[On the WildStrike]
From the Main Briefing room, tr`Rhagarokk opens the ships intercom, and announces, "Rhagarokk to senior staff, please report to main briefing."
Rylan, who had just stepped out of the turbolift, hears that last then turns and goes back into the lift, "Briefing room."
Vyynd had been leaning off of the wall outside Rylan's quarters, waiting for the other boy to show up when the announcement comes through, "Great...." he says to himself, then sees the turbolift doors open briefly, Rylan emerging without his jacket or shoes, before the boy turned around. As the lift's doors close again, Vyynd looks rather confused, but goes to the another turbolift and heads to the briefing room as well.
D`Tarik, who had been having a rather revealing talk to Emni. stands away from her yet again as the announcement ends. "Sorry, Emni," his says in a quiet, apologetic voice, "Duty calls...." then heads out and in to a turbo lift himself.
[Main Briefing Room]
Rhagarokk sits at the head of the briefing room's table, waiting patiently for the others to enter. The briefing room does not look like it usually does: the main briefing table is covered with a tablecloth, and various traditional Romulan food dishes are spread out upon it.
Vyynd, the first to step in, cocks his brow but bows to the Leih, then enters slowly, casting a confused glance around the room. Rylan follows almost immediately, non-challantly entering the room, only to suddenly pause to cast the same confused eye to the table before him. "Aefvadh!" Rhagarokk greets them, as D`Tarik arrives, "Please, sit." The medical officer bows quickly and takes a seat, never noticing the food until after he has sat down. Rylan, likewise, bows his head and takes himself a seat, still a little confused as to what's going on. Vyynd takes his own chair equally distant from the Leih and D`Tarik, still passing a curious eye over the table.
The Leih looks around at the boys' confusion, and explains "Io of the things they do na tell au about in academy is some of the simpler traditions of the Galae...And while I am by far a traditional Leih, I still believe in io of the smaller Galae traditions - having dinner with senior staff."
"Fascinating..." D`Tarik mumbles, looking at the various dishes laid out.
"Hann'yyo rekkhai." Vyynd eases into his seat a bit more, and also looks at the dishes presented.
Rylan, suddenly realizing that he's still without his jacket and shoes, looks down at himself and then apologizes, "Sorry rekkhai...I'm hardly dressed for the occasion. I could go back and change....."
Rhagarokk waves off the boy's concern "Na, na, do na worry about it, Rylan." as under the table he wiggles his feet in the very improper sandals he's wearing. Addressing all of them at once, he continues "So dig in, every-io... I promise au, I had no part in preparing any of these meals. And it looks like it will be just us this evening."
*Well...since I had to skip dinner with Emni...* D`Tarik thinks to himself, *and everything else, for that matter...might as well enjoy this.* Helping himself, the Medical officer loads up his plate with the more 'junk-type foods' offered. Having that done, he starts eating away, still not used to eating anywhere else but in his lab.
"Excellent!" Vyynd states cheerfully, as he too starts rooting through some of the courses offered, and puts various types on his own plate. Rylan follows the other boys example, but since he's not in much of the mood to eat anything, he only leans back in his chair, quietly poking at the food on his plate every so often. Vyynd tries to initiate some casual conversation as the others around the silent boy dig in to the food, "So, Rylan....I was waiting outside ninte quarters...."
"Eh?" dragged from his thoughts, Rylan suddenly looks up at the agent, "Why? Did au need something Vyynd?"
As the Leih scoops some of the food onto his plate, "So, cadets, tell me what has been happening. I've been busy with preparing for this next mission, and I've been receiving some very interesting reports..."
"Well you had said to meet at the bar..." Vyyn leans in a bit closer so as to not disrupt the Leih's question, "but I figured you forgot, and so just wanted to see how you were fairing...."
Rylan's attention immediately shifts from Vyynd to focus on the Leih as Rhagarokk spoke. Smiling proudly he says, "DT and I made a Khensia program for the ship, rekkhai." then leans back toward tr`Khaine and whispers quietly with an apologetic shrug, "Sorry...got busy." he flashes the other boy a slight grin as the agent quietly laughs back.
