Gathering

Posted on Fri Jul 2nd, 2021 @ 9:53am by Commodore Phoenix Lalor-Richardson & Lieutenant Clara Lawson & Commander Arrianna Salannis an Vantar & Lieutenant Commander Malakai Starr [Taylor] & Sasha Stone [Whavi] & 1st Lieutenant Joshua Young [Taylor] & Lieutenant Commander Kara Starr {Kelea-Salik} & Captain Mattias Richardson [Reece]

Mission: Darkness Rising - A Phoenix Lalor Sub Plot
Location: Illumith and elsewhere
Timeline: MD16 - late
4222 words - 8.4 OF Standard Post Measure

The Equinox came out of Warp, right into the middle of chaos. Three ships surrounded their asteroid and their two shuttles were booking it for Illumith.

Lily growled low in her throat. "Malakai, prep the docking bay for arrivals. Kate, get me targeting solutions on those three ships."

Mal was out of his seat in a flash, he didn't even bother to reply to Lily as he disappeared to carry out her order.

Kate responded. "Confirmed. Targets acquired." She said as professionally as ever.

"Jamming their comms!" Clara called out.

Lily hit the comm. "Jax! Matt!"

Xavier answered "Mattias is in bad shape, Lily, I am flying the Ferengi shuttle."

"Right, Jax, Xavier, come about, we are coming in hot, Both will fit in the upper shuttle bay of this ship. You need to enter and land quickly because once you are all aboard I am going to warp."

Jax's reply came through "Right you are Lils."

"Got it Boss" Xavier replied.

=Ferengi shuttle=

Aboard the shuttle Kara sensed the nearby arrival of her husband, she smiled relieved that backup had arrived to help. The sooner she got Mattias back in a proper sickbay the better.

Anna walked up to Kara. "I will help you move him. Whatever you need, I'll get you." She shouldered her heavy phaser repeater.

Xavier's voice came over the comms. "Everyone brace, we are going to be landing very quickly and then jumping to warp, the others are back and they have our new ship"

Kara braced herself as best as she could hanging onto Mattias’ bed as she did so. Last thing they needed was him going flying. “Thank you Anna, I could use the help.” She motioned to Matt. “Help me keep the bed from going flying please.”

From her seat next to Xavier, Sasha tried to show little worry as she held on as tight as she could, "Don't take this the wrong way, but I can't wait to be off this blasted shuttle."


==Equinox==

"Kate once they are aboard, destroy those ships."

"Gladly..." Kate noted. These were Cragen's men. She already owed them more pain than she could bear. Kate opened fire on the ships, Targeting them efficiently.

==Jax's shuttle==

Jax gave the Ferengi shuttle room as they changed course and he dodged phaser fire as he gave the other shuttle as much cover as he could.

The ferengi shuttle zipped into the bay, followed by their other shuttle.

"Everybody strap in! Going to some evasive, evasive maneuvers." Malakai informed the group.

"Acknowledge" Lily checked her scopes. "And we are clear" The three ships were gone and she pushed the Equinox into warp.

=== Shuttle bay ===

Xavier opened the hatch of the Ferengi shuttle. "Everyone out!" he called.

Kara heard the shout, she looked to Anna. “Let’s get Matt out of here.” She unlocked the bed wheels ready to roll the bed out and onto the new ship.

Sasha, already up and on her way out of the shuttle gave Xavier a dirty look. "Was shouting in my ear really necessary?" Jokingly she held her hand over her ear.

"Sure" He quipped. "Hey don't forget the transporter buffer. Its got all out things in it."

"Oh right!" Sasha did a quick 180 and made her way to the console to direct the supplies and such locked in the buffer to the new ship. After confirming the transport was complete she high tailed it out of the shuttle.


== Bridge ==

Kate watched Cragen's burning ships, staring at them... A satisfied smile appeared on her face.... Knowing that they were dead. It was a cold smile of pure satisfaction. This ruthlessness... gave her about five minutes of fleeting satisfaction, until the desire for more filled her mind. She wanted another ship to appear!! More!!! Even Cragen himself. The satisfaction faded." Arri turned to leave to find the coffee machine.

Lily watched her go and bit back a sigh. "Ok. Lets go help the others. I want Jax up here asap so we can change course."

