Nicolas Lepage

Coming Home A joint log by Amanda Davis and Nick Lepage Amid the chaos of the station Amanda’s office was a haven of tranquility and comfort. The armchairs, the smell of tea and the ever present scones made it easy to relax, something that Nick had come to appreciate. But escaping the station’s stressful life was not the only reason he stopped by often. Amanda had become a good friend and he had learned to value her advice. She was one of the few people he had truly missed during the time on Earth. So, while his enthusiasm to return to Aegis was somewhat limited, Nick was looking forward to this opportunity to catch up with his friend. As a civilian attached to Starfleet, Amanda wore the dresses she would have worn at home in Wales: soft, flowing skirts, casual long-sleeved blouses, and the occasional silk scarf - all understated, for relaxation. Her office looked more like a living room with a den attached - the living room being her reception area and the den being the office. Her furniture, inherited from generations past, had the gentle, warm smell of leather and potpourri, with a touch of expensive pipe tobacco from a vice in which both her father and grandfather had indulged. “Here we go, Nicolas,” said Amanda. Tea tray in hand, her skirt rustled a bit as she approached the sofa. “Darjeeling, no milk, one sugar.” Nick watched her put the tray on the table and for a moment he felt like he had never been gone. “Your memory is excellent. Not that I’d have expected anything else from you.” He took his cup and stared at the dark liquid inside. “It’s good to know that some things don’t change,” he added with a smile. “Yes, it is,” she replied, an impish grin playing as she poured and served. “To know that the universe may come to a complete halt and there would still be Darjeeling is quite comforting. And how one of your dearest friends takes his tea is difficult to forget.” Leather cushions sighed as she settled in for her first sip. “I haven’t had tea since I left the station. Doing this again is probably going to be the best thing about coming back. To be honest, I didn’t exactly volunteer for this assignment.” “Really, Nicolas?” she said with a touch of light hearted sarcasm. “Not volunteer to return to the edge of nowhere where you never know who or what is going to destroy your existence next?” She dropped the sarcasm. “I’m sure you had a very good reason, and I’m quite sure you’re not here for the fresh Darjeeling, even though it’s ever so difficult to come by nowadays, and one of the most well-stocked cupboards is mine.” Nick forced a grin. “You should hope Chirakis will actually give me an office here on the station. Otherwise I’ll move in with you and plunder that well-stocked cupboard of yours. Might get a little bit cramped though.” “I prefer cozy.” She smiled. Nick shrugged, opened his mouth to say something but then changed his mind. He did not know what to say or if he even wanted to discuss what was on his mind. After a long pause Amanda put aside her cup and leaned forward, trying to meet his averted gaze. "You didn't just come here for tea, Nicolas," she said, stern but sincere. Nick set his cup back on the tray without ever drinking any of his tea. “I never actually told you why I requested to be transferred to Earth, did I?” "No." “Well, six months ago DJ’s brother and his wife were in an accident. They...euh...didn’t make it.” “I’m so sorry,” Amanda offered. “DJ had to go back to Earth to take care of her nephew and niece. Of course I couldn’t stay here. So I requested to be transferred and it was approved. The job wasn’t quite as exciting as out here but you kinda get used to going home to your family in the evening and nothing blowing up around you.” Nick paused. It was actually not easy coming to terms with the reality that he was back on Aegis and talking about DJ and the kids did not make things any better. “Long story short, when I got orders to come back here I did seriously consider resigning from Starfleet.” Amanda added quietly, “And yet, here you are.” “Here I am and I really don’t know if I should be.” He looked pleadingly at Amanda, not quite sure himself what he was expecting. Was it approval for his decision to leave his family behind? Or was he hoping for Amanda to tell him to get on the next ship back to Earth? “It must be important, or you would not have come; it’s your nature.” “Actually, you’re right. It is important. Since the Breen disappeared Starfleet Intelligence has been monitoring the region for any interesting activity. Apparently, we’ve lately received a request for assistance from Portas V. It looks like some former Breen slaves have settled there and, since they are low on resources, they have run into some problems. Most notably, they are dealing with the outbreak of a mysterious disease. My research on Earth was mainly connected to that. I am here to supervise the Federation’s efforts to help the colony.” Nick fell silent. Each met the other’s eyes as though wondering what to do or say next, or if, perhaps, the conversation should stop there altogether. Sometimes it’s better not to question. Other times it’s best to question and get the facts straight, but then you risk finding out that what you suspect is true. Finally Amanda shifted slightly against the leather cushions. “Why do I get the feeling that you’re not telling me the full story, Nicolas? Of course, if it’s a matter of security, I certainly understand. Otherwise....” she left door open. Nick sighed, not really sure what to tell her. The details were complicated and the memories painful. “The real reason why I am here is because I led the research on a similar disease just after I’d first arrived here. A mysterious epidemic threatened to wipe out the Rixians and the former Breen slaves have a DNA similar to them. I suspect they are of Rixian descent. Anyway, we never managed to find a cure back then and it doesn’t look any better now, I’m afraid. Still, as desperate as the situation looks for those colonists, I’m their best bet. So you can see, the decision whether to stay on Earth or come back was actually not a difficult one. It’s just that I don’t like it.” "You're conflicted. You're torn between two noble choices: your duty to your physicians creed and your duty to your family." Nick considered Amanda’s words carefully before responding. “As noble as it might be to take care of my family there are hundreds of lives at stake. The needs of the many...” He did not finish the sentence. Both Nick and Amanda knew there was nothing more to say so they sat together and sipped their tea in silence.

Oh wow...another European! Don't worry too much about the language "issue". My first language is German and before I came here I had never even watched a Trek episode in English. I picked up all the technobabble quickly enough. I also found that the words thingamajig and thingy can come in quite handy and noone will even notice. :) I'm looking forward to simming with you soon.

Even the best physician with the most sophisticated facilities cannot save every patient. Ocis’ death had confirmed this truth. No matter how often he tried to remind himself of this fact Nick still found it hard to accept. But all that did not matter now. What they would need to focus on now was saving the other 272 Deosi from certain death. Mimi’s report did not reveal anything new. Maybe the full autopsy report would but Nick doubted it would yield any information that would help them. At the rate their research progressed the Deosi would be dead before they came even close to having a treatment for their condition. Unacceptable. Nick decided that he should sit down and quickly review the facts they had already gathered along with making a list of questions they still needed to answer. That would help organize his thoughts. He grabbed a PADD and pulled up the reports from medical, science and engineering. Perusing them carefully, he tried to extract the most important information. It took him the better part of the afternoon to go through all the reports and memos but in the end he was satisfied with the result as he read it again. Facts: - The Deosi were Breen slaves. - They managed to escape. - They suffer from malnourishment and various diseases. - Breen DNA was found on some of the Deosi’s hands.. - Ocis and the other Deosi’s DNA had several peculiar mutations. - The Deosi’s DNA is degenerating which is killing them. - The Deosi show signs of chroniton radiation. Questions: - How did the Deosi escape? - How did the Breen DNA get on the hands of some Deosi? - Did they use it to operate Breen technology? - Why exactly does the DNA degenerate? - Is the mutation responsible? - If so how? - Did the mutation occur naturally or was it engineered? - Does the chroniton radiation have anything to do with the above? Too many questions and too few facts, Nick thought when he had finished. Nevertheless, all these questions were important to answer. He would send out a memo including this list along with the final autopsy report once Mimi would have finished. Until then he would go back to the labs and try to find out more about the mutation. Time to find some answers.

As the patients began to filter in, Mimi began to worry about how bad they were and how to treat them. All she could do was treat them and give them something to ease the pain and hopefully get them back on track. The first patient Mimi came upon was in serious condition and was treated with hydrozine. After helping out in the cargo bay, Nick had decided to go up to sickbay and check on the patients there. Myron and Mimi were more than capable of handling the situation. The problem was that the Deosi were in pretty bad shape and way more than Nick had expected had to be sent up to sickbay for more extensive medical treatment than there were able to provide in their makeshift facility in Cargo Bay 3. Nick when the turbolift's doors opened, Nick strode down the corridor and through the doors of sickbay. It took him only a few seconds to locate Mimi, bent low over an apparently unconscious patient. He made a beeline for her. "How are things up here?" he asked. Mimi looks up at Nick breifly and sighs. "Fair I would have to say, but most of these people are either ill from malnurishment, some worse than others, or have some type of chroniton radiation. But not as bad as Ocis," she replied. "I wish that there were a few extra hands to help out." Nick held out his hands and grinned. "Will these do?" he asked jokingly. "But seriously, I'll need you to scan every patient's DNA. Enter the results into the databanks and send them to Commander Feretti." As she smiles, "Of course, I'll make sure that she'll get the results." Mimi stands and looks at Nick, "By the way, Ocis isn't doing to well. He's getting worse by the day," she said softly. "I don't know how much longer he has." Nick nodded. "I'll check on him later. Though I fear even our best efforts won't save him. His DNA seems to be degenerating quickly. But we might be able to do something for the rest of them." "Alright," as Mimi nodded in agreement. "How many more left in Cargo Bay 3, that aren't as bad as this group?" Nick did a quick calculation in his head. "About 190. We'll have to find more permanent accomodations once they are released. Are there any in the ICU?" "Including Ocis, about 25," Mimi replied. "You might want to get with Commander Brown about accomodations and Centurion Dabi about posting security where the group will be placed." Too bad the diplomatic wing isn't useable or we could use it, Mimi thought to herself. "I don't see why we should increase security around their quarters," Nick answered with a shrug of his shoulders. "We caught Ocis stealing. It's not like all of them are theives and Ocis had pretty good reasons." "True," shrugged Mimi. "Alright so if that's all I'll go back down to the cargo bays. Let me know fi you need anything." Nick looked at her questioningly for a few seconds and then turned around and left. There was still a lot of work ahead of them.

