For once, the counselor's hands were empty and idle as she rode the lift to the engineering deck. She paused as she exited the lift, realizing that It wasn't an area she traveled to often. Or ever, really. She moved to the side and set a hand against the computer panel on the wall.
"Computer, directions to engineering lab 2, please."
The panel lit up with streaks of light and Katriel obediently headed thataway.
((semi-open because Day is DM, but if anyone slips in posts before his, they're more than welcome. :x ))
Coincidence was not something Chassy believed in. Everything happened as a result of something else; and sometimes things happened ironically, humorously, or tragically, in tandem.
This was not one such time-- her being here, a privacy's length of corridor away from engineering lab 2, was a direct result of Katriel's going there.
As the counselor approached, she tucked her ever present PADD under an elbow and presented a mild smile.
This was not one such time-- her being here, a privacy's length of corridor away from engineering lab 2, was a direct result of Katriel's going there.
As the counselor approached, she tucked her ever present PADD under an elbow and presented a mild smile.
"Commander," Katriel greeted Chassy, coming to a pause just outside the proximity sensors of the lab's doors.
A lifted eyebrow was the only indication of her suspicion as to the Trill's purpose. "And why might you be loitering around in engineering?"
A lifted eyebrow was the only indication of her suspicion as to the Trill's purpose. "And why might you be loitering around in engineering?"
"Telepathy is in the science purview rather than that of engineering. I'm, ah, here as an observer from AG-21-8, provided you...have no objections, Counselor."
Curiosity and concern, equal parts.
Curiosity and concern, equal parts.
"Of course not," was Katriel's amiable response. She tilted her head towards the doors in invitation, before resuming her own pace towards them.
The doors swished open and Katriel stepped in, eyes flickering over the premises and looking for whichever tech might have been on hand.
The doors swished open and Katriel stepped in, eyes flickering over the premises and looking for whichever tech might have been on hand.
Ensign Esox, the young Saurian engineer looked at as the women entered Engineering lab 2. He knew what they had come to see.
He made eye contact with the two of them then nodded at the engineering table with the small blue containment field emanating from table top all the way to the ceiling. In one step he was standing next to it.
On a plain glass disk in the middle of the table sat the small red crystal. It was perfectly cut, worthy of jewelry of display in any culture that appreciated such things.
"Here it is," he casually said to both of them. "I've ran every possible scan I can think of and all we can detect are some low pulse beta waves." He paused looking at the two of them for a moment. "We can't make heads or tails of them I'm afraid."
The Ensign had done everything he could think of to know avail. He let out a long sigh as he pushed a button on the consule. The blue haze of the containment field flickered away. He looked at the crystal for a moment, then up at the consular before taking a step back.
He had done all he could, it was out of his hands, now.
He made eye contact with the two of them then nodded at the engineering table with the small blue containment field emanating from table top all the way to the ceiling. In one step he was standing next to it.
On a plain glass disk in the middle of the table sat the small red crystal. It was perfectly cut, worthy of jewelry of display in any culture that appreciated such things.
"Here it is," he casually said to both of them. "I've ran every possible scan I can think of and all we can detect are some low pulse beta waves." He paused looking at the two of them for a moment. "We can't make heads or tails of them I'm afraid."
The Ensign had done everything he could think of to know avail. He let out a long sigh as he pushed a button on the consule. The blue haze of the containment field flickered away. He looked at the crystal for a moment, then up at the consular before taking a step back.
He had done all he could, it was out of his hands, now.
Katriel cleared her throat as she came closer, trepidation written into her frame.
"And... the report said something about a cloth, correct? With a ... painting or something on it?"
"And... the report said something about a cloth, correct? With a ... painting or something on it?"
The Ensign nods at her. "Yes, ma'am. "
He turns around and retrieves from an adjacent table the roughly one meter square cloth showing the drawing of the woman touching the crystal.
He turns around and retrieves from an adjacent table the roughly one meter square cloth showing the drawing of the woman touching the crystal.
