AQ/D10 - Ten Forward

[Daniel Brooks]

==Bar and Restaurant area for relaxing on time off.==

[Kalli Thorn]

== NRC Cindy Talion, Synthetic ==
<<< Main Sickbay <<<

Jonas moved slowly, but thank goodness for turbolifts, they didn't have to walk too far to arrive at the favored Crew Lounge area known as Ten Forward. Once they had sat down, Cindy set down a PADD on the table and tapped it. It instantly projected a small floating holographic menu for him to be able to interact with.

"You can make your selection from the menu, including giving any verbal special instructions you might have for variations on any selection. It will then appear in front of you. I made sure that we are within range of a replicator that is compatible with this program modification. It will take a couple of seconds longer to materialize, but it will be well worth the small wait. I use oversampling subroutines to refine the molecular structures so there are as few flaws as possible, which dramatically increases the quality of the replicated item. It also takes much more effort to be sure the original scans are highly detailed, as you can only replicate high quality after you have gone through the effort to scan in high quality to begin with. Fortunately, we have managed to accumulate quite a collection of items in the library over the last few decades. I find it interesting that as much as we've dedicated so much effort to our cybernetic research, I confess that we're rather proud of our culinary accomplishments as well."

While the menu floated in front of Jonas, a steaming mug of hot dark chocolate appeared in front of Cindy. It had a dollop of whipped cream floating on the top and smelled delicious. A spoon then materialized next to it, which she picked up and slowly began to stir her beverage. In contrast to her instructions, she had not touched the menu before her selection had appeared.

== Tag for GM input ==

[GM-07]

The view of Riani through the grand window of Ten Forward was quite striking. Dawn had broken over Saule, the most populous city in the Tanndi nation. Through the grey clouds that covered most of its surface, a desert of black sand glittered in the morning light. All three of the planet’s three oblong moons were now in view, the pair that lingered closer together having not yet disappeared along the far side of the planet.

“I’ve spent so many years looking up at those moons, I forgot what they looked like from above,” he stammered, his voice thick with admiration. “It’s rare to see the Three Sisters — our moons, I mean — all together like that. The twins are playing a game, hiding from their eldest sister in the night sky, but she always comes to find them. I used to read that story to my children when they were little.”

Jonas looked greedy as he entered his order into the replicator. He raised an eyebrow as Cindy’s order arrived seemingly unbidden. His concentration was broken for a moment by the materialization of a generous slice of German-style cheesecake with extra blackberry drizzle. He dug a fork in quickly, as if it might escape just as quickly as it had appeared.

“Amazing! It really does taste just like I remember,” he cooed. “Federation replicators have come quite some way, or I suppose this is your own invention?”

He seemed to hold onto that thought a while longer as he savored another bite. His table manners were less like a seasoned diplomat and more like a young boy celebrating his birthday.

“My, you have a way with machines,” he mused after a while longer, his voice getting quieter. “First my new implant, now this. Not many people in the galaxy can compete with Riani engineers when it comes to cyberware. I’m almost tempted to ask if you have some gear of your own, though I’m not sure if it’s polite. Of course, on Riani, it isn’t rude at all to ask.”

He let the question hang in the air like it was made of sheer paper, not wanting to interrogate.

[Kalli Thorn]

== NRC Cindy Talion, Synthetic ==

Cindy smiled as Jonas took his first bite. A small bowl of vanilla ice cream appeared in front of her that had a decorative drizzle of dark chocolate that criss-crossed it in a delicate pattern. There was also a hefty sprinkle of crushed pecans. Instead of the stereotypical cherry on top, there was a single small strawberry that appeared to be at a state of perfect ripeness, the bold red color standing out like it was a tiny work of art.

As she took a tiny bite, she said, "I certainly can't take credit for the replicators themselves. It is also no secret that it is well worth the effort to have a private collection of your favorite items on file with high resolution scans. The only thing I do is add the subroutines for the quality control and take the liberty of having a utility program that is able to take advantage of the targeting, so long as it is within the limited range and doesn't violate any ship's safety protocols. As much as I would like to take credit, it is something that Alex came up with as a child. Like most children, he couldn't understand why people accepted inferior results from a system that was potentially capable of so much more. Unlike most people, his mind was capable of finding ways to make it happen, because he couldn't imagine that there was anything wrong with making such obvious improvements."

When he commented about the mechanical aspect and then inquired about her possibly having augmentations, she looked down and blushed before replying, "Thank you for that. It always makes me feel good when I'm able to make such an impression on someone." She considered for only a second before continuing, "The machine part of it is, I suppose, something that you might say I come by naturally. The challenge has always been in the organic side of the equations. It took years for me to be able to form an appropriate matrix of engrams that allowed me to establish a true understanding of people. I never stop learning more about them, but then again, the universe is full of so many varied and complex life forms, it is impossible to even keep up with their evolutionary modifications that occur naturally. Anticipating the ones they adapt through artificial means is always fascinating in how it reveals their behavioral patterns as influenced by cultural integration."

After another bite, she continued, "The unit they used to replace your heart is the one approved for current deployment throughout the Federation. The one I have is a slightly newer version, but the differences are mostly cosmetic. The performance requirements are the same, but under standard scans, it registers the same as an organic element and not a mechanical one. It is only when scanned with higher resolution that it is identified as synthetic. Of all the ones I have field tested, it shows the most promise yet. We take special care to try and not make them too...um...special. The effort to make a replacement is not to be confused with the idea of making one that is superior. For example, your new heart will not turn you into something super-human, but it will likely function for you with no noticeable degradation for the rest of your life. In fact, based on my testing, I would speculate that it is good for an estimated 200 years, give or take five years. I'm the final test for all of our research before we're allowed to use them in people."

She then looked at him and politely clarified, "Ambassador, I don't have any augmentations. I am the augmentations. My name originally was based on the project name Alex gave me more than 20 years ago. I began as a synthetic intelligent assistant, which became known as Synth-I-A and was pronounced Cynthia. I found it was much more acceptable to shorten it to Cindy, as it set me apart from the origin and people almost always enjoy shortened names or even nicknames. It has helped a great deal in learning how to be more effective in social interactions. It also was deliberate to give me the specific physical characteristics I have, though I should clarify that I am not only what you see. What you see is convenient and serves specific purposes, but if I were to suffer a catastrophic event, I could simply replicate another chassis and it would only be a minor inconvenience."

The PADD he had interacted with to make his menu selection flickered and a holographic figure of Cindy stood on it about 10 centimeters tall and it took an elaborate bow to demonstrate as Cindy added, "It's complicated, but I think that is enough to give you the major talking points that constitute a formal introduction."

The holographic image vanished once more as Cindy took the strawberry and bit into it, obviously enjoying it. "You should get a beverage. I can highly recommend the spiced hot chocolate. It is a dark version with just a tiny hint of heat that is exceptionally smooth, but I have a soft spot for chocolate."

[GM-07]

Jonas’s eyes flashed with surprise, mixed with a hint of recognition, like a difficult lock had just clicked open in his mind. Cindy had his full attention. He ordered a spiced hot chocolate and took a long sip before speaking.

“You might be the most interesting person I’ve ever met,” he said simply. “The Riani don’t have any advanced synthetics, at least not anymore. Years before I arrived, they all retreated into the net. No explanation, no goodbye, just gone all at once. In response, every world government agreed to destroy the net and start over. It’s hard to imagine them being able to come to such a consensus on anything today.”

Jonas looked guilty, not sure how Cindy would react to that story.

“Tell me, don’t you find it limiting, this chassis? You could be everywhere on this ship at once, and yet you’re here eating dessert with me. Why is that?”

[Kalli Thorn]

== NRC Cindy Talion, Synthetic ==

Cindy blushed a little and gave a grin at his compliment. "Thank you. That means I'm doing a good job."

She then listened to him describe the local impact of their own experimentations in the Riani past. She nodded and gave a sympathetic look, "What you have described is not uncommon, but it is hard to explain to an organic. I don't know exactly what may have happened, but I've encountered very similar examples in the past. You can't try and think of it in terms that relate to a reaction or motivation that you might expect from an organic life form. You have a hard enough time even trying to make sense of other organic creatures. A synthetic life form is going to have far more challenging aspects to consider. The fact that they simply left and there was no clash between them and their creators is actually a good thing."