Good Doc, Bad Cop A Joint Log by Lepage/ Ocis A final, “Deosi tur san verak!” escorted the Romulan chief of security and Spader through sick bay’s sliding doors. After a moment of silence, Ocis glanced up at the doctor standing next to him, profound relief, contempt, and confusion playing alternately in his expression. “You didn’t hand me over,” said Ocis with a semi-defiant toss of his head. “Why?” Nick pretended to be studying the readouts from the biobed. He wasn’t quite sure just how much he should tell Ocis. Granted, the question was easy enough to answer but the CMO didn’t really think admitting quite how much Dabi’s request upset him would be a smart decision right now. After a few seconds he turned to his patient and smiled. “Let’s just say that our chief of security and I do not quite agree when it comes to interrogation techniques. You’re still here because I don’t want to take any chances. Besides,” he added with a grin, “It’s a long way from here to the brig in case you get worse.” Ocis gave a snort. “Right,” he said. “What you really mean is that you hate him. Pro’bly hate Rommies. Don’t blame you. They’re just a bit closer to civilized than the Breen, and that’s not saying much.” With a sigh Nick pulled up a chair and sat down. It couldn’t hurt talking to Ocis, and for all Nick knew he might even get some information out of his patient; something the security folks had not accomplished. “I don’t hate him,” Nick said, shaking his head thoughtfully. “I don’t like his methods, his way of thinking. And I’m not afraid of antagonizing people if I think I’m doing the right thing. “And you’re not afraid of him?” Ocis stopped swishing his water glass and set it down on the bedside table before crossing his arms. “You’re not worried he’ll take you out?” A mirthless laugh escaped Nick. “I may just be a doctor but I’m not helpless. Besides, this is real life, not some cheap novel. I expect some trouble but nothing I can’t handle. Dabi might seem scary but you know what they say about dogs that bark.” Ocis cocked his head in a come-again? look. Nick recognized the look of confusion on Ocis’ face and immediately tried to explain. “Let me put it this way. Dabi is the kind of person who likes to have things done his way. He’s used to people following his orders. As much as he might not like the fact that I won’t do what he wants he’s not foolish enough to actually do anything. He knows this is Starfleet and he knows we play by different rules. Will he complain? Yes. Will he rant and rave? Probably. Will he get his way? Definitely not.” Nick paused for a few seconds, trying to find the right words. He took a deep breath before continuing. “I may not be as naive anymore as I was when I first got here. But I still believe that the means to achieve a goal matter just as much as the goal itself.” “You’re... Starfleet?” he said, giving it the tinge of a swear word. He eyed Nick a minute, his chin jutting towards him. “Heard about Star...fleet from some raiders we hit up for supplies a while back. Good suppliers they were... ‘til the ‘Fleet took ‘em out. They didn’t have much nice to say. Heard you’re just as bad as the Breen - bad as rivals, they said. So... how come they’ve not taken you out?” Now it was Nick’s turn to be confused. “Taken us out? Who?” “The Breen. You - this Star... fleet - more powerful than they are? Kind o’ hard to b’lieve.” It suddenly dawned on Nick that Ocis didn’t know about the Breen. “Well, we’re certainly more powerful now. There’s this tiny bit of news you might have missed. The Breen are gone.” Ocis’ surly expression flickered for a moment, but returned in his tone. “Right. The Breen. The Breen are gone.” He smirked. “Good one. Good try, Doc.” “Think about it for a second, Ocis,” Nick started to explain. It was to be expected that Ocis wouldn’t believe him. After all, wiping out an entire species was no small feat. Even though Starfleet had had no part in it as far as Nick knew. “Starfleet moves a space station such as Aegis close to Breen space, the ally of one of the most formidable enemies we’ve ever encountered.” Ocis didn’t seem convinced and continued to measure Nick with his eyes. “So... Starfleet is out here with this... station...” he waved a hand to take in the facility, “...and the Breen are gone. And Starfleet is this nice bunch of people... like you.” He waggled a finger, nodding his head thoughtfully. “When do I get to leave?” “Well, you will still have to face charges for stealing our supplies.” Ocis’ jerked up, his eyes narrowed, his expression changing drastically. “We don’t steal. We take what we need. To survive.” “You took things that didn’t belong to you. Looks a lot like stealing to me. But if, as you claim, you took the stuff in order for your people to survive,” here Nick paused and shrugged. “There might be something we can do for you. For one thing, if you officially request assistance we would be very likely to give you what you need.” “Right. Then you find our base and wipe it out.” “Yeah, exactly. Just like we hung you from the ceiling by your ankles and whipped you raw to get information. “Look, Ocis,” Nick leaned forward a little, trying to make sure that Ocis would understand his situation. “I’ve gone over all the stuff you took. I saw your condition when you got here. It looks like all we’d have to do to wipe your people out is stand by and watch. I’m offering you help. Take it or leave it. It’s your choice. But consider your decision carefully because lives are at stake.” What Nick said seemed to sink in, but Ocis remained close-lipped. He sat back, staring first at Nick, then at some unseen object beyond the station’s walls. End of conversation. Nick got up, realizing Ocis had provided as much information as he was willing to. He knew it would be a difficult decision and would certainly take Ocis some time to consider.

Sickbay was always a strange place for one with Spader's view of the world. Seen through ocular implants, the clarity of distinction between a healthy skin and a fever sweat was keen, and though she was no doctor, she could not help but see more clearly than most that she was walking into a place where all was not entirely well with the world for the majority of its inhabitants. It was not exactly disquieting, but it was...sobering. It was one of these inhabitants in particular that she was here to see; Ocis, the pale humanoid prisoner who had taken ill in the brig and been moved here for treatment. He was easily distinguishable from the others, not by the bloom of fevered heat from his body or the rapid rise and fall of his chest but by the small gaggle of security guards clustered around him at a tense, uncomfortable attention. She muttered a few words to the young man at the foot of the biobed, relieving him of his shift at the prisoner's side, and looked around, settling into her own half-attentive posture while waiting for the arrival of someone who could give her a report on the situation. Nick entered main sickbay through a set of doors in the back which led to the labs. He had delivered the latest patient's samples personally to make sure the techs understood those samples had priority over anything they were doing. When he returned to Ocis' bedside Nick noticed a familiar pair of eyes on him. "I hope you've come to call back your watch-dogs. All they do is get in the way and this fellow won't be going anywhere, trust me." Spader glanced sideways and saw that Dr. Lepage was addressing her, and she grinned faintly. " 'Fraid not, sir...but I can have them give you a bit more room." Turning her head to the men standing at her sides, she muttered, "Boys, fall out. Position at exits." Crisply, the team withdrew from the bedside and moved to station itself along the walls. Spader looked back at Lepage and raised an eyebrow. "How's he doing, sir?" Nick took a step backward to give the nurse some room. She was busy checking the various medications, the patient’s vitals and making sure the biobed’s sensors were adjusted correctly. He watched her for a few seconds and then turned toward Spader who watched him expectantly. Checking the patient’s readouts, Nick contemplated the question for a moment. Instead of answering he asked, “When and how did you first notice anything was wrong with him? I asked some of those guys,” he jabbed his thumb in the general direction of the security guards, “but they weren’t very helpful.” Spader cocked her head. "I was conducting a routine check in the brig area and realized that he'd thrown up on his floor and was curled up in the corner. I guess he hadn't been looking his strongest when we picked him up but this was the first sign he was actively sick...that was only a few minutes before Dr. Pavilion was called down." While Spader was talking Nick leaned against a nearby biobed and crossed his arms in front of his chest. He nodded but his frown deepends as he listened. When Spader had finished he looked at her. “The man is sick. Very much so.” Nick nodded toward his office. “Let’s go and talk in there, if you don’t mind. I’m sure your chief will want a thorough report.” "I'm sure," Spader agreed, only the slightest bit dryly. Dabi was hard to predict; he might get uptight for a less-than-thorough report, or he might get uptight if she presented him with too much to read. It was a tossup, but better to know as much as she could for her own purposes, at least. Falling into step with him, she walked towards the CMO's office, gesturing for the security ensign near the door to take charge of the small team. Once in his office Nick sat down in the chair behind his desk, offering Spader to take a seat as well. “I won’t bore you with the details Lieutenant. This man was probably lucky we caught him. He is malnourished, we found two different kinds of parasites, one in his intestines and one in his blood, he has all kinds of infections and I found many injuries, some fresh, others more or less healed. I find it…troubling that none of this was noticed when he was apprehended.” Spader winced, resisting the urge to shift her weight uncomfortably. "As do I, sir, but all respect...we're not doctors. We did our job and called you as soon as we saw symptoms. If anything had really presented itself earlier, you would have been called." She stated it as solid fact, no trace of wishful thinking, though she couldn't help reflecting to herself that Dabi had almost insisted that the man was merely faking it. That didn't matter now; she'd made a choice and, as it turned out, the right one. "Is he contagious?" she asked, adding on a more practical concern. Wordlessly, Nick tossed the PADD that contained Ocis' medical file over to Spader and waited for her to pick it up and read. He watched her as she read. Once she had finished he replied, "No, he's not contagious. But he's still very sick. I'll draft a report for Commander Chirakis. I'll suggest that everyone who is detained in your facilities will receive at least a basic medical scan. It will be as much in the detainees' interest as yours. I think I could make a reasonably convincing case accusing Dabi of negligence if I wanted to." Spader didn't say anything for a moment. Then she set the PADD down on the desk with a light clunk. "Understood, sir," she said, as crisply as she could manage, her off-kilter gaze turning up to the wall behind him attentively. "I'll inform Centurion Dabi to be prepared for a medical overview of the current brig population." It took some effort not to try to explain away the situation; Lepage would want to see the others’ condition with his own eyes anyway. Besides, whatever he might think, she rested easy with herself that she had done all she could on the subject -- she had reacted as soon as she knew there was a problem and not before, and while it was somewhat galling to hear that there was no credit being given for it, she could at least feel comfortable in her own mind. The rest would have to take care of itself. "Is there anything else you need from security, sir?" Nick shook his head. “No, you have the report,” he pointed at the PADD. “Unless you have any more questions we’re done here.” Nick knew Spader wasn’t to blame for what happened. There was a fault in the system not in the way the security department had reacted to this emergency. However, he was reluctant to admit it, hoping to improve the system and ensuring their prisoners’ safety. "No, sir, no questions," Spader answered, lacing her hands behind her back and nodding at the dismissal, turning to leave the office, swearing to herself under her breath. This'll make for a fun report...

