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[XO's Ready Room - USS Discovery]

With that T'Lara relaxed her stare and softened her face a bit. She hadn't wanted to alarm anyone, but all of it needed to be said. What they were doing was a very serious task and could very easily put the crew in danger if handled incorrectly. She hoped her speech had provided enough information. Most of it was taken directly from the written record of the conversations she and the captain had with General Tam'lok.

"At this time I will do my best to answer any questions at hand, then I will announce the members of the task force and those not included in that list will be dismissed."

[XO's Ready Room - USS Discovery]
Ensign Four of Twenty

A single black eye scanned the room. His mechanical eye whirred and focused. There were many in the room that harbored ill will towards Romulans. If it wasn't for the Romulans, the Federation would have been destroyed and the Dominion would be the premiere superpower in the Alpha Quadrant. And what thanks did the Star Empire receive? A blind eye was turned towards them as a supernova ripped through their territory, destroying their homeworld.

Every animal recoiled after a devastating wound, the Romulans were no different. If these Terrans had lost Earth, how would the Federation fare? Would they still be so forthcoming to outside factions? Would the Federation have stayed in tact?

But now was not the time for hypotheticals. The Discovery and her crew had managed to find themselves in a rather precarious situation, to say the least. Now they were preparing themselves to come to the aid of their Captain. But, in doing so, they were to dock at a Romulan station. Damn near surrendering the ship for the duration.

He didn't have any questions. The Commander seemed to have the situation under control. The Ensign was merely a pawn for the senior staff to move about the board as they saw fit. Crossing one leg over the other, he continued to sweep his gaze across the room. Let them continue with their anti-Romulan sentiments. Those attitudes would simply strike the match in this powder keg.

[Engineering - USS Discovery]

Lek looked up at the unfamiliar voice and there was no mistaking the speaker. There was only one liberated Borg on the ship.

"Hello Ensign. Thank you, Challenger might not be the technological marvel that Discovery is, but she is a damn fine ship and I shall miss her dearly. My congratulations to you for your assistance during your last mission. I'm certain your specific insight into Borg technology was most appreciated at the time."

Engineering - USS Discovery]
Ensign Four of Twenty

Four eased up a bit, his hand absentmindedly going to the back of his head. "I wouldn't say that, sir. It was the first time since being liberated that I had contact with the Collective. The voices were rather... jarring. I tried my best to block them out. Was able to assist the bridge in fighting off a Collective Virus. We had frequent failing warp cores, was mostly occupied with that."

A black eye fell on his superior once more as he stiffened up a bit. "Sorry, sir. I'm taking up your time and rambling. In the off chance we run into the Collective again, I'll do better. Just wanted to welcome you to the Discovery." He gave the Lieutenant another salute, straightening up his uniform.

[Deck 12 - Upper Main Engineering - USS Discovery]

Lek stepped into his new office and flopped behind his new desk. He was still trying to figure out if his presence here was a reward or a punishment and regardless of which it was, he had no idea what he'd done to deserve either. One day, he's aboard the Challenger, comfortable in his role and place in the universe, and the next, he'd received orders to report as chief engineer of the USS Discovery.

Sure, the Prometheus-Class was a remarkable design and absolutely the top of what Starfleet ship builders could build, but Challenger was home. She was an old hull, he couldn't deny that, but as a Trailblazer, she was no antique either, especially with his point-of-impact modification. Despite her age, she could go toe to toe with anything but an Akira or a Prometheus in Multi-Vector.

Regardless of what he thought, orders were orders and here he was. At least, thank the Blessed Exchequer he'd been able to swing a transfer for Gianetti. He just couldn't imagine an engine room without him in it and he was grateful he was here. He hadn't been able to manage a transfer for Helga as well, but he wasn't about to give up. He might not have gone into business like a good Ferengi, but he had the lobes to manage the Great Material Continuum and he would get Helga here. Their leave time had been amazing and he wasn't about to accept a long distance relationship.

"No, the 168th Rule of Acquisition* is going to bring my Par'Mach'kai to this ship or I am no Ferengi."

He murmured with conviction and set about to making his initial inspection of the ship. He'd read every word available about the Prometheus-Class in the last week, but now it was time to put those schematics to touch.

*Whisper your way to success.

