Posted by Ensign Karina Niles (Doctor) in Starbase 157 - Amongst the Bustle

Posted by Lieutenant Ky’Laria (Scientist) in Starbase 157 - Amongst the Bustle

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Lane Grauagen (Medical Researcher) in Starbase 157 - Amongst the Bustle
Posted by… suppressed (1) by the Post Ghost! 👻

Ky’Laria bounced a rapidly darkening expression between the woman and the hooded figure, and a sensation of being imminently put on the back foot was intense enough to make her spots ache. Instinct demanded an immediate response to this affront; Kuras doctrine prescribed counterattack. She sprang out of her chair and moved briskly across the room toward the mysterious associate, keeping a close watch on everyone even as she stared her new quarry down.

-Ky’Laria

(OOC.. was “O’Brien” motioning for Karina and Ky or her other companions?)

OOC She was beckoning you both over, you’re right on track :-)

Sporting a bob haircut and a cheeky grin the young woman nodded to her hooded friend who raised the hood long enough to reveal the mirror version of Commander Stone, He then slipped quietly out.

Turning back to everyone the young woman spoke in a hushed voice, “My name is Keiko Ishikawa, my friend and I know you’re looking for the Athena, the truth is… we need your help to get her back”.

Junior Gamemaster Conspiracy Theorist

Karina rose as Ky did and tried to grab the woman’s arm. But the table stopped her and left her scrambling to catch up. “Ky, wait!” She caught up with the Kuras reached the woman. She stood close to Ky on her right and listened. As the woman pleaded for help, Karina shook her head. “No… if you truly wanted help, you wouldn’t do it this way. Come to the Commander’s Office. Let’s explain to him what’s going on. Because I am not going to risk my career or the ship on some wild goose chase my superiors aren’t aware of. If you truly want to help. Let’s do it the right way.” Her body stepped just forward of the huntress as her hand reached to absently touch Ky’s arm in warning. She could feel the tension roll off the woman and she hardly knew her. Which meant things could go very bad, very fast, if she wasn’t careful.

Karina
Doctor

Keiko spun and her eyes blazed like a neutron star. “The right way! You have no idea of the right way! Sitting here in your precious universe with your Federation to protect you. The right way where I’m from requires surviving another day. We already tried to get help from your universe and what did we get? People crossing over to take advantage of our resources and rip us off. We know about Section 31, the Conclave and all the people that have people inside your Federation, how the hell are we supposed to know who to trust? That’s why we asked you and not the high muckity mucks! How long have you known this Commander? Give me one good reason why we should trust him!?

Junior Gamemaster Conspiracy Theorist

Lane looked from the two at the table over towards the outburst and said nothing, seemingly disinclined to butt himself in.

Ky’Laria, though her stance had not softened either at Karina’s wordless insistence nor this other woman’s words, inwardly relented just a touch. She benefitted from her outsider’s point of view (and a few ‘undocumented’ visits to the Federation in years past) by knowing that this interloper’s concerns were not without merit. It was foolhardy to trust blindly.

Karina frowned. She always assumed Section 31 was the myth that was perpetuated in the Academy. Section 31 below the school was the janitorial section. The joke was ‘Section 31 does all the dirty work’. She had just assumed, like most who were curious, that it was an old joke and not a real thing.

“I’ll be honest with you. I don’t know him well. But I know myself, and Ky’Larria well enough to ask you to trust US. That’s my ship that is out there. And I want her back! So if you know how that’s possible, you tell us,” she motioned to her and the Lady, “and I will do what I can to make it happen. And yes, I’ll probably trust the Stone. In the Federation, there are more good people than bad. And none of us know till we try.” She took a deep breath and shook her head with a shrug. “You are taking a chance on us, aren’t you? Same as we are with you. Let’s try and make this work so we can bring the Athena back. Please?”

Karina
Doctor

In the bustle, the mirror version of Stone had quietly slipt away. Keiko straightened her shoulders and sighed, ‘Well, what we had planned to bring the ship back isn’t working, I guess I have little choice… go ahead… take me to your leader.”

Junior Gamemaster Conspiracy Theorist

Karina set her hand on Ky’s arm as both a comfort to herself and a warning to the woman not to slay the ‘O’Brien’ before them. A shiver run up her own arm at the momentary flash of intimacy she may be projecting and swiftly removed it once more. “I say we take them. Nothing else to do.” She turned and headed for the lift she had come from. A tap to her comm badge to the Commander announcing their return. =^=Commander Stone, Niles here. We have the woman and are heading to your office. She wishes to speak to you.=^=

Karina led the way, somehow knowing Ky would follow. The nearness of the woman comforted the doctor. Something told her in a pinch, Ky was the best person to be on her side.

Karina
Doctor

Stone replied on the special channel they had set up for just this purpose. =/\= Excellent work, bring her to me please, and be careful, she’s given my people the slip twice =/\=

Junior Gamemaster Conspiracy Theorist

Karina sighed. “Well, let’s go. He’s willing to talk to you. But please, don’t run anymore. This will never get resolved for any of us if that happens. All right?” She made sure the O’Brien woman heard her then lead the way to the lift and to Stone’s office.

Karina
Doctor

Lane and his companion, with his own aggrieved sigh, followed the group towards the lift. Lane inhaled as they waited, inquiring mildly, “I suspect the news ticker has left out some details towards the Athena then?”

Doctor Grauagen

Keiko looked at him and sighed, “It was all worked out for the return but the interdimensional wormhole won’t open, it’s like something is resisting it opening but we don’t know what, without it Athena can’t reenter this universe. “

Ky’Laria stood behind the rest of the group, where she was most comfortable - with everyone in her sight. Finally assuming a somewhat more relaxed deportment, she casually took hold of the coattails of Lane’s inquiry. “Indeed. Perhaps equally pressing: are we simply to continue pretending that no one observed our friend’s associate quietly making himself scarce?”

Pausing briefly in case anyone’s attention had been piqued, she gave a tiny smile. “Did no-one else catch that..? Am I to pursue someone else all over the station now?” she asked, shifting her gaze intently to ‘Keiko’ as the outside corners of her eyes tightened just perceptibly.

-Ky’Laria

Karina frowned slightly. “I noticed. But my guess is, this young lady will be happy to call him, as well as anyone else in their group, to the Commander’s Office once we are there and security is in place for their ‘safety’. Won’t you? I mean, it’s only fair if everyone tells their tale of why all the subterfuge. Right?”

Her pretty Asian features looked up at Lane, Ky’Laria, and Karina. “We work in pairs but trust only goes so far, he’ll stay at a distance until he knows you’re not going to imprison me. You can chase him if you want but he’ll never be far from us anyway.”

She stood sideways in the lift, watching Ky out of the corner of her eye then taking the lead once they got to the assigned floor. Turning the corner they entered the Commander’s outer office and Karina announced them to the Secretary.

Karina
Doctor

Stone came out before the introductions were even begun. He looked furiously at Keiko and she looked defiantly back at him expecting the worst.

Junior Gamemaster Conspiracy Theorist