MSNPC Charn - (brow) beaten into submission

[Azura Ada]

(( Main Sickbay, Deck 5, USS Valkyrie-A ))

Strathmore: I can tell you from experience, the Federation acts in good faith. I can assure you wholeheartedly.

Reine’X: This means it maintains a lot of good relationships with other entities across the galaxy. Its history is proof. What’s more, the Federation comprises of many different species, living in harmony.... Embracing their differences, not putting them down.

Doucet: “Infinite diversity in infinite combinations”. Hey, there’s even a Romulan on board. How’s that for diversity, huh?

Charn: Patronizing and tokenistic. 

Sherlock: Like I said, we just want to talk.

Charn: Everyone fits in and gets along and here you are, miss "Hiding-My-Accent." It slips through on your "o"s. If the Federation is so pure and good, why does a human need to mask her accent? You're policing your own tongue when you should be policing your haircut. You look like you would send back a meal if the waiter made eye contact with you.

He cackled, amused with himself, and ran his fingers over his sparse and greasy scalp, as he lay back in the biobed.

Sherlock: I'd just really like to know more about you and how you came to be in contact with some of our officers and how we can help you.

Reine'X: You mentioned earlier that someone might hurt you…? What do you mean? Who are you talking about?::She paused just for a second, then continued:: You also said that we are no different from… them? Who is “them”? I understand that you are scared… of them… but you don’t have to be. You are on a Federation ship now, and you are quite safe here.

Charn judiciously ignored her words.

Doucet: Charn, I don’t suppose you know if your “buddies” would use any specific kind of drugs on you?

Charn: "Buddies"? Listen I never saw any of them before, except the ones I did. C'mon, drug dealing basics. Even if these were my clients, I wouldn't give them up to people in uniform.

Doucet: Strathmore, did you find that information on the Cullum like I asked?

Strathmore: Yes, Doctor, just reading. One moment.

Sherlock: They're not all awake yet?

Charn sighed to himself on the biobed, registering his discontent as he stared at the unadorned ceiling.

Doucet: There’s four more to wake up. They may or may not be as quiet as the other two for now. Pick one that’s not the Cullum and give them a shot. There should be two doses available in this hypospray, easy.

Charn: Golly, sorry I was too noisy when you pumped me full of adrenaline.

Strathmore: It looks like their metabolisms might process the adrenaline differently so we might have to compensate or use an alternative, but the real difficulty will be piercing the living stone and metal that composes their exterior. But I imagine you already have a solution for that.

Doucet: Oh good. That confirms what I suspected. Adrenaline might not work for him after all. We’ll need to find something different.

Reine’X: We’re going to wake them all up at the same time.

Doucet: Yes, yes, that’s fine. Talk to them after you get them awake. Make sure they know where they’re at.

Another poor sap awoke with a start. Charn couldn't make eye contact with him from where he was, so he propped himself up on his elbows to make sure the man could see him.

Reine'X: You’re on a Federation starship, the Valkyrie. You’re safe:: She looked down at the monitor; all seemed within normal parameters.:: My name is Reine'X. What’s yours? 

Charn: And you're not alone.

Charn spoke up to make sure his tired, raspy voice carried to the other man.

Strathmore: We could try animazine.

Reine'X now turned to the group. 

Reine’X: A safe choice. 

Doucet: If you know any of them, that’d be great. Names, at least? Favorite drugs of choice?

He turned to look at the prying doctor.

Charn: ::scoff:: Hang on let me just pull up my database of all the people I sell illegal substances to. I've got a full dossier on each one. ::He lay back down, throwing his hands up in the air in annoyance:: Pfft. Get real, doc.

Reine'X: If you recall :: she was now looking at the group :: I mentioned earlier that we could synthesize a countermeasure to the Fume; a compound, derived from the Fume, but one that doesn't interact with the brain's reward pathways, and therefore lacks that one terrible side effect: addictiveness… So, a less potent drug.

Strathmore: I can synthesize it if need be.

Sherlock: But only on an as needed basis.

Strathmore: I have a PADD here. Need me to look up anything?

Doucet: Not that I can think of right now, thanks.,

Reine'X: The Fume’s composition, and that of the compound we would derive from it should all be on my PADD. If you need it.:: she said, looking at Strathmore.

Charn: ... Can I go?

Strathmore: Romulans, I know. I can speak Romulan too. Not that we’ll necessarily need that but still.

Sherlock: Speaking it's one thing, talking it is another.

Doucet: Yeah, just help me wake up the rest and we’ll go from there.

