Crystalline Horror

 Episode Name:  Crystalline Horror

   Written By:  Starfleet

         Cast:  Casya, Dakin, Edwards, Medes, Nevaren, Poole, Rancion, and Takamura.

  Produced By:  Starfleet

  Directed By:  Starfleet

     Aired On:  Sun Oct 20 11:56:01 2002

     Stardate:  52719.1

Time: Sat Oct 19 23:35:07 2002

Stardate: 52717.9

Loerd sits quietly at the nook staring out the view port trying to force herself to drink her cold hot chocolate.

Medes is near the espresso machine at the bar, seated on a stool and leaning back on her elbows. She appears to be paying most attention to the table where Nevaren and Loerd are sitting. An empty coffee cup sits behind her left elbow.

Nevaren sits at the Viewpoet nook, Ensugn Loerds across fom him and Poole standing to his side. He sips his Iced latte, wetting his throat for another round of conversation.

Rancion sits working on his PADD, his hands tapping on it as he reads the information on it. Letting his hands fall into his lap, his head falls back on the couch his eyes closing a smile wide on his face. a chuckle coming from his lips.

"Anyways, I'll teach them how to defend themselves if it kills me..." Poole finishes her rant, looking to Nevaren. She remains standing nearby the viewport nook, crossing her arms. A grin. "Not literally of course... and hopefully not with a repeat of the phaser qualifications incident." A look over to Medes, grin, wink.

Casya stands beside Poole, smiling at her. Preparing to jot down any new orders, she pulls a PADD and stylus out of... well, somewhere. Goodness only knows /where/ it was hidden in her 'clothing', such as it is.

Edwards comes through the entrance and pauses, acknowledging those that look his way with a simple nod and a brief smile. Otherwise, he surveys the surroundings, as he often does. Perhaps its the paranoid security officer in him.

There is a brief, powerful flash of white light, as if someone has set off a bucket of flash powder. Standing among the tables and chairs when the light abates can be seen three Lithians. The blue-white, vaguely-humanoid-shaped crystalline nightmares take a step forward. Two of them drop into an ape-like stance on all fours, smashing tables, chairs, and a Bolian child in the process. The third one swipes at a table to clear it out of its way, sending furniture flying across the crowded cafe. Shrieks immediately start to sound from the other patrons in the Warp Core.

"Prophets" Nevaren screams, clutching his eyes and falling out of his seat. Hands instinctivly reach out, searching. "WHAT'S HAPPENING?" he yellss, dazed and blind.

Oh. My. God. The conscious mind that is Poole doesn't quite register the sudden and very potent danger. She reaches to tap her combadge, voice straining with fear, "Lt. Poole to security!... We need a fully armed team to the Warp Core now!..." Moving forward she grabs a chair and keeps it in front of her.

Rancion rolls over the back of the couch his hands going to his waist forgetting that he is unarmed a muttered oath comes from his lips as he taps his compin and begins to talk into it. his leg blazes in pain as it is jarred but his voice is steady

Loerd squints as the light gains in intensity, "What the he..?" As the light subsides and the attackers come into view she jumps from her chair and turns to look at her boss, "Sir, Containment fields?"

Edwards reacts as all hell breaks loose. "Whoa! Don't try to fight them people! Escort the civilians to the exits! Now!" he barks out orders as he moves further inside, trying to follow his own instructions and push people toward the exit. "Don't get near them!"

Casya lets out a shriek as the-- the-- whatever the hell they are appear and begin wreaking havoc in her place of employment. She instinctively drops and rolls, seeking a safe, sheltered place to hide. Looking around with wide, frightened eyes, she spots Edwards and calls out to him, fear causing her voice to rise in pitch. "Michael! What's happening?"

Nevaren is still groping around him, his pupils retracted to almost mere points. "COntainment Fields? What is going on.. What's all the screaming!"

Medes tumbles off of her chair in shock and lands on her 'bad' shoulder. A short burst of extremely foul language bursts out of her lips, but she picks herself up and ducks behind the bar. At Edwards' barked command, she rubs her eyes and zeros in on civilians. Casya being one, she ducks and extends her hands toward the Orion. "C'mon. You heard him!"

There are more screams and the sound of crunching metal on metal chorused with the creaking of living rock, as the Lithians fan out to begin to wreak havoc on the crew. One of them swings its arm wide at Nevaren, as the blinded engineer comes into one's line of sight. The second one follows Medes toward the bar, and rams its hand through its surface with a splintering crack. The third makes its way toward Poole, and attempts to come down on top of her shoulder with its crushing rocky arms.

