Star Trek RPG - Mission #6: "Marala"

[Rangin]

They've drawn the lottery, Rangin fumes silently. They couldn't wait until the shuttle was on its way back before they told everyone whether they were going to live or die. While providing a tempting transport out of there for those who are probably going to die. Not to mention that the data they were using could still be wrong, but even that is a moot point now.

Muttering under his breath, Rangin sees if he can get a list of the lucky people in the lottery while calling out to Graham, "Sir, do we know if the people meeting us were lucky or not? It might influence their way of thinking."

He hopes those meeting them are among the lucky otherwise they could have a real problem on their hands and the only way to find out was to compare the winners with those meeting them.

Rangin does not like this one single bit.

[Elendil's Heir]

Johnson sees no one in Onn's cabin. The door whooshes shut and Wallach gestures down the corridor. "This way, ma'am, if you please."

[general_urko]

Graham closes his eyes for a moment, then replies to Yorktown. "Transmission acknowledged." Gotta establish a record if shit goes south...acknowledged receipt of the order, but had no intention of obeying. My idea, not Marala's...or Nia's.

He spares a glance at Nia, wondering what she's thinking. But Rangin's comment interrupts.

"Fuck, Graham grunts. "That's a perspicacious observations, dammit. If I'm them and I've been left behind...'fancy painting' would make a hell of a hostage."

[choie]

Kylah's neck muscles relax--slightly--when the door shuts behind Mr. Johnson without any incident. "If you will excuse me?" he politely enquires with an inclination of his head before turning to go back to the kitchens.

Before he leaves, Kylah darts her hand out, fingers just brushing the fabric of his sleeve to catch his attention. "Thank you for... for everything. I am grateful."

She inhales and, with a final wary check of the door concealing the two refugees, gives Mr. Wallach a nod--really, just a blink. "Yes, sir. I appreciate your patience."

[Elendil's Heir]

Capt. Singh says, "Thank you, Mr. Graham. Good luck. Yorktown out." The shuttle continues its now-steady descent.

Rangin is unable to access the lottery list on his communicator.

Wallach smiles a little. "You don't have to call me 'sir,' ma'am. I'm not an officer, just a crewman." He leads Kylah down the hall to a turbolift, takes a handhold and, when Kylah has done the same, says, "Mr. Vargas's office." The door closes and the turbolift whirs into motion.

[SidonianGal]

Keeping her face neutral, Nia looks behind her at Rangin, then returns to Booker for an appraisal of how he's doing. Hard to say, except as tightly wound as a micro plasma coil. He'd have to be, to compliment Rangin.

Meanwhile, her left hand twitches from its suppressed instinct to reach for her communicator. She can't tell if Book is surreptitiously reaching for his own--doesn't look like it, but he's good with his hands, as she knows damn well; he could be using the device on the side away from her. He must be dying to hear from Marala.

Nia clears her throat. "A painting's not a bad bargaining chip," she says dryly, focusing on the panels in front of her. "But even better would be a Starfleet shuttle. And her crew." Her eyebrow arches. "...If you don't mind a little more, um, perspicacity."

[choie]

Kylah's hand slides down the handle, skin growing clammier by the second. She wipes her palm on her uniform and tries a better grip.

"Thank you, Mr. Wallach. But I do not say 'sir' because I am unaware of your rank." She stares numbly at the door in front of her. "Long before I entered Starfleet, I was taught to honor age, experience and authority. In those--and probably many other ways--you are my superior."

Kylah falls silent. She has said all this not just to take up time, nor yet just because it is true. It is an instinctive, defensive tactic. She needs to make herself small--microscopic, nearly invisible--if she is to survive whatever lies waiting for her in Cmdr. Vargas office.

[Rangin]

Rangin knows who has run the lottery, and gets his datapad out. Originally he was going to try and get some fresh data while on the planet, but now, he may as well just get the results from Mr Dosmukhambetov and see if Graham has a list of who will be meeting the transport.

"Sir, do you have a list of the people who are meeting us?" Rangin calls out to Graham, while rapidly sending his communication off.

LT DOSMUKHAMBETOV -- Please can you send me the list of lottery winners? -- ENS. RANGIN.

"Does anyone know how big this painting is that we are picking up? Perhaps we should get a tricorder ready to scan it, and make sure it's the real deal when we get there." Rangin just calls it out generally to the rest of the crew hoping that someone, anyone will go look up the answers.

