Mission 1 - Reductio ad Absurdum

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

Archangel looked up briefly at Gabriel, then down at her hands, then away from them and to the floor on the other side of the biobed, away from her husband.  She couldn't bring herself to look at him, to look at the man who saw so mcuh in her that she didn't believe to be there.

"You go.  I shouldn't go near them," she said quietly.  She could hurt them.  That thought made her want to throw up what paltry contents her stomach may have.  No.  She was damaged goods.  This incident had just proved that.  She couldn't be trusted to be near two such beautiful girls.

[Sickbay]

"Arch...no."  The word felt odd coming out of Gabriel's mouth, since it was something he so very rarely ever said to his wife, over anything.  However, he knew he couldn't allow her to retreat any further than she was going.  As far as he knew, she was ready to put that vile black uniform on again.  "You're their mother, and we're their parents.  They're scared and lonely right now, even with Chira in there.  We haven't the damnedest idea what's going on, but imagine how it must feel for them?"  He held a firm but gentle grip on her shoulder.  "You're a Starfleet captain, and, more importantly...you're a mother.  I want you with me, on this.  They need us both."

Zero Alpha wrote:

Arriving in the place that, had she been assigned to the station, would have been her domain, Zero had to stop and look around at what was happening. However, her gaze fell on Gabriel, the man who had put the summons through, and she strode over to him.

"You rang?" she asked with the tone of voice generally used by a parent to a particularly annoying child. Her use of the colloquialism had been encouraged by Jiseth, who found it amusing.

Gabe looked up as Zero entered behind the group that just left, cocking an eyebrow.  "Um.  Yes...I guess I did ring.  See the team that just left?  Go with them, please.  They'll fill you in.  And pick up a respirator."

Thelos th'Zhela wrote:

Unfortunately, Gavin was still out like a light. Thelos frowned. With the insanity on the station, he didn't fancy the idea of leaving him there in case anyone stumbled upon him. They were headed to sickbay, right? That seemed like the best place for him.

Unfortunately, before he could ask for Zero's help, the icy woman had already left. "Gah! Wait- Damn," he sighed as he watched a swish of white hair turn around the corner and vanish.

Ok, well, I'll just carry you myself. How he was going to go about this was beyond him. He was sturdy, but he'd gotten exhausted just running to the holodeck. Then again, he wasn't galloping to keep up with Gavin this time either. Quite the opposite.

Throwing him over his shoulder wasn't going to work, so Thelos looped his arms under each of Gavin's and tugged him along with him. He looked utterly ridiculous, but moved along fast enough. He sincerely hoped that he'd wake up and walk on his own, but that seemed... unlikely. "Wake up, will you?"

[Corridors]

Gavin felt like he was flying. At least, his dreams kind of felt that way...all except for this odd sensation of bumping along something. Now, why would he be bumping into things in the air? Up here, where he was free, no responsibilities, no Starfleet Medical and their directives, free from his father and his name, up in the wild blue...

...something. Blue? Why did that ring a --

"Urgh!" Gav said, as his feet banged along the corridor's deckplating. He felt the arms around him, and the tug as Thelos was having to drag him along like a sack of Aldebaran tubers. "I...I think I can walk," he said, slouching down and shaking his head, trying to dispel some fog. Gavin sat down, raking both hands through his unruly auburn hair. "You know...when you wake up in someone's arms, it's supposed to be more pleasant than this," he grinned, after yawning sleepily. "I think I left a shoe somewhere."

Gabriel Arthur wrote:

[Sickbay]

"Arch...no."  The word felt odd coming out of Gabriel's mouth, since it was something he so very rarely ever said to his wife, over anything.  However, he knew he couldn't allow her to retreat any further than she was going.  As far as he knew, she was ready to put that vile black uniform on again.  "You're their mother, and we're their parents.  They're scared and lonely right now, even with Chira in there.  We haven't the damnedest idea what's going on, but imagine how it must feel for them?"  He held a firm but gentle grip on her shoulder.  "You're a Starfleet captain, and, more importantly...you're a mother.  I want you with me, on this.  They need us both."

