Ep1 Act3: The Golden Hind

[Aoife]

"Is there anything that you do yourself?" Zuub asked. She then pumped the hypo into Jones and informed Emerald. "That should assist you. Let me know if you're unable to have your stress calmed."

If there was a reaction that was expected upon receiving a sedative, it was probably not the one that Emerald Jones gave. She hadn't been able to move out of the way fast enough to avoid the hypospray. Later on, when things got quiet, she'd ask herself whether that was on purpose or not. She'd cry. Argue. Blame everyone else. Hadn't she been giving off the 'don't give me shit' vibe? What she did know was that 123 days of being clean had vanished in one, well meant, touch of the instrument.

"You're gonna regret that," she informed Zuub, a second before she sighed deeply and her eyes rolled backwards. She fell onto her back, breathing deeply for a moment. The room didn't exactly spin, nor did she pass out. She laughed, rolled onto her stomach and got up. "Keep that on hand, I'm going to want more in about... an hour. Nah, let's make it two. and a good dose this time. Not a pansy weak assed one like you just gave me."

TAG- Zuub

She walked away from the Andorian, a distinct sway to her hips and a completely different tone to her body language. Gone was the withdrawn, perhaps timid, science officer. She stretched, cracking her neck by moving her head from side to side. The stretch was near enough to sensuous to be an invitation in the right circumstances. Jones knew only too well what had happened. She was back to normal. Didn't have to keep anyone at arms length anymore. Well, close enough to normal. Once she got her hands on some good stuff, she'd be more than fine.

Jones watched the screen appear, and the image on it coalesce into being. "Gary. Mutated somehow. As if he's been subsumed into another being perhaps? Almost pixilated in fashion. I would love to see the technology that is behind it." She pulled out her tricorder and began to punch some instructions into it. A moment later, she stopped, glanced sideways at Santra and grinned.

"What was that other thing you said you wanted to give me? I'm game."

TAG - Santra.

[Amanda Rose]

[SabrinaPandora]

[Aoife]

Emerald watched the ongoing saga on the screen in front of her. What she'd give right now for a PADD or some other way to keep accurate notes. She'd have to do the best she could with her tricorder, and raised it to take a recording of the image being shown. While she recorded, she watched intently. The creature seemed to morph into its surroundings, the cubes were.. what? That was the big question that she was interested in.

Damn, but she felt better. Part of her wondered just how she was going to get her hands on more stuff. Any stuff really. For the first time in over half a year, she didn't hurt. Her joints didn't feel like there were pieces of glass inserted between all the moving bits, and she could focus. Sort of focus. She'd have to get her hands on a hypospray. None of this showed on her face as she kept an eye on the image.

"Hey, where's everyone else?" she suddenly said aloud. "Two people missing?"

[Sjet]

[Ciara Mei]

[SabrinaPandora]

[Sjet]

[Nevian]

Sai'tan watched the avain soar away into the distance and vanish before turning to see T'salean sitting beside him on the bough.

His pulse, suppressed to the point of comatose, beat twice in normal rythm in joy before returning to the lower rate.

She sat there calmly as was her norm in casual off duty attire, soft fabric with light tracings of color at the folds and edges, as painted perfectly from his deepest cherished memories. Her straight black hair loose, ends gently waving from the slight breeze from the sway of the infinity tree.

" Beloved. " Her voice came to him as she smiled softly.

" Beloved. " he returned, the word choking him as emotion broke through the discipline.

" A strange place to bring me. " she looked around slowly. " Is this where you are dying? You must be dreaming. How injured are you? "

" Explain. " he might have sniffled before regaining composure.

She cocked her head slightly, " You are in vortash'D trance, the edge of the very deep. Here I wait that we may pass together. "
T'salean smiled again, this time intimately.
" Do you not remember, beloved? Before the ship was lost, we exchange essence, that we would always carry that we are. "

" That we would not pass alone. " Sai'tan finished, moisture in his eyes as control relaxed.

" I had to accelerate, there was need. " he said quietly.

" At your age? " there might have been gently chiding.

" As I said, there was need. "

She closed her eyes to look within" .. yes. I see. Your memories.. oh, Beloved.. " she opened her eyes now wet with compassion.

" They are such children. Do you hear them argue? "

" Yes. "

She now wore her captian's uniform, hair tied back subtly as they shared a view of the alien ship's bridge, she with a slightly stern reserved expression and he with calm regard.

" They do not know how to wake you safely. Do they not know the risks of breaking vortash'D? "

" The doctor might. Santra would likely know the risks, given his reputation. I am tempted to stop my heart regardless. "

She turned to him, now in a captain's seat, looking at him as would a captain.

" Their need is still dire. "

" I am so tired, T'salean. "

Her expression softened, " I know, Beloved. "

" But duty requires. I am needed. "

He finished the thought and smiled at her, she leaned forward, reaching toward his face," Beloved." whispered before fading away.

The bough swayed under him, he closed his eyes before bowing his head and cried in the privacy of the dream...

[Aoife]

"Yeah, but I can see one of them, so two missing." Aoife gestured to the image on the wall. In that moment, with a rumble that reverberated through her feet and up through their bodies, the ship moved. Aoife stumbled, reaching for the wall and yanking her hand back at the last moment. The movement, coupled with the increasing instability of the ship was enough to send her crashing to the floor. Aoife swore loudly, and rolled until she was able to stop her momentum. She scrambled to her feet, looking for reasons for the sudden change in their environment. She flipped open her tricorder scanning the area around them.

"The ship appears to be moving," she said and grimaced. "I know, stating the obvious before anyone gets snarky about it. If I'm reading the trajectory properly, we're heading for open space. Nice. Maybe the station will bother to come and get us if they don't have to be careful about their nail polish."