GAME: Poole spends a courage point.

<CONTEST> Poole (claiming advantage) contests her Dodge skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Fails!

Edwards swears under his breath when the Lithians head toward his officers. After pushing the incoherent Bolian who's child was obliterated toward the exit, he darts toward Poole and Nevaren, so he can try to help them get the hell out of the way. "Medes! Watch out!" he calls out, sparing a glance toward the third Lithian near the bar.

Nevaren's voice is starting to fill with faint panic as he pulls himself up along a table. He turns to face what he thnks is teh center of the room, "Please! Someone? What the hell is..." A crystalline arm takes the albino squere in the chest, the force lifting him off his feet with ease and sending him flying over a number of tables and into a wall. It takes a moment for Lady Gravity to realize the halfbreed is no longer moving and she pulls him down to the floor, back against a bulkhead. Guess His question was answered.

<CONTEST> Nevaren contests his Fitness skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

"Go! GO!" screams Medes, gesturing wildy toward the exit at Casya. Another brief blurt of expletives pops out of her mouth as the creature smashes its fist through the bar, and she raises an arm to defend her face from flying wood. "I see, I see!" Finding her exit from behind the bar blocked, she scrambles toward the other end of the bar and attempts to literally fling herself over the other end and roll to the ground. Hell of a time to be short.

<CONTEST> Poole contests her Fitness skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

A scream. There's a blood curtling scream from Poole as the one of the creature's bounds towards her... unlocking her innermost fear, this nightmare loping towards her, arms swinging towards her shoulder. She tries to swing the chair she has in front of her, but the thing is too damned fast and hits her hard in her uninjured shoulder, sending her sprawling to the side.

GAME: Loerd spends a courage point.

<CONTEST> Loerd (claiming advantage) contests her Personal Equipment (Tricorder) skill vs a difficulty of Routine and Succeeds!

Rancion shoves one of the civilians along the wall to the door, his voice is calm but firm as he barks that the people to get to the door. out of the corner of his eyes he watches one of the Lithians pound Nevaren into the bulkhead. His head snaps around as Poole also gets hit. a growl comes to his voice as he shoves the last civillian by him past. His hands begin to search for anything that can be a weapon.

Loerd pulls out her tricorder and begins taking readings.

Casya whimpers as the screaming and chaos continues to worsen. She shrinks back a little further under the table she chose to hide beneath, not wanting to come out and expose herself to the quite obvious danger.

Screams and shounts and destruction can be heard from outside the Warp Core. It seems the crew is herding the civilians right into the jaws of danger as one of them is pinned beneath a Lithian's arm as it walks past the Warp Core doors. Phaser fire can be heard on the mall in spurts. The Lithian over Poole moves to step forward onto her. It rears up its leg to attempt to crush her. The one near Edwards attempts to punch him with a massive crystalline stump. The third Lithian tracks Medes as she flees the bar. Seeing an easy target in Loerd while she scans it with a tricorder, it diverts from Medes takes a swipe at Loerd's head.

<CONTEST> Poole (claiming advantage) contests her Dodge skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Fails!

<CONTEST> Edwards contests his Dodge skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

<CONTEST> Loerd (claiming advantage) contests her Dodge skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Fails!

Edwards jerks away from the Lithian 'fist', barely avoiding becoming a fine paste. Since Nevaren has went and took some spontaneous flying lessons, he concentrates on Poole, trying to rush closer to her and grab her, so he can drag her away. Preferably before her spine is crushed. Again.

<CONTEST> Loerd (claiming advantage) contests her Fitness skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

Dakin rushes into the fracas with Takamura, compression phaser rifle at the ready and cranked up to 16 as per procedure. His face reads somewhere between "all business" and "with extreme prejudice."

<CONTEST> Edwards contests his Fitness skill vs a difficulty of Impossible and Fails!

Instincts avail Poole /nothing/, she can't escape the lithians massive foot... with a sickening and gory crunch her hips and spinal column are crushed. The sound of breaking bone echoes throughout the room, followed by a wail of pain... and then, almost thankfully, she's gone, blacking out.

Nevaren slowly pushes himself up the wall, wiping a trickle of green blood from the corner of his mouth. Hurt, but not out for the count, it seems. His pupils begin to slowly dialate, the dull white he is seeing slowly being replaced by slightly blurring images. He blinks hydrating tears from his singed eyes.. "Lithians..." he croaks, and spots poole on the ground.. he can't tell if she is injured but knows she is down. Stumbling foreward, the albino grips the edge of a table, gritting his teath in fearful anger as she screams, and attempots to lift and then hurl the table at the Blobby creature over her.

