[USS Charon] Sim Announcement - USS Charon

Hey Guys

The past month has been tough.  As you all know I am a university student who is trying to complete pre-medical coursework for PA or if I decide to, medical school.  I am very busy with my curriculum but not only that I also volunteer extensively in my local community both in terms of animal rescue and people who are down on their luck.  Because of all of this I am insanely busy and the sim has suffered.  I originally intended to step down however after speaking to some of you and I-Chaya I have decided instead of take a three month hiatus from simming and put the sim in I-Chaya's complete care during that time period. 

I urge you all to work with her and bring the sim back to it's strength.  During this time period I will remain in an administrative (website, forums) capacity as well as try to develope the sim universe a little more when I do have free time.

When the three month hiatus up I will reevaluate whether or not I can commit in the long term.  If not we will collectively decide on the future of the Charon when that time comes.

-Thomas

[USS Charon] SD 241103.13 || Character Backlog || "Stressors" Pt. II || LtCmdr. Landon Neyes, NPCs

=/\= Sickbay, USS Charon =/\=

The pile of PADDs had grown slightly in the last hour, as Neyes attempted to assuage his mind by flooding it with distraction. Work was the best option right at that moment, given how there was so much to do now that the warp drive had been officially brought online. Landon was a man on a mission, whether said mission was to repair his broken heart, or to finally repair the Charon once and for all, no one could tell. His face was plain and emotionless with the lines of someone at work. He would read, and then maybe 'Hmmm' every so often. The Engineer wasn't one to talk to himself in quiet situations, and had all but gotten used to the fact someone would be around him at all times.

"You're still there." Neyes said, matter of fact. The real intention was to ask the obvious question, 'why'.

He was, of course, referring to the counselor seated in the corner of the medical bay. Nothing in her hands but the idle motions of a woman trying to crack a puzzle she didn't understand. Her stern and analyzing stares had been cutting a hole in the side of his head for the last two hours as he'd been working. Her dark hair fell down in locks from a tight bun in the back, and her dark eyes seemed to pierce whatever defenses he'd been trying to build between them as she decided when to make her next move. It had been a stand of up until now, you see. Karyna would say something to goat him, coax him, tease him, influence him, or just simply anger him, and Neyes would swat it down from the conversation with frightening apathy. There seemed to be nothing she could say which would allow her to penetrate his steely fortress of brood and mystery.

"Come on." She sighed. Finally appealing to the realist in him. "We've been here for hours. You know you're never going to leave if we don't talk about SOMETHING, so you might as well budge and let me in. Come on. Bring it."

Landon cracked a grin. He liked her, and her unfailing logic merited at least some kind of reward. She had been staring at him for quite a while now, and he admired her determination. "You know I can remember almost everyone I've ever killed?" He said, without turning to face her.

Karyna made a face. "Oh." Not what she had in mind. "How... How does that make you feel?" Silently she kicked herself for chiming in with such a clichéd response.

Neyes slowly set the PADD down, and looked around at her. The cortical monitor on his forhead blinked, the auto-hypo with anti-stimulants poked out from his neck, and the armature implant on his right arm all made him look like some kind of robotic humanoid. He made a little gassy-infant face and squelched his voice as he mocked her. "Oh gee wizz, Doc. It makes me feel all angry and sad and stuff. I can't sleep and the bad people in my head are always making me do bad things! Can you make them go away?"

She pursed her lips in irritation.

He rolled his eyes, realizing it probably wasn't the best time to be poking fun at someone trying to help him. Fine, he thought to himself. You win this round. "Counselor, I just mean... shouldn't killing someone bother me more than losing a relationship? I have killed... T'dhyu... quite a few." The ways he'd killed with daggers alone all seemed to bounce around, adding up to some monstrous number. "It doesn't seem to bother me though. I have ended lives, destroyed realities by stopping someone's existence, annihilating their future, hurting their loved ones and cutting short their potential as animated and sentient beings..."

Karyna, shuffled a little in her seat. "You think that should bother you more? Is it possible killing is just something you see as a job, like a side-effect of protecting someone?"

"You really want to know?" He raised an eyebrow at her, thinking of all the reasons he'd killed people.

She tapped her PADD, "You're not answering my question, Commander."

"OK." He tapped his knee, trying to place his thoughts. There was always this feeling he carried around that killing someone was only necessary if his future or the future of someone he cared about was in jeopardy if he didn't. Only then did he do it if the situation called for it. Obviously anyone capable of firing a phaser was also equally capable of vaporizing him in his sleep, but they had to give him a reason. A serious threat, or a fight. Maybe a war. The brutal and unceremonious murder of his Mother, Father, and baby Brother, for instance.

"Yes. But why do I remember them? I can recall dates, faces, names. At least when I knew their names. It's not because I'm proud of it, but I also don't really feel remorse. It's one of the more interesting parts of being joined, I suppose. I get to recall all the bad things along with the good. You'd think after all this time, all the adventures and all the wars, that Neyes would forget SOMETHING. But I remember everyone. And it doesn't bother me. Honestly it's just something I've learned to accept."

Karyna nodded, "So what does bother you?"

Landon seemed to grow uncomfortable and rigid. "What if this is what it means to live this long? What if I lose touch. Say I just keep having these things happen to me over the next couple centuries and eventually I just don't give a shit anymore? Do I want to live a life like that? At first it's exciting to know that once you're done with this life you get to do it all over again, learning from the past and moving forward. Now though... it just seems like I'm weaving my way through a life of disappointments."

