Arrival, back to the Barn- JP

Posted on Mon May 13th, 2024 @ 9:00am by Ensign Alessandra Sheffield & Avalon [ADMIN NPC] & Commodore Phoenix Lalor-Richardson & Commander Kyle Reece & Commander Sthilg & Lieutenant Colonel Azhul Naxea & Lieutenant Commander S'hib & Lieutenant Commander Alicia Kelea-Salik & Lieutenant Commander Rin & Lieutenant Anna Esquivias & Lieutenant J'airesh Mora-Heath & Lieutenant N'vok Holv & Lieutenant JG Miraj Derani & Lieutenant JG Jonathon DeLaney & Josef Forstinger & Lieutenant M'Tuuri Sh'iss [S'hib] & Lieutenant Nicholas Reece [Reece] & Senior Chief Petty Officer Emily Charles {Kelea-Salik}

Mission: Season 6: Episode 4: Memory Lane
Location: Main Shuttlebay
Timeline: MD 9 16h00
5252 words - 10.5 OF Standard Post Measure

=Bridge=

Phoenix took a breath as the Elysium leapt to Warp. “Secure from Red Alert. Lieutenant Commander S’hib, Lieutenant Commander Alicia Kelea-Salik, you are with me, Commander Reece, you have the bridge.” She headed for the turbolift. “Commander Sthilg and a medical team to Shuttlebay One.”

S'hib nodded, quickly shutting down his console before clicking for the turbolift.

"Aye, Ma'am," Kyle replied respectfully, as he logged out of his terminal and stood. Moving over to the command well, he lowered his large frame into the command chair. The last time he had sat in this seat, he was a young lieutenant, and had led the Elysium to victory against five Mirror Universe Constitution class Heavey Cruisers.

Alicia nodded and quickly joined Phoenix and the others, tapping her comm badge as she did so. “Kelea-Salik to Sullivan. You’re needed in Shuttle Bay 1, bring along the Counselling cadets, we’re going to need all the people we have.”

Once in the lift, Phoenix ordered it to “Shuttle Bay 1”

=Shuttlebay

The Shuttlebay was rather empty as the Saucy Minx was finishing its landing protocols, just the one crewman marshalling the larger vessel to its spot next to the Type 9s.

Phoenix entered with her Chiefs of Security, Medical and Counseling right behind her. She watched as the hatch opened.

Naxea exited the shuttle, thankful to be back aboard the Elysium. She felt drained after the lack of sleep on top of everything that happened. "Commodore," she greeted. "We've taken on several former captives from the Alpha Quadrant," she gestured to the rag tag group that slowly exited the shuttle. Her eyes went to the Cardassian -something was familiar about him, yet she couldn't place it. "We also have several pods with children from the Alpha Quadrant. We kept them in the pods to minimize any trauma of waking them."

Phoenix nodded. "Understandable. We will keep them here for now. Medical will assess everyone, even your team Colonel, lets make sure everyone is ok."

"Understood, Commodore," Naxea replied before stepping off to the side to watch as everyone else filed out of the shuttle.

Rin strode off the shuttle, all but oblivious to everything going on around her. Her hair was matted with blood from where she had hit it earlier. She still had not calmed down, and that was odd, wasn't it? She didn't care. She wanted these people to burn. But she also wanted to get her people home. And that gave her hope, and hope felt wonderful, and...

And there was just so much going through her head as she tried to stumble away from the gathering.

M'Tuuri was busy helping the Caitian girl, lifting her out of one of the side hatches as Rin walked away. "You look rrridiculous..." She murred as she looked at the young girl, her face somewhat obscured by the oversized EVA helmet she was wearing as it wobbled this way and that.

"It's really smelly inside." The girl laughed as M'Tuuri glanced about.

A frown formed on M'Tuuri's face, but not at her comment. "Stay here..." She said before walking after Rin.

What was going on she thought, studying Rin with curiously narrow eyes as she stumbled about.

