S3-M7: Settling In (Again)

[Xasik]

[Katra Station | Simulation Lab | 1402]

< Katra Station / Simulation Lab / 1400 >

Thoughtfully bobbing back and forth on her shiny silver gym ball the scientist reflected Freeman's words for a moment.
There it was again, that tense aura surrounding him upon certain stimuli; certain topics"¦
His reaction towards her poor attempt at humour regarding them hiding uncatalogued specimens in her lab did not escape her. And while she was not able to pinpoint anything yet, she started to get the impression that there was more than Freeman let on"¦
Surely he was not intending to bring any contraband aboard, was he?
No. Too invested. To genuine. It did not fit into his pattern.

A few more seconds of attempted work followed before the metaphorical balloon popped, and Sirol could virtually feel it expand around Xasik Freeman...

Tilting her head the scientist just looked at him for a few seconds, processing his words.
It was not unusual for civilian scientists to operate more liberally and to bring their own projects from ship to ship with them. Dr. Seyrs had had an entire copy of his S.E.N. and associated interface avatars with him at all times - just in case"¦ And T'Yun had even brought her warp field research with her long after she had been voted Captain"¦ Federation personnel was like that. Always invested in their research. It was a quality Sirol truly enjoyed and admired.

"œI am always eager and willing to help fellow scientists with their research projects." Sirol slowly spoke in a musing tone as she accepted the padd.
She was not entirely sure what she was getting into here, and Freeman's tense aura did not help, yet her own curiosity got the better of her"¦
Skimming over the pass, the scientist raised one eyebrow.
She remembered those environmental specifications. From her time as a teenager assisting her father welcoming his foreign diplomatic contacts, from her sixth paper about development of extremophile societies, as well as"¦ What she assumed to be the meagre leftovers of her memories from her time within the Trialus anomaly"¦
"œIt is a simple alteration and not too much to ask at all..."
Sirol mumbled without taking her eyes off the padd while once more bobbing a little on her ball, easing her own physical tension a little.
So he did have pebbles in there after all, but"¦ Important ones? Supposedly a precious gift? Made sense.
And he tried to replicate the environmental specifications of Tholia within the privacy of their Lab's quarantine room, despite Katra being equipped with an entire Tholian embassy?
The mystery gained shape.
Was he going to propose to a Tholian?
(After all, stranger constellations happened on a regular basis, and love - at least to Sirol - transcended the boundaries of environmental requirements.)
Sirol tilted her head once she was done drawing her conclusions.
"œCongratulations, specialist. Your dowry will be safe with me. And so will be your fiancÁ©.
I am not particularly fond of blocking laboratory equipment for private matters, but I understand the"¦ Logistic difficulties of your situation and am willing to assist."

He stood motionless for a moment as he processed her words. She had agreed to help him, but it was quite obvious that she had misunderstood his situation, although that was not difficult with how vague he had been regarding the entire thing. For a brief moment his face flushed with a warmth he had very rarely experienced but he quickly got that under control by clearing his throat awkwardly. She thought he was getting married. If he hadn't been so flustered he might have laughed. He had never considered getting married, never considered that anyone would consider him. He knew that that was only his poor upbringing talking but it was simply something he had never thought about. He had had relationships during his travels but never anything serious.

Clearing his throat again he looked at Sirol and motioned to his canister. "œI think you may have the wrong idea Lieutenant. I am not intending to wed. I require the space to safely hatch my egg, my Tholian egg. In here. In my canister. This canister right here. My baby thermos." He blushed again at how flustered he was. "œMy little Pebble has been in stasis for far too long and I think they deserve the chance to finally hatch."
Well that was that, he had finally let the proverbial Tholian out of the bag. He wasn't sure if he felt better or worse to actually come out and say it to someone. In a way he felt relieved to talk about it openly, but he was also anxious at how she would react. He had done nothing wrong of course but if she wasn't aware of the situation then he would probably have to explain it to her.
At least now he could openly ask for opinions and advice from the one he shared a lab with. It was a weight off his shoulders.

Awkwardly he handed Sirol the canister so she could examine it for herself. It had the reading displayed on the top display for her to look at. He was a little hesitant but he wanted her to understand the urgency he felt. His child deserved the right to hatch and be taken care of. He pressed a button on the side of the lid to make the walls of the canister transparent. Inside was what appeared to be a jagged, teardrop shaped chunk of emerald suspended within. "œI liberated the egg from a black market trader who was trying to sell it to some shady looking bosh'tet." He stopped and smirked at the memory. He was proud of his physical strength. "œThey were livid. It was quite a chase but these long legs of mine were too fast for them. As far as I know they're still after me, hence my relocation out here to the arse-end of nowhere." He stopped again to interpret her reaction to that little tidbit of information. "œStarfleet is aware of the situation."
He looked softly towards the egg. "œI've had the egg examined by a xenomedic to ensure the baby was still alive and well. Scans indicate that the child inside the egg is the same colour as the shell. I've already decided to name them Emerald when they hatch, which I hope will be soon. Which is why I require your assistance with setting up the correct environment."

