Mission 5: Let This Line Be Drawn Between Us!

First Officer's Log, Stardate 54720.

A veritable host of Federation diplomats are now working on the question of Anim Gorova and his actions - most of them arguing if the Federation itself should even *do* anything about it.  I'm sure the other half are spending their time cursing starship crews who kick hornet nests and jet-set away.  Well.  Those *were* our orders.

The Phoenix has been en route to a far fringe of the Beta Quadrant for about three weeks now, after a brief layover at Deep Space Three, mainly so we could be bawled out over subspace, but also so we could pick up a few new crewmembers.  We are to rendezvous with the USS April , commanded by Captain Salek, and make studies of the vast region of frontier space.

[Office]

Gabriel Arthur yawned, stretching a crick out of his neck as he ended the log recording.  It was still rather quiet, so he thought he'd make use of the time and do one of his favorite things - go visit Main Engineering.  Besides, they had a new crewmember.  Calling them into his office was just so boring...and any excuse to visit the old haunt was one that was readily taken up.

[Main Engineering]

The large bay doors opened with the customary swoosh, and Gabriel paused a moment to drink in the sounds of Engineering - the bleeps and bloops of various machinery, someone beating a random hammer against something, the thrumm of the M/ARA, the ensign elbowing him politely out of the way...

"Er.  Sorry," Gabe grinned, stepping out of the man's way, looking for Ensign Kaz.  Reports said she was a Trill, so she likely wouldn't be hard to find.

Gabriel Arthur wrote:

First Officer's Log, Stardate 54720.


[Main Engineering]

The large bay doors opened with the customary [i]swoosh, and Gabriel paused a moment to drink in the sounds of Engineering - the bleeps and bloops of various machinery, someone beating a random hammer against something, the thrumm of the M/ARA, the ensign elbowing him politely out of the way...

"Er.  Sorry," Gabe grinned, stepping out of the man's way, looking for Ensign Kaz.  Reports said she was a Trill, so she likely wouldn't be hard to find.

[Main Engineering]

Leela was laying on the floor under the Warp Control Panel in Engineering. Only her legs stuck out from the console. She had spent the previous two hours trying to locate a power surge that seemed to be cropping up throughout the Engine Room. It was like a minion living in the Engine daring Leela to find it. She heard the Engine Room doors slide open and she heard the footsteps approach her location. "Hey you out there. Hand me that Hypo Spanner?" Leela's hand appeared from under the console waiting for the tool.

[Sickbay]

Selva entered sickbay much the same way that she'd walked down the corridors, and ridden the turbolift - in stony silence. The Vulcan Science Officer wasn't known for her warm and endearing personality, but she seemed to be extra frosty today. All the better to tamper down this inferno roiling inside me, she thought. Selva paused, cocking her head an raising an eyebrow slightly at the thought. A simile? How utterly...gauche. Perhaps she'd been around humans for too long.

She found sickbay to be lightly occupied, but wasn't sure as to which doctor was on call at the moment. Would it be the overly-sentimental (but, admittedly, competent) Chief Medical Officer? Or the vaguely-neurotic Andorian. Or...the insufferably arrogant Alpha (with whom she would not have minded a go at the Vulcan chess board). Whoever it was, Selva knew she would find out soon enough. And so she sat on the edge of a biobed, carefully folding her hands in her lap.

To wait.

NPC wrote:

Lieutenant Selva

[Sickbay]

Selva entered sickbay much the same way that she'd walked down the corridors, and ridden the turbolift - in stony silence.  The Vulcan Science Officer wasn't known for her warm and endearing personality, but she seemed to be extra frosty today.  All the better to tamper down this inferno roiling inside me, she thought.  Selva paused, cocking her head an raising an eyebrow slightly at the thought.  A simile?  How utterly...gauche.  Perhaps she'd been around humans for too long.

She found sickbay to be lightly occupied, but wasn't sure as to which doctor was on call at the moment.  Would it be the overly-sentimental (but, admittedly, competent) Chief Medical Officer?  Or the vaguely-neurotic Andorian.  Or...the insufferably arrogant Alpha (with whom she would not have minded a go at the Vulcan chess board).  Whoever it was, Selva knew she would find out soon enough.  And so she sat on the edge of a biobed, carefully folding her hands in her lap.

To wait.

