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Topic: A Collection of Short Stories
Subject: Confessions of a Fallen Angel - The Abbey
She was naught but a child the first time I laid eyes on her. I could scarcely believe that the figure that crouched before could be responsible for the pure mayhem that had been described to me. I glanced at the guards who stood at the doorway, they didn’t look at me though, they looked at the girl, and they shook in their boots. Apparently they believed it.
The cell they had shoved her into was small and dank. Soiled hay clung to the walls and the corners of the room. A window, high up on the wall and barred provided the only light, it was enough though in the late morning to see her well enough. She was crouched over naked, shivering and holding her knees to her chest. Dark curls stuck to her like oily black snakes. I could see part of her back from this angle, and the deep wounds that were etched into her shoulder blades were still bleeding slightly, the sight made me wince some.
I didn’t want to get my robes soiled but I had to get down to her level. So I slowly knelt down on the floor and got a closer look at her face. Her eyes were not yet open, and if it were not for the busted lip and the dirt that was smeared across her features I could have sworn she was one of the statues of the angels that watched over the church above us. Cherubic. And when she opened those eyes and looked upon me for the first time I nearly fell backwards. Her eyes were like solid dark coals set on a sheer white background. They were large and her dark lashes framed them in a beauty that most women simply did not possess. Even at her tender age I felt an uncomfortable stirring inside myself, and I knew now why the guards were shaking. There was something about this girl that should be feared.
“Maria... that is your name isn’t it child? Maria, I am Father Sebastian. A priest. Your priest if you will let me. The cardinal wanted me to speak with you, do you remember meeting him?” I spoke in a soft tone, not wishing to distress her any more then she already was.
A flash of red I was not certain I had actually seen rushed over her eyes at the mention of the cardinal and her lips pulled back to reveal a mouth of pointed teeth, the cherubic visage was no longer so.
“Ah... I see you do remember meeting his Eminence. Well, you shall have to forgive his treatment of you thus far my child. He was not sure how to react towards one such as yourself. Quiet honestly none of us do. I came to talk about what happened Maria. What happened at the abbey... do you remember what happened at the abbey?”
She snarled again showing those teeth. I sighed, I had to get through to her.
“Please, Maria. I know you can speak. I’m not going to hurt you. I’m actually here to help you. I can get things for you, some clothing, some food... would that be alright?”
That was when she looked at me, really looked at me for the first time. Those dark eyes searched into my own, I could tell that she saw more of me than perhaps anyone else ever had, or ever would. She was the one who was naked, but I felt it at that moment. But while she looked into me, I caught a glimpse of her, one of a handful of times I would see her unguarded. What I saw was beautiful, and terrifying. She was a creature not of this world, above it somehow, and yet trapped. In a way I feel in love with her right then. I like to pretend that that feeling was mutual.
Love or not she did seem to soften after searching me. And finally nodded a bit.
“Alright then. I’ll be back in awhile.”
She said nothing as I got up and walked out of the room. As I did I made a brief comment to the guards.
“Don’t touch her...”
They looked at me as if they were afraid, although if they were afraid of her or me I wasn’t sure.
I did not go straight for a dress for her, or to the kitchen for some food. But instead went straight to Cardinal Robert’s chambers.
“What is she? Really?” I demanded as soon as I was granted admission into the room.
Robert sat at his small desk, draped in red velvet. His face was smooth and oiled, hair neatly trimmed, and he smelled of musk. Slowly he turned his eyes, deep velvety brown to go with the gown, towards me and smiled slowly.
“That’s why we brought you in... we were hoping that you knew.”
“Me?” I considered this for a moment, and then shook my head with an exasperated sigh. “I see.”
“Don’t look so... upset about it Father. Have you seen the wings?” he almost sounded excited.
“Wings?” I must have blinked then and looked confused for Robert laughed at me and nodded.
“Yes the wings. Surely you noticed the wounds on her back, we had them removed.” He clapped his hands together twice and from the next room a young monk entered, head bowed.
“Your Eminence...” the boy spoke reverently.
“Show Father Sebastian...” he paused for dramatic effect and I tried not to roll my eyes at the ceiling, “the wings.”
The thought obviously did not please the monk who soured around the mouth some and nodded tensely. Without a word he twitched his head toward the room he had come from to me and scurried back to it.
“Why didn’t anyone tell me about a set of wings?” I stood up and brushed my hands together, they felt much too dry I thought, and looked at Robert.