"They need someone they can rely on," Archangel murmured back. "They need someone who won't hurt them." She sighed softly, rubbing her ridges and looked down at the black uniform jacket that seemed to be watching her back.

With a further sigh, she ran a hand over her hair, since the majority of it had been pulled into a tight knot when she had donned the black uniform, and looked at Gabriel's feet. It was the closest she could come to looking at him at all. She wanted nothing more than to be able to follow him and comfort their girls, but how could she do that when she knew how easy it would be for one of them to be hurt because of her associations.

Gavin Van Gelder wrote:

[Corridors]

Gavin felt like he was flying.  At least, his dreams kind of felt that way...all except for this odd sensation of bumping along something.  Now, why would he be bumping into things in the air?  Up here, where he was free, no responsibilities, no Starfleet Medical and their directives, free from his father and his name, up in the wild blue...

...something.  Blue?  Why did that ring a --

"Urgh!" Gav said, as his feet banged along the corridor's deckplating.  He felt the arms around him, and the tug as Thelos was having to drag him along like a sack of Aldebaran tubers.  "I...I think I can walk," he said, slouching down and shaking his head, trying to dispel some fog.  Gavin sat down, raking both hands through his unruly auburn hair.  "You know...when you wake up in someone's arms, it's supposed to be more pleasant than this," he grinned, after yawning sleepily.  "I think I left a shoe somewhere."

[Corridors]

By some minor miracle, Gavin had woken up. A good thing too. Thelos's shoulders were already protesting. The Andorian gratefully let go- careful not to let Gavin bang down too hard onto the deckplates. He swore he her his shoulders crack as he straightened back up and offered a hand out to help the other doctor stand.

"....."

It seemed that his interesting sense of humor had wasted no time waking up as well. Thelos had to fight very hard to keep from blushing purple again.

"Well, I'm sorry for the rude awakening... but you didn't exactly seem willing to leave whatever you were dreaming about," he explained.

"We need to get to sickbay... I'd appreciate if if you could walk yourself."

Thelos th'Zhela wrote:

By some minor miracle, Gavin had woken up. A good thing too. Thelos's shoulders were already protesting. The Andorian gratefully let go- careful not to let Gavin bang down too hard onto the deckplates. He swore he her his shoulders crack as he straightened back up and offered a hand out to help the other doctor stand.

"....."

It seemed that his interesting sense of humor had wasted no time waking up as well. Thelos had to fight very hard to keep from blushing purple again.

"Well, I'm sorry for the rude awakening... but you didn't exactly seem willing to leave whatever you were dreaming about," he explained.

"We need to get to sickbay... I'd appreciate if if you could walk yourself."

[Corridors]

Shaking his head again, Gavin stumbled backward a little, picking up his black boot and sliding it on. "I...um. I haven't the foggiest what I was dreaming about. Or even...y'know what? I don't even know what in the rutting hell I'm doing!" And he meant that in more ways than one, though his own life wasn't the topic if discussion right now. "I remember talking to you in Sickbay...I think Doctor Telak was there...and, man...the rest is a blur! Why are we going to Sickbay, by the way?" he asked, hopping a little while trying to get the boot on. Gav finally stamped it all the way on, standing up straight. "And where'd Zero go?"

Raynor Hughes wrote:

[Sickbay]

Taking a respiration unit from Henriks, Raynor nodded in thanks to the man.  From what he'd seen of the doctor, the man seemed alright, if a little uptight.  Nothing that some strong firewine couldn't fix, though.  That seemed to be a universal truth.

"Honestly, I am just putting the tactile transmission out there as a possibility.  In truth, though...I handled the plants just fine without feeling any...untoward...effects.  Only after the spores blasted me in the face did I blank out, and wake up, and..." the Klingon said, trailing off the end as his recollection brought him perilously close to discussing what had happened between him and Ilana afterward.

