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Thread: Star Trek RPG - Mission #7: "The War-Brotherhood of Irkhuit"

  1. #1651
    Ape must not kill ape! general_urko's avatar
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    Graham gratefully acknowledges Kylah and Mäkeläinen's comments.

    At the moment, "rest and reset" tops his agenda...especially for Nia.

    He heads in to the cabin to which he was assigned.

  2. #1652
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    Rawlings, having no takers for food right now, says he's going to turn in.

    Graham finds his cabin just as it was before.

  3. #1653
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    Dr. Mäkeläinen is trying to rest for at least a couple of hours, but will get up at the sound of strange noises, blaring klaxons, and the like.

    Still a lot to do on the Doregg.

    He dreams that he is a malfunctioning robot, trapped in a one-dimensional maze in the dark.

  4. #1654
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    Nia's lying on her side, atop the huge, soft winter coat Kylah bought for her--seems to help make the mattress less...nonexistent. Also puts a barrier between her and any critters that might inhabit the linens. Without the ability to get into her uniform, that means she's sleeping in the ridiculous green catsuit, also courtesy of the Elasian. Nia's still convinced Kylah picked it out for herself--or at least someone her size. It's stretched tight and uncomfortable to breathe in, particularly someone as panicky about the lack of breathable air she's inhaling. Plus she probably looks like a green sausage.

    She'd take off her clothes altogether if it weren't for the possibility of minuscule bunkmates nibbling away. Her scales aren't capable of protecting her in their half-in, half-out status.

    So her head's resting on her elbow, the other arm resting on her hip while she toys with the mattress's corner label. She nods to the Doc with a weak grateful smile, and when Book enters she offers him a somewhat weaker smile. Not because she's less pleased to see him. She's just not pleased at what she wants to say to him.

    First she looks up at the bunk above her, then pats her cot. "Sorry for grabbing the bottom bunk. No way I'm climbing that ladder right now. You'd have to beam me onto one of the other beds. Ironic given my nickname."

    Biting her lip, she pauses from just blurting out her own issues. "Are you getting hinky vibes about this? Kylah's acting like this is secretly a Romulan ship or something, but grubbiness aside, it's not striking me as hostile territory. Not speaking of the guests, mind you. But generally. 'Cause I'm not sure I trust my instincts anymore."

  5. #1655
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    The sight of Mr. Rawlings getting into the not-overly generous bunk ignites a spark of sympathy--and amusement, Kylah guiltily admits. She walks around to the comms unit, treading quietly to make sure the men are not disturbed.

    Her fingers brush the buttons without pressing anything--it is just a stray gesture while she thinks. She will not be comfortable until she can be reasonably convinced that the party's whereabouts are known by their colleagues and friends. But obviously, using the device will take her through to Mr. Jol, as he told her earlier he acts as a communications officer, among other duties. Kylah is convinced that he and likely the crew know they are Starfleet. [i]Either Starfleet or thieves with remarkable aptitude for stealing and apparently specializing in Starfleet devices and uniforms..

    She smiles. Perhaps we could claim to be from Sigma Iota. Shaking her head--people did die on that mission, it is probably poor taste to laugh at it--she bites at a thumbnail in thought. She could try to contact her uncle, or anyone on Elas. No. While they are not officially in the Federation, and never will be if her uncle has his way, they are... well, Federation-curious. Kylah would most certainly not use her royal status; her identity is all too easily looked up on the net. There must be some contact who is not in Starfleet who might relay a message for her to the Yorktown.

    I shall do the obvious. Her mouth purses at her own rococo ideas when simplicity is possible. Frowning slightly, she attempts to reach Mr. Jol, if possible; and if he responds, she will ask him if, once they are on their way and when he has time for such things, he might assist her in reaching out to the Port Authority on Ollos.

  6. #1656
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    It is not long before Dr. Mäkeläinen has fallen fast asleep.

    Rawlings is snoring within seconds of stretching out on his bunk.

    Kylah hears a dozen different kinds of static on what are apparently the different channels or frequencies of the bulkhead-mounted comm unit. There are also at least eight different channels which are entirely silent, and one that plays a weird, atonal music which reminds her a little of traditional Chinese instrumental music. She is unable to reach Jol, or indeed any of the crew.

