Mission 02:Strained Relations

[Christian Grix]

McConnell looked up from the PADD he was studying as the hail came through.

Acknowledged. Have Cadets Essai, Shanara, and Syrika meet me in the transporter room. I would also like to speak to you before I transport down.

Picking up the PADD he was studying, he grabbed a hand phaser and slid it into the holster. Turning, he headed out the door to the transporter room.

[Transporter Room]

Entering the transporter room, he dismissed the transporter operator and waited for the rest of the away team to arrive.

Cadets Essai and Shanara report to Commander McConnell in transporter room 1

He then jumped to his feet "Lt Akagi, you have the conn" he stated to the Tactical Officer and then walked past the enginnerinc console "Cadet with me please " he nodded to the Turbolift.

As they entered the turbolift Grix took her hand "Be careful down there and i will not take any risks" he hugged her to him and kissed her cheek. As the Turbolift came to a stop he let go of T'Mautlan.
[Transporter Room]
Walking into the room Christian looked to his friend "you wanted to see me Cayden?"

[Cayden McConnell]

Cadets Essai and Shanara report to Commander McConnell in transporter room 1

He then jumped to his feet "Lt Akagi, you have the conn" he said to the Tactical Officer and then walked past the enginnerinc console "Cadet with me please " he nodded to the Turbolift.

As they entered the turbolift Grix took her hand "Be careful down there and i will not take any risks" he hugged her to him and kissed her cheek. As the Turbolift came to a stop he let go of T'Mautlan.
[Transporter Room]
Walking into the room Christian looked to his friend "you wanted to see me Cayden?"

McConnell pulled Grix aside as he entered the transporter room.

"I would take you with me but I need you here on the ship to watch the Captain and Martland.  There is something going on with those two and they are using the Churchill to accomplish it. Watch them and if there is any trouble,  bring the away team back up. Any issues, send them to my PADD."

[Christian Grix]

McConnell pulled Grix aside as he entered the transporter room.

"I would take you with me but I need you here on the ship to watch the Captain and Martland.  There is something going on with those two and they are using the Churchill to accomplish it. Watch them and if there is any trouble,  bring the away team back up. Any issues, send them to my PADD."

Grix held his hand out to shake Cayden's "and you take no chances down there, first sign of any trouble get yourselves back up here" he looked around the room as they waited for the last two to arrive and asked "Is four of you enough"

[TMautlan Syrika]

Cadets Essai and Shanara report to Commander McConnell in transporter room 1

He then jumped to his feet "Lt Akagi, you have the conn" he stated to the Tactical Officer and then walked past the enginnerinc console "Cadet with me please " he nodded to the Turbolift.

As they entered the turbolift Grix took her hand "Be careful down there and i will not take any risks" he hugged her to him and kissed her cheek. As the Turbolift came to a stop he let go of T'Mautlan.
[Transporter Room]
Walking into the room Christian looked to his friend "you wanted to see me Cayden?"

"Aye Sir"  Syrika replied. Then logged off her station and followed Lieutenant Grix into the turbolift.

"I will be careful my love." she said as she covered their hands with her other hand. Syrika brought their joined hands to her lips and gently kissed them then kissed Chris' cheek.

[Transporter Room]

Syrika walked over to the transporter padd and waited for  Cadets Essai and Shanara. She watched the two Officers move to the side of the room to talk privately.

I do not know what is going on, but I am sure that Carver and Martland are behind it. They must be stopped before they do harm to the Churchill and her crew.

[Deon Essai]

There was a long series of slight nods and then she glanced out the window again, "I wonder where mine is right now... He's a transport pilot." Slowly Jiseth spun her glass between her hands and her thoughts became those of home. One thing she had always done since she was little was try to envision what one's last moments would be like, what thoughts would be going through their minds and all the regrets pouring out at once. Over the years she grew to severely disdain anyone who couldn't do the same, especially if they were Starfleet personnel, but she didn't get the vibe from Essai that he wasn't anything other than thoughtful. "Why did you decide to go yellow-shirt?"

[Five and a half hours previously]

Deon laugh a little at that.  Being reduced always seem to put a smile on his face.

"Well the I'm not much of a pilot as you've seen.  I do t know the first about science.  And I could treat a paper cut.   But I can do two thing real well, I can put a shuttle together in a week and I good in a fight.  "  Deon realized then he had a steak he hadn't touched.  Shaking his head a little Deon dug in.

"There was really only two opinion for me.  My father was a ship designer. My family thought I'd follow in his foot steps, but even though I'm partly  here to honor him.  I still want to be my own man.   Beside I enjoy my work.  Security is an interesting job.", Deon Said preparing to take his first bite.

