanner," Sonja said out of puzzled curiosity, her head tilted ever slightly to one side.  "Someone wanted to confirm the identify of those wanting to gain access to whatever is beyond that opened door."

"It appears as if Ensign Stark was able to find a way to go around the locking system," Maya pointed out based on the fact that the door had not been opened through the use of a kick or any other forceful manner.

"Oh come on," the CEO huffed. "Any first year Cadet would have been able to bypass a bio-scanner like that one. My guess is that it took him a few hours just to figure out how to open the panel beneath to gain access to the control system."

"You really don't like him," the CMO pointed out with a chuckle.  "That bio-scanner is not one of the easy ones to by-pass, and we both know it."

"Shall we go?" the ExO / ILO rhetorically inquired hoping to avoid any sort of debate about the OPS Officer's abilities and knowledge. The CEO appeared more than happy to accept the invitation to go through the open door and down into whatever the survey team had ventured into.  At least that way Sonja would not have to discus her opinion of Jayson Stark.

=-=
Setting: EARTH, Paris, Underground Research Facility, Level 1 (White)
Stardate: 31292.1800

"Wow," Doctor Doyanne exclaimed as the sight of the long white corridor.  "This is a nightmare come true.  I'm just glad there is not a bright light at the end of this corridor."

"Smooth polycarbonate reinforced walls," Sonja stated as she ran her hand on the closest section of the wall she could reach.  "Bet there are hundreds of scanners, sensors and cameras taking every possible readings on us. This corridor was meant to identify authorized personnel and tell them apart from would-be doppelgangers and maybe even shapeshifters.  Somebody was on the far end of paranoid to make this."

"Since there are no signs of Jayson and Ya'Han, can we assume that whatever security system was her is no longer working?" the ExO / ILO inquired. As much as they had been looking for their missing officer, Shar'El had not wanted to place the lives of her team in danger.

"If the computer system used to monitor security and maintain this complexe employed any sort of biogel components, the Thalaron radiation would have easily destroyed them and severally hindered the computer's ability to function, if it was able to at all following the attack," Maya theorized as she too looked at the white wall closest to her.

"Well, let's go down to the end and find out," Sonja suggested but before she took another step, ANI reached out and took hold of the CEO's shoulder.

"You instructed me to inform you the moment my link with the ANUBIS went below 50%," the Avatar stated, her voice having become extremely cold and mechanical.  "Based on my single last step, I predict that the link will drop to below 40% by the time we reach the end of the corridor."

"It does make sense and explains why we suddenly lost all signs of Jayson and Ya'Han," the ExO / ILO said.  "As you pointed out Sonja, someone was paranoid when they made this place, so it goes without saying that there would be a fair amount of shielding and counter sensor/communication measures in place.  Whoever was responsible for creating this place did not want anyone noticing it by mistake on some random scan."

"Fine," the redheaded Engineer angrily snarled, not at all happy with the fact that the Avatar would have to be left behind.  "Stay here and inform the ANUBIS of our situation.  We will try to get a signal to you to relay up as soon as we can.

"Understood," ANI replied as the perfect obedient robot the lack of her operational subroutines had left her to be.  "Awaiting further instructions."

"ANI is still there," Lillie offered to Sonja. "She will be back to her normal *Pinocchio, almost Human* self as soon as we get back to the ship.

"Then let's get moving," the CEO said as she quickly turned and headed down the white corridor. "I don't want ANI to suffer being this way for any longer than she has to," Sonja added, her words red with anger.

=-=
Tiffany Reeve

Lieutenant Commander Shar'El [Access Character BIO for Shar'El]
Executive Officer / Intel Liaison Officer
USS ANUBIS

Lieutenant Commander Janeel [Access Character BIO for Janeel]
Intel Liaison Officer / Mission Specialist
USS BASTET

Currently sentenced to the
VERSAILLES Triage Center
M06-P031: USS ANUBIS: Paquette: Day 8 – 1740 ("Catching Up")
“Catching Up”
previous post was “Tactical Analysis, Level 3”

=====
Setting: EARTH, Paris
Stardate: 31292.1740

To the CEO's great relief the rest of the journey down to the surface including the landing of the SPHINX had been without incident.  Now dressed in their HAZMAT suits, the rescue team of the ANUBIS made their way to the small structure located at the top of the small ash-covered hill.

"Smart move keeping Ttosk on the SPHINX," the redhead said to her friend and First Officer.

"Needed to make sure nothing happened to him," Shar'El noted with a grin. "Could not take the chance of you identifying any potential dangers *after* it injured him or worse."

"At least I would gave *tried* to warn him, maybe," Sonja chuckled.

"Looks like they left on a hurry," Maya noted. "The scanner and the rest of the survey equipment is still here."

"Wonder what he did wrong this time?" Sonja half grinned as she came to the only visible access to the small hilltop structure.

"He, who?" Maya inquired as she tried to identify what the redheaded Engineer had seen and used to arrived at her conclusion.

"Jayson of course," the Lieutenant replied as if that had been the only possible answer.

"Why would you claim that Ensign Stark did something wrong?" Shar'El queried certain that Sonja would provide a logical and likely humorous explanation.

"I recognize Ya'Han's handy work," the redhead explained as she pointed to the destroyed lock on the opened door.  "Well, her foot work to be more accurate.  She was not happy when she kicked this door in and I can think of no better cause for her anger than Ensign Jayson Stark." Sonja paused for a moment and leaned in to show the others what she had noticed. "Rainbow girl was pissed off to a whole new level, she left an indented footprint in the door."

"At least we know we are on the right track," the ExO pointed out since they had been unable to use their tricorders to locate the missing officers.  Not that they would have been all that effective due to the Thalaron radiation.

"According to the scans performed by the ANUBIS before our departure, this area should be inundated in 2675 rads, but my tricorder is only showing 995," Maya accurately reported with a clear hint of surprise in her voice.

"Equipment malfunction?" Sonja asked as she reached for her own tricorder. "Interesting, " the Engineer added after having confirmed the radiation readouts. "We figured out who kicked the door in, now we know why."

"They went in there searching for a reason for this drop in radiation," the ExO stated in agreement. "We find our people and maybe we'll find the answer as well. Let's go."

"We've got to find Rainbow girl because this story is bound to he good," the Chief Engineer offered as she went in taking point.

=====
Setting: EARTH, Paris, Underground Water Treatment Facility
Stardate: 31292.1750

The away team made their way down the metal stairs and onto the catwalk, everyone looking about in search for Jayson and Ya'Han.

"This place gives me the creeps," Doctor Doyanne noted as she followed the others, her gaze having found the floor of the facility several meters below their current location.

"This entire facility is a front for something," Sonja added in disappointment. "Whoever came up with the design for this place did not do their research. The pipes don't match the era of the joints and the flow is all wrong. Back when such facilities were in actual usage gravity was the force of choice to move the water."

"Alright," Shar'El blindly agreed knowing very well that off the books EARTH history had been a hobby of the ANUBIS' CEO. "So where yo we go from here?"

"If this is a front for something," the redheaded Engineer mused out loud, "what would I be hiding and how would I gain access to it?"

"I am picking up a large disruption of the floor dust in that area," ANI stated, her digital eyes having been far more able to see such minor details.

"And that's why we brought her along," Sonja cheered.

"Actually I am here to maintain an opened line of communication with the ANUBIS," the Avatar corrected sounding far more mechanical than usual.

"ANI, give me a status report on your link to the ship as well as an analysis of the signal strength and integrity," Sonja demanded of the Avatar having a pretty good idea as to the cause of what they had noticed.

"Processing," ANI stated before becoming totally silent for several seconds afterwards. "Signal still secured but operating at only 78 percent strength, this is reducing my ability to access secondary files and operational subroutines."

"In other words the further down we go the more robotic she will act," the CEO explained not at all sounding thrilled by the prospect of having the Avatar be less than what she had helped her become. "Stay close to me and let me know the moment the signal drops to below 50 percent strength."

"Acknowledged," ANI confirmed in a way that made Sonja wince, the Avatar now sounding like one of the first models that had been introduced on board the ANUBIS.

"We have a target location," Shar'El stated as she pointed in the direction indicated by the Avatar. "Let's go, we still have to find our missing officers and the rest of the survey team."

=====
Lorraine Paquette

Lieutenant JG Sonja Paquette [Access Character BIO for Sonja Paquette]
Chief Engineering Officer
USS ANUBIS, NCC 18501
M06-P030: USS ANUBIS: Ya'Han: Day 08 - 1745 ("Tactical Analysis, Level 3")
[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]
"Tactical Analysis, Level 3"
[previous post was "Down We Go"]
[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]

Setting: EARTH, Paris, Underground Research Facility, Level 3 (Green)
Stardate: 31292.1745

Something didn't feel right about this place, aside from the fact that it had been hidden under a refurbished water treatment facility in the middle of Paris.  The security system which had luckily been disabled by the Thalaron radiation, the clean and efficient layout of the complex not to mention the thorough isolation between the levels hinted to something big.  That the walls of each level clearly reflected the color coding of the research labs had only enhanced that feeling.  As she looked at the pale green walls of the third sub-level of this facility, Ya'Han could not help by think of how some organizations, including Starfleet, used colors to classify varying levels of threats.

Like greatly oversized square pancakes the levels had been set one on to of the other with stairs at the center of opposing walls. This meant that anyone who wanted to reach the lower levels had no choice but to pass through the upper levels.  As inefficient as this might have seen to some, the Sec/Tac recognized this as having been yet another security method to insure that only those with the proper clearance would have access to the more secured material.  This also insured that any intruders would have to deal with increasingly more secured protection systems as they made their way down.

Not wanting to alarm the civilians who had been part of the survey team, the black haired Nylaan did her best not to jump to any sort of conclusion that her training and experience pointed to. This had not been an Intel mission with the fate of a world resting on the performance of the ANUBIS and its crew. This had been nothing more than a search for answers following the discovery of a rather strange mystery.

As she slowly made her way through the isolated labs, Ya'Han analysed the details of their surroundings, seeing both the similarities and differences between the two levels they had so far visited.  Like the yellow level above, the green level that the survey team had made their way down to showed indications that the research being conducted here was focussed on plants. Much larger plants.

"Base on the size of the basins, these labs would have been like jungles," Jayson pointed out as he looked through the thick transparent walls.

"I agree," Sheila Grant added.  "Just look at the mount of ashes piled on top of the lab coats, there had to be a fair amount of biological matter inside and above them when the radiation hit and killed everything."

"I still don't understand why they would have a hidden botanical research facility beneath Paris," Angelo Tannahil sighed, this entire affair making no sense what so ever to him.

"These levels are not the reason for this complex," Ya'Han pointed out as she scanned the multitude of labs.  "The work that was being done here was minor, preliminary.  There is very little actual equipment here other than what was required to maintain the environments.  Commander Maya has more research equipment in one of her field kits than there is on this entire level."

"In other words no major work was being done here," Sofia added with a faint agreeing nod of her head.  "Samples," she added after a few seconds.  "These levels were used to maintain and gather samples, that is why the personnel did not have with them or direct access to actual research equipment."

"Nice," Jayson noted in admiration of the woman's deductive reasoning, his mannerism having unfortunately come across in a rather childish fashion.

"So any real answers will be found in the lower levels," Angelo sighed, his enthusiasm towards this little adventure having slowly decreased with each sub-level they reached.

"That's the way it looks," Ya'Han nodded.  "What's the rad count at?"

"180," Angelo said unable to hide his astonishment.  "We might actually hit zero by the time we reach the next sub-level."

"Maybe there we will find out what's absorbing the Thalaron radiation," Sofia said with an audible hint of excitement.

"I truly doubt that it will be that easy," the Sec/Tac admitted with a sigh, her gaze once again scanning the entirety of the level they were on.  "This place does not strike me as the kind that easily or even willingly reveals its secrets to outsiders.  Still, the answers must be found."

"Then I guess we are heading *that* way," Jayson said as he pointed to the large door on the far wall that would, if the pattern remained as it had been observed, lead them to another set of stairs and the 4th sub-level of this mysterious research complex.

[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]
Hanali Han

Chief of Security / Chief Tactical Officer
USS ANUBIS, NCC-18501
M06-P029: USS ANUBIS: Shar'El: Day 8 - 1715 ("Down We Go")
=-=
"Down We Go"
[previous post was "White Walls" by the helpful Jayson]
=-=

Setting: SPHINX, Flight Deck
Stardate: 31292.1715

It had taken some convincing but Lieutenant Paquette had finally joined the away team on board the SPHINX.  Now, all that was left to do was for the Land Mobile Command Unit to make its way down to the surface intact, unlike what had happened when they had attempted the same maneuver on the moon of PI ALPHA III.

"Hang on!" Ttosk bellowed as he sent the craft into a sharp roll to the right making everyone thankful they had been wearing seatbelts and maybe even wondering if the SPHINX had any air-sickness bags at the ready.

"Jesus H Roosevelt Christ!" Sonja screamed from one of the back seats "What the frell was that for?" the CEO quickly added ready to unfasten her harness that very instant, leap at the pilot and slam the Zaldan's head into the flight controls.

"We were on a collision course with a piece of debris," Ttosk explained all so seriously.  "I was just trying to avoid us getting into a crash before we actually reached the surface."

Sonja was having none of this, "You might want to return your pilot's license back to the Cracker Jack box where you found it."

Shar'El sighed and shook her head. Yes the forward sensors had detected some minor debris ahead of their current position, but their flight path had placed them several dozen meters away from any possible impact.

"There's another," Ttosk stated as the SPHINX was hurled into another sharp roll, this time in the opposite direction sending any and all unsecured items flying through the air.

"Sweet bleeding jeebus... TTOSK! Do that again, I frelling dare you, you overgrown lumox!"

"You might want to stop that," Shar'El suggested in a whispered tone to the Zaldan pilot.  "If she gets out of her chair, crashing this ship may be the only way you will able to avoid her wrath, for a little while."

Ttosk had been ready to defend the need for what he had done but quickly decided against it, thinking that maybe, just maybe he had done enough.  At least he would be able to look back at this moment and smile as he recalled the expression on the CEO's face and her all over the place red hair.

"We will be passing through the cloud cover over Paris in about 15 minutes and touching down soon after," the pilot announced now doing his best to keep the SPHINX as steady as possible.

=-=
Setting: EARTH, Paris, Underground Research facility, Level 1 (White)
Stardate: 31292.1725

The survey team had not only made it into the water treatment facility but they had found the hidden entrance to something far more mysterious. At the end of the long and narrow white corridor they had stepped into, the group had forced the door open allowing them to continue with what Sofia considered to be nothing more than a foolish quest. That was when Ensign Stark presented her with a voiceless query.

"Why?"

Jayson's question had been as simple as could be, but Sofia had found it impossible to give an equally simplistic answer. Why had it been so complicated for her to give an answer?  She had trained and succeeded in becoming a Starfleet Medical Officer and as such she had been ready to face all sorts of problems without fear. So, why had she been so reluctant to follow Jayson and Ya'Han?

Before her trial and the suspension of her acquired rank, the three of them had all been Ensigns. Somewhere along the way though Jayson and Ya'Han had gained an amazing amount of confidence in their own skills and abilities where Sofia had lost that and even more.  Where the other two had been ready to jump head first into action, she had wanted nothing more than to retreat and find shelter.

Had her having been a disappointment to her family and to Starfleet make her the scared and troubled woman that she had unwillingly become?  The realisation of this change might have taken a while to actually be noticed but thanks to Jayson and Ya'Han, Sofia had been forced to face this a lot faster than might have been expected or required.  In an attempt to help her deal with her sentence, the blonde haired woman had surrendered a part of herself to guilt, and she thought that it had been time to start reclaiming what she had lost.

"I'm sorry," Sofia offered as she took Jayson's HAZMAT cladded hand into her own.  "I can't explain why I am this way, but I will do my best to be the person you all need me to be."

"Good," Jayson smiled.  "Now let's go, the others have already gone ahead into whatever was behind that door.

=-=
Setting: EARTH, Paris, Underground Research facility, Level 2 (Yellow)
Stardate: 31292.1735

The white walls of the entrance corridor had given way to the light yellow colored walls of the second section of the facility once they had stepped down a flight of circular stairs making them be oriented 180 degrees from their initial starting point.  The new section gave clear indications that it had been dedicated to some sort of floral research.

"This is a weird place to have a botanical garden," Angelo Tannahill commented as he looked through the thick transparent walls at the hundreds of empty flower pots scattered through several sealed rooms.

"Each of these rooms has specific environmental conditions," Ya'Han said as she looked at one of the small display screen affixed next to a set of double doors.  "Well at least they did, looks like the computer is no longer maintaining whatever environment had been programmed."

"It does confirm that this facility was using a computer system with some sort of bio-gel components," Jayson added as he studied another of the small display screens.  "Only the most basic functions of this facility are still operating, likely from a backup or auxiliary core."

"One thing is sure," Sheila noted as she kneeled down to more closely study a white robe lying on the floor amidst a pile of ashes.  "The radiation hit this place at full strength. The damage to the biomatter is nearly identical to what we observed on the surface."

"He and the others on this level all perished in the same way," Sofia added as she pointed to several other similar robes inside one of the sealed rooms, her sadness having momentarily returned in her words.

"So if the intensity of the Thalaron radiation was the same, or even close to it at the time of the attack, what caused it to so drastically go down?" Jayson inquired as he and the rest of the survey team scanned the room which extended a good distance in every direction.

"And still going down," Angelo corrected. "My scanner is showing just over 350 rads."

"The tags on the pots where the plants were seem to show them has having come from every corner of our galaxy," Sofia pointed out, having gone as close as she could to one of the transparent walls.  "I don't know every name listed, but some of them seem to be from systems as far away as the Gamma Quadrant."

"What were they doing here?" Ya'Han asked having voiced the question on everyone else's mind.  "This place can't be a simple agricultural research facility. They would not have hid it in this manner if it was."

"With the main computer offline, we would need to gain direct access to the backup or secondary core," Jayson offered. "Hopefully there is some sort of file archive we would be able to look at and get some answers."

"Unless there is a dedicated secondary computer core per level, what we are looking for will likely be at the lowest and most secured level,"the Chief of Security of the ANUBIS stated.

"Well, we have come this far," Sofia said as she rejoined the group that had slowly continued moving forward, "might as well go all the way."

"Down we go," Jayson said with a smile as he turned to look at the blonde woman who had seemed to have regained some of the courage and drive she had previously lost.

=-=
Tiffany Reeve

Lieutenant Commander Shar'El [Access Character BIO for Shar'El]
Executive Officer / Intel Liaison Officer
USS ANUBIS

Lieutenant Commander Janeel [Access Character BIO for Janeel]
Intel Liaison Officer / Mission Specialist
USS BASTET

Currently sentenced to the
VERSAILLES Triage Center
M06-P028: USS ANUBIS: Stark: Day 8 - 1710 ("White Walls")
"White Walls"
[previous "To The Rescue, Sort Of"]

[/\]

Setting: EARTH, Paris, Underground Research Facility
Stardate: 31292.1710

From the old metal pipes of the water treatment facility the survey team had found itself inside some sort of white walled research facility hidden further below. Someone had gone through a lot of trouble to keep this place secret, and the reasons why had only pulled Ya'Han further in.  The Chief of Security had been quick to take point once again leaving bringing up the rear to her shipmate and his clingy companion.

"This is madness," Sofia whispered to Jayson who had been walking by her side, the man obviously more interested in solving this mystery than responding to the woman's rapidly growing concerns. "We should not be here."

"This feels like some bad dream," Angelo voiced, the perfectly smooth white walls of the corridor making it seem as if it went on forever.

"I am sure that there are hidden security cameras and countless sensors along the way," Ya'Han explained. "This passageway was meant to insure that no unauthorized personnel made it too far.  My guess is that the security team that was in charge of keeping an eye on this place suffered the same fate as the people on the surface.  The Thalaron radiation likely having reached this far down without too much trouble."

