....Arrives in the Sky

[Kyle Briggs]

[Bridge - USS Seleya]

The lift doors opened and deposited Kyle onto the Bridge.

"Alright folks. Look alive. We need to launch immediately and began retrieving escape pods." Kyle said as he looked toward the helm just as the lift opened once more and Drake walked in.

[Quote from Drake]

"Junior Lieutenant Drake reporting for duty."

"Perfect time, Lieutenant." Kyle replied as he looked back at the helm once again. "Computer. End Navigational hologram. Mister Drake, take the helm." he ordered.

All departments had reported ready and they were ready to assist.

"Move us out, Helm. I'll leave the flight patterns at your discretion. We need to recover the escape pods so coordinate with the flight decks and who ever else you need. Let's track'em and pack'em as quickly as we can. That snake thing is gonna pop out among us at any time and we need to get people out of the system ASAP." he said to his bridge crew.

[Gideon Drake]

[Bridge - USS Seleya]

The lift doors opened and deposited Kyle onto the Bridge.

"Alright folks. Look alive. We need to launch immediately and began retrieving escape pods." Kyle said as he looked toward the helm just as the lift opened once more and Drake walked in.

"Perfect time, Lieutenant." Kyle replied as he looked back at the helm once again. "Computer. End Navigational hologram. Mister Drake, take the helm." he ordered.

All departments had reported ready and they were ready to assist.

"Move us out, Helm. I'll leave the flight patterns at your discretion. We need to recover the escape pods so coordinate with the flight decks and who ever else you need. Let's track'em and pack'em as quickly as we can. That snake thing is gonna pop out among us at any time and we need to get people out of the system ASAP." he said to his bridge crew.

[Lieutenant JG Gideon "The Gryphon/Griff" Drake | Bridge | Deck One | USS Seleya]

Griff nodded and assumed the helm. It was obvious Commander Briggs was the commander of the Seleya, what with Captain Kirok being chiefly on Katra. He took the helm, certainly gobsmacked that he was flying a starship. His first time flying a starship, and one that's bloody bigger than starships he was expecting. He better not muck this up.

Griff looked around as he manned his station. He recognized a few familiar faces, particularly Lieutenant Falleg; it's not hard to miss a ginger Trill, let alone her children. He never forgot his babysitting escapade, of sorts, particularly when they stowed away on a supply run he flew. He certainly wished Serena was aboard with him. On the other hand, he wouldn't likely see her on the bridge; she'd be down in Engineering. But at least they'd be on the same ship.

With that, Griff set course for the escape pods. He could see that it was a clever idea to get out civilians in a pinch. He piloted as carefully as he could, being his first time piloting a cruiser.

[Hrafn Falleg]

< USS Flatwoods / Anomaly Site >

While the message did not come entirely unexpected, a part of Sirol was almost even sad. After all, they were getting excellent readings here, and she appreciated the chance to be in the centre of everything; to be in a position to feel something"¦
Yet; As Hrafn's voice echoed through her head, the scientist slowly came to agree with the message and gave her an invisible nod.
She was right. Sirol's curiosity was no valid reason to potentially endanger the Flatwoods and her crewmates. She was glad to know that the children were safe, and concluded that the grown ups aboard the shuttle needed to be safe too.
Looking at Zex and Xasik, and the Uropygi on her lap, Sirol took a deep breath.
"œAcknowledged. We will retreat to the periphery of the anomaly.
Send the children my greetings, and tell them, that as soon as we meet again, I have a song from a different phasic realm for them."

As they were retreating the first blip was starting to fade on her screen and the scientist curiously raised one eyebrow.
There went Type IV probe number 9.
"œFascinating." She simply commented calmly, then checked her station to make sure that the live feed was still stable.
"œProbe Nine vanished. So much for the estimated 21 days left to investigate the phenomenon.
I disapprove of both, Alpha's lacklustre estimation and - potentially - unpunctual anomalies..."
Leaning back in her chair she once more took in the sounds as she suddenly noticed something else, something"¦ Sharp and heavy"¦ Not part of the anomaly or its sounds. It was near her"¦
It took her one more second to realise that it had been one of her companions. It had been Xasik. Something had started to trouble him all of a sudden.

Staring at him in confusion for a second she tried to pinpoint what was causing him the distress, so the first thing she did was turn down the volume of the sounds. The second thing she did was decrease the internal lights aboard the Flatwoods by 40 percent, hoping that a less bright environment would help calming down the specialist.
She could not tell as to whether it had been her efforts of him consciously breathing and"¦ Hugging"¦ His stasis canister, but eventually he seemed to somewhat calm down again, mumbling to his container.
Little Pebble?! Did he just talk to one of his rock samples?
He was a geologist through and through it seemed...
It was certainly an odd strategy to calm down, but then again it worked and who was she to judge someone else's methods of relaxation?!