Clara nodded and headed to find Jaxon.

== Med bay ==

Eventually arriving in Medbay Kara sorted Mattias’ bed, she didn’t want to risk moving him onto another bed so instead she paused to catch her breath. She was about to tend her own wounds when she realised they had a visitor. “Hi Lily, come on in. Don’t worry Matt is doing okay.”

"He.. promised me." Lily said softly. "I know... things change.."

“I don’t think he stopped to think” Kara offered an understanding smile. “He split his stitches so I had to start fresh. He’s in a lot of pain so I gave him a strong painkiller.”

"And I'm hanging around with Josh to make sure he doesn't try that again." Anna noted.

"I am sure keeping him sedated will help." Lily said softly.

"If it doesn't we'll sit on him." Josh told her.

"You're not loosing your love while we're around, Lily... Even people like us need someone to come home to after the day." Anna noted. "Hear that Josh. You ever go half cocked. I'll cuff you with Matty over and tie you both to biobeds. That way if I'm missing one, the other won't be far away.""

"Gosh just listen to her. I don't know who she is trying to convince me or herself." Josh quipped.

"okay you two" Clara said from the door. "Lily, you need to go get your things, have you put up the cabin assignments?"

"no not yet... Tell Jax he can have the cabin next to the bridge. The rest of us will find out own places ok?" Lily said.

Clara stepped up and put her arm around Lily. "Come on. Mattias is going to sleep for a bit. You go, unpack." She steered Lily from the room. Once Lily was gone she turned to the others. "You guys, just keep it down ok? do not wake him."

Checking on her brother one more time, Kara headed into a small office for some privacy to tend her own wounds. Healing broken ribs needed to be done properly and not rushed.

Lily did a U turn and slipped past the hovering group. She opened the door and slipped into the small office off of the medical bay. "Kara...?" She stared.

Kara gave Lily a guilty look. “Okay you caught me!” She held out the bone knitting device she had in her hand. “Would you help me please? It’s just a couple of broken ribs.”

Lily shook her head. "You Richardson siblings..." she moved quickly and took the bone knitter. "Good thing I have basic first aide." She said "Get the shirt off... weird that i am saying that to you and not Mattias. "

Kara grinned and removed her top. “It wasn’t like I had a choice! Mattias was out of it and I was alone, I had to...” She paused as reality sank in. “I had to kill a guy. It was him or us.” She reached for a medical tricorder to run a scan on herself just to put her own mind at rest that her baby was alright.

Lily concentrated as she ran the knitter over Kara's side. "If Malakai finds out about this.." she muttered.

“Well it wasn’t like we were expecting to be attacked! I had to defend myself.”

"Yeah, yeah, just remember this the next time i come in with Mattias breathing fire about my being in danger." Lily said. "How is that?"

Kara nodded. “Feels much better, thank you” She smiled. “My scan is fine so no harm done besides the ribs and a few bruises.”

Lily put the knitter down. "Hey, you know this is not your fault right?"

“Ohh hell, yeah it is!” Kara nodded. “All I saw was a man who was a threat to Mattias, my baby, and me. I didn’t need an invite to the fight.”

"Kara. You did what you needed to do. What any of us would do." Lily touched her shoulder. "We all underestimated Cragen. It wont happen again."

Kara nodded. “All I could think of was protecting Matt, and not getting myself collected for Cragen’s harem. What about Josie? We have to get her away from him.”

"We will." Lily said softly. "It may take some time, but we will get her back and she and Arri can get their lives back."

Kara nodded. “I feel for them both, especially after what happened to me.” She sighed and stood up. “I should be getting back to Matt.”

Lily nodded. "C..can you let me know when he wakes up please? And if he can leave the medical bay?"

Kara nodded. “Li... Phoenix, he’ll be fine. He’s going to need lots of rest, and some physiotherapy to get him fit again but Matt will be alright.”

Lily nodded. "Thanks Kara."

“No, thank you for helping me.” She smiled as she stood up ready to head back into Sickbay.

Lily slipped out of the medical area and headed to find a cabin.

Malakai stood silently as Lily worked the bone knitter over Kara's ribs. The concern on his face evident. Only when Lily left and he was alone with Kara did he speak. "Are you alright Kara? You had me worried."

