Kova Sh'qaleq
Civilian
Posts: 516 Likes: 34
Position: Security Consultant
Species: Andorian
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Post by Kova Sh'qaleq on Aug 8, 2021 0:57:49 GMT
{Quoted Posts} [CPO Jovireh Velal - Serenity - Town Square]Her grin broadened at their mention of dancing. It certainly sounded like they had joined her mother and Judy in hoping she'd find a relationship. But she decided not to comment on that part in case she was looking too much into it. "Oh, I'll probably end up dancing before we leave here. But that's something I'm going to need to warm up to." While dancing was something she enjoyed - and she was a semi-frequent patron at Delirium when she had the time - it was also an activity that required a bit of alcohol in her system. And until she knew for sure that they weren't in any danger, she would be sticking to drinks her metabolism and tolerance could handle with ease. Her gaze swept around the square, drawn to the beer tent and the loud voices floating from within. "I think I'll go learn a few of those songs they were singing earlier." Maybe surrounding herself with happy and carefree colonists would help her relax a bit more. "Enjoy your dance." Jov gave the Captain and Commander a smile before heading towards the tent, finishing off her doughnut and stopping at the vineyard's stall and purchasing a bottle of wine. Beer certainly wasn't to her taste, but she didn't particularly feel like being the only one in there not drinking anything. Ducking into the tent, her gaze swept around the occupants, immediately recognizing the two from the Mac. "Hey, Kaya." The engineer certainly looked like she was enjoying herself, which Jovireh was relieved to see. She'd worried being back here would be too heavy of a reminder of the Trill's trauma. The Andorian woman she had met only briefly, what seemed like a lifetime ago. "Kova, right? Mind if I join you?" [ Chief Engineer Kaya Som, Taron Lars (bio)| Beer tent along the main thoroughfare ]Kaya's delight at Kova's stoic aqcuiensece to revelry was unmitigated, but she had the sobriety left not to push her luck by touching the Andorian any further. Instead, she celebrated with a few raucous claps of her hands. Taron Lars, too, was all smiles when the 'travelor' showed the best compliment a brewer could ask for but asking simply for 'another'. "Until sundown," he said in his own people's quiet hopeful way of saying 'cheers'. It was then that Jovireh Velal joined them carrying something. Kaya stood from her seat to greet her. "Velal! Come sit with us! What the hell is that?" Kaya had clocked the bottle of wine. Kaya looked scandalized. "Jov, seriously?" Kaya drunk-whispered even as she made space on the bench. "Wine at beer tent ... Rude! Kova. Kova. Kova. Tell her about the beer. Tell her." [ENS Veronica "Ronnie" Li - Beer Tent - Serenity] Ronnie wasn’t one to meditate upon the cosmos or see signs. She didn’t think very much at all about the concept of faith beyond a vague envy for those that had it. She didn’t believe in god or healing energies or any other homeopathic nonsense. But she did believe in moods and a certain place, or certain people, having a kind of “energy.” Could this all be explained by personality traits and science? Of course. But was it as fun as chalking it up to happenstance and energy? Not by a long shot. The mood inside the beer tent was rich with cheerfulness and bonhomie. The lighting was warm and so were the voices raised inside. Men and women yelled at one another happily, most of them in some phase of a happy drunk. A few were singing or dancing, but not carrying on loudly enough to cause a scene. Despite her innate rejection of most sentient creatures the artist was right at home. Veronica Li didn’t like people. Never had. But she was, perversely, attracted to gatherings, big cities and crowds if they assembled for the right purpose. She loathed the concept of having to deal with others but was all in for a cocktail fueled night out on the town. And there are few pleasures in the galaxy quite like a relaxed, convivial beer garden. “ Pint of the black stuff, landlord,” Ronnie said with her mischievous, quirky little grin. Soon a handmade glass was deposited before her. Inside was a velvety black and cream liquid, resplendent with falling bubbles. She unceremoniously dunked her nose into the stout with a practiced eased and was soon effortlessly draining it. The muscles in her neck cranked back and forth as she swallowed. When she set the pint glass back down more than half of the strong dark ale was gone. “ I’ve got to warn you, I am Canadian, and I drink like it!” Ronnie said with a raised eyebrow. She burped with the aplomb of a woman unashamed of her own appetites and excused herself politely. [Charlie Fox - Beer Tent]Sometimes Charlie's arm was made of rubber. She'd decided on responsibility before revelry, but it seemed like it took very little to deter her from her carefully thought out plans. At least this time there was no Kaya appearing with hallucinogenic klingon nuts. Though that got her wondering if the colony produced or harvested any other kinds of intoxicants, aside from the beer. She'd save that question for later. "It would be the polite thing," Charlie continued to tease Shavan when he said he'd have to pay Andrus the artist a visit. It wasn't lost on her either that they were presently standing in a tent that contained two of the ladies her friend had gotten to know quite well. But when each of the three of them had a beer in their hands, Charlie's a cup of whatever regular brew the others were singing about and enjoying, she proposed a quick toast. "To drinking like a Canadian in Serenity." She had no idea at all how it was that Canadians were supposed to drink, but if Ronnie's long swallow and subsequent belch of appreciation was anything to go by, they enjoyed it a lot. With a cheers, Charlie took a drink of her own. It was cold and refreshing, and she could see why Kaya in the corner was being so vocal about it. "Never have I ever..." She began, a look of mischief crossing her face, "Engaged in relations during an away mission without filing a 210-B." Of course, she didn't drink, she could shag without having to submit paperwork, but she looked keenly at the other two. [Farside Of Serenity] Unbeknownst to the festival goers and the Mac itself, a swarm of sleek looking ships had gathered. Hidden from sensors and completely undetectable, each one hovered as if they were part insect/part bird waiting for the signal to strike. Their goal was to destroy Serenity so they could take it for themselves and mine the precious Serenite until the planet was bare. Stripped to the bone and left to die. The pathetic colonists had no clue that the planet designated as SRX - 2902 held such fortune and the Raiders had every intention of not stopping until every last person was dead or forced to flee. Even the Starship in orbit was no threat, not with the firepower at their disposal. The lead ship suddenly crackled to life, igniting a flurry of excitement as the signal sounded. " Alpha, take your squadron and keep the starship occupied... hit them with the neutralizer. The rest of you are with me... let's cause some chaos".Shouts and cheers echoed back as they jammed communications, cutting the Mac off from the planet. Then the fun began as Alpha and his ships engaged the Mac whilst the other ships descended on Serenity. Sirens sounded as farms started to burn and people screamed. Chaos had come to the colony unlike anything than before. Marais shouted to make himself heard over the evil that rained down. " Everyone to the caves".