Nicolas Lepage

Joint log by Isabeau Delevan and Nicolas Lepage Why did it have to be waste recycling? Nick thought idly as he was on his way to deck 33. He was already wearing a biosuit and not sure it had been such a good idea to tell Isabeau he was going to accompany her. As CMO he could easily have asked someone else to help her take samples in the waste recycling units. But somehow he felt it wouldn’t be fair to have someone else do this rather unpleasant part of the job. He had already double checked with Sato and Douglas in the hope they’d actually be able to get around going through the water and sewage section. Of course they were not quite that fortunate. At least they wouldn’t have to take samples of any hazardous materials. The two engineers had only worked in the solid waste and the water and sewage processors. Still, that left the prospect of wading through sludge and taking samples. Even though they weren’t even close to the waste recyclers Nick already felt like having a shower. Isabeau carried her helmet in one hand and the testing kit in another. She shot Nick a sidelong glance, noting the grimly resigned expression on his face. She’d been surprised when he said he’d go with her. She planned to ask someone from Engineering, well, actually-Caelan, to go with her. “I always think it’s good to know everything that’s above or below me, Nicolas. This is actually a good opportunity to see some of the station that we normally would not.” She deliberately made her voice as cheerful as possible. ”Don’t you agree?” Nick gave her an incredulous look. It took him a few seconds to reply. “Seeing new parts of the station is one thing, Isabeau, but the waste processing units? We’ll probably be spending the afternoon there. Call me weird but I’d prefer the holodecks.” “Obviously, we’re not going to a party, but we’ve got the suits and the air will be filtered. Besides, if this is actually where Sato and Douglas picked up whatever it is that’s making them ill, we’re only 72 hours behind them.” Isabeau stepped out of the lift and looked around curiously, having never been on Deck 33 before, even during med drills. Following her out of the lift, Nick grinned mischievously. “I could send you in there without the suit. You stay for a few hours and if you get sick we’ll know they picked it up here.” As they walked down the corridor he kept looking at the few doors to check whether they had already reached their destination. “Ah, yes. In there. After me I guess,” he said as he spotted the door to the maintenance room and walked in. “You mean you could try to send me in without the suit,” Isabeau responded mildly, as she followed him into the maintenance area. “Sato and Douglas weren’t wearing any extra protective gear so it’s not like they were in wading through the tanks or anything.” “With the engineering types, you never know.” Nick shrugged and put on his helmet. Sato had explained to him where they had been working and Nick searched the room for the hatch to the processing units. “I s’pose,” Isabeau muttered as she secured her own helmet. “I programmed the tricorders very broadly. If we don’t hit pay dirt here, we’re going to be spending an awful lot of time in the J-tubes.” Oh great, Nick thought. Just what I needed. Spending the night crawling through J-tubes and hunting whatever it is that got them sick. “Well, let’s hope we’ll find it here, then,” he said. “I don’t think we have enough staff to search every single J-tube on this station.” “Oh, I’m always hoping for the best, Nicolas. You know me—I’m an optimist.” She followed him through the hatch, and then stood up, activating her tricorder immediately. “I guess we should decide on some kind of sweep pattern so we don’t miss anything. Nick nodded in agreement. She was right, if they didn’t do this thoroughly they might be searching a long time yet. As he adjusted his tricorder settings slightly he said, “By the way, talking about engineering types, rumor has it you’re seeing Mr. Fletcher.” “Nice segue,” she responded, not even rolling her eyes. Nicolas was always so subtle. “We’ve gone out a couple of times. He tried one of my caving holos with me and then we did a rock climbing holo he likes a lot.” Isabeau started scanning, still very sure that they were looking for something that Sato and Douglas had physical contact with as opposed to something they might have inhaled. “Sounds perfect for you. Maybe we can go out to dinner some day, you know you, Caelan, DJ and I. I heard there’s a new restaurant going to open on the midway soon. I have no idea what it’s gonna be but knowing you, I’m sure you’re up for the adventure of trying even the most obscure food.” Nick smiled. He too, was prepared to try pretty much anything that would be offered on the Midway. It was about time the shops and such would open again. He was sick of replicated food and couldn’t wait to get a chance to buy fresh ingredients so he could cook decent meals again. “I’ll ask Caelan if he’d like to do that, but honestly, Nicolas, if you think trying some new cuisine qualifies as adventure, then this explains why you always pretend like I’m putting you through the tortures of the Damned when we go hiking or anything.” Keeping her eyes on the tricorder, Isabeau continued walking slowly, making sure to sweep so that she wouldn’t miss a centimeter. “Still, don’t think I’m not excited that the Midway is going to be revitalized. Out here in the middle of nowhere, it’s nice to be getting some normalcy back.” “Normalcy and fresh vegetables.” A blip on his tricorder distracted Nick for a second. “I think I found something.” He moved closer to the area where the tricorder had shown something that matched their parameters. “It’s on this access panel. I have a hunch we’re going to find something behind it, too.” With that, he knelt down and opened the panel revealing a small opening that allowed access to the pipes leading to one of the waste processing units. The tricorder started beeping as Nick pointed it inside. “Ah yes, can you take a sample, please?” he asked, turning to look at Isabeau who was standing close to him. Waiting till Nick shifted, sideways; Isabeau got down on one knee and carefully captured several physical samples, securing them in the kit. It didn’t look like much more than some smears of dirt but the deadliest substances were often invisible to the naked eye. “Ok, got it.” Getting back to her feet she took a look at what the tricorder analysis looked like. “Type of mold. If we’re lucky we won’t end up with spores all over the place. If, in fact, this is even the cause of their illness.” Nick nodded and considered the implications if, indeed this stuff had gotten everywhere. “Let’s head back to sickbay for now and analyze this in the lab. We should advise engineering to clean this place. For now, I don’t see any reason to take further precautions. It’s pretty isolated. There’s no way this stuff can get into the water or anything.” He looked at Isabeau, waiting to see if she agreed with his assessment. She looked around, and then back to Nick. “Engineering should continue to wear biosuits in this area until we can ascertain whether or not the mold is dangerous and is what affected Sato and Douglas. If it is the culprit, I would like to see that this mold be added to the regular sweeps as something to be checked for and eradicated upon discovery. They should also go ahead and check the ventilation system. If any of the spores became airborne, it would be nice to find them before they set up home.” “Yeah, I’ll send them a report. Let’s go, I need to get out of this suit.” He knelt back down and closed the hatch. Before getting up he checked that it was fastened tightly and then he turned around and walked with Isabeau out of the waste recycling maintenance section.

By Doctor DJ McKinny and Doctor Nicolas Lepage It had been a long day and Nick was glad to be finally out of sickbay. As soon as the doors of his quarters closed behind him he took off his jacket and tunic, kicked his boots off and walked into his bedroom. He would have time for a long shower before DJ was due to come by for dinner. They'd have to settle for a replicated meal since supplies of fresh food were short. Twenty minutes later Nick stepped out of the shower and toweled himself off. Not for the first time did he wish he had a bathtub. On the other hand, he thought, he wouldn't have much time to use it anyway. Just then the chime rang. He quickly grabbed a t-shirt and sweat pants and pulled them on before opening the door. Many years ago, during an extended leave on Delos IV, DJ and her husband, Jack, became acquainted with one of the local cartoon characters that regularly appeared on the evening vid.. DJ couldn't remember the hapless little man's name, but wherever he went, a dark cloud followed. He was the epitome of doom and gloom, a fact he reinforced during encounters with both friends and strangers. In spite of herself, DJ was beginning to feel a lot like that long forgotten cartoon character. What started out as a nagging question several weeks earlier, had slowly but surely developed into a major concern. She likened it to a relatively minor illness that was ignored until it became life threatening. DJ couldn't shake the suspicion something awful was about to happen, namely a transfer.....a transfer that could easily impair the still fragile relationship she had dared to cultivate with Nick Lepage. As far as she was concerned, that might very well be life threatening. She'd finally mustered up the courage to talk to Nick about it. She'd half hoped he would reassure her only to find out he was giving it some thought as well. Their brief chat left her feeling less confident than ever about her status on Aegis. He'd asked her to dinner to discuss the situation. She was in such a crummy mood, she almost declined. Then, determined not to behave like that Delosian cartoon character, she'd gratefully accepted his offer. Now, standing outside his quarters, she pasted a smile on her face and counseled herself to think positively. Even if there were no reassurances tonight, the least she could do was enjoy Nick's company and see to it her own attitude wouldn't make him wish he'd never invited her in the first place. Just as he'd expected there was DJ standing in front of him, smiling. However, he thought she looked tired. When she stepped in he pulled her into an embrace and kissed her. "It's good to see you, DJ," he whispered into her ear as he held her for a moment. "The feeling is mutual," she murmured as she slipped her arms around him. And it was true. It had been weeks since they'd had any private time together. She hadn't realized until now just how much she'd missed that. Pulling back a bit, she smiled gamely. "Thanks for the invitation. It's been a while since I had dinner with anyone other than Gilbert." "Ah, I'll have to talk to him if he keeps you from having dinner with me," Nick replied jokingly, knowing full well Gilbert was DJ's dog. He let her go reluctantly only to find he wished he hadn't. Her smile looked forced and he knew DJ well enough to know she was not exactly in a good mood. He wished he could just tell her that he'd take care of everything. Unfortunately, he couldn't. There was nothing he could do. A couple of years ago, when DJ had left Aegis for the first time, Nick had been heartbroken but it had been different. He had kept telling himself that he and DJ would never have been able to be together anyway. Now things were different. It had taken them long enough to admit their feelings for eachother and even then both of them had been reluctant, afraid to commit to a relationship at that point in their lives. But they had taken the plunge and found that it had been worth the risk. At least Nick thought so. However, ever since it had been announced that Aegis would move, Nick had been worried that a medical facility for the diplomats and their staff would soon become superfluous. Apparently, DJ had thought so, too. "You look like you could do with some cheering up," he said as he walked to the replicator. "Can I get you anything to drink?" Oh how she wished for something really stiff to drink! But DJ quickly decided it was best not to travel down that particular road, especially while she was in such a lousy mood. Instead she shrugged slightly and told him she'd settle for a glass of water, cold with lots of ice. She watched Nick cross the room to fill her order and then moved toward the couch. Collecting a few of the padds scattered on the sofa, she stacked them on the coffee table as she sat down. By then, Nick had returned with her water. She grinned at him as she accepted the glass and then leaned back into the soft cushions of the well used couch. "So, what do you think?" she asked nonchalantly. "And don't you dare ask me about what? You know exactly what I'm talking about." Nick sat down next to DJ and contemplated his own glass of water for a few moments before answering the question. "I think that it sucks...big time. But after all we both knew one of us might get transferred eventually. And, well, it's not like it has happened yet, right?" He shot her a glance, not sure what else to say. "The questions is, now that we both think it might happen soon, what do we do about it?" Turning around to face DJ, Nick shrugged and took a deep breath. "You know me well enough to know I can't just say 'Well that's it. It was fun while it lasted, now let's move on.' I'm in for the long haul no matter how difficult it'll be. I'm tempted to say let's just wait and see what happens and enjoy the time we can spend together. How's that sound?" "Logical," muttered DJ after taking another sip from her glass. "Practical and pragmatic....that's how it sounds." She leaned forward and set down on the coffee table. She patted Nick's leg, stood up and paced across the room. "I never doubted you were in this for the long haul," she said quietly, turning around to face him, her hands clasped behind her back. "But the constant risk of transfers tends to concern me. It's difficult to make plans when you never know where you'll be from one month to the next." She'd known that long before she allowed herself to fall in love with Nick Lepage. She'd even agonized over the decision to move forward with their relationship just because of the uncertainty of their long term assignments. But there was no going now. The proverbial cat was out of the bag. "I haven't heard anything about a transfer, she continued. "I'm assuming you haven't either. But you must admit the odds are pretty good someone at headquarters will figure out your department is now over staffed. It's just a matter of time......and this certainly complicates our situation." "DJ, they want capable officers out here. You are more than that. You've proven time and again that you can handle the job out here. I've been asked to review my staff's performances and to send those packing who are not up to the job. Many names have crossed my mind but never yours. And that's not because I'm not objective in your case." As DJ walked past him, Nick reached for her hand and she stopped. He looked up into her eyes and smiled. "Here's the not so very logical and pragmatic version of what I think. I love you and I don't want you to go. If it happens we'll have to see what we want to do. I could resign my commission, stay at home, take care of the kids and make sure dinner's ready when you get home in the evening. I've thought of several options but nothing has happened yet." "I love you too, but resign your commission?" DJ wrinkled her nose and shook her head. "After all the effort you put into getting to where you are today? I don't think so."She looked down at him and grinned. "But I wouldn't mind you having dinner ready when I got home. I firmly believe you're a much better cook than I am." She plopped down on the sofa beside him and shrugged. "You're right about one thing though. Nothing has happened yet. I suppose the best thing to do is proceed as normally as possible and hope for the best." Squeezing his hand, she offered him a genuine smile. "They say ninety percent of what you worry about never happens anyway. I just hate the uncertainty." DJ leaned against Nick's shoulder, random thoughts tumbling around in her head. She knew there might be away to avoid a transfer off the station but she wasn't sure either of them were prepared to take the necessary steps. She wasn't sure he was even aware of it much less giving it consideration. For a moment, she debated about whether or not to mention this particular option to Nick but decided it was best not to....at least for now. Instead, she allowed herself to relax a bit and focus on the present. "Speaking of cooking," she whispered. "What's for dinner? Nick turned a little, put his arms around DJ and kissed her. When they broke apart he leaned his forehead against hers and smiled mischievously. "Let's just try and forget about this transfer business tonight. It's been a while since we've had some time for us. Dinner will be whatever we can get the replicator to make us, unfortunately. Ever since the shops on the midway closed it's impossible to get anything for a decent meal." He kissed her lightly on her cheek again before getting up and contemplating his own attire. "I guess I should change, though. I'll only be a minute." With that Nick turned and walked into his bedroom. He pulled a pair of black slacks and a dark red shirt out of his wardrobe and got dressed. A couple of minutes later he walked back into the living room. DJ was still sitting on the sofa, studying some drawings he had hung on his walls. He smiled as he watched her. "Those are from Jacques, Sébastien, Francoise and Guy...my youngest brothers and sisters. Well, there's Benoît but he wasn't born when I left." "I try to keep in touch but you know how it is. Messages take ages to get back to Earth and we manage to talk about once every other month over subspace. Though I'm not sure that's still possible out here. I briefly talked to my mom before the station moved and she wasn't exactly thrilled as you can imagine. But I think they are also proud of what I achieved. What about your family? I know Robbie's in Starfleet, too. So I guess it was ok for your parents when you said that's what you wanted to do." Nick turned a little to look at DJ. He smiled as she looked back at him. This was the first time they had actually taken the time to talk about their families. "You would think so, wouldn't you," laughed DJ. "But, suffice to say, they were less than thrilled." She turned slightly so she was facing Nick. "I was eleven or twelve when Robby came home and announced he'd enlisted in Starfleet." She shook her head and smiled wryly as the memories of that fateful day rushed forward. "It took a month to peel my parents off the ceiling." DJ leaned back on the sofa and closed her eyes. "After a while, the ice melted and Robby was finally welcomed back into the fold. When he came home on leave, he'd talk about his experiences in Starfleet. Mom and Dad disapproved....ordered him to keep those things to himself. That's probably why Robby never stayed for more than two or three days at a time." She shrugged again. "They didn't have much to worry about. The fact is, my brothers and sister weren't all that interested." She glanced at Nick and grinned mischievously. "But I was thoroughly hooked!" "Robby and I would sit on the front steps and I'd hang on his every word. I knew early on I wanted to leave Huntsville. Joining Starfleet seemed like the perfect way to do it and I'd get to see the universe to boot." DJ looked up at the ceiling and sighed. "So what did I do after high school? I went to college, enrolled in medical school. After graduating, I did my internship and residency....and then enlisted in Starfleet." She glanced at Nick with a guilty smile. "I told my parents via the comm a week after classes began at the Academy. They thought I was in San Francisco for a job interview." Nick chuckled as he listened to DJ. "Wow, I think my dad would have disinherited me if I had pulled a stunt like that. So you joined to get away from home and see a bit of the universe? Well, you definitely got around and I bet you had your share of "adventure"...maybe even more than you'd ever wished for. Do you ever wish you had never joined at all?" "Yeah," whispered DJ, nodding slightly. "But I've had more than one opportunity to leave and opted to stay." She glanced at Nick and then stared at the artwork hanging on the far wall. "After the Cairo and Jack's death, I was sorely tempted to give it up....go practice somewhere safe....safe and boring. Then I found myself struggling with that idea. As secure as it seemed, deep down, I didn't want to give up Starfleet." She looked over at Nick sitting beside her and grinned impishly. "It may sound trite, but I guess it's in my blood." Nick turned a little, pulled DJ closer and held her in his arms. He could only guess how painful the memory of the destruction of the Cairo must be for her. "That's one way to put it. Maybe we're just crazy, you, I and everyone else on this station." "Crazy is a requirement for this job," she chuckled, snuggling a bit closer to Nick. She met his gaze and smiled warmly. "And being crazy about someone else on the station doesn't hurt any either." "You're right, I think I'm already getting used to it." Nick smiled mischievously. Just then his stomach started growling. "You know DJ, I'd love to stay like this all night but I'm really kinda hungry." With that he leaned over her to kiss her before getting up to get their dinner from the replicator. She brushed her lips against his and returned his mischievous grin. "So am I. My tummy just isn't quite as vocal as yours." DJ pulled away and the two got up off the couch. They walked hand in hand to the replicator and Nick activated the extensive dinner menu. "But while we're eating," continued DJ, "I insist on hearing what you put poor David and Jean-Pierre up to when you decided to drive your parents or teacher crazy." Nick scoffed. "Trust me, those two didn't need me for inspiration," he said before turning his undivided attention to the menu.

Joint Log – Chirakis and Lepage Kirel entered sick bay as though she were there for a routine department inspection. She had masked her symptoms as long as possible, but it was clearly more severe than she had hoped. Being unable to actually see the injury had hampered her usual self-treatment, and the recent nerve pain was a good indication that it had gone beyond the scope of field medicine. Up until now the residual adrenaline from combat had numbed the pain. Now, having arrived at Aegis, her tempo had slowed and the injury had time to become more than a bother. Her Klingon training told her to ignore it, but her Bajoran body did not allow such luxuries. Therefore, her "departmental visit" would become a physical without many realizing that she had what she considered a gross physical weakness. She stood at the entrance, looking for Dr. Lepage. Nick had only come back five minutes ago after the department head meeting. He had expected her to come by and he had also guessed there was more to it than just establishing a working relationship. He hadn't spoken up during the meeting but there was obviously something wrong. So he walked up to her as she entered and smiled. "Let's go to my office. It'll be more quiet in there." At those words he looked around sickbay which was even busier than usual since he had advised his staff of the upcoming drills and he wanted to make sure everyone would be prepared...at all times, whether it was only a drill or a real emergency. He was not going to be caught with his pants down again and he had made sure his staff understood what he expected of them. Turning towards his office, she gave a curt nod. "I see you have begun," she said, referring to the commotion around them. "It was about time," Nick answered as he followed the XO into his office."We've finally dealt with the aftermath of the move, we're almost completely restocked and now I want to make sure that we're ready for whatever life, or Drankum for that matter, decides to throw at us." He grinned as he closed the doors behind him and walked around his desk. He gestured toward a chair to indicate she should take a seat. "I'm glad you're taking the time to come here, Commander." Though the proffered seat looked inviting, she remained standing. "Close your shades, please, Doctor," she said. Nick had just been about to sit down. The request struck him as odd and he looked questioningly at Chirakis. After a second he shrugged, went to the big window overlooking main sickbay and closed the shades. He refrained from making a joke about checking for bugs since he had the feeling the XO was not in the mood for humour. "You certainly have me interested now. What's going on?" "Unfortunately, I cannot take the offered seat, Doctor, but I do thank you. I have need of your skills, and I trust you will be discreet." Slowly, deliberately, she unsnapped her uniform jacket. "The jacket I can remove. I'm afraid you will have to cut off the tunic." With some difficulty she worked her arms out of the jacket. Her tunic was stuck to her back where a deep gash ran from just below her collar to mid-lumbar. The wound was old and oozing, crusted in several places. Nick hurried forward to help her out of the jacket. He frowned deeply as he saw the stains on the tunic. "You should have come here sooner," he said as he tried to figure out how best to go about removing the tunic. "Whatever I do it'll definitely hurt. The fabric is stuck to the wound. It's probably going to bleed again when I remove it. Lie down on the couch." He was glad he had the small couch in his office. Usually it served him well during night shifts when he wanted to take a nap. Also, the med kit he always kept within reach would come in handy just now. "Dare I ask?" With some difficulty she lay on the couch, positioning her arms so they didn't pull on the tunic. "I lived. He did not. Beyond that I cannot say. Federation Security." In reality, she remembered little of the actual combat, only that her opponent had sailed into the quarry minus his head. Coming back to the couch, Nick knelt beside it and placed the med kit next to himself. "Uh huh. Like I said, it's gonna hurt. Do you want me to give you something before I start?" She gave a snort. "I left the need for those behind when I entered the House of Ghorr, Doctor. Proceed." A small chuckle escaped Nick. He opened the med kit and took out a pair of scissors. "It's your choice. Just let me know if you change your mind." With that he started cutting the tunic. When he had finished, he gently pulled the fabric off the wound. It wasn't all that easy and sure enough it started bleeding again in the places where the fabric had stuck to it. "I need to clean this before I can suture the wound." Under normal circumstances Nick would have insisted on some more extensive treatment. The cut ran pretty much all the way down her back and it looked bad. But what struck him the most were the old scars all over Chirakis' back. Of course he knew she must have been through quite a lot during the Occupation but seeing these scars reminded him of his own ordeal at the hands of Cardassians. Trying to shake off the memories he concentrated on his work. He picked up a small piece of gauze drenched with a disinfectant and carefully started to clean the wound. "I'll only start repairing the deeper layers of tissue. I'll dress the wound as well as possible but you'll have to come back tomorrow so I can see whether it heals properly. If I closed everything up right now there might be complications because the wound is contaminated. I'd like to make sure there's no infection before I suture it all the way. As Nick wiped the disinfectant through the wound, a shudder ran through her body. The gash had cut dangerously close to her spine and had injured branching nerves. Prone on the couch, she buried her face, cringing, stifling a gasp as the bruised nerve sent yet another jolt from her back to the tips of her fingers. Her hands clenched in reflex, then relaxed. Resolved to endure, she did. Barely. Nick stopped for a moment as he saw that Chirakis was in pain. When she had relaxed a little he finished disinfecting the wound. "It's a pretty deep cut. I'll have to make sure the nerves are not damaged beyond repair." Gently, he ran his fingers down her back about 5 centimetres left of the gash. "Can you feel this?" "Yes," she replied, her jaw clenched. "Do you feel tingling or pain in you hands or arms," he asked, picking up the tricorder. "I do." Nick suppressed a sigh. Telling her she should have come to see him much sooner wouldn't change anything right now. Instead he scanned her back and what he saw made him frown yet again. "The cut is fairly deep and there is some damage to the nerves. Nothing that's irreversible but it might take a few days for the nerves to recover. I'll use the autosuture for the deeper tissues. I'd prefer you to stay in a bioregenerative field for a couple of hours but somehow I have the feeling you won't." Kirel took several minutes to mull over his proposed treatment. She knew the wound was severe, but her main concern at this point was the station. If they were attacked now and she were in the bioregenerative field, she would have failed them. Then again, if they were attacked now, whether or not she were in the bioregenerative field would probably not make much difference. Her words to Drankum at their last meeting came to mind: "We're already dead." She turned her head slightly to meet his gaze and mustered a half-grin. "Perhaps I can inspect the bioregenerative field for a few hours?" Smiling Nick shrugged. "We don't have to tell anyone what kind of injury you got. It's not like this one is going to leave a scar...not if I do my job right." With that he picked up the autosuture and worked his way from her shoulder downward. "I could also go get the field generator and you can stay here watch me do paperwork." Kirel nodded. After the Doctor's ministrations, remaining in a prone position for a while felt like a good idea. After finishing on the Commander's back, Nick got up and picked up the field generator as well as some more bandages and an antibiotic. When he got back into his office he positioned the field generator and administered the antibiotic. He made sure the XO was comfortable and he hoped she might even be able to sleep for a while. She really looked like she could do with a nap. Everything arranged to his satisfaction, he went back to his paperwork. After all there were twelve colonists who needed a physical and he wanted to go through their files before they'd come in.