"Commander!" She called out, tilting her head to the side as she caught up. "Commander?" M'Tuuri asked again, moving close enough to place a hand gently on her shoulder.

Rin's attention snapped to M'tuuri, looking furious enough she might hit her subordinate. But this was M'tuuri, who had never shown her more than the minimum required respect, much less concern and empathy. Yet here she was. It made Rin's heart warm. She smiled first, but then started crying, tears rolling down her cheeks. And then she laughed, even though the tears were still flowing.

She needed to go. She needed to work. Work was her comfortable place. She could sort out everything in her head, and figure out what they had gathered, and get people home, and... and...

With realization, her eyes showed something akin to terror as she grasped M'tuuri's outstretched hand. And she giggled, completely at odds with what the rest of her face was saying. "I...think my emotion inhibitor finally broke, and...I have no idea how to deal with everything inside my head." She wiped away a rivulet of blood that made it's way down her forehead. "Those fucking slavers broke my implant." And, with increasing desperation, she quietly croaked "Help."

Help? M'Tuuri thought as her eyes went wide with panic, wanting nothing more than to pull her hand away. "Medic!" She yelled, turning briefly to the crowd. "I need a fucking Medic over here!"

Why her of all people M'Tuuri thought, not wanting to be in the shuttle bay anymore or stuck in this situation. Just my luck.

"Hey, Look at me..." She said with a firm but neutral tone, waiting until Rins eyes met her own. "What's your name, rank and ssserial number!"

Rin forced herself to concentrate on the Caitian's face. "Rin....Lieutenant...Lieutentant Commander... 39681A29."

T'Kek, hearing the call for a medic rushed over with carrying a Field medical kit, flipping open his medical tricorder. The CIO was a mess, at least visually. "What happened?"

"Explosions on the station," Rin explained, focusing on the task of talking. "Lost consciousness. Damaged my emotional inhibitor... and a bunch of lesser systems. Damnit!" This whole situation was so frustrating. Which was exactly the problem, really.

The tricorder agreed with Rin's self-assessment. Significant concussion, scalp lacerations, damage to implants, and a racing heartbeat, probably as a side effect of the elevated emotional state.

"Get a sssedative ready!" She hissed at T'kek, warning him away by stepping back into Rins view.

"Rrrin, focus." She continued, her tone changing instantly as she moved her face this way and that, trying to stay in front of her erratic eyes. "What was the ssstardate when you joined the Elysium."

With some effort, Rin recited a stardate.

M'Tuuri nodded at the answer, she didn't know if it was correct and she didn't care, she just needed to fill her head with numbers. "And how many daysss ago was that, how many hourrrs, how many minutes."

"Step away and let me do my job," T'Kek replied firmly as he took out a hypospray filled with a mild sedative that would calm Rin until she got to Sickbay.

M'Tuuri continued to ignore T'Kek, Keeping Rins attention by staying in her view.

"She is going to Sickbay," T'Kek stated as he administered the sedative.

M'Tuuri turned to glare at T'Kek, looking him up and down with utter contempt as the hypospray finished hissing. "Thank you for that insightful observation, you gonna take her or am I?"

Rin relaxed as the sedative hit her system. "Please, stop. You're both trying to help. I thank you both."

"I have to help Dr. Sthilg here. Take her directly to Sickbay and then allow them to treat her and repair her implant or you will be charged with obstructing medical treatment of a Starfleet Officer," T'Kek replied firmly, standing his ground. If there was one thing he took seriously, it was his job and nobody would stand in the way of doing that job.

Rin, even in her drowsy state, doubted such a phrasing would do anything other than further infuriate M'tuuri, so she decided to let herself be a distraction. "Please. help me to Sickbay. I'm not sure how long I'm going to remain vertical."

M'Tuuris face twitched something fierce as she glared at T'Kek, her brain firing away with so many insults that none managed to actually escape her lips.

