Lieutenant Commander Talia Ohnari ~ NO ONE INVITED YOU TO THE BUG PARTY!!

[Roxanna Dorion]

((Observation Chamber, Velithari Ship Jorogumo))

Ensign Matthews wasn't where they had left him. Because that would be far too easy. When she found him again, and confirmed he was unharmed, she was going to kick him. 

Alright, she wouldn't. 

But she would think it really loudly. Now, Alya was busy...clicking? Possibly communication, but no further ideas. Talia grew more exasperated by the minute. So, she defaulted to politeness. 

It didn't work. And what was worse, she had given a Marine fodder. 

Torado: ::whispered::  “Miss Jorogumo?”

Well that was never going to die. Ever. She made a face

Ohnari: ::quietly:: It was worth a try....::jolting:: Middle left. Tell me that's not a naked man wearing a helmet...::turning her head:: Hang on...not naked...is that...pinkish lycra? 

Torado: ::relieved sigh:: Nope! No danglies. He’s technically clothed. We’re good.

At first she'd assumed the slight blush color was his skin, but mercifully, he seemed to be clad. Technically.

Torado: Hey! Alya! Found ‘im.

Ohnari: ::snorting:: Well thank the Gods for minor miracles...we could use all we can get here. Um, Alya? Can you tell us which chamber he is in...?

Alya: Response

Talia watched as Alene changed her mind, probably for the best from touching Alya. Whatever she was doing, it appeared she was mostly oblivious to the goings-on around her. That, or she was just dutifully ignoring the two interlopers and ordering a battalion of bugs to eliminate Matthews. Best they find him first.

With a familair squelching sound, the door to the right had re-opened. This time Alene hadn't be so lucky as it required a bit of prodding...she had a feeling the Marine would be spending a long night in the decontamination showers. Noth that Talia wasn't thinking the same....

((Timeskip, twenty minutes later, or so, Shuttlebay, Velithari Ship Jorogumo))

Alya had come unstuck around the time Alene had irritated the door open, she didn't say much, but the women followed her closely. She was hoping they would going to whereever Ensign Matthews was. After several twists and turns through the eerily pulsating corridors, she recognized they had returned to the shuttle bay.

Feeling the elbow, her eyes latched onto the wayward Ensign.

Yep. Totally picturing kicking him. Instead, she moved toward him, tricorder aloft, confirming his vitals and lack of hidden injuries.

Torado: Lieutenant, how are we doing?

Ohnari: ::glancing around:: Where is Ras..ha and Lera?

Semara/Matthews/Rana/Alya: Response

((Not adding more, to try and get current with the LOA))

((Timeskip, Almost an Hour Later, Conference Room, Deck 1))

Thankfully, the entire away team plus one semi-clothed Ensign returned to the Khitomer. It appeared there was a new development. Captain Rana, and the science officer Vidya had shockingly agreed to come with. In their own transportation of course. But, it was still something! So around the table, a rather contrite Captain Naxell addressed them...it appeared the previous ruse was peeling away.

Which was slightly more awkward since they didn't exactly have time to turn Rasha back into Ras. So, she was doing her best to keep her eyes forward, and not at the statuesque red head to her left. Next time, she'd suggest the thigh boots.

oO Wait...next time? Only if we awoke something within him...Oo

Luckily for the diplomacy the Captain was currently tapdancing across, no one heard her snort.

Naxell: Captain Rana, I must apologize for our deception. I am Commander Nax-Ellarneii-Tellargo, “Naxell” to most, and I captain the starship Khitomer. When your people displayed hostility towards my second-in-command, Lieutenant Commander Dewitt ::gesturing:: we opted to lower the temperature, so to speak, by offering a more comfortable face. Lieutenant Semara, whom you know well, is actually my Intelligence Officer.

Rana/Dewitt/Semara: Response

Naxell: I’ve spoken with Dr. Ohnari about your people’s history with the “Takers,” was it? I assure you, we are not conquerors. We are explorers. Our laws—our Prime Directive—forbids us from interfering with your people and your culture. But it does not prevent us from defending you against outside aggression, as you have experienced against the Lattice Alliance. Your tactical assessment, Lieutenant Zerva?

She had about four seconds with the Captain to update him on what she'd learned, the same amount the rest of the away team had. It was basically a semi-circle of officers round-robin shouting facts to the Denobulan, like some strange playground game. The briefing about the unnamed Velithari male was terribly sad. The prime directive was a tough one. 

While she debated the ability to change an entire matriarical society by showing a co-ed crew, the Captain pressed a contact on the table’s control panel and an approximation of the cloud, the Khitomer, and the Jorogumo appeared in holographic form in the center of the room. Ominously, like an inconsiderate party crasher, two more blips appeared just outside, and her eye twitch began when she noticed the wave-like forms beamed into the cloud, towards the two ships.

Could they just...not? Take a week off or something? She managed to keep the grinding of her teeth to a dull roar, she already loaded up the program tracking the anti-sencha pellet. 

Zerva/Morda: Response

Naxell: Our best guess, Captain, is that the Lattice see the Velithari as a thorn in the path of their conquest, and they want to smooth you out. They’re firing indiscriminately. It’s probable that they don’t see us, but their Sencha weaponry is especially dangerous to your cloud. Lieutenant El’Heem?

The Haliian could not make direct eye contact with Ras in his Rasha costume. It was just too much, instead, she just locked eyes on the program in front of her. All green, for now. 

El’Heem: Response

Naxell: I’m afraid it gets worse, Captain. As bad as the Sencha technology is for your cloud, it is even worse for organic life, especially life that communicates by means of telepathy. Fortunately, our doctors have come up with inoculations that have shielded our crew from the worst of these effects. If you accompany Dr. Ohnari, Lieutenant El’Heem, and Ensign Melville-Kilpatrick to sickbay, we can adapt our technology to your physiology and with any luck to Jorogumo itself.

Ohnari: ::wincing:: Even a rudimentary radiation protection would be preferable to none. 

It was going to be down to the wire. The trio would have to tag team synthesizing Velithari biology, see how Sencha affected it, and work to shield an entire semi-sentient ship and its inhabitants. Not to mention the fact a few new arrivals to the Khitomer, Captain included, would need their own inoculation process.

Rana/El’Heem/Melville-Kilpatrick: Response

Naxell: While you are there, I would invite your technician, Vidya, to assist in the effort to free our ship from the cloud so that we may better defend you. My First Officer—my true First Officer—will personally oversee this effort in Main Engineering.

Another snag: the Khitomer was entangled in unknown filaments of possible destruction. Like they needed another complication. 

Darkly, she wondered if a battalion of rabid Breen would show up just to make it a true doomsday party. 

oO Oh Gods I didn't mean it I swear! Oo

Vidya/Dewitt/Valeris/Michaels: Response

Naxell: In the meantime, the rest of us will begin work on the tactical aspects. Lieutenant Semara will lead the effort. It’s at least two-to-one out there, so we’ll need to be creative.

Semara/Zerva/Morda/th’Vrosa: Response

Naxell: Thank you for your trust, Captain Rana, Ms. Vidya. The rest of you, dismissed.

Ohnari: Captain, could I have a brief word? 

Naxell: Response

Ohnari: ::grimacing:: Not that we have the time, but I'm afraid there are some newer members of the crew who will need to have the anti-sencha treatment...yourself included, Sir.  

Naxell: Response

TAG/TBC

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Lieutenant Commander Talia Ohnari, MD
Chief Medical Officer
USS Khitomer
C239205ME0