[Sirol]

< Katra Station / Simulation Lab / 1404 >

Clearing his throat again he looked at Sirol and motioned to his canister. "œI think you may have the wrong idea Lieutenant. I am not intending to wed. I require the space to safely hatch my egg, my Tholian egg. In here. In my canister. This canister right here. My baby thermos." He blushed again at how flustered he was. "œMy little Pebble has been in stasis for far too long and I think they deserve the chance to finally hatch."

For a moment Sirol just stood there, giving him a look that switched between surprised, perplexed and mildly worried.
His little pebble was a baby?!
They had taken a baby with them onto a mission that could have potentially been dangerous?!
Sirol's pose stiffened uncomfortably as she was following his words, occasionally acknowledging them with a nod.

She stared at the stasis canister in his hands, the ever obvious question in her slowly but surely surfacing and eventually bursting out in a tone that could best be described as utter disbelief or the entire - strange as could be - situation"¦
"œHow"¦ Did you obtain this child?!"

Awkwardly he handed Sirol the canister so she could examine it for herself. It had the reading displayed on the top display for her to look at. He was a little hesitant but he wanted her to understand the urgency he felt. His child deserved the right to hatch and be taken care of. He pressed a button on the side of the lid to make the walls of the canister transparent. Inside was what appeared to be a jagged, teardrop shaped chunk of emerald suspended within.

She was alarmed.
A civilian scientist obtaining a child of one of the most isolationist species Sirol was acquainted with"¦
The statistical odds for this to happen were insanely slim, hence her first instinct of distrust....
Yet...
He did not feel like someone who would kidnap an innocent child, but then again everything was a matter of perspective and his potential motives opaque to her"¦

Hesitantly she took the canister and had a look inside.
Her initial distrust and worry seemingly decreasing with each second of looking at the baby. She could not help it, but smiled...

...No. This was not a time to get sentimental!
Important information had to be shared.
He had a lot to explain here...

Her grip around the "˜baby thermos' tightened a little, in a visibly protective manner.
Sirol may not have been the child's parent, but that did not mean the she felt any less protective at the sight of the defenceless egg.
She was one comm badge press away from calling security on him and handing the child over to the Station's Tholian embassy...
Listening to him, she attentively focused him; examined his mannerisms, the tone of his voice, the rhythm of his speech, the taste and colour of his aura"¦
He better had some explanations, whether he gave them verbally or not"¦

And while - for the first time truly intentionally - she reached out for someone else's; his mind to gain a taste of his motivations, he luckily met her over halfway there: He explained himself, and Sirol attentively listened.

"œI liberated the egg from a black market trader who was trying to sell it to some shady looking bosh'tet." He stopped and smirked at the memory. He was proud of his physical strength. "œThey were livid. It was quite a chase but these long legs of mine were too fast for them. As far as I know they're still after me, hence my relocation out here to the arse-end of nowhere." He stopped again to interpret her reaction to that little tidbit of information. "œStarfleet is aware of the situation."
He looked softly towards the egg. "œI've had the egg examined by a xenomedic to ensure the baby was still alive and well. Scans indicate that the child inside the egg is the same colour as the shell. I've already decided to name them Emerald when they hatch, which I hope will be soon. Which is why I require your assistance with setting up the correct environment."

Squinting her eyes she still stared at him for a few more seconds.
He; his vicinity"¦ Genuine"¦ Honestly worried for the child's well-being.
Granted, this spoke for him, but things were not that easy"¦
"œI have heard of black market trafficking of Horta Eggs, but never of a case involving a Tholian"¦ How long is the child in stasis already?"
She paused for a moment, then looked at the canister in her hands again.
Her face turned into a smile - again - although this time in a more soft and slightly less tense manner.
Placing one hand on the transparent casing she just looked at it and musingly smiled. "œWelcome to Katra, Little Emerald..." She quietly whispered towards the little one, slightly wrapping one arm around the canister in the same manner a parent would hug their baby.

A few seconds passed, and Sirol just stood there. Thinking"¦
"œOf course I will assist you with the little one"¦ No need to ever ask..." She quietly mumbled as it it was the most natural thing in the world.
[After all, to Sirol it actually was.]
Eventually, she looked up to Freeman again, and carefully handed the canister over to him again.
"œStarfleet being aware of it is one thing, but what about the child's original family?
What about Emerald's parents? And are Lieutenant Falleg and Captain Kirok aware that you brought the child aboard?"

She - of all the people - would truly be the last one to pass the chance to adopt a child, and she could see it in Freeman's eyes that he was the same... Equally invested and fiercely protective over the egg, so she phrased her questions carefully...
Yet she primarily had to think about the child's interests and well-being here.
What if their family was still out there looking for them?

[Kirok]

[Katra Station | OPS]

"Let's see..."

Serena reached into her thigh pocket for her book, flipping to various pages, the pen twirling in her hand much like an orchestra conductor's baton, marking to an invisible bit of music. Putting the pen back into its usual home in the ring binder, she paused to poke at Gideon's console. Reaching into another pocket of her utilities, she pulled out a slide rule.

"L1!" She smiled broadly and brought up a simplified schematic:

"Gravity affects everything. Some subtle, some not. In orbital mechanics, we are at a point between the star and Meridian's remains that our orbit is stable, apart from tweaking adjustments. There would be rogue pieces of Meridian flying around, but they'd probably have escape velocity if they do. After Sciences finishes studying the Snake, we can see if they can model whether or not the debris- Apologies, how soon before the debris turns into a dust cloud. I predict not for decades, though. Then we'd have to move again." Even as she said it, she flinched pretty badly.

