JP: Acting Captain Kel, Acting XO Tucker, Cmdr. Toryn Raga, Flt. Capt. Karrod Niac - Unexploded And It Feels So Good
Karrod Niac
((Runabout Kurosawa, VIP Shuttlebay, USS Ronin))
As the yacht finally touched down and Karrod removed his hands from the flickering flight controls, he let out a long breath of enormous relief. That profound sense of contentment that usually comes with a return to familiar surroundings lasted exactly five seconds because after that, Karrod realized the VIP bay was rapidly filling with security teams and rescue personnel, all of whom looked deeply apprehensive and very suspicious as they gestured towards the Kurosawa and shouted to one another. Among the crowd filing in and pointing tricorders and phaser rifles in their direction Karrod picked out V’Len and Marty, who looked like they’d run from wherever they’d been, only a short distance behind a security team setting up forcefield emitters and enough sensors to figure out what Karrod had for lunch last Tuesday. He looked over to Toryn with furrowed brows.
Niac: I know we couldn’t call ahead because of the comm array but this all seems a little…excessive. Think we should wave a white flag or something?
Raga: Doubt it would help. I can see Osiris at the far end of the bay with his sniper rifle aimed this way. But I agree, the response to us arriving without declaration does not seem proportional.
Karrod shrugged as he got out of the pilots seat and stretched.
Niac: Well assuming they don’t shoot us on the way down the ramp I’m sure V’Len will tell us what’s going on. Leave your gear for now…would hate for someone to think your souvenir chocolates are some kind of bioweapon.
Raga: Not my fault you didn’t listen when I told you they had an Al-Leyan level spice to them. So, what’re the odds this is a mutiny?
Toryn rose from his own seat and fell in step beside Karrod as they made their way through the yacht. Forgoing their gear prudently for now.
Karrod chuckled as he headed for the airlock.
Niac: Eh, they’re probably just bored after a tedious survey mission. Even Major Singh is out there…they must’ve had nothing to do these last few weeks. Shame we couldn’t have sent them to Admiral Chandry’s ‘Fleet Automation: Why it’s a good idea this time’ seminar in our place.
Raga: The look Admiral Janeway gave him was something I’ll never forget.
He chuckled and followed Karrod into the airlock.
((A few moments later, VIP Shuttlebay))
The Ronin had only arrived at Deep Space 33 perhaps 15 hours earlier after 5 days of travel. As soon as the Kurosawa had appeared on sensors V’Len had alerted Major Singh in the FOC. Despite repeated hails, there had been no response from the Captain's yacht, which had put V’Len ill at ease.
The crew had been carefully monitoring the Ross-580 system with probes and long range sensors. The temporal black hole they’d encountered seemed to have dissipated completely, but that did not mean all was well in the system. Low levels exotic radiation persisted including the troublesome chronotons.
Given all they’d seen, V'Len had decided to make absolutely sure the crew remained safe. He’d called several security teams and some of the marines to the VIP bay. Many of the crew were still suffering the effects of radiation exposure and the strange de-aging effect. Standing behind him Tucker still looked pale and fatigued after his deep dive into the reactor core.
Kel: You don’t need to be here. I can handle::glancing at the yacht:: whatever is behind that door.
Marty regarded Kel for a moment and then crossed his arms across his chest…
Tucker: I know, but I can’t stand being left out of a mystery. What is behind door number 1?
V’Len nodded and turned back to his tricorder. Per the computer’s recommendation, he was scanning the quantum frequency of the new arrivals to confirm they were from the same universe. He snapped the tricorder shut. He placed it on his belt. Under his arm were two padds that he now held on his right hand at his side.
Kel: They seem to be ours.
Tucker: ::he chuckled:: Can we return them if we’re not satisfied?
The Kurosawa’s main hatch yawned open and Karrod Niac strolled down the deck followed by a bemused Toryn Raga. V’Len exhaled a great sigh of relief. Both men were fine. They had no wounds and they both appeared in perfect health. Rox and her cadre of med techs wouldn’t be needed after all. Still she dutifully had her tricorder open no doubt making sure of herself that the officers were in good health.
Kel: ::stepping forward:: Sir, it is very good to see you. Welcome back to the Ronin.
Stepping down the ramp slowly as medical teams waved sensor wands in their direction with intense but inscrutable expressions, Karrod raised an eyebrow towards V’Len.
Niac: This isn’t exactly the homecoming I imagined…::He nodded to the security teams still looking on anxiously::...usually they don’t involve quite as many phaser rifles pointed at me.
The Al-Leyan fell in step beside the Trill, a single brow raised in that vulcanoid way at the arrayed firepower sufficient to fell an entire regiment of Tholians and Sheliak. While it was far from the first time he’d been on the pointy end of phaser rifles he couldn’t help but feel flattered.
Raga: Clearly you’ve never been to Shemsh. ::his smirk faded just slightly:: I hope considering you’re so grateful to see us that you have an explanation for why we had a reception befitting a Borg Cube?
Marty reached out and poked Raga in the shoulder, lightly.
Tucker: They’re real, alright, and ours, I do believe. ::he smiled::
Kel: ::nervously:: We had some problems, but you can see the crew and the ship are fine.
Toryn exchanged a concerned glance with Karrod for a moment and noted the assembled personnel, suddenly wondering if perhaps the two of them should start scanning and prodding the crew the same way they were being scrutinized.
Raga: Considering the greeting party, I’d be remiss if I didn’t question the veracity of that statement, Commander. You’re glad to see us, but planned to greet someone else. Just what in the Terran Hell happened while we were gone?