"Are you disappointed with your life? Or with Landon's." She started to lean forward a little. He'd suddenly popped, and apparently once he started talking, it was all she could do to keep up.

"I feel silly asking this question. But I guess after all this time I still don't understand what the point of it all is. I'd love to say I'm some iconic temple of wisdom and knowledge, but it just isn't true. At my age you start to compare everything to what you've already done. Because let's face it, I've been most places, seen most species, I speak nine languages, and I can calculate a manual jump to warp in half the time it took anyone else in my class. I know a lot. I know what life feels like. Death has jammed it's angry fist up my backside so many times now I can't remember what it feels like to be in a place where I don't worry about someone trying to kill me.

"I fall in love with an amazing woman, human, interestingly enough, and then she vanishes from my life. Out of all the things I can think of that happen, I only get upset when someone that means something to me gets hurt. Shouldn't I be enlightened enough to care about everyone?"

"I think you're putting too much pressure on yourself, Commander. Even humans know that they can't be caught up in the issues of everyone. It's too much for anyone, even you. Just because you have the experience of centuries doesn't mean you're any different on the inside than the host you carries you. You're really only 26, don't forget that. Your next host will be young, probably too, and you'll have to face that all over again."

Landon rubbed the palm of his hand against his short hair. "I don't know if I want to, or if I can. I guess, that's what I'm feeling."

Karyna leaned back a little. The conversation had taken a darker spin, and she hand't exactly been expecting it. From what the crew had said, Landon was a bastion of integrity and work ethic even with the drugs. The sudden introduction of the possibility of a suicide was something she would not have been ready to peg on him, and probably would have thought it nearly impossible. Trill were basically conditioned tanks. Their bodies were prepared both mentally and physically to care for their culture's most important articles, the Symbionts. Taking one's own life would be an unforgivable grievance against the honor and pride of their race. If it was the Neyes symbiont's gesture, however, he'd need to be referred to a specialist. A Trill psychologist, maybe.

She blinked as she suddenly noticed he was staring at her in annoyance. She'd drifted off into thought without realizing it.

"Are you done wondering if I'm going to off myself or not?" He chided.

"Well you did say you weren't thinking about living through another lifetime, Sir." She held up a hand defensively.

"One. Killing myself would be a tragic loss of skill to this ship, one which you all need desperately, I might add. Two, my death would release me to haunt all the poor bastards who deserve to never sleep again. I'd much rather they simply sleep forever, but I just haven't gotten around to it yet. I have things to do, Counselor. I won't die before they do."

"Yes. Well. As long as you're sure that's not the problem."

"You're safe. My brains shall remain where they are for now." He grinned, enjoying watching her try to keep pace with his feelings. He couldn't even really pull it off, and he certainly didn't expect her to be able to.

Landon already knew what was wrong. He took drugs to deal with the morbid curiosity of wondering if he was cursed to fail at everything that mattered, or if he was some kind of monster who wreaked havoc on the lives of those he didn't outright kill. He remained in Starfleet as a place to hide, from his losses. It was enough for him to simply wake up in the morning and do his job, not having to think about his family or Lexi. The problem with doing a job was that he needed to do it better than anyone else. Neyes needed to be the shining star in every situation, and there was no way he was going to accomplish it sad and tired. Drugs were the necessary bridge for him to deal with the problem in an efficient and timely manner. It had gotten out of hand, though, he had to admit. It felt too good to forget about anyone but himself for so long.

"If that's all, Doc. I have a lot of reading and status reports to catch up on before returning to duty." Landon spoke kindly, but made it clear he was most likely done with the discussion."

Karyna eyed him, unsure if she'd actually made progress or not. That was to be expected though. Her main goal was to get him to talk, and it had been accomplished with flying colors. "Alright, Commander. I'll release you back to active duty. You'll be required to see a Counselor at least once a month for the next 6 months, though. Is that understood?"

Landon looked at her and winked. "Yes, ma'am. I'll be there. Thank you."

With that, she stood and walked out of sickbay. She'd have a lot of reading to do before speaking with him again, she imagined...

=/\= End Log =/\=

Lieutenant Commander Landon Neyes

Chief Engineer

USS CHARON

NPCs

 

