...I got that, boss. Tochi understood the sentiment just as intended. To that end, I definitely foresee Ens Garner having some mandatory sim time in his future. Tochi probably will be a tad "easier" on him than Drake was, considering the boy is about as green as they get having just graduated and all, but, that's what the XO's for, right?

...do note, though, that Tochi did not materialize on the bridge in the tiara and ballgown I threatened previously.

Also; some notes:

1) Breebles - obviously, this post means that Melody is aware of Tochi's recent sleeplessness. Feel free to approach that (or not) as you see fit

2) Crowe - I get the feeling that this whole scenario sets up some neat RP opportunities for Garner and the rest of the Flight Control Department. Utilize any of the NPCs there to get that ball rolling, or, if you like, get in touch with me and I'll happily play out a collab alongside you, if you like... this may even lead into some progress being made on the completion of the Aurora Angel to some extent... at least as far as getting it rigged for use as a simulator or some such.

3) Brom - after that dream and given the fact that Tochi and Asovil haven't spent very much time together lately, I'd expect an invitation to breakfast following the end of Gamma. Run with that as you will.

...one lengthy and perhaps surreal post from Ol' Spot. Make of it what you will.

Stardate 2365.02.20
U.S.S. Peregrine; Deck 2 - XOs Quarters – 1930

It had been days, possibly weeks, since sleep had come easily for Tochi Zai. Between Silas’ arrest and court-martial, the added workload resultant of his having to assume command of the Peregrine, and, now, the apparently cascading issues affecting the ship’s computer, it had been difficult even to find the time to sleep. Even when he did manage to carve time out of his schedule to get more than the occasional catnap, the Trill’s mind had difficulty quieting itself enough for those brief periods of downtime to be truly restful. Aside from the occasional bourbon at the Aerie or a mug or two of mead while playing cards with Eric, Tochi never sought out any chemical means of relaxation but, given that his lack of sleep had begun to compromise his focus and thought processes, the Peregrine’s XO had visited Sick Bay following his last shift and, following a brief consultation with Dr Reine, had been prescribed a low-dose of anesthizine.

Upon returning to his quarters, the Trill had stripped out his uniform, showered, and settled onto the sofa in his living area with a drink and his mandolin. He had, at one point, considered inviting Asovil to dinner – it felt as if it had been days since the two of them had seen each other aside from across the bridge or briefing room – but knowing that she had been as busy as he, of late, and intently focused on her work, Tochi decided that such an interlude might be better postponed for another, less hectic time. Instead, he dimmed the lights, nursed his bourbon, and eventually found himself plucking out the chords to Blue on the Bay. He smiled as the tune evoked a reminiscence of the time when Dirven wrote the song about an Andorian woman he'd met on Risa. That smile softened and warmed as Dirven’s memories overlapped with Tochi’s and the images of Talla morphed into Asovil… clad in that shimmering, silver bathing suit that so perfectly complimented the blue of her skin… her toes absently tracing shy circles in the white sands of the beach on Temtibi Bay…

So, lovely, Dirven’s voice purred from somewhere behind the music and memories.

She really is, Kasru agreed, Odd that you would picture her on Risa, though. Andorians do prefer colder climes.

Their emotions are colder than their preferred climate, Odia groused. The gravelly grumbling prompted a misplucked not that interrupted the flow of the melody. What is it with you boys and your weakness for Andorian women, anyway? Is it the antennae? Do you grab on to ‘em when you’re…

Shush, old man, Isri’s wizened voice interjected as Tochi struggled to reclaim the fractured chord, We all studied and took to the stars for more than just the stars’ sake, didn’t we? You had a fling with a Barzan woman, yourself didn’t you? And an Eska, if we’re not mistaken…

But I married a Trill in the end, Odia sputtered in retort, and…

“Quiet!” Tochi snapped, setting the mandolin aside in frustration as both melody and memory escaped him. “All of you! Please!”

He pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes, then, until the cacophony of his past lives quieted. Sighing in exhaustion, his hands moved from his eyes to his temples and massaged the spots that dappled the skin, there. For a long moment, he simply sat there, elbows on knees, head cradled in his hands, staring at the carpeting between his bare feet. “We need sleep,” he murmured through a yawn as he forced himself to his feet. “A good eight hours of peaceful, uninterrupted sleep.”

Leaving the mandolin where he’d discarded it on the sofa, Tochi took up his glass, drained the remains of the bourbon from it as he padded toward the bedroom, and returned the empty tumbler to the replicator alcove as he passed. Situating himself on the edge of the bed, he yawned, again, and forced himself to lay back. “Computer,” he called, “lights off…”

The computer chirped in response and the room went dark.

“…Dispense anesthizine prescription; authorization code Zeta Tau 005.” On the far wall, a light flickered on the environmental control panel, and a soft hiss whispered through the room as the medicine was dispersed…

=/=Anesthizine dispensed; point zero five parts per million,=/= the computer confirmed =/=Would you care for some music, Commander?=/=

…Already succumbing to the sleep inducing agent, Tochi yawned once more, nodded, and mumbled; “Blue on the Bay by Dirven Zai; Instrumental version.” He was asleep before the first bar had played…

Stardate 2251.06.26
The Beach at Temtibi Bay; Risa – 2045

…He hadn’t been planning a concert for such a large crowd when he had arrived at the beach. In fact, when he’d left his room, mandolin in hand, he was hoping for something far more intimate – just the Andorian woman whom had inspired the new song he had completed, truth be told. As it turned out, though, the beach was a bit more crowded than he had expected. Sea turtles were supposed to coming into the bay and onto the beach to lay their eggs around moonrise and, as such, the resort staff had arranged an impromptu watch party for the guests who had gathered to watch the spectacle. So, when the staff saw him show up with his mandolin in hand, they naturally assumed that he’d come to entertain all of the guests as opposed to just the one. He gave thought to refusing the staff’s request, of course, as he hadn’t truly prepared for such an event but, given that his true hope was to impress the lovely Andorian, he gave in to the coaxing and put together a set that he intended to end with the song that he’d written about her.

He began the impromptu concert with some of the more well-known tunes from his catalog, of course, and, being the showman that he was, the farther he got through his set, the more people were drawn from other parts of the beach to enjoy the show. As the crowd grew, he had strolled out onto the arcing trunk of a Sakanar palm that leaned over the beach, utilizing it as a makeshift stage so that he could better see his audience and vice versa. Half a dozen songs later and just minutes before the moon was set to rise above the waters of the bay, he found her face in the crowd…

“Thank you,” he smiled, waving down the crowd’s applause for his rendition of ‘Tenaran Ice’, “Thank you. You’ve been a wonderful audience.” He padded out a bit farther on the palms trunk and turned his gaze to the waves lapping at the beach. “The turtles will be coming into the bay soon, I think,” he announced, his eyes panning back over his gathered audience, “and I know that most of you came here, tonight, for them and not me. If you good people don’t mind, though, I’d like to play you one last song…” He lowered himself into a seated position on the Sakanar, shifted his weight, readied the mandolin, and locked his gaze onto the one set of sapphire eyes amongst the throng that truly mattered to him in the moment. “…I was inspired to write this, on this very beach, just yesterday, ladies and gentlemen, by a glimpse of beauty so magical and pure that it spoke to my very heart and soul. I call it ‘Blue on the Bay’, and I humbly dedicate it to Asovil Sh’iraolnas.”

He strummed out the first few chords, then, pleased that the lapping waves offered such a perfect accompaniment to the building melody. His audience seemed to approve, as well, and he smiled brightly at their reaction to the tunes opening. As he opened his mouth to sing, though, he made the mistake of shifting his weight, again, misjudging his position on the Sakanar’s trunk, and found himself, rather gracelessly slipping from his perch. Then, the slip turned into a fall, his trunks catching on a jutting knuckle of the palm, and ripping as gravity claimed him… “Whoa! Frill!” he exclaimed as he realized he was about to land face down on the white sands…

Stardate 2365.02.21
U.S.S. Peregrine; Deck 2 - XOs Quarters – 0352

“Frill!”