He just shrugged, and nodded toward the room. “I thought someone had...” and left it at that.
In the next room the monk hovered near a table. A white cloth had been thrown over some objects on the table, and already blossoms of red were blooming on the cloth where the object and it came into close contact. The monk gestured but did not get within two feet of the table. I would have to lift the cloth myself to see what lay under it.
Carefully I lifted one corner and took a quick peek at what lay there. At first it looked like a dead crow. I was about to claim hoax when I pulled the rest of the cloth away and simply stood there, staring down at what was most defiantly not a dead crow.
The two wings, for surely they could be nothing else, lay on the table. Each was folded up as a bird holds its wings when not in flight. The feathers were black as night and shined even after being removed from their body. How they had been removed from the body appeared apparent. Violently. They were matted with blood, feathers were bent and a few stripped down to the shaft. I bent closer looking at the bloody stubs of flesh where they had once been affixed to the poor girl downstairs. The wounds on her back matched them perfectly as far as my mind could remember. I measured out the distance from that nub to the first joint, and then to the next and finally to the tip of the wing. They had to have spread out from wing tip to wing tip nearly six feet.
I can recall pressing my fist to my lips as I took it all in: the black wings, the pointed teeth, those eyes in that lovely face. I was not sure what she was exactly. But my first impression that she did not belong upon this plane of existence was only becoming more and more confirmed.
I dropped the cloth back on the ruined remains and nodded a thank you to the monk before passing back into Robert’s chambers.
“What are your intentions with her?” my voice firm as my eyes.
“I need to know more about her.”
“That isn’t an answer Cardinal.”
“It’s all the answer you are going to get until I learn more.”
“Where did she come from?”
“I need you to find out.”
“Cardinal!” I was loosing my temper quickly. “This girl... or... I don’t even know if I can call her a girl. She’s not like anything I’ve ever read about, let alone seen before. No one knows anything about her? Surely someone must have said something, she had wings!”
Robert pursed his lips a little as I raised my voice. “Father Sebastian... I got a report that something was amiss at one of my Abbey’s. I sent Bishop Regau to find out what was going on. He returns with that girl, for lack of a better term, in a cage. There were no survivors to tell of. Only the village people who had watched the Abbey burn to the ground. They spoke of witchcraft and a giant flying bat. Other than that I know nothing more than you. I brought you here because of who you mentored under. Find out what she is. And when you are done doing that we can discuss what we need to do with her.”
It was my turn to purse my lips together. I wondered if I could trust him, if he really had no real clue as to what she was and how she played a part in the demise of the Abbey or if I was becoming a part of some scheme. Then I wondered what choice I really had in the matter.
“I’ll do my best Your Eminence...”
“I expect nothing less. Is that all?”
I now wonder what would have happened if I had refused this assignment. I did have a choice, despite my thoughts at the time. We always have choices. Our life and inevitably our very souls depend on those choices. Whether the decision to do what the Cardinal asked of me saved me, or damned me, I am still uncertain of. Of course I know I cannot hinge my entire soul upon that one decision. I have been given many choices when it comes to Maria, and every one weighs upon me.
“Can you tell me what happened at the Abbey?”
Now dressed and hunched over a bowl of watery soup she looked more like a normal child somehow. The teeth were even more rounded than pointy I thought, perhaps I had imagined them being fang like before. Just as I must have imagined that flash of red over those coal-like eyes.
She shook her head at me as she spooned a carrot and some broth between her lips. Save for sipping up the soup she had not yet even opened her mouth, let alone spoken. This would take time. Hopefully the Cardinal would allow me that time.
“Okay... you don’t have to tell me. Why don’t we start with something much simpler? Your name is Maria right?”
Me telling her she didn’t have to talk about the Abbey seemed to make her relax some. When I asked her name she nodded and slurped a noodle into her mouth, it splashed a bit as she did, even getting a drop of the broth on my chin. As I moved to wipe it off with my sleeve I caught a hint of a smile on her rose bud lips.
“Well that is a start, Maria. How old are you?”
A question she could not answer with a simple nod or shake of the head, how clever of me.
She caught on too, and bit her lip a little bit, chewing on it. I leaned over then and reached out, touching her chin with the pad of my finger. The first time we touched a shiver ran through my body as if some cold finger had run down my spine and a smell that would come to haunt me filled my nostrils, right then I couldn’t place it, but it caused a surge of conflicted emotions to run through me. But I didn’t pull back, instead I looked into her eyes and spoke quietly.
