Mirror Wears My Face III
Episode Name: Mirror Wears My Face III
Written By: Spider
Cast: Alethea, Edwards, Hurley, Spider, Stewart, Takamura and Valentine.
Produced By: Starfleet
Directed By: Spider
Aired On: Sun Aug 15 05:01:26 2004
Stardate: 54314.4
Time: Sun Aug 15 00:10:32 2004
Stardate: 54313.9
Edwards looks down at the controls and presses random keys, making it look like he's busy. And maybe he is. Either way, he concentrates on that, and watching any readouts to make sure they don't all die a fiery death or anything like that.
As they head back into space, Takamura moves over to the tactical console to keep an eye out for any unwanted escorts.
Hurley, meanwhile, is working on the list to send to the station with nose scrunched slightly in concentration. Once the communique is finished, she looks back at Ghorev and Laco's transmission to read over the encryption instructions once more.
Valentine glances gratefully sideways after Tak before sitting back to keep an eye on her readouts, fingers laced tightly over her belly.
The flight begins in an uneventful fashion, and continues that way, at warp, for some time. Thea is concentrating on flying -- probably a lot more than she needs to -- and chewing on her lower lip.
. o O Alethea thinks "These aren't your people. This isn't your Hiroshi. This isn't your Tara. This isn't your Christine. This isn't your Jimmy. He's not your Michael. They're good people. But they're not yours. You can't sign to them. You can't hold his hand. I know you want to. Don't. It'll be all right."
Edwards runs out of touchpads to push, so he stops pushing them. "This is... fun." he comments. "Someone sing a song or something."
. o O Valentine chuckles. "Now there's an order I can live with, Commander."
Hurley blinks a couple of times and looks at Edwards. "Sir?" she questions softly.
Takamura glances over to Edwards with a raised brow. "Is that an order, sir? Because, I wouldn't want to torture the rest of the crew with my singing."
"Aye, sir." Tara Valentine's more than happy to indulge, and she starts singing softly, keeping a straight face. "My banana has a first name, it's M-I-K-E-Y..." The rest of the lyrics descend into something that would shock a Marine.
Hurley isn't a Marine, and thus is well shocked. Wide-eyed and jaw-dropped, she *stares* at Valentine.
. o O Hurley thinks "How I envy Thea over there right now."
. o O Edwards thinks "Nobody is ever calling me Mikey again."
"Okay! Now everyone face your station and be really, really quiet!" Edwards hunches over his station and pays a whole lot of attention to it.
Takamura is an old ground-pounder himself and is unfazed by the lyrics. Shaking his head, he turns and grins at Valentine, before returning back to his console.
Valentine dutifully shuts up, and smiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiles, sending Hiroshi a wink.
Alethea glances around at everyone a few moments after everything blows over, as it were, and blinks in vague confusion. Hurley's console blinks a few moments later. SHOULD I BE GLAD I JUST MISSED WHATEVER THAT WAS?
. o O Valentine thinks "Gotcha, Commander."
Hurley's blush is finally diminishing and she considers the most diplomatic way to respond. WELL, IT WAS NOTHING, REALLY. JUST A.. a bit of a pause.. ROUSING ..pause.. BATTLE SONG.
Edwards relaxes and stops hunching. That's kind of pointless, really. "Is it just me, or is this too easy so far?" he asks nobody in particular.
"I wouldn't jinx our luck so far, Sir," Hurley murmrs from her station, not looking away from her console. She then starts her typical series of checks for communications activity in the area.
Valentine winces nervously, starting to chew on her silver-painted fingernails. Dang, for a minute there, she'd been approaching something akin to a cheerful mood. "What she said."
. o O Edwards thinks "People are so superstitious. I say something like that everytime. And sure, something bad /always/ happens, but we always live through it... Most of us, anyway."
While Edwards decides to tempt fate, Takamura scours his sensor readings for any sign of enemy ships.
OH, IS TARA SINGING DIRTY SONGS AGAIN? Thea types out, glancing aside at Hurley and then looking out the front viewscreen, setting her jaw slightly. WE ARE NOT FAR FROM OUR DESTINATION. TRANSMITTING WILL BE DANGEROUS. WE'LL HAVE TO KEEP MOVING ONCE WE DO, AND HOPE WE DON'T MISS THE PROBE. IT WILL LIGHT US UP LIKE A BEACON.
. o O Alethea thinks "She's not YOUR Tara."
Hurley looks up from her console and blinks back towards Thea in surprise. After she recovers, she says out loud, "Commander, Thea says we're almost there and we'll have to keep moving once we make our transmission - it's going to light us up."
. o O Hurley thinks "How in the world does she know about Tara's dirty songs?"
