USS Penumbra Sim Narrative, SD 202108.06
One of our former Borg crewmembers, Lt. Katarina Hawke, was promoted to Lieutenant Commander and gained the official status of Assistant Chief Medical Officer! (While, technically, Kat hasn't been officially a Starfleet Officer, having never attended Starfleet Academy or received an official commission, she was granted a provisional Starfleet Officer rank by then-Captain Zak Taylor when she was "rescued" from the Omega Moon. Now, officially, the "Flag Officer" Commodore has made that "provisional" commission official by making Kat a Senior Officer.)
The Penumbra remained docked in a Vulcan Starbase in orbit over the planet Vulcan. Most of the crew were still enjoying some time off (several were going with Relok to visit his home in Chetzoplan), but the Commodore and the Colonel were headed to meet with Vice Admiral Sulyk to give their report of their first foray into the Breen Confederacy (such that it was).
With the Commodore and Colonel off the ship on the Starbase, and with Cmdr. Relok off-duty and also headed off ship, the Chain of Command fell to LtCmdr. Jason Carter to man the Bridge. He had only a skeleton crew of junior officers manning critical stations on the Bridge since the ship was currently docked with a Starbase deep within a safe and secure part of the Federation.
Cdre. Zak Taylor and Col. Travis Patterson were making their way through the Starbase headed to the VIP quarters currently assigned to Vice Admiral Sulyk.
Though he was a "junior officer", Lt. Jackson Carshel had been "tagging along" with Zak and Patterson, absent-mindedly fiddling with a hackie-sack as they walked, in his own little world.
Patterson turned his head to speak to Zak, "Is our appointment with the Admiral scheduled, or are we kicking in his door, metaphorically?"
Zak gave him a smirk and replied, "He's expecting us, but it isn't a 'scheduled visit' since our mission wasn't 'official'."
Patterson gave a nod just as Carshel made an errant kick of his sack, sending it headed straight for the Colonel's head! "Woops!" he said.
Patterson's reflexes kicked in and he snatched the sack out of the hair just before getting nailed in the forehead. "Well," he said, "my reflexes are still good at keeping me alive, it would seem."
"Sorry, sir," Carshel said, embarrassed.
Zak's heart rate spiked as he nearly collided with the flying hacky-sack. "Damn!" he exclaimed, "I was already stressed enough with meeting the Admiral, Jack!"
Carshel meekly asked, "Um ... can I have my hacky-sack back?"
Patterson tossed the bean-bag back to Carshel, then tapped the Commodore. "Let's get going, then. We wouldn't want to keep the Admiral waiting for us."
"Right," Zak said, glancing around then pointing, "just down here then."
Patterson gestured for the Commodore to lead the way and they headed towards a pair of Starfleet Security Guards that stood blocking a corridor. When they caught sight of the Commodore's rank pip on Zak's collar, they quickly separated to let the flag officer through.
Carshel paused, eyeing the guards, and asked, "Sir, am I ... allowed to follow?"
Zak turned, apparently just now noticing the Lieutenant's lower rank. He answered, "Um, maybe you should ... wait out here?"
Carshel gave a nod and said, "Understood. I'll be at my station then." He turned and retraced his steps back to the ship.
Zak stepped up to the quarters he'd been told had been assigned to the Admiral. He paused, took a breath, and said, "Here we go. I wish we had more to tell him." He pressed the chime.
In the Hangar Bay, Cmdr. Relok was counting the people coming with him to his home region known as Chetzoplan. He mumbled to himself, "I certainly hope my parents are not put out by the arrival of so many guests. They're not young anymore."
LtCmdr. Denovan Hawke assured him, "I'm sure there is more than enough of us to help if needed, Commander."
Relok continued, "I'm not even entirely certain Torek will be home. He may be on some geological survey. But, T'Pren will always be nearby, she is a priestess at our Temple."
LtCmdr. Tabeshk Tibris settled himself into a seat and said, "I just hope they won't freak out seeing me, Relok. I would not want that to happen, but I understand that my appearance can be quite freaky." He was referring to the fact he was an albino with pale skin, ice-blue eyes, and long, white hair. He was also half-Klingon with forehead ridges, and half-Romulan with the pointed ears.