She felt like the epitome of damned if you do, damned if you don't at that moment, wanting nothing more than to shriek at T'Kek, or bludgeon him, or both.

"It's fine Rin, I'll just drag you by your ankles." she mewed before turning and yelling loudly. "Hey, kid! come on! or I'll leave you here!"

Little ears turned in response. "Gotta go!" The young cait girl said before wriggling free from the nurse who was trying to take the helmet off of her.

"I got this T'Kek," M'Tuuri grumbled as she hooked Rin's arm over her shoulder. "You can fuck off now, yeah?"

"Not a kid," Rin mumbled as M'tuuri led her out of the shuttlebay.

"Damn, that sedatives strong." M'Tuuri thought to herself as she heard the pitta patta of tiny clawed feet running up behind them.

"This ssships huge!" She exclaimed, running on by while holding the helmet steady on her head.

----

Gul Desek glanced about the Starfleet vessel. The technology was most impressive--far above of what he had known the Federation to possess. He approached the woman who was obviously the ship's commander. "Excuse me, Commodore. May I ask a few questions?"

Phoenix nodded at the Cardassian. "Of Course." She said. She had joined the fleet well after the war, so she didn't have any issues with Cardassians.

"I was a prisoner for twenty-four years My name is Gul Desek. I would like--" Desek's words were cut off as an arm wrapped around his throat.

The arm belonged to Naxea as she pulled him backwards and slammed him hard to the deck. "You bastard!" she screamed. It was a primal scream full of rage and hatred as she drew her knife.

"ed' i' Seldarine" Phoenix cursed. "COLONEL NAXEA STAND DOWN" She yelled, it was rare that Phoenix raised her voice as it was. "Commander S'hib, disarm the colonel!"

S'hib was rushing over moments after hearing his wife scream, not even hearing the Commodore as his hooves thumped loudly on the shuttle bay deck. At that moment he wasn't a security officer, simply her Stal, her husband.

"Nax!" He bellowed, sidestepping through people as he approached the scene. "Naxea, stop!"

Naxea was in her own world that consisted of only her and Desek. "I'm going to make sure you suffer before I kill you," she seethed. "For every Bajoran that you tortured and killed. For every Bajoran you raped!" she pressed the dagger against his throat, causing blood to seep forth.

"I don't...know...you," Desek managed to say.

Alessandra had been carefully pushing the pods down the ramp, looking around with wide eyes around the large shuttlebay. She stopped at the sight of the colonel attacking another alien.

Josef slowly stumbled off the Platform. The man drawing some attention. He seemed to be a Human Male, around his mid 20s. That isn't what drew attention, rather it was his clothes. a drab olive military uniform, circa late 1900s Earth, a red white and red flag patch as well as as few others visible. He was armed to the teeth, visibly carrying an AUG assault rifle, a Glock 9mm Pistol strapped to his hip, as well as a sheathed knife and a few grenades and magazines in his vest.

He was visibly covered in blood of various shades of green and red and had a blank stare. His mental state nor his health seemed to be the best, as he was covered in cuts, scars, and bruises-and his face was blank. His glossed-over eyes scanned over the room. Where was he? What was this place? His mind seemingly tried to make sense of everything as it shifted out of survival mode and was unable to do so.

However, seeing another being suddenly drawing a knife and attacking the Cardassian his mind instinctively went into survival mode. The man who seemingly went through hell and back quickly drew his sidearm, aiming it at Naxea. This man didn't know what was going on at all, but seeing as she only seemed aggressive towards the weird spoonheaded alien he kept his blank stare as he just watched the struggle.

S'hib didn't see the weapon raised, nor hear the commotion it caused as other officers raised their phasers "Naxea!" S'hib bellowed again before throwing himself at her.

"Stop!" He shouted, scrambling over the pair before grabbing for her hand, clutching it and part of the blade firmly in a vice-like grip. "Stop..." he said in a softer tone, staring at her with a deep sadness in his eyes.