"This'll be interesting." Edwards states. "Just announce and send when it's time, Ensign."
Hurley nods. "Aye, Sir."
Valentine glances over her shoulder toward the other gals, then toward the viewscreen. Back to monitoring again.
Takamura glances over to Edwards and Hurley. "Give me some notice when we get to the coordinates before transmitting so I can look for any unwanted ears."
GAME: Takamura spends a courage point.
<CONTEST> Takamura (claiming advantage) contests his Shipboard Systems (Sensors) skill vs a difficulty of Impossible and Fails!
<CONTEST> Takamura (claiming advantage) contests his Shipboard Systems (Sensors) skill vs a difficulty of Difficult and Fails!
<CONTEST> Takamura (claiming advantage) contests his Shipboard Systems (Sensors) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Succeeds!
<CONTEST> Hurley contests her Shipboard Systems (Communications) skill vs a difficulty of Impossible and Fails!
<CONTEST> Hurley contests her Shipboard Systems (Communications) skill vs a difficulty of Difficult and Fails!
<CONTEST> Hurley contests her Shipboard Systems (Communications) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Succeeds!
Hurley remains quiet at her console, still concentrating on any communications she may accidently pick up.
Valentine shifts now and then to ease legs that insist on falling asleep, shaking her head a bit. Arms folded across her chest, she starts to stifle yawns.
Alethea slows the shuttle to impulse, chews her lower lip, and taps on her console a few times. WE ARE AT THE COORDINATES. PROCEED WITH TRANSMISSION, OR WHATEVER IT IS THAT YOU SAY TO MAKE THAT SOUND OFFICIAL. DO IT, AND LET'S GO AS FAST AS WE CAN.
"Thea says we're here," Hurley states a little rigidly. "I'm sending the encrypted response to 419, then we have to run."
GAME: Hurley spends a courage point.
"That's not going to defeat the point, right?" Edwards inquires, glancing over at Hurley.
"On your mark, Sir?" Hurley asks of Edwards. "Running? No, Sir. Thea says as soon as we send this message, we'll light up the area and they'll have scouts here."
Takamura monitors his console, and comments over his shoulder. "Things look clear for the moment. I can't detect any enemy vessels."
<CONTEST> Hurley (claiming advantage) contests her Shipboard Systems (Communications) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Succeeds!
"On your mark, Ensign." Edwards replies.
"Running sounds good, yes," Valentine mentions thoughtfully.
Hurley draws in a deep breath, then releases it at the same time she sends the message. "Transmission sent, Sir."
<CONTEST> Takamura (claiming advantage) contests his Shipboard Systems (Sensors) skill vs a difficulty of Impossible and Fails!
<CONTEST> Takamura (claiming advantage) contests his Shipboard Systems (Sensors) skill vs a difficulty of Difficult and Succeeds!
Alethea sits, waiting, chewing her lip and looking /quite/ anxious to get away. Her hand starts nervously toward one of Edwards's out of instinct and then retracts and folds into her lap as her face briefly burns red.
. o O Alethea thinks "Bad Thea. Bad. No. Not your Michael."
Something flashes on Takamura's console. After studying it, he reports. "Commander. I'm detecting an incoming cloaked vessel of Bajoran design. It appears to be a scout ship and it is leaking energy like it is damaged. I think it's being pursued by something, sir."
Hurley raises an eyebrow and immediately types out a message to Thea - DO YOU KNOW OF ANYONE WHO WOULD BE FLYING A DAMAGED CLOAKED BAJORAN VESSEL?
Edwards glances sidelong at Alethea, then back toward his console. "Bajoran? Can you pinpoint what's pursuing it?" he asks, as he enters a new course.
Valentine looks over her shoulder toward Tak with a blink, sitting up straight.
. o O Valentine thinks "Okay, this is officially not a Good Thing(tm)."
"Attempting that now, sir," Tak replies as he taps away on his console.
Alethea's eyes open wide, and she starts to shake her head for a second before her eyebrows shoot right up into her hairline. "MORGAN!" The word is ill-pronounced, far too loud -- exactly like someone who's never heard herself speak -- and once she realises she's said something out loud, she looks mortified. MORGAN AND HIROSHI... MAYBE. THEY WERE TRYING TO GET SOMEONE WHO COULD HELP US.
<CONTEST> Takamura (claiming advantage) contests his Shipboard Systems (Sensors) skill vs a difficulty of Impossible and Fails!
<CONTEST> Takamura (claiming advantage) contests his Shipboard Systems (Sensors) skill vs a difficulty of Difficult and Succeeds!
"Commander, Sir," Hurley immediately relays the message, "Thea believes she may know who has the Bajoran ship - Morgan and ... Hiroshi," she pauses and glances back to Tak before returning her gaze to Edwards, "And possibly another."