"Actually," D`Tarik interjects around a mouthful of food, "I did *most* of the work.... ummm...Leih."
Vyynd sits back up and gathers more food on his fork as he also reports, "I've been preparing some reports and such, and focusing mainly on the defense force training."
Rhagarokk pauses to raise an eyebrow, "A khensia? We used to have a real io of those onboard... but he died during the attack of the mind slugs of Talosi V
Rylan's brow does an imitation of the Leih's as he repeats, "Mind slugs.....?"
"Mind slugs??" D`Tarik wonders as he rubs his chin thoughtfully, "Fascinating...." Vyynd puts the slug he had on his fork back onto his plate, and starts slowly eating some of his other food as the conversation continues.
"Yes, mind slugs," tr`Rhagarokk repeats, "but oddly enough, he was killed AFTER we had defeated them...found with a disruptor rifle in hand and cut in two by a kaleh."
D`Tarik seems lost in thought over the possibility of recreating the mentioned mind slugs. Rylan, almost as if knowing what the smaller boy was thinking, passes a glance to DT, then addresses the Leih again, "What exactly do mind slugs do, rekkhai?"
D`Tarik quietly mumbles to himself, "....all though they would probably be better if they had legs.....and more of a use...." he shrugs, "Other than killing or....something...." Vyynd looks up long enough to glare at the daydreaming medical officer, then shifts his attention back to the Leih, waiting for the answer to Rylan's question.
tr`Rhagarokk munches down on a squishy food, then hears the boy's question, "Hrm? Oh, they're little extradimensional buggers that phase in and eat brains before interphasing into subspace again." he supplies as if it were just a part of the everyday occurrence on the Wildstrike.
"That's.....lovely......." Vyynd impales the slug on his plate several times.
Rylan's jaw hangs slightly open at the Leih's explanation, "I see...." a slight pause, "And is there a warning of some kind to when they "phase in and out"?" he asked almost hopefully.
"Minor particle fluctuations... but difficult to monitor for." the Leih explains, "In fact... they could
reappear at any time and we wouldn't even know it until some brains were chewed on." he chuckles to himself.
Vyynd seriously considers the odds of transfer within the TS after hearing that, "Hmmm...."
Rylan looks horrified, "Uh huh...." then suddenly grins cheerfully and looks at the other boys, "Well...there's a happy thought for the day!" the grin dies instantly as he looks at his plate again.
D`Tarik, apparently not the least bit worried over this rather disturbing bit of information, suddenly interjects, "Oh, Leih! By the way....there has been a good bit of problems with the holodeck....."
tr`Rhagarokk snags the opportunity to change subjects as quickly as it started, "Yes, heard there have been some problems with the holodeck..."
As the other two talk, Vyynd moves the slug with a fork over to Rylan's plate with a laugh, "Here....for au."
Rylan glares at the agent, then moves the slug back where it came from, "Na...hann'yyo..."
"Any idea what could be causing it, sir?" D`Tarik asks, then jams a good bit of junk food into his mouth.
Vyynd fakes a sad look, "Awww, ok....." shooting a quick glance at D`Tarik, the agent resumes eating.
Rhagarokk, tapping his fork on his plate, addresses the smaller boy's question, "Ie, the Vhortai Advanced class was na designed with the best holodeck facilities... for a multitude of reasons... which I will now tell au!"
As the Leih begins to explain, Rylan frowns at DT and grumbles, "Au know what caused it....we overloaded the thing 'cause au wouldn't practice ninte fighting skills..." then turns his attention back to the Leih. Vyynd scratches his chin and stops eating, listen to the unfolding conversation more carefully.
"Well ie, Rylan..." the medical officer whispers back, picking up his glass, "but I'm sure there are other reasons..." he finishes quietly as he drinks some citrus juice.
Not seeming to notice this exchange, the Leih goes on with his explanation of how the holomatrix of the Wildstrike works. "The Wildstrike contains holoemmitters in every laboratory, on the bridge, and on the outside of the ship. While overall the holomatrices are sophisticated, the holodecks themselves... did na get all the resources that perhaps they should have."