[Deck 12 - Corridors - USS Discovery]
Ensign Four of Twenty

His second mission on the Discovery, and they were headed deep into Romulan space. His first mission saw a run in with the Borg. Perhaps that was one of the benefits of working on the space station for his previous assignment. Very rare chance of running into Borg or Romulan. Not that he feared the encounters, of course. They were just... uncomfortable.

With the Borg, the components that made up a healthy percentage of his body seemed to become more active when they were around the Collective. It was deafening. And now... His life as a Romulan died when he was assimilated. By the time he was liberated, his home was destroyed. His family being obliterated in the supernova.

He was a Federation officer now. His new life had been different. But, it was getting better. He loved it here on the Discovery. The Prometheus class starship was a marvel on Federation technology. Service on the ship would look great on his record. He would have to continue to prove his value so his commanding officers didn't have motivation in order to transfer him elsewhere.

Speaking of commanding officers, a single black eye rested on the figure of a Ferengi in uniform. The new Chief of Engineering. The mechanical green eye whirred, focusing on the Lieutenant as the Ensign approached the new Chief. His approach was silent, quick. He gave the man a rigid salute.

"Good day, Lieutenant. Ensign Four of Twenty. I hate to be a bother, but I just wanted to introduce myself to you. I've heard you accomplished quite a lot aboard the Challenger. I look forward to working under you."

What's good?

I'm Avicus. I play Ensign Four of Twenty (Freed Romulan Borg Drone), lackey in the Engineering Department.

I'm still pretty green to Shadow Fleet. Not the most social of peeps. But, I'm hoping to write with y'all soon.

Ensign Four of Twenty - Engineering

Cadet Four of Twenty
[USS Discovery - Deck 5 - Auxiliary Engineering]

Slowly, he peeled himself off of his screen. His head was pounding, his thoughts were foggy as he tried to regain his bearings. He was at his station in Aux Engineering. Lights were flickering around him, people were standing back up. And then he remembered. There was a collision, he lurched forward in the impact, and everything went black.

A cold trickle ran down his forehead as his fingers absentmindedly moved towards the skin. His fingertips felt wet, a little sticky. He moved them into his field of vision, and his fingertips were painted in green blood. Wiping it off on his uniform, he began typing away at his station, working on the shut down warp core.

"Cadet, you're bleeding."

"It's a minor flesh wound. I'm fine."

"You should report to Sickbay."

"Sickbay is overrun. I'll go after we get this warp core back up and running."

"Very well. Get to work, Cadet."

A cold smile crept across his lips as a trickle of green blood ran down his cheek. The Engineering officer went to work at his console, typing quickly. The ship needed to get out of this nightmare nebula. The ship, and her crew, had suffered enough. This mission was starting to take its toll on all.

[[USS Discovery - Deck One - Bridge]]

Ensign Danjar-Torra
[USS Discovery - Deck One - Bridge]

She opened a comm. "Danjar-Addams to Four of Twenty."

Torra knew of the new former Borg cadet because she'd been the one who had helped with his room assignment.

"Cadet, how are you with computer viruses?  We have an aggressive, adaptable Borg virus threatening to take out all ship's systems.  I need assistance in combatting the virus code.  I'm sending you administrator authorization to make coding changes to help me stop this thing."   She looked over her shoulder toward Cadbury.  "If you could help too sir, that would be appreciated!"

Cadet Four of Twenty
[USS Discovery - Deck Five - Aux Engineering]

A voice came through, overpowering the whispers of the collective. A singular voice, the Ensign that had helped him find his quarters when he had first arrived. Slowly, he put the blade back in its holster as he sat back down at his station. His skin was damp with perspiration, his black hair beginning to stick to his forehead. He brushed it back, nodding as he hit his comm badge.

"Yes, of course, Ensign." 

The Administrative access came through, as he began typing away at the keypad. A few quick keystrokes and the display screen began showing the corrupted files. He began typing faster, isolating one of the virus strands as he began breaking down the code. Borg viruses were textbook efficient, ruthlessly aggressive, yet simple in design.

The whispers began to creep back through his circuits. They called for him to boost the virus. To sabotage the systems of the Discovery. He winced, doing his best to ignore them as he pressed on. His fingers blazed across the keypad, his station filled with the various chimes made from every key stroke.