Loerd is so engrossed in her readings that she doesn't see the crystalline fist coming in her direction, the force of the blow sends her reeling back into the viewport nook knocking over the table as the tricorder is lost somewhere in flight.

Medes makes it over the bar, but miscalculates her roll, and tumbles onto her shoulder and the side of her head with a crunch. That crunch is her neck bending in a way that necks just shouldn't go, and she doesn't get up, landing in a tumble of arms and legs that's most appropriately termed a 'heap.'

Rancion spots Casya cringing under the table, his memory give him the girls name. "Casya come to me Now! his hands wave to her indicating she should hurry, the tone in his voice brookes no argument as he barks out the order. He watches as Loerds gets hit, his face becomes a stone like mask. as he begins to wonder if they are going to make it out of here.

Takamura enters alongside Dakin with his Phaser III on setting 16 at the ready. He quickly appraises the situation wearing his game face.

Casya's eyes go round and wide as saucers as she watches her friend Poole get crunched, followed by the little Starfleet girl who'd been trying to get her to follow her a few minutes earlier. She shakes her head emphatically, shaking from head to toe, too terrified to come out of her little niche. "D--did you see what they did to her?" she asks him, horror and fear in her voice. "That could've been me! I was supposed to go with her!"

The Lithian on top of Poole seems to pause a moment, then rears its 'head' back. A slender crystalline proboscis extends from its 'mouth' and flings goo at Edwards as he passes, in his attempt to rescue Poole. The Lithian that just hit Loerd goes after Rancion now, stomping its way across the bulkhead in thunderous steps. It swings one of its arms at Rancion, attempting to pummel him. The third Lithian which Edwards dodged, is right on top of Dakin and Takamura. It attempts to chop both of them at the same time between its powerful arms.

GAME: Edwards spends a courage point.

<CONTEST> Edwards (claiming advantage) contests his Dodge skill vs a difficulty of Difficult and Fails!

GAME: Rancion spends a courage point.

GAME: Nevaren spends a courage point.

<CONTEST> Rancion (claiming advantage) contests his Dodge skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

GAME: Takamura spends a courage point.

GAME: Dakin spends a courage point.

<CONTEST> Dakin (claiming advantage) contests his Dodge skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Fails!

<CONTEST> Takamura (claiming advantage) contests his Dodge skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Fails!

<CONTEST> Takamura contests his Fitness skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Succeeds!

<CONTEST> Dakin (claiming advantage) contests his Fitness skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Fails!

Edwards comes up to Poole and makes a grab for one of her arms just as the Lithian comes down on her, ensuring that she won't be going anywhere. Horrified, he watches and listens as bones crunch and snap and flesh rends. When the Lithian turns on him, the XO tries to get out of the way, but in his haste he slips on Poole's rapidly leaking blood and is hit by the goo the crystalline monster ejected at him, "AAAH!"

Dakin gets slammed into Takamura hard by the creature. The phaser rifle is still with him thanks to its shoulder strap, but the grip on it is lost. The Bajoran slumps to the deck, groaning from the impact.

<CONTEST> Nevaren contests his Fitness (Strength) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Fails!

Nevaren pulls the table of the ground. a few bolts popping, but he can't hold it up and his knees buckles. He's more hurt then he thought from the trip through the air and subsequent landing. He drops the table, land son his hands and knees, and falls on his side, fighting for breath and unable to move.

Loerd doesn't even bother getting up off the ground she simply crawls over to Poole hoping that they don't see her moving. When she gets to Poole and realizes the amount of damage. She hits her communicator. "Loerd to transporter room. Medical emergency lock on Poole's Signal and beam her to the Infirmary. NOW!" She then gets ready to move quickly if the need comes up.

Rancion pushes off of the couch with his left leg just barely missing the blow from the mineral monster. Putting another piece of furniture between him and it as he slides completely under a table, wincing at the sound of couch and flooring crunch under the massive blow. He rolls over and tries to get out of range of the living crystal.

Takamura grunts as he is slammed into Dakin. Fortunately, the beefy security officer remains in control of his rifle. Reflexively, he fires at pointblank range into the Lithian.

<CONTEST> Takamura contests his Energy Weapon (Phaser Rifle) skill vs a difficulty of Routine and Fails!