Hurley adds quickly, "Maybe."
Alethea has left.
Alethea has arrived.
GAME: Alethea is joining this location.
"Looks like we may have something to occupy us while we wait for our stuff." Edwards comments, erasing the course he set. "We should give them a hand, if we can. What do we got, Takamura?"
Valentine arches an eyebrow as she makes a quick check on the power diversions Birev made at the start of this whole mess. "Hiroshi, eh?" is muttered under her breath.
Hurley taps out a message to Thea again. DO YOU HAVE A WAY OF LETTING THEM KNOW WE'RE HERE TO HELP THEM? AND, CONFIRM THE BAJORAN SHIP MORGAN AND HIROSHI - WE'LL LEND ASSISTANCE IF THEY'RE FRIENDLY.
Takamura is about to give his update when he hears his name. Snapping his head towards he Hurley, he blinks in surprise, then shakes his head to regain his focus. "I still don't detect anything following them, though they are acting like they expect to be pursued."
. o O Valentine thinks "Sandwich time!"
. o O Takamura thinks "Hiroshi? I guess I won't have to wonder too much longer what my mirror self is like."
Taking a deep breath, Thea nods, and taps at the console a few more times. HAILING THEM. USING INSIDE JOKE. When identifying self and not sure if it's really them? Use an inside joke. Works every time. A few moments later, it comes back, and she nods enthusiastically. WE SHOULD TRY TO SAVE THE SHIP IF WE CAN. Hello, ship with cloaking device!
"Ooookay," Hurley says, seemingly out of nowhere. "Thea is.. well, she hailed them.. with an inside joke. I think. She's positive that ship has Morgan and Hiroshi on it, which Dana and Randal seemed rather worried about earlier today. She says we should save it if we can."
"I'll take a shot at it, Takamura. Prime whatever weapons this bucket has, just in case." Edwards enters commands into his console. "Got it, Ensign. Tell her to bring us around 'em."
GAME: Edwards spends a courage point.
<CONTEST> Edwards (claiming advantage) contests his Shipboard Systems (Sensors) skill vs a difficulty of Impossible and Fails!
Hurley types out Edwards' command to Thea quickly.
"Aye aye, sir. Powering up the phasers." Takamura responds as he brings the weapons up to full power.
Valentine keeps her eyes locked on her consoles, just to fight off Murphy's Law.
Alethea complies with Edwards' command with a quick nod of the head and no small amount of enthusiasm. The shuttle's brought round, quickly, and she opens a channel quickly and with her other hand, bringing up on-screen the faces of one Morgan Leah and a short-haired Hiroshi; save for the short hair, he is otherwise a perfect copy of his counterpart on the Baer. Can't sign and fly at the same time, so Thea asks aloud, "GOT HER?" in her atonal, weird voice. Hiroshi nods affirmative, replying, "Got her. Get us out of here. I don't know how much lead time we've got over the Right Hand."
. o O Valentine thinks "Got who? Gwen? Meg? Not Dovoro, obviously. Time to start a betting pool."
Edwards swears under his breath. "Can't make anything out." he remarks. "Better not be anything." He sounds real hopeful about that. Or, well, he actually doesn't. "Now we just gotta hope Four-One-Nine gets the job done, quick. Keep your eyes glued to the sensors, Takamura."
"Of course they will, Commander." And Tara /does/ sound firmly confident about that.
Takamura's attention is briefly drawn to the image on the screen, cocking his head to the side as he takes in the sight of his counterpart. Edwards' order has him back on task, steadily watching the sensors for any sign of a response from the station or incoming enemies.
<CONTEST> Hurley contests her Shipboard Systems (Communications) skill vs a difficulty of Impossible and Fails!
<CONTEST> Hurley contests her Shipboard Systems (Communications) skill vs a difficulty of Difficult and Succeeds!
Stewart is sitting in a seat of the Baer, fiddling away with his Type II. Which means running a diagnostic, checking, adjusting settings, and re-running diagnostics.
Tapping at her console, Thea sends over text: WAITING FOR SUPPLIES. WE'LL GO SOON. BE READY. DANA AND RANDAL SUCCEEDED... AND THEN SOME. BE READY. Because that bears repeating. And she shuts off the channel.
Hurley sighs, shaking her head. "If there's someone out there, Sir, they're not talking to anyone. I can't find anything."
"So maybe there's just nobody. It's possible." Sure it is. Edwards about stares a hole through the readouts on his console. "Any day now..."
Valentine sits back in her seat again, biting her lip just a little.
Stewart replies, "Well, this seems to be going phenomenally." He shrugs, and says, "Well, actually, this is a good sign. Probably means they're gathering the stuff."