She turned around towards Zex again, deciding to not address Specialist Freeman's panic attack to not embarrass him. Instead she focused the Diplomatics Officer.
"œAre we still retreating??"

Sirol looked forth and back between our readings and Zex, then nodded.
"œIt appears safe for now, but we should keep an eye on the phenomenon's expansion rate so we can adjust our position if necessary."

Towards the next question she paused and mused for a moment.
So far they had not gotten any orders to return, so she assumed that Hrafn and Captain Kirok wanted the Flatwoods where she was.
And to Sirol it was logical. As long as there was no imminent danger, there was no reason to abort.

"œThat will be up to our Commanders to decide. Until then I recommend that we keep the stream active for as long as we can."

Towards Freeman's question Sirol rotated her chair once more and looked at him.
Judging by his facial expression the sound was still causing him distress, so she once more toned it down.
"œThe spacial and phasic vicinity are noticeably"¦ Amalgamating"¦ Allowing the creature known as "˜The Snake' to cross. Come." She began quickly; almost even with enthusiasm.

After a few seconds she eventually added.
"œCome, have a look at the readings, you might find them interesting."
Doing a polite gesture towards the Reman, she invited him to have a look over her shoulder, while she made space for him and playfully lifted the Uropygi from her lap up to her chest, and gave it a gentle boop with her nose.

[Bridge - USS Seleya]

Good to know we're fully functional both in terms of our circuitry here and also the 15% overlap.  Good planning there whomever did that.  Be safe Sirol, Flatwood...

[Bridge - USS Seleya]

The lift doors opened and deposited Kyle onto the Bridge.

"Alright folks. Look alive. We need to launch immediately and began retrieving escape pods." Kyle said as he looked toward the helm just as the lift opened once more and Drake walked in.

"Perfect time, Lieutenant." Kyle replied as he looked back at the helm once again. "Computer. End Navigational hologram. Mister Drake, take the helm." he ordered.

All departments had reported ready and they were ready to assist.

"Move us out, Helm. I'll leave the flight patterns at your discretion. We need to recover the escape pods so coordinate with the flight decks and who ever else you need. Let's track'em and pack'em as quickly as we can. That snake thing is gonna pop out among us at any time and we need to get people out of the system ASAP." he said to his bridge crew.

"I tend to reserve looking like a Zombie for halloween or HBC... Hrafn Before Coffee!" chuckled the CSO in an 'aside' voice... audible enough for anyone, especially Kyle, to hear but not actually directed at anyone in particular.

She was grateful to have a live person at the helm, she was sure that the hologram would work and it would have been a good chance to check out it's functionality but she trusted instinct in the helmsmen.  Something that any holographic program... it being an electronic thing and while some element of AI and learning capabilities were within the program, it didn't match with the brains of live people.

[Lieutenant JG Gideon "The Gryphon/Griff" Drake | Bridge | Deck One | USS Seleya]

Griff nodded and assumed the helm. It was obvious Commander Briggs was the commander of the Seleya, what with Captain Kirok being chiefly on Katra. He took the helm, certainly gobsmacked that he was flying a starship. His first time flying a starship, and one that's bloody bigger than starships he was expecting. He better not muck this up.

Griff looked around as he manned his station. He recognized a few familiar faces, particularly Lieutenant Falleg; it's not hard to miss a ginger Trill, let alone her children. He never forgot his babysitting escapade, of sorts, particularly when they stowed away on a supply run he flew. He certainly wished Serena was aboard with him. On the other hand, he wouldn't likely see her on the bridge; she'd be down in Engineering. But at least they'd be on the same ship.

With that, Griff set course for the escape pods. He could see that it was a clever idea to get out civilians in a pinch. He piloted as carefully as he could, being his first time piloting a cruiser.

"Good to see you Mr. Drake, I hope you've sufficiently recovered from your adventures with the ginger midgets!  They're safely on a shuttle on their way to their grandparents incidentally. They insist on having 'Ugly Sticks' now not Jumja... same thing just I have to program the replicator to make particularly unappealing - to anyone other than my children that is - looking versions!"

"Just so you're aware Commander, we lost Probe 9, however Sirol indicates that they are covered anyhow with a 15% overlap... I'm getting info from the remaining probes as fast as ever we can, while we can, but I think it's going to end up being a 'think on your feet' kinda thing from Science's POV, flying... no offence Mr. Drake... blind and turning the Seleya into an extension of the Delta Wing fighters for all you're going to have to fling her across the sky, so I suggest that we all strap in and be ready for the rodeo... I just have a gut feeling that it's going to be like the Gadsden Flag... if you know that one.  It has a rattlesnake and the words 'Don't Tread On Me'... snakes are notoriously bad tempered if one bothers them, and this a big ol' snake from what I'm guessing, so more pissed off-ed-ness to go round."