“You’ve been there all along haven’t you?” Kara looked at her husband. “I’m... okay, a little sore here and there but I had to defend myself and Matt. The baby is fine too, I ran a scan for my own sanity!” She smiled as she walked over to Malakai and gave him a hug. “I’m not ashamed to admit, I was scared.”

He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her back. "I was scared too when I heard you had been hurt." Malakai admitted, "Scared for you and the baby. next time if there is a next time just shoot them Kara."

Kara smiled, “I would have if there’d been a phaser to hand. I only had a bat’leth.”

Anna shook her head. "Kara, why the hell do you keep a Bat'leth in a medical bay?"

Kara looked towards Anna. “I brought it out of my quarters!” She grinned. “I’ve been learning to use it.”

Malakai sighed, and slapped a phaser into her hand, "Use this instead. It's got a full charge. Keep it with you at all times Kara."

Kara nodded as she looked back at Malakai. “I will, I promise!”

"Make sure you do Kara." Malakai replied firmly.

Anna spoke. "And I'm going to teach you how to use that Kara. Every day. Early in the morning. Don't worry Malakai. I won't put her through Marine Recon Training. But will be enough to ensure she can fight like a warrior maiden."

Kara grinned at Anna. “In that case it’s best you know I’m pregnant.”

Anna spoke. "Kara. I'm a marine. I am aware of exactly your physical limits right now, and how hard and how not to push you. During your pregnancy, we will focus on marksamanship with that thing. Later when your child is born, we will move on to the more physical characteristics. That is the difference between a Lance Corporal and a Drill Instructor... Which I was for five years. I will always know exactly what you can handle."

Josh made snoring noises as Anna spoke.

Anna looked at Josh. "Oh you son of a.." Anna grabbed Josh and began giving him a noogie.

Kara couldn’t help but laugh, she loved this crew dearly they all had each other’s backs. “I promise I will be one of the best marksmanship trainees you’ve had.”

Josh flipped her around and got her in a full nelson. "Better be glad I lo.... um like you an awful lot Anna or you'd be in big trouble." He teased.

Anna and Josh had been like this for ages, there was always this chemistr between them. Anna suddenly grabbed him and flipped him onto his back, but accidentally landing on top of him. She then grabbed him, playing a game of Uncle. "Say Uncle!!!!"

Sasha scoffed, "Ugh...are you two flirting again!?"

"Not going to happen little girl." Josh said laughingly.

Anna dragged him up. "Excuse us, Sasha... I need to go take this man to his bed. The fact that he's snoring means he hasn't gotten enough sleep last night. I'm sending him to bed early. "Anna picked up his legs and began dragging him to one of the bedrooms.

"Yeah, im sure taking him to bed to sleep is exactly what he needs." Sasha laughingly shook her head.

"Stop it Anna! We have work to do. You can take me to bed later." He bantered with her.

"Alright, alright. Fine. Work now, Play later." Anna helped him up.

As Josh got to his feet, his hand 'slipped' and fell to Anna's butt which he lightly patted.

Sasha had come to check in on Mattias and Kara, but seeing seeing the group gathered and Mattias well tended to, she headed back to the shuttle bay to finish unloaded and organizing.

"Damn kids always making a racket when the adults are trying to sleep off a hangover." Mattias grunted softly from his biobed.

“Matt!!” Kara rushed over to her brother’s bedside. “How are you feeling?”

Cracking his eyes open slightly, he said, "I'd be better if Little Bo Peep and Jack Horner would fuck already and get on with things already." His voice, while weak, was full of his normal gruff humor.

Kara giggled. “Ohh you are definitely alright.” She looked around. “Would someone please let Lily know that Mattias is awake.”

Anna shouted outside. "Ey Lily!!!!! Stitches over here is awake. You better get in here if you wanna prod his wounds while they're still fresh." Anna grinned. "Gods I love you guys, Only people like us can give each other so much grief but still be friends at the end of the day. You know what... Sacred pact time.." Anna noted. "We all love Kara like a sister. so here it is; No matter how many of us fall, Kyle Cragen is never going to get our Kara." She thought again. "You know what... Same goes for our Arri or Kate... She's already been through enough hell."

Lily was carrying Matt's duffle when she stuck her head in. "Whats with the yelling?" she asked.

