First Impressions

Posted on May 26, 2014 @ 9:37pm by Thomas Varn
Edited on on May 26, 2014 @ 10:19pm

Mission: http://thefrpg.com/sim/missions/id/7
Location: USS ARMSTRONG
Tags: Aerdan, Cade, Xana, Thomas

"First Impressions"



(Continued from "Family")



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Scene: USS ARMSTRONG

Location: Sickbay

Stardate: [2.4] 0520.1727



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It had been what seemed almost an eternity since Xana was able to just sit and have a small quiet moment to herself. It was true that many people around the academy and city knew who she was; but, it was at this moment that she had chosen to take a small trip to the a frequented restaurant she had visited quite often in Paris. As the sounds of the city and music played around her Xana softly took in the view before it was ruined by someone very official looking approaching her with what appeared to be a padd.



“Mr. Richardson, serious and furrowed brows are not generally welcomed in this city,” Xana stated looking up as she slightly reclined in the chair cup in hand.



Alexander Richardson was not usually someone that even reported to Xana; but, with the recent development several individuals had taken it upon themselves to show support of recent actions displayed by the secretary against a certain well known admiral, “I understand madam secretary; but, I do believe this particular report will interest you.”



Laying the padd down on the table Alexander simply nodded and walked away as if he was never there. Trying to resist the urge to read the PADD and do anything remotely capable to destroying this moment, Xana failed.



“Official report filed and transmitted to Starfleet Command by Captain Rose Harcourt, USS Armstrong,” she began reading.



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Location: USS ARMSTRONG

Scene: Sickbay

Time Index: Thirty Six Hours Earlier

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The attention of the young and newly trained medical staff of the USS ARMSTRONG was immediately turned to the blue haze materializing in the room as sounds of screaming and cursing began to echo through the sickbay. The figures of Cade Foster, Aerdan and Aerjan Jos, Sylvia who was not clutching Thomas, Karmaq, Zabrielle, and the other officers and civilians appeared in several different states of shock and anger.



Standing there Cade looked around as the new and young faces merely blinked at the group until a slightly experienced chief medical officer came out of their office in an attempt to asses the situation but was stopped by a large voice, “What are you idiots staring at, get going we have wounded here, and i’m one of them!”



Arjan thought for a moment to stop the older man but stopped only to look at his brother. It was in this moment that the group began to be separated one by one. It didn’t take long for the young officer to be broken down by Cade before moving off almost in tears or in an attempt to resist the urge to punch him in the already injured face. It was almost as if the elder doctor had to repair himself, which partly he did.



On the other side of the room Ensign Arjan Jos was shaking. He looked like he had just got out of a combat zone or a meat processing plant, half his body soaked in blood. His ice blue eyes were slowly boring a hole into the young medical orderly standing across from his as his brother lay on the biobed in between, his eyes fluttering and his heart racing.



“I want 10ccs of Quanroline.” Arjan ordered in a low, dangerous tone.



“But, Sir… that will induce--”



“Induce a coma? Yes, I know. Phase pulse infection kills by sending the body on overdrive. Inducing a coma will buy me enough time to fix the damage.” Arjan thrust his hand out. “Now, 10ccs of Quanroline… please.”



The young orderly stared at the older Andorian, transfixed by the gruesome countenance the man had. Still, he filled the hypospray as ordered and passed it over.



“No, don’t do that you don’t know what you're doing,” Sylvia began to shout becoming reasonably upset as the young medical officers began to study Thomas to try and begin to treat his injuries, “get away from him.”



“I don’t understand, the sedative is not working on him,” a young ensign stated looking at the reading on the tricorder before it was forcibly removed the device from his hand.



Showing the young man aside Cade began scanning the science officer before ordering another sedative. Every medical bone in their trained bodies was screaming he will die until they were silence by the voice of Cade yet again, “Give me the sedative you pretentious snot nosed twits.”



As Thomas began to try to muffle his screams and pain Cade shouted again before a hypospray was forced into his hand.