The CSO paused and smiled.  "Thankfully for you, my husband and I learned more than a few tricks over our years of service, and him being Bajoran, was more honed to looking for things that were apparently not there.  Even something as unnoticeable as shifts in air currents.  So I will use ALL our resources to keep us out of the way of a nasty lashing tail or being munched or coiled around and crushed.  Don't worry.   Commander should I keep the channel open with Flatwood to co-ordinate this?"

[Kirok]

[USS Flatwoods | Anomaly Site]

Xasik was infinitely grateful when Lieutenant Sirol lowered the volume of the grating sound and dimmed the lights inside the shuttle down. While the lighting wasn't the cause of his distress per say, it still helped to sooth him nonetheless. He could think again, he could hear himself think. The sound was still there of course, but it was back to being a minor irritation and not like claws scratching over metal, or as some of the humans he had worked with in the past would say - nails on a chalkboard - whatever that was. In any case he was glad that the sound was no longer grating. He was gladder still when she lowered the lights.
"œThank you," he muttered, unsure if she had heard it.

Xasik tensed as Zex greeted the unhatched egg in his canister. He gave her nod and a strained smile. He wasn't really ready to have that conversation with anyone yet, especially not with the situation they were currently in. He chose not to say anything and instead took Lieutenant Sirol up on her offer to look over the readings. She had even made space for him, which he appreciated. He held in another snicker as he watched her boop the creature she was holding. He was hungry, sure, but he would never eat someone's companion. "œFascinating," he mumbled as he watched the data being collected, careful to keep his canister safely in his arms.

He backed away again when he heard the incoming call. He settled himself back where he had been and re positioned the canister safely on his back after once again checking the status and operational time remaining. He still had plenty of time to get the egg set up properly.

[USS Flatwoods | Anomaly Site]

"The rate of the snake emerging and the rate of probes disappear seems to be getting faster.  I'm not sure if exponentially is the right descriptor.  But it is getting faster" Zex interjected.

And to her point, the snake again doubled in size.   Three more probes when off line.  For a total of 10 probes lost.

[Hrafn Falleg]

[USS Flatwoods | Anomaly Site]

"The rate of the snake emerging and the rate of probes disappear seems to be getting faster.  I'm not sure if exponentially is the right descriptor.  But it is getting faster" Zex interjected.

And to her point, the snake again doubled in size.   Three more probes when off line.  For a total of 10 probes lost.

[Bridge - USS Seleya]

Hrafn watched in dismay as 3 more probes went offline, and her sensors showing the size of the snake growing was alarming.

"Commander, with the rate that snake is growing I'm not sure they're going to have time to move the station far enough out of the way or if they've calculated correctly given how large this is growing...10m/s is fast but is it fast enough?!" the CSO said in a worried voice.

They had more than likely got as many people as they could off the station but there were still people there she cared about, not least Serena who would probably be more stoic than the half-Vulcan Captain Kirok about 'going down with the ship', or in this case, station, if it came to that!

Sirol what is your location relevant to the snake, even if you have to extrapolate where you might need to be next. 

Hrafn had started trying to calculate movement and growth rate of the snake but was getting nowhere, it was as unpredictable in movement as an Earthen snake so she couldn't plot where the next growth spurt would be, she had noticed that for some reason the time between growth spurts was however roughly connected to the Fibonacci sequence, it was already onto it's 4th or 5th growth.

"I suppose we have to be grateful it's not shedding skins every time it grows, or least not the way we think of it... However I've noticed a pattern and I can see that it seems to know Fibonacci sequence.  I can't measure accurately the size it's going to grow to but it seems to have grown every 1, 1, 2, 5, 8 and 13 seconds up to now meaning we have 21 seconds now until it grows again if it is following this..."

She knew Sirol and those on the Flatwood could hear this and hoped that someone was picking it up on the station.  Hrafn knew how quickly they could go at full speed but surely it would take time for the station to pick up momentum or something?  Deciding not to take any chances she hailed Katra OCC.

Katra this is Lt. Falleg-Tekin, CSO on the Seleya... I've worked it out that, roughly... I can't get accurate readings since we're losing our probes rather quickly now, the snake seems to be growing time wise to fit the Fibonacci Sequence.  If my calculations are correct that gives you 21 seconds to the next growth... will that get you far enough out of it's way?  I'm currently trying to see if there's any correlation in the growth but that seems to be more erratic...gets you about 0.75 miles, a bit less than 0.5km away if my calculations are correct. But on the plus side you then get 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, 377 seconds until or unless it gets done with growing...

[Kirok]

[USS Flatwoods | Anomaly Site]

-//Aye, Sir-\\- Zex said in response to Kirok's orders.  She let Sirol though respond to Falleg.  "It seems that we might need to consider heading to New Bajor soon" Zex said the Sirok and Xasik.

