[Fleet Special Mission] The Next Generation

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

Unperturbed by her sister's outburst, Seika stood firm.  Maybe Aria had given up on their mother as well, but Seika would rather die than pass up on this opportunity.  "I am real," she replied coolly.  "I'm going to do this.  Remember the people in black uniforms that mum and dad used to talk about when they thought we couldn't hear?  I met one of them a couple of weeks back.  They told me where to find her and said that they'd sort out any rules I had to break to get her back."

[Turbolift]

Running her fingers through her short, blonde hair, Aira shook her head. The look she gave her sister was something in the middle of 'incredulous' and 'bemused'. "Yes, I remember the black uniforms. I remember how they made daddy worry. You could see it in his eyes, when his guard was down. Before he realized that we weren't little girls anymore, and that we could pick up on things like that."

Aria sighed, placing her hand on her sister's shoulder. "Ika...I don't like this. I don't like the idea. And I sure as hell don't trust anyone like that. This is crazy."

Gabriel Arthur wrote:

[Turbolift]

Running her fingers through her short, blonde hair, Aira shook her head.  The look she gave her sister was something in the middle of 'incredulous' and 'bemused'.  "Yes, I remember the black uniforms.  I remember how they made daddy worry.  You could see it in his eyes, when his guard was down.  Before he realized that we weren't little girls anymore, and that we could pick up on things like that."  

Aria sighed, placing her hand on her sister's shoulder.  "Ika...I don't like this.  I don't like the idea.  And I sure as hell don't trust anyone like that.  This is crazy."

[Turbolift]

Seika shrugged off the hand on her shoulder, annoyed that her sister didn't seem to be as on board with the idea as she was. Didn't Aria want to find their mother? Didn't she care anymore? Couldn't she imagine how it would affect their father if they could bring their mother back?

"I don't care, Ari. I'm going to bring her back, whether you help me or not."



[Later - Seika and Aria's quarters]

Having used her skills to fool the security systems into accepting a holographic input of the people she had invited simply playing poker, Seika turned to the other cadets and took a deep breath. Once she did this, there was no going back. The secret would be out and she would most likely be booted out of the Academy, no matter what the men in black uniforms had said.

"Thank you for coming," she said, looking to the various faces.

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

[Turbolift]

Seika shrugged off the hand on her shoulder, annoyed that her sister didn't seem to be as on board with the idea as she was.  Didn't Aria want to find their mother?  Didn't she care anymore?  Couldn't she imagine how it would affect their father if they could bring their mother back?

"I don't care, Ari.  I'm going to bring her back, whether you help me or not."



[Later - Seika and Aria's quarters]

Having used her skills to fool the security systems into accepting a holographic input of the people she had invited simply playing poker, Seika turned to the other cadets and took a deep breath.  Once she did this, there was no going back.  The secret would be out and she would most likely be booted out of the Academy, no matter what the men in black uniforms had said.

"Thank you for coming," she said, looking to the various faces.

Jas tried to look stoic as he glanced around the room. The majority of them looked a lot more confident than he felt. He'd felt compelled to come to this meeting after Seika had informed him of their intentions (at least vaguely- he knew the basics, but there were a lot of gaps), but... he knew that the computer reprogramming probably meant that whatever was going to happen from here on out might not be legal. He hoped his fathers would forgive him.

He just offered a sort of nervous nod at Seika. Hopefully, he'd understand better soon...

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

[Later - Seika and Aria's quarters]

Having used her skills to fool the security systems into accepting a holographic input of the people she had invited simply playing poker, Seika turned to the other cadets and took a deep breath.  Once she did this, there was no going back.  The secret would be out and she would most likely be booted out of the Academy, no matter what the men in black uniforms had said.

"Thank you for coming," she said, looking to the various faces.

