USS Dark Fire (IC)

[sereneotter00]

While he recognized some disciplines, enough left Araiza looking at the commander as if he was speaking another language. He had his set of hand to hand combat instilled by his service, but otherwise? “I mean, I’ve won every bar fight I’ve been in, if that counts.” Whatever that meant. He could throw a punch and was good on kicking, but he did do better with a weapon. The man had an alarming aim. He looked at the counselor. “Should I…?”

“No, it’s alright,” she assured, returning her attention to the commander. “I appreciate your course of action. I did want to ask how long I am expected to be on the bridge. My appointments begin at seven thirty and my agenda is too crowded today to allow for tardiness.”

Araiza recognized the hour. He had asked to see her first thing in the morning. “Aw, you’re keeping me on? That’s so sweet.” Yeah, it was her job, but he appreciated the effort. “I don’t mind rescheduling. Besides, I was just gonna share about that time I went to beach for the first time. Got an ear infection. Not too compelling.”

 

[The_Weeping_Angel]

Stardate 29870606.0525

Reeves:
“The Wormhole shouldn’t take more than a few minutes to transition. The shuttle did it in three minutes and twelve seconds. So the Dark Fire should be able to do it in ten at the most. You aren’t required to be there, but considering our previous lack of communication, I felt you should be invited. Just in case.”

Glancing at them The Commander said, “I do not wish to cause you to cancel or rearrange any of your appointments.”

“And bar fights might be useful, the improvisational skill could be useful when fighting enemy boarding parties.” he commented as he started slowing his run to a jog and then to a walk.​

 

[sereneotter00]

Good point. She stood corrected. “I appreciate it, and the clarification as well.” Xiana had more questions, the main one being if she appeared as awkward as she felt. She hadn’t stopped thinking about the night prior. It had left her desperate for answers.

But they’d have to wait. “I’ll be there, then. I should get going. Lieutenant, I expect you at 7:30 sharp.”

“It’s a date,” he grinned, watching the counselor exit the gymnasium in a hurry. The man concluded she had more work than they bargained for.

He gave the commander a funny look. “Seriously? Bar fights can be useful? You won’t get in trouble for saying that?”

 

[The_Weeping_Angel]

Stardate 29870606.0530

Reeves:​

“Why would I get in trouble, I’ve broken no regulation. I myself use multiple species of martial arts just to keep my opponents off balance. Switching between one style and another in the middle of a fight has saved my life on more than one occasion. Bar fighting is no different. It utilizes and a feet, as well as impromptu weaponry in a confined space with multiple angles of attack.”

“Besides,” Jordan said as he stepped off the treadmill. “Who’s going to report me?”

Stepping over to the weight set he adjusted it to two hundred and fifty to start with. He’d adjust it after a few reps. Laying down on the bench he planted his feet wide, which caused his shorts to tighten and outline his personal bits. His shirt was also straining to hold in his muscles as he started his weight routine.

“This is light enough I don’t need a spotter, keep running.” He said to Araiza.​

 

[sereneotter00]

◅ ALFREDO ARAIZA ▻​

“Yeah, it also utilizes alcohol poisoning,” he added, increasing the speed of the treadmill. Typically, he used the track, so adjusting to the still environment felt unique. “It’s kinda implied.”

He had a point, but he doubted Reeves was the kind of person who enjoyed breaking rules anyway. What would there even be to report on?

The male went to slow down the treadmill to spot the man until he was dismissed. “You sure?” he asked. He began at his previous pace again, his eyes still on the other. Sure, maybe he could handle it, but he didn’t want to be blamed for the death of the ship’s commander if a hand slipped for a second.

“Damn, Reeves. You got a permit for those guns?”

 

[The_Weeping_Angel]

Stardate 29870606.0530

Reeves:​

“Yes, my wife signed the approval form herself.” He replied without missing a beat. A joke from the ships XO?

“I’ll be fine until I pass Three hundred plus.” Jordan said as he stared at the ceiling and pumped the iron bar fairly easily for a repetition of ten. Then he sat up and wiped his face off with his shirt, baring his tight stomach for a moment, and more than a dozen scars in the process, including one along his left side that looked like a shark had taken a helluva big bite out of him.

Flexing his back as he stood, he moved to the weights and started adding some. Once he was at 300 hundred, he locked them in place and lay back down under the bar. His shorts catching slightly and dragging down to bar even more of his abdomen. He was a man that didn’t believe in shaving either, his chest had enough hair to make a toupee out of, but not enough to be called a bearskin.​

 

[sereneotter00]

◅ ALFREDO ARAIZA ▻​

Araiza chuckled. “Touché.”

