S3-M8: Best Laid Plans

[Kirok]

[Mebay]

"Mm," she nodded, the humming acknowledgement soft, and replicated a second beverage with extra sweetener before handing it to him on a saucer supplied by the replicator itself. "I'm glad to hear you haven't had a recurrence since I was last with you. Mister Kimball, I honestly don't mind if you need the company and I'm off duty. I don't sleep much myself, so it's not really much of an issue. I don't think anyone can bother me, anyway, I do enjoy company myself. Sometimes meditation just doesn't cut it. I tend to be a social creature these days."

The corners of her eyes crinkled as she smiled.

"Please, don't ever think of yourself as a bother. Especially when you're in need of a friend who won't ever judge you. This is my seventh host and believe me, after so many lives I find it hard to pass judgement on anyone before knowing the particulars and them. Usually, I'm rather good at picking my friends wisely. I hope you'll consider me as one of them."

In times of distress, she thought, we all need friends who will defend our honour. Mister Kimball needed to know she was on his side and would do just that "" defend him should the need arise and help to soothe him as a good friend should. Strangely enough, she had little in the way of friends so far but she tended to make them easily when she was looking up from her work. Detaching herself from her work was always the rub, she supposed. It would be nice to have another friend that wasn't from the academy or from Trill proper. It had been a long time.

[Mebay - EQ - 0800]

Kimball took the tea cup.  An odd look for a burry man seen holding it.  At lease he did not raise his pinky, but the though of doing so brought a smile to his face.

"Just like grandma used to made.  And I'm happy spend more time with you, as friend.  But I did some work as a medic too.  So I could help out if you get short handed" the XB offered.

He was quiet for a moment.  Drinking his tea as he listened.  Her words again comforting.

"What's it like being a Trill?  With other personalities in your head.  How did you find your voice and maintain you personality?" EQ asked curiously. 

[Hrafn Falleg]

[Captain's Mess - Katra Station]

[Hrafn]

Hrafn had waved off Ruthie in the direction of the Promenade with her younger siblings, Hrafn made her way to the Captain's Mess to partake of the working breakfast/meet and greet, coming in just behind Dranik.

"Dranik, is that you?" Hrafn asked with a smile spreading across her features.

[Captain's Mess]

Kirok nodded to the new-comer.  "Morning, Mr. Dranik.  Please help yourself to breakfast" he said to the visiting Sec/Tac officer.

"Like many of you, Dranik came from the Discovery.  He comes from the Sec/Tac Department.  Please make him feel welcome"

"There is no assigned seats.  But Lonar served with me on the Discovery several years ago.  He is the Tholian in the corner if you wish to say hi" Kirok said more privately to Dranik.

"I know Dranik from a few visits to my husband, as you know he's Captain of the Discovery.  I apologise for my tardiness... had to drop the kids off... all 4 of them.  Thankfully Ruthie has a little time before she's due in the lab and then Crista and James are taking them to do something fun for the day so thankfully I'm free.  The advantages of having adult offspring, and a perfect nanny when it comes to school vacations!!"

[Meanwhile on the Promenade]
[As Ruthie Falleg-Tekin, Nerys, Tidu and Lamar]

"Now be good and I'll treat you to a toy each at the toy store before I hand you over to Crista and Uncle James!"  Ruthie said enjoying having an hour with her younger siblings before she went to find Sirol and get to know her better.

"We're always good!" Tidu protested.

"Can't I come with you to see Nantie Sirol?" Nerys asked.

"Me too... I wants to see Nantie Sirol!" Lamar said.

"Tidu, your definition of good and mine probably differ greatly, and no kids, I need to get to know her on my own and discuss some work projects we might do together... official work stuff, as it looks like I might get posted here. If I can submit a viable project that I'm working on to Starfleet Sciences HQ then they'll probably let me stay!"

Out of the corner of her eye, Ruthie saw some movement and before she knew it Lamar was off heading for the Docking Bay.

"Lamar get back here now!" she said grabbing the twins by a hand each (they protesting that they weren't little kids, so she dropped the hands giving them a look as if to say 'OK, so long as you keep up!'

Unbeknownst to them, Lamar had spotted a stray dog and decided to go and chase after it because it looked frightened.

[Docking Bay - near freighter]

Ruthie had managed to persuade (batting her eyelashes for full effect) the security crewman on duty that she needed to go after her brother, the crewman was evidently bored of his shift already and didn't think a 3 year old chasing a dog was going to cause too much havoc even if he wasn't meant to be in there.

"Which way did he go?"  Ruthie asked.  The crewman pointed vaguely in the direction of the docked freighter.

"Thanks.  Nerry, Tids, best behaviour please, just in case I'm going to get it in the neck for this!"

Ensign Falleg-Tekin to Crista LePrant, James Dalton, Lt. Sirol and Ensign Zerma... Lamar gone AWOL, in Docking Bay... I'm onto him but I'll meet you as soon as I can get away... this might require some sweet talking.

[James's Quarters]
[As Crista LePrant and James Dalton]

Crista lazily picked up the commbadge she had for such occasions, regretfully easing herself out from James' arms.  She'd had the morning off because Ruthie had promised to watch them, but she knew Lamar... if there was an animal involved she could bet that things would be different.  Those little legs could move rather quickly when needed.

No probs, I'll ping you soon to see where you are.