[ Chief Engineer Kaya Som, Taron Lars (bio)| Beer tent ]Oh, reader. This was who Kaya was. She wanted nothing more than to throw herself in with new people and new cultures and relish in the warmth and discomfort of the unfamiliar. It's why she joined Starfleet and why she'd been so disappointed and lost. But here, today, celebrating with the farmers, feeling like she had some small part in their success, making friends, this was what made Kaya Kaya. Charlie, Shavan, and Ensign Boom Boom had joined them. There wasn't much room for further conversation with either Jovireh or Kova, however, because the sky had begun to fall. The tent began to empty with anything but an orderly queue. Benches were pushed over, glasses toppled on the table. A young woman was shoving breadsticks into her bag. A couple of young farmers were struggling to move a person-sized keg of untapped beer. Taron Lars, the colony's experienced and savvy director of Agriculture paid close attention to the visitors who may not know the drill. Even as he made his orders, his expression was tainted with a resentment from the most cynical part of him - that this Starfleet crew had again brought ruin to their refuge. This didn't stop him helping of course. "Follow Bremeni," he bellowed urging everyone out with his long thick arms. "To the caves. Don't stop."The colonists were not stupid. They'd learned from the previous catastrophe. Kaya he hoisted up from the floor by the elbow and all but set the swaying Trill on her feet. Her wits were thick as hassah and her efforts to put her legs in order were earnest but ineffective. "It's fine!" she shouted to no one in particular, suddenly verbose and wise. "It's not personal! No one's trying to kill you - they're trying to kill - ow - kill everyone in general. It's fine! You can handle more than think, than you can think, thank you can! Excuse me. That's your foot." She had stopped to look back for the other crew and for Kova. Maybe they were ahead of her. Kaya still had a cup in her hand which she'd managed, somehow, not to spill. [CPO Jovireh Velal - Serenity - Town Square]Kaya's drunken greeting made it more apparent how she was enjoying herself so much. Jov laughed at the chastise and shook her head. "Beer does not get along with Romulan stomachs," she answered simply, thankful that there were no other Romulan hybrid crewmembers around to prove her wrong. Honestly, she had no idea if that were true or not... But she did know that beer did not get along with her tastebuds, which had the same result if she forced herself to drink an entire glass. She sat down on the bench, waving to the trio that came in after her. Shavan she knew probably better than anyone else present. Charlie she'd met only briefly. And the other woman she'd never seen before... Though judging by the way she was drinking, she fit right in. Before Jovireh could engage any of them in conversation, however, or even open the bottle in her hand, a panicked voice shouted in her ear. =A="Incoming!"=A="Faelirh ch'susse-thrai![fn]Romulan - S.O.B.[/fn]" Jov cursed, setting the bottle down and pressing the communicator in her ear. =A="Help with evac, I'm en route!"=A= Chaos had already erupted in the tent as the colonists tried to flee. She swiftly bent over and pulled a phaser from its concealed holster on her ankle. Crossing over to Shavan, she pressed it into his hand. "Help everyone to the evac site. Stay there and keep them safe." While to anyone else it might sound like she was giving a superior officer an order, she hoped he'd be able to know by the look in her eye that she was requesting his help as the only one present she knew could handle it. Jovireh didn't have time to wait for an answer. Leaving the phaser with him, she moved swiftly out of the tent, looking around to get an idea of exactly what was going on. The ships flying through the area, and the fires visible in the distant fields, made it obvious they weren't going to win this on the ground. She tapped her com badge. =A="Velal to Lt. Niles. Is this something your orbital measures can take care of?"=A= The Chief spun around in a circle as she spoke, continuing to size up the situation. Everyone she saw was moving in the same direction, the security personnel she'd had around the perimeter were now helping with traffic control. Good. She took cover and waited for more information. [ Kova Sh'qaleq - Beer Tent, Serenity] There was an old adage that suggested that misery loved company. In Kova's experience that hadn't been true. She'd been content to wallow alone in her misery. Booze, however, it appeared enjoyed company. Kaya certainly was in the mood to share her newfound love of wheat beer. It wasn't long before yet another member of the Mac's crew found the tent, the security officer, Jovireh Velal. The rumor mill was that she was one of Eastman's chosen to succeed the former head of security, Lieutenant Aune. That was one department it seemed that Eastman preferred to keep under her own leash. Kova wasn't certain where Velal fell, however. Favored by Eastman certainly, but when they'd met before, she certainly got the impression that Velal was her own woman. Perhaps she'd been wrong. Kaya, however, had no interest in playing favorites, simply luring everyone to accept wheet beer as the preferred ale of Serenity. She had even turned to Kova for support in selling the drink. When asked to 'tell her, tell her,' Kova simply replied to the Romulan hybrid, "It's made from wheat," as if that fact alone would explain everything. Jovireh gave a response that Kova was certain Kaya wouldn't accept. A 'disagreeable' stomach? Her physiologically could possibly stomach Vulcan cuisine better than most. A glass of wheat beer would go down as easy as honey. Soon, there were others that entered the tent from the Mac as well: Charlie Fox, Shavan and someone that gave Charlie's diminutive stature actual competition. Regardless of who she was, one fact was clear, no one would be leaving this tent without trying wheat beer if Kaya had her way. The sounds of distant rumbles and explosions, however, challenged Kova's theory. Kova's eyes narrowed. "I can't go anywhere with you people," she mumbled. It seemed misfortune followed the crew of the Mac like some sort of curse. Lars called out for people to go to some cave, and to not stop. The Andorian doubted that anyone would pause to smell the flowers. She, however, had no idea where these caves were. Nor did she know why the Mac hadn't interceded by now. Kova's eyes scanned the tent as people rose and tumbled to leave. They clearly had the right idea, that staying here wasn't an option. Kova watched as the Romulan hybrid pushed a phaser into Shavan's hand. As if that would do any good against small craft raining down torpedoes. Her eyes narrowed for a moment as the security woman disappeared from the tent... just wondering if.... The thought was soon forgotten as one explosion felt much closer than the rest. They had to get out of there. "Run!" Kova called out. Her eyes first found Kaya, who was steadying herself, but was still managing to hold on to a glass of the (wheat) beer. Kova shook her head and rushed towards the Trill. Her hands clasped over Kaya's shoulders. "We will discuss your sense of priority when this is over. Let's go," Kova urged her towards the opening. The Andorian glanced back at the others, hoping that Charlie and Shavan were actively seeking refuge from this assault as well.