"The radiation would have come this far down for sure," the survey team's radiation tech pointed out, "but something is drawing that radiation away now."

"Scanner showing less than 500 rads," Angelo reported from the middle of the line which was still cautiously moving forward towards the yet to be seen end of the corridor.

"Would the Thalaron radiation affect a computer system?" Ya'Han asked, puzzled by the lack of resistance they had so far encountered. Given the secret nature of the facility they had discovered, it had made sense that any intruders, like they had been, would have been stopped long before making it this far.

"Thalaron radiation will not affect mechanical or electronic components, only biological matter," Sheila replied, the question having fallen squarely into her field of expertise.

"So why is the computer not stopping us?" the Sec/Tac asked out loud sounding confused by the ease with which they were proceeding.

"What?" You want us to be stopped, maybe even killed for being where we should not be?" Sofia demanded, her frustration with the woman at point quickly overflowing.

"The water treatment facility above was meant to appear old to deflect attention," Jayson pointed out.  "My guess is that the hidden sub-levels are far more sophisticated and the computer system in charge likely used some version of bio-gel components, which would have been destroyed by the Thalaron radiation."

"Of course," Ya'Han agreed. "That would explain the complete lack of security and intruder counter measures.  A flaw in the security design that I will have to make a note of to insure our systems are not as vulnerable."

"Yes because worrying about the ship's internal security following a Thalaron radiation exposure would be our top priority," the OPS Officer countered with as he rolled his eyes.

"Here we are," the Chief of Security announced having ignored the last comment made by her shipmate, the survey team having finally arrived at the end of the seemingly endless corridor.

"We are here," Sofia huffed, "now what?"

"The people and computer that were in charge of making sure no unauthorized personnel made it this far were likely also the ones responsible for granting access," Jayson theorized.  "Without them, we may not be able to make it any further."

"I didn't come this far to be stopped by a door," Ya'Han said with gusto which made her shipmate grin. One thing could be said about their Chief of Security, she had a lot of spirit and drive.

"If the system was indeed using any sort of bio-gel components, we might be able to pry open this door," the OPS Officer said as he quickly made his way to the front of the line to lend a hand.  After a few moments everyone, with one exception, had been trying to slide the door open.

"It's moving," Ya'Han announced wanting to make sure that everyone gave a little more to insure that they would complete their task.

"Great work everyone," Jayson called out before having realised that Sofia had not helped, the blonde hair woman having instead decided to stay back as if scared that something would happen following the door being forced open.  "Why?" the OPS Officer asked of the scared woman without actually saying the word.

"I... I don't know," Sofia silently replied as she watched over Jayson's shoulder the rest of the survey team make its way into the next room.

[/\]
Jayson Sousa

Chief of Operations
USS ANUBIS, NCC-18501
M06-P027: USS ANUBIS: Morningstar: Day 8 - 1700 ("To The Rescue, Sort Of")
##########
"To The Rescue, Sort Of"
Previous post "In The In-Between"
##########

"There's nothing like a jolly good disaster to get people to start doing something."
- Prince Charles

=====
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Deck 29, Ventral Access Bay
Stardate: 31292.1700

Captain Morningstar had given the green light for the rescue mission, or so it had been described as by his First Officer Commander Shar'El.  Contact with Ensign Ya'Han and Stark had been lost by the IGC and although it could have been for countless non-threatening reasons the Senior Staff had been mobilized with the greatest of urgency.  The ExO had used this as a reason to act and the CO had not seen any reason to object.

The majority Senior Staff had been told to report to the Ventral Access Bay where the SPHINX-Class Land Mobile Command Unit had been readied and waited for final boarding.

"I am not getting back in that *thing*," Sonja argued with Shar'El as she pointed in a very accusing manner to the MCU. "Last time that thing crashed instead of landing and I ended up with a broken leg along with several other rather unpleasant bumps and bruises.  I have no desire to repeat that experience."

"That would be why I am coming along," Doctor Doyanne grinned as she walked between the CEO and ExO while making her way to the craft.  As any good CMO, the woman had brought along a Med Kit just in case some sort of problem would be encountered as well as several hypospray filled with anti-radiation treatments, again just in case.

"You are not helping Doctor," Shar'El sighed, her efforts to convince Sonja to join the mission as per the Captain's order having so far failed miserably.

"Sorry," Lillie said laughingly as she climbed on board the SPHINX leaving the other two women to their argument.  "Are the HAZMAT suits on board?" the CMO was heard asking as she vanished inside the SPHINX.

"I am not getting on that thing," the CEO reiterated with absolute conviction as she crossed her arms over her chest in a visual display of her resolve and defiance.

"As I recall the SPHINX was being piloted by Ensign Stark when it crashed on the moon of PI ALPHA III," the Shillian Chief Science Officer pointed out as she too walked by and passed the two arguing women. "That is beyond the fact that the landing on that moon had been meant to test our skills and equipment on every front. This time we are going down to EARTH and the weather is perfect with the exception of a little cloud cover. The fatal levels of Thalaron radiation present at the landing site won't be an issue for the SPHINX's outer armour, so again there is nothing to worry on that level.  Since Ttosk will be at the helm, our going to the planet's surface should prove to be like the proverbial piece of cake."

Shar'El and Sonja just watched in silence as the Shillian proceeded to board the SPHINX, both rather stunned by the short-winded statement offered by the Chief Science Officer.

"I am still not setting foot on that blasted craft," Sonja snarled as soon as Maya had vabnished from sight. "I will be here when you bring the MCU back in spare parts for me to fix, but I leave the crashing to you poor souls."

"I won't crash the SPHINX," Ttosk said in his defence as his head appeared in the opened doorway to the craft.  "There might be some scratches on the paint, but I won't crash it," the Zaldan pilot added only to tease the redheaded CEO.

"See what I mean," Paquette snapped as she pointed to the pilot just before he vanished back into the SPHINX.  "He *is* going to crash it regardless of weather or even if the landing site will be clearly labeled with a thousand lights.  Mark my words," Sonja continued as she began to wave a menacing finger at the First Officer. "You guys will be coming back with the SPHINX in several parts-filled crates."

"Then I will make sure that all of the parts and crates are clearly identified with a comprehensive cross-referenced list to make your reassembly job easier," ANI stated, the Avatar having been ready to board the SPHINX as a member of the rescue mission.

"Why the heck would you go with them?" The CEO demanded.

"Although Captain Morningstar does not truly believe that there is any sort of real emergency or danger concerning the survey team, he wanted me down there to help establish a more secured line of communication," ANI explained. "He hopes that my secured sub-space, multi-layered, quantum encoded link to the ANUBIS's core processor will be enough to pierce the Thalaron interference currently enveloping all of Paris and its surroundings."

"I am not letting you go on that thing..." Sonja huffed in frustration before taking a long deep breath,  "at least not without me," she added.  As much as she had not truly wanted to go against the Captain;s orders, this had provided the CEO with the perfect excuse to join the away mission without actually and officially doing so.

=====
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Bridge
Stardate: 31292.1705

"The SPHINX is ready for departure," Eve announced, the CNS having stayed behind to help Erik man the ANUBIS and to give her some possible one-on-one time with her CO and friend.

There had been something she had needed to speak to him about but finding time and the right way to approach the Native American about the subject had been complicated to say the least.

"ANUBIS to SPHINX," Erik began after opening a comm channel to the craft.  "You are cleared for departure, have a safe journey and bring our people home."

=/\= Will do Captain, =/\= Shar'El replied.  =/\= That is as long as Sonja behaves, =/\= the ExO added with a hint of humour in her voice.

=/\= I am here only to make sure that neither ANI nor the SPHINX are abused by Ttosk, =/\= the CEO countered with almost instantly.

Eve could not help but laugh as the exchange on board the SPHINX continued as the craft left the ANUBIS.  "Who are we going to send down to rescue the rescuers from themselves?"

"I am sure they will figure it all out on their own," Erik replied. "Eventually."

--==(/\)==--
Francois Charette

Commanding Officer
USS ANUBIS, NCC 18501

AND

Lt. Commander Elan Fairborn [Access Character BIO for Elan Fairborn]
Robotics Engineering Officer
NEW ALEXANDRIA
M06-P026: USS ANUBIS: Shar'El: Day 8 - 1620 ("In The In-Between")
=-=
"In The In-Between"
[previous post was "Underground" by frustrated Hanali]
=-=

Setting: USS ANUBIS, Deck A-4, IGC
Stardate: 31292.1620

The ExO / ILO had returned to her domain with the hopes that something unexpected had been found, things having been far too quiet for her liking.  Maybe another covert communication from the Tellarite Gaavr had been intercepted, or maybe a previously unidentified Neo Essentialist had been located and needed to be apprehended.  At this rate, Shar'El would have been happy with some low-end political conspiracy if it meant her doing something more than waiting for someone to ask for their help.

"All stations report," Shar'El unenthusiastically demanded of her IGC staff as she sat in her chair. There had been far too many people for them to provide a verbal report, not to mention that it would not have been efficient, so instead a list began to appear on one of her monitors, a list that the midnight black haired woman had to admit had been far too short to her liking.  "Ya'Han and Jayson are underground?"

Although spoken out loud and in a general manner, the question had been directed to the IGC tech who had made the report, and he knew it prompting his reply and explanation.  "They were going about their work setting up scanner stations to monitor the on-site radiation when they suddenly stopped after having setup the fifth station.  Sensors show the entire group of five having gone underground into what the city records show as a water treatment facility."

"Why stop what they were doing to go down to visit a water treatment center?" The ExO / ILO inquired more to herself than anyone else.  "Who was in the lead?"

"According to the triage center records, Angelo Tannahill is in charge of the survey mission, but due to the Thalaron radiation we are unable to personally identify each team member," the IGC tech reported.  "In fact we can barely keep track of them, which is why I requested a diagnostic to be performed on the sensor to confirm that they had indeed gone below ground."

"So something pulled them off task, something interesting enough to have all five of them venture into this water treatment facility instead of going back and report their findings," Shar'El voiced as a grin formed onto her lips.  "What are you guys up to?" She playfully added as she called up the sensor data onto her main view screen.

=-=
Setting: EARTH, Paris, Underground Water Treatment Facility
Stardate: 31292.1630

Sofia held on to Jayson's arm to the point where she wandered if blood had still managed to make tit to his fingers, but as much as she might have wanted to let go, even if only a little, the blonde haired woman could not bring herself to do so.  This place gave her the creeps.  In fact, everything about this situation had sent chills down her spine.

"Ya'Han," Jayson called out having seen something from his position on the catwalk. "What about that control panel to your right?  All the lights are dark as compared to the others that are actually lit up."

"All of the control panels I have come across have been *on* although not showing anything working," Angelo Tannahill added.  "The worst of it is that I can't find any signs of anything here having been in operation before the Thalaron blast."

"There is something really weird about this entire place," Sheila added.  "Everything looks like it has a purpose but nothing is actually doing what it was designed to do."

"Thanks Jayson," the Sec/Tac officer said as she approached the station that the OPS Officer had pointed out.  "I had not noticed it from where I was."

"Guess that would be the idea if someone had wanted to keep it a secret," Jayson explained with a smirk.  "Still, what could be hidden in here that would explain the drop in radiation?"

"If someone did go through all this trouble to hide something, we should not be here," Sofia pleaded as she pulled on he man's arm trying to convince him to go back to the surface.

"The control panel is inoperative, but there is something weird about the way that it's set up," Ya'Han reported after having studied the console in question.  "Jayson, I need you down here. I think this falls into your field of expertise."

"Alright, on my way," the OPS Officer acknowledged to the great dismay of the blonde woman hanging on his arm.

"Please, don't go. Nothing about this makes sense.  I have this feeling that we are going to regret coming down here," Sofia said, her begging eyes locked into those of the man by her side.  "We should return to the surface."

"Will you relax," Jayson smiled.  "There is nothing down here to be afraid of. All we are doing is investigating a mystery. Imagine what we could do if we discovered something that actually absorbed Thalaron radiation.  Paris could be returned to the way it was in no time.  The potential benefits of this little search for answers are too big to pass up."

"I'm scared," the blonde woman lipped as a few tears fell from her eyes.

"Nothing will happen to you, not as long as I live," Jayson reassured.  "I promise. Now come."

Ya'Han's attention had been solely focused on he powerless control panel, that was until Jayson and Sofia arrived.  The Sec/Tac would have preferred the OPS Officer to have come down alone but the odds had greatly been against that.

"There is something strange about the configuration of this panel," Ya'Han pointed out.  "Looks like there is power being feed to it but I can't get it to respond."

"Let me have a look at it," Jayson said as he lowered himself to gain access to the wiring leaving the two women standing one next to the other. The once again black haired Sec/Tac kept her comments and feelings to herself wondering if the fear she had seen reflecting in the blonde woman's eyes had been in some part caused by the ANUBIS' Chief of Security.

"Any luck?" Ya'Han asked but instead of a verbal reply the answer came to the Sec/Tac in the form of the panel suddenly coming alive with lights.

"This is no ordinary control panel," Jayson said in a most perplexed tone.  "There's a bio security verification processor here."

"We found the lock," the Sec/Tac announced with joy, their suspicions that something had been hidden within this place not having been misplaced.

"What did you guys find?" Angelo inquired as both he and Sheila regrouped with the others.

"There is a bio-identification scanner here," Jayson explained while still working in he under-circuitry of the control panel.  "My guess is that this is meant to force someone to identify themselves through a hand print to gain access to somewhere else."

"Can you break in?" Ya'Han asked?

"I'm already trying to bypass the security protocol," the OPS Officer replied.

=-=
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Deck A-4, IGC
Stardate: 31292.1645

Shar'El had looked, reviewed, analysed and picked apart everything that she could from the sensor data that had been gathered by the IGC on this underground water treatment facility.  It had been the goal of the ExO / ILO to discover whatever had made the survey team go done there in the first place.  The problem was that thanks to the Thalaron radiation that covered all of Paris like a dome of protection, the data was either incomplete or severely distorted.

"Commander!" the IGC tech called out in shock.  "All five life signs of the survey team have vanished one after the other.  We are no longer tracking any of them. They just disappeared as if they walked into another location that we are unable to penetrate with our sensors."

Well, she had wanted something to focus her attention on, something to break the boredom she and the rest of the crew had found themselves slipping into.  This would be another time where she would need to remember to be careful what one wishes for.

"IGC to Captain Morningstar, we have a situation down on the planet.  Seems that we have lost Ensign Stark and Ya'Han."

=-=
Tiffany Reeve

Lieutenant Commander Shar'El [Access Character BIO for Shar'El]
Executive Officer / Intel Liaison Officer
USS ANUBIS

Lieutenant Commander Janeel [Access Character BIO for Janeel]
Intel Liaison Officer / Mission Specialist
USS BASTET

Currently sentenced to the
VERSAILLES Triage Center
M06-P025: USS ANUBIS: Ya'Han: Day 08 - 1600 ("Underground")
[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]
"Underground"
[previous post was "A Mystery"]
[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]

Setting: EARTH, Paris, Underground Water Treatment Facility
Stardate: 31292.1600

The survey team had made it to the fifth location where they were to set up their scanning station, and everything had been going well until something strange was noticed. The amount of radiation in that part of the city had been lower, much lower.  No one could explain this so in a quest to find some answers the survey team made its way inside the access building and down into underground water treatment facility.

The Sec/Tac had not hesitated to take the lead, her training and experience having dictated that this was where she needed to be.  Ya'Han being in the front of the line had also served to hide her now red hair inside the HAZMAT suit, and the fact that she had hoped the blonde hair leech hanging on Jayson would somehow be left behind. The further behind the better.

In an age of transporters, turbolifts and higher end technology it had been strange for Ya'Han to be surrounded by aging pipes while making her way down metal stairs and across a suspended catwalk. The water treatment facility appeared old, almost antique by today's standards leaving the Sec/Tac to wonder if any of this had been at all functional.  That said, if the facility had indeed been decommissioned at any point in the past, why had the lights been on?

"This place is huge," Sheila exclaimed as she followed the survey team leader Angelo who had been keeping pace with Ya'Han.  "How are we going to find anything in here, especially when we don't even know what we are looking for."

"As strange as it will sound, we are looking for something that it not here," the Sec/Tac explained, her eyes scanning every inch of the large room they were descending into.  "Something missing or out of place.  I doubt that it was in the design of this water treatment facility to absorb Thalaron radiation."

"Speaking of which," Angelo said as he looked down at the hand held radiation counter he had brought along. "Readings are now below 900 rads."

"It's too bad we don't have access to the sensors of the ANUBIS, bet they would be able to pinpoint the area where the radiation is at its lowest," Jayson frustratingly sighed, the OPS Officer having been spoiled by working on board the state-of-the-art SCARAB-Class Intel Cruiser.

[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]
Setting: USS ANUBIS, IGC
Stardate: 31292.1610

The sensors linked to the IGC had indeed been powerful and designed to track whatever or whoever the mission profile had required. In this case the ANUBIS had been keeping tabs on the movements of their Sec/Tac and OPS officer while they were on EARTH.

"Can I get a sensor diagnostic on Upper-Starboard element 24," the tech responsible for keeping track of those two officer requested.

"What's happening?"

"I need to know if my readings are accurate or if the Thalaron radiation is interfering with my readouts.  I'm seeing the two Ensigns as being in some sort of underground structure."

"They probably found something weird and are investigating," another tech suggested.  No need to disturb Commander Shar'El for this.  She did warn that we might have to stay sharp while following them."

[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]
Setting: EARTH, Paris, Underground Water Treatment Facility
Stardate: 31292.1615

"I do find it odd that none of this equipment is being used despite appearing to be perfectly operational," Jayson stated from the back of the line, the blonde woman still holding on to him as if her own life had depended on it.

"If it had not been for the radiation I am sure that no one would have given this place a second look," Ya'Han said, her desired to unmask the mystery of this place growing by leaps and bounds.  "I wouldn't mind Sonja being here, she would make sense of all these pipes and likely be able to point out in a few seconds what doesn't belong here."

"ANUBIS? Sonja? After we are done with this you two will have to tell us who you really are," Angelo Tannahill teased, sounding more curious than amused.

"Just two Starfleet Officers here to help," Ya'Han gave knowing that neither Jayson or herself would provide any more information either now or at a later date.

"The readings are now at 800 rads," the survey team leader announced, his voice increasing in surprise and astonishment the more the numbers on the display screen grew lesser.

"At this rate we will be able to take our HAZMAT suits off in a few minutes," Sheila sarcastically joked, the woman not at all having the intention of removing her protective clothing in this place or anywhere else that was close to Paris.

"We are not going to find what we are looking for from up here," Ya'Han announced as they approached another set of metal stairs leading to the main floor.  "We'll have to head down and pay closer attention to the details of this equipment. There has to be something that will point us in the right direction."

"I'm not going down there," Sofia exclaimed.

"We'll stay behind and keep an eye on you guys," Jayson quickly added. "Maybe we'll be able to see something as you move throughout that maze of pipes."

"Of course you two will stay behind," the Sec/Tac sighed heavily, feeling both disappointment and anger directed towards her fellow shipmate. "Do try to keep you eyes on us and not each other," Ya'Han added prompting a quick chuckle from Sheila who had noticed the blossoming romance grow with each scanning station they had setup.

Feeling more than happy at increasing the distance between the blonde woman and herself, Ya'Han quickly went down the set of stairs along with Angelo and Sheila.  Hopefully the three of them would be able to discover a clue as to the cause for this unexplainable drop in radiation.