A joint log by Ensign Rachel Garrett and Doctor Lepage A few hours ago Rachel Garrett was terrified. Alone, lost in a tunnel, her vision blurred by clouds of dust, her chief was gone and her sensors and communication equipment were useless. When they had beamed her Chief out, she had screamed like a two-year-old, which made her feel downright stupid when they beamed her out. Maybe she was still screaming when she materialized in sick bay next to her Chief, Jorahl. Gees, how dumb can you get? As she showered and changed, the full force of the experience had come crashing in on her. She could have died. Alone. On a stupid asteroid. They probably would never have even found her body 'cause there were no sensors that picked it up. Then again, they did get her out, so there were sensors on the station, which meant they would have found her body, which meant that the sensors did work and she was ok, not dead. Ok. Ok. She was ok. And Dr. Lepage wanted to see her again? Prolly because she was thinking of sleeping in the J-tube again, but how would he know that? So she had showered, and she had on a fresh uniform, so she was ready for work, but she had to make a stop in sick bay 'cause if His Highness ever found out she had not gone he would have her hide, but oh well…. Entering sick bay, she looked around, hoping Dr. Lepage was busy with someone else. He wasn't. Nick had just come out of his office as Rachel stepped through the doors of sickbay. He smiled as he walked toward her. Somehow she always looks lost, he thought. "Hello, Rachel. Thanks for coming. I'd have hated to come crawling through the J-tubes to hunt you down and drag you in here." Nick made sure he did everything to indicate he was joking and he hoped Rachel would pick up on it. Rachel shrugged. "Haven't been in the J-tubes since we got back. Promise." She held up two fingers in a semblance of "scout's honor" and half-grinned, trying to return the light mood she didn't feel at all. There was an awkward moment of silence and she figured she was supposed to make the next move, so she said, "You want to see me, 'cause the Chief needs me in main engineering." She waved a hand in the general direction of the door, hoping he'd say something like sure, go ahead, we can talk later. Nick nodded briefly and made an inviting gesture toward his office. "I'd like to talk to you over there." He hoped Rachel wouldn't get too nervous, but he also knew it would be better to have a little bit more privacy than sickbay provided. "And don't worry, I informed Mr. Jorahl that you would be a little late." Rachel shrugged, resigned to her fate. "Sure," she said, and followed him towards his office. As she passed through sick bay she couldn't help notice the equipment humming and bleeping, their displays zigging and zagging, sometimes in multicolor and really cool patterns. She stopped half way there to stare at one piece with intense curiosity, but when she realized Dr. Lepage had gone ahead, she scurried up behind him. His office was nice. Much nicer than anything they had in main engineering. Well, main engineering was more like cubby engineering. With a station this big you'd think they would make a bigger engineering area than they had, but then engineering was kinda all over the place. After a minute or two she realized she had been standing, staring at his office, taking in the walls, the desk, the chairs, and a lot of other things she had never seen before. He seemed to be watching her, interested in what she was doing. She took that as a mild reprimand and plopped herself down in one of his cushy chairs, hoping that wasn't a breach of protocol. When he walked around his desk and looked at Rachel, Nick was half amused and half curious about her interest in his office. He took it as a confirmation that his attempt to make it more comfortable for his patients had been successful. Well, or rather he had obviously made it interesting. He sat down and let Rachel take another good look around. "I see you had the time to clean yourself. Did you recover from your little...adventure?" "Uh..yeah. I'm good," she lied, and left it at that. Nick nodded and searched his desk for a PADD. When he had found it he held it up. "I read your records and I talked to Counselor Davis earlier.Are you sure everything is ok?" Rachel frowned and shifted uneasily. "Counselor Davis?" she said. "You talk to her? About me?" "Yes," Nick replied, nodding slightly. "I consult her, she consults me. That's the good thing of having her next door. I'm responsible for the crew's well-being, physical and psychological. And quite frankly, I am a little concerned about you." He looked at her questioningly and hoped Rachel would tell him what was wrong. Granted, she had a few issues but until now he had thought she was a capable officer. "I sleep in my bed. I really do. 'Cept when I sleep in the J-tubes, but that's not too much anymore," Rachel began, not liking the turn the conversation was taking. It was like some of the conversations she had back at the academy, when they were trying to figure out if she should be in Starfleet at all. That Dr. Lepage had been talking to the counselor made her really uneasy and she wondered what kind of concerns they were discussing. Her mind spun with possibilities, so she decided to not even go there. Instead, she clammed up and began to fiddle with the tabs on the arm of her chair. "I'm a good engineer, too. Even the Chief says I fix things no one else can," she said nonchalantly. Nick listened patiently. It was not so interesting what Rachel said but rather what she didn't say. Amanda had mentioned that it would be difficult to get Rachel to talk. So he decided to keep trying. "I'm glad you're sleeping in your bed more often. Do you usually sleep well?" Right now he wanted to keep her talking. "Not in the bed I don't. It's too quiet and too soft," she said, continuing to fiddle with the tabs. Trying hard not to laugh Nick nodded again. "And in the J-tubes? Do you sleep well there?" "Oh yeah." Rachel finally looked up and stopped fiddling. "They're warm and there's this hum that comes through the processors. I can hear people talking – not hear what they say, yanno, 'cause that wouldn't be right. But there's this conversation going on all around me. And the press of the deck feels good on my back. You should try it sometime." He couldn't help but smile. Nick knew Rachel felt save in the J-tubes. It was strange but to each his own. "I'm too old for that, I fear. I like my bed warm and soft and my back not hurting in the morning. How are things at work? Have you made friends yet?" "Oh yeah. I have lots of friends. Caelan and Scott and Terry. There's Jake and Shana." She scrunched her face a bit. "They don't like J-tubes, though. Think it's weird. But weird is ok. Isn't it?" Rachel looked up to actually face Nick for the first time. It was scary, but it was something she felt she had to do to get to the bottom of all this. Questions about J-tubes and sleeping and friends just didn't sound like the kinda questions you'd pull someone off duty to ask about. "Weird is definitely ok. Do you often go out and do things on the Midway or maybe they come to your quarters and you have dinner together?" Nick hoped he didn't appear too nosy but it was important for him to find out about Rachel's social life. The reports and a conversation with Amanda had led him to believe that Rachel might not be fit for duty...at least not out here on Aegis. "Yeah, we go to the Midway. Sometimes." She eyed him suspiciously then shifted to point to the door. "Yanno, I'm really, really late for shift and I need to do a report on the asteroid 'n' stuff. Can I go now?" Nick ran his hands over his face and sighed. "Rachel, I want to be honest with you. These reports and what I've heard from the counselor make me wonder whether you should be out here, on Aegis, I mean. On top of that you're on probation. I have no idea how you were even assigned to Aegis." Rachel stared at him a minute, then dropped her gaze to study the floor. "I wasn't supposed to come here," she said quietly. "They told me I was supposed to stay in the Sol System, like on Jupiter or Utopia Planitia, or somewhere close until they figured out if they wanted to keep me or not. Something happened, I guess. Something got mixed up. I got sent here." She shrugged and leaned forward, clasping her hands in front of her knees. "I was hoping they wouldn't find out, 'cause I kinda like it here." "Maybe I can help you. You might not like it at first but in the end I'm sure you'll realize it's for the best. It might be a good idea if I write a report and make a recommendation for you to be re-assigned to a location closer to Earth. I thought I should tell you beforehand." Nick studied her closely. He was almost sure she'd be upset, after all, who wouldn't? Rachel sat for a long time looking at the floor. Closer to Earth was ok. She could handle that. Closer to home. But leaving Aegis? Gees.... She took a deep breath and finally managed a nod and said, "Okay." But that was all. Anything more and she knew she would lose it. Nick was a little concerned. He would have preferred her to protest, maybe even shout at him. But she only sat there and said it was ok. Somehow he had a feeling it was not. She seemed disappointed maybe sad, it was difficult to tell. The only thing he was certain about was that there was more going on with Rachel than she would admit. "Rachel," he said, got up, walked around the desk and sat in the chair next to her. "This doesn't mean it's your fault or that you failed or anything. You were never meant to be out here. But you're good at what you do and I believe you are a real asset to Starfleet. But we're out in the middle of nowhere. We're not sure what to expect. You should be at Utopia Planitia building ships not out here building outposts and maybe defending them if we get attacked. And I am sure you could build a whole ship all on your own if you had enough time." Without looking up, Rachel nodded. "Right. Can I go now?" "Yes, of course. Just do me a favour, please. Talk to someone about it. If not to me then to one of your friends, Caelan, Scott, Terry, Jake or Shana... or maybe Counselor Davis. And feel free to rant about the mean CMO if it makes you feel better." Nick smiled as he got up again. And you know where you can find me, just in case." "Okay," she said. Conversation over. Stand up and get outa there. In two seconds she was in the hall on her way to main engineering, probably for the last time. Nick went back to sit behind his desk. He sighed and leaned back in his chair. He hoped he had made the right decision. But he felt bad for Rachel. No matter what he said, it was hard for her. And it wouldn't get easier until she'd feel at home at her new place. Change was something Rachel didn't like much, he was convinced of that.

She gritted her teeth and maneuvered her body carefully through a small opening that she was sure would challenge a toddler. Resting for a moment, she took a deep breath, filling her lungs with cool, humid air. There was no illumination and the darkness felt like it was pressing against her open eyes almost as firmly as she felt the rock around her on all sides. She began moving again, carefully twisting her torso as she crawled her way through the connecting passage leading into the next large cave. This was the third time she was attempting this particular stretch and only the first time in the dark. She always carried three sources of light but never forgot for a moment that there could come a time when she might have to rely on her other senses. She wanted to make sure she was comfortable enough to stay calm if the worst happened. So far, she thought, it was going well, and had high hopes of completing the first level of the program before having to leave the holodeck. It was nice to have some free time now that the Betazoid Fever was under control. Nick checked the controls of the holodeck before going in. He was convinced Isabeau was in there as soon as he saw the active program was a caving program. That was just like her. When the doors opened he was surprised to see the holodeck was completely dark. He entered only reluctantly, hoping his eyes would soon get used to the darkness and allow him to make out at least a few outlines of what was around him. The doors swished shut behind him and everything went black around him. His heart started to pound in his chest, his breath quickened and his hands grew sweaty. He tried to keep the panic under control by taking a few deep and steady breaths. After a moment Nick was able to concentrate on his surroundings. Water was dripping into a pool on the ground somewhere behind him. That was the last thing he noticed. Panic flared up inside him and he couldn't think anymore. He turned around, looking for the exit but there was none. He was staring into a black void. What was that? Had he heard footsteps? He turned around frantically trying desperately to see something. All he could hear now was his own ragged breath, his hammering heart and.... He froze. Was there a light coming toward him? This couldn't be! He blinked several times, trying to calm his nerves but all to no avail. It seemed so real. Wriggling her way out of the constricting passage, she stood, detaching the clip holding the pack leash to her waist belt and gave it a yank, pulling her pack all the way from the opening. Reaching up, she activated the light on her helmet, and then stripped off her gloves. Giving her tank watch a quick glance, she gave herself a mental thumbs up and started walking forward--she'd beaten her previous time and done so in the dark. There was a pool ahead and that's where she would stop and have some of the water and the energy bar she'd brought with her. She could also go ahead and put her lines together since she was going to have to descend down about thirty feet once she left this wide, open area. She suddenly froze as the bobbing light from her helmet briefly illuminated someone standing ahead and then realized with surprise that it was Nick. She started forward, calling, "Nicolas? What are you doing here?" Puzzled that he wasn’t answering, she moved closer and stopped within a couple of feet of him, careful not to shine the light directly in his eyes. His face was shiny with sweat and it looked like he was experiencing respiratory distress-but worse than anything was the expression of stark terror on his face. "Nicolas! What's wrong? Computer freeze program-bring up regular lighting!" She grabbed his wrist and felt his pulse, very rapid, no surprise considering his breathing. With her other hand she reached for his jaw and gently turned his face so she could meet his eyes. He didn't look like he was focusing. Nick was only vaguely aware of a voice calling his name, a hand around his wrist. As the lights came on he blinked several times and then squinted at his surroundings. He was surprised to see Isabeau standing in front of him. Before he could talk he had to swallow several times because his mouth was so dry. "Wha...I..." He paused and waited for his eyes to get used to the bright light. When he looked back at Isabeau he noticed her worried expression and he realized what had just happened. "I'm sorry...I...bad memories," he finished lamely, not sure he really wanted to go into the details and also feeling embarrassed because she had witnessed how he had almost lost control. Letting go of him slowly, she watched him for a moment, not saying anything. Reaching into her pack, she handed him a bottle. "Here, have some of this. It's just water." "Thanks." He took the bottle and drank a bit of the water. "Remind me not to go caving with you," Nick said with a sheepish grin, trying to play down what just happened. His breathing had steadied somewhat but his heart was still pounding. She didn't return his smile as she took back the bottle. "What was that?" Nick looked at her intently for a moment. Then he shook his head and looked away. He didn't want her to see how much this was bothering him. "That was...something that shouldn't have happened," he said after a few seconds. "Much less something you should have seen. Don't get me wrong, Isabeau-I trust you but this is something very personal." He knew Isabeau would probably insist on him explaining his behavior further. It was just not easy to figure out how much to tell her. With a deep sigh he explained, "I told you what happened when the Cardassians captured us, right?" Without even waiting for an answer he continued. "Well, it's not always easy to...remember. You know, the darkness, the sound of water dripping into that pool..." He let the sentence trail off and shrugged, reluctant to offer more details. Isabeau lowered her eyes as she tucked the water bottle back into her pack; it was difficult to hear him talk about that. She took a deep breath and letting it out slowly, met his gaze--he was watching her, waiting for her reaction. "No, I'm sure it's not easy to remember--in fact I'm sure it's absolute hell, but Nicolas, your response to the dark-the panic you experienced, that's very serious and could cost you your life in the wrong circumstances." She stripped off her elbow and knee pads and stuffed them into the pack. "We can work on that if you want-I can help you try to get past your gut response to being in a dark place." "Your offer is most generous but it's the first time it's happened in ages. Trust me; I wouldn't be back on duty if the counselor didn't think I was fit for duty. Besides, I'm sort of seeing Counselor Davis again...sometimes." He didn't add that the thought of her seeing him like that again bothered him. Nick didn't like it when other people witnessed his weaknesses...even DJ. "I'm very glad to hear you're 'sort' of seeing a counselor," was her dry response. She hefted her pack, feeling the weight of the line inside slap against her hip. "Computer end program." Releasing her chin strap, she removed her helmet and gave him a frank look. "Is it the first time it's happened in ages because it's the first time you were caught off guard in a dark place in ages?” At first Nick considered lying to her but then he figured it'd be no use. She was just trying to help him after all and he was almost certain she'd know he was lying anyway. So he went for the truth, albeit reluctantly. "Yeah, well, I don't really know what to do about it. I mean, I'll have to deal with it eventually...soon. But this is not like the flu. You can't just take a hypo and it's gone." “Oh, I know there’s no easy fix, Nicolas—believe me, I know,” she replied, smiling a little ruefully. “I don’t know what your counselor’s been telling you and I don’t even know if you’re following the advice you’ve been given but your reaction to sudden and disorientating darkness can be changed by you. The underlying reasons will still be there and will continue to haunt you until you can find a way to remove their teeth so you can live more comfortably with it but your body’s physical response, your recently acquired gut reaction of panicking, can be changed by you. You can retrain your physical response to your mental reaction.” "But that's the point, Isabeau. It's not 'recently acquired'. It's been two years now. I'm starting to believe that I'll just have to live with this. I don't think it'll ever change." The truth was that Nick was disappointed. He hadn't had any panic attack for a long time and somehow he had hoped it wouldn't happen again. “Two years isn’t that long a time,” she answered quietly. “If all you’ve been doing is waiting for it to go away on its own, then maybe it’s time to try something different.” Nick frowned. "What do you mean something different?" “Maybe instead of just hoping the passage of time will dull your reaction to certain situations, you try to recreate the kind of scenario that might cause you to freeze up and bring on a panic attack. You start to retrain your body’s physical reaction to the remembered mental trauma. You know the triggers—you can try to circumvent the reaction they bring on.” "I know your suggestion makes sense," Nick answered with a bitter smile. "It's just not easy to do it. I mean would you willingly put yourself in a situation where you know you'll... well, you know." He just couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence. He was reluctant to admit his problem and talking about it wasn't all that easy. She watched him, heard the bitterness in his tone and saw the misery in his eyes. She hated that he was hurting like this-it was painful to see him suffer. "Yes, I would, Nicolas. I did do that, actually." She shrugged, "I didn't know what else to do--I didn't see I had any choice." "Sometimes I think all I have to do is get out of this place, go back to Earth and pretend none of this ever happened." He took a deep breath and looked at Isabeau. She seemed genuinely concerned and it didn't surprise him. After all they had been close friends ever since med school. He shook his head. "It wouldn't work, would it?" Somehow he wished she'd tell him it would. That all he'd have to do was pack up his stuff and run. Why couldn't the easy way be the right way just this once? "Go back and take over from your father and live in the suburbs and stay peacefully at home where the view never changes and you sleep under the same stars every night?" She smiled and reaching up, put her hand on his shoulder and squeezed. "Is that what sounds good? If you think about going planetside do you feel better or do you feel a pang?" She dropped her hand and shifted the equipment, letting one hip take the weight, watching him, genuinely curious about what he would say. Nick met her gaze and for a few seconds he didn't know how to answer that. What was so bad about going back to live with his family? He missed them. Until now he hadn't even met his youngest brother. They'd only briefly talked over comms and Nick was almost certain Benoît thought he was a complete stranger. Nick quickly dismissed the thought. "It would be nice for a while," he admitted, his voice hardly more than a whisper. "But I'd miss being out here eventually. I've never been one to run. It's just that...sometimes it seems like a good idea." She nodded agreeably, her voice matter of fact. "Yes, sometimes going to ground for a bit feels like the right thing. There's nothing wrong with wanting some security, needing to lick your wounds in private." She held eye contact, pausing for a moment before adding, "But it's been two years, Nicolas." Her voice softened and now it was her turn to almost whisper. "When do you take your life back?" Nick shrugged, not certain what to say. "I guess I'm just...scared." "And why shouldn't you be? Anyone would be changed by what you went through. I guess it's just up to you how changed you continue to be by it." She felt helpless. He was always so calm; the rational mind, the logical thinker. When he left Point A, he always arrived at Point B, whereas she had a habit of ending up off the map. She hurt for him. What Isabeau said made perfect sense. The problem was that he knew it was something that required a lot of work and energy; energy he wasn't sure he could spare at the moment. More to divert the conversation from his condition than anything he asked, "What happened to you? You never told me about it." "No, I never told you--no reason to have done so." She slipped her pack off her shoulder and set it at her feet but kept the helmet in her hands, giving them something to do and her eyes something to focus on. "When I was sixteen, I had an accident while caving. I made a couple of big mistakes, the first one being that I went by myself-I wasn't supposed to but neither of my brothers would go with me and as I said-I was sixteen." She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, taking a moment to think, to try and find the words that would let him know she understood at least in part what he was experiencing. Not the torture, of course, but as far as the fear of sudden darkness went. "There was a cave-in and the light on my helmet was crushed." She looked up from the helmet in her hands and met his eyes, wearing a lopsided smile. "My second mistake was not bringing more than one source of light with me. The dark was absolute and I was pinned and unable to move forward or back. It took them about twelve hours to find me." She nodded to him. "Needless to say, after that, I had a pretty good case of claustrophobia...and I didn't handle the dark very well. I didn't go back into a cave for almost eight months and then only because William told me I was never going to get to go with him on one of his excavations if I didn't get over it." Isabeau turned away from Nick; it was always hard to talk about William. "We never actually did go. He disappeared not too long after that." "I'm sorry." Nick didn't know what else to say. He knew about her brother's disappearance and also that she'd never given up looking for him even though she'd been told he was dead. There had never been proof of it and Nick wasn't too sure he'd have acted any differently in Isabeau's situation. However, that she'd been afraid of the dark and claustrophobic surprised him. For as long as he'd known her she'd been on adventures, caving, climbing, crossing terrain that was better avoided. "How did you get over it?" "Will and Andy took turns going with me and we started with very short trips and worked our way up to longer, overnight stays and each time we would turn off the lights and be in that pitch dark. Eventually, I wore a blindfold and practiced feeling my way, learning again to control my breathing and use my sense of hearing and touch. It was hard, Nicolas-at first it was very hard for me but I trusted them implicitly and eventually, I realized I was comfortable again, and more importantly, I was enjoying it." Nick couldn't help but grin mischievously despite himself. "Oh, so I need to find someone I can trust," he said in a teasing tone. She narrowed her eyes at him but inwardly she was grinning, happy and relieved that he could make a joke about it. She gave it right back. "No, mon cher. You have to find someone who won't mind babysitting your candy ass." "Ah, sounds like you're volunteering, ma chère." He knew she was just teasing him even though she had already expressed her lack of understanding at his reluctance to get himself into dangerous situations on several occasions. She swept him a bow, flourishing her helmet with an elegance that belied its battered state. "I am putting myself at your service, Nicolas, but..." she smiled, and he would recognize it as one that had occasionally caused him a headache in the past. "I am beyond tenacious I'm just warning you ahead of time." "I guess tenacious is good," Nick said, not too sure he liked her smile. "But right now I think I should get back to work. You can already start making plans if you like." Picking up her pack, she reshouldered it and walked with him out of the holodeck. "I started making plans when you told me what was bothering you." She looked sideways at him and smiled warmly, no longer teasing. "You're going to be ok, Nicolas. Just be sure you keep talking to that counselor and DJ. They are in charge of your psyche and your heart." Nick chuckled as he walked down the corridor next to Isabeau. "So you're in charge of what? Oh, my candy ass, right?" He shook his head and smiled as they waited for the turbolift to arrive. "Yes," she replied seriously, stepping ahead of him into the lift. She turned to face him as the doors closed behind them, only a slight gleam in her eye giving him a warning. "You know you always have to start at the bottom."

Nick was still sitting in the lab, intent on the screen in front of him. It seemed like they had really found something that'd help the Betazoids. Still, he was a little worried. They hadn't had time to test the drug. All the simulations he had run so far showed that it was effective and that side effects should be minimal. However, you never knew until you tried it out. Even the computer couldn't take into account all possibilities. "We have finished replicating the psylosinase and fusion inhibitors, sir." Nick jumped. He hadn't heard Robin enter the lab. Turning around, he nodded to the young med tech. "Very good, Robin. Please inform Doctor Delevan she will be in charge of further treatment." And this is where it'll get tricky, Nick thought. The problem wasn't that the risk was very high. Both drugs had little to no side effects other than inhibiting Betazoids' telepathic abilities. What worried him was that they were running out of time. The patients' condition was deteriorating quickly and he wasn't sure just up to which point the symptoms would be reversible. That's why they had to act quickly. It was lucky they had even gotten so far as to devise this treatment. Last night Nick had stumbled over something he hadn't expected but it explained a lot of things. The virus needed psylosinine to activate its reverse transcriptase. So the obvious course of action would be to deprive the virus of this neurotransmitter. That's why they were going to use psylosinase, an enzyme that would break down psylosine into its components. Since the life span of a virus was comparatively short, stopping it from replicating would quickly deal with the disease. The fusion inhibitors would take care of everything that was left since it was impossible to get all the psylosinine. The computer beeped as it finished yet another simulation. Nick quickly tapped in a few commands to start a new one with slightly different variables. There's another long night ahead of me, he though as he pressed the button to start the simulation. Notes: Fusion inhibitors are antiviral drugs that keep viruses from attaching to the host cells. Since this is important in the virus' replication cycle fusion inhibitors can be highly effective. Reverse transcriptases are proteins which turns the virus' RNA (like DNA with some little differences) into DNA. This enables the virus (with the help of other proteins) to integrate its genetic information into the host cells' DNA which will leade those cells to produce more viruses. Not all viruses use this mechanism.

Nick was hunched over a couple of PADDs in the medical lab, occasionally looking up at the readouts that kept being updated on the big monitor over his workplace. He had been working for several hours today already and finally he had the feeling like he was on to something. Some of these readings actually made sense. He leaned back again to look at the monitor. Isabeau entered the lab, and walked to stand at his side, her eyes drawn to the screen in front of him. "We have three more confirmed cases", she said quietly. "That brings the total to twenty-three." Massaging his temples Nick sighed. "Twenty-three. Well it was to be expected. I think I have good news, though. Look at this. He picked up a PADD, scrolled down and pointed at the little screen. "There, I think I have found out how exactly it works." She took the PADD from him and looked at the screen, taking a moment to understand what she was looking at. She shot him a glance. "It is a virus!" Looking back to the screen, she magnified a portion and saw what he was talking about. "You were right, Nicolas," she continued looking at the screen, her voice soft. "It is blocking the post synaptic receptor--the neurotransmitters can't get through to do their job." Nick nodded and then frowned. "That is the question, isn't it? I've already tried several things, ran some simulations. So far, nada. Any suggestions." He picked up another PADD and held it out to Isabeau. "That's a list with stuff I've tried so far." She set the first PADD on the counter and took the second one from him, glancing over what he'd already attempted. It was what she would have suggested and a couple of more. "Because of how it's targeted only the Betazoids, I lean towards the possibility that it's something about the psilosynine itself that draws the virus. The Betazoids aren't currently able to utilize the neurotransmitter--what if we actually deplete it from their system temporarily?" It was a risk and he would know that but she couldn't think of anything else he hadn't already tried. "I thought of that, too. I mean that it's somehow connected to the neurotransmitter." He picked up another PADD and perused it for a minute. "The problem is, how do we get it out of their brain?" She shook her head, pushing back the feeling of time running out and said what she hated saying. "I don't know."