Tag: Kaya Som , Charlie Fox , Shavan Th'zhaar , Veronica Li , Soft Tag Jovireh Velal
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Shavan Th'zhaar
Science
[TI35]
Posts: 800 Likes: 19
Rank: Lieutenant
Position: Assistant Chief of Science
Species: Orion/Andorian
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Post by Shavan Th'zhaar on Aug 8, 2021 1:42:16 GMT
[Lt. Shavan Th’zhaar - Beer Tent, Serenity] Shavan grinned at Charlie’s continued teasing about Andrus, and the prospect of that visit. But first, there was fun to be had here, and another potential new friend to get acquainted with. “Cheers” Following Ronnie’s example, he took a long drink of his own. While he didn’t know the first thing about Canadians, the term could be swapped out for any number of places and the sentiment would be similar. And it was one that he appreciated. With a noncommittal shrug, he began to raise the glass to his lips again after Charlie’s mischievous ‘never have I ever’. Midway through the act, he paused. Over the sounds of revelry in the beer tent, something else pulled on the edge of his perception, and the answering retort he was about to speak was forgotten. An attack, somewhere outside.Already instinctively searching for cover, he could now hear the sirens and shouting from all around. There was sudden chaos as the colonists ran for apparent shelter in the caves. Then Jovireh was there, calling security and taking charge of the situation. For a charged second he met her gaze, then simply nodded and gripped the phaser. He trusted her to do her job, and that was what mattered in the moment. “Go! Follow them!” Shavan urged anyone who wasn’t already doing so to follow along with the evacuation. Thankfully, he saw that Kova was already moving, and Kaya was being helped along. Phaser at the ready, he ran out of tent to better see what was going on and to get to the caves himself, while glancing back to make sure that everyone was still there. Veronica Li Charlie Fox Kaya Som Kova Sh'qaleq Jovireh Velal
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Joshua Niles
Security & Tactical
[TI22]
Posts: 649 Likes: 21
Rank: Lieutenant
Position: Tactical Officer
Species: Human
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Post by Joshua Niles on Aug 8, 2021 1:53:49 GMT
[ LT Joshua Niles - Town Square, Serenity Colony ]{Quoted Posts} [ Mara - Town Square, Serenity] Now that she had shared that information with the security officer, Mara wasn't sure what to expect. However when Niles then smiled and answered her, the Administrator couldn't help but smile back. " Thank you" she replied, still smiling. This exchange had definitely gone better than she had initially thought, before Niles surprised her by offering a handshake. That was certainly unexpected and as Mara processed what he had said, her smile remained happy with the outcome. " Agreed, I think we have too and I hope that we do" she responded as she shook his hand. As she let go, Mara added one last thing as a sign of the possibilities before them and as a celebration of their resolution. " Oh and please call me Mara, Miss Rexan always sounds too formal".
Tag Joshua Niles [Farside Of Serenity] Unbeknownst to the festival goers and the Mac itself, a swarm of sleek looking ships had gathered. Hidden from sensors and completely undetectable, each one hovered as if they were part insect/part bird waiting for the signal to strike. Their goal was to destroy Serenity so they could take it for themselves and mine the precious Serenite until the planet was bare. Stripped to the bone and left to die. The pathetic colonists had no clue that the planet designated as SRX - 2902 held such fortune and the Raiders had every intention of not stopping until every last person was dead or forced to flee. Even the Starship in orbit was no threat, not with the firepower at their disposal. The lead ship suddenly crackled to life, igniting a flurry of excitement as the signal sounded. " Alpha, take your squadron and keep the starship occupied... hit them with the neutralizer. The rest of you are with me... let's cause some chaos".Shouts and cheers echoed back as they jammed communications, cutting the Mac off from the planet. Then the fun began as Alpha and his ships engaged the Mac whilst the other ships descended on Serenity. Sirens sounded as farms started to burn and people screamed. Chaos had come to the colony unlike anything than before. Marais shouted to make himself heard over the evil that rained down. " Everyone to the caves".[CPO Jovireh Velal - Serenity - Town Square]Kaya's drunken greeting made it more apparent how she was enjoying herself so much. Jov laughed at the chastise and shook her head. "Beer does not get along with Romulan stomachs," she answered simply, thankful that there were no other Romulan hybrid crewmembers around to prove her wrong. Honestly, she had no idea if that were true or not... But she did know that beer did not get along with her tastebuds, which had the same result if she forced herself to drink an entire glass. She sat down on the bench, waving to the trio that came in after her. Shavan she knew probably better than anyone else present. Charlie she'd met only briefly. And the other woman she'd never seen before... Though judging by the way she was drinking, she fit right in. Before Jovireh could engage any of them in conversation, however, or even open the bottle in her hand, a panicked voice shouted in her ear. =A="Incoming!"=A="Faelirh ch'susse-thrai![fn]Romulan - S.O.B.[/fn]" Jov cursed, setting the bottle down and pressing the communicator in her ear. =A="Help with evac, I'm en route!"=A= Chaos had already erupted in the tent as the colonists tried to flee. She swiftly bent over and pulled a phaser from its concealed holster on her ankle. Crossing over to Shavan, she pressed it into his hand. "Help everyone to the evac site. Stay there and keep them safe." While to anyone else it might sound like she was giving a superior officer an order, she hoped he'd be able to know by the look in her eye that she was requesting his help as the only one present she knew could handle it. Jovireh didn't have time to wait for an answer. Leaving the phaser with him, she moved swiftly out of the tent, looking around to get an idea of exactly what was going on. The ships flying through the area, and the fires visible in the distant fields, made it obvious they weren't going to win this on the ground. She tapped her com badge. =A="Velal to Lt. Niles. Is this something your orbital measures can take care of?"=A= The Chief spun around in a circle as she spoke, continuing to size up the situation. Everyone she saw was moving in the same direction, the security personnel she'd had around the perimeter were now helping with traffic control. Good. She took cover and waited for more information.