[USS Charon] SD241103.07 Science Report, CSci CMDR Arcos Darye

ON: //--Training of Specialist Smith:  attached to Biology lab-// The team continued to prepare probe planning for the six systems of study.  Assisting Ensign Blande and the biology team was specialist Smith.  She had been selected to watch over and observe a team in action as part of her management training program. "Specialist Smith, Glad you could join us today.  We will be selecting two of our planets in question to accumulate biological, geological, and ecological data.  If you'd have a seat next to one of the stations, I am certain you'll find yourself useful." Ensign Blande said starting run some calculations. Specialist Smith took a seat next to one of the consoles.  She had a good feeling that today would be a good day to watch the bio guys at work. "Team let's get started!"  Blande said calling up the search criteria. "First probe:  Atmospheric planetoids within one of the systems deemed uninhabitable."  Blande called out. "Searching…"  one of the crewman called out. "Searching…" Specialist smith said aloud after she entered the program specifications in.    The team continued to enter in the data and read through system after system after the list of planetoids was pulled up.  After about an hour, specialist smith was feeling rather tired of looking at the thousand of nearly insignificant planetoids the computer brought up, but she pressed on anyway. "I think I've got one." Ms. Smith called out.  "It was nearly picked last time a science ship came this way.  It has a nitrogen oxygen atmosphere, but no water on the surface.  There are several sub-terrainal caverns that vent open to the atmosphere where the probe could sneak in…" "Interesting," Ensign Blande said. "I suppose that's one, we should gather a few more before we make our decision.  "How about some coffee or tea?"  Blande said looking at the time.  They'd been at it nearly an hour and half now, but the drudgery of searching made it feel like the shift had gone by. "That sounds good.  Can we omit the no food or drink rule for the day?"  the crewman asked. "I guess so, were only doing computer assisted searching anyways."  Blande replied.  Most of the team got up and got hot beverages from the lab replicator and began to search away again.  After the shift was over the team had narrowed down the selected systems for the probe from over a thousand to a dozen.    The next shift for the study would bring that number down to two, where two of the probes destinations would be locked in. After the session Ens. Blande walked over to Specialist Smith.  "You did pretty good." She started.  "Too bad your going after the botany position.  We could use an assistant lab manager… but then I suppose that's true of most of the sciences.   Good luck" She said as she turned off most of the equipment and went to lower the lights. OFF Specialist Smith Botanist (NPC) USS Charon Ens Blande Biologist(NPC) USS Charon Unnamed Crewman Lab assistant(NPC) USS Charon           //Science Report – USS CHARON – Star Date:241103.07// --------------------------------------- Index:  __________________________ I. Schedule of Science Command Staff II. Lab summary Table III. Lab projects summary IV. Bridge Functions V. Damage/repair/casualty Report VI. Science Commanders Comments ---------------------------------------------------------- I.   Schedule(daily) Name| position||rank| assignment| -----------------------------------------     |first shift |Second shift| third shift| ________________________________________ Arcos Darye| Chief Science Officer| Commander | Department head     |1)Bridge|2)office hours|3)OFF|    Y. Beindocoff| Stellar Cartography| Lieutenant J.G | Research/Lab Management | NPC     1)Research/Office| 2)OFF| 3)Bridge B. Roberts| Beindocoff's Assist| PO3|Research/office| NPC     1)Research| 2)Office| 3)OFF S. Vorn| Science Officer| Ensign | Admin Assistant| NPC     1)OFF|2)Bridge|3)office hours I. Castillo| Geo Science |Petty Officer 1st| Research/Lab Management| NPC     1)office hours| 2)research| 3)OFF    M. Blande| Bio Science| Ensign| Research/Lab Management| NPC     1)Office hours| 2)OFF| 3)Research T. Yin| Chem Science| Chief Petty Officer | Research/Lab Management| NPC     1)Research| 2)office hours| 3)OFF S. Ronsett| Phys Science| Lieutenant J.G | Research/Lab management| NPC     1)OFF| 2)office hours| 3)Research Ollanda| Cybernetics| Lieutenant J.G |Research/Lab Management| NPC         1)OFF| 2)Research| 3)office hours G. Yellin| Anthropology| Lieutenant J.G |Research/Lab Management| NPC     1) Research|2) OFF| 3) office hours C. Smith| Botany| Specialist| Plant Care and harvest| 1) OFF| 2) Plant Care| 3) Office/OFF ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Officers: 7|Enlisted: 16: 3 enlisted lab masters, 14 enlisted Lab assistants| ---------------------------------------------------------------- |Total Science Personnel: 24 (max 29/min 17/skeleton 3)| -----------------------------------------------------------------            II. Lab Summary Table Labs | Lab master | Assigned assistants | Experiment _____________________________________________ General Science | Department head charge | 1 | OPEN    Biology | M. Blande | 2 |  Area Specifics Chemistry | T. Yin | 2 | Area Specifics Geo Science | I. Castillo | 2 | Area Specifics Physics | S. Ronsett | 2 | Area Specifics Cybernetics | Ollanda | 2 | Probes/maintenance Anthropology| G. Yellin | 1 | Area Specifics Botany| C. Smith |    0(+1) | Caretaking/harvest Stellar Cartography| Y. Beindocoff/B. Roberts | 1 | Area Specifics ----------------------------------------------------------------- III. Lab Project Summary ________________________________ A) Biology: Biology mixes with a lot of the other fields, but the lab is utilized for a majority of the ships biological research including microbe study, cellar study, animal and space creature study, the study of Life, how it works, and how it continues to function today and in yester year. Biology Officer in-charge:  M. Blande |OFFICE HOURS: 1st shift CURRENT STUDY SUMMARY:  Lab 1:  Local Life Forms – threats, cautions and general study Lab 2:  Edible plants identification (works with botany) Lab 3: "Extract of Gouranni Herb for toxic identification" Progress Update:  Biology lab assignment #3 is completed for the most part.  