  7. #1657
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    Kylah steps back, lower lip in a frustrated pout. This is not a communications device, it is little better than a subspace radio. Unless there is some way to reconfigue it and she has yet to figure it out.

    If she had her own communicator, she would try reaching Jol that way. But, of course, that is not possible. Foolish rule.

    She hugs herself, has a thought, goes to the door that links to the other stateroom. She presses her ear against the cold metal. It is exceedingly difficult to hear, not just because of the barrier, but because it is rattling in concert with the various thum of vibrations throughout the ship. What she does hear is Lt. Onn's soft voice. Something serious or private. When it comes to the CO's patience, Kylah understands she is walking a frayed tightrope. She chooses not to interrupt her.

    Her pout is more pronounced. She feels grubby and has to relieve herself, and since they have not been shown a private head, Kylah assumes it is in a nearby door. She also wants to change into the nightgown she brought--oh, no. That when down with the Tesla, along with toothpaste, other toiletries and even the ribbons for her hair braids. Kylah had done without all those essential things (they are essential things to her) last night, but for a third night? Untenable.

    Rolling her eyes at the poor hospitality of the Uwat--he really should have told them about the sleeping quarters situation, and the sanitary conditions--Kylah glances at her sleeping bunkmates and, after removing her coat, she'll see if she is able to unlock the door and find a restroom in the closest doors next to her--staying well far away from the Chalnoths' quarters that Jol did point out

    And if she happens to run into a Vulcan, she will visit. Or if a crewmember, she will ask about contacting Jol.

  8. #1658
    Ape must not kill ape! general_urko's avatar
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    After a moment's hesitation, Graham lays a hand on Nia's arm.

    He takes a deep breath. "I've seen a lot of...shitty situations. This one ain't great, but..."

    He pauses. "We've got a place to rest and, at the moment, live to fight another day..."

    His voice catches at the realization that the stakes are truly, in the short term, Nia may not...

    He clears his throat. "What's going to come our way will or won't, in the next eight or so standard hours. But it's may job, and Rawling's, to be the first line of defense if it's a threat. Let us...give us our due, it's what we signed up for, and...just rest for a bit..."

    He removes his land and almost leaves, but finishes with a softly spoken "Nia."

  9. #1659
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    Down the corridor and towards the bow, not too far away, Kylah is able to find a unlocked door to a bathroom with various humanoid-appropriate fittings, water and other fluid dispensers, and bodily-waste collectors. There is also a sonic shower of an unusual design. No one else is in there. After some trial and error, she's able to figure out how most things work.

    When she emerges she sees, ten meters or so away down the same corridor, further towards the bow, not a Vulcan or any Uwat crew, but one of the Uwat children. It stares at her but does not move.

  10. #1660
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    The warmth of Booker's hand makes Nia close her eyes for a second, drinking it in along with the similar warmth of his voice. She opens her eyes again and reaches out to clasp the fingers that just held her.

    "Thanks. I know. I want to rest. I'm bone tired. Even with the meds. But I--I'm fighting them. I don't want to stop moving. If anything happens and these are my last days... I don't wanna waste them. I let everything slip me by." Everyone. Her haunted gaze sweeps over his face, then quickly departs.

    "Anyway," she says hoarsely, "I do need to let you guys step in. I'm not..." Nia looks up at the Doctor to check if he's listening or even awake. Hopefully not, but if she can't tell, she'll continue either way. "I'm not acting like a command officer, not the kind we need. You are."

    She squeezes his fingers and then lets her arm drop. "I'm not exactly relieving myself of duty...No pilot wants someone else a the helm; you know what control freaks we are." Nia's tilting smile is weary, a shadow of itself. "But the Doc'll know when I'm really far gone. I trust him. Until then I still have to step back. You're the only one suited to assessing things objectively. You'll make the right choice for the crew as a whole. Not just me."

    She sighs, eyes closing. "I'm so distant," she murmurs. "My brain's awake but I can feel my body go to sleep. Like entering a dark nebula where you can see the stars wink out as you leave them behind..."

  11. #1661
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    Kylah is momentarily nonplussed, having forgotten about the young Uwat they saw earlier. She glances around, sees no one nearby, and frowns briefly before looking back at the child. After a couple of slow steps. she stops a respectful distance.