. o O Edwards thinks "Or that our message didn't make it, or that they denied it, or..."
"That's right." Edwards comments. "We'll be back... to what's gonna pass for home for now in no time."
Takamura glances over to Stewart with a slight grin before returning his attention to his console. Like Edwards, he seems a little impatient about the whole thing as the waiting and not knowing wears on him.
. o O Hurley thinks "What's taking so long? Is Stewart's quarters a mess and they can't find the BIG GUN in there?"
<CONTEST> Hurley contests her Shipboard Systems (Communications) skill vs a difficulty of Impossible and Fails!
<CONTEST> Takamura (claiming advantage) contests his Shipboard Systems (Sensors) skill vs a difficulty of Impossible and Fails!
<CONTEST> Hurley contests her Shipboard Systems (Communications) skill vs a difficulty of Difficult and Succeeds!
<CONTEST> Takamura (claiming advantage) contests his Shipboard Systems (Sensors) skill vs a difficulty of Difficult and Fails!
<CONTEST> Takamura (claiming advantage) contests his Shipboard Systems (Sensors) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Succeeds!
<CONTEST> Edwards (claiming advantage) contests his Shipboard Systems (Sensors) skill vs a difficulty of Impossible and Succeeds!
There's an odd, liquid blue splash in near space, followed by the appearance of the aforementioned probe, presumably full of supplies.
Alethea has left.
Spider has arrived.
GAME: Spider is joining this location.
"About damn time." Edwards brightens when he notices the probe on sensors. "Just in time. We got a bogey on sensors, coming in cloaked. Will be here in three minutes. Let our friends know. Valentine, get that probe over here."
"Probe!" Hurley exclaims, pointing at the viewscreen like that's going to help people pinpoint the object. "And we can get out of here!"
"And there we are," Stewart notes, "Let's get that thing aboard, and let's see what we've got. Any more details on the bogey?"
Hurley taps out a message to Thea - ENEMIES COMING IN CLOAKED. NEED TO GRAB THE PROBE AND GET OUT OF HERE.
"Aye, sir," Valentine swhirls her chair slightly to stab at the tractor controls, grimacling slightly.
Takamura cals out from his station, "Incoming cloaked Klingon scout. Attempting to acquire a target lock."
Hurley turns to face Edwards, speaking quickly, "I've finally picked up a conversation - but, I can't tell if it's between bogey and base or bogey and another bogey."
Quickly, Thea relays that to the other ship, and brings her craft around to act as escort. WE MAY NEED TO ABANDON THAT SHIP. IT'S NOT IN GOOD SHAPE. IF WE CAN TRANSPORT THE THREE OF THEM...
<PROVE> Takamura has the merit of Battle-hardened at 3.
<CONTEST> Takamura (claiming advantage) contests his Shipboard Systems (Tactical) skill vs a difficulty of Difficult and Fails!
"What he said." Edwards motions back to Takamura vaguely. "Plotting an evasive course..." He does just that. "Just need to know when we're ready to go."
Hurley glances to Thea, then to Edwards, speaking quickly, "We can get out of here faster if we abandon that damaged Bajoran ship. Thea wants to transport the three passengers from the Bajoran ship, otherwise we'll have to protect it /and/ us on the way back."
Edwards grumbles at the added complication. "Tell her to do it!"
"Can we transport the contents of the pod over to where we are," Stewart asks, saying, "Otherwise, they're likely to get poached as we flee. And the last thing we need is to gift our enemies with our care package."
Hurley nods and relays the order to Thea quickly.
. o O Hurley thinks "What I wouldn't give to be telepathic right now."
. o O Stewart wants his gun. Yes he does.
WE SHOULD TRY TO KEEP IT FIRST, IT HAS A CLOAK! is Thea's first response, and she looks annoyed, but without too much more ado, she kicks the transporters into gear, bringing aboard first the probe -- into the back of the shuttle -- and then, with a whine, she brings over Morgan first, followed by the other two: Hiroshi, and a tall, lanky Bajoran female, approximately nineteen years of age, with long blonde hair and a venomously angry expression. It's fairly clear that only the disruptor Hiroshi has pressed against her ribcage is keeping her still.
Stewart makes for the probe, saying, "Ahh, now, where's my baby. Daddy's missed you." He rubs his hands together, adding, "And now we're ready to rock."
Valentine blinks with a frown as her target poofs, then looks around. An eyebrow shoots up into toward her hairline, and she looks from the angry Bajoran to her own Hiroshi.
Edwards glances back toward the new arrivals. "Uh-oh. It's worse than I could imagine. It's your ex, Takamura." He faces front again. "Now we're leaving!"