Casya flinches as she watches Edwards get hit by the goo, tears rolling down her green cheeks as she witnesses the carnage being wrought before her. "Michael... Gwen... No... oh please, no..."

Now that Loerd is near Poole, she's within range of a stomp from the Lithian that just tagged Edwards with the viral goo. It attempts to stomp on her. The Lithian continues after Rancion, pounding its way through the obstacles he puts in the way. The last Lithian is hit with a glancing blow from Takamura's phaser, but it's heavy, powerful arm swings upward at the large man.

<CONTEST> Loerd (claiming advantage) contests her Dodge skill vs a difficulty of Difficult and Fails!

<CONTEST> Takamura (claiming advantage) contests his Dodge skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Fails!

<CONTEST> Rancion (claiming advantage) contests his Dodge skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Fails!

<CONTEST> Takamura contests his Fitness skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Fails!

<CONTEST> Rancion contests his Fitness (Vitality) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Succeeds!

Edwards reels back, the Lithian virus invading his body. Gritting his teeth and exerting all of the considerable willpower he possesses, he slips and staggers over to the broken shards of a nearby table. When he gets a hold of a particularly sharp and nasty one, he turns it on himself, driving it into his own chest at the heart and just screams, loudly.

Dakin scampers backwards, trying to blot out his own pain and the screams of his crewmates. A primal snarl appears on the Bajoran's face as he grabs his rifle in hand, targets the Lithian that just attacked Takamura, and fires a full-power beam from his weapon...

<CONTEST> Dakin (claiming advantage) contests his Energy Weapon (Phaser Rifle) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

Loerd glances over at Poole's body waiting for it to dematerialize as a look of confusion crosses her face when nothing happens. This isn't how its suppose to work at least not according to the academy instructions. Focusing on Poole's situation, Loerd fails to see the giant foot and it even takes a second to realize that bone crushing sound is actually coming from her lower back. She glances up to the creature looming over her head as a primordial scream escapes from her lips that could shatter crystal, not that it has any effect against these creatures, just before she passes out from the horrendous pain.

Rancion sctreams loudly as he get hit his body sliding faster along the floor than he could ever push it, the screams of one of his crewmates is added to his as he screams again his right leg hitting a piece of furniture in that nasty passage.

Takamura lets out another grunt as he is flung back against the bulkhead. He fires a shot but it goes wide vaporizing the espresso machine which pours scalding coffee on Casya's location.

Casya screams as Rancion unwittingly draws the Lithian in her direction, scrambling to get out of the corner she's backed herself into and find some way to escape. Her scream becomes even more piercing as the scalding hot coffee splatters over her.

The first officer has, in a fit of panic at the death sentence from the goo, impaled himself on a chair leg. Dakin's shot hits home, but the Lithian is unfazed by the shot. If anything, it drives it on. The Lithian on Dakin stomps toward him, trying to pin him with his legs. Dakin's been down this road before, too. Now that Rancion is a prone target, the Lithian on him tries to pile drive its arm into Rancion's chest. The Lithian on Loerd twists toward the screaming Casya, who is rushing out into the fray to avoid the hot coffee.

<CONTEST> Dakin (claiming advantage) contests his Dodge skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Fails!

<CONTEST> Rancion (claiming advantage) contests his Dodge skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Fails!

<CONTEST> Rancion (claiming advantage) contests his Unarmed Combat (Martial Arts) skill vs a difficulty of Difficult and Fails!

The last thought Dakin has before losing consciousness from being crushed by the creature is a silent farewell to Leah and his unborn children.

Rancion watches as the blow come at him he brings his arms up to try and deflect the blow but the massive strenght blows right on past it, not even nudging it a little bit. a roar of rage rips from his throat as the arm hits him in the chest. the pain wells up over him and his sight first turns grey then black as He passes out from pain and......

Takamura regains his feet. Then looks around to see all his crewmates down. Giving a battle cry, he desperately, he fires at the Lithian.

Casya skids in a pool of bloody coffee and trips over a nearby prone body as she tries to run away, blinded by tears of horror and terror.

Takamura puts up a good fight. But one stream of phased energy isn't enough to take down one Lithian, much less three. He is soon over-powered by two of them as the third keeps after Casya. Ironically, Casya is the last person left standing. Time stops as Takamura is taken out. Casya is frozen in mid-scramble from a stock-still Lithian. The world is a perfect three dimensional photograph for a moment, frozen in time, but it suddenly begins to blur and then winks out altogether, replaced with the yellow grid lines of the Aegis holodeck. Standing at the control arch is Commander Edwards.