[Elendil's Heir]

Wallach nods and smiles. "I understand. Thank you, ma'am." Soon to the turbolift eases to a stop on Deck 17, and Wallach leads Kylah a short distance to the door of Cmdr. Vargas's office. He activates the chime and Vargas calls from within, "Come."

Rangin soon gets a text back, Lottery results attached. Do not share list with non-Starfleet personnel. DOSMUKHAMBETOV. Attached is a file showing those selected in the lottery, sortable by first or last name, age, address and family grouping.

Graham recalls the name of the Van Gogh painting, "Poppy Flowers," and Rangin is able to look up its dimensions in Federation records: 65 by 54 cms.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poppy_Flowers

[choie]

The First Officer's voice is enough to drain the blood from Kylah's face. She feels dizzy, nauseous, and terribly cold. I am going to faint, she realizes, and takes a few quick breaths while hugging herself.

But procrastination will only make things worse. Steeling herself as best she can, Kylah drops her rubbery arms to her sides, croaks out a last word of thanks to Mr. Wallach, and steps forward to enter Cmdr. Vargas's office.

[Rangin]

"Thank you Mr D," Rangin mutters under his breath. "Ok, I've got the lottery results, can we get confirmation of who is meeting us at the shuttle pad?" he calls out to the crew, trying to stay business-like, while aware that Graham more than anyone has a personal stake in the answer.

He scans down the attachment sent to him, to see if Marala's name is among those who were lucky, or not, as the case may be, because he wants to be ready when he is asked.

[Elendil's Heir]

Cmdr. Vargas is sitting in his spartan office, his desk bare except for a silver-framed picture of an elderly couple, and a datapad. He does not invite Kylah to sit down. He says, "Remain outside, please, Mr. Wallach."

The redshirt nods and the door closes behind Kylah.

After a pause, Garcia says, "I understand a museum curator and a security guard will be meeting us at the landing pad with the painting."

Rangin does not see Marala Gromov's name on the list.

[general_urko]

Graham chuckles, a little bitterly - "I guess I'm not sure how we'd rate versus this irreplaceable cultural treasure," he replies to Nia. "But, yeah, you're damned right...not a lot of options for desperate people on the planet, in fact--maybe we're it."

The list.

Sure would make life a lot easier--for him, anyway--if Marala and Nikolai were both on it....

[SidonianGal]

Having left the pair of them behind, Ajay flips his communicator out and checks the message. It's from Kylah of course but before that last encounter by Nia's quarters. Poor kid, someone who life is taking a malicious interest in.

Thinking about it, he figures he had better give Nia an update.

LT. ONN - Hey there. Heads up but Kylah has been summoned to see Vargas. If she doesn't end up back in your quarters, there is some grub waiting. Enjoy. - JOHNSON

He sends it off before heading back to the kitchens.


* * *

Nia's attention darts to Booker as soon as she hears that Rangin has the lottery results. She expects the former to ask the obvious question, but instead, Book seems so self-contained and hard to read, he might as well be wearing a personal cloaking device.

Frustrated, Nia snaps her eyes front again. "Rangin, please send each team member a copy of the results. We're the ones potentially meeting these folks head-on. We should know who's in what category."

Another buzz from her communicator, so quick that Nia assumes it's not Rangin acting lightning-fast to her request. And she's right.

AJ's message rates a grimace. Well, it's good that Kylah's out of there, and the food's a nice gesture. But as annoyed with Kylah as she is, Nia doesn't wish Vargas on anyone. Eh. Maybe it'll be the kick in the ass she needs. Nia's not feeling super generous toward the young woman given how much stress she added to Book's plate.



Ajay by Ajay, Nia by me

[Rangin]

"Aye Ma'am," responds Rangin to the order given his way and after a brief look round once again to just remind himself who is in the shuttle, he forwards on the lottery list.

"I would suggest using the shuttle's sensors to make sure our welcoming party is who we expect it to be." Rangin looks for the name of the museum curator and any named guards to see if they have been lucky or if the crew need to be extra careful.

[general_urko]

Graham takes a deep breath.

If he could have gotten off this train at any point, he would have, but things are what they are--and he accepted the mission.

So I'm gonna have to look at who's on the list. And take charge of landing and getting the goddamn painting. And...Nikolai.

Back on the clock, Booker...