"They should be improved!" D`Tarik immediately interjects, "The crew deserves the best holo facilities we can get." he nods in agreement with himself. That statement seems to please Rylan, who grins slightly at the medical officer, then shifts his attention once more to the Leih.
"Improved?" Rhagarokk rubs his chin thoughtfully, "For what purpose?"
Vyynd interrupts a bit, "Actually rekkhai, I checked out the holodeck equipment after engineering's retrieval, everything checked out fine...."
The Leih looks over at Vyynd, "Really? Interesting. I'll have to assign some engineers to find out what made it blow..."
"Ie, but it should be improved so it can handle a lot more....and have access to more programs!" D`Tarik explains then suddenly holds up a finger, "Silence Vnny! I'm talking with the Leih!"
Rylan nods at Vyynd's statement, and supplies the answer to the mysterious blown out holodeck, "Ie....we burned out the card....." then questions the Leih, "These holoemitters....they could project something from the holomatrix into other parts of the ship?"
"If they can't, that would be an improvement too, Rylan." D`Tarik agrees.
"Ie, DT...." the taller boy grins again, "That would be an improvement...."
"Ie, any of the labs, the med bay, the bridge, and the exterior of the ship." Rhagarokk answers, "The exterior io-a being PARTICULARY powerful."
Vyynd, steaming after D`Tarik's 'keep quiet' attitude, slightly raises in his seat, "Don't tell me to be silent D'Tarik! Au don't respect the equipment in this ship....and put holes in the corridors....." Rylan quickly puts a hand on Vyynd's shoulder to settle him down in his seat, hoping that the conversation would just keep going over that bit of news he had never intended to let out.
"I resepct the equipment...." D`Tarik begins to protest, then suddenly realizes where the conversation had turned to, "and hole...I don't know what au are talking about...." And was rewarded for that by a kick in the leg from Rylan.
"The Rhagarokk External Holoemitter Mask Scramble Shroud should be in production in every ship in the Galae..." Rhagarokk had went on with his explanation, then suddenly pays attention to where the conversation had shifted to, "HOLES IN THE CORRIDORS?"
"It was fixed, Rekkhai..." Rylan supplies immediately, "Just a small hole...."
Vyynd looks confused at the Leih's previous conversation, but moves back to the current one, "Ie....it was only a small one though......" he agrees as he sits back down rather quickly.
"And what was the cause of said hole?" the Leih asked the boys with a displeased frown.
"Sorry....." Vyynd whispers to Rylan, "slipped there....." Rylan only response to that apology was an angry glare.
"Me, rekkhai...." D`Tarik offered quietly, "I was carrying something, and slipped and it hit the wall...." he lied, knowing the consequences if the Leih found out that Sprink did it. Rylan, not knowing these consequences, only looked at his friend, confused as to why he was lying.
"Au?" the Leih's eyes focused on the boy, "And what was it that au were carrying?"
"Well...a weapon of mine..." D`Tarik supplies, referring to his little 'bio-gun', Sprink, "I was carrying it to my lab for storage." Rylan, in disbelief that the smaller boy was still trying to lie about the incident, kicks DT's leg again, then raises a brow in question.
"So a weapon of ninte-a..." the Leih questioned slowly, "slipped out of ninte hands, and hit the wall, and made a hole in it."
"Ie, rekkhai, and it was partially my fault as well...." Vyynd interjects, "I was querying tr'Rekkohan as to why he needed such a thing.....andwell......" Rylan, stunned by this strange conspiracy, sits back in his seat, looking between the pair of them.
D`Tarik winces in pain for a second as his leg was kicked, recovers, then is more then stunned at Vyynd's comment, "Ie rekkhai..." he quickly explains to the Leih, "That's exactly what happend. But it was na Vyynd's fault...it was mine, fully." After a moment's pause, he added, "But it was repaired."
Vyynd rubs the back of his head sadly, "We both supervised the immediate repair of said hole...." he collaborates, then busies himself with his food. Rylan covers his face in a hand, trying desperately to bite back a laugh.