Speaking of whom...

He couldn't help but note how she communicated, or attempted to communicate, to Henriks using nonverbal cues.  Even though Ilana had never been much on talking before, this still had to be hell for her.  All the more reason to get this foolishness handled, and then work on helping her.

"Alright, then.  Let's get to the lab.  We should get Alpha in on this, too, " he said, nodding to Archangel.  The Augment was, after all, T'Koris' CMO.  While the pale girl was woefully ignorant on almost every aspect of life, she was one of the smartest people Raynor had ever encountered.

[Sickbay]

The Klingon seemed pretty confident when he spoke, while Henriks was still trying to keep his train of thought going in one direction. At the moment, it was all over the place, readily hopping from one thought to another. Put on respirator. Where was Chira? Breathe. Where were they supposed to be going? Make sure others were wearing theirs.

"Did you say what type of plant you were working with?" Henriks asked suddenly. His stomach was uneasy at Zero's name, a tangled knot of suppressed rage. It was a stupid feeling, he knew, but it had not been the most normal of days. When Alpha did arrive, it was at the call of Gabe, for his wife.

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

"They need someone they can rely on," Archangel murmured back.  "They need someone who won't hurt them."  She sighed softly, rubbing her ridges and looked down at the black uniform jacket that seemed to be watching her back.  

With a further sigh, she ran a hand over her hair, since the majority of it had been pulled into a tight knot when she had donned the black uniform, and looked at Gabriel's feet.  It was the closest she could come to looking at him at all.  She wanted nothing more than to be able to follow him and comfort their girls, but how could she do that when she knew how easy it would be for one of them to be hurt because of her associations.

[Sickbay]

"They need their mother," Gabriel returned, insistent. He didn't like the direction that this was taking, not one damn bit. "Also, I temporarily outrank you. So...come with me. Our babies need us."

He reached down, touching her under the chin, gently tilting his wife's head up to look into her dark eyes, smiling. "Please. Let's go. That...that's an order."

Gabriel Arthur wrote:

[Sickbay]

"They need their mother," Gabriel returned, insistent.  He didn't like the direction that this was taking, not one damn bit.  "Also, I temporarily outrank you.  So...come with me.  Our babies need us."  

He reached down, touching her under the chin, gently tilting his wife's head up to look into her dark eyes, smiling.  "Please.  Let's go.  That...that's an order."

[Sickbay]

Archangel still didn't meet her husband's eyes, even as he lifted her chin. She raised her head slightly, dislodging the fingers. She didn't look happy at all, especially when he pulled the rank card on her. In fact, she looked almost thunderous as he made his request an order, but the thunder was tired.

Slowly, she unfolded her limbs, slipping off the biobed. She couldn't disobey an order. It wasn't in her nature to do so and Gabriel knew it.

Gabriel Arthur wrote:

Gabe looked up as Zero entered behind the group that just left, cocking an eyebrow.  "Um.  Yes...I guess I did ring.  See the team that just left?  Go with them, please.  They'll fill you in.  And pick up a respirator."

[Sickbay]

Resisting the urge to roll her eyes at her new first officer, Zero turned away from the couple and retrieved a respirator as ordered before walking quickly to catch up with the small medical team that had just left sickbay.

[Corridors]

She wasn't all that curious as to what they were doing, rather annoyed that she had been pulled on duty during time that she had set aside to dance, and was definitely more annoyed that she had been interrupted several times during that slot.

As she walked alongside the team, she stayed stonily silent with a scowl on her face.

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

Archangel still didn't meet her husband's eyes, even as he lifted her chin.  She raised her head slightly, dislodging the fingers.  She didn't look happy at all, especially when he pulled the rank card on her.  In fact, she looked almost thunderous as he made his request an order, but the thunder was tired.

Slowly, she unfolded her limbs, slipping off the biobed.  She couldn't disobey an order.  It wasn't in her nature to do so and Gabriel knew it.