[Sickbay]

Neurozine, Anetrizine, Axonol, Hyvroxilated quint-ethyl metacetamin... blue fingers methodically organized a row of canisters and small bottle-like tanks that contained various forms of anesthetic compounds. Everything had been recently re-stocked... but there was always one amiss somewhere. Sometimes he'd have one of the medical technicians do this, but it was a little slow, and with no other serious patients to attend to, the Andorian was keeping himself occupied. "Ah, ha..." Thelos muttered as he swapped a red bottle out for a blue.

In doing so, he happened to glance up just in time to see a very icy-looking Vulcan walk in through the doors of sickbay. Vulcans very rarely chose to come to sickbay unless things were really off. Thelos immediately reached for his tricorder and immediately walked into the main area of sickbay.

Andorians and Vulcans had a history of animosity that was mostly dulled away by time... but it wasn't gone completely. Thelos passingly wondered if she thought of him what some of his species would think of her, but immediately brushed it aside. The blue doctor put on his best placating expression and approached the biobed.

"Good morning, Lieutenant. What brings you to sickbay today?"

[Captain's Ready Room]

"Yes, Admiral, I'll take that under advisement," Archangel said to the rage-red face on her terminal screen, keeping her own expression carefully neutral despite the barrage of insults and criticisms of her leadership skills. Sometimes, she wondered if the most important tool in a captain's arsenal wasn't just a really good poker face.

As the screen flicked back to the standard Starfleet Delta, the Romulan sat back in her chair and pinched the bridge of her nose, sighing deeply. Ever since they had left that disastrous excuse for a diplomatic mission, she had been on call to so many Admirals and diplomats that her head was spinning. She wondered how Admiral Deacon managed to deal with it without having gone insane.

She glanced at the chronometre and let out a groan. In her time aboard the Phoenix, she had managed to avoid all but one of her assigned counselling sessions. She hadn't met up with the counsellor for anything other than ship's business since the session where she had given her the password into the classified section of her psyche file. Archangel half wondered how the counsellor had taken that information, or even if she had read it. Those questions, however, could wait. Although she was scheduled for another session at that moment, she was hoping to deflect it back to talking about the ship and her crew.

"T'Koris to Counsellor Abols, would you mind coming up to my ready room? I'm on call to Admirals of all kinds at the moment, so I need to stay here."

Gabriel Arthur wrote:

[Main Engineering]

The large bay doors opened with the customary swoosh, and Gabriel paused a moment to drink in the sounds of Engineering - the bleeps and bloops of various machinery, someone beating a random hammer against something, the thrumm of the M/ARA, the ensign elbowing him politely out of the way...

"Er.  Sorry," Gabe grinned, stepping out of the man's way, looking for Ensign Kaz.  Reports said she was a Trill, so she likely wouldn't be hard to find.

Tufezr had been so engrossed in the PADD in his hands, a current report on the present status of the starboard nacelle power couplings-which always seemed to act up-that he hadn't noticed the Commander initially. Upon bumping into him, he looked up and smiled at the Commander apologetically, saluting.

"My apologies sir, I didn't see you there. What brings you to Main Engineering?"

Leela Kaz wrote:

[Main Engineering]

Leela was laying on the floor under the Warp Control Panel in Engineering. Only her legs stuck out from the console. She had spent the previous two hours trying to locate a power surge that seemed to be cropping up throughout the Engine Room. It was like a minion living in the Engine daring Leela to find it. She heard the Engine Room doors slide open and she heard the footsteps approach her location. "Hey you out there. Hand me that Hypo Spanner?" Leela's hand appeared from under the console waiting for the tool.

Tufezr then looked down, noting the hand and the legs of the only other Trill crew member let alone Engineer aboard the Phoenix. While ha hadn't much minded being the only Spot on board, it was nice to know someone else with his own cultural similarities was around, even if their jobs didn't allow them much time to discuss such things.

"Sure thing, Leela, one second." He looked around and found the hypo spanner, snatching it up before crouching beside the conduit wherein she was tucked away, and placed it in her outstretched hand. "Here ya go, happy to be of service."

Tufezr Nefen wrote:

Tufezr then looked down, noting the hand and the legs of the only other Trill crew member let alone Engineer aboard the Phoenix. While ha hadn't much minded being the only Spot on board, it was nice to know someone else with his own cultural similarities was around, even if their jobs didn't allow them much time to discuss such things.