Tag Kaya Som Shavan Th'zhaar Joshua Niles Well, if there was one thing one Joshua Niles was learning painfully late in the game and obscenely fast, is that he knew so damn little. And just as he shook hands with the colony administrator and managed to actually smile, the peaceful country festival turned into total pandemonium as sonic booms and the shrieking of energy weapons filled the air. Instantly, he let go of the woman's hand and dropped his donut as he slapped at the commbadge he still openly wore. =A= "Niles to Mac Tactical, Report!"=A= No answer. Once more he hit the communicator and repeated his command, but this time the device bleeked pitifully at him, letting him know contacting the ship was impossible. Even as the Sheriff was yelling for everyone to get to cover, this time it was an incoming call that got his attention, from Chief Velal, asking about whether or not his preparations could handle the threat... Well, that was going to be embarrassing all right. That, or they had come under cloak or in such overwhelming force that they had overrun the spaceborne defences. Not that they could find out since communications with anything in orbit seemed to be jammed. =A= "Chief, if they're in atmo then spaceborne defences have been destroyed or bypassed, Mac's got problems of her own and we've lost control of the orbitals. Either way, I can't raise them."=A= His voice was flat and hard as he reported back, falling back on that kind of emotionless report to suppress his fear and forcing his mind to remain ordered in the face of this kind of chaos. And it was the only way he knew to leash the rage that was starting to grow within him. He had deployed the kind of sensor net that wouldn't have been out of place during the Dominion War, set up active patrols, ensured that the existing platforms were all operational, fully stocked and in good repair, and that all was linked through Mac's tactical computers to provide a real-time picture of everything in the inner system, and near-real-time out to the heliopause. And clearly, whoever that was had completely bypassed a sensor shell that should have been impossible to penetrate, and, assuming Mac was still in one piece, he had the documentation to prove it... But that was a problem for later. He was still considering the dirtside situation and working on a course of action when he saw personnel in civilian attire, but with visible commbadges and now weapons drawn moving to assist Sheriff Marais' few deputies in rounding up the townsfolk and looking for stragglers; apparently, Velal had started with that, good call. =A= "In the meantime Chief, I'm going for Marais' bolthole, maybe they still have communications capabilities. I have Miss Rexam with me. Niles out."=A= Well, at least there was something for him to do, and his right hand went for the holster under his left arm and he withdrew his hand phaser before his left landed on Mara's back and started pushing her towards the stream of townspeople heading for the caves. He might not know where they were, but they did so following them made sense; as for his weapon, well, there was no telling if there would be a ground assault to follow up the airstrike... "Mara, if there's a command post in the caves I need you to get me there." An unworthy part of him had wondered if that was something else she'd lied about, but that thought was quickly shooed away; the previous gang of thugs had not threatened infrastructure, only people. This was much different. And right now, information was what was needed, immediately after shelter.
Tags Thea Baker for Mara Jovireh Velal
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Thea Baker
Command
[TI12]
Posts: 1,448 Likes: 46
Rank: Captain
Position: Commanding Officer
Species: Human
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Post by Thea Baker on Aug 8, 2021 8:34:50 GMT
[ Thea - Town Square] Thea shook her head amusingly at Isaiah's parting words to Jovireh, before the newly minted Chief, left them for some liquid encouragement. It was an action that Thea, knew only too well as she used to do exactly the same until she served on Epsilon. Hoping to catch up with her later, Thea's attention was solely on having some fun with Isaiah. Happily letting her boyfriend lead them towards the music. Dancing was an activity that they did a lot of, even if it was just in their quarters. However being surrounded by infectious, joyous and a beat that you couldn't ignore, was something else entirely. The melody instantly shattered the minute that the distinctive sound of explosions and weapons fire took over and Isaiah commented that they weren't fireworks. " I agree" she replied as Isaiah then tried to raise the Mac. When he was answered with silence, Thea had to keep the fear at bay as her concern for her ship and crew intensified. She had to think and quickly, knowing that there was nothing she could do for her ship for now. People were running, screaming and attempting to escape death around them and Thea wasn't going to let these ships destroy everyone. Isaiah's suggestion of helping the colonists was borne out of their responsibility and an idea that she shared. " Yes let's help, then we can figure out our next step when we regroup with the others".Whilst she didn't doubt that her people on the surface weren't already helping. Instinct took over as Thea tapped her hidden commbadge. =/\= Baker to all, we've lost contact with the Mac, do what you can to help and get to the caves, we'll regroup there =/\= Squeezing Isaiah's hand and putting everything she wanted to say into looking at him. Thea stayed close and prepared to run before a piece of flying debris struck her in the back, searing her flesh and lacerating her side. The pain and unexpectedness of it all propelled her forward and onto the ground.