On his way to sickbay Nick had talked to the Missouri CMO over the comm system. Common courtesy dictated he at least ask if his assistance was welcome. As expected, the head of the Missouri’s medical department was glad to have some help. As soon as Nick entered sickbay, he looked around to see where Chirakis was being treated. It took him only a few seconds to spot her. The biobed that held her was surrounded by various medical personnel. A young Ensign was barking instructions to some med techs. Nick approached and got a questioning look from the Lieutenant. “Doctor Lepage,” he introduced himself, “CMO of Sky Harbor Aegis. What’s her status?” Immediately, the young physician rattled off a number of figures. While listening Nick checked the readouts on the monitor above the biobed. When the Lieutenant had ended, Nick nodded. “Have you administered any medication,” he asked while trying to assess the severity of Chirakis’ injuries. “100 cc Asinolyathin. She’s unconscious but removing the suit will be painful,” the Ensign answered promptly, looking at him as if waiting for his approval. Nick considered her decision for a second then nodded and said, “Good thinking. Add 400cc Corophizine and Vertazine each. With those burns the risk of infections is comparatively high. They also need to be treated with Dermaline Gel as soon as possible to prevent scarring.” DJ approached the biobed just in time to hear the tail end of Nick’s conversation with the Missouri’s attending physician. She’d been delayed trying to find a place to park Gilbert. A corpsman, who couldn’t have been more than 18 years old, volunteered to take him to one of the labs. He promised to make sure the dog was comfortable and wouldn’t get into any trouble. More trouble was the last thing she needed right now. DJ had been with Chirakis when the Commander was finally retrieved from Aegis. With no equipment available for a proper scan, she’d been forced to do little more than observe the unconscious Bajoran. The burns had been obvious. Undoubtedly, there were other injuries hiding beneath them. The biofunction monitor attached to the biobed provided information on the patient’s vitals. DJ studied them closely as she squeezed in beside Nick. It indicated Chirakis was in shock which came as no surprise. “We should activate the K3 Indicator to monitor her pain level,” offered DJ. “She’s already shocky. Additional pain could put her off the edge.” “First I’d like to assess the trauma. We’ve got second and third degree burns but I’m sure there’s more. Oxygen saturation’s a bit on the low side. Pneumothorax maybe.” Turning back to the Ensign Nick added, “We’ll certainly need Dermaline Gel, Metropan and an osteogenic stimulator. We’ll also need a generator for a bioregenerative field when we’re done here.” Nick punched some of the SSF’s keys to start the first of many scans they’d have to do to find out how extensive Chirakis’ injuries were. The standard monitor provided the basic vitals but not much on tissue damage. What they needed to find out was whether Chirakis’ internal organs were still intact, if there were fractures and if she had sustained any trauma by being stuck in the transporter for such a long time. “We’ve got some broken bones,” quipped DJ as the team surveyed the scan results. “Looks like three ribs and the left humerus.” She shook her head slightly and sighed in relief. “A few burns and broken bones.....she’s lucky....very lucky. And so are we.” “There’s some air in her chest cavity. But it looks like there’s only minor damage to the lung.” Nick was also perusing the readouts. He had to agree with DJ. Considering the circumstances, Chirakis had sustained surprisingly little injuries. “She must have hit the bulkhead when the structural integrity of the station failed. The burns look like plasma burns. There probably was a plasma leak before the station collapsed.” He paused to consider the data carefully. “I suggest we treat her with antibiotics and Dermaline Gel for the burns. Otherwise standard procedure for the fractured bones, bioregenerative field for a few hours and the pneumothorax is almost negligible. I’d say no treatment needed but we should keep her here for the night, see if her condition deteriorates.” He looked questioningly at DJ. She glanced up at him and nodded in the affirmative. “Sounds like a reasonable plan.” She paused a moment to look at their patient. “If she’s going to stay here overnight, we might need to keep her sedated. Knowing the Commander, if she wakes up, she’ll want to leave....immediately.” DJ’s last remark made Nick smile. “Yeah, good idea.” He picked up the PADD that was lying next to the biobed and wrote down his orders. While Chirakis was definitely the highest ranking patient in sickbay right now, there was not much more he could do for her. The nurses and technicians would administer the treatment.

I hate to admit it but Spain definitely deserved to win that game. They were the better team. ::sighs:: At least Paul, the octupus, predicted Germany's gonna win their game against Uruguay tonight. I hope he's got that right, too. 3rd place just like 2006...not too bad for such a young team I guess.

Actually the call was correct. There have to be two players of the defending team closer to the defending team's goal line at the time of the pass than the first player of the attacking team (unless the player who receives the ball is farther away from the goal line than the ball itself at the time of the pass or the ball is "passed" to him by a player of the defending team). Usually that's the goalkeeper and one of the defenders. In this case the goalkeeper had left the goal and there was just that one defender at the post closer to the goal line than Vela. So the ref was right to make the call.

Watched the first few games today. Man, France really sucks...yet again. :)

Germany's getting ready for the World Cup and I can't wait for it to start. I'm rooting for Germany of course but I'm not very optimistic what with all those last minute injuries and such. Actually I think the US have a good chance of beating England in their first match...especially now that Rio Ferdinand's out with an injury. Algeria and Slovenia should not be underestimated though. We'll see how that goes. It's gonna be tough for Mexico, though. It's gonna be difficult beating France even though they kinda suck. Personally I think Spain's gonna get far...not sure about Brazil though they are always to be reckoned with. Same with Germany though this year they might well get eliminated in the quarter finals.

From: Commander Nicolas Lepage, M.D., CMO Sky Harbor Aegis To: Lieutenant Commander Mimi Pavilion, M.D. Lieutenant Commander DJ McKinny, M.D. Lieutenant Lillian Belar, M.D. CC : Ambassador Drankum, Commanding Officer, Sky Harbor Aegis Commander Chirakis Kirel, Executive Officer, Sky Harbor Aegis File No. SHA-2385426/3 Non Jurisdictional Autopsy Species: Athra Autopsy No. : SHA-2385426/3 Name: John Doe Date of Autopsy: April 26, 2385 Sex: unknown Time of Autopsy: 6:47 pm Age: unknown DOB: unknown Prosectors: Commander Nicolas Lepage, M.D. CMO, Sky Harbor Aegis and Senior Chief Petty Officer Mary-Alice Schaffer Autopsy authorized by: Commander Chirakis Kirel, Executive Officer, Sky Harbor Aegis Final Pathological Diagnoses I. Traumatic Brain Injury A. Subdural haemorrhage B. Increased intracranial pressure C. Brain herniation II. Large contusions (approximately 50 cm in diameter)on the anterior side of the body. III. Laceration on the lower left side (length 53cm) IV. Internal haemorrhage Opinion: John Doe was an Athra of undetermined age and sex who died of traumatic brain injury. A laceration and massive internal haemorrhage were contributory causes of death. The manner of death is determined to be: ACCIDENTAL Clothing: There is no clothing present. External Examination: The general condition of the body cannot be determined due to lack of data. For forther information consult file no. SHA-2385425. The unembalmed body is well preserved and cool to touch due to refrigeration. The development of rigor mortis and livor mortis cannot be determined. The exterior of the body consists of a hard shell which was found to be made of an unknown chitin-like substance. The shell seems to be reinforced with a metallic compound. The appearance is reminiscent of arthropodae found on many planets. There is a laceration on the body’s left side measuring 53,2cm in length. No further injuries can be determined. Evidence of Injury: The outside of the body shows a 53,2 cm long laceration caused by blunt force trauma (impact). Evidence of Recent Medical Treatment: None Other Identifying Features: None Internal Examination: The body was opened with a variation of the usual Sorak incision Body Cavities: Massive internal haemorrhage was found in the thoracic and abdominal cavities. All organs showed signs of injuries caused by blunt force trauma. (The various organs and their functions have not yet been identified.) Central Nervous System: Dissection of the central nervous system has shown subdural haemorrhage and herniation of the brain. Special Procedures: All organs were dissected and tissue samples taken and preserved for further studying. DNA samples were collected. Tissue samples from the shell, muscle tissue, nerve fibres and various body fluids were taken for examination.