Thud!

Tochi was confused when he found himself with a face full of carpeting as opposed to sand. Even more so when the sounds of lapping waves and the gasps and giggles of his audience distorted into an ear jarring red alert klaxon. “Wha…” he pushed himself up onto hands and knees, blinking against the haze in his vision and trying to reconcile the dream against reality. His bleary gaze swept over his surroundings and registered that he was on the floor of his quarters, “…did we just fall out of the frilling bed?!”

Whoooop! Whooop! Whoop!

The wailing of the alarm and the pulsing red of the ambient lighting in the room, jarred him fully into wakefulness and, a little less so, out of the confusion at finding himself on the floor. He scrambled to his feet, then, and made a dash to his closet… “Computer,” he called, hurriedly puling on his trousers and boots, “Situation report!”

=/=The Peregrine is under attack, =/= the ever calm voice of the computer responded, as LCDR Zai grabbed his jacket and sprinted for the hatch, =/=Three vessels of unknown configuration; likely Bindi pirates. Warp drive off line. Shields at 37 percent… 33 percent…=/=

“Acknowledged,” the Trill XO returned, curtailing that initial report as he raced down the corridor toward the turbolift, “Who’s on the bridge?”

=/=Ensign Garner currently has the CONN.=/=

Frill! That kid is fresh out of the Academy… He skidded to a stop in front of the turbo lift door, finally shrugged into his jacket, and scowled anxiously when the lift refused to open right away.

“Come on!” he spat, veritably smacking the console mounted next to the lift, “Come on!!!”

=/=Turbolifts are currently inoperable, Commander,=/= the computer informed him, evoking another string of curses from the XO as he fought against the anesthizine haze that still muddled his thoughts.

He turned and quickly scanned the corridor, trying to determine how exactly he was going to get to the bridge. His gaze settled on a nearby access hatch to the Jeffries Tube and, even as he moved toward it, his scowl etched itself deeper into his face… This is going to take far too long, he thought, even as he wrenched the hatch open… Then, it occurred to him… “Computer; status of Transporter systems?”

=/=Transporters are functional.=/=

“Good.” He tapped his comm-badge then. “Lt Commander Zai to any available Transporter tech on Deck 3. Acknowledge!”

=/=Petty Officer Bardan, here, sir,=/= came an almost instantaneous reply.

Thank the Ancestors! Tochi sighed. “Bardan,” he returned, “I need you to get to the nearest transporter room, right away. Set us up for a point-to-point from my location to the bridge!”

=/=Aye, sir! On my way!=/=

Zai paced a tight circle, muttering anxiously under his breath, as the seconds that passed felt more like long minutes. Finally, though…

=/=Commander Zai,=/= Bardan’s voice issued over comms, =/=I’m in Transporter Room One. Locked on to your location and prepped for a point-to-point to the Bridge at your command.=/=

…Tochi stopped pacing, nodded, and braced himself for the pending discomfort of transport. “Energize…”

 USS Peregrine, Bridge – 0411

…An instant later, Zai materialized on the bridge, his jacket still open and his eyes blinking rapidly against the combination of the transport process and the lingering effects of the sedative he had taken earlier. He found it strange, though, that the klaxons had stopped and that the bridge wasn’t awash in the throbbing, crimson light of a Red Alert.

What in all the stars??? Are we still dreaming? Tochi rubbed at his eyes, then, let them sweep over the various bridge stations, taking account of who was on post… He very nearly smiled and blushed when he saw Asovil at Sci-1 but managed to suppress both reactions when he saw a displeased Captain Drake addressing a somewhat confused Ensign Garner…

“This was perhaps not the most fair of tests,” Silas was saying by way of rebuking the young ensign, “The last time that I checked, however, our enemies have little intention of concerning themselves over concepts such as fairness.  While I am aware that you are new to these sorts of responsibilities, the fact is that you do have them, and you must be capable of handling them.”