Hurley's eyes lock on the angry Bajoran. "Commander... we have the three...aah, passengers."
Stewart's going to be /so disappointed/ when all there is are medical supplies, chocolate, a book on sign language, and this message:
To: Commander Edwards
From: Lieutenant Jaylas Idrani
RE: Request for provisions
Have received your message and all are grateful that you and your crew are unharmed. After conferring with Captain Balin on your request for ordinance, armaments and medical supplies with the stated intent of initiating hostilities with an unknown governmental entity, the order of the Captain is to grant your request for medical supplies only. Providing medical support is within the legal scope of Starfleet, in situations such as these. Recommend that you and your team pull back to our universe as soon as possible. We will continue searching for a means to ensure your team's extraction. Good luck.
Takamura smirks as he fails to get a positive lock on the incoming ship. When the new arrivals beam aboard, he sneers, shaking his head. He barely catches the glance from Valentine.
Stewart takes a look at all of the contents, and then snaps his fingers. "Well... this is a little bit of a slap in the face." He digs a little, making sure that there isn't a rifle buried under there, before asking, "Can we send a reply? I realize I forgot to ask for my pills. And at times like these, I could sure use them."
Valentine glances briefly toward Stewart before turning back to her console. "Didn't think you were the one aboard this shuttle that gets his face slapped, Lieutenant," she quips. "Dare I ask?"
<CONTEST> Edwards contests his Shipboard Systems (Flight Control) skill vs a difficulty of Difficult and Succeeds!
. o O Takamura thinks "Why have they brought Jiasha here? Has she been as much trouble for this Hiroshi as she's been with me?"
Edwards enters some commands into the console and engages. "Home free!" He spins his chair around, so he can see the others. "We get anything good? And so help me you better be joking, Stewart."
"No, we didn't get anything good." Stewart looks over towards Edwards, and says, "And no, I'm not joking. Can we squeeze out a quick message? I could just get them to squirt the replicator pattern over."
"I made the list quite clear," Hurley insists, looking between Edwards and Stewart, "even detailed the weapons you all specified."
Takamura's eyes dart back over to Stewart. "No weapons, I take it?" He then watches his doppleganger and the mirror version of his former lover. "What's she doing here?"
"Doubt it's your fault, Chris," Tara attempts to reassure. "You did great."
Stewart grabs his PADD, and dictates to it, "Re: Package. Medical supplies greatly appreciated. However, the antidepressants enclosed are incorrect. Prescription was changed, by direction of Lt. Tyler, due to possible adverse reactions. Proper prescription is in encrypted file in Lt. Stewart's personal replicator patterns, and is classified due to need to avoid misuse of information by hostiles. Please transmit replicator pattern directly. Time is critical." He then hands the PADD off, and says, "Send that. You might want to hurry."
Hurley takes the PADD and looks to Edwards for approval.
. o O Valentine thinks "Oh lordy. Antidepressants?"
"It's too late. We're on our way back and the bad guys are there now." Edwards remarks irritably. "Damnit, Stewart."
Jumping out of her chair, Thea makes a small squeak of joy in the back of her throat and hurries to hug Morgan tightly. A few quick signs are exchanged, probably an explanation of some sort, as she gestures at each one of the persons on board, and then Morgan addresses Takamura. "We needed her for what she knows. She was the easiest one to get to." A glance aside at Jiasha. "She's not as good as she thinks she is."
"Do it anyway. We can still pick up the transmission, and it's a replicator pattern. We can make our own." Stewart says, and adds, "Though on second thought, you might want to cut it down to Lt. S."
Hurley moves to Edwards and exhales before speaking softly.
Hurley whispers to Edwards, "Sir, we just aided them in kidnapping. For the record."
"Try it." Edwards looks to Hurley. "And it doesn't matter. We're going to do a lot worse before this is over."
Valentine sends a glance sideways toward Stewart... and shakes her head. She doesn't want to know.
Hurley nods once and turns back to her console with the message to be edited and sent.
. o O Edwards thinks "After this Lithian nonsense, I should just resign and give in to a life of intergalatic crime."
<CONTEST> Hurley (claiming advantage) contests her Shipboard Systems (Communications) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Fails!
Takamura nods to Morgan as he narrows his eyes at the Bajoran woman. "Some things don't change." He mutters under his breath.
. o O Takamura feels disgust and loathing with a twinge of heartache.
"Sent," Hurley chimes from her station and turns to look on the new arrivals.
Morgan hugs Thea again, briefly, before the latter returns to her chair next to Edwards. "Get her restrained, Hiro," she instructs, glaring at the taller Bajoran, who glares right on back, her eyes dark and icy. As ordered, Hiroshi pushes Jiasha roughly into a chair at the back of the cockpit. "Morgan. The cord's in the other ship. Replicate us some?"