The Deltan was already prepared to leave.  Seeing the effect the snake was having on the probes, she did not want to risk staying much longer.  "I'm ready if you are " she added.

@Xasik

[Sirol]

< USS Flatwoods / Anomaly Site >

In any case he was glad that the sound was no longer grating. He was gladder still when she lowered the lights.
"œThank you," he muttered, unsure if she had heard it.

Sirol simply nodded towards the new scientist.
Truth be told, she herself felt much better in the dark environment too and her hearing was sensitive enough to still pick up the expanding circle patterns in the noise, so it was a win-win for both.

To Sirol's question about 'little one' the Deltan smiled.  It was not her secret to tell.  Xasik would when he was ready she expected.

Sirol raised an eyebrow towards Zex's unexpected smile.
It was clear that she knew something; more than she phrased when it came to Xasik.
Maybe they were friends, she speculated for a second before she decided to put these questions aside for later and focus on her work instead.

"I'm totally with you about that" Zex added.  "The snake keeps getting bigger and seems to be affecting the probes.   Watching the probes will tell us when we need to split" the Deltan said.

The snake then doubled in size again.  Two more probes phased away.  Then a 3rd.

That was sooner than she had hoped.
As fascinating as it was, the chaotic and unpunctual behaviour of this anomaly was aggravating.
She had become a scientist to indulge in logic and order, not to have some needy anomaly mess with her research like an insufficiently trained Targ smelling meat in her pocket"¦

She quietly inhaled, then looked over to Zex"¦
"œStand by; predicting expansion rate..."

Good to know we're fully functional both in terms of our circuitry here and also the 15% overlap.  Good planning there whomever did that.  Be safe Sirol, Flatwood...

"œAcknowledged. We will keep you updated."
The scientist spoke in a calm note, vaguely looking over her shoulder once she realised that Freeman had retreated back to his old seat and had cuddled up his stasis canister again.
She was surprised to hear Hrafn compliment the 15% overlap strategy - it was after all Romulan research custom to always plan in a tad more resources than needed in case something unforeseen happened. (This, and to brag about being in possession of enough resources to calculate with excess"¦)

"The rate of the snake emerging and the rate of probes disappear seems to be getting faster.  I'm not sure if exponentially is the right descriptor.  But it is getting faster" Zex interjected.

And to her point, the snake again doubled in size.   Three more probes when off line.  For a total of 10 probes lost.

Sirol nodded and narrowed her eyes a little at the readings.
"œNetwork coverage down to 72%, prediction rate dropping, triangulation inaccurate..."
She silently sighed in her seat, musingly giving the Uropygi in her arms a little hug.

Sirol what is your location relevant to the snake, even if you have to extrapolate where you might need to be next. 

She looked over towards Zex.
"œCan we send them our live coordinates?"
...Before she once more looked at the semi-soul crushing readings on her screen.
"œWe are outside of the anomaly's current area of effect and ready to retreat even further as the diameter of the anomaly expands. We already had to adjust position once, and judging by the growth rate, we will have to adjust once more in less than a minute."
But there was the exact problem: No clear estimation. With more and more probes vanishing, not just the data about the phenomenon; the creature itself seeped through less and less, but also did their spacial awareness to say so decrease with each probe lost, leaving them little to work with in the manner of precise predictions"¦

She once more took a deep breath and turned around in her chair, looking at the other two, with a look that pretty precisely expressed her current thoughts:
This research has come to a premature end. I dislike it. But thank you for your participation"¦

Listening to Hrafn's voice; her communication with Katra in the background she then faced her terminal again, slowly raising an eyebrow.
So the expansion rate was akin to the Fibonacci Sequence? [Humans had a truly strange term for the Nera'Tal Funnel] What an odd and beautiful way to make an appearance.
"œOf course! The circles in the sound!" She interjected.
Sirol's senses for geometry beamed with joy as she heard it while her fingers hovered over her terminal, entering the new data to help them with the growth rate prediction.
Blessed be the think tank of the Katra's science staff, even intertwining and working over great distances.
What a shame that off duty life could not be like this too"¦

-//Aye, Sir-\\- Zex said in response to Kirok's orders.  She let Sirol though respond to Falleg.  "It seems that we might need to consider heading to New Bajor soon" Zex said the Sirok and Xasik.

The Deltan was already prepared to leave.  Seeing the effect the snake was having on the probes, she did not want to risk staying much longer.  "I'm ready if you are " she added.

Sirol musingly nodded and gently snuggled the Uropygi on her lap.
"œLooks like our return to the station will have to wait a bit longer, Little Hero."
She spoke towards it in an almost even apologetic tone, before she looked up towards Zex again.