"Sure thing, Leela, one second." He looked around and found the hypo spanner, snatching it up before crouching beside the conduit wherein she was tucked away, and placed it in her outstretched hand. "Here ya go, happy to be of service."

"Thanks Tufezr." Leela promptly replied as she quickly grabbed the tool and began to run it across the power relay's that were causing the problem. As she worked she began to relay the issue to Tufezr. "Ive been trying to track down this damned power surge for two hours. It's a persistent little thing. Think you got it cornered ...." As Leela spoke a hum began o come from the console and steadily increased in volume. Its about to blow! She quickly thought as she tucked her arms into her chest and rolled from underneath the console. As she began to clear the console the hum turned into a high pitched screech and a flash of sparks rom the power relay system began to fall into the spot Leela had occupied. She stood up and slammed the Hypo spanner on the console. "Damn it!" She exclaimed. She then turned around and noticed commander Arthur standing behind her.

"Sir I apologize for my behav... I didn't mean to... I had no idea... Well you know how it is in the engine room." Leela made the decision to stop talking at that moment. She wasn't sure how her commanding officer would interpret her slamming equipment around and cursing like a drunken Klingon. She came to attention and braced herself for the worst.

Tufezr Nefen wrote:

Tufezr had been so engrossed in the PADD in his hands, a current report on the present status of the starboard nacelle power couplings-which always seemed to act up-that he hadn't noticed the Commander initially. Upon bumping into him, he looked up and smiled at the Commander apologetically, saluting.

"My apologies sir, I didn't see you there. What brings you to Main Engineering?"

[Main Engineering]

"Afternoon, Mr. Nefen," Gabriel nodded in greeting to the man. The other Trill in Engineering, he reminded himself. It was a hell of a boon having two people with lifetimes of experience keeping the ship up and running. Gabe wondered if any of the other captains of the fleet would cry foul if they knew they were hoarding Trill. "Just came down to see how things were going. I haven't had a good chance to get to know either of you, yet," he said, motioning toward where Kaz was working.

Leela Kaz wrote:

"Thanks Tufezr." Leela promptly replied as she quickly grabbed the tool and began to run it across the power relay's that were causing the problem. As she worked she began to relay the issue to Tufezr. "Ive been trying to track down this damned power surge for two hours. It's a persistent little thing. Think you got it cornered ...." As Leela spoke a hum began o come from the console and steadily increased in volume. Its about to blow! She quickly thought as she tucked her arms into her chest and rolled from underneath the console. As she began to clear the console the hum turned into a high pitched screech and a flash of sparks rom the power relay system began to fall into the spot Leela had occupied. She stood up and slammed the Hypo spanner on the console. "Damn it!" She exclaimed. She then turned around and noticed commander Arthur standing behind her.

"Sir I apologize for my behav... I didn't mean to... I had no idea... Well you know how it is in the engine room." Leela made the decision to stop talking at that moment. She wasn't sure how her commanding officer would interpret her slamming equipment around and cursing like a drunken Klingon. She came to attention and braced herself for the worst.

Gabe cocked an amused eyebrow at the litany of consternation that floated out from under the Warp Control console. He remembered well the days of chasing problems, thinking you had them vanquished, only to have them crop up again. Starship systems seemed to thrive on trouble.

The part about slamming things around and cursing? Now...that reminded him so much of his wife's days as Chief Engineer that he grinned outright. "Alright, folks," he chuckled. "At ease. Problems in your relay?" he asked, kneeling down to the open panels, shooing away ozone-tinged smoke. "Might have a bad coupling somewhere else along the GNDN lines. One of them busts, and over-routes power...instant surge."

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

"T'Koris to Counsellor Abols, would you mind coming up to my ready room?  I'm on call to Admirals of all kinds at the moment, so I need to stay here."

[Turbolift]

=^="On my way,"=^= Chira responded, glad that she was already heading up toward hte higher decks, anyway. She had actually been on her way to speak to her brother, but he was otherwise indisposed. Off playing in Engineering, if tales could be believed. She didn't doubt them.

[Bridge]

The bridge of a starship wasn't a place that Chira was used to, and it was always a little overwhelming during the rare times that she found herself there. All the whirrs and beeps and myriad other noises. So much different than that of sickbay. So much...busier. She nodded to Sheridan as she went by, chiming herself into the captain's Ready Room.