Tag Isaiah Quinn, tags to all
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Thea Baker
Command
[TI12]
Posts: 1,448 Likes: 46
Rank: Captain
Position: Commanding Officer
Species: Human
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Post by Thea Baker on Aug 8, 2021 8:57:38 GMT
[ Mara - Town Square, Serenity] One minute she was shaking hands with Niles after clearing the air and the next Mara was faced with the kind of chaos that she associated with nightmares. Her home, her colony was under threat once more and the Trill administrator wondered briefly why the gods had chosen to strike them by sending such weapons of death. The screams of her friends, the sirens encompassed her very soul, momentarily drowning out all thought before Mara realised that this wasn't her fault. Coming round from her dark place as Niles tried contacting the Mac before speaking to Jovireh. Fear and determination fuelled Mara as she felt the security officer's hand on her back, pushing her towards the others who were fleeing towards the caves. " There is, follow me" Mara replied, shouting slightly over the noise of impending annihilation, as she moved forward and led the way towards their only sanctuary.
Tag Joshua Niles
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Charlie Fox
Civilian
FOX NEWS
Posts: 730 Likes: 81
Position: Journalist
Species: A human of some kind
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Post by Charlie Fox on Aug 8, 2021 14:46:28 GMT
[Charlie Fox - Beer Tent, Serenity]
That noise had changed everything. One moment she was smiling like the Cheshire cat as Shavan raised his glass to drink, willingly participating in her game of drinking mischief, and the next she was overcome by the wail.
She'd heard it before. Blood drained from her face as she stood, beer still in hand, while the tent erupted into chaos around her. Suddenly she was all too aware that she could not swallow. Why could she not swallow? What was that all about? And why was she shaking?
She could hear Kaya's voice, somewhere, telling someone that they could get through this. Velal, the Security officer was pressing a phaser into Shavan's hand. People were shouting about the caves, Kova was complaining. Charlie was aware of all this, yet she felt as though she was no longer a part of it.
But she followed. The throng moved quickly, with only a little jostling, and burst out of the beer tent with a unified intent. "It's okay, it's okay," she muttered in a repeated mantra to herself, as eyes as wide as saucers looked toward the suddenly grey sky. Seemingly gone was the cerulean blue and fluffy clouds. Smells of fried dough and freshly cut blossoms were replaced by cloying smoke. Sounds of happy calls and laughter had become shouts, and the scream of the siren. It drowned out everything for Charlie, everything but the child's desperate cries.
She stood in the centre of death. Behind her flames licked furiously, excitedly toward the darkened, ashy sky. The child with the limp auburn ringlets sat in the filth, chubby legs and bare feet muddy. She cried, she cried so hard that her little face was a worrying shade of red, and a constant trail of snots streamed from her nose and passed her chin.
Charlie had stilled completely. All around her other bodies ran by, some even spoke to her, but she couldn't look away from the toddler. She wasn't supposed to remember this; she'd never remembered it before.
Nobody was coming. They'd forgotten about her, they were gone. All that's left is the fire and the smell of burned flesh and those noises of death: the wails of sirens that had failed to save anyone. The little girl wiped her nose on a dirty sleeve, and then half-crawled, half-slid toward a still body on the ground. There was no face but there was long, dark hair and the corpse was wearing a dress. Tiny Charlie lay down next to her, reaching out for comfort.
The world around Charlie had fallen away to blurs and shadows. She could not see Serenity any more, only Salva II.
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Syl O'Connell
Flight Control
[TI8]
Posts: 662 Likes: 9
Rank: Lieutenant Junior Grade
Position: Flight Control/Caldonia 5
Species: Human
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Post by Syl O'Connell on Aug 8, 2021 14:56:39 GMT
[Lt. JG Syl O'Connell - Serenity - Town Square]As the conversation beside her seemed to drastically improve, Syl was able to focus her entire attention on the woman she was talking to. "What do you study?" she asked with genuine interest after taking another hearty drink of cider. Before Amira could answer, however, there was a loud rumble of engines and the scream of weapons fire. The colony erupted into chaos, and Syl slammed her glass back on the stall before reaching for Amira. "Let's go!" She shouted, and began to run after the others who clearly knew where there was shelter. Syl slid to a halt though when she saw Charlie just standing there. She didn't need to know what was going on in the woman's head to recognize that look - It was one she had worn herself every time a Caldonian guard had come for her. Her course altered slightly as she kept running, this time straight towards her friend. "Charlie!" she shouted, hoping to break through to her. Stopping beside her, she spoke with urgency, but kept her voice gentle as she wrapped her arm around the reporter's back. "Come on. It's okay, I've got you. But we have to move." And move she did, once more following the crowd, trying to steer Charlie with her.