Relok gave a slight shrug. "It is highly unlikely either of my parents would 'freak out', Tabby."
Tabby shrugged back. "I still worry about the risks, Relok."
Den poked Tabby in the side as he took his seat. Tabby complained, "Ow! What, Hawke?"
Den smiled, "I don't think they are going to particularly care. I'm probably the one to be stared at because of the implants." He was a former Borg, and as always, the process of removing the Borg implants could never remove all the implants. Many would go deep into his brain or nervous system.
"True," Tabby agreed. "Is there any way we can conceal them, Hawke?"
"Not particularly," Den answered. "I mean one on my head, one on my arm, my other arm being fake completely, even if it looks and acts real." Den continued, "I don't particularly like having to have y'all lie to them. I mean, I'd either be taken for who I am or I could ...," he paused for a moment, turning to look behind him for a moment, before resuming, "Hmm ... Um ... I can go back to the ship."
But going back wouldn't be easy now since the shuttle had lifted off and cleared the Hangar Bay door, exiting the Penumbra and quickly heading out through the Starbase's huge door as well, headed down to the surface.
Tabby had noticed Den's glance behind him. He asked, "Is everything all right, Hawke?"
"Hmm?" Den responded. "Yes. Thought I heard something."
Tabby eyed him worriedly and glanced over at Relok, but Den went on, "As I was saying, if it bothers them so much, I won't take offense. I don't mind."
Relok said, "My father, Torek, would likely want to examine you in detail, Den. He's such a scientist. My mother blames him for me. Mother, on the other hand, will probably ignore the implants altogether. Mother tends to focus on the here and now, a trait she claims is key to approaching the sehlat's attitude."
Den asked, "Do you have any idea what he's going to ask? Or is he going to want to do scans and poke and prod as well?"
"Well, officially," Relok began explaining, "Torek is Minister of Geophysical Statistics. He wouldn't have any official 'experiments' he'd want to run on you, if that's what you're worried about. He'll just be curious."
Den frowned slightly. "I don't particularly want him trying without permission anyway, sir."
As Den said this the shuttle came to a landing in a quaint little village near the sea. Barely a half-mile away, the mountains were covered in dense fog. "Well," Relok said, "here we are." He stood, looking as nervous as a teenager bringing his friends to meet his parents.
As they descended the ramp to the ground, Den glanced around, then gestured towards the mountains and said, "Hmm ... I kind of like the fog cloud."
Nearby stood an elderly woman wearing full-length elaborate robes. She seemed to be patiently waiting on the occupants of the shuttle. Tabby had a sudden flash of nervousness thinking, ~Oh my god! I'm meeting Relok's parents!~ Maybe this was because he thought of Relok as an "old man", to think of that "old man's" parents was stunning.
On the Penumbra SgtMaj. Derek Hines was in what was affectionately called "Marine Bay" overseeing the resupply of weapons and gear before he took his own shore leave. It was a Cargo Bay that had been retrofitted with secure armory areas where the Marines stored WAR rifle ammunition, along with a wide assortment of other useful tools and equipment.
SSgt. Will Davies stepped up to him, dusting off his hands, and said, "Anything else, Sergeant? I think the last set is being loaded now."
Hines double-checked against the PADD he held in his hand and nodded. "Yeah, that's everything we needed. I think that's all. We've gotten the resupply for all the WAR magazines?"
They wandered off together to make a last check.
The newly promoted LtCmdr. Katarina Hawke had retired to her quarters. She had a feeling that something wasn't quite right, but had no idea what it was. She hadn't been sleeping well for several nights and decided to try to catch up. During her nap her dreams were filled with people she did not recognize. In fact, none of them even seemed familiar. And, as usual, she woke from her short nap still tired as if she hadn't slept.
She rose and dressed and headed out into the corridor, not really watching where she was going. As a result, she bumped into someone. "I'm sorry," she said, and then noticed ... there was no-one in the corridor. She glanced around, looking for someone who might have turned a corner. There was no-one.
She shook her head and rubbed her forehead. She had a pounding headache, but considering how restless she'd been lately, considered that to be perfectly normal. She found herself standing at a Turbolift and decided she'd head to Sickbay to get something for the headache, and maybe something to help her sleep.