"Counselor Abols reporting to Captain Scapegoat," Chira said as she saw that nobody else was in the room, a customary Abols (nee Arthur) grin on her face.

Thelos th'Zhela wrote:

Andorians and Vulcans had a history of animosity that was mostly dulled away by time... but it wasn't gone completely. Thelos passingly wondered if she thought of him what some of his species would think of her, but immediately brushed it aside. The blue doctor put on his best placating expression and approached the biobed.

"Good morning, Lieutenant. What brings you to sickbay today?"

The eyebrow, that one the Vulcans had mastered hundreds of years ago, speaking volumes without saying a word...it was in full effect as Thelos approached the bed. "Doctor th'Zhela," Selva said, with customarily perfect diction. "Is the Chief Medical Officer not in?" She was familiar enough with social graces to know that she might have just insulted the man, but...her problem was not something that she wished to discuss with any non-Vulcan...let alone an Andorian. At least he wasn't a Romulan. No, you just have one of *those* for a Commanding Officer...

"No matter. I...I can discuss it with you." She needed to ingratiate herself more with the crew. That was what Counselor Abols had told her, was it not? Well. Here went. "Please take a medical scan of my biosignatures," the Vulcan said, still unwilling to just come out with it. "Report back what you read." She knew that th'Zhela would find that her hormonal and endorphin levels would be abnormally high.

[Sickbay - CMO's Office]

Henriks sat at his desk, an array of padds spread before him, each with different bits of information and "paperwork" that he needed to sort through. There was a warmth nestled on his foot, his not so little anymore cat fast asleep. His foot would be asleep too soon if Henriks didn't shift the cat's weight soon. He pulled his foot back gingerly, hoping not to wake the cat, but two yellow eyes glared up with him along with a chirp of discontent from the cat.

"Sorry, Teo," Henriks replied, reaching down to scratch Teodors under the chin. The cat purred and went back to sleep. Henriks wished he could do the same, but there were still several padds he hadn't even touched yet. He glanced briefly up at the door separating his office from the main part of sickbay. There'd been nary a sound for the last half hour or so. But that in itself wasn't unusual. Sickbay's staff was for the most part pretty self sufficient. Either way, he decided, he'd poke his head out in a bit, if for no other reason to stretch his legs. First, though, he wanted to give the padd with the new crew data one more look over.

Chira Abols wrote:

[Turbolift]

=^="On my way,"=^= Chira responded, glad that she was already heading up toward hte higher decks, anyway.  She had actually been on her way to speak to her brother, but he was otherwise indisposed.  Off playing in Engineering, if tales could be believed.  She didn't doubt them.

[Bridge]

The bridge of a starship wasn't a place that Chira was used to, and it was always a little overwhelming during the rare times that she found herself there.  All the whirrs and beeps and myriad other noises.  So much different than that of sickbay.  So much...busier.  She nodded to Sheridan as she went by, chiming herself into the captain's Ready Room.  

"Counselor Abols reporting to Captain Scapegoat," Chira said as she saw that nobody else was in the room, a customary Abols (nee Arthur) grin on her face.  

[Ready Room]

"Oh, please don't remind me," Archangel groaned as Chira greeted her with, as she should have expected, a joke about her current status with the upper echelons of Starfleet brass. She sat back, running her hands over her hair. "I swear, even if I muted the sound, I'd still be able to hear them screaming at me all the way out here."

She gestured for the counsellor to take a seat before pushing herself to her feet, heading for the replicator. "Can I get you anything?"

Gabriel Arthur wrote:

[Main Engineering]

Gabe cocked an amused eyebrow at the litany of consternation that floated out from under the Warp Control console.  He remembered well the days of chasing problems, thinking you had them vanquished, only to have them crop up again.  Starship systems seemed to thrive on trouble.  

The part about slamming things around and cursing?  Now...that reminded him so much of his wife's days as Chief Engineer that he grinned outright.  "Alright, folks," he chuckled.  "At ease.  Problems in your relay?" he asked, kneeling down to the open panels, shooing away ozone-tinged smoke.  "Might have a bad coupling somewhere else along the GNDN lines.  One of them busts, and over-routes power...instant surge."  