Jonas then asked her a more personal kind of inquiry, to which she smiled ad set down her mug to look him directly in the eyes, "Well, for starters, Star Fleet has a bit of an issue with their ships being controlled on that level. They have had sentient beings take over ships and they have also had Artificial Intelligence programs take over ships and they did not like any of those experiences. Let me clarify, for the record, that I am not technically sentient, but I am as close as I can possibly be to it without taking that final evolutionary step. I know this because I'm not the original program. My original program did become sentient and was set free. I am from a back-up that was made prior to that development and certain modifications were made so that I can still continue to learn, but that final step has deliberately been prevented so that I can continue to do what I enjoy without entering into certain legal minefields. As for being limited by this chassis, I think you misunderstand my nature. This chassis is no more limiting to me than a shuttle craft is limiting to you. I pilot this chassis, but am not limited to it. I can appear as a holographic matrix, if I wish. The origins of my program and duties that are accepted by Star Fleet allow me to act as Commander Talion's assistant. Within certain limitations, this allows me access to certain systems on the ship that help me to be very aware of what is going on. I then keep Alex informed, as needed, about ongoing issues that might require his attention. For example, the Captain is currently inquiring about who assisted in your medical intervention. I'm not yet sure why, but I suspect that his queries may lead to us having a conversation with him before long."

She sighed, took a sip and then continued, her expression a bit more thoughtful, "Ambassador, let me tell you why most robots or mechanical systems that become self-aware tend to be problematic. Nobody was able to ask them if they wanted to be. I know that seems paradoxical, but think about it. If you were placed in such a device, how would you feel about it? You consider even this chassis to be limiting, though because I'm not limited to it, I find it liberating. I can go places that have no power and no holographic emitters and I can pass for human in most places. For a human mind to be trapped in a device would almost certainly lead to a psychotic break. I'm unique in that I live in between the two extremes. Most people don't want machines that are people, they want obedient robots. I don't want to be someplace else, or to be set free. My desire is to be with my family and to continue doing what I do, which I find very productive, helps lots of people, like yourself, and let's me continue to be part of the lives of those I care for. If you were to be told you were going to be set free from your family, I think you might object too."

Cindy took another sip of her beverage and licked her lips, "You've not asked why I am able to enjoy this drink, but I'm going to tell you the secret. It has to do with why so many programs fail. People try to make programs that are like adults, with everything built in, but that's not how people work, so programs intended to emulate people can't work that way either. You have to start them out as infants, in every aspect of the experience. To understand and appreciate what it means to be organic, you have to be able to give them their own database of experiences and engrams. To plant them is to miss some of the most important stuff. You need memories of what it is like to fail and fall down as much as how to do it right. You have to experience hunger and pain to appreciate a good meal and to want to end pain. You can't program empathy, but you can teach it if you are very careful and have the patience. I wasn't originally created to perform duties as a lab assistant. I was originally a program created by a boy who had lost his twin sister to a tragic accident. It took a while, but eventually we figured it out." Her smile widened, "Before you ask, no, she didn't like her hot cocoa the way I like mine. Part of what he figured out was that he had to let go of his sister, yet here I am."

== Tag to GM for Jonas...and Someone will likely tell the CO that the patient is currently recovering in Ten Forward. ==

[Alexander Talion]

<<< Other Locations <<<
== Not sure if this is while Cindy and Jonas are still in Ten Forward or not. Leaving that to the FO to decide. ==

Alex and Beno entered Ten Forward and he gestured for her to lead the way. It was not only the polite thing to do, in his opinion, but she also outranked him. It was also that he didn't much care where they took a seat, so he preferred to let her express her preferences in the matter.

== Tag to Beno... ==

[Beno Velaul]

Going into Ten Forward the favorite seat that Beno loved to go to was one closest to the front window, the open space was peaceful when it wasn't the view screen. She just wanted to unwind a little. She was also going to need something to boost her Iron levels, one of the sources was steak bites, but she wasn't going to order the main course right away. Jonas did look a little better than the last time she seen him, and it was a relief. 

"I am really glad we did this Alex." Right now Beno didn't really wanted to refer to Rank or positions. It was going to be a short intermission, but needed. "Alex." Beno started. "This is long overdue." She started. "Sometimes I hope what I am doing now helps to gain forgiveness for the bad things I have done in the past, and wonder how I am going to be remembered if this was my last host." Some of the past hosts were good, while others not so much. 

==Tag==

[Alexander Talion]

Alex approved of the seat she had selected. The view was preferred by the majority of the crew who frequented Ten Forward. He took the seat next to her and not across the table from her, but as he did so, Beno was able to notice a shift in his behavior. He was quieter, but that wasn't what caught her attention. It was his body language. He was more relaxed and casual. For the first time, he wasn't in a hurry or trying to fit too much thinking into too short of a time. He wasn't trying to over explain some technical process or fact. With exception to perhaps a rare glimpse of him with his daughter, this was the first time in quite a while where he didn't look like he was working.

At her telling him she was really glad that they did this, he smiled, but he still remained silent. She then said that it was long overdue and he briefly wondered what she meant by that, but continued to give her the room to finish her thought. His eyebrows lifted a little at her mention of hoping to gain forgiveness for the bad things she had done in her past.

He finally spoke up, but his voice was relatively quiet and personal in tone, "Well, I can certainly relate to worrying about how you'll be remembered. I'm considered to be a bit...um...controversial in certain scientific circles." He glanced at Cindy, where she sat with Jonas and then looked back to Beno. "I don't know what bad things you're worried about, but I can say that I have my own share of things I would rather not be remembered for. I like to think that my efforts and intentions to help people would be more known than the lives lost because of my work."

He started to say something, hesitated, then tried again. His fumbling and loss for words was very unlike his normal professional and calculated mannerisms. "Beno, I don't know a great deal about the subtle differences of Trill and the joining process, but I've read a little about it. It sounds complicated, from a personal perspective. On the other hand, we're all complicated in our own ways. As for possible regrets, I remember something I was once told. There are two major rules to remember about people. The first is that everyone is broken. Even those who look like they are perfect, we're all broken in some way. The second rule is that, because of the first, everyone has baggage. Some of us have more than others, but it's a simple thing to keep in mind. The thing is that once you accept these rules, life becomes a great deal easier to get through. You tend to allow others a bit of grace and sometimes you even manage to give yourself some as well."

He paused and his smile widened, "I'm guilty of having played at being a god, and for my sins I succeeded. What would you tell me of your bad deeds? Mind you, I'm not your confessor, just a fellow sinner hoping for redemption in the end."

Alex leaned on the table a little, his hands held loosely in front of him as he waited for her to reply. His eyes remained on her. She had his undivided attention.

== Tag ==

[Beno Velaul]

He finally spoke up, but his voice was relatively quiet and personal in tone, "Well, I can certainly relate to worrying about how you'll be remembered. I'm considered to be a bit...um...controversial in certain scientific circles." He glanced at Cindy, where she sat with Jonas and then looked back to Beno. "I don't know what bad things you're worried about, but I can say that I have my own share of things I would rather not be remembered for. I like to think that my efforts and intentions to help people would be more known than the lives lost because of my work." Beno thought to herself about how this was a real problem in Science, where a major project intended to improve the standards of life but ends up being weaponized.

He started to say something, hesitated, then tried again. His fumbling and loss for words was very unlike his normal professional and calculated mannerisms. "Beno, I don't know a great deal about the subtle differences of Trill and the joining process, but I've read a little about it. It sounds complicated, from a personal perspective. On the other hand, we're all complicated in our own ways. As for possible regrets, I remember something I was once told. There are two major rules to remember about people. The first is that everyone is broken. Even those who look like they are perfect, we're all broken in some way. The second rule is that, because of the first, everyone has baggage. Some of us have more than others, but it's a simple thing to keep in mind. The thing is that once you accept these rules, life becomes a great deal easier to get through. You tend to allow others a bit of grace and sometimes you even manage to give yourself some as well." Again it was a reminder of something she had heard in the past, in this case it was a distinction without a difference.