A satisfied smirk crossed his lips as he pressed his comm badge once more.  "Four of Twenty to Danjar-Addams. Ensign, I have introduced a new code into the virus that has temporarily halted the replication process. We'll have to move quickly before the code adapts and the reproduction process begins anew." 

[[USS Discovery - Deck One - Bridge]]

Ensign Danjar-Torra Addams
[USS Discovery - Deck One - Bridge]

Then without waiting for Felder to do his job or orders from the Captain, Torra reacted opening a shipwide call.  "Intruder Alert. Security to Decks 4 and 5.  All personnel on Decks Four and Five initiate personal lockdown and arm yourselves. Resistance is NOT futile!"

And then engineering got the third warp core up..  moments too late.

With her voice quivering with a multitude of emotion, Torra announced.  "Third core is up and running. Shield strength is at 37%"

Crewman Four of Twenty
[USS Discovery - Deck Five - Auxiliary Engineering]

His assignment on the Discovery had lasted for less than a week before this had all come to pass. He heard them... Felt the Collective rippling through his mechanical parts. Voices he had thought were long dead. Voices he never thought he would hear again. The Borg...

Had they come for him? Had he somehow lead them to the Discovery? The voices became louder. The presence of the Collective calling out to him. It was overwhelming. It was terrifying. It was... comforting. The solace that came from the hivemind, it called to him. Even as things fell apart around him, he felt comfort.

But, the longer the conflict drug on, the less comfort he started to feel. And that old terror began to creep up what the Borg had left of his spine. He remembered what he had lost the last time he had been brought into the Collective. He had missed the destruction of his homeworld. He had missed the glory he had achieved in the Romulan Star Empire.

Now was his time to make a name for himself in Starfleet, he would be damned if the Collective would take him. He needed to maximize his chances for survival, and that meant helping the ship. A green beam shot forth from his mechanical eye as diagnostics were ran. Working with the Engineering team, they were able to get the warp core back up and running. But, it seemed that they were too late.

Before the core was back up in operation, drones began transporting onto the vessel. The voices were nearly screaming at him at this point, causing the Romulan to wince, grasping his head. He had to press on. There was still work to be done. "Set your phasers on a rotating frequency. It should help counteract their adaptive shielding, but even then you'll only get a few shots before our phasers become obsolete." he said through gritted teeth.

[USS Discovery - Devari Nebula]

On the Discovery, Lieutenant jg T'farr, temporarily in charge of engineering in the absence of Lieutenant Quinn, was the very picture of emotionless efficiency as she rerouted power from life support from the evacuated portions of the outer hull to shielding and her efforts were rewarded with the shields increasing to 57%.

Reaching to his lower back, he unclasped a holster, pulling out a Romulan blade as he held it off to the side. "Lieutenant, permission to head out and assist Security... Lock the door behind me. Fry the circuits if need be. This station will be a priority target for assimilation."

[[The Rough Diamond Casino & Bar]]

[The Rough Diamond Casino & Bar]

The events of the evening may have been unraveling, though certainly not as fast as Galanna's boobs. Felicity found it difficult not to stare, aghast, as Judy lashed out with her cane and destroyed the other woman's once impressive cleavage. She turned from Eastman at the arrival of Alec, who had appeared by the exit, apparently also keen to make a swift exit.

"Sure are," she confirmed to him as she changed directions and headed through the door. Once safely on the other side, and with some distance between themselves and the fracas behind, Felicity turned to Judy and Leanna and encouraged them to go on without her. "There's someone I need to grab. I'll meet you all back at the hotel. Be safe."

The group split into two directions, with Felicity swinging a right in order to circle back around outside the Diamond. She not only had a crewmember unaccounted for, but it was also her intention to stick around for support should the Captain, Adeyemi and T'Rell require it. She stepped behind an adorned column and into a small alcove. Somewhat hidden from cursory glances, she tapped her secreted commbadge and whispered a request.

"Abi'Ddon, what's your location?"

She was using Cadet Four's alias, of course. She took advantage of the short break between the transmissions to check in. "The party back at the hotel is winding down, but I'm told there might be some action still to come here at the casino."

[Lobby]

Too many bodies converging on one point would be a rather obvious move. Four stayed back, making small talk in the lobby whilst keeping an ear to the events as they transpired. If anyone needed to make a quick exit, or the situation became volatile, Four was going to make a distraction. Something eye popping that made everyone lose their focus.