Reine'X: The young Caraadian I just woke up,:: she was now looking towards him,:: is ready to talk I believe. One of us should check on him.

Charn: You know for a fancy starship, none of you seem to really know what you're doing. ::mocking:: Maybe someone should check on the guy we just pumped full of adrenaline without knowing his medical history.
Strathmore: I can do that, certainly.

Charn: Oh good, the boy wonder will see to the patients untimely demise.

Sherlock: Okay, ::looking at Strathmore:: Ensign, you and Doctor Doucet, I want the two of you working on waking up those patients.

Doucet: Of course, Commander.

Reine'X: Anything I can do in the meantime, Sir? 

Charn: ::calling to Strathmore:: You'll probably want to check his pulse--that's the thing that'll tell you if his heart is beating.

Strathmore: response

Sherlock: Ensign ::looking at Reine'X:: you and I, we're going to have a chat with ::nodding towards Charn:: Mister Charn.

Reine'X:  Looking forward to it :: she showed a faint, slight smile, knowing there is so much more they can learn from Charn privately.

Charn: And this is the part where you put me through the ringer, eh? What's your style--am I going to leave with a black eye, or are you more the bone-breaking type? 

Sherlock: Doctor Doucet, we're going to use your office.

And with that, he was hoisted from the bed and moved to the little doctor's office. Where all federation types so small? He'd seen humans before, and they were closer to his height.

Doucet: Righty then. Shall we? That animazine is a good idea for the Cullum. I’ll grab some. You get the other two Caraadians and see if they need anything. No more than half a cc each at first. If that doesn’t do it, go up a step. Let me know if they start needing more than that.

((Assistant Chief Medical Officer's office, Deck 5, USS Valkyrie-A ))  

He plopped down in a chair across the desk from the small woman and huffed about it.

Sherlock: Mister Charn, I'm going to cut to the chase. What kind of danger are you in?

Charn: Sounds like this Chase guy is in trouble more than me. Right now I'm mostly in danger of boredom and general grouchiness. They say it might be terminal.

Reine'X: Then how do you explain you, and the other six, being locked in that container we rescued you from…? 

Charn: I think you did just explain it. We were locked in that container, unconscious. You might find this hard to believe, but I don't have any memories of being in the container or how I got put in it... on account of me being unconscious. 

Sherlock: Response

Reine'X: So how exactly do you know those other Caraadians, and ::she emphasized the next words:: the Cullum, who are currently enjoying a little vacation in our Sickbay?

Charn: ::flatly:: I don't. It's a decent sized port city, I don't know everyone that lives there.

Sherlock: Response

Reine'X: I see.. and then?

Charn: And then what. Look, you've seriously ruined my life. When the A--when I was put in a container asleep, clearly they didn't plan to kill me. Otherwise they would've. You know what I'm saying? So now, I have two choices: go back and get killed because they'll assume I talked, or stay here and die a spiritual and personal death. Charn is over, one way or another. You nosy sons-a-bitches ruined all the lives of the people you abducted. You had no idea why we were in that container, but you couldn't leave us alone. You do-gooders are always causing problems. And then you blame us for it.

Sherlock: Response

Reine'X: Is that all, Mister Charn?

Charn: You really won't give up, will you? What's in it for me, huh? You already took my life, aren't you going to at least give me something in return? Something more than concerned hang-wringing. 

Reine'X/Sherlock: Response

Charn: Forgive me, for not being grateful. You think you can protect me, but you don't even know what's going on here. You don't even know who "they" are, or how many ships they have or the emitters or nothing. But you promise my safety, at the low low cost of leaving behind anything and anyone I've ever known. You understand? I'm a person. I have hopes and dreams, feelings and goals. All you see is drug-dealing scum. And I'm not saying I ain't that too, but like any person, I'm complex. And you don't see that. ::He felt the weight of expectation on him. They weren't going to give up.:: Fine. Fine! The Ayalon Concordance. That's who "they" are. And if you're shaking down a guy like me for intel on them, hoo-wee you are in over your heads on this one.

Reine'X/Sherlock: Response

Charn: You promised me a life in the Federation. One I'm none-to-happy about, but I do prefer to keep suckin' air, so I epxect you to get me out of this alive.

Reine'X/Sherlock: Response

-- 
MSNPC Charn
by
Lt Commander Azura Ada
Chief Science Officer
USS Valkyrie-A

Newsies Co-facilitator
PODcast team member
ASDB team member

C239510LD0

(she/her, character)
(she/her, writer)
 
 
“For the wise person looks into space and knows there are no limited dimensions." --Zhuangzi