Turning to James she said "Little legs going walkabout... what you betting there's a 'DOGGY!!!' involved and there's likely to be another addition to the Falleg menagerie soon?!"

"No deal, know him too well!... let's get dressed and we can wander down there and see what's what." James answered dropping a kiss on Crista's head then walking to the shower for a 60 sec sonic.

[Mess Hall]

[As Zerma Meros, Anth and Sally McCutcheon]

Meros got the call and smiled.

We're all in the mess, me, Anth and Sal... we'll pop down soon as we've finished these bacon sandwiches... want me to grab you one?!

"Not getting mine and ask if she wants red or brown." Anth said, knowing this was an all important question.

"Ewww red sauce... you know it has to be brown, bro!" Sally said with a face pulling.

"Ruthie would agree with you, it's ok, I know it's more than my life is worth to put red sauce on anything unless its a proper tomato marinara sauce on pasta where she's concerned!!  C'mon, littlest brother in law to be has gone AWOL, so I'm going to loan some support, she hasn't got eyes on, but she knows roughly where he is, and since that's the Docking Bay, he's not supposed to be down there!"

[Amarande Xiiv]

[Mebay - EQ - 0800]

Kimball took the tea cup.  An odd look for a burry man seen holding it.  At lease he did not raise his pinky, but the though of doing so brought a smile to his face.

"Just like grandma used to made.  And I'm happy spend more time with you, as friend.  But I did some work as a medic too.  So I could help out if you get short handed" the XB offered.

He was quiet for a moment.  Drinking his tea as he listened.  Her words again comforting.

"What's it like being a Trill?  With other personalities in your head.  How did you find your voice and maintain you personality?" EQ asked curiously.

[Medbay - 0800]

"I'd be happy for the hands," she said, sipping her tea before tilting her chin to think about the answer. "It's much different than having a bunch. of personalities in my head. I'm still me but more. Those personalities don't just show up, they lie buried and their knowledge is what seeps through. It's like knowledge passed down through the sharing of experiences and moments, if that helps. That makes it sound simple but it's very complex. Their lives are as familiar as my own as if I was with them as they lived them and their knowledge and experience was added to my own. Certain characteristics do pop up now and again, certain preferences in what I eat or enjoy doing on my off duty time. This tea, for example, I was always a raktajino fan but after I was Joined, I felt the need to try this particular tea when I'd had a trying day. My meditation skills have gotten better as well. So, the question has a complex answer, I suppose. My personality remains mine just...with an added something more. It always been a difficult subject to try to get across to others, even those Trill who aren't Joined. Sometimes, to untrained Joined trills the memory aspect can be too much but that's why we have the Symbiosis Comittee and the Docent program, both help Trill going through the program to be ready for the changes that will take place when one's Joined."

She sipped her tea and let the strong drink ease her worries that she was coming off vague. It wasn't the easiest subject to broach, that was for sure. The symboint carried the memories but she was now part of those memories.

"When I die, I will go on as a part of my symbiont and someone else will get my knowledge and experience and probably my fondness for raktajino."

[Gideon Drake]

[Vulpinian NPC - Assistant 'Gop Gop' | Scoutship Squall | Traffic around Katra Station]

"Inspections are normal." Gop Gop observed, his lips going numb for a moment. He checked them back to life with his teeth before continuing. "They get 'spected, we get 'spected." In answer to Cloten's scowling question, the simpler Vulpinian had to think hard, bringing a paw up to scratch at this forehead. The act caused a small dagger to fall out of the robe that covered him, the thing clattering to the deck plating loudly. It was a pitifully small little thing, four inches in length, poorly sharpened, chipped badly, and single-bladed. Gop Gop reached down and plucked it back up, holding the sharp edge in his paw-hand instead of the handle. "Oh, my backscratcher." he said, before putting it back inside his robes. All along the belt he apparently wore underneath the thing were pouches and scabbards; they were only seen for a moment, but there was no telling what else was under there.

[Captain's Mess - Katra Station]

[Hrafn]

Hrafn had waved off Ruthie in the direction of the Promenade with her younger siblings, Hrafn made her way to the Captain's Mess to partake of the working breakfast/meet and greet, coming in just behind Dranik.

"Dranik, is that you?" Hrafn asked with a smile spreading across her features.

"I know Dranik from a few visits to my husband, as you know he's Captain of the Discovery.  I apologise for my tardiness... had to drop the kids off... all 4 of them.  Thankfully Ruthie has a little time before she's due in the lab and then Crista and James are taking them to do something fun for the day so thankfully I'm free.  The advantages of having adult offspring, and a perfect nanny when it comes to school vacations!!"

[Meanwhile on the Promenade]
[As Ruthie Falleg-Tekin, Nerys, Tidu and Lamar]

"Now be good and I'll treat you to a toy each at the toy store before I hand you over to Crista and Uncle James!"  Ruthie said enjoying having an hour with her younger siblings before she went to find Sirol and get to know her better.

"We're always good!" Tidu protested.

"Can't I come with you to see Nantie Sirol?" Nerys asked.

"Me too... I wants to see Nantie Sirol!" Lamar said.

"Tidu, your definition of good and mine probably differ greatly, and no kids, I need to get to know her on my own and discuss some work projects we might do together... official work stuff, as it looks like I might get posted here. If I can submit a viable project that I'm working on to Starfleet Sciences HQ then they'll probably let me stay!"

Out of the corner of her eye, Ruthie saw some movement and before she knew it Lamar was off heading for the Docking Bay.