"Cadet Essai, please report to the armory."=/\=, Deon let out a sigh of disappointment.  And look at the piece of steak on his fork for a second, before putting it in his mouth and chewed.  He tapped his comm badge to reply.

"On my way."=/\=, he said ending the channel.

"Sorry, duty calls.", he grabbed his plate, and stood up an looked Jiseth.

"Oddball thank you for all your help.  If you ever need anything don't hesitate to ask.  See you later.",  Deon walk over to the replicator and recycled his plate.   A few minutes later he entered the armory.

Cadets Essai and Shanara report to Commander McConnell in transporter room 1

He then jumped to his feet "Lt Akagi, you have the conn" he stated to the Tactical Officer and then walked past the enginnerinc console "Cadet with me please " he nodded to the Turbolift.

As they entered the turbolift Grix took her hand "Be careful down there and i will not take any risks" he hugged her to him and kissed her cheek. As the Turbolift came to a stop he let go of T'Mautlan.
[Transporter Room]
Walking into the room Christian looked to his friend "you wanted to see me Cayden?"

[Current time]

Deon enter the transporter room, the Commander was already there.

"Cadet Essai reporting in sir." 

[Henriks Ābols]

[5.5 hours later - Personal Quarters]

It was Valentine's day on the Churchill, hints of red and pink scattered abundantly throughout the ship, lovers giving each other gifts and embracing in heartfelt hugs with an occasional peck on the cheek. There was a handful of couples on the ship, but just as many single men and laddies. Henriks was one of those, but that suited him just fine for the moment. Nonetheless, he thought it would be nice to do something for Amelie, for she had been such a good friend to him over the last couple months.

Henriks eyed himself in the mirror, checking for any obvious stains or anything else that could have stuck itself to him while in sickbay. Nope, nothing to be seen. Rubbing his hands flat against his head, he did what he could to smooth down his hair, but no matter how much he tried, a little of it always stuck up. He checked the clock. He better get going.

[Mess Hall]

He entered the mess hall and took one of the first seats he could find, plopping into it without really caring much how graceful his landing was. Scanning the room, he recognized many of the faces he saw. Most of them he knew from people having visited sickbay. But he did not see Amelie. Maybe she was running late.

[Jiseth]

[Mess Hall]

He entered the mess hall and took one of the first seats he could find, plopping into it without really caring much how graceful his landing was. Scanning the room, he recognized many of the faces he saw. Most of them he knew from people having visited sickbay. But he did not see Amelie. Maybe she was running late.

Over the last several hours Jiseth had remained in the mess hall with a PADD going over questionnaires that had been sent out from the CFCO, Lieutenant Graham, about possible flight vectors and maneuvers in and around the planet they were on course to. She had lost count of how many glasses of water, tea, root beer, Fanta-Melon, Calpico and red moscato she had taken in between the snack every now and then, but that didn't stop her after she finished with the PADD from getting more of the green soda she loved along with two pieces of strawberry cream cake.

Turning from the replicator she noticed Henriks and sat down in front of him, setting one of the plates down on his side of the table. "Happy Valentines Day..." she said quietly before taking a fork to her piece.

[Henriks Ābols]

Over the last several hours Jiseth had remained in the mess hall with a PADD going over questionnaires that had been sent out from the CFCO, Lieutenant Graham, about possible flight vectors and maneuvers in and around the planet they were on course to. She had lost count of how many glasses of water, tea, root beer, Fanta-Melon, Calpico and red moscato she had taken in between the snack every now and then, but that didn't stop her after she finished with the PADD from getting more of the green soda she loved along with two pieces of strawberry cream cake.

Turning from the replicator she noticed Henriks and sat down in front of him, setting one of the plates down on his side of the table. "Happy Valentines Day..." she said quietly before taking a fork to her piece.

Where was she? Henriks pondered to himself, staring down at the table as he began to get lost in thought. Maybe she was sick, or had gotten held up by something. Maybe he should go find where she had disappeared to. But suddenly he found his thoughts going in a completely different direction. This was the first Valentine's day he had spent away from family, he had realized, and the same would be true for many of the holidays. His family never did any special for this particular holiday, but they would do little things for each other that somehow made the day magical, and he hadn't done anything, not even sent out any messages, a task he would have to take up later in the day. But at the moment he found himself pining for the love of someone who had passed two months since. "Kur tu esi, Oma?" he said with a sigh.

A sudden arrival jarred him from his thoughts, and he looked up to find Jiseth had joined him at the table... with delectable looking food. "That looks delicious," Henriks remarked as his stomach grumbled, reminding him that he hadn't eaten yet. "And happy valentine's day to you as well, Jiseth," he added. "Been a good one for you?"