Lt Commander Zai had managed to fasten his jacket, at this point, and, while keeping an ear on the dressing down, made his way to the XOs console where he queued up a report query on the “pirate attack” that he had now come to understand had been a simulation.

“My regards to Commander Zai,” Silas continued as Tochi cycled past the report query and brought up a curriculum of possible training simulations, “and will he please ensure that you spend plenty of time in the holosuites on an appropriate range of simulations to help further your education.”

“Of course, Captain,” Tochi called over his shoulder, “Our apologies for not having done so, already.”

“Ah… and please, Mister Garner,” the Captain concluded, “come and see me in my Ready Room at oh eight thirty.”

((OOC: Garner’s reply to Drake, here.))

Commander Zai stood, hands clasped behind his back, and watched as Captain Drake ordered the Peregrine back on course before, with evidence of no small amount of exasperation on his face, taking his leave of the bridge. Tochi offered nothing more than a short nod as Silas passed by and disappeared into the now functioning turbolift. As the door whooshed closed behind the Captain, Zai offered a slow shake of his head to no one in particular.

“Well,” the Trill sighed as he strode toward the Command Chair and Ens Garner, “that was… exhilarating.” He drew to a stop beside Garner and, resting a cool hand on the sandy-haired ensign’s shoulder, said; “It seems you’ve had enough excitement for one shift, Bradley. Why don’t you go get a cup of coffee? We’ll handle the rest of Gamma watch for you.”

((OOC: Assuming an acknowledgement of some sort.))

“Very well, Ensign,” Tochi nodded as Garner prepared to take his leave, “and remember; the art of victory is learned in defeat, yes? We look forward to your report on this matter.”

As a somewhat hang-dog version of Ensign Bradley Garner ambled off the Peregrin’s bridge, Tochi stifled a sigh and settled himself into the Big Chair. “Mr Zhang,” he called to the Petty Officer manning the helm, “Resume our course to the Trevil system, if you please. Warp five.”

“Aye, sir,” PO2 Zhang confirmed, “Bringing us about.”

“Mr T’Darin,” Tochi called to the Rigelian manning TAC, “Compile a tactical analysis of the simulation for us, if you would, and send it to my terminal.”

“Aye, Commander.”

“Mr Brok,” Zai addressed OPS, now, “a damage and casualty report, from you, please.”

“Of course, Commander Zai.”

“Thank you,” the Trill returned, essentially addressing the entirety of the bridge crew. He eased himself back into the chair, then, and watched the flow of the starscape on the viewscreen as PO Zhang brought the Peregrine back to her original heading, and sighed softly as those same stars expanded into brilliant steaks of light when they jumped to warp.

Only once they were underway, again, did the Trill dare turn his eyes to Asovil and, when he did, he found it very difficult not to imagine her the way he’d last seen her in his dream… and impossible not to keep the smile that the thought evoked from playing on his lips. “Good morning, Lieutenant,” he said when her gaze, at last met his, “We thought you were supposed to be off, today…”

Noted.

Being out of the loop on the drill will probably work better for the post I've got going, anyway. 

Interesting choice, there, Blackthorn but it does make sense, I suppose.

Given the Kazari's strength, he'd likely have an easier time carrying Kith back toward the camp and it would give the party a fighter-type at the "rear" on the off chance that we'vve got rotters coming at us from that direction. Soooo, Ch'dau will comply with Khan Aranwen's orders (albeit perhaps not "happily" as he's still hoping for some blood).

I'll try and get a post put together in that regard but, if Olan is looking to get something tacked up before I can do so, just wanted to acknowledge that, yes, the Silver Cat will take over the returning of Kith to camp.

Got a post to finish up for Trek but I'll see what I can do of breathing some life back into Thren afterward.

...just been a while and, possibly, the idea that this might be a drill escaped me once I'd caught up.