It was a classic strategy, but one of the safest bets to ensure the safety of Starfleet lives. The last thing he wanted was to see his first mission become a failure. An Orion was holding some conversation when the chime of the Commander's message came in. He gave a rather apologetic smile as he looked to the Orion.

"Well, this has been lovely, but I need to refill my drink."

With that, he turned and left, making his way back to the Casino.  "Yes, of course. Located at the Lobby. I'm making my way back now." 

[The Emerald Enclave Pleasure Resort, The Oasis - Room 942]

[Rough Diamond - Blackjack Table]

Thank you! Aryn twittered. That's so nice. I didn't think we'd meet such nice people here. My honey said we probably wouldn't. She giggled and squeezed Alec's arm tightly as he smiled down at her indulgently. While he was ostensibly the lead of their pair, he was content to let Aryn take control here. Her overly-friendly personality was far more of a distraction than he could conjure up and would go a long way toward putting anyone off their scent. No one would suspect her of being a Starfleet officer with the way she acted.

He added his own sentiments to hers, however, Thank you, sir. That is most kind of you. I just want to show my love a good time, and she wanted to try gambling. He offered a helpless shrug as if he were unable to resist anything she requested.

[Rough Diamond - Blackjack Table]

"Don't mention it. A marriage is something to be celebrated." he said with a reassuring smile. He thought back to his life on Romulus for a moment. He was once betrothed. The union would have been a strong alliance between their family's houses. But that was a long time ago.

[Rough Diamond, Blackjack Table]

Nick cringed inwardly. He never liked telling mostly-sober people about his work - it put them off. However, he was saved this time by banter.

"I'll have some bourbon, neat," he said to the waiter, before continuing the conversation with the marks he'd attracted.
"How was the trip here?"

The lack of answer didn't go unnoticed. Although the Romulan simply played it off. "It was traveling through space." he said with a casual shrug. An odd question, to say the least. But, it seemed to be a rather common one asked by Terrans. They had an odd fascination with levels of comfort.

The Emerald Enclave Pleasure Resort, The Oasis - Room 942

Odelot fidgeted nervously, surreptitiously triple-tapping his belt-buckle with the ball of his thumb.   This would transmit his words across the covert tachyon communicator network being used by the team.

Hello Green Lady in My Room.  I am Dotelo.  Dotelo is rich Salvage King of Cralus Sector.  Dotelo is having fun being rich.  Dotelo is not Fat.  Dotelo is Right Size.   Why you Have Torch?  Why you point at Dotelo?

Dotelo is not ugly.  Mom says Dotelo has nice round face like fruit.  Dotelo likes fruit sometimes.  If it is sweet.  You do not like fruit?

His eye closed as he let out a short exhale. He knew hacking into the system was a bad decision. The crew hadn't been off of the Phoenix for very long before someone needed bailed out already. His eye opened as he fixated his gaze on the green felt of the Blackjack table. This would have to be dealt with.

[Rough Diamond - Blackjack Table]

As she finished speaking, Odelot's transmission came through their comm network. Aryn's only visible reaction to it was an extra blink and a hard squeeze of Alec's arm.

If you all will excuse me, I'm afraid I need to visit the ladies. My tummy's a little delicate right now, she said in a stage whisper to the rest of the table, deliberately keeping it vague but also giving her an excuse to be gone for what could be an extended period of time. Keep an eye on my chips, won't you, sweetie?

Of course, love. Alec hated to let her go alone, but there was no good reason for him to leave as well. And he was technically a civilian, so the Starfleeters wouldn't want him involved in these parts of the mission if it could be avoided. Observation and reconnaissance only.

Aryn headed off toward the restrooms and waited until she was out of sight of the blackjack table before looking around for her colleagues and tapping her own hidden badge to say, quietly, Hang on, Odelot. We'll get help to you right away. Knowing she couldn't flag down any of the other officers without being obvious, Aryn simply headed back to the Oasis, walking with purpose but not as if there were an emergency.

The former Drone nodded to Aryn as she walked off. He fiddled with the small screen on the PADD that was attached to his wrist. "Leon, my favorite Terran. What can I do for you." He paused, his face becoming rather solemn. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Slow down. Hold for a moment." He pushed another button on his PADD as his attention turned to Nick.