Additional labs for further sample extraction are being completed this week.  Team will continue to research other edible plants of the nearby star systems and look for biological life forms that could pose a threat to away teams.  The team will launch several planetary probes to accomplish this task, selecting the most likely planets for the ships destination and then account for research friendly. B) Chemistry: Chemistry studies the physical nature of life, the study of chemicals and elements how they react and work together with each other.  Chemistry often works with biology and physics to come to a closer understanding of what we explore on the ship. Chemistry Officer in-Charge: T. Yin |OFFICE HOURS: 2nd Shift CURRENT STUDY SUMMARY: Lab 1: Toxins and Chemical benefactors of Local Area Lab 2: local medicinal secrets (joined with medical) Lab 3:  "Extract of Ka'al root" Status update: The Extract from the Klingon root has nearly been completed.  All that remains is to continue to mix the root with the Gouranni Herb for toxin neutralization.  Once completed the Ka'al roots will be continued to extracted and placed on reserve for the ships chef should the need arise to visit the selected Gourrani planetoid where the conference is being held. C) Geo-sciences:  The Geo Sciences department works with anthropology, Stellar Cartography, biology and other fields of science to grab a basis of the physical relationship of ecosystems, glaciations, gravitational pulls, tectonics, and seismic behavior of planets, moons, asteroids, and planetoids. Geo-Sciences Officer in-Charge: I. Castillo |OFFICE HOURS: 1st Shift CURRENT STUDY SUMMARY: Lab 1: Study of Ecosystems and Geological stability (localized area) Lab 2: Development of celestial objects (localized area) Status Update: Team will work with biology to gather planetary data through the launch of six recoverable probes to be designed by cybernetics.  Team hopes to gather from a flyby… the ecosystems and geological stability of the six chosen planets. D) Physics: Physics assists in astrophysics, quantum physics, bio-physics, standard physics.  The Physics team answers question in gravitational effects, trajectory, and other physics challenges.  Often Physics will work with geology or stellar cartography. Physics Officer in-Charge: S. Ronsett|OFFICE HOURS: 2nd Shift SUMMATION OF CURRENT RESEARCH: Lab 1: Trajectory/masses/make up of celestial objects in sensor range Lab 2: Tri-Probe method Status Update: Tri-probe data is still being collected in a nebulous region of ionized gases.  The nebula contains several asteroids.  Although the largest of these is planetary like, it has no atmosphere and is not in rotation around any central star.  The team will continue to collect data until probe no longer has uncharted area to cover.  Although most of the probe will self destruct or act as a hazard beacon… the logic unit of the probe will be ejected and rendezvoused with at a later date. E) Stellar Cartography: Stellar Cartography works with Astro-metrics to provide maps of the galaxy and studies the stars themselves mapping inner corona and outer solar system alike.   Stellar Cartography Officer in-Charge: Y. Beindocoff/B. Roberts |OFFICE HOURS: 1st shift/2nd shift SUMMATION OF CURRENT RESEARCH: Astro-metrics: Star chart review and update (works with helm/navigation) Lab 2: (Partnered with physics) Study of Celestial objects Status Update: Team continues to assist the helm and astronavigators with star charts, while updating, collecting and maintaining the stellar maps.  It is likely that team will be able to assist both geo-sciences and physics department again this week.  The three teams have worked together on much of the classification and telemetry of celestial objects for several months now. F) Cybernetics: The team plays a part in science cybernetics and robotics.  Together the team assists in probe assembly, repair, research, and equipment programming.  These guys play a major role in research set up, and develop new ways to keep us busy and tooling our research. Cybernetics Officer in-charge: Ollanda |OFFICE HOURS: 3rd shift SUMMATION OF CURRENT RESEARCH: Lab 1: Probe repair/construction/re-programming Additional task: Maintain science equipment (works with engineering) Additional task: Tri-probe assembly. Status Update: Team is assisting engineering with repairs to science equipment, station, performing pre-diagnostics and diagnostics, assisting with calibration of lab equipment and putting together probes for science teams study.  In addition the team is devising the probe assembly of the three probe method being devised by Physics. G) Anthropology: Part of the anthropologies job is to find out what humanoid life is like in surrounding solar systems.  They are basically a historian, but also provide an in-depth analysis in to cultures, societies and the way people live now, then… and on many worlds flourishing, dying, or since perished.  A lot of the teams focus is providing a guide for officers to use when approaching a world on or off duty. Anthropology in-charge: G. Yellin |OFFICE HOURS: 3rd shift SUMMATION OF CURRENT RESEARCH: Lab 1: study of local cultures, archeology, and developing peoples (works with ships counselor) Lab 2: The study of the Gourrani Status Update:  Team is analyzing record banks of all local civilizations and past civilization of passing inhabited or once inhabited celestial objects, natural or artificial.  In addition, team is helping to assist ships counselor with current peoples in area's customs, laws, and traditions, and economics. Team adds study of Gourranni for science team enrichment. H) Botany: The botany team, made up of volunteers and lab assistant Specialist Chris A. Smith are continuing to care for the planet current in the lab.  