STF

Side Sim: Just Relaxing (All are Welcome)

Posted July 6, 2021, 11 a.m. by Warrant Officer Hsull (Chief Tactical Officer) (David Stiles)

Posted by Lieutenant Belle Harper (Chief Intelligence Officer) in Side Sim: Just Relaxing (All are Welcome)

Posted by Warrant Officer Hsull (Chief Tactical Officer) in Side Sim: Just Relaxing (All are Welcome)

Posted by Lieutenant Belle Harper (Chief Intelligence Officer) in Side Sim: Just Relaxing (All are Welcome)
Posted by… suppressed (10) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Hsull was stretched out on the small sofa in his quarters, the Savannah was curled at his side and he absently rubbed the ears every minute or two which elicited a contented purr from the cat. There was cooling cup of Forgraves Brew sitting on the small table in front of the sofa and a book was propped up against one knee. Hsull was currently reading “The Art of War” by an ancient Terran author named Sun Tzu, he found that the author had a unique approach to the subject and in fact used many of the philosophies and practices that he himself had learned over the years. He chuckled as he wished he had read this long ago, it might have saved him a lot of time and he for certain would have less scars. He subconsciously rubbed his hip, which no longer bothered him at all and rubbed the faint ridge of scar tissue under the fur on his chest.>>> He was luxuriating in just wearing a pair of loose shorts and his fur. He reached out and rubbed the cat, then grabbed the coffee mug as he turned a page with the claw on his thumb. The cat rumbled at having to move slightly and then settled again with his head resting on Hsull’s thigh.

Hsull - TO
OOC: Any and all are welcome to drop in for a chat or a cuppa.

Outsider Hsull’s quarters:

Two security NEs rounded the corner. “Yeah, well, if you hadn’t been too busy flirting with that nurse she wouldn’t have slipped by you and we wouldn’t have to go door to door to find her.”

“You’re just jealous she was into me and not you. You are a terrible wingman,” said the second security NE.

“Wingman?” he asked activating the door chime to Hsulls’s quarters. “We were on duty. Just shut up until we find her, okay?”

-NEs Hardy and John

Hsull had just read a passage that stated “The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.” He was pondering the meaning of this when the Savannah suddenly jumped up and faced the door, growling softly, the door chime rang and marking his place in the book with a finger he rose, grabbed his cane and went to answer the door.

Upon opening the door he was faced with two Security officers. “What can I do for you gentlemen ? You look like you lost something.” The Savannah stood by his right leg still growling softly. “You’ll have to pardon the cat, she’s hungry and a bit grouchy at the moment, come to think of it so am I, you two look young and tender, care to come in for a while ?” Though Hsull was joking with the two, there was a rumor that Caitian’s ate raw meat from whatever source they could get it. While he did prefer his meat on the rare side, he seldom ate the occasional stray ensign. Hsull rose to his full height and gave the two ensigns his best smile, displaying his impressive canines. “Just joking ensigns, now what or who is it you’re looking for ?” Hsull turned and sat back down on the sofa, but the Savannah stayed where she was between him and the door.

Hsull - TO

A very pale and shaken NE Hardy spoke up. “Sorry to disturb you, Sir, but we were looking for the CIO Lt. Belle Harper. She has apparently disappeared.” He realized how imbecilic that sounded. “Only, Sir, she is very adept at stealth.”

Frustrated with his companion’s ineptitude NE John added, “we are supposed to keep an eye on her, but she is a highly skilled officer and has evaded us. The computer can’t seem to locate her either. I don’t suppose you’ve seen her, Sir.”