[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]
Hanali Han

Chief of Security / Chief Tactical Officer
USS ANUBIS, NCC-18501
M06-P024: USS ANUBIS: Stark: Day 8 - 1515 ("Dust And Tears")
"Dust And Tears"
[previous "Paris"]

[/\]
Setting: EARTH, Paris
Stardate: 31292.1515

The third scanner station had been set up and the readings had been the same.  Over 2500 rads and not a single hint of life even at the smallest recordable level.  Even the microbes that would have normally been found in the water or buries in the soils and rocks had perished.  The only life in all of Paris had been the five members of the survey team, and each one felt less and less alive with each step they took.

"It was not your fault," Jayson lipped once again as he looked into the brown eyes within the blonde frame of Sofia's hair.  She had not said anything but he could see the guilt mounting in her as it had each and every time they had finished setting up a scanner station and were heading for the next.

He could only imagine the extent of her pain. As a Doctor she had wanted to ease pain and suffering, not cause it on such a scale.  Jayson knew that she had not been responsible for what Edgerton had done, and he did everything he could to make her understand that about herself.  For far too long he had held himself responsible for the death of his wife, and know he could see how much that guilt had affected, how much it had drawn him into a darkness that oddly enough resembled that of the city they were now in.

"Thank you," Sofia said without actually voicing the words, her gratitude for the man's kindness shattering the silence that reigned in this place.  True only he could hear it, but it had been enough.

As she leaned into his embrace, Jayson held her tight as he looked around and caught a glimpse of the Eiffel Tower.  Here he was in Paris with a woman in his arms, something he had never expected to do, and despite the gray sadness that surrounded them the OPS officer of the ANUBIS had actually managed to feel a hint of happiness.

"Location four," Angelo announced as the ATV came to a stop.  In the middle of what would have been a small park several piles of dust where trees would have been found stood a fountain, but instead of water resting in the main basin only more dust could be found.  Had it be the remains of the fish that had called this place home or had it been the wind that had brought these ashes here?  Either way the fountain now stood as a lonely dark monument of death, displaying its legacy without opposition to those who had come the breach the darkness that had taken hold of this city.

"Alright you two, you know the routine by now. Let's go," Sheila said as she tapped Jayson on the shoulder.  Yes, this had been Paris, but their mission had not been one meant for would-be lovers.

"Make sure to include the fountain in the scan perimeter," Angelo added as he and Ya'Han began the setup of the scanner.

"I know it's not my fault," Sofia whispered as she placed one of the echo sensor rods down, "but it's hard not to feel responsible when you see this," she said pointing to a pile of clothes.  Although covered with dust Jayson had been able to make out the distinguishing features on the garments, identifying them as having once belonged to a little boy and girl, likely siblings playing by the fountain while their mother watched from one of the benches by the fountain.

Once again Jayson welcomed the woman in his arms, the stress of dealing with this having once more been too much for Sofia to handle by herself.  Maybe it would have been better if they had not come here, but he knew that confronting one's demons had been the best way to defeating them.  Pain was part of the healing process, and that too he knew first hand.

"Stay here," Jayson offered as he went to place the remaining echo sensors before Angelo made another comment about having to stay on schedule.  Sofia seemed happy to comply, this giving her time to gather her thoughts and emotions.

When the last of the rods had been set, Jayson went to turn to face the supervisor just as a gust of wind swept through the park.  Without trees or anything else offering some sort of barrier, a wall of dust was lifted to come crashing down on the survey team.  For several seconds no one could see anything, the dust blinding them completely and making it impossible for any of them to locate the others.

"Stay put and don't move," Angelo told everyone.  "This won't last long."

"At least we hope it won't," Sheila added, a hint of nervousness in her voice.

When the flash dust storm finally died down, Jayson smiled and nodded to the supervisor before turning to make sure the others had been well.  Ya'Han gave no impression that this had bothered her in the least, not that the OPS officer had expected it would. As the Chief of Security, she had proven time and time again that she could manage some of the worst possible situations without flinching.  Sheila also appeared alright, although a little troubled by the amount of dust that had landed on her HAZMAT suit.  That was when he noticed that Sofia had not been where he had seen her last.

"SOFIA!" Jayson called out as he rushed to where he had left her standing. Quickly he let out a sigh of relief when he found her down on her knees, trying her best to find some protection from the storm that had come and gone.  "It's over," he said as he helped her back onto her feet.

"Over 2500 rads and no surprises, no biological matter," Angelo said as he read the data being displayed by the scanner.  "Bring it in, we still have more stations to set."

"On our way," Jayson acknowledged as he held the trembling woman in his arms.

"Don't leave me alone again," the blonde woman whispered through tears, "please."

[/\]
Jayson Sousa

Chief of Operations
USS ANUBIS, NCC-18501
M06-P023: USS ANUBIS: Ya'Han: Day 08 - 1400 ("Paris")
[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]
"Paris"
[previous post was "Life Always Finds a Way"]
[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]

Setting: EARTH, Paris
Stardate: 31292.1400

A total of five people had gone into the heart of the irradiated zone formerly known as downtown Paris.  The all-terrain vehicle had been just large enough to hold them along with the one crate which contained the equipment they would be using for their on-site survey.

Angelo Tannahill, one of the triage center supervisors had been in charge of this operation and sat next to the driver of the ATV, Sheila Grant. This meant that Sofia, Jayson and Ya'Han sat in the back, the blond hair woman holding on to Jayson for comfort and steadiness while the raven haired woman held onto the cold inanimate crate.

Ya'Han had made her choice, that of giving him the chance to seek happiness and companionship on his own terms, so why had it been so difficult for her to stop looking at them?  As the ANUBIS' Sec/Tac finally managed to look away and onto the scenery that was slowly passing by them she remembered why.

The city she had heard so much about, the one that had been referred to as one of the gems of this world appeared as if it had been pulled out of someone's nightmare.  Where there had once been light, only darkness could be found. Where greenery had once been abundant, only the darkest shades of gray could be seen. Where life had been present and vibrant, only death and desolation stood.  An eerie blanket of dust covered the streets with scattered pieces of clothing everywhere, all of this under what appeared to be a permanent cloud cover as if nature itself had been mourning the lost of life that had taken place.

Ya'Han found it hard to breathe as if choking on the dust that surrounded them, but the readouts on the HAZMAT suit showed that everything had been working fine and that no outside air had reached her lungs.

"We'll set up our first scan station there," Angelo said as he pointed to a street corner, one that had an unsettling number of clothing almost pilled one on top pf the other.  It was easy to imagine that this had been a gathering point of some sort and that many had been there when the Satellite had fired its Thalaron weapon.

"You two come with me," Sheila said to Jayson and Sofia. "We need to set up an echo sensor perimeter around this area, so each of you grab a couple of the rods that are beneath the seats in the back and follow me.

"You and I will set up the primary scanner," Angelo said to Ya'Han as he stepped out of the ATV to which the Sec/Tac simply nodded.  When no one was talking, the only sound that could be heard through the open comm system was the breathing of the members of the survey team, a little fact that only added to the unsettling nature of the environment.

An odd sound echoed through the sad emptiness as Ya'Han's foot landed on something hidden beneath the dust.  Although relatively quiet, the unexpected sound had come across as loud as could be drawing immediate attention to its point of origin by the two people setting up the main scanner.

"A dog collar," Ya'Han said as she reached down and fetched the item from its resting place.

"The Thalaron radiation makes no exception," Angelo sighed. "People, animals and plants were all equal in this attack."

"Equal in the fact that nothing survived," the Sec/Tac added as she delicately placed the collar back where she had found it.

"It's horrible," Sofia could be heard saying through the open comm channel, a deeply felt sadness very present in her words.

"Looks like they were holding onto each other when the end came," Jayson added as he looked down at the scene that had triggered the blonde woman's reaction.  Two sets of clothings had been found, the suit had belonged to a man while the other, a long dress had clearly been worn by a lady. The clothing had been intertwined with one another in a way that left little to the imagination.

Ya'Han felt a sadness sweep over her, not because of the scene that had just been discovered but rather for the way Jayson had reacted to it, having wrapped his arms around Sofia to offer comfort.

"Come on you two," Angelo called out to the couple a few meters away. "Set up those echo sensors. We have several more stations to set up to get a good enough reading on the radiation density through the city.

The team resumed its work in silence, no one having much to say given the nature of their surroundings. Everything reflected death in one form or another, even the buildings had been stripped of the life that had been part of the city for so many centuries.

"Echo sensors are operational," Sheila announced.

"Primary scanner is working," Angelo confirmed.  "Readings show over 2500 rads and zero biological matter," the supervisor said, his voice having come across as having been almost Vulcan in his ability to state the horrible and disturbing facts without any signs of emotion.

"Shouldn't we be doing something more?" Sofia asked, her guilt having once again taking hold of her.  Although there had not been any actual bodies for them to do something with, the blonde haired woman had hoped that they might be able to do something to acknowledge their passing.

"We do not have the time to deal with the thousands of similar scenes we are likely to run into," Angelo said, allowing some emotion to lace his words.  "We have a job to do, so let's go.  We can mourn all of them later."

Reluctantly everyone returned to the ATV to head to the next location, trying their best to gather whatever strength they could knowing that this had been but the first of many hartwrenching scenes they would come across.

[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]
Hanali Han

Chief of Security / Chief Tactical Officer
USS ANUBIS, NCC-18501
M06-P022: USS ANUBIS: Maya: Day 8 - 1300 ("Life Always Finds a Way")
---
"Life Always Finds a Way"
(Previous Post: "The More Things Change...")
---

Setting: USS ANUBIS, Deck 14, Microbiology Lab
Stardate: 31292.1300

While in orbit of EARTH the Shillian Scientist had decided to do some research on the Thalaron radiation that had been used to decimate the population of Paris.  Merciless had been a term used by Maya more than once as she observed and studied over the span of several hours the effects of this type of radiation on living samples.

The unique biogenic properties of this electromagnetic radiation consumes organic matter at the subatomic level, and if that had not been bad enough the almost limitless expansion potential of that radiation meant that exposure even at a microscopic level would prove deadly to any living organism exposed to it.

How could anyone have thought to equip the Aegis Satellites with such weapons and more importantly how could anyone have decided to use that weapon against their own people?  The only explanation had been a madness the likes of which the Chief Science Officer could not even begin to imagine or even less comprehend.

According to the schematics of the Aegis Satellites, the blast radius of the weapon would cover a 40 kilometer radius from the targeted point, or roughly five thousand square kilometers. Any living organism within that area would be reduced to dust in a most painful few seconds. That said, the Shillian had quickly noticed that the triage center to which two senior officers of the ANUBIS had gone to as volunteers had been well within that stated area.  The only conclusion the Chief Science Officer could come up with was that for some unknown reason the weapon system on board the satellite had not functioned at full capacity.  Still twenty eight million people had lost their lives, imagine the increased death toll had the satellite been at full operational status?

From the initial devastation caused by the radiation, the planet as a whole needed to address the possible spread of countless contaminants into the Seine river which flowed into the English channel. From there any contaminants carried by the water would find its way into the Atlantic Ocean and the rest of the ecosystem of the planet.  The possible ecological repercussions were catastrophic but luckily several protective steps and barriers had already been established to counter this horrific possibility.

As the last living member of her race, the Shillian knew first hand that no matter what had happened, life on EARTH would find a way in time to adapt to the catastrophe that had taken place. Either through hard word and preventive measures or even through centuries of genetic changes to adapt to new conditions, EARTH and its people would survive.

Life always finds a way.

---
Setting: EARTH, Paris, Secret underground research facility
Stardate: 31292.1330

The nearly two kilometers of solid rock and soil above their heads had provided little protection from the radiation attack. Every one of the 38 scientist who had been working here had been reduced to dust, only their lab coats remained as a testimony of their having been there at all.  Likewise, the several hundred biological specimens collected from all over the Federation and beyond that had been scattered throughout the laboratories had also met an unenvious end.  All of them had been reduced to dust, all save one.

The engraved sign on the sealed door identified the decontamination chamber and laboratory beyond as a Class-5 work area, a location requiring the highest level of care and protection.  This had been where the most unique and unpredictable samples were kept to insure that nothing would escape in case of an accident.  Of course no one had anticipated the city above their heads to be hit by Thalaron radiation or that this same radiation would so easily make its way down to them.  Still, to the credit of those who had envisioned this place, nothing had escaped.

The one and only surviving organism had been well secured in its small transparent petri dish, the see through vacuum seal cover still very well secured atop the sample.  The small label glued to the cover listed the item as KXR-359 found near the Tholian border.  The rest of the inscription detailed some strange biochemical formula that to the untrained eye meant nothing, but to the scientist whose ashes now laid on the floor of the laboratory it identified the organism as having been some sort of bio-crystalline life form.

A small line with two other perpendicular lines at the end seemed to indicate the size of the sample contained therein, or so one would have deduced but the observable facts did not collaborate this hypothesis.  The sample, which the computer records showed to be perfectly clear in colour had taken on a soft emerald hue due to the exposure to the Thalaron radiation.  What would have been even more interesting to the scientific team of this secret research facility beyond the new colour was the measurable difference in the size of the sample which had grown to fill to capacity the dish that it had been secured in.

In the empty silence that had filled the laboratories, one that echoed all too well that of the city above, the only sound that was suddenly heard by no one was the shattering of the petri dish as the sample broke free having become too massive to be contained in such a limited space.

In the cold vacuum of space the organism had managed to surprise for maybe days, centuries or more, but it was here in this underground laboratory that it was given a new chance at life thanks to the Thalaron radiation it had been exposed to.  What had killed so many had given it the means to live beyond what its limits had been designed for through a millenia of evolution.  Now it grew as the first of its kind, feeding off the radiation that had seen its creation. Slowly, steadily, its mass increased into an unknown world and towards an uncertain future, but still it grew having been alive where nothing else could.

It seemed that the idiom was correct -- Life Always Finds a Way.

---
Jessica Solarik

Lieutenant Commander Maya [Access Character BIO for Maya]
Chief Science Officer
USS ANUBIS

&

Captain Selene Fiona Iverson [Access Character BIO for Selene Iverson]
Commanding Officer
USS BASTET

"To see the world in a grain of sand,
and a heaven in a wild flower.
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
and eternity in an hour."
- William Blake (British, 1757-1827)
M06-P021: USS ANUBIS: Morningstar: Day 8 - 1015 ("The More Things Changes...")
##########
"The More Things Changes..."
Previous post "Torn"
##########

"Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.`
- George Bernard Shaw

=====
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Bridge
Stardate: 31292.1015

Piece by piece things were being picked up from the chaos left behind by the conflict against the Neo-Essentialists, and like in all such confrontations not all things were being returned to where they had been before.  Conflict of any sort had always been a catalyst for change, no matter if this change was for good or bad.

"Anything new to report?" the Native American inquired of his First Officer who had just returned to the command deck of the ANUBIS.

"The IGCs of the HORUS and SEKHMET along with that of the ANUBIS are continuing their monitoring of inbound and outbound channels as well as offering a secondary planetary communication's array.  Although we have received only a few specific requests to assistance, all three ship are still for the most part on full standby," Shar'El reported sounding a little annoyed by the fact that their presence and equipment had not been put to better use in the follow-up of the crisis that had threatened all of humankind.

"Trust," Erik reminded his ExO. "Right now the best thing for us to do is to be here and wait."

"Yes Captain," the ExO nodded reluctantly, the woman never having been one to just sit and do nothing when there had been work to be done.

"Any news on that Tellarite Gaavr?" Captain Morningstar inquired, the member of the Federation Council having drawn a fair bit of attention from the IGC thanks to some unexpected secret communications.

"We can only guess that he was a supporter of Edgerton from what we have uncovered but there is no tangible proof to support this, yet," the ILO smirked.  "What we do know is that he seems to have some invested interests in a yet to be identified shipping consortium.  My people are on the case, but we do have rather limited data to work with as of now.  If you want, we could increase our focus on him and his activities."

"We have no orders or cause to look deeper into his affairs," Erik quickly dismissed before changing the subject. "What about our people on the surface?" The Native American queried knowing very well that although no official order had been given in that regards, the ICG and its supervising Officer would have been keeping a close watch on them all.

"The most recent update is that crewman Hernandez is currently visiting his family in Peru, Ensign Ogawa was able to locate her brother and she is helping him get back home to Japan, and as you know Lieutenant Paquette's parents were found safe and sound," the ExO listed.

"What about Jayson and Ya'Han?" the Captain further inquired.

"They are on their way to downtown Paris," Shar'El reported with a hint of hesitation.  "Looks like one of the supervisors of the Versailles Triage Center decided to take a drive in town.  The radiation may make keeping an accurate pinpoint location on them more difficult but we will be ready to act if they run into any sort of trouble."

"What trouble could they possibly run into?" Erik asked, stunned by his ExO's statement. "The city is completely *dead*, there will be nothing for them to run into except for empty buildings."

"We are talking about Jayson and Ya'Han," the ExO pointed out in a half teasing manner.

"Captain," ANI announced interrupting the discussion between the CO and ExO, " receiving a priority communication from Admiral Koniki on a secured channel."

"Secured not private?" The Native American wondered out loud as he turned to look at the purple haired Avatar.

"No Sir," the artificial woman replied.

"Alright then," Erik shrugged.  This had not been the usual manner in which the Admiral contact him but Koniki had never been one to do anything without a reason. "Put him on screen."

[/\] Hello Erik, [/\] the seasoned officer and CO of the NEW ALEXANDRIA complex said as his head and torso filled the large forward view screen. The man's voice sounded slightly more enthusiastic than normal which had struck the ANUBIS' CO as a little strange.

"Admiral," the Native American Captain replied after a few seconds, having confirmed his initial observation that the background to this communication had not been the standard one. "Are you on the SCARAB?"

[/\] Good eye Erik, [/\] the Admiral noted with a smile. [/\] I'm on my way to EARTH. [/\]

"Is that safe?" Erik queried,  his voice clearly echoing concerns. "Things here are not as settled as they could be and having the CO of a shadow organization suddenly show up might make things worse. Things have changed between Starfleet and the Federation."

[/\] I have already heard the news. [/\] Koniki stated referring to the Humans having been kicked out of the Federation Council, [/\] the sisters had predicted the Council's reaction as well as the reason why I am heading your way. [/\]

As curious as he might have been Erik knew better than to ask, the Admiral had been a decorated expert in giving evasive answers and half truths whenever he was being asked questions he did not want to reply to.   "So you will be here in a few days?"

[/\] Nope, [/\] the Admiral replied with a clearly amused expression on his features.

"The USS SCARAB is entering EARTH's orbit now Captain," ANI announced, the Avatar also displaying a uniquely amused expression. Obviously the upgrades made by the ship's CEO Lieutenant Paquette had been working rather well.

[/\] I am here to meet with Marie-Claire Martine, the Secretary of Starfleet about an offer the sisters predicted she would make, and an offer that I just cannot refuse, [/\] Koniki explained not trying at all to hide the fact that he enjoyed, as he always did, to show that he was a few steps ahead in the game.

"An offer?" Erik asked out of stunned curiosity.

[/\] I'm taking my old job back as head of Starfleet Intelligence, [/\] the man announced with unmistakable pride.

"Hum," Erik verbally stumbled not having expected that news.  " I guess congratulations are in order Admiral," the Native American offered after several seconds spent finding his mental footing.  "As I recalled you had always wanted this."

[/\] Not exactly this,  [/\] the Admiral corrected, [/\] and certainly not under these circumstances.  I had hoped that the ships and crews under my command would one day be permitted to return to the fold of Starfleet and the Federation. [/\]

"Looks to me as if you have managed to get both," Captain Morningstar pointed out.

[/\] We will see. In the meantime continue with you aid efforts, I will let you and the other COs know how the meeting went. Koniki out. [/\]

"So Koniki gets to return to EARTH and be the new head of Starfleet Intel. I don't know if I can keep up with all of these changes," Erik chuckled dryly.