[Katra Station | OPS]

EQ watched as King went to work.  Figuring out where the station should rest.  With a slide ruler no less.

But as he had just said moments ago, to each his or her own.  He did, though, have a question after looking at the drawing.  "Meridian also had a gravitational force.  Right?" he asked.

The XB was confident that she was taking that into account.  Sure of it in fact.  But, it never hurt to ask though.

[Katra Station | OPS]

The counselor glanced between the new Ambassador, and the Captain, as Chigorra spoke openly. He regarded her with an interested gleam in his eye. Klingon culture interested him greatly, although it tended to clash with his personality. He admired the way they spoke so freely, and was even more fascinated in how they tended to assimilate with Starfleet culture. Nodding as she suggested to ask one of them, he turned to Kirok to see if he agreed. When both did, he glanced over at the nearest Tosk.

"Well then, let us see!" he announced, as he approached the Tosk. Softening his eyes, he offered the woman a kind smile, eyes crinkling at the sides. "Hello! Pardon me," He paused, awaiting a response from them. "My name is Zero. I'm a counselor - new to the station, actually. I'm trying to get myself integrated more-" He gave a psuedo-nervous laugh, breaking eye contact for a moment, before meeting her gaze again. "Are you new to the station as well?"

He broke focus for a moment, as he noted Kirok begin speaking to a man, and gave a short wave, before turning his attention back to the Tosk. He made a mental note to ask about the man at a later time.

[Katra Station | OPS]

"Oh, Hello kind, Sir" the Tosk replied.  She had no name like other tosk, she she did not give it.  "Yes.  I just arrived days ago.  The Snakes presence allows us a time of independence.

So we are free to do as we like.  To work for pay ever.  So many of my tribe are here.

We are so happy that your tribe allowed the snake to come.  Some of us know how to repair ships and other things.  So if your tribe will allow it, we would be happy to help with those things" she said candidly.

[Chigorra]

[Katra Station | OPS]

EQ watched as King went to work.  Figuring out where the station should rest.  With a slide ruler no less.

But as he had just said moments ago, to each his or her own.  He did, though, have a question after looking at the drawing.  "Meridian also had a gravitational force.  Right?" he asked.

The XB was confident that she was taking that into account.  Sure of it in fact.  But, it never hurt to ask though.

[Katra Station | OPS]

"Oh, Hello kind, Sir" the Tosk replied.  She had no name like other tosk, she she did not give it.  "Yes.  I just arrived days ago.  The Snakes presence allows us a time of independence.

So we are free to do as we like.  To work for pay ever.  So many of my tribe are here.

We are so happy that your tribe allowed the snake to come.  Some of us know how to repair ships and other things.  So if your tribe will allow it, we would be happy to help with those things" she said candidly.

Ambassador Chigorra
[Promenade - Katra Station]

Chigorra approached, stomping up to join Ensign Jyur. She knew a little of this 'snake' tale through public channels. A time of independence... she thought to herself, again disturbed by the concept of being assigned to be prey, and having her own need to act independently relegated to the whims of others...

"Tosk..." she began, feeling there was no harm in addressing her as such, for all Tosk were Tosk. "Is the time of independence for all Tosk, or only those who are near the snake?"

The answer was one that concerned her... If the independence was only for those near the snake, then Katra Station may suddenly become a haven, or a place of pilgrimage, for any Tosk who wished to free themselves, even for a short while of the Hunt.

[Gideon Drake]

[Katra Station | OPS]

"Let's see..."

Serena reached into her thigh pocket for her book, flipping to various pages, the pen twirling in her hand much like an orchestra conductor's baton, marking to an invisible bit of music. Putting the pen back into its usual home in the ring binder, she paused to poke at Gideon's console. Reaching into another pocket of her utilities, she pulled out a slide rule.

"L1!" She smiled broadly and brought up a simplified schematic:

"Gravity affects everything. Some subtle, some not. In orbital mechanics, we are at a point between the star and Meridian's remains that our orbit is stable, apart from tweaking adjustments. There would be rogue pieces of Meridian flying around, but they'd probably have escape velocity if they do. After Sciences finishes studying the Snake, we can see if they can model whether or not the debris- Apologies, how soon before the debris turns into a dust cloud. I predict not for decades, though. Then we'd have to move again." Even as she said it, she flinched pretty badly.

[Lieutenant Gideon "Griff" Drake, callsign "Gryphon" | Ops | Deck One | Katra Station]

Griff looked at Serena and nodded in understanding. Basic orbital physics, somewhat. Basically, something big has its own gravitational field, and anything smaller can tend to orbit around it. He learned a little about orbital mechanics, a necessity in flight; often, if engines are cut off, then a ship could drift in orbit, depending on gravitational field.

"Oh, we'd definitely have to move eventually, but then again, the starlifter's bound to be very important," said Griff. "Question is, where can we go if we have to? Odds are, we may have to stay, given the Trialus."