"Lamar get back here now!" she said grabbing the twins by a hand each (they protesting that they weren't little kids, so she dropped the hands giving them a look as if to say 'OK, so long as you keep up!'

Unbeknownst to them, Lamar had spotted a stray dog and decided to go and chase after it because it looked frightened.

[Docking Bay - near freighter]

Ruthie had managed to persuade (batting her eyelashes for full effect) the security crewman on duty that she needed to go after her brother, the crewman was evidently bored of his shift already and didn't think a 3 year old chasing a dog was going to cause too much havoc even if he wasn't meant to be in there.

"Which way did he go?"  Ruthie asked.  The crewman pointed vaguely in the direction of the docked freighter.

"Thanks.  Nerry, Tids, best behaviour please, just in case I'm going to get it in the neck for this!"

Ensign Falleg-Tekin to Crista LePrant, James Dalton, Lt. Sirol and Ensign Zerma... Lamar gone AWOL, in Docking Bay... I'm onto him but I'll meet you as soon as I can get away... this might require some sweet talking.

[Lieutenant JG Gideon "Griff" Drake, callsign "Gryphon" | Scoutship Squall >- Cloten's Freighter | Docking Bay | Katra Station]

Griff noticed the blade Gop Gop dropped and brought back in. He scowled suspiciously at the gormless little git a moment. Backscratcher my arse, he thought to himself. That looks no more a backscratcher than a d'k tahg.

"Right, you lot, dock right here, we'll wait for the inspection team there," he said. "Kayad, you'd best get back to your freighter."

Kayad nodded and took the transporter back over to his freighter. Griff then escorted Cloten's freighter to the docking ring, forcing it, given it was still docked with it, with powered thrusters. Then it was brought into docking.

"Goal," he said. "Now, you two, down into the freighter."

The two short Vulpinians followed Griff into the frighter and right into the airlock leading to the docking ring. He had just entered when they saw something bounding in, and another ginger figure running inside after it...he narrowed his eyes, peeked out the airlock and saw three more young ginger...he was gobsmacked. The girl he saw before him was...cor, Serena likely has some competition. But he shook his head. Serena was a lot more beautiful than the ginger girl before him...and now that he got a good look at her, he saw she sported spots. In fact, he just realised, she looked exactly like Lieutenant Falleg, if she had been twenty, thirty years younger...and speaking of Lieutenant Falleg, he recognized the ginger midgets at once.

"Bloody hell. Not again," he muttered. "And of all the freighters he had to run into...Oi! Midgets!" he called out to them. "Stay the bloody dickens out there, I'll get the young 'un."

He turned looked back at the two Vulpinians. "Looks like you lot have a stowaway."

Cloten scowled. "If there's one thing I can't tolerate, it's stowaways...and some kid at that..."

He ran back into the ship...naturally, some kid...but God Forbid he should stumble across his contraband. While he, like any Vulpinian, can stand on two legs as they prefer, they were partial to running on all fours, even if they were half the height of Ferengi. It was faster that way. Thus, Cloten ambled in the direction the kid went. Shouldn't be too far, especially with scanners, his freighter was loaded with Vulpinians, with occasional Nausicaans for muscle and one or two Orions.

[npc3]

[Katra Station | Main Engineering | August 1, 2399, 0800]

"Sorry, let me start again."

Serena shook her head slowly and smiled. "With Engineers, there's no single way to approach a problem. How we approach a problem is revealing as to our thought processes. Your idea has merit. However, it is not the destination, but the intervening space to be travelled. The ACB is simply unable to take form, no matter how we try. For lack of a better term, space has gone missing and can't support the tunneling of energy in that way."

She paused to rub her face for a few moments. "A simpler answer using your methods would be to stick a person inside a photon torpedo casing and launch them somewhere. However, your theory, while valid, ignores something: How do we retrieve them?"

Serena paused again to try and sound upbeat, but gentle: "Haven't tried tractor beams, but they'd be too slow. Remember, the hangar bay tractors take minutes to bring someone aboard and they're only a few metres away. We could try old fashioned magnetic grapples, but accuracy is a problem. We could use a shuttle, but then if we used a shuttle to retrieve someone, just use the shuttle to drop them off. Unfortunately the physics don't add up." She shrugged.

[Katra Station | Main Engineering | August 1, 2399, 0800]

The older Operations Officer nodded to indicate her understanding.  And agreement to everything King said.  Then her fellow engineer arrived at the obvious obstacle to her solution.

"I'm glad you asked.  I hadn't gotten that far just yet.  So maybe we can brain storm a solution together" Novaar suggested.

She went quiet for a moment.  Made a motion with her hand indicating the buffer encased in metal descending.  Then stared at her hands for a moment.

"When I was a kid, we used to have these miniature planes we could control with radio signals.  What if we apply the same concept to this idea.  So the buffer is in a 'guided missile.'

That would resolve the how to get it back up to us issue.  And give us control over it.  We would just need to make the instruments on the missile strong enough to pick up the signal from Katra or a ship" the Orian proposed.   

[Hrafn Falleg]

[Lieutenant JG Gideon "Griff" Drake, callsign "Gryphon" | Scoutship Squall >- Cloten's Freighter | Docking Bay | Katra Station]

Griff noticed the blade Gop Gop dropped and brought back in. He scowled suspiciously at the gormless little git a moment. Backscratcher my arse, he thought to himself. That looks no more a backscratcher than a d'k tahg.