He slid a few chips to the greasy man, putting the rest in his pocket. "I have to take this call. Use this to pay for the drinks. And to tip the wait staff." He got up, turning his attention back to Alec. "Make sure he gives the full tip." he said with a chuckle. Pushing another button on his PADD, he began walking off. "No. I told you I didn't want to purchase that stock. I don't care how much of a payoff it could be."

He took a different route than Aryn, not passing by the bathrooms. Casinos had multiple routes throughout them. It was part of the design to keep gamblers entranced and allowed them to spend all of their chips. Nevertheless, he intercepted his superior officer, staying a few paces behind her.

Nick Dixon[Blackjack Table]

This was a game Nick practiced often. Gamblers were oh-so-fond of betting, that he found it easy to make side-bets with them and thus socialize with them. Clients could be had this way.

"Good evening," the old salesman addressed the man next to him. "The name's Nick Dixon. Are you new around here?"
Nick's manner was blunt with his deep voice and steady intonation, but he wasn't particularly intimidating. Perhaps a little seedy, with the receding hairline, but not intimidating.

"Abi'Ddon." the Romulan replied, taking a few more puffs of the cigar. The smoke rolled around in his mouth and throat a bit before he exhaled. It was an acquired taste. A fundamentally Terran taste. But, one that helped him mingle well with the snobby cadets at the Academy who were always a step or two behind him.

They had the hopes and dreams of youth, but he was armed with knowledge and experience. It simply had to be reshaped to fit within Starfleet. "First time here, actually. You seem like you belong, however. Career gambler?" A slight accent on the final word might have hinted towards feigned interest, but ultimately, his demeanor was quite cold.

He was never one to really socialize.

[The Rough Diamond]

After settling into their room and discussing how they were going to play off each other, Alec and Aryn headed to the Rough Diamond. Entering the ballroom was an assault of the senses. There were people of all types, from Andorians to a single Tholian. The couple studiously avoided the Specialist. The smells were overwhelming, as was the noise of gambling machines and all the various beings talking.

Alec and Aryn paused inside and took a collective breath as their intrinsic feel for life was also assaulted. They were playing human, to be less conspicuous, so they had to take care not to allow themselves to be overtaken with Listening. But it would be oh-so-fascinating to just sit in the midst of the action and feel. They would have to be more subtle, however.

They made their way to a blackjack table as a game was finishing up. A couple of people left and Aryn and Alec slid into the vacant seats. There were some others there already, including someone who looked human and a Romulan.

A closer look at the latter, however, caused Alec to tense perceptibly as he sat. The visceral reaction to a Borg drone, even someone so obviously former Borg, was impossible for him to control. The destruction of the El-Aurian homeworld and ensuing flight for safety was indelibly ingrained on his mind.

Aryn noticed his reaction and glanced around for the cause, noticing the former Borg herself and realizing what it must be. She put one hand on his arm and raised a brow to ask if they needed to leave.

With a slight shake of his head, Alec forced himself to relax and plastered a smile on his face. Fortunately, his reaction to the Borg was not that unusual. People might notice, but it shouldn't cause them difficulty.

Do you want to play yourself, my love? Alec asked in his slightly altered accent.

Oh, yes! Aryn responded in a twittery, excited voice. Only I don't know how to play. Can you show me what to do? They'd agreed that she should play slightly silly. Not to the point of idiocy, but she technically only had ten years of knowledge at her disposal. She'd crammed a lot in those ten years, but gambling hadn't been part of that. So she would let Alec be the knowledgeable one and she wouldn't be expected to know anything. That way if she were asked something she couldn't answer, Aryn only had to simper and refer them to her husband, who knew so much more than she did.

Of course, Alec answered superciliously. You want your cards to be equal to or less than twenty-one. The face cards equal ten and an Ace is either one or eleven.

It can be both? Aryn interjected.

It can, indeed, Alec continued. But if you go over twenty-one you lose. Everyone can see your first card, but your others will be face down. Those are the very basics. Maybe you should watch one hand first to get the idea?

Okay, Aryn replied cheerfully, taking Alec's arm and clinging to him.

A waiter came over and asked if they wanted drinks.

Alec considered a moment before saying, Saurian brandy. Do you want anything, dear?