“I’m not going to hurt you Maria... I promise you that.”
Finally she stopped chewing her lip and let her rose bud lips fall open as a single word was said, “Thirteen.”
A smile spread over my lips as she finally spoke to me. Although that smile did not touch my heart for that was bleeding for her. Thirteen years old and already she was laden with something vile.
Ever so gently I pulled my finger back, though the smell still lingered and still tugged at some distant memory.
“There... see? I didn’t hurt you.”
Nothing else moved except her head, which nodded a little. I was getting somewhere with her I mused to myself.
“So… you are Maria, and you are thirteen years old. I am Sebastian and I am twenty three. That makes me ten years older than you.” I kept the smile on my lips as best as I could, waiting for the moment it would be mirrored somehow in her.
“Can you tell me what happened at the Abbey yet?”
Her delicate eyes fell from mine when I brought it back up. Movement shifted from her head to her shoulders and she shrugged, almost as if it did not matter what happened there and another word dropped from her lips. “Dead.”
I sighed slightly at that. “Yes child… they are all dead. But I would like to know how, and perhaps why. Can you help me with that?”
“I do not know why…”
My heart leapt into my throat as I watched her shake her head. Not only had she finally spoken more than a single word, but she did not know why the people had died in the Abbey, perhaps she was not what Robert thought she was. Perhaps she had been a victim, a spectator even of whatever had happened. I felt a little guilty for taking pleasure in her answer, for certainly she was not, but I could not help how I felt.
“Alright. It’s okay Maria. You don’t have to have all the answers.”
I would almost prefer you didn’t my child… I thought as I reached over and placed her hand in my own.
“How about how they died? Do you know that?”
“Me.” The word seemed smaller than her as she uttered it. My heart fell, not to where it was before but lower down into my bowels and it took my breath with it. I could not fully realize what she said. The cherub who sat before me, barely old enough to be out of her swaddling clothing, said that she was responsible for the deaths at the Abbey, all of them unless I heard her wrong.
This moment hangs in my memory. I see her eyes with tears burning at the corners, her lips pulled into a frown at this admission, the way she trembled. I remember her feeling guilty. It was one of the few times she ever would. I wonder occasionally if I truly saw guilt rise up in her eyes, or if my memory has placed that guilt there by my conscience, or by my wishful thinking. But the moment also stays there, suspended in its brilliance, as one of the last times I was shocked by her confession. She would repeat that word many times throughout her life to me. It has always made my heart fall, but only out of pity now, not shock.
At the time though I was still desperately trying to deny everything. I would give this child innocence even if I had to paint the picture of it myself. Carefully I tried to do this.
“You set the fire then? Was it an accident?” I began to pray that both answers would be ‘yes’. That she would paint her own innocence and not peel away the gentle façade and reveal some horrible monster. But as all my prayers about Maria, it was answered with a twist of irony.
“I did not mean to start a fire…”
I did not let her finish, I was too overwhelmed with joy. My hands left hers and clasped together tightly before my chest. “Oh! Thank the Lord!”
She looked at me with slightly widened eyes as if trying to understand what this man was speaking about. Quickly I took up her hands again and wrapped my fingers around hers, noting how small and thin they were.
“It can be forgiven… accidents can be forgiven my child. Just tell me how it started.”
Her fingers twitched inside of mine and she looked up at me, hope beginning to fill in her features. She truly was lovely beyond anything I could have ever imagined possible. “Forgiven?”
I held her fingers tighter and nodded vehemently. “Yes child, forgiven. All sin can be forgiven. You just have to tell me what happened and it can be absolved.”
At the time I believed every word I said to her. I know that that is the reason she spoke to me, she could tell I was being honest with her. Only now do I doubt that all sins can be washed away. Some I think stain your soul. But I did believe them then, and more than that I wanted to give her forgiveness. I wanted to cleanse her soul of whatever darkened it and free her from her burdens, to bring her closer to God – I still do.
10/30/2009: Well this is a beginning of what I hope will become a much larger work.
2/19/2010: Added a bit more here. Hope to have her first 'confession' in the works soon
Posted on 2009-10-30 at 02:16:19.
Edited on 2010-02-20 at 03:28:07 by Merideth
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Topic: Loaded Dice #27: Happy Halloween 2009
Subject: *grin*
I voted TWICE... once at work and now at home...
