STF

Brig - When the past doesn't match the present...or the future (Tag Styxx and Anyone)

Posted Nov. 4, 2021, 4:11 p.m. by Lieutenant River Styxx (OIC Marine) (Nathan Derricutt)

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Gravel Mardusk (Chief of Security) in Brig - When the past doesn’t match the present…or the future (Tag Styxx and Anyone)

Posted by Lieutenant Lauren Shan (Doctor) in Brig - When the past doesn’t match the present…or the future (Tag Styxx and Anyone)

Posted by Lieutenant River Styxx (OIC Marine) in Brig - When the past doesn’t match the present…or the future (Tag Styxx and Anyone)
Posted by… suppressed (8) by the Post Ghost! 👻
The doors to the Brig on deck forty opened and the two Security officers looked up. Mardusk barked “Open them up!” and the guards dropped the fields on the two cells. “Set up a dividing field in cell one. Opaque and soundproof.” and the one female Vulcan guard’s fingers flew over the controls and the field sprang to life. “Strip search each one, then prisoner coveralls. No shoes. And if it ain’t attached to their bodies and necessary for life, it comes off. They get nothing that looks personal or innocent.” The guards nodded and Mardusk unceremoniously dropped the two to the deck at the feet of the guards.

River deposited her guest hard on the floor and got out of security’s way. she stayed in the brig though, watching the officers work.

A few minutes later and the three were locked in cells with no view of the outside and no sound coming in. Mardusk looked at the guards. “Get medical in here to do an exam. After that… if they so much as look at you cross-eyed, you shoot ‘em. Heavy stun. If they don’t learn after that, call me. *NO VISITORS. No one but me or the Marine OIC get access after Medical is done. Period. No exceptions. And if Ian Bordeaux tries to get in here, you arrest him on sight and send him to the brig on Deck 10. Understand me?” and both guards nodded emphatically.

Mardusk, CoS

NE Dr. Soni arrived soon after. The young trill couldn’t do much in an emergency as his specialty was prosthetics, but he was capable of a basic health exam. “The uh- prisoners need a medical check?” He looked around, a little unsure of who was in charge.
-NE Dr. Soni

“I’d also recommend given them something to dull telepathic abilities” River said simply she then looked at Mardusk “We still don’t know how they lifted the captain, it could have been the cane or it could be something else” she said respectfully. It was just a random thought she had and she wanted to throw the idea out there. It was only a suggestion though and it as up to Mardusk in the end

An hour after the excitement from the arrival had died down, Lauren walked into sickbay. She typically did not come down here but it was not like she wasn’t familiar with brings having spent her share of time in them from time to time. The three individuals were awake and sitting quietly in the cells taking in the monotony of the security officers watching them. Looking at the three cells, she immediately set her sights on the blue-skinned female. The marine medic reported she was the one who hurt the kid and did all the speaking. If it was a ruse or decoy to throw suspicion off the real mission leader, Lauren didn’t give two craps. She had her own questions that did not deal with security. She hoped D’Vash would be down here soon enough but like all good security offices, everything was being taped for review.

“I need to take some more samples,” Lauren said to both Styxx and Mardusk. “I know you have the area closed off but D’Vash was commed and should be coming down in a second.” She did not waste time bantering but moved towards the cell waiting for someone to open the circular arm port to give her access to the prisoners.

Lauren Shan

River looked to Mardusk. It was his area after all, but it annoyed her to think that Mardusk had been completely avoided in the decision to bring the CIO down to the brig. Maybe in a security situation asking the chief of security before inviting anyone down would be a good idea.

“Sure nice of you to let us know after the call was made.” River said annoyance in her voice. “You are aware that it has been expressly ordered that only medical, myself and security are allowed access to the prisoners. I do hope Lieutenant you didn’t circumvent your senior officers direct orders” she added coldly gesturing to Mardusk. Since the attack River had switched to Battle mode and she was not happy in the slightest.