[Sickbay]

Yes, Gabe felt quite dirty for having to pull rank on his own wife, but...this had been far from any ordinary day. Besides, the last thing he wanted to do was to have her sit here and sulk further into herself. He hated to see her isolate and throw up those duranium walls. It had taken him what seemed like an eternity to finally overcome them, but she could enact them with an instant's notice.

He silently slipped his hand into hers, helping Archangel off of the biobed. The girls were highly intelligent, almost scarily so at times, but they were still children. They would still be confused and scared, and would need to see mommy and daddy in a united front, confident and unafraid of anything. If only that were true, he thought, unsure as to which part he was referring.

Zero Alpha wrote:

She wasn't all that curious as to what they were doing, rather annoyed that she had been pulled on duty during time that she had set aside to dance, and was definitely more annoyed that she had been interrupted several times during that slot.

As she walked alongside the team, she stayed stonily silent with a scowl on her face.

[Corridors]

Raynor glanced up as a pale vision joined their merry band of desperadoes, smiling and nodding at Zero. He didn't know the girl that well, but he was very close to Jiseth, her partner. As someone who too was rough around the edges, he didn't begrudge Zero's seeming lack of most social graces. She was what she was, and Raynor had judged her friendship worthy of overlooking any other failings. That was the Klingon way.

He opened his mouth to answer Henriks' question when, suddenly, he heard Ilana drop something. Raynor's hazel eyes went first to her, and then to the direction she looked, as a group of...Ferengi? approached the officers, weapons drawn. The Klingon instantly reached for his own sidearm, but found nothing, cursing. A man could take down armed assailants, but it was exceedingly difficult when they had the drop on you and an open field of fire. Instead, he moved protectively toward Ilana, hoping to shield her from any possible weapons fire with his own bulk. The sec/tac people they'd brought would just have to do their jobs.

Raynor Hughes wrote:

[Corridors]

Raynor glanced up as a pale vision joined their merry band of desperadoes, smiling and nodding at Zero.  He didn't know the girl that well, but he was very close to Jiseth, her partner.  As someone who too was rough around the edges, he didn't begrudge Zero's seeming lack of most social graces.  She was what she was, and Raynor had judged her friendship worthy of overlooking any other failings.  That was the Klingon way.

He opened his mouth to answer Henriks' question when, suddenly, he heard Ilana drop something.  Raynor's hazel eyes went first to her, and then to the direction she looked, as a group of...Ferengi? approached the officers, weapons drawn.  The Klingon instantly reached for his own sidearm, but found nothing, cursing.  A man could take down armed assailants, but it was exceedingly difficult when they had the drop on you and an open field of fire.  Instead, he moved protectively toward Ilana, hoping to shield her from any possible weapons fire with his own bulk.  The sec/tac people they'd brought would just have to do their jobs.

[Corridors]

Henriks followed the group at large as they left sickbay and began to make their ways through the corridors. He knew sickbay was in good hands, and there was little to do until they actually reached the arboretum, so he let his mind wander and his feet carry him to the destination. But suddenly group came to a halt, causing Henriks to nearly bump into someone, Zero of all people. His stomach clenched, but there was little he could do about it.

A bunch of Ferrengi's suddenly appeared, armed with security yellow and phasers. Which type, Henriks could not say. All he knew was that he was not armed, nor was most of their group, and they needed to get out of the way, fast. But they were in the middle of a corridor. Where were they to go?

Gabriel Arthur wrote:

[Sickbay]

Yes, Gabe felt quite dirty for having to pull rank on his own wife, but...this had been far from any ordinary day.  Besides, the last thing he wanted to do was to have her sit here and sulk further into herself.  He hated to see her isolate and throw up those duranium walls.  It had taken him what seemed like an eternity to finally overcome them, but she could enact them with an instant's notice.