Oh yeah doing my part for the home team!
 Hey look... Eol works in a cube! Haha! Wait... )"*($£"(!!! so do I 
And I even lost my fun cubby walls that I can stick stuff in... I have real walls... white boring walls that the boss will yell at me if I put things on... 
And I used to have so much fun removing coworkers fingers, filing the bones down and using them as push pins!
*swats hands* Enough posting for that girl...
At any rate... I voted twice... nananana...
M.
Posted on 2009-10-29 at 23:28:35.
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Topic: Star Trek: No Good Deed Q&A
Subject: Ohhh...
How technologically savvy we are!
Isn't Meri fun when she's in a good mood? lol
*pokes Ion* I'm on the edge of my seat waiting for that breifing! Expecting lots of explosions and graphics and surround sound! Academy Awarding winning performance! 
*pokes DB* I'm nearly on the floor waiting for Rowdy's response... wondering if he'll fall over from shock due to the fact that he is left unmaimed by our favorite little state... then our new vulcan dr. man will have to dig him out of the pile of clothing in his room, curse about the smoke and drag his American clad rear end to the re'organized' sick bay!
In the words of my personal hero:
"I like this ship! You know, It's exciting!"
M.
Posted on 2009-10-29 at 23:24:12.
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Topic: Star Trek: No Good Deed Q&A
Subject: psst...
^
^
hehe... it looks like Olan has a big NOSE....
Oh... wait... *readjust glasses* he said NOES...
nm... 
M.
Posted on 2009-10-29 at 21:20:09.
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Topic: Loaded Dice #27: Happy Halloween 2009
Subject: hehe
Delightful... I voted and everything!!
I want one made up for my tabletop game now!
M.
Posted on 2009-10-29 at 17:21:05.
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Topic: Star Trek: No Good Deed
Subject: Callie needs a break... or a stiff drink...
Stardate: 2368.04.10
Cmdr. Kennedy - Forward Photon Torpedo Launch Bay 0815
“Aye, sair.” Mac hadn’t even turned around as he gave her a wave and his response. They were even.
Kennedy turned her attention back to the engineering feat before her. Carefully she slid the casing closed again and gave herself a slight chiding for allowing herself to get so carried away with it. But with her usual head shake she pulled herself back to her duties.
She tapped her combadge started to talk then sighed and tapped it again to turn it off. Turning toward one of the computer screens in the forward bay she spoke to it instead.
“What is the name of that new Ensign, Sheila?”
=/\=Ensign John Warwick, Sir.=/\=
“Thanks, don’t know what I’d do without you.”
Retapping her combadge she spoke into it now, “Cmdr. Kennedy to Ensign Warwick.”
She liked her still shiny pips and even though it was a bit formal sometimes she preferred to use them even when speaking about herself, and certainly preferred it when those below her used the title.
OOC: Assuming response from tap dance boy.
“Mac in TAC,” a slight pause as she physically winces at how that came out between Rowdy, the cocoa and Mac catching her getting personal with the torpedo’s she isn’t thinking straight today, “Lt. MacTavish in Tactical,” she corrects herself quickly, “would like for that briefing to happen before 10 hundred hours. Can you swing that?”
OOC: Assuming some kind of positive response.
“Good. Go ahead and reserve a room through Operations and then send out a request for all required personnel. Speak with MeCall about who that should go to, she’ll get you a list of who needs to be there.”
Posted on 2009-10-29 at 16:17:43.
Edited on 2009-10-29 at 16:18:48 by Merideth
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Topic: Star Trek: No Good Deed Q&A
Subject: *grin*
Thought you'd enjoy that.
Will probably drive that vulcan insane... both Bob and Callie calling the computer Sheila.
Ohh...
BTW... Callie's appearance. I visualize kind of a Demi Moore look, with the short hair like right after GI Jane. Pretty but a bit on the angular side.
M.
Posted on 2009-10-29 at 14:25:52.
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Topic: Star Trek: No Good Deed
Subject: What?! No death or dismemberment?!
Stardate: 2368.04.10
USS Discovery - Cmdr. Kennedy’s Quarters – 0730
I just hope that those torpedos work like Federation says they will. If we get into a situation where we need them and we end up spraying a bird of prey with cocoa instead of 16 levels of whoop *** I’m going to kill someone.