Since the team has no samples yet of Gamma quadrant plants, the focus have been on bordering sectors to the gamma quadrant. SUMMATION OF CURRENT ASSIGNMENT: Lab: Care of plant and fungi specimens/care of harvest of edible specimens Status Update: Volunteer teams are maintaining the lab, Specialist Chris A. Smith is working on lab management training.  Upon completion rank grade of Petty Officer 3rd class will be issued.  Administrative team congratulates Specialist Smith. I) General Science Lab: The General Science lab will be available at request, but is currently on standby for mission specific research.  The lab has holo-emitters for research and is shared with other departments as per request; departments can make use of the lab if unused by the science team.  The General Science lab is the ships state of the art science laboratory capable of housing six differing experimentations from any science department.  The lab assistant is charged with set up and preparing the lab for each team utilizing the lab.  Additional assistants can be utilized if necessary from other labs. GENERAL LAB SCHEDULE: (CURRENT SCHEDULE – one shift open) Shift 1: Morning coffee: Inner-Department Guest speaker (Science) Shift 2: Lab prep/clean up Shift 3:  -Open for study- REQUESTEE|REQUEST DURATION|REQUEST SHIFT(s)|SUMATION OF REQUEST ----------------------------------------- IV.  Bridge Operations ______________________________ Science Bridge Crew: RANK|NAME|POSITION|SCHEDULED SHIFT ----------------------------------      Commander Arcos Darye| Chief Science Officer| 1st Shift      Lieutenant J.G Yuri Beindocoff| Stellar Cartography|3rd shift      Ensign Samuel Vorn| Administrative Assistant|2nd shift NOTE: The Bridge team is charged with gathering scans for the science department, requesting launch of science probes, and monitoring data for bridge operations.  All scans and data can be made available to other departments and teams on request.   The science lab teams may also monitor their portion of the scans from the bridge at their request, but is limited to lab masters and the science department officers. -------------------------------------------- V. Damage/repair/Personnel Report: __________________________________ LAB/STATION STATUS: ---------------------------------- DAMAGE|EXPECTED DATE OF REPAIR|OPPERATIONAL STATUS ----------------------------------  +Science Labs All Labs Functioning +Science Stations      All Stations Functioning      +Science sensors/Deflector            Function in standard norm STAFF STATUS: ---------------------------------- PERSONNEL|INJURY/LOA|EXPECTED RETURN ----------------------------------- Officer injured:  0 (0 major – 0 minor – 0 Severe) Enlisted injured: 0 (0 major – 0 minor – 0 Severe) Promotion Request: --------------------------------------- Personnel: Rank|PersonnelName|à New Rank|Name ---------------------------------------   Additions: -------------------------------------- Addition: Rank|ADDITIONEE|POSITION --------------------------------------     Training Requested: --------------------------------------- Training: TRAINEE|POSITION (BYà) TRAINER|POSITION --------------------------------------- Management Training: (WEEK 3)Spc C. Smith| Botany | (BY->) | Cmdr Arcos Darye | CSci   Transfers: -------------------------------------- Transfer: Rank|TRANSFEREE|POSITION(TOà) POSITION ---------------------------------------- VI. Science Commanders comments _________________________________________ +Lab Assignments: If you come up with a good research assignment, just begin the process in character by developing a Pre-Lab report. I have attached a request form, just fill it in, and write something in character above about your character putting the report together. +Training:  If you are looking to advance in rank and you are a non-commissioned officer we will develop a role-play training month on in differing lab assistant positions.  Once completed you might be promoted to Technician, after you master a lab for another month we should be able to promote you to specialist… at which point you'd be specialized to an inner department.  As for leading a lab, we might be able to get you to work on your petty officer rank requirements and start training you on lab set up/and running the lab… not sure on the time requirement on that one, but we should be able to get you working on a story line in character. +Attached Reports: Lab study request form:  Name and rank: Position: Department:   I.                    Pre Lab report Purpose: Materials: Method/Procedure:  Hypothesis of result:   II.                  Safety/Hazard Report For seen Hazards during lab: Hazard 1:  Hazard 2: Hazard X:         General safety rules:  1.       Wear eye protection 2.       Know location and operation of safety equipment in lab and emergency devices 3.       Never work in laboratory alone 4.       Do only the experiment approved for the lab 5.       Do not wear personal clothing that is not pre-approved for lab use 6.       Report all accidents to Lab Master. 7.       Do not make oral contact with objects in lab 8.       Be mindful of the appearance of strange odors 9.       Keep the Laboratory clean. Clean up spills immediately 10.   Check lab equipment prior to lab and only use equipment in good condition 11.   Check temperature reading on all objects in experiment before reaching. Avoid physical touch of hot objects. 12.   Read reagent listings on any known reactions for reagents used in experiment. 13.   Clean hands thoroughly prior to leaving lab to avoid oral contamination and optical damage.     III.                Authorization Request   Time/shift research is done:                                       Additional Days of study:    Lab requested:                                                                 Personnel requested:   Estimated Set up time required:                                               Estimated take down time required:   Science team member requesting:   Comments:

[USS Charon] SD 241103.07 || Character Backlog || "Stressors" || LtCmdr. Landon Neyes & NPC

<< Since none of my joint logs were replied to in the last month, I will henceforth create my own characters and run rampant to replace those who were unavailable. Necessary evil for my purposes, I'm afraid. This all takes place while the Charon is en-route.>>

=/\= Sickbay, USS Charon =/\=

Shortly after bringing the Charon to it's feet and activating the engines, Landon had found himself in a drug-induced rage in Engineering. The simple matter of allowing himself to slip so carelessly into such an immature failing was embarrassing enough. The embarrassment being more about his peers on Trill discovering his mistake. It was fine enough his new shipmates thought of him as callous and off-putting, but for those he had known for lifetimes to given pause... it was just embarrassing.

Now he sat, clad in just his underwear and hungover on a remedy of anti-intoxicants the doctor had prescribed to him. The hiss of a hypo-spray sounded as the nurse once again assailed his body with chemicals.

"Is this all really so necessary, Doc?" He asked, irritated. "You could just bed me and get it over with. No need to remove my clothes one piece at a time, Ms. Raleigh."

The young Lieutenant who had been on duty since the Counselor installed him into her gentle care had been quite nice, until she began to show her bedside manner. It was like Neyes was treating himself. She was curt, sarcastic and far too patient with his impetuous need to sexually harass her. Landon had been in the infirmary for just a few hours, and already he had more drugs in him than in the entire length of his tenure aboard the Charon thus far. He'd tried every trick he knew to get her to throw him out, yet she insisted on being there to care for him. There were also a couple bruises on his chest from where she'd pushed him back down onto the bed to keep him from storming out.

"We've been over this, Commander. We understand you have a problem, and we admire your ability to come and solve it. Now let us do that with you."

Even as he said it, Landon knew better. He just couldn't help himself. He felt weak, once again, and that was a place he did not like being in. Weakness brought out the worst in him. Neyes was a brick wall of fortitude and endurance. He held in the knowledge and wisdom of centuries, but he was just as much 26 as he was 751.

"So I needed a quick boost every now and then, Doctor. That doesn't necessarily mean I have some kind of addiction. The stressors of my job-"

She put up a stern hand. "The stressors of your job are handled by hundreds of other officers across the fleet. To my knowledge, less than a handful of which have your experience. You have a goddamn drug problem, Landon. Deal." She read through a PADD. "In your system we found, anesthizine, biotozine, cortocolate, four endorphin stims and a mild steroid. You made a very creative and remarkably stable little cocktail, Commander. Even without regulation, I would have probably slapped you on the wrist for replicating it without authorization, given the circumstances of the last few months. The repeated use, however, was bound to cause the problems you now find yourself in: an unhinged mood, elevated pain levels outside the influence of the meds, sweating... which granted isn't as much as a human, and your sleeplessness."

Landon raised an eyebrow, "THAT's why I haven't been sleeping?"

She smiled, almost satisfied in herself for getting to answer the question, "Yes. You royally outdid yourself. You traded the pain for the inability to let your body recover. I'm surprised you managed to keep your lid on this long."

He slumped a little, annoyed at finding himself in this position. "Yes well. Even I'm not perfect." He said, incredulously. "Later I'll show you the holo-program that took the brunt of it."

"Your bionetic implant will need extensive maintenance for the next few days. I need to adjust the musculo-neuro relay transmission levels to keep it from tearing itself apart. Your little whimsy drug was wreaking havoc with the implant's systems." Doctor Raleigh 

Landon looked off to a random corner of the room. His eyes moved from an active participant in the conversation, to the dull and half-closed eyes of someone not all the way there. His reaction was almost callous, like he didn't care how his body was. "Any permanent damage."

Her voice quieted a little, as she saw the little flickers of distraction cross his face. "No. You'll live. Both of you. The symbiont is fine, and probably why you were able to handle the drugs so well."

"Probably."

Raleigh took her tricorder, slowly closed it as she eyed him, unsure of what to do next. Dealing with patients like this was something she didn't have a great deal of experience with, but in her gut something told her this man would respond much better to anything real, rather than professional. She took a lock of her long black hair and pushed it back behind her ear, moving in to the foot of the bio-bed. "What is it?" She asked.

Neyes blinked, but didn't really respond.

"Commander."

"I miss her, Doc." He turned and looked her in the eyes. His were starting to look listless.

"Who?" There was nothing in his record of being in a relationship. If the stress of a partner was something that needed to be in his psych file, then it would have probably been added quite a while ago. In a man like Neyes, however, there may not have been an example for anyone to see the problem until now.

He inhaled a little before saying her name. "Lexi." And without wanting to seem too mysterious, he spared her the effort of asking who she was. "An engineering specialist aboard the Intrepid."

Raleigh felt a little pang of guilt as she realized something. In Neyes' Starfleet psych file was nearly three books worth of information not normally found for a single person. Based on a joined Trill's unique mental design, it was difficult to align the personality of a whole list of people under one person, and Landon had joined Starfleet before being joined as a host. His file before his joining was also in there somewhere, but nothing was as clearly important as the 35 page report on his counseling treatment after leaving his best friend in hostile territory more than a year ago. Anything similar would have a deep and costly impact on him, and would explain his resigning to drug use to cope with it.

"And to you? Who was she?" 

He smile a little, looking back off at nothing particular. "Better than the day I learned how to fly." Wetness lined its way down his cheek as he leaned forward. Other than the tears, his expression didn't change at all, not even his voice cracked under the emotional toll. "My fiancée. She asked me to marry her in the shuttle I would abandon her with two days later. We worked on it together."

The woman took a seat next to him, in an effort to bring something down between them. If she could get him to understand she genuinely wanted to help him, he might make it easier for her to do it. "The Intrepid was lost. You didn't leave her behind."

Neyes started to feel a little sick with himself as the things he'd done wrong in the last few years started to add up in his mind. Rob. Lexi. His family. "I feel like the same bad thing keeps following me around everywhere I go. The same story keeps coming... creeping up on me. It sounds really fucking childish and pathetic but I just want to keep the things that make me happy, but they just get ripped away, and I don't have the energy to keep dealing with new ones. When I lost my family I had people to keep me happy. I met Rob and we got to be best friends. Then I left him of Carida. I met Lexi, and she made me feel like I could make my own family to help fill the void of the one I couldn't save, but then I get yanked a million light years back into this forsaken galaxy and leave her and my crew left to rot alone in the black.