But, as the Turbolift doors slid closed she glimpsed a shadow pass by. She reached to stop the doors and stepped out. Again, there was no-one there, just an empty corridor. Most of the crew were on shore leave and the place was virtually abandoned.
"Okay," she said to herself, "it was just a shadow. Let's concentrate on this headache and not shadows in the empty corridor." She rubbed her forehead again and stepped back into the Turbolift. "Sickbay," she instructed it.
MstSgt. Khal'Gon was headed into Sickbay to have an evaluation of his battle-scars from the targ-hunt. He rounded the corner from one direction just as Kat approached from the other. Kat addressed him as they approached the doors to Sickbay, "Master Sergeant, is everything ok?" The concerns of a patient had her automatically ignoring her own discomfort.
Khal'Gon turned to her and gave a nod. "Just here to make sure my wounds are not infected from the Targs. I learned my lesson with the Plant." He was referring to the horrible chest infection he'd developed after a tear in his combat armor had allowed fibers from the Evil Vine to get into his lungs at the fight to retrieve the Heart of the Ancients on the Mirror Universe Kyrathian Homeworld.
Kat nodded in response as they entered Sickbay, then moved across the room to get a medical tricorder to scan his wounds. In seconds she announced, "Everything seems to be healing nicely. You should be fine in a couple more days." With her patient cared for, she turned to find something for her headache.
But Khal'Gon noticed she seemed distracted, maybe even in pain. He asked, "Doctor ... are you alright? You've been acting strangely since the wedding ceremony."
"I just have a headache," she answered as she dialed in a hypospray and administered it to herself. As the medicine immediately began to ease the pounding in her head, she closed her eyes, just for a moment, then opened them and looked at Khal'Gon. "I'm sorry, what did you just say?"
Khal'Gon stared at her, then stepped a bit closer and raised an eyebrow. "You are unwell."
Kat frowned at him. "I told you, I just have a headache. But ... then you said something else." She was confused.
Khal'Gon now was also confused. "No, I asked if you were alright. That's all I said."
Kat blinked, even more confused. "You ... didn't say anything else?" She looked at him steadily, hoping he'd tell her that he was just messing with her and that he had said something else.
Khal'Gon placed a hand gently on her shoulder. "Something's wrong, Kat. I don't know what it is, but you're acting strangely. Like ... you're seeing ghosts or something."
Kat paled even more than she normally was and turned from Khal'Gon to walk away. She didn't want to think about it. Besides, Shadow didn't seem to be here for her to talk to. She thought maybe she should find her brother.
The elderly Vulcan woman in the elaborate robes took a single step forward and bowed to the visitors approaching from the shuttle. Once she'd straightened again she said simply, "Relok, my son, it is agreeable to see you again."
Relok gave a slight nod of acknowledgement and said, "Mother, you are looking well. Is Father home?"
The woman responded, "No, Torek is not in residence at this time. A team of Starfleet Cadets on a training mission managed to uncover some old spear point or something and your father decided he must simply see the site in person to see if it was important."
Tabby slipped from behind Relok, bowing at the woman himself but remaining silent. He wasn't sure if she'd remember him after all these years.
Den stepped out, bowing his head slightly and then giving the Vulcan salute and saying, "Long life and prosperity."
Tabby nudged him and whispered, "It's 'Live long and prosper.'"
Den just shook his head and whispered back, "There's more than one way."
The elderly Vulcan gave Den a careful scrutiny, as she might give a strange-looking bug. She said, "Yes, yes, peace and long life and all that." She turned back to her son. "Relok, you have failed to properly introduce us. Has Starfleet robbed you of your sense of protocol?"
Relok flinched at the subtle reprimand. "Oh! Um, sorry, no, Mother, it hasn't. Everyone, this is my mother, T'Pren, High Priestess of the Order of the Sehlat. Mother, this," he indicated Den, "is Lt.Cmdr. Denovan Hawke, our Chief of Security and Tactical Operations ... and this," he gestured at Tabby, "is LtCmdr. Tabeshk Tibris, our Chief of Operations."
Tabby smiled slightly and said, "Greetings."
Relok continued, "And ... behind him is his father, Konar. I think you met him once before."