"Ok," he says to no one in particular, and steels himself to check the list sent by Rangin.

[Elendil's Heir]

Everyone's communicator on the shuttle beeps once to mark the receipt of the lottery-results list from Rangin.

Graham does not see either Marala or Nikolai Gromov on the list.

Rangin learns that the Novy Rostov Museum curator's name is Dr. Andrei Vasilyev. He is on the lottery list. The museum has just two guards, Leonid Nikulin and Annette White, the first of whom is on the list.

The Kaku is now just three minutes away from landing.

[choie]

The First Officer looks sternly at the young Communications officer and says, "Tell me, Mr. Kylah, why you failed to report to the Shuttlebay as ordered."

Kylah keeps her gaze somewhere south of Cmdr. Vargas's chin. She remembers Aldaan's warning before she left Elas for the last time: If you must lie--and you willl, probably often--keep it simple. The more highly placed your target, the more straightforward your tale.

"At first, I... I did not hear the hail, sir. I had a terrible migraine." Her tone is soft but does not attempt to appeal to his sympathy. "I thought I could just lie down in my bunk and close my eyes for a few minutes, but I am afraid I fell asleep."

She has a distinct psi sense of Cmdr. Vargas's skepticism and barely-controlled irritation, which is at least partly driven by his deep sense of fatigue. He says, "I had understood you replied to the initial call and said you were on your way. And if you were resting in your bunk, why were you found in Lt. Onn's quarters?"

The knot in her stomach tightens. "Forgive me, sir, I did not wish to give you too many details. I did not respond to the first message... at least, I do not believe I did." She frowns. Did she? "I--I went to my bunk for a quick shower and then lay down on my bunk just to rest my eyes. I woke when my temporary roommate arrived, and then received Lt. Graham's next message asking where I was."

Kylah is getting dizzy again, this time just from trying to keep the truth and lies straight. They are not altogether different--particularly regarding her state of health, as right now a sharp pain is developing behind her eyes.

Do not panic. Doing her best to recall her communication with Lt. Graham, she takes another deep breath.

"I apologized, and told him I would be at the Shuttlebay in ten minutes. I understood that if he could not wait he must replace me, and would likely write me up for dereliction of duty. I did not think myself in suitable shape for the mission and did not wish him to delay. I know it was not my place to judge, but... there was no time."

"I see," he says, clearly unconvinced. "And as to Mr. Onn's cabin?"

"As to that, sir... after all this, I ran into Mr. Johnson--that is, Ship's Cook Andrew Johnson--and when he saw that I looked ill, he suggested Lt. Onn's quarters, since she has no cabinmate. After asking her permission, he let me in. I lay down, and... I woke up to see Mr. Wallach."

He cocks an eyebrow. "Mr. Onn personally gave you permission to enter her cabin and rest there?"

Kylah's lips part to say Yes, but she stops herself. She cannot depend on Lt. Onn to back her up. "Not personally, no, sir, but Mr. Johnson said--I mean, I had no reason not to believe--"

The words choke in her throat. Why is she getting others involved in her deceit? Mr. Johnson might even get in trouble for allegedly allowing her inside.

And what does any of this matter? Her greatest need is to draw attention away from Lt. Onn's quarters. At this point, avoiding personal punishment is a low priority. Kylah stares at the framed photograph on Cmdr. Vargas's desk. His parents? Other relatives? She knows nothing about him.

At last she shakes her head, then looks him in the eye. "Please forget what I just said, sir. I let Lt. Graham down, after he has given me many chances to prove myself capable. The Captain as well. And I imposed myself on Lt. Onn and Mr. Johnson, the latter of whom was just being kind to me. The plain truth is that I did not feel up to the task and took it upon myself to get out of it. The very definition of dereliction of duty. And entitlement, too, but that is a personal failing I have been trying to fight. Unsuccessfully."

The First Officer looks down and shakes his head. "This is all very troubling, Mr. Kylah. Very troubling." He thinks for a moment, then asks abruptly, "Have you been to Sickbay?"

"No, sir, not today. The medical crew are busy preparing for the emergency, I suppose." Kylah sighs and unconsciously rubs her bruised wrist, the latest in her collection of wounds. "They must be tired of me," she adds with weary bluntness. "Given all my injuries and illnesses, I feel as if I have spent more time in Sickbay than my own quarters."