"You know I made a holodeck program that would show me a realtime image of the closest sensor information to the Andromeda galaxy? Hoping it would bring me a little comfort knowing I could at least see the part of space she was living in. I had pinpointed where the Intrepid would be. It took weeks of calculating and nearly just as long to keep my therapists on Earth from discovering what I had done. All I could see was a tiny little speck. It's not her, probably not even as small as the sector they're in. But it's as close to her as I can get. I designed the shuttle that brought me home, but I couldn't control the exotic matter that powered the drive. It fired and brought me the entire distance home in less than 30 seconds. They found me unconscious on the edge of the Rylon system four days later."

"You said it yourself. It was out of your control." She added.

Landon scoffed. "I'm seven hundred and fifty years old, Doc. I can control a little matter. I got sloppy. I pushed it too hard and the drive took off, leaving Lexi, the Intrepid and her crew lost in the Andromeda Galaxy without the means to get them home. The shuttle was the prototype for the modifications we needed to install on the ship. The whole damn lot of exotic matter was aboard that shuttle. They didn't have any more."

"They'll find more. You'll see her again."

Neyes' face crushed in pain as she flared anger at her for the first time. "Dont! You don't get to send me to hell and back hoping that the love of this lifetime comes back to forgive me and spend the rest of our lives together. I've put more spouses to rest than anyone else in Starfleet and I won't let some CHILD tell me what's going to happen! She's gone, I'm here and all you need to worry about is making sure when I wake up it's not because it hurts so much I see her face every time I close my eyes." His face turned red as he glared up at her, his face flush with the torment of ages.

Raleigh nodded quickly and stood, understanding she had crosses the line. "I'm so sorry. I-"

"And before you get any fancy ideas about taking me off active duty it's already been taken care of. I'm on medical leave until you clear me, so I can be as fucking crazy as I want until then, Doctor."

She slowly turned and returned to the console on the other side of the bio bed. She had been surprised how much he had allowed her to hear before clamming up. With what little she knew about psychology, it at least seemed like progress. After a while she looked over her shoulder and just spoke out loud, "I'm sorry", more saying for his sake rather than actually apologizing for anything.

Landon turned over and put his back between her and has face as he laid down once again on the biobed. "Me too." He said.

"Do me a favor, Doc." He added. "Put me out. Something...

"...anything so I don't dream."

=/\= TBC... =/\= 

Lieutenant Commander Landon Neyes
Chief Engineer
USS CHARON

[USS Charon] SD241103.06 - Crossroads Plot Log "Distant Thunder" Part II

<<OOC: Medical can handle the autopsy...>>

[USS Warrior, Sickbay, Morgue]

"Is this it?"  Shiarrael asked.  Her fingers touched the black plastic film that covered the corpse.  The cold trickled through her fingers and into her spine.  Sadness enveloped her- while she had many disagreements with Enor she had come to respect the Admiral.  His death was certainly a shame and only added to her recent feelings of emptiness.

Captain Isaiah Pope nodded.  His light brown eyes looked down at the tarp as he ran his ebony hand casually through peppered hair "this is Jolias.  However- Enor is missing."

Shiarrael peeled the film away only to find a cold, pale, lifeless reflection of the trill admiral.  His eyes were closed and he appeared serene in his state.  She frowned and looked at Pope "what do you mean?  Enor is right here."

"No."  Pope clarified "the Enor symbiont.  The symbiont is missing.  My men have scoured the compound with the Romulans for any signs of the symbiont but there is nothing.  The Admiral did not sustain any injuries in the abdominal cavity where the symbiont would have been stored.  My chief medical officer discovered a deep knife wound that pierced the Admiral's heart and also seemed to have been used to cut out the symbiont."

"So Enor was not killed in the explosion?"  Shiarrael glanced at the corpse "so the questions continue to mount.  Were you able to gather any evidence?"

"Unfortunately the Romulans forcefully secured the area before we could get down any teams and by the time we did there was very little left.  But I think things speak for themselves.  It's pretty obvious that the Romulans attacked the embassy to prevent the Ambassador and Admiral from speaking with the Praetor."  Pope said, pulling the plastic covering back over Enor.

 "Is it so obvious?"  Shiarrael asked "you have not gathered any meaninful evidence.  You have allowed the Romulans to tamper with the crime scene- a place they should not be because it is rightfully Federation territory.  So Captain. please enlighten me as to how you have come to this conclusion.  Perhaps I am naive or simply stupid."

Pope activated the stasis field around the Admiral's covered body "I didn't mean any offense Captain but it is what the Romulans do.  I wouldn't be surprised if it was the Tal'Shiar.  To get through such security it had to be them."

"Tal'Shiar?  Do not be silly.  The Tal'Shiar are ruthless indeed but they are not sloppy.  Enor and the Ambassador would have been dead long before they stepped off your ship.  No, it was something else.  I also doubt the Galae would have moved in a manner that would have killed the Praetor.  The agency would also have not stood for such treason."  Shiarrael licked her lips deep in thought. 

"Well, we honestly don't know if the Praetor actually died.  No one saw her body.  She was long gone before our rescue teams got there but it was chaotic."  Pope said.

"My people are excellent at subterfuge.  It would not surprise me if she was alive."  Things were getting too complicated even for Shiarrael "I am having someone come get the Admiral's body for delivery to the Charon immediately."