    "Hello there," she says with a smile and a raised right palm, which she then lowers. "Are you alone? Looking for someone?" Even as she finishes, she shakes her head slightly. "Oh, you might not understand me." Unfortunately, she speaks only a smattering of Uwat.* And none of whatever dialect Jol spoke to his comrades. But, as with most languages, she's learned how to speak and comprehend the most general greetings and emergency phrases. So she repeats her questions in (probably) stilted Uwat, adding a broken apology for not speaking very well.

    If they are going to take young ones along, they should really keep a close watch on them. It could be dangerous for someone so vulnerable to wander about alone, with utter strangers onboard. She keeps her demeanor friendly and tries to determine, to the extent she can with these aliens, whether the child is in distress or simply exploring.



    * Totally forgot that she has at least some familiarity with the language!

  12. #1662
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    It has been a while since he has really been put to the test, but Dr. Mäkeläinen knows how to snatch a little sleep under stressful conditions. By now, he is in a dreamless slumber and does not hear anything Booker or Nia are saying. He can really use the rest, and will not get up at the sound of ordinary conversation. Barring any disturbance, he will be out for at least a couple of hours before he perhaps has the same urge as Kylah to find the facilities and finally take a shower and attend to necessities.

  13. #1663
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    The Uwat child says something which Kylah does not understand. The child then repeats it, and adds another few words.

    At that moment, she and all of her Yorktown crewmates who are still awake feel a wave of nausea wash over them, brief but very strong. A few moments later, Jol's voice can be heard in each room: "Attention. Attention. We have engaged the ship's drive and are now leaving Ollos space. That is all."

    Behind her and around the corner, Kylah hears someone noisily retching, followed by a guttural phrase she cannot quite hear.

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    Releasing her grasp from her stomach, Kylah straightens warily and looks to see if the child Uwat is all right. She says an apologetic "Forgive me, I do not understand" in what little rudimentary Uwat she knows--and now checks behind her. Someone must be feeling even worse than she just did at the ship's lurch.

    Finger pointing in the direction of the retching noise, Kylah makes a little humorously exaggerated yuck face at the child and tries to gesture to indicate that she must go to see what is wrong. She then turns back to walk warily toward the corner. She hesitates, not wishing to startle whoever it is. (And, frankly, because regurgitation is disgusting to her to the point of near phobia.)

    "Excuse me," she says tentatively. "I could not help but hear... Are you ill? Is there anything I can do? I am only a passenger, but I can contact..." Kylah bites her lip and glances around the corridor. She was about to offer to reach out to the Doregg's medic, but she does not know if they have one; right now she is searching to see if there is any comm panel that might allow her to contact anyone on the Uwat vessel's crew.

    "--I can fetch a Doctor," she concludes, eyeing the direction of the two staterooms occupied by her party. She hates to trouble Dr. Mäkeläinen's rest, but if something is genuinely wrong--worse than that temporary discomfort she felt herself--Kylah is sure the Doctor would be happy (or at least, willing) to help.

    Of course, his potential patient might not understand Kylah any better than Kylah understood the Uwat child. With a sigh she realizes she will have to risk seeing something decidedly unpleasant, if only to make some more hopefully comprehensible gestures of assistance. Reaching the corner, she takes a tiny peek around the edge to get a look at the unfortunate person.

  15. #1665
    Ape must not kill ape! general_urko's avatar
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    "My brain's awake but I can feel my body go to sleep. Like entering a dark nebula where you can see the stars wink out as you leave them behind..."


    Graham touches Nia's arm gently. Softly, he says, "The stars...we...I...we'll be here when you wake up."

  16. #1666
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    The sudden discomfort of the engine engaging is briefly surprising but not something Nia hasn't experienced before. Jol's announcement almost amuses her. Thanks, bub, but you're supposed to tell us before it happens.

    But Booker's delicate touch and soothing words sweep her away from mundane issues, into a new, lovely vision where, yes, he's there when she wakes up. Not just in a few hours, but--if she lasts long enough--in a hypothetical future where she can indeed wake up to Booker every day, his endearing features opposite hers as he lies just inches away on their bed.

    The smile at the dreamy thought fades as her heavy eyelids flutter shut. "Nice fantasy," she murmurs to herself. "But he was never playing for keeps." With a sigh, she finally gives in to the waves coaxing her to sleep.

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    The Uwat child turns and runs away.