Chassy hovers at acceptable 'observer' distance, unmoved by the artwork-- she'd seen the report. Her attention lingers on Katriel instead:
"The simplest assumption is that it's a Waydi communication device. The question, ah, really comes down to whether you're inclined to activate it."
"The simplest assumption is that it's a Waydi communication device. The question, ah, really comes down to whether you're inclined to activate it."
Katriel held the cloth up by its corners with two hands, squinting at the drawing therein. Her expression was pretty easy to read, she's obviously wondering if it's a good likeness or not. And maybe whether or not she should feel flattered.
"Well. I don't see why not. Chief Garrison was holding it for a period of time and suffered no permanent trauma. The nausea he experienced sounds fairly similar to the original reports of when the Waydi tried to communicate with the freighter pilots, so..."
She shrugged as she returned the cloth to the Ensign, then stepped forward to the table, exhaling. "Right. Here goes nothing, then."
And the Betazoid reached out with three fingers and tentatively set them on the crystal's surface.
"Well. I don't see why not. Chief Garrison was holding it for a period of time and suffered no permanent trauma. The nausea he experienced sounds fairly similar to the original reports of when the Waydi tried to communicate with the freighter pilots, so..."
She shrugged as she returned the cloth to the Ensign, then stepped forward to the table, exhaling. "Right. Here goes nothing, then."
And the Betazoid reached out with three fingers and tentatively set them on the crystal's surface.
As she touches the stone it flashes once, a dim light just barely noticeable in the well-lit lab.
Katriel lifted her fingers and twitched them a little, a contemplative look on her face. "... Some ... what?"
Then she seemed to remember where she was and her glance darted to Skyler and Esox in turn. "... Oh, um. It's definitely a message. We're supposed to ... follow the probe back. To ... the asteroid ring?" Her uncertainty seems to be founded in the fact that she's not really on top of her Waydi system cartography.
"... And they have ... something for us."
Then she seemed to remember where she was and her glance darted to Skyler and Esox in turn. "... Oh, um. It's definitely a message. We're supposed to ... follow the probe back. To ... the asteroid ring?" Her uncertainty seems to be founded in the fact that she's not really on top of her Waydi system cartography.
"... And they have ... something for us."
"Presumably an apology."
A wane smile.
"It is not, ah, outside the realm of possibility that the Klingons are hoping to use the same bait twice."
A wane smile.
"It is not, ah, outside the realm of possibility that the Klingons are hoping to use the same bait twice."
The Ensign looks between them. "I'll talk to Lieutenant Gibson. She was working on the nav computer from the probe. When she has the results, I'll ensure she gets them to ops in a report."
The Ensign looks at the crystal again for a moment. Then he leaves the lab and heads towards the cargo bay.
The Ensign looks at the crystal again for a moment. Then he leaves the lab and heads towards the cargo bay.
"Your thoughts?"
A simple query, unalarmingly placed after she'd nodded dismissal to the ensign.
A simple query, unalarmingly placed after she'd nodded dismissal to the ensign.
Katriel likewise acknowledged the Ensign's departure with a nod.
"Oh, I don't know. It sounded ... like it'd be something more tangible than an apology. But the message expressed concern about the Klingons as well. They're adamant that we not let them follow us, it seems. I'll have to submit the translation in a report."
She paused. "I suppose I'll have to attend this mission as well."
"Oh, I don't know. It sounded ... like it'd be something more tangible than an apology. But the message expressed concern about the Klingons as well. They're adamant that we not let them follow us, it seems. I'll have to submit the translation in a report."
She paused. "I suppose I'll have to attend this mission as well."
"If you have reservations...I don't think anyone would blame you for taking a pass."
She folded the painted cloth twice and returned it to the table.
"But they do seem to have formed an attachment, of sorts."
She folded the painted cloth twice and returned it to the table.
"But they do seem to have formed an attachment, of sorts."
Katriel made a face as she moved for the exit.
"Oh, I'll go. I'm immensely ... curious, if nothing else."
"Oh, I'll go. I'm immensely ... curious, if nothing else."
"Mm."
The ex-captain agreed, and that was that.
The ex-captain agreed, and that was that.