[DSX] Lt. Alora DeVeau - "Facing The Spiders" (Calderan, Asmara)

[Amanda Nordstrom]

(( DSX – Arachnid Dome ))


CALDERAN: Commander Mei’konda, Lieutenant Delano, Lieutenant Ivanova, Mr
Kells -please take care when searching. If in doubt, don’t give it a
clout. And if you see a spider, smile nicely.

MEI’KONDA: Understood, Commander. No prroblem.

KELLS: I'll be best near the front, if you'd like. ::beat, slight
smile:: Maybe they'll remember me.

MEI’KONDA: They are paart of the staation. They probably remember
everythiing.

::Mei’konda hadn’t gotten it which spurred a smile as much as the humour
did. She gave the other group a little wave, then turned to move off
with her own.::


CALDERAN: Let’s seek an audience with her majesty then?


ASMARA I know it is customary in some cultures to allow women to go
ahead but in this case I'll go first. :: He scrambled forward. ::


DEVEAU: What a gentleman!


::She grinned, though it was merely at the man’s backside. Ah well.::


CALDERAN: Response?


ASMARA: Ma’am, a word please?


DEVEAU: Alora. And of course, what do you need?


ASMARA: Back on dining hall I made a discovery, but I don´t have the
proves to corroborate it yet.


DEVEAU: What sort of discovery?


ASMARA: I found traces of radiation on the water of the kitchen. They
were very faint but they aren´t supposed to be there. Talking with some
cooks, I realized that some humans got radiation sickness.


DEVEAU: Radiation?


:: That was worrisome. While most radiation poisoning could be treated
without residual issues, it was most, not all - and only if caught in
time. Calderan’s voice drew her attention away from her fellow science
officer, though not for long.::


ASMARA: Yes. And since I arrived here I found those gigantic water
containers around the arachnid dome.

DEVEAU: I see.

ASMARA: I just checked in the schematics and some water lines go
straight to the kitchen on the dining hall.

DEVEAU: Which means the water supply might be tainted.

ASMARA: If we have time I would like to investigate more.

DEVEAU: I would say so. This is definitely not something that should go
unchecked.::


::Calderan had evidently finished her conversation with whomever she was
speaking with and raised her voice to get clued in.::


CALDERAN: Urm.. what were you two talking about?


DEVEAU: He thinks he might have discovered a problem with a radiation
leak - perhaps one that has leaked into the water supply. Or some of it.

ASMARA: It is just a suspicious for a while, ma’am.


CALDERAN: Doctor Skyfire said some of the Cardassians were suffering
from radiation. What have you found out?


DEVEAU: I’m afraid I wasn’t told anything - all I knew was they were
sick from some sort of Cardassian specific disease.

ASMARA: Do the doctor know when and where they got sick?


:: His question went unanswers as Nia came to the end of the crawlspace
and scrambled from the more cramped quarters. Alora stood with her
companions, eyes lifting to take in the enormous, cavern like area, the
ceiling and arched dome above them, criss crossed with various pipes and
frame work. The light was dim, but cast a copper hue over the area,
bathing them in its warmth. The scent of metal stung Alora’s nose and
she reached up to rub it gently. It took a moment, but as her eyes
adjusted to the scene, she could see small bodies movie about, masses
smaller than her, but humungous compared to terran spiders.::


CALDERAN: Whoah!


DEVEAU: Wow...cool!

ASMARA: This is amazing!


CALDERAN: That is freaky! Urm.. what were you two talking about?


DEVEAU: The water supply...he suspects it might have gotten contaminated.

ASMARA: Yes. I guess it is not just another coincidence.


DeVeau: Don’t be so sure. It could be - it could not be. Let’s not make
assumptions until we’re certain of the cause.


::The question was, how did they approach the spiders without provoking
an attack?::

DeVeau: Um. Okay...you two, maybe...stay back. I’m going to...well,
hopefully not make them angry.


::Alora’s motions were slow and smooth, intent on restricting not only
her speed but anything that might indicate she was anything other than
friendly. She set a smile upon her face, though she was uncertain if
they would recognise that as a gesture of goodwill.::


RESPONSES?


::As she drew closer, Alora realised how truly massive those spiders
were. Far away, they didn’t quite seem so large, but as she approached,
some drew closer and she realised that even the smallest ones visible
were the size of large dogs. She glanced back, then moved forward some
more, slow, steady. Alora’s heart began to pound wildly against her
chest and she attempted to calm by regulating her breathing into a
smooth, deliberate rhythm.::


oO(Please don’t eat me...please don’t eat me...oh please please don’t
eat me…)Oo


RESPONSES?


::Several of the furried masses wriggled their way down and approached
her, two from her left, two from her right. She stopped as they drew
closer, then they lifted up their four front legs, the appendages
writhing at her.::


DeVeau: Friend...I’m a friend! I’m a…


::Then darkness fell. It enveloped them like a sack thrown over their
heads, shadows melding into one to wrap them in its embrace. Alora
stiffened, her hands clenched at her sides. Although she turned her
head, she could not see in the dark and her companions were invisible to
her.


Something brushed against her - soft, fur-like and her body tensed even
further.::


DeVeau: Friends.


::The word barely managed to squeak from her lips as the undercurrent of
fear suddenly became almost paralyzing. Why had she decided to do this?
Why did she think she could talk to them and make peace? Did she really
think she could…


The touch continued, but it didn’t try to capture her didn’t try to
choke her. There was no accompanying bite to pour vile venom violently
into her body. In truth, the touch was gentle, curious and as it
explored her features, she relaxed, her breathing controlled and steady.::

RESPONSES?


DeVeau: I think it’s...I don’t know what it’s doing but…I’m okay.


::But it was dark and could they see in the dark? Or only dim light?
Though she could feel them, there was no way Alora could see.::


DeVeau: Please...we’re trying to stop someone from destroying the space
station…


::But what had caused the blackness? Had it been the Maquis? Or was it
the spiders’ doing?::

RESPONSES?


***************


Lt. Alora DeVeau

Chief of Science

USS Garuda