"If you go loopy on me, Stewart, I'm gonna be pissed." Edwards warns, turning his chair to face forward again. "What did they send, anyway?"
. o O Valentine thinks "Whatta ya mean, /go/ loopy?"
"Don't worry," Stewart says, digging through the medical supplies, pulling out a bottle, and shaking a couple of pills into his hand. "In case you hadn't figured it out yet, I was lying."
Valentine glances briefly toward Edwards, lips twitching over suppressed and grim humor.
Edwards fails to be mollified by that. "Don't lie to me!" He shakes his head. "Did they send anything to translate?"
Stewart shrugs a little, and says, "Didn't really think there was time for a full explanation. Besides, the best ruses are the ones delivered by someone who doesn't know they're doing so. If that's not a Ferengi rule of acquisition, it should be."
Takamura starts to move toward Jiasha when he realizes that Morgan was talking to her Hiroshi. Then he glances between Stewart and Edwards.
Morgan replicates and delivers the rope as Thea goes back to flying the shuttle, apparently pleased as punch that they have Jiasha in custody. The Bajoran is bound, wrist and ankle, and sits looking up at Hiroshi with a dull expression completely filled with hatred.
Valentine watches the alternate reality folks a bit dubiously. "You know, we do have cuffs that are a lot more difficult to get out of than rope," she mentions, gaze sliding toward Jiasha. Her eyes narrow before she shakes her head, getting her Hiroshi's unmixed.
. o O Alethea thinks "We're going to get them all back, now, and we have her. She's the only thing he cares about, and I'm going to make him pay for Isobel. For Alice. For Anu and Nick, poor Nick..."
. o O Stewart thinks "Okay... where's the transmission?"
"Do I have to do everything myself?" Edwards stands up and moves to the probe, looking through the stuff. "Not even a phaser. Nice. And why is there chocolate in here?" He fishes out the book. "A book? What is this, 1849?" He retreats back to his seat and taps Alethea on the shoulder.
Chocolate? Oh yeah! Hurley hops out of her seat and heads over to the probe to retrieve said chocolate. There's a plan for this stuff, there is, and she keeps it with her for the time being.
"About it," Stewart says, thumbing towards the package. "Turns out, someone clued them in that we're doing something illegal. And, of course, not being here and, you know, in deadly danger, they've decided that what we really need are medical supplies that we're quite well outfitted to replicate ourselves. And not, you know, anything useful."
. o O Hurley thinks "Clued them in.. oh hell. But! It's important! How.."
"How could they /not/ see it?" Hurley mutters out loud, looking to her console with reddening cheeks.
"Well, then, hand them over," Morgan replies to Valentine a little sharply. Hiroshi leans back and looks up at Valentine with a very patient expression that's very much different from Morgan's tense one. It's obvious that neither of them have slept in a long time.
Thea, on the other hand, having done everything she needs to as far as setting up the ship to take them back to base camp, turns and looks up at Edwards with a curious expression when he taps her on the shoulder. She tilts her head slowly to one side, waiting.
Takamura continues to watch the interactions between Hiroshi and Jiasha, trying to figure out what is going on between them. For the time being, though, he remains silent. There will be time for questions later.
Valentine's lips purse, then she rises to cross to a locked panel on the other side of the shuttle. A few taps open it, and she withdraws a pair of standard security cuffs, tossing them in Morgan's direction. "There ya go, Your Majesty." Locking the cabinet again, she glances toward Stewart as she moves back to her seat. "Wondered when that was going to come up."
Edwards flips through the book, searching for something appropriate to say. "Couldn't find a real translator... Like I don't already feel like I'm stuck in the backwater of the universe." he mumbles. Then he finds something. "Ah ha!" He looks up and attempts to make the sign for 'success' to Alethea.
Hurley falls rather strangely quiet and reflective at her station, seemingly concentrating on the display in front of her.
"Well, hey. Seems there's been some confusion as to what, exactly, my job is," Stewart says, rounding a little on Valentine. "See, it's not to be your friend. Nor is it to be likeable. Or even bearable. My job is to be good at taking down hostile things before they take you down, and to be in the way of enemy fire. Basically, my job is to make sure you don't get killed by putting myself in harm's way. You don't get any of the frills like social ability, and you shouldn't expect them. Not my job. Find someone else. But hey, you know what? Right now, I think my job is reasonably important, given that we'll likely be taking fire at some point. So you know, it seems like a good idea to keep me happy. And by happy, I generally mean well-armed, and not expected to be friendly. I hope that clears everything up. Anyone have any questions?"
She laughs a little, does Medes, and the sound is too loud, and again atonal, but it's very, very genuine. Thea nods her head a little bit and repeats the sign back to Edwards, followed by the sign for 'good.'