"It is very unlikely that the Admiral will remain on EARTH even if he takes on the role of Head of Starfleet Intelligence, why else make the journey here if he was not going to accept," Shar'El pointed out. "NEW ALEXANDRIA has been his home for over a decade, and during that time he has gathered certain, shall we call them 'assets', that he will not want to leave behind or let other come close to."

"The sisters," Erik nodded, the six women having been the only 'assets' he knew of but more than enough to make him agree to his ExO's point of view.  "Best we can do is wait and see," the Native American added as he leaned back into his chair.

"More waiting," Shar'El sighed heavily.  "Through the chaos of conflict some things will never change."

--==(/\)==--
Francois Charette

Commanding Officer
USS ANUBIS, NCC 18501

AND

Lt. Commander Elan Fairborn [Access Character BIO for Elan Fairborn]
Robotics Engineering Officer
NEW ALEXANDRIA
M06-P020: USS ANUBIS: Ya'Han: Day 08 - 0725 ("Torn")
[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]
"Torn"
[previous post was "Rage and Confusion"]
[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]

Setting: EARTH, Versailles Triage Center
Stardate: 31292.0725

As the daughter of the High Sovereign Ya'Han had been forced to choose between her responsibilities towards her people and father or a lonely life of exile.  She had been incapable to bring herself to marry that Ferengi troll despite all of the promises of wealth and assurances of a life free of hardships, so the decision had been simple.  Over the next months she had come to regret that decision more than once as she did what had been required to insure her survival, but in time it had all worked out.  She had made it into Federation space and had even been accepted into Starfleet Academy.

With EARTH no longer an official member of the Federation, Ya'Han had been faced with another decision. She could either remain loyal to her friends on board the ANUBIS who had become her second family or accept the idea that as a non-human her place had no longer been where she had been accepted.  Being unable to imagine a life outside of the ANUBIS or even NEW ALEXANDRIA the decision had again been a simple one.  This had been where belonged no matter what policies had been at play.

If the Sec/Tac had learned anything during her time on board the ANUBIS it was that governments and policies changed far too frequently.  Today non-humans were looked upon as traitors, but tomorrow EARTH itself might welcome them back as saviors.  Her loyalty had and would remain with her ship, its captain and the people on board whom she had come to see as more than friends.

People like Captain Morningstar, Commander Shar'El and Lieutenant Paquette had made the ship feel like home and the crew like the family she had wished to have from the very start.  Jayson Stark had not been an exception to that and as much as she would never have admitted out loud, she had grown closer to him than anyone else.  All of their arguments and sparing sessions had made it look like they had been worst enemies, but the truth had been that she had found in him many unique qualities.

Looking at Sofia hanging on his neck and the expression on his face, Ya'Han realized that she had been faced with another choice, one that would prove to be more difficult than any of the others before.

"I cannot express how much I appreciate everything that you have said and done," the blonde haired woman said, as if the weight of the world had been lifted from her shoulders. "Thank you."

"You have nothing to thank us for," Jayson said, his gaze lost in the woman's eyes.  Ya'Han closed her eyes wishing for an instant that he had looked at her that way the night before.  She had tried as any woman might have, this even if her final goal had only been to tease him, or had it been?  HAd she truly only meant to tease him or had she unconsciously wanted to test his interest in her?  Either way the final result had been the same, his thoughts had been on someone else, and that someone else had been the woman he was now kneeling in front of.

"In the middle of the chaos that is now Paris, we are all friends here," Ya'Han said as she straightened her posture.  "Whatever we were, whatever we had wanted or even hoped to be, this is where we are now. What is important will be the direction in which we take our next steps. They will dictate where we go and the person we will strive to become."

"No one could ever ask to have friends as great as you," Sofia said with a beaming smile. "Thank you, thank you both for being here as friends."

Ya'Han returned the smile although somewhat hesitantly as her eyes went onto the still kneeling man.  Friends? Would she be able to control her emotions? Being a college would not be an issue, it never had been, but accepting that they would now be nothing more than friends at best had proven to be something more difficult to accept.  Unfortunately, like in the decisions of her past, there had truly not been an option.  She could reveal her feelings, whatever they had been to him or she could stand by in silence wishing him to find the happiness she believed he deserved.

The decision had been a simple one.

"I will leave you two alone," Ya'Han said as she grabbed her HAZMAT suit and began making her way to the changing room, casting one last glance over her shoulder and the couple.  There had been so much more she had wanted to say but in the end only silence filled the small rest area.

[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]
Hanali Han

Chief of Security / Chief Tactical Officer
USS ANUBIS, NCC-18501
M06-P019: USS ANUBIS: Stark: Day 8 - 0600 ("Rage and Confusion")
"Rage and Confusion"
[previous "Behaving Badly"]

[/\]

Setting: EARTH, Le Mans
Stardate: 31292.0600

The news had been on every channel, on every street corner, on every electronic news display.  EARTH had been kicked out of the United Federation of Planets.  The organization that stood for tolerance and universal community had turned its collective back on one of its own founding members.

"Those filthy bastards," he said through clenched teeth, his fists being just as tightly held.  "All they are doing is proving the Neo-Essentialists right, that non-terrans believe themselves to be better and that when given a chance they will turn and stab you in the back right in the middle of a crisis."

"Not all non-humans believe that, in fact I would guess most do not," Ya'Han said in a very quiet yet defensive tone, her hair having taking on a bright red hue the moment Jayson had started to voice his rage.  "You also should not be so quick to generalize what you believe non-humans would do in a crisis."

"How they hell would you know?" Jayson snarled as he turned to face the woman only to quickly remember that she had not been human.  Although her general appearance had been very much humanoid, her ability to change her hair color had clearly identified her as being something else.  "I'm sorry," he added before unleashing an enraged fist against the nearest wall. "This has me beyond mad and I am not thinking straight.  I should not have said what I did, my anger is meant for those diplomatic idiots who have no idea of what we do together.  How many times have humans to to their aid? How many times have they placed themselves in harms' way to save others?"

Ya'Han remained quiet, not sure what to say or how to help her friend. His anger had been understandable and it was very likely that it had been shared by many others. The problem was that many others would see the same situation from the opposite side and act to further define this separation of species.

[/\]

Setting: EARTH, Versaille Triage Center
Stardate: 31291.0700

"Where is everybody?" Jayson demanded as Ya'Han and he stepped out of the shuttle to see the triage center nearly deserted.

"I am guessing that the news that Humans are no longer welcomed at the table of the Federation was not accepted all that well," the once again black haired woman said understanding that most non-humans would want to avoid being in the middle of any sort of confrontation at this point.

"Figures," Jayson growled but quickly held back saying anything more as he forced himself to remember that Ya'Han had not been human and that she had still been there by his side, willing and ready to help him and any other human in whatever way she could.

"Let's focus on the task at hand," Ya'Han suggested. "With fewer people here, it should make it easier to locate Sofia."

"If she is here at all," Jayson sighed, still trying to make sense of what had happened.  This had been a time where unity had been their greatest asset. This had been when the Federation had the best opportunity to show what it truly stood for, instead those spineless diplomats showed themselves to be nothing more than ungrateful cowards.

"Jayson," the raven haired woman called out to her friend, "this way."

Something had caught Ya'Han's attention, the keen eyes of the Chief of Security having noticed something specific about one of the few people still working at the triage center.  The person in the HAZMAT suit she had focussed on had clearly exhibited a feminine stance, one burden by an emotional weight like sadness or even depression.  Given how Sofia had reacted the last time they had seen her, the selected individual had presented the best possible fit.

Still a few meters away, Ya'Han managed to confirm that the person wearing the HAZMAT suit had a golden blonde head of hair, a simple fact that had greatly increase the odds of her having been right.  So with a nod of her head and a gesture from her hand, Jayson was sent on to do the final confirmation

"Sofia?"

"No. Please," the woman pleaded as she tried to run away once again but unable to do so as this time Jayson had taken hold of her shoulders.

"What's going on? Why are you so desperate to avoiding me?  What did I do?" Jayson emotionally demanded, this situation having been one of too many for him to handle at this time.

"It's not what you did, but what I did," Sofia explained through tear filled eyes.

"What you did?" Jayson questioned in utter confusion.  "What could you have possibly done?"

"I killed your wife!" the woman admitted before collapsing onto her knees sobbing.

It had taken several minutes for both Jayson and Ya'Han to get Sofia back to her feet and to an isolated rest area where they would be able to remove their HAZMAT suits to talk.  The security officer had opposed this but the Chief of Security of the USS ANUBIS had quickly convinced the man that everything was under control.

"Alright," Jayson began as he kneeled before the still emotional woman sitting on one of the benches. "Let's take this from he start because right now I need to get every possible detail straight.  How do you figure that you are responsible for my wife's death?"

"You are here searching for her, looking for one last chance to say your goodbyes," Sofia explained through shattered breathing from her trying to hold back her tears.  "Everyone in Paris was killed by the Neo-Essentialists, and I was one of them."

"You were a Neo-Essentialist?" Ya'Han asked rhetorically, this admission explaining the presence of the security officer as well as the woman's own state.  "You were sentenced to help with the cleanup," the Chief of Security further clarified.

"Yes," Sofia cried as she looked up at the standing woman.  "I killed your wife along with 28 million others," she added after having shifted her gaze to meet Jayson's eyes, which still reflected a certain level of confusion.

"My wife died five years ago in a terrorist attack," Jayson explained in a gentle whispered voice.  "You had nothing to do with it as i am sure you had nothing to do with Edgerton using the Aegis Shield's weapon system on Paris."

"I was still a Neo-Essentialist," the blonde haired woman pointed out sure that this had been a fact that would leave her at the man's rage, at it should be.

"Was," Ya'Han countered.  "We all make mistakes," the Nylaan continued clearly speaking of personal experience.  "A person should not be judged solely on their mistakes but also on what they are willing to do to correct them.  Obviously someone somewhere thought that you deserved a chance to prove yourself or you would have been tossed in a keyless cell. Instead they sent you here."

"You were not responsible for what happened to Paris," Jayson supportively said, "and you were certainly not responsible for my wife's death."

Sofia started once again to cry, this time out of joy as she wrapped her arms around the man's neck, holding him as tightly as she could out of general gratitude.

[/\]

Jayson Sousa

Chief of Operations
USS ANUBIS, NCC-18501
M06-P018: USS ANUBIS: Paquette: Day 7 – 2150 (“Behaving Badly”)
“Behaving Badly”
previous post was “Not As Listed”

=====
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Shar’El’s Quarters
Stardate: 31291.2150

Sonja was trying to force herself to be in a good mood in an attempt to keep her mind occupied.  She had fixed and re-tweaked everything she could think of annoying ANI in the process… go figure, it was actually possible to annoy an android… who knew?   Short of purposefully breaking something, forcing a jolly mood to keep from going stir-crazy had been the best option for the redheaded CEO who had been waiting for any news from home.

Her parents liked to travel and had planned to go to France to see the sights… again, unfortunately they had not given any specific dates or itinerary to go by.  All efforts to locate them had so far come up empty, and the lack of information about their whereabouts had only made things more complicated.  With planetary communications down things had gone from difficult to nearly impossible leaving Sonja to rely solely on the IGC to locate her parents.  This, the Chief Engineer believed, had very likely been the reason why Shar’El had wanted to see her.  Sonja had been more than happy to accept the invitation thinking that she might be able to share a couple of drinks with a friend thus offering an additional diversion from her mounting concerns.

Sonja’s presence was announced by the ringing of the door chime, and as soon as the visitor entered the private quarters of the First Officer Shar’El led the red haired woman into her sitting area.

“What up spy girl, your looking as tired as I feel,” the CEO said with tone of concern as she caught a good look at her friend.

“I was trying to meditate but something more important needed my attention and immediate involvement,” the dark haired woman said as she invited her friend to sit on the couch where a cup of Risian tea had been waiting for her on the small table.

Without thinking twice about any of this Sonja made herself comfortable and cradled the hot drink in her hands, generously taking in the sweet aroma.

With her own cup in hand, Shar’El took position on the opposite side of the small table.  “I needed to see you on an official matter,” the ExO stated professionally making it clear that this had been about business and nothing else.

“Wait!” Sonja jumped in with without delay, “is this about my harassing the IGC techs?  I’m sorry, I am just really freaking out about not hearing back from my parents.  I promise that I will treat the entire IGC to drinks, and maybe a few Orion slave girls if I can sneak them passed our Captain and our Chief of Security.”

“No,” Shar’El said as she shook her head, unable to hide the grin that had begun to form.

“Fine,” the redhead teased, “I sneak in a few of them just for you.”

“I am trying to be serious here Sonja,” the First Officer explained in a more commanding tone.

“Ah, okay?” the Engineer said somewhat stunned by the statement, enough to force her to put the cup of tea back down on the table.  “What’s going on?”

 “Your comment earlier today was inappropriate and embarrassed the Captain,” Shar’El detailed.  “Captain Kane took offence to your lighthearted attitude towards the decommissioning of his ship.”

“I apologies that the man took offence, but with all due respect he was only the CO and not the Chief Engineer.  They are the ones that put the heart and soul into a ship, the Captain only drives it to wherever it needs to be and leaves it to the Engineers to fix it when they break something,” Sonja said before taking a few seconds to listen to her own words.  “That said,” she continued in a more somber and remorseful tone, “I can see that this may not be the way COs see things and that my attempt at levity would have caused some distress.  I will offer and official apology and do my best to filter my words the next time we have some ‘uptight’ visitor on board. I will do my best to ‘Starfleet’ any further encounter.”

“You are unbelievable,” the First Officer sighed in disbelief.  “Let me take care of the apology, just to be on the safe said to insure that there are not further misunderstandings. As for you ‘Starfleeting’ any future encounters, that would be appreciated.  Impossible but appreciated nonetheless.”

=/\= ANI to Lieutenant Paquette, they have found them, =/\= the Avatar said over a comm channel causing the CEO to leap off the couch.

“You had ANI keep an eye on my people?” the head of the ICG questioned, sounding rather annoyed by the discovery.

=/\= IGC to Commander Shar’El, you had wanted us to inform you as soon as we had located Lieutenant Paquette’s parents. =/\=

“We already know, Shar’El out.” The ExO snapped, still very frustrated at the Chief Engineer who was also her friend.

“ANI was not spying on your people,” Sonja clarified. “She was just keep track of what the IGC computer was monitoring and recording.”

“Not much of a difference,” Shar’El pointed out, trying to stay upset for a few more seconds before sharing in the joy that had been clearly visible on the other woman’s face.

=/\= The communication channel is open, shall I pass it through to your current location? =/\= ANI inquired, the ship’s Avatar having known just how important this had been for the CEO.

“Will you be needing some privacy?” Shar’El asked, ready to leave the woman to what she suspected would be a very emotional reunion.

“If there is someone else here with me, my mother has a better chance of behaving,” Sonja replied as she made her way to the nearest visual display monitor.  “ANI, wherever you’re ready.”

The wall embedded monitor quickly came to life, first showing the logo of the Federation which was soon after replaced by the features of a woman.

“Mom! I am so glad to see that you are OK,” Sonja said in the purest of joy.

[/\] And why would I not be, Dear? [/\]

“In our last communication you mentioned that you and dad would be traveling to France and Paris.  I was hoping that you had not gotten caught up in the mess that took place.”

[/\] Oh goodness no. You know your father. The moment that Edgerton fellow started ruffling things he changed our plans. [/\]

“So where were you? I have been trying to reach you for DAYS!”

[/\] Darlings, I was busy. We had places to go and things to do. You know that I still take my yoga classes? [/\]

“Could you not stay home like regular semi-retired people? You know take normal hobbies like knitting.”

The woman on the screen started to laugh out loud. [/\] You know that I don’t do knitting, the closest I get to doing something like that is stitching people back together. I much prefer to take yoga, it keep me limber and you know how much your father likes me limber. [/\]

[/\] I do sweetheart, [/\] a male voice was heard in the background, obviously the woman’s husband and the CEO’s father.

“Oh my gawd!  I am not alone in this room, please keep the details of your carnal escapades to yourself.”

[/\] Do you have a man with you? [/\] the woman said, her features now filling the fullness of the screen having moved as close as possible to the camera on her end.  [/\] Is he handsome? Are you practicing yoga as well now? [/\]

“Mom!” Sonja said interrupting her mother.

[/\] I have a copy of the holographic Kama Sutra, I would be delighted to send it to you. [/\]

“MOM!” the redhead said, trying once more to stop her mother.

[/\] Oh come on dear you cannot always have your head up a warp core. All work and no play makes for a dull girl and no one wants to date a dull girl. Go, dance and swing those hips, I know that you have moves. You are my daughter after all. How else am I supposed to get grandchildren if you are not willing to get your ankles over your head? Your father and I are not getting any younger you know. [/\]

[/\] Darling, stop pressuring the young girl and embarrassing her in front of her friend to boot. [/\] the male voice added.

Sonja sighed and reached for her friend who was unceremoniously pulled into view.  “This is my ExO, Commander Shar’El.”

[/\] Well, I am sure that she came into this world the same way you did. Does she have a man in her life? [/\]

“Mary, Michael and bride would stop taking for a moment,” Sonja snapped. “Is it any wonder Stephen doesn’t want to have any conversations with you?”

[/\] I know, he never wants to speak to me, only to your father. He says I get too personal. [/\]

“Gee, I wonder why he would say something like that mother,” Sonja said before taking a few seconds reprieve before continuing.  “I have limited time on this channel. I am very glad to see that you and dad are alright, but please next time, answer the call when you get one.”

[/\] Alright dear, take care and I will send you holographic images of some very nice men we have met. I think you guys would get on well. [/\]

“Mom,” Sonja interrupted once more.  “I have to go.”

[/\] Very well have it your way, keep an open mind and remember to practice your yoga. [/\] Sonja’s mother said.

[/\] Take care and be safe, [/\] the off screen male voice added just before the channel was closed by the CEO herself.

“Well that was… interesting,” Shar’El chuckled, trying her best not to laugh out loud. “I thought you said that she would be ion her best behaviour.”

“She was,” the redhead sadly admitted.  “Downright angelic even.”

From there the two women returned to their previous sitting location where they resumed their talk, this time being for less official about families and the unique problems they can present.

Setting: USS ANUBIS, Bridge
Stardate: 31291.2330

After their lengthy chat, the \first |Officer had decided to check in on the bridge one last time before calling it a night which Sonja in tow for no other reason than to continue their conversation.  As the women stepped off the turbolift, they were both surprised to find the Captain still sitting in his chair at the center of the bridge.

Eric looked up as the two officers entered the bridge quickly noticing that the CEO was displaying a rather large grin on her face, one that seemed far giddier than usual.  The CO looked at Shar’El raising an eyebrow and inquired, “Have you dealt with the situation.?”

“Yes it has been handled.” the First Officer stated with confidence.

Eric looked over at the redhead then back to the ExO, the meaning and un-asked question clear as day on his face.  It was easy to see that he had clearly expected the CEO to be subdued in some manner after having been spoken to by the First Officer.

The dark haired woman grinned. “She just spoke with her parents and all is well,” with a shake of her head she continued. “It was a very... umm… enlightening conversation and a bit more revealing that it need to be, I know exactly where our engineer gets *it* from,” Shar’El said with a laugh.