He had to be frank, he wasn’t getting much running done today. He not only hated the treadmill, but his attention was divided between making sure the guy didn’t drop the weight and making sure his own gaze didn’t drop below the other man’s waist. He was allowed to look, right? Not like anything would come from it.

Wiping the treadmill clean, he made his way over to the weights. He only had a small amount of sweat on his face. Based on how much the man before him prespired, he had a long way to go.

“Might work on the other machines,” he said. Realistically, he’d go for more traditional items. He was personally very fond of the pull up bar. “You sure you’re good here?”

 

[The_Weeping_Angel]

Stardate 29870606.0530

Reeves:​

“If you could spot me now it would be appreciated. Three hundred is went I start needing a spotter. I’m only going to do three sets of ten. The swim and sauna. Going to be busy today and I don’t want to wear out too soon. Besides I didn’t get much sleep last night.”

“I hope there aren’t any issues this morning with the transition through the wormhole. I don’t foresee any issues, but you never know. I’m hoping that the Continuum doesn’t get involved. I’ve heard enough to want to avoid them.”​

 

[sereneotter00]

◅ ALFREDO ARAIZA ▻​

“For what it’s worth, are you ever not busy?” he asked sarcastically, getting closer to the bench. Standing at the head, he crossed his arms and looked down at his friend. From his perspective, he looked upside down.

Sly dog. He almost made a suggestive joke before the other continued. Right, that fucking wormhole. The return to reality successfully brought Araiza back from his admiration. “What happens if they do get involved?”

 

[The_Weeping_Angel]

Stardate 29870606.0535

Reeves:​

“Well, we’re screwed. No matter what. Anything that has the powers of a deity and the willpower of a toddler always turns your life to shit.”

“I’ve never heard of anything good coming from their involvement in anything.” Reeves said as the weights started rising and falling and muscles flexed in his chest and arms. “Don’t ever spot solo for any of the Klingons’ or Vulcans.”

“The Klingon’s will cut your balls for being so close to their face, male or female. And the Vulcan’s will lift more than you could handle alone.”

“Although the female Klingon’s just might so how good you are at push ups….”​

 

[sereneotter00]

◅ ALFREDO ARAIZA ▻​

He whistled. How optimistic. But he knew he was being realistic, so he wasn’t about to argue. Guess his ideas of risk weren’t too far off. Was Araiza supposed to make a will? What could he pass down other than a risk of Alzheimer’s?

“Noted,” he answered. He never enjoyed the weight racks anyway. They were too boring for his liking. “Pass on Klingons. Contrary to popular belief, I like living.”

“What about human men?” Araiza asked. “Am I too close to your face?”

 

[The_Weeping_Angel]

Stardate 29870606.0540

Reeves:​

“I was a M.A.C.O. for several tours of duty. It’s coed showers so I’ve probably seen more personal bits than anyone except the M.A.C.O.’s”

Pausing with the weights half raised, which had to be a strain on his arms, he looked up at Araiza. “As long as I can’t smell you, your fine.” he said before finishing the decent with the weights. “I’ve seen multi gendered species before. As well as one that had… shall we say several personal extensions.”

“And Klingon males are.. endowed. And they like walking around naked to show it. Especially when the females are around.”

“But back to the first question, yes there are times when I’m not busy. I usually meditate or read during those times.”​

 

[sereneotter00]

◅ ALFREDO ARAIZA ▻​

A good day for being clean, he supposed. Araiza inched closer as he saw the slight strain, his attention fully on the other’s movements.

“Klingons, they’re just like us,” he smiled. He did appreciate them, truthfully. K’alena was one hell of a buddy. “I really wonder if you’re more Vulcan than human sometimes.”

“I mean, honestly it’s so weird hearing you talk about sex,” he admit with humor in his voice. “If not for you being married, with all this rigidness you’ve been giving me the past few years I woulda guessed you were still a virgin.”

 

[The_Weeping_Angel]

Stardate 29870606.0545

Reeves:​

“I haven’t been a virgin for a very long time, and I’ve been married for ten years.” Reeves commented as he continued lifting the weights until he hit ten, then he paused for a couple minutes.

“The meditation and mind melding help me to control my emotions, which is beneficial for me as a Bridge Officer and the XO. I don’t allow my excitement, fear, anger, or compassion influence my duty or the immediate needs of the ship and crew.”

“As XO I deal with everyone except the Officer’s, so it helps when dealing with some of the more aggressive species.”

“Or when individuals have a miscommunication and problems arise as a result. I can remain unemotional and resolve the situation. I understand that this infuriates most of the Human crew, and enrages the Klingon’s. But it is most effective.”