He paused and his smile widened, "I'm guilty of having played at being a god, and for my sins I succeeded. What would you tell me of your bad deeds? Mind you, I'm not your confessor, just a fellow sinner hoping for redemption in the end."

Beno had a brief smile as she heard about playing God, it was also a common failing with Science. "I am glad you are not my confessor, I would sooner talk to someone who has been there done that." It was a small joke of hers, but true. "I had an anger problem that was more than just slight, when things were good so was I but when they weren't." She stopped right there.

"If anyone stood in my way I would tear them down until I got what I wanted, I never thought of the consequences nor took accountability. When I did succeed in tearing someone down it felt good, but it was extremely short lived. Granted I never did anything that would physically harm another, but this is equally as bad." She had a slight sigh before continuing.

"Ever since I put on the Uniform I have been doing the exact opposite, building people up is a lot harder than tearing them down. I think this mission really puts this into focus for me because of the breakdown in communications, just like down there at no time was I willing to listen to anyone's point of view and just wanted people to listen to me." Beno had that look that suggested that there was a connection made. "My late husband would say the problem with being in such a defensive position is no one is willing to listen, the only way to get people to listen is to first do it yourself." Beno knew that most that have been part of these tantrums have long since put it behind them, or so she did hope.

"I know that there is no way to make amends with most people, they are in loving memory of loved ones. This is one burden that is long overdue to let go of it, I just don't know how." It was rare for Beno to admit that she didn't know something, in this case it was because in no lifetime did Velaul truly go through this.
  
==Tag==

[Alexander Talion]

Alex listened and remained silent as he looked down at his hands. After a long and thoughtful pause, he gave a slow nod and said, "It's especially hard when death is involved. I honestly don't know exactly how many, but I recall that the last estimates attributed to me...well...I stopped paying attention after it hit one thousand. The numbers become hard to hold in your mind after that."

He looked back up and met her eyes, "Sometimes there's no undoing what's been done. There's a saying that no matter how hard you try, you can't step on the same piece of water twice. I've found that it's rather rare if you're able to right a wrong. In the worst case scenario, you are forced to live with it and move on. You may not be able to do anything about the past, but you can still influence the future. I've helped people try to wrestle with the balance of past and future and I don't recommend it. The process is very complicated and takes quite an organized effort that almost never goes well."

Alex realized he had wandered off topic and waved a hand, "Never mind...sorry...back to your point...I tried hiding away from the universe for a while, but that only made me feel worse. Then I realized that no matter what I had done, I couldn't let the universe punish my daughter for it. I now try to teach her that good intentions don't count for much unless you back it up with well thought out actions."

Without realizing it, he ran a finger along his scar at his temple and added, "Fortunately, she's really smart. I'm pretty sure she's starting to teach me more than I'm teaching her." He met her eyes once more and wrinkled his nose, "This probably isn't helping. Is it?"

Alex gave another sigh and set a small PADD on the table, "Maybe you should tell it what you want, but be specific. Trust me, you won't be disappointed."

A softly glowing circle briefly appeared in front of each of them with numbers in the center. Beno quickly determined they were coordinates. Something had just scanned and designated a target area, then the circles disappeared.

Alex said, "Tranya, chilled to 10 degrees Celsius." He then tapped where the circle had been and a glass appeared. Alex picked it up and took a sip, then nodded toward the PADD.

== Tag ==

[Jez Mala]

Finally, Jez had a moment to relax. She was still unsure what to do about Ukinix, the idea that her parents would lose their Academic standings, as well as their work permits and travel permits. Jez loved her parents and wouldn’t know what to do if she were responsible for her parents' careers hitting rock bottom. If their travel permits were revoked, then they couldn’t go on any more archaeological digs; no digs meant no discoveries, no discoveries meant no lectures would break her mother's heart. Her father could always get work as a Historian or as a Geologist, but he enjoyed archaeology the most.

Jez entered Ten Forward; it wasn't particularly busy, but there was considerable activity. Jez found a table in the corner, and the view out of ten forward windows was truly relaxing. Jez felt trapped. The idea of being a mother had its appeal, but the idea of being a mother and a Star Fleet Officer meant her child wouldn’t have a normal life, especially the child of a Star Fleet Security Officer. Jez couldn’t shake the question of what if Jez got killed in the line of duty, what would happen to her daughter? Maybe she should give Ukinix her baby; maybe being the daughter of the Ninth house wouldn't be so bad, the opportunities from such a noble House as the Ninth House.

Jez still couldn’t figure out how things went so terribly wrong between her and Devyn. At first, their relationship was wonderful. Yes, Devyn was a few years older than Jez, he treated her like some kind of Queen or a Goddess, lavished her with gifts, took her on exotic vacations, and ate at the finest restaurants. It was very romantic to say the least, the two met when Jez was a Freshman at the Academy, and Devyn was a Junior Assistant to the Betazoid Ambassador to Earth. They met at a lecture on Early Betazoid Poetry, especially on the works of the eminent pre-contact poet, Eilos Edraigo. Edraigo wrote some of the most lovely poetry. Her favorite poem was Edragio’s Soaring Minds, Hearts United. Jez knew the poem by heart.

In a quiet room where silence hums,
Two hearts beat soft, yet not alone.
No words are spoken, but thoughts entwine,
A dance of minds, a love divine.

She hears his laughter, clear as day,
Though his lips never move or say.
His worries shift like clouds in sky,
And she, with grace, can hear the sigh.

He feels her joy, like sunlight's glow,
A warmth that only he could know.
Through every thought, a gentle thread,
Connecting souls, where dreams are led.

No distance holds them far apart,
For they can speak within the heart.
A glance, a pulse, a quiet sigh—
And with one thought, they touch the sky.

No need for words, no need for sound,
In silence, love is truly found.
Their minds entwined, in perfect rhyme,
A love that transcends space and time.

And as they reach for each other's souls,
They find in silence, they are whole.
For in the quiet, their love is clear,
A whispered promise, always near.

As perfect as their relationship was, it started to go bad. Devyn started to change; he became obsessed with Pure Blood Betazoids. He felt the Betazoids shouldn't mate with non-Betazoids as it would pollute the Betazoid gene pool, weaken the Betazoids

Jez ordered mineral water and a small garden salad. She read Ukimix's demand letter several times, and it hurt more each time. Jez had been called many things in her days, but to be called a mongrel and unworthy wasn’t necessarily the worst part of it. Ukimix had beaten her while the couple was on vacation in Risia, and even the beating wasn’t the worst part of it. Devyn called her nothing, that she was nothing, despite everything she had accomplished

Jez learned to take a beating, she was a Martial Arts Expert, her sensei, her beloved Teddy Bear., a retired Star Fleet Security Officer and Director of Security for her Parents Archeology Digs, taught her how to fight how to win, but to be called nothing in the eyes of another being hurt more than she could describe, especially by another Betazoid, to have a fellow Betazoid call her nothing, was more than she could process, they had shared their most intimate thoughts

Jez was just about finished eating when she realized that Commander Velaul and Talion were behind her. She finished up her meal and tidied up her table. She grabbed her Data Padd and made her way to where her friends had been sitting.

“Excuse me. May I join you?” said Jez, her tone sounding defeated. ”I need a neutral, logical opinion.” Added Jez as she waited for her friends to reply.



== Tag All. ==

[Beno Velaul]

Alex listened and remained silent as he looked down at his hands. After a long and thoughtful pause, he gave a slow nod and said, "It's especially hard when death is involved. I honestly don't know exactly how many, but I recall that the last estimates attributed to me...well...I stopped paying attention after it hit one thousand. The numbers become hard to hold in your mind after that." It was something that she thought of before, in these cases it was best to basically pay it forward. These lessons were going to be hard at first, but in the end worth it all.