[Science Lab]

Those footsteps had ended up belonging to the chief of Kristina's department. They'd exchanged greetings, followed by a rundown by the chief of how the department ran and the basic itinerary for the next few days. Nothing special, really. Just a routine mission with a bunch of cadets on board. Speaking of which, her cousin still hadn't arrived.

[Later - Seika and Aria's quarters]

Kristina now found herself standing in what would be her cousins' personal quarters for their time on the ship. "Your message said it was urgent, māsīca." Cousin. It came out more like a question than a statement. Urgent. That was all the message had said.

Henriks Ābols wrote:

Kristina now found herself standing in what would be her cousins' personal quarters for their time on the ship. "Your message said it was urgent, māsīca." Cousin. It came out more like a question than a statement. Urgent. That was all the message had said.

[Quarters]

Sighing, Thomas stepped into his cousin Seika's quarters. Her message had mentioned something about 'urgency'...though, knowing Seika, it could be just about anything. He smiled at his sister, giving her shoulder a little squeeze as he walked up behind her. "Well, here we are," he said, shrugging. "I had to disable all the booby traps on the door and sneak through the alligator moat, but I'm here." He hoped to make some kind of joke. This gathering had all the levity of a Vulcan classroom.

[Quarters]

Looking around the people gathered in the somewhat cramped junior officer quarters, Seika once again pondered the wisdom of bringing in so many people on her plan.  Family, her sister and her cousins, she knew that she could trust.  After all, family looked after each other, right?  But the other cadets, even those she had known as a child, how could she trust them not to go straight to the commander and report her?

Well, she'd never been one for looking before she leaped, and she didn't intend to start now.

"Thanks for coming, everyone," she started.  "Most of you know that Aria's and my mother disappeared seven years ago.  Starfleet gave up actively searching six years ago, and my father only two.". She paused to take a deep breath.  "I know where she is.  I found out a couple of weeks ago, but I need your help to go and get her back."

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

[Quarters]

Looking around the people gathered in the somewhat cramped junior officer quarters, Seika once again pondered the wisdom of bringing in so many people on her plan.  Family, her sister and her cousins, she knew that she could trust.  After all, family looked after each other, right?  But the other cadets, even those she had known as a child, how could she trust them not to go straight to the commander and report her?

Well, she'd never been one for looking before she leaped, and she didn't intend to start now.

"Thanks for coming, everyone," she started.  "Most of you know that Aria's and my mother disappeared seven years ago.  Starfleet gave up actively searching six years ago, and my father only two.". She paused to take a deep breath.  "I know where she is.  I found out a couple of weeks ago, but I need your help to go and get her back."

Aria leaned against the back bulkhead, scanning the gathered officer candidates. She didn't like this...not one damn bit of it. It seemed that her sister was plunging full-force into something yet again without even thinking about the consequences. It would ruin their careers...let alone the possible danger to their actual lives. Typical Seika. She wondered if she should even bother going through the farce of playing the loyal opposition. It would just make her sister bullish, as if she had cornered the market on the proper amount of grief for their mother.

As if Aria didn't miss their mother every day of her life.

Archangel's disappearance had fractured their family, ruined her father's career and life, and now it was going to keep right on ruining. So Aria just scowled, taking a drink of replicator water.

Chira Abols wrote:

[Quarters]

Sighing, Thomas stepped into his cousin Seika's quarters.  Her message had mentioned something about 'urgency'...though, knowing Seika, it could be just about anything.  He smiled at his sister, giving her shoulder a little squeeze as he walked up behind her.  "Well, here we are," he said, shrugging.  "I had to disable all the booby traps on the door and sneak through the alligator moat, but I'm here."  He hoped to make some kind of joke.  This gathering had all the levity of a Vulcan classroom.

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

"Thanks for coming, everyone," she started. "Most of you know that Aria's and my mother disappeared seven years ago. Starfleet gave up actively searching six years ago, and my father only two.". She paused to take a deep breath. "I know where she is. I found out a couple of weeks ago, but I need your help to go and get her back."