Oh...champagne, please! Aryn giggled. We just got married! she informed the table.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed his superior officer approaching. He unfortunately did not have the time to make proper introductions to her, and this was certainly not the place to do that now. No, formal introductions would have to be made at a later time. For now, he had a facade that needed to be maintained.

Straightening his silks, he couldn't help but feel like he was being watched. He turned ever-so-slightly as he locked eyes with Alec for just a moment. The fear the man had was palpable. Like a fine sauce drizzled over a perfectly cooked cut of meat. Sweet and savory, enveloping the flavors of the dish and making it something truly magnificent to enjoy.

The rather visceral reaction was quite common. The Borg were a thing of nightmares, afterall. Unthinking. Unfeeling. They just consumed. Their drive towards perfection becoming an obsession that engulfed the entirety of the species. Harvesting the technology, and citizens, of the various species of the Galaxy into one collective hivemind.

Trillions of voices speaking in unison.

The Operations Chief quickly dissolved the situation, however, as she began to ask questions about the game. The cadet halfway listened as the various questions came about. "Another thing to take into consideration is table etiquette. When you want the dealer to draw you another card, you simply tap the table. If you want to stay, then you make a slight wave."

His hand came up over the table as he made the stay wave. A member of the wait staff came through to get drink orders. The Romulan patiently waited his turn as a light smirk crossed his lips. "Is that so? Well, congratulations are in order. Please. let me buy this round. I'll take an Old Fashioned. Nick, anything for you?"

As NPC used shuttle salesman Nick Dixon.
[The Rough Diamond Casino - Tournament Ballroom - Blackjack Table]

One of the occasional visitors around here was Nick Dixon, a middle-aged, stern-faced human man with a sharp suit and a receding hairline. His was a profession more maligned than any of the others around here - the girls, the bouncers, and even the lawyers got more respect - for Nick was a used shuttle salesman. He made his business at the blackjack, roulette, and dabo tables, losing a little money and meeting some gamblers. He picked out the more gullible ones to keep an eye on and then, at the end of the night, when they were drunk on winnings and booze, he sold them shuttles and took the money in cash. It wasn't respectable, but it was a way to make a living.

Tonight, with the big tournament and all the suckers it attracted, he hoped to make a killing.

[The Rough Diamond Casino - Tournament Ballroom - Blackjack Table]

The time for nostalgia was over. It was time to get to work. Changing into a different set of silks, something that breathed a bit more, Four made his way into the Ballroom. He had made short work of registering for the poker tournament and decided to kill a little time elsewhere.

Card games were something that he was taught at the Academy. It was something of a prerequisite for Red Squad, for some reason. But, it seemed to be a rather popular activity among Starfleet. So, Four made an honest effort to learn the rules of some of the more popular card games. One of his personal favorites was Blackjack.

A waitress carrying a tray of cigars walked past him as he stopped her. Buying a few, he put one in his mouth and the rest in his pocket. After biting the end off, the waitress lit his cigar for him. He took a few puffs, nodding his thanks to her as he proceeded to one of the Blackjack tables.

Taking a seat, he glanced over to Nick, giving the Terran a nod before turning his attention to the dealer. Setting a stack of chips up on the table, he crossed one leg over the other. Puffing his cigar as he patiently waited for the hand to finish so that he may place his bets and begin gambling.

His brief conversation with the Captain had been a pleasant ordeal. He had hoped he had made a good first impression. Her demeanor certainly didn't lead him to believe otherwise. A satisfied grin rested on his lips throughout the rest of the trip, including the inoculations against the pheromone assault they were about to partake in. However, stepping off of the Phoenix, his expression became more stoic.

[Lobby]

His hands clasped behind his back, his nose in the air. Four carried himself like a proper Romulan. Those around him were simply beneath him. His demeanor screamed it. His black silks shined brilliantly. The red sash that draped behind him billowed like the cape of a monarch. His cybernetics were nothing more than scars acquired on the journeys to the top.

His backstory was simple enough. Held in a Federation prison was a Romulan mercenary named Del'Ayn of House Velshaar. He was a rather infamous soldier for hire, being held for numerous war crimes committed in his tenure. Four was the keeper of his estates. A benefactor who made sure that Del'Ayn's finances stayed in order until his release.