[Eli Ferris]

[Lieutenant Gideon "Griff" Drake, callsign "Gryphon" | Ops | Deck One | Katra Station]

Griff looked at Serena and nodded in understanding. Basic orbital physics, somewhat. Basically, something big has its own gravitational field, and anything smaller can tend to orbit around it. He learned a little about orbital mechanics, a necessity in flight; often, if engines are cut off, then a ship could drift in orbit, depending on gravitational field.

"Oh, we'd definitely have to move eventually, but then again, the starlifter's bound to be very important," said Griff. "Question is, where can we go if we have to? Odds are, we may have to stay, given the Trialus."

Lt. Eli Ferris|Katra station| OCC

Eli was glad to have Drake back, and he wasn't quite sure how to say so. Fortunately, King and EQ had discussed something Eli was considering; their future after the aftermath of the Snake. Each part of the mission was a constant responsiveness to difficulties. He couldn't quite pin down that low level feeling of dread.

"Well, the star should offer sufficient gravitational effect for us to remain and continue our operations without much energy output. Certainly after our last efforts we have a better sense of how to move the station. Perhaps a larger antigrav unit can be installed to the top and bottom of the station to support our adjustments for the orbit."

[Xasik]

[Katra Station | Simulation | 1407]

< Katra Station / Simulation Lab / 1404 >

And while - for the first time truly intentionally - she reached out for someone else's; his mind to gain a taste of his motivations, he luckily met her over halfway there: He explained himself, and Sirol attentively listened.

Squinting her eyes she still stared at him for a few more seconds.
He; his vicinity"¦ Genuine"¦ Honestly worried for the child's well-being.
Granted, this spoke for him, but things were not that easy"¦
"œI have heard of black market trafficking of Horta Eggs, but never of a case involving a Tholian"¦ How long is the child in stasis already?"
She paused for a moment, then looked at the canister in her hands again.
Her face turned into a smile - again - although this time in a more soft and slightly less tense manner.
Placing one hand on the transparent casing she just looked at it and musingly smiled. "œWelcome to Katra, Little Emerald..." She quietly whispered towards the little one, slightly wrapping one arm around the canister in the same manner a parent would hug their baby.

A few seconds passed, and Sirol just stood there. Thinking"¦
"œOf course I will assist you with the little one"¦ No need to ever ask..." She quietly mumbled as it it was the most natural thing in the world.
[After all, to Sirol it actually was.]
Eventually, she looked up to Freeman again, and carefully handed the canister over to him again.
"œStarfleet being aware of it is one thing, but what about the child's original family?
What about Emerald's parents? And are Lieutenant Falleg and Captain Kirok aware that you brought the child aboard?"

She - of all the people - would truly be the last one to pass the chance to adopt a child, and she could see it in Freeman's eyes that he was the same... Equally invested and fiercely protective over the egg, so she phrased her questions carefully...
Yet she primarily had to think about the child's interests and well-being here.
What if their family was still out there looking for them?

His brow tensed as he listened to Sirol explain that she had heard of the illegal Horta egg trade. That had been his original purpose for visiting the black market in the first place, to help liberate Horta eggs from those that had taken them from their parents. It was an horrific trade that destroyed families for no reason other than personal gain. It made him sick to his stomach and reminded him much of the slave trade that he himself had been victim to in his earlier years. But that was the past and right now he couldn't dwell on that. He needed to explain things to Sirol so she could understand. He could feel the tension in the air. He took a deep breath to keep himself calm and to keep himself from getting too defensive so he could explain the situation as clearly as possible.

"œYes, Horta eggs are the more common target for black market traders, but on very rare occasions there are other races represented in this horrific trade. The day I found Emerald I was a part of a sting operation focusing on dismantling the rampant black market of this particular little backwater planet. Intel had stated that there were several locations within the biggest city where dealers were selling eggs to select clientele. Several agents were in position to make the trades and secure the eggs before the vendors were taken down. I was one such agent and was in position and ready to engage." He paused and tensed his shoulders as he remembered the scenario. "œMy target was approached by someone else so I held back and observed their interaction. At first it seemed like a normal interaction. I could hear their conversation and was relieved that they couldn't settle on a price for the eggs, but then to my surprise he pulled a box out from behind his stall and inside was Emerald. I saw the green and my eyes were drawn to it immediately. At the time I didn't know what I had seen but I knew that I had to get it along with the Horta eggs. I won't go into vivid details, but when they couldn't negotiate a trade and the potential buyer walked away I took my chance to approach. The vendor was hesitant at first after his interaction with the guy, but with a few choice words he was willing to open up and offer me a deal for the eggs. This was all I needed. My partner was hiding somewhere close by and had recorded the entire interaction for evidence. With evidence secured, my partner made his move and made the arrest while I secured all the eggs. What we didn't realize was that the vendor had partners that showed up right as their front man was being led away. Naturally they were not amused at having their stock taken away and with my backup now gone I had to run for it, Horta eggs and Emerald now in my possession. I am thankful for my long legs because they couldn't catch me, even with the weight of the eggs weighing me down."  He paused once again to collect his thoughts and to take a breath after telling his egg heist story. "œBut to answer your question, I do not know how long the egg has been in stasis, but it has been with me for at least a couple of months by now. I haven't had the chance to properly set up an environment to allow it to hatch, and to be honest I am scared to do so without assistance. Although I have had the egg examined medically, I still worry that allowing it to come out of stasis too quickly could be very damaging for the little one."