By Counselor Amanda Davis (aka Jami Farrington) and Doctor Nicolas Lepage Nick was wandering down the corridor on deck 19. He had just decided to leave the rest of the paperwork for tomorrow. The headache that had started earlier in the day had gotten steadily worse and now he was looking forward to a hot shower. For some reason he studied the names on the office doors even though they hadn't changed after the move. One name he read made him stop dead in his tracks. Amanda Davis, PhD, the counselor he had seen after the incident with the Cardassians. After his last session she had insisted he come back to see her after a year...or whenever he thought he needed to. Well, he didn't particularly think he needed to see her now but he figured a little chat wouldn't hurt. After all, technically he was her chief. So he rang the chime and waited for a response. Dressed in a worn pair of jeans and a T-shirt, her red hair tied back with a scarf, Amanda knelt on the floor of her office digging into the last few containers, methodically unwrapping each item, inspecting it, then placing it on a shelf. She was dusty and disheveled, the office was strewn with packing material, and after everything was unpacked there would be endless cleaning, but she did have a feeling of accomplishment knowing she would soon be opening the last box. This move had been anything but smooth, beginning with the Ferengi blockade, which had led to the Federation showdown, which had been overshadowed and complicated by the Breen, not to mention countless other stressors preceding those events. Amanda’s schedule had been more than full and she was looking forward to her first ordinary day of work. Rocking back on her heels, she took a deep breath and flipped open the last container, hoping she’d not find her favorite vase smashed or an heirloom irreparably damaged. Everything was fine, so she was in good spirits when the door chimed. Just in time for a break. "Come," she said, grabbing at the packing material to stuff it back into the box. Nick walked into the room and was surprised to see Davis kneeling on the floor. Though the open box in front of her explained why she was doing it. Most people were still unpacking. His own quarters were still stacked with boxes. He hadn't bothered unpacking them just yet. "Good evening," Nick greeted her with a smile, uncertain whether it was a bad time for him to show up just like that without an appointment. "It looks like I should come back tomorrow." "Nick," she said with a surprised, yet welcome tone. "No. Please. The place is a mess, I know, but no more than most of the station at this juncture, I would imagine. It's good to see you. I was just thinking of taking a break. Tea?" She brushed a hand through her hair to straighten it a bit and dusted off her jeans as she rose to greet him, motioning towards one of the two uncluttered easy chairs neatly arranged in one corner of the room. She had kept that area clean in case she had visitors, and she'd had her share lately, even in the midst of unpacking. For a moment Nick thought about declining the invitation and trying to make a graceful exit. However, he decided against it and nodded. The prospect of a few minutes' distraction from work and a cup of hot tea was too tempting to turn down. "Earl Grey, please," he said as he sat down in the offered chair. "It's been a while, eh?" The grin on his face was forced as he tried to find something to say. He felt a bit awkward just sitting there, knowing he had told Davis things he had rather kept to himself. It was difficult to indulge in small talk with a person who knew more about you than even your closest friends. "A while, yes," said Amanda as she entered the small kitchenette to make tea. In her mind, replicators just didn't pass muster. The whistle of the kettle, the steam from the pot, and the indescribable aroma as it steeped were as therapeutic as their chats. "But everyone is pressed for time these days,” she called through the door. “How are things at your end of the corridor?" As though she’d been ready and waiting for company, she soon appeared with a delicate Havilland pot draped in a silk cozy deftly carried on a teak tray. A matching sugar bowl and milk pitcher sat beside it, with China cups and saucers and sterling spoons resting on linen napkins. After placing the tray on the end table she relaxed in the other chair, waiting for the tea to steep. When she looked up she notice Nick’s pained expression, but let a comment pass in favor of allowing him to broach the subject. At the question Nick closed his eyes and groaned. He took a moment before answering, breathing deeply and taking in the smell of the tea and something else he couldn't quite identify. The mixture was pleasant, though. When he opened his eyes he noticed Davis looking at him. "I have a headache the size of Jupiter, enough paperwork to keep me busy for the rest of my life and a patient who refuses to co-operate." He couldn't help but grin. "The latter should sound familiar," Nick added, alluding to his initial reluctance to talk to Amanda Davis at all. Amanda smiled. "It does sound vaguely familiar," she said as she reached to unwrap the pot and pour. "Quite honestly, I was surprised you didn't...check in on me after the last time. I know I would have.” Nick watched her pour the tea and took his cup as Amanda handed it to him. "Thanks." Amanda settled into her chair, her own cup adulterated, as some jokingly said, with milk and sugar. "And how do you know I didn't check in on you?" she replied over the edge of her cup as she took a sip. "My best grades at the university were in Sneaky 101, you know." Nick could not suppress a chuckle. "I thought you had excelled at interrogation techniques. So you know I haven't had a nervous breakdown or anything like that lately." He fell silent, taking a sip of his tea. After a moment he put down the cup on the small table beside his chair and looked straight at Davis. "I guess I haven't been the easiest patient to treat." No more than anyone else with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, she wanted to say. But he didn’t seem to be there for a casual chat and it was becoming more obvious that his self-recrimination was his way of avoiding the subject. Or maybe it was a lead in. Whatever it was she decided that the direct approach might be appropriate. Resting her cup in her lap she said gently, "Talk to me, Nicolas." Nick shrugged as he leaned back in his chair again. "There isn't much to say. It's just.....I thought it'd get better eventually, you know." He ran his hands over his face, a gesture he knew would betray his unease. This was not exactly the casual chat he had planned for. He sighed. "I mean, I'm alright as long as there are people around...when I have things to do." Looking around the room he laughed nervously. "I still keep the lights on at night...this is ridiculous." Amanda took another sip of her tea and set the cup on the end table, using those extra seconds to mentally review his case and plan her approach. "How long did you think eventually would be?" she said, settling back once again. "I don't know, a few months maybe." Just as he had said it Nick knew how foolish that sounded but he had really thought all it would take him to get over what happened was some rest and a few months. "I'm not very patient when it comes to my own shortcomings." "We never are,” she said. “It's so easy to tell someone else to be patient, but when it comes to ourselves for some strange reason we want things to happen much more quickly. And, you have the added handicap of being a physician. There’s a lot of truth to ‘Physician, heal thyself.’” Amanda tucked one leg under the other and removed her scarf to allow her hair to flow freely over her shoulders. “Doctors have vaccines to prevent diseases, medicines to cure them, instruments to heal injuries, surgeries they can perform to correct physical problems. When doctors are faced with something they cannot medicate or operate on, they’re stymied." Here she paused to watch him for subtle cues that would tell her it was time to stop. Sensing none, she leaned slightly forward to continue in a relaxed but earnest tone. “It’s been almost two years, Nick. That it feels like a few months means that the memory is still too close, the event is still very real in your mind. It will take a long time, much longer than you want it to, but it will eventually get better. The lights at night and wanting people around you are all manifestations of your need to feel protected. We might do well to figure out how to make you feel safe when you are alone. Have you any thoughts on that?" "Well, keeping the lights on usually helps," Nick admitted reluctantly. He felt a blush creep up his neck and his ears were burning. Here he was, a grown man, telling someone he sometimes had to keep the lights on at night. "Other than that I really don't know. There are nights when I'm okay and then there are others when I just have to turn on the light to check if there's somebody hiding in the shadows. Usually those 'episodes' are triggered by something... something that reminds me of what happened. What I find really annoying is that, if that happens, I even have to check every corner of my quarters before I can sit down and relax. I don't want to do it and I know it's silly, stupid even but I can't help it." "Having the lights on at night isn't all that strange.” She shrugged, leaning back again. “Some of the most dynamic people on this station sleep with the lights on. Soldiers. Recon specialists who have been trained to fear nothing." She paused, biting the impulse to say relax, let it go. How do you tell someone who has been tortured to let it go? "You said some things trigger the episodes. Can you tell me what those triggers are?" Nick frowned as he listened. No matter how many other people on this station kept the lights on at night and no matter how fearless they were, it bothered him. When had this turned into a therapy session? All he had wanted was to stop by and chat. He shook his head ever so slightly before answering. "Sounds, smells...the smell of burned meat for example.” He paused, sucked in a breath, and his voice dropped to an intense whisper. “Only back then it was my own burned flesh I smelled." Oh, god. Amanda strained to suppress a gasp and maintain a passive yet caring expression. Wanting desperately to help, she had taken him to that very place he feared the most. Seeking light, she had given him darkness; wanting comfort, she had given him pain. The strong, energetic young man who had welcomed her aboard several years ago now sat before her with his head bowed, possibly on the verge of tears, and had just shocked her to the core. Moreover, she'd run out of things to say. "I'm sorry," she whispered, feeling terribly inadequate. She wanted to say she didn’t know, that she had not read his medical file, that the specifics of his torture had never been shared… but she’d said enough. Maybe her silent presence, if nothing else, would be a comfort. Nick sat there for a long time, lost in his thoughts, his elbows on his knees, hands folded in front of him, staring at the ground at his feet, taking a few deep breaths to regain his composure. The memories were still clear and painful and they had lost nothing of their horror. After what must have been at least 10 minutes he finally looked up again. "I just don't know what else to do." His voice was even. It was a statement of fact rather than anything else. After a moment, Amanda realized her focus was off, that the past was gone and nothing Nick could do would ever erase the memory. When she found the courage to move on she said, "Be with friends. Laugh with them. Enjoy them. Love them. Live in the here and now.” Again she paused and her lips parted in a wistful smile. “A wise man once told me, ‘Make now always the most precious time. Now will never come again.’" Nick swallowed hard. He knew this was probably not the reaction Davis would expect but he was genuinely worried by her advice. His plans to propose to DJ did not really go well with the 'live only in the here and now' suggestion. However, he wasn't going there. Not this time. "I'll try. And incidentally I know someone who will give me a hard time if I'm late for dinner." He knew this attempt at a joke would probably not fool Counselor Davis but it was the truth, convenient as it was to serve as an excuse to leave. Amanda’s smile broadened. "Then go. Enjoy your dinner." Getting to his feet Nick looked around the room again and he felt guilty. "I'm sorry for keeping you from your work for so long but, thank you...for the tea and all," he said with a smile, turned around and left the counselor's office. Nick was not sure what to think. Maybe he really should just take one day at a time, not worry about tomorrow too much. After all that is exactly what he had done when he was younger, before he had been assigned to Aegis, before he had lost colleagues and friends in the line of duty. No, he decided, life isn't the same anymore. But always expecting the worst won't help.

::looks around:: Wow, I'm really the first one, eh? Welcome to STSF. Hope to see you in the Academies.

The clock was ticking--time was of the essence and time was running out. The patient's physiology was annoyingly complicated and was making the business of giving him a new arm more trouble than it should be. Isabeau breathed a deep sigh against the red mask that covered the lower part of her face. She was determined to get the arm attached and the neural chip in place within the prescribed time deemed safe for this procedure for this species. Bolians were tricky. The bifurcation alone was not particularly irksome--nor was having the heart on the right rather than the left side a problem. No! It was the damn blood factor. A gorgeous cobalt blue, Bolian blood was not cooperative when asked to play nice with others. It was sensitive and refused to be mixed or augmented unless genetically altered beforehand to accept a transfusion and unfortunately, this patient's industrial accident had occurred in an area short on Bolians. And it wasn't just the blood being irritatingly xenophobic...no, it was also slightly corrosive, as was their intestinal system. The filaments and cables of the arm had been specially created to withstand her patient's acidic makeup but the microsurgery had taken on a factor she hadn't anticipated--the gloves she wore, because of the higher acidosity, were thicker and a little bulkier and she felt unaccustomedly clumsy as she went about the business of attaching existing nerves to the prosthetic arm, enabling it to detect nerve impulses which would be fed through the neural impant and allow the arm to respond with almost the same speed and dexterity as before. After this part was finished, she anticipated that the actual bone grafting and tendon attachment should go more quickly, enabling her to make up time. Nick was strolling down the corridor toward the holodeck, grateful for the excuse to escape sickbay for a while. Ever since he'd briefed his staff on the new CO he'd been pestered with questions he couldn't or didn't care to answer. Isabeau had been missing during the meeting. He had wondered where she'd gotten to. It wasn't like her to be late for her shift so he'd asked Myron if he knew where she was. Nick should have known the answer. Isabeau had been talking about the surgery simulation for about a week. Apparently she had gone to great lengths to make sure the program was accurate. As he stood in front of the holodeck doors Nick took a deep breath. He'd have to explain everything again and, knowing Isabeau, he suspected he'd have to answer quite a few questions...again. After a few second he stepped in and found himself in a perfect imitation of a standard Starfleet OR. Isabeau was standing next to a biobed with a surgical support frame, bent over her patient, intent on what she was doing. Knowing it was not a real patient and contamination wasn't an issue, Nick walked across the room, stood on the opposite side of the bed next to a hologram of a nurse assisting Isabeau. He bent over the patient and inspected Isabeau's work. "I didn't know the median nerve could get this big in any species. Nice job. Personally I think Bolians' nerves are way too specific. I mean why do you need four nerves to innervate the skin of the forearm when one would do?" Nick looked up at Isabeau and grinned. "Computer, freeze program." Isabeau's eyes crinkled above the mask as she returned his smile which was revealed when she pulled off the gloves and took the mask down. "Nicolas, those aren't the questions I ask--I enjoy the variety." She looked down at her 'patient' while unconsciously biting her lower lip. "I'm still running into the time factor. There's just so much that goes into this worst case scenario that I think it's going to take a few more run throughs before I find a real comfort level. Blue and I are getting to be old friends." She fondly patted the shoulder that had the prosthetic attached. "Computer, do time/motion analyses and send to my attention along with overview of procedure. End program."She looked back to Nick, no longer partially obscured by the operating room equipment, the two of them now standing on the familiar black and yellow grid lines. "What brought you to the holodeck?" He wouldn't have been so casual if there'd been an emergency, and while she waited for him to answer she pulled the red scrubs off, leaving her in her uniform sans jacket. "It never hurts to ask all kind of questions," Nick said teasingly. "But I'm serious; it looked like you'd done a great job. Once you get more practice I'm sure you won't have any trouble doing the surgery well within the time limit with one hand tied behind your back...literally. As for what brought me here...we've got a new station CO." With that he fell silent. He walked a short way toward the doors and then turned around to look at her. "It's Ambassador Drankum." She followed slowly, digesting his last statement, her laughing response to his 'one hand tied behind her back' comment fading before she spoke it aloud, superseded by his surprising news about Drankum. "The Ferengi Ambassador is now the commanding officer of Aegis?" Her expression and tone were one of puzzlement. "What does that mean? You've been on the station a long time--I've only heard the most awful stories about him--I assume they were grossly exaggerated for humorous effect, although when I first arrived, the Ferengi Fleet was massed around the station. I have to assume he was responsible for that." A bitter smile appeared on Nick's face. "Whatever it is you heard about Drankum I'm sure it's true...no exaggerations. Quite frankly, I'm not sure what it means. He's a Ferengi but he's also an ambassador of the Federation. What worries me is the lack of tact I noticed. But I admit I don't know him very well. If he always behaves the way he did at that last meeting I attended I'm sure we'll soon be at war with the whole sector." At this point Nick chuckled. "Maybe this is a cruel joke, maybe the Federation wants to annoy the Cardassians. I'd be surprised if they didn't try to take advantage of the Breen's disappearance. After all they are practically neighbors...or were, to be exact. I wouldn't want to switch places with the Cardassian who has to deal with Drankum." She was silent for a moment as they walked down the corridor, heading for the nearest turbolift. Nick didn't seem happy about the change in command but Isabeau felt more ambivalent than anything. She hadn't been part of the Aegis crew long enough to get a feeling for any of the command staff outside of Nick. It seemed odd that an Ambassador and not a Fleet officer was going to be in charge but maybe that was indicative of what the Federation thought that Aegis might now be facing as they moved into this new territory. Perhaps by stressing the diplomatic rather than the military branch of the UFP, the Federation hoped to gain an easier acceptance with the peoples of this area of space, whoever they might be. "Then we're going forward as planned? We're still setting up shop in the Portas System?" "Well, yes and no," Nick answered. He was still trying to comprehend what had just happened so he really wasn't sure about what all this would mean for Aegis. "We're setting up shop in this area but not in the Portas system. Apparently someone thought it was safer to remain outside of Breen territory for now. We're headed to some asteroid belt. I'll need to look at the maps. I can't say I'm particularly sorry about that change in plans." He stopped walking and looked at Isabeau. "I think you were right when you said this was going to be an adventure. And it has already started." She stopped as he did and turned to face him, her expression teasing, an easy smile on her face. "Nicolas, I'm always right--you should know that by now." She reached out and patted his arm. "Don't look so worried--from what I've learned about Aegis' history, it's been through much worse. Look at it this way--we won't be bored."

Nick had just settled down at the desk in his office, a mug of steaming coffe in front of him. He wanted to go over some reports before starting his shift. He liked to come in early in the morning when things were still comparatively calm. Just as he picked up the first PADD his commbadge beeped. He activated it with a sigh. "Lepage here." "Doctor Lepage, this is Yeoman Guerra." The young woman sounded upset. Nick wondered if someone had gotten hurt. He sat up a little straighter, ready to rush out of sickbay if his presence was needed elsewhere. "Commander Brown wants to see you, sir," the Yeoman continued. "There is a department head meeting scheduled at 0900 hours and I think he'd like to talk to you before that, sir." Nick frowned. He could think of only one thing that'd be so important that Brian wanted to talk to him ASAP. "Please tell Commander Brown I'll be there in a few minutes," Nick replied before signing off. He shot a longing glance at the mug on his desk but didn't stop to take a sip. Instead he left his office and walked briskly out of sickbay and down the corridor to the turbolift. Once he entered it he ordered it to the bridge. It didn't take long for the lift to get there but it gave Nick enough time to think about the reason he assumed Brian had for wanting to talk to him. Starfleet must have told him who'd be the new CO of Aegis. Somehow Nick hoped it'd be Brian. Internal solutions were always better. Brian knew the crew and the station better than anyone currently assigned to Aegis. Besides, with Brian he'd know what to expect. Taking a deep breath Nick stepped off the tubolift and onto the bridge, briefly acknowledging the other officers' presence with a terse nod in their general direction. He quickly made his way to the Ready Room and rang the chime. A second later he heard Brian's voice. "Enter." When he stepped into the room Nick immediately noticed that Brian's uniform was ripped at the shoulder. He wondered whether he should have brought a med kit after all but dismissed the thought as he saw the Commander's expression. Something was definitely wrong and Nick had the feeling he would soon find out. "Good morning, Commander." Nick said as he stood in front of the desk, choosing a more formal greeting than he normally would have. "Good Morning, Nick," Brian said solemnly. His resolve was already breaking, after his brief conversation with Star Fleet Command. "Rear Admiral South has named the new CO for Aegis, and I have some bad news. Ambassador Drankum will be taking over as CO as part of a resolution adopted by the Allied Worlds to have more direct civilian oversight of our operations." It took a few seconds for Brian's words to sink in. When they had, Nick's jaw dropped and he stood there gaping at Brian in disbelief. He was so taken aback he didn't even know what to say. Brian drank his coffee, wishing it were a syntheholic beverage instead. "Naturally, we have also been re-directed to a new destination. The Asteroid field about a half day's transit from the system TKR-117. It is in 'unclaimed' space and it is close enough to Breen territory that we will be able to keep a watchful eye on things." "I have a conference call set up with the Ambassador at 0830, so we may need to delay the briefing with the department heads for a half hour or more," Brian paused for a few seconds "Or this will be quick enough and I'll beat you all to the conference room..." He drank again from his coffee cup, except this time it was empty...... Tipping it upside down and shaking it didn't produce any more and Brian got up to get more of his liquid sleep. "Nick, can I get you anything?" He asked. Nick quickly closed his mouth as he realized he was still staring at Brian. "Drankum?" he asked incredulously. "Our Ambassador Drankum? The rude Ferengi who used to run the bar on the Midway. They must be kidding." He shook his head and sat down. Brian nodded his head in acknowledgement. "Coffee would be nice, actually something stronger would be even better but my shift starts in 20 minutes." Nick still couldn't believe what he'd just heard. He couldn't even start to think of all the implications this had. He looked at Brian and he felt a mixture of pity for the Commander and gratefulness for being the CMO, running sickbay instead of having to deal with Drankum on a day to day basis on the CT. Brian brought Nick his coffee and sat back down in his chair. "So, what does that mean for us?" Nick asked. "I can't say I'm sorry we're not going into Breen territory but a civilian in charge of Aegis..." He shook his head again. "I can't see how that's supposed to work." "Nor do I. I intend to find out when I speak to the Ambassador in a few minutes," Brian sipped his coffee again. "But, Nick, these are our orders, straight from Command... And like good soldiers we do our duty, and we make sure its done right." Nick sighed and got up. "Doesn't mean I have to like the orders I follow." He started to walk towards the doors but just as he reached them he turned around and smiled wryly. "I know sickbay's not the most popular place on the station but if you need some piece and quiet you'll know where you can get it. Good luck with the Ambassador, Brian." With that he walked out onto the bridge and into the turbolift. A deep frown settled on his forehead when the doors closed and he stood staring at them. Brian watched as the doors to his office closed. He sighed and looked up at his viewscreen. It was time to talk to the The Ambassador.....