Vargas allows himself the barest hint of a sympathetic smile. "I'm afraid you're right, Ensign. It's certainly seemed that way at times; I'm sorry to say you've had a rough time of it since first coming aboard. Well, I think it's best you go there now." He presses a button and the door opens. He says to Wallach, who steps in, "Please escort Mr. Kylah to Sickbay. Ask the duty MO to examine her and then report to me as to recommended next steps, if any."

"Aye, sir."

Vargas says directly to Kylah, an edge in his voice once more, "Don't think you're out of trouble yet, Mr. Kylah, because you're not. Not by a long shot. But your mental and physical health come first if you're to continue to be of service to this ship. Dismissed."

Wallach gestures to the door with a quiet "Ma'am?"

Kylah stares at Cmdr. Vargas. She has been expecting the worst, after deceiving and evading her colleagues all afternoon, and now cannot believe her ears.

"Sir, are you certain? That is--I am not questioning your decision, I am very grateful, it is just--" Swallowing, she glances at Mr. Wallach, then back to the First Officer. "I wish to be of service. It matters a great deal to me, being useful instead of a burden, especially now, when everyone else is helping those who have been chosen--"

She halts herself again. "When will they know the results of the lottery, sir?"

"It's underway right now, but that's no concern of yours, Ensign. You're relieved of duty until further notice. Report to Sickbay."

At first the news of the lottery--it has obviously been run, the results final--sends a shudder through her. Then the slap of Cmdr. Vargas's words: Relieved of duty. Somehow it is worse to hear it put so baldly.

"Yes, sir," she whispers before turning to follow Mr. Wallach.



Kylah by me, Cmdr. Vargas by Elendil's Heir

[Elendil's Heir]

Wallach escorts Ens. Kylah to Sickbay, which is very busy with Medical staff coming and going as they prepare for the Novy Rostov evacuees. A harried-looking Dr. Giancarlo Bucci is the duty officer. After hearing Crewman Wallach's explanation of the First Officer's orders, he agrees to take Kylah into an examining room. "Hello again, Mr. Kylah," he says, gesturing her towards the biobed and setting the scanner panel. "I wish it could be under better circumstances. Anything you'd like to tell me before we begin?"

[general_urko]

"Fuck."

Graham says it quietly, but the thought can't help but be vocalized as he see neither Marala nor Nikolai on the list.

So am I the guy who takes the goddamned painting hostage? That would be rich...

He glances at Nia briefly, then half-turns to the rest of the team on the Shuttle. It takes him a false start and a swallow to speak; his first attempt sticks in his throat.

"If this list is live, folks know they are not on it. So there are colonists who may be desperate, scared as hell, with nothing left to lose."

Or your mission commander might be desperate, yeah. there's that...

[Elendil's Heir]

"Understood, sir," Russell says, as several others nod solemnly. Dr. Bennett, for his part, looks curiously at Graham.

Through the forward viewports, the surface of the planet seems to be rushing up to meet you. Onn's instruments tell her that the shuttle is now just a minute from landing.

[Rangin]

Ah - The Commander's privilege. Repeat stuff from your subordinates as if it is your own. Rangin lets it slide, it's not worth it now. Besides Graham has more to worry about than just this mission.

"Ma'am, how many people are waiting for us at the landing site?" Rangin starts looking for visual identification of the people supposed to be meeting them.

While doing so, he checks the list again, curious to see if the Governor and his family are lucky as well. It's been a mess since the start.

He wonders if the mess that Kylah is obviously in is either resolving itself or if she is in deeper than ever. He's not sure if now is the right time to contact her about what is going on. Maybe after he gets back.

[Elendil's Heir]

Governor Voronko, his wife and two daughters are not on the list, either.

[SidonianGal]

Booker's curse makes Nia wince. So much for hope. She swallows and meets his stare with as much sympathy as she can display.

She knows he's just talking for talking's sake. Everyone's aware the risk has increased exponentially now that the lottery's been made public.

But she murmurs her assent along with the rest, because she's just a soldier now and that's what Book needs. At least until he tells her of his plan. Assuming he intends to tell her. Also assuming he has one.

Leaning back to nod at Rangin, she thanks him for his suggestion of seeing how many people are in the immediate vicinity. "I'll see if we can get a read." She'll also check for weapons, if the shuttle's sensors have that capability.

To Book and the shuttle crew as a whole, she adds, "Landing in fifty-nine and counting--if everything looks copacetic. Lt. Graham, permission to hold off landing until we get a sense of how we're gonna be greeted?"