Kennedy shoved up from her chair, setting down the coffee only half drunk. She was about to exchange the red boxers with the skull and crossbones stitched onto the backside of them and the black ‘A’ cut tanktop for her uniform when the combadge on her dresser buzzed.
"Royal to Commander Kennedy." A thick honeyed Texan accent rolling out of it.
Kennedy paused, furrowed her brow and walked over to the dresser.
It isn’t even 0800 yet, and we are in space dock. What on earth could our helmsman possibly need from me? She had just started to contemplate the absurdity of that phrase ‘what on earth’ when Royal’s voice once more called out to her and she furrowed her brow when she realized she had been too busy thinking about what he could need to actually answer him properly.
"Well hello Miss Frisco Bay, how are you this morning?" No doubt that as the com link opens the heavy pounding of drums and guitar’s filters through to his room.
At that though she opened her mouth to vomit back a reprimand when he cut her short. The color rising in her cheeks as he did.
"Rowdy here, jus’ wanted to let you know how grateful I am to be enjoyin one’a my faithful American Spirits out on the USS. Disocovery. Me and my little soldiers-”
Soldiers? What on earth!? She ran her hand through her short hair as that same absurd phrase rang in her head and she tried to figure out what Rowdy was talking about.
“- would be estranged if it weren't for you Commander and I truly can't thank you enough for showing me how to sneak in a little secret time with those boys.”
Boys… soldiers, sneaking in time, does he have a boyfriend? And what does that have to do with me? And then it struck her, last week, one too many whiskey’s in the lounge… His damned smokes… there truly is something loose in that boy’s head! She sighed
“Don't mean to be tying you up but I thought you might want a mental picture’a me and me little lads suckin’ face all night long.”
And for a moment she did just that, seeing the Texan’s rugged features in the dim cabin light, surrounded by smoke, in a pair of clean white boxers… she shook her head. Bloody Texans!
“That said, if there's anythin you want in return just pass it down the grapevine sweetheart." And she could hear the grin in his every word. Before he terminated the discussion, Clint couldn’t help but add a serious addendum, the reason he had truly made contact, "I mean that Commander. I'm truly grateful and if there’s anythin’ I can do you for, you got an ace up your sleeve or, as I like to say, a rowdy little Texan on your main bridge."
“You just make sure you don’t run my ship into anything out there in space you hear me cowboy? That and don’t get caught with any of those ‘soldiers’ of yours… I don’t know anything about if you do, got it? And for the love of St. Peter! Stop calling me Frisco Bay!” She paused a moment, then her tone softened a bit “That all Lt?”
OOC: Assuming he says yes, but will edit if necessary if he adds more.
“Alright then. I’ve got to get to work then.” And cuts off communication.
Out of the corner of her eye she catches the visual screen she has set up in her room. It is essentially an electronic photo album. The pictures change every few minutes into a collage of her life. Three photos grace the screen right now, one of which she focuses on.
A younger version of herself, her hair long and dotted with braids that have been dyed purple, standing in her favorite leather jacket outside of a concert hall. The lights blurred in the camera lens displayed the name of some band she couldn’t remember. But she did remember the boy who stood beside her, wrapping his arm around her shoulder with a grin. The boy with the sandy blonde hair, piercing blue eyes, and prep school clothing. Jason.
“Sheila… turn off vis screen…” She called out, using Bob’s pet name for the computer, a habit she had picked up.
=/\= Yes Commander =/\= Sheila responded and the screen went blank.
Kennedy went back to preparing for her day.
Posted on 2009-10-29 at 13:53:34.
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Topic: Star Trek: No Good Deed Q&A
Subject: Duuuudddde....
Oh yes... almost forgot Bob! How could I forget Bob. He's hilarious.
I imagine those two actually get along great. Kennedy-dude is probably what she agreed he could call her.
He'll be present at the Mark VI breifing no doubt...
M.
Posted on 2009-10-29 at 13:10:38.
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Topic: Star Trek: No Good Deed Q&A
Subject: What did she say?
About giving permission for Mac to shoot some space trash? Well looky here... there's some on the bridge! 
JK loved the post DB, especially the bit about his all-american briefs... lol...
Working up our dear Western State's response now.
That means I've got two posts to work up, one for DB, one for Ion... and I know Eol will keep throwing **** my way too... I feel so popular 
M.
Posted on 2009-10-29 at 12:55:38.
