A Party Awry

Posted on Mon Jun 8th, 2015 @ 1:52pm by Lieutenant Mickey McClane & Commander Cor Cordale & Commander Bertrand Cuprum
Edited on on Mon Jan 11th, 2016 @ 10:55am

Mission: Debts to be settled......
Location: Observation Lounge
Timeline: Off Duty Hours/before the ship arrived at the planet

[ON]

Cor seemed to visibly relax once the matter was settled, to his mindset, properly. "I'll skip on the ale. Doesn't agree with the ole Thux'System, and that's all I'll say on that for everyone's sake. I'm in for a drink and a chat, though certainly." and now the Thux perked up. He wore his emotional state pretty much on his vest, it seemed. Never mind that the ale was pretty much illegal. "Lead the way." he motioned to Mickey with his prosthetic limb, and then down the hallway in the direction he HOPED was where Mickey's quarters were. Pretty much 50/50 at this point.

"Actually it's right down the hall" Mickey said as he pointed a few doors down that way as The acting Ensign and the others walked into the office with the bar open. "Drinks on the house" Mickey said nicely as he went and drank some ale

"Mickey, remember you know your limit" Aladdin nodded

Cor gave a chuckle. "Got yourself a regular wingman there." and when they got to Mickey's quarters, Cor actually whistled in approval. "Nice... so, I'm off duty for the next couple'a... Just rep' me up a brew. I keep a list of my favorite microbrews in the replicator database, follows me where I go." he smirked, "Number thirteen's nice. It's the Whamma Quadrant, they call it. Not bad."

"Thanks, glad you approved" Mickey said nicely

"Just gonna nurse this little bottle here." he said, which was a complete fabrication of the truth, but it was nice to try.

The Thux accepted the bottle with his prosthetic limb, and popped the top off with little difficulty. That limb of his had seen much better days, that much was certain. Though what was curious were a series of scratch marks in the major forearm plate, which seemed too precise to be accidental. Possibly intentional damage. The scratches form two distinct pairs of series of lines branching off of a central hexagon each, matching the style of symbol on his dog tag around his own collar. Similar, but distinct enough.

Moriloth wasn't much of a drinker. Or, more accurately, half a drink would put her out like a light. However, she and her imaginary friends were game for gab, if she was invited.

Mickey poured a glass of Apple Juice to Moriloth. The little female tenderly accepted the glass with both hands. Little did he know, however, that concentrated sugar tended to make her a little weird.

=A= Doctor Antos, Please come to my office=A= Mickey called the doctor then sent a text message to mikela to join in at the obs lounge

=^= Doctor Antos here I will be right there! =^=Antos said calmly as he grabbed a med kit just in case. He was now off duty as the other nurse came in to cover the night shift. And she knows to activate the emh if needed. He left sickbay as he headed to mickeys office. He grabbed the nearest lift and he was on his way.

"So do you guys know about the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701?" Mickey said down with his ale in hand as he took a small sip and sat down.

"Pfft, that's like asking if folks have heard of space." Cordale pointed out with a motion of his bottle. "Anyone who can spell 'NCC' knows about that ship. Set more records and broke more regulations than any two others ships put together." a pause to take a swig, "Same could be said for her captain, too." he said with a smirk.

The apple juice made Mori a little silly. She raised a toast, "I heard that Captain Kirk was a legend, a pioneer of Federation policy... blow it up or have sex with it!" She rolled with chirpy laughter.

Mickey just laughed his ass off he couldn't have heard it more right.

It was a good thing the Thux wasn't drinking at that moment, because that booze would have sailed through the air. Cor laughed a big, honest, and deep belly laugh, and it was only because he slapped the bar top with his living hand that he didn't dent it.

"Yes, but have you heard the stories of her unofficial final mission?" Mickey asked Cor nicely.

Cor held up a single finger, to ask for a moment to compose himself after the laugh'fest. A few breaths, in... out... in... out... and then Cor fielded Mickey's question, "Well, only in so far as any unofficial mission. In that the details are scattered and mostly rumor. You're talking about when Kirk stole the ship, right? I mean, for the last time, cause it didn't come back, right? That unofficial mission?" he had to clarify. The point of unofficial was that there were no details, no conjecture.

The doors slid open as the doctor entered mickeys office with his medical kit in hand. "OH? Hello everyone?" Antos said with a bit of shock. He was not realizing it was a social gathering. "Did I come at the wrong time?" Antos asked quickly.

"No your just in time your off duty come have a drink." Mickey said nicely

"Thank you that's very kind of you!" he said with a small smile. "Are you sure i am not intruding." He asked sincerely to the rest.