He couldn't help the smile that crept over his face as he witnessed Sirol holding the canister so gently and welcoming Emerald to Katra. It was like a huge wave of relief washing over him to know that she was willing to help him and he didn't have to shoulder the burden alone. He would have someone that he could rely on which was more than he had had for months now. Gratefully he accepted the canister when she handed it back to him and held it as gently as possible, looking down at the green egg as if it contained his entire world.

He looked up again when she asked her next question. Did Falleg and Kirok know about the egg? He sure hoped so. He had been assured by Starfleet Officials that the information regarding his situation would be passed on to his new location. "œI sure hope that Falleg and Kirok know. I was assured that the information would be passed on before my arrival. And as for Emerald's biological parents, I have tried to reach out to the Assembly and find them, but with no luck. They know of the situation but I get the feeling that they don't believe me. They responded to my plea for communication once but I have heard nothing from them since."
He looked at the canister again before gently setting it down on a bench. "œI couldn't just leave the egg alone. The poor child hasn't even hatched yet and they've been through so much, so when my efforts with the Assembly were unfruitful Starfleet allowed me to officially adopt the child. I hadn't intended on becoming a father but I won't shy away from it either."

He reached for his padd and scrolled through some files before finding the one he was looking for before passing it back to Sirol. "œHere," he said almost timidly. "œHere's the official documentation, for his adoption and the situation around it."

In a strange way, Xasik felt relieved at having finally explained the entire situation to someone. He felt relaxed when he normally would have felt defensive and anxious. His guard was down and as a result he was probably very easy to read regarding his emotions and feelings. There was hope for his Little Pebble and that was all that mattered to him.

[Serena King]

[Lieutenant Gideon "Griff" Drake, callsign "Gryphon" | Ops | Deck One | Katra Station]

Griff looked at Serena and nodded in understanding. Basic orbital physics, somewhat. Basically, something big has its own gravitational field, and anything smaller can tend to orbit around it. He learned a little about orbital mechanics, a necessity in flight; often, if engines are cut off, then a ship could drift in orbit, depending on gravitational field.

"Oh, we'd definitely have to move eventually, but then again, the starlifter's bound to be very important," said Griff. "Question is, where can we go if we have to? Odds are, we may have to stay, given the Trialus."

Lt. Eli Ferris|Katra station| OCC

Eli was glad to have Drake back, and he wasn't quite sure how to say so. Fortunately, King and EQ had discussed something Eli was considering; their future after the aftermath of the Snake. Each part of the mission was a constant responsiveness to difficulties. He couldn't quite pin down that low level feeling of dread.

"Well, the star should offer sufficient gravitational effect for us to remain and continue our operations without much energy output. Certainly after our last efforts we have a better sense of how to move the station. Perhaps a larger antigrav unit can be installed to the top and bottom of the station to support our adjustments for the orbit."

[Katra Station | OPS]

EQ watched as King went to work.  Figuring out where the station should rest.  With a slide ruler no less.

But as he had just said moments ago, to each his or her own.  He did, though, have a question after looking at the drawing.  "Meridian also had a gravitational force.  Right?" he asked.

The XB was confident that she was taking that into account.  Sure of it in fact.  But, it never hurt to ask though.

[Katra Station | OPS]

"Lieutenant."

Serena nodded collegially, the small group, well, the small audience. "Meridian broke apart and it was pretty impressive But most of the pieces didn't go too far. At the moment it's a pretty large snowglobe of debris flying around. If it was more spectacular, then we'd have pieces of crust, mantle and everything else flying about. The whole star system would have to be abandoned due to the high velocity and sized debris. A giant shotgun, if you would."

She paused to nod at Eli briefly. "As it is we're looking at a giant sphere. We might have to get a few ships in to help push some of the stray pieces. The generally intact planetary core of Meridian has enough gravity. It's size and density of the core that makes gravitational force, not the mountains and grass and beaches."

Turning to EQ, she made a face. "Imagine... I link my elbow into Lieutenant Drake's, then I stretch my arm towards you. You then reach out your arm and we just manage to hang on by our fingers. You're the sun, I'm Katra, Drake is Meridian in this analogy. As long as the core remains intact, it will continue to pull Katra, directly or indirectly along as it continues to orbit the sun. Trialus is in its own orbit, we don't need to worry about it."

Turning back to Eli, she nodded once more. "The problem with the bits of the planet... Imagine a kitchen sink, with bits of food scrap. As the water drains in the sink, things slide faster towards the centre and the food scraps knock against each other. We'll have problems with the bits of crust and debris. They'll smash against each other, creating smaller bits, or grind themselves to dust. We're far enough away it's not a problem, but we're going to have to set up a monitoring network to snare anything headed our way, or to warn incoming/outgoing traffic to dodge anything."

She shrugged. "Overall, I don't anticipate many problems. But if we have to move again, we're going to evacuate and dismantle the station, move it at higher speed than before. I don't foresee this happening probably for decades though."

[Kirok]

Ambassador Chigorra
[Promenade - Katra Station]

Chigorra approached, stomping up to join Ensign Jyur. She knew a little of this 'snake' tale through public channels. A time of independence... she thought to herself, again disturbed by the concept of being assigned to be prey, and having her own need to act independently relegated to the whims of others...