He knew what this was about, better than most anyway... even agreed with her somewhat. "Let go, Nax... please." He repeated, not even feeling the knife edge biting between his thumb and finger.

S'hib's proximity made her come back from the brink but not before slamming her fist across the jaw of Desek. "This...thing is a war criminal. He deserves nothing short of death."

N'vok's attention had been on making sure the data gathered in their jaunt was being downloaded to Avalon's system along with the initial set of sorting queries he wished to be run. He looked up from his datapad to see an increasing scuffle centered on the Cardassian that had been rescued.

He looked at Josef and said calmly and clearly. "Sir, please put down your weapon. We have enough confusion at the moment."

S’hib was handling what was happening with Naxea so Alicia turned her attention to the man now standing pointing his weapon at Naxea. She nodded to N’Vok in response at his attempt to calm things. “Sir...” she stepped within arm’s reach gently placing her hand on the man’s arm. “Please put your weapon down, there are children aboard the transport they don’t need to be witnessing any further violence, and nor does anyone else.” She offered a calming smile hoping it would work to diffuse the situation a little, before turning to look towards Naxea. “Naxea, you don’t want to do this.”

Josef, clearly in a paranoid state as his mental state took another decline, looked around the room, seeing multiple "guns" pointed at him and seeing what seemed to be a bipedal horse also didn't seem to help. Quickly changing the direction his pistol was pointing at, he got into a bit of a standoff with the rest of the security staff. The shouting also didn't help, as his heartbeat quickened, memories-bad memories-started flooding back into his mind. Some words flood back into his mind, was it maybe from an Instructor? It was so foggy. "Don't be taken alive." was something that shot into his brain all of a sudden. Ignoring N'voks words altogether.

However, his entire trail of thought was interrupted by Alicia. His arm flinched away as she tried to touch him, only able to do so with a finger or two, noticing that he was practically coated in caked-up blood and sweat. However, her words seemed to have some effect on him. Children... a memory flashes in his mind, a rather painful one. And so his Pistol was holstered as quickly as it was drawn. He didn't say a word, his eyes staring directly into the Counselor.

Alicia offered a gentle, kind smile as she looked at the man in-front of her. “That’s better, I’m Alicia. It’s obvious you’ve had a lot to cope with why don’t you let me show you to where you can be checked out by medical and then find you some quarters so you can freshen up?”

"Yeah uh-sure" came the reply to Alicia. "I'm Josef." came the reply, the conversation grounding him a bit more in reality. Being from pre-warp Earth everything still seemed alien and hostile to him, but thanks to Alicia looking human enough and being kind and gentle, it calmed his nerves, for now anyway.

N'vok looked to Alicia, obviously asking if she wanted him to accompany her and Josef.

Alicia gave N’vok a nod motioning for him to accompany her & Josef. “Let’s get you over to a bed, and one of our wonderful medical team will give you a once over. I’ll stay with you until you’re settled okay?”

N'vok followed behind Alicia just being there, making no sudden moves, hopefully being a calming presence.

The two of them did offer a somewhat calming presence to Josef in an ocean of unfamiliarness and strangeness. Following as she led him to one of the beds by the medical team.

“Here you go” Alicia smiled warmly waving Emily across. “This is Senior Chief Petty Officer Emily Charles, she’ll take good care of you.”

Emily offered an infectiously cheery smile. “Emily will be just fine, you just make yourself comfortable and I’ll run a few scans, see what shows up.” She tapped the medical tricorder in her hand.

"Scan ?" Josef asked, clearly unfamiliar with the concept of a scan, scanning or any "modern" technology. But, putting his trust in them hard as that was for him after all he went through, he gave a nod.