Tag Charlie Fox Thea Baker
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Left Ear to-Ennien
Medical
Posts: 229 Likes: 3
Rank: Civilian/other
Position: Cadet/civilian healer
Species: Sivaoan
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Post by Left Ear to-Ennien on Aug 9, 2021 0:57:45 GMT
[ Cadet Left Ear to-Ennien - Town Square - Serenity] The cadet's tail leapt into a corkscrew again at Myk's comment about the meat, and she responded, ' I don't think they'd feed us anything bad. Probably just one of the critters that live around here, or it could be replicated. I was shocked to find that most people in the Federation don't eat real meat, and that I can't really tell the difference, though Captain Eastman swears it tastes different.' Her tail coiled tighter. Left Ear was curious about the Betazoid, but hesitant to ask questions. She'd learned caution over months of gaffes where she asked too many or too personal questions. Instead she stuck with answering him for the moment. ' I spoke to them a little as I looked around. There are a few things I'd like to buy before we go back to the ship. Do you want to walk through? I wouldn't mind making another round. I want seconds of some of the foods.' Left Ear had put on some weight since leaving home with such a variety of foods to try and less physical activity than she was used to, but she was still relatively svelte. She'd started being more careful about how much she at back on the station, but had decided that this was a time to simply enjoy what was on offer. Since she was planning on exploring, running around in the woods and climbing some trees the Sivaoan figured she'd work it off. Tag Myker Vulbrix [ Myker Vulbrix - Serenity, Town Square]
As his companion spoke about the unknown meat, she made a valid point that they'd not give them something harmful and it more than likely was replicated. "I think it depends which food. Some your certainly can taste the difference, especially when it comes to vegetables, I certainly notice it with things like oskoid." Myk figured it had to do with the fact that vegetation drew a lot from the environment it was grown in. He also didn't eat all that much meat so couldn't comment. Myker was often met with curiosity, mostly because he remained so reserved and to himself. Not that he minded, curiosity was exactly why races progressed. Myker was about to agree to a walk through, to see what other wares were on show that he couldn't see from where he was. Moments later there was a noise like nothing else, it was loud and very clearly an attack. "Hold that thought." The Betazoid went from relaxed to serious in the blink of an eye. Serenity was under attack and they had to help somehow. The peace that the colony had worked hard to build was shattered in moments. It was ironic how fast utopia could be smashed and replaced with fear. Myk looked at Left Ear, " We need to help get these people safe." he said as he glanced around at the panic stricken folks. They at least had some sort of contingency, some plan for an occurance like this. Moments later he saw the ship, it was quick but clearly was there to attack the colony it was also clear that this was bigger than them and they needed all the help they could get. All they could do was help the evacuation, keep some order while they waited for orders of their own. Left Ear to-Ennien
Cadet Left Ear to-Ennien - Town Square - Serenity] The Sivaoan's ears twitched as she heard a strange noise just moments before the first impact. Left Ear froze and cursed herself for not bringing a weapon. If there were people, she could fight them tooth and claw, but this bombardment from a distance made her feel helpless. The galaxy was a dangerous place. Myk's words spurred her to action, and Left Ear took off into the crowd. Most seemed to be moving in the same general direction, but there were two small children, toddlers, who were staring around and crying. Come with me,' Left Ear said, pulling them close. 'Mommy!' one of them screamed. ' We have to get to the caves, then we can find her,' Left Ear tried to explain, but they were too young to really understand. The two little girls pulled against her hands in opposite directions, trying to go look for their mother. The cadet scooped them into her arms, tucking them close to her body and started to run toward the caves. ' Hold onto me!' she directed, running as fast as she could. Left Ear was grateful for the physical training she'd been doing since becoming a cadet. She could feel the difference. Her breathing was heavy, but she was able to keep running even with the extra weight of the two children.
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Jovireh Velal
Security & Tactical
[TI18]
Posts: 2,609 Likes: 55
Rank: Senior Chief Petty Officer
Position: Chief of Security/Tactical
Species: Betazoid/Romulan
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Post by Jovireh Velal on Aug 9, 2021 2:45:33 GMT
[CPO Jovireh Velal - Serenity - Town Square]Of course they lost contact with the orbitals. Why would anything ever be that easy? =A="Understood. I'm helping the stragglers, I'll be down soon."=A= Baker's voice came over the com moments later, instructing everyone to do just that. Thankfully, as anyone would expect from a Starfleet crew, it looked like everyone had already taken it upon themselves to assist in what ways they could. Jovireh moved out from behind her cover and began to make her way through the debris in the square, keeping low and moving quickly. The first few bodies she found beneath the rubble had no pulse, but as she turned around a corner she found a man who's leg was crushed beneath a fallen beam, sitting next to a woman who was awake but with an obvious head wound. "Don't worry, we'll get you to safety," she told them quietly, before effortlessly lifting the debris from the man's leg. It was just one of the many times she was grateful for her Romulan-inherited strength. Pressing her finger against the com device in her ear, she addressed the other security personnel once more. =A="We've got wounded. Unless you're already helping someone else, get back here and help them to safety."=A= Three acknowledgements came, one from each pair, and she breathed a sigh of relief. In just a matter of moments Stout and Thompson were at her side, and she left them to help the colonists as she continued her search.
Tag Joshua Niles
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Joshua Niles
Security & Tactical
[TI22]
Posts: 649 Likes: 21
Rank: Lieutenant
Position: Tactical Officer
Species: Human
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Post by Joshua Niles on Aug 9, 2021 4:11:21 GMT
[ LT Joshua Niles - Town Square, Serenity Colony ]{Quoted Posts} [ Thea - Town Square] Thea shook her head amusingly at Isaiah's parting words to Jovireh, before the newly minted Chief, left them for some liquid encouragement. It was an action that Thea, knew only too well as she used to do exactly the same until she served on Epsilon. Hoping to catch up with her later, Thea's attention was solely on having some fun with Isaiah. Happily letting her boyfriend lead them towards the music. Dancing was an activity that they did a lot of, even if it was just in their quarters. However being surrounded by infectious, joyous and a beat that you couldn't ignore, was something else entirely. The melody instantly shattered the minute that the distinctive sound of explosions and weapons fire took over and Isaiah commented that they weren't fireworks. " I agree" she replied as Isaiah then tried to raise the Mac. When he was answered with silence, Thea had to keep the fear at bay as her concern for her ship and crew intensified. She had to think and quickly, knowing that there was nothing she could do for her ship for now. People were running, screaming and attempting to escape death around them and Thea wasn't going to let these ships destroy everyone. Isaiah's suggestion of helping the colonists was borne out of their responsibility and an idea that she shared. " Yes let's help, then we can figure out our next step when we regroup with the others".Whilst she didn't doubt that her people on the surface weren't already helping. Instinct took over as Thea tapped her hidden commbadge. =/\= Baker to all, we've lost contact with the Mac, do what you can to help and get to the caves, we'll regroup there =/\= Squeezing Isaiah's hand and putting everything she wanted to say into looking at him. Thea stayed close and prepared to run before a piece of flying debris struck her in the back, searing her flesh and lacerating her side. The pain and unexpectedness of it all propelled her forward and onto the ground.