Lieut Styxx (Marine OIC)

“Wouldn’t be the first time, won’t be the last.” Mardusk said and shook his head. Oh, it was gonna be a heavy drinking night tonight for sure.

“I get it,” Lauren said, “but there have been some developments. The CMO suggested it. A lot of things aren’t matching up for us and while we can physically treat them, the past hour has created more questions than answers. I guess we were hoping between D’Vash and you guys, we could fill in the blanks.” Lauren only debated for half a second before continuing. She had little doubts Mardusk and Styxx didn’t know already about why Ian Bordeaux had been MIA since the start of a situation that seemed to revolve entirely around him. If they didn’t it was something they should know about sooner rather than later.

“Hard to do that when we don’t even know what the hell we are supposed to be writing.” Mardusk said with more than a little edge to his voice.

“Take a number and get in line with that one,” Lauren said sarcastically but humorously. Right now every department was processing head-scratching issues. She thought about mentioning that all the answers were behind that door but there was one other source. That source was in sickbay and depending on how things worked out here, that source could be locked up tighter than any cell Mardusk and Styxx could create. Instead, she decided to go with general knowledge for now.

“There is something rotten in the state of Denmark,” Lauren quoted Shakespeare. “It seems thirty minutes before the aliens contacted the ship, Bordeaux was pulled into a closed-door meeting with our old buddy Admiral Perkins. It took someone literally beating down the door to get him out of it. The crazy part was from what I heard it was not about a first contact mission like we have been told this was going to be. Perkins was talking about everything and anything not involved with this mission. I’m not security or intelligence but it felt like from what I heard Perkins was just trying to distract him.”

“Anyway, may I,” Lauren gestured to the cell.

Mardusk nodded once.

Zala Tsu watched as Lauren moved towards the cell. Her shirt was a different color. While the sound had been muted in her cell, she could only make some guesses on who the woman was. The security forces were in yellow. This woman was in blue which meant she probably wasn’t in the same division as the others in the room. Medical, science, command: these were the other options that would soon be revealed. Zala Tsu silently cursed those who debriefed them on the mission. There was so much intelligence that was wrong and far more speculations that were even more wrong. Without valid intell it would make the mission more complex but not impossible.

Standing up, Zala Tsu moved from her bunk to the transparent wall of her cell with all the grace and poise of a dancer. She seemed to float instead of walk with each step. The sway of her hips and pace of her gait belayed calm and control from the individual. Lauren had been around enough thugs and thieves to know that for whatever reason this woman was confident about where she currently was and had no anxiety about it. “Arm,” Lauren commanded tapping a code into the wall and placing a circular metal device on the field. This opened an orifice just large enough for Zala Tus to place her arm in.

The lack of pleasantries was not unexpected but if the woman wanted to take some sort of biological samples it allowed Zala to deduce she was either science or medical.
Finally, there was someone who would help advance their mission and not someone to hamper it. “I take it the young one survived,” Zala Tsu spoke with a calm melodic tone. Raising her hand she held it just outside the orfice almost teasingly. Jessa’s survival was paramount. Without her the mission would not succeed and they would have to mount another; however, Zala knew the young girl was fine. She had only wounded her. When it came time to kill her, not even their fancy light weapons would be able to save Jessa. She was too much of a liability and all missions had expendable parameters.

“No she died but that tends to be the outcome for jugular wounds,” Lauren lied. It was mainly a test to see the woman’s reaction. From the reports of the situation, Lauren had heard, the woman stabbed the kid deliberately before the firing started. One of the security officers even reported that the human male appeared to flinch and the woman had a slight smile. No one just stood there and got stunned unless they wanted it or weren’t expecting it. Since they actively attacked the Captain, they had to expect some sort of reaction which lead Lauren back to they wanted to be here.

“You lie,” Zala said raising her fingertips and holding them at the very edge of the orifice. The answer of whether this woman was medical or science was just answered.
Come on love. Each question and answer you give me I will give you. You want my arm… play the game because you do want my arm. She paused and decided to help her along. “If she was dead there would be more venom in your voice....doctor. Your response also has told me you know a secret the two in gold don’t know.” Sliding her arm in the hole, Zala moved as close to the field as she could. Her breath fogged up the image of her lips as she whispered, “please tell them. I want to see their reaction.”