And the scan would reveal a lot more information about him. First off he was indeed Human and around 25 years of age. Also, he was in horrible shape. There were several bullets still lodged all over his body, at least 2 broken bones had healed poorly and there was scarring dotted around his arms, legs, and chest. The Translator Implant the Slavers had given him at the base of his neck was being actively rejected by his body as a foreign object. On a closer analysis, his blood also held a few pathogens and viruses thought extinct including Earth-including Smallpox, for which he seems to have gotten an immunization recently at least recently to his freezing. He also showed acute signs of cryo-sickness, having not been modified to withstand its earlier forms and probably frozen and unfrozen by the Slavers multiple times. Other than that, a few cuts and bruises also showed on his dirty skin, gotten during the escape. How was this man alive, much less talking?

Emily was astounded by the scans as she looked at them. “Good heavens! I have no idea how you’ve survived.” She shook her head.

N'vok studied the scans intensely. "You have survived much, Mister Josef," he said. "I can promise you that you will be better cared for here. May I ask your point of origin? Your home?"

"Depends what, the arena or what came before ? I was just faster at beating heads in than the others," he said with a chilling non-chalantness about it. One that you would expect from a Klingon, not a human. "Not that I wanted to, then again, didn't want to fight in the first place. Guess God had different plans for me." was the response he gave to Emily. "I guess in the End just a lot of Adrenalin and spite."

"Josef, Josef Forstinger is my full name. Born in Vienna, Austria. Born September 10th, 1971. Rank of Staff Seargent, 4th Squad, 3rd Jäger Brigade, AAF." was his response to N'vok, as if he had repeated it a bunch of times and was almost encoded into him.

“Don’t worry, medical technology has come a very long way. We can sort all your injuries and ailments. You’ll be as good as new in no time.” Emily smiled warmly.

"Sounds good, I could use a smoke and a drink right about now" he responded, and with a bit of comedic timing her scans also showed an alcohol and nicotine dependency with withdrawal symptoms. As well as a cocktail of other drugs within his system, seemingly attacking the amygdala and the hypothalamus in his brain- furthering his aggressive tendencies. Possibly done to him by the slavers to really get him riled up into the fight.

"Welcome aboard the Starfleet vessel USS Elysium, Sargent Forstinger," N'vok said. "I am afraid we are very far from your homeworld but there are many other Terrans aboard. I am N'vok Holv, Lieutenant, and Chief of the Science Department aboard the Elysium. But I go by N'vok. I am not a Terran but a native of the planet Vulcan though currently disguised for our expedition into hostile territory." He looked at Josef. "What other question can I answer for you?"

Alicia smiled as she offered a little input of her own. “There are many aboard the ship who aren’t Human, myself and Emily included, but we’ll explain all that when we have more time.” She looked around. “I’ll be around if you need anything.” With that she headed to help others.

"Wait, Starfleet. Terrans-you mean Earth right ? Vulcan-uh hold up." he was trying to keep up with all the information currently in his brain. He was Pre-Warp, so none of this made much sense to him at first. "Hold up, you're not Human either ?" that's when he spotted the spots. "Huh-yeah, sure." he just replied, letting Alicia go on about her business. This was all too confusing to him. At least he hopes someone would treat him soon, at least he was diagnosed for now.

“It’s okay” Emily offered a warm smile sensing Josef’s concern. “All will be explained, right now let’s get you comfortable and sort out your injuries. There’s a lot to be done, but you’re in good hands.” She picked up a hypo. “This is just for your pain, no needles just a painless spray.” She pressed it to his neck. “There, now relax.”

No needles ? Well that's at least one positive thing. Though trying to question how something like that would even work confused him too much. Having not much choice but to trust Emily-and wanting something against the pain, he relaxed, letting her do her thing.

Emily smiled. “Just relax, I’ll be back and forth so if there’s anything you need just let me know.”

S'hib meanwhile, was beginning to feel Naxea's grip loosen around the hilt, though he could still feel how tense the rest of her was even as she finally relented, breathing heavily before handing the knife to him. "This isn't over Desek," she said, staring down at the man.