[Elendil's Heir]

A scan of the landing pad itself shows it is, as expected, open to the elements, clear, and with no life signs. There are four people in the adjoining entry compartment, from which the access tube will connect with the Kaku. Two of them appear to be armed with small hand phasers.

[choie]

Numb, Kylah moves to the bed as if sleepwalking--until unease wraps its clammy arms around her. She turns to Dr. Bucci, blinking. She remembers speaking pleasantly and intimately with him during the recent Captain's dinner; he offered to make dinner for her. Then there was the strange darkness she sensed from him.

But it is not Dr. Bucci who alarms her. "I do not like being scanned," she says, soft and wary. "And it was only a headache, which has faded, anyway. May I not just have some anti-inflammatory to ease the pain?"

[Elendil's Heir]

"Headaches can occur for all kinds of reasons, and can be an indicator of medical problems large and small, which a good scan can help me figure out," Dr. Bucci says kindly. "Up you go, please."

[choie]

I am allowed to refuse, it is my right. The stubborn, anxious words do not reach Kylah's lips. Persisting would risk drawing more attention to herself and her behavior today, just when she cannot bear such scrutiny.

So she gets on the bed, smoothing her skirt down with fingers so bloodless and cold they are nearly stiff. Her reluctance to lie down is obvious, but after hesitating for several seconds, she swings her legs up and leans back.

"I really feel do better," Kylah says, unable to help herself. She looks up at his round, pleasant face and tries to breathe evenly despite her dread. "And I hate to interrupt your preparations. That is why I did not visit in the first place; you must all be so busy."

[Elendil's Heir]

He tut-tuts and says, "Never too busy to make sure the crew is healthy, Ensign, really." He adjusts a control and the biobed display behind Kylah's head lights up; at once she hears its audio simulation of the rhythmic beating of her heart. Dr. Bucci picks up a medical tricorder, takes out its small handheld scanner and passes it slowly over Kylah, starting at her head.

[SidonianGal]

Nia narrows her eyes in concentration, reluctantly doing her best to ignore whatever agony Booker must be going through to her right. "Four," she says to herself and anyone listening. "Seems about right. But I'm not risking our safety on 'seems.'"

With a few smooth taps she engages the Communications menu of the main shuttle control panel. "Kaku to Novy Rostov landing pad. Please verify your party's identifies."

[choie]

Nothing. A black void.

With this mental image, Kylah vanishes behind the cloak of her tightly squeezed-shut eyes, doing her best to empty her mind. She has, of course, had basic medical scans before, but--aside from those taken during her time on the Yorktown while she was unconscious--to none of them has she submitted without the electric current of panic flooding through her.

The familiar low hum of the ship's ambient noise is overlaid by her heartbeats, which drum faster and faster. No matter how falsely serene her expression, Kylah's own heart is giving her away.

"I am sorry to be so nervous," she says into the dark, breathy and embarrassingly childlike. And why is she apologizing? As if Dr. Bucci will take her inability to accept such a rudimentary medical procedure as a personal insult. Yet she finds it necessary. "I--I have always been like this. Phobic."

[Elendil's Heir]

There is no response to Onn's hail. She's not even sure that the NR landing pad complex has a comm unit capable of external communications.

"No need to apologize," Dr. Bucci says. "Just relax. This won't take long."

[SidonianGal]

"Worth a try," Nia mutters--this time definitely to herself. She clears her throat before readdressing her message. "Kaku to Yorktown. We're under a minute to planetfall and I'm seeing four people ready to meet us inside. Please confirm with the Novy Rostov reps that these individuals are our actual contacts."

She scowls and realizes she never even questioned this task. She's gonna have to interrupt the mission commander's private thoughts, as much as she'd rather not. After muting her side of the connection with the ship she begins in a low voice: "Book. Do we know exactly if, or how, the premise behind this mission was verified as legit?"

[general_urko]

Graham musters a grim smile at Nia, shakes his head clear and frowns. Four. How many people does the museum director need? And where's Nikolai?

Good work by Nia.

Graham grumbles back at her statement. "Well we know Vargas thinks it is legit. But was someone thinking a step ahead about how to get a shuttle on the ground?" He glances at her briefly. "We don't."