"œI have synched the current growth rate of the phenomenon with Hrafn's mentioned utilisation of the Fibonacci Sequence, allowing us for a clearer prediction.
We might try to extract as much probe data as we can on our route back, but generously retreat whenever the next expansion is due. 15% excess distance.
We should not risk any damage."

She then turned around towards Specialist Freeman, checking up on him after the environmental factors earlier had strained him.
"œAre you and your pebbles alright?"

[Kirok]

< USS Flatwoods / Anomaly Site >

"Certainly we can send our live coordinates.  Xasik.  You should have access.  Can you do that?" the Deltan replied.  She did not want to take her hand of the flight controls.

As Sirol worked the math, Zex seemed to relax just a bit.  She understood the Fibonacci Sequence.  It matched up with the circle type idea she had intuited before.

"I trust your math.  Numbers don't lie.  So we will stay a bit longer" Zex agreed.

[Hrafn Falleg]

< USS Flatwoods / Anomaly Site >

"Certainly we can send our live coordinates.  Xasik.  You should have access.  Can you do that?" the Deltan replied.  She did not want to take her hand of the flight controls.

As Sirol worked the math, Zex seemed to relax just a bit.  She understood the Fibonacci Sequence.  It matched up with the circle type idea she had intuited before.

"I trust your math.  Numbers don't lie.  So we will stay a bit longer" Zex agreed.

[USS Seleya - Bridge]

Hrafn smiled inwardly, glad that not only was the station, the Flatwood and the Seleya working in unison but the fact that what they were seeing and doing were making sense.

She also knew that Sirol wouldn't put them in danger.

The CSO had been penning an official request to Kirok for about a month and one thing or another had always made her shelve it for a while... none of the reasons was the subject itself.

She'd been watching the young Romulan for a while and the way Sirol and herself worked both together and separately would be interesting for an outsider to observe.  It was like both a mirror and an extension of herself.  But the current situation was making her realise that she could do what she was planning, and not have any qualms about doing so.  In fact, if she had Kirok's blessing it would work out wonderfully.  Now she just had to hope that Nevir could swing it too.

For several months she had been thinking about going to attend the graduation ceremony of her eldest daughter, Ruthie, not tell her daughter but surprise her.  It would give her the opportunity to catch up with her dear friend Dr. Lizzie Vaughan who had promised that whether Hrafn and Nevir could attend or not she, and Sukal, another friend would attend in person as part of the greater adopted family they had scattered across the Universe, so that Ruthie would have 'someone' around that was a familiar face not from the Academy.

The plan had been to drop the younger children off at their grandparents then go on to Earth, and finally come back to New Bajor for a week or so to have a family holiday with everyone there.  Now, since the younger children were already on their way there that seemed eminently possible.

Hrafn's other dilemma was that she felt bad leaving the Science Department.  She had faith in her team even prior to Sirol but that department was like her baby... she wanted it in VERY safe hands, and now she felt that she'd found those hands.  She was going to ask Kirok officially if Sirol could be named as Assistant CSO, after all the young woman already had access to most of Hrafn's files, it was only the ones locked to CSO only that she couldn't unless it was mission specific and Hrafn unlocked them to anyone involved in a mission.

Sighing to herself she pulled her mind back to the snake which was still growing, and out loud said,

"You know just once I'd like a normal boring month at Katra!" with a chuckle.

[Xasik]

[USS Flatwoods | Anomaly Site]

< USS Flatwoods / Anomaly Site >
She once more took a deep breath and turned around in her chair, looking at the other two, with a look that pretty precisely expressed her current thoughts:
This research has come to a premature end. I dislike it. But thank you for your participation"¦

Listening to Hrafn's voice; her communication with Katra in the background she then faced her terminal again, slowly raising an eyebrow.
So the expansion rate was akin to the Fibonacci Sequence? [Humans had a truly strange term for the Nera'Tal Funnel] What an odd and beautiful way to make an appearance.
"œOf course! The circles in the sound!" She interjected.
Sirol's senses for geometry beamed with joy as she heard it while her fingers hovered over her terminal, entering the new data to help them with the growth rate prediction.
Blessed be the think tank of the Katra's science staff, even intertwining and working over great distances.
What a shame that off duty life could not be like this too"¦

Sirol musingly nodded and gently snuggled the Uropygi on her lap.
"œLooks like our return to the station will have to wait a bit longer, Little Hero."
She spoke towards it in an almost even apologetic tone, before she looked up towards Zex again.

"œI have synched the current growth rate of the phenomenon with Hrafn's mentioned utilisation of the Fibonacci Sequence, allowing us for a clearer prediction.
We might try to extract as much probe data as we can on our route back, but generously retreat whenever the next expansion is due. 15% excess distance.
We should not risk any damage."