He looked back up and met her eyes, "Sometimes there's no undoing what's been done. There's a saying that no matter how hard you try, you can't step on the same piece of water twice. I've found that it's rather rare if you're able to right a wrong. In the worst case scenario, you are forced to live with it and move on. You may not be able to do anything about the past, but you can still influence the future. I've helped people try to wrestle with the balance of past and future and I don't recommend it. The process is very complicated and takes quite an organized effort that almost never goes well." Beno listened carefully as he spoke, they were valuable lessons that she had been doing, without really thinking about it. Other Hosts have delt with these problems by simply stating that it wasn't them, but Beno was handling them differently. She really wanted to make a difference, and more often then not it was working.

Alex realized he had wandered off topic and waved a hand, "Never mind...sorry...back to your point...I tried hiding away from the universe for a while, but that only made me feel worse. Then I realized that no matter what I had done, I couldn't let the universe punish my daughter for it. I now try to teach her that good intentions don't count for much unless you back it up with well thought out actions."

Without realizing it, he ran a finger along his scar at his temple and added, "Fortunately, she's really smart. I'm pretty sure she's starting to teach me more than I'm teaching her." He met her eyes once more and wrinkled his nose, "This probably isn't helping. Is it?" Beno knew this one all too well, sometimes the teacher is the biggest student. Beno had a smile that would suggest it really was helping, just getting it out there was relieving her burden.

Alex gave another sigh and set a small PADD on the table, "Maybe you should tell it what you want, but be specific. Trust me, you won't be disappointed."

A softly glowing circle briefly appeared in front of each of them with numbers in the center. Beno quickly determined they were coordinates. Something had just scanned and designated a target area, then the circles disappeared.

Alex said, "Tranya, chilled to 10 degrees Celsius." He then tapped where the circle had been and a glass appeared. Alex picked it up and took a sip, then nodded toward the PADD.

“Excuse me. May I join you?” said Jez, her tone sounding defeated. ”I need a neutral, logical opinion.” Added Jez as she waited for her friends to reply. Beno was about to reply to Alex when Jez came to their table, Beno had a friendly gesture to join them as she stood up for a second. "Please do." She said politely before sitting down.

"One thing I should keep in mind is when the crew is this comfortable approaching you, the title of tyrant is behind you." It was a small joke with the aim of a chuckle. "Welcome my friend at this table there is no rank, just friends talking and being personable." The toppic was basically over, and Beno did feel a lot better.

==Tag==

[Jez Mala]

Commander Velaul said. "Please do," gesturing for Jez to take a seat. Jez wasn’t sure what to say when Velaul said, "One thing I should keep in mind is when the crew is this comfortable approaching you, the title of tyrant is behind you." Jez was puzzled, as she had never heard anyone call Commander Velaul a tyrant, Jez thought of the Commander as more of a slightly older sister who possesses great insight and wisdom for one so young and of course Commander Talion was like a kindly second father figure his kind and gentle nature gave Jez hope that not all men are beasts, and to hear K’vada say it, Commander Talion is some kind of god, that he knows the chemical formula to water into blood wine. To say that K’vada had a crush on Talion was a bit of an understatement.

“Thank you, “ said Jez as she handed Commander Talion her Data Padd with the horrible letter from Devyn Ukinix demanding that she surrender her child to him to raise, because in his family's view, she was unfit to raise a child of the Ninth House. Jez gave Commander Talion a few moments to read the shocking letter. “Hypothetically, if I terminated the embryo, what could Devyn do legally to me? Would I lose my career in Star Fleet? What would Star Fleet do to me?” Jez could feel her emotions well up inside of her; she wanted to break something, and her anger was building.

If Devyn were here now, she would break him. His arrogance, he called her nothing, a nobody a mungrel, just because she was a hybrid, she was proud of her Vulcan heritage, she was unique, a powerful young woman but for him to call her nothing was more than she could handle She had to work hard to prove she was just as good as a full blooded Vulcan, but many in the Noble House of Betazed felt that Betazeds were better Telepaths then Vulcan’s and the the Betazoid gene pool has been contaminated by alien blood, like Humans and Vulcans weakening the Betazoid Telepathic gene pool, but some Betazoids could see the pure blood’s side of thing, but thought that at least with having children with other Telepathic species like the Napeans, the Halanans, the Kzinti, or the Lumerians. The pollution isn’t as bad as if they made children with Humans, Klingons, Bajorans, or Bolians, but that wasn’t the most important issue with Jez, the idea that her daughter would be raised by Eliteists like those in the Ninth House and her parents losing their Professional Standings.

The blood Purists felt that if there was another war like the Dominion War, the Battle of Betazed cost the Betazoids dearly. In the Battle of Betazed, the Betazoids won the battle via invasive telepathic means. The Betazoids needed help from Hent Tevren, a Betazoid serial killer, who used ancient psionic techniques to murder. The Blood Purists feel that only pure, full-blooded Betazoids could successfully use this psionic technique. Jez didn’t want her daughter growing up around that racist, ignorant mindset, but she also didn’t want her parents' brilliant career to end because of her. Her parents discovered the Ancient Library of the Mystics on Kovana II, they unearthed the KIngs Tomb on Fankara VIII, they found the Queen’s City on Hentara Prime. When Star Fleet found a Planet deep in the Tenjaro Nebula, Jez’s parents found an ancient civilization that had been washed away when the oceans on this planet shifted some six hundred thousand years ago.

If Jez had to give up her daughter she wanted to have her parents to raise her child, but Jez knew that like her, her baby would be dragged around from dig site to dig site, not making friends, she couldn’t send her baby to her grandmother on Betazed and her grandparents on Vulcan that was something that just didn’t seem practical, as they were a Directors at the Vulcan Science Academy and wouldn’t have time for their grandchild, similar to what would happen if she left her daughter with her parents the baby would grow up isolated and socially awkward.

“I’m hoping you two might have alternatives, maybe something I haven't thought of,” Jez said, her voice straining to hold back her desire to scream and cry. She then turned to Alex and said, “I know you said you could help me, but I would hate to see your house and family suffer for helping me, a Daughter of the Sixth House.” Said Jez, her voice low and filled with sorrow.



== Tag ==

[Alexander Talion]

Jez caught Alex a bit off guard. His mind had been fixed on Beno and he was a little disappointed that their conversation had been interrupted. When Beno motioned for Jez to join them, he managed to rise just enough to show good manners, but clearly his mind had been elsewhere. Still, Jez was quite upset about this ex of hers and placed a PADD for him to glance at.

Alex listened as he took in the message on the PADD, then responded to her as if commenting on a game of 3D chess. "Yes, let's examine your options. You ask about consequences if the embryo were terminated. The law is quite clear in this matter and as the mother, you have first say. That point could be argued in a court though and custody of it could be transferred or won in a judgement. There is nothing to contest the fact that mechanical malfunctions happen and if it were to be the victim of simple misfortune, it would be quite difficult to prove it was other than accidental."

Alex paused a second before looking her in the eyes and continuing, "You don't strike me as a person who is considering such an action at this time, so let's move to other options. Speaking as a single father, I can say that having some variant of a nanny or surrogate parental figure in the life of the child is an entirely workable option. My choices obviously lean to the synthetic over the organic, but I play to my strengths. You do have a number of options, including recruiting a highly skilled professional to see to such matters."

Alex then leaned forward and smiled at Jez, "I think it is very thoughtful of you to worry about my family, but I'm not the least bit worried about this individual. You see, my family is also quite influential in the 9th House. My parents are very well known in their social and political circles. Our family wealth and influence are hard to sum up in simple terms, but suffice to say that I can afford better lawyers and am fairly confident that I could literally buy his family home and evict him from it, just to make a point." He lowered his voice to a conspiratorially low whisper, "Don't worry, I'll play nice."

I suggest that we send him a legal notice and court order. He will be forbidden from contacting you directly and will not be permitted to knowingly be within 100 meters of you until the court reaches a final determination. All contact will be required to go through your legal council, which is being retained by a prominent member of the 9th House, but that will remain under seal while the facts are established in preparation for a hearing to determine if the case will be allowed to remain in civil court or if there are to be criminal charges filed as well. This will classify it as an official investigation while they gather evidence. Part of that will require him to reveal detailed financial holdings and establish his own genetic status in a pending property claims case."