The doors swooshed open then and standing in its doorway was the CNS for the ARMSTRONG. On any other ship, this would be normal, to be expected even. But this was the Counselor who once compared talking to people to being shot, so perhaps it wasn’t so normal. And certainly hearing of wounded former comrades would certainly justify a visit to Sickbay…



“What the hell are you doing on my ship?” Phia yelled.



First, half of the medical staff that could look up did so, because really Phia had only been there for a few hours and hadn’t introduced herself to them (or more accurately was forced to introduce herself to them). Second, this sounded juicy and everyone needed a break (if only for a moment) from the seriousness of the situation.



Cade, for a moment, was transported back 6 years. Snapping his head up he yelled, “You’re not in red - it’s not your ship, you blue pointy-eared twit!”



"We weren't supposed to find you!" Phia roared.



"K3 readings are climbing," Nurse Yola announced.



Cade grunted at that as he glanced at the bioboard. "My K3 readings are probably climbing too. It's what happens when you have the humanoid equivalent to an ice storm walk in. Check for frostbite too," he snapped while re-adjusting the drugs.



"Doctor Cade," Yola offered. "Are you sure you? You just gave me 10 CCs more than the recommended dose of Horolize.”



Cade pierced the nurse with an ice blue gaze. “Yes, having graduated top of Starfleet Medical, and then proceeded to obtain a PhD in Xenobiology from the Vulcan Science Academy and the Bajoran Sotar Medical Institute, I am as you know exceedingly stupid.”



Across the room Thomas and Sylvia kept to themselves as best they could. It wasn't as bad as she had feared nor was it as bad as it truly sounded or looked but still Thomas was in and would be in pain when he woke up. Cade had performed admirably, keeping the fresh faced medical students as he called them off Thomas and away from scanning him. For now the Sickbay had fallen to a slight dull roar with the occasional colorful word thrown out by Cade when someone tried to assist in helping him mend himself some more.



Sylvia who had insisted on be placed on the biobed next to Thomas while she was check out was just sitting there staring at him. Her mind only raced and played the images of what had happened over and over again as she examined the scene slowly. She wasn’t exactly untrained in the ways of the medical field, her father had shown her many things during his time as a paramedic; but, she had not exactly ever used them to hurt someone.



Her mind flashed quickly from scene to scene always ending or beginning with the scream Thomas gave right after the commander had given the command to kill him. It was like something had just snapped, not something primal or instinctive; but, something that Sylvia had felt growing inside, an intense desire to protect him. She c I understand only hope that Thomas would be able to understand what she did.



Lying on the table with his eyes closed Thomas breathed slow and deep trying his best not to arouse suspicion that he was in fact lucid at this very moment. The drugs had worked as Cade had hoped only they quit sooner than anyone had realized but by that point the pain was something Thomas could bare. He had pieced together what had happened and from the commotion coming from where ever Cade was, he could tell the surprise they had experienced was just as much of a surprise to the crew of whatever ship they were on.



Thomas did his best in resisting the urge to sit up and look around and it was working to until an all too familiar voice had moved away from throwing verbal hand grenades at Cade and zeroed in on Sylvia.



"What happened here," Phia began her voice laced with agitation.



Sylvia looked up and merely blinked as if trying to find the words to form an accurate account only to stare at the woman now addressing her.



"Hello, what happened here? You aren't supposed to be here," Phia continued just beginning the verbal onslaught.



It only took a few moments, although to Sylvia it was hours, of Phia before Thomas sat up and looked at her and barked, "Lay off, I said lay off!”



“How lovely, you wake up from near comatose to defend the little girlfriend,” Phia drawled. Sparing a glance to Sylvia she said, “I am right in saying girlfriend? I see no obvious sign of marriage and I doubt Wingboy has unclenched his bowels long enough to just start knocking boots.”