Anyhoo, I'm going to assume that Silas would have at least clued his XO in regarding this drill?

I think I got whiplash!

Gotta adjust my post, now, but no worries.

...is Ch'dau the huge pillow in this scenario?

Bring on the bloodbath!!!  

Work snatched at most of my attentions today, so I didn't get quite as far as I'd hoped I would. About halfway through with a post for Tochi, now, though. Gonna take the wife out for some sustenance and, maybe a stroll by the river or something, just to get out of the house for a bit. I'll get back to posting later this evening.

*...FAAAAAAAACELIIIIIIIIIIICK!!!*

Work inundated me, today. Didn't get a chance to start a post but am hoping to get to it shortly... but, first, food!

SOooooooooo good to have you back in action, Raven!!! Great post, my friend.

Sweet!!! I can't wait for the exposition! Assuming I live to hear it.

...busy morning on the work front.

Have a post started but may not have it ready until later today.

Welcome back, Crowe! Fantastic post! I'll have something for Tochi in the morning.

"Gib and Ch'dau, you lead the way,” the Syl bladesinger ordered, mercifully not wasting any time in her decision, “Stay together but move quickly to find her." Looking toward Cedric and Midge, the Sylvari continued "You two follow them as fast as you can. I'll be right behind you, keeping rear guard." 

"Cedric,” Gib queried even as he and the Silver Cat strode for the wood ahead, “will Solanis bless us with light?"

"Ye... yes,” the young cleric stammered, “of course!" A prayer from the young human brought a blaze of light forth from his staff and that alone was nearly enough to send Ch’dau storming ahead.

To his credit, though, the kazari kept stride with Moreno, knowing somewhere deep down that arriving alone would likely prove fruitless for both he and Kith in the end. The troupe moved quickly – though, at the same time, it felt as if they slogged through chest deep swamp-waters – and, soon enough, another feminine scream rended the night…

“We are close,” the cidal mage hissed beneath the eldritch light.

…No sooner had Midge uttered the words than the party emerged into a small clearing, and the sight that awaited them tore at the kazari’s heart and brain with wanton brutality. Kithran, face down in the dirt, her trousers tugged down past her knees, at the mercy of two of the giggling monstrosities; one squirming upon her back and the other looming over them in a ogling posture.

No… the big cat growled internally, though only a hateful snarl escaped his throat at the sight… NOOOOOO!!!! That last expressed itself as a roar of mindless rage and a burst of savage speed as Ch’dau launched himself forward, the others unable or unwilling to quell the cat-man’s fury.

He ignored the lurker, of course, and snatched the fetid creature from Kithran’s back. The thing had scarcely the time to squeak it’s surprise before Ch’dau had it smashed into the trunk of a nearby tree, pinned securely with a single blade through it’s rotting heart, and, with claw, fang, and animalistic fury, was rending the thing into sloppy ribbons of dripping gore, insuring that it would never desecrate another inch of anything. Before the impaled giggler had even stopped twitching, the enraged kazari, blood and flesh dripping from tooth and claw, turned on the other, ready to deliver the same judgement he had just wrought on the meat hanging from the tree. Between Gib and Aranwen, though, the second giggler had suffered a similar (if more merciful) fate…

Cedric, it seemed, had ignored any possible threats and, by the time Ch’dau had turned, was already kneeling by Kithran’s side. "She lives!" he exclaimed, "she has the grip of the grave upon her, but she will recover when that loosens."

…The pounding in the Kazari’s chest abated to some small degree, though the snarls and growls that emenated from his gore-soaked visage didn’t diminish. He stalked toward where his friend lay, attended by the priest, snarled, chuffed, heaved, and, in a flash of clarity, reached down to haul the willowy woman’s pants back up around her hips in order to cover the humiliation that had been done. Fix her, priest, were the words that he had intended to speak but rage and bloodlust had stripped any semblance of human language from his throat, so the words came out as little more than growls, snarls, and the clacking of blood-soaked teeth. The kazari had little time to correct his speech, though, as, even in his relief for Kithran still being alive and relatively unviolated, an unholy groaning snatched at his attentions and he, at last, turned to survey the clearing beyond wher they’d found her. A groaning wave of shamblers had been drawn by the sounds of battle and pressed ever closer.