“No… you really don’t.” Mardusk growled. “Now shut up and do what you are told.”

“Oh but I do. I know people and I know there is more to you and that silent one hugging the back of the wall than either of you let on. For one you are both fiercely loyal and incredibly intelligent but you hide it behind your bulk and brawn but you can’t fool me,” Zala Tsu inhaled deeply and moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue before biting her teeth seductively.

“As for that one,” Zala Tsu lifted her chin and established eye contact with Styxx letting the corners of her lips curl up in an alluring smile. “She carries with her a past event but tries desperately to live above it,” her voice took on a slightly questioning tone. “Through it,” she threw out another option before shrugging it off like it mattered little. To Zala Tsu it mattered little except that the woman behind the green man was lethal in the right circumstance.

While Zala was having more fun than she cared to admit toying with the two, she did need to move the mission along. “I know you love a good mystery to work out in that brain of yours but,”

River just watched and flipped Zala Tsu the bird. God that women was annoying she was so smug. River wished she could just go into the cell and beat her to a pulp, see how many hits it would take to shut her smug mouth up

Zala Tsu’s laugh sounded like a tune she was humming until Lauren stabbed her hard in the arm with the hypo. The woman was taking too much pleasure in the suffering of the kid and Lauren had been around enough people in her life to know Zala probably was going to discard her over her shoulder like an empty beer can if it meant her life or Jane Doe’s. The sharp hiss and fiery gaze in Zala’s eyes made Lauren feign shock. “Oh did I hurt you? How about I try that again.” Pulling out a small DNA sequencer, Lauren again stabbed the woman. It was petty and small but Laurent didn’t care.

Lauren Shan

Mardusk grinned at the jabs. “Good on ya, Doc.” he said with a smile. When she was done, Mardusk walked up to the field and glared at the woman inside for a moment. He then grinned and said “Kill the lights and put the sound dampening at a hundred percent.” and a second later the cell went completely black inside and no sound would enter the space.

Mardusk, COS

Zala Tsu moved back to the small ledge that served as a seat and bed in her cell. She didn’t need to have lights or sound. If the doctor was here then she knew. Soon everyone else would. Everything was going according to plan. Closing her eyes she reached out to her companions. While they did not have the ability to actually communicate with each other, they could feel each other’s presence and emotional state. Rogan was emitting his usual brooding while Da-Mu was deep in thought about how the mission would be completed and focusing on every obstacle in their way. The strongest emotion was always fear which brought a small smile to Zala’s face. Jessa was probably still sedated which was why the cold chill of fear lingered with her. Fear was good. Fear was motivating. It would make Jessa complete her side of the mission even if she second-guessed things.

Mardusk looked at River and then said “So… what in the Nine Hells of Boratu is going on?”

River shook her head “Christ knows. Their actions so far make no sense” She said truthfully thinking for a second “Maybe we should analyze what we knew. One They turned up out of nowhere which suggests at least some advanced Tec, Two they are arrogant as they refuse to believe that they are wrong, Three they ether have some form of telepathy or technology capable of attacking others, So they are dangerous even when not apparently armed, Four they don’t seem to value the lives of anyone else but themselves, so they’re selfish, Five they are willing to attack a federation star ship and her crew to get what they want, So they’re ruthless and aggressive. And finally they are smarter than they appear to be, able to read body language and try to appeal to everyone baser instincts.” She said rattling off what she had figured out so far.