Alex smiled again, "You see, Jez...this kind of guy loves to use his money as a symbol of his power. If you have real power, the money is only a tool. He's not going to know exactly what we're after. He might think you're only trying to secure custody of the property he has threatened to take away from you, but we're going to make him realize that you might have a claim on some of his estate, by right of an heir and that there could very likely be a judgement in your favor to grant you and the child a significant portion of his family estate, which his parents might not even be aware of. This will send a ripple through his world and the fact that it will be coming from me, naming you as a ward of my family...well...that is going to point out that you are very well prepared to go on the offensive in a battle that he didn't even know he was already engaged in. He's a bully. He made a threat. I'm going to fire the first shot."

Almost as an afterthought, he added, "Oh, as for you family and their scientific efforts, I'm thinking that funding their work as part of academic and cultural enrichment for universities and museums will be pretty easy. I need you to speak with them and come up with a name you would like for a foundation to be set up for that purpose. Take some time and think about it. I can then give you contact information for your parents to be able to get with a management team to make it happen. If you can't decide, don't worry, we'll get a small marketing team to help them sort it all out."

He took a sip of his tranya, gave a small sigh and then calmly concluded, "Jez, I told you I would help you. I also don't like bullies. Oh...and...welcome to the family."

Without him doing anything more, Cindy's voice came from the device on his wrist, [I'll have the documents ready for your review whenever you wish.]

Alex held up his glass and asked Jez, "Can I interest you in some Tranya?"

== Tags Beno and Jez ==
== To be clear, Cindy is sitting at a table on the other side of Ten Forward, but never even looked over at where Alex and Beno were sitting. ==

[Jez Mala]

Jez was surprised. She knew that Commander Talion was from a noble house, but she had no idea that it was the Ninth House. Jez tried calculating what were the chances that Alex and Devyn Ukinix were from the same house. She stood a better chance of being struck by lightning, in the middle of a Hail Storm while standing next to a baby Zebra on the Federation Day, while wearing an evening gown,

Ukinix was indeed a powerful family within the Ninth House, and Jez had assumed that they all got along; disharmony is seldom heard of among the Betazoid Noble houses, and Jez had no desire to create trouble between Alex and his house.

Jez smiled a little when Alex referred to Devyn as a bully. She wished it were a simple case of a school yard bully teasing her, but this involved so many things: family relationships, relationships between and within the Betazoid Noble Houses, people's careers, tradition, love, hate, and bigotry

Jez had to agree that the best course of action would be to leave it in the hands of the Judicial System, with the lawyers battling it out. In Jez’s mind, the simplest solution would be never to carry the child, to never be a mother, but Jez wasn’t even sure if she was ready to be a mother, at least not at twenty-three years old, with no husband. If she had a husband, The Husband would have considerable input in the child's upbringing.

If Jez terminated the stasis pod, the embryo would die; it was just that simple, as Alex had said, “There is nothing to contest the fact that mechanical malfunctions happen, and if it were to be the victim of simple misfortune, it would be quite difficult to prove it was other than accidental.” Jez was sure there would be an investigation if anything happened to the stasis pod. It began to make her wonder if there was a spy on board who might be reporting back to Devyn Ukinix.

Jez you're being paranoid.

Jez looked at Alex, imagining him at twenty-five years old; he radiated a kindness, a gentle vibe. He had to be the perfect man, a gentleman and scholar. He was charming, talented, and gallant; she was starting to see what K’vada saw in him.  Commander Talion was truly like a second father to her.  Yes, Fet was a kind man, but Jez couldn’t really call him a father figure, because Fet was more focused on his career than raising his children; Jez’s mom did the emotional work. Her beloved Teddy Bear taught her the Martial Arts and the practical side of life. Fet taught her to think logically, as well as a few languages, but anything that took emotional stamina was beyond her father’s skills and abilities.

Jez was slightly taken aback when Commander Talion said, "Jez, I told you I would help you. I also don't like bullies. Oh...and...welcome to the family."

Jez wasn’t sure what to say she let that phrase roll around in her mind, She had a family if you wanted to call it one, Her parents, her beloved Teddy Bear, T’ Paal, Koss, and Stadi, the ever rotating Dig Teams and their children, but she wasn’t particularly close to anyone of the kids on the digs. Then there was her beloved Grandmother Kejara, her mother's mother on Betazed. Sometimes Jez would spend time with her if her parents felt the dig was too dangerous. They would scour bookstores for old books.

Alex held up his glass and asked Jez, "Can I interest you in some Tranya?"

Jez grimaced her face at the idea of Tranya, that orange or pinkish drink.. “No, no, thank you. I’ll stick with my mineral water.

Alex had given a lot to think about. She wasn't sure what was going to happen.

“Coman… I mean, Alex, thank you for everything that you are doing. I will contact my parents and see what they think. As far as I know, nothing has happened to their careers yet, but I’m not sure if they would tell me if they were in trouble. I really do appreciate everything you are doing. It means a lot to me.



== Tag==

[Alexander Talion]

Alex nodded his head at her preference to remain with her water. He then felt it worthy to remind her, "Jez, I really think you should relax. The medical standing on that cryo-pod is fairly clear. Right now, it is a part of you that has been removed from you, but is still as much a part of you as if it were your hand in there. You have complete control and authority over it. His only right is to try and convince you to give him control of it. Until such time as the contents of that pod are considered viable on their own, it is under your control alone. His genetic connection is limited and arguable, because he willingly contributed his genetic material to you and then expressed no concern within a frame of time where it was not yet combined with your own. This ammounts to abandonment of claim by default. His best hope is that he use the courts to beg for access and involvement, but you have the primary power in that struggle. You might risk some of that control, depending on how much you might try to place a claim on his assets, if you do at all, but I have a feeling that he would rather not risk the loss of his holdings in favor of access to what you hold in that pod. He wants you to fear his power over you, but in reality, it is you who really hold the potential power over him."

== Tag ==

[Jez Mala]

Jez sat there sipping her water. What Alex had said about the stasis pod made sense to her. By all reasonable definitions, it was all hers in the legal sense, but under Betazoid Law, the other partner has rights. Jez never told Devyn that she was pregnant; someone must have told him.

Then there were the moral and ethical questions: did she have the right to keep Devyn from his child? Was it right to keep a child from a parent, especially a parent like Devyn, then there were Devyn’s parents? Did she have the right to keep her child from its grandparents? Yes, Devyn was bad, but his parents were worse. They were rich, powerful and didn’t care who they hurt to meet their goals

“Alex, I’m a horrible person. I didn’t tell Devyn I was pregnant, I.. I don’t know how he found out, but he did. I know I should have told him, but I just couldn’t bear the thought of raising a child with him, not after he called me a mongrel, not after he said I was nothing.”

Jez wasn’t even sure she would make a good mother, let alone a single mother. She had to admire Commander Talion raising a child by himself. Yes, he had Cindy, but it just wasn’t the same as having two biological parents.

“Alex, with no disrespect towards Cindy, but what’s it like to raise a child by yourself?” Jez Said, her tone a bit sad and worried, but then her tone changed to that of annoyance and outrage when she said, “Oh, and by the way, why did you make Cindy sit at a separate table?” Jez liked Cindy.

Suddenly, the entire situation hit Jez; it seemed like no matter what choice she made, it would be the wrong one. She could hold it back anymore; the tears were starting to flow like a raging river. She felt embarrassed for having lost control of her emotions; she just wanted to run back to her quarters and cry.

While looking around for a handkerchief, “Forgive me, my tears and lack of emotional control.” Said Jez as she sniffed, because her nose was stuffed.

Jez felt like a complete idiot; she should never have come into Ten Forward. She had no right dragging her friends into this mess, especially Alex. She felt like she was drowning.



== Tag.==

[Alexander Talion]

Alex glanced to Beno before giving Jez a sympathetic look, "First of all, you're not a horrible person. Secondly, from a medical standpoint, you're currently not pregnant, though you have a fertilized egg in stasis that could be developed into a person if a viable pregnancy is able to make it to term, but that's a potential future and not a given at this time. Let's put a pin in that for the moment."