CdrBrown -> 2200 folks. *gong* James Riley -> That better? Joy -> :: becomes attentive :: CdrBrown -> We have some brief unfinished business to take care of before we start this evening. CdrBrown -> Midshipman Isabeau Delevan, front and center Isabeau Delevan -> ::steps out front and center:: CdrBrown -> Commander LePage and myself were going over our records and noticed that you seem to be several months behind on your bills.. Therefore, we felt it necessary to promote you to the rank of Ensign, with all of the responsibilities and rights therein CdrBrown -> congrats ensign Isabeau Delevan -> Thank you, Commander :D Rachel E Garrett -> Wo0t! Now you can pay your bills. James Riley -> ::applauds:: Congratulations mimipavilion -> ::smiles:: congras Isabeau Isabeau Delevan -> <m> Not on an Ensign's pay grade Nicolas Lepage -> Ciongrats Isabeau! Le Morte -> ::Applauds....::Congrats Isabeau Rachel E Garrett -> ::sigh:: Yeah, you're right. Isabeau Delevan -> Thank you, everyone :rolleyes: Damian Porter -> congrats Beau! Rachel E Garrett -> But congrats anyway. We can party now. Aliana Lucindak -> congratz Isabeau Delevan -> ::steps back:: Isabeau Delevan -> We can always party, Rach. Rachel E Garrett -> ::beam::: Lillian Belar -> Did Izzy get promoted? Rachel E Garrett -> yep Lillian Belar -> yay! Isabeau Delevan -> :P Aliana Lucindak -> its funfunfun CdrBrown -> Ensign Damiant Porter, front and center CdrBrown -> damian* Rachel E Garrett -> ::scoots to get a better view:: Damian Porter -> ::looks around before stepping up to Brown:: I didn't do it Joy -> :: mutters :: Did too. James Riley -> ::chuckles:: Aliana Lucindak -> ::snorts:: Isabeau Delevan -> ::knows Damian probably did do it:: Rachel E Garrett -> ::nodnod::didso, didso, didso:::: CdrBrown -> Thats just the problem Mr Porter, you DID do it... and as a result of HAVING done it, you are hereby stripped of the rank of ensign Joy -> :: politely looks the other way :: CdrBrown -> and are being promoted to Lieutenate Junior Grade Rachel E Garrett -> ::stripped::eep:::: CdrBrown -> congrats LT! Le Morte -> ::Applauds::...Congrats Damian Joy -> :) Rachel E Garrett -> ::whew:: Partay! Damian Porter -> ::looks at Brown:: that only means more double shifts, right? Aliana Lucindak -> congradz! James Riley -> ::applauds again:: Congratulations again. CdrBrown -> double the double shifts Isabeau Delevan -> ::applauds and whistles:: WTG Damian!!! Damian Porter -> ::nods:: thanks Sir James Riley -> ::nods:: No one can do what you do Damian Damian Porter -> thanks everybody James Riley -> Whatever that may be Rachel E Garrett -> ::Hands him bagels::: CdrBrown -> Ok that concludes the business end Isabeau Delevan -> LOL CdrBrown -> We should know the beginning of next week as to who wil be the new CO of Aegis CdrBrown -> Summary: through logs, the Mercury has gone ahead to scout the Portas System for a suitable spot to park the station. Engineering crews and the Portland have remained behind with the station still under tow at low warp CdrBrown -> Questions> Aliana Lucindak -> ? CdrBrown -> Aliana Aliana Lucindak -> what was the tbs? Le Morte -> ? CdrBrown -> one week was the TBS CdrBrown -> Le Morte Le Morte -> Have we arrived in the system,or still progressing...entering the Nebula? CdrBrown -> the tow is past the nebula, and is 1 week from the system. the Mercury will be dropping out of warp in the system shortly after the sim ends Le Morte -> ok Aliana Lucindak -> spiffy CdrBrown -> any other ?s Rachel E Garrett -> ? CdrBrown -> no? CdrBrown -> yes rachel Rachel E Garrett -> Do we get to party with Jorahl gone? CdrBrown -> thats between you guys and Jorahl Rachel E Garrett -> ::eep::: Aye, sir. CdrBrown -> what he doesn't know can't hurt right?? CdrBrown -> Well, without further ado... Begin Sim CdrBrown -> Begin Sim CdrBrown -> Begin Sim mimipavilion -> ::in sickbay, working or something like that:: CdrBrown -> <<station crew please use #>>> Aliana Lucindak -> ::in tl, going to main science:: Rachel E Garrett -> #::in main engineering, having done her duty on the midway, checking stuff out 'n' such, and happy to be back with her buds::: Nicolas Lepage -> ::enters sickbay with a big grin on his face:: Le Morte -> ::Exiting his quarters heading for the main science labs....post dropping by medical for his allotment:: Ronin Shephard -> ::in main security checking over a crewmans report:: Lillian Belar -> ::In her quarters, looking into the mirror.:: They can't be serious...::Holding up the new uniform infront of her.:: Rachel E Garrett -> # ::perky and bubbly, more than she has been since she came aboard:: Joy -> :: On the Mercury's bridge, reviewing the treaty edits again, keeping half an eye on the universe. :: CdrBrown -> ::exits the ready room of the Mercury and steps out onto the bridge:: Nicolas Lepage -> <<oh! the new uniformas...I almost forgot!>> Damian Porter -> ::on the bridge, listening for anything strange and keeping an eye on sensors:: Lillian Belar -> And I thought the old ones were tackey... Aliana Lucindak -> <<I forgot to.>> Aliana Lucindak -> ::in quarters looking at the uniforms:: Lillian Belar -> ::Turns to Ali.:: Seriously? Have you seen this? James Riley -> ::Walks into main security wearing the older uniform:: I swear if they force me to wear that unitard I will revolt and live in my fllight suit. Caelan Fletcher -> # ::pokes Rachel's bubble:: You seem perky...at least...more than you have since I met'cha. Nicolas Lepage -> ::looks around and sports Mimi....walks toward her:: Ronin Shephard -> ::scratchs his arm for a minute:: Darn new uniforms, makes me so darn itchy. mimipavilion -> ::checking over her new uniform and sees nick enter and notices him smiling:: Do I dare ask nick? Aliana Lucindak -> Lillian> ::coughs:: yeah. they are certainly... blocky Nicolas Lepage -> ::shrugs:: You may ask all you like. I'd prefer not to tell yet though. Lillian Belar -> Why can't they get a real designer. James Riley -> ::Looks over at Ronin:: Ronin> Dont tell me you like em. Rachel E Garrett -> # ::stops to look at Caelan:: I'm happy to be back with you guys, Sir. Being on the midway is the pits, yanno. Finally realized that I kinda like being in this dump with my buds. CdrBrown -> ::takes his seat, the Captain's Chair.....:: Aliana Lucindak -> Lillian> I have to say... these are tacky Ronin Shephard -> Oh dear no, i just follow orders anyway. Rachel E Garrett -> # Like, the midway on our breaks is totally silent, no guys around, nothing going on, just . . .dead. KnowhatImean? mimipavilion -> ::nick:: not gonna ask. gee think they can gives fair warning of these uniforms Aliana Lucindak -> ::goes and puts hers on:: Joy -> :: Knew Muon let Joy use the observer's chair. Wonders if Brown is going to shoo her away. :: Damian Porter -> ::stifles a yawn, hoping noone noticed anything:: Caelan Fletcher -> # ::nod nod:: Least you weren't stuck with the chief. ::smirk:: Ronin Shephard -> Think i should ask Brown if we should take a fighter squadron out for a bit of recon once we drop out of warp? Aliana Lucindak -> ::comes out and looks in the mirror:: oh. my. hekate. ::winces:: they make me look taller then I already am, which is something I -don't- need Lillian Belar -> ::Changes into the new uniform and stands back in front of the mirror. She turns to get a view of the back.:: Nicolas Lepage -> Hmm...I don't mind. I mean it's still black and blue. ::shrugs again and his grin grows even wider:: I noticed that in these my...oh nevermind. CdrBrown -> ::hears the helm console beep, signalling they are in the portas syste,:: Lillian Belar -> Well...at least they aren't as itchy... Rachel E Garrett -> # Yeah. ::stops what she had started doing to glance around:: Where is he anyway? CdrBrown -> Helm, drop us out of warp Aliana Lucindak -> speak for yourself ::adjusts the collar:: Aliana Lucindak -> Lillian> tell me the truth. ::turns and shows her:: do I look taller? James Riley -> ::nods:: Not a bad idea. mimipavilion -> ::nick:: what?? Aliana Lucindak -> <<lol Nick>> CdrBrown -> Helm> aye sir. ::drops the ship to impulse:: Caelan Fletcher -> # ::shrugs:: Can't say. James Riley -> ::nods toward the doors:: Want to join me on the bridge? CdrBrown -> ::doesn't shoo Joy away:: Rachel E Garrett -> # ::suddenly goes all serious:: You don't think he's sneekin around, do you? Lillian Belar -> ::Tilts her head as she looks at Ali.:: Hmm...It could just be the color scheme fooling you. Le Morte -> ::Enters medical....replete in the new uniform...wonders if the teal clashes with his eyes:: Joy -> :: tries to behave herself, curious as to how the contact will proceed :: Nicolas Lepage -> ::innocent look:: Anyway, are there still people complaining about the effects of the nebula? Lillian Belar -> But you do seem a bit taller. CdrBrown -> ACTION> on the station, one of the sections begins to lose power as its core shuts down Nicolas Lepage -> <<wb Isabeau>> Caelan Fletcher -> # ::glances at the reflective consoles, toward the ceiling...anywhere they might hide a camera or two-way mirror:: Aliana Lucindak -> Lillian> taller then 6'5''... brilliant James Riley -> ::heads for the turbolift, assuming Ronin is going to follow:: Aliana Lucindak -> if this continues, I am going to look like a giantess Lillian Belar -> ::Laughs:: Tall looks good on you. CdrBrown -> Mister porter, begin scans for any ships in the area mimipavilion -> ::smiles:: I know, I've been feeling the affects too. Don't worry nothing serious. Rachel E Garrett -> # ::looks around as well, then hears the alarm:: Oops...something wrong... Ronin Shephard -> ::wakes from his spell that he gets every so often when he stares into space and follows jmes:: Caelan Fletcher -> # ::turns around, the beep beep of a power shut down startling him in his moment of paranoia:: What's that? Aliana Lucindak -> Lillian> ::grins:: thats good, seeing as I tower over the avarage klingon Aliana Lucindak -> well, I should get to the science lab Joy -> :: itches a bit. Has too many sisters who worked ops and science, used to working scanners not waiting for summaries.... :: Lillian Belar -> ::Nods:: Yeah, I need to go to sickbay. Damian Porter -> ::nods:: Aye Sir, I've been keeping an eye on the sensor data for a while, may I suggest asking a science officer to man the station on the bridge? Aliana Lucindak -> ta-ta ::waves and exits:: Rachel E Garrett -> # Power shutting down on pylon 2? Huh? :::checks again::: Aliana Lucindak -> ::enters tl:: main science CdrBrown -> ::nods:: good idea. CdrBrown -> +Science+ have an officer come to the bridge James Riley -> ::takes the turbolift up to the bridge with Ronin and after a short four deck trip steps out and walks over to the security panel, relieving the crewman:: Lillian Belar -> ::Takes one last look in the mirror before exiting the quarters as well.:: Ronin Shephard -> James> Have any special plans once we get the station here? Aliana Lucindak -> ::exits tl and enters main science:: Nicolas Lepage -> I know they will recover. But some of the effects were rather...well...anyway, we'll see. Did you see Lillian or Isabeau anywhere? Rachel E Garrett -> # Want me to check it out? Joy -> :: Does not sing Data's "Little life signs" song... :: mimipavilion -> ::shakes her head no:: They should be here shortly. James Riley -> Ronin> Well...the 2000 satelites of the security grid have to redeployed...that should take up most of our time. Caelan Fletcher -> # Uh...do we need someone here? Aliana Lucindak -> ::finds out about the come to the bridge order:: Rachel E Garrett -> # Not necessarily. Ronin Shephard -> ::stands next to the console awaiting orders:: Brown> Sir, should we send out a small patrol of fighters for a bit of recon? Lillian Belar -> ::Enters the TL.:: sickbay. Aliana Lucindak -> <<is lemorte in science?>> Isabeau Delevan -> ::enters SB:: Hello, Sorry I'm late. ::smiling at Nick and Mimi, walking over to them:: Damian Porter -> <Crewman Fisher> ::at HELM entering minor course corrections:: Caelan Fletcher -> # Hrm...I'll tag 'long then. Aliana Lucindak -> <<I guess not. Bridge here I come>> Le Morte -> <<no he is in medical...picking up his allotment>> mimipavilion -> ::mouths to nick "see":: Aliana Lucindak -> ::exits science and enters tl:: Aliana Lucindak -> <<ok>> Aliana Lucindak -> bridge Isabeau Delevan -> ::and also sees Le Morte:: hello, Lt. James Riley -> ::Looks over at Brown, thinking on the turnover of senior officers and wondering if it will be something he has to get used to:: Rachel E Garrett -> # ::grin:: Neat. ::grabs her pack and hands her position off to Rick::: Nicolas Lepage -> ::turns around to see Isabeau enter:: Good morning. We were just talking about you. ::grins again:: Joy -> < Brown and Shephard > It would be polite if we don't look to warlike, if you could. CdrBrown -> Mister Shephard, have them stand by.... Aliana Lucindak -> ::fidgits in the uniform:: Isabeau Delevan -> ::raising an eyebrow at Nick:: I hope you were saying something good. Lillian Belar -> ::Exits the TL and slips into Sickbay. She's relieved to see she wasn't the only one in the new uniforms.:: I see everyone else got the fashion disaster memo. CdrBrown -> Agreed ambassador. ::turns to ronin:: have the craft prepped for launch, but we'll leave them in the hangar James Riley -> ::grins at Joy:: Since when is Starfleet security intimidating? Isabeau Delevan -> ::Turns and gives Lily a grin:: Wear a lab coat... Le Morte -> Isabeau> Hello Ensign...and good day Nicolas Lepage -> ::notices LeMorte, too:: Can we help you or are you just getting breakfast? Aliana Lucindak -> ::enters bridge:: Brown> excuse me sir CdrBrown -> since they gave you those nice black uniforms, commander CdrBrown -> Yes, Ms Lucindak? James Riley -> ::nods to Ronin:: Its your turn to lead, I'll stay here. Rachel E Garrett -> # <SCOTT!> Isabeau Delevan -> Good day to you, too, Lt. ::gives the Al-Ucard a smile:: Caelan Fletcher -> # ::follows close behind:: Isabeau Delevan -> ::guessing he's here for breakfast:: Aliana Lucindak -> Brown> when you asked for a science officer to come to the bridge, did you need it for somethign specific, or jst to man the science station? Ronin Shephard -> Brown> Yes sir. Joy> There not neccessacarily just fighters, they have dozen of diplomatic uses as well. Joy -> <riley> Well, this was Breen space, until recently. They might not have heard the best public relations stuff. Rachel E Garrett -> # ::Caelan:: Any way we can run power to Pylon B from A? Aliana Lucindak -> *somethign Aliana Lucindak -> *something Aliana Lucindak -> *just Damian Porter -> ::monitors the sensor data, updating information in the databanks and making sure nothing will be a threat to the station:: Rachel E Garrett -> # ::stops short:: Think we should report to someone, too? CdrBrown -> well, we've got a plethora of scientific data coming in now. i need someone to help us find a good spot to park the station James Riley -> ::smirks at the Commander:: Brown> They need more pockets. Le Morte -> Nick>Actually Doc...I am about out of my weekly allotment,just stopping by for refills::places the cryo unit on the desk:: Lillian Belar -> ::Puts a lab coat on, still frowning slightly.:: Aliana Lucindak -> <<stupid tyos>> Ronin Shephard -> James> Understood sir +Main security+ Fighter Patrol 3, suit up and have fighters on standby. ::heads to a tl:: Scott Coleridge -> <<Sorry I didn't email guys. I thought--hoped, I suppose--I'd be home in time after work.>> Aliana Lucindak -> <<arrrggggg. TYPOS!>> Aliana Lucindak -> Brown> yes sir ::goes over to the science station to check out the data:: Rachel E Garrett -> # ::swings her pack, nearly hitting Caelan with it::: mimipavilion -> ::gets some work done:: Joy -> :: Decides not to start a debate on first contact protocol. Brown likely doesn't need a back seat, or side seat, driver. :: Rachel E Garrett -> # Oops...sory. James Riley -> Joy> I just hope they dont take too much offense for us parking here. Isabeau Delevan -> ::offers Lily a sympathetic look:: You'll get used to it. Damian Porter -> ::looks at Aliana:: want me to give you an update? Nicolas Lepage -> ::nods:: Let me know if you need anything else. Aliana Lucindak -> Damian> that would be most welcome Joy -> <Riley> I am hoping we do intend to ask permission first? :: glancing at the Captain :: Ronin Shephard -> ::enters a tl:: TL> Fighter bay Lillian Belar -> It's like covering up a giant stain...Some of it still shows through... Caelan Fletcher -> # :: eye's widen as a pack flies within a few centimeters of his face:: S'alright...heh. Joy -> :: never quite cared for the timing of this operation. :: Isabeau Delevan -> ::burts out laughing and then coughs it back:: Geeze, Lil, they are not that bad. CdrBrown -> ::to the entire bridge:: We are looking for an easily defendable position.... Half moons in a stationary orbit, something where we don't have to worry about watching our backs CdrBrown -> ::looks at Joy:: if we find anyone here, yes Joy -> :: Nods :: Nicolas Lepage -> ::frowns at Lillian's comment:: Everyone's wearing them. ::looks at himself:: I like them. James Riley -> Brown> Preference as to planet habitability? Le Morte -> Nick> I certainly will....oh by the way,I have finally solved the problem of the appearence of the plasma,by routing it through the replicator in my quarters...it takes on a more...shall we say acceptable appearence...we must have dinner some time::placing Rachel E Garrett -> # ::Caelan:: So..should we tell Commander Brown what's going on? I mean, you're the senior here, right? Rachel E Garrett -> # ::poke:: Lillian Belar -> You would...::Sighs:: No fashion sense... CdrBrown -> Mr Riley, not a concern. the main concern is being able to fortify a position incase the breen come back mimipavilion -> ::lillian:: Oh please, the old ones were just a little hot. Nicolas Lepage -> ::smiles:: I prefer solid food. Caelan Fletcher -> # ::Rachel:: Why d'yeh keep sayin' that? Didn' yeh come on /before/ I did? Damian Porter -> ::relays data from his console to science:: as you can see, there is a map of this region with a grid, we still have to clarify some strange readings in secors 9, 14 and 18, but I don't think they'll turn out as anything out of the ordinary. Nicolas Lepage -> What can I say, I'm a guy who thinks lamps make perfect clothes stands. Isabeau Delevan -> ::listens to Le Morte with interest realizing he's talking about the blood supplement:: James Riley -> ::runs a quick internal scan of the starship as he nods slightly at Brown:: Rachel E Garrett -> # ::armcross:: Yeah, but I came on as a middie. You're senior. ::scrunch:: I think. Aliana Lucindak -> Damian> thank you Rachel E Garrett -> # What_ever. I'll tell him. ::harumph::: James Riley -> Brown> So you would prefer an orbital position as opposed to a lagrange point. Ronin Shephard -> ::exits the tl ride and goes to his locker and grabs his flight suit and suits up:: +James+ Patrol 3 are entering fighters and should be ready in t-minus 7 minutes Rachel E Garrett -> # ::deep breath, getting her voice all ready to sound official::: +Brown+ Ensign Garrett to Commander Brown. Aliana Lucindak -> ::looks over the data from the grid while listening to brown:: Le Morte -> ::placing the empties inj the holder:: Nick> I understand completely...and you of course would eat your usual...however I can now join others,in eating,without the obvious cringing::smiles:: Rachel E Garrett -> # ::eyes Caelan::: Le Morte -> *in CdrBrown -> If we find several suitable choices, then we'll worry about taking in the view Caelan Fletcher -> # ::returns with an exasperated 'Soooorrrry...' look:: Nicolas Lepage -> I'll take you up on the offer eventually. I'm a little busy lately. CdrBrown -> +Garett+ ::patches it in through the subspace feed:: Go ahead James Riley -> +Ronin+ Copy that make sure you have at least one bird with sensor pods in the flight. Isabeau Delevan -> ::takes a seat at nearby work station and wonders what Nick has been busy with:: Rachel E Garrett -> # Commander, I'm on my way to ::disgusted look:: Pylon B with Ens Fletcher 'cause there's a power drain at the core. Is...that ok with you, Sir? Isabeau Delevan -> ::Has found the time passing rather slowly:: mimipavilion -> ::tries to hide a smirk:: Damian Porter -> ::Grins at Aliana:: so, how about we find us a nice spot? Joy -> :: Shows a bit of concern as Pylon B features the diplomatic wing. :: Le Morte -> ::placing the new containers in the cyro unit::Nick> I understand ...the offer is always open....well I need to get on to the Science labs,thank you...have a great sgift Nicolas Lepage -> ::turns to his fellow doctors:: Has everyone been briefed about the Portas system yet? CdrBrown -> +Garrett+ do what you need to do to keep things stable... we are a little far away to be of much help to you. report when situation is stable Le Morte -> *shift Isabeau Delevan -> ::looks around and then back at Nick:: I haven't.. Aliana Lucindak -> Damian> indeed ::grins:: Rachel E Garrett -> # +Brown+ Aye, Sir. Garrett out. Nicolas Lepage -> And the same to you. ::smiles:: mimipavilion -> ::thinks:: Rachel E Garrett -> # ::Caelan:: See? That wasn't so bad, was it? Caelan Fletcher -> # That wasn't so bad, was it? Aliana Lucindak -> ::looks over the grid, comparing conditions in the different areas and strategic positioning;; Le Morte -> ::exits Medical...heading for the lift:: Aliana Lucindak -> *:: Caelan Fletcher -> # ::mocking tone:: Rachel E Garrett -> # ::swings her pack again,all huffy::: Comeon. CdrBrown -> Action> initial scans show no inhabited planets, however a small ion cloud in the system masks some of the readings Nicolas Lepage -> Mimi, Lilly? Caelan Fletcher -> # ::snickers as he falls back in line:: mimipavilion -> I don't think so nick Damian Porter -> Aliana> from a tactical point of view there are several places that look promising, we should find out which one's the best Joy -> :: Wonders if Aegis is ready for a CO with a calm disposition that prefers to run on an even keel. :: Ronin Shephard -> +James+ Roger ::closes hte comm channel:: Rek, take a scout, T'geht and Vilin, take a destroyer and a tractor. I'll take an armor unit. Load up. ::gets on a lift and takes it up to the cockpit of his fighter:: Rachel E Garrett -> # ::enters the TR and steps on the pad after setting the auto whateveritis::: Lillian Belar -> ::Shakes head.:: Not me Isabeau Delevan -> I know I would remember if someone had talked about the Portas system Aliana Lucindak -> Damian> I agree. Isabeau Delevan -> ::has heard about if for so long it's taken on the mystique of Shangri-la:: Nicolas Lepage -> Ok, well I'll make it quick. We're going there and we don't know much. Rachel E Garrett -> # ::drags Caelan with her::: Isabeau Delevan -> ::eyeing Nick:: That was quick... Rachel E Garrett -> # ::beams to pylon B core power downarea::: Damian Porter -> ::highlights the possible locations on the map:: mimipavilion -> no wonder no one has told us about it Aliana Lucindak -> ::looks at the locations:: Isabeau Delevan -> ::slanting Mimi a sideways grin:: Well, they might have and we missed it--if that's all there is to it. James Riley -> ::looking at a sensor overlay of the system on a side panel:: Damian> 7 planets...34 moons..and is it just me or does that huge gas giant look like a failed protostar? CdrBrown -> Ms Lucindak, how are our scans coming. find anything yet? Nicolas Lepage -> It is close to Cardassian territory. We're not sure what to expect yet other than that the Breen are gone. I'm almost certain, considering the circumstances that we'll get quite some work. Rachel E Garrett -> # :::entering the engineering control on pylon B::: mimipavilion -> ::looks at Isabeau:: well sickbay is one of the last deparments to know about what's going one Caelan Fletcher -> # ::moves over to the nearest console, tappity tappity:: Aliana Lucindak -> Brown> well, there are a few posibilities, I am still looking over them Le Morte -> ::Exits the lift...cryo unit in hand....heads for the labs:: Ronin Shephard -> ::starts the prelaunch sequance and sets the more to stand by :: +James+ the fighters are ready for launch CdrBrown -> ::gets up from his chair, straightens his shirt and proceeds to Aliana's station:: Damian Porter -> Riley> I'm not a scientist, but from what I can tell, it very probably is. Now we just have to find a snuck place somewhere in there to fit Aegis. Any requests, Sir? Isabeau Delevan -> Well, I sure don't wish ill health on anyone...::hearing Mimi:: I know...occasionally, ignorance is bliss but generally it's just frustrating. Rachel E Garrett -> # ::tosses her bag on the floor and begins diagnostics::absently says:: Wonder where Scott is. James Riley -> +Ronin+ Copy that you are on hot stand by. Le Morte -> ::enters the lab...places the unit under the console...and logs in:: Rachel E Garrett -> # Miss him, too, yanno. ::tappitytap::: Lillian Belar -> ::Shudders at the mention of Breen.:: mimipavilion -> ::decides to keep her mouth shut:: James Riley -> ::looks over at Brown as he gets up and walks past:: Brown> Fighters are ready..one scout and three escorts. CdrBrown -> ::glances over Lucindak's shoulder and points at the ion cloud:: is that messing with any of our readings? Nicolas Lepage -> Any questions? Caelan Fletcher -> # ::hums the 'Kissing in a tree' taunt:: Le Morte -> ::Spots a large sensor array usage...ties in:: Rachel E Garrett -> # :stops, evileye at Caelan:: What? mimipavilion -> ::shakes head no:: Isabeau Delevan -> ::answering Nick:: Has there been any sign of any kind of Breen activity? Rachel E Garrett -> # Just...do whatever it is you're supposed to. Ok? Caelan Fletcher -> # Nothing...hey look, the power /is/ actually out. Isabeau Delevan -> ::has been hoping they really all did just disappear forever:: James Riley -> Damian> Requests? Do you know and Billy Joel songs? CdrBrown -> ::glances back over at Riley:: very commander. have them stand by. I may want them to check out a moon here shortly. Rachel E Garrett -> # :::moves over::: Where? Aliana Lucindak -> Brown> it could interfere a little, but we have multiple scans to refer to, so we can sort out what has been interfered with Caelan Fletcher -> # In the pylon...I mean. James Riley -> ::nods to Brown:: Aye Rachel E Garrett -> # ::exasperation::: Damian Porter -> ::frowns at Riley:: I thought you might have preferences regarding the view Caelan Fletcher -> # It's not a sensor glitch. Systems are down throughout. Nicolas Lepage -> ::shakes head:: Not as far as I know. I'm not yet sure whether that's good or bad. Rachel E Garrett -> # Oh. Ok. So, we do a diagnostic, right? Le Morte -> ::watching the screen...takes a small canister from his personal bag...pulls the tube from the center..takes a sip while monitoring the sensor data:: CdrBrown -> ::nods:: very good. when you get a chance, run a high powered scan to break through any interference... that planet right there looks primed for supporting life... Damian Porter -> ::looks at Brown:: Sir, about that ion cloud ::pauses:: Isabeau Delevan -> ::leaning back in chair, content to see how it plays out:: I'd rather we never heard from them again. Aliana Lucindak -> Damian> here is a spot ::sends the position to his console:: the positioning is near a moon, with atmosphere, and the positioning would give us a strategic advantage. CdrBrown -> ::begins to walk back to his chair:: Yes Lt?? mimipavilion -> ::nick:: consider it a good thing since they attacked us a few years ago and took sickbay in that attack Lillian Belar -> ::Is in total agreement with Isabeau.:: Caelan Fletcher -> # Yeah. I'd say so. Isabeau Delevan -> ::nodding to Mimi:: Yeah, they always seem to really kick our...butt. James Riley -> ::blinks at Damian...seeing that his joke fell flat..then sighs and looks at the sensor data on his panel:: Damian Porter -> It doesn't give us much trouble, but I thought we might be able to use it to our advantage, it may grant us additional cover Rachel E Garrett -> # ::begins diagnostic::: I think... mimipavilion -> I mean a good thing that they haven't attacked since CdrBrown -> Action> The station power begins to fluctuate on, but then shuts back off Rachel E Garrett -> # ::tappity tap:: Maybe.... Rachel E Garrett -> # That moving the station created more stress than the girl could take. Rachel E Garrett -> # ::watching the panel:: I mean, she's pretty old, yanno. Isabeau Delevan -> I hope they find a good spot and we can get back on station, soon. Ronin Shephard -> phooey ::comms hte other fighters:: until were needed, anyone have a good holodeck program? Damian Porter -> ::grins behind Riley's back:: But if you like Billy Joel, Commander, I'm sure I could arrange something on the holodeck Rachel E Garrett -> # And I hear that when you're old you get all grumpy when you have to move. All kinda stuff happens. Creaks and groans and breaks. Le Morte -> ::Monitoring....and watching that ionized cloud...tapps::+Bridge science station+Le Morte here...I am iniating a complete spectral sensor anaylasis of that ionized cloud we seem to have found Caelan Fletcher -> # When was the last time we did maintainence down here? Nicolas Lepage -> Yeah but at least we knew who we were dealing with. Now ith the Breen gone there's bound to be conflicts...people fighting over who'll get some more power. ::sighs:: It's always the same and guess what...we'll be stuck right in the middle of it. Rachel E Garrett -> # :;shifts to another console::: I've never done it. ::pulls up the records::: Damian Porter -> ::to Aliana:: I can give you some more power to the sensor arrays, if you'd like, you can scan it again with more juice Rachel E Garrett -> # ::bites lip:: Uh...a year ago. Aliana Lucindak -> +LeMorte+ yes sir mimipavilion -> That's what sucks... we're in the middle of it CdrBrown -> Mister Porter, i'd rather keep clear of the cloud James Riley -> Damian> ::shakes his head and glances back at Damian:: Thanks, but I dont need a fantasy, I just like the music. Aliana Lucindak -> Damian> thanks Isabeau Delevan -> ::seeing Nick is looking pretty worried:: If the Breen are well and truly gone, then the Federation may be a welcome presence. We don't take slaves and maybe we can keep the interference level low. Caelan Fletcher -> # For serious? James Riley -> ::nods in agreement with Brown:: Yah...depending on the density levels it could screw with transporter functions and short range scaning. Le Morte -> ::tapping away...bringing the lateral arrays online,setting up the frequinces scans,and intensive spectral scans:: Rachel E Garrett -> # ::cringe, looking at Caelan:: For real. CdrBrown -> And it may even mess with sentient holograms if i am not mistaken. correct ambassador? mimipavilion -> ::gives Isabeau the 'you kidding me' look:: Caelan Fletcher -> # Then it could be...anything. Rachel E Garrett -> # ::other console bleeps::: Yeah... Isabeau Delevan -> ::catches Mimi's look and smiles back--is an optimist at heart:: Rachel E Garrett -> # ::moves back to the original one::: Uh oh... Damian Porter -> ::to Brown:: I don't mean getting too close to the cloud. As that would be more of an impairment than an advantage. I just mean that, say we needed to hide a couple of ships or the like, we could use it to our advantage ::shrugs:: Nicolas Lepage -> ::frowns:: I'm not that optimistic. There certainly will be those who welcome our presence but some who might see a chance to gain some power will be...put out. Guess we'll have to be careful when we introduce ourselves to the neighbours. Caelan Fletcher -> # ::perks a brow, as if asking:: Joy -> Well, not if proper shielding is maintained. I wouldn't worry too much about Bruce. James Riley -> ::raises eyebrow at the hologram comment:: Isabeau Delevan -> There's no use buying trouble, Nick. Whatever happens, we'll deal with it. The diplomatic team is very experienced. Damian Porter -> As for a permanent place for the station, I think Ms Lucindak has found soemthing that looks promising Joy -> But in general, I would prefer clear space. CdrBrown -> Well, we could use it as a fall back position in the future Isabeau Delevan -> We'll be able to help too--if there are large medical issues we could be seen as a real godsend. CdrBrown -> On Screen mr porter Aliana Lucindak -> ::uses the scanners to do another system scan to make sure everything is as it looks:: Le Morte -> ::Begins the latent background radiation scans ,and spacial radar scans:: Rachel E Garrett -> # It's . . . uh... in the main system. Damian Porter -> ::taps a few buttons and puts an image of the moon on the viewscreen:: Nicolas Lepage -> I expcet there to be some large medical issues. We don't know for sure yet. We'll have to scout the area for a while. Rachel E Garrett -> # But it's not the core...it's the motherboard. Ronin Shephard -> +James+ Whatever happened to that moon that someone wanted to see? Damian Porter -> ::to Aliana:: this is your show now Le Morte -> ::tapping away:: Cloud composition data coming in...continuing scans:: Rachel E Garrett -> # And I don't suppose we have any spares? CdrBrown -> ::takes his seat once again:: Caelan Fletcher -> # That's not something you tend to fix...that's a replacement type of thing. Aliana Lucindak -> Damian> ::nods:: Rachel E Garrett -> # Yathink? Isabeau Delevan -> Either way, it's someplace none of us have ever been--it's a new experience. Maybe we could look forward to it...::glancing around:: Cautious enthusiasm? James Riley -> +Ronin+ The captain hasnt decided which moon yet. Rachel E Garrett -> # But...::taps somemore::: There may be more stuff, too. Can't tell if the main system is damaged. Damian Porter -> <Crewman Fisher> ::looks at the viewscreen at what might be his new home:: Aliana Lucindak -> <<hang on a sec.>> Aliana Lucindak -> <<bak>> Caelan Fletcher -> # If the motherboard has been down, a number of other things could have gone with it... Nicolas Lepage -> Well, I've never been to Risa either. Why don't they ever send me to Risa? Aliana Lucindak -> <<needed to plug in my computer>> Caelan Fletcher -> # Far as spares...I don't know. If we do, I doubt it'll be on the pylon. Isabeau Delevan -> Geeze, Nick...you can go to Risa on your own for crying out loud. Rachel E Garrett -> # ::scared nod::: So..you gonna tell him or am I? Caelan Fletcher -> # Fine...I'll do it. James Riley -> ::looks at the moon:: Its a rock... mimipavilion -> ::nick: Because your too important here Ronin Shephard -> +james+ Hmm, well, we don't mind what moon it is, so long as we can fly around it. Caelan Fletcher -> # Cdr. Brown, right? Isabeau Delevan -> Of course it's mroe fun if you go with someone...or meet somone there... Joy -> :: Wonders if she should ask the captain to try to contact system air traffic control. What if someone answered??? :: Isabeau Delevan -> Mimi...don't encourage him to act 90. Rachel E Garrett -> # ::whew::sinks into a chair::: Nicolas Lepage -> ::grins:: I'd go with someone, thank you very much. Rachel E Garrett -> # yeah. Commander Brown. James Riley -> +Ronin+ ::grins:: I'll pass that on to the Commander. mimipavilion -> ::glares at Isabeau:: Caelan Fletcher -> # +Brown+ Uh...engineering to Commander Brown. Isabeau Delevan -> ::grinning at him:: I'm so relived to hear it... Lillian Belar -> ::Giggles.:: CdrBrown -> Action> Long range sensors detect a small planet on the other side of the system, blocked by the ion field.... pre-warp class m planet Nicolas Lepage -> Anyway, i suggest you look at some maps and get familiar with the species in the vicinity. CdrBrown -> +Fletcher+ go ahead... Aliana Lucindak -> ::finishes the system scan:: Brown> I have done another scan with the sensors to make sure of this and I think this is the best area available. IThe moon gives us some cover, and the positioning is srategically useful Isabeau Delevan -> ::rolling her eyes at Mimi:: Don't look at me like that...you should go too. Rachel E Garrett -> # ::gets all quiet, like a bomb is gonna drop:::: James Riley -> Damian> Is that the small one orbiting the fourth planet? Aliana Lucindak -> *strategically Damian Porter -> ::whistles:: whaddya know Nicolas Lepage -> ::looks at lillian with raised eyebrows:: CdrBrown -> Class M moon Ms Lucindak?? Caelan Fletcher -> # +Brown+ We're pretty sure...as in...more than fifty percent...::looks to Rachel for confirmation as he speaks::... Rachel E Garrett -> # :;then thinks omg, what's gonna happen when His Highness finds out:::: Rachel E Garrett -> # ::encouraging nod, waving her hand at him to continue::: Caelan Fletcher -> # +Brown+ ...That the motherboard is shot. Other stuff could be down with it since everything ties into the motherboard. Damian Porter -> ::nods at Riley, yeah, why? Aliana Lucindak -> Brown> yes sir Rachel E Garrett -> # ::waits for the bomb::: mimipavilion -> ::isabeau:: why so you and Lillian can have a party here in sickbay. CdrBrown -> +Fletcher+ understood. get it replaced and repaired. have the tugs drop out of warp if the SIF takes too much strain Damian Porter -> ::to Brown:: Sir, you might wanna know about this CdrBrown -> ::spins around:: yes Mr Porter Rachel E Garrett -> # ::lets out a breath::: Lillian Belar -> Now that's an idea Caelan Fletcher -> +Brown+ Sounds like a plan. We'll get on it. Engineering out! Nicolas Lepage -> ::looks shocked:: If ever I go...please all of you stay far away from me. ::grins:: Isabeau Delevan -> ::blinking at Mimi:: A party in sickbay? Of course not! I prefer to party in a room that has more comfortable furniture than biobeds. Damian Porter -> I have oincreased power to the sensors and we were able to penetrate the ion cloud with that, looks like there's a class M planet, pre-warp Isabeau Delevan -> And hwere the replicator is programmed for more than a soft diet Ronin Shephard -> ::still in the comm with the other fighters:: sheesh, do they expect us to wear in these seats before they send us out? I might take a nap if they don't pick something. ::yawns:: CdrBrown -> is that all we have found in the system?? Caelan Fletcher -> # ::Rachel:: Got a cargo manifold on that thing? ::jerks his heard toward her console:: Rachel E Garrett -> # ::forehead smack::: Replace and repair, and we're how far from home?? ::jumps to the console::: mimipavilion -> ::nick: how about i ask for a transfer. Not that I need one mind you. Damian Porter -> as far as inhabited planets go, yes Isabeau Delevan -> Mimi, I was talking about Risa as a vacation destination. Caelan Fletcher -> # Come on...motherboard. No whammies...no whammies... ::waits for the verdict from Rachel:: Nicolas Lepage -> ::looks at Mimi:: No, no, you can stay. I mean when I go to risa I'll make sure noone I know will be on thatb planet. CdrBrown -> very well... Ambassador, it looks good to me, if things are good with you that we set up shop pending a detailed scan of this class M moon on the viewer mimipavilion -> ::isabeau:: i know Rachel E Garrett -> # Uh...yeah, we might have one. But I'm not sure how old these supply files are. mimipavilion -> ::nick:: fine i'll go to pacifica Caelan Fletcher -> # We'll hafta give it a shot. Nicolas Lepage -> ::grons:: thank you. mimipavilion -> ::smiles;: no problem Joy -> That's agreeable. At some point we might want to start hailing every good sized rock in the system, just to make sure there is no one that can answer. Isabeau Delevan -> Hmm...I would have thought there'd be someone you'd want to take, Nick. ::looking at him innocently:: James Riley -> ::blinks:: Brown> Uh...we may have a problem with the prime directive... Rachel E Garrett -> # Yeah. Rachel E Garrett -> <sorry..dog needs to go bad. brb> mimipavilion -> ::isabeau:: definatly not any of us. Le Morte -> ::tapps::+Bridge+Le Morte here...beginning to recieve back some rather interesting data from our long range spectral scans from the ionized cloud...continuing scans Nicolas Lepage -> ::even wider grin:: Well, one person.... Aliana Lucindak -> <<hey guys, I have to go in a sec.> Isabeau Delevan -> ::looking back at Mimi solemnly:: True...no one who's hwere right now. CdrBrown -> ::nods:: understood ambassador Aliana Lucindak -> <<how much longer do you think we will me in sim?>> Joy -> And I'd note that the Breen aren't exactly champions of the Prime Directive. If there are pre warp sentients anywhere, they might have been contacted none the less. CdrBrown -> <<about 5 minutes???>> mimipavilion -> exacly Isabeau Isabeau Delevan -> That's what I thought, Dr. Lepage. James Riley -> ::looks over at Joy:: We should be sure before we decide to put a new artificial star in their night sky. Aliana Lucindak -> <<um, I don't think I can do that. was there anything super important you needed me personally to do?>> Rachel E Garrett -> <bak> mimipavilion -> ::nick:: don't you have something to say to us. or are you going to wait. Damian Porter -> I'm sure we could send an AT first, to find out Nicolas Lepage -> Talking about parties...I haven't had a good one since the Academy. Joy -> :: nods :: We've no desire to be worshiped, even from afar. Isabeau Delevan -> That doesn't surprise me at all Nick. ::regarding his party remark:: CdrBrown -> Mister riley, the planet in question is on the opposite side of the system from the class M moon we are looking to hide behind Lillian Belar -> ::Grins at Isabeau.:: Well that is if she isn't busy with the diplomats. Damian Porter -> ::wouldn't mind being worshipped:: CdrBrown -> <<no aliana, thank you!!>> Isabeau Delevan -> ::trades a glance with Lily and starts chuckling:: Too true. Aliana Lucindak -> <<okey-doky! ta-ta all. ::waves and exits::>> Rachel E Garrett -> # So..I guess we hunt for it. Nicolas Lepage -> ::looks surprised:: Tell you what? James Riley -> Brown> Placing the Station in an orbit that occludes us constantly from that planet would be difficult at best. Lillian Belar -> There was a huge party in the dance club before the station was dismantled. A lot of people were there. Rachel E Garrett -> # ::locates the storage area::: Damian Porter -> <Crewman Fisher> ::would feel uncomfortable being worshipped:: Nicolas Lepage -> ::notices the conversation is going in the wrong direction:: I'd rather you talk about such things behind my back. mimipavilion -> You said you wanted to tell me or all of us but you decided to wait. Also you had that big cheesy grin on your face when you came in earlier. Caelan Fletcher -> # ::follows Garrett around:: Isabeau Delevan -> There was? I missed the party...::looking quite crestfallen:: Ronin Shephard -> +james+ has someone picked something we can fly around? I'm starting to get comfy enough in this chair to sleep. CdrBrown -> but it would give us a couple of years before we got in to view, being in a much further out orbit Le Morte -> ::Continuing scans,making tags and entering the tags relative positions to the grid overlay..beginning to assemble a 3d graphical mapping of the systems,and the clouds position,and composition:: Nicolas Lepage -> Oh! Well, I'll wait. It's not the time Lillian Belar -> Loud music, drinks, and lots of dancing. I'm sure there will be another one when we get the station back together. CdrBrown -> If we have to, we can put the station into a slow orbit... Isabeau Delevan -> ::looking at Nick:: It's not the right time for what? CdrBrown -> <<2 minute warning guy, running late as usual>>> Isabeau Delevan -> I hope there is, Lily. A party would be nice. mimipavilion -> ::nods:: ok then the talking about you behind your back will continue as usual Rachel E Garrett -> # ::finally finds the room, enters and starts hunting::: Damian Porter -> ::shakes head:: I doubt it'll be much of a problem, we'd definitely not be noticeable by the naked eye Isabeau Delevan -> Hey, I never talk about him behind his back. Nicolas Lepage -> Thank you Mimi. just remember, I have my spies everywhere. Isabeau Delevan -> Nick, I always talk about you right to your face. Nicolas Lepage -> ::sighs:: I noticed. James Riley -> ::nods slightly...not liking the answer still:: I suggest we send a couple fighters to scout the other planet...they are small enough to be undetectable in most sensor nets and should give us a detailed view of the civilization. Le Morte -> ::Sipping the ...brunch,noting the data as it comes in...making checks and mark indicators on the unusual data points:: mimipavilion -> ::nick:: don't forget I have even better spies too. Isabeau Delevan -> Well, I always say nice things...Don't I? ::searching recent memory:: Isabeau Delevan -> Hmm....::aside to Lily:: I have no spies... Rachel E Garrett -> # ::finds the level...and the locker...and the number...down the row...:::: Rachel E Garrett -> # Ha! mimipavilion -> :freeze frame:: mimipavilion -> <<oops>> Lillian Belar -> ::Grins:: He can't hide them from me. CdrBrown -> alright. have them run with sensor dempening fields as well. and have them maintain radio silence once they get into orbit.... odds are if the breen have come before, they will come again Nicolas Lepage -> Alright, so everyone try to find out a bit more about our new home. CdrBrown -> and the planet would be counting on it Rachel E Garrett -> # Well...let's see if there's anything in here. :::snags the box::: Isabeau Delevan -> How? Are we going to classes or something? Isabeau Delevan -> There's very little in the database...I did look... Rachel E Garrett -> # :;shakeshake:: Promising. CdrBrown -> they may have found some way to detect close range.... or listen in on radio transmissions... CdrBrown -> And..... CdrBrown -> PAUSE SIM Nicolas Lepage -> ::shocked glance at Lillian:: CdrBrown -> PAUSE SIM James Riley -> ::nods and taps his console:: +Ronin+ You got a mission Le Morte -> ::PAWS:: CdrBrown -> PAUSE SIM Isabeau Delevan -> ::perks:: Nick, I did research an old legend... Rachel E Garrett -> ::pause::: mimipavilion -> ::freeze frame:: Ronin Shephard -> || Isabeau Delevan -> ::paused:: Damian Porter -> ::paused:: Nicolas Lepage -> ::paused:: James Riley -> ::paused:: Joy -> :: paused :: Ronin Shephard -> Sure, right when i finally get soemthing to do, you pause it. sheesh! CdrBrown -> folks, apologies on running late. Le Morte -> << LOL >> James Riley -> You couldve armoralled the inside of the fighter while you were waiting Isabeau Delevan -> hat sounds very slippery... Isabeau Delevan -> *that CdrBrown -> the TBS will be 1 week.... so logs will be important, especially from our fighter/recon group

