Shift Change

 Episode Name:  Shift Change

   Written By:  Eidolon

         Cast:  Dane, Donavon, Eidolon, Harris and Kran'dok.

  Produced By:  Starfleet

  Directed By:  Eidolon

     Aired On:  Mon Jul 18 21:40:23 2005

     Stardate:  55124.9

Time: Mon Jul 18 19:50:06 2005

Stardate: 55124.7

The mustering area for the work details in Drydock 18 at shift change is a chaotic sort of place, with men in spacesuits coming in to trade with those who are about to go out to work. The ship being built here is, at the moment, little more than a spare skeleton, but in time, it'll become something akin to a Galaxy-class starship.

Harris and Kran'dok are part of the group coming in, having been forced to work for a grueling twelve-hour shift, while Donavon has been selected to increase the morale of the slaves by moving about the room and giving them all a few encouraging words -- and earning more than a few leers and sets of busy hands in return.

Harris tugs his helmet off, running a hand through his sweat-soaked hair. "Who would have thought that working in no gravity would be so hard?" he grumbles before flopping next to a bulkhead.

Kran'dok seems a bit off balance as he walks over to join the man near the bulkhead and carefully removes his helmet. "I have never even trained for this. I had no idea," he says trailing off weakly. The Romulan keeps his eyes low and his attention away from the rest of the group. His shoulders are slumped and his back hunched slightly. He might almost blend in with some of the longer term workers.

. o O Kran'dok thinks, "This is beyond degrading. I was raised for better than this. What is worse I must act like I fit in here. The last thing I want to do is stand out."

. o O Harris is exhausted.

The task that Donavon undertakes is as revolting in her mind's eye as the monstrosity of fabric she's been forced to wear. Silken garments of emerald, curled toed slippers with bells, a veil to accentuate the eyes - all are designed to entice the eyes of the workers. Leers directed to her body earns a glower and murmured threats should any cross the line. She dips a ladle into a bucket to lift towards the weak and tired workers' lips while she glances around for any signs of her fellow officers.

Harris leans his head back against the bulkhead, his eyes closing. "There is some good news, though," he murmurs. "The Lexington's dock is maybe three kilometers from here. It's a pretty easy jaunt if we could just get our hands on some thruster packs and spacesuits or something we can use as a thruster."

Kran'dok nods ever so slightly, still keeping his gaze cast to the floor. He speaks quietly as if he does not really care. "I would expect Mr. Thorne to have some insights there." He glances around slightly before turning back to Harris and the bulkhead. "Do we even want to get back to the Lexington? Would it not be better to take something more capable?"

An old Klingon steps up to Donavon as she ladles water for the prisoners. "So many new faces here," he grumbles as he waits his turn. "Tell me, is it still pleasant in the harem?"

Donavon spills water over the prisoner's lap when a familiar voice reach her ears; she jerks. "As pleasant as a rotten dish of gragh." The bit of her pants is used to pat the old prisoner's pants dry while she murmurs an apology. "Tastes foul and bitter but when there's else to eat, it'll have to be satisfactory, Amba--old warrior." Subconsciously, her head lowers in a bow towards this Klingon, a male deserving of her respect. She moves down the line to tend to the next wearied worker.

"The information on how we got here is in the Lexington's computers," Harris replies softly as he starts to push to his feet. "Without it, we're stuck here, unless you know something about multidimensional physics that you're not sharing with the rest of the class." He sighs as he gets all the way back up. "How are you holding up?"

Dane follows after Donavon, she keeps her head down and speaks shyly now and then to a few of the workers. When hands come out to grab her she evades them giving a little hiss and making sure she's sticking to Donavon's side. She also has a little bowl of food with her, it's sometimes diverts those filthy paws from her. She tries to smile and nods and seem pleasent but it's hard when you scared out of you wit.

Kran'dok shakes his head just slightly. "I am fine, just a little injured. What of the others? I only spoke with Randal for a few moments and he could tell me nothing of what happened." There is a hint of worry in the Romulan's voice as this seems to be occupying his mind. "I do not even know how /I/ ended up here." He almost gets over excited in his speech, but takes care to seem down and depressed.

Gr'laH just grunts. "I am not a warrior," he replies, his voice hollow as he turns to look over the column of inmates. "No Klingon is." As Donavon and Dane move on, he turns his gaze back to the deckplating.

. o O Dane thinks, "Please don't touch me, please don'"

Donavon cracks the tiniest of grins. "But in my memories, you were. A warrior lives by his creed of honor and no slave master can take one's honor. Q'pla, son of Go'laH." Attentions divert; a hiss from Dane gives cause for Meg to growl bitterly at the inmates. "Touch the lass and ye see no drink or food. Grab the lass and yuir bones will break." The threat is hissed solely upon the one who touched. And once her stare glowers long enough does she jerk away to tend to the next person.

Harris turns toward the water and food. "I don't know," he replies softly. "I haven't seen them since last night."