Her voice was like a whip, snapping observations and insults alike through the air, sparing no one in its wake. No, quite frankly, Thomas Varn had not missed Lt. Phia. Maybe this was a dream, he thought. Groggily, now that the initial burst of adrenaline had shot through him that’s what he was groggy, he rubbed his eyes. Maybe he if rubbed enough he’d wake up from this dream...maybe it had all been a dream, NIMBUS III...the awful destruction raining down around them...Phia...it was just a really bad dream and any minute now he’d wake up in his bed.



“Still here,” Phia replied with a thin smile. “Now, let’s try this again, why did we pick you up?”



“Water,” Thomas sighed, his parched throat strangling the words out of him. “Phia, just shut up and get me some water.”



“Girlfriend, BFF, Chick of the Week, Pennaomania freak - whatever your name is,” Phia began.



“Sylvia,” the young woman next to Thomas admitted. Looking at Thomas she asked, “Pennaomania? Really?”



“Like I cared,” the Bolian/Vulcan admitted. Pointing to a replicator she said, “Water. The object of some kind of affection wants water.”



“She doesn’t have to go,” Thomas announced. Water, his pips for some water at this point.



Phia stared long and hard at Thomas, which he met with an indignant glare.



The stare continued for a few moments before it was interrupted by a new and unknown voice, to the away team at least, “Lieutenant Phia, I believe that you can introduce me, won't you.”



Slowly turning to the man now standing almost dramatically in the middle of the room wearing the red uniform and notable three pips that caused Thomas to dart a gaze to Phia and whisper, “please don’t let him be who I think he is.”



Phia gave a small smirk hearing Thomas and returning her attention to Commander Bomba, “no.”



Bomba appeared crestfallen, slowly turning to take in the situation. Doctors everywhere… civilians everywhere… people he didn’t know laying in biobeds. Slowly the Risian’s mouth fell open. “Who are all these people?”



“Hell if I know.” Phia snapped back. All right, she knew some of them, but it certainly wasn’t something she wanted to discuss with Bomba now or at any time.



“They’re refugees from a planet called Nestis VII.” The voice came from a tall Trill with long wavy dark hair. She moved towards both officers, her eyes darkly serious. “We were trying to offer medical assistance when we were interrupted by hostile factions which caused a chain reaction in an alien artifact which, presumably, is what sent us back to Nimbus III.”



“That’s great.” Phia replied. “Who the hell are you?”



“Doctor Zabrielle Liden, Intrepid Pharmaceuticals.” she replied without skipping a beat. “And occasionally Starfleet.”

“Occasionally?” Bomba queried.



“We have a sordid history.” Liden replied.



“Should we expect others?” Phia asked, crossing her arms over her chest.



“Doubtful.” Zabrielle leaned back a little, thinking to the keeper’s words. “I believe this blast from the artifact was a one hit wonder.”



“Just like Bomba’s performance in bed…” One of the nurses muttered.



“Whoever said that… you’re my new assistant. Get the hell over here.” Cade barked gleefully from the other side of the room as Bomba visibly wilted.



A young trill ensign smiled softly to herself looking up at Cade before hiding her face from anyone that may be looking for signs of who it was that had just caused that outburst. Bomba looked around frantically as if his pride had been devastated and he was standing there naked in a room of scrutiny.



“Commander, allow me to clear this up. We are an away team from the U.S.S PENDRAGON,” Aerdan stated rubbing the bridge of his nose moving closer to Bomba and past cade.



“The what? How are you here, finding signs of your disappearance was a subgoal of our mission,” Bomba stated before Phia stepped in cutting him off with a glare that Bomba totally missed, “were were not supposed to, what is going on with that mans back?!”



Thomas was now too tired to deal with anything only acted in frustration and exhaustion. Frantically looking side to side Thomas started, “who? what’s going on with someone’s back? Wait, wait?! What’s that?!”



Frantically reaching behind him feeling his wings then jerking his hands back he began spinning in circle, “what are these?! What has happened to me?! What is going on?! Oh, right I forgot I have wing sticking out of my back, like no one saw that elephant in the room.”