He silently slipped his hand into hers, helping Archangel off of the biobed.  The girls were highly intelligent, almost scarily so at times, but they were still children.  They would still be confused and scared, and would need to see mommy and daddy in a united front, confident and unafraid of anything.  If only that were true, he thought, unsure as to which part he was referring.

[Sickbay]

Archangel looked down at the hand that Gabriel had slipped into hers, taking a moment to tell herself that it was real, and that he really didn't seem to mind that she ranked alongside Sovereign when it came to general detestability. That confused her.

But he gently pulled her onward towards the CMO's office, where her daughters waited for their parents to explain what was happening.

Seika was sitting in her wheelchair, quietly waiting for Archangel and Gabriel. Her blue eyes watched them as they walked in, looking up at them, but said nothing. Aria sat on the floor, playing with her stuffed tribble and starship, oblivious to the world outside them.

Raynor Hughes wrote:

[Corridors]

Raynor glanced up as a pale vision joined their merry band of desperadoes, smiling and nodding at Zero.  He didn't know the girl that well, but he was very close to Jiseth, her partner.  As someone who too was rough around the edges, he didn't begrudge Zero's seeming lack of most social graces.  She was what she was, and Raynor had judged her friendship worthy of overlooking any other failings.  That was the Klingon way.

He opened his mouth to answer Henriks' question when, suddenly, he heard Ilana drop something.  Raynor's hazel eyes went first to her, and then to the direction she looked, as a group of...Ferengi? approached the officers, weapons drawn.  The Klingon instantly reached for his own sidearm, but found nothing, cursing.  A man could take down armed assailants, but it was exceedingly difficult when they had the drop on you and an open field of fire.  Instead, he moved protectively toward Ilana, hoping to shield her from any possible weapons fire with his own bulk.  The sec/tac people they'd brought would just have to do their jobs.

[Corridors]

Ilana gave a quiet cry of surprise as she found herself knocked into the bulkhead by a solid mass of Klingon. She couldn't blame him though. The corridor was narrow, he was broad and she was tiny.

After bouncing off the bulkhead, she touched his arm, letting him know that she was there since she couldn't tell him herself. It was certainly a comfort that he was trying to protect her, especially since she had no idea what these Ferengi were after, but the knives they were holding were definitely sharp, which was concern enough.

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

Archangel looked down at the hand that Gabriel had slipped into hers, taking a moment to tell herself that it was real, and that he really didn't seem to mind that she ranked alongside Sovereign when it came to general detestability. That confused her.

But he gently pulled her onward towards the CMO's office, where her daughters waited for their parents to explain what was happening.

Seika was sitting in her wheelchair, quietly waiting for Archangel and Gabriel. Her blue eyes watched them as they walked in, looking up at them, but said nothing. Aria sat on the floor, playing with her stuffed tribble and starship, oblivious to the world outside them.

[Sickbay]

Gabe moved on toward the office, trying to feel like he was doing anything but basically dragging his wife along with him. He had a feeling that, at this point, he was going to have to take what he could get.

As the pair entered the CMO's office, he beamed a smile at his sister, who was watching over the girls. Chira smiled back, the expression flickering slightly as she saw the look on her sister-in-law's eyes. "Well," the counselor said, kissing the girls on top of their heads, "it's time for Aunt Kee to see what she can get into elsewhere." With that, she left.

Gabriel looked after his sister, to his wife, and then his children. Reaching down, he scooped up Aira, nuzzling her on the cheek. "Hullo, girls," he said, handing the baby to her mother.

Gabriel Arthur wrote:

[Sickbay]

Gabe moved on toward the office, trying to feel like he was doing anything but basically dragging his wife along with him.  He had a feeling that, at this point, he was going to have to take what he could get.

As the pair entered the CMO's office, he beamed a smile at his sister, who was watching over the girls.  Chira smiled back, the expression flickering slightly as she saw the look on her sister-in-law's eyes.  "Well," the counselor said, kissing the girls on top of their heads, "it's time for Aunt Kee to see what she can get into elsewhere."  With that, she left.