Konar stepped forward and spoke in easy Vulcan, "I met you ten years ago, Honored One. My wife and I had come to you seeking aid with her Tuvan Syndrome."
T'Pren looked at the older Klingon and said, "Yes, I remember the Klingon who married a Romulan. I am sorry we were unable to help you."
Tabby added, also now in Vulcan, "I was but a child back then. I am now a newlywed, Honored One."
T'Pren did not respond to Tabby, but instead spoke to all of them. "Please, you must all come to my house for tea. Relok, you remember where it is?"
Relok struggled not to roll his eyes. "Yes, Mother, I remember the way to the house!" He started off, leading them all in the proper direction into the village.
Tabby chuckled, "Tea, Relok? Seriously? Now I see where you get it from."
Relok explained, speaking softly, "It is customary to offer refreshment to visitors. This is Vulcan, after all, and aliens will grow dehydrated and possibly hypoxic."
Den asked, "What's wrong with tea? And, we are guests!" He motioned for them to go ahead before him as he paused to look behind them again, this time turning his head to take in the whole area. He gave a shrug and followed behind.
They made their way into the village and eventually up to a modest mud-brick structure on a narrow street of similar structures where they entered.
In the VIP Quarters on the Vulcan Starbase that had been assigned to him for his short stay, Vice Admiral Sulyk replaced an empty tea cut into the replicator. He spoke out loud, though there was no-one to hear, "They should have been here by now. I hope they're not deliberately delaying this debriefing. I am scheduled to depart back to Earth in an hour."
Just as he said this, the chime on his door sounded. He turned to face it, taking a moment to restore his customary Vulcan composure and then called, "Come!" When he saw Cdre. Taylor and Col. Patterson there he stated, "About time."
Zak stepped in and addressed Sulyk, "Admiral."
Patterson stepped in alongside, advancing far enough to allow the door to slide closed behind him, and giving the nod to the Admiral.
Sulyk commanded, "Computer, engage Privacy Mode." A trill sounded as the computer enacted anti-eavesdropping measures built into all of the VIP Quarters. Sulyk stepped over to his desk and took his seat, looking up at the two men. "So, what'd you find out?"
Zak and Patterson took seats on the opposite side of the desk. Patterson accessed the PADD-like device embedded in his left forearm (a by-product of his "experimental" background). He listed a few of the various injuries and specifics from their Away Mission on Lampros Three, concluding with, "Overall, Admiral ... we didn't find much, but we did recover a prisoner."
The Vulcan Admiral was trying very hard not to scowl. He said, "So ... the entire mission went completely sideways? You do plan to try again, don't you? Perhaps elsewhere?"
Zak glanced at Patterson, then back to Sulyk. "Well, yes, Admiral, we plan to go back and find another insertion point ... if we're allowed, that is."
Patterson drummed his fingers on the desk a moment, then said, "We lost our ace in the hole with our blown mission, so insertions are gonna be ... a bit more dangerous ...," he trailed off.
Sulyk did scowl now. "Let me guess ... you have no idea where to go next. Well, fortunately, there are no other missions for which we have need of the Penumbra, so ... try again. And this time ... do better."
Zak swallowed hard and said, "Um, yes, Admiral, we'll certainly do that, right, Colonel?"
Patterson slapped a hand on the desk in frustration and shook his head. "Admiral, I need to ensure I have full clearance to proceed as deemed necessary, so long as discretion is of the utmost importance ... otherwise ... I don't know if we have the means."
Sulyk sat back in his chair and steepled his fingers, unfazed by Patterson's reaction. "Full clearance? As deemed necessary? Colonel, your entire 'mission' out there is unsanctioned and possibly illegal! There can't be any restrictions placed on such an endeavor, officially, can there?"
Patterson smirked and gave a curt nod. "No, sir."
Zak gaped a moment, then turned to Patterson. "Did he just ...?"
Patterson turned to Zak and said, "We tried it your way. Now, it's my turn." He gave a head-point towards the door as he said, "Respectfully, sir."
The two Penumbrians stood and started for the door. Sulyk did not stand but just said, "Oh, and it was a nice of the two of you to drop by for a visit. See yourselves out, will you? I have to get ready to return to Earth."