“Meaning?” Erik asked with a quizzical look. The ExO raised her hands up, “oh no! I will say no more. The image is burnt in my mind... all I can say is ‘apples and trees’ Captain.  ‘Apples and Trees’,” Shar’El concluded as she turned on her heels and made her way back to the turbolift leaving EriK to wonder…

=====
Lorraine Paquette

Lieutenant JG Sonja Paquette [Access Character BIO for Sonja Paquette]
Chief Engineering Officer
USS ANUBIS, NCC 18501
M06-P017: USS ANUBIS: Ya'Han: Day 07 - 2130 ("Not As Listed")
[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]
"Not As Listed"
[previous post was "Managing In Our Own Way"]
[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]

Setting: EARTH, Le Mans
Stardate: 31291.2130

The first day had not been too bad, especially given that they had arrived slightly after noon.  The secondary day had been a lot harder, both Jayson and her dealing with bodies the likes of which they never could have imagined.  By the end of the third day the two volunteers had been drained, emotionally and physically.  The half hour shuttle trek to their hotel had been too long for their aching bodies and the two of them could not make it to the room fast enough.

The moment they had stepped into the room, Jayson had set a heading straight for the nearest bed while Ya'Han had opted for a nice hot shower.

"I hate to admit it but Doctor Doyanne was right?" Jayson said as he enjoyed the softness of the mattress on which he had unceremoniously fallen backwards onto.

The sound of the shower was the only statement he received, so he closed his eyes and allowed his body and mind to rest.  When the sound of the rushing water stopped several minutes later, the resting man decided to repeat his statement. "I hate to admit it but I think Doctor Doyanne might have been right?"

"Right about what?" Ya'Han said as she came out of the shower a few seconds later, the raven haired woman dressed in nothing but a towel tightly wrapped around her fit body.

"About us not lasting the week," the Ops officer replied not having noticed the attirement of his shipmate. Although his eyes had reopened they had become locked on some unseen spot on the ceiling of their hotel room.  "The physical work is demanding but nothing we can't handle.  Our training followed by our lives on the ANUBIS is demanding enough to insure that. The emotional part though is proving to be a lot more than I could have expected. Still we are doing the right thing," Jayson continued still unaware of the lightly dressed woman standing at the foot of the bed.

"We should talk about something else," the off-duty Sec/Tac offered in a sultry voice while reaching for her hair brush.  "We are France after all," Ya'Han added in a teasing voice.

"After what happened to Paris, I doubt that France or even the rest of the planet is ever going to be the same," Jayson sadly admitted, his gaze still very much locked on the ceiling above the single bed he had been on.  "Paris meant something back then, but now..." his voice drifted off as his thoughts took on a more emotional hold of him.

"You are right," Nylaan woman said as she ran the brush through her now green hair.  "I had heard a lot about Paris and was actually looking forward to seeing it one day.  I had heard a lot about the entertainment available here."

"Green?" Jayson asked having propped himself on his elbows.  "Is that what you had wanted to talk about?  You did say that we would have a discussion at some point about your ability to change your hair color but I was not expecting there to be more. Certainly not green.  That said, would be interesting to see you as a blonde. Can you do blonde?" the Ops Officer added, a devilish smile having appeared on his lips.

Ya'Han huffed as she continued to brush her hair which was rapidly returning to the pitch black that she had been displaying, adding a disapproving shake of her head as she tried to understand the man.  Of all the things to notice, her hair color had been what he had selected above anything and everything else.  She had expected some comment about the way she had allowed herself to be dressed while in his presence, something that she had been ready to use against him as a tease, but instead he had focussed on her hair.  if only he had known what that color represented, maybe things would have unfolded differently.  Then again, his statement about wanting to see her as a blonde had made it perfectly clear that his mind had been on something else, or more specifically *someone* else.

"You are a strange man Jayson Stark," the Nylaan woman sternly said as she spun around sending the towel hurling through the air towards the leaning man. By the time Jayson had managed to take the attacking piece of cloth off his head to regain his ability to see what had been in front of him, Ya'Han had completely vanished from sight.

"Please tell me that you can't become invisible on top of changing your hair color," he said in a mixture of surprise and fear.  Had their Sec/Tac officer been keeping secrets from him? More than he knew she had that is.

"Trust me," the woman continued, her voice coming from the bathroom. "If I could become invisible you would have known about it a long time ago," Ya'Han explained in a tone that made it clear that Jayson's new knowledge would not have been acquired through any pleasant means.

"Why do I have the feeling that I said something wrong?" Jayson inquired out of perfectly honest ignorance.

"You were distracted throughout the day and now I know why," the raven haired woman said as she reappeared in the room, this time wearing a loose fitting shirt and shorts that would act as sleepwear for the night.  "You are worried about Sofia and wonder if her reaction was caused by something more than telling her that she reminded you of your dead wife."

"How did you know?" He continued, completely oblivious to what had happened in the room right in front of him.  "You're a telepath too?"

"Woman's intuition you idiot," she clarified before making her way to the empty single bed set net to the one Jayson had been one.  "Time for us to get some rest.  We have another long day ahead of us tomorrow above and beyond our looking for Sofia.  I suspect that she won't be all that far and that she is likely still in the vicinity of the triage center.  Something tells me that she can't have gone far."

"You think she is trying to avoid us then?"

"Trying to avoid you would be more accurate," Ya'Han corrected with a sigh, "and I am starting share in that feeling," she added in a whispered voice a she climbed into bed and pulled the sheets over her head, making sure that her back had been towards the only other person in the room.

"Alright, good night then," Jayson said as he turned off the lights causing Ya'Han to add a disbelieving growl from beneath her bed sheets.

[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]
Hanali Han

Chief of Security / Chief Tactical Officer
USS ANUBIS, NCC-18501
M06-P016: USS ANUBIS: Shar'El: Day 7 - 2115 ("Managing In Our Own Way")
=-=
"Managing In Our Own Way"
[previous post was "Digging Through Memories" by confused Jayson]
=-=

Setting: USS ANUBIS, Bridge
Stardate: 31291.2115

The USS CENTURY had been laid to rest in a quiet yet emotional moment with the help of the ANUBIS and her crew.  Everything had gone according to plan with one minor exception, the outspoken giddiness of their CEO.

Shar'El had understood where the woman's jubiliness had originated from. Erik had simply dismissed it as the natural quirkiness of his Chief Engineer, but to the visiting dignitaries the although short display had proven to be more than either had cared for.  To the crew of the ANUBIS the USS CENTURY had been just another ship, but to Captain Michael Turlogh Kane she had been more, much more.

Wave after wave of memories had come into view for the ExO / ILO who had remained quiet throughout the final ceremony.  To a man like Captain Kane this had been as difficult as losing a close member of his family, maybe even more.  Those feelings had been very much present in each of the memories the Ullian got a glimpse of, and his sadness quickly became her own.

For the duration of their journey back to EARTH's orbit, Shar'El remained quiet, understanding just that much better how each individual dealt with the general aspect of loss.  the ExO / ILO only decided to end her silence after the ship had resumed its position in EARTH's orbit to assist in the effort of locating missing people and to stand ready to offer aid should it be requested.

"Captain," Shar'El quietly began as she stood next to the sitting Native American, the man having been just as quiet during the journey as she had been.  "About Sonja..."

The ExO / ILO was stopped in her verbal tracks as Erik raised an opened hand.  He waited several seconds before speaking, likely carefully weighing his words.  "Handle the situation as you see fit."

His words had been cold and stern. As much as he might have become accustomed to the un-Starfleet manner in which his Chief Engineer often conducted herself, her way of handling that particular situation had proven to be a great disappointment to him. Still, instead of allowing his feelings dictate his reaction Erik had opted to delegate to his First Officer the task of dealing with the situation.

=-=
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Shar'El's Quarter
Stardate: 31291.2130

Since her first day on board the USS ANUBIS Shar'El had been forced to control her ability.  At first she had to reign in her desire to look into the memories of others to get a better idea of who they were. That way of thinking had been engraved in her by Admiral Koniki but in time, as she learned to trust each and every member of the crew with her life, the Ullian no longer needed to fight with herself.

The problem had been that being part of a crew that had for all intents and purposes become her family, her defences had weakened.  Shar'El had never expected this to be a problem, dismissing broadcasted memories as they would reach her, but following what had happened the number of such memories had become more than she could casually dismiss.

If only the memories had been simple images from the past, but they were not. Each one was accompanied with feelings and emotions that Shar'El found increasingly more difficult to subdue.  It had been part of her training as a Ullian to acknowledge these feelings, but not they threatened to overwhelm her to the point where she could no longer tell the difference between her own and that of the memories she was being exposed to.

She needed to focus, to clear her mind. That was why she had come to her quarters.  Here she could isolate her thoughts without picking up on other's memories.  Here, in quiet solitude, Shar'El could focus on herself, her thoughts and memories.

=/\= Sonja to Spy Girl. I heard that you wanted to talk to me. What's up? =/\=

How had she known? And more importantly why had she called NOW of all times?

"Yes," Shar'El answered still stuck in the mental haze of her meditation.  "I mean I wanted to at some point in the future. How did you know?"

=/\= You are not the only one with Intel connections, and mine work a lot faster, at least while we are on the ANUBIS that is. =/\=

"ANI," the ExO / ILO sighed.  "I asked her where you were when I came across our Avatar in the corridor. I should have expected her to relay the message as soon as she could."

=/\= Don't blame her, =/\= Sonja started sounding as if she had been poised to offer some serious defence on the behalf of the artificial woman.  =/\= She knows who she needs to keep happy. =/\=

"I am currently in my quarters," Shar'El said trying her best to keep her voice from sounding overly exasperated. "Give me a few minutes..."

=/\= No problem, Will be nice to sit down on something other than an icy power conduit for a change. Bet you have those real comfy chairs too. See you soon. =/\=

Before the woman could clarify that she had not wanted the CEO to come to her quarters the channel had been closed leaving the ExO / ILO with one of two course of action; either she could call Sonja back and clarify the situation, giving an alternate location for their meeting or Shar'El could resign herself to the fact that the CEO was going to be here in her quarters in just a few minutes.

"Computer," Shar'El started as she made her way to the food replicator. "Two cups of Risian Tea and be sure to have the recipe for chech'tluth on file at this unit, just in case."

=-=
Tiffany Reeve

Lieutenant Commander Shar'El [Access Character BIO for Shar'El]
Executive Officer / Intel Liaison Officer
USS ANUBIS

Lieutenant Commander Janeel [Access Character BIO for Janeel]
Intel Liaison Officer / Mission Specialist
USS BASTET
M06-P015: USS ANUBIS: Stark: Day 5 - 1300 ("Digging Through Memories")
"Digging Through Memories"
[previous "A Friend In Need"]

[/\]

Setting: EARTH, Versaille Triage Center
Stardate: 31289.1300

He should have known better than to put himself in such a situation.  Thanks to the help of Counselor Dalziel and the friendships he had made on the ANUBIS, Jayson had managed to make great progress on his issues surrounding the death of his wife.  As great as the progress had been though it had been far from enough to make being here easy, not that it should have been.

The attack on Paris held no similarities to the terrorist attack that had claimed the life of Leena, but the general scenery had been more than enough to bring memories back. Memories that he had done everything in his power to push out of his mind and leave in the past where they belonged.

Broken and shattered bodies, each one holding within its twisted form memories of a life that had been ended too soon and because of the ideology of others.  Why did people think that inflicting pain on such a scale made their position stronger or even more valid?  Why were so many people made to suffer because of the ignorance and narrow mindedness of so few?

"It does get easier," Sofia said in a gentle and calming voice having noticed the man's trembling hands through his HAZMAT suit.  "At least that is what I keep telling myself," she added making she that he saw her smile.  Truth be told the gesture had been entirely meant for him as she herself could not feel anything at this point.

"How does someone so kind find her way here?" Jayson asked thinking that a break from the death that surrounded them on all sides had not been a bad idea.

"I could ask you the same thing," Sofia replied in return, the arrival of Ya'Han and him having made her impossible task actually bearable.  "You two did not need to be here, and yet here you are."

"You didn't volunteer to be here?" Jason asked, figuring that the poor blonde woman had been forced to be here because of a unique skill set or because it had somehow been her responsibility.  "Alright, let me guess," he continued thinking that this had been far better than dealing with the situation that surrounded them both, at least for the moment.  "You are a Doctor and needed to help these people one last time?  It's either that or you pissed some high ranking douche who sent you here as punishment."

"Yes," Sofia simply replied certain that her new found friend would likely not find the truth all that appealing.  The truth being that he had been right on both account.

Jayson smiled a pure ray of joy, one that actually took Sofia a little by surprise.  She returned his smile, this time feeling something herself, something that she had never expected in this realm of death and destruction.

"Who was she?" the golden blonde hair woman asked, having seen something in the man's eyes.

"Who?"

"The woman that you just thought of," Sofia answered, closely looking at Jayson's face for signs of any reaction that would answer her question should he decide not to offer a verbal reply.  "The woman that I somehow reminded you of."

"Her name was Leena," he replied without hesitation, the words having come across as far less painful then he had expected them to be.  "She was my wife."

"No," Sofia cried in a half whisper, her knees once again ready to collapse from under her.  Had she helped in hurting this man? Had she been responsible for the death of his wife?  Had he been here looking for her, to have one last chance to be together before saying goodbye?  "I'm so sorry," the sentenced woman managed through her tears before running away and leaving Jayson behind, confused and beyond the ability to understand what had just happened.

"Nice job Romeo," Ya'Han quietly snarled. The Sec/Tac had noticed the attraction between them and she had thought it best to give them the room they needed, at last that was until she saw Sofia bolt for the main building of the triage center.  "What did you say to her?"

"I don't know," Jayson pleaded in shock. "She asked me who she reminded me of and I answered truthfully."

"You idiot," Ya'Han hissed as she punched his right shoulder through the HAZMAT suit.  "What did you think would happen by telling a woman that she reminded you of your dead wife?"

"Not this."

[/\]
Jayson Sousa

Chief of Operations
USS ANUBIS, NCC-18501
M06-P014: USS ANUBIS: Ya'Han: Day 05 - 1040 ("A Friend In Need")
[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]
"A Friend In Need"
[previous post was "Slow and Easy"]
[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]

Setting: USS ANUBIS, Bridge
Stardate: 31289.1040

With the ANUBIS in orbit of EARTH and the Neo Essentialist threat having been dealt with, the Sec/Tac had found herself with little to do other than insure that the tactical systems were ready.  Anything that could have been asked of their Chief Engineer had already been done, the woman having been beyond efficient.  For a brief moment Ya'Han wondered how they could ever manage without Sonja but that thought was quickly tossed away. The last thing the raven haired woman needed was to keep any sort of depressing thoughts in her mind.

After the departure of Commander Shar'El from the bridge, Ya'Han decided to act on a thought that she had been playing with since early that morning.

"Captain, may I have a word with you?"

"Of course Ensign. What is on your mind?" the Captain warmly answered, the man having a unique way in making people feel at ease.

"I was wondering if maybe Ensign Stark and I could be authorized to head down to the planet surface and offer some assistance?  We have done all that we can up here and Commander Shar'El and the rest of the IGC are actually helping in whatever manner is available to them," Ya'Han explained, trying to find a way to say how she felt without coming across as insubordinate to her Captain.

"You are both bored and antsy," the Captain said making the Sec/Tac relax in a single instant, the man having perfectly understood their feelings.  "Did you have something particular in mind?"

"Actually we do," Jayson kicked in grabbing a PADD from his station and quickly bringing it to their CO.  "I have been monitoring the triage efforts at the Versaille center and by the looks of things they could use some extra hands.  The call for volunteers went out but there is just too much of a need and too few people ready to help."

"You do realize that this is not going to be easy," the Captain pointed out, "and I do not mean physically."

"We understand Captain," Ya'Han confirmed with absolute certainty, something that the CO recognized for what it had truly been, a lack of experience in dealing with such nightmarish situations.  "There is a need and as you pointed out to Commander Shar'El we need to show to everyone that we are indeed here to help, not just to stand by and wait to be trusted."

"Very well," the Captain nodded in willingful acceptance.  "Take one of the shuttle crafts and be sure to bring all of the equipment you will need.  You might want to pass by Sickbay first to get something to help you deal with the radiation."

"Thank you Captain," both Ensign said at the same time before making a quick exit off the bridge.

[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Sickbay
Stardate: 31289.1055

"You do realize that you are both crazy, right?" Doctor Doyanne said as she applied the last of the hyposprays to the neck of the raven haired Sec/Tac Officer.  "Most people want to avoid what you two are rushing into."

"We have to prove ourselves, show everyone that we can be trusted and that we did not just appear to take part in the battle to vanish right after," Jayson passionately said as he rubbed the spot on his neck where his injection had been given.  "We know that it's going to be messy, but someone has to do it."

"Messy doesn't even come close to describing what you two are going to be dealing with, but I do admire your desire to help," Lillie added as she reached for an empty medkit to place a new set of hypospray in it.  "I will give you enough dosage to last for a week, not that I expect you to actually be there that long.  All I can add is for you to be careful down there and take things easy.  Whatever you think hell may be, this will be worst."

"Thank you," Ya'Han and Jayson offered as the Sec/Tac accepted the medkit.

[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Deck 4, Shuttlebay 2
Stardate: 31289.1110

"The HAZMAT suits have been loaded along with extra supplies and the medkit provided by Doctor Doyanne," Jayson stated as he went through his mental list to insure that nothing had been forgotten. "Are we sure we want to do this?" he asked as if either one of them had been ready to turn away from the responsibility they had accepted as their own.

"Get in and fly," Ya'Han teasingly snapped at her mission companion.  "All I ask is that you don't crash the shuttle."

"I was not the one who crashed the SPHINX on the moon of PI ALPHA III!  That was not my fault!"


[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]
Setting: EARTH, Versaille Triage Center
Stardate: 31289.1230

The small shuttle had made a quick fly over PARIS before landing at the Versaille Triage Center. Ya'Han and Jayson had thought it would prepare them for what was to come but it did not.  Dressed in their HAZMAT suits the two officers stepped out of the shuttle and slowly made their way to the triage center, their gaze lock on those who had been busy sorting through personal effects and bodies.

Both Ensign had wanted to say something, to voice their dismay and horror at what they were seeing but neither one could bring words pass their lips.  How could a single person have been responsible for such devastation?

In time Ya'Han and Jayson reached the center and approached one of the people hard at work sorting through the nightmare.

"Excuse me, can you help us?" Ya'Han asked, her eyes having caught the deformed face of one of the victims from the Paris attacks, the sight had been almost enough to make her run back to the shuttle.

"I can try," the blonde woman said, her voice filled with a sadness that could not be reproached.

"We are here to help," the raven haired woman said making sure to keep eye contact with the other woman.

"Is he your security escorte to make sure you don't run?" the golden haired woman asked as she looked at the man standing next to the woman who had spoken.

"No," came the stunned reply.  "Actually I'm the Security Officer and he's Chief of Operations. We just came to help in whatever way we can."

"So you came here on your own will?" the blonde woman asked in disbelief.

"Yes," the man confirmed with a hesitant smile. "Just tell us what we can do to help you."

"You want to help me?" the woman asked barely able to hold back her tears as her head dropped. Kindness had not been something she had expected at this point or at any point within the near future.

"My name is Ya'Han, and this is Jayson," the raven haired woman stated as she extended her hand clearly seeing that the person in front of them had needed their help first and in ways that they had not expected to give.

"I'm Sofia," came the grateful reply.  "Come with me, I'll get you started."

[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]
Hanali Han

Chief of Security / Chief Tactical Officer
USS ANUBIS, NCC-18501
M06-P013: USS ANUBIS: Shar'El: Day 5 - 0700 ("Slow and Easy")
=-=
"Slow and Easy"
[previous post was "Dawn Over a Different World" by our illustrious Head Writer Francois]
=-=

Setting: USS ANUBIS, Deck A-4, IGC
Stardate: 31289.0700

Another day had come and gone and although everything on board the USS ANUBIS appeared as it should, the air felt thick and heavy.  This had not been due to any sort of mechanical malfunction, Sonja Paquette the ship's CEO had made sure that everything worked well above the highest established parameters.  It was the people's emotions that had filled the air with a tangible weight, a fact that the ExO / ILO had been sure was making life hell for any and all Vulcans, Betazoids and telepaths on board.