She then turned around towards Specialist Freeman, checking up on him after the environmental factors earlier had strained him.
"œAre you and your pebbles alright?"

Looking up from checking the readings on his canister, Xasik caught Sirol's look of disappointment. He could understand the feeling. At the core of every scientist was a fascination and insatiable curiosity that was extremely difficult to extinguish. The need to learn more, know more and observe more burned brightly within them all, and to be denied that was almost insulting. He gave her a look that conveyed his understanding and regret.
"œI am sorry, Lieutenant, that you are unable to keep observing as you would like. Perhaps you will have another opportunity in future to continue what was started here today."

He had to smile to himself as Sirol became excited about the circles in the sound. The spark of the scientist within was burning brightly again. He busied himself at his terminal again. It was indeed easier to work with the sound and the lights lowered. He looked up when Sirol addressed him again. Her question momentarily confused him before he caught on.
His little pebbles?
Ahh, yes, he had been the one to refer to his egg as "˜Little Pebble' out loud.  He gave her a friendly Reman smile. "œMuch better Lieutenant, thank you. Little Pebble and I are fine now. Sorry for my unprofessional outburst."

< USS Flatwoods / Anomaly Site >

"Certainly we can send our live coordinates.  Xasik.  You should have access.  Can you do that?" the Deltan replied.  She did not want to take her hand of the flight controls.

As Sirol worked the math, Zex seemed to relax just a bit.  She understood the Fibonacci Sequence.  It matched up with the circle type idea she had intuited before.

"I trust your math.  Numbers don't lie.  So we will stay a bit longer" Zex agreed.

At Zex's question he nodded and turned back to the terminal he had access to. "œCan do," he agreed and began typing in their current coordinates to send back to the station. "œDone," he confirmed when he sent them.

[Kirok]

[USS Seleya - Bridge]

Hrafn smiled inwardly, glad that not only was the station, the Flatwood and the Seleya working in unison but the fact that what they were seeing and doing were making sense.

She also knew that Sirol wouldn't put them in danger.

The CSO had been penning an official request to Kirok for about a month and one thing or another had always made her shelve it for a while... none of the reasons was the subject itself.

She'd been watching the young Romulan for a while and the way Sirol and herself worked both together and separately would be interesting for an outsider to observe.  It was like both a mirror and an extension of herself.  But the current situation was making her realise that she could do what she was planning, and not have any qualms about doing so.  In fact, if she had Kirok's blessing it would work out wonderfully.  Now she just had to hope that Nevir could swing it too.

For several months she had been thinking about going to attend the graduation ceremony of her eldest daughter, Ruthie, not tell her daughter but surprise her.  It would give her the opportunity to catch up with her dear friend Dr. Lizzie Vaughan who had promised that whether Hrafn and Nevir could attend or not she, and Sukal, another friend would attend in person as part of the greater adopted family they had scattered across the Universe, so that Ruthie would have 'someone' around that was a familiar face not from the Academy.

The plan had been to drop the younger children off at their grandparents then go on to Earth, and finally come back to New Bajor for a week or so to have a family holiday with everyone there.  Now, since the younger children were already on their way there that seemed eminently possible.

Hrafn's other dilemma was that she felt bad leaving the Science Department.  She had faith in her team even prior to Sirol but that department was like her baby... she wanted it in VERY safe hands, and now she felt that she'd found those hands.  She was going to ask Kirok officially if Sirol could be named as Assistant CSO, after all the young woman already had access to most of Hrafn's files, it was only the ones locked to CSO only that she couldn't unless it was mission specific and Hrafn unlocked them to anyone involved in a mission.

Sighing to herself she pulled her mind back to the snake which was still growing, and out loud said,

"You know just once I'd like a normal boring month at Katra!" with a chuckle.

[USS Seleya - Bridge]

EQ overheard the comment.  He was able to control outward laughter.  But was laughing on the inside.

"Funny.  But you know that that is not about to happen" he replied.  Then his station buzzed.

"Incoming message from Kirok.  He says help is on the way from a Changeling ship.  It is heading to the anomaly to slow the snake down" the XB announced.

[USS Flatwoods | Anomaly Site]
Looking up from checking the readings on his canister, Xasik caught Sirol's look of disappointment. He could understand the feeling. At the core of every scientist was a fascination and insatiable curiosity that was extremely difficult to extinguish. The need to learn more, know more and observe more burned brightly within them all, and to be denied that was almost insulting. He gave her a look that conveyed his understanding and regret.
"œI am sorry, Lieutenant, that you are unable to keep observing as you would like. Perhaps you will have another opportunity in future to continue what was started here today."