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Topic: Star Trek: No Good Deed Q&A
Subject: Ion
Timing... I will be addressing that soon. He'll likely be getting a little combadge message from his lovely commander
As for the report itself. I know you have big grand things planned for that
I think the usual way is for you to go ahead and work up your whole report and then we'll ask questions... back post as needed, perhaps like you said with PM's and what not before a final draft is completed, if it is necessary. I personally imagine that the report will go over without too many questions until afterwards... when Callie tries to decide if she should string him up by the laces on his toe shoes or not
That is of course unless Eol or t_catt has a differing opinion... always graciously cave to your elders wishes I always say  you both!
M.
Posted on 2009-10-29 at 02:54:01.
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Topic: Star Trek: No Good Deed
Subject: Trigger Happy? Mac?
Stardate: 2368.04.10
Cmdr. Kennedy - Forward Photon Torpedo Launch Bay 0810
“Aye,” Mac smirked, a fairly mirthful spark in his eye as he approached, “unless we’d be int’ruptin’ er sommat. Lt Mueller an’ meself c’n come back en a wee bit ef th’ two of ye’d like tae be alone.”
Kennedy’s fingers twitch over the circuits, desperately wanting to flash one of them in particular at him, but she’s in her pretty gold and black and so instead she clenches her hand and throws him a grin. “Nah… I got a bottle of champagne cooling in my quarters that I’m gonna bring back later tonight when I won’t have to worry about you interrupting. Just don’t paw at her… got it?”
The CTO almost allowed a chuckle to escape as he came to a stop next to his old Academy friend and joined her in surveying the components inside the casing of the Type 6.
He isn’t the only one. The other two golden boys in the room glance at each other, smirk and then tighten their mouths before turning away and trying to get back to work without anyone taking notice of them.
“Fer th’ luv o’ heather an’ haggis,” he nodded as his gaze swept from the sustainer engine modules installed at the rear of the casing and tracked each components connection to the guidance processors and detonator modules just forward of the cryogenically stabilized reactants of the warhead, “tha’s a theng o’ beauty.
We’ve received a full loadout o’ these, aye?”
“Yeah. We’re replacing every single warhead, hopefully I can get it all done before we are due to head out. You run into Warsong…” she pauses, “Warhammer… War… War-something-or-other on the way out? My new Ensign…” She rolls her eyes a moment. “I’ve tasked him with doing our briefing.”
And then as an afterthought, “Oh… and for the record… I’d prefer it if your trigger happy little fingers were busy keeping us out of danger instead of having to use one of these. I know you got some built up tension right now, but don’t let my ship get hurt because you miss kissing your little bonny lass… got me? If you’re good maybe I’ll talk the captain into letting you fire one at some space trash.”
Don’t make fun of me and my torpedo, I know where to hit back Jack… she thought to herself as she flashes him a grin.
Posted on 2009-10-28 at 16:54:05.
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Topic: Star Trek: No Good Deed
Subject: Getting to know you...
Stardate: 2368.04.10
Cmdr. Kennedy - Forward Photon Torpedo Launch Bay 0810
Kennedy watched as Warwick spun around and headed out. She thought she noticed a slight skip in his step as he went, but she pretended not to even notice that he left.
Don’t be killllllllling my tiiiimme! a voice screamed into her ear piece and then was concluded by the sharp clash of cymbals.
Her fingers moved toward the button that would increase the volume and drown out everything else in the world while she inspected the new circuitry of these lovely torpedo’s when a beep from her combadge stopped her.
The expletive that reached her mind just barely touched her lips as Mac’s voice spoke out.
“MacTavish ta Cmdr Kennedy, I’d like ta ‘ave a gander a’ th’ new torpedoes ere we schedule a briefin’. I’m enroute ta forward bay one ef ye’d care ta meet me there.”
She tapped the gold Fleet symbol on her breast, “Already there and opening up one to get a nice good look…”
A few passes over the control panel on the top of the torpedo casing and it fully disarmed itself.
Safety before all else girl… that way you’ll live to tell someone about what you discovered. Her father’s voice said to her and she could see his big grin under that graying mustache.
Automatically she began to slide the now disengaged casing off the inner workings of the torpedo, but her mind was not fully on it. She was thinking of her father.
Wish your safety had meant more visits to the physician there Pops. Maybe you would have been around for me to tell you about everything I’ve been discovering.