-NEs Hardy and John

Hsull folded over a corner of the page he was reading and placed the book on the table, he sat back and placed both arms on the back of the sofa, if he had worn glasses he would have pushed them up on his nose. “Let me get this straight, gentlemen. You’ve lost the Chief Intelligence Officer, and do you mind telling me just why you’re seeking her in the first place ? I know this seems counterintuitive but I have no reason to harbor the fugitive CIO, and the cat here would sure know if a stranger were in my quarters.” The Savannah looked at the two ensigns and licked her chops, she was really too small to do more than bite and scratch but at thirty-four pounds could do a lot of damage if she so chose. Hsull patted the sofa, “Fuzzy get over here! You two are more than welcome to search my quarters, but if you don’t find anything I may well have you for lunch, figuratively if not physically. Your choice gentlemen.” Hsull rose and went to the replicator to get the cat her lunch and something for himself as well, “Two steaks, 16 oz., room temperature only, and Forgrave’s brew, hot with extra cream.” When the food arrived he placed one steak on a plate on the floor and picked up the other and bit a chunk out of it, “Delicious” he mumbled as he took a sip of the hot coffee.

Hsull - CTO

“Sir,” Ensign John began, never taking his eyes off of the beautiful yet scary cat, “we never meant to imply that the CIO was in your quarters and certainly would never want to conduct a search. Just merely inquiring. If you happen to see her, please alert us if you would.”

NE Hardy made a muffled noise as the cat began eating its lunch.

“As for why we are looking for her. It’s classified. However, I can tell you that Starfleet Intelligence deems her a potential threat to the crew. She is forbidden to have physical contact with anyone. We are supposed to watch her in order to prevent any possible accidental assim…” he stopped suddenly. He almost said something he shouldn’t have. “Er… um… exposure. Any accidental exposure.” He looked concerned.

-NEs Harper and John

Hsull had finished his steak and was wiping his hands on a damp towel, “Ensign, you may not be aware but Caitians have very sensitive hearing, I believe you were going to say <assimilate> as in what the Borg do when they conquer a new species.” Hsull threw the damp towel into the recycling slot next to the replicator. “Just exactly what have we gotten as a new CIO ? I believe the last time I saw her was on the bridge, she’s different enough looking she would stand out.” The Savannah had finished her meal and was pushing the now empty plate around on the floor, Hsull picked it up and dropped it into the slot after the towel, this was met with an irritated huff from the cat, who now turned back to watching the two ensigns. “If I should happen to run into her I’ll be sure to let you know. Are you sure you won’t come in for a quick bite ?” Hsull gave his version of a smile again, as he picked up his coffee mug and headed for the sofa, the cat beating him there and taking up her third of the space.

Hsull - CTO

“NO!” NE Hardy squeaked. He gulped. “I mean, no, thank you, sir.” He had grown quite pale by this point and was bouncing on the balls of his feet, ready to sprint at the gun.

A calmer NE John replied, “Thank you, Sir. Most kind.” He neither confirmed nor denied the CTO’s suspicions about the Borg. “If you do see her, stay back. Don’t touch her. Just call for security and we will come running.”

The door closed as the CTO and his pet retreated into the room. The two NEs swiftly walked away down the corridor. “You’re a right true git, you know that?” Hardy asked John as he slapped the back of his head. “We’re new on the ship and you nearly pissed yourself back there. How are we ever going to earn any respect if you go around acting like a nimby pimby?”

“But did you see that cat?!” He asked in a loud whisper, afraid they might hear him, and decide to have a second course. “With the claws,” he brought his hands up into claw shapes. “And the fangs?” he hissed baring his teeth. “It was all like, ‘grr growl chomp chomp grr!’” He was beside himself. “I don’t know what cats are like where you come from but where I’m from they say ‘me-ow’ and are all soft and cuddly.” He was still going on as they rounded the corner and walked out of sight.

Moments later and Hsull’s door chime chirped again.

-NEs Harper and John

Hsull had just stretched out on the sofa and started to resume his reading, something about <All warfare is based on deception> when the door chime sounded again. He closed the book and placed it on the small table, rising he mumbled to himself, “If it’s those two idiots again cat, you’ve got supper for sure.” He approached the door, and looked back to discover the Savannah was no where to be seen, “Huh! That’s odd.” He faced the door, “Come on in, but this had better be good.”
OOC: Bit of assumption here on my part.