Edwards shakes his head slowly as he looks around at the assorted crewmembers. "Well, that didn't go well at all, did it?" he asks rhetorically. "Obviously, you have all just participated in a simulation. Not a real battle." he states, just in case anyone couldn't quite figure that out.

Poole blinks her eyes open and frowns, standing up. Aggression, anger and fury grip her as she swings around towards Edwards. "WHAT THE HELL WAS /THAT/?" She shouts furiously, her fists clenching.

Dakin rises to his feet. "I strongly suggest we come up with a new strategy besides 'point, shoot, and hold it.'" He slings his Type III across his shoulders. No, he didn't know, but he goes back into tactician mode once the slaughter's over. "Wonder what isomagnetic disintegrators would do to them..."

Loerd reaches around and feels her back, yeah it's there. Flexes her legs, bend the knees, stand up. "I think I'm going to need a drink."

Takamura slowly gets up rubbing his head and picking up his rifle.

Medes quietly curls up from her spot on the floor, pulling herself into a sitting position and wrapping her arms around her knees. Her eyes stay on the floor, and her expression's entirely blank.

Rancion climbs to his fet awkardly using the wall to help him up, his lips tightly pressed together. he limps heavily over to the others and shake his head slightly keeping his mouth shut. turning to look at Edwards his voice under tight rigind control "Sir, what are going to be our new procedures for handling those monsters?"

Edwards clears his throat and holds his hands up, palms out, "I know you're all, ah, confused. But bear with me. Before all of you awoke this morning, you were transported to the holodeck here on the Aegis." That said, he pauses, so that can sink in. And he prepares to flee, just in case. "This was a simulation designed to test how you would all react, in the event of an actual invasion of the station by the crystalline creatures you witnessed."

GAME: Poole spends a courage point.

Loerd stands up and looks around, "Where's my tricorder..."

"That. Is. Utter. Bullshit," Poole counters, tears spilling down her cheeks now. Her jaw trembles as she speaks again, softer this time, "Don't ever do that again... /sir/. /Never/. And I might consider you still a friend."

Takamura groans as he leans on his rifle, grimmacing in pain.

Medes just stares at the floor blankly, arms looped loosely around her knees.

Rancion his eyes still on Edwards walks over to Poole, the come down from the adrenaline rush making his left knee collapes under him, a groan of pain escapes his lips as he hits the floor. with some control he forces it back "sir, with all do respect...if those things came onto the station I think more than just two Security officers would be responding."

Dakin sighs. "Mr. Rancion, if those creatures HAD indeed invaded the station, two security officer would likely be all we could spare."

Edwards takes off the kid gloves as he steps forward, further into the holodeck, and centers his gaze squarely on Poole, "That is /enough/, Leftenant. This was a valid test of our forces against a very real threat. And the simple fact that each and every one of you /died/ is a testament to the fact that this testing was required. You /failed/, people. So think about that if any of you want to complain about this." That said, he glances around once before adding, "Those creatures are called Lithians. They are an alien race that exists only to destroy. And they do not care who they destroy. Men, women or children, they're all targets." A pause. "Leftenant Dakin is correct. In the simulation, the Lithians had invaded the entire station."

Loerd starts muttering to herself, "Upgrade the tricorders.. line officers.. sub systems.. Might work. I'll have to talk to Lorn." She looks up at Edward's comments, "That's true every time I tried to get something like containment fields or Poole to medical. They were all fighting them off as well."

Takamura slings his rifle and silently walks over to Rancion to help him to his feet.

Poole looks as though she were physically struck, and answers in a carefully measured soft voice, "/Failed/, sir? No weapons to us and we failed? Are we superhumans now? /No one/ can fight those things in hand-to-hand combat."

"With all due respect, sir, what were we supposed to do, pour coffee on them?" asks Medes very quietly from her spot on the floor, from which she still hasn't diverted her eyes. One hand absently rubs at her right bicep. Likely, however, her overquiet words get lost in Poole's speech.

Rancion nods is agreement, knowing that they are right. Taking Takamuras hand he gets to his feet, with what remaining willpower he has left he stands and looks at Poole taking in her tears, he visibly fights back his anger, and walks to her, knowing exactly how she feels when it came to the helplessness. he glances at Edwards and Lt. Dakin "so we train and train, I don't see this as a failure because it gives us more incentive to learn how to fight back."

"Unless you all plan to start carrying around phaser rifles, which you can't do, it was a fair test." Edwards states calmly, "The Lithians could pop up at any time, just as they did in this scenario. We will not prepared if they do, so why should you be prepared for the test?"