Shaking his head and gathering his clothes Thomas slowly made his way to the back of the sickbay as far away from Bomba as he could be. Sylvia reach out touching his hand staying close to the group to try and get a bearing of where they were and just exactly what was going on.



“Commander please, let me continue. I am Commander Aerdan Jos, I served as first officer aboard the PENDRAGON. With me are several officers that have served aboard ship with me including medical, science, and engineering officers. Also there are several civilians that are with us that are from, well they are a bit hard to explain. If you look, you’ll see that Captain Williams that now currently resides in your sickbay is listed as the Captain of the PENDRAGON; however,” Aerdan began before being stopped by Bomba waiving his hand.



“Commander, commander, commander please. Allow me to involve my crew and help them in the bonds that tie them together. Lieutenant Phia, you are apart of this family so I will help you get acquainted and grow here. Get the needed information and report back to myself,” Bomba stated winking before leaving sickbay.



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Location: Captain’s Quarters

Time Index: Two Hours Later

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“Has anyone gotten a straight answer from that tightly wound las that came aboard,” Angus shouted from in the dining area of their quarters as he finished setting up the places, “I heard that she bolted from the bridge like a banshee when we made contact with those that were on the planet.”.



No answer came from the bedroom causing him to take a brief pause and check on the status of his wife. Leaning slowly into the room he smiled as he found her sitting on the bed staring at the padd she had been clutching since getting off duty.



"Penny for yet thoughts," Angus stated moving in smiling before sitting by his wife.



Looking at the padd and laying it down Rose sighed, "just finishing up the report of finding the PENDRAGON's away team. I did a little looking did you most of their service records are partially classified and one of them has been genetically altered with wings among other things. How did these people, no, how are they still serving?"



Smiling Angus merely patted his wife's leg, "maybe that's why they sent us out here alone trying to keep this under wraps. Maybe they are renegades, or maybe they are just normal officers with bad luck. These questions and more to be answered, tomorrow. For now send the report it's finished and let's forget about the day and lose ourselves in dinner."

Rose smiled before sending the report and walking into the dining area, "Angus, you really made that again."



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Location: Bridge

Time Index: Eight Hours Later



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Normally the beginning of the third shift rotation aboard the ARMSTRONG for a seasoned officer would be a calm and peaceful time to gain experience in the center chair; however, Ensign Sao was not a seasoned officer and serving on a ship with three eight hour shifts was not what she prepared herself in the academy.



“Mama, are you going to be ok,” another young ensign questioned taking his station at the tactical console.



Blinking her eyes quickly trying to removed the slight exhaustion from her eyes Zoe nodded, “yes i’ll be fine just trying to become accustomed to the shift.”



Smiling the other young officer nodded, “yeah it takes a bit but hey, every Captain is different right so you may serve with a Captain that has four six hours or something else.”



Zoe blinked a slight shiver going down her spine, “why can’t I be back in the lab.”



“Because you need command experience, not science experience,” Zane, the science officer on the bridge added smiling at Zoe.



Shaking her head Zoe sat down in the center seat before sighing, “I’ll take a nice lab over this any day.”



“Well I can say…” the tactical officer started before furrowing his brow answering a beep that was coming from his console, “mam, we are receiving a hail from Nimbus III.”



Shifting in the chair Zoe blinked, “wake, wake the captain?”



Nodding slowly Zane laughed before turning back to face his console, “yes wake the captain.”



Tapping her commbadge Zoe coughed slightly, “bridge to Captain Harcourt.”



[[Harcourt, something wrong tonight Ensign,]] Rose question the slight frustration and exhaustion in her voice coming through.



“Yes, yes mam. We are receiving a hail from Nimbus III,” Zoe stated waiting.



A few moments of silence lingered in the air before Rose responded, [[I’m on my way, wake the senior staff.]]



Zoe looked back to Zane blinking as if asking was that legal before nodding to herself tapping the comm system, “senior officers to the bridge.”



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NRPG: Just getting the news of the away team out there and moving this particular plot along.