Note: This log takes place after the events of the log "Whith friends like these..." Nick was lying on the sofa, his hair still wet from the shower. He wasn’t quite sure whether he’d ever be able to get up again. There were muscles hurting in his body that he didn’t even know existed. As he had expected, the hiking trip with Isabeau had been more than he had bargained for. But he had to admit that the zip-line had been more fun than he had expected...or at least would have been if the harness hadn’t left its marks when he stopped rather abruptly at the end. Despite his exhaustion and soreness Nick neededto think about dinner. DJ would be coming soon and he had no idea what he wanted to cook. Neither did he think he could summon the energy to come up with something, much less cook it. He closed his eyes and with a deep breath he hieved himself off the sofa. Just at that moment the chime rang. Nick hobbled to the door and opened it. DJ stood there smiling broadly. He smiled back at her and his smile broadened at the thought of what DJ would say when he’d tell her about his little excursion to the holodeck. DJ was a little startled when Nick first opened the door. The poor man looked like something the cat dragged in. She was sorely tempted to ask him what happened but she managed to bite her tongue. At the same time, she felt her smile fading a bit. “Come in,” he said as he stepped aside to let DJ in. “I’m sorry but I haven’t prepared anything yet.” He followed DJ into his quarters, walking carefully because of his sore muscles. "Oh, that's okay," replied DJ quickly, carefully schooling her tone of voice. "We can always fiddle around with this new replicator and see if it's any good." As DJ turned around to look at Nick she frowned but didn’t comment, yet. He moved gingerly as if he was trying to avoid any movements that would cause pain. She was a little confused because as far as she knew nothing out of the ordinary had happened in sickbay today. So she wondered where he could have gotten hurt this time. She was also a little disappointed that it took so little time for her curiosity to get the best of her. But she simply couldn't wait any longer. She had to ask. "Nick," she began slowly, stepping a bit closer to him. "You seem to be a little stiff tonight." She hesitated a moment, choosing her words carefully. "Maybe you'd rather skip dinner?" As he stood in front of her Nick pulled DJ closer and kissed her briefly. “It’s good to see you, DJ, and no, I don't want to skip dinner,” he said with a smile. “But you can’t believe how I was tortured today.” "Tortured?", asked DJ quizzically, an intriguing grin tugging at her lips. "You mean there are Cardassians on this ship?" Nick shook his head as he crossed over to the sofa and sat down gingerly. "No, not Cardassians, Isabeau Delevan. Honestly, I don't know what's worse." He grinned broadly as he remembered the hiking trip on the holodeck. DJ only looked at him, obviously waiting for an explanation. However, he thought he saw just the slightest hint of a smile play around the corners of her mouth. "Alright, so we both had some downtime. You were still on duty so Isabeau asked whether I wanted to go hiking on the holodeck. I should have known she had planned something more than just walking in the woods. Anyway, that's how it started out, a nice walk in the woods. When the rain set in I suspected there were worse things to come. It was an all terrain program so...let me see...the desert was next. Ever hear about a zip-line?" He looked at DJ briefly, the smile had become more pronounced as he described their little adventure. He turned slightly to look at her. "I tell you, sometimes I'm not sure whether she does these things to make me look stupid or whether she really enjoyes this stuff. I suspect the latter." He leaned his head on DJ's shoulder and added, "I'm sure I won't be able to get out of bed tomorrow." As Nick related the details of his adventure with Beau, it took every ounce of self control DJ could muster to keep from bursting into laughter. She bit her tongue, dug her nails into her palms and pinched the back of her thighs....hard. She managed to control the guffaws but not the grin. By the time he finished his woeful tale, her mouth was stretched so far across her face her cheeks were starting to ache. She stood in front of Nick and shook her head in amusement. "Sounds like you could use a good massage." With that, she turned on her heel and walked toward Nick's bedroom. "Don't worry," she called as she entered the room. "I won't look at the mess. Just want to find your little black bag." Of course, she knew she wouldn't find a little black bag. The term was just a euphemism, a nod to the distant past when doctors routinely made house calls and carried their wares in a small satchel, usually black in color. In modern times, medical gear was far more compact. It didn't take a bag to carry most of the necessities. "Maybe you have some therapy gel I could rub into those sore shoulders of yours," she continued as she stepped into the bedroom. As DJ walked into his bedroom Nick took off his shirt starting to think that the torture he had endured earlier might actually have been worth it. There was nothing like a good massage. "There should be some in the medicine cabinet in the bathroom," he called out. "And what mess are you talking about? You should have seen my dorm room back at med school. Now THAT was a mess." DJ returned to the main room and sat down on the coffee table directly in front of Nick. "You must suffer muscle aches fairly often," she teased, holding up two tubes of medication, one in each hand. "Which do you prefer? The gel or the cream?" "Well, I'm an old man, what can I say?" he said teasingly, lying down on his stomach. "I prefer the gel and I'll be grateful for this until the day I die." She placed a small dab of ointment into her left palm and then rubbed her hands together a couple of times. A moment later, she massaged the medication onto Nick's right shoulder being careful not to press too hard. "The next time I see Beau," murmured DJ playfully. "I'll encourage her to take you on more of her little adventures. That way, I'll be able to pamper you a little while you recover." "If you do that I think I'll go on adventures with Isabeau every single day." "If you do that," quipped DJ. "You won't survive a week." With that Nick fell silent except for the occasional groans of contentment escaping him. After a couple of minutes he turned his head. "She's like a sister, you know," he said, knowing DJ would understand he was talking about Isabeau. DJ leaned over to whisper in Nick's ear. "I know." She kissed him lightly. "But she's a wonderful lady. If those feelings should change, I would appreciate you letting me know right away." It took Nick a few seconds to process the words. When they finally registered he was confused. He turned around a little more so he could look DJ in the eyes. She looked back at him and he felt a pang of guilt. His relationship with Isabeau had picked up right where they had left off in med school. Now he took it for granted that she was like a sister to him and never once stopped to think how it might appear to others. "DJ," he whispered. "I..." He was desperately trying to find the right words but nothing occurred to him. So he turned around and sat up. Taking DJ's hands he pulled her gently closer into a tight embrace. "I'm sorry," he finally managed to say after a long moment. "I didn't want to give the impression that...you know...you have to worry." He leaned back a little so he could see her face. "I love you DJ. That's the only reassurance I can give you." He fell silent, still watching her carefully, anxiously waiting for her answer. DJ favored him with a reassuring smile. It was apparent Nick was anxious that she understand the relationship he had with Isabeau. From the beginning, DJ had sensed there was more to it than simple friendship. But she had chatted with Beau about Nick and got the distinct impression her affection for Nick wasn't what one could consider....romantic. It wasn't even close. Beau seemed pleased that Nick had DJ in his life....considered it a positive step forward for Nick. Perhaps a brother/sister relationship was an accurate description. "Thank you for saying that," whispered DJ. She gave him a quick kiss on the lips and then leaned back grinning mischievously. "But you have to admit, she's a beautiful woman. Don't you think?" Nick swallowed hard as he tried to think of the right thing to say. This was tricky and he knew that the wrong answer could get him into trouble. "Yes, you're right, she is beautiful. But not even she can compare to the most beautiful woman in the world who is sitting with me now." He smiled warmly as he finished. It didn't escape his notice that DJ hadn't said she loved him too. However, he also understood her reluctance and he wasn't going to rush her. She was looking directly at him as he spoke. She could see the sincerity in his eyes, hear it in his voice. He said he loved her and in her heart of hearts, she believed him. It had been a long time since she'd heard those words from a man other than her relatives. She was a little puzzled by her reaction as a flood of memories coursed through her.....wonderful memories of times long past....memories that inevitably ended so painfully on that fateful day almost six years ago when the USS Cairo was destroyed. Yet, something had changed. The idea of someone loving her this way....of her sharing that love no longer frightened her. Until recently, she wouldn't have allowed anyone to get this close but now, it felt comfortable and satisfying....and healthy....so very healthy. DJ grinned impishly at him. "Gee," she whispered. "It's getting deep in here and I didn't bring my boots." She rested her forehead against his. "But I appreciate the kind words. I really do." As desperately as she wanted to say the words, she couldn't bring herself to do it. In spite of her feelings, there were still a lot of unanswered questions about exactly what Nick expected from their relationship. She pulled back slightly and clasped both of his hands in hers. "We need to talk," she said with more confidence than she felt. "And this might be a good time to do it." Nick nodded, not sure what to think. A moment before, he was about to make a joking remark about her forgetting her boots but the change of DJ's tone told him it was better to be serious now. So instead he looked down at his hands as she held them and then back up into DJ's eyes. "Ok,"he said not without a hint of caution in his voice. Somehow he had a feeling this was not about Isabeau anymore. "What do you want to talk about?" "Oh great, now what do I say," thought DJ, furiously searching for a way to begin. She'd strongly suspected the time might come when she would have to breach this subject with Nick. Deep down, she knew she would have been disappointed if the day had never arrived. But she didn't plan on it happening so soon and she certainly hadn't given a lot of thought about what she should say, much less how to say it. He sat beside her trying to look calm, cool and collected. But she detected a faint trace of anxiety in his eyes that let her know he was probably just as nervous as she was. One way or the other, there was no turning back. DJ drew a deep breath trying to quiet the herd of elephants traipsing through her stomach. "This is difficult," she began slowly, releasing his hands and moving away from him just a bit. "But it's only fair you know a couple of things about me." She glanced at him but saw no reaction at all to her lead in. He was still intently staring at her. She fumbled for the right words. "I'm sort of....an all or nothing....type person. These days, there aren't a lot of people like me left." Now he looked confused. But at least he was listening carefully. "I guess," she stammered, "what I need to know is this...." She had so many thoughts and so few words. "I care about you, Nick. I really do," and she meant it. "But before I allow myself to....fall in love with you....." As though you haven't already, she chided herself silently. "Before that happens....I need to....know.....what your intentions are." She blurted out the last four words hoping Nick would understand what she meant. She really didn't want to have to explain it to him. Nick had listened carefully to what DJ had to say. He felt a surge of disappointment and even anger and frustration at DJ's words. Before she allowed herself to fall in love with him... she was speaking as if emotions were something you could just turn off when they were inconvenient. He knew better, though. DJ really did care about him but why did she find it so difficult to tell him she loved him? After all she already had...once. Careful not to let his disappointment show he looked at her. "Allow yourself to fall in love with me?" he asked, leaning back to put a little distance between them. "I don't know why this is so difficult for you DJ. Well, maybe I have an idea but you seem to be scared of being happy with me. I love you DJ McKinny and if we weren't in Starfleet I'd ask you to marry me right here and now. As it is I can't make any promises about what will be next year, or in five years but I can tell you this; I have every intention to make this work...for both of us. I have every intention to make as many compromises I can without giving up who I am...just to make this thing work, to be with you and to be happy with you. If that's not enough I'm sorry. It's all I can offer. If that's not what you want..." he trailed off, not wanting to finish the sentence. Nick got up and looked down on DJ. Despite his best efforts, his frustration and disappointment had seeped into his tone. He didn't want to lose DJ but he didn't want to force her to do something she wasn't ready for either. So now he stood there and justed looked at her, waiting for her decision. Nick's response to her question was interesting, to say the least. It was obvious he was hurt and upset. Unfortunately, that didn't surprise her at all. She'd been fairly certain that would be the case. She felt badly about it but was more concerned about his words rather than his mood. DJ glanced at him, staring down at her, his fists clenched. She felt her temper rising and struggled to tamp it down. This wasn't the time to lose control and say something she might regret later on. "I wasn't planning on ever having another....relationship like this," she said, forcing her voice to remain call. "And I fought it....fought it hard for a long time. But things happen." She looked away from him. "So what are you saying?" she asked. "Are you telling me this relationship can't progress to the next level because we work for Starfleet?" "That's not what I said." Nick replied, a little confused. "Starfleet complicates things. You know best how it can be. One day you enjoy your assignment in sunny Florida and the next you're ordered to Cardassia. If one of us was to be reassigned it would...complicate matters." With a deep sigh Nick sat back down and shot a brief glance over to DJ. then he took to staring at his hands which he folded in front of him. "I want to be with you no matter what," he continued to explain as DJ remained silent. "The question is whether you're ready to make the commitment. I know I am but you seem reluctant...a little afraid even. I think I know why and I don't want to rush you and I certainly don't want to push you into doing anything you don't want." "I could have appealed my transfer to Aegis," said DJ turning slightly toward him. "I didn't bother because of you. I decided I would rather be with you than in sunny Florida." Now it was DJ's turn to stand. She walked across the room then wheeled about to look him in the eye. "I know all about complications, Nick. I've lived through the worst of them. Yet I was willing to take another chance...another chance with you." She stopped and drew a deep breath, reminding herself to stay calm. "I'm wondering which one of us is afraid. Because just being together isn't enough for me," she added. Nick frowned. He took his time to think of the right words before answering. "Okay, let me try to get this straight and I'm not trying to be a pain in the rear. I just want to make sure I didn't misunderstand you. A minute ago you wanted to know my intentions so you could 'allow yourself to fall in love with me' and now you're saying you want to marry. Excuse me if this has taken me by surprise but... wow." Nick was genuinely confused but he feared all that his tone reflected was a hint of irritation. He'd never thought they'd get to this point that quickly. "I know you stayed on Aegis because of me but I never asked you to. I never would have asked such a thing of you and I hope you know that. And yes, maybe I am scared. And what scares me is not the prospect that we might have to live apart because of our jobs. I am scared of the responsibility. So far every personal decision I've made affected me and me alone. That's already changed. What if I want to request a new post or resign? Or even, what if I decide to go on a dangerous mission instead of sending someone? It doesn't affect only me anymore. And if you want to know, that's the most troubling notion I've had lately. But I can't change my feelings for you. So, I guess when you asked about my intentions you wanted to know whether I want to marry you or if I consider this just something that's nice while it lasts but nothing that'll last forever. Well, I thought you knew me better than that." "What do you mean you thought I knew you better than that?" DJ planted her hands on her hips and glared at Nick. "I think I know what type of person you are. But how could I know anything about your plans for the future. You've never discussed them with me." She felt her cheeks burning and knew they were probably somewhere between sunset pink and flaming red. "And you're right," she snapped. "You never asked me to stay on Aegis. I understand why. You didn't want to pressure me. It had to be my decision. But a part of me wishes you had asked." She threw her hands up in exasperation. "I made my choice of my own free will. But even though you never asked, you know why I stayed. And while we're at it, let's be clear about one thing. I'm not asking you to marry me. I certainly wouldn't pressure you into doing something you might regret later on." DJ turned her back on him. Her worst fears were coming to fruition. This "talk" had become far more contentious than she ever expected and her attitude and tone of voice wasn't helping. Despite his frustration Nick couldn't really blame DJ. All she wanted was a definite answer to her question and he was determined to give her the right answer. He just didn't know how to say it without looking stupid. After a few seconds' silence Nick got up and stood in front of DJ, reaching out to take her hands. She didn't pull them back as he took them and squeezed them. "DJ, we're in this together. Quite honestly, I never thought this would come so soon but well... I have every intention to marry you. I want you to be the mother of my children and I want to grow old with you. So please, give me the chance to do this the right way." Nick felt a blush spread over his cheeks and his ears were burning. His mouth had gone dry and he hoped DJ wouldn't run. She looked at him through misty eyes and offered him a sheepish grin. "The right way? What does that mean?" Nick was relieved as he saw DJ grin. He shrugged, trying to find a way to tell her what he'd meant without revealing too much. Unfortunately he couldn't think of anything. So he just smiled and said, "Well, you know...the right way. I need to...get a few things done, you know." This sounded lame even to him but he wasn't willing to reveal his plans to her. She studied him curiously for a long moment. A part of her wanted to press him for a more detailed explanation. But another part of her wondered if she really wanted to know. DJ decided it was probably best to let it go. Besides, now that he'd shared his plans with her, there was still one more item she needed to discuss with Nick. And it was a biggie. DJ nodded slightly. "Okay, I'll let you off the hook on that. But there is something else we need to discuss." She looked down at their joined hands and wondered how Nick would react to what she was about to say. "This may be a deal breaker," she began softly. "There's no point beating around the bush, so I'll just come right out and say this." She peered into his eyes, ready to gauge his response. "I can't be your lover until after I'm your wife." It took Nick a moment to understand what DJ had just told him. For a few seconds he didn't know what to answer. Then he just shrugged and tried to act like he didn't mind. At least this explained a thing or two. He pulled her closer into an embrace. "I'm a patient guy," he whispered into her ear as he held her. Now it was DJ's turn to be confused. She leaned against Nick for a long moment, replaying his last remark in her mind over and over again. It finally sunk in. His reaction hadn't been what she expected. She'd thought he would ask for an explanation....for her reasons why....and why not. Instead, he'd surprised her by simply accepting her declaration. He was willing to wait. Relief washed over her like a warm shower. She visibly relaxed to the point where her knees almost buckled. Slipping her arms around him, she pressed her cheek against his and smiled. "Okay," she whispered. "Now I can tell you this. I love you too.....and never more than right now."