    Kylah can see, peeking around the corner, that a Chalnoth is there. It has dropped to one knee and there is a large, disgusting greenish-brown puddle in front of it. The alien seems not to have noticed Kylah.

  18. #1668
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    It takes more than ordinary shipboard noises and soft conversation to awake Dr. Mäkeläinen. He is still getting what rest he can. Luckily for him, he is asleep for the non-smooth transition to warp or hyperdrive or whatever it was; if he were to wake up now, he would not be absolutely sure it really happened and not part of some nightmare, but he will not get up just from that.

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    After taking in the mess in the floor, Kylah swallows back nausea of her own and does her best to force her gaze away to focus wholly on the Chalnoth. She turns the corner and takes a hesitant step nearer.

    "Pardon me..." The words are a little louder than before, but not much: she keeps her voice modulated to avoid exacerbating any headache or dizziness the alien might have. "Is there anything I can do? Do you need me to fetch anyone, or... or to help you up?"

    The latter offer suddenly strikes her as farcical, considering the difference in size between her and the other Chalnoths they saw earlier, but she is uncertain just how tall this one is. Kylah tries to get a good look at its clothing and anything else that might identify this as one of the three Chalnoth passengers who confronted Jol.

  20. #1670
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    The Chalnoth, startled, jumps to his feet. He snarls and instinctively reaches for a weapon that isn't there on his belt. He then rasps, "No! I need nothing from you. Just leave me alone." He stomps off, brushing by Kylah and leaving her alone in the corridor once more.

    She is pretty sure that he is not one of the Chalnoth she saw earlier. When he touched her, she also had a fleeting psi sense of... fear? Embarrassment? Even... guilt? She finds the tangle of alien emotions hard to identify.

    The Yorktown crew are able to get some rest, but none sleep especially deeply. The Uwat do not have a shipboard "day" or "night" aboard their ship, but as Rawlings says, stretching about seven hours later, "Might as well call it morning."

  21. #1671
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    Graham yawns and stretches before slowly sitting up. He tries to move quietly, then gives a quick listen at the door before (assuming he hears nothing concerning) opening it.

  22. #1672
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    Hearing no unexpected noises during the--- not night but watch? double watch?--- Bizhi was able to get some decent rest. He first looks over at Nia (still breathing... It's down to the highly experimental Bilitrium substitute now, and hoping for no further unexpected changes in the environment) before making his way to and efficiently using the sonic shower and other toilet facilities. Assuming Booker gives the all-clear to get into the corridor, and there is no long queue to get in there.

  23. #1673
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    Graham can hear the murmurs of conversation down the corridor, but can't identify it. It does not sound like Federation Standard, however.

    Onn is, indeed, still breathing.

  24. #1674
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    During Nia's fitful rest, her temperature has decreased--typical for most humanoids--but her system's weak and she's been shivering off-and-on most of the 'night.' Now, semi-woken by the others' movements climbing down from their bunks, she draws her knees closer to her chest and hugs them to her.

    With her body curled in this fetal position beneath the blanket and her fur coat, Nia cracks her eyes open just long enough to notice the men appear to be leaving. She sighs and lets her lids droop back down, feeling no need or desire to get out of bed.
    Last edited by SidonianGal; 13 Mar 2024 at 10:25 PM.

  25. #1675
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    Not surprisingly, Kylah's first action upon waking is to clamber down from the top bunk and look to see if Velir is still sleeping. If he is up she will smile a 'good morning' to him, whether it is accurate or not, before hopping the final step to check on Ens. Rawlings.

    Though a little stiff from the inadequate mattress, she is otherwise feeling fine--frankly, starving. Kylah thinks she hears movement in the other stateroom and hopes the others are planning to find some breakfast; she is not keen to run into any of the Chalnoths--especially the one who barked at her last night, assuming he is recovered enough to be roaming the ship.

    If both her roommates are awake, she will ask how they slept and whether they would like to seek out something to eat. Otherwise, she will scurry to take care of her ablutions--such as they are, with this shabby ship's meager facilities and a lack of her personal effects that now lie at the bottom of the frozen lake with the drowned Tesla.

    Kylah is decidedly unhappy with how grungy she feels, wearing the same clothes for nearly 24 hours straight, even after a second sonic shower. And how awful she must look. No hair-braiding, no make-up... it is improper for a young woman of her status and age to present herself like this. Without them, her face and height make her seem ten years younger, and she frets that others will think her barely out of the schoolroom. (She forgets that the figure-revealing black catsuit gives away that she is no adolescent.)