"Right, you lot, dock right here, we'll wait for the inspection team there," he said. "Kayad, you'd best get back to your freighter."

Kayad nodded and took the transporter back over to his freighter. Griff then escorted Cloten's freighter to the docking ring, forcing it, given it was still docked with it, with powered thrusters. Then it was brought into docking.

"Goal," he said. "Now, you two, down into the freighter."

The two short Vulpinians followed Griff into the frighter and right into the airlock leading to the docking ring. He had just entered when they saw something bounding in, and another ginger figure running inside after it...he narrowed his eyes, peeked out the airlock and saw three more young ginger...he was gobsmacked. The girl he saw before him was...cor, Serena likely has some competition. But he shook his head. Serena was a lot more beautiful than the ginger girl before him...and now that he got a good look at her, he saw she sported spots. In fact, he just realised, she looked exactly like Lieutenant Falleg, if she had been twenty, thirty years younger...and speaking of Lieutenant Falleg, he recognized the ginger midgets at once.

"Bloody hell. Not again," he muttered. "And of all the freighters he had to run into...Oi! Midgets!" he called out to them. "Stay the bloody dickens out there, I'll get the young 'un."

He turned looked back at the two Vulpinians. "Looks like you lot have a stowaway."

Cloten scowled. "If there's one thing I can't tolerate, it's stowaways...and some kid at that..."

He ran back into the ship...naturally, some kid...but God Forbid he should stumble across his contraband. While he, like any Vulpinian, can stand on two legs as they prefer, they were partial to running on all fours, even if they were half the height of Ferengi. It was faster that way. Thus, Cloten ambled in the direction the kid went. Shouldn't be too far, especially with scanners, his freighter was loaded with Vulpinians, with occasional Nausicaans for muscle and one or two Orions.

[Scoutship Squall >- Cloten's Freighter | Docking Bay | Katra Station]

[As Ruthie, Nerys, Tidu and Lamar]

"They're with me Lieutenant... I'm afraid I don't know you yet and they got ahead of me.  I assure you we're just trying to retrieve Lamar, and since you called them Midgets, I'm assuming you're familiar with my younger siblings, Sir.  Ensign Ruthie Falleg-Tekin.  Lt. Hrafn Falleg-Tekin is my mother.  Tidu, Nerys, stay here with me."

"Yup, Uncle Griff knows us, makes us ugly sticks!" Tidu said with a grin.

"Jumja sticks to anyone else..." Nerys explained.  "But he was trying to punish us.  Sorry Uncle Griff, Lamar ran after a stray puppy that looked starving."

[Meanwhile in the scoutship]

Lamar ran after the small puppy who cowered down behind a box.

"Puppy... not trying to hurt you... look I haz biscuits." Lamar always had some biscuits or doggie treats in his pockets.  He tossed one a few feet in front of the box, slowly the puppy came out and sniffed the biscuit suspiciously then settled down to eat it.

Slowly, Lamar inched his way towards the puppy then made a loop with the string he had seen and started stroking the puppy who started shivering with fright.

"It's ok, I'm not going to hurt you!" he soothed.  "I want to be your friend."

The puppy started sniffing around Lamar's pockets.  "Oh you want more... um...I might have one!" he found one but then started worrying that he was running out.

He managed to slip the string over the puppy's neck and then coax him towards the door where he ran smack into Cloten.

"It's ok doggy, we can be friends too but I don't have anymore biscuits now, this puppy needed them!" the puppy put her ears flat and tried to hide behind Lamar whining pitifully.  Lamar tugged a little then went to hug Cloten.

[Dranik]

"There is no assigned seats.  But Lonar served with me on the Discovery several years ago.  He is the Tholian in the corner if you wish to say hi"

"Thank you, sir. I may do that once I've had something to eat." He said quietly as he took a close look at the food.

"I know Dranik from a few visits to my husband, as you know he's Captain of the Discovery."

Dranik turned around and saw Hrafn and a smiled spread across his face. "It's good to see you again, ma'am." He said cheerfully. He was about to grab a plate when his combadge let out two chirps. He had a feeling that he knew what this was about. "Excuse me, I'll be right back." He said as he excused himself away from the crowd to a corner of the room.

"Dranik here."

Dranik could hear laughing and what sounded like hyperactive screaming in the background as Ciavil tried to raise her voice above it. "Did you feed them Bolian berry jam this morning by any chance?" She asked in a tone that indicated she already knew the answer. Dranik paused before replying. "There is a distinct possibility of that, yes. I was told it went well with something called "Peanut butter."

Ciavil sighed. "They're bouncing off the walls right now. I'm honestly thinking of heading down to sickbay and begging whoever's in charge for a sedative a- PUT THAT DOWN!" The sound of something shattering in the background made Dranik wince. He tried to regain his composure. "I'll be back down in a little bit. Tell them I'll read them their favorite story if they calm down."

"I'll try. Ciavil out."

Dranik sighed and turned to Hrafn as a sudden thought came to mind. "Excuse me for asking, but you have children do you not? How do you keep them from destroying everything you know and love and keep them from eroding your sanity?" He asked in a somewhat desperate tone.

[Sirol]

< Katra Station / Shared quarters of Zex and Sirol >

"I just want you to be happy, and as a friend I just want to help you.  I just don't really understand what happened to you, so I'm kind of at loss.  Sorry" the Deltan replied.