“When I counter Emotion with calm logic things tend to become calmer as the individuals realize that being hyper-emotional is unsatisfactory in the long term. Vulcan’s call me. ‘d'Vel'nahr’ which means ‘Vulcan by Choice’.”​

 

[sereneotter00]

◅ ALFREDO ARAIZA ▻​

And the Vulcans really weren’t kidding. “Well, that sucks,” he said plainly.

Seeing he had stopped, he walked around the bench and sat in front of the man, on the ground. “Don’t get it twisted; Vulcans are really fucking cool, but cutting out the emotional part? That’s the best part of being human, man.”

“Yeah, it sucks sometimes.” He was a case study of anger and disappointment, after all. “But those good things? I don’t think I’d be myself if I wasn’t allowed to be excited or proud or even cocky. Hell, even the worst of the worst does a difference. If I didn’t hate mistakes, I wouldn’t work as hard as I do. If I didn’t feel hope, I wouldn’t even be talking to you right now.”

“Maybe it’s the most fruitful, but it’d be my nightmare. No offense,” he said quickly, leaning back with his palms supporting his torso behind him. “I love feeling too much to let it go for efficiency.”

 

[The_Weeping_Angel]

Stardate 29870606.0550

Reeves:​

“You might be misunderstanding. I still feel emotions, just as Vulcan’s have and feel emotions. But they have learned to control themselves. They are not a slave to their emotions. They harness it, and use the emotion to bring logic to the solution.”

“If you ever see an angry Vulcan, you’ll understand why they have chosen to control themselves. He’ll rip your arms off and then beat you to death with the bloody stumps.” The cold factual way he spoke unnerved many, but it was they way he held himself in check.

“I beat a man senseless because he tried to take L’Sa from me at our engagement event. If I had not, he would have happily removed my head from my shoulders. He was a Vulcan without Logic. ‘V'tosh ka'tur’ He was controlled by his passion and desires.​

 

[sereneotter00]

◅ ALFREDO ARAIZA ▻​

“Nah, I know you have emotions,” he explained. He could’ve better worded his statements. “And I’m not saying it’s inherently bad to control your actions you wanna do ‘cause of emotions, either. We have to, just as we gotta feel everything, even if we don’t do shit with it.”

Araiza got on his feet, shaking dust off his shorts. “I know Vulcans kinda don’t have a choice but to control themselves, willing safety and all that stuff. But you do. You’re a human at the end of the day, right? I mean you chose to beat the shit out of that guy.”

 

[The_Weeping_Angel]

Stardate 29870606.0555

Reeves:​

“Yes, I chose to beat him. If I had not I wouldn’t have survived to marry L’Sa,” Jordan said as he stood up and adjusted his clothing to fit better. “But yes, I am human and I have emotions. I even allow myself to embrace them sometimes. But I don’t let them control me.”

“I may just skip the swim today, and head for the sauna. Are you joining me?” He asked.

0655
Stepping onto the Bridge Reeves looked around for a moment then went ad spoke with each of the Bridge crew for a moment. He was trying to be nicer and not such a 'cold person'.​

 

[milkmaiden38]

Hora
Hora stepped onto the bridge moments after Commander Reeves, her gaze sweeping across the crew. They were ready. As Reeves exchanged greetings, she focused on the ship’s shields and engine configurations, confirming their status with precision. A quick glance told her that Dr. Marlowe had also arrived.

When the commander returned, she met his eyes and said, “I believe we’re ready.”

He gave a firm nod.

Hora pressed the ship-wide communications button, her voice steady and commanding. “Officers, crew, civilians, and guests—this is your Captain. The USS Dark Fire will be entering the wormhole in thirty seconds. You will feel little during transit, but remain alert for potential temporal abnormalities. The light patterns can be disorienting, so we’ll be securing all display screens prior to entry. Stay sharp. Hora out.”

She turned to the helm officer. “Bring us to point-nine sublight speed, heading 120 Mark 6. Secure the display screens on entry.”

The ship surged forward, slipping into the wormhole within twenty-five seconds. As before, the passage was a mesmerizing spectacle—dizzying spirals of light twisting through the shifting tunnel, the ship rolling ever so slightly through the cosmic vortex.

The journey was brief. Moments later, they emerged into the unknown, stars glittering across a new galaxy.

Hora straightened. “Status?”

“All systems green,” the bridge team reported.

She nodded once. “Cloak the ship. Let’s begin exploring.”

 

[The_Weeping_Angel]

Stardate 29870606.0710

With all systems green the cloaking field engaged as the massive starship vanished from sight and sensors. Moving forwards, it passed through the depths of space as astrometrics recorded everything. This was more exciting for some of the crew than finding a new solar system. They were in completely unknown space.