He had to smile to himself as Sirol became excited about the circles in the sound. The spark of the scientist within was burning brightly again. He busied himself at his terminal again. It was indeed easier to work with the sound and the lights lowered. He looked up when Sirol addressed him again. Her question momentarily confused him before he caught on.
His little pebbles?
Ahh, yes, he had been the one to refer to his egg as "˜Little Pebble' out loud.  He gave her a friendly Reman smile. "œMuch better Lieutenant, thank you. Little Pebble and I are fine now. Sorry for my unprofessional outburst."

At Zex's question he nodded and turned back to the terminal he had access to. "œCan do," he agreed and began typing in their current coordinates to send back to the station. "œDone," he confirmed when he sent them.

[USS Flatwoods | Anomaly Site]

"Thanks" Zex said to Xasik.  She turned and offered him a smile.  "That was a big help" she added.

Then the hale came in from Kirok.  That was quickly followed by the arrival of the Changeling ship near the anomaly.  It took a position along side the shuttle.

[Gideon Drake]

[USS Seleya - Bridge]

EQ overheard the comment.  He was able to control outward laughter.  But was laughing on the inside.

"Funny.  But you know that that is not about to happen" he replied.  Then his station buzzed.

"Incoming message from Kirok.  He says help is on the way from a Changeling ship.  It is heading to the anomaly to slow the snake down" the XB announced.

[Lieutenant JG Gideon "The Gryphon/Griff" Drake | Bridge | Deck One | USS Seleya]

Griff had to look up at the mention of a Changeling ship. "Changeling?" he asked. "And they're slowing the great dirty snake? What's in it for them, I wonder. I don't recall the Dominion being this bloody helpful."

He had good reason to be distrustful; his dad and Uncle Boothby lost an aunt and some older cousins to the Jem'Hadar during the Dominion War. Hell, the Dominion was one kind of people he never trusted, aside from certain Ferengi and Cardassians and the Tzenkethi in general. But it had been a long time, maybe they were benevolent, but nonetheless, Griff was cautious.

[Sirol]

< USS Flatwoods / Anomaly Site >

Sirol was glad to see that Zex was outsourcing some of the work towards Xasik as well.
Not just did it take some work off their own hands but also would it help the new scientist settle in.
Nothing was more uplifting and than being an essential part of the group - That went for all cultures out there.

Still typing on her terminal; relentlessly synching and calibrating, the scientist still listened to their conversation as well as the still open channel towards the Seleya. She was ready for any [supposedly expected yet still unwelcome] change of plans.

As Sirol worked the math, Zex seemed to relax just a bit.  She understood the Fibonacci Sequence.  It matched up with the circle type idea she had intuited before.

"I trust your math.  Numbers don't lie.  So we will stay a bit longer" Zex agreed.

Towards her comment Sirol nodded towards the Diplomat.
"œThis is why I relish mathematics...."
Why I like numbers and symmetry more than most people"¦
She gave her one more look of acknowledgement, trusting that Zex would head out as soon as things were getting tense, yet appreciative of her support of recording as much as possible.

Looking up from checking the readings on his canister, Xasik caught Sirol's look of disappointment. He could understand the feeling. At the core of every scientist was a fascination and insatiable curiosity that was extremely difficult to extinguish. The need to learn more, know more and observe more burned brightly within them all, and to be denied that was almost insulting. He gave her a look that conveyed his understanding and regret.
"œI am sorry, Lieutenant, that you are unable to keep observing as you would like. Perhaps you will have another opportunity in future to continue what was started here today."

The words from their new scientist came surprising, yet certainly welcome.
She could tell that he was able to understand her desire to learn and understand as much as physically possible.
A trait she often found lacking in many non-scientists, hence her appreciating it as a welcome rarity.
"œThat would be"¦ Highly welcome"¦
Unfortunately phasic phenomena are not particularly high ranking among Starfleet's research priorities. Lack of anomaly density in federation space"¦ Lack of "˜practical use'... Lack of personnel willing to execute risky survey missions...
They are missing out on a fascinating branch"¦ But there is some subjective logic in their negligence."

His little pebbles?
Ahh, yes, he had been the one to refer to his egg as "˜Little Pebble' out loud.  He gave her a friendly Reman smile. "œMuch better Lieutenant, thank you. Little Pebble and I are fine now. Sorry for my unprofessional outburst."

Sirol acknowledged his update with a slow nod.
"œExcellent. Proceed."

Then the hale came in from Kirok.  That was quickly followed by the arrival of the Changeling ship near the anomaly.  It took a position along side the shuttle.

Raising one eyebrow, Sirol exchanged thoughtful looks with her two shipmates.
That was neither the sort of news nor the kind of company she would have expected, but on a scale from "˜the phasic phenomenon swallowing her back home' to "˜an invasion fleet of Borg cubes' bursting out of the passage, having Changelings show op was within the first 30 percent of bearable possibilities.