"Emerald is a nice name.  When I get some free time, I will try to stop in an see him.  And the child too" Zex added.

Sirol hesitantly nodded then straightened her posture.
"œIt is"¦ I will try my best to explain it to you once I am back from the breakfast, how does that sound?
I have yet to find a language possessing the words to express what happened, but - despite my linguistic expertise - vocal communication can be unspeakably inefficient... But maybe we can find a strategy together."
She paused, then gave Zex's shoulder one more gentle squeeze.
"œI am sure Emerald and Xasik will appreciate a visit. My lab is your lab. And you are welcome to tag along with me later today."
With that she took another little bow, then headed over for the breakfast.

_________________________________

< Katra Station / Captain's Mess >

An older Benzite female raised her hand and waived.  "Come join us here, Lov.  I'm Hayo and this is Melrus" the older woman said.

"Greeting" the Denobulan male said between bites.   "I put peppers and mushrooms in my frittata.   So delicious" he said.

"Don't mind him, Lov.  He is always about the food.  So what does Kirok have you working on?" Haya added.

The scientist tilted her head and looked at the two newcomers, then bid both of them a hailing nod.
Truth be told, she did not want to leave the little corner spot where she was sitting. Granted, the persons she was sitting with were supposedly not even scientists, but their aura was relieving, and - most importantly - neither of them was eating...
Slightly raising one hand Sirol - as polite as possible - hence declined the invite to join the two. For now.
"œMaybe later..." She spoke calmly and took a sip of her coffee, hoping that it would have an effect soon, and her stomach would feel less appalled by smells of food.
Towards Hayo's question, Sirol then put down her mug again, her hands still tightly clenched around it so she could absorb as much warmth as possible.
"œMy original field of work is xenostudies. Communication sciences to be precise.
I specialised in xenolinguistics, foreign psychology and behavioural analysis. My vocation is supposed to be "˜enabling of fluent communication between vastly different elements', I unfortunately rarely ever get the chance to do so, due to lack of assignments featuring legitimately foreign foreigners...
My current secondary field of work is among the theoretical physics. My specialisation here are spacial- and phasic phenomena, their manipulation and practical utilisation."
She paused for a second, then took another sip of her coffee before she continued.
"œI work within the station's simulation lab, currently repurposed to analyse inert Changeling DNA and..." She awkwardly cleared her throat. "œ...Hatch a Tholian."
One more sip of coffee followed before she looked at Hayo again.
"œHow about you? I conclude you are participants of the officer exchange program, correct?"

"Good morning everyone." He looked at Kirok and stood at attention. "Good morning, sir."

Kirok nodded to the new-comer.  "Morning, Mr. Dranik.  Please help yourself to breakfast" he said to the visiting Sec/Tac officer.

"Like many of you, Dranik came from the Discovery.  He comes from the Sec/Tac Department.  Please make him feel welcome"

"There is no assigned seats.  But Lonar served with me on the Discovery several years ago.  He is the Tholian in the corner if you wish to say hi" Kirok said more privately to Dranik.

"I know Dranik from a few visits to my husband, as you know he's Captain of the Discovery.  I apologise for my tardiness... had to drop the kids off... all 4 of them.  Thankfully Ruthie has a little time before she's due in the lab and then Crista and James are taking them to do something fun for the day so thankfully I'm free.  The advantages of having adult offspring, and a perfect nanny when it comes to school vacations!!"

Once more a newcomer joined them, and once more Sirol gave him - after the Captain introduced him as "˜Dranik' a calm nod, and - after Kirok also introduced Lonar - them as well.
There was a lot going on for one morning. New faces meant new opportunities and a slim chance of hope for her to provide her capabilities in any meaningful way.
Leaning back she once more took a sip of her coffee, and musingly stroked the head of the Uropygi which was still sitting on her lap and curiously inspected the newcomers in the same manner Sirol had just done.
When Hrafn eventually joined the and greeted Dranik, Sirol's posture once more straightened.

While she did not speak at the moment, it was obvious that Sirol acknowledged and appreciated the presence of her division leader.
Their friendship"¦ Maybe even kinship"¦ Dated back ever since her arrival on Kartra, and although even Hrafn was not able to give Sirol the redemption she needed, she still had eagerly welcomed Sirol into her family as if it was the most normal thing to do"¦
With a little smirk Sirol then leaned back in her chair and once more became almost invisible in her little corner.
It was good to have the Falleg clan back aboard, and Sirol was already looking forward to see the children again, as well as meeting Ruthie and Sally.

One more moment of"¦ Social bonding"¦ Between the people around her followed.
Most people around her eagerly chatting over their communicators or with one another.
One moment in which Sirol once again felt utterly out of place and was not sure what to say, hence she remained quiet and tried to control her shaky hands as effectively as possible.

[Kyan Mackenzie]

:: Docking Ring | Katra Station ::

Kyan was perched atop a crate, cross legged watching a team of security officers moved crates and barrels and other assorted containers out of the freighter's hold and out into the docking ring. It was tedious work, and some of the them were looking ragged. Deciding that the whole affair needed a little livening up, he began beating out a tune on the duraplast barrel in front of him.

Boom..Boom..Boom..Boom

Now, singing and telling stories is something that most of his own folk, Onlies and Celtic folk were born to, and taught from a very early age, so he was a fair singer, if not one with a whole lot of range. Prepubescent vocal chords and all. But he never let that get in the way. Once he had the beat down, he launched into the first shanty that popped into his head.