    She knows it is a minuscule complaint considering their situation. When she sees either Lt. Graham or Dr. Mäkeläinen, she greets them with a pleasant demeanor...while inside, she laments grumpily to her heart's content.

  26. #1676
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    Onn is able to snooze a bit more.

    In Kylah's and Rangin's cabin, Rawlings is still snoring quietly, his ratty blanket barely covering him.

    Kylah notices again how cold the deck is. Rangin is drowsing but stirs when she looks at him. He smiles and quietly says, "Good morning." In response to Kylah's questions, he has a quizzical expression. "I slept all right... I think. I was so tired last night that now I'm kind of having a hard time distinguishing between my dreams and reality. Does that sound weird? Those Chalnoth... something happened last night, before we went to bed, didn't it? Their leader seemed like he was going to cause trouble, and then...." He stops, looking troubled.

  27. #1677
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    Dr. Mäkeläinen does not disturb Onn.

    But now what? They cannot spend the trip locked in their cabin. He ponders various things, and grows silent and distant for a long moment. Eventually, he addresses Graham: "I'd like to eat something. And see the ship. I think I've got a sense of the general layout, but it looks like it might be a bit of a maze, and all we know is the way up here from the airlock."

  28. #1678
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    Seeing Velir in bed, still sleepy-eyed with touseled hair, makes Kylah smile. She has never seen him like this and cannot help thinking that he would be a pleasant sight to see, each morning. And of course she mentally curses her blood vessels for sending a hot blush to her cheeks.

    She shakes her head. "Nothing really happened, after all. The Chalnoth--Mr. Teloqq, he seemed to be the leader--was upset that we were on board, for some reason. But Booke--that is, Lt. Graham--" She has been practicing using first names for the purpose of this voyage but does not plan to get used to it--"...kept things very calm and matter-of-fact. Even you would have been pleased," she adds with a cheeky little smile. "And to Mr. Teloqq's credit, he reacted reasonably once he saw we were just..." Kylah lifts a shoulder. "Well, passengers."

    With a glance down at Mr. Rawlings, she notes the scant coverage of the blanket, and stands on her toes to reach the edge of blanket she can see on her own top bunk. Once she pulls it down, she gently covers the security officer wherever it will do the most good, all the while speaking to Velir.

    "I am hoping to forage for something edible on this scow. Likely the Uwat will charge thousands should we merely wish to select a piece of unspoiled fruit. Assuming there is any." Her voice is light, teasing, trying to keep Velir from falling into the traumatic pit that is probably beckoning. "Would you like to come with us? I do think you should eat. We did not have much last night."

  29. #1679
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    You told him you weren't giving up your command yet. But you're abandoning them to lie in bed. Some leader.

    From the shallow depths of no dream at all, Nia moans at her inner voice and tells it to kindly fuck off.

    Her arms still hug her knees to her chest against the chill. Still she opens her eyes, with a little difficulty as her lids have apparently been glued shut. Dr. M.'s still here but headed out. Book's... left already? Or just out in the corridor? She tries to listen to the other cabin but her ears seem clogged.

    Okay, so it's not too late to act like a--well, if not a leader, at least a crewmate. Reluctantly she starts to remove the thin blanket but... nothing happens. She tries to unclamp her arms but can't. Stuck in this pose for a few terrifying seconds, Nia at last twigs that it's her scales. They've locked in place, a natural attempt to keep her body as warm and constricted as possible.

    Closing her eyes again, she does her best to stay calm, to remind her stupid evolutionary biology that it's not time to go into hibernation; yeah, her breathing is labored due to these allegedly protective scales, but another shot of meds will take care of that. The Doc will find a way to warm her up, probably just a matter of doing something with his tricorder. She does not have to shut her systems down yet and it's bloody absurd that her brain's instinctive reaction has been to do just that.

    After a few relaxing albeit shallow breaths, Nia's released from her scaly prison cell. Relieved that none of this was observed, now she can lift the blanket--her joints are stiff but they work--and she successfully sits up. Then she happily bounds smoothly out of bed, shrugging off the stiffness and offering a relieved smile to both herself and the cabin at large while her long legs take some brisk, confident strides to meet up with the doctor...