"What?" Pope looked surprised "Captain- this is where he belongs.  He used to command this ship."

"He's dead.  I assure you he will not rise up in protest.  I want a thorough autopsy conducted.  Since the Charon is in charge of this matter it will conducted aboard my ship.  Someone will be here shortly to collect the body."  Shiarrael said.

Pope grimaced but nodded his head "but my CMO should be present."

"If you wish."  Replied nonchalantly as her commbadge chirped.  She pressed the device "Shiarrael here."

"Captain the Romulan government has approved that flitter and driver you requested."

Finally, I can get to the root of these matters.  "Good, inform them I will be down shortly and inform the CMO that she can expect the Admiral's body soon."

[End]

[USS Charon] SD241103.06 - Crossroads Plot Log "Distant Thunder" Part I

<<OOC: Security, Engineering, Science, Marines- set up your equipment and prep your men.  Security will assist with the investigation while Science and Engineering spearhead the forensic analysis aspect.  Have at it, think CSI, and Marines will be in charge of primary securing the compound>>

[Romulus, Ra'tleihfi]

The light of Eisn's cold morning gaze was filtered out by a haze that also turned the city's towers into dark silhouettes.  From the sky several bright search lights shimmered through the thick air before focusing on the burned out remains of the Federation Embassy.  Following the lights were five shuttles that simultaneously extended their landing struts and made their way towards the debris filled embassy courtyard.

The first shuttle touched down next to a blown out column.  It's rear hatch immediately extended.  As soon as the hatch fully opened Shiarrael walked followed by heavily armored security personnel.  She inhaled deeply, seemed to glance off into the obscured distance, and then made her way down the small gangway towards the charred building in front of her.  Several dozen Romulan soldiers had made a parameter and raised their weapons to meet her.  She glared at them disdainfully "hanadra yytaera, mnean ihir na aerhii ninte solaere."  [Please Leave, we do not require your help].

The lead soldier returned her glare- and then turned to his subordinate and smirked "susse aelhe-a susse-a Rihannsu ssuy." [She thinks' she is Romulan still]  He chuckled and  threw a nasty glance her way.  The line of soldiers chuckled at the insult.

The movement was so sudden that it even stunned her own security escort.  Shiarrael stepped forward, grabbed the Arrain by his uniform's collar, and shoved him back causing him to backpedal behind the line soldiers until he finally tripped over his own feet and fell when she released her hold.  His weapon banged loudly across the concrete as it jarred from his grip on impact.  Fury spread into his expression but the Captain's icy return froze everyone to silence.  She kneeled down- examined the Vrelnec latched onto his utility belt before looking at him "This is Federation territory by interstellar law.  Withdraw or we will remove you forcefully.  No matter how much your handlers may detest me- I doubt even they would want another incident.  We appreciate your assistance but it is no longer required.  Now leave."  She stood up and then held out her hand.

 The Arrain brushed it away and stood up collecting his weapon.  "denae arhva!"  He shouted at his men and briskly marched towards the compound's exit.  Shiarrael watched him leave and then turned to her attention to the Marines that were making their own way down to the take the position the Romulans had once occupied "Aria" she addressed the leader of the contingent "try not to kill anyone.  You have your orders so I will leave securing the area up to you."  She nodded at the woman and then made her way into the charred remains of the embassy.  

Glass and other debris crunched between her boots.  She studied the soot covered interior- ran a finger across a black and melted window frame.  Glanced at her stained digits wondering who could have been responsible for the attack.  With a tired sigh she pressed her commbadge "Savant, I will leave organizing the investigation teams up to you Captain.  Please monitor the Romulan communication network for any sign of the Ambassador.  In the meantime I will speak with the Captain of the Warrior and begin working my sources on the planet."

With one last glance at the damaged hulk she pressed her commbadge again "Warrior- this Captain Rehu.  You may beam me up now."

[To be continued...]

[USS Charon] SD241103.03 || Personal Log || " Rude Awakening..." CNS Ens.V. Dwellon

SD241103.03 - U.S.S Charon - Quarters

Vae had been having one of those rare nights where she had actually managed to fall asleep. Not only that, but she was having the weirdest dream. She was sailing, an endless sea was around her, unable to find her way to land. Rocking, back and forth, till a wave came and capsized her boat, causing her to tumble into the water.

The feeling of the deck against her body jolted her from her sleep, as she opened her eyes to look around she was greeted with a rather surprising sight.

It would seem as though she was watching herself get into bed all over again, only it was the night before the present time. " What on Betazed?" A brow raised as she watched the vision dissipate once she curled up in the invisible covers.

Her messy quarters and the red alert klaxon's shocked her out of her groggy state as she rushed to dress into a clean uniform, slip on her boots and grab an apple before she left for the bridge. Coming to a stop as she walked into what she thought was another crew member, only to have them disappear right as she walked through them.

" What.... is going... on?" Her eyes looked around as she noticed lots of ghostly renditions of crew members around the corridors.

She took a large bite of the apple as she walked down the corridor, seeing a young Crewman picking himself up off the deck, she asked if he needed any assistance, when he shook his head she continued on her way. Wondering exactly what could have happened to cause the force needed to knock her out of bed.

=/\= End Personal Log =/\=

Ensign Vae Dwellon

Chief Counselor

U.S.S Charon