"Help me Bob I'm bully in the alley." he sang, to which a few of the assembled crewman replied "Way Hey Bully in the alley." That repeated once for the initial chorus, with a couple more crewmen joining in.

Kyan then began the verses. "I walked up to the Anchor Inn" with the crewmen calling back "Wey hey, bully in the alley!"

Kyan smiled. This trick always worked. "I barged the door, and walked right in."

"Bully down in Shinbone Al! So....."

And then everyone sang together. "Oh help me Bob, I'm bully in the alley, Wey hey, bully in the alley!, Help me Bob, I'm bully in the alley, Bully down in Shinbone Al!"

Continuing the beat on the barrel, Kyan started the next verse. "And there was Sally that I love so dearly, Wey hey, bully in the alley!, Sally got well nigh, almost, nearly. Bully down in Shinbone Al! So......"

Another Chorus and then Kyan started the next verse. "Sally could dance and Sally could spin, Way Hey Bully in the Alley, I bought her rum and I bought her gin.... "

Just then there was some commotion outside, which piqued his interest since it could be heard over their singing and the clatter of crates and containers. "Aye fellas, take a break whilst I see what's going on out there." he called out, jumping off the crate onto the deck. "And dinnae be stealin nothing the now... we got the manifest so we do."

With that he walked out the hatch and back into the docking ring. Once there, he just caught the red headed blur as he darted onto the recently docked Vulpinian freighter. One of the Falleg brood no doubt. But he couldn't tell which one. Of course then the Vulpinian captain darted back onto the ship himself, with Gideon Drake behind him, seemingly worried about Lieutenant Falleg's kid... messing something up? No...that didn't seem right.  finding something seemed the more likely, judging from the flitting, worried glances from the other Vulpinian. Kyan motioned for Skarrgar to come with as he made for the freighter. "Let's go talk to this lot then, and grab up their stowaway." he called over to the Gorn Crewman.

[Skargarr]

:: Docking Ring | Katra Station ::

Kyan was perched atop a crate, cross legged watching a team of security officers moved crates and barrels and other assorted containers out of the freighter's hold and out into the docking ring. It was tedious work, and some of the them were looking ragged. Deciding that the whole affair needed a little livening up, he began beating out a tune on the duraplast barrel in front of him.

Boom..Boom..Boom..Boom

Now, singing and telling stories is something that most of his own folk, Onlies and Celtic folk were born to, and taught from a very early age, so he was a fair singer, if not one with a whole lot of range. Prepubescent vocal chords and all. But he never let that get in the way. Once he had the beat down, he launched into the first shanty that popped into his head.

"Help me Bob I'm bully in the alley." he sang, to which a few of the assembled crewman replied "Way Hey Bully in the alley." That repeated once for the initial chorus, with a couple more crewmen joining in.

Kyan then began the verses. "I walked up to the Anchor Inn" with the crewmen calling back "Wey hey, bully in the alley!"

Kyan smiled. This trick always worked. "I barged the door, and walked right in."

"Bully down in Shinbone Al! So....."

And then everyone sang together. "Oh help me Bob, I'm bully in the alley, Wey hey, bully in the alley!, Help me Bob, I'm bully in the alley, Bully down in Shinbone Al!"

Continuing the beat on the barrel, Kyan started the next verse. "And there was Sally that I love so dearly, Wey hey, bully in the alley!, Sally got well nigh, almost, nearly. Bully down in Shinbone Al! So......"

Another Chorus and then Kyan started the next verse. "Sally could dance and Sally could spin, Way Hey Bully in the Alley, I bought her rum and I bought her gin.... "

Just then there was some commotion outside, which piqued his interest since it could be heard over their singing and the clatter of crates and containers. "Aye fellas, take a break whilst I see what's going on out there." he called out, jumping off the crate onto the deck. "And dinnae be stealin nothing the now... we got the manifest so we do."

With that he walked out the hatch and back into the docking ring. Once there, he just caught the red headed blur as he darted onto the recently docked Vulpinian freighter. One of the Falleg brood no doubt. But he couldn't tell which one. Of course then the Vulpinian captain darted back onto the ship himself, with Gideon Drake behind him, seemingly worried about Lieutenant Falleg's kid... messing something up? No...that didn't seem right.  finding something seemed the more likely, judging from the flitting, worried glances from the other Vulpinian. Kyan motioned for Skargarr to come with as he made for the freighter. "Let's go talk to this lot then, and grab up their stowaway." he called over to the Gorn Crewman.

"Your tune is off." Skar said as he rushed into the freighter after Kyan.  "Think we might need to add force fields on the docking ring, make it where only adults can pass and children will get blocked." Skar suggested as he moved crates and containers out of the way, but then heard a whimper and several screams.  "We got additional stowaways here, looks like this freighter is 'human trafficking'." Skar called out as he found one of the broods hiding on the bridge playing.

As the tall Gorn went through the door he snuck up on the lil guy.  "Hold there, you arent supposed to be here.  Where is your mother?" Skar interrogated the youngin who merely kept quiet mostly out of fear of the Gorns body and face still covered with Gagh but everyone else believed it to be entrails of some poor humanish feast.  "Lets find her.  Whats your name?" Skar asked and the boy merely whimpered out his name was Tidu Falleg.

"Should be easy enough.  You a new arrival?" He asked him.