As a Ullian she had not been immune to these feelings born from memories that were being broadcasted in full force and amplified by deeply rooted emotions.  Where Shar'El would normally need to concentrate to see such personal and intimate memories, she had to fight off the images that came flooding into her own mind.

Sadness and anger hovered just below the surface of each and every Human crew member on board the ANUBIS, many of them adding concerns to the mix should they have any family on EARTH.  As great as the IGC had been in tapping into planetary communication networks, monitoring channels and even finding certain individuals, the quiet chaos that reigned on the surface had made things exceptionally difficult on an entirely different level.

Many on the ship had family and friends living on EARTH and although for some the safety and whereabouts of those people had been confirmed, many still remained missing.  Shar'El knew that the IGC could have been made to scan the whole of the planet with more intensity, using every resources at their disposal but in the end the ExO / ILO knew that this would only add to the situation instead of helping.  The ANUBIS along with the rest of the NEW ALEXANDRIA Task Force had come to EARTH to help, not to impose its ways on those around them.  Their mission objective had been met; to stop the Neo Essentialists from destroying the planet.  Now they remained in orbit ready to help should they be asked.

The best course of action had been to take things slow and easy, allowing for the people and organization officially tasked with the search and rescue of those who needed it to do their job without interference from above.  Given all that had happened, Shar'El suspected that there would be some level of suspicions concerning the ANUBIS and the rest of the NEW ALEXANDRIA Task Force, after all those ships had figuratively come out of nowhere.

=-=
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Bridge
Stardate: 31289.1030

Having confirmed through the internal sensors that their Captain had been on the bridge and relatively unoccupied, the ExO / ILO had decided to come down from her domain to pay the CO a visit.

"Good morning Captain," Shar'El chimed in with as she stepped onto the bridge, glad to see their CO sitting in his chair.  As much as she understood the need of the Native American to pay his respects according to his beliefs, the place of a Captain had been on the bridge of his ship, not out for a walk on the outer hull of the ship.

"Good morning Commander," Erik answered far more chipper than the ExO / ILO had honestly expected.  "How goes the search?"

"Although they have been defeated, the Neo Essentialists did quiet a number of the planet," Shar'El reported.  "The majority of the infrastructures are intact but there are just too many people trying to get answers. There is no way for all of them to get the answers they want.  The ANUBIS, SEKHMET and HORUS have offered our communication array to help take on some of the overload but the offer has yet to be accepted."

"Trust is something that is difficult to built and far too easily shattered," Erik offered as if quoting some sort of personal wisdom.  "The planet as a whole is hurting and it is not ready to trust what it doesn't know."

"Us remaining unseen and unknown is an integral part of our Modus Operandi," the ExO / ILO pointed out.

"And there is the problem," the Captain added with a hint of sorrow.  "It will take time for us to be accepted as true allies, and that will only happen after things have settled down here.  The best we can do is to take think slow and easy."

Shar'El smiled at the words spoken by their Captain, words that had perfectly echoed her own thoughts on the situation.

"We will continue to passively monitor communications and see what we can do to locate missing individuals, focussing our efforts on family members of our crew," the ExO / ILO stated.  "At least that way we can be of some help while not trampling on any trust issues.  If we receive a request to help tough?"

"If a call should come in requesting our help, we are to provide all available resources," Erik answered with conviction and authority.  "We are here to help and we need to prove it through our actions beyond the battle that took place."

"Of course Captain," the ExO / ILO acknowledged before spinning on her heels and making her way towards the turbolift.  If this fabled call should indeed come it had been best for the IGC to have its most senior officer present and coordinate the efforts, plus it allowed Shar'El to stay somewhat more isolated from the rest of the crew saving her from fighting back the endless waves of memories being broadcasted by the entire crew.

=-=
Tiffany Reeve

Lieutenant Commander Shar'El [Access Character BIO for Shar'El]
Executive Officer / Intel Liaison Officer
USS ANUBIS

Lieutenant Commander Janeel [Access Character BIO for Janeel]
Intel Liaison Officer / Mission Specialist
USS BASTET
M06-P012: USS ANUBIS: Morningstar: Day 4 - 0600 ("Dawn Over a Different World")
##########
"Dawn Over a Different World"
Previous post "Full Power and More"
##########

"According to the Syilx people every aspect of our culture is based on our belief in the laws of respect. Everything we have, everything we do and everything we are is defined by respect."

=====
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Saucer Section Outer Hull
Stardate: 31288.0600

The view had been splendid and beyond compare. It had been far too long since Erik had been able to lay eyes on the world of his ancestors. Through the face glass of his EVA Suit EARTH appeared unblemished by the conflict that had just taken place, yet for those who knew what to look for the scars were unmistakable.  Paris, once referred to as the great 'City of Lights' stood in complete darkness, having been emptied in one swift move of its population and soul.  The debris from the destroyed Aegis Shield satellites and vanquished Federation vessels still in orbit served as an inescapable reminder of what the response had been, and how steep a price the human race had paid for the actions of a single man.

Soon crews would be assigned to investigate and clear the wreckages that orbited the blue planet, but now had not been time for that. The physical remnants of the battle needed to stay visible to help people focus their thoughts and respect on those who had lost so much.  Far too many had been forced to pay for the misguided and heavy handed ideals of the Neo Essentialists. Now was the time to show silent respect to all those who had left this world before their time.

The magnetic boots on Erik's feet moved in slow cadence with the Native American's prayer of respect and peaceful passage into the next life, the echo of the footsteps against the hull of the ship creating the rhythm by which the words were quietly spoken.  Normally such a prayer would have been offered in a more secluded and natural setting, but there had been so many people to show respect for... too many people.

=====
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Deck A-4, IGC
Stardate: 31288.0700

"Status report," Commander Shar'El demanded as she stepped into what had officially been her domain as the ANUBIS' ILO.

"Coordinating with the IGC of the SEKHMET and HORUS we are monitoring all planetary channels," the head IGC tech reported from the central section which stood above all the others.  "We have picked up some private chatter about Neo Essentialist support but nothing that was unexpected given what occurred.  We have tapped into a fair amount of coded diplomatic communications from the embassies here on EARTH though.  More than we had expected," the tech continued as he vacated the chair overlooking all of the IGC.  "Beyond that there is a very high volume of local and inbound subspace communications which has already overloaded the planetary and lunar array half a dozen times."

"A whole lot of people wanting to get news from loved ones and hoping that the rumours were false," Shar'El sighed as she eased herself into the control chair.  "What about our Captain?"

"He's still out there," the tech replied as he pointed to the monitor displaying the CO's current whereabouts, which still was on the outer hull of the ANUBIS' saucer section.

=====
Setting: USS ANUBIS, CMO's Office
Stardate: 31288.0730

The cup of vanilla coffee that she had walked in with an hour or so ago sat untouched on the edge of the CMO's deck, Doctor Doyanne having hit the ground running the moment she had entered her office.  Reports upon reports from the USS NILE and USS MA'AT sat on her desk detailing the casualties that had been brought onboard during the conflict.  Those who had been well enough to be returned to EARTH had been on the first transport out as soon as the battle was over, but for the others there had been no other choice but to keep them until their conditions improved.

The ANUBIS had taken on some of the more extreme cases which had required immediate treatment beyond what the support ships could provide. All of that had left Doctor Doyanne with the unenvious task of tracking the whereabouts of each and every patient so as to keep everyone aware of who was where.  Searching for a fellow shipmate, family member or even a mate had been stressful enough given the situation and Lillie had done everything in her power to make it easier wherever possible.

"Are you busy?" Eve quietly inquired as she leaned her head through the open doorway leading into the CMO's Office.

"Funny," Lillie said as she rolled her eyes.  "What can I do for you?"

"Actually, I was wonder what I could do for you?" The Ship's Counselor offered.

"You have *nothing* to do after the hell that we have just witnessed?" Doctor Doyanne gasped in disbelief.

"Keep in mind that I am the ANUBIS' Counselor and that we arrived in the heat of the battle.  Right now the crew is dealing with the situation on their own terms. I will be called in later when the questions that they have remain unanswered," Eve explained.  "Right now everyone is dealing with the physical pain which is helping many of them suppress the need to face the emotional issues."

"I understand," Lillie nodded.  "The moment I'm done with all of these a lot of them will be heading your way, and I might very well be first in line at that point."

"That's why I thought I would offer you my help now," the Counselor smiled, adding a friendly wink to help the Doctor realize that she had not been alone to deal with the chaos of the aftermath.

=====
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Bridge
Stardate: 31288.0730

"All tactical system are back to full operating status," Ya'Han softly announced from her station, the Nylaan woman having opted to once again display the solid black colour of her hair as a show of respect for the fallen.  Normally she would have gone with her regal purple to show support from the highest level of their society, but not having been ready to explain the significance of that colour to the rest of the crew, the Chief of Security and Tactical Officer and decided to keep things simple.

"Looks like Sonja and ANI worked through the night," Jayson commented as he reviewed the Chief Engineer's work log which showed the woman and Avatar having been all over the ship.

"The ANUBIS, along with the other SCARAB-Class ships performed exceptionally well during the battle," the raven haired Nylaan commented with surprise.  "There should not have been that much repair work required.

"You and I are not of this world," the Shillian Chief Science Officer pointed out in a solemn tone.  "We are dealing with the pain of what we have witnessed in the best possible way available to us, but for those like Sonja and Jayson, the pain runs much deeper."

The OPS Officer had been ready to argue the words of their Chief Science Officer but the man quickly thought against it.  Maya may not have been a Counselor but she understood human nature quite well, and Jayson had not been ready to admit to the very emotional night he had endured following the battle.

"We all deal in our own ways," Jayson nodded in agreement as he scanned the sensor readings showing their Captain still walking on the outer hull of the saucer section.

=====
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Main Engineering
Stardate: 31288.0730

"ANI," the redheaded Chief Engineer called out from behind an opened control panel, "can you confirm that the warp core phase differential is within .03 and .05, just want to make sure."

"The phase differential is steady at .038," the ship's Avatar replied in the same manner as any extension the ship's computer would have.  "Which is the same answer I have given the previous nine times you asked, at an average rate of once every 12.25 minutes," ANI added this time sounding almost human.

"Sarcasm! Was that sarcasm?" Sonja gasped.  "Your secondary subroutines appear to be working well above expectations," the CEO chuckled before her tone quickly shifted to a far more somber one.  "As for asking the same question over and over, I'm sorry, " she sadly added, her efforts to remain  busy having made her lose track of her own queries as well as the replies she had received for them.

"The IGC is monitoring all EARTH channels," the Avatar noted in an almost empathetic manner. "I will inform you the moment anything is picked up about your parents."

"Why couldn't they have just stayed home for once," Sonja voice in  frustrated anger.

"According to your own account,  your parents are not the type to just stay home," ANI noted, the Avatar coming across far more feeling than her design had made her to be. "Genetically, you have obviously gained that aspect of their character. Like them you are not one to remain still for any amount of time. The ship's internal sensor logs and the work you accomplished overnight are irrefutable proof of this."

"Yeah, whatever," Sonja said dismissively as she returned to her current work in progress.

--==(/\)==--
Francois Charette

Commanding Officer
USS ANUBIS, NCC 18501

AND

Lt. Commander Elan Fairborn [Access Character BIO for Elan Fairborn]
Robotics Engineering Officer
NEW ALEXANDRIA
M06-P011: USS ANUBIS: Stark: Day 3 - 1035 ("Full Power and More")
"Full Power and More"
[previous "Chaos Like None Other"]

[/\]

Setting: USS ANUBIS, Bridge
Stardate: 31287.1035

The moment the coordinates had been given by Admiral Marxx, the OPS Officer had targeted the specific area with all available sensors.  "Ykes," Jason let out as the rapidly developing situation became clear to him.  The ANUBIS would have to act fast if they were to save Sao Paolo and the forty million people living there.

"Bridge to Engineering, we are going to need maximum power to the thrusters," he said easily anticipating what Captain Morningstar would order next.

=/\= The thrusters are not lemons you can squeeze more juice out of whenever you want, =/\= the CEO shot back through the open comm channel.  =/\= but before you turn into a real sourpuss I'll see what we can do. =/\=

"Helm, set course 1-1-6, full thrusters.  Tactical, target that satellite with everything we have," the Captain ordered.  Jayson had never been a mind reader but given he situation the order had been, for a lack of a better way to say it, logical.

"Thrusters at 110%," Jayson reported. One thing had been a sure bet on the ANUBIS, their CEO knew how to get things done in a hurry.  "Sensors are showing that the satellite is already on an energy build-up targeting Sao Paolo."

"Do we have an estimate as to when it will fire?" the Captain asked, wanting to make sure that they would have enough time to act and save the city and its population.

"Unable to determine what the critical charge is. Our sensors can barely scratch the surface of that things and I suspect that it will take more than a few shots from our weapons to make a dent in it," the OPS officer said.  Had the satellite not been ready to erase another city off the surface of the EARTH, Jayson might have actually been impressed by the efficient design and power of the device.

"The satellites all appear to have turned their targeting systems towards the planet," the fiery haired Sec/Tac pointed out. "We should be able to take up position that will allow us to sustain a continual firing sequence."

"That would leave us as a sitting duck if the satellites has any sort of defensive countermeasure, or should it decide to turn back around to take care of us on a permanent basis," Jason objected with force.

"The energy build-up is rapidly increasing," Maya reported from her station.  "I do not believe that we have time for any sort of debate."

"Might find out how much of a pounding the upgraded ablative armor can take," the Captain said having made his decision as to what course of action they would be taking.  "Helm, bring us at optimal firing range of that satellite. Tactical, stand-by for continual firing resolution. Operations, keep an eye on the power distribution, I want all weapons operating as hot as possible without overloading any of the circuits."

"Great," Jayson mumbled to himself, "Lieutenant Paquette is going to set up a special seat for me *inside* the warp core if anything goes wrong with this plan."

[/\]
Jayson Sousa

Chief of Operations
USS ANUBIS, NCC-18501
M06-P010: USS ANUBIS: Shar'El: Day 3 - 1029 ("Chaos Like No Other")
=-=
"Chaos Like None Other"
[previous post was "Colors, Sounds and Feelings" by the caring Hanali]
=-=

Setting: USS ANUBIS, Deck A-4, IGC
Stardate: 31287.1029

Every member of the IGC team had been up to their eyeballs with the task of keeping track of each and every icon on their screens, be them friendly or hostile.  It had been thought that centralizing the sensor data from all ships through the lead ship's IGC would make things more effective in directing resources where they were the most needed.  That was how Shar'El thought it would be having been the one who had made the suggestion.

The IGC had been perfect for such a task, the equipment having been designed for Intel gathering and tracking while the technical team had been specifically trained for this sort of work. The only thing the ExO / ILO had not considered or counted on had been the overwhelming size of the task in question.

There had been 24 starships of various sizes and capabilities engaged against the 30 satellites of the Aegis Shield, several on both sides having now been disabled or flat out destroyed.  Although that had reduced the number of targets to track, it had greatly increased the number of objects to keep an eye on.  Adding in the 200 plus Starfighters that were buzzing around with the numerous torpedoes and larger scale debris had made the task of tracking everything more than a challenge, and that was before the new 8 vessels of the NEW ALEXANDRIA task force had been counted in.

Needless to say that the task would have been impossible for a single person, luckily for the ExO / ILO she had not been along in the IGC.

"The NILE is reporting 12 survivors have been beamed onboard," one of the techs reported.

"The EGYPT is having problems getting a lock on the survivors stranded in the engineering section of a ship about to go critical," another tech announced.

"Have the CLEOPATRA take care of them," Shar'El said without actually turning her attention away from what she had been tracking. "Her targeting sensors are more sensitive," she added as he voice trailed, the ExO / ILO having been closely observing the way the individual satellites behaved as a single organized force.

"Station 8, run a scan of the higher frequency subspace communication channels," the ExO / ILO ordered having noticed something about the particular manner in which the satellites moved. "Focus on the quantum sub-harmonics that we have on record as being used by the Borg.  If I am right, those satellites are using those frequencies to communicate with one another."

Shar'El watched as three of the satellites moved in near perfect harmony to concentrate their fire power on a single target.

"Devilishly ingenious," the ExO / ILO noted to herself in  whispered voice, thinking that the information they had reviewed on Richard Edgerton pointing to him being a masterful tactician might have actually been selling him short.

"Picking up several weak life signs off our port side," another tech reported.

With the shields, ablative armour, energy dispersion countermeasures and increased bio-regenerative hull matrix working as they were, there had been no way for the ANUBIS to directly help. "Relay the coordinates to he MA'AT," Shar'El ordered, giving the ANDROMEDA-Class Rapid Interceptor a few extra seconds to render assistance where they could not.

"The HORUS has engaged its target," yet another tech reported.  For the split second that followed the entire IGC came to a silent standstill as everyone waited to see the outcome of the assault. The success of failure of the ANUBIS' own assault in progress would very likely reflect that of their sister ship.  Although no one had a direct view of the ship or its target, everyone had access to the sensor readings that covered that area of space.

Four sets of rapidly following energy discharges, each capable of knocking a small ship clear into the afterlife, had been fired from the HORUS' pulse cannons. The two upper phaser banks along with the two lower banks had been set to maximum power and made to hit the satellite at a single point.  Under normal circumstances that amount of energy focussed at a single target would have been more than enough to reduce it into space dust, but to insure the outcome that everyone had wanted and hoped for, the HORUS had also launched two full volleys of tri-phasic torpedoes.

Shar'El imagined for a moment the expression of someone had they been inside the satellite looking at the impressive firepower heading their way from what could have only appeared as nowhere at the time.

The explosion that followed as shown by the sensors proved to be just as equally impressive, creating a literal hole in space as far as the scanners had been concerned.  It would take a moment for the energy of the weapons to dissipate enough to be able for the sensors to see the outcome, seconds that would be waited upon by everyone in the IGC with bated breath.

"Not picking out any power output from the satellite," a technician reported. "Target has been rendered inoperative."

A quick round of cheers filled the ICG before everyone returned to the task at hand.  Shar'El's own satisfaction in the outcome was held back as she looked at the target the ANUBIS had been heading for.  If Richard Edgerton had been as bright a tactician as it appeared he was and if he had used any sort of Borg technology, there had been a possibility, as slight as it might be, that the satellites of the Aegis Shield could adapt to offer better protection against the assault that the defence network had been the target of.

=-=
Tiffany Reeve

Lieutenant Commander Shar'El [Access Character BIO for Shar'El]
Executive Officer / Intel Liaison Officer
USS ANUBIS

Lieutenant Commander Janeel [Access Character BIO for Janeel]
Intel Liaison Officer / Mission Specialist
USS BASTET
M06-P009: USS ANUBIS: Ya'Han: Day 03 - 1028 ("Colors, Sounds and Feelings")
[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]
"Colors, Sounds and Feelings"
[previous post was "Time to Think, Time to Work, Time to Fight"]
[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]

Setting: USS ANUBIS, Bridge
Stardate: 31287.1028

The combat simulations that the Sec/Tac had been running over the last two days had not prepared her for this, not by a long shot. Ya'Han had to constantly remind herself to keep her attention on the satellite they were rushing in to engage, ignoring the debris and bodies that were showing up on her targeting sensors.  As detailed and demanding as the simulations had been designed to be, they had been 'clean', presenting the crew with neatly established targets and specific scenarios to overcome.

This had been anything but clean.  No one had said anything during the simulations, so there had not been any reason for Ya'Han to question her efforts, but now she could see how lacking her scenarios had been. The now black haired woman understood that the reason was a simple one; she lacked the experience in such situations, a gap that she had not known existed and would forever miss from this point on.