[Cayden McConnell]

Grix held his hand out to shake Cayden's "and you take no chances down there, first sign of any trouble get yourselves back up here" he looked around the room as they waited for the last two to arrive and asked "Is four of you enough"

McConnell gave the number some consideration. The Nefrayans didn't pose much of a threat and it seemed like a simple matter of negotiating their entry into the Federation.

"I think that we will be fine. Keep me in the loop on what's going on up here. Any issues, you get the away team brought back up."

Stepping up on the transporter pad,  he looked back at Grix.

"We don't need you losing another pip. Play nice with Martland."

[Jiseth]

Where was she? Henriks pondered to himself, staring down at the table as he began to get lost in thought. Maybe she was sick, or had gotten held up by something. Maybe he should go find where she had disappeared to. But suddenly he found his thoughts going in a completely different direction. This was the first Valentine's day he had spent away from family, he had realized, and the same would be true for many of the holidays. His family never did any special for this particular holiday, but they would do little things for each other that somehow made the day magical, and he hadn't done anything, not even sent out any messages, a task he would have to take up later in the day. But at the moment he found himself pining for the love of someone who had passed two months since. "Kur tu esi, Oma?" he said with a sigh.

A sudden arrival jarred him from his thoughts, and he looked up to find Jiseth had joined him at the table... with delectable looking food. "That looks delicious," Henriks remarked as his stomach grumbled, reminding him that he hadn't eaten yet. "And happy valentine's day to you as well, Jiseth," he added. "Been a good one for you?"

"The same as any other day," she said as she continued into the cake, her fork slicing through it with remarkable ease. "Not many seem to be aware, but Romulans are very passionate about such things. One of the few holidays that the refugees on Earth actually enjoy. I gave some cards and candies to the other officers in my department, with less than spectacular results. So I've been spending my day off training Cadet Essai in the holodeck and people-watching."

[Christian Grix]

McConnell gave the number some consideration. The Nefrayans didn't pose much of a threat and it seemed like a simple matter of negotiating their entry into the Federation.

"I think that we will be fine. Keep me in the loop on what's going on up here. Any issues, you get the away team brought back up."

Stepping up on the transporter pad,  he looked back at Grix.

"We don't need you losing another pip. Play nice with Martland."

Grix stepped behind the transporter console and nodded to his friend as the third cadet joined them on the pad, "I'll behave myself Cayden, you just get back here as soon as you can and take care down there" he winked towards T'Mautlan and then resting his hands on the console simply said "enegize?"

[Henriks Ābols]

"The same as any other day," she said as she continued into the cake, her fork slicing through it with remarkable ease. "Not many seem to be aware, but Romulans are very passionate about such things. One of the few holidays that the refugees on Earth actually enjoy. I gave some cards and candies to the other officers in my department, with less than spectacular results. So I've been spending my day off training Cadet Essai in the holodeck and people-watching."

Henriks' stomach grumbled again, and so he offered Jiseth an apologetic look. "I'll be right back. I think my stomach will kill me if I don't give it something soon." That said, he rose and quickly made his way to the food replicator. He asked it for some sauerkraut and sausage, the first thing to come to mind. He returned to the table perhaps a minute or two after he had left it. Sliding back into the seat, he said, "I got off shift only half an hour ago. Very dull today." Especially in comparison to what Jiseth had done. "The only thing of interest was a repeat offender who came in with a sprained wrist."

She had touched on the subject of refugees on Earth, leaving Henriks to wonder is she had been one of them or what her situation was like growing up. But he wasn't sure if it would be indelicate of him to ask. So he stabbed at his sausage and waited a moment for the juices to spew out before taking a bite, asking, "You grew up on Earth then?"

[Jiseth]

Henriks' stomach grumbled again, and so he offered Jiseth an apologetic look. "I'll be right back. I think my stomach will kill me if I don't give it something soon." That said, he rose and quickly made his way to the food replicator. He asked it for some sauerkraut and sausage, the first thing to come to mind. He returned to the table perhaps a minute or two after he had left it. Sliding back into the seat, he said, "I got off shift only half an hour ago. Very dull today." Especially in comparison to what Jiseth had done. "The only thing of interest was a repeat offender who came in with a sprained wrist."

She had touched on the subject of refugees on Earth, leaving Henriks to wonder is she had been one of them or what her situation was like growing up. But he wasn't sure if it would be indelicate of him to ask. So he stabbed at his sausage and waited a moment for the juices to spew out before taking a bite, asking, "You grew up on Earth then?"

