Lieutenant Jack Kessler - The Next Generation

[Joel Cannistraro]

((The Reef, Tier 5-5-6, Corridor Unknown))

Again, Jack could hear the team but they might as well have been across the Reef. Their voices soft and muted as if at a greater distance. His mind felt almost lost, as if he was in the first stage of waking from a deep sleep, while at the same time he felt compelled to stop in front of the smaller console and face it. Images of symbols, ideograms, the Ronin, the Reef, Narhelion and every other species in and around the Reef began to flood his mind and within a combination of ideograms on the console. He could see the creature's appendage touching each one in a specific order. Was it telling him what to do or was it taking the action right then and he was seeing it happen? Jack was not really sure, he did not feel like he was really even in the room anymore. He felt like he was watching all of this happen from somewhere else.

Kessler: ::still in a softened tone:: The doors should be opening in just a second.

Venn: Praise the Artist.

Marsek: ::sighs in relief:: It's directional, then the open command. I don't know how long that would have taken me to figure out. Thank the Prophets.

Deacon: Response

Evinrude: Sir... ::Tess looked from Jack to his charge and back.:: We've got your back. No harm will come to anyone. ::With his last words he tried to focus a sense of wellbeing and protective care upon the entity.::

He never looked up to his team, only stared at the creature he was carrying. He could hear the hissing of air breaching the seals of the doors as they began to part and open. The lights of the three remaining cylinders slowed in their movement and Jack understood that the sequence he had seen entered had delayed the opening of the cylinders to allow the team to remove themselves from the chamber. Their exit was open, the team would be able to retreat into the oxygen filled corridor and the warmer air temps, but Jack did not want to leave. He felt an overwhelming sense of responsibility to protect this creature now. With the doors open, his team was freed but the creature felt extreme danger approaching and Jack could feel it too.

Venn: :: placing her hand on Deacon’s arm :: Your turn to steady me, big guy. Maybe together we can both keep from falling head over heels.

Marsek: ::checks the cylinders again:: That does say quarantine...but a quarantine for what? And why... ::pauses:: ...oh.

Jack was still in somewhat of a fogged mental state. The creature was in contact with Jack but it was not even a form of mental connection that he had felt when dealing with Betazoids in the past. This was so much more connection, almost as if he felt the connection throughout his entire body. As the group began to move away from the Quarantine room Jack could see and hear them but they were moving faster than he was. No, he was moving slower. Deliberately. He tried to pick up pace only to find himself slowing down more.

Kessler: ::softly, trying to talk:: Umm......

Nothing of urgent sound that he thought he was saying came out. Instead a wave of peaceful calming washed over him and his entire body seemed to come alive with the sensation of what he could only describe as a warm soft vail wrapping around him.

Deacon: Response 

Evinrude: I see an opening, up ahead, looks like a direct path to where we came in. What do we think - the way we came, or the new, direct route?

Venn: Let’s hope it’s the exit.

Marsek: ...Whichever you think is best, sirs.

Jack had lost all momentum at this point and stood in the corridor motionless. The creature's appendage draped over the back of his shoulders and seemingly held the back of his head while it lay its own head against his shoulder and neck.

Kessler: ::to the group:: That intersection ahead will lead you back out and the way we came. ::looking at the creature:: She cannot go with us. ::in a softer tone:: She's not strong enough. I have to return her to Quarantine.

Deacon/Venn/Marsek/Evinrude: Response

Jack, still feeling lost between two worlds, seemed to clearly understand the creature but yet was not actually having a conversation in any realm of what a conversation should look or sound like to him. He understood great danger was coming to the creature if she stayed out here and her fear was growing but it was not the fear of being sick or dying. It was fear of something else and something moving in the darkness below, something.....hunting. 

Kessler: I'm taking her back to quarantine. Deacon, get everyone out of here and tell the Captain to restrict this level to all personnel. 

Deacon/Venn/Marsek/Evinrude: Response

Jack looked at the creature and then looked down to her torso and a moment of pure joy swept over him. Now he understood, it all made sense and his purpose now made sense. She had chosen a protector and Jack was not going to let anything happen to her or the unborn she carried.

Kessler: Mister Frost, no time to explain, except that room is the safest place to hide the next generation of Caretaker from that which destroyed them in the first place. ::beat:: Get the team to safety and do not come back down here.

Deacon/Venn/Marsek/Evinrude: Response

Jack glanced up from the creature and eyed Deacon directly. The man was as true, through and through to his duty as it came and that Jack counted on. He would see the team safely back to the Ronin.

Kessler: That is an order Mister Deacon. ::beat:: I'll find my way back to the ship as soon as I can. ::beat:: Now get out of here.

Jack did not wait for a response nor did he want to hear one from any of them. He had led them on this exploration only to have them nearly die. The threat that he knew lay below was real and sinister in nature but he would not jeopardize the team. There was no need to, not when the quarantine room was doing exactly what it had been designed to do for so long. 

((OOC - I am fine to close out the scene here or keep going if you want.))

[Tags/TBC]

--

Lieutenant Jack Kessler

Chief Tactical/Security Officer

USS Ronin

T239901JK1