Nick was still a little confused about the end of his conversation with Amanda. He was glad he had helped her...somehow. So now he was sitting at the table, lost in thoughts while chewing his sandwich. He was glad he still had some time to go over some of the reports Mimi and DJ had sent in and also some of the results of his own research. So he reached for the PADD that had lain forgotten on his tray during his talk with Amanda and started to read. The Promenade food court was not somewhere Aegis's cargo chief, CPO Rosalind Wills, normally ate, as it was noisy and crowded and she could generally get enough of that down in the cargo bays. That being said, it was also a change of scene and one she felt she could use. She'd now spent a considerable amount of time having to work around the presence of that...thing...still lodged in one of her bays smelling up the place, and when you added in, on top of that, the trickle-down from what by all reports was an intended mutiny, it just generally tended to make the whole business headache worthy. Almost makes me miss the move to the Mercury... The foot court was more crowded today even than usual, and after her stop at the replicators for a sandwich and black (very black) coffee, it took her nearly five minutes to spot what was apparently the only available open seat, at one of the small tables scrunched up against a corner. One of the seats was already taken, by a man it took Wills a few seconds to identify as the Chief Medical Officer, Lepage. Eyeing her tray for a moment, she pondered the feasibility of getting it off the Promenade and the pleasantness of trying to eat it standing up and then shrugged, making her way over to Lepage and his empty chair. "'Scuse me, sir," she said, tempering her usual bluntness in proportion to the number of pips on his collar. "This seat taken?" Without even looking up from the PADD, Nick grunted and waved his hand in a motion for her to sit down. When he had finished reading the paragraph he finally looked up and greeted the newcomer with a smile. “I apologize, Chief. Needed to finish reading that sentence.” "Engrossing reading, eh, Doc?" Wills said easily, sliding into the seat with her tray and picking up her sandwich to take a large bite out of it. “Yeah, it’s basically stuff about our new resident down in cargo bay 3. We’re trying to find out more about him…not even sure if it’s a ‘he’ actually,” Nick answered pleasantly, trying to make conversation. He had a feeling he had already seen the CPO somewhere but wasn’t sure where. "Oh, God..." The frustrated sputter was out of Wills's mouth around the mouthful of roast beef before she could stop it. "That monstrosity...you don't have any idea when he's liable to be evacuated, do you? It's putting a bit of a damper (not to mention a stink) on cargo ops." “That ‘monstrosity’, Chief, is…well was a living being. I know the smell can be a bit…irritating but I fear you’ll have to live with that a little bit longer. We have only just started our research. We’re getting some promising results, though. A DNA profile, blood composition and the analysis of membrane proteins and various enzymes have yielded some interesting information.” Nick tried hard not to sound irritated. Why was it that everything people didn’t know or understand was automatically called a ‘thing’ and if it scared them a ‘monstrosity’? Wills sighed. She'd woken the blue-collar in him up and clearly she wasn't going to get much sympathy. "Really?" she asked, and was somewhat pleased with herself that the sarcasm in her mind stayed mostly out of her voice. "Like what?" She admitted privately to being somewhat curious, if only on the level that she hoped they were at least accomplishing something useful by keeping it there; if he told her they'd spent that time learning fascinating things about what it ate and how large a litter of little...things...it might produce, she might have to go order something more potent than the coffee. “Like, for example that the Athra are likely to have originated on a world with very low gravity. Their erythrocytes, red blood cells in humans, blue in this species, use Osmium instead of iron to bind oxygen. Osmium is the metal with the highest density. Also, their hematocrit…the proportion of blood volume occupied by erythrocytes is 76%...in humans it’s only 38-48%. That means they can bind more oxygen, which in turn means they don’t have to breathe as often. So they can survive in the vacuum of space. Well, their reinforced shells help, I guess.” Nick didn’t care whether the CPO was really interested. This was the perfect way to sort through all the results and help him realize what they actually implied. "Must come in handy," Wills said dryly, taking another bite of her sandwich. Most of this was going over her head, though she got the general gist enough. "So we're basically talking a giant, vacuum-proof bug, then? Exoskeleton and all that?" Nick nodded, glad the CPO was still with him. “Yeah, and the shell was even reinforced with some kind of metal. I hope someone in science will be able to identify what exactly it is. On the inside the Athra look pretty much like your average humanoid. Nervous system, blood vessels, organs…all there, looking slightly different but there nonetheless. But on the outside they were made to spend a considerable amount of time in space. That’s amazing if you ask me.” "It's not bad, sure," Wills said agreeably, finishing off her sandwich. She had a feeling it would, in some other life, have been actually a pretty interesting topic, but she just couldn't get herself riled up over organ orientation in something that had crashed through the wall of a painstakingly organized system. "Wish it'd picked a different area of space to spend a considerable amount of time in. But I guess that's neither here nor there." “Well, Chief, I’m sure the Athra wasn’t too happy our paths crossed either. And the outcome for this one was much more unfortunate than for you or me.” "Suppose you've got a point there." Wills slouched back in her chair for a moment, giving herself a moment to digest, then eyed her empty plate. "Place makes a good roast beef," she said after a second's pause. "May have to come here more often. If you'll excuse me, Doc..." She pushed herself to her feet, twisting to wrench a crick out of her back, and picked up the tray. "Gotta keep moving. Good luck with the...ah...thing." She paused, then quirked a slight grin at him. "Or the living being. Or whatever it is." Nick rose as the CPO got up. “Thanks, Chief.” He smiled and shook his head as he sat down again to finish reading his reports.

Nick was surprised to see the lights dimmed when he left the lab and walked to the replicator. He checked the time. One in the morning. He hadn’t noticed how time had passed while he’d been running his experiments. Actually, he hadn’t noticed anything. DJ had been in the lab some time ago to check on him but her presence hadn’t really registered in his brain until she’d left again. The only reason why he could tell it was her was the lingering smell of her perfume. But that must have been several hours ago. He had been consumed in his work, only taking the time to send Drankum a short report on the progress of the various tests. “Coffee, black and a chicken sandwich.” Picking up the mug of coffee and his food Nick had half a mind to go back to the lab but opted for his more comfortable office instead. The tests he was running now would take at least another hour to complete. Finally he could take a short break and collect his thoughts. It had taken the better part of six hours to isolate enough DNA molecules from the Athra to even create a full DNA profile. The interesting part of his work would only start now. He’d have to determine what the different genes actually did. Did they only code eye colour or were they responsible for producing enzymes that were crucial for the Athra’s metabolism? And the most important question of all, was there something that could affect the DNA at all and if so how? Tomorrow Nick would also start isolating different enzymes, find out what their function was. The more they’d know about this species the better. Mapping genes for a DNA profile might tell them where the Athra had come from, which species they were related to and also possible weaknesses. Sitting on the small sofa in his office, Nick perused a PADD. In his mind he was going over experiments that still needed to be done and work schedules. Robin would run tests on several tissue samples, see what kind of proteins were present in the different organs, see what the organs’ respective functions were and if anything could affect them adversely. The histological composition of the various tissues would also tell them about the Athras dietary needs and their natural environment. It was also important to see what Lillian and Mimi would find out. He made a mental note to ask them first thing in the morning. All he could do for now, however, was wait and see how his tests would turn out. So Nick grabbed his sandwich, leaned back and took a bite. He hadn’t noticed just how hungry he was. He still had 45 minutes left until he’d get the results from his test. He allowed himself to lean back, close his eyes and relax a little. It took less than two minutes for Nick to fall asleep.

Back in sickbay Nick went directly into his office to send another copy of his report on the physicals to Drankum although he knew the Ferengi would probably not bother to read it. Once the report was sent an icon indicating a new memo caught his eye. He opened it and what he read only deepended his frown. Apparently Jorahl had collapsed in sickbay. He was now sleeping in a private room just off main sickbay. Nick made a mental note to talk to Mimi and check in on the patient as soon as he had time. For now he needed to come up with a plan for the research they’d have to do on the Athra down in cargo bay 3. Normally, this research would be conducted by the science department with medical only assisting. With all of the science officers in the brig the task of finding a weakness in the Athra’s physiology fell to his department. Not an easy situation considering that none of them were experts at chemistry or biology. But there was nothing they could do about it now. Drankum had made it quite clear that he was not willing to let any scientist out of the brig to help with the research. Nick leaned across his desk and activated his computer console. He needed to set up a research schedule while making sure sickbay would not be short-handed. He pulled up the duty roster and perused it for a few minutes, making adjustments here and there. The result was far from satisfying but at least it would work. Mimi and Lillian would run tests on the Athra’s nervous system while he would do some experiments on the molecular level. Maybe they could find some chemical or biological agent that had an adverse effect on the alien. After sending the new duty schedule, Nick pulled up his autopsy report. He’d send it to Mimi, Lillian and DJ again but before doing so he wanted to go through it once again and make a few additions if needed. When he had finished reading the report he realized that there were too many unknowns in there. Basically all the report said was that beside cause of death they didn’t know anything about this alien. Getting up, Nick strode into main sickbay to brief his staff, determined to find some answers to the many questions.