    ...Except that's not what happens at all. It's what she intended when she sat wearily up and started to rise off the cot. What actually occurs is that, a second after she puts her weight onto her feet to stand, she flops to the floor like a dead carp.

    Nia winces in a little pain (she landed on her shoulder pretty hard) and a lot of embarrassment. She orders her muscles to get it together and push herself up, but they refuse. Can't even command my own body.

    Helpless and detesting it, she gives up. "Um... help?"
    Last edited by SidonianGal; 22 Mar 2024 at 05:01 PM.

  30. #1680
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    Rawlings snuffles a little in his sleep, pulls the extra blanket tighter, and rolls over without waking.

    Rangin has a faraway look in his eyes as he says quietly, urgently, "Yes. I remember that now. But it wasn't Mr. Graham... and I'm not saying this because of our problems in the past. I mentally told the Chalnoth leader... I ordered him... not to bother us last night. I could sense he was going to cause us some trouble, and I... I just... made him not do that." He rubs his face. "I don't know how I did it, but I think I did!"

    Onn notices that the deck beneath her is noticeably cold, and not just because of the ambient room temperature and the deck being bare metal, either.

  31. #1681
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    Last time Dr. Mäkeläinen saw Nia (a moment ago), she was asleep on the bottom bunk. Now she is on the floor. Lucky — a minute later and he and Booker would have been in the Common Room. Not that, as she is essentially under intensive care, they would have left her on her own for a long time without observation, but perhaps this is an omen that all of them would be wise to adhere more strictly to a buddy system and not move around the ship alone.

    He moves to help her up and sit on the bunk. Her skin feels — scaly? — but, more importantly, noticeably cold to the touch, more so than he expected. “You're freezing. Dip in metabolic rate during sleep—” he helps her wrap the blanket around herself— “plus it's bloody cold in here.” If Lt. Graham has not left, Mäkeläinen asks him to look for a way to turn the heat up in here. Jol had better not have locked out the controls...

    He gives Nia a moment. Then he asks her, “I was about to look for something hot to drink, and some food. Would you like me to bring you something?” He watches her while they talk, and, if she does not stop shivering, or shows signs of passing out again, he will move to prepare another shot of the same mild stimulant he used to wake her up during the ascent into orbit.

  32. #1682
    Administrator choie's avatar
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    Kylah continues to smile teasingly when Velir mentions his well-known animus for Lt. Graham, and is absently brushing a lock of hair from his temple when he tells her... something that freezes both her expression and gesture.

    "Made him? Ordered him? That--no, that cannot be right." She shakes her head with less certainty. "I expect you truly hoped the Chalnoth would stop, and then he listened to Mr. Graham and did stop, so it could certainly seem as if..." She swallows. "Perhaps you are not quite awake and not thinking clearly yet?"

    But he does not seem half-asleep. Kylah unconsciously draws back, pulling her hand away from his skin to avoid touch telepathy. Racing, confusing thoughts collide in her mind. Is it possible? She recalls his standing beside her last night, and the Chalnoth's behavior, both before and after Lt. Graham spoke. It had been an abrupt change. And unexpected, despite Kylah's trying to gauge what was going on with the angry stranger.

    "Surely I would have sensed--I mean--" She cuts off and clasps her cold hands together. "That is, we were holding hands, and you have communicated emotions to me that way. Would I not have felt..." After a quick glance at Mr. Rawlings, both to gather her thoughts and to see whether the security officer is still sleeping, Kylah shakes her head again.

    "Velir, if this is true... remember, you do not know what your abilities are. You must not act without understanding them. To command someone... to compel them against their will..."

    A rush of fight-or-flight adrenaline electrifies her nerves. "I--I am sorry to react like this, Velir. You have done nothing wrong, not intentionally; you were helping us." But she is barely listening to herself, distracted. "I am not helping you at all. Perhaps you need more recovery time. So much happened yesterday. Let me fetch Dr. Mäkeläinen. I will not tell the others about this, Lt. Graham would... he would be alarmed. "But the doctor can examine you and see if anything is not...normal."

  33. #1683
    Oliphaunt SidonianGal's avatar
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    A wan smile is Nia's only initial response to Mäkeläinen's capable ministrations. Once she's on the bunk she mutters a thanks and wishes she could sound as grateful as she ought to be. But she's just so mortified it's hard to face him. Besides that, her thoughts are drifting in different directions. Like an ice floe breaking apart.