"Tosk..." she began, feeling there was no harm in addressing her as such, for all Tosk were Tosk. "Is the time of independence for all Tosk, or only those who are near the snake?"

The answer was one that concerned her... If the independence was only for those near the snake, then Katra Station may suddenly become a haven, or a place of pilgrimage, for any Tosk who wished to free themselves, even for a short while of the Hunt.

[Promenade - Katra Station]

The Tosk looked up at the Ambassador.  She nodded.  "All Tosk are here.  We all came in ships with the Hunters.  So, yes we are all celebrating our independence currently" she said.

Kirok moved forward and joined the conversation.  "I am Kirok, Captain of the station.  We are pleased to have you aboard.  There is, of course, plenty or work and we would be happy for the help.

Mr. Jyur.  You seem to be the best choice as a point person.  Could you take application for those interested in working on the station?" the half Vulcan said.

Lt. Eli Ferris|Katra station| OCC

Eli was glad to have Drake back, and he wasn't quite sure how to say so. Fortunately, King and EQ had discussed something Eli was considering; their future after the aftermath of the Snake. Each part of the mission was a constant responsiveness to difficulties. He couldn't quite pin down that low level feeling of dread.

"Well, the star should offer sufficient gravitational effect for us to remain and continue our operations without much energy output. Certainly after our last efforts we have a better sense of how to move the station. Perhaps a larger antigrav unit can be installed to the top and bottom of the station to support our adjustments for the orbit."

[Ops - EQ]

The ex-borg turned to Eli.  "Sir" he said by way of greeting.  He listened to the man's idea.

"That sounds like it might work.  It's should require too much power.  Should be doable" Kimball replied.

[Chigorra]

[Promenade - Katra Station]

The Tosk looked up at the Ambassador.  She nodded.  "All Tosk are here.  We all came in ships with the Hunters.  So, yes we are all celebrating our independence currently" she said.

Kirok moved forward and joined the conversation.  "I am Kirok, Captain of the station.  We are pleased to have you aboard.  There is, of course, plenty or work and we would be happy for the help.

Mr. Jyur.  You seem to be the best choice as a point person.  Could you take application for those interested in working on the station?" the half Vulcan said.

Ambassador Chigorra
[Promenade - Katra Station]

Chigorra raised a well-furred eyebrow at the answers of the Tosk. Their presence with the Hunters, and their temporary independence, could lead to an interesting bit of political turmoil... The Klingon Ambassador nodded to the Tosk and departed its presence, moving to Captain Kirok's side once again.
She issued her next thoughts aloud in a low voice for Kirok to hear. "Independent Tosk, yet they were brought in with the Hunters... Once this period of independence ends, will they be rounded up back on their ships to return to a prey-creature's life?"

She looked at Captain Kirok more directly. "Your idea to seek applications from the Tosk is wise, I must say. Logging and identifying them now will make it easier to handle any political snags that might arise from their presence, and eventual departure... My compliments." She was unsurprised, but still felt a desire to share her compliment for the Captain openly. Klingons had no cowardice when it came to stating their impressions whether they be positive or negative.

Chigorra was prepared to continue their tour, if Captain Kirok was as well, her eyes scanning the promenade around them, locking with any who looked her way.

[Schatzi Jyur]

[Promenade - Katra Station]

The Tosk looked up at the Ambassador.  She nodded.  "All Tosk are here.  We all came in ships with the Hunters.  So, yes we are all celebrating our independence currently" she said.

Kirok moved forward and joined the conversation.  "I am Kirok, Captain of the station.  We are pleased to have you aboard.  There is, of course, plenty or work and we would be happy for the help.

Mr. Jyur.  You seem to be the best choice as a point person.  Could you take application for those interested in working on the station?" the half Vulcan said.

[Katra Station - Promenade]
Zero nodded as the Tosk spoke, offering her occasional friendly smiles as she spoke, nodding along at the appropriate intervals. "Of course Captain! I'll get right on that, starting with you, Ma'am. If.. it's alright that I call you ma'am?" He paused, realizing he would have to come up with a non-offensive way to determine which Tosk was which, for employment purposes. He couldn't simply mark them all as Tosk, as then nobody would know which Tosk was coming to work on the Station's engines.

"How would your people prefer to be designated? For example, I am Zero, he is Kirok." He motioned to the Captain. "She is Chigorra. Would you like a name as well, so I can individually call you?"

He glanced at Chigorra, as she brought up an important point. What would happen to them afterwards? And was Starfleet able to interfere, in such... Primitive affairs? Shooting a sideways glance at the Tosk, who undoubtedly heard all that, he raised his hand slightly, turning to Chigorra. "All very valid and important concerns. Perhaps we three could discuss the exact logistics later, over dinner?" He hoped that she would pick up on the hidden meaning in those words - stop f$&*#ing scaring the Tosk away. For good measure, he glanced back at the female Tosk. "Discussions which, you are free to join if you choose."

[Kirok]

[Katra Station | OPS]

"Lieutenant."

Serena nodded collegially, the small group, well, the small audience. "Meridian broke apart and it was pretty impressive But most of the pieces didn't go too far. At the moment it's a pretty large snowglobe of debris flying around. If it was more spectacular, then we'd have pieces of crust, mantle and everything else flying about. The whole star system would have to be abandoned due to the high velocity and sized debris. A giant shotgun, if you would."