She shook her head for a moment, flipped up the volume on her ear piece and started to dig into the torpedo. It was how she liked to work, alone with the machine she was trying to figure out. One of her faults as a commanding officer was her inability to really teach others what she knew. But she at least recognized this trait and found those under her who had that touch and relied on them to teach their fellow workers.
One of her great skills, though, was knowing every part of this ship. She had worked on a Galaxy Class Starship since she got out of the academy and she had made sure that there was not a bolt or a wire that she was unfamiliar with. With the grace of a lover she now traced over this new technology with her thin fingers. Memorizing the lines of wires, the types of circuit boards, seeing in her mind how the power would incite them all into action. A series of electrical pulses that would drive this weapon, triggers set off along the way until the final conclusion of the act, a spectacular (and destructive) explosion.
She didn’t notice Mac enter the Forward Torpedo bay as she held her breath for a moment and smiled.
“Cmdr Kennedy?”
His voice brought up her head and as the Scot looked at her with a spark of amusement in his eyes she fumbled for half a second, color starting to rise in her pale cheeks but she quickly cleared her throat and beckoned him over.
“Mac… well as I said got her open. Want to take a look?”
Posted on 2009-10-28 at 14:45:00.
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Topic: Star Trek: No Good Deed Q&A
Subject: Dolphins!
Ohhh... pretty... do they like rock n' roll music? Should we find out?
Hmmm... having a fun image in my head of Callie sitting in the dolphin lounge playing her guitar to the dolphins... awww...
God I need to go to sleep.
Working on post in response to Mac coming up (down?) to the forward torpedo bay. Maybe up tomorrow... I'm too twitchy to finish it right now.
Asylum indeed!
M.
Posted on 2009-10-28 at 01:36:56.
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Topic: RDI Stats 2009
Subject: ohhhh...
Well with the writing ability we have around here I am sure we can manage that.
M.
"Welcome ---
Thought we would go over a few rules with you:
1. Don't Feed the Grugg - especially after midnight
2. Post post post
3. Don't cry when we kill off your characters
Thanks and have a nice day,
Olan"
Posted on 2009-10-28 at 00:58:12.
Edited on 2009-10-28 at 01:01:26 by Merideth
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Topic: RDI Stats 2009
Subject: Lightbulbs.... didn't I say they were on?
Okay... second thought and maybe a third...
It's been so long since I joined up here... do we send a PM to newbies when they get register? If not we should consider something, even a good old form letter welcoming them and such.
Also... concerning newbie registration... perhaps when they register they could automatically be sent to the page where they are supposed to create a new thread on the comings and goings site and a note recommending they go ahead and make a thread to say hello to everyone?
M.
Posted on 2009-10-28 at 00:38:45.
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Topic: RDI Stats 2009
Subject: I have lots of lightbulbs...
Just wait my dear Gruggles... lightbulbs are flashing...
But... here is your tiara
*hug*
M.
Posted on 2009-10-27 at 20:59:12.
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Topic: RDI Stats 2009
Subject: Correction
No not EVERY game getting one... something that would change out every now and then, highlighting one game at a time... giving a good sample of the kind of writing we do around here to potential new people.
Something that they wouldn't have to search for, click on a link to find... something that would just -be- there for them.
If I have to search for something too hard on a new website I give up.
And short names are great... but mainly for members.
You know how long it took me to figure out what those colored circles on the top five threads meant? lol... maybe I'm slow but...
Just brainstorming ways to make the site more exciting to new people...
Honestly... I got addicted to this site only after registering on like 10 others of a similar grain, I was actively looking for a site with rp stuff and only stayed because of the members. People were really nice and actually responded to me unlike alot of the sites. I liked the forum aspect compared to live chat rp... and I learned how to get around the site. I know there is still stuff I'm missing out on...
If we really want new members I think it comes down to thinking outside the box some and rearranging/redesigning/rethinking some things...
Am I rambling?
M.
Posted on 2009-10-27 at 20:07:37.
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Topic: RDI Stats 2009
Subject: *Lightbulb*
Well...
In all honesty... to get to the games from the main page it takes several clicks and then you still have to bounce around to three or four pages to get all the background information needed for a game... and I'd imagine most people new to the site aren't that adventurous.
Which for a large project perhaps some of the layout of the page should be reconsidered... but... for more of a short term project...
What about game 'highlights' on the main page? An edited example of some of our writing, give people an easy example of what we have to offer. Plus it might be a cool way to make us all have warm fuzzy feelings about our own games... I'd suggest getting a whole scene in with the writing of several members, edit it into a little story that could be read easily and get people's attention.