The path to the satellite they had targeted had been filled with countless obstacles, more appearing on her screen every second. Ya'Han had no doubts that the ablative armor would be able to handle it all, having survived far worse in the minefield surrounding the GAMMA ERADI Cluster. With the upgrades installed the Sec/Tac suspected that the outer shell now surrounding the ship could withstand a great deal more.  The problem had been *what* the obstacles had been.

Amongst the pieces of torn hull and other mechanical parts from ships that had been destroyed, the Sec/Tac could identify personal items as well as the bodies of those who had been serving on those doomed ships.  There had been no time for the ANUBIS to try and find a way around the debris meaning that all too soon the sound of impacts against the ablative armor would echo throughout the ship.

Given the size of the individual pieces that would come to impact against the ablative armor it had been very likely that no actual sound would reach the inside of the ship. Still, Ya'Han could not help but feel a sharp discomfort at the thought of the bodies simply bouncing off the shielded hull.

"Tactical! Bring pulse cannons, phasers and torpedoes to bare on that satellite. Maximum yield!" the Captain ordered bringing the Sec/Tac back in line. "Fire when we are at optimal range."

As sad as she might have felt, as uncomfortable as she might have been, Ya'Han's duty had been to the living. It had been her responsibility to do everything she could to insure that those who had been alive stayed that way, be them on board the ANUBIS or on any other ship.

In compliance with the order received the red haired Sec/Tac brought all weapons to target a single satellite.  As far as Ya'Han had been now concerned there had been nothing of importance between the ANUBIS and it's target.  There would be time to grieve and pay respects to the fallen, but for now the most important thing to keep in mind was to insure that there would be someone alive to remember those who had sacrificed so much.

"All weapons are at full power and targeting the satellite," Ya'Han reported in cold assurance.  Whatever sounds she might or might not hear, the Sec/Tac feelings had been a liability that no one could afford for her to have at this time.  Dealing with the battle at hand had to be the redhead's one and only matter occupying her thoughts.

[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]
Hanali Han

Chief of Security / Chief Tactical Officer
USS ANUBIS, NCC-18501
M06-P008: USS ANUBIS: Morningstar: Day 2 - 0630
("Time to Think, Time to Work, Time to Fight")
##########
"Time to Think, Time to Work, Time to Fight"
Previous post "A Ringing Personality"
##########

"It doesn't take a hero to order men into battle. It takes a hero to be one of those men who goes into battle."
- General Norman Schwarzkopf

=====
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Bridge
Stardate: 31286.0630

The Native American sat in his chair, a pensive expression on his features, his gaze lost on the stars streaking by on the main view screen.  Twenty eight hours now separated the task force from its destination and Erik could not help but wonder if they would arrive in time to be of any help.

Everyone was on edge, that had been expected. The sheer scope of the situation with the Neo-Essentialists, the Aegis Shield and the destruction of Paris had been more than enough to rattle anyone's cage. That said though the Commanding Officer of the USS ANUBIS had to admit that he had been impressed by the way his crew had handled themselves in view of such a horrific crisis.

The crew had not lost their time to think about what might be.  Instead they had become focused and driven, giving their very best and more to the task at hand. Despite this though there had been a certain air of familiarity between the members of the crew that could be felt in every corridor on every deck.  Since becoming Captain of the ANUBIS Erik had always acknowledged that feeling of togetherness, but after the news of Paris had been shared, that feeling had grown to be even stronger. Some command-level officers might have frowned on such a behaviour but Morningstar saw it as a means to offset the weight of the situation they all faced.  Humans and nonhumans alike had come together for a common goal -- that of saving EARTH: the home of Humanity as well as the heart of the United Federation of Planets.

=====
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Captain's Ready Room
Stardate: 31286.1830

"Here are the latest reports," Commander Shar'El stated as she handed over a half dozen PADDs to the sitting Commanding Officer who already had another eight such devices scattered over his desk.

"At this rate I might actually be happy for us to get to EARTH," the Native American sighed.  "Between our Chief of Security running endless drills, our Chief of Operations tweaking every system to get that 0.001% increase, our Chief Engineering finding new ways to make these ships be more combative, and you running computer simulations, I think it is time to work and put all that energy to us."

"Only sixteen hours to go," Shar'El offered with caution which made Erik lean back into his chair.  Although it might have sounded as if he had been complaining, the Native American had actually been thankful for all of the preparation that had gone into this mission.  People had needed to keep busy to avoid letting their thoughts and fears get the better of them, a reality that Captain Morningstar silently understood all too well.

=====
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Bridge
Stardate: 31287.1015

“We will reach the orbit of SATURN in 10 minutes,” the CSciO reported, her voice carrying a mixture of anxiety and relief. The long wait that they had all endured over the last two days was coming to an end.

The Native American took a moment to scan the bridge and the officers present, meeting their gaze as he did so. Every single one of them had in one way, shape or form prepared for this moment, both mentally and physically.

“Ensign Stark,” the ANUBIS’ CO began as he took in a long breath while setting himself to be squarely sitting in his chair. “One last time - what is the status of the fleet?”

“All ships have reported in Captain,” the OPS Officer stated with assurance.  “Everyone is showing 'go’.”

“Commander Shar’El?” Erik continued wanted to confirm for himself the status of the rather unorthodox coordination plan that had been devised

=/\= All ships’ sensor feeds are being rerouted through the IGC,=/\= the First Officer reported. =/\= We will be able to get very clear picture of what we are landing in as soon as we drop out of warp.  There is one problem though, =/\= Shar’El added with a troubled voice. =/\= Preliminary long-range scans are showing rather high energy readings from EARTH's orbit. =/\=

“Looks like we're late,” the Chief Engineer quietly noted while confirming the status of the ANUBIS’ systems.

“Captain?” the red haired Chief of Security and Tactical Officer inquired, the colour of her hair showing both her state of mind and readiness for what was to come.

“Bring the fleet to battle station,” Erik ordered.  “Looks like the time to fight has come,” he added as the bridge was plunged in the crimson hue of the alert status.  “Shar’El how difficult would it be to recalculate for the fleet to drop out of warp inside MARS’ orbit?” The Captain continued as he called up the tactical data on his chair's monitor.

=/\= Already on it Captain, =/\= the First Officer replied. =/\= I will have the new data transmitted to the rest of the fleet in less than 30 seconds. =/\=

“Doctor Doyenne?” the Native American followed up with.

=/\= I heard, everyone is ready down here, =/\= the CMO confirmed. =/\= The support ships are ready to transport and receive the injured. =/\=

“We are going to be arriving almost on top of them,” Sonja noted. “Brace yourselves it's going to be a bumpy ride. Inertial dampener are not going to be able to keep up with some of the fancy flying I suspect we are about to do.”

=/\= Stand-by, =/\= Shar’El called out to warn of the task force's imminent arrival.

=====
Setting: Space, just inside MARS’ orbit
Stardate: 31287.1025

The ANUBIS dropped out of warp very closely followed by the other two SCARAB-Class and the Sovereign-Class cruisers, with the four support vessels less than a second behind them, the entire task force having arrived a few hundred kilometers inside the new targeted area.  Although they had not been close enough to be part of the scene, the intensity of the battle had made it impossible to be missed.

Without any delays the ships went in to join the battle for EARTH.  The three SCARAB-Class Intel Cruisers seemed to vanish against the darkness of space as their black colored Ablative Armor were activated.

 =====
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Bridge
Stardate: 31287.1026

“What a mess,” Stark commented out loud as the main view screen displayed the chaos ahead of them.

"Keep the fleet in formation until the absolute last second," Morningstar stated ignoring the comment made by the OPS Officer despite agreeing with it.

"The energy output of those satellites is much higher than we had expected them to be," Maya announced.

"Edgerton kept a few aces up his sleeves it seems," Eve noted as she stood next to Erik, offering whatever support she could.

"Figures," Sonja huffed, "could reroute secondary power to the Ablative Armor and boost the bio-regenerative hull matrix to compensate for whatever make it through, that will help in the short run but it risks overloading the relays.  The SCARAB-Class was designed to be able to take a pounding, this is above its pay grade... not to mention mine."

=/\= Picking up several debris fields, =/\= Shar’El reported from the IGC.  =/\= Using the sensor telemetry from all available ships it looks like 8 of the 30 satellites have been destroyed. Based on the amount of debris it looks like the battle is not going well. More ships than satellites are going down.  That said we are also tracking some strange movements from the satellites which may explain why, they seem to be using some sort of dynamic countermeasures. =/\=

"Dynamic countermeasures?" Erik echoed not sure as to what to make of that specific piece of information.

=/\= The satellites are actually teaming up against the larger ships, likely having identified them as the greatest threat. =/\=

“We will be in weapon's range in 45 seconds,” Ya'Han announced, her fingers already hovering over the firing controls.

"The CLEOPATRA is transmitting our presence and intents to the engaged fleet, but given how busy they are I doubt we will get any sort of answer, let along a welcome message," Ensign Stark reported from the Operations station.

“Shar’El, have the NILE and EGYPT focus on the larger debris fields with the CLEOPATRA offering cover. Bring in every escape pods and wreckage-bound survivor you can. The APOPHIS and MA’AT can follow us in and do the same, we'll cover them.  As for the satellites, stick to the initial plan and have each SCARAB-Class target an individual satellite with everything they have."

=/\= I will see if we can tap into and access the satellite's base programming or at least try disrupt the defence network's communication in some way. If we can isolate them from one another it will make it easier for the rest of the fleet to deal with them, =/\= Shar'El stated, the IGC team already hard at work on the mentioned ideas as well as a few others in the hopes of finding some sort of weakness they would be able to exploit.

"Perfect, keep me informed" the Native American acknowledged, "In the meantime let's hope our cloaking armor and sensor countermeasures will give us at least one free shot before we are noticed and classified as a hostile force by the planetary defence network.”

“What happens after we get noticed and classified as hostile?” Eve queried not at all sure that she was going to like the answer.

"We hang on to our girls and pray?" Sonja said in as much a humourous tone as she could manage given the situation. The redheaded Engineer had always been known to act a little more 'off-beat' when in the midst of a crisis.

“Once we make our presence known we give those satellites something fresh and bigger to focus on,” Erik replied, the fire in his eyes reflecting the chaos and devastation he had been witnessed to.  

--==(/\)==--
Francois Charette

Commanding Officer
USS ANUBIS, NCC 18501

AND

Lt. Commander Elan Fairborn [Access Character BIO for Elan Fairborn]
Robotics Engineering Officer
NEW ALEXANDRIA
M06-P007: USS ANUBIS: Paquette: Day 1 - 2330 ("A Ringing Personality")
"A Ringing Personality"
Previous post - "Tactical Review in 3D"

=====
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Deck 2, Corridor for Senior Officer Quarters
Stardate 31285.2330

After a long work day in Main Engineering overseeing last minute adjustments to the warp core, tactical systems and most important the ship's Avatar, Sonja had been overdue for a rest.

On her way to her quarters the redheaded Chief Engineer came face-to-face with the ship's First Officer.

"Good evening Commander," Sonja offered in a very friendly tone to the woman whom she considered to be a good friend as well as a shipmate.

"Lieutenant," Shar'El acknowledged in return. "Had to fix ANI?" The Ullian ask, the memory of the work still very prominent in the CEO's mind.

"The system upgrades forced a personality reset," the redhead explained not at all wondering how the ILO had come to know that particular detail of her day. Shar'El had many ways to find out things and Sonja had been fine with all of them.  "That's right Spy Girl," the CEO confirmed with two pointing fingers western-style shooting directed at the ExO. "The real issue was that I had to do it twice," the Chief Engineer added with a hint of annoyance.

"Twice?" Shar'El queried having actually been too tired to scan the woman's memories for the answer.

"Apparently Surrel liked the new unemotional and perfectly logical Avatar," Sonja said with a low soft growl.  "He thought the modifications were a malfunction being unable to recognize a  'personality', not having one himself being Vulcan.  Nobody puts baby in the corner," the Chief Engineer added. "So I had to fix her again, as well as him."

"So the sub-harmonic frequency from the warp core was deliberate?" Shar'El chuckled. "I was curious as to why that had not been noticed by you when Surrel reported to Sickbay with a ringing in his ears."

"Ringing?" Sonja echoed in utter innocence. "So the pointed ears are ringing, I am so sorry to hear that. Ain't that a crying shame for the poor little lad. I do declare I hope that there is no permanent damage," the redhead added in her best southern American voice.

Shar'El could not help herself but laugh even if only for a few seconds. The First Officer truly pitied anyone on the wrong side of any disagreement with the CEO.

"According to Doctor Doyanne's medical report there is no lasting effect," the ILO confirmed.  "Just a sharp continual annoyance from which he seems unable to escape from."

"Well," Sonja playfully shrugged,  "guess I will have to take a look at that problem when I have a free moment. Then again, given our current mission though it might take me a while to get 'round to it. Speaking of which do you have anything requiring my attention? "

"Actually yes, " the Commander replied. "I was running some simulations and wondered if there was a way for you to make it possible for the ANUBIS and the other SCARAB-Class cruisers to effect turns faster?"

"The SCARAB-Class cruisers were meant to be stealthy and capable of taking a massive pounding, not run circles around would-be targets but I will see what I can come up with," the Chief Engineer replied. "I can always check with the towering Oltharian to see if he has any suggestions. Elan is always so ready and willing to help and he is an expert on this class of vessel."

"That would be greatly appreciated," Sharp El continued in a very formal manner. "One more thing."

"Yes Commander?"

"It would be wise for every member of the crew to get some *peaceful* rest before we arrive to EARTH," the ExO stated making her request clear without actually saying the words.

"Understood, " Sonja acknowledged knowing that Shar'El had been perfectly right. "I will have ANI make the adjustments to the core as soon as I get to my quarters."

=====
Lorraine Paquette

Lieutenant JG Sonja Paquette [Access Character BIO for Sonja Paquette]
Chief Engineering Officer
USS ANUBIS, NCC 18501
M06-P006: USS ANUBIS: Shar'El: Day 1 - 2200 ("Tactical Review in 3D")
=-=
"Tactical Review in 3D"
[previous post was "Floored" by the pain masochistic Jayson]
=-=

Setting: USS ANUBIS, Deck A-4, IGC
Stardate: 31285.2200

Since the end of the battle simulations the ExO / ILO along with the staff of the IGC had spent every minute going over sensor and archive data pertaining to the Aegis Shield and the Neo-Essentialists.  Shar'El had always believed in having as much information as possible for any situation, and given the severity of the predicament EARTH had been facing, that belief had been pushed to its furthest limit.

=/\= Doctor Doyanne to Commander Shar'El, =/\= the voice of the CMO came over the officer's comm badge, this having been the third time the woman had attempted to contact the First Officer.

"Yes Doctor, how may I help you," the ExO / ILO replied, having allowed a little too much annoyance sip through her lips as she spoke.

=/\= Commander, as the ANUBIS' Chief Medical Officer I should not have to remind you that ignoring a call from me is not a good idea, =/\= Lillie said. Although the Doctor had done her best to come across as upset, Shar'El knew better and continued accordingly.

"I am sorry, but as you can imagine we are rather busy up here."

=/\= I don't doubt it, but what if I had some sort of medical emergency? =/\= Doctor Doyanne offered back to point out that her first attempt should have been replied to instead of ignored.

"Doctor," the ExO / ILO said with an audible grin as she turned her attention to one of her monitors, specifically the one showing on a split screen the ship's Sickbay as well as the CMO's current location.  "You are sitting at your desk enjoying a gin and tonic camouflaged in a regular cup. The only two patients in SIckbay are Crewman Ashten suffering from a sprained pinky and Ensign Surrel who came to see you about an odd ringing in his ears.  The new warp core is likely the cause of the ringing which will likely subside when he has gotten used to the new frequency of the core or Lieutenant Paquette establishes an counter-resonance field around said core. In either case neither of the present any sort of medical emergency."

=/\= You do know how creepy it is that you are capable of looking into every spot on the ship, right? =/\= Doyanne objected as she hid her cup inside her desk.

"Unless specifically ordered by Captain Morningstar, the IGC internal sensors are restricted to public area only.  I assure you that the privacy of the crew is being solemnly respected," the ExO / ILO detailed before continuing. "Now what can I do for you Doctor?"

=/\= Well luckily yours are not the only sensors that can track people.  You have been at the IGC since we left NEW ALEXANDRIA 13 hours ago, and although I cannot see what you have been eating or drinking, if anything, I can tell that you have not moved from that chair of yours.  We will be arriving at EARTH is approximately 36 hours and the crew, including yourself, needs to be well rested.  As the IGC supervisor you cannot afford to be at less than your best, and as the ship's ExO you also need to lead by example.  You need to rest, and that's a medical order. =/\=

"Very well Doctor," Shar'El conceded.  "I am leaving the IGC right away."

=/\= Thank you. Have a good rest. =/\=

=-=
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Deck A-5, Holographic Simulation Chamber 1
Stardate: 31285.2255

The Holographic Simulation Chambers had been designed to allow for an away team to get a better feel of a situation before they actually went down to a planet surface.  This highly specialised holodeck had been linked with the ship's external sensors to allow for near real-time simulations.

Although it had not been designed for what Shar'El had decided to use it for, the system had been more than equipped to address the needs of the ExO / ILO.  While standing in the middle of the imposing room, the Commander found herself in space which EARTH filling one full side of the room.

"Doctor Doyanne said for me to rest," the ExO / ILO mused to herself.  "This is actually very relaxing.  Now for a little bit of added details to make this simulation both relaxing and functional.  Computer, using all available data on the Aegis Shield, add the location of the satellites to this simulation."

=/\= Working. =/\= the computer acknowledged, the holographic representation of the satellites in question appearing only a few seconds later.

"Good. Now given the task force's current speed and taking into account that it will drop out of warp speed at SATURN's orbit, extrapolate the rotation of EARTH and display the task force's arrival vector as it comes within the moon's orbit."

The holographic display immediately changed to reflect the specified parameters allowing Shar'El to see EARTH on one side and the arriving task force on the other with the ANUBIS in the lead and the rest of the ships in the exact same formation as they currently were.

"I will have to suggest that the CLEOPATRA holds back when we arrive," Shar'El noted to herself.  "There might be a need to offer the support ships some extra protection.  The ANUBIS, SEKHMET and HORUS should be more than able to tackle individual satellites given that their Ablative Armor are deployed along with the energy dispersal countermeasures.  The pulse cannons in addition to the launch of a volley of tri-phasic torpedoes should be enough to take care of their respective targets.  The problem will be locking in onto secondary targets.  The ships will need to move in order to have their forward weapons come to bare on the new targets and that could leave them vulnerable to flanking attacks."

Shar'El paused for a moment as she studied the simulation trying to find a way to maximize the assault of the three SCARAB-Class cruisers while minimizing their exposure to counter attacks, of course the problem had been maneuvering room.  A standard space battle allowed for ships to move more freely, but attacking a planetary defence grib meant that the ships had to move faster in order to return to an optimum attack vector.

"I will need to speak with Sonja to see if there is a way for us to get the ships to turn faster without being easier to target," the ExO / ILO continued, feeling that voicing her ideas out loud would help her make sense of the endless variables at play.

The Commander took in a long breath then released in as a sigh.  Fatigue had finally caught up to her and as much as she had wanted to continue with this tactical review Shar'El knew better than to press on. The last thing she wanted to do was prove Doctor Doyanne right, especially after having been found sleep on the floor of the Holographic Simulation Chamber.

"Computer, save and end program.  We will need to revisit this before our arrival," the Commander said reluctantly as the holographic display vanished.  "In less than 35.5 hours we are not going to be faced with a simulation but the real thing, and we cannot afford to be anything less than perfectly ready," the ExO / ILO added as she made her way out of the room.  If she had not agreed with the Doctor's order for rest then, Shar'El had not been so resistant to the idea of getting off her feet now, both her body and mind needing the respite that had been prescribed by Lillie Doyanne.