Kristina resisted the urge to stick her tongue out at her brother as he slipped into the room behind her. But the room had a somber feeling to the air that suppressed any desire she felt to goof off. Thomas made a joke, and she had to stifle a laugh.

Her attention turned back to her cousins, one of which was beginning to speak. Yes, Kristina knew about about how her aunt had disappeared, her uncle's desperate search to find his wife. The disappearance had taken its toll on her own parents as well, Chira especially. And then almost immediately both Kristina's brows popped up. "You know where she is?"

[Seika and Aria's Quarters]

Callion sat quietly on one of the couches, her back ramrod straight as she listened to the goings on.  She had spent quite a bit of time with both the Arthur-T'Koris sisters as well as the Abols twins while growing up.  In fact, they had been responsible for a lot of the peer education that one of her mothers had missed out on.

Now, as she listened to Seika speaking, her rather advanced intelligence was already working away to put the pieces in place as to what the plan was, and she wasn't at all happy when she came to a conclusion.  She didn't speak up, however, she decided to keep quiet in case she hadn't taken into account a variable, or Seika pulled a rabbit of some sort out of the plasma conduit.

Henriks Ābols wrote:

Her attention turned back to her cousins, one of which was beginning to speak. Yes, Kristina knew about about how her aunt had disappeared, her uncle's desperate search to find his wife. The disappearance had taken its toll on her own parents as well, Chira especially. And then almost immediately both Kristina's brows popped up. "You know where she is?"

Seika looked to her cousin, then to her sister who was so casually leaning against the bulkhead with that look of mild disapproval on her face. Anger bubbled up under Seika's sternum, at the Federation, at their father, and at Aria. Just because you've given up on her and put yourselves above her doesn't mean I will, she thought to herself. She clenched her fists, looking back to Kristina.

"Yes. I do. And I want to go and bring her back. That means taking this ship across the Neutral Zone."

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

Seika looked to her cousin, then to her sister who was so casually leaning against the bulkhead with that look of mild disapproval on her face.  Anger bubbled up under Seika's sternum, at the Federation, at their father, and at Aria.  Just because you've given up on her and put yourselves above her doesn't mean I will, she thought to herself.  She clenched her fists, looking back to Kristina.

"Yes.  I do.  And I want to go and bring her back.  That means taking this ship across the Neutral Zone."

And there it is, Aria thought, rolling her mis-matched eyes. She moved over closer to where her sister was, leaning against the back of the room's small couch. "Just like that, huh? Shoot across the Neutral Zone and wave your magic wand, pulling our prodigal mother out of your hat? And you'll do this, where others have failed. You'll do this, using stolen property and treading on the careers of your friends and family. You know...the family you still have, here?"

Gabriel Arthur wrote:

And there it is, Aria thought, rolling her mis-matched eyes.  She moved over closer to where her sister was, leaning against the back of the room's small couch.  "Just like that, huh?  Shoot across the Neutral Zone and wave your magic wand, pulling our prodigal mother out of your hat?  And you'll do this, where others have failed.  You'll do this, using stolen property and treading on the careers of your friends and family.  You know...the family you still have, here?"

At her side, Seika's fists clenched, her fingernails digging into her palms as she fought to control the temper she had inherited from her mother. Why couldn't Aria see?

"Like it or not, whether we consider ourselves to be Romulan or Human, family has been and always will be an important factor in our lives, and family means that nobody gets left behind!" She snarled at her sister before turning to the other cadets gathered in the quarters.

"I can't do this on my own. I need your help to pull this off. Please, will you help me?"

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

At her side, Seika's fists clenched, her fingernails digging into her palms as she fought to control the temper she had inherited from her mother.  Why couldn't Aria see?

"Like it or not, whether we consider ourselves to be Romulan or Human, family has been and always will be an important factor in our lives, and family means that nobody gets left behind!" She snarled at her sister before turning to the other cadets gathered in the quarters.