[Main Engineering]

As Gabe spoke Leela slowly began to pull herself out of attention. That could of been worse? She thought to herself. She still had these power surges though. Her thoughts quickly turned to Commander Arthur's suggestion. "A bad power coupling, of course!" Leela patted Gabe on the upper arm as she quickly moved away. "The trick is going to be finding out which one but I have a trick up my sleeve for that. Its not exactly standard operating procedure but it works" Leela laughed as she moved to her power distribution console. "I'm going to send some harmless particles through the power relay system when it gets to the bad coupling it should..." As Leela spokes hatch from behind the core began to whistle as if it were a tea pot. "There's our coupling. Crewman can you please take care of that." She turned to Tufezr and Gabe and flashed a smile. Leela moved back through the engine room and took a stood near Tufezr. "Thanks Commander, now what brings you down to engineering?"

Gabriel Arthur wrote:

[Main Engineering]

"Afternoon, Mr. Nefen," Gabriel nodded in greeting to the man.  The other Trill in Engineering, he reminded himself.  It was a hell of a boon having two people with lifetimes of experience keeping the ship up and running.  Gabe wondered if any of the other captains of the fleet would cry foul if they knew they were hoarding Trill.  "Just came down to see how things were going.  I haven't had a good chance to get to know either of you, yet," he said, motioning toward where Kaz was working. 

[Main Engineering]

It's downright neighborly of you to do that sir, thanks." Tufezr smiled, glad he'd remembered the human phrase, and hoping that he hadn't misused it. Using cultural slangs was always something of a gamble if you didn't fully understand them, but so far he'd managed to use them correctly during his time in Starfleet. At least, no one had as of yet complained to him about it. He hoped the Commander wouldn't either, but Ensign Kaz drew his attention away from immediately finding out.

Leela Kaz wrote:

[Main Engineering]

As Gabe spoke Leela slowly began to pull herself out of attention. That could of been worse? She thought to herself. She still had these power surges though. Her thoughts quickly turned to Commander Arthur's suggestion. "A bad power coupling, of course!" Leela patted Gabe on the upper arm as she quickly moved away. "The trick is going to be finding out which one but I have a trick up my sleeve for that. Its not exactly standard operating procedure but it works" Leela laughed as she moved to her power distribution console. "I'm going to send some harmless particles through the power relay system when it gets to the bad coupling it should..." As Leela spokes hatch from behind the core began to whistle as if it were a tea pot. "There's our coupling. Crewman can you please take care of that." She turned to Tufezr and Gabe and flashed a smile. Leela moved back through the engine room and took a stood near Tufezr. "Thanks Commander, now what brings you down to engineering?"

Tufezr couldn't help raising both eyebrows spaceward as he watched the recent addition to the crew, wondering if maybe his symbiont's past hosts had had too little interaction with humans, or if hers' had had too much. When she told a 'Crewman' to go take care of it, the Trill couldn't help looking around a moment, no one else on the Engineering staff was around, and he was pretty sure that he matched Ensign Kaz in rank. However, in order to prevent an awkward moment, he shrugged and decided to head off to the materials area and have the computer replicate a spare coupling.

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

"Oh, please don't remind me," Archangel groaned as Chira greeted her with, as she should have expected, a joke about her current status with the upper echelons of Starfleet brass.  She sat back, running her hands over her hair.  "I swear, even if I muted the sound, I'd still be able to hear them screaming at me all the way out here."

She gestured for the counsellor to take a seat before pushing herself to her feet, heading for the replicator.  "Can I get you anything?"

[Ready Room]

Chira's hand involuntarily went to rest on the tiny swell of her abdomen, where she carried her two little ones.  The bump was so small yet that if one didn't know she was pregnant, they wouldn't be able to tell.  "Anything non-alcoholic," Chira replied, chuckling lightly.  "Not that you'd have any non-regulation beverages aboard, of course.  Water'll be fine.  Touch of lemon."

She took the chair across from Archangel's desk as the Romulan handed her the water.  Taking a sip, Chira was quiet for a moment, considering her sister-in-law.  Arch rarely volunteered to talk to her, even when Starfleet mandated it.  She wondered what was the impetus for this meeting.  "Let them yell. They're just embarrassed. It's egg on Starfleet's face for being duped by Gorova...not yours."

Chira Abols wrote:

Chira's hand involuntarily went to rest on the tiny swell of her abdomen, where she carried her two little ones.  The bump was so small yet that if one didn't know she was pregnant, they wouldn't be able to tell.  "Anything non-alcoholic," Chira replied, chuckling lightly.  "Not that you'd have any non-regulation beverages aboard, of course.  Water'll be fine.  Touch of lemon."