Valentine swings around in her seat to /peer/ at Stewart. "With all due respect, Lieutenant, what are you getting so bent out of shape about?" she snaps, lifting out of her chair, one hand on her console. "Just because I've been counting how many parts of the Prime freakin' Directive we are currently breaking, and how many we're going to, doesn't mean I'm asking you to be my bosom buddy!"
Edwards smiles at the laugh and starts the trek through the pages for the second sign, so he knows what it is. And he doesn't look up from that task as he speaks, "Stewart, Valentine, shut up. And if anyone's thinking of joining in the debate, shut up too. Now's not the time for this nonsense. So everyone keep it to yourself." Then he finds 'good', nods, and smiles again at Alethea.
. o O Hurley thinks "Here we go again."
Takamura snaps his gaze to Valentine and Stewart. It looks like he was about to say something to them, but Edwards beat him to the punch. Setting his jaw, he figures that his best course of action right now is to pay attention to his console.
. o O Hurley thinks "It's strange how.. success.. can be so somber."
Thea shifts her weight slightly in the chair she's sitting in, and then leans over the book, pushing a dark curl back from her face. She rests a hand on one of the pages, silently asking for permission to turn them, and, assuming she's given it, flips to the section on space travel. Practical conversation, there, but she makes a face as she peers down at the signs. Apparently there are some missing.
Stewart just smiles over to Valentine, though he's quite good at not smiling pleasantly. Putting his feet up on a medical kit extracted from the probe, he folds his hands over his stomach.
While Thea may be oblivious to the conversation going on around her, Morgan and Hiroshi are not, and cast little glances at one another. Jiasha, on the other hand, is eating this all up with a quietly delighted expression, at least until Stewart turns and she gets a good look at his face. "Oh my," she murmurs. "Isn't /this/ interesting."
Valentine drops back into her chair without another word, keeping blazing eyes firmly on her console. Catching a bit of Takamura's look, she flushes, but her anger can still be plainly read.
. o O Valentine thinks "Loopy don't /begin/ to freakin' describe it."
Edwards certainly doesn't deny Mrs. Edwards. When he hears the murmuring, he glances over briefly. "Ah, great. Let's try not to look bad in front of the evil tailor, okay?" He returns his attention to the much more interesting book and Thea and practices some, signing 'star', since that's surely in there.
Stewart looks over to Jiasha, and says, "You tell me. Is it?" He swallows the pills he's been carrying in his hand, tucking the bottle into a pocket in his belt, and says, "Because you know, I've been low on interesting these days. Things have been rather boring, in fact."
Alethea nods her head and beams brightly across at Edwards, tapping the sign for star and turning the page, showing him how 'star' and 'place' get linked together with another sign (journey or trip) to make 'plot a course.' Literally: place a journey to a star. Actually means: plot a course. She peers at Edwards a moment later, however, as his words seem to sink in. Her brow wrinkles up, as apparently the concept of someone aboard being an 'evil tailor' just doesn't quite add up.
. o O Takamura thinks "Just great. What a shining example of Starfleet officers we are. Constantly bickering and sniping at each other. I'll be surprised if we don't end up killing each other before we get rescued."
"I saw you six hours ago. Of course, you weren't in your pyjamas then," Jiasha purrs, leaning against the bulkhead. It takes someone as elegantly lanky as she is to make handcuffs look like this year's daring fashion accessory, and she does so. "I believe my brother was breaking your nose and fingers again. They look suspiciously unbroken from here, though... "
Valentine's lips thin as she glances toward the pilot chairs. She takes a deep breath, adjusting her readouts. "Sorry, sir, didn't mean to needle you," Best innocent voice /ever/. She snaps a look toward Jiasha. "I can produce gags too."
Edwards ahs at the explanation for complicated thoughts in signese. Then he looks at Alethea's confused expression. He glances between her and Jiasha and tries to explain, pointing toward the Bajoran, then searching out the signs for 'mine' and 'tailor'. He proceeds to make them.
Hurley takes her cue and stands from her station to go sit right next to MirrorJiasha. "Hi. I'm Christine Hurley," she greets with a bright, friendly smile. Her hands fold neatly on her knees and attempts to engage the bajoran in very friendly conversation. "And you are?"
Takamura lets out a low growl as he listens to the surrounding conversation, shaking his head. Slowly, he casts a narrow gaze at the smug Bajoran. When Hurley approaches Jiasha, he speaks up. "Ensign. Leave the prisoner alone and return to your station."
. o O Hurley thinks "Ugh. Come /on/. This is the *one thing I can do* right now *without* screwing it up! I can /keep/ these people from fighting, or at least I can get vocal enough to distract them all."