"Did the weapon go off? Or was it made of acid?" Rhagarokk questioned, tapping his fork quicker, "Never mind, I do na want to know."
"The weapon has a safety lock." D`Tarik supplies, "It did na go off....." After a brief hesitation he continues, trying to change subjects quickly, "Ok...so...about that holodeck, I'm sure au could think of some improvements... I would love to hear about them...ummm...now, rekkhai..."
Vyynd gins innocently, "Ie, the processors for it could easily be improved upon......" Vyynd looks at D`Tarik with a hint of worry, but a good amount of relief. Knowing that their ploy would probably not work, Rylan remains silent, rubbing his head as if it hurt.
"Just... make sure it never happens again." despite the attempts, Rhagarokk stays on the subject, "This is na some disposable Ra'Kalen, this is a finely tuned instrument of Science that has been graciously upgraded by myself from what was left over from my last ship, and I will na tolerate senseless destruction."
D'Tarik looks down at his plate and answers the Leih, "It will na happen again, rekkhai."
Vyynd bows his head, "Ie, rekkhai." then lightly kicks Rylan under the table, glaring at the erie'Arrain quickly. Rylan cast a glare back at the agent, then shakes his head in disapproval of what the two had done. All three boys focus their attention back to the Leih when Rhagarokk continues.
"Ie, ie, I will see in to upgrading the holodecks when I have the chance, but my experiments are so much more important..." the Leih explains, "perhaps when we get done this next mission. Speaking of which..." tr`Rhagarokk stands and pulls out a laser pointer, pressing a button to activate a holographic map of Romulan space, which seems to be projecting through a green bowl of vegetables. "Now clas... crew members, what do au know about the political divisions of the Romulan Star Republic?"
Vyynd rubs his head in thought, as D'Tarik thinks out loud, "Ummmm....." the medical officer looks slightly confused at the mention of politics.
Rylan only stares blankly at the map, never one much for politics. Seeing movement out of the corner of his eye as Vyynd rubs his head, he looks to the boy for the answer to the Leih's question as Vyynd is the agent-man.
Vyynd looks slightly miffed, "Errrr, I make it habit not to discuss politics over dinner...." he grins with a painful laugh, hoping his excuse is good enough. D`Tarik holds back the urge to make his 'friend' talk about what he proclaims he doesn't want to.
Rylan tries to cover a snicker, then apologizes to the Leih with a shrug, "Guess none of us knows that much about it, rekkhai...."
Rhagarokk grins and begins to launch into a speech that was obviously prepared ahead of time. "The Republic is divided into three sectors. Two of the sectors are stabilized and are fully Republican. The east, however... is still a battle zone, the last of the Civil War."
The Leih pauses and paces the room for a second. "The East, for reasons that we four know, is incredibly obedient to the deposed Empress. It is also highly conservative and traditional- featuring architecture and fashions not seen in more modern sectors for decades. As a result, their technology is na nearly as advanced... especially not as advanced as MY technology." The Leih grins a little wider before going on.
"There are primitive detection grids set up near the border, but it is my guess that they cannot accommodate for the array of advanced cloaking techniques this ship has. If I do na hear any other plan from the Hydra, I will use the Temporal Cloaking procedure to slip in unnoticed. While there, we will be running cloaked for a while until we can reach our target, the Empress's Time Weapon.
"The Temporal Cloak has never been tested for such an extreme amount of time, so I need Medical to keep an eye out for side effects. Vynnd, au need to talk to Aemhig about Temporal Assessment Group protocol, and au both need to keep in contact with the Hydra. Rylan, I need au to coordinate the department heads, and also keep an eye out on the Temporal Cloak systems and Engineering. We stop for supplies tomorrow at an outpost near the border, and then we cross the border at approximately 0000 hours the next day. Everything clear? Good, dismissed."
Rhagarokk takes a look at the boys, who were all still in the process of eating. The three look at each other, not sure what military protocol dictates them to do next. Rhagarokk cocks an eyebrow, then his words catch up to him. "Err, I mean, au may finish eating, and then go to ninte duties. No rush. Really."
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