Capt Muon Quark -> Alrighty. It is 7 days since the tug Captain incident and we're scheduled to drop out of warp for another tow adjustment. Capt Muon Quark -> Questions? Aliana Lucindak -> ? Capt Muon Quark -> Yes Aliana? Ronin Shephard -> ? Aliana Lucindak -> how long is the journey to breen space supposed to take Aliana Lucindak -> I forgot Lillian Belar -> ? Capt Muon Quark -> Oh about 1 or 2 more sims, or in sim time, about a month. Aliana Lucindak -> ok Aliana Lucindak -> thanks Capt Muon Quark -> Yes Ronin? Ronin Shephard -> was wondering how many tow adjustments was left for the trip but that pretty much answers it Capt Muon Quark -> Alrighty. Lilian? Lillian Belar -> Is Lenny still enjoying jello in sickbay? :P CdrBrown -> sure Capt Muon Quark -> Yes he is, well.... only if he likes jello. Nicolas Lepage -> ! Isabeau Delevan -> He may not be enjoying it anymroe after 7 days ;-) Aliana Lucindak -> lol Aliana Lucindak -> hey Scott Lillian Belar -> hehe Capt Muon Quark -> Yes Nicolas? Rachel E Garrett -> <SCott!> Ronin Shephard -> lol Scott Coleridge -> Sorry, lost track of time Nicolas Lepage -> there's no reason why the guy should still be in sickbay after a whole week. I don't think Picard was out that long after they replaced his artificial heart Aliana Lucindak -> maybe Lenny's a... special person Capt Muon Quark -> Whatever you think is best Doctor. :-) Aliana Lucindak -> or not CdrBrown -> maybe he developed Cushings while in sickbay?? Capt Muon Quark -> Ok, anyone else? [Action] CdrBrown -> pays his royalties to HOUSE MD for use of the word Cushings Nicolas Lepage -> only if we overdosed the corticosteroids Isabeau Delevan -> ::looks at Lily:: Did we? Ronin Shephard -> House of MD? Capt Muon Quark -> Ok, let's get started then, shall we? Capt Muon Quark -> PLACES EVERYONE!! Capt Muon Quark -> READY Capt Muon Quark -> SET Capt Muon Quark -> BEGIN SIM Capt Muon Quark -> BEGIN SIM Capt Muon Quark -> ::on the bridge of the Mercury reading a padd:: Aliana Lucindak -> <<guys, I am going to switch servers>> Aliana Lucindak -> <<hang on one second>> mimipavilion -> ::in sickbay doing something useful:: CdrBrown -> # ::is on the CT, standing tow watch:: Leilani Feretti -> ::in science, looking over area readings:: Rachel E Garrett -> ::In main engineering on the station, preparing to drop from warp:::: Damian Porter -> ::at his station on the bridge:: Nicolas Lepage -> ::in sickbay watching Mimi doing something useful:: Rachel E Garrett -> <do we need symbols for different places?> Isabeau Delevan -> ::in sickbay killing time since Lenny is no longer available:: CdrBrown -> <<those on the Aegis pieces use #>> Rachel E Garrett -> <better killing time than Lenny :D > Joy -> :: In her room, for the moment. :: Rachel E Garrett -> #::pastes on a #::: Lillian Belar -> ::In quarters, changing into uniform.:: Isabeau Delevan -> <as I was sayin' ;-)> Capt Muon Quark -> ACTION: As we near our second stop, which is by the nebula, sensors start to go on the fritz. Ronin Shephard -> ::in fighter bay prepping to launch his team again for recon duty:: +Tiger 2 & 3+ Let's hope a captain doesn't get another heart attack eh? ::hears chuckles over the fighter comm:: Rachel E Garrett -> # ::nip:: Uh oh.... Leilani Feretti -> ::blinks:: Capt Muon Quark -> Mr. Porter. I believe it is time for our second stop. Alert the fleet to drop out of warp on my mark. Aliana Lucindak -> <<bak>> CdrBrown -> # :: sees the sensors go on the fritz:: Leilani Feretti -> ::re-adjusts the modulation of the frequency of the sensors in an attempt to re-eastablish scanning capabilities whilst in the nebula:: Damian Porter -> ::to Muon:: Captain, I think we might want to get someone from Science up here, for the nebula Leilani Feretti -> <wb> Isabeau Delevan -> ::sitting at a work station in Medical:: Nick, are we going to have any civiians aboard Aegis? Nicolas Lepage -> ::thinks about making use of the time on the Mercury for some teambuilding activities:: Rachel E Garrett -> # ::tappitytap:: Um....Scott? Isabeau Delevan -> *civilians Scott Coleridge -> #::Rachel:: Um...yes Rachel? Aliana Lucindak -> ::in main science checking the sensors:: Damian Porter -> +FLEET+ Mercury Operations to Fleet, prepare to drop out of warp Capt Muon Quark -> Problem Mr. Porter? Leilani Feretti -> They just started to act funny as we began to slow for our second stop CdrBrown -> +Aegis Engineering+ We are dropping out of warp. stanby Isabeau Delevan -> ::glancing from console to Nick as she asks about the civilians:: Damian Porter -> Just the nebula captain, throwing the sensors off, nothing unexpected, they just know how to deal with it better Rachel E Garrett -> #+Brown+ Standing by. ::wonders where Scott ran off to::: Lillian Belar -> ::Slips out of the quarters and into a TL.:: sickbay. Aliana Lucindak -> Leilani> hmmm, maybe its the nebula Aliana Lucindak -> <<we are near the nebula right?>> Rachel E Garrett -> #::looks around:: Oh...there you are... Damian Porter -> Captain, the Fleet is notified, standing by to drop out of warp Rachel E Garrett -> # It's kinda hard to read anything on these sensors 'cause of the neubla. Yathink it might cause problems? Le Morte -> <<greets all...isp still a bit wonky>> Leilani Feretti -> Maybe it is. Remember that the similiar even happened last week, during our first stop. Aliana Lucindak -> <<that sucks>> Joy -> :: Notes it is about time to break into normal space. Decides to get out of her room for a bit. :: Capt Muon Quark -> ::nods:: Very well. Alert Feretti and let her know. Ronin Shephard -> +Tiger 2 & 3+ All right guys, prepare to launch Leilani Feretti -> Well.. Aliana Lucindak -> Leilani> hmm... maybe it has to do with the stops Capt Muon Quark -> Ok, Mr. Porter... ready set........ MARK. Nicolas Lepage -> ::shrugs:: We certainly won't be keeping them away but who'd want to be out there? Probably a few scientists. Damian Porter -> +Feretti+ Porter to Feretti, we're dropping out of warp near the nebula, please send one of your people to take over science up here Ronin Shephard -> +porter+ Fighters 1, 2, & 3 requesting permission to launch Damian Porter -> +Fleet+ Mercury OPS to Fleet, drop out of warp Joy -> :: Steps onto the ship's bridge, and very quietly settles in to observe :: Capt Muon Quark -> <<Greetings Le Morte, we just started>> mimipavilion -> ::goes over to her desk and files some things:: Isabeau Delevan -> ::glumly:: I'm going to miss some of our civilians who had shops on the Midway:: Scott Coleridge -> #::Rachel:: It could be. What are our options on reduced power? Rachel E Garrett -> # ::rolleyes:: Options? Damian Porter -> +Shephard+ Flight OPS to Tiger 1, please stand by until we've finished this manoeuvre Aliana Lucindak -> ::double checks the sensors:: Lillian Belar -> ::Enters sickbay.:: Nicolas Lepage -> I'm sure there will be others to run at least a few shops. You know how it is...people tend to disregard the risks when there is money to be made. ::thinking of a specific species:: Isabeau Delevan -> ::brightening a bit:: Maybe we'll get some new civilians. There's sure to be those who regnize an entreprenurial opportunity. Ronin Shephard -> +Porter+ Understood standing by [Action] CdrBrown -> sits in the chair and waits. Capt Muon Quark -> ACTION: As one, the fleet drops out of warp. Scott Coleridge -> #::Rachel:: For compensating. Rachel E Garrett -> # ::tap, point::: Well, ::jerks a bit as they drop from warp::: Isabeau Delevan -> Hello, Lily. ::smiles as she comes in, while feeling the ship drop out of warp:: Ah...here we go again. Rachel E Garrett -> # We have short range and maybe can tap into Mercury's set, but I guess theirs are out too. Capt Muon Quark -> +BROWN+ Quark to Brown. Status report. Isabeau Delevan -> ::crossing her figners that no one else has a coronary:: Isabeau Delevan -> *fingers Damian Porter -> ::follows the sensor readings:: Rachel E Garrett -> # But short or long on all frequencies there's interference. Aliana Lucindak -> replicator> hot cocoa please CdrBrown -> #+Quark+ everything looks good on my gauges here. let me get my engineer's reports Aliana Lucindak -> ::sips her cocoa:: CdrBrown -> +Engineering+ status update Rachel E Garrett -> # ::long think::: Best guess, maybe? Scott Coleridge -> #::Rachel:: Ah. ::jabs at his console to activate the automatic diagnostic routines:: mimipavilion -> ::the ship dropping out of warp doesn't bother her mimipavilion -> ::* Capt Muon Quark -> ::nods as if Brown can see her:: +BROWN+ Acknowledged. Lillian Belar -> ::Smiles.:: I hope someone else didn't have a heart attack. Damian Porter -> +Shephard+ Flight OPS to Tiger 1, sending you updates on fleet position, you're cleared for take off Rachel E Garrett -> # ::press:: +Brown+ We're good, Sir. Capt Muon Quark -> +BROWN+ We need to make this stop as quick as possible. I don't like being anywhere near this nebula. Nicolas Lepage -> ::looks at lily:: If someone does I'll hold you responsible...you may just have jonxed it you know. ::grins:: Isabeau Delevan -> Hmm, if it happens again we'd be ripe to start a rumor about cursed impulse engines. Damian Porter -> +Feretti+ Ops to Feretti, please come in Le Morte -> ::Enters Main science lab:: Aliana Lucindak -> <<I think she is AFK>> Ronin Shephard -> +Porter+ Understood, Fighter Team 1 launching +Tiger 2 & 3+ Launch on my mark .... Mark ::engages launch sequance:: Aliana Lucindak -> LeMorte> good _Morning/afternoon/evening_ CdrBrown -> #+Eng+ roger. get with the tug crew and lets make this quick. Skipper doesn't want us near the nebula for long... Capt Muon Quark -> ACTION: For a few seconds, the sensors work perfectly. This indicate increased radiation coming from the nebula. Le Morte -> Aliana/Leilani>Hey there... Lillian Belar -> ::Folds arms.:: Hey, I'm no jinx Capt Muon Quark -> *They Aliana Lucindak -> ::looks at sensors:: hmmm CdrBrown -> #:points at his science officer:: scan for radiation and any other phenomena coming from the nebula Damian Porter -> +SCIENCE+ OPS to Science, please come in Nicolas Lepage -> Guess we'll find out. Aliana Lucindak -> +Porter+ this is ensign Lucindak CdrBrown -> #+Quark+ Engineering reports all good on this end Isabeau Delevan -> ::giving Lily a considering look:: Yes, but you would disagree with it---the jinks the jonahs...they never realize it's them... Isabeau Delevan -> *jinxes Le Morte -> :;Looking over Aliana shoulder...at the monitor...Hmmmm...indeed Capt Muon Quark -> +BROWN+ Acknowledged. Leilani Feretti -> <sorry bak> Damian Porter -> +Aliana+ Ensign, as we're close to the nebula, please come up here to take over the science station, you guys know more about this than I do Le Morte -> <<wb>> Aliana Lucindak -> +Porter+ yes sir Aliana Lucindak -> <<wb>> Nicolas Lepage -> ::looks up as the doors open as two people walk in supporting an injured crewman:: Rachel E Garrett -> # ::Scott:: this makes no sense. Radiation increase and the sensors work. You'd think the opposite would happen, huh? Rachel E Garrett -> # ::headshake:: Weird. Damian Porter -> +Shephard+ Flight OPS to Tiger 1, please report your status Rachel E Garrett -> # Strange nebula, I guess. Isabeau Delevan -> ::also looking up as the doors open--sees the injury and gives Lily a 'look' as if to say --'hmm...you're a jinx':: Ronin Shephard -> +Tiger 2 & 3+ I want Tiger 3 to take position on the farthest side away from the nebule, Tiger two, get on my wing, and lets recon that nebula a bit Scott Coleridge -> #::Rachel:: Hmm ... unless the radiation in question is different from the radiation that's affecting the nebula, in which case the increase is strong enough to register even on our impaired sensors. mimipavilion -> ::looks at the doors to see the injured crewmember::hmmm Aliana Lucindak -> Leilani> pardon me chief, but OPS asked you to send someone up to the bridge to man the science station up there Scott Coleridge -> #::Rachel:: Perhaps from another ship? Or some sort of weird anomaly _within_ the nebula? Rachel E Garrett -> # ::eyes wide:: You think we should tell someone? Nicolas Lepage -> ::hurries forward to help them:: What happened. Aliana Lucindak -> Leilani> also, the sensors are clear now... Nicolas Lepage -> <<?*>> Le Morte -> ::looking at his monitor on the long range scanners:: Leilani Feretti -> Oh, of course. I overheard Mr. Porter asking you up. mimipavilion -> ::walks over to Nick to see if she can be of assistance:: Ronin Shephard -> +Porter+ Tiger 2 & I are heading to scout the nearby section of hte nebula for anything dangerous that might be hiding, tiger 3 is on the far side from us Rachel E Garrett -> # ::lipbite::: Sounds scary. Leilani Feretti -> They are? Great. Go ahead and head up if you wish. Isabeau Delevan -> ::following behind Nick, interested in what's happened:: Aliana Lucindak -> Leilani> alright. then I will, go up Leilani Feretti -> Cool. Lillian Belar -> ::Shakes her head at Isa, reading her thought. She would argue, but she turns her attention to the injured creman instead.:: Aliana Lucindak -> ::exits main science and enters tl:: bridge please Leilani Feretti -> Nice to know the sensors are back up. Nicolas Lepage -> Crewman 1> I don't know. We found him lying on the deck. Damian Porter -> +Shephard+ Understood, please keep us updated, Flight OPS out Scott Coleridge -> #::shrugs:: We have smart science people somewhere, right? They'll figure it out if it's important. Isabeau Delevan -> ::sees he's not terribly injured and waits to see what Nick wants to do:: Capt Muon Quark -> ACTION: Engineering teams on the three station tugs go to work on readjusting the tractor. Leilani Feretti -> <We do? Where? :) > Rachel E Garrett -> # ::alarmed:: Yeah, but if they don't get the connection, like we do? Aliana Lucindak -> ::exits tl and enters bridge, going over to the science station:: CdrBrown -> #+Tug Titan+ Cap, the faster the better on this Aliana Lucindak -> <<lol>> Nicolas Lepage -> ::helps the injurd crewman onto a biobed:: Rachel E Garrett -> # ::Scott::: and maybe they're on break or something and didn't pick it up? Le Morte -> Leilani> Indeed...that is a plus,hmmm...the radiation levels from the nebula appear to have increased...hmmmm Ronin Shephard -> +Tiger 2 & 3+ Lets keep an open comm link. If someone drops out, retreat to the edge of hte nebula and contact the Mercury Leilani Feretti -> Is it anything we need to be concerned about? Scott Coleridge -> #::Rachel:: Telling them would require us to talk to people. Leilani Feretti -> If you know what I mean Rachel E Garrett -> # So? Damian Porter -> ::to Muon:: Captain, the nebula's giving our sensors trouble, but the fighters are out and they can clear the situation up a bit Scott Coleridge -> #::sighs:: Nicolas Lepage -> ::turns to the other doctors:: I want every scan you can think of done. Let's try to find out what happened. Le Morte -> Possibly if we stay here too long...close to the source Capt Muon Quark -> ::nods to Porter:: Very well. They can help be our eyes and ears for a bit. Scott Coleridge -> #::Rachel:: You can go ahead and talk to them if you'd like. I'm going to bury my head in the sandy desert of diagnostics and structural integrity corrections. Leilani Feretti -> <I knelt on my pen and it cracked. :/ > Nicolas Lepage -> ::motions for the two crewmen to follwo him:: Aliana Lucindak -> ::scanning the nebula and radiation levels:: Aliana Lucindak -> <<that can happen>> Leilani Feretti -> <especially when it's a cheap Bic> Rachel E Garrett -> # ::armcross, Lt or not:: What_ever. Damian Porter -> ::to Aliana:: I can reroute the fighter's sensor readings to your station, might help you a bit Ronin Shephard -> + Tiger 2 + lets both establish a datafeed to the mercury so they can take a look as well ::starts the data feed from his fighter: Rachel E Garrett -> #+Brown+ Station Ops to Commander Brown. Possible situation. Scott Coleridge -> <<Why did you kneel on your pen?>> CdrBrown -> #+Garrett+ doesn't sound good. whatcha got? Leilani Feretti -> <I dropped my mouse and knelt down to pick it up, then I knelt on the pen, lol> Scott Coleridge -> #::begins prioritizing adjustments to structural integrity at points along the pylon:: Nicolas Lepage -> Crewmen 1&2> ::looking nervous:: Sir? Rachel E Garrett -> <Cause she didn't have a ruler?> Aliana Lucindak -> Damian> that would indeed help. thank you mimipavilion -> ::nods:: I'll do neural scans. Le Morte -> Leilani> I might suggest increasing power to the shields should the rad count progressively higher mimipavilion -> ::starts doing all neural scans:: Le Morte -> *go Leilani Feretti -> Good call. Let's do it. Damian Porter -> ::taps on his console and establishes a link to the science console:: You'll have them in a minute Leilani Feretti -> Work with Mr. Porter on that Rachel E Garrett -> #+Brown+ Sir, the increased radiation in the nebula increased our sensor capability which is the opposite of what should happen. The only explanation is that there is something within the nebula, maybe a ship, that would boost our sensors temporarily....l Aliana Lucindak -> <<afk for a second>> Rachel E Garrett -> #+Brown+ And the increase was artificial, not from the nebula. Ronin Shephard -> +Porter+ Tiger 2 and I are entering the nebula, ... Standby, we need to rotate the data feed to work with this radiation ::closes data feed and lets the computer find a workable freqency:: Nicolas Lepage -> Ok, tell me everything you know. Where did you find him and did you notice anything? Damian Porter -> ::frowns at the sensor readings:: Aliana Lucindak -> <<bak>> Le Morte -> Leilani>agreed...+Porter+LeMorte to bridge Capt Muon Quark -> ACTION: Data from the fighter wing comes in to the Mercury science station. Aliana Lucindak -> ::looks over the fighters readings :: Damian Porter -> +LeMorte+ Go ahead Isabeau Delevan -> ::sees Mimi doing the neural scans, and begins a tox panel:: Lillian Belar -> I'll scan for radiation. It's possible a substance from the nebula could cause this. ::Grabs a tricorder and begins scanning.:: CdrBrown -> #+Garrett+ how can another ship increase our sensors?? or is this outside source just clearing up the nebula? let me see if the Merc is having a similar issue Leilani Feretti -> ::replicates a cup of green tea:: Ronin Shephard -> +Tiger 2+ Change your datafeed to freq. to 182.73 CdrBrown -> ACTION> Sensor data becomes scant again as the interference returns to expected levels Le Morte -> +Porter+ We are keeping an eye on the rad count,should it progress higher...suggest allocating additionial power to the shields...to be safe Rachel E Garrett -> # +Brown+ Whatever it is, sir, is not natural. And whether it clears it up or boosts our sensors, it sill means there is something there, Sir. Aye, standing by. Aliana Lucindak -> hmmm Capt Muon Quark -> <<I only said the sensors cleared up for a few seconds. They are still flaky>> Aliana Lucindak -> strange... Damian Porter -> +LeMorte+ Gotcha, I'll keep in touch with Ensign Lucindak on that Isabeau Delevan -> ::stands by while computer does analyses on Tox screening:: Nicolas Lepage -> Crewman 2> He was lying there on the floor. Didn't move. I checked on him and he woke up but said he felt all weird. CdrBrown -> #+Mercury+ Aegis to Mercury. any issues with your sensors? we seem to have had an extended period of clarity... Le Morte -> +Porter+Acknowledged Rachel E Garrett -> # ::checking again, moving back to the sensor logs to verify::deep sigh::: Nicolas Lepage -> Crewman 1> ::looks at Crewman 2:: and there was the open panel...he was lying beside an open panel. Damian Porter -> ::to Aliana:: Let me know if the readings suggest dangerous radiation levels Capt Muon Quark -> ::sighs:: +BROWN+ Negative Mr. Brown. They're sporadic, just as expected. Isabeau Delevan -> ::checks for scan results and tpas Nick on the arm:: Dr. Lepage...his blood scanare normal. mimipavilion -> ::looks at the scans she's recieve:: Scott Coleridge -> #+Jamie, Adam+ All right, diagnostics show we need to reinforce the upper docking ports. Proceed there and make a visual inspection. Ronin Shephard -> ::both fighters restablish the datafeed to the mercury:: +Tiger 2+ Increase distence between us to 150,000 km, we can check more of hte nebula, but stay in contact with the mercury ::moves away a bit:: Isabeau Delevan -> *taps Nicolas Lepage -> ::calls over to Lillian, Mimi and Isabeau:: See if you can find burn marks on his hands or arms. CdrBrown -> #+Quark+ Understood captain. Le Morte -> Leilani>Would you tye our sensors into the bridges,and see about a link up with the fighters sensors...please::tapping away at the sensors lateral array:: Damian Porter -> ::Muon:: Captain, I suggest we inform medical about the proximity to the nebula, so they can get prepared for possible problems with the radiation Aliana Lucindak -> <<ruddy backspace button>> Leilani Feretti -> Sure. mimipavilion -> ::hears nick and looks at his arms and hands:: Isabeau Delevan -> ::watching Mimi check for burns:: Capt Muon Quark -> ::blinks at Mr. Porter:: What? You haven't done that already? You're slipping Mr. Porter. ::grins:: Rachel E Garrett -> # ::Headshake, reviewing the logs::: Leilani Feretti -> ::links our sensors to the bridge's and fighter's:: CdrBrown -> #+Garrett+ no other reports of the clarity we saw coming from the Merc or other vessels... after we get clear of the nebula, transmit those sensor logs to science, could be worth a look or 2...... whats our time to adjustment? Damian Porter -> I'm sorry captain, I'm working three positions at once Le Morte -> Leilani>It may enhance our scans as per say...give us a better view of whats in there::grins...tapping away:: Leilani Feretti -> THat'll help. mimipavilion -> ::nick:: minimal burns on arms and his hands Nicolas Lepage -> ::nods to the two Crewmen:: you'd better get back on duty. You can check on your friend later. Rachel E Garrett -> # +Brown+ Aye, sir. Will transfer when we are clear. ETA is 10 minutes. Aliana Lucindak -> ::checking between the fighters sensor readings and the ships:: Capt Muon Quark -> +LEPAGE+ Doctor, please work with science to monitor the radiation levels. I assume you were already aware of the nebula an are taking steps already. Ronin Shephard -> +Porter+ What class nebula is this? it seems to have slipped my mind. Damian Porter -> +Lepage+ Ops to Lepage, be advised we're close to a nebula, prepare for possible side effects of the radiation, I will inform you if we reach critical levels Leilani Feretti -> ::initiates procedure and displays results on the main console:: Isabeau Delevan -> ::wonders if the poor guy was electrocuted:: Damian Porter -> <<ionno, what class is it?>> Scott Coleridge -> #Adam> +Scott+ Yeah, we're already here, sir. There's considerable weakening along the outer hull due to the stresses exerted by the tractor. Jamie's setting up several portable resonance generators to reinforce the hull plating. CdrBrown -> #+Garrett+ 10 minutes, understood CdrBrown -> #+Quark+ should be another 10 minutes mimipavilion -> ::Isabeau:: could you start treating his burns Isabeau Delevan -> Mim, did his neural scans showed higher than normal neural trasnmitters? Isabeau Delevan -> *Mimi Ronin Shephard -> <<not sure if anyone ever said what class it was.>> Lillian Belar -> I'm getting some faint traces of radiation. Could be residue from whatever caused the burns. Capt Muon Quark -> +BROWN+ Acknowledged. ::breaths a sigh of relief:: Nicolas Lepage -> +MUON+ I'm on it, Captain. so far I can't discern and danger for the crew. Scott Coleridge -> #Jamie> <in background> This will let us test the myth that a resonance generator can be used to disrupt a tractor beam _outside_ the container of the generator! mimipavilion -> ::Isabeau:: yes they did about a 1% increase Le Morte -> ::Looking at the main console screen as the data compiles...::Computer> Begin grid pattern intensive sensor scans...varying frequiencies and note any anomalies,and enhance Capt Muon Quark -> +LEPAGE+ Excellent news. Isabeau Delevan -> Of course, Mimi... Lily his blood showed no radiation posioning. I think he got a nasty shock. CdrBrown -> ACTION> Radiaiton levels continue to steadily increase Capt Muon Quark -> Mr. Porter, give me fleet wide hail please. Isabeau Delevan -> Is his heart rhtymn erratic? Aliana Lucindak -> hmm Nicolas Lepage -> ::Walks over to a console and grumbles:: Damian Porter -> ::taps on his console to open a channel:: Nicolas Lepage -> Injured Crewman> ::groans:: Damian Porter -> comm link established, Captain mimipavilion -> ::isabeau:: a little but not much Nicolas Lepage -> ::takes a look at the readings coming in:: Damian Porter -> ::looks at Aliana:: anything the matter? Isabeau Delevan -> ::getting an antiseptic, a dermal regnerator and a hypo full of somethign ncie and soothing along with a helluva antibiotic. mimipavilion -> ::crewman:: calm down we're taking care of you Nicolas Lepage -> +Leilani+ How close are we to that nebula? Isabeau Delevan -> ::gives him the injection, and begins working on his right hand and arm:: Aliana Lucindak -> Porter> the radiation levels are steadily rising Leilani Feretti -> :;scans:: 3.2 LY Scott Coleridge -> #::blinks:: +Adam, Jamie+ Don't do anything ... too exciting. You know how the chief doesn't like exciting. Le Morte -> ::Looking at the grid overlay of the Nebula...Hmmm...::Computer> localise source and focal point of increased radiation emision,enhance and magnify Isabeau Delevan -> ::lifting her eyes:: The analgesic will be kciking in now...he'll relax Capt Muon Quark -> +FLEET+ This is Captain Quark. Please increase shield strength to compensate for the radiation coming from the nebula. We're outta here in about 5 minutes. Rachel E Garrett -> # ::doin stuff::doesn't like exciting either::: Nicolas Lepage -> Injured Crewman> ::just starting to fully regain consciousness...gasping for air:: Scott Coleridge -> ::Rachel:: Why did we stop in a nebula anyway? Damian Porter -> ::to Aliana:: let me kow if they're reaching dangerous levels Scott Coleridge -> #::Rachel:: Why not at a tropical resort? Aliana Lucindak -> Porter> yes sir mimipavilion -> ::crewman:: calm down and breathe Rachel E Garrett -> # ::Scott, still working:: ya got me. Someone didn't get a Garmin for Christmas? Le Morte -> *emission Nicolas Lepage -> Injured Crewman> ::passes out again as the analgesics take effect:: Capt Muon Quark -> ::glances over to Amb Joy:: This makes me nervous..... mimipavilion -> ::shrugs:: Joy -> :: nods :: What can one do, though? Ronin Shephard -> +Tiger 2+ Okay lets head back to hte mercury, there doesn't seem to be much here. Let's go ::executes a 180 degree turn around:: +Porter+ Tiger 2 and i and heading back, prepare for our arrival Joy -> Does the radiation at all resemble anything we saw from the Breen? Nicolas Lepage -> ::starting to get worried at the radiation levels:: Aliana Lucindak -> Porter> if the radiations keeps rising at this pace, we could have some trouble in a little bit. god forbid it speeds up. Damian Porter -> +Shephard+ Understood, what's your ETA? Isabeau Delevan -> ::pleased with regeneration of tissue on right arm, moves around bed to minster to the left:: Leilani Feretti -> ::looks over scansLL Leilani Feretti -> :: Isabeau Delevan -> *minister Nicolas Lepage -> +QUARK+ Captain, at the rate the radiation levels are rising we should think about getting out of here as quickly as possible. Capt Muon Quark -> ::shakes head:: No, nothing from the Breen as far as we can tell. It's the standard radiation from the nebula so far. Capt Muon Quark -> +LEPAGE+ Understood. Just a few more minutes Doctor. Le Morte -> ::Tapping away on the lcars on the main sensor console...watching as the computer works:: mimipavilion -> ::to anyone:: The patient is stabilizing Capt Muon Quark -> ACTION: The engineering crews work quickly to complete the adjustments. Le Morte -> Leilani>I wonder if we are being probed,or scanned ourselves? Isabeau Delevan -> ::double checking ehr work on left hand, concerned movement range of his fingers may be affected:: Tht's very good news, Mimi Rachel E Garrett -> # ::waiting for notice from the tug crews, who are working on adjustments::: mimipavilion -> ::isabeau:: it is indeed Leilani Feretti -> I haven't detected anything that would suggest that, but it is something to keep in mind of. Ronin Shephard -> +porter+ 2 minutes, but we might want to get checked out by sickbay, just incase the fighters sheilds weren't enough while we were in there:: Leilani Feretti -> Try looking for anything that may seem out of the ordinary or similiar to anything in our datatbases Le Morte -> ::Rubs his chinny chin,chin...Hmmmm:: Capt Muon Quark -> ACTION: As the radiation levels rise, we prepare to warp for the next part of the journey..... Capt Muon Quark -> AND - - - - - - Capt Muon Quark -> PAUSE SIM Capt Muon Quark -> PAUSE SIM