Kran'dok frowns as he is clearly not satisfied, but does not press the issue. "That is not promising." He sinks back against the bulkhead and tries to stay out of sight. Subtly he glances up through his hair to see where the man is looking.

Dane gives Donavon a greatful look and sighs softly. "I'm not normally like this. " she mutters softly, "I just hate situations like this. " she says, moving up to stand next to Meg. The woman is so strong Mir only wishs she had that strength. "Do you think we'll see the others?" she asks softly. "Park and Kran were hurt, and I know Harris and Takamura had trouble coming around. "

"I imagine we'll see them in the barracks," Harris replies softly. "But we can't worry about that right now. What we've got to worry about is keeping ourselves alive, and those two..." he gestures with his chin toward the harem girls, "...have water and food."

Kran'dok looks in the direction Harris indicates, keeping his head low and his shoulders slumped. He squints slightly as something seems off about this situation. The Romulan shifts on the wall and straightens up ever so slightly as he prepares to move.

Donavon snorts at the vulgar innuendo and cat-calls before leaning towards Dane. Donavon whispers to Dane, "They smell your fear. Appear strong, doctor. The rest falls into place." The process of ladling and feeding gradually becomes irksome as the taunts increase.

Dane nods her head and just thinks about what she'll be doing next week, about perhaps finally getting back to work and even that promotion in the fall. "Yes, your perfectly right. " She says, looking over to the next man and managing a smile. "Here. " she says handing him a drink. "Would you like some fruit?" she offers, the bowl.

The man just sneers and continues forward.

Harris steps forward, being the next man after the one currently being served. "I think I sweated out five kilos of water today," he grumbles to Kran'dok as he waits his turn.

Kran'dok reaches out to catch the man's arm as things suddenly begin to fall into place. The speed and strength of his movement briefly indicates that he is perhaps not so defeated as he appears. "Wait... Perhaps we could go without food today," he says slowly in a pained voice. He gestures over to the women again, he would know the one of them anywhere. His expression is grim as he turns to look at Harris and whispers, "Things just became difficult."

. o O Kran'dok feels deeply pained, worried and afraid. There is a hint of joy and hope beneath all of that.

. o O Kran'dok thinks, "I can not believe it. Elements I want to rush over there right now and make sure she is alright. I can not betray any hint of our relationship though. I could never allow harm to come to her because of me. How can I save her? What can I do?"

Donavon strides forward to carry on with duties before a limb blocks her path. No attention heeded, she trips over the foot to only fly straight into the next worker's body. Hands clutch the man's shoulders as she furiously jerks away in the attempt to spin on heel. "Is this your idea of a game? How about I knock your skull with this ladle!"

Dane snorts softly and sighs when she just gets a typical responce, her hand goes for another cup passing it to Donavon to fill. "I really could use a drink myself. " she mutters, but doesn't grab one out of fear from what the guards will do. Familar voices drift to her ears but she doesn't really pay attention. "Meg. " She calls softly coming to her friends side. "Get your hands off." she says, pulling at the man.

Harris turns his gaze toward the Romulan, lips turning into a frown. "What is this is the only meal we get today?" he asks. "We've got to keep our..." whatever he was going to say is cut off as he's suddenly got a flailing harem girl who wants to knock him in the skull with a ladle gripping him by the shoulders and her friend pulling at him. "Whoa, hey, you fell into me, lady..." he yells back before he pauses and asks, softly, "Meg?"

The guards look up at the commotion. "Uh oh," one grumbles to the other. "Better call the boss down here. Prisoners are manhandling the girls again."

Kran'dok's gaze flashes up and quickly fixes on Mir for one painfull moment before it is torn away. He begins to slink back, sepparating himself from the Harris bundle he was standing beside. There is a grim expression on the Romulan's face as his shoulders truly begin to slump. "Harris, come away," he whispers.

Donavon immediately attempts to break away by pushing hands roughly at this one's shoulders. 'Let.me.GO,' is hissed in writhing anger. Her struggles, though feigned, are purposely drawn out in order to exchange whispers with Harris. Donavon whispers to Harris, "All are well. No escape plan yet."

. o O Kran'dok thinks, "Please be strong Mir. I know you are a phenomonal woman given the chance. Forgive me for what I must do."

. o O Donavon's heart rapidly palpitates by being near her husband. Acceleration and relief charm the kind fuzzy spots out of her.

Dane whirls around when she hears Harris voice relief in her eyes, before she slides them over to the tall Romulan, "Kran'dok. " She says hushing towards him, The Harris's forgotten for a minute. She doesn't even think what she might causes, if she's seen going to the Romulan her joy on seeing him sees to block everything else out.

Harris stumbles back as he's pushed, holding his hands up in the air. "Hey, now, we're all friends here," he offers. "I just want some water and some chow, and then I'm out of your hair. I'll even get it myself so I'm not touching you, see?" He nods once to the whisper, and continues to hold up his hands.

. o O Harris thinks, "A small miracle."

. o O Harris' mood improves by about a million percent.