Moriloth's imaginary Green Orion Slave Girl rested her hand on the girl's shoulder, "Poor Lieutenant Cuprum has seemed so stressed, lately. We should invite him to join in!"

"Ohhh! Good idea, Blossom! Do you think he can perceive you with me being this far away?"

The GOSG gave a predatory grin, "Let's find out!"

=A=Bertrum, it's McClane. Meet us in the observation lounge. It's drink time.=A= Mickey called Bert on the com.

Bertrand heard the summons over the comms. He could do with a drink right now. His hand wavered towards the pin but he stopped. He could REALLY use a drink after today. Just a small one, in company. Its not like he was drinking alone or on duty. He really should take this opportunity to socialize with the other command officers. Just a quick drink. Just one.

He closed his hand into a fist without tapping the pin. It was never just one though, was it. Just one, then another because the first really hadn't affected him. Then another for the road. Then another...

Just tell them you can't go. You are busy. Too much to sort out before you arrive at the mission.

He tapped the pin, =A= Sorry, Lieutenant. I am caught up with some security details at the moment. I might come down later. =A=

Where did that last bit come from, he chided himself.

"Will see about that?" Mickey snickered to himself

"Let's go to the lounge. Stand by." Mickey said as he transported everyone to the lounge with the drinks on the table.

Feeling a little overheated from the sugar rush, Moriloth proceeded to partially disrobe.

Once the rematerialization process completed, Cor checked himself for all his parts. Arm? Check. Other Arm? Check. Head? Check. Tail... Thud... yup, check. "Hey, careful with that." Cor mentioned to Mickey. "Some of us aren't afraid of a little walk."

Antos was not quite prepared for the unexpected transport. as he grabbed the wall near him so he would not fall.

"Anto's we were just discussing the U.S.S. Enterprise." Mickey said nicely and went back to answer Cor's question "Yes, the one were the took the ship and it never returned. They took the ship back to the Genesis Planet in the Mutara Sector" Mickey said as he took another sip

Aladdin walked to the doctor and surprised him with his voice box. "Hi, Doc!" Mickey offered his paw as he spoke human with the collar.

Antos was getting the jest of the topic and was about to speak. Then heard a voice he did not recognize as he looked he finally noticed it came out of Aladdin. "Aladdin??" He said in shock "I thought ?? How?? what??" looking at the others with amazement and confusion at the same time. "That's amazing!" forgetting the topic of the enterprise. as he held out his hand to shake Aladdin's Paw. "Who came up with this??" Antos asked quickly.

"Ensign Morolith, made this collar for me i can speak now." Aladdin said happily.

"Amazing work Ensign Morolith," Antos said quickly. "The science counsel might give you a medal for this. Your the first to ever to get a collar to work on any animal most doctors gave up that type of work long ago." Antos said with a broad smile. "No offence Aladdin..." Antos offers quickly.

Aladdin wasn't offended as he shook his head "None taken" Aladdin brushed his leg.

"Thank you Aladdin! as he gave him a pat on the head.

"You know, speaking of the Sciences, you invited all us but you didn't invite the new Science officer?" Cor seemed stumped.

"You mean Liviana, unfortunately Cor she had to leave" Mickey said to him nicely

"No no no, I mean the one with the ears and that cute little cotton puff tail." Cordale clarified. "Though, it sucks that we lost someone so early." Don't be a MopeyThux! DON'T BE A MOPEYTHUX!

"Bert's not coming well guess what, i am beaming him in here. Computer, lock on to Lieutenant cuprum and energize beam him to the observation lounge" Mickey Order the computer.

Now wearing considerably less than when she arrived, Moriloth's eyes widened at hearing the order. She deeply hoped that Lt. Cuprum wasn't busy in the bathroom.

"Whoa whoa wait..." Cor tried to delay Mickey's rampant use of the party grabber... he meant the site to site transporter.

There was a blue shimmer and Lt Bertrand Cuprum materialized. A soldier would probably have pulled his weapon but Bertram stood very still taking everything in. The officer's lounge, the party of faces, some worried, some grinning, the bottle of blue alcohol. He sighed heavily and stood straight, turning to the Chief Engineer.

"Lieutenant Cordale," he began in a dangerous tone, "As you are technically Senior officer below me in the gathering here I am going to address this to you. What I would like to believe is happening here is that your party has found a bottle of contraband alcohol and wishes with urgency to surrender it to the proper authorities. I hope that this is in fact the case, because a less discerning man might think that your group had miss used their Starfleet privileges to kidnapped me in the hope I would join them in the imbibing of said proscribed materials. Were the later the case I would be forced to arrest the entire senior staff for being accomplices to the crime."