Approaching the desk, he dusted off his fingernails before resting them on the well polished surface. "Abi'Ddon of House Velshaar." The attendant looked through the reservations before grabbing the keycard. "Yes, of course. You're in Room..." Before she could finish, Four snatched the card out of her hand. "I can read, thank you. Send a bottle of chilled Ale to the room."

Reaching his room, he walked to the balcony. Drinking in the view, he couldn't help but compare it to Romulus. It was a level of beauty that was found nowhere else in the Galaxy. That would never be found again. But, now wasn't the time for nostalgia. There was a mission at hand.

His thoughts were interrupted by the chime at the door. Room service came through with a chilled bottle of the establishment's finest Romulan Ale. After tipping the employee, Four poured himself a glass, taking a light sip. His eye closed as he took a deep breath. It was a taste he hadn't enjoyed since graduating the Academy.

[Mess Hall]

Naira had not been expecting the man to stand and salute her, but she guessed that she should have known better in her assumption. If nothing else, Romulans were well known for their strict adherence to protocol. It was likely drilled into him from an early age, only to be reinforced by the Collective. However, Naira didn't see a need for such formalities in such a situation. There was a time and place for everything, but sitting in a mess hall, aboard a civilian freighter, while wearing what she had hoped to never be seen in outside her private quarters, was not one of those time.

"There's no need for such formalities right now, please sit."

Understanding that he very well may choose to stand until she, herself sat, a sign of respect that she had herself followed when she was a junior officer, she sat down first. She hoped that with further getting to know the man that in time he might learn to relax a little. Unlike the majority of the ships and some of the smaller outposts within the fleet, Columbus tended to be far more lax in their proceedings, but they had to be. The majority of those living and working aboard the station were not in fact Starfleet officers and crewmen. Starfleet may have ran the station, but it was the civilian population that helped it thrive. It also meant that they had to be the ones to bend a little when it came to working with those not trained in proper procedure and protocols.

"I did not perceive your absence as an insult, but rather I assumed you might be distancing yourself from the rest of the crew. I won't pretend as if there isn't some level of unease among the crew about having a former Borg and Romulan living and working alongside them, but I'm hoping that with some work we might be able to put those fears to rest."

After finding herself staring into his cybernetic eye, she smiled at him.

"I don't doubt that you will take this mission very seriously. I'm sure you of all people understand the full extent of what can happen when powerful weapons fall into the wrong hands. I trust that we'll be able to count on you and your skills this mission."

[Mess Hall]

"Thank you, Captain." he said, sitting back down after she had taken her seat. Protocol was everything onboard a Romulan ship. The slightest perceived insult could end up putting great shame on your family's house, or get you tossed out of an airlock. Sometimes both. Mix that with the fact that anyone could be a secret Tal Shiar agent, and you had an environment that nurtured the cunning and loyal.

She certainly didn't beat around the bush, nor did she seem to want to sugarcoat things for him. He liked that. "It's an understandable unease, Captain. Nothing I haven't dealt with at the Academy. I knew what I would be walking into when I elected to stay within the Federation. The entirety of my house was lost when Romulus was destroyed...

His voice trailed off as he looked down at the table. Before he started the Academy, his skin was etched with the ceremonial markings. The designs were physical representations of his mourning. He was a man without a home. Without a nation.

"The Federation gave me my life back, so it only seemed right to join Starfleet." By the time he had graduated from the Academy, the markings were all but gone. Small shadows of a few designs could be seen on his olive skin, but they were easy to miss unless you had an observant eye. Wait. Did she say we?

"Yes, of course. I look forward to it, Captain. If there would be two things I value more than all else, it would be exceeding expectations and proving people wrong." She smiled at him, and he returned the gesture. This was an experienced Starfleet officer. She could help give him insight on how to truly exceed within the Federation.

"Yes, I'm well aware of the potential dangers. There are some weapons that only the military should be able to use. Others still that no one should have access to." He crossed one leg over the other, straightening his slacks in the process. His gaze crept down to his shoes for a minute, catching his reflection in the shine. His attention turned back to the Captain, giving her a reassuring smirk.

"I endeavor to be everything needed, and to exceed beyond that point."

Thank you, everyone. ^_^

Murder and pies, you say?

-steeples fingers in Romulan-

How delightful.