Kran'dok looks up again as the Trill begins to rush him. His eyes catch hers and his expression conveys everything. She should easily recognize the brief look of affection, joy then determination. After a moment the gaze turns cold and hard. He bares his teeth in a definately fierce warding gesture. "No e'lev," he whispers through his teeth. He turns and begins to slink away from the comotion being caused.

Donavon warily observes this one even as her foot slinks back to increase the distance between their bodies. "Fine," she growls. With that, she drops the bowl of water to the floor before shoving it towards his direction. "Care for yourself."

The doors part, and in swaggers the boss of Drydock 18. He's got a goatee, and his hair is slicked back, but to the people from Station 419, he's unmistakably Moroko Torin. "What the hell's going on in here?" he demands of the guards.

"Prisoner over there's touching the girls," one of the Andorians reports.

"Well, toss him in solitary for a few days." Torin pauses. "Then send the redhead up to my quarters for debriefing." He shares a look with the guards, then heads back out.

The two Andorians, meanwhile, just grin before pulling their weapons. "Debriefing, huh?"

Dane misses the look the Romulan gives her and recoils from his face, she blinks and turns away rejected and hurt. She looks to Donavon and realises that the married couple hasn't even given themselves away. With a sigh she pulls herself together and turns back to the Romulan, she nods her head slowly at him.

Harris keeps his hands raised as he steps forward, then lifts the ladle to take a sip of the water before he replaces it back in the bucket and raises his hands once more. "That's all I wanted. Thank you," he replies to Donavon before as he glances toward the door.

. o O Dane thinks, "he's alive and safe!"

Kran'dok gives Rob and Meg a worried look for just a moment. His gaze passes over Mir's direction again and he gives a half grin for some reason before drifting off into the crowd to watch Harris and the guards, shaking his head slightly.

Donavon's lips twitch into a satisfied smirk. "How well of a punishment for the likes of him." Hesitant, she waits until Harris is far removed from the water bowl. It is then she recovers it and scurries back away from him. The glower in her eyes sternly focuses on him before the last orders by Torin ring in her ears. A jerk is set his direction. "Debriefing my foot," she grumbles to herself.

Dane looks towards Donavon her eyes widening, then back at whom just walked in with a gasp her hand goes to her mouth Moroko! Whom else is going to pop up, will she be faced with a Watters? "Donavon. " She whispers. "They can't take you... " She says worried for the woman now and not herself.

The Andorians gesture at Harris with their weapons. "Alright, you, it's the box for you. If you come quietly, it might not even hurt... too badly." They laugh between themselves, then the one on the right indicates the door. "This way."

Harris keeps his hands in the air. "Maybe you should watch your feet next time, wench," he spits at Donavon as he passes toward the doors. "Save us both a lot of trouble."

. o O Harris thinks, "Don't rush them. Don't rush them."

. o O Harris is worried. Very much so.

Kran'dok sighs and begins to make his way as close to Harris as he can possibly get. He looks at the man with a slightly confused expression, but says nothing, allowing him to play it as he likes. The Romulan does his best to maintain the same defeated appearence he had been working on earlier.

GAME: Donavon has the flaw of Romantic Attachment at -3.

GAME: Donavon spends a courage point.

Donavon watches. For all eyes, the harem girl seems primed to claw at the spitter's face but it is to the married couple who know better. The fists at her sides clench to contain her anger, eyes darting to the guards as a solemn reminder. But it is Dane's whisper which has a cocky grin flashed and her demeanor loosening from stiffened upset. "You worry too much, doctor. This is Torin of all people."

Dane nods her head slowly laying a hand on her arm for support, as she watches her husband being dragged off. "I trust you meg. " She whispers to her. "If you say you'll be alright then you will. " Mir adds, her eyes moving back to Kran'dok.

Harris flashes a grin at Kran'dok as he's lead out. "I could use the vacation," he remarks before he's herded into the corridor beyond by the guards, who return after a few moments. "Alright! Queue up again! I want to see this line moving."

. o O Harris thinks, "Maybe it'll help me figure out how we're going to get out of here."

Harris steps through the door of Grix's Cafe.

Harris has left.

Kran'dok nods once to the man as he is taken away. The look on the Romulan's face makes it clear he is not pleased about this and looking for some way to fix things. After Harris is gone, he slowly begins to slink back to where the women were handing out water, to make sure all is well there and maybe even get some water for himself.

Dane is tapped by one of the guards and pulled back away from Donavon. "You come with us. " he says leading her away to perhaps go serve water somewhere else.

Donavon pivots like a soldier and purposely brushes against Dane. "Stiff upper lip." And the two women then are parted.

Dane nods her head slowly and is dragged from the room.

Dane heads south.

Dane has left.

Kran'dok freezes and watches Mir get taken away. He takes a deep breath and slowly slumps towards somewhere to get some food.

. o O Kran'dok thinks, "Be strong Kran. You need to pass word to the others. Can not get caught, can not get noticed."

The line proceeds quickly, and then the prisoners are herded to their barracks, while Harem Girl Donavon is herded in a different direction -- the quarters of Moroko Torin.