Gabriel looked after his sister, to his wife, and then his children.  Reaching down, he scooped up Aira, nuzzling her on the cheek.  "Hullo, girls," he said, handing the baby to her mother.

[CMO's Office]

Archangel kept her eyes on the ground as Gabriel pretty much pulled her towards the Chief Medical Officer's office, where her daughters were waiting for them. When Gabriel handed Aria to her, she smiled down at the cherubic little girl, but the expression didn't reach her eyes.

Seika tugged at her father's sleeve, looking up at him with a worried expression, waiting for an explanation.

[Corridors]

The sudden appearance of so many officers in one place had Keldar unnerved.  And if he was at that point, he knew that Glim had to be ready to throw the white flag up.  Glim was afraid of his own shadow.  The very fact that there was a Klingon in the group, and one that looked ready to crap lightning, was also something that would give anyone pause.

Still...they had come so far.  Dared so much.  

Keldar held his phaser steady, snarling at the group.  "Out of the way, hewmons!  And Cardassian," he added, frowning.  "And Klingon!"  He hadn't the slightest idea what the hell the pale girl was, but he wanted her out of the way, too.  "Hand Ogrim over to us, and none of you get hurt!"

NPC wrote:

NPC
Senior Crewman Keldar

[Corridors]

The sudden appearance of so many officers in one place had Keldar unnerved.  And if he was at that point, he knew that Glim had to be ready to throw the white flag up.  Glim was afraid of his own shadow.  The very fact that there was a Klingon in the group, and one that looked ready to crap lightning, was also something that would give anyone pause.

Still...they had come so far.  Dared so much.  

Keldar held his phaser steady, snarling at the group.  "Out of the way, hewmons!  And Cardassian," he added, frowning.  "And Klingon!"  He hadn't the slightest idea what the hell the pale girl was, but he wanted her out of the way, too.  "Hand Ogrim over to us, and none of you get hurt!"

[Corridors]

Nobody moved. Henriks gripped his medkit tightly, as tightly as the Ferengi held their phasers. And they were not wavering either. Who was this Olgrim they wanted? he wondered. If it was a thing they wanted, then there would have been some sort of article somewhere in their sentence. Olgrim... Olgrim... the name sounded familiar. It had to be someone on the station roster, he knew, but for the life of him, he could not match a face to the name. Well, was anyone going to do something?

Station log, stardate 55755.8

Life on the station has proved that it is unwilling to be boring for any length of time. For what was supposed to be a day with only the arrival of the USS Phoenix scheduled, many of my crew took unexpected turns in their behaviour, many of whom acted drunk without the benefit of having imbibed any of the substance in the first place.

Science and medical departments tracked the phenomenon to a plant brought aboard by Lieutenant Raynor Hughes, an officer from the Klingon Defense Force serving with us on exchange. Apparently, the pollen simulates the same effect as alcohol. A team of scientists and medics examined the plant under quarantine conditions and determined that rendering an afflicted individual unconscious allowed the body to process the contaminant and leave them none the worse for wear, apart from confusion and generally some embarrassment.

The team, comprised of Chief Petty Officer Abols, Lieutenant Hughes, Lieutenant Alpha, Ensign Van Gelder and Ensign Telak proposed the following solution and I gave my approval for the enactment: After careful sealing of the plant in an appropriate environment to prevent further contamination, a measure of neurozine was distributed through the station and all docked ships. While the crews and public were unconscious, the air was sterilised in order to rid it of any remaining contaminants.

I report no further incidents of my crew acting out of character.

Additional. Ensign Telak has been relieved of active duty for the foreseeable future due to medical reasons. She will maintain a research position on the station.

"Computer, end station log."

Rachel Deacon stood at the window in her office, looking out at the stars that surrounded the station. It had been a strange time, that was for sure. She had barely been in command of the station for a week before it had happened. A slight smile crossed her face.

I wonder what else you have in store for us, Athena.