"Y....Y......Y." the boy couldnt speak further.

"Ill take that as a 'Yes'.  Alright lets get going then.  You can tell me how you managed to get up here past several check points and past security without us knowing.  Security breaches we should fix before something worse happens, right?" Skar said as he escorted the boy out of the ship.

"Lt, Im the boy the home.  His parents are new arrivals, shouldnt be to long unless there is a problem." Skar said leaving the docking ring, and took the boy to where the computer said his parents were.

[Chigorra]

[Lieutenant JG Gideon "Griff" Drake, callsign "Gryphon" | Scoutship Squall >- Cloten's Freighter | Docking Bay | Katra Station]

Griff noticed the blade Gop Gop dropped and brought back in. He scowled suspiciously at the gormless little git a moment. Backscratcher my arse, he thought to himself. That looks no more a backscratcher than a d'k tahg.

"Right, you lot, dock right here, we'll wait for the inspection team there," he said. "Kayad, you'd best get back to your freighter."

Kayad nodded and took the transporter back over to his freighter. Griff then escorted Cloten's freighter to the docking ring, forcing it, given it was still docked with it, with powered thrusters. Then it was brought into docking.

"Goal," he said. "Now, you two, down into the freighter."

The two short Vulpinians followed Griff into the frighter and right into the airlock leading to the docking ring. He had just entered when they saw something bounding in, and another ginger figure running inside after it...he narrowed his eyes, peeked out the airlock and saw three more young ginger...he was gobsmacked. The girl he saw before him was...cor, Serena likely has some competition. But he shook his head. Serena was a lot more beautiful than the ginger girl before him...and now that he got a good look at her, he saw she sported spots. In fact, he just realised, she looked exactly like Lieutenant Falleg, if she had been twenty, thirty years younger...and speaking of Lieutenant Falleg, he recognized the ginger midgets at once.

"Bloody hell. Not again," he muttered. "And of all the freighters he had to run into...Oi! Midgets!" he called out to them. "Stay the bloody dickens out there, I'll get the young 'un."

He turned looked back at the two Vulpinians. "Looks like you lot have a stowaway."

Cloten scowled. "If there's one thing I can't tolerate, it's stowaways...and some kid at that..."

He ran back into the ship...naturally, some kid...but God Forbid he should stumble across his contraband. While he, like any Vulpinian, can stand on two legs as they prefer, they were partial to running on all fours, even if they were half the height of Ferengi. It was faster that way. Thus, Cloten ambled in the direction the kid went. Shouldn't be too far, especially with scanners, his freighter was loaded with Vulpinians, with occasional Nausicaans for muscle and one or two Orions.

Vulpinian NPC - Assistant Gop Gop
[Cloten's Freighter | Docking Bay | Katra Station]

"Oh, that small person is in danger." Gop Gop commented matter-of-factly.  "And that food animal is likely to be eaten by our goon squad." Gop Gop reached inside his cloth robe, withdrawing a wide-handled and well-worn metal spatula.  "Which will mean another gorescraping for me." he muttered more quietly, disappointment in his voice.

[Scoutship Squall >- Cloten's Freighter | Docking Bay | Katra Station]

[As Ruthie, Nerys, Tidu and Lamar]

"They're with me Lieutenant... I'm afraid I don't know you yet and they got ahead of me.  I assure you we're just trying to retrieve Lamar, and since you called them Midgets, I'm assuming you're familiar with my younger siblings, Sir.  Ensign Ruthie Falleg-Tekin.  Lt. Hrafn Falleg-Tekin is my mother.  Tidu, Nerys, stay here with me."

"Yup, Uncle Griff knows us, makes us ugly sticks!" Tidu said with a grin.

"Jumja sticks to anyone else..." Nerys explained.  "But he was trying to punish us.  Sorry Uncle Griff, Lamar ran after a stray puppy that looked starving."

[Meanwhile in the scoutship]

Lamar ran after the small puppy who cowered down behind a box.

"Puppy... not trying to hurt you... look I haz biscuits." Lamar always had some biscuits or doggie treats in his pockets.  He tossed one a few feet in front of the box, slowly the puppy came out and sniffed the biscuit suspiciously then settled down to eat it.

Slowly, Lamar inched his way towards the puppy then made a loop with the string he had seen and started stroking the puppy who started shivering with fright.

"It's ok, I'm not going to hurt you!" he soothed.  "I want to be your friend."

The puppy started sniffing around Lamar's pockets.  "Oh you want more... um...I might have one!" he found one but then started worrying that he was running out.

He managed to slip the string over the puppy's neck and then coax him towards the door where he ran smack into Cloten.

"It's ok doggy, we can be friends too but I don't have anymore biscuits now, this puppy needed them!" the puppy put her ears flat and tried to hide behind Lamar whining pitifully.  Lamar tugged a little then went to hug Cloten.

Gop Gop remained near the entrance to the ship, wondering whether he should try to halt all the unexpected traffic onto Deej Cloten's vessel. It was all just moving too quickly for him, too many words being said for him to keep up. He observed a little human come back out of the ship with the food animal in tow"¦ And then he observed the small human attempt to grab Cloten. Gop Gop's experience told him that Cloten's only physical contact with other creatures involved him hitting or biting"¦

Gop Gop looked more closely at the puppy, wondering whether the simple little thing had been exposed to anything dangerous on their ship. Cloten's vessel wasn't a very well-cleaned thing, and mere weeks ago they had been hauling spoiled fertilizer, and before that, a canister of illegally-disposed compression grease made from discount llama squeezings. One errant canine lick of a strange-smelling pile of goo, and the puppy could end up horribly poisoned.