“To me, it feels like they’re either mercenaries, especially that one.” River said gesturing to Zala Tsu’s cell “Or they come from somewhere that is ruled with an iron fist and life is rough, being brutal is all they know. It might explain the seductive behavior of that one woman” she added “Either way it doesn’t help us a whole lot and it doesn’t explain what Perkins has to do with all this, but if he’s involved it can’t be good.” she said finishing of her speculation

Lauren did not have that much contact with Styxx past the occasional visits to sickbay where the officer had pushed herself too hard training and injured a muscle or broke a bone. Marines in particular always seemed to end up in sickbay for the softest injuries yet they rarely if ever came in injured from an actual mission. It was because they trained so hard off hours to be prepared for anything, very few things surprised them in a live combat situation. She knew the woman was incredibly intelligent and her summation of the facts proved it. While Lauren’s thoughts muddled about the same ideas, Styxx’s off-the-cuff briefing was succinct and appeared accurate for the small facts the Atlantis crew knew so far.

Lauren looked at Mardusk and then River as she fiddled with the hypo in her hand. Things were about to get public fast and while it was violating more ethic codes than she cared to admit, she let out a frustrated breath. It would save a lot of headaches to let Styxx and Mardusk know now rather than later. “If you clear the room except for you and Styxx,” Lauren asked but her voice had a firm tone to it as if it were more than a suggestion. “Maybe have them grab a cup of coffee?” She looked at the several officers manning stations before sticking the DNA sequencer and hypo in her pocket. While it would probably be breaking a few security protocols to have them do this, Lauren did not have a doubt in her mind if the three in the cells tried anything, Styxx and Mardusk would shoot them dead in their tracks never blinking an eye at the reasoning because escape from confinement.

“I am breaking about a million HIPPA and ethics codes here but there is something you need to know,” Lauren stated. “Our Jane Doe is a genetic match for Ian Bordeaux. That I why we are down here taking more samples. Evrilla is going to break the news to him. He doesn’t seem like the deadbeat kinda dad or the run to the sperm bank because I am short this week on credits but who knows. I am only telling you this because unless he is going to have to sign off on all parental rights for us to treat her since she is a minor. This would make her the Captain’s ward and since Kelly is incapacitated it would then fall to the XO. Now if he doesn’t do that, and my gut says he won’t, that means he has to be granted all the rights associated with a custodial parent. Credits to cookies he is going to want to talk to Jane Doe. This now creates so many inherent problems but the first is you are going to have to pull back on your security team enough for him to get near the kid.”

River was shocked at the news “If he isn’t involved how the hell did they get his DNA?” She asked shock clear in her voice.

“Well when a boy and a girl really really love each other....or get drunk one night on a shore leave,” Lauren’s voice dripped with sarcasm. It however had nothing to do with Styxx or her comment. Everyone was under stress and flippant, sarcastic comments was how she dealt with it. The security team had gotten an undeserved black eye with the arrival and the medical department was dropping a bombshell that if it were wrong, they would look like first-year biology students instead of trained doctors. Styxx was right. The question of the day was how did they get the DNA and right now medical did not have an answer for that. People often thought that diagnosing a condition was simple. Wave the wand and you got an ailment much like turning a knob on a candy machine and out pops the desired result. The issue was when the result you got required more experience than rattling off the flu or a fracture. “Sorry I have been in surgery and need a little more coffee,…and to have the blanks filled in so I can answer that more definitively than an explanation of the birds and the bees” she apologized.

“As for him seeing the kid, even if he signed the wavers he doesn’t have to see the kid. You’re a doctor you can ban him on medical grounds from seeing the kid. Tell him she needs time to heal. As a doctor, you out rank him when it comes to medical matters. if he doesn’t comply, I have no problems tying him up and throwing back to his quarters.” River snapped.

“The holding cells on ten. It’s already been ordered that if he steps one centimeter out of line he goes there and thats it.” Mardusk said flatly.