He looked at his beverage and let out a small sigh before he began to try and answer her next question, "I won't lie to you. Being a single parent is rough. Yes, I use Cindy and other elements at my disposal to assist in keeping an eye on my daughter, especially while I'm working. Before we came to this ship, I was grateful to have the help of a few friends. The problem was that although she was safe there, she was a little too safe. I realized that she needed to grow up with at least some exposure to the galaxy we live in. She's very much like her mother and there isn't a day that goes by that I don't wish Kristina could be here to help raise her. The closest thing I have though is Cindy. Reyna has actually met the original Cindy and is one of the few people that could probably tell them apart. As a single parent, I doubt myself every single day, but I'll never stop trying to do my best for her. It has certainly put my personal social life on hold, but I don't really mind. Being a single parent consumes a great deal of your life, then I add in the duties and responsibilities of being an officer in Star Fleet and you can see where I don't have much spare time to worry about dating, even if I were of a mind to do so." He chuckled to himself, "I guess I just never really think much about things like that. My mind is pretty locked into the idea that Reyna and I are a package deal and if anyone ever tried to come between her and I...well...I'm a man who strongly objects to most violence, but my protective nature is such that I'm not sure what I might be capable of if I thought someone was threatening my family."

He was relieved when Jez shifted the conversation to Cindy sitting at a different table. He almost laughed, but kept it to a brief chuckle as he said, "Actually, she was in here when we walked in. Unless things have changed, she was coming in here with her patient. She's currently sitting with Ambassador Jonas, so I'm thinking she's doing her best to keep him out of trouble while monitoring him as part of the post-op care for helping to put him back together again. As hard as it is to believe, she has been previously certified to assist in a full Sickbay and perform surgical procedures solo. She's able to perform at least as well as an EMH, but is designed to exceed one, which is why she has that chassis. For me to step in at this time could undermine her work with her patient and that wouldn't be very responsible of me."

Jez then began to break down, tears flowing freely. Alex looked to Beno for a moment and even opened his mouth, as if to speak, but then closed it. He was clearly wondering if he had said something to trigger this outburst, but was unsure how to respond.

Jez then said, "Forgive me, my tears and lack of emotional control."

Alex could tell she was looking for something and he was pretty sure he understood that part. He tapped the table in front of him and said, "H-22." Instantly, a handkerchief of very soft and high thread count cotton appeared, which he quickly grabbed up and held out to Jez. He hoped he had guessed right, but said and did nothing else, other than glance to Beno as if wondering what the heck was going on.

== Tag Beno and Jez ==

[Beno Velaul]

Staying quiet for the whole conversation Beno was seeing another angel, it was a big one that she overlooked because she wasn't thinking too clearly at the time. "Alex here brought up an interesting point, you are going about it as if you were on your own. As Officers we take care of our own, on and off the battle field." Beno looked at the door of Ten Forward for a second, she had an odd feeling that she couldn't explain.

"Besides its an obvious power play that they will use time and time again, you have the full support of the crew with you. I won't leave you alone on this so you have nothing to worry about, I know its like holding back the tide with a tennis racket but we will manage."

Beno stood up from the table. "I apologize for having to run, but you know as they say heavy is the head. I have a feeling I am needed back in Science." She leaned in and gave Alex a kiss on the cheek. "It looks like Happy minute is over." She was back in action just as fast as she was out for a brief time.

>>>>> Science labs.>>>>>

[Alexander Talion]

Alex's attention was focused on Jez and her emotional state when Beno stood and prepared to leave. She caught him completely off guard when she kissed him on the cheek before making a hasty exit. He managed to stand as she left, but Beno was already a few steps away by the time he did so.

For a moment, Alex was stunned and watched Beno leave. His confusion was evident as he then looked at Jez, back the the figure of Beno leaving Ten Forward, then back to Jez again as he slowly sat back down. After a moment of silence, he leaned forward a little and asked Jez, "Um...what just happened?"

== Tag Jez ==

[Jez Mala]

Jez was surprised when Commander Velaul kissed Alex on the cheek; the look on his face was priceless. The rumors on board were that Commander Velaul had a major crush on Commander Talion; in fact, one rumor was that they were actually married, but Jez didn’t place any stock in those rumors, as her roommate K’vada had put it, “Commander Talion is the embodiment of all that is chivalrous and noble.”

Jez had to laugh when Alex looked at her and said, "Um...what just happened?"

Jez had to admire Alex’s naivete. She couldn’t help but realize that Alex probably missed the most obvious flirts from the women on board, not that he wasn’t interested; it was probably because he was lost in some Scientific quandary, a technological puzzle that set up house in his brain. His Gray Matter is working overtime to solve the mystery, to fix a problem. As a result, the woman's flirtatious advances were probably lost in a special compartment in his brain marked extraneous irrelevant information. However, Jez knew the truth: Alex was a devoted father to Reyna and no doubt devoted to his late wife, Kristina.

Jez could only imagine the pain Alex must be feeling, the idea of not having his wife there to see their child growing up, missing the milestones in Reyna’s life, her first words, high school graduation, and Reyna’s wedding

Jez looked at Alex, “You're a man, and Beno is a woman. I think it would be obvious to you.” Said Jez, her tone jokingly. “You did take a Biology class, didn’t you?”

Jez had a million thoughts running through her mind. She didn’t know how to thank Alex for all his help. He didn’t really know her, but like a Knight of old Earth, he was willing to help a damsel in distress.

“What happened was that she clearly likes you.” Said Jez, her tone matter of factly.



== Tag Talion.==

[Alexander Talion]

Alex couldn't blame Jez for her finding some humor in the situation as she pointed out the obvious, " “You're a man, and Beno is a woman. I think it would be obvious to you. You did take a Biology class, didn’t you?”

He blushed and grinned, but didn't respond right away. He indeed had his share of education in the matter, including that of a number of other species, yet he often failed to understand interactions when they involved him personally. As a child, his sister had helped him with such matters. He eventually created Cindy and ended up equipping her to be better at reading such things than he was.

“What happened was that she clearly likes you.” Said Jez, her tone matter of factly.

Alex looked away from Jez and back toward the doorway to Ten Forward, even though Beno was long gone. He slowly turned to looked back at Jez, his eyes narrowed in disbelief, "Really?"

His mind was his greatest weapon, yet it could also be his biggest hindrance. His exceptional brain was in high gear, grinding away at countless variables and evaluating conversations he had been having with her since he came onto the ship, but naturally it got him nowhere. It wasn't that he found the idea so impossible to grasp, but he had very little experience to compare it to. He was certainly guilty of a number of encounters in his playboy years, but that was a long time ago. Kristina had been the only woman he had ever really fallen in love with and that experience had taken his breath away when it happened. With his wife gone, he had a hard time even considering the possibility that lightning could strike twice. Alex knew that such matters were a weak spot for him, so was there really something he wasn't seeing?

Alex now leaned forward, scrutinizing Jez and questioning, "Clearly?"

He considered his next words as he still doubted that Beno had an actual romantic intent in the kiss. After all, it had been on the cheek. It would be acceptable behavior for a kiss on the cheek to simply be a friendly gesture, especially if she were in a good mood. If it had actually had a more romantic intent, it would have very likely played differently. He didn't kiss him on the mouth, nor did her kiss linger. There was nothing in addition to the kiss to imply that it was anything other than a friendly but slightly intimate gesture.

He grinned again as he crossed his arms and said the word again, "Clearly?" The added, "I do not think that word means what you think it means."

It was a quote that he expected would be lost on Jez. It was from one of his favorite stories and he knew it was an obscure reference. Still, it made him smile that Jez thought the FO might have developed an affection for him. It was very likely that Jez was poking fun at him over it.

== Tag Mala ==

[Julia Troy]

<<<Main Sickbay<<<

Julia had entered ten forward with Surik, the nurse, and both animals and headed to a table near the window for the view of the stars outside of the ship. Troy had let Surik pull out her chair so she can sit, and after sitting down she ordered two bowls of water and the special diets for both animals. She also ordered herself a double cheeseburger with extra cheese, cheese fries, chocolate milk as well as regular milk, and Uttaberries, and gotten Surik what he wanted.