"That's enough Nax, I'll deal with him." He said, pleading with her to leave.

Desek looked at the woman who assaulted him. "Commodore, what is the meaning of this?!" he demanded through the pain in his jaw, as he slowly got to his feet. "I see Starfleet 's discipline has gotten worse since I've been gone."

Naxea had already stormed off. She knew just looking at Desek would cause her to want to strangle him. His troops had ambushed and killed her father and then he had tortured and raped her mother, who had later given birth to her half brother Dajeem.

S'hib had already had enough of this man the moment he opened his mouth. "Shut it, I'm not done with you!" He snorted, shoving Desek back to the deck with barely any effort, watching the Cardassian stumble and fall into a painful heap.

Desek grunted as he fell to the deck a second time. First was from the supposed Bajoran woman that was disguised as a Lonian. And now from this overgrown animal. "I will not be treated this way!" he demanded. Did this female Starfleet commander have such little control over her officers? he thought bitterly as he looked from S'hib to Lalor.

"I don't care, stay down!" S'hib bellowed as he moved towards the man, flipping the knife over before slipping it under his belt.

"Gul Desek, I am placing you under arrest for suspected war crimes against the Bajoran people, and against my better judgment putting you into protective custody."

"You'd listen to a crazy woman?" Desek asked, dumbfounded.

His question was met with hot air, figuratively and literally as S'hib huffed dismissively at the man "On your knees, hands behind your back." He grumbled, reaching for the restraints attached to his belt.

"I'd listen to the Commander, Gul," Nicholas stated as he stepped out of the shuttle, still carrying J'Airesh in his arms. "You may not know what's happened the last quarter century, but we all do." While he hadn't been old enough to serve back then, Nicholas could recall every story his Grampy had told him, of how things had been during the occupation of Bajor, and what the Cardassians had done to the Bajorans. He held no sympathy for the Cardassian before him. A part of him felt that what he had endured at the hands of the Thaih'ea had been but a partial penance for his crimes.

"Wait until the Cardassian Union hears of this!" he continued, reluctantly obeying the Sequus and wondering why the ship's commander was so silent as a Gorn in a Starfleet medical outfit approached him.

Phoenix wanted to scream. “Commander S’hib, Let him up,” She ordered. It had happened too fast for her to act.

"Commodore?" S'hib questioned, already lifting the man to his feet by his restraints.

“Uncuff him. He was a slave over there was he not?” Phoenix snapped towards Nicholas who had come over.

S'hib stared at her with a deep-set frown, he wasn't angry at her decision, more so disappointed.

Another moment passed and his ears followed suit, pinning themselves firmly back as he turned and removed the restraints.

Nicholas straightened up a bit more when the Commodore spoke to him. "Aye, Ma'am, he was!"

“Then why would you think it is ok to treat a rescued person thus?” The Commodore replied. She looked at the Gul. “I apologise Gul, high tensions obviously abound. If you will head to medical with our Chief Medical Officer and a security escort, we will arrange for quarters and medical care.”

Desek took a breath. "Thank you, Commodore. At least someone on this damn ship has some common sense," he sneered.

"Commodore, I must protest..." S'hib interjected, still holding onto the Gul, his grip tightening at that last comment.

"If he is who I think he is, and with the amount of Bajorans serving aboard this vessel, I cannot guarantee his safety outside of my brig."

"Commodore," Nicholas spoke up respectfully. "While I agree that Desek was brought to this region of space without his consent," he didn't want to give the Cardassian any more information than he truly needed, "What we do not know, is how he actually lived his life here. Respectfully, Ma'am, given his history, that we do know, I must concur with Commander S'hib. For both his safety, and that of the crew, Gul Desek should be placed in protective custody, until such time as a tribunal can take place, in regards to his crimes that are on record, and that he has not yet been judged or punished for by the law." He placed his hands behind his back, and waited quietly for Phoenix's reply.