She took the chair across from Archangel's desk as the Romulan handed her the water.  Taking a sip, Chira was quiet for a moment, considering her sister-in-law.  Arch rarely volunteered to talk to her, even when Starfleet mandated it.  She wondered what was the impetus for this meeting.  "Let them yell.  They're just embarrassed.  It's egg on Starfleet's face for being duped by Gorova...not yours."

[Ready Room]

Archangel tried to keep an innocent expression on her face as Chira mentioned non-regulation beverages on board ship, but it didn't last long. She smiled a little guiltily. "I will admit that I keep a few bottles around for visitors. Dignitaries and the like. I might have shared a drink with Gorova, had be not turned out to be such a... well, had the mission turned out as expected."

After getting a glass of iced lemon water from the replicator for Chira and a cup of tea for herself, she took a seat behind her desk and shook her head. "You'd think I planted that city given the way they're all talking, but there's not a lot I can do about that. Anyway, I wanted to catch up with you on your feelings on the crew, and," here she nodded to Chira's abdomen, "how you're getting on."

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

Archangel tried to keep an innocent expression on her face as Chira mentioned non-regulation beverages on board ship, but it didn't last long.  She smiled a little guiltily.  "I will admit that I keep a few bottles around for visitors.  Dignitaries and the like.  I might have shared a drink with Gorova, had be not turned out to be such a... well, had the mission turned out as expected."

After getting a glass of iced lemon water from the replicator for Chira and a cup of tea for herself, she took a seat behind her desk and shook her head.  "You'd think I planted that city given the way they're all talking, but there's not a lot I can do about that.  Anyway, I wanted to catch up with you on your feelings on the crew, and," here she nodded to Chira's abdomen, "how you're getting on."

[Ready Room]

"You ready to be an aunt, yet?" Chira asked, carefully setting her glass on a small coaster embossed with the UFP logo. Starship designers think of everything... "I can hardly tell they're there, in the physical sense. But I know it." She smiled happily, leaning back in the chair. "These first few months are the easy ones, though. Not that you'd need me to tell you that.

She picked up the glass and took another sip, contemplating the other part of the captain's question. "The crew? Honestly, things seem fine. Nothing major, beyond the little things here and there that flare up when several hundred people live in a floating community. I've been working with Alpha, too. She seems...slightly more predisposed to human interaction."

Chira Abols wrote:

"You ready to be an aunt, yet?" Chira asked, carefully setting her glass on a small coaster embossed with the UFP logo.  Starship designers think of everything...  "I can hardly tell they're there, in the physical sense.  But I know it."  She smiled happily, leaning back in the chair.  "These first few months are the easy ones, though.  Not that you'd need me to tell you that.

She picked up the glass and took another sip, contemplating the other part of the captain's question.  "The crew?  Honestly, things seem fine.  Nothing major, beyond the little things here and there that flare up when several hundred people live in a floating community.  I've been working with Alpha, too.  She seems...slightly more predisposed to human interaction."

[Ready Room]

Archangel's smile over the rim of her cup was a knowing one as she listened to her sister-in-law talking about her twins. She took a sip of her tea, then set it aside, trying hard not to appear as if she was holding back laughter.

"Wait until the hormones and morning sickness kick in, then tell me the first months are easy," she replied before nodding as the conversation turned to the crew. "Always nice to know the crew's not at each other's throats," she commented. "I have a few concerns about Zero, namely the relationship she has with Jiseth at the moment, but I'm hoping that time's going to sort that out. Thank you for letting her shadow you. I'm sure it's going to do her a world of good."

NPC wrote:

Lieutenant Selva

The eyebrow, that one the Vulcans had mastered hundreds of years ago, speaking volumes without saying a word...it was in full effect as Thelos approached the bed.  "Doctor th'Zhela," Selva said, with customarily perfect diction.  "Is the Chief Medical Officer not in?"  She was familiar enough with social graces to know that she might have just insulted the man, but...her problem was not something that she wished to discuss with any non-Vulcan...let alone an Andorian.  At least he wasn't a Romulan.  No, you just have one of *those* for a Commanding Officer...