The scientist's eyes closely followed the newcomer's ship's manoeuvres until it assumed a relative position near the shuttle.
As the ship fully came to rest a few seconds, Sirol leaned forwards in her chair, carefully adjusting her pose as to not panic the Uropygi on her lap, then leaned over towards Zex again.
"œSend them our expansion sequence so they can prepare in time for the next wave."

[Hrafn Falleg]

[USS Seleya - Bridge]

EQ overheard the comment.  He was able to control outward laughter.  But was laughing on the inside.

"Funny.  But you know that that is not about to happen" he replied.  Then his station buzzed.

"Incoming message from Kirok.  He says help is on the way from a Changeling ship.  It is heading to the anomaly to slow the snake down" the XB announced.

[USS Flatwoods | Anomaly Site]

"Thanks" Zex said to Xasik.  She turned and offered him a smile.  "That was a big help" she added.

Then the hale came in from Kirok.  That was quickly followed by the arrival of the Changeling ship near the anomaly.  It took a position along side the shuttle.

[USS Seleya - Bridge]

"To be fair EQ, anything that houses me and my brood couldn't be termed 'normal' for the rest of the Universe, even when it's perfectly normal for us.  Commander Briggs will concur!" Hrafn chuckled with a small grin.

When the XB announced Kirok's message she looked up with interest.  "Changling ship so not just Changling DNA in the area but fully fledged Founders?!  Oh my!  Sirol will be beside herself with excitement tho probably containing it better than I am!"

[Kirok]

[USS Seleya - Bridge]

"To be fair EQ, anything that houses me and my brood couldn't be termed 'normal' for the rest of the Universe, even when it's perfectly normal for us.  Commander Briggs will concur!" Hrafn chuckled with a small grin.

When the XB announced Kirok's message she looked up with interest.  "Changling ship so not just Changling DNA in the area but fully fledged Founders?!  Oh my!  Sirol will be beside herself with excitement tho probably containing it better than I am!"

[USS Seleya - Bridge]

[EQ]

"Yes, Sir.  That's what the Captain said.  The other stuff is above my pay grade" Kimball offered with a shrug.

"I'll take your word for that, Ma'am" EQ replied after turning back to Falleg.  He considered her comment about the Changeling ship.  "She should get a chance to see it and maybe him.  Just tell her to look out the shuttle window" the XB added.

< USS Flatwoods / Anomaly Site >

Sirol was glad to see that Zex was outsourcing some of the work towards Xasik as well.
Not just did it take some work off their own hands but also would it help the new scientist settle in.
Nothing was more uplifting and than being an essential part of the group - That went for all cultures out there.

Still typing on her terminal; relentlessly synching and calibrating, the scientist still listened to their conversation as well as the still open channel towards the Seleya. She was ready for any [supposedly expected yet still unwelcome] change of plans.

Towards her comment Sirol nodded towards the Diplomat.
"œThis is why I relish mathematics...."
Why I like numbers and symmetry more than most people"¦
She gave her one more look of acknowledgement, trusting that Zex would head out as soon as things were getting tense, yet appreciative of her support of recording as much as possible.

The words from their new scientist came surprising, yet certainly welcome.
She could tell that he was able to understand her desire to learn and understand as much as physically possible.
A trait she often found lacking in many non-scientists, hence her appreciating it as a welcome rarity.
"œThat would be"¦ Highly welcome"¦
Unfortunately phasic phenomena are not particularly high ranking among Starfleet's research priorities. Lack of anomaly density in federation space"¦ Lack of "˜practical use'... Lack of personnel willing to execute risky survey missions...
They are missing out on a fascinating branch"¦ But there is some subjective logic in their negligence."

Sirol acknowledged his update with a slow nod.
"œExcellent. Proceed."

Raising one eyebrow, Sirol exchanged thoughtful looks with her two shipmates.
That was neither the sort of news nor the kind of company she would have expected, but on a scale from "˜the phasic phenomenon swallowing her back home' to "˜an invasion fleet of Borg cubes' bursting out of the passage, having Changelings show op was within the first 30 percent of bearable possibilities.

The scientist's eyes closely followed the newcomer's ship's manoeuvres until it assumed a relative position near the shuttle.
As the ship fully came to rest a few seconds, Sirol leaned forwards in her chair, carefully adjusting her pose as to not panic the Uropygi on her lap, then leaned over towards Zex again.
"œSend them our expansion sequence so they can prepare in time for the next wave."

< USS Flatwoods / Anomaly Site >

"Yes, Ma'am" Zex replied.  She gave Sirol a sly smile.  Then send that data.

"Thanks, shuttle.  We got it from here" came a reply over their com channel.  Then quickly thereafter the Changeling ship started emitting a harmonic frequency exactly opposite of the harmonic frequency coming from the creature.  As Ambassador Ojo said, the snake stopped moving - at least temporarily.