Posted by Lieutenant Julien Smith (Doctor) in New beginnings - Holodeck 2

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Stark Nightstalker (Chief Intelligence Officer) in New beginnings - Holodeck 2

Posted by Lieutenant Julien Smith (Doctor) in New beginnings - Holodeck 2
“Yes” Stark said simply, “I was dragged kicking and screaming to her for a psych assessment and suddenly half way through it I found a soul mate and was then catapulted into a brave new world whereby I thought I was protecting her and making the universe a better place for her, only to discover that she was in fact protecting me and making my universe a better place”.

Stark Nightstalker CIO

Julien looked surprised. “I can only imagine. Her sister served on my ship for some time, as a civilian nurse. She was curious about… us. Starfleet. Her channel is telepathy and through it she shared with some of my crew some experiences from her life on Heel. What is Laraan’s channel, I forogt?” he asked.

• Julien

“She channels energy” Stark said without preamble, “One touch and you feel like you’ve had a good night’s sleep. As super powers go, it’s extremely useful and very self sacrificial which is the only part that worries me”.

Julien’s eyebrows rose. “That’s a great channel.”

He continued “You know, I’m struggling to remember if she ever mentioned her sister in Starfleet, please don’t tell her that she probably did but I simply can’t remember. What’s her sister like?”

Stark Nightstalker CIO

Julien shrugged. “Sky blue frillings on slightly tanned skin. I never got to know her any closer, she stood out as an alien, even among my crew. Only my CE got to know her closer, he’s an EL-Aurian. I guess when you are of a long lived species…” he looked up again apruptly into Stark’s eyes and his face fell.

“Oh damn.” he said, realising that Laraan would outlive Stark by about two or three centuries.

• Julien

“Yes” Stark said quietly, “I am but a bright candle that will be quickly snuffed out, however we both went into this knowing that. Laraan’s mother has accepted me which is a very big weight off my mind and her “sort of ex” didn’t kill me on sight so I’m counting that as a win as well”. Stark grinned a bit at the memory of the taciturn Heleen Kamdaar and then brought himself to the present. “It can’t be easy being separated from your family Julien, I’m only just getting used to being married but I know I ache when we’re not together.”

Stark Nightstalker CIO

Julien gave a soft smile at Stark’s grin, although he still thought that Stark had gotten himself into more heartbreak than he could imagine, especially if that was his first love.
At his last sentence Julien’s smile died and he felt the ever present ache in his chest more acutely again. He averted his eyes and gave a nod.
“Families, Stark. My crew was just as much family to me as my biological one, after a decade of serving together. My senior staff knew me better than I know myself.” he said, then took a deep breath, forcing down the emotions apruptly and asserting control again by brute force.

As he looked back up into Stark’s eyes, all the emotion was gone, back was the amiable doctor and his cover, with a charming smile, using a move that Stark would recognise from Ghubari. Apparently an essential feature as a Captain, for the better of the crew, when you had no time for your own emotions.

Be that as it may, we should still talk about business. What, if I may ask, was the last status in the investigation into Mr. Pierce?” Julien asked.

• Julien Smith

“Your best bet there is to talk to the Captain, we lost price to the Conclave when they rammed us and beamed him out. He hadn’t told us much but there is a definite connection to the Captain’s past and that’s something you may know more about than I do”.

Julien nodded. Yes Ghubi had told him the story on that fateful night at the pub, the time when she was a sec JO.

Stark didn’t like to admit that the man had got away clean and after the murder of one of the crew and it showed plainly on his face and the drop of blood that fell from his clenched paw as he deliberately sank his claws into his own flesh to contain the anger he felt.

Stark Nightstalker CIO

Julien was very attentive and did notice Stark’s reaction, immediatelly understanding it. Marius would have felt exactly the same.

“I see all three of us have serious beef with the Conclave. I will talk with her about it for sure, we need to be on the same page in order to know where we go next. And if there is a Conclave operative on the ship…” he looked up into Stark’s black eyes and gave his words extra force “…I will find him or her.”

• Julien Smith

“We” Stark’s voice was just as emphatic, “This is personal, family, and I believe that my purpose in life has shifted to include the absolute destruction, disintegration and demolition of everything associated with the Conclave. Extreme prejudice is my starting point”. His eyes could have bored holes in neutronium but he brought himself under control. “That said they’re aware of me and my methods so I intend to be uncharacteristically visible and perhaps a little clumsy at times, so when they come for me I’m expecting that’s you’ll clothesline them from the shadows”.

Stark Nightstalker CIO

Julien was positively surprised by Stark’s vehemence and that he obviously had no qualms to make this personal. He had underestimated the situation, this was much more than a mission for Stark, which suited him just right. He held Stark’s forceful black stare and gave one single nod.

“Agreed. No worries, I know all about the need to deal out justice. And that sounds like a great plan. Maybe we should talk with Ghubari and decide how exactly to start.” he suggested.

• Julien

“Agreed” Stark said, mindfully and viciously wiping Kallen’s dead face from his conscious mind so that he could focus. In the depths of his being he was concerned that between the two of them standing here that was a definite lack of a moral centre. Then he wiped that thought away as well. Right now he needed, no wanted, to make someone suffer for what had transpired.

“Shall we go now?”

Stark Nightstalker CIO

Julien nodded. “Only where. I can’t keep dropping in on her as a doctor. You know how she is, people would be wondering why she has a doc’s visit more than once a year, tops!” he said and winked. “What we need is a fast and safe way to communicate among each other that isn’t traceable and also a safe venue on the ship to convene and talk freely. As you know, your nephew and the CE know my real identity, if not my mission, so they can get involved if we need them. Any ideas?” he asked.

• Julien

“The perfect hideout would be S’Raal’s secret lab” Stark said urbanely, “As to communication I can set up a relay for us that’s virtually untraceable but if we do that chances are R’han will tumble it eventually, he put the “p” in paranoid but he keeps me on my toes. Old school clandestine meetings in the lab would circumvent that to a degree”

Stark Nightstalker CIO

Julien gave a nod. “Sounds perfect. Dr. S’Raal and Lt. Legen wanted to have a look at my interior anyhow, we can combine that. In my case Lt. Legen can built the relay into me. Please set up that venue and first meeting right away…” he subsided and gave Stark an embarrassed look, running his hand through his short black curls once.

“Sorry!” he said and shook his head. “It’s so easy to forget that I’m not the Captain anymore when I feel comfortable with someone.” he admitted.

• Julien

“That’s alright” Stark replied magnanimously, “It took awhile for me to stop maiming people when I joined Starfleet too, I tried to tell them that maiming was a step forward from outright killing but they still insisted on putting a black mark on my file anyway. It’s not my fault if people think that if I look like a cat I need a good stroking and people can get through life quite happily missing one finger, and, it was the left hand. All in all I think I was being quite self controlled and considerate”.

“I’ll get on to setting up a meeting” Stark said with a small smile.

Stark Nightstalker CIO
OOC I’ll set up the thread in a day or two, I’m swamped by real life at the mo, or feel free to set it yourself if you like :-)
OOC: No rush, take your time.

Julien looked at Stark perplexed for a few seconds and then he erupted into a whole-hearted laugh. He clapped Stark on the shoulder in a good-natured way.

“Who misses one finger indeed! I really like you Stark!” he announced.

• Julien Smith

“The feelings mutual” Stark said sincerely, “and I don’t say that often”. With a nod he left on silent paws.

Stark Nightstalker CIO