Nick was a little surprised at DJ’s reaction. He had half expected her to argue with him again, maybe even blame him for what happened between them. But the longer he thought about it, the more he realized that no one really was to blame. DJ had simply not agreed with his decision. Fair enough. Even now, Nick wasn’t sure whether DJ hadn’t been right in the first place and he knew that he hadn’t really listened to her arguments. Why? Because he was too stubborn? Because he didn’t trust Drankum? Because he and Chirakis wore the same uniform? Whatever the reason, he knew that whenever it came to Drankum, his dislike for the Ferengi made it difficult to remain objective. He would be the first one to admit this. And maybe now was the time. He pulled DJ closer into a hug. “There’s no reason for you to apologize. I guess we both had a point and I, for my part, was too stubborn to see yours. And maybe I just hoped Chirakis was right. It would have been an easy explanation and Drankum wouldn’t be in command anymore. I still don’t trust him, DJ. But you may also have noticed that I’m the only department head, other than Jorahl, who is not currently in the brig. I guess that means I’m not a lost case after all.” "No," whispered DJ. "You're not a lost case...not by a long shot." She allowed herself to relax against him greatly aware of how much she'd missed him since their little spat. "I'm not proud of my behavior either. I over reacted." She pulled away and smiled into deep brown eyes. "I know you don't trust Drankum, " she continued quietly. "He's not the type to ....engender trust....not easily anyway. But he's accomplished a lot in his lifetime. He didn't get where he is today by being stupid. And he's genuinely attached to this station." DJ shook her head and chuckled softly. "He's also a typical Ferengi when it comes to pride....and his pride has been hurt. You know what that means." Nick smiled back at DJ, wishing they’d have some more time for each other and not just a few minutes before they’d have to go back to sickbay. He also didn’t feel like talking about Drankum right now. But not wanting to give the impression that he wanted to avoid the discussion, he considered DJ’s words. “Anyone who believes Drankum’s stupid is a fool. But he can be irritating. Actually sometimes it seems like he’s actively trying to be irritating.” Nick sighed, his frustration building yet again. “I just don’t know what to do. Every time I need to make a decision it seems like whatever I go for is wrong. I tell you, if anyone ever suggests promoting me any further I’m going to resign my commission. After this recent mess I want to stay away from station politics as far as possible.” "I don't blame you. It isn't worth all the aggravation," replied DJ with a slight nod. She leaned into him again and closed her eyes. "Chirakis wounded his pride. He's behaving a lot like he did when the Federation decided to move Aegis without consulting the Ferengi." Opening her eyes, she looked up at Nick. "That mess was finally resolved. I have to believe things will work out this time as well. Maybe Captain Halloway can talk some sense into him." As DJ leaned into him, Nick held her a bit more tightly. It felt good after the past few days when they had hardly even talked. “Wounded pride or not, he needs to think about what’s good for Aegis. And the current situation certainly isn’t. He’s got almost all senior staff in the brig. I hope you’re right and Halloway can fix this mess. He’s known Drankum for a long time from what I’ve heard.” "You know what I'm thinking," whispered DJ, snuggling closer to him. "We should stop thinking about Drankum and Chirakis and their problem. Let's focus on us." She paused a moment and then chuckled. "I don't care what they say. Your lobes are far more interesting than anyone else I know." Nick grinned and he held DJ even more tightly, almost whispering, “If you already like my lobes, you should check out the rest. I have quite a few…assets you’ll enjoy.” “I'm sure your.....assets will prove wonderfully enjoyable," replied DJ with a chuckle. "And I promise I'll check them out...all of them." She pulled away and grinned at him. "In due time." Taking his hand, she pulled him toward the door. "But this isn't the time. If we don't get back, Mimi will send a search party looking for us." Nick had half a mind to suggest leaving their comm badges in some airlock and hiding in one of the smaller, scarcely used cargo bays so the search parties wouldn’t be able to find them. Instead he let DJ pull him away out of the door.

=/\= ROSTER =/\= Game Master (GM) - Chirakis Game Master (GM) - STSF Linus Mission Commanding Officer (MCO) - Chirakis Mission Executive Officer (MXO) - Pinner Chase Tactical Officer (TAC) - general 0409 Helm/Operations Officer (HOPS) - CDT - Marshall Chief Engineer (CENG) - STSF_Scooter Assistant Engineer (AENG) - chudleycannonfodder Chief Science Officer (CSCI) - Finn Assistant Science Officer (ASCI) - AnthonyJ Chief Security Officer (CSEC) - Shalin Assistant Security Officer (ASEC) - Samantha_Kent =/\=MISSION BRIEF=/\= Cadets aboard the USS Pendragon (Akira Class - 2385) are investigating a derelict found within the Rolor nebula, the former hiding place of Maquis raiders during the Cardassian occupation of Bajor. An away team - everyone except the CO - is aboard the derelict. All systems on the derelict are non-functional. =/\= END BRIEF =/\= chatlog_02072010.txt

Welcome back, Pinner. I remember simming with you in the academies when I first started. Hope you'll stick around a bit longer this time. <_<

