Getting the Band Back Together: Snap Decisions

Posted on Sun Mar 21st, 2021 @ 10:34pm by Administrator LordeEmp

Mission: Heroes of the Hov'hurgh
Location: Nimbus III
Timeline: 2409

The toothy faced alien screamed out some garbled obscenity that few would know except another Nausicaan or a trained linguist. Much like Klingons his race tended to come prepared with extra weaponry. He reached to grab a large knife from the back of his belt. His hand came around with an overhead swing trying to drive the blade deep in the skull of his minute opponent.

Much like an elephant trying to swat a bee, his efforts were more than in vain. As the blow moved towards her, T’Vyn rapidly calculated what would be the best series of moves. Another shot to his wrist would disarm him, but the slender Vulcan woman wanted to put an end to the confrontation.

With two fingers forming a knife like point, T’Vyn jabbed the digits deep into the tissue of the rude man’s not-so-funny bone, causing his arm to reflex straight and sending his knife tumbling end over end through the air past her head. With her other hand she struck the Nausicaan just below the sternum in yet another nerve bundle, doubling him over as the wind was forcibly ejected from his body. Using his suddenly decreased height to her advantage, she struck the poor oaf with both hands behind the lower mandibles, sending his seemingly near lifeless body to the floor in a heap.

Saying nothing, the Vulcan woman glanced down to the disruptor and kicked it out of her path and under the feet of the crowd. She then continued on her original course around the unconscious and now drunkenly snoring alien offender.

Frederick felt the man needed something to remember this day by so he decided to get the crowd in on the act. “Anyone want a new Nausicaan pistol and knife?” Yelling for all to hear in the immediate area.

Leaving the mandible faced alien on the ground like trash to be taken out was also on the normal side of things. Half expecting to hear they would have to pay some kind of clean up fee to the Boss prodded Fred to lead the group back to his room in a much more deliberate pace. Sadly he could already feel his buzz fading simply by not having something going in his mouth to keep up with his system.

Mister Carlow’s room was not what some might expect. It was quite clean and a bit spacious considering many of the rooms there barely fit a twin sized bed. Over time he had moved up a bit to have two bedrooms a bath and even a spartan kitchen. Pieces of his past did show through. Monitors replaced picture frames and various art work from the comic books from his time changed every so often, giving a guest the feeling of being in a poor man’s museum of sorts.

The room smelled a bit more heavily of the Orion’s breed of incense, perfume and culinary delights. In the center of what passed as a large coffee table surrounded by a circular sectional made of some fluffy material, sat a somewhat ornate absinthe dispensary. It even had little cubes of sugar in one jar and smaller green cubes in another.

Some of the lights were set to black lights making some of the artwork and designs on the walls and much of the furniture glow, giving them an almost three dimensional quality. Even parts of the Orion woman’s outfit, which looked quite drab in the other room, took on a whole new light making it look quite appealing. More of a mix of minty greens and emeralds.

Frederick plopped down in the center of the black and neon blue engulfing sectional. Lady luck began pouring out some of the absinthe over one of the sugar cubes and one of the smaller green ones into special serving glasses designed for just that purpose.

“So T’Vyn, what's the hub bub, Bub?” Motioning to an open spot on the other side of him from his companion. “Also do you want something to drink?” thinking absinthe may or may not settle well in her tummy or with her mood. “Maybe some tea?”

“Actually, Mister Carlow, we do not have much more time for pleasantries and snacks,” T’Vyn said, and even though that serene look had not left her face, he knew her well enough to know when she was serious, “You are being pursued and I am here to offer you an escape.”

“And here I thought I was pretty good at escapism. Any idea who is following me? Or is that above my pay grade.” Frederick had several ideas. Almost with a knee jerk reflex he lifted his glass to T’Vyn and took a sip while waiting on her answer.

Glancing at the green liquid in the glass, the Vulcan woman arched a slender eyebrow, “Escapism, perhaps. Starfleet is quite interested in bringing you in, Frederick. Your... experiments have not gone unnoticed. At this point in time, you have three options. Run, stay here and wait for Starfleet to collect you...” she paused for a moment before offering the last, “Or you can return to Starfleet under my command.”

The white haired man stood up and stretched before taking a deep breath and letting it out with a sigh. To him it was not a hard decision at all. T’Vyn’s absence was the reason he had left. There was one decision to be made and it was not his. Looking at the two women with a somewhat perplexed look brought on by not knowing who to pose the questions that he had in mind to first.

“So can my bodyguard come with us?” In his mind she had always been loyal and made sure the crazy man had not gotten himself killed. Also she did not always treat him like an employer and sometimes more like a friend. Truth be told he felt that no one should be left behind on that dirt ball if given an option.

Looking over at the Orion woman with a slight tilt to her head, then back to the white haired scientist, T’Vyn replied, “I can offer her a refugee status on board, unless she is a member of your family. That would be the most efficient approach.”

Looking over at his Lady Luck stroking his beard he offered some possibilities. “Ya know you can stay here and not much will change, except that at some point I have a feeling this place will burn you up. You could just get transport to the next business opportunity and at least be able to get a fresh start with new faces. That said maybe, just maybe, you can come help out people that will care if something happens to you and for sure won't treat you as a slave.”

The Orion woman’s eyes widened taking in the possibilities. Like many of her kin she had a nose for good fortune and could see the many advantages of becoming a Federation Citizen. After all Fred had always been kind to her and she could guess his people would not be much different. “I wouldn’t mind becoming a member of Starfleet.” Always short and to the point.

“Then you seek refuge and...” T’Vyn started, but was interrupted by chirp, followed by a sturdy male voice that emitted from the folds of her hood.

=^= Admiral T’Vyn, the USS Alliance has just arrived in system. Orders? =^= her first officer asked, though it was obvious that something was in the works.

Admiral Les Strawn was a formidable captain that truly belonged to another time. Much like herself and Mister Carlow, he had suffered a number of ‘temporal mishaps’ that had not been able to be reversed without serious damage to the timeline. As a result, he was still a fairly young man even though he should have been enjoying retirement in some warm and friendly clime. Still an able commander at the helm of his beloved ship, she was not surprised to see him hot on Carlow’s trail.

“Stand by,” the Vulcan woman responded, then looked to her old friend’s companion, “We can forgo the formalities until after we are safely aboard the Infinite. You will be subjected to the same security checks that all refugees undergo, however you will be allowed sanctuary and limited freedom on my ship until such a time that you have been cleared by my security. Is that understood?”

“Of course. Ready when you are.” Lady Luck may have been short on words but her mind raced a bit with wonderment. Maybe this time she had gotten lucky herself.

Making sure to get his trusty old tricorder and taking the last swig of his Orion Fusion Absinthe. Frederick also nodded that he was ready. One thing was for sure, today was the best day in a long time for the old astronaut. “Up, up, and away?”

“Then it is time to go.” Reaching up to key her communicator with deceptively delicate looking fingers that were unblemished from the recent fight, T’Vyn nodded and asked, “Do you have the shield frequency?”

=^= Aye, Admiral. We have the modulation frequency and are ready to transport on your command =^= came the answer from the orbiting starship.

“Three to beam up,” T’Vyn ordered, and the trio vanished in a swirling shimmer of yellow-white light.

END

*Admiral T'Vyn written by Colonel VaQ'taj

*Frederick Carlow written by Commander Hov'qIj