Hsull - CTO

OOC: BUMP

OOC: Well, it’s a very good assumption.

IC: The door slid open to reveal the missing CIO herself. She stepped inside, allowing the doors to close behind her. “I am Lieutenant Harper,” she began, her silvery skin glistening in the faint light. “I hope my escorts didn’t disturb you. I realize I shouldn’t be giving them the runaround, but it is just too easy to do. Since it will be a while before they come back around here, I thought maybe we could take the opportunity to get to know one another a little. Of course, if this is a bad time, I can go.” Harper was aware that they weren’t alone. She could hear something else in the other room, though it was very low.

-Lt. Harper, CIO

Hsull was taken aback a bit at the appearance of the CIO at his door, and all though all the alarm bells and whistles were going off in his brain, his tactical training and experience took over, had he not just read “Know your enemy.” What better way than a sit down chat. He looked for the Savannah and found her peering out from the darkness of the bedroom. He blinked and his eye switched to the infrared spectrum and he could see the cat was distressed, the ears were back, the tail puffed out like a bottle brush and a low susurrating growl coming from deep in her throat, switching back to normal light all you could see were two fierce yellow eyes glowing in the dark. Turning back to the Lt. “Please come in, you’ll have to excuse the cat, once she see’s I accept you she’ll settle down.” Hsull realized his hackles were raised also and if he had been born with the caudal appendage his species normally had it too would be in the distressed mode. “Please, have a seat” He indicated a chair across from the sofa with the table between them, his cane was leaning against the side of the table. “Your two <minders> for lack of a better term let a bit more information about you be known than they intended, so I know that all though you appear mostly human,....... you are far more. Now what can I do for you?” Hsull’s natural instincts were calming down and he ran a hand through his mane. “I don’t suppose you drink coffee, do you ?”

Hsull - CTO

Harper chuckled. “Of course they did. I am beginning to suspect that the detail assigned to me had less to do with keeping tabs on me and far more to do with getting those two morons out of someone’s hair.” She took a few steps inside and looked over at the cat. It was a beautiful creature and a normal person might be intimidated. But then as Hsull had so elegantly stated, she was far more than normal. “Well,” she began, not wanting to sound adversarial, “I’ve noticed some strange reactions to me from the crew. Staring, whispering, but you seem to be bothered, for a lack of a better term, more than the others. I was wondering why that was? Do you really feel I am a threat.” She didn’t want to make herself too comfortable without being invited so she remained standing. “And no on the coffee but thank you.”

-Lt. Harper, CiO

Hsull noted that the Lt. was still standing, “Please have a seat, no reason not to be comfortable.” He had refilled his coffee mug and sat back down on the small sofa. The Savannah was now sitting in the doorway to the bedroom, but was carefully watching all that was transpiring, trying to figure out who or what this strange new creature was. Hsull took a sip of coffee and placed the mug down on the small table and steepled his fingers in front of his face, “My species is highly perceptive and sense things that most do not. The pheromones your body gives off, though very faint, give me a sense of menace or danger. I frankly admit that when you first appeared on the bridge, had you not been wearing a Starfleet uniform, I would have attacked you. All my basic instincts told me to,..... even now I sense that there is a part of you that hiding just beneath the surface and straining to get out.” Hsull took another sip of coffee. “The cat there is a pretty good judge of character and you’ll notice she hasn’t made up her mind about you yet either.” He patted the sofa and called softly, but the cat never moved. “I always attempt to ascertain a threat and then determine an appropriate response or even two. I’m trying to do that now.” He placed the mug back down and casually leaned his cane against the sofa next to his knee. “Hopefully you will explain who you are, exactly what you are, and how you plan to fit into the scheme of things on the Dresden.” The cat finally moved and came over the back of the sofa to sit next to Hsull, but the eyes never left their visitor.

Hsull - CTO


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