Niac: Yeah I’m not sure that ‘fine’ is the word I would’ve used either…but I’ll concede the hull is on the outside and the air is on the inside, so whatever happened it seems like you two managed. All the same I’d appreciate an explanation or, at the very least, if you’d tell the security detail to stop looking at us like they’d just seen a pair of ghosts.
Marty as one of his final acts as Acting XO, shooed the security detail away, even after they gave him a “are you sure” look.
Tucker: Yes. I’m sure. Sorry about that ::hand waving::, but you can never be too cautious.
V’Len shifted and then reached out to offer the captain the padds.
Kel: I’ve written a full report and cross referenced it to reports from other officers.
Seeing the padds he restrained himself from the smirk that wanted to show at the appearance of Karrod’s favorite objects in the universe. Leaning in towards the Trill he softly murmured.
Raga: Something tells me your office is going to be full of those later. ::to Kel:: I trust these aren’t going to suddenly multiply and burst into showtunes.
Karrod was already skimming the first page and had only gotten to the words ‘exploding yacht’ when he looked up in alarm. Several hovering medical personnel who had put their heads together to confer gave V’Len a thumbs up and a general wave of relief spread around the room.
Niac: What…exactly…were they scanning for? Please don’t tell me we had another Changling slip aboard.
Kel: No sir, no Changlings.
Tucker: ::clears his throat:: Just to make sure, you two are from our timeline.
Rox gave V’Len a nod and stepped back from the two officers. The rest of the medical staff also took several steps away.
Raga: Have we passed your inspections, Mister Kel? If so, why don’t we let our crew return to what they were doing and you two give us the Admiralty footnotes version of what happened?
V’Len turned to face the crew.
Kel: Medical and security teams are dismissed. The Captain and Commander have returned safely.
The teams put away their equipment and lowered their weapons. There was a murmur of comments and V’Len could see the looks of relief and happiness on the crews faces. They said nothing for the moment, but V’Len suspected the lounges would be packed soon and celebratory glasses would be raised.
The shift in mood in the bay was a physical thing and Karrod could feel the relief spreading as whatever it was they’d been looking for, or worried about, didn’t manifest. For a moment he thought he noticed a small tear on Major Singh’s normally impassive face but it was gone in an instant and could’ve just been a trick of the lights.
Niac: Well Commander, I look forward to hearing all about it after we get underway. Toryn and I get to meet some of the Admiralty for a post-conference….conference on Lolagi IV…which just so happens to coincide with that world's bioluminescence festival. Should be a good opportunity for the crew to take shoreleave while I try to wrap my head around whatever happened. Mr. Tucker, if you wouldn’t mind informing the bridge, I’ll make my way up there once the inspection teams are done tearing apart my luggage.
Tucker: Aye sir, welcome back.
Marty tapped his comm badge and informed the bridge crew that they could stand down and lay in a course for DS33 before heading out for some much-needed shore leave, and boy did he needed. He couldn’t wait to have some time off to spend with Rox.
V’Len turned back to Karrod and Toryn, resisting as best he could the urge to hug them. He still could not get the image of the burning Kurosawa out of his mind.
Kel: ::looking at Raga:: Let’s just say we believed you and the Captain had met an untimely end. People will be very relieved that you’re back, myself included.
Marty resisted the urge to poke Niac as well, but thought better of it.
Toryn’s vulcanoid brow rose slightly at the Trilldorian. It seemed their supposition of a boring survey had been wishful thinking.
Tucker: I’m happy to get back to engineering, that’s for sure.
Karrod glanced over to the small crowd of personnel that had accumulated just at the edge of the bay, looking in with a mix of shock and relief. He glanced back towards the padd and then to V’Len and Marty.
Niac: If you two gentlemen don’t mind staying in command just a bit longer I have a feeling Toryn and I are going to be…somewhat delayed getting up to the bridge. Well done…both of you…I knew we left the ship in good hands.
Marty tried to hold back a cheesy grin but he was losing that battle.
Tucker: No problem! Again, I’m glad you’re both back.
V’Len gave Karrod a suspicious look.
Kel: Why do I feel like you’re looking to shove paddwork off on me?
Either way, V’Len hardly cared. Having the two officers safely back aboard made extra paddwork seem a small price to pay.
Raga: Come now, Mister Kel. You should know our Captain well enough by now that you should already know the answer to that question.
The grin that formed on the Al-Leyan’s face was nothing short of bemused and accusatory.
The four of them headed for the exit as the murmur of the crowd broke into a low roar of excitement, personnel swarming the two of them and offering everything from handshakes to hugs. Karrod smirked to himself…as homecomings went, it turned out this one was pretty great after all.
[End]
((OOC: We’re back folks! On to shoreleave upon the lovely beaches and resorts of Lolagi IV!))
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Fleet Captain Karrod Niac
(Unexploded) Commanding Officer
USS Ronin - NCC-34523
——— ○●● ———
Lieutenant Commander Marty Tucker
Chief Of Engineering/Acting Exec. Officer
USS Ronin NCC-34523
Capt. Karrod Niac Commanding
D240008MT1
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Lieutenant Commander V'Len Kel
Acting-Captain
Chief Science Officer/Second Officer
USS Ronin NCC-34523
T239811VK2
He/Him (player/character)
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Commander Toryn Raga
First Officer
USS Ronin - NCC-34523
Writer ID: A239410TR0
https://wiki.starbase118.net/wiki/index.php?title=Toryn_Raga