GAME: Poole spends a courage point.

Realizing finally that's she's crying, and on her way towards sobbing, Poole wipes at her eyes and sets her jaw, taking a step towards Edwards. "I refuse to fail. Let me help, sir... Do we have a recording of what happened? I think I noticed some patterns."

Dakin thinks a moment. "Commander. The Lithian biopattern's on file and they aren't immune to transporter activity. Am I correct on that assumption?"

Loerd says, "We're we picked for this test at random or was there a specific reason we were in here Sir?""

Takamura heads over to Medes and squats down next to her to check her condition.

Edwards softens some when Poole approaches him, "I am sorry if this was hard on... any of you. But it was necessary, believe me. At the least, we can hope that, because of this experience, you'll all be prepared should this happen for real." He holds up a hand, signaling for the others to hold on, "Now, Leftenant Poole, you will be given access to a recording of the simulation. As for specific tactics for fighting the Lithians, Leftenant Dakin will speak to his department on that topic. And you were picked at random, Ensign Loerd."

Holding up a hand, Medes wards off Takamura, wordlessly at first, then finally murmuring, "I'm fine. Please just let me be." Her gaze remains on the floor, shoulders hunched, and the hand she raised is run through her hair before coming to rest on her bicep again.

Rancion slowly finds some humor in this and looks over at Edwards " While I can understand the need for the simulation, and We all do now, I think you had hide for a bit from the Medical staff, Dr. Haven is going to be a bit perturbed when I limp this badly into Therapy tomorow"

Takamura nods at Medes as he stands up and backs away from her. "Alright, then." he says softly.

Poole absently rubs at her shoulder, reminded of her own injury by Rancion. Her lips press together in a thin line as she thinks rapidly. Casting around for her padd, she looks to Edwards. "I will concur with Lt. Dakin on anything I notice, sir... You know me. I /hate/ to lose." A pause and she says, rubbing at her tear-stained cheeks some more, "And when Christmas comes around, all you're getting from me is a stocking full of cole." Looking to the rest of the officers, she says, "And since I'm guessing this simulation won't be public knowledge... neither are these tears."

Dakin nods to Poole. "It stays here, Gwen." He glances to the others as though to hammer the point home.

Loerd seems lost in her own thoughts.

Takamura crosses his arms against his chest and nods at Dakin.

Edwards gives Poole a wry look at that. Shaking his head, he takes a step back and watches the various officers, "I'm sure that it was a harrowing experience. Believe me, I am. And I'm sure some of you probably think that Command, Commander Balin and I are unfeeling bastards for subjecting you to this 'surprise'. But just remember... the Lithians are real. And yes, they really act like that. And if they come, time won't freeze, and the simulated damage won't disappear. And remember that, if you need to, you can always contact and speak to a counselor. I urge you to do so if you even feel that it's the slightest bit necessary."

Medes doesn't really seem to notice Takamura leaving her general vicinity. She's far, far too busy making sure that piece of floor doesn't go anywhere. It's tricky, floor. You never know when it might run away from you.

Rancion nods in agreement and presses himself up against the wall using it for support. "Sir you are not unfeeling, we are soldiers, in one way or another, we protect the civillians." he pauses biting back another groan of pain.

Poole glances over at Dakin and nods appreciatively. She sniffles once and sighs, gathering herself. "Just... keep me in the loop, sir. I /know/ these things have a weakness, I can feel it."

Rancion looks over at Poole "want any help Ma'am, right now the Docs won't let me step foot in the Security office, and I am kinda at loose ends rightn ow excpet for therapy.." he grins slightly, "I want to help find the weakness in those living prisms"

Loerd glances over to Poole briefly and says, "I'm just glad they let us dress first before bring us in here."

Dakin nods. "Too bad we couldn't set the transporters to automatically go Code 14 on any Lithian lifeforms detected on the internal sensor grid..."

Takamura moves closer to Dakin. Quietly he says, "I hope we can find their weakness and soon."

Medes pulls herself to her feet and runs both of her hands through her hair, wincing and rolling her off shoulder slowly. She keeps herself apart from the others, either entirely lost in her thoughts or pretending at it really, really well.

Edwards remarks, "You are our training officer, Leftenant Poole." That seems to be enough of an answer for him there. "Be sure to contact a counselor if you need to, people. And Rancion, don't tell Haven that I'm responsible for setting back your therapy. Trust me." That said, he flashes a brief smile, and turns toward the exit, "You can all return to your quarters."