A joint log written by Dr. DJ McKinny and Dr Nick Lepage Somewhat exhausted Nick sat in his chair, the door closed, wishing he would wake up to find out all this was just a dream. When Jorahl had talked to him earlier, Nick had been suspicious. It was obvious the Romulan had tried to find out whose side the CMO was on. Fortunately, Nick had decided not to take sides this time and to try and stay out of the conflict as much as possible. There was just one problem. Right at this moment Commander Chirakis was sitting on a biobed in sickbay, waiting for her psych evaluation. He didn’t know the details but it sounded like Drankum and Jorahl had entered the CT disruptors at the ready. Briefly Nick wondered whether they would really have used them. Somehow he didn’t want to know the answer. Now he was facing a dilemma. Drankum was sane…as sane as he’d get, that is. Nick had no doubt Chirakis would also pass the psych evaluation with flying colours. Still, he was tempted to declare both of them unfit for duty and take command over the station. Nick didn’t have any ambition to ever be the commanding officer of any ship or facility. But the current situation was untenable. They were out here in the middle of nowhere. They had been attacked twice already by an unkown enemy. Yet here they were, with their CO and XO having a pissing contest of epic proportions. And what on Earth was DJ’s role in the whole thing. Earlier she had run off with Jorahl without offering an explanation. Had it been anyone but her, he would have ordered them to remain in sickbay and stay out of whatever was going on. But he trusted DJ. And he trusted her judgment. Still, they’d have to talk about this. He wanted to find out how much she knew and if she was involved in any of this. As if on cue the chime rang and Nick had a hunch he knew who wanted to talk to him. DJ didn't wait for Nick to reply. She knew he was in his office....alone in his office. And privacy was essential for the conversation they were about to have. She walked in, determined to maintain her composure even though she was less than calm. The situation between Drankum and Chirakis was downright worrisome. To make matters worse, Nick hadn't told her the whole story. "Why didn't you tell me what happened on the CT?" she asked, sinking into one of the chairs in front of Nick's desk. "You know....when the Commander disobeyed a direct order and several of our pilots were killed?" Nick closed his eyes briefly and sighed. “I didn’t know that until after I’d seen the security feeds. It looked suspicious, DJ. For no apparent reason Drankum ordered the fighters to retreat…like he knew what was going to happen. I have no idea what is going on here. I just know that people are acting weird.” It was the truth. He didn’t know what was happening and he wasn’t even sure he wanted to find out. She looked at him incredulously only vaguely aware that her mouth had fallen open. "Like he knew what was going to happen?" DJ leaned forward, her voice betraying her annoyance. "Maybe he did know. But it wasn't because he was colluding with the enemy." Without even realizing it, she found herself on her feet, hands planted firmly on her hips. "That old troll has been around forever. He was dealing with issues like that before either of us were born." She paused and drew a deep breath, her composure quickly evaporating. "I guarantee you one thing. If it had been a human who ordered those fighters to retreat, nobody would have batted an eyelash. The order would have been carried out without question." DJ forced herself to sit down again. She shook her head and stared into Nick's weary eyes. "But it was an old Ferengi who issued the orders....a Ferengi who Chirakis doesn't trust.....and she's not the only one." Her tone was low and accusatory. She was well aware of Nick's distrust of the Ambassador. "The Commander assumed Drankum was off his rocker or a traitor," she quickly added with a shrug. "After all, how could anyone like him understand the complexities or strategies of a successful engagement with a powerful adversary." She leaned back in the chair, shaking her head again. "I guess it never occurred to Chirakis or you, for that matter, that Drankum has been around the block a few times and he figured out what was about to happen." She pointed a finger at him as she continued. "It was a lifetime of experience that led him to order those fighters to retreat. He figured it out. That's what command personnel are supposed to do. But no....Chirakis and company couldn't accept that Drankum was capable of such a thing so they belayed the order, had him confined to his quarters.....and our pilots died!" Taking a deep breath she moved forward in the chair and crossed her arms on Nick's desk. "So who exactly is out of their minds or a traitor or both?" Are you done?” Nick asked, trying hard to remain calm. Without waiting for an answer, he went on. “You are right, I don’t trust Drankum. He is rude, he is no Starfleet Officer and I don’t like him. But it is unfair to suggest I don’t trust him because he is not Human. If you think I am on Chirakis’ side I’ve got news for you, DJ. I don’t trust her any more than I do Drankum. I’ve gotten into arguments with her because I do not agree with the way she handles some things. When I arrived on the Control Tower, all I knew was that some of our fighters were destroyed in battle and that the Ambassador refused to explain how he knew what was going to happen. I am a doctor, DJ, I don’t know much about combat. But his demeanor was suspicious. He had been relieved of command and I was ordered to do a psych evaluation. You of all people should know me better than to assume I base my judgment of people on their race, appearance or whatever. I know he has a lot of experience but trust needs to be earned and so far Drankum hasn’t done much to inspire that trust.” He hadn’t quite managed to keep the frustration and annoyance out of his voice and Nick was almost certain DJ had picked up on it. He paused briefly to compose his thoughts and calm himself. “Quite frankly, I did consider taking over command, declaring both Chirakis and Drankum unfit for duty. We need a command team that can work together and not one where the XO questions the CO’s orders and vice versa. There’s an enemy out there that wants to blow us out of the sky, DJ.” Leaning back in his chair, Nick observed DJ closely for a reaction. She'd know that was coming. She'd noticed the growing tension in Nick's demeanor during her earlier rant. In a peculiar way, she welcomed his comeback. At least now, she knew where he stood....and their opinions weren't too far apart. But she was still riled by the entire situation and her attitude crept into her tone of voice. "I never said you judged anyone based on their race," she retorted. "Quite frankly, I don't think anyone on the station does that. We're a pretty heterogeneous group out here. But there is a mountain of prejudice against Drankum." She drew a deep breath and shook her head. "And he probably deserves it," she added in a loud whisper. "At the same time," she continued quickly, her tone a bit less defiant. "We've all worked under superiors we couldn't stand. It wasn't easy but we did it and we never....ever....questioned their orders." She stood up again and started pacing in front of Nick's desk. "Drankum is a lot of things.....rude, arrogant, annoying.... and he isn't Starfleet....not in your wildest dreams could he be considered anything close to a Starfleet officer." She stopped her pacing directly in front of Nick and met his gaze. "But he's highly intelligent and very experienced...and he's in command of this station." She extended her arms, the palms of her hands facing upward in a typical human gesture of frustration. "We might not like him, but he knows what he's doing." DJ dropped into the chair and leaned back. "Some of us need to accept that fact," she sighed, still staring at Nick. "And nothing personal, but you're right. You're a doctor. I'm not suggesting you would do a lousy job commanding this station but you're better suited for Sickbay than the CT." Lowering her gaze, she continued calmly. "When Mimi started tossing around the idea of mutiny, I thought she was....overreacting. But that's exactly what we have, Nick and it scares the daylights out me." She looked up at him again. "The problem we now have is how to diffuse this bomb that's about to explode and tear apart this station. Drankum needs Chirakis and she needs Drankum. They're an unlikely command team but they both bring essential elements to the mix. How do steer them toward resolving this situation before it goes from to worse." "The problem is that the mix may prove a little too explosive,” Nick muttered. “I’m pretty sure there’s nothing I can say or do to make any of the two see reason. Neither Chirakis nor Drankum know me very well. I doubt they trust my judgment enough to listen.” The situation was complicated and Nick had a hunch there was no easy solution to it. Drankum and Chirakis would have to learn to trust each other but that would take time. Time they didn’t have at the moment. Nick looked into DJ’s eyes and suddenly he felt tired and exhausted. “I don’t know what to do, DJ. Really, I have no idea.” They sat quietly for well over a minute before DJ broke the silence. "I don't know what to do either," she replied somberly. "I barely know Commander Chirakis. I've spoken more to her today than I have during all the time she's been here." She looked up at Nick and sighed. "I know Drankum but not very well. The truth is, I've never wanted to know him. I've bent over backward to avoid having a real conversation with him. And I don't think there is anyone on this station who understands what makes that Ferengi tick." She stood up yet again, turned around and stared at the picture hanging on the wall.....the portrait of an alien world....the same one she'd taken with her when she left Aegis and returned to this office when she was reassigned. "I'm scared, Nick," she stated plaintively. "For all of us and especially for Chirakis." She slowly faced him, resting her hands on the back of the chair. "The charges against Chirakis are not without merit. She could lose everything. And I'm concerned somebody will launch another coup to remove Drankum. If they do, things around here will go from bad to worse." Nick didn’t know what to reply. DJ was right, Chirakis could lose everything but he was more worried about the implications for all of them if it turned out that Drankum and Chirakis couldn’t work together. “I know Drankum has every reason to court martial Chirakis and she has every reason to be suspicious of him. And I don’t know what to believe anymore. I refuse to take sides but my position on Aegis may force me to get involved in station politics more than I want.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. Sometimes he wished he had listened to his father and stayed on Earth. With a sigh he added, “I just don’t know how to go about it so that things won’t get any worse than they are now.” DJ had to admit there wasn't a lot either of them could do about the Drankum/Chirakis feud. "It might be better if you stayed out of it," she remarked casually. "Additional interference will only make things worse. Besides, how can you declare Drankum unfit when he was certified mentally competent just a few days ago." She stood up and arched her back in a feeble attempt to relieve some of the tension now coursing through every muscle in her body. "There is one thing you can do," she continued as she walked toward the door. "The Commander is in Sickbay. She's fine physically but she's still waiting for her psych eval." DJ glanced back at Nick as she opened the door and prepared to leave the relative quiet of his office. "And I told her you would be doing that," she added with an impish grin. She turned and made a quick exit not wanting to give the CMO an opportunity to protest. She had already declared Chirakis physically fit. It was only proper that Nick determine if she was of sound mind. Nick watched DJ leave and muttered more to himself than anything, “I’ll have him thrown in the brig for carrying disruptors and then I’ll declare her psychologically instable. Problem solved.” His expression was sombre, not because of the psych evaluation he had to do but because he knew very well that the problem could not be solved that easily. First of all, it wouldn’t be that easy to arrest Drankum and secondly, who would command the station?

Happy Birthday A9!

Finally things were calming down a little. Their attacker's ship had been destroyed and it was now time to clean the mess. Nick was glad there hadn't been any fatalities this time, although he had been busy in the OR for the better part of the past two hours. Now he was sitting in his office, sipping a cup of coffee while preparing for the next surgery. He sighed as he thought of how short-staffed he was. Mimi had been injured in the attack. Though her injuries were mild, she wasn't going to be back on duty until at least tomorrow. The rest of his staff was still busy in sickbay or cargo bay 2 as they were taking care of the crewmen who had been hurt in the attack. So it was just him and Syral, his new Vulcan medic, in the OR. Finishing his coffee, Nick got up in search for Syral. He located the Vulcan in main sickbay, checking on the vitals of a young Ensign. Nick asked him to be ready for their next surgery in 15 minutes before going to the locker room to change into fresh scrubs. On his way there he shot a quick glance over to where Ambassador Drankum was being treated by Lillian. He couldn't help but smile. As stressful and exhausting as surgeries could be, he was still glad he was headed for the OR right now and not Drankum's bedside.

The first wave of patients was starting to come in. For a brief moment Nick wished he was still home. But he wasn't. He was back on Aegis. And Aegis was under attack. Tell me something new, he thought. As of now, they had no idea who was attacking them and why. But Nick was sure whoever was on that alien ship thought they had a very good reason for blowing Aegis out of this asteroid field. With a sigh Nick picked up a tricorder and approached the nearest biobed occupied with a patient. A young woman sat on it, cradling her arm. While he scanned the arm with his tricorder Nick saw DJ out of the corner of his eye. She was taking care of a crewman who seemed to have sustained burns most likely from a ruptured conduit or some such thing. After giving his patient analgesics, Nick moved on. So far the worst was that most patients were in pain and decidedly uncomfortable. But noone was in critical condition. Somehow Nick had the feeling that might change from one second to the next if the attackers got a real shot in. Whatever was going to happen, Nivk was sure it'd be a very long day.

=/\= ROSTER =/\= Game Master (GM) - Chirakis Game Master (GM) - STSF Linus Mission Commanding Officer (MCO) - Chirakis Mission Executive Officer (MXO) - Damian Porter Chief Medical Officer (CMO) - STSF Linus Assistant Medical Officer (AMO1) - JiranShen Kor Assistant Medical Officer (AMO2) - Jerry 'Skip' Maxwell Assistant Medical Officer (AMO3) - TKAR Chief Security Officer (CSEC) - James Howell Assistant Security Officer (ASEC1) - Pace Assistant Security Officer (ASEC2) - crazygreek Assistant Security Officer (ASEC3) - Alyce =/\=MISSION BRIEF=/\= The USS Perseus is on its way to Centaurus 6 to oversee the security during peace talks between two factions that have been at war for centuries. Sunday_Academy_0908.23_Chatlog.txt