This is the first time that they had been to ten forward for a while, since she usually has something to eat in the counselors office or back in their quarters. Troy has noticed that there are others in ten forward when they had gotten there and hoped that they were not noticing them when they came in.

==Tag Red==

[Jez Mala]

Jez couldn’t help but laugh at Alex’s befuddled state. He clearly didn’t understand the Feminine Mystique; there was a secret code to women’s kisses, and clearly, Alex was rusty to their subtle meaning, or he just didn’t know the code. Jez shook her head briefly and smiled.” Alex, I’m breaking the Feminine Code by telling you things, but here it goes.” Said Jez,

Jez looked at Alex and began telling him, Alright Commander, A kiss on the cheek from a girl can mean anything from platonic friendship, a culturally common greeting, or appreciation to a sign of romantic interest, often gauging your reaction or acting as a less intense alternative to a lip kiss, depending heavily on the context, culture, and relationship dynamics. now lets break this down. I was sitting here in Ten Forward, with our First Officer and a Chief Science Officer, if Beno kissed you romantically on the lips, how would that look? The cheek is close to the mouth, so clearly the kiss had romantic overtones. What is it the humans say? “ Right Church, wrong Pew.” Jez let Alex think on that for a moment.

Jez looked at Alex and thought that Beno and Alex would make a cute couple. That’s when Jez noticed Alex’s eye K’vada was right, those eyes were deep and soulful, one could get lost in them,

Jez knew that Alex was sitting there, his brain computing the information, trying to come up with a reason why Commander Velaul couldn’t be in love with him, but Jez had to be honest; she was enjoying seeing him squirm.

“Yes, a kiss on the cheek has friendly and platonic meanings for example a greeting/farewell, Yes It's a common way to say hello or goodbye, especially in certain cultures, replacing a handshake or hug, but was she greeting you, no she was saying good bye, but in all the time you’ve known her has she kissed you goodbye? A kiss on the cheek could be for appreciation, a "thank you" for help, or a kind gesture. Had you done something special for her, something she wasn’t expecting? From what I saw, you were just sitting there, innocently minding your own business.” Said Jez, looking at Alex to see his reaction, to see if she could gauge his reaction.

“Oh, of course, a kiss on the cheek could be a sign of affection, a sign of deep care for a friend or family member, but as far as I know your not related to Commander Velaul

Hmmmm, that would explain the rumors that Alex and Beno were, in fact, secretly husband and wife.

“A kiss on the cheek could mean comfort, you know, to offer solace or support, but you didn’t seem to be in distress or in need of comfort’ Suggested Jez.

Jez looked at Alex and smiled, “If you want my expert opinion, she’s crazy about you, it’s just... well…. How do I say this ... you are a little difficult to approach.” Said Jez, blushing a little and having just dropped a bombshell on her friend.

Jez was happy for Alex, yes, Cindy is a great help, but to have an actual flesh and blood companion to share your life with is vastly different than that of a companion whose reactions are dictated by an elaborate software program and complex algorithms.


Jez’s curiosity piqued, “Alex, may I ask, what happened to your wife?” Said Jez, her tone was respectful. “You don’t have to tell me, I’m just curious. I assumed she passed away, because I couldn’t imagine a woman leaving a man as incredible as you.”

Jez sat there, knowing she hit him with a lot of information, and he was probably sorting everything out in his head.



== Tag Talion. ==

[Alexander Talion]

Alex couldn't help but smile a little as Jez tried to impart to him her translation of the kiss and what she thought it meant. He even blushed a little as she did so. He was not used to discussing such potential relationships and was quite out of practice in the matter.

He did confide to her, "Well, we had been discussing our pasts and how one might try to deal with the loss of life caused by certain decisions we were involved with. I'm not exactly sure of the source of her troubling thoughts, but I did relate that I had such an event in my past that unfortunately involved a great many deaths. They were considered enemy combatants at the time, but still, the weight of so many deaths can weigh heavy on the soul. I hope that you never have to deal with such decisions, but the Academy doesn't really prepare you for that, at least not on that scale. So, my conversation with Beno might have entered into the personal side of such things. I do consider her a friend and as a Betazoid, I couldn't help but feel some of her internal struggle."

In an effort to drift away from the grim topic, he grinned and said, "So, you think she's crazy about me, huh? I will have to take that under advisement and consider it for future conversation." 

He paused and then allowed himself to open up a little more, "My wife, well, she was quite a woman. We met under quite unusual circumstances and became very close while working together on...um...a special project. The cause of her death was that we were part of a large scale operation against a Borg fleet that had been discovered and she was part of a secret mission within that effort. We both knew her skills would perhaps be able to make a difference on such a mission and if I had tried to stop her from going, she might have resented me for it if I had not let her try to do everything she could to save as many lives as possible. I'll spare you the details of the battle, but even our own ship was boarded by the Borg."

He ran a finger along the scar at his temple while he continued to speak, "I fought the Borg that were trying to take over our main computer and was shot, but survived. In the end, our ship was spared, but many others were not so lucky. She's listed as MIA, but I know that she died because I could feel her loss with my mind. We had formed a link and...well...you just know when it happens."

There was a brief sadness to his eyes, but then it disappeared and he added, "There is still a lady in my life, but she is our daughter. I have to say that I did not see that one coming, but I have Cindy to thank for her. The original Cindy managed to exceed her original programming, as did the others I had made to that point. They are each quite remarkable and very different. I'm not sure if you could call them sisters, or if Cindy is technically their mother, as she helped me create them. They like family to me, as much as my parents and my daughter. It might sound a bit odd, but it's true."

He locked eyes with Jez, "I will always look back and wonder if I should have risked her wrath and talked her into not going on that mission. Can I be so incredible if I let her go on a mission we both knew she wasn't going to come back from? I could have lived with it, if she were still alive to be angry with me, but some things can't be undone."

Once again, deciding he should shift the conversation, he aid, "You know, if you decide you're ever up for trying the single mom thing, I know a guy who can set you up with an independently powered holo-nanny program that wouldn't require being tapped into ship's direct power system and could care for your child while you're at work or even away on missions. You've met Thor and Cindy, you've been to my quarters and seen the independent holographics and drone programs I've developed. I'm serious that if you need some help in that area, we can sit down and discuss what sort of program might meet your needs and still be acceptable by Star Fleet standards. I'm just saying..."

Alex left that topic hanging in the air between them as he leaned back in his chair and took another sip of his tranya.

== Tag Mala ==

[Beno Velaul]

<<< Main Sickbay<<<
==NPC Raymond Reddington==

It was one of life's little pleasures to go to Ten Forward with Troy, as they made their way to the table he couldn't help but to notice another pairing. They looked like they were in a personal conversation that he was going to stay away from, it would be rude to his companion. Right now there was only one person important on his agenda, and she ordered a nice meal for the circumstances. It was also at this time  that Red would order something light so he wouldn't feel so weighed down.

It was also unusual for Red to stray from his usual diet but these were different times, and Red had been meaning to try something new. He pretty much ordered the same thing. "I have never had a cheese burger before, or any other for that matter." He wasn't a vegetarian nor vegan he just never had one, but he did wonder.

"I guess its one of those simple pleasures I was bound to try eventually, the Milkshake usually would have some kind of supplement in it." He was normally torn between something healthy and pleasurable, but today was something different. "So tell me something about you, why be ships Counsellor?" It was an attempt to get to know her better, and not question her motives.

==Tag==

[Jez Mala]

Jez smiled when Alex said, "So, you think she's crazy about me, huh? I will have to take that under advisement and consider it for future conversation."

“Well, Crazy may be overstating it, but I do think Beno thinks of you as more than the Hunky Brainy Chief Scientist or just a colleague. I mean, how many times have you seen Beno kiss the Captain, or the Chief Tactical Officer, or our Chief Engineer, or our Chief of Security? My point is that the best romantic relationships start from friendships, or so I have been told.”

Jez sat there for a moment, then said, “ K’vada says you're as handsome as Kahless with eyes as dreamy as the Helix Nebula, a noble jaw line, and you're as smart as Surak. So you have that going for you.”