"Then if that is indeed actually a contraband substance..." Cordale returned in just as dangerous a tone, "... and isn't a replicated facsimile or a cheap knock off..." he set his bottle down. "Then arrest me. No one is dumb enough to go slinging around contraband booze'ahol and then double dip into the dumb dip and blind-site transport the chief of security for the crime of turning down an invitation."

"So we are just back to kidnapping me against my will and miss using your Federation Privileges, are we, Lieutenant? Romulan Ale, and I will know if it is genuine when it is tested, has been illegal since 2017."

He held up his hand to Mickey, "The worst possible thing you could say to me right now is that this is 'all a bit of fun', because that would mean breaking Starfleet regulations is a thing you take very lightly for entertainment."

"The rest of the drinks are syntohol" Mickey said to Bert

Moriloth's imaginary Klingon scolded loudly, "CUPRUM! After a good mission, drink and fellowship are GOOD!"

"And YOU," he pointed to an empty chair next to Moriloth, "keep out of this."

Cordale took note that Bertrand pointed to an empty chair.

He looked at the group, knowing full well this is not the response they had hoped for from him, "I know what this is. This is the first trip out and you are testing the waters, trying to find out if the hard arsed grump is soft and squishy underneath. Believe me I am flattered that you are so insistent on your invitation. But he is not soft. I have arrested the CO for lesser offenses, and spent more than one night in the tank myself for Drunk and Disorderly, so there is no special treatment. As this is the first time, and in the interests of producing better people, not bigger cells, I am prepared to accept the bottle of contraband and a promise that this will be the last time I need to speak with any of you about this sort of thing. You are senior officers, not Academy undergraduates."

"So then, at what part in that rant do you explain the empty chair getting told to keep out?" Cor brought up. Soft and squishy, no... but maybe three degrees of crazy.

Mori's imaginary Vulcan pleaded for the group, "I fully sympathize with your focus upon discipline and regulations. However, I must for once concur with Mister Kang. This undisciplined rowdiness appears to be a cathartic venting of mission stress. I would recommend leniency."

Bertrand looked confused at him and then, realizing what had happened, at Moriloth, "I don't need to explain myself or my actions to you, Lieutenant. I am not the one who is complicit in the abduction of a senior officer. This is not acceptable behavior; it breaks regulations that are MY job to uphold. Maybe you don't take your duty as seriously, but there is an old adage about a copper never being off duty."

Moriloth, who had been quietly sitting there sipping apple juice, stared with wide eyes. As Cuprum resumed his berating, she looked to Cor, "When did I get promoted to Lieutenant?"

"So again, unless you want to make an issue of this, an issue which I assure you that you WILL lose. I will thank you to surrender the ale and give me your assurance there will be no further abductions or flagrant breaches of regulation."

"Does that include my apple juice? I kind of like it."

Blossom the imaginary Green Orion Slave Girl, traced her finger up the back of his neck, "Ohhh, come on, Bert! Be kind to your fellow shipmates! Have some apple juice with Mori! Share your heart with them!"

Bert grimaced at the imagined contact. Being a Telepath could be uncomfortably personal at times.

"Quit being such a jerk, Bert!" The imaginary little Andorian female planted herself directly in front of him and folded her arms. She employed an expression she'd heard from an Earth sergeant."Lighten up, Francis!"

Cordale calmly put his bottle down. Then began to count on his mechanical fingers, "One. You will explain any behavior that potentially puts you unfit to perform your duties. Talking and interacting with figments of your imagination puts you right on that line. A line you will lose." he explained. "Two, I was unaware that the substance in question was authentic Romulan Ale, which clearly means it was smuggled aboard and missed by any security sweeps, which puts the fault... if any... back in your court. Three, I'm currently off duty, but if you ever disrespect how serious I take my job when I'm on duty again, and things will get ugly between you and me. Four... I'm out of fingers." he realized.

Bertrand held up his gloved right hand and counted back, "One, not to you, but feel free to alert the ships counselor to your concerns. Two, I had assumed that you didn't know or you would already be in the brig rather than discussing it. Nor is not Starfleet policy to actively police the contents of crew's belongings. Three, I stand corrected and was out of line to question your professionalism."

Moriloth whispered to Mickey, "You aren't done conducting unannounced transporter drills, are you?"

"Not yet" Mickey grinned with evil as he whispered back to Morolith.

"For the record, by the time I realized that the order to abduct you was given, it was already in process. Maybe someone should see to the security of the crew against unauthorized or unwelcomed and non-emergency transports." a pause as