The Mercury was three days out from Cardassia and headed for the Portas system. Sickbay was still bright, shiny and new and business was slow and that was all well and good but it also left everyone at something of a loose end. Her shift over for the day, Isabeau left Medical and toyed with the idea of going for a run but the treadmill route didn't appeal to her. She wondered what Nick was doing. He'd been off today, maybe he felt like getting some exercise in. Tapping her comm badge, she gave him a call. "Nicolas, it's me. What are you doing?" Nick jerked awake as the comm came in. He sat up slowly. The book he had been reading slid down to the floor and he glanced at it as if it was an alien life form that had just invaded his quarters. He ran a hand over his face and when he thought he was awake enough to answer he cleared his throat and tapped his commbadge. "Who is 'me' and why do you want to know what I'm doing?" he asked, knowing full well it was Isabeau who had commed him. A grin spread across his face as he imagined her rolling her eyes. She rolled her eyes. "It's me, and it's not that I want to know what you're doing so much as I want to know if you'd like to do something with me. I'm thinking of going for a run or something but maybe on the holodeck. What do you think?" Despite his best efforts Nick didn't quite manage to suppress a chuckle. "Ok, Sweetie Pie, if you're willing to give an old man five minutes to get ready, I'll be there." "I look forward to it, Sugar Beets. I have to go change too, meet you in a few." Old man, my ass, she thought as she headed for her quarters to change. He always said that just to annoy her since she was a year older. Nick might have been a little worried if he could have seen her smile when she thought of the perfect program to run. *** Nick was standing in front of the holodeck, waiting for Isabeau. He felt a bit strange standing in the corridor, wearing the hiking outfit, which Isabeau told him, would be appropriate for her plans. Actually he wasn't quite sure whether to be looking forward to the trip or if it'd be safer to come up with an excuse and run for it while he still had a chance. At least there are no mosquitoes on the holodeck, he thought as he saw Isabeau appear around the corner. "You look ready to enjoy nature," she said with a smile as she walked past him to the panel outside the holodeck. Her own clothes echoed his-walking shorts, hiking boots and a t-shirt with a long sleeve shirt worn open over it. "Well, may I remind you that this isn't exactly nature? By the way, what have you picked for us?" He asked with a mixture of interest and trepidation. Isabeau tapped in her request, and adjusted the difficulty setting before turning to Nick with a warm smile. "It's distilled nature and for our purposes, it's perfect. And besides," she added dryly, “as I recall you don't particularly care for nature all that much." She remembered how unhappy he'd been while on Najera, one of the most beautiful natural settings she'd ever been to. He grinned as they waited for the computer to set up their program. "You know, nature is nice as long as it doesn't have mosquitoes and lethal animals all over the place. so are you going to tell me what this is?" "Lethal animals?" She looked sideways at him as they stood outside the double doors. "What are you talking about? And this is a simple all terrain hiking program that will allow an 'old man' like you to get in some exercise without breaking a hip." Nick doubted the program was as easy as Isabeau claimed it to be. She would never settle for 'easy'. Besides the words 'all terrain' confirmed his suspicions but he could do with the exercise and knowing how much Isabeau enjoyed this kind of thing he decided to make the sacrifice even though he would certainly regret it afterwards. As the computer informed them they could enter the holodeck Nick stepped up to the doors and walked in. What he saw looked surprisingly inviting. He stepped onto the hiking trail that led through a forest of huge pine trees. Sunbeams were slanting through the treetops and he could hear a woodpecker somewhere overhead. The underbrush was dense but not impenetrable and the smell of wet soil, resin and mushrooms completed the illusion. "Wow, Isabeau, I didn't know you'd do this kind of thing. I always thought your trips always involved venomous snakes and crocodiles," he turned around to looks at Isabeau. "That is what I meant by lethal animals. You know animals that can kill you. "What do you mean 'this kind of thing'? I love being outdoors.” She slanted him a look as she stepped onto the springy path, feeling the pine needles slide a bit under her boots. "You've been on one trip with me and you lived to tell the tale." She narrowed her eyes a bit, as they fell into step with each other and started up the trail. "Of course, you tell a very bitter and one-sided version of the tale but I begin to think your complaining hides a nervous disposition. That snake would never have bitten you if you had followed my advice and not moved so quickly. You scared it.” "A nervous disposition?" Nick spluttered. "You grew up with that kind of thing. Where I come from the most vicious animals are black flies and skunks. Excuse my instincts to keep myself alive." "Yes, yes, of course, I understand. Forgive me for being so callous of your feelings, mon cher, I can be so insensitive at times." She made a face that screamed 'Heaven help me', and picked up the pace a bit since they were now warmed up. Nick smiled as he listened to her. "Yeah, right just make fun of me. I can take it. I forgive you. Talking about forgiveness, I never had the chance to ask you about the Spector." The segue surprised her and she glanced over to him curiously. "Ask me what? I told you what happened. What has 'forgiveness' got to do with that cluster?" The path they were on started sloping steeply down and she automatically shifted her weight back to compensate. She also heard a far distant rumble of thunder. Nick looked up as he heard the thunder. However, he didn't comment on it but rather stayed with the topic at hand. "Yes, you told me what happened but you never told me if you...well had come to terms with stuff. I mean, you got demoted because this guy betrayed you and you loved him." "I got demoted because I was stupid and lacked any kind of judgment when it came to Michael Lindsey." Isabeau lifted her face to the sudden cool breeze and heard the thunder rumble a little louder it was getting closer. The programmed afternoon thunderstorm was rolling in. She had loved him. Part of her still did. The stupid part. "Are you asking me if I've forgiven him or if I've forgiven myself for being an idiot?" Nick shrugged and chose his words carefully. "Why would you be an idiot? You fell in love with a guy who, no doubt, was very charming. I'm sure you couldn't have suspected he was only planning to use you. And you know, these things happen...I mean falling in love with the wrong person. Trust me, I know what I'm talking about." By now a light rain had set in but Nick ignored it. However, he was sure when the thunderstorm came nearer the light rain would turn into a downpour. The light rain deepened the scent of the pine and the soil and Isabeau wished they were actually on a camping trip and not just running through a programmed hour. She wished it wasn't a holodeck and somewhere down this path was a campsite with a campfire and maybe some fresh fish waiting to be fried up. In this artificial place you could forget that on the other side of hidden doors was a world where you made wrong choices because the choices weren't clear or maybe you just couldn’t see your way clear to making the right choices. "I wonder ...well, wondered about that you know." She didn't look at him because it was easier not to. "Did he really just meet me, take one look and think 'Yep, she's an easy mark' and just go from there?" The rain was falling faster now, and the trail was turning muddy, and was still very steep. "I'd like to think it wasn't easy for him to do what he did." "I don't know. If he really loved you I think what he did is even worse. He sold you out just to save his own butt. You could have faced worse consequences than a demotion. And, Isabeau," at this point he looked over to her and noticed she avoided to look at him. "Whatever you think, I want you to know that this jerk just didn't deserve you." She tucked a sodden strand of hair behind her ear and gave him a grateful smile. "It is his loss, right?" "Exactly! And I'm sure one day you'll find the right guy who'll love to run off to the jungle, live in small huts and raise a lot of babies, you'll see." Nick's tone was teasing. He knew Isabeau had no intention of having children anytime soon, something he had learned during her visit to his family. "Talking about babies," he added with a sigh. "One of these days I'll have to introduce DJ to my family." Nick loved his family but especially his grandmother had the habit to be very direct when it came to mentioning her wish to have great-grandchildren soon. "Yes, you will and wouldn't I like to be a fly on the wall when you introduce DJ to the Lepage Horde." Isabeau laughed just thinking about it, painful memories pushed aside by the comical mental image. "By the way, my brother Andy and his wife are very happy living in the jungle with their family. I still think you should visit them for an upriver excursion next time you get back home. They'd show you a good time--you'd love the piranha." Isabeau realized the trail was evening out, and the downpour was ending. The trees were also thinning. "Yeah right, you'd have the time of your life, I'm sure. I'm just afraid they'll scare her off. You know how grand-maman can be." Nick fell silent as he tried to imagine the conversation. He was really nervous about it and every time he thought about this he started feeling slightly sick. He took a deep breath and looked ahead. To his surprise the trees were giving way to a desert. "Wow, talk about all terrain." "Yes, the sun feels good after the rain, doesn't it?" The trail was now very sandy and the trees had completely given way to the shrubs and grasses of a desert. He nodded. "Yeah, though I have a feeling that by the time we're through this desert I'll be longing for some more rain." With every step Nick's feet sank into the sand up to his ankles and going was more difficult than even in the mud. "You don't know what the trail holds--I haven't let you down yet, have I?" "No you haven't," Nick agreed with a smile. "And I'm not about to start now." Isabeau smiled as the trail they followed curved around and suddenly they were on a high cliff that overlooked a green valley with a silver ribbon of river flowing through it. "Voilà!" She turned from the panoramic view to Nick. "Gorgeous, isn't it?" The sudden change in the landscape startled Nick a little. "Wow, we should go for a swim." "Easy enough, I know I'd at least like to get these boots off. You want to go down first?" Isabeau leaned over the edge and felt the updraft breeze against her skin. Nick searched his surroundings and then looked back at Isabeau. "And just how are we supposed to get down there?" She pointed to the steel cable attached to a post and the harness hanging from it. "Zip line." "Zip line," Nick repeated somewhat incredulously. "You're not serious about this, are you?" "I'm always serious. It's you who never takes me seriously." She walked over and lifted the harness. "Come on, it's what caught my eye in this program. It'll be too much fun." She proffered the harness in his direction. "You go first." Nick resisted the urge to call for the exit and walked over. He took the harness in his hands and held it up. "This is exactly why I never take you seriously. So, you want me to try this first to see if I'll break my neck, eh?" He leaned forward just a little to look down the cliff. Then he turned around and looks at Isabeau, trying to hide his concern. "Do I want to know how this thing stops?" "Well, if you were more like me, you would take it on faith that it will stop and that would be part of the adventure--the not being quite sure, however, you being you, will be very comforted by the fact that at the end is a net and you'll be caught safely." Isabeau's eyes sparkled with barely contained laughter. The look on Nick's face was priceless. "I suppose you always read the end of a story first too, to make sure it all turns out ok." He carefully put on the harness, making sure it fit. "I don't know why I always do this." His voice was resigned. "You do it because deep down you trust me!" Isabeau grinned at him. "Yeah, somewhere really deep down. If I die down there I'll come back to haunt you for the rest of your life, Isabeau!" "Well, if you do come back, would you bring the harness back up with you? Because as it is, I'm going to have to pull it back up after you get the ride of your life." Isabeau started laughing and gave him a shove.

From: Lieutenant Commander Nicolas Lepage, CMO Sky Harbor Aegis To: Commander Brian Brown, XO Sky Harbor Aegis CC: Captain Muon Quark, CO Sky Harbor Aegis Subject: Status of the medical department and updated reports on recent missions Status report Most functions of Main Sickbay (pylon A) and the Secondary Sickbay (pylon B ) will be transferred to the USS Mercury. Both facilities on Aegis will serve as emergency facilities where minor health issues can be treated. In case of the need of more extensive treatment patients will only receive emergency treatment to allow for their save transfer to the USS Mercury. Surgical and long term wards will be shut down for the duration of the move and completely transferred to the USS Mercury. The transfer will be completed in 48 hours. The diplomats' medical facilities have already been shut down and will be reopened once the move is complete. Until then diplomats will be treated in the USS Mercury's Main Sickbay. Recent missions reports (updates) Three doctors are currently on Cardassia Prime to determine the situation concerning the Cardassian Haemorrhagic Fever. They will examine treatment facilities as well as the possibilities of producing the medications needed to contain the disease. Furthermore, research continues to determine the exact cause of the symptoms found with the former slaves (stowaways). The results of this research might help us evaluate the current situation in Breen space and learn more of the recent events. In addition to the evaluation of medical infrastructure on Cardassia Prime there have been surveys on the ability of Cardassia to provide medical care for its citizens. The results have shown that Cardassia will still need the Federation's support to ensure medical care especially during crisis situations. However, Cardassia should be able to provide basic care for all its citizens without support from Aegis.

Nick leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. Admiral Goran had left 30 minutes ago and now he needed a break. He felt stupid for his reaction to Goran's remarks. The smartest thing would have been just to sit there and let the man talk. No comments or attempts to justify on his, Nick's part. Just sit, listen and forget about it. Easy as that. Instead he was still fuming. Nick had just gotten up to get a coffee from the replicator when someone knocked on the door. After placing his order he looked toward the door. Seeing DJ, he waved her in. "Can I get you anything while I'm already standing here," he asked with a smile that didn't quite mask his exhaustion. Pausing at the door, DJ studied Nick for a long moment and then nodded. "Yes, thanks," she replied. "I'll take a hot chocolate....with whipped cream." She continued into his office and took a seat in front of his desk. She was pleasantly surprised by his seemingly good mood. The meeting with the Admiral had only taken a few minutes. But Goran could do a lot of damage in a few minutes. Watching DJ make her way into his office, Nick imagined how it would be if they were not on Aegis. He wished they'd have some time to themselves...for eachother. The past few days he'd hardly even seen her. They'd both been much too busy with the move to even think about something like a private life. But every night, tired as he was, Nick had fallen asleep, wondering what DJ might be doing. When he made his way back to his desk he put DJ's mug down in front of her. As he bent forward slightly to do so he noticed the scent of her perfume. He kissed her lightly on the cheek and whispered into her ear. "I'm glad you're here." She looked into his eyes and smiled warmly. "So am I," she whispered, reaching out to squeeze his hand. "And I'm glad to find you're not bleeding or anything. I was a little concerned about how you would fare one on one with the Admiral." Nick grinned mischievously as he crossed over to his chair and sat down. He tried not to let show his frustration about the conversation with the Admiral. It wasn't that he didn't want DJ to know but this was not the time or the place. They had already talked about it anyway, albeit briefly. Truth be told, Nick had been more than a little frustrated with the way things were going at the moment. Sickbay was a mess what with most of the equipment being packed up and initially he had hoped the move would happen quickly. Count on the Ferengi to delay things, he thought. At least now something was happening. Nick had decided to move the medical facilities to the Mercury. All that would be left on Aegis for now were places where injured or sick crewmember would receive initial treatment. Anything more than administering a hypospray or suturing a wound would be done in Mercury's sickbay. This was possible because Aegis was only left with a skeleton crew of about 500 officers and enlisted personnel. No civilians were left on the station and everyone who was not needed to maintain the basic functions of the station or to move it was temporarily reassigned either to Mercury or one of the other ships. The reduction of the crew and the absence of civilians had also allowed Nick to assign some of his medical personnel to such mundane tasks as packing their supplies into crates and labelling them. The number of patients had decreased drastically. Now sickbay was ready to be moved, a task DJ and he would supervise. The lack of people on the station didn't only show in the number of patients they had to treat. The station seemed eerily quiet, too. When he went to his quarters in the evening he hardly ever met anyone on the way anymore. The officer's mess was also much more quiet and subdued. But the most drastic change had come over the midway. Ordinarily, the midway was a kind of marketplace whith shops, bars and restaurants, buzzing with activity. Now it was practically devoid of people. Nick had let his gaze wander as he thought about all the recent changes to the station. When he looked back at DJ now he noticed she'd been watching him, a hint of worry mirrored in her expression. "You know me, I can deal with almost anyone. So you've come to check whether I needed first aid or even CPR," he hurried to say with a broad smile. You're doing it again, thought DJ but she held her tongue. She'd grown accustomed to Nick's propensity to shrug off any negative feelings. In time, she was sure he'd open up about what happened with the Admiral. In the meantime, she couldn't resist a chuckle. "Yes," she replied lightly. "I was fully prepared to resuscitate you. I was even looking forward to the mouth to mouth part." "Had I known that I'd have pretended to be grievously wounded," Nick answered not missing a beat. His expression sobered a bit as he thought of the work ahead of them and of how little time he would be able to spend with the, in his opinion, most wonderful woman in the Galaxy. "It's funny, don't you think? We're on the same station, working in the same department and yet we hardly ever manage to spend much time together." His tone betrayed just a hint of disappointment. He didn't mean to sound like he was blaming anyone for that, least of all DJ. He knew that it was just part of the job both of them loved so much. However, it was the opart he probably liked least about it. "Yeah," sighed DJ, slumping back in the chair a bit. "I know what you mean. I was hoping to at least talk to you while we were on the Mercury. But we were like two ships passing in the night. We barely saw each other." She met his gaze and canted her head slightly, a sure sign a question was coming next. "So tell me, what did you think of the new ship? Better yet, how did you like the ride?" Nick understood what DJ was driving at. He resisted the urge to make a joke about it because he had finally learned that when DJ inquired about his feelings funny replies were not appreciated. So instead he took a deep breath, trying to think of a way to express his thoughts. "Honestly, I was a little nervous at first but nothing happened." He shrugged. "I try to keep telling myself that it wasn't because I was on the Pandora's Box that it happened but you know how it is. Reason hardly ever helps in such matters. I think I'll be ok for the long trip to our new home. I'll have some time to get used to the Mercury while we use its sickbay." Come to think of it, it was funny how the subconscious worked sometimes. Nick had a problem with being on a ship ever since the Pandora's Box had been boarded by Cardassians and its crew taken prisoner and interrogated. Though, he was perfectly fine with being on a station in the Cardassian system. However, he had avoided going down to the plante on purpose. He wasn't sure he was ready for that, yet. For some reason he was afraid of going down to the planet and seeing MaLutke, his torturer, again somewhere. And he was even more afraid of his reaction if he actually did see him. No, it was better for him to stay on Aegis. He smiled as he realized that DJ was studying him carefully again. "I'll be alright on the ship. I'm just glad I don't have to go down to Cardassia right now." Nick hoped that what he had offered DJ as an answer to her question was enough for her to know that, difficult though it was for him, he was trying to talk about such things. "It's a good think your presence on the planet isn't required," replied DJ, carefully monitoring her tone of voice. "What would you do if the Minister of Health requested a meeting at his office?" Nick shrugged. "I wouldn't have much of a choice I guess. I'm not worried about meeting Cardassians in general, you know. If I were on the planet I'd probably be constantly looking out for a certain Cardassian, though." He sighed and leaned back in his chair. "I try not to think about such things. Quite honestly, sometimes I'm not sure I'm doing the right thing but I just..." he paused, trying to find the right words. "You know me, DJ, I'm the kind of guy who deals with a problem and then moves on. In this case it's not that easy." "The kind of guy who deals with a problem and then moves on?" DJ smiled just enough to let him know she wasn't buying it. "You're more like a guy who chooses not to think about his problems." She raised a brow and pointed in his direction. "That's called....denial." "Hmmm...denial." Nick repeated the word as if he had to consider the appropriateness of the term more closely. "I guess you're right. But it's worked so far, well until...you know. I try not to do it this time but sometimes the things I say just sound so...stupid to me. I mean, even now, we're sitting here, talking and all I can think is 'Heck,Nick, it's time to get over it.' " He took a quick glance at DJ. They had been over this 'I feel so stupid talking about it' routine a few times already. Nick insisted he was just whining while DJ was sure talking about the events was good for him. "I don't envy you, DJ. I'm probably the most stubborn guy in the world. But I can't help it." "Stubborn can be an asset," replied DJ, leaning forward in her chair. "Stubborn is what keeps you alive while undergoing torture." She stared at him intently, carefully considering her next words. She didn't blame Nick for not wanting to think about what happened much less delve into it. There were times when she felt the same way and she wasn't the one who was tortured. It was a....painful subject for both of them. DJ was forced to recognize that fact just a few days ago when the topic came up during her chat with Isabeau Delevan. The more she and Isabeau talked, the worse DJ felt. Her reaction actually surprised her. She'd never before realized how personally she'd taken the assault against Nick. One thing was for certain, if talking about it had that affect on DJ, how much more difficult was it for Nick. At the same time, she firmly believed ignoring the emotions involved or denying their existence was a sure fire recipe for disaster. "I worry about you," she continued softly, raising one hand to keep him from speaking. "I know....I know....I don't need to worry but I do." She smiled warmly. "I like worrying about you. And I'm very good at it too." Nick didn't actually know what to reply. Instead of saying something he got up and slowly walked around his desk. When he stood in front of DJ he took her hands and gently pulled her to her feet. He looked down into her eyes for a moment, smiling warmly. Then he slowly leaned in to kiss her intently. When they broke apart after a long moment Nick pulled DJ into an embrace. "Thank you for worrying, DJ." His voice was hardly more than a whisper but he really meant it. His reaction wasn't quite what DJ expected but she found herself exceedingly pleased by it. She pulled away slightly, just far enough to look into his deep brown eyes and then slipped her arms around his neck. 'It's my pleasure," she whispered. "I look forward to worrying about you for a long...long time." "I hope you mean it because this job seems to be getting me into trouble all the time." Nick grinned as he talked. If this was going to happen every time he "opened up" as DJ called it, he'd be doing it more often. His grin grew even wider at this thought though he was careful not to mention this to DJ. He wasn't sure what she'd think about it. "Yeah," she murmured. "I noticed." She rested her cheek against his chest and breathed deeply. "I guess I'll just have to stick close.....so I can keep you out of trouble." They remained in each others arms for a long moment before DJ pulled away, taking Nick's hands in hers. She grinned at him knowingly. "And the first thing I can do to keep you out of trouble is to remind you we have a Sickbay to move." She straightened to full height and canted her head to the left. "So, Mr. Chief Medical Officer," she continued in a casual tone. "Where should we begin?"

