Cmdr. Katsim Peri - "The More The Merrier?"
Amanda Nordstrom
(( VIP Stateroom Three, Deck 5, USS Octavia E. Butler ))
When it came to matters outside of her expertise, Peri struggled a bit. Diplomacy certainly wasn’t her forte, but that was her purpose there - and with the revelation that Toal’Dius wanted them to help him survive and rehusk, she wondered if, perhaps, Rouiancet would want a scientific take on how to do just that. If asked, Peri would say she didn’t know. Not only was the Zet technology very different, they were biologically unique. From what she’d read and heard discussed during the mission with the Danni, it sounded as if they had an essence within them that was taken from one body and placed into another. To her ears, it sounded akin to something like the Vulcan katra, the human soul, or the Bajoran pagh. Vulcans had a way of taking a katra and placing it into a katric ark for preservation. For Bajorans, doing so was horrible, for that meant one’s life source would not join the Prophets in the great Temple.
For the Zet, however, it meant immortality, but only for a few. Those who managed to claw their way out of the pit of poverty that plagued the rest of their world, the Ethereals had the means to purchase eternal life, but to what end? They lived a meaningless existence, where money was worth more than people. How could they stand it?
By that point, however, the conversation had switched to Ehths telling them that Toal’Dius wanted their help or he would come there and kill everyone. It was definitely not the sort of thing he should have done had he wished for their assistance. In addition, she struggled with the way Lahl responded to Ehths, and found herself wishing to talk with the Captain and Engineer out of earshot of the Zeth. So, she requested to speak with them elsewhere.
Peri rose to her feet, and Echo shifted to get a more balanced position on her shoulder. She had just turned and aimed for the door and the atmosphere suddenly changed. That bright, white like that kept the shadows at bay suddenly shifted into a sickly yellow, and before anyone could ask what was happening, a familiar voice of the temporary person in the chair came through the commlink.
Officer: =/\=Captain, there’s another mercenary vessel approaching.=/\=
Lahl: Oh…that’s not good.
Rouiancet: Damn. It certainly isn't.
Lahl: This is not what I was expecting. (lowering her voice into a whisper) Don’t we have two mercenaries on our ship?
From reports, there were, indeed, two more mercenaries on the ship, but were they the same group? If so, what did the second ship want? From what she’d read, the ones currently on the Butler had arrived before she returned from the surface and been there ever since, and now more were joining?
Rouiancet: We need to check in with Jer-Legrand and Varik, see what progress they've made.
Katsim: That would be wise.
Peri agreed, nodding only a little so as not to dislodge the creature who had taken up residence on her shoulder. Finding out where those negotiations were could severely affect how they handled the most recent arrivals.
Lahl: (a nod; whispering) Now, why is there a second ship coming? Do we even know if they’re part of the same group?
That was not a question she had an answer to. At best, they needed to get more information and see if they were the same group, or a different group or…who knew. Before any of them could continue further, the Zet behind them began to scream, and Peri winced visibly.
Ehths: You’re running out of time!
Rouiancet: (brief cringe) He is insistent on that point.
That he was. Lahl kept her voice lowered in a whisper and Peri leaned in to listen closely over the Zet’s louder voice.
Lahl: (whispering again) We probably need to get back to the bridge in that case.
Ehths: (screaming) He will come for us!
At that, Rouiancet inclined her head to the security officers. Ehths was obviously desperate, but while Peri wouldn’t underestimate Toal’Dius, she also knew that making good on his threat would be much harder than he thought it would be.
Rouiancet: We're heading back to the bridge. Keep an ear out, in case he shouts anything of particular interest.
The two officers nodded, and Peri cast one last glance at the door as the panels closed, blocking the Zet from view before hurrying after the others.
(( Bridge, Deck 1))
The lift brought them quickly to the bridge, and as the doors opened, Peri stepped onto the deck. Glancing over at the person in the seat, Peri did not let her gaze linger, but immediately made for the science console. Echo jumped off of one perch to take position on a new one - the back of Peri’s chair.
Rouiancet: Report.
Ojotha: Mercenary ship on approach, Captain, and closing fast. Engineering profile suggests it's the same type as the first ship, but mass index suggests a larger vessel.
Rouiancet: Hm. Kimonzi, I need a full report. Peri, check with our interrogators, see the mercenaries currently aboard are expecting a rescue.
Nodding, Peri turned to the console and, first, initiated a couple of commands. She would do as directed, but she wanted to make sure they had as much information about that ship and its capabilities as they could, even going so far as using some scans that weren’t in the standard set.
Lahl: Responses
Rouiancet’s lips thinned with displeasure at the situation with which they were faced. Not one but two mercenary ships and a Zet who had made some threats against her and her crew - there was certainly little to be happy about.
Rouiancet: We also need to locate Toal'Dius, even if we do nothing else about him -- yet.
Lahl/Rouiancet: Response
Once the scans were in motion, Peri turned to the question that Rouiancet posed to her - did the mercenaries on the ship have any idea about the second one? Well, that was a very good question. She thought about calling, but realised that by doing so, it could cause an issue in the conversation, so instead, she typed out a message to Jer-Legrand and Varik with a run down of what was happening and to interrogate the mercenaries about whether or not they expected more company.
Katsim: I’ve sent a digital message to Jer-Legrand and Varik.
She would, of course, let them know when they replied and what they said.
Lahl/Rouiancet: Response
The computer beeped at her, and Peri immediately scanned the data that it laid out on the screen. Frowning, she glanced up at the other two, reading out the information.
Katsim: Captain, this vessel has more offensive capabilities than the other ship.
She didn’t get to say anything more when the computer chirped again, that time with an incoming hail - from the arriving ship.
Lahl/Rouiancet: Response
-- Commander Katsim Peri Chief Science Officer USS Octavia E. Butler M239008AD0