Lt. Cmdr. V'Len Kel - She's coming round the mountain.

[Don K]

((OOC - I see where you're going.  Love this, V'Len is a big fan of Cosmozoan life forms))

((Arboretum, Deck 05, USS Ronin))

V'Len gave the Rhodium Wells a sidewise look.   He wasn't sure he was prepared to be a father, let alone a father to the unknown space bolus growing in the arboretum.  Rhodium seemed more than entertained and gave a sharp cackle, pocking him in the shoulder. She then plucked  leaf off his jacket as casually as a Terran might eat popcorn.  He was surprised at the move considering she'd just scolded him for touching the blue-green "baby" that was growing nearby.  

Kel: I'm afraid I'm a bit out of my depth with this little one.  Would you be willing to assist me?

Wells: I guess we could co-parent. ::gaze sharpening with a playful edge:: How old are you, Commander? The Kel symbiont, if you don’t mind me asking?

Kel: Not at all.   Kel is young for a symbiote, only 219 years old.  

Wells: Ah, to be so young again! However, the third century brings its own challenges and concerns. Try to enjoy yourself.

V'Len glanced at Rhodium and then back at the blue mass.  

Kel:  At the risk of being impolite, how old are you?

El-Aurians were known for their longevity and so V'Len suspected she might be even older than Kel.  

Wells:  Hmm? Oh—::tutting, waving a dismissive hand:: I am far too old to care about polite. You can come to me if you want advice for the next century. But—a lady… never… tells… her true age.

To emphasize the point she tapped the tricorder on his chest.  She was older than him, but for the moment he was not going to learn the actual number.   He decided it would be wiser to deal with one mystery at a time.  

Kel:  I see.  So what do we think the best way to move this baby is?  I'm assuming we don't want to damage it by hacking it off the tree.  The medical transporters could be well suited to disentangle the two life forms.  

Wells: Magnifique! That is an elegant solution. I knew I would like you.

V'Len was not sure if his cheeks had changed color, but the woman's praise was not something V'Len was used to.  He was also feeling a bit warm, which was strange as the arboretum was quite temperate.  

Kel:  One thing, how will we feed kiddo here while we move them?  The last thing we want is a hungry, cranky baby.  

Wells: The readings show the baby is an energy converter. It metabolises the energy in the cells of this tree and feeds itself, converting matter into what it needs. Wouldn't it be best to launch a shuttle clear of the Ronin and initiate a direct site-to-site transport, non? Once in the shuttle, it will reach for the vessel's energy source.

Poagie: Sorry to interrupt mommy and daddy down there but…That? That’s your highly unusual? A tree zit?

V'Len turned his head to see ensign Poagie coming toward them.  Poagie was a Ferengi, and from what V'Len understood, perhaps a bit of a loose cannon.  Still his aptitude was very good, and V'Len was anxious to make sure his energy was channeled into engaging projects.  Rhodium seemed to ignore Poagie altogether and reached out to take his hand.

Wells: May I?

It was a bit late to ask permission at that point.  She began scanning his hand.

Kel: Sure ::looking at Poagie::  This is a bit more than a tree zit.  Some kind of life form has parasitized this tree. It's quite fascinating.

Poagie: All right, fine, Fine I’ll come down and have a closer look.

While Poagie looked at the tree, Rhodium had made a discovery of her own.

Wells: Ah, you touched an alien energy converter, Commander. It changed colour immediately afterwards. It may have absorbed some of your energy. ::leaning closer, peering up at him intently:: How do you feel?

She reached up and placed her hand on his forehead, small bits of soil dropped into his eye and he hand to blink a few times.  

Kel:  Maybe slightly warm.  I didn't realize it would suck energy from me.  

Wells: I thought we had more time, but your touch awakened the baby. It seems you gave it exactly what it needed to kick start the next phase of its development—exotic bioenergies from not one, but two distinct species… and something else. ::gaze flicking to his abdomen:: The Kel symbiont… this species has an affinity for the psionic. Your presence may have made the difference. What a coincidence.

V'Len blinked.  He had never considered himself "exotic" but it was true he was a muddle of two species and one that was not the result of a nature process.  Kel was not overtly psionic the way Vulcans or Betazoids could be, but there was the interaction of the brainwaves of the symbiote and the host that acted as a portal to the past.  

Poagie: What if we pierce it? Maybe we could make something useful out of its sap.

Poagie had moved out of earshot to examine the mass and now offered a suggestion which made V'Len's antennae go in all directions.  

Kel: No ensign!

V'Len turned and gestured at Poagie to get back.  The mass was bluer than before and now slender tendrils were emerging from it.  

Kel:  It's not some random mass, it's a life from that's getting ready to hatch.

Wells: She is waking from a many-cycle nap. She is hungry and does not yet understand that the Ronin and her crew are not food for her. ::growing more serious:: We must move quickly. I recommend launching your shuttle now, Commander.

V'Len took a moment to smile at the prospect of having a daughter, albeit a strange one.  He turned to Poagie.

Kel:  Mr. Poagie, remote access the Queen Bee in the shuttle bay. The access code is B3ck5uck5.

Rox was not original when it came to her password choices.  V'Len moved to the nearby LCAR panel.  

Kel:  I'll access the medical transporters.  Rhodium can you send me some measurements for the transport volume?

Poagie/Wells: Response

Kel:  Poagie let me know once the shuttle is outside the bay and about 10km from the Ronin.  Rhodium, I can transport it ::beat:: her to the aft section, but how do we get her linked to the power supply?

Poagie/Wells: Response

Kel:  Thank you Mr. Poagie.  Once we're aboard where should we take her?  The farm?

Poagie/Wells: Response

Tags/TBC

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Lieutenant Commander V'Len Kel

Chief Science Officer/Second Officer

USS Ronin NCC-34523

T239811VK2

He/Him (player/character)