Thanks to Isabeau for playing Head Nurse Mary-Alice Nick was sitting in his office staring at a PADD in his hand without even reading it. He had been sitting like that for about 15 minutes. It was 2:30 in the morning. He had been to his quarters and even in bed but when he couldn't sleep he had dressed again and come down to sickbay to write some reports. Now he was sitting here at his desk. The only light in the room was the desk lamp which illuminated only a small part of his desk. The rest of the room was left in semi darkness. Mary-Alice Schaeffer had received a call that the usual Night Supervisor for Gamma shift had taken ill and could she cover for him. She was scheduled to be off the next day, so she didn't mind covering for a few hours and truth to tell, there was something about Gamma that she liked. Being Nursing Supervisor for Alpha shift was a wonderful position and it sure as heck meant she was never bored but the hours before dawn were often the most critical in a patient's care and she recalled sitting through those dark hours and how satisfying it was to greet a new day after a long night. She was very surprised to see the light on in the CMO's office. She paused at the door, quietly calling, "Doctor Lepage?" Nick startled at the sound. Of course he knew people were still working in sickbay but he had hoped no one had noticed he was here. He looked up to see who wanted to see him. "Ah, Mary-Alice, come in. Everything alright?" He was surprised to see his head nurse. Usually she worked on alpha shift but it wasn't unusual for nurses to cover for each other in case someone got sick. She smiled and walked into his office, "Everything's all right, Doctor. Michael Briggs isn't feeling too well and I said I'd cover for him. Mary-Alice had worked with Nick Lepage a long time and she was concerned to find him in so late. "Is everything all right?" "Yeah, I'm ok. I just couldn't sleep so I figured I might as well get some paperwork done." Nick didn't want to admit the Admiral's little speech bothered him as much as it did. She'd known him ever since he'd come aboard as a midshipman fresh from doing a two year stint in the Academy after med school. She was very proud of how the young midshipman had grown as a doctor and now, as a Lieutenant Commander, he was one of the best department chiefs she'd ever worked under. She also knew that though Nick Lepage preferred the direct approach, he rarely spoke about the things that bothered him. That required a more roundabout method. "Admiral Goran didn't seem too happy when he stopped in." Nick grinned despite himself. Mary-Alice knew him quite well and sometimes it could be quite scary. Again, she had guessed quite well what the problem was. "I don't think he's ever been happy in his life, Mary-Alice. Did he say anything to anyone else?" Mary-Alice smiled back and then made a big show of thinking. "Hmm...he was very polite to Doctor McKinny, as well he should be!" Mary-Alice had also worked under DJ and was very pleased with how close these two favorite doctors of hers had become. "I don't think he spoke with anyone else, although it did look like he was giving the Captain a hard time of it." Nick sighed. "I'm glad he didn't come down hard on anyone else. It was difficult not to say or do anything stupid while he was rambling on." Nick shook his head as he remembered the scene. He knew he should just have sat there and let Goran talk and forget about it as soon as he was out his office. He really didn't like how this bothered him. Obviously the Admiral had upset Nick very much. Mary-Alice couldn't imagine what he could have said--Nick did an excellent job running the department. "May I ask what his issues with Medical are?" "Hmmm...let me think.....have we taken care of the issues with the Cardassian hemorrhagic fever? Have we taken care of any issues that might come up because we're leaving, yadda,yadda, yadda. Problem is, he did indirectly tell me I didn't do a good job. Tell me, how the heck am I supposed to take care of Cardassia with a fleet of Ferengi ships threatening to blow up the station?" Nick was talking himself into a rage. He was tempted to punch the bulkhead. He normally had good control over his emotions but Mary-Alice had seen him angry before and always with a good reason. "You don't know what his mood was before he came in here. Maybe he was just blowing off steam. I don't know, but I do know that millions of Cardassians owe their lives to this facility and the work Science and Medical did on that fever." He turned around suddenly and faced her. "It's just...you know, I haven't been spoken to like that since my first year in the Academy." "I suppose the Admiral must have a few things in common with a first year Academy instructor," Mary-Alice, answered dryly. "If what he said was that much off the mark, and I'm sure it was, why don't you speak with Captain Quark about it?" Nick shook his head and returned to his chair. "Captain Quark probably knows pretty much what went on in here. Why do I feel like I need to justify my actions just because some guy who spends most of his time behind some desk in a secure facility questions my ability to run a department?" "I don't know, why do you?" "I wish I knew. This place will drive me nuts one of these days." Nick shook his head and leaned back in his chair. "Well, if it hasn't already..." Mary-Alice's smile made it clear she was teasing. "How long will the other doctors be down on Cardassia?" She thought maybe it was time to change the subject. "Just a couple of days. While they check on Cardassia we will transfer sickbay over to the Mercury. I hope it'll all go smoothly." Nick relaxed a little and he felt exhausted. Rambling about his frustration actually did make him feel better. "Will we be working from the Mercury until the station arrives at its new location?" The Mercury was a beauty and sickbay was set up but it was smaller than Aegis' facilities. Of course, there weren't any civilians to treat right now so they didn't need as much space as they normally used. He nodded. "Yeah, that's what we'll do. We now have only a little more than 500 people on the station. The sickbay on Mercury will be more than enough." Nick stifled a yawn. "I'm so tired I'm not sure I'll make it back to my quarters." "I think you know what sleeping in that chair will do to your neck, Doctor Lepage." "Yeah, last time that happened I had a stiff neck for 4 days." "Then I think you should somehow find the strength and drag yourself off to bed, Doctor." She thought he seemed more relaxed; at least he was nowhere near as angry as he was when she came in. Nick smiled and got up. "I'm sorry to appear rude but you're right. I need some sleep. Thank you, Mary-Alice" "Goodnight, Doctor." She smiled fondly as Nick got to his feet and went back to Main Sickbay and the watch before dawn, made much easier and rather anti-climatic since they had no patients.

I'm a PC user mainly because I'm into computer games and there are quite a few problems with Macs. If it wasn't for that I'd probably get a Mac. I'm so sick of Windows (especially Vista which I'm forced to use at school on occasion). Anyway, my actual point is that I'd recommend Open Office. I've been using it for a while and after getting used to it I like it better than MS Office. Especially the more "advanced" functions are much more accessible. (Or maybe I'm just too stupid for MS Office.)

A Delevan/Lepage Production Isabeau leaned back and stretched until she felt her back crack and sighed with relief. The drug cabinet was now full, and the inventory matched the manifest. The new ship's main sickbay was almost completely set up and it was with a sense of great satisfaction that she logged out and locked the cabinet before heading to Nick's office so he could sign off on the inventory. He had his back turned to the door and a smile came and went as she thought about how she'd surprised him when first coming aboard Aegis. She rapped her knuckles gently on the side of his door and waited for him to turn. Nick was absorbed in the new ship's specs and deck layout, which were displayed on the PADD in his hand when he heard the knock. He turned and smiled as he saw Isabeau standing just outside his office. "Come on in," he said, putting the PADD down on his desk and leaning back in his chair. "Don't tell me you've got more work for me." She walked towards his desk, giving him a look that said spare me, and scoffed, "When do I give you work? I'm all about lessening your burden." Nick raised his eyebrows in mock exasperation. "So why is it I haven't noticed that, yet?” It was good to heave someone around he could tease like this. It was almost like with his sister, Carole-Anne. Isabeau contrived to look hurt and swallowed back a smile as she offered him the PADD in her hand. "Well, maybe you should pay closer attention. Here's the drug inventory to sign off on." She paused for a moment and then deadpanned, "I hope it won't be too much for you." Nick took the PADD and perused it for a moment before he set it down on his desk. "Wow, the inventory matches the manifest. That's a first. And don't worry about my workload. Every time it gets too much I just take a stack of PADDs and put them on your desk." He said the last part with a broad grin spreading across his face. "Oh, I thought those were empties and I've been putting them in the storage locker." Isabeau lifted an eyebrow and grinned back at him. "I guess I should have checked first." All of a sudden Nick expression turned somber and he sighed. "I don't think I like being on this ship. Reminds me of the last time I was off the station." Her own grin faded away in response to his serious expression and she looked at him curiously. "When was that?” Nick didn't answer right away. He seemed lost in thought, oblivious to Isabeau's presence. When his mind finally returned to the present he looked up to see her observing him closely. "Remember that time when I wasn't returning messages?" "How could I forget? I was waiting to see if I was going to do brig time." Nick was probably the only person in the quadrant she could joke about it with other than her brother, Andy. She dropped the sarcasm and continued to watch him for a moment before taking the chair in front of his desk and sitting back. "What happened?" "We had an interesting meeting with some Cardassians. Fortunately there weren't many people aboard the Pandora's Box when we were captured." Nick watched Isabeau carefully as he told her this. Isabeau returned Nick's intense look with a quizzical one. "Weren't the Cardassians our allies at that point? Aegis has been anchored over Cardassia for quite some time, hasn't it?" Nick nodded. "Yes they were and it's a long and complicated story." He was reluctant to elaborate the details. He wasn't even sure it was a good idea talking about the subject at all but knowing Isabeau, he was pretty sure now that he'd started there was no way she'd let the matter rest. "Well, use small words and short sentences and I should be able to follow." Her dry tone didn’t reflect the bad feeling she was starting to get. She wasn’t going to like this story. He ran a hand over his face and tried to hide his annoyance at Isabeau's last comment. It wasn't that he didn't know how to tell her but that he didn't know if he wanted to tell her. "The exact circumstances are classified. All I can say is that the Cardassians thought we were imposters and they tried to get the truth out of us." She ignored the part about it being classified. She hated that kind of crap, and the whys and wherefores probably didn’t matter. She watched him and noted his level of discomfort. He didn't want to talk about it and he didn't want her to ask questions. However, he knew she wouldn’t let him get away with that. "How hard did they try?" "They did go to some lengths. You know, whips, Klingon Painstick, hypothermia, darkness, hanging you from the ceiling by your wrists...." He tried to sound casual but he knew he had failed. It took a second or two to process what he was saying, and then she blanched, her pale skin turning ashen as the images in her mind's eye became almost overwhelming. She wrapped her arms around her stomach, barely managing to keep from rocking back and forth in her distress. She tried to speak and then had to swallow, tasting bile. She tried again, striving to keep her voice calm but she heard the quaver and gritted her teeth, asking, "How long?" Nick shrugged. "I don't know. The room was pitch black and I had no way of telling how much time passed. A few hours maybe." It must have felt like an eternity and she reminded herself that he was sitting in front of her and was fine. Wasn't he? He'd brought it up, all these months later. Why tell her now? Possibly, something this terrible never lost its immediacy. "You didn't tell me when it happened...I can understand not wanting to talk about it, but you're telling me now..." She took a deep breath and realized her hands were shaking and she fisted them, willing herself to take a deep breath and not burst into ridiculous tears that would have him comforting her. "How have you been since it happened? Was anybody else...treated that way?" She’d been going to say ‘tortured’ but she didn’t think she could say it out loud and not fall apart. Taking a deep breath, Nick tried to think of a way to tell her how he had been. "I've been...ok, I guess. Some days were harder than others but basically I'm all right. And no, no one else was treated that way. Commander Hawke and I were the only senior officers and Hawke somehow managed to get out of the whole thing unscathed. She helped me get through that, though." "I'm glad there was someone who helped you, Nicolas. I'm so sorry you were put through that." Isabeau had no idea who Hawke was but guessed she'd been on a lucky streak that day. Nick hadn't been so fortunate. He said he was fine and knowing Starfleet Medical he'd been examined and treated for his mental wounds as well as the physical ones. But there were ways around psyche evals and he was smart. "I'm glad you told me but I wish I'd known at the time. I would have found a way to come see you." Nick looked into her eyes and smiled faintly. "Why do you think I never returned your messages back then? I didn't want anyone to be there. DJ arrived here a few days after it happened. In my efforts to deal with the whole thing on my own and appear normal I didn't realize how much I pushed everyone who tried to help me away." “When you finally did tell DJ, did you let her help?” Nick couldn't help but smile as he thought back to his argument with DJ. "Let's just say it took some convincing on her part. I told her pretty much right away. Didn't have much of a choice because I was still an leave and she was part of a delegation to inspect our sickbay. Of course I had to explain why I wouldn't be there. It took a couple of months and the wrong words on my part to actually address the problem." He shrugged as he fell silent. She felt better knowing Doctor McKinny had been there for him; he hadn't been alone and even though he'd tried to keep it to himself, he hadn't been able to. "You were lucky she showed up when she did." Her smile was perfunctory and only because she wanted to keep the conversation normalized. His calm demeanor as he spoke of the ordeal was a far cry from how she was feeling inside. She needed more time to process it. Intellectually she understood that sh*t happens and you deal with it best you can and move on and Nick appeared to have done so. Emotionally though, he'd just knocked her six ways to Sunday and she would have to accept it in her own way and that wasn't his problem. He nodded, knowing Isabeau was right. "I didn't feel very lucky at first, though. Oh well, I'm sorry. I probably should have warned you. I just...I've been thinking of this ever since I came aboard." "And this is where I came in," Isabeau responded quietly. "You don't like being off-station." She didn't know what exactly she could say to try and make him feel better. He was probably right to be nervous. They were headed to Breen space and from what little she'd heard, the region was now very unstable. For her part, anything new was always exciting; something to be anticipated and always an opportunity waiting until it proved itself to be anything but and the phrase ‘hindsight is '20/20' came to mind. No doubt Nick's attitude was the smarter, more educated one but she hated that he felt this way. She leaned back and looked at him fondly, her smile real this time and not forced. "Look at it this way-you're leaving bad memories behind. We're going towards a new start." Her smile widened and she only half-kiddingly added, "Come on, Nicolas, its Starfleet. It's not just a job; it's the chance to explore new worlds, diagnose new diseases and learn new swear words. What's not fun about that?" Nick laughed at Isabeau's last remark. That was so typical of her and sometimes he wished his attitude hadn't changed so much. "Yeah, you're right. And now let's go and have fun exploring our new sickbay." With that he got up, still chuckling, and walked to the door.

Hmm...doesn't everyone have a Yahoo, MSN etc. e-mail addy to use in cases where you don't want people to know who you are? As for age range and location...25-35 year old guy from, say Maryland...I don't exactly know the statistics of Maryland's population but my guess is that it'd be difficult to find out who you are. ::shrugs::

A Delevan Lepage Production She'd watched the stowaways file out of Sickbay; every one of them except for little Kevin had a look of trepidation on their faces. And why not? Red alert had sounded right as they were leaving. Excellent timing, Isabeau thought unhappily, as she looked around Cargo Bay 2, trading glances with the other medical staff assigned here for the duration of the anticipated Breen confrontation. Triage was all set up and now all that was left was the waiting. Well, and the hoping with some praying thrown in. The meeting had just ended and Nick was happy to be able to get back to sickbay. He wanted to stop by cargo bay 2, however, to inform everyone that their efforts of setting up triage had most likely been in vain. When he entered he looked around the vast storage area that was now filled with medical equipment, and cots. Some members of his staff were standing in groups of two or three, discussing the situation and waiting. After moment Nick discovered Isabeau standing in the middle of the cargo bay and he made a beeline for her. "Hey," he said, smiling as she turned around and shot a questioning glance at him. Unconsciously relaxing in reaction to Nick's smile and casual greeting, She smiled back, a little bewilderedly, "Hey, yourself." The Breen were supposed to be on top of them within the next 30 minutes and Aegis' CMO did not give the impression of a man anticipating casualties. Nick saw the confusion in Isabeau's eyes and he wondered how he should explain what he had just witnessed on the CT. Taking a deep breath he slumped down on one of the cots. "Well, I'm not sure whether I have good news or not but the Breen just disappeared." Nick looked at Isabeau curious about her reaction to this new bit of information. "They...disappeared?" She sank down on the cot opposite his and repeated herself. "They disappeared." She glanced down at the decking and then lifted her head, meeting his gaze. "Nicolas, what does that mean, 'The Breen just disappeared'? He shrugged, having a hard time to keep from grinning as Isabeau just repeated the same sentence. "Well, if you look it up in a dictionary you'll find that it means they are not here anymore." Nick held up a hand to keep her from complaining about his less than satisfactory explanation. He almost expected her to aim a kick at him. "I don't know much more than that they seem to have been "phasing in and out" for a while. Commander Chirakis said that this affected even their colonies. My best guess is that it's got something to do with their temporal shielding...maybe something's gone wrong." She gave him a sour look at the 'dictionary' comment, but was so taken with this new twist in the Breen situation that she didn't toss back a comment as she normally would have. "It sounds like their ships may have become temporally unstable. Maybe the Stowaways' powder wasn't just for the Stowaways." Isabeau's imagination was caught and she thought out loud. "We hypothesized that the temporal shielding may have caused the Stowaways unstable DNA but what if it wasn't just having an effect on humanoids? What if the chroniton levels were kept artificially high throughout their fleet? Organic life forms would be affected through their DNA, but the chronitons resulting from their condition could cause an adverse reaction in their equipment." Isabeau looked at Nick. "I wonder what happened to them--could they still be there but just be out of phase? I've heard of that happening, but not on the scale of a whole fleet.” "I think that's what they believe, I mean that they are out of phase. I really don't know. I'm not good at this stuff. You know, I scan people, I determine what's wrong with them, I administer medication and everyone is happy. This stuff gives me a headache." Nick was getting frustrated. "Have the stowaways been evacuated? In case the Breen come back I'd want them out of the way." "Yes, they were in the process of leaving Medical when Red Alert sounded. They all transported safely; Dr. Pavilion coordinated it. They're on one of the Fleet ships and their medical files were transferred at the same time." She stood up from the cot and paced a short distance before coming back and stopping in front of where Nick still sat. "What will happen to them now?" "They will be transferred to a medical facility that is better equipped to handle their situation. Besides, we're moving into Breen space. I doubt they'd want to accompany us. Hopefully they'll be able to return to their families soon. I wish there had been more we could do for them. I mean, some of them were still kids! Can you imagine growing up being a slave?" He looked up at Isabeau who was still standing in front of him. "This job sucks sometimes." She could see the frustration written on his face and hear it in his voice and it echoed her own. "I don't want to imagine it," she responded quietly, "...but I do know that the work we do sometimes brings us into contact with terrible suffering but at the end of the day, we're usually able to mitigate some of it." She gave him a lopsided smile. "I'm glad to see you haven't developed a nice, thick skin, yet, Nicolas." That last comment actually made Nick smile. "I always swore to myself that as soon as I'd become indifferent or cynical I'd quit this job immediately." "Well, let's hope it never comes to that."

Happy Birthday Jami!

This log is brought to you by Medical Productions Written by Drs Delevan, McKinny, Pavilion and Lepage Mimi went around checking the patients finding that their DNA is all the same. She thought to herself; "Why does every stowaway's DNA have the same kind of deformities?" Hopefully, the rest of the staff was finding out about the cure. Nick leaned against a worktop in the medical lab just off sickbay, his arms crossed in front of his chest, his gaze wandering over his assembled staff. He was more than satisfied with the way everyone had handled the situation. With most of sickbay packed into crates and boxes it had been a bit of a challenge taking care of fifteen patients who were, for the most part, in a bad condition. Malnutrition, infections, parasites, old injuries that hadn't healed properly and exhaustion, not to mention the psychological trauma of years of slavery and the subsequent flight already would already be quite a challenge to treat even under better circumstances. Unfortunately, the effects of years of abuse by the Breen were not the only problem they had to worry about. Somehow those peoples' DNA had been tampered with. All scans indicated that there were additional hydrogen bonds in the stowaways' DNA. That meant the molecules became more stable. At first that didn't sound too bad but Nick was sure it wasn't a good thing to change DNA. There was a reason why DNA was constructed exactly the way it was and changing anything about it usually meant trouble.This reminded him of the Rixians and their devastating e pidemic that had ravaged their planet. At this thought Nick couldn't help but wonder how Doctor Lanvin was doing...if she was still alive. He took a deep breath before addressing his staff. "So, we have 15 patients whose DNA scans show significant irregularities. And we have a medication," At this point Nick held up the small pouch with the powder that had been found in one of the J-Tubes. "Which we assume is supposed to stabilize DNA molecules. Now we need to do two things. First of all, and this is the most important part, as far as I am concerned, we need to find out what implications this has for our patients. What symptoms are caused by those irregularities? I know this won't be an easy task because our patients suffer from many different infections, among other things. Our second task will be to come up with suggestions why anyone would want to do this. We will have to work closely with the science department." Nick looked up and noticed that everyone's eyes were fixed on him. He could see in their faces that they were determined to find out what was going on. "Are there any suggestions, ideas or observations...anything that might help us?" He looked around at every single one in turn, hoping someone would point out something he had missed so far, something that would help them solve this mystery. DJ crossed her arms in front of her and leaned against the door jamb. "They many have been given this substance to offset cellular damage caused by working in those mines. There must be data available about the effects of long term exposure to raw dilithium on humans," she observed thoughtfully. "But I'm not up to speed on that." She paused a moment before continuing. "Once we've gained their trust, we might be able to get more information out of the stowaways," suggested DJ. "Right now, they're still uncertain about what's going to happen to them. Getting information out of Jenny was like pulling hen's teeth." Isabeau listened to DJ, nodding in response to her statement that it had been difficult to get any real information from the stowaways and then turned her gaze to the workstation at her side, its screen still showing the results from the electronic resonancy scans. But she didn't really see them; her mind had turned inward. According to Nick, the powder was a medication which effectively stabilized DNA. Why did the DNA need to be stabilized? It was obvious from their pitiful physical condition that the stowaways had endured terrible treatment in the dilithium mines as slave workers for the Breen. The Breen must have been providing the medication and the medication was important enough to the stowaways that they'd managed to bring it with them when escaping. The Breen didn't strike her as a species that would care enough about their slaves to go to the trouble of genetically engineering a medication and then not bother to feed their investment. She tapped a string of commands to the work station computer and read for a moment, before turning back to the other doctors in the lab. "The Breen use temporal shielding on their ships and temporal phasing has been known to cause degradation at the microcellular level. The powder may be a response to that..." Nick listened to his colleagues and suddenly a headache started to form somewhere behind his left eye. Both DJ and Isabeau had brought up good points. "Alright, so we have two theories. DJ, you think this might be related to the dilithium. I must admit I have no idea what long term effects prolonged exposure to dilithium might have but I'm sure we can find out somehow." Taking a deep breath Nick rubbed his temple and close his eyes briefly before going on. "We also need to look into the temporal shielding thing. Does anyone have any experience with that?" Isabeau glanced around, curious to see if anyone did have any experience with it. She sure didn't. She'd heard the Breen used it but wasn't even quite sure what it was or how it worked. There'd been a class in the Academy regarding temporal singularities and known medical complications and a very specific side effect that she'd recalled was tissue breakdown at the micro-cellular level. The stowaways all exhibited this symptom but there were probably a lot of things that could contribute to that. The stowaways also seemed to be suffering from a variety of respiratory ailments and DJ's thought that prolonged exposure to raw dilithium was a factor sounded very credible in light of all their other symptoms. She looked around the room and then back to Nick. "I don't have any experience with it but I'd be happy to research the possible physical ramifications of exposure to temporal shielding," "And how long has the Federation been using dilithium as a power source?" asked DJ with a shrug. It was a rhetorical question. They all knew dilitihum had been around for more than a hundred years. "There must be a large body of data relating to the effects of long term exposure to it." She grinned knowingly. "I'll bet we can find out more than we ever wanted know." She watched Nick for a moment as he continued to massage his temple. "Why don't I start researching the dilithium connection. In the meantime, you should take something for that headache." Nick looked at DJ for a second. A smile spread across his face and he nodded. At least now they had a plan. "Alright, in that case, DJ, you look into the dilithium thing. Maybe you can also re-check the scans to see if we've overlooked something that might point in that direction. Isabeau, would you please research the effects of temporal shielding and see whether that fits what we're seeing here? Oh, and maybe it'd be wise to contact the science department, see what they've found out. Meanwhile Mimi, Lillian and I will take care of our guests." "Sure, I'll see what's in the database and check with Science." Isabeau thought it would be a great chance to meet the other half of Life Sciences and there was always the hope that if they figured out what the underlying reason why the medication was needed they could possibly offer them some hope of an actual cure. With that Nick pushed off the desk and strode off toward main sickbay. There was still a lot to be done. Most of all, the stowaways would have to wash and get new clothes. He hoped that Porter would be able to provide them all with quarters. However, for now they'd have to stay in sickbay until the medical staff and the science department found out what exactly was wrong with them.

Wow, we get quite a few Europeans lately. Welcome to STSF! I'm in Germany so I know it can be problematic to attend sims. However, the Academies on Friday (Saturday morning 3 am CET) and Saturday (that's Sunday morning 6 am CET, I think) are definitely an option if you don't have to be up early on weekends. I sure hope to see you around the Academies!