Anna pointed towards Mattias. "He's awake Lily. C'mon everyone time for Matty to face the music." Anna gestured everyone out of the room.

"Anna," Mattias said quietly. "Two things. One, it feels like a torpedo just detonated insude my body. Maybe you turn it down from eleven, to three. Two, Kara is my sister, and she knows exactly what I will do to keep her safe." His eyes then moved to Phoenix and no one else existed. "Hey you." He spoke softly, with a look of love in his eyes.

"hey back." She said with a smile. She gave Anna a narrow eyed look, "You guys are way too loud. We have a ton of stuff to unload, Sasha has the transport buffer unloading stuff and you guys need to get your things sorted so we can move on."

Once everyone had shuffled out, there was just Mattias and the woman he loved left. "The new ship feels quiet. I'm guessing you and I are going to be sharing the same bed?" Though weak, he had a mischievous grin cross his face.

"Once your sister lets you out of here. You are just going to have to wait until then." Lily replied.

"Kara?" Mattias called out. He then started to pat himself and the biobed down. "Where's the damn call button? The service in these flying medbays really has a lot to be desired." He was smirking as he spoke.

“You called?” Kara grinned as she paused in the doorway. “If you want out of here forget it! You’re staying under my care, and supervision until i’m satisfied you’re suitably healed.” She gave her brother an ‘I mean it’ look.

Lily smirked at Matt. "Don't worry honey, I will be fine, all alone." She blew him a kiss. And then she turned nodded at Kara and headed for the door and the ship beyond. "Jax and I have things to do.... together"

Kara grinned. “Well lover boy it looks like it’s just me and you.” She gave Mattias a mischievous look. “Don’t worry you’ll be safe with me. Seriously though... if you split those stitches again you’ll bleed out so I need you to give it a little time.”

Mattias sighed softly, dissapointed that he was stuck in the medical bay. However, he would follow Kara's instructions. As much as she trusted him to do his thing, he trusted her implicitly when it came to medical matters. "Just do what you need to do, so I can get out of this biobed and into a real bed."

“You know I will” Kara offered her brother a smile. “Let’s see what I can do to speed up your healing for you, but be aware, once you’re out of here you need to rest, and I mean REST! No shenanigans with Lily for a little while okay?” She picked up a medical tricorder and a dermal regenerator. “Now let me know if there’s any discomfort.” With that she set about running the regenerator over his back.

Mattias gave Kara a mischievous smirk. "What if she does all the work and I just lay there?"

Kara grinned. “As long as there’s no weight on your back you can have as much fun as you like!”

Mattias grunted softly as the regenerator was moved over his damaged body. "It hurts, but I can deal."

Kara grabbed her tricorder and ran a scan. “If I knit you together too quickly it could tighten up your muscles too much and cause more problems. There’s going to be a certain amount of scar tissue as well. I’ll just finish off lower down and we’ll let your body do the rest.” She gently ran her fingers over his skin. “Can you feel my touch?”

Nodding his head, Mattias replied. "A little, yeah. As for the scarring, it's all part of the job. The scars can alwatmys be removed later, if I so choose."

Kara smiled. It felt a little strange as last time she’d ran her fingers over his back was when he’d taken her virginity on her eighteenth birthday. She spoke telepathically knowing he’d hear her. Touching you like this brings back memories of my eighteenth birthday. It’s still a cherished memory you know.

Mattias nodded slowly. As they promised each other to never speak of that day again, he instead replied with, "How's Malakai doing?"

“Ohh I... I’m sorry” Kara offered an apologetic glance. “Malakai is Malakai, he worries about me. He was pretty disappointed I used a Bath’leth on the bad guys instead of a phaser so he’s now supplied me with a phaser to keep with me at all times.”

Reaching out, Mattias took a gentle hold of Kara's hand. I cherish it too, Kara. He gave her a sad smile. Then, he nodded. "Good. You should've been carrying one regardless. A bat’leth is a serious weapon. It takes yearsxof constant practice to master the use of it."

As Mattias held her hand Kara gave him a teary smile, it was an answer she’d been looking for ever since what had happened between them. She nodded in response to his comment about the Bat’leth. “I know, I’ve only got a couple of years experience under my belt so far, I aim to keep practicing.” She wished she could tell him there and then about his niece but he’d only just learned of her pregnancy and was recovering from his wounds as well.