Much like Christopher Columbus and the New World. They new this galaxy was inhabited, but would they find friend or foe first?

Targeting the closest star the ship moved forwards.​

 

[sereneotter00]

◅ XIANA MARLOWE ▻​

The brief sea of colors had captivated the counselor, rendering her silent while the moment passed. How wonderful to be able to see such marvelous things.

The ongoing instructions brought her back to her position. Hands behind her back, she observed the crew from afar. In a best case scenario, she would be able to return to her work with no new worries. She didn’t know if she could feel relieved just yet, or how long that relief would last.

“I have some beta blockers on hand, if anybody is feeling uneasy. For those without heart complications, naturally.”

 

[The_Weeping_Angel]

Stardate 29870606.0710

Reeves:​

“Thank you, Doctor. And when you have time, at your convenience of course, I’ll need to speak with you.”

“Captain, I’ll be in my office if you have need of me.” Reeves said looking at Captain Hora.

L’Sa:​

After looking at the DNA sequence of the living ship alien L’Sa cross referenced several books, as well as the ships memory.

Yito:​

Watching her Data padd Yito made observations of the Parasite Alien, and made not of them before returning to her position in Alfredo’s lab. While he was out she was taking over his duties in the repair, maintenance, and upgrades of the weapons as well as making sure the mass reproduction was underway.

 

[sereneotter00]

“I’ll try during my lunchtime,” she told the commander. After her departure, Xiana went directly to her first appointment with the lieutenant. She was eager to help, but his energy so early in the day was tiring.

“You’re rather… awake.”

“Well, better than not being awake,” he answered, smiling from his seat. “No, actually I’m not used to not working. At this hour I’d be yelling at some private.”

“You yell at your employees?”

“Yeah,” he said casually. “Everyone in my field does. That’s how you get shit done.”

“Language.”

“Sorry,” he said quickly, continuing. “But c’mon, you really think people who aren’t risking our safety by not paying attention deserve to be reprimanded?”

“I do,” Xiana concurred, “yet one thing is punishment, another is humiliation.”

“You sound like the Chief.”

“Has she ever screamed at you?”

“No.”

“And if she did?”

“I’d take it if I deserved it.”

“So you’d only accept criticism if you think it’s something you’d also be upset about?” Xiana asked, an eyebrow raised.

Araiza straightened. He was not appreciating what he felt was targeting. “I didn’t say that. I know I can fuck—

“Language.”

“Sorry, messed up. I’m not perfect.”

“So you, as a second lieutenant, recognize you yourself can make a mistake despite your best intentions.”

“Yeah, of course.”

“Then why can’t your techs make a mistake too?”

The man went quiet for a moment. “That’s different.”

“Is it?” she asked, her voice not an octave higher or accusatory. “You loathe your employers for not being more considerate of your colleagues, but you turn around to be inconsiderate to those who work under you. Which one is it, then?”

Parting his lips, Araiza sat still, trying desperately to argue back to the counselor, who watched him patiently.

He fell back to his chair. “It’s not that black and white.”

“I agree,” Xiana continued, “which is why monolithic approaches rarely hold up. I don’t mean to imply that you aren’t allowed to be critical of the top of the chain, but unless you practice what you preach, then your complaints are empty.”

“You’re a little harsh today, Doc.”

“Am I mistaken?”

“…No.”

◅ ALFREDO ARAIZA ▻​

His conflicted feelings followed him to his quarters, where he continued working on his projects. His place was starting to get messy, but he couldn’t dispose of some of the residue in a plain trash container.

Whistling to himself, he headed to his workshop. Without his supervision, he figured there wouldn’t be anyone present. As he stepped inside, he realized he spoke too soon.

His whistling came to a halt. “Man, these guys just have a sub at all times, don’t they?”

 

[The_Weeping_Angel]

“No, I’ve been reassigned to the nightshift. But as you are on leave I volunteered to take step in and assist with the production of the weapons you developed.”

Clenching her jaw she prepared for a screaming fit, or an abusive verbal assault, She wouldn’t react to it which ever it was.

But she did shift her position to place a surface between them, just in case he chose to become physically violent. Thier last encounter had been particularly unpleasant, and she wasn’t sure how to react to this Human.

“If you will be staying, I’ll leave you alone. It’s what the Commander and I agreed on, after all.”​

 

[sereneotter00]

◅ ALFREDO ARAIZA ▻​

He didn’t know if it was the sleep depravation, the lack of breakfast, or the reality check he had less than an hour ago, but his chest rose and fell before speaking. “No, it’s cool.”

“I just need to get rid of this,” he said, lifting the bag and heading towards their chute. “Don’t feel like inhaling metal anytime soon, so…”