"I can't do this on my own.  I need your help to pull this off.  Please, will you help me?"

The silence seemed to settle upon the gathering like a wet blanket. Tommy looked incredulously at his cousin, and then to his sister. He knew that there were aspects of his aunt's life that Uncle Gabriel didn't speak of, and that he'd taken Archangel's disappearance extremely hard. But...could it be true, what his cousin was saying? He knew that Seika was impetuous, but she wasn't an idiot, either.

Nobody gets left behind.

"I suppose," he said, attempting to break the tension with some levity, "that when the general courts martial are handed down, we can always say you stuffed a phaser under our nose. I...I'll help you." He didn't even glance at his sister for confirmation. People just assumed that they were attached at the hip.

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

At her side, Seika's fists clenched, her fingernails digging into her palms as she fought to control the temper she had inherited from her mother.  Why couldn't Aria see?

"Like it or not, whether we consider ourselves to be Romulan or Human, family has been and always will be an important factor in our lives, and family means that nobody gets left behind!" She snarled at her sister before turning to the other cadets gathered in the quarters.

"I can't do this on my own.  I need your help to pull this off.  Please, will you help me?"

Callion resisted the urge to smirk as she found her suspicions were accurate. Seika was planning to hijack the ship somehow and take it in search of her missing mother. The young pilot could comprehend that. Had one of her mothers been the one to go missing, Callion would tear the Federation apart to find her.

"You will require a pilot if you wish to carry out this venture. I offer my services to your cause." she stated. She then smirked. "My mothers would be proud of me, managing to get into trouble this early in my career."

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

At her side, Seika's fists clenched, her fingernails digging into her palms as she fought to control the temper she had inherited from her mother.  Why couldn't Aria see?

"Like it or not, whether we consider ourselves to be Romulan or Human, family has been and always will be an important factor in our lives, and family means that nobody gets left behind!" She snarled at her sister before turning to the other cadets gathered in the quarters.

"I can't do this on my own.  I need your help to pull this off.  Please, will you help me?"

Evek watched the revelations unfold without a word as he stood in his corner. He had yet to utter a word, as was his nature. Words were to be used with care as they could be just as lethal as weapons and the ones Seika had just spoke, ranked up there with a tricobalt torpedo.

"I will not actively participate in this act," he said, his voice a low rumble that he had inherited from his father. "However, while I won't help in this venture, nor will I hinder it. I will be in sickbay to patch up all those who need it. I just hope you don't."

Ilana Telak wrote:

Evek watched the revelations unfold without a word as he stood in his corner.  He had yet to utter a word, as was his nature.  Words were to be used with care as they could be just as lethal as weapons and the ones Seika had just spoke, ranked up there with a tricobalt torpedo.

"I will not actively participate in this act," he said, his voice a low rumble that he had inherited from his father.  "However, while I won't help in this venture, nor will I hinder it.  I will be in sickbay to patch up all those who need it.  I just hope you don't."

Thomas frowned as Evek stated, in his rather emphatic way, that he wanted nothing to do with this fool's errand. Well, Thomas didn't, either, but Archangel was family. Still, he had hoped that his hybrid friend would join them.

"Once this goes down, they're probably going to come right to you for questioning," he said. "But...I understand your decision."

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

At her side, Seika's fists clenched, her fingernails digging into her palms as she fought to control the temper she had inherited from her mother.  Why couldn't Aria see?

"Like it or not, whether we consider ourselves to be Romulan or Human, family has been and always will be an important factor in our lives, and family means that nobody gets left behind!" She snarled at her sister before turning to the other cadets gathered in the quarters.

"I can't do this on my own.  I need your help to pull this off.  Please, will you help me?"

Jas shifted uncomfortably where he stood. He watched the faces around him as they had their first drop out- one of the Cardassians from the lineup earlier. He couldn't blame him- this was completely and utterly a foolish idea- taking over a satship? What would command say? Probably de-commission all of them, if they didn't toss them in prison too. Then again, was a stint in a penal colony really so bad when put against finding a lost parent?