Graham perks up. "N- uh, Lt. Onn. Hold off on landing. I want to hail the governor, from this shuttle...and see what he says. And if we can pinpoint his location..."

"Standby, folks," Graham says full-voiced.

"Lt. Graham, to Gov. Voronko, please respond."

[Elendil's Heir]

From the Yorktown, Communications Officer Thalen responds, "You are to meet the museum director, a Dr. Vasilyev, and a museum security guard. They will have the artwork. We've heard nothing about anyone else meeting your shuttle."

After a few moments, another voice comes over the comm system: "This is Stan Abbott of the Governor's staff. He's not available to speak right now. Things are... pretty busy here right at the moment. May I help you?"

[SidonianGal]

Nia purses her lips and obeys Booker's order to slow their descent. When the man from the governor's office identifies himself, she takes an automatic look at the list to see if this Abbott is one of the lucky. If not he's gotta be part robot, staying at his post like this, she thinks.

She looks across at Booker. "Maybe ask if he can contact this museum guy, Vasilyev, to confirm this isn't a trap." When her gaze meets his, she lowers her voice even further. "Except, risk or not, we'll have to land in order to save... what we came here for."

[choie]

About to nod in reply to Dr. Bucci's request, Kylah keeps her head steady and just murmurs an entirely unconvincing "Yes, I will try, Doctor." Despite her fear of revealing any psi abilities, she cannot help trying to reach out to the older man's emotions, an effort to cling to his calming presence--like grabbing hold of a life preserver.

[Elendil's Heir]

Onn begins circling the colony at 200 meters above the surface. She sees that Abbott is not on the lottery list.

Dr. Bucci gives Onn much the same psi impression as he previously did, except that he is more tired and distracted than before.

[SidonianGal]

A swell of nausea hits Nia in the gut. "Thanks, Thalen," she manages.

Abbott is dutifully at his desk, still working despite knowing--at least, she assumes he knows--that he is going to die today.

She sends an agonized glance toward Booker. He's speaking to a man facing imminent death. Damn it, why did she check the list? It would've been easier not knowing, keeping the fates of the Novy Rostov citizens a tragedy but not personal. At least, not personal to her.

Inhaling, she tightens her lips. Yeah, it would've been easy... but cowardly. Stan Abbott's brave behavior deserves to be recognized. How many of the thousands doomed to die tonight will remain anonymous, their last hours never acknowledged or even known?

Nia closes her eyes. Sweet Sid'Os, I can't. I can't do this. She wants to fly this shuttle away. The horror of reality is almost too much to bear.

But she must. That's her duty. She has to suck it up and do whatever's necessary. Opening her eyes, she peers at the chronometer on the panel in front of her. How much time is left? What's Book's strategy? How are they gonna find the time to land, get out, find Nikolai, and flee?

"Just so you know," she says to the crew once she recovers her equilibrium. "There are two more people waiting for us than expected."

[choie]

Kylah breathes a little more quickly, and she forces herself to slip from Dr. Bucci's paradoxical mind. There is nothing to do except wait for this ordeal to be over. Her ice-cold hands curl into fists as she counts the seconds.

[Elendil's Heir]

Just over two and a half hours remain before the earliest-projected radiation burst.

Under Onn's careful guidance, the shuttle Kaku continues its slow circle over the colony. Its domes, low towers and antennae stand out clearly from the rocky, dusty orange-red surface of the planet below.

Dr. Bucci finishes his scans and puts down his equipment. He thinks for a moment, looks Kylah in the eye and says quietly, "You are clearly under considerable stress, Ensign, are very tired and could do with a good meal, but I wouldn't say you're unfit for duty... unless you think I should. If you were me, what do you think I should tell the First Officer?"

[general_urko]

Graham nods at Nia's suggestion of asking for help contacting Dr. Vasilyev.

"Bring us in slow," he says to Nia. He grimaces and says in a low voice intended only for her "Probably too much to hope for that Nikolai's got himself a phaser and brought his girlfriend."

"Thank you, Mr. Abbott," Graham replies. "I wanted to check in and ensure the security situation was well in hand. And--if you could help us, we have an urgent communication for Dr. Vasilyev. Can you patch us through?"

[Elendil's Heir]

"Stand by, please," Abbott says. After a minute or so, a heavily Russian-accented older man's voice comes over the shuttle's comm system. "This is Dr. Vasilyev. Who am I speaking to? Is this the shuttlecraft?"