Maybe even have a recruitment 'teaser' on the main page for upcoming games... but again I'd personally stress the writing aspect of that... no 'I'm running a 4e game...' but 'In the highlands of Audaulis a dark demon is threatening the farmers... -want to learn more?-' (wow I just combined that thread where we make up adventure plots and StarShip Troopers)
Well there is my two cents worth.
M.
Posted on 2009-10-27 at 14:46:00.
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Topic: RDI Stats 2009
Subject: Fun...
Had no idea there were so many people who ran into this site
It's very exciting to see how much those numbers have gone up in only a year.
M.
Posted on 2009-10-27 at 14:11:29.
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Topic: Is it just me or does the comings and goings section have a stupdendous number of threads?
Subject: Sibby!
Well don't get lost in the pile of paper... we will miss you greatly and will lots and lots until we are certain you have escaped relativly paper cut free from all those essays.
M.
Posted on 2009-10-27 at 02:10:03.
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Topic: RDINN Feature Updates/ Suggestions/ Bugs
Subject: *sniff*
You guys are going to make me get all sentimental and start crying!
you all!!
M.
Posted on 2009-10-26 at 15:08:52.
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Topic: Star Trek: No Good Deed Q&A
Subject: :)
Thank you Olan!
M.
Posted on 2009-10-26 at 14:39:48.
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Topic: Star Trek: No Good Deed
Subject: Fresh Fish...
Stardate: 2368.04.10
Cmdr. Kennedy - Forward Photon Torpedo Launch Bay 0807
The computer had no doubt told Ensign Warwick that Cmdr. Kennedy was currently on Deck 25. When he arrives there he will find her overseeing those pretty new torpedo’s into their homes. Two other boys in gold are working under her. She is bent over one of the torpedo’s her lips moving along with a song he can’t hear, her fingers moving over the panel on the top of it.
When he speaks she looks up, those sharp hazel eyes falling on the freshly pressed image of Ensign Warwick.
“Ensign Warwick reporting for duty sir.” John said as he came to Starfleet’s version of attention.
Dear Lord what have I gotten myself into with this one?
Slowly she stood up, much slower than necessary, leaving the poor boy at attention the whole time. MeCall had mentioned that there would someone new beaming on. She scoured her memory for the information MeCall had sent her on the boy. Then nodded.
“As you were Ensign.” She put her hands on the torpedo and looked over the surface at Warwick.
“Well then, have you gotten settled yet?”
OOC: Assuming he responds positively.
“Good. I assume that since you are reporting for duty that means your rested and ready to actually do some work?”
OOC: Assuming he again responds positively.
“Alright. Well let’s get a few things straight first. Everything that happens to this ship is our business. I’m not here to babysit you. I expect my team to know their jobs and to do them well the first time. If something isn’t done right it puts the rest of the crew in danger. That being said, if you don’t know what you are doing, ask. Ignorance is not an excuse for poor performance. I won’t chew you out for asking, I’ll chew you out for messing something up when you didn’t ask. You do your job and we won’t have any problems. Got it?”
OOC: Waits for response before going on.
“I hear your main focus is warp drives. Currently however we are in dock so there isn’t much use for them. You know anything about these?” She runs her hand almost in a caress down the case of the torpedo.”
OOC: Another pause for his response.
“Alright, well first thing I’d like you to do is come up with a quick briefing about them for Engineering and Tactical. Nothing lengthy or too technical, just the nuts and bolts about how they work and what we are going to benefit from these babies. After that…” She grins brightly, “there is something I’ll need you to look into. How are your taste buds?”
Without waiting for his confused response she moves on, “There seems to be an issue with the replicator. See Chief MeCall for more information, and anything else you need.”
“If there is nothing else… you’re dismissed.”
Posted on 2009-10-25 at 00:50:00.
Edited on 2009-10-26 at 20:51:31 by Merideth
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Topic: Newcomer
Subject: Yay!
Another lovely new face around here.
Lots of welcomes to you.
Sounds like you will find lots of others with alike interests here.
Check out the recruitment section for information on upcoming games, and if you run into a current game thread that looks interesting it can't hurt to send the person(s) running it a PM.
Hope you like it and feel free to ask any of us questions.
Welcome welcome!
M.
Posted on 2009-10-24 at 23:37:16.
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