He shrugged as best as his wounds would let him. "Maybe, when I'm better, we could spar some? You with your Bat'leth, me with my katana."

Kara nodded enthusiastically. “I’d like that Matt, you can give me some pointers.”

Mattias nodded and grinned. "You'd have to clear me from here, so I can finish recuperating in an actual bed, before that could happen."

Kara shook her head as she finished checking Mattias over. “We’ll see how you are in the morning. If you’re at a point I’m happy with then I’ll release you back to your quarters to REST, and I mean rest!”

"Jeez, "Mattias teased with a grin. "The baby isnt even born yet and you're getting mom tone already." He chuckled softly.

Kara grinned and stood with her hands on her hips as she looked at her brother. “Up until now you’ve done all the looking after me, now it’s my turn to look after you.” She playfully ruffled his hair knowing he hated it. “The little sister takes charge.”

Mattias made a face and growled softly. He almost said that perhaps he shouldve let Malakai rake the hit, but, he couldn't think of a way to say it in a playful manner, and the last thing he ever wanted to do was hurt Kara. So, he simply stuck his tongue out at her and replied, "You're enjoying this a bit too much, I think."

“Who me?” Kara smiled. “Not at all big brother. I’m a medic and you’re my patient, I will not let you hurt yourself again.”

Mattias smirked as he turned his back to Kara, so she could work. "Nice try, Little Girl. Try selling that load of bull to someone who didn't wipe your ass when you were a baby."

“Do I need to prove it?” Kara gazed at Mattias. “Where medical matters are concerned I’m the boss.”

Sighing, knowing that she was right, Mattias surrendered finally. "Okay, okay. You win. Big Brother will do his best to behave. Now Little Sister needs to patch him up so he can go and sleep next to the woman he loves."

“Did you not notice? You are all patched up now you spend tonight here and if you’re a good boy I’ll let you go in the morning.” Kara smiled. “Now I need to sit down and put my feet up.” She pulled up a chair nearby. “I suggest we both get some rest.”

Accepting her terms, Mattias laid back on the firm biobed. "Lights, lower to twenty percent." Tge computer lowered the lights. Looking over, he saw that Kara had already fallen asleep. Taking the blanket that was covering him, he gently laid it across her, to keep her and the baby as comfortable as possible. He then laid back down. Though the medbay was a little chilly, he had slept in colder temperatures.

===

Jaxon headed to the bridge. He was very happy to find it was as great as Sasha had said it would be. "Ohh yeah!" He swung into the pilots couch and settled in. He brought up the transponder codes and set about changing them and the registration of the ship.

=== Shuttle bay ===

Sasha finished her quick count of supplies and belongings just as the others came into the shuttle bay. She internally gave a sigh of relief nothing was missing. The last thing she wanted to hear was that someone's weapons' stash had been left behind, or worse yet their clothing.

Kate walked in, "Sasha, did we secure most of our more important suplies. I intend to set up a lab with the purpose of assisting in the development of treatments for Kyle Cragen's former slaves. They will have been placed under intense drugging and brainwashing.


Sasha had to give it to Kate, for all that she had been thought the woman wasn’t cowering away from those dark days, she was looking to help pull others from them. Sasha admired it, even if she didn’t voice it. “We’ve got it all Kate. I made sure of it.”

Anna also dragged Josh into the room. "Alright Josh, let's get our stuff stowed away."

"Waiting on you Anna." Josh tossed back to her. His eyes flashing in delight at the bantering they shared.

Anna began helping josh. "Keep up back there. You slack off again, Josh, I'll put you int a crate with a bunch of spare parts, and you'll sleep there tonight."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, like hell I will. You might be sleeping there Anna but not me."

“Oh some alien deity please save me from these two.” Sasha jokingly muttered herself. “I think I’m going to lock both of you in a crate and leave you there.” Sasha threatened with a smile.

"Sasha, it's not punishment if we want it." Anna noted.

Clara appeared to collect her things. "Oh are they still at it?" she asked curiously to Sasha

The redhead gave Clara a knowing look, "Their presence is insufferable." She then mouthed 'Save me' followed by a chuckle.

Anna spoke. "Yeah, yeah. C'mon. We've got work to do. Work now, play later."