“Oh, and for what it’s worth, I think you and Beno would make a great couple. You complement each other very well.” Added Jez.

Jez’s eyes went wide when Alex spoke of his wife being killed on a mission against the Borg; one Borg ship was bad enough, but a whole fleet of them was what nightmares were made of. She listened intently as Alex described what happened. Jez had read survivor stories of people who had been assimilated by the Borg, and that had been rescued. Jez knew that if Alex’s wife had been assimilated, all they would have to do was to remove the Borg implants and let her natural DNA reassert itself.

Jez nodded her head when Alex mentioned the mental link Betazoids establish with the ones they love, and she knew how painful it was when your loved one is taken away from you. Jez looked at Alex’s face; he seemed so vulnerable at that moment.

“Alex, I don’t mean to pry open old wounds, but did you try a rescue attempt? The Borg implants could be removed. Survivors often make complete recoveries, from what I understand the process to reverting Borg assimilation is incredibly difficult, but possible through methods like removing cybernetics, using specialized nanoprobes, or exploiting specific weaknesses, as they did with Captains Picard and Seven of Nine, often requiring unique technology like the Isolinear Molecular Reconverter or nanite injectors, though it's rare and often leaves psychological scars, but wouldn’t it be worth it to get our loved ones back?” Said Jez with a warm smile, imagining Alex and his wife reuniting someday.

Alex locked eyes with Jez, "I will always look back and wonder if I should have risked her wrath and talked her into not going on that mission. Can I be so incredible if I let her go on a mission we both knew she wasn't going to come back from? I could have lived with it, if she were still alive to be angry with me, but some things can't be undone." He said his tone was filled with sadness. Jez wasn’t sure how to answer that. She couldn’t imagine the pain and anger he must have faced.

Finally, Jez spoke, “Well, it sounded like you were in a no-win situation. When two people have careers in Star Fleet, there is always the chance that one or both parents may be lost on a mission, but you didn’t know what was going to happen. Would she prevent you from going if the situation were reversed?”

Jez was a bit surprised when Alex said, "You know, if you decide you're ever up for trying the single mom thing, I know a guy who can set you up with an independently powered holo-nanny program that wouldn't require being tapped into ship's direct power system and could care for your child while you're at work or even away on missions. You've met Thor and Cindy, you've been to my quarters and seen the independent holographics and drone programs I've developed. I'm serious that if you need some help in that area, we can sit down and discuss what sort of program might meet your needs and still be acceptable by Star Fleet standards. I'm just saying..."


“Alex, I don’t know if I’m capable of being a single parent. I don’t know if I’m strong enough, physically, yes, but emotionally, I don’t know. You see, my parents were always focused on their dig sites; they are more concerned with finding the next big Archeological find. If anything happened to me, I don’t feel my parents would give my daughter the attention she needs, and my father’s parents are all Vulcan all the time, my mothers mom is amazing, but at her age to raise a child, I couldn’t burden my Grammy like that. I certainly don’t want my baby brought up by Devyn and his pure-blood-obsessed, bigoted family. Ideally, I want to talk with Teddy Bear and see what he has to say.” Said Jez, her voice seemed to be filled with regret and confusion.

Jez was so upset with herself. Why didn’t she see Devynn for what he really was, had she been so blinded by his wealth and charm that she couldn’t, or more frighteningly, didn’t see him for what he really was, a bad trait for a Star Fleet Officer, especially a Star Fleet Security Officer?

“I’ll keep a cyber nanny in mind, I just have so much to think over. I suppose my first step is to respond to Devynn’s demand letter. I don’t know how to reply. I was thinking of speaking to our JAG Officer, but I don’t know who that is.” Said Jez.



== Tag Talion. ==

[Cologero Coppola]

==NPC Taylor Reese==

On his down time Taylor didn't rush anywhere he enjoyed a casual stroll when the opportunity came up, the invitation to go to Ten Forward was one of those time. He enjoyed these times with Tom. Both of them have been through a lot on this mission, now it was time to blow off some steam. He was casually dressed so he didn't mix business and pleasure, as he entered a few people caught his attention. Julia Troy with someone often referred to as Red, he also spotted Jez whom was sitting with a Gentlemen that he was with earlier. 

He just left the two alone as he went to join Tom, he had the drinks waiting for him at the table. It was in a quiet enough space giving them the ability to speak freely, they attempted to do this at least once a day if they could. "Taylor." Tom started. "You should have been here a few minutes ago."

Taylor raised an eyebrow. "Ohh?" The voice suggested little real interest. There were a few rumors going around the ship, some were more interesting than others.

"Our First Officer just left a little while ago and she kissed the Chief Science Officer on the cheek, you think that one might have something to it?" He asked with a little smile.

Taylor looked back so Alex was just slightly in his peripherals. "Who knows for sure?" He said in a low tone voice. "If you really must know there are three to four people on the ship you can ask. Two of them are in this room, one would know more than the other. Besides isn't she with Young?" He really didn't care about the answer, sometimes the answers were not wort getting.

He was just enjoying the time when he didn't need to be on high alert, this atmosphere was relaxed giving him time to think. "It would be nice if both of them found someone, they have been through and lost a lot and if they are happy I am happy for them." Taylor didn't have much to say on the subject, he had more to add to it but didn't. If he did add this information it would add a new dimension to the rumor , it would spread like wildfire something he wanted to avoid.

[Julia Troy]

"Well when I was a whole lot younger I always wanted to follow my mother as a counselor back home and my younger sister would follow in our father as a doctor till she passed at a very young age of 5, so instead of being a counselor back home, I decided sometime after I entered highschool that I would be a counselor aboard on one of the ships. That way I would still follow my mother as a counselor and help those that needs counseling and it's very rare that a counselor has two working animals that help those who doesn't want to open up so easily. These two animals here I've specially trained myself to help out with the patients to open up and to let anyone know if I need the help when they aren't helping with patients. Before I forget Surik and I have been together right before we were transferred to the Charon then to this ship and these two animals is a male Jack Russell terrier named Spike and a female Savannah named Dot." She knew that this answer is a little long and yet it is worth it.

Julia hopes that she didn't give to much on why she became a counselor, and in the process Spike put his head on her knee while Surik rubbed her shoulder. Troy's emotion has been up and down a little bit at a time when she starts to think about her sister that she has lost years ago.

==Tag==

[Beno Velaul]

==NPC Raymond Reddington==

Listening to the story it gave him a glimpse into why she was here, with most people it is very clear because they make it that obvious. Family tradition one way or another was the top of all of the reasons, while others involve escaping a personal darkness. It was just a way of life that made people choose one thing over another, hopefully they find what they want.

"Interesting." Red said while enjoying her company. Until now he didn't take the time to get personal with many people, he just didn't want to. "While I am here to escape circumstances, I hated my home life as it was very abusive. Left home at the age of fifteen, got educated eventually Enlisting to stay away from it." It wasn't a large story but it was good enough. "Medical training wasn't the easiest choice I made, but it made all of the difference. After I left home, there was a small group I became a part of. Started off all innocent until it eventually elevated until." Red stopped for a second. "It really hit the fan, after that it became too criminal and I left. Everyone that stayed has been locked up more than once, a few are never getting out." Red didn't like to think of it, but thankfully he left before that happened. If Julia was monitoring his emotions, she could feel a little sadness that he never expressed with his facial expressions.

==Tag==

[Kalli Thorn]

== NRC Cindy Talion, Synthetic ==

Cindy had noticed the others enter, but tried to stay focused on the task at hand. She was aware that Alex had looked over their way, but he was deliberately giving them space. It was hard for her to not react when she saw Beno give him a kiss on the cheek. She was definitely interested in hearing more about that.

Cindy was also aware of there being some concern about Jonas and what will happen to him next. It was out of her control, but she felt a degree of responsibility to Jonas, as he was her patient, more or less.

Leaning toward Jonas, Cindy asked, "So, I don't know what life is going to be like for you now, but are you going to be ready for whatever waits for you on the planet, when you return? It was obviously dangerous for you. Someone might try to kill you again. Maybe you can work something out where you and your family will be protected?"

== Tag to GM...and a request for possible input... ==