Tag Isaiah Quinn , tags to all [ Mara - Town Square, Serenity] One minute she was shaking hands with Niles after clearing the air and the next Mara was faced with the kind of chaos that she associated with nightmares. Her home, her colony was under threat once more and the Trill administrator wondered briefly why the gods had chosen to strike them by sending such weapons of death. The screams of her friends, the sirens encompassed her very soul, momentarily drowning out all thought before Mara realised that this wasn't her fault. Coming round from her dark place as Niles tried contacting the Mac before speaking to Jovireh. Fear and determination fuelled Mara as she felt the security officer's hand on her back, pushing her towards the others who were fleeing towards the caves. " There is, follow me" Mara replied, shouting slightly over the noise of impending annihilation, as she moved forward and led the way towards their only sanctuary.
Tag Joshua Niles [CPO Jovireh Velal - Serenity - Town Square]Of course they lost contact with the orbitals. Why would anything ever be that easy? =A="Understood. I'm helping the stragglers, I'll be down soon."=A= Baker's voice came over the com moments later, instructing everyone to do just that. Thankfully, as anyone would expect from a Starfleet crew, it looked like everyone had already taken it upon themselves to assist in what ways they could. Jovireh moved out from behind her cover and began to make her way through the debris in the square, keeping low and moving quickly. The first few bodies she found beneath the rubble had no pulse, but as she turned around a corner she found a man who's leg was crushed beneath a fallen beam, sitting next to a woman who was awake but with an obvious head wound. "Don't worry, we'll get you to safety," she told them quietly, before effortlessly lifting the debris from the man's leg. It was just one of the many times she was grateful for her Romulan-inherited strength. Pressing her finger against the com device in her ear, she addressed the other security personnel once more. =A="We've got wounded. Unless you're already helping someone else, get back here and help them to safety."=A= Three acknowledgements came, one from each pair, and she breathed a sigh of relief. In just a matter of moments Stout and Thompson were at her side, and she left them to help the colonists as she continued her search.
Tag Joshua Niles Well, that was that. No sooner had Mara snapped out of her immediate shock and started leading him towards whatever command post would be available in that shelter she had mentioned that first the Captain's voice came over the channel, instructing everyone to seek shelter, and assist however they could. Well, granted he could escort more people, but in the immediate there was a need to get the colony administrator under cover and figure out the situation. And while he was confident that Sheriff Marais would have followed the training syllabus that had been provided with that sensor and weapons network that had been deployed across the system, but given the totality of the surprise, well, an expert's eyes wouldn't go amiss. Some might wind up calling him a coward for making his way in there right now, but was it really cowardice to want to put soil and stone and possibly thoroughly modern materials between oneself and incoming fire? And given the circumstances, ensuring a continuity of leadership among the civilians was crucial; Starfleet damn well made sure that the chain of command was resilient and that operations could continue even when plenty of holes were blasted into it, but civilians, well, did not have that benefit. Before long, Mara did lead him into the caves, and once under cover his phaser returned to his shoulder holster before he found his way to a small command center, only to find he was the first member of the Mac's crew to get there. "Sheriff, how bad is it?"The older man was clearly harried, and hadn't been there long himself. However, he had already gathered some information. "No idea," he replied tersely. "People are still streaming in, and I can't get to the platforms you delivered."Well, that was a bad start all right, but at least some of the blanks could be filled. "Subspace communications are jammed; we can't raise the Mac or any of our small craft either."The look on the older man's face spoke volumes all right, and he was less than pleased. But that didn't stop Niles from making his way to one of the cramped consoles where he brought up any sensor logs that might have made it in, and tried to access the dirtside sensor array, not even knowing if it still existed at this time. Shepherding stragglers and getting ready to engage ground troops was all good, but information was crucial in any crisis.
Soft all around
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Thea Baker
Command
[TI12]
Posts: 1,448 Likes: 46
Rank: Captain
Position: Commanding Officer
Species: Human
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Post by Thea Baker on Aug 9, 2021 10:22:49 GMT
[ Amira - Town Square, Serenity] The minute Syl told her it was time to go, Amira could already feel the all to familiar sensation of fear mixed with anxiety. Whilst this wasn't quite like before, it didn't stop the scientist from panicking until the urge to move finally found her. Ignoring the terror within, Amira began to run as evil surrounded them. " They're not far " she called out, before realising that Syl wasn't with her anymore. Stopping, the Betazoid soon spotted her new friend trying to get another woman to come with her. Instinct telling her to help as opposed to keep running and that's what Amira did. " The caves are just on the other side of the town, follow me and I'll get you there" she said as she caught up with them. *************** [ Mara - Caves] Reaching the command centre within the caves had been no easy task, especially with debris and the fires trying to block their escape. However once she was inside and directed Niles to where he wanted to be, Mara knew that she would be needed elsewhere as Niles engaged Marais in conversation. Listening to the exchange, Mara then interrupted briefly. " Keep me updated as I'm needed in the makeshift hospital" she stated, knowing that her medical knowledge would be more useful at the moment. Keeping the panic at bay until everyone was safely here, Mara followed the slightly rocky path, the smell of charred and burnt flesh permeated the air as she entered the hospital.