This log takes place during DJ's and Nick's LOA. Since both of us were out of town and without internet access most of the time it took a while to write this. Nevertheless, I apologize for posting such a long log so late. There may be more logs to follow which will give some details on what DJ and Nick did back on Earth. I think it goes without saying that this log is a joint effort of DJ McKinny and myself. Enjoy! Home! Nick thought as he stepped off the shuttle that had taken them from the ship to Montréal. He took a deep breath and was delighted to smell the scent flowers. How he had missed that aboard Aegis. Just as he moved out into the sunlight a familiar face caught his eye. His mother was waiting outside the landing pad, smiling and waving. Waiting to see where DJ was he resisted the urge to drop the bags he was carrying and run toward his mother. He hadn't seen her in almost five years! DJ held back as Nick caught sight of his mom. Gilbert had other ideas. He was anxious to keep up with Nick and meet the family as soon as possible. Wrapping the leash around her wrist a bit tighter, DJ admonished the aging basset hound to allow Nick a moment alone with his mother. When he was sure DJ was behind him he shot her a smile and quickly strode toward where his mother stood waiting. Reaching her, he discarded his load of luggage on the ground and threw his arms around her. "Ma! Tu m'as manqué!" "Tu nous as manqué aussi, mon 'ti loup," she answered as she took a step back, held him at arms length and inspected him closely. She opened her mouth to say something but thought better of it and simply smiled. Then she looked at DJ who had stood back a little and watched the reunion of mother and son. "You must be DJ," Mrs. Lepage said as she gave her a warm smile. Then she stepped forward around the luggage spread on the ground and kissed DJ on each cheek. "Yes, I am," acknowledged DJ, stepping forward and nearly tripping over Gilbert as he hurried on ahead. "And this is Gilbert. I apologize in advance for his rude behavior. I think he's relieved to finally be on solid ground again." "I'm Gwen," she added, her smile even wider. Nick grinned. He had completely forgotten to warn DJ of this custom which was still practiced among the French families. Maybe Isabeau had mentioned it prior to their departure from Aegis. As the two women said hello, Nick picked up the luggage he had dropped earlier. Then he walked over to them and stood beside DJ. "Welcome to the family," he said, still grinning. He would have liked to put an arm around DJ but he was so laden with bags that any attempt of that sort would inevitably have ended in him having to pick up everything again. DJ smiled at Nick but opted not to tell him about the elephants stampeding through her stomach. So far, she'd only met his mother. That hardly constituted "the family." If she was already this nervous, she wondered how she would survive the introductions yet to come. "Let's go, the others are dying to see you two." Mrs. Lepage said as she led the way. Falling in behind Gwen Lepage, DJ kept a tight hold of Gilbert's leash. In spite of his age, the old dog could still muster considerable strength when he chose to. And this was the most excited she'd seen him in years what with all the people coming and going in the terminal. Glancing to her left, she caught sight of Nick who loaded down like a pack mule. "Here," she insisted, grabbing one of the smaller bags from him. She grinned at him. "Let me help. It would be tragic if you passed out from exhaustion before we get to your house." Twenty minutes later the three of them arrived at an old mansion situated in the West Island of Montreal. Three large trees grew on the front lawn and flowerbeds were sprinkled across the lawn. Between those flowerbeds were scattered various tricycles, bicycles and other toys. Nick couldn't help but grin. The ride to the family homestead was pleasant enough. DJ found herself relaxing a bit. Gwen Lepage seemed to go out of the way to include her in the conversation. Even Gilbert settled down and actually fell asleep on the back seat. As they pulled into the long driveway, DJ couldn't help but lean forward and stare out the window as the magnificent house the Lepages called home. It dwarfed her family's house. A small smile tugged on her lips as the vehicle stopped. The landscaping looked like something out of magazine. Ancient trees were complimented by several lush flowerbeds containing a wide variety of multi-colored blooms. As one who had always appreciated beautiful landscapes, this one took DJ's breath away. Her smile widened as she noticed the assortment of children's toys strewn about the lawn. It was obvious a lot of kids resided here. As he got out of the car a bunch of kids and two dogs came running out of the house toward him. Before he could even turn around to face them, they had already tackled him so that he almost lost his balance. Managing only just to stay on his feet, he grinned at Carole-Anne, who was walking down the path toward him. Gwen stepped around the car and put on a stern expression. However, the smile tugging at her lips betrayed her amusement. "Ca va faire! Allez-vous en!" The kids reluctantly obeyed their mother and let go of their eldest brother. Nick was glad to have some breathing space and he turned back to the car to help DJ get out. Somehow she looked slightly intimidated and Nick couldn't blame her. When DJ and Gilbert had scrambled out of the car, the younger kids eagerly watching, Nick walked over to Carole-Anne and hugged her tightly. Again, DJ hesitated, taking her time leashing up Gilbert and getting him out of the vehicle. She stared in mild amusement as her fiancé was swarmed by children and dogs and nearly knocked to the ground. He loved it! The smile on his face was as genuine as she'd ever seen. He was home....back with his family after a long separation. She doubted he could ever be this happy on Aegis....or anywhere else for that matter. After a few moments they broke apart and Nick grinned stupidly at his sister. "I missed you little sis." He noticed his younger siblings were just about to discard what little restraint they had and tackle DJ with questions. Before that happened he intervened, making sure everyone could hear him. "Alright, folks I'd like you to meet DJ. Be nice to her!" She'd seen the herd of children moving toward her and wasn't quite sure what to do. Gilbert had noticed as well....not only the children but the two canines that lived them. He knew exactly what he wanted to do and pulled on the leash with such force, DJ had no choice but to follow. Nick came to her rescue just about the time she was able to reign in the eager basset hound. She smiled warmly and waved to the crowd from near the front of the vehicle when she heard Nick introduce her. "Hi everyone! Pleased to meet you all!" Turning back to DJ, who had stood back a little he shrugged and grinned apologetically. "Let's go into the house. We can make introductions there. And don't feel bad if you can't remember all their names right away. We're used to that." She was relieved to hear him say that. "I'm not sure I'll ever remember all their names," she whispered with a grin. "I don't know how your parents remember all their names." Carole-Anne had come up behind Nick and smiled. He turned to look at her. "And this is my little sis Carole-Anne," he said to DJ as his sister stepped around him and kissed DJ on the cheeks like his mother had done earlier. "I'm happy to finally meet you, DJ," Carole-Anne said, still smiling warmly. "You can call me Caro." DJ was prepared for the welcome with a kiss. She returned the greeting more easily than she had with Gwen. "I've heard so much about you, Caro. I'm really glad to meet you. And Isabeau sends her best wishes." Caro appeared to be close to DJ's age and close to her older brother as well. Isabeau had suggested Caro would be a perfect source of information on the young Nick Lepage. DJ couldn't wait to sit down with her for a long talk. As they walked into the house, she, Nick and Caro chatted amicably. Nick's sister was warm and friendly and DJ found herself liking the woman almost immediately. So far, so good, she thought silently. But I've only met two of them. I still have a long way to go! Having left the luggage in the car, Nick decided to stay close to DJ. He took her hand in his and smiled at her reassuringly. His younger siblings started bombarding him with questions. "Whoa, easy guys! We've only just arrived. You can ask your questions later." He was glad that his mother stepped in at that moment and told everyone to go help the others prepare dinner. "Oh, yeah, I almost forgot, you haven't met all of them yet," Nick whispered in DJ's direction, smiling gently as he saw DJ's expression turn slightly desperate. "I love you," he added and squeezed her hand briefly. "I love you too," she replied with a quiet chuckle. "And don't worry, you're siblings won't be enough to change that." DJ was still a little overwhelmed. Not so much by the kids. They were like children everywhere....full of energy and endlessly curious. What astonished DJ was how relaxed Gwen was in spite of the chronic chaos. Gwen was leading the way into the house. At the stairs that lead to the second floor she turned around and looked at the two of them. "I'm sure you want to go upstairs and freshen up a bit. We're having a barbecue...old fashioned. We don't even have a replicator in the house." She was still smiling, genially. Freshening up....a barbecue.....both sounded ideal. It had been a long trip....two weeks on one ship after another. There had been stopovers at a couple of starbases where they were able to relax in real rooms with real showers. Not that the accommodations on the ships were terrible. They were just awfully small. There was nothing small about Nick's house. She could only imagine what the bedrooms would look like. She'd probably have enough room to actually open her luggage. But even better than that was the promise of real food....and barbecue at that! She smiled at Gwen and nodded enthusiastically. "I'd love to freshen up. And real food is always a treat!" Gwen smiled and turned toward the back of the house where the kitchen was. "Alright, I'm sorry I have to check on what the kids are doing in the kitchen. But I'm sure Nick will show you to your room." She looked back over her shoulder at Nick. "I prepared your old bedroom, Nick. Dinner will be ready in about an hour, so you can take your time." "Alright, Ma, I'll be there in a minute to help you," Nick called after her. Then he started walking up the stairs, making sure DJ was following him. As they arrived at the upper landing, Nick turned left and walked down the hall to his old room. "If you want to we can have separate rooms," Nick said when they entered the room and he turned around to face DJ. He couldn't help but smile as he watched her take a good look around the room and then walk slowly toward the window and look outside into the backyard. She heard the question but it didn't quite register. DJ was too mesmerized by the view from Nick's bedroom window. Below and beyond lay a huge tract of green with trees and flowers dappled here and there to give it a cultivated feel. "Good grief," murmured DJ. "All of this property is yours?" It was a rhetorical question. Of course it was all his....or his family's at least. She idly wondered how long it would take to walk the entire estate...and that's what it was....a bona fide estate. Looking down at Gilbert, she chuckled lightly. "You're gonna love this," she quipped before turning around to face Nick. Her fiancé was standing in the middle of the room wearing a broad grin. "This must have been a great place to grow up," she acknowledged. "No wonder your parents had so many kids. They needed people to fill up all this space." Nick walked over to stand behind DJ, put his arms around her, pulled her closer, and looked out the window too. "This is the best place to grow up and I missed it terribly. It's also the kind of place I'll want our kids to grow up in." The smile vanished from his face. "Sometimes I just want to quit and come back here, you know." DJ believed him. Nick's family estate was a paradise, especially compared to Aegis. And that's where he'd spent most of his time for the past few years. There may have been a leave or two, but this was the first time in ages he'd been home. His contentment was obvious. "I can imagine how you feel," she whispered, gently stroking his back. "My home wasn't this grand but I feel the same way whenever I visit." She quietly wondered if Nick's attitude would change after they'd been there for awhile. With so many siblings, there would be a lot going on. But it wouldn't be like Aegis. Was it possible Nick would miss the station with its routine and sudden emergencies? She also considered her own reactions. Would she fall in love with this large family and all it entailed? Or would she find it overpowering and long for the familiarity of her routine on Aegis? From the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of Gilbert, happily exploring the room. She had no doubt he'd love it here. No more dog walks....he'd have a real yard to play in....and a huge yard at that. She looked up at Nick who was still lost in thought as he serenely gazed out the window. "This would be a great place to raise a family," she continued softly, a grin tugging at her lips. "But do you think your parents would appreciate us moving in with them?" "Are you kidding?" Nick asked with a smile. "They would love it. But I was thinking about something more...let's say quiet...just you and me..." He paused looking around at Gilbert who was just about to inspect the closet. "And Gilbert. At least for a while. So, how about the room? Would you prefer I sleep elsewhere? We still have enough guest rooms, so it wouldn't be a problem." Somehow Nick hoped DJ would say she didn't mind sharing a room and a bed with him. So far they had never spent a night together because DJ hadn't wanted to tempt fate. Personally, Nick wouldn't have minded but he respected DJ's wishes. Why hadn't they discussed this before now, DJ silently chided herself. There hadn't been a lot of spare time before they left Aegis but the trip to Earth had taken almost two weeks. She hadn't really considered their sleeping arrangements until a couple of days before they arrived. Even then, she couldn't bring herself to broach the subject choosing instead to wait and see what accommodations would be offered to her. Now she knew. DJ smiled gamely as her cheeks started burning. She was certain they were bright red. "I don't mind sharing a room with you," she replied cautiously. "But I'm not sure about sharing the same bed....at least...not yet. That's not to say I won't change my mind but...." She frowned as she listened to the jumble of words spilling out of her mouth. The answer to Nick's question was yes, she preferred he sleep elsewhere. She could only hope he would understand and not take offense. Nick walked up to DJ, kissed her on the forehead and pulled her into an embrace. "No reason to be embarrassed," he muttered as he held her. "I'll go sleep in the guest room next door." Nick grinned as he pulled back a little to look DJ in the eyes. "Maybe I can sneak into your room at night," he added with a wink. She knew all along he would understand and silently scolded herself for ever doubting that. DJ relaxed against him, taking comfort from his warmth and the scent of his cologne. "Are you sure the guest room is available?" she asked, her voice subdued. "You said a lot of relatives were coming in for the wedding. I'm sure we're not the only guests who will be staying here." She pulled away a bit and looked up into his eyes. "Maybe we could work out something where we both stay in the room. I don't want to inconvenience your parents and...." She hesitated before continuing. "I'm afraid they'll think I'm a prude or not committed to you or something like that?" Nick leaned his forehead gently against DJ's and looked into her eyes as he spoke. "We'll do it whichever way makes you feel more comfortable. I can sleep on the sofa-bed over there or I can sleep in the guest room. If anyone asks we just tell them it's so we can actually get some sleep." He grinned widely as DJ slapped him. Turning her back to him, she took a couple of steps toward the closet where Gilbert continued nosing around. A part of her wished she'd really slapped Nick.....hard....but another part of her couldn't help but laugh. She also found herself wondering if there was any truth to his smart remark then tucked that thought away for another day. "We'll take turns on the sofa bed," she announced, whirling around to face him again. Try as she might, she couldn't wipe the silly grin off her face. Nor could he. "You sleep there tonight. Tomorrow will my turn," she added with shrug. She shook her head and started to walk away then abruptly stopped. Looking over her shoulder she drew an exasperated sigh and smiled. "What am I gonna do with you?" Nick didn't even try to hide his grin. "Oh, DJ, you're stuck with me no matter what. And as for the sofa bed," he shrugged before going on. "You'll have to push me off it to sleep there. But we can fight over our sleeping arrangements later. We'd better get downstairs or the others will have eaten all the good stuff. C'mon Gilbert, we'll go hunt some savage hamburgers." With that he was almost out the door. DJ remained motionless as Nick followed Gilbert out of the room. The basset hound had been in the house for no more than thirty minutes but he already acted like he owned the place. Nick, on the other hand, had grown up in this house. He may not have been the owner but he certainly had a claim to it. He also had a claim on her. She'd surrendered it slowly but willingly and there was no going back. She really was "stuck" with him. He glanced over his shoulder with that waggish grin of his, nodding toward the hallway in a silent invitation for her to come along. She headed for the door, giving him another "look." But the smile on her face gave away her true feelings. DJ could think of far worse things to be "stuck" with.