"No matter.  I...I can discuss it with you."  She needed to ingratiate herself more with the crew.  That was what Counselor Abols had told her, was it not?  Well.  Here went.  "Please take a medical scan of my biosignatures," the Vulcan said, still unwilling to just come out with it.  "Report back what you read."  She knew that th'Zhela would find that her hormonal and endorphin levels would be abnormally high.

[Sickbay]

Thelos didn't waver under what he could have taken as a hit to his pride, and instead glossed over it with an answer. "The CMO is occupied at the moment. I assure you, I'm just as qualified to see you," he said. Truthfully, he had no idea what Henriks was up to in his office, but he wasn't about to go bother him. Inefficient, and probably a waste of time from every angle. Thelos being an Andorian or not, he knew that a vulcan would never approve.

He was mildly surprised that Selva didn't want to tell him what was wrong- he knew Vulcans tended to be private about their affairs... but it still struck him as odd. Regardless, the Andorian doctor opened his tricorder up and briefly ran it over the woman's torso. The readings made him frown, but he did what he'd been asked.

"Well, lieutenant. Your body chemistry is a little uneven. There's an abnormal amount of adrenaline and endorphins in your body, and your hormone levels are elevated." Pieces didn't take that long to put together, and so Thelos had dropped his tone out of respect for her privacy. Pon Farr? Even if the databases were still a little sparse on the topic, Thelos knew enough about the process to diagnose it... and understand the implications. "How long have you been experiencing your symptoms?"

[Main Engineering]

Gabriel's smile was slightly amused as he watched the interaction between Kaz and Nefen. The pair seemed to be working together well. As long as Kaz doesn't demote him further. Maybe to deck-swab? he thought, moving out of the way so that they had better access to the work area. The situation wasn't critical, and he was sure the ensigns didn't want a former engineer horning his way in to things.

"I actually just came down to check on you both, see how you were getting along and settling in. And, of course, any excuse to see the Engine Room is not to be missed. I'm sure you don't need me to tell you that, though."

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

Archangel's smile over the rim of her cup was a knowing one as she listened to her sister-in-law talking about her twins.  She took a sip of her tea, then set it aside, trying hard not to appear as if she was holding back laughter.

"Wait until the hormones and morning sickness kick in, then tell me the first months are easy," she replied before nodding as the conversation turned to the crew.  "Always nice to know the crew's not at each other's throats," she commented.  "I have a few concerns about Zero, namely the relationship she has with Jiseth at the moment, but I'm hoping that time's going to sort that out.  Thank you for letting her shadow you.  I'm sure it's going to do her a world of good."

[Ready Room]

"Oh yeah," Chira chuckled. "I know the...fun...really hasn't started, yet. Poor Henriks," she mused, taking a sip of lemon water. Her expression turned more serious, though, as Zero's situation was brought up. At that, she sighed, shaking her head. "Yeah. I have...concerns...too. Sometimes I feel like I'm too close to the situation, but, then again, that might make me the best suited."

Rubbing her temples, Chira was silent a moment before continuing. "Jiseth and I are close. I love her like a sister. So you can imagine how hard it is to even bring something like this up with her. I can't help but feel she'll see it as a condemnation on her, rather than a serious assessment of Zero Alpha's emotional state and well-being."

Thelos th'Zhela wrote:

Thelos didn't waver under what he could have taken as a hit to his pride, and instead glossed over it with an answer. "The CMO is occupied at the moment. I assure you, I'm just as qualified to see you," he said. Truthfully, he had no idea what Henriks was up to in his office, but he wasn't about to go bother him. Inefficient, and probably a waste of time from every angle. Thelos being an Andorian or not, he knew that a vulcan would never approve.

He was mildly surprised that Selva didn't want to tell him what was wrong- he knew Vulcans tended to be private about their affairs... but it still struck him as odd. Regardless, the Andorian doctor opened his tricorder up and briefly ran it over the woman's torso. The readings made him frown, but he did what he'd been asked.

"Well, lieutenant. Your body chemistry is a little uneven. There's an abnormal amount of adrenaline and endorphins in your body, and your hormone levels are elevated." Pieces didn't take that long to put together, and so Thelos had dropped his tone out of respect for her privacy. Pon Farr? Even if the databases were still a little sparse on the topic, Thelos knew enough about the process to diagnose it... and understand the implications. "How long have you been experiencing your symptoms?"