As he often did when nervous, the Bajoran started bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet. He knew both his parents had ties to the people in this room. Thelos used to watch the two t'Koris girls and saw after their medical care. And, well... Callion's mother was practically related to Gavin.

Having lost his own biological parents, Jas fully understood Seika's determination... so he was only a little stuttery when he spoke up.

"I'll be here to help, no matter if this goes out the airlock or not."

Chira Abols wrote:

Thomas frowned as Evek stated, in his rather emphatic way, that he wanted nothing to do with this fool's errand.  Well, Thomas didn't, either, but Archangel was family.  Still, he had hoped that his hybrid friend would join them.

"Once this goes down, they're probably going to come right to you for questioning," he said.  "But...I understand your decision."

Evek gave a quiet, rumbling laugh that sounded as if it had come from deep within his chest. He could handle questioning. He wasn't even saying that he couldn't take part in this dangerous game that they were all about to play. He simply didn't want to take an active role in it.

"I can handle anything they throw at me," he assured his friend. "What I don't think I can handle is my father's reaction if I get booted from the service for mutiny."

Ilana Telak wrote:

Evek gave a quiet, rumbling laugh that sounded as if it had come from deep within his chest.  He could handle questioning.  He wasn't even saying that he couldn't take part in this dangerous game that they were all about to play.  He simply didn't want to take an active role in it.

"I can handle anything they throw at me," he assured his friend.  "What I don't think I can handle is my father's reaction if I get booted from the service for mutiny."

I suppose not... Thomas thought, nodding at the hybrid. He and Evek had been close friends since the Academy, but he was familiar with the man from before that, having grown up on a starship, and around the Starbase Athena. Tommy had met both of Evek's parents before, and, yes, his father did cut a very intimidating figure...however, would the Klingon blame Evek for being drummed out of the service for something like this?

More importantly...would his own parents? He looked over at Kristina, doing his best to keep a worried expression off his face...but not doing a very good job of it.

[Bridge]

The Bounty. Alex had been on Akiras before, but this ship was older than most, one of the few which had survived the Borg and the entire Dominion War. In fact, she had actually previously been the Osceola, before they needed that name for a new starship coming out of Planitia. Ever since being removed from Fleet duties and relegated to the Academy for Cadet cruises, Starfleet had placed her close to the bottom of the list in regards of maintenance. Nearly 30 years old now, she certainly needed whatever time she was afforded in the spacedocks.

Alex felt alot like the old warhorse, having been assigned onboard with the remainder of her reduced crew. Only the essential positions were still regularly filled, the majority of their operating staff being drawn from incremental instructors who required hours to maintain their skills. Of course, there were the cadets who were expected to fill in for the actual 'work'. With Starfleet still recruiting to refill their heavily reduced ranks from war and attrition, Bounty had a high rotation tempo, which was a good thing. Her aging regulars, however much they hated to admit it, needed the young cadets to keep everything running smoothly.

This was Alex's third cruise out, and although he was miffed about how his job was really now babysitting, he could understand why. He wasn't as fast as he used to be, and alot of his skills and experience had been supplanted by advances in technology. Another few years, and he'd be retiring to a nice cottage. Risa, perhaps, helping with the rebuilding process. Or maybe he'd sign on with a civilian ship. In his mind, there was still time to decide.

Keeping one eye on the cadet at helm, Alex perused the roster on his PADD again, frowning. Having served onboard so many ships, it was inevitable that he would know some of the younglings following in their parents footsteps. This rotation seemed to have an abundance of them in particular. Predictably, Arthur's daughters had signed up together, even with the age difference, and the Abols were onboard as well, along with a couple others. It was going to be an interesting time, watching the kids take their elders' places.