She paused to nod at Eli briefly. "As it is we're looking at a giant sphere. We might have to get a few ships in to help push some of the stray pieces. The generally intact planetary core of Meridian has enough gravity. It's size and density of the core that makes gravitational force, not the mountains and grass and beaches."

Turning to EQ, she made a face. "Imagine... I link my elbow into Lieutenant Drake's, then I stretch my arm towards you. You then reach out your arm and we just manage to hang on by our fingers. You're the sun, I'm Katra, Drake is Meridian in this analogy. As long as the core remains intact, it will continue to pull Katra, directly or indirectly along as it continues to orbit the sun. Trialus is in its own orbit, we don't need to worry about it."

Turning back to Eli, she nodded once more. "The problem with the bits of the planet... Imagine a kitchen sink, with bits of food scrap. As the water drains in the sink, things slide faster towards the centre and the food scraps knock against each other. We'll have problems with the bits of crust and debris. They'll smash against each other, creating smaller bits, or grind themselves to dust. We're far enough away it's not a problem, but we're going to have to set up a monitoring network to snare anything headed our way, or to warn incoming/outgoing traffic to dodge anything."

She shrugged. "Overall, I don't anticipate many problems. But if we have to move again, we're going to evacuate and dismantle the station, move it at higher speed than before. I don't foresee this happening probably for decades though."

[Katra Station | OPS - EQ]

Serena was smart.  There was no doubt about it.  But in this case she was wrong.

"Uhm.  I don't want to burst your bubble.  But all the debris from Meridian was sucked into the anomaly, so it shouldn't be a problem for us" the XB said after bending down a bit and speaking as quietly as he could.

"I think it was the only planet in the system.  So its just us and the sun.  And I think we are currently pretty close to the L5 stop on your drawing" he added.

[Katra Station - Promenade]

Zero nodded as the Tosk spoke, offering her occasional friendly smiles as she spoke, nodding along at the appropriate intervals. "Of course Captain! I'll get right on that, starting with you, Ma'am. If.. it's alright that I call you ma'am?" He paused, realizing he would have to come up with a non-offensive way to determine which Tosk was which, for employment purposes. He couldn't simply mark them all as Tosk, as then nobody would know which Tosk was coming to work on the Station's engines.

"How would your people prefer to be designated? For example, I am Zero, he is Kirok." He motioned to the Captain. "She is Chigorra. Would you like a name as well, so I can individually call you?"

He glanced at Chigorra, as she brought up an important point. What would happen to them afterwards? And was Starfleet able to interfere, in such... Primitive affairs? Shooting a sideways glance at the Tosk, who undoubtedly heard all that, he raised his hand slightly, turning to Chigorra. "All very valid and important concerns. Perhaps we three could discuss the exact logistics later, over dinner?" He hoped that she would pick up on the hidden meaning in those words - stop f$&*#ing scaring the Tosk away. For good measure, he glanced back at the female Tosk. "Discussions which, you are free to join if you choose."

[Promenade]

Kirok had already considered the question Chigorra posed.  He thought he knew the answer, but here was not the place to discuss it.  And they might need other members to discuss the issue.

"Thank you.  It was not intended for that goal, but a happy coincident.  As for" he replied before Jyur spoke.

[Tosk]

"Certainly.  We go by birth order.  I am 369.  It is a lucky number, the most lucky are numbers though are all the same like 111, 222.  I do best with preparing foods and cleaning up after" the Tosk repleid.

[Kirok]

"A good idea, Mr. Jyur.  Perhaps we could also invite Amasador Ojo to the meeting.  He would likely have some valuable input as to this matter" the Captain replied.

[Sirol]

< Katra Station / Simulation Lab / 1411 >

Sirol just sat there on her gym ball, musingly bobbing up and down, trying to think clearly.
Yes, her instincts; her perception, his words"¦ All told her that he was well-meaning, protective and loving towards the child, but her instincts also told her that there was an innocent child far away from home, whose parents might as well be crushed with worry; desperately looking for them"¦
Everything around was conflicting, and she did not expect to"¦ Feel as intense as she did in this situation"¦

Quietly she folded her hands on her knees and attentively listened to his words.
He elaborated how he obtained the egg indeed, and from everything Sirol knew about his vicinity, he was honest"¦
He was truly loving and caring towards the egg.
(In the same manner Sirol would have been if she had been in his situation.)
It was almost even heart-warming to see his determination and love towards the unhatched child.

He paused once again to collect his thoughts and to take a breath after telling his egg heist story. "œBut to answer your question, I do not know how long the egg has been in stasis, but it has been with me for at least a couple of months by now. I haven't had the chance to properly set up an environment to allow it to hatch, and to be honest I am scared to do so without assistance. Although I have had the egg examined medically, I still worry that allowing it to come out of stasis too quickly could be very damaging for the little one."

The scientist just quietly nodded, and once more looked at the stasis canister.
"œI agree. Any metabolism has its limits when it comes to stasis containment. One important aspect though is, that your child's species possesses one of the fastest metabolisms among spacefaring neighbours, meaning that both, initiating and phasing out the effects will be a delicate process that needs to be closely monitored.
My advice would be to include a medical officer.
Despite my willingness to help, I am neither a biologist, nor a medic or a"¦" She awkwardly cleared her throat. "œ...Geologist."