    "Yes please, s-something hot would be great. I j-just don't understand," she forces through her teeth, trying to keep her jaw tight to keep them from chattering. "The deck shouldn't be this c-cold. More like--like an external hull." The Doc's presence is comforting and secure, but she's still reluctant to meet his probing gaze.

    "Feels like I've been freezing since... since the Tesla lost p-power. My core is frozen. If it k-keeps getting bigger, soon it'll fill me up and that'll be it. If I don't suffocate first," she adds with a dark, sideways smile that fades fast. "Thanks, Doc. Go have breakfast. And I'm sorry for all this. I just... wanted to be with my team."

  34. #1684
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    “If the first officer is trying to gouge more money out of us by turning down the life support, he and I are going to have words,” Mäkeläinen says.

    “Look, there is not much to do on this trip but rest. You could stay in here, ideally after we get the temperature sorted, or come with us and sit in the Common Room. As far as keeping the team together, after everything that's happened, and with no communicators, maybe it is better for none of us to wander around the ship alone. At least with six of us it shouldn't be a problem.”

  35. #1685
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    Nia smiles--genuinely, this time--at Mäkeläinen's remark about the Uwat price gouging, and nods while taking in his suggestions. "Yeah, I doubt even trouble-prone ensigns are foolish enough to walk around by themselves. Meanwhile we'll have to watch out for Jol's adding extra surcharges. 'Oh, you wanted to breathe? Forgot to ask for breathable air before you boarded; that'll be 10,000 credits each.'"

    She rubs her arms underneath the blanket and aims a stare at the floor while she calculates the odds of her making a trek to the Common Room, then tells the Doc about the likely reason for her fall just now: that her movements were hampered by her pain-in-the-ass--and protective--scales.

    "They should be retreating, but they're kinda stuck in the middle. They're not covering me fully or retracting fully. But I think if I can get warm enough they'll chill out. So to speak," she adds with an apologetic smile. "Till then I'm not sure I'd even make it to the Common Room without being dragged. I'd need support, but..."

    She looks past Mäkeläinen for a second or two, not seeing Booker. "Um... speaking of support. Not sure if you heard my talk with Graham last--" A cough interrupts her and she lifts a hand, mutely asking for the Doc's patience. "--Last night. I've asked him to make most of the harder decisions." Nia's cough is better controlled this time, even as she dreads what she's about to say. "I don't think I'm thinking quick enough and I need support there, too. So if something needs to be done fast, probably... probably go to him first, inform me later."

  36. #1686
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    Dr. Mäkeläinen understands her dread. "If anything does happen so that things devolve fast," he says, "I trust Mr. Graham at the crucial moment, you have my word."

    "That hot drink will help---" he, too, notices Graham has not come back. He should go fetch it for her, but he thinks about how she was nearly left alone in this icebox, and that decides him. "It's bound to be warmer in there than sitting here. We're all in this together, so I can help you down the corridor, if you're willing." In any case, he spies her warm coat next to her, and helps her get into that in lieu of the cheap blanket.

  37. #1687
    Ape must not kill ape! general_urko's avatar
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    Not wanting to wake anyone still asleep, Graham takes a short walk up and down the corridor, listening for whatever he can hear. If uninterrupted, he returns to wait outside the group's rooms and does some standing stretches to get the kinks out after sleeping on the less than luxurious "beds."

  38. #1688
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    Rangin tells Kylah, "I know what you mean, and I know it sounds crazy, but... that's really what it felt like was happening. I thought that the Chalnoth leader was going to bother us, and I was tired and I knew Onn had to rest, and I didn't want him to do that, and I... just told him not to, with my mind. It was a use of psi power I didn't even know I had." He shakes his head, troubled. "It happened just as I wanted it to, subconsciously. Maybe this is some latent power I've had, and the Chalnoth somehow are subject to it? Being around them, our having First Contact with them, brought it out in me somehow?" To Kylah's response he says, "Yes, let's keep this secret for now, from the others if not the Doctor, at least until we know more."

    Graham sees two Vulcan women in the corridor, passing by with demure gazes. He also sees three Chalnoth going in and out of the restroom. One stares at him with an unreadable expression. An Uwat crewmember also passes by.

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