Alexander Wu wrote:

[Bridge]
Keeping one eye on the cadet at helm, Alex perused the roster on his PADD again, frowning. Having served onboard so many ships, it was inevitable that he would know some of the younglings following in their parents footsteps. This rotation seemed to have an abundance of them in particular. Predictably, Arthur's daughters had signed up together, even with the age difference, and the Abols were onboard as well, along with a couple others. It was going to be an interesting time, watching the kids take their elders' places.

[Alpha Shift - Bridge]

Callion was on duty at the helm, essentially just keeping an eye on the autopilot that she had set up to keep the ship on course as it made its slow way out onto their assigned course around Federation space. She swung gently from side to side in her chair, part of her vast intellect engaged in the discussions that had happened until late into the night in the Arthur-T'Koris' quarters. It was agreed that Seika would be the one to kick it all off, sabotaging certain systems to prevent anyone from calling for help from anyone else.

Out of the corner of her eye, the half-Augment watched the senior officer, noting that he seemed to have one eye on her as well. She rolled her eyes, turning her attention back to the helm and its oh-so-riveting course.

Zero Alpha wrote:

[Alpha Shift - Bridge]

Callion was on duty at the helm, essentially just keeping an eye on the autopilot that she had set up to keep the ship on course as it made its slow way out onto their assigned course around Federation space.  She swung gently from side to side in her chair, part of her vast intellect engaged in the discussions that had happened until late into the night in the Arthur-T'Koris' quarters.  It was agreed that Seika would be the one to kick it all off, sabotaging certain systems to prevent anyone from calling for help from anyone else.

Out of the corner of her eye, the half-Augment watched the senior officer, noting that he seemed to have one eye on her as well.  She rolled her eyes, turning her attention back to the helm and its oh-so-riveting course.

[Bridge]

Lowering the PADD slightly, Alex watched the petite young woman at Helm fidgeting in her seat. It had been many years ago, but Callion had always shown attributes that one of her mothers was endowed with; superhuman intelligence. Unfortunately, that usually meant she was bored easily and translated into getting into trouble. Just like her mother, he thought to himself, smiling internally. At least she won't scratch someone's face off for pissing her off though.

"Get used to it, Cadet Alpha." Alex spoke aloud, reminding her, and the rest of the bridge, that they were under constant evaluation. "90 percent of a helmsman's job is to sit in that chair."

Alexander Wu wrote:

[Bridge]

Lowering the PADD slightly, Alex watched the petite young woman at Helm fidgeting in her seat. It had been many years ago, but Callion had always shown attributes that one of her mothers was endowed with; superhuman intelligence. Unfortunately, that usually meant she was bored easily and translated into getting into trouble. Just like her mother, he thought to himself, smiling internally. At least she won't scratch someone's face off for pissing her off though.

"Get used to it, Cadet Alpha." Alex spoke aloud, reminding her, and the rest of the bridge, that they were under constant evaluation. "90 percent of a helmsman's job is to sit in that chair."

[Bridge]

Callion turned in her chair to look at the Chief, a man she had vague recollections of from her childhood, and was about to say something but then obviously thought the better of it, swiftly changing tacks inside the confines of her mind. She turned back to the helm console with a heavy sigh.

"Medical. I knew I should have followed Mother's advice and gone for medical."

Zero Alpha wrote:

[Bridge]

Callion turned in her chair to look at the Chief, a man she had vague recollections of from her childhood, and was about to say something but then obviously thought the better of it, swiftly changing tacks inside the confines of her mind.  She turned back to the helm console with a heavy sigh.

"Medical.  I knew I should have followed Mother's advice and gone for medical."

[Bridge]

A brief flash of annoyance crossed Alex's face, and he had to bite back an automatic retort. He had nothing against medical, but the interdepartment competition ran strong, even here on Academy turf. Even though he wasn't actually in the Flight department, the jibe was instinctive.

"One of your mothers was Flight." Alex remarked dryly, making a precursory note on his PADD. "And it's not too late to change."