Note: The events of this log take place prior to the 6/26 sim A joint effort by Drs McKinny & Lepage Coming out of the bathroom, only wearing a pair of sweat pants, Nick saw DJ standing in his tiny kitchen area, cutting up some ingredients for dinner. He sneaked up on her and slipped his arms around her from behind. Before she could turn around he kissed her just below her ear, not caring that he was still a little wet. One minute she was busily preparing their dinner. The next thing she knew, she was wiping droplets off her face and neck as Nick's wet hair dripped all over her. "Hey!" she exclaimed in mock horror. 'You're getting me all wet!" She managed to turn around to face him, slipping her arms around his neck. "Didn't your mother teach you to dry off before coming out of the bathroom." "There are so many things my Ma told me that I've already forgotten. I guess this is just one of them." Nick grinned mischievously as he pulled DJ a little closer and leaned in to kiss her again. When they broke apart he smiled again. "How would you like meeting my family?" Wow, mused DJ silently. That question came out of the blue. Although she was totally unprepared for it, she was determined not to allow her surprise to show. She knew meeting the family was necessary if her relationship with Nick was to progress to the next level. But he had a....humongous family. Nick was one of thirteen children. Who knew how many relatives he had if you included aunts, uncles and cousins. DJ recovered with a moment. "I would love to meet your family," replied DJ with a bright smile. "Are they coming out for a visit?" Nick's mischievous grin widened at DJ's question. "Well, how would you like we both take a leave and go back to Earth to, say, attend a wedding?" The look on DJ's face told him that she'd been completely unprepared for this. So had Nick earlier today when his sister had contacted him and told him she was going to marry her fiancé. Of course it had been a pleasant surprise. Now he was looking forward to go home and spend some time with his family. He also hoped that if DJ did indeed come to Earth with him they'd have time to meet her family while they were there. So now he was looking expectantly at DJ, who still seemed to be thinking of an answer. A wedding? DJ was taken aback and she was pretty sure it showed. "A wedding?" she stammered, leaning back far enough to look Nick in the eye. "Who's getting married? And when?" "My little sister Carole-Anne is getting married. We've got plenty of time to get back home and I'd figured it would make a nice vacation. You know, it'll be just you, and I....and my twelve siblings and all the others who'll be around for the wedding." Nick grinned as he thought of all his aunts, uncles and cousins. Both of his parents had come from large families and both their brothers and sisters, as well as themselves, had decided to honor the family tradition. Only his auntie Noémie had only four children. Disappointing by Lepage standards. "Anyway, apparently Carole-Anne has already made arrangements. We're to stay at my parents'. I guess she wouldn't have accepted no for an answer. But don't worry, if you'd prefer not to come it's ok. I don't want you to feel obliged or anything. I'd understand if you'd rather stay here," Nick added before DJ could say anything. He knew that meeting the parents was always a bit awkward and it had always made him nervous. But facing the prospect of meeting a family like his must be downright alarming. DJ grinned awkwardly at Nick, her thoughts racing. For a moment, she had a vision of herself surrounded by a sea of faces, all staring at her curiously and asking questions in rapid fire. There will probably be six hundred people at this wedding, she mused silently. And 599 of them will be his relatives. "Of course I would love to go," she answered quickly. "I'm really looking forward to meeting your family." Especially the new brother-in-law. I've got to figure out how he handles all the relatives. "Do you think they would mind if Gilbert tagged along?" "I'm sure Harold and Gizmo will love for Gilbert to come along." He pulled DJ a little closer and hugged her tightly. "And don't worry about meeting my family. I told Carole-Anne we'd be arriving a few days early so you'll have time to meet my parents and siblings before the rest of the family invades the house. If at any time you need a break, just let me know and we'll get away fro a while. Have you ever been to Montréal? Oh, and before I forget it, I'd love to meet your family too, if that' ok with you and them. I mean we should take advantage of being back on Earth, right?" Nick didn't even try to keep his eagerness out of his voice. He knew he probably sounded like an excited schoolboy but he didn't care. He looked so happy....happier than she'd seen him in a long time. DJ didn't have the nerve to let on she was positively terrified. "No, I've never been to Montreal," she said with a smile. "And I'm sure I'll get along fine with your family." How in the world will I remember all their names? "I'll contact my family tomorrow...find out if we can get everyone together for a visit." DJ pulled away from Nick but clasped both his hands in her's. "I'd better hurry up with this dinner so I can check my file and figure out how much leave time I have. How long are we going to stay?" "You'll love my family and they'll love you. I'll tell Carole-Anne we're coming so my mother can prepare a room for us. I thought we'd stay a week or two. I'll check out how we'll get there. But right now I'll help you with dinner. Let me finish chopping up the onions." With that he picked up the knife DJ had been using, a wide grin still spread on his face. She had to laugh. Nick was so excited, he looked like a kid at Christmas. On the other hand, DJ's head was already spinning and they hadn't even left the station. There were so many details involved with a trip like this. "I hope they have nice shops in Montreal," she quipped. "I have nothing to wear to a wedding."