“And if it is his kid,” Lauren looked at Styxx. “Are you saying you would hand over your child to them ‘cause at some point we will release Jane Doe and I am not sure having her anywhere near these people is a good idea at all. Forget the whole telepathy thing,” Lauren gestured at Zala Tsu’s cell and then briefly to the other two cells. “Somewhere someone missed a parenting 101 class and tossing Jane Doe back into the same environment that caused her to be here in the first place might not be the best idea.” Lauren felt her stomach knotting up. While not many besides Nash and the Captain knew her story, it mirrored Jane Doe’s except with a different outcome. Twenty years ago Lauren was thick as thieves in a group like Zala Tsu. Only being arrested, being underaged, and having her DNA prove she was someone other than Ariel Wright had set Lauren’s path to where she was now. Lauren never wanted to be involved with the people from her past but at times you did things just to survive.

Turning to Mardusk River spoke “letting him see the kid would be massive mistake, especially if you dial back on the security detail. Ian is not in a good frame of mind. And that and a sickbay do not go well together. Trust me I know” she said forebodingly.

“Agreed. He comes nowhere near that kid till we know what the f&<k is going on here.”

Lauren knew her news was going to go over like the proverbial fart in church but the logistics was starting to make her head hurt and she only had to make sure the kid was happy and healthy. “I am not trying to tell you your job. I am not telling you to take off the security team either. I get it and know your scope of powers. You can easily charge her with a crime and throw her down here the second I release her but I am going to ask you one favor. Put yourself in his shoes before you react or do anything. We don’t know anything more than a DNA test. Since I am a woman I can say this but it would not be the first time someone doesn’t know they are a baby daddy. We could also be jumping to conclusions and this situation is nothing like we are assuming. The point is we just don’t know at this minute. There are so many more questions than answers right now but the one thing this crew does is have each other’s backs. If we alienate him or force him to pick between us and his possible family we will lose. I mean if you were in Bordeaux’s position would you abandon your kid because of some regulation?” Lauren had no idea if Mardusk or Styxx would. She hoped her revelation at least made the two of them think before reacting.

“Believe me I’ve done things for a child, that I’ll never be forgiven for.” she said sorrow in her voice. Not much of Rivers past was known to the rest of the crew, but River knew what she did for Lily was something that none else should ever have to do “That is why we can’t let him near her. At least not yet” she added.

“And I can’t let her,” Lauren stabbed her finger towards the door gesturing symbolically to Jessa in medical before stopping and taking a breath. “Or maybe he would surprise you. Ian is one of our own. Isolating him would only show we don’t trust him or worse that he is somehow in league with these people.” Lauren closed her eyes and rolled her head trying to work out the anger and frustration she was feeling that everyone else in the room was feeling also. It did no good to bicker like siblings right now when so much was unknown.

“Anyway just keep this under wraps for now until Evrilla talks to Ian. My job is on the line but I did this as a curtsey heads up so you were not blindsided. Don’t screw me over. We have had more than enough surprises in the past four hours. The only reason I told you this was so that you were in the loop. Tensions are high right now everywhere. I can also tell you that of all the departments involved right now I am so glad I am not a counselor like your girlfriend.” Lauren let out a small laugh and shook her head. “I think she is going to have her hands full.” Lauren turned about began to walk out of the security offices. There was so much for Styxx and Mardusk to figure out. They had no idea if Jane Doe was a threat, a pawn, or a forced participant in this scheme but it did involve one of their own. However, they handled it would have repercussions. Lauren just hoped those repercussions didn’t destroy the crew along the way.

Lauren Shan doctor

Odinson entered the brig area and immediately noticed the lack of normal personnel in the area, especially with prisoners locked away in cells. He looked at Shan, Styxx and then Mardusk, assuming the security chief had relieved the rest of his team.

“Sorry for my tardiness. I was in the middle of a call that I assume is just as important as every other crazy thing that’s going on right now.”

“Oh, you may think so right now, but just you wait.” Mardusk replied with his words dripping with sarcasm.

He had heard of the attack while he was talking with SI and was upset to find out he was one of the last senior officers t f9nd out what had happened,

Turning to Dr. Shan, he asked, “How is the captain?”

Odinson (CIO)

“She had her head smashed against a bulkhead Sir, because intelligence dropped the ball. How do you think she is Sir?” River snapped it wasn’t called for and River knew that but she was angry and was lashing out.