Amira tag Syl O'Connell Charlie Fox, Mara tag Joshua Niles
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Charlie Fox
Civilian
FOX NEWS
Posts: 730 Likes: 81
Position: Journalist
Species: A human of some kind
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Post by Charlie Fox on Aug 9, 2021 19:25:45 GMT
[Lt. JG Syl O'Connell - Serenity - Town Square][...] Syl slid to a halt though when she saw Charlie just standing there. She didn't need to know what was going on in the woman's head to recognize that look - It was one she had worn herself every time a Caldonian guard had come for her. Her course altered slightly as she kept running, this time straight towards her friend. "Charlie!" she shouted, hoping to break through to her. Stopping beside her, she spoke with urgency, but kept her voice gentle as she wrapped her arm around the reporter's back. "Come on. It's okay, I've got you. But we have to move." And move she did, once more following the crowd, trying to steer Charlie with her. [ Amira - Town Square, Serenity] The minute Syl told her it was time to go, Amira could already feel the all to familiar sensation of fear mixed with anxiety. Whilst this wasn't quite like before, it didn't stop the scientist from panicking until the urge to move finally found her. Ignoring the terror within, Amira began to run as evil surrounded them. " They're not far " she called out, before realising that Syl wasn't with her anymore. Stopping, the Betazoid soon spotted her new friend trying to get another woman to come with her. Instinct telling her to help as opposed to keep running and that's what Amira did. " The caves are just on the other side of the town, follow me and I'll get you there" she said as she caught up with them. [Charlie Fox - To the caves, Serenity]"Syl?"She recognised the voice, but Charlie's tear-stained face was still pointed toward something else, something only she could see. "I can't-" They were moving. She didn't want to go, but she let Syl move her. And once she got started, instinct took over. Her legs moved in the direction she was pointed. "We can't leave her..."
"She's all alone." It was almost like a plea. At that point she didn't know who she was talking about, and her logical mind was rushing to catch up. A part of Charlie knew that the little girl she'd seen did not exist; or at least, not in Serenity. That little girl had been a colonist somewhere else, with parents and friends and toys. She had a different name. Silent tears streamed down her face as they ran. Someone else said something about the caves, but most of the rest of the journey flew by in a blur. Once they stepped inside the shelter of the cave system, and reached an antechamber of sorts, Charlie disentangled herself from Syl and sat. With her back to the rock she pulled her legs up toward her chest and cried.
Tags: Syl O'Connell , Thea Baker
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Myker Vulbrix
Engineering/Ops
[TI21]
Posts: 130 Likes: 6
Rank: Lieutenant Junior Grade
Position: Communications
Species: Betazoid
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Post by Myker Vulbrix on Aug 9, 2021 20:49:46 GMT
Myker Vulbrix - Town Square, Serenity]
Myk himself hadn't taken a weapon, although wishing for a moment he had, he knew even if he did carry a weapon it wouldn't be his first instinct to grab it. As soon as he'd said the words his company was gone heading into the crowd they rushed to safety.
It was understandable the panic stricken citizens just running for their lives. Another blast remind Myk he didn't have time for contemplating, now was a time for action. He moved towards the crowd assisting where he could. He'd seen someone stumble and fall with the rush to get to safety, so he offered his assistance to the woman. He helped her up, and she was on her way again running quickly.
Myk made his way to the caves with the others, spotting a number of the Mac crew doing the same. Although no longer relaxed, Myk was hardly ruffled. He entered the cave system like he'd just been for a stroll. The caves were buzzing with activity as people prepared to hunker down.
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Kaya Som
Engineering/Ops
Site Historian
Yaya! You have survived! That's too bad!
Posts: 804 Likes: 108
Rank: Senior Chief Petty Officer
Position: Chief of Engineering
Species: Trill
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Post by Kaya Som on Aug 9, 2021 22:00:17 GMT
[ Kaya Som | Caves ]There was nothing quite so sobering as a half-mile sprint under an air raid, but adreneline and running and wheat beer did not agree and by the time Kaya was safe in the cave complex she felt ready to hurl. Automatically, she lifted the glass of beer to her lips, finding it barely half full. She steadied herself against the wall when the ground rumbled again under the bombardment. "Mmm..." she groaned, eyes closed for a moment, but it didn't help the vertigo. She had been vaguely aware of Taron's and Kova's guidance out of the beer tent, but now in the crowded space she saw neither of them. With most Starfleet out of uniform and the colonists greatly outnumbering them, Kaya had trouble finding anyone she knew. There were injuries. A pair of colonists bumped by her, their limp companion carried between them her legs dragging. She saw a Vulcan inspecting his own green-bloodied arm impassively. She reached for her comm badge, but it wasn't there. She remembered now it was in her bag, which she no longer had. She must have left it in the tent. With a fortifying grunt, she shook out her shoulders and began moving about to find her party. "Kova!" Kaya approached in a wandering fashion, her brows knit with appropriate gravity. "Where's everyone?" Kova Sh'qaleq Taron Lars (bio) | Caves A large hand found Myk's shoulder, but a voice in his mind followed quickly. Fellow Betazoid the farmer Taron Lars had approached Myker Vulbrix. No introductions were needed, or, perhaps, there was no time for them. "Friend," sent Taron wordlessly, "are you in communication with your ship?"Myker Vulbrix
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Syl O'Connell
Flight Control
[TI8]
Posts: 662 Likes: 9
Rank: Lieutenant Junior Grade
Position: Flight Control/Caldonia 5
Species: Human
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Post by Syl O'Connell on Aug 10, 2021 0:14:48 GMT
[Lt. JG Syl O'Connell - Serenity - Town Square --> Caves]Syl was grateful for Amira's help in steering Charlie down the path towards the shelter. It was obvious her friend was stuck in some sort of flashback, and had they not been under attack she would have taken the time to talk her through her it and bring her back to the present. Thankfully, whatever she was seeing, didn't make her fight them, and finally they had made it to the safety of the caves. Charlie pulled away from her and sat down against the wall. Syl turned to Amira with a nod of thanks. "I'm a pilot, I'm not sure how much help I can be. But if you do need me, just holler. I can follow directions pretty well." For now, it seemed best that she stayed out of the way and let everyone do what they needed to get situated. She sat down next to Charlie, gently running her hand over the other woman's back, murmuring quiet reassurances to her in what she hoped was a soothing voice.
Tag Thea Baker Charlie Fox
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