Placing both elbows up on the table, she propped her head up with her knuckles. Sausage and sauerkraut was a meal she and her father seemed to exclusively enjoy in the family. The smell brought her back to happier memories when she was younger which she seemed to be buried at times among the others. "Orlando and Tokyo to be precise. I did live on Romulus for a little bit, before I joined Starfleet. I promised someone I would go back after my first year and take them to see Earth. When the star went supernova, she..." Jiseth hadn't even realized it at first and she was taking a swan dive into her personal life. She let out a slight sigh, "I hate Valentine's Day."

"Excuse me." She tried not to make eye contact with Henriks as she rose with an empty plate and headed to the replicator. After recycling the plate, she called for a piece of pepperoni pizza, New York style. Returning to the table, she took a bite from the end and chewed for a few moments, "Yourself? Where are you from?"

[Henriks Ābols]

Placing both elbows up on the table, she propped her head up with her knuckles. Sausage and sauerkraut was a meal she and her father seemed to exclusively enjoy in the family. The smell brought her back to happier memories when she was younger which she seemed to be buried at times among the others. "Orlando and Tokyo to be precise. I did live on Romulus for a little bit, before I joined Starfleet. I promised someone I would go back after my first year and take them to see Earth. When the star went supernova, she..." Jiseth hadn't even realized it at first and she was taking a swan dive into her personal life. She let out a slight sigh, "I hate Valentine's Day."

"Excuse me." She tried not to make eye contact with Henriks as she rose with an empty plate and headed to the replicator. After recycling the plate, she called for a piece of pepperoni pizza, New York style. Returning to the table, she took a bite from the end and chewed for a few moments, "Yourself? Where are you from?"

Henriks listened as Jiseth spoke, taking the opportunity to take a few more bites of his meal. The sausage was a bit too greasy for his liking, and so he pushed it to the side of his plate half finished. He scooped the sauerkraut onto the fork and from the fork into his mouth. At least the replicator had done alright on that, though it could never get it just the way it was cooked at home. There was just something in the air that added a magical quality to the food, something severely lacking on a starship, where the air had a stale quality.

He set his fork down, letting it chink as it hit the plate. "I don't really know what to think about this holiday anymore. It's all fine and dandy when you have loved ones to celebrate with, but when they're gone..." His gaze fell to the plate as Jiseth rose, not noticing her attempt to avoid eye contact. When she returned, she had a with her a piece of pepperoni pizza, something Henriks didn't have growing up. It looked good.

Picking up the fork again he shrugged, poking at the sausage. While he didn't know exactly where the places she had named were, they sounded warm, not entirely pleasant. "I was born and lived my whole life in a small country called Latvia. It's one of the Baltic states along Russia," he began. "My family lives in the capital, a very beautiful city, especially in the wintertime. And until we enlisted, my brother and I had never been out of the country. I guess I've seen more in the last couple months than I have in the rest of my life." He'd seen so much of the galaxy already and had even seen more of Earth. He sighed, trying to get his thoughts off family. "So any particular reason you went for flight control?"

[Jiseth]

Henriks listened as Jiseth spoke, taking the opportunity to take a few more bites of his meal. The sausage was a bit too greasy for his liking, and so he pushed it to the side of his plate half finished. He scooped the sauerkraut onto the fork and from the fork into his mouth. At least the replicator had done alright on that, though it could never get it just the way it was cooked at home. There was just something in the air that added a magical quality to the food, something severely lacking on a starship, where the air had a stale quality.

He set his fork down, letting it chink as it hit the plate. "I don't really know what to think about this holiday anymore. It's all fine and dandy when you have loved ones to celebrate with, but when they're gone..." His gaze fell to the plate as Jiseth rose, not noticing her attempt to avoid eye contact. When she returned, she had a with her a piece of pepperoni pizza, something Henriks didn't have growing up. It looked good.

Picking up the fork again he shrugged, poking at the sausage. While he didn't know exactly where the places she had named were, they sounded warm, not entirely pleasant. "I was born and lived my whole life in a small country called Latvia. It's one of the Baltic states along Russia," he began. "My family lives in the capital, a very beautiful city, especially in the wintertime. And until we enlisted, my brother and I had never been out of the country. I guess I've seen more in the last couple months than I have in the rest of my life." He'd seen so much of the galaxy already and had even seen more of Earth. He sighed, trying to get his thoughts off family. "So any particular reason you went for flight control?"

"I'm a third generation pilot. My dad flies civilian transports and my grandfather did it for one of the manufacturers before he became an engineer. Flying is my life essentially." Chewing on her current mouth full she glanced around the mess hall, "I've seen it from orbit, Latvia. I'd love to visit it in the summer at some point, I'm not exactly fond of the cold, but I might give it a shot. Perhaps you could show me around." Pondering it for a little bit, she realized that so far everything she had seen had been out a window, never actually landing and seeing what was there. "Have you ever considered going to Earth's moon?"