One hand is all it takes for Hiroshi to grab Morgan and stop her from lunging at Jiasha when she begins her taunts regarding Jimmy's current predicament. Morgan steps forward, and runs into the solid wall of Hiroshi. Thunk.
Jiasha's response is langourous and very, very bored-sounding. "Far too good to talk to a Terran female," she purrs, and leans her head against the bulkhead, looking for all the world like a perfume ad.
Stewart replies to Evil Jiasha, "Yeah... I got better. Also, away." Stewart looks over towards Edwards briefly, before looking back to Evil Jiasha.
Hurley looks between Jiasha and Tak, about to speak up, but decides against it. Pursing her lips, she shrugs, stands and moves to her station again to listen to absolutely nothing except the nearby fighting.
Growl number two comes from Tara Valentine as she overhears Evil Jiasha, but she's careful not to look toward the Bajoran. Therein lies the way to tempers doing bad things.
Buh? Alethea stares at Edwards for a long time, then glances down at the book, then over at Jiasha, then down at the book, then over at Jiasha. 'Yours' 'tailor'? She repeats that last sign a couple of times, just to make sure.
Edwards repeats the sign for 'tailor' and nods. Then he decides to blow her mind even more. Because that has to be a good idea, right? He hunts down the sign for 'friend' and makes it.
Takamura takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly. His gaze remains on Evil Jiasha, though, he can't help but grin when he sees his counterpart intercept Morgan.
Alethea's expression is nothing short of horrified at that idea. She looks back at Jiasha, then at Edwards, then at Jiasha, and then makes a series of short, sharp signs. Edwards probably doesn't even have to look them up: She. Kills/Killed. My. Friends. (Sign is very indistinct on past/present/future tenses.)
Hiroshi 'speaks' quietly to Morgan, having drawn her as close to 'aside' as one can get when there are ten people in a Type VI shuttle. In other words: he uses sign, talking to her silently and apparently talking her down.
Edwards sticks with simpler thoughts. Just like he does when he's talking verbally. He flips through the book, finding the sigh for 'good', which he makes, after making the sign for 'mine' again. And he just points at Jiasha instead of trying to find a sign for her.
"It's a temporary thing, I'm sure," Jiasha purrs softly, and her smile is slim and wicked. "You're at least a little more interesting than that Dylan character you kept trying to throw at us. You're so... twisted. Never anyone more fun to bend and break." She leans her head against the bulkhead, yawning a little.
Valentine frowns slightly, continuing to stare at her monitors.
. o O Valentine thinks "Okay, maybe the Resistance are the good guys after all."
Takamura raises an eyebrow at the signing, wishing he had learned that language. When he hears the name of his Team Commander, he glares at her.
"Well, hey, glad to be of service," Stewart replies offhand. "But then, enough about me. Tell me, have you ever been hit in the teeth with a large emergency medical kit?"
"Why, Mr. Stewart, I didn't think you liked to play those games anymore," gasps Jiasha, feigning excitement and titillation. "I love it when you talk that way." Back to lounging like a perfume ad.
For a second there, Tara looks like she's about to cheer Stewart on. Just for a second.
. o O Valentine thinks "Oh yeah, he's an idiot. Almost forgot."
. o O Takamura thinks "Oh how I would love to knock that smug look off her face and give her what she deserves."
Stewart smiles thinly, "Well, we do seem to have a surplus of medical kits." He then adds, "But hey, afraid you're not my type. Cause you know, I happen to like them a little less... uhh, what's the word. Oh yeah, evil. Happen to be kind of fond of the good thing, actually."
Valentine opens her mouth... shuts it again. Nah, not worth getting yelled at. She settles back comfortably in her chair, bringing up a simple, sound-muted game on an unusued monitor.
. o O Valentine thinks "And the good thing is very surprised to hear that, Lieutenant Stewart."
"Pity. I always did like the smug, self-righteous type. And there's such a surplus here!" Flipping her honey-blonde hair over one shoulder, Jiasha stretches as best she can and peers out the front window. "How charming. The Okuda Sector."
A look is shared between Morgan and Hiroshi. Silent agreement. Nothing is said.
The ship zooms off toward the moon on which base camp is located, with Edwards and Thea quietly going over the book of sign language along the way. Their conversation about Jiasha and the concept of her being good or evil is the topic of the night.
Takamura listens to the wordplay, but watches the interactions between Morgan and Hiroshi. He seems quite unhappy about the whole situation they find themselves in.
Stewart frowns, and says, "Well, about now I think we can figure the message was a bust. Or they just don't much like us any more." He gets up, and starts digging through the pod again, "Well, if nothing else, we can hope they gave us some sedatives."