=-=
Tiffany Reeve

Lieutenant Commander Shar'El [Access Character BIO for Shar'El]
Executive Officer / Intel Liaison Officer
USS ANUBIS

Lieutenant Commander Janeel [Access Character BIO for Janeel]
Intel Liaison Officer / Mission Specialist
USS BASTET
M06-P005: USS ANUBIS: Stark: Day 1 - 1445 ("Floored")
"Floored"
[previous "Battle Readiness"]

[/\]

Setting: USS ANUBIS, Deck 13, Gymnasium
Stardate: 31285.1445

The Counselor had said for everyone to find a way to relax.  Letting the siege of EARTH weigh on our minds would only make things worse.  Of all the crewmen on all the ships of this task force, Jayson had likely been the one best placed to know how a single thought could dictate one life.

Since the death of Leena he had spent the majority of his free time thinking of what could have been.  This had been such an important of his life that there had been many opportunities that had slipped by him.  Lunch with Ya'Han had been a step in the opposite direction, one that Stark did not regret a bit, at least not that way.

"Remind me why we are here again?" Jayson asked from the padded floor of the gymnasium with Ya'Han looking down at him, her black hair having been changed back to the fiery red that she had back on the bridge.

"You wanted to know why I could change my hair to red," the Chief of Security said while helping the floored man back to his feet.

"So let me get this straight," Jayson went on while stretching the kinks in his back and shoulders.  "Changing your hair color is not just something that you do, you had to earn the right for each different color."

"It is a little more complicated than that," Ya'Han said as she resumed a combat stance.

During the meal Jayson had asked about her ability to change her hair color, and she had accepted to demonstrate.  At the time he had not expected the demonstration to be this physical but Jayson had not been in a position to back down.

"You earned the right to change your hair to red by beating people up?" He asked having been given just enough time to speak before being thrown back onto the mat.

"For my people, the color of our hair is an indication of not only skills but status," Ya'Han explained helping the poor man back to his feet once again.  "Red shows a status as a warrior, and like in any military system, this status can only be earned through training in order to be able to show the mastery of physical skills as well as knowledge of combat and warfare."

"So you have to beat a whole lot of people to get the right to change your hair to red.  Now I get it," Jayson laughed only to find himself back on the floor mat in the heart beat that followed.  "No doubt at it, you earned that right," he added through half breaths.

"You were the one that asked," the Chief of Security said, the grin on her face the largest that Jayson had ever seen.  That she had been ready to admit it or not, this little distraction had been good for both of them, at least emotionally speaking. Physically speaking Jayson feared that he would have to pay Doctor Doyanne a visit before being able to return to his duties.

"How about showing me that green you were talking about earlier," he said as he took a few seconds to catch his breath while kneeling on the mat that he had become overly acquainted with over the last little while.  "I have the feeling that it will be a lot less painful for me to discover what you have to learn to be able to earn *that* color."

"After the problem with the Neo-Essentialists is dealt with," she stated once again, the forcefulness of her voice made Jayson understand that this had not been a lighthearted matter.

"Sorry, didn't mean to pressure," Jayson apologised before starting to get up back to his feet and feeling a sharp pain in his back which caused him to go crashing down on the mat, this time on his own.

"Are you alright?" Ya'Han asked as she dropped to her keens next to the man, fearing that she had severely injured him in some way.

"Might have pulled a muscle," he said in pain before blinking several times as he looked up at the woman who now kneeled over him.  "White?"

Ya'Han drew back not having realized that her hair color had instinctively changed to reflect the needs of the moment.  It took her a few seconds but she eventually went back to Jayson's side.

"Well you wanted to learn about another color," she said while gently running her hands over his back without moving him.  "White is for medical knowledge.  I do not have enough knowledge to be a Doctor or be anywhere on a medical staff, but I do know enough to identify and address minor injuries."

With the press of a finger against the tense muscle Jayson feel the pain instantly dissipate allowing him to sit without any problems.

"I like white," he grinned.  "A lot less painful then red, but I do see the advantages of you having earned both.  You get to heal those poor chaps you knock down so that you can do it again."

Looking less than impressed Ya'Han forcefully pushed Jayson back down on the mat as she returned to her feet.  "You can get up on your own this time, the demonstration is over."

Jayson silently cursed to himself as he watched the Chief of Security walked out of the gym, the woman having regained the red hair color of her chosen profession.  As he returned to his feet he hoped that he had not said anything that would make her angry at him or unwilling to further share the many things he wished to learn about her.

All that they needed to do was to survive the confrontation that would be upon them soon enough.

[/\]
Jayson Sousa

Chief of Operations
USS ANUBIS, NCC-18501
M06-P004: USS ANUBIS: Ya'Han: Day 01 - 1230 ("Battle Readiness")
[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]
"Battle Readiness"
[previous post was "Dorothy and the Tin Man"]
[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]

Setting: USS ANUBIS, Bridge
Stardate: 31285.1230

With the NEW ALEXANDRIA task force in tow, the Sec/Tac of the ANUBIS had spent the last hour or so running various combat simulations with the help of Commander Shar'El and the IGC.  The destructive power of the Aegis Shield had bee made clear to everyone and Ya'Han had not wanted to leave anything to chance.

"Commander," the now red haired Sec/Tac said with a slight disapproving tone.  "Is there any way to get the ships to come out of warp closer to EARTH's orbit? It would go a long way to increase our response time to whatever we encounter."

=/\= Dropping out of warp right on top of the Aegis Shield is not the issue. Running into the ships that may be engaged in battle with it is.  You of all people should understand the danger in finding ourselves in the dead middle of a battle, especially with friendlies trying to figure out who and what we are, =/\= Shar'El explained.

"As far as the Federation is concerned, the ANUBIS and the other ships in this task force do not exist," the Captain went on to add.  "Depending on the situation we are going to land in the middle of, we could be considered as hostiles instead of friendly.  I don't have to explain to you how that would make a bad situation worse.  Our best bet will be for us to drop out of warp at SATURN's orbit and clearly announce our intentions as we make the final approach.  This will give us ample time to identify ourselves and for whoever is there to confirm that we are on their side."

"Sorry Captain," the Ensign offered.

"There is no need to apologise," Captain Morningstar said, his voice filled with an understanding that the Sec/Tac was very appreciative for.

"Since we still have almost two full days before we land in the middle of what could be hell itself," Jayson said as the replacement shift stood behind each of the stations. "And you have already put the ship through its paces. Think you have time for lunch?"

Ya'Han had been ready to decline the offer. Two days seemed so little time to insure that the ship and crew had been beyond ready, but with a smile the Sec/Tac nodded her agreement.

[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Deck 16, Black Hole Lounge
Stardate: 31285.1250

Jayson sat across the small table, his gaze locked on on Ya'Han's eyes or even her face but rather on her hair which had returned to the dark black that the OPS officer had been accustomed to.

"I still can't get over the fact that you can naturally do that," Stark chuckled, having ignored the food that had been placed in front of him to instead focus on the woman sitting with him.

"I hate to be the one to point this out to you, but there is a lot about me that you don't know," Ya'Han said. The hardships of her past had made it so that she had never been comfortable in sharing any of it, at least that was until Shar'El had looked into her memories.  From that point on the Sec/Tac had discovered that her fellow shipmates had not been like others. Her past had not been something to be used against her, but rather something to be recognized as a reason why she had become the woman she now was.  A lesson that Ya'Han knew Jayson could make good use as well.

"Maybe you would be willing to share?" A hopeful tone filled Jayson's voice.

"Tell you what," Ya'Han grinned. "Once we have helped with the Neo Essentialists and that Aegis shield I will show you a couple more colors that my hair can change to."

"More colors?" Jayson gasped.

"If you are really really luck, I might even show you green and why I am able to display that color."  Ya'Han had to use every ounce of self control not to burst out laughing at the expression of total disbelief and confusion that had been looking back at her from the other side of the table.  At the very least, this would serve to give Jayson something to look forward to and to insure her would make it through whatever would be waiting for them in EARTH's orbit.

[/\] [/\] [/\] [/\] [/\]
Hanali Han

Chief of Security / Chief Tactical Officer
USS ANUBIS, NCC-18501
M06-P003: USS ANUBIS: Paquette: Day 1 - 1030 ("Dorothy and the Tin Man")
"Dorothy and the Tin Man"
Previous post - Jayson's "Antsy"

=====
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Main Engineering
Stardate: 31285.1030

The redheaded Chief Engineering Office gazed at the new warp core with delightful enjoyment. There had just been something unique about the way the core pulsated, giving life to the ship as a heart would to any living creature.

"The new M.A.R.A is performing well above expected parameters," ANI announced as she walked up to join Sonja.

"Every system has been upgraded and polished to a shine," Lieutenant Paquette offered in return. "It makes sense that everything including the Matter/Antimatter Reaction Assembly is working above expected parameters.  It will take some time for me to get used to her new sounds, but I can still see and hear her in there.  The ANUBIS might have gotten a complete make over but her soul has not changed."

"As an integral part of the ship I can assure you that the ANUBIS does not what you refer to as a soul," the ship's avatar offered with cold certainty.

"Don't you worry none Pinocchio, " Sonja laughed knowing that all of the work done on the ANUBIS over the last 85 days had returned the avatar to her 'factory default settings'. "Your blue fairy is here. It might take me a little time but you will see," the CEO said looking back at the mechanical confusion staring back at her.  "Alright, it might take more than a little time but as soon as we reload your original personality subroutines and link it back to your secured archive files you'll change your mind.  You'll be back and able to join me on the dark side," Sonja ended adding an evil laughter that drew the attention of the majority of the engineering staff.

"The dark side if what?" ANI inquired not at all able to make the necessary links to understand the reference made.

"That's it!" The Chief Engineer exclaimed in exasperation, "We need to get you fixed - NOW. "

"Fixed?" The avatar repeated with as much puzzlement as the artificial being had been able to display given her new 'upgraded' systems. "My internal diagnostics are not showing any malfunctions."

"Gang," Sonja called out to her engineering team as she grab hold of the Avatar's arm. "Keep an eye on things.  ANI and I have a rendezvous with the Great and Powerful Wizard of Oz. Someone needs a heart, STAT!"

"Where are we going?" ANI questioned unable to follow the Chief Engineer's ramblings.

"Down the yellow brick road my dear," the redhead scowled. "I have less than two days to fix you."

=====
Lorraine Paquette

Lieutenant JG Sonja Paquette [Access Character BIO for Sonja Paquette]
Chief Engineering Officer
USS ANUBIS, NCC 18501
M06-P002: USS ANUBIS: Stark: Day 1 - 0900 ("Antsy")
"Antsy"
[previous "Sending In The Cavalry"]

[/\]

Setting: USS ANUBIS, Bridge
Stardate: 31285.1030

"The fleet is following," Stark said tracking with ease each and every ship at his station. The sensor upgrades had indeed been a good one.

It felt good to being back on the bridge and seeing the stars streaking by on the forward screen.  It had been far too long since he had been here doing this.  85 days might has well have been 85 years.

Overseeing the engineers working and checking up the countless upgrades had been fun, and boring all at the same time. Being out there rushing between the stars was what he enjoyed doing.  That was as long as Jayson didn't think of the reason why the ANUBIS had been rushing back to EARTH with the NEW ALEXANDRIA fleet on their tail.

In comparison, the next 2 days would feel like nothing, each second bringin them that much closer to their destination.  The real issue was that no one knew what to expect. Would they arrive to find that the situation had already been resolved or would be drop out of warp in the middle of an asteroid field made of what is left of the planet he called home.

The OPS officer ran through the system diagnostics once again, this being the fifth or sixth time he had done so.  Everything had been checked and double checked, the upgrades had been tested to the point of even making the engineers say that it was enough.  What Jayson wanted was to see the ship in action, to test the new and improved system, to make the last 85 days be worth the time they had all put into it.

"The fleet is following," Stark said out loud.

"Thank you Ensign. You don't have to give us a minute by minute update," the Captain said in return.

"Try to relax," Ya'Han said from across the bridge. Jayson understood that he had made that report a few too many times since their departure and that by the looks of things the Chief of Security and Tactical Officer had felt pretty much the same.

Jayson chuckled to himself as he watched Ya'Han, finding it weird to see her with red hair.  He had always known her to have dark black hair and although the new color suited her well, it had been strange for him to see her this way.  During the 85 days the ANUBIS had been stuck at NEW ALEXANDRIA she had opened up about her past, at least a little more than she ever had before. Stark had learned of her ability to change her hair color although she had decided not to give him more details as to why or how.

As far as he had been concerned she enjoyed keeping the mystery from him. That was the only possible explanation he could come up with.  Whatever her reasons were Jayson had been happy that the two of them had started talking more, not only because he liked speaking with her but also because it had helped him deal with the demons of his past.

The OPS officer returned his attention to his station. He had spent more than enough time thinking of things that had happened, it was time for him to keep his mind and thoughts on what was yet to come.  EARTH, the Aegis Shield and the rush of the ANUBIS and fleet were more than enough to keep his mind busy for the time being.

:: The fleet is following, :: Jayson said, this time only to himself in silence, his smile being the only hint that he had said or done anything of the sort.

[/\]

Jayson Sousa

Chief of Operations
USS ANUBIS, NCC-18501
M06-P001: USS ANUBIS: Shar'El: Day 1 - 0900 ("Sending In The Cavalry")
=-=
"Sending In The Cavalry"
[previous post was "Sisterly Discussion" by Marissa]
=-=

Setting: NEW ALEXANDRIA, Admiral Koniki's office
Stardate: 31285.0900

"Good morning Erik," the Admiral said as he welcomed the Commanding Officer of the ANUBIS into his office.  "How are you today?"

"Edgy," Morningstar dryly replied, "and you know why."

"The repairs and upgrades to he ANUBIS have unfortunately taken longer than expected," Koniki calmly stated.  "With every ship back at NEW ALEXANDRIA, the engineering staff is greatly overwhelmed.  Luckily the ANUBIS made it back earlier than expected allowing for the majority of the scheduled work to be performed."

"Admiral," Erik started slamming his hands on the imposing desk which offered a natural barrier between the two men, "it's been *85* days since we urgently came back.  My crew is about to go crazy, and they are not the only one.  Everyone on base is walking on pins and needles."

"That is why I asked you here Erik," the Admiral calmly interrupted not having let the Captain's outburst change his demeanor.  "The fleet is ready to head for EARTH.  I have received several reports pointing to a plan taking place in two days. That will give you just enough time to get there and offer whatever assistance may be needed."

"Which ships are being sent in?" Morningstar asked, the Captain have softened his posture in response to the news that he and the rest of his crew had been waiting to get for far too long.

"The APOPHIS, EGYPT, MA'AT and NILE will offer tactical support. Their cargo bays have all been modified to provide medical aid and their transporters have been fine tuned to be faster and more precise.  My hope is that they will be able to reach into critically damaged ships and pull the crew out before it is too late.  I know that realistically we cannot save everyone, but even if these modifications can save a handful of people they will have been worth it.  As for the main battle fleet, it will consist of the CLEOPATRA, HORUS and SEKHMET," the Admiral added before taking a short pause.  "The ANUBIS will take the lead."

"You are not going to be leading the fleet from the SCARAB?" Morningstar asked stunned that the Admiral had decided not to lead this unprecedented mission.

"I have dealt with the 'behind the scenes' work for too long to be who the fleet needs at this time," Koniki admitted as he turned his back to Erik in order to look at the docked ships inside the asteroid.  "Aside, the SCARAB would need several months of work to be brought up to par to what the ANUBIS, HORUS and SEKHMET were before returning home.  I need," the Admiral began before stopping and changing his approach. "The fleet needs an experienced Captain and crew able to think of their feet in a crisis, and the ANUBIS under your command is just what is needed."

Erik had been ready to argue as to the need for all ships to be present and that the Admiral's own knowledge and experience would be imperative to the operation, but the Captain knew better than to get into any sort of scuff with Koniki. The man's decision had bee made and there had likely been no way for anyone to change it.

"The Captains of all the ships have already been informed of your appointment," the Admiral added without turning back to look at the only other person standing in his office.  "The fleet is set to leave in one hour.  Good luck!"

With that said Morningstar exited the Admiral office to return to his ship, the task ahead of them clear beyond any doubts.

=-=
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Bridge
Stardate: 31285.0955

One by one the ships had exited the secret base to rendez-vous at the edge of the asteroid field.

"All ships have reported in Captain," Stark announced. "The fleet is ready to go."

"Status report," Erik demanded. Since his attention had been on the other ships, he needed to confirm that the ANUBIS had been ready to lead the Cavalry to EARTH.

=/\= IGC online, =/\= the ExO / ILO added through the open comm channel.  =/\= Remind me to thank the Admiral, the upgrades are very impressive.  We have links to every ship and will be able to track them throughout this mission. =/\=

=/\= Main Engineering is up and ready Captain, =/\= Sonja said in a sing-song voice. =/\= The warp core is purring like a kitten and every system is reading as green as the grass on RISA. =/\=

"Tactical systems are fully operational," Ya'Han continued.  "We may be purring but this cat has its claws sharpened and is armored for a fight."  The woman immediately smiled feeling a sense of pride in having followed the CEO's analogy with one of her own.  It had taken some time but the red haired Chief of Security and Tactical Officer had learned, with some help, to interact with greater ease with the likes of Sonja Paquette.

"Sensor upgrades are online," the Chief Science Officer added.  "We will be to see the fluctuations in the orbits of the Aegis Shield satellites even before we cross the PLUTO defence parameter."

=/\= Sickbay is ready, =/\= Doctor Doyanne said glad that she had managed to get her report in.  =/\= I have coordinated with the support ships and insured that the additional medical staff onboard know what to expect.  Everyone is ready for the worst. =/\=

"Let's hope that the worst is not what we will have to deal with," Eve added as she offered a weak, nervous smile to their Captain.

"Sounds like we are more than ready," Erik said with mixed feelings. Having the fleet ready had been something to be grateful for, but the reason that had prompted this to happened had filled the Captain as well as everyone else on every ship with fear and apprehension.  "Helm.  Set course for EARTH, best fleet speed."

"Using the maximum sustainable warp speed of the slowest vessel in the fleet, we should arrive in EARTH's orbit in two days and 40 minutes," Maya stated having done the calculations long before the fleet had even been ready to get underway.

=-=
Setting: Space, just on the edge of the asteroid field near the GEZA Nebula
Stardate: 31285.1000

Slowly the ships emerged from the rocky field like a storm ready to devastate anything it would come across.  Never before had such a sight been seen leaving the asteroid field, the secret base having always operated under the rule of not drawing attention to itself. That was before EARTH stood on the brink of a bottomless abyss and the fate of all Humanity hung in a precarious balance.

Almost in perfect unity the ships of the fleet jumped into warp speed with the ANUBIS taking lead.  In 2 days and 40 minutes they would make their presence known to everyone, and hopefully prove to be of some help in the conflict that no one could have ever expect to happen.

=-=
Setting: EARTH's orbit
Stardate: 31287.1025

The weapons' exchange between the Aegis Shield and the Federation fleet could be seen from the surface of the planet as well as far beyond the moon's orbit.  The battle had started and the fate of EARTH, the Federation and well as humanity as a whole now rested on the outcome.

The NEW ALEXANDRIA fleet still stood 15 minutes out and unaware of the chaos that awaited them.  Even if they had nothing would have changed aside from maybe the faster vessel pushing on the home stretch to arrive that much faster to help.

=-=
Tiffany Reeve

Lieutenant Commander Shar'El [Access Character BIO for Shar'El]
Executive Officer / Intel Liaison Officer
USS ANUBIS

Lieutenant Commander Janeel [Access Character BIO for Janeel]
Intel Liaison Officer / Mission Specialist
USS BASTET

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