[Rangin]

"There are only two guards at the museum, so someone's bought a friend along, if that team is all there." Rangin replies to the front of the shuttle.

Rangin starts thinking out how the best way to get the painting across might be. People at either end of a long enclosed corridor with no room to avoid phaser fire if it was to happen unless they hit the deck and a handover of a valuable item. It sounds more and more like a drop-off between two gangs when trust is at a minimum. Ideally, they would need to get the Curator to the centre on his own with the painting, hand it off to one of the crew and then they all back away slowly. No harm, no foul and so on. A Romulan handoff by any other name.

From the noises up front, Rangin is very surprised there seems to be no direct comms at the pad. How on Coridan could those on the colony know if the shuttle was ready to connect unless they could talk at a local level?

"Ma'am, can we get a visual confirmation of who is in the group? Maybe we can visually identify them against the curator and his team and make sure they are there as well." Rangin asks politely and quietly, not wanting to be overheard on the comms channel.

[SidonianGal]

Following orders, Nia gradually lowers the shuttle's orbit. Her eyes remain on the landing pad. Though paying attention to Booker, she hears Rangin confirming her concern about the extra lifesigns waiting for them.

"I'd love to get a visual," she replies to him. "But they're inside and I don't think we can break into any camera or security system they've got in there--if there is one." A frown follows her words. "Well... we can ask the Yorktown and see if they can give it a go. I doubt it but..."

Nothing beats a failure but a try, as one of Nia's old instructors used to say. She picks up her communicator.

VARGAS, CMDR - Sir: More lifesigns than anticipated greeting us, including two armed individuals. Concerned this is a ploy to gain shuttle. Any help visualizing the immediate internal vicinity of the landing pad complex, e.g. accessing security cams within, would be appreciated. -- ONN, NIA (LT)

She sends the hastily typed note, despite the fact she's aware Vagas will probably think her easily spooked by four measly civilians when the Kaku has multiple highly skilled and more powerfully armed security officers.

Screw it. These are my passengers and my shuttle, and I'm not gonna land them right into a trap.

[choie]

Kylah lets out her tension with a long exhale. Then she mulls Dr. Bucci's question over.

"I... I would like to return to duty, if it is possible. To help in this crisis. Perhaps..." Her mind is tickled by an inspiration. "Perhaps helping guide refugees to their quarters? I can speak some Russian. It is not necessary given the Universal Translator, but the effort has always been appreciated. It might be a welcome for them."

She lowers her head slightly. "But whatever you think is best, Dr. Bucci. I am tired and... and I have not been eating as much, I suppose, but I think it makes me look less--"

She cuts herself off. Good lord, what made her go down this road? Dr. Bucci's demeanor, so similar to Aldaan's, seems to have loosened her inner restraint. Kylah falls silent for a few seconds to regroup. "But I would be glad to spend a few hours helping these poor people get acclimated. Whatever you decide," she repeats humbly.

[Elendil's Heir]

Onn does not get an immediate response from Cmdr. Vargas.

Dr. Bucci looks long and searchingly at Kylah, and then says, "All right, I'll clear you to return to duty. But you're going to eat a healthy meal before you do anything else. Rest here, please." He leaves the room and a nurse soon comes back in, saying, "What would you like to eat, Ensign? I'll be glad to get it for you."

[choie]

Abashed, Kylah looks at her lap, where her hands,unnaturally pale against the bright red of her uniform, twist at each other as if trying to form a knot.

"I am so sorry you have been asked to wait on me. Especially now." She sighs, wondering what she could possibly force down that would meet Dr. Bucci's approval. "A small fruit salad and yogurt, ple--"

She catches herself when it dawns on her that the nurse, and Dr. Bucci, just provided her with an opportunity. "Actually... Mr. Johnson already left some food for me, in--in a friend's quarters. I can just go there and eat. You would not have to bother with all this."

[Elendil's Heir]

The nurse isn't having any of it. She smiles. "No, sorry, you're supposed to stay here for now, m'dear. Doctor's orders. You just relax, and I'll go get your meal." She leaves.

[general_urko]

Graham replies:

"Yes, Doctor, this is Lt. Graham, Yorktown Security, onboard the shuttle on approach. Is the painting secure? And are you all right and on location according to plan?"

Graham also gives a thumbs up at Nia's response to Rangin. I'm going to have to concede he's a "Useful" Asshole if this keeps up.