[Sickbay]

The Vulcan's raised eyebrow was enough to paint the slight surprise on her face...surprise that the doctor knew of the pon farr, and surprise that an Andorian of all people had studied it. She was aware of a few cases as a matter of Starfleet medical record, but they were far between over the years.

"On and off for seven weeks," Selva replied, staring straight ahead. "I had thought that the time might be settling in, but I have been able to keep it at bay with meditation. Now...now I feel that...I feel that a full on-set may be happening. If that is true...I believe meditation will not help any more. I must take a mate, and I must have release."

Chira Abols wrote:

"Oh yeah," Chira chuckled.  "I know the...fun...really hasn't started, yet.  Poor Henriks," she mused, taking a sip of lemon water.  Her expression turned more serious, though, as Zero's situation was brought up.  At that, she sighed, shaking her head.  "Yeah.  I have...concerns...too.  Sometimes I feel like I'm too close to the situation, but, then again, that might make me the best suited."  

Rubbing her temples, Chira was silent a moment before continuing.  "Jiseth and I are close.  I love her like a sister.  So you can imagine how hard it is to even bring something like this up with her.  I can't help but feel she'll see it as a condemnation on her, rather than a serious assessment of Zero Alpha's emotional state and well-being."

[Ready Room]

"'Concerns' just doesn't seem to adequately cover everything to do with Zero," Archangel mused aloud. She sighed quietly, setting her tea cup down on her desk. "I understand that there's a young man in the Science department who's helping her in her studies. An Ensign Van Gelder. You might have seen him hanging around with Ensign th'Zhela. I received paperwork recently for them to share quarters." She paused then, wondering how Gabriel would take it if she went out on one last mission before she hung up the mantle of Nemesis.

Rubbing her ridges, she continued: "If you think it's the best course of action, I think we should probably minimise our own interference in their relationship. Provide assistance if and when they ask, of course, but try to let them work it out for themselves. If nothing else, it's a learning experience for them both."

NPC wrote:

Lieutenant Selva

[Sickbay]

The Vulcan's raised eyebrow was enough to paint the slight surprise on her face...surprise that the doctor knew of the pon farr, and surprise that an Andorian of all people had studied it.  She was aware of a few cases as a matter of Starfleet medical record, but they were far between over the years.

"On and off for seven weeks," Selva replied, staring straight ahead.  "I had thought that the time might be settling in, but I have been able to keep it at bay with meditation.  Now...now I feel that...I feel that a full on-set may be happening.  If that is true...I believe meditation will not help any more.  I must take a mate, and I must have release."

[Sickbay]

The wheels in Thelos's head were turning. From what he knew a Vulcan could only survive full-fledged pon farr for eight days. However, if Selva had been meditating in order to stave off the symptoms, then their timetable could be a bit skewed. Whatever time they had left would have to be made the most of.

"Do you have a, er... bond-mate on Vulcan, if that's the correct term?" If she didn't then they'd have to find something else.

Thelos th'Zhela wrote:

The wheels in Thelos's head were turning. From what he knew a Vulcan could only survive full-fledged pon farr for eight days. However, if Selva had been meditating in order to stave off the symptoms, then their timetable could be a bit skewed. Whatever time they had left would have to be made the most of.

"Do you have a, er... bond-mate on Vulcan, if that's the correct term?" If she didn't then they'd have to find something else.

[Sickbay]

Selva wished that she were able to better express herself in Terran mannerisms, because she could have gone for a good sigh right about now.  "No.  My parents never found a suitable arrangement for me before I enrolled in the Science Academy.  And then I went on to join Starfleet, and...I have...neglected...this aspect.  The last time I was forced to sate my urges was five years ago.  I believed I had more time..."

Reaching around, Selva pulled a padd out of her back uniform pocket.  "I have not been idle, however," she nodded, handing it to the Andorian.  "For your perusal.  I have categorized a listing of possible pairings that would satisfy this drive.  The Vulcan pon farr is a highly-physical thing, a hearken back to our baser natures.  Therefore, the ideal match would be one of Vulcanoid heritage.  Barring that, I would require someone of good physical condition, and adequate strength."


"As you can see," Selva continued, "most of the available Vulcanoids are females.  "I...do not have enough experience to know if this would sate the pon farr or not.  Commander Arthur and Ensign Alpha are listed due to their presumed experience with Romulan intimacy."  She looked up at the doctor, her face expressionless as a statue.  "And you, of course.  The Andorian stamina is well-known."