Phoenix narrowed her gaze but merely said "I am sure we will get to that Lieutenant Reece. Security will escort the Gul to Medical and stand guard. End of discussion."

Sthilg had gotten to work straight away despite one of the captives screaming at the sight of him. He had ignored them and gotten to work. Almost all of them were in bad shape as was the away team. Though right now he was seeing to the Cardassian Naxea had attacked. However, that was hard to do with the arguing ringing in his brain. Even still he remained calm and did his job.

Jon observed with a hint of amusement as the mood in the room suddenly shifted. The crew of the Elysium seemed more unruly and undisciplined than he had anticipated. Maybe this ship was a better fit for him than he had initially thought. Perhaps he could find a quiet corner in engineering if Starfleet would even take him back.

His mind drifted back to all the experiments he had endured, the foreign technologies added and removed from his body, the pathogens tested on him to assess their effects. It was going to make for an interesting conversation, to say the least.

“Commander Sthilg please escort the Gul to Medical.” Phoenix ordered.
She moved towards an human male standing there looking off. “Hello, welcome to the Elysium.” She said She waved over medical personnel. “These people will take you to medical for clearance then we will get you settled into a cabin.”

Sthilg nooded " Rin your heading to medbay as well have Vissse look over your implantsss." he added as he turned to the Cardassian. He could understand the anger to the man's race. A Cardassian had cut off his arm after all. Still he didn't let it show as he gave a " Come on let'sss get you to medical."

Alessandra watched the chaos and silently lowered the pods to the ground and sat beside them. The ship was huge to her view. And so much more high tech than she remembered. She would just wait.

Two crewmen came over with an antigrav cart, and gently lifted the stasis pods onto it. "They have to go down to medical too." Miraj explained. "They cant be opened here. You may as well go with them."

Anna simply watched the chaos as she stepped from the shuttle, wearing a jacket over her Ardanan gown. If asked, she would have said anything she might have done would have added to the chaos. There were a lot of people shouting and threatening and arguing at once and she lacked context for most of it. She just felt weary. She wanted calm. She wanted rest. She looked quietly around and said nothing.

T'Kek spotted the last of the rescues exiting the shuttle and slowly approached the woman who was quiet. "Greetings. I'm Lieutenant T'Kek, a doctor. How are you feeling?"

"A little overwhelmed," Anna admitted.

"That is understandable," T'Kek replied, activating his tricorder. "May I please have your name?" he asked.

"Anna," she said, as if she had gotten used to saying nothing else. Then, "Lieutenant Anna Esquivias."

"Welcome aboard the Elysium, Anna," T'Kek stated as he scanned her, taking now of various conditions and past injuries. "Do you feel well enough to travel to our Sickbay?"

"Yes," she answered without much embellishment. She was still a bit frozen up inside.

"Come on. I'll escort you out of here, then. Give you some room to breathe so to speak,* he grinned at her

Phoenix raised her voice. “Lets get everyone to medical” and the teams began moving the survivors and away team to medical.

J'Airesh, still gratefully being carried towards the medical crew, sighed deeply. She was still woozily wandering in and out of clarity and sometimes even consciousness but she was aware at this moment and muttered to Nicholas her profuse thanks for his strength and patience in bringing her all this way.

"I would have probably died down there if you hadn't been so quick to help me. Thank you so much." she said, sounding a little slurred to her own ear but not sure if that was audible to anyone other than herself. Being a doctor meant that she knew only too well what was happening to her and she knew how bodies reacted by going into varying degrees of shock when they were undergoing a physical trauma. She was extremely glad to have Nicholas' supporting arms keeping her off the floor where she would no doubt have been if he had put her down.

"You saved my life..." she began again, with a strange and distant sense of deja vu. "Have I said that already?" she drifted off, back into semi-consciousness again, the pain that had felt quite distant, returning in waves and sharpening before she drifted out.

OFF