He looked up again when she asked her next question. Did Falleg and Kirok know about the egg? He sure hoped so. He had been assured by Starfleet Officials that the information regarding his situation would be passed on to his new location. "œI sure hope that Falleg and Kirok know. I was assured that the information would be passed on before my arrival. And as for Emerald's biological parents, I have tried to reach out to the Assembly and find them, but with no luck. They know of the situation but I get the feeling that they don't believe me. They responded to my plea for communication once but I have heard nothing from them since."

With a slow, musing nod Sirol acknowledged his words and leaned a little forward on her ball. Her back gave off an unhealthy cracking noise like grinding sand.
It was time she finally got out of this exoskeleton and began to train her body again before Katra's lower gravity rendered her utterly useless"¦
"œI understand"¦
Yet please try to understand my position as well.. I am not accusing you of kidnapping"¦
But I must be sure that the child is safe.
And I must be sure that whatever happens within my lab is legal, documented and universally acceptable."
Taking a little breath she added. "œI will consult the Captain just to be sure.
I can not risk anyone in our department causing any form of diplomatic incident based on a misunderstanding that could be avoided."

He looked at the canister again before gently setting it down on a bench. "œI couldn't just leave the egg alone. The poor child hasn't even hatched yet and they've been through so much, so when my efforts with the Assembly were unfruitful Starfleet allowed me to officially adopt the child. I hadn't intended on becoming a father but I won't shy away from it either."

He reached for his padd and scrolled through some files before finding the one he was looking for before passing it back to Sirol. "œHere," he said almost timidly. "œHere's the official documentation, for his adoption and the situation around it."

Once more Sirol nodded, once more she stated that she understood, hesitantly reaching out to accept the PADD with the adoption documentation.

He was the luckiest, most blessed individual in the sector"¦

Suppressing a silent sigh she skimmed through the text which essentially backed up the things he had already told her before she gave it back to him.

"œI understand your efforts, your will to protect and take care of your child.
I do.
You two are fortunate to have one another.
I will help you with the hatching process and with retrieving all the information and assistance the child will need.
But I insist on including a proper medical practitioner sufficiently acquainted with the child's physiological development and medical needs throughout the process.
If I am to assist you with the child, we will do it correctly."

[Rojol]

[Katra Station - Promenade]

Kirok noticed the Ops Officer.  "Mr. Rojol.  It is agreeable to see you again.  Do you have any insight as to why the Tosk are working here?" he asked curiously.

Best to ask other who may have already inquired.  He looked from the Ops officer back to one of the Tosk.   'Why are they here?' he thought to himself.

[Katra Station | OPS -- EQ]

"To each his or her own" EQ replied.  "Every person has a purpose.  I am happy where I landed" he said.

Then the question came up as to their current position.  "We were in orbit of Meridian.  Yes.  We should use the starlifter to determine how far we should be from the sun.  It was stable for 3 years and the Katra didn't suffer any issued then" the XB suggested.

[Katra - ]

Rojol nodded his head. "œCaptain, Could they have lost their honor? Being free and not being hunted is a disgrace which they must live with."  He shared. "œImagine a Klingon being cut off cause he acted like a coward. They are program to believe they are always going to be hunted," then he arched an eyebrow. "œYou ever asked them this yourself?"

[Schatzi Jyur]

[Promenade]

Kirok had already considered the question Chigorra posed.  He thought he knew the answer, but here was not the place to discuss it.  And they might need other members to discuss the issue.

"Thank you.  It was not intended for that goal, but a happy coincident.  As for" he replied before Jyur spoke.

[Tosk]

"Certainly.  We go by birth order.  I am 369.  It is a lucky number, the most lucky are numbers though are all the same like 111, 222.  I do best with preparing foods and cleaning up after" the Tosk repleid.

[Kirok]

"A good idea, Mr. Jyur.  Perhaps we could also invite Amasador Ojo to the meeting.  He would likely have some valuable input as to this matter" the Captain replied.

[Katra Station - Promenade]

Zero nodded along, as  this Tosk explained how they preferred to be referred to. He felt a small pit of nausea form in his stomach, but masked it excellently with a smile. "Of course. I'll put down Tosk 369 for kitchen duties, and I'll inform you of who to report into! If you have a preferred restaurant as well I can arrange that. I'm sure many restaurants would be ecstatic to be able to serve authentic Tosk meals."

He glanced at Kirok as he spoke, suggesting another Ambassador could attend as well, and nodded excitedly. "Of course! I think as many possible different viewpoints, and walks of life would only assist this discussion." He turned back to 369, a soft smile gracing his lips. "I'm afraid, ma'am we may have taken up too much of your time. I'll allow you to get back to your duties, while we continue our tour of the promenade. Farewell!"

With a goodbye wave, he turned back to wait for Kirok's direction, mentally logging away everything he would need to organize for the Tosk. First would be tracking them all down, which wouldn't be too difficult with the station's computers. Then, talk to them individually and arrange some kind of assembly, to get all of their preferred occupations. Then, to speak to the heads of said occupation, and make sure it was all good for them to continue working there. Perhaps some would be able to go through some cursory training exams.