"Nevermind, no one should try to eat this thing now." he mumbled, half to himself.

:: Docking Ring | Katra Station ::

Just then there was some commotion outside, which piqued his interest since it could be heard over their singing and the clatter of crates and containers. "Aye fellas, take a break whilst I see what's going on out there." he called out, jumping off the crate onto the deck. "And dinnae be stealin nothing the now... we got the manifest so we do."

With that he walked out the hatch and back into the docking ring. Once there, he just caught the red headed blur as he darted onto the recently docked Vulpinian freighter. One of the Falleg brood no doubt. But he couldn't tell which one. Of course then the Vulpinian captain darted back onto the ship himself, with Gideon Drake behind him, seemingly worried about Lieutenant Falleg's kid... messing something up? No...that didn't seem right.  finding something seemed the more likely, judging from the flitting, worried glances from the other Vulpinian. Kyan motioned for Skarrgar to come with as he made for the freighter. "Let's go talk to this lot then, and grab up their stowaway." he called over to the Gorn Crewman.

Yet more creatures were now heading to his boss's ship! Gop Gop began to wonder how long their secrets would remain secret with all these curious eyes, all these people poking around. The Vulpinian assistant observed another small human, and in the distance, a lizard-like Gorn. Gop Gop's free paw-hand, which wasn't grasping the gorescraping spatula, moved just an inch toward the spade-like weapon on his left hip. Its edges were a little sharper than his back-scraper, and decent for sliding their way through protective scales. He didn't touch the concealed weapon, or any of his other concealed weapons, but he was comforted by the fact that it was there and ready. He was beginning to wonder if things weren't about to get very tense...

Hastily, and right out in the open, Gop Gop withdrew a ragged piece of paper from a pocket and put away his gorescraper. It was a receipt of some kind, a purchase from a quick-food restaurant two systems away. He flipped it over, and began scribbling on it in his native language with a black piece of something.

[npc3]

[Katra->T'Prith Quarters->operations]

T'Prith stopped by her personal quarters for a brief moment before heading towards ops. She was going to be busy with the incoming traffic and making accomedations. She was going to report to the ones in flight control and security and tactical to see what the orders are or what the plan is. She was sure that she was going to be of help somewhere. She just had to make sure that she didn't rub anyone who was aboard the station the wrong way. She certainly didn't want to risk anything that would mess up the plans that were going to be made.

[Ops - Tark - Visiting Officer]

Tark was at one of the standing stations near Eli.  He too was not a big fan of socializing.  So he came straight to Ops.

He pounded a fist down on the duty station.  An audible thump was heard.  "This computer is too slow" he grumbled.

[T’prith]

[Ops - Tark - Visiting Officer]

Tark was at one of the standing stations near Eli.  He too was not a big fan of socializing.  So he came straight to Ops.

He pounded a fist down on the duty station.  An audible thump was heard.  "This computer is too slow" he grumbled.

[Katra Station-Ops]

T'Prith looked over at the visiting officer and said "œhello there let me see what's going on I think I can figure out what's going on and why the computer is running so slow." She got to work running diagnostics so she could get to the root of the problem and apply a solution in a timely manner.

[Kirok]

[Captain's Mess - Katra Station]

[Hrafn]

Hrafn had waved off Ruthie in the direction of the Promenade with her younger siblings, Hrafn made her way to the Captain's Mess to partake of the working breakfast/meet and greet, coming in just behind Dranik.

"Dranik, is that you?" Hrafn asked with a smile spreading across her features.

"I know Dranik from a few visits to my husband, as you know he's Captain of the Discovery.  I apologise for my tardiness... had to drop the kids off... all 4 of them.  Thankfully Ruthie has a little time before she's due in the lab and then Crista and James are taking them to do something fun for the day so thankfully I'm free.  The advantages of having adult offspring, and a perfect nanny when it comes to school vacations!!"

[Captain's Mess]

Kirok announced Falleg's presences just as he had the others.  The he informed her about the special stand.  Then he walked over to her.

"It is quite acceptable that you came.  I think you will be in your element here.  As the social butterfly of the group.

You may not know most people here.  But others are still coming.  Some of whom you may know" he said a bit more quietly.

Then Dranik came over and asked his question.  Kirok too wanted to know the answer to that question.  So he paused until the answer was said.

[Medbay - EQ Kimball]

The XB drank his tea as he listened to the doctor.  "Well i've got two.  I can volunteer during my off hours" he offered.

As she went on, he listened more.  Her experience being a trill reminded him of being a borg.  A bit.

"It reminds me of being a borg" he said.  "Different memories from different people.  Just not as traumatic?" he guessed tentatively.

[npc3]

[Katra Station-Ops]

T'Prith looked over at the visiting officer and said "œhello there let me see what's going on I think I can figure out what's going on and why the computer is running so slow." She got to work running diagnostics so she could get to the root of the problem and apply a solution in a timely manner.

[Ops - Tark]

The tall Klingon looked at the young lady.  But stepped back.  "Thank you" he said.

"We did not have such problems on the Discovery.  Or on any Klingon warship I know of" he complained.  "I am Tark, visiting officer" he added by way of introduction.