“Take her,” Ch’dau snarled, unsure that the words even came out in a form that his human friends could interpret as he (somewhat reluctantly) left his post over Kith’s prone form and moved to rip his blade from the tree on which he had impaled the first giggler, “fix her!” he flicked the putrescent blood and gore from the blade and braced himself for the lumbering onslaught that descended upon them from the clearing. “I will hold these here!!!”

With that, the battle-mad kazari clanged his blades together, raised them above his head, and, even over the ringing of the struck steel, bellowed a roar into the night as a challenge… no… a threat… to the undead that approached.

((OOC: Just a fluff post, really. An enraged kazari's reaction to his best-friend being subjected to that sort of attack... couldn't help myself! I know we're still strategizing in the Q&A but, as I read Olan's last (again) this bit kind of congealed in my brain and I had to write it down! now, per the discussion in the Q&A, the big cat is still capable of (and will)  follow orders if they're given. Thus, if it's decided that Ch'dau should carry Kith back to the camp - or, rather, stand over and protect her in the coming onslaught, he can be persuaded to do so... Just had to get this bit out before I lost it.    ))

...is exactly why I started the strategery discussion!

From what I understand, there is another victim (the body lying in the clearing) but I'd wager he/she/it is pretty much dead or beyond saving.

I like the idea of both clerics attempting turn undead, of course... the more of the horde we can render ineffectual the better, imo... at least until Kith is mobile (and healed up), again... That could potentially put us in a better position to beat feet back to the camp (if we bother with that at all, though I kind of have a feeling that might be our best bet, right now). Exploring that possibility further, that would also free up a fighter to carry Kith and (possibly) provide protectiong from the "rear" should we start to get flanked. Ch'dau would gladly shoulder the burden of Kith's weight (and might likely be the best candidate strength-wise).

Olan - as Midge is currently an NPC, do you get absolute control of what the little mage does or might we have an idea as to what spells he might have available and give some direction as to his actions?

I'll catch up and post up, then.

Star DinosWars!!!

Revenge of the Sssssstttttthhhhhh!!!

Help me.

...but the overload of work concerns and such has eased off my shoulders and I find myself with a bit of freetime, here and there, again. Not sure if Thren has been written out or not but, if you want me to bring him back, I can certainly accomplish said reading and find a way to snake him back in in short order.

Let me know.

Can confirm!

Something like that, yes!

Just spitballing some thoughts, here, I had considered something along the lines of this:

Round 1

• Cedric does a bit of healing on Kith (or mayhaps a Turn Undead in the first round)


• Not sure what spells Midge has available but maybe something to slow or scatter the horde (I don't think swarm will work, btw)


• Aranwen, Gib, and Ch'dau form a skirmish line between the horde and Kith, Midge, Cedric. They may not "advance" but they'll take on all comers as needed.

Round 2

• Cedric and Midge begin retreating toward the camp, taking Kith along (assuming she's nowhere near ready to be on her feet, yet... (more healing and/or another spell if retreat isn't possible/advisable at this point)


• The fighters stand their ground giving the other three a slight "headstart" (though not so much that one of the three can't assist Kith and company if need be)

Round 3

• More falling back for Kith, Cedric, and Midge?


• A step back but still fighting defensively for Gib, Ch'dau, and Aranwen?

Lather, Rinse, Repeat until we get nearer to the camp, at which point, we reasses and, possibly make good tactical use of the fire, river, and bloodlust?

As I said, just thoughts from my end, here... Honestly, given what's just happened to Kith, Ch'dau would likely be more than happy to go full on BEASTMODE and munch on anything that got too close but, you know, stratojiving and such... *shrugs*

P.S. Someone make sure to hitch up Kithran's britches before you go dragging her through the mud, eh?