She took a deep breath and sighed “Sorry that was uncalled for” she said simply but her anger and annoyance where clear in her voice.

Lieut Styxx (Marine OIC)

Styxx’s outburst did wonders for Lauren in feeling bad about her outburst with Styxx earlier. Everyone was under incredible stress and pretty soon the buck was going to have to stop with someone. With Perkins involved, there would be nothing but finger-pointing and no one wanted it to end with them being it. While there was nothing the Marines or security could have done differently, the arrival of the visitors had resulted in two almost fatal injuries. Medical was dropping a bombshell and going to make a decision that would either piss off and alienate the Captain and her husband or piss off and cause a clash with security. Security was only as effective as the intelligence it was given so it made sense they were a bit sore with the Intelligence department for not sharing with them all the facts. Whether or not they had suppressed intelligence was not known but intelligence had the cloak and dagger persona so most people always assumed they were holding something back even if this was false.

“Styxx and Mardusk can explain the how but she suffered a skull fracture and subdermal hematoma on the parietal occipital lobe of the brain. This resulted in cerebral swelling which resulted in the Captain needing a craniotomy to seal off the bleeding blood vessels and decrease the edema. Luckily we all know Kelly is hard-headed which worked to her advantage. I did not do the surgery but Evrilla said she pulled through with a positive outcome. Translated it means the surgery went well but we will not know about any side effects or repercussions until she wakes up. My guess is the CMO will put her in a medically induced coma to let the brain and nervous settle down a bit. Other than that you might need to build a cell and throw the captain down here with our guests to keep her off the job.” Since she had answered D’Vash’s initial question, Lauren decided to catch him up albeit without the fluffy banter. “I trust you can keep a secret,” she handed D’Vash the medical PaDD with the information about Jane Doe on the screen. “This is not public knowledge yet hence why the room is cleared but from my POV, all of us not being on the same page is causing more chaos than our three friends here,” she gestured her head back at the cells.

“Aside from Kelly, one of the visitor’s party was injured and required emergency surgery. Routine operative procedures revealed our Jane Doe to be a perfect genetic match to be Ian’s daughter.” Lauren let the news sink in, however, having dated intelligence types before, she knew he would probably give no indication if that news was a surprise or not. “You walked in just as we were debating the logistics and practicality of keeping Bordeaux isolated from the kid or allowing him access to her.”

“My two cents for what they are worth is using a lump of sugar instead of a quart of vinegar to figure out what is going on. I feel like an ass suggesting this but the fourth person to this party is a kid. She is most probably going to wake up scared. I think we can all agree a caged animal is far more deadly than one on a leash. My gut says we are going to get more answers from our Jane Doe than the Witch in the cell behind me. Kids are easily manipulated. I mean a lollipop can turn a medical appointment into a painless venture vs. one where I need two nurses to hold someone panicked kid down. We are all experts in our fields. I don’t know security except how to throw a punch and how to shoot a phaser. I am not being dismissive but there is more to every story past our own departments. You take down the threat,” she waved at the man before her. “We patch them up if needed,” she hooked a thumb back at her chest, “and Command figures out what to do with them. We never get the whole story unless we are getting drunk at the Casino or Bubbles Bar. Normally it is benign curiosity that gets us talking after but maybe this time we need to follow this case from start to finish as a single unit and not individual departments.” Lauren stopped talking. Right now every officer was processing the situation from their own unique skill set and each new development seemed to take them back a step instead of moving them forward.

Lauren Shan

“Until we know where and how this kid came to be, no one puts her and Ian on the same deck, let alone together. And as for our guests..” and he jerked a thumb back at the cells, “… we keep ‘em in the dark and quiet until we figure things out. So… I’m off to interrogate a teenager, looks like.” He looked at Odinson and said “Wanna join me?”

Mardusk, COS

River agreed with everything Mardusk had said, she was glad they where on the same wavelength “What do you want me to do in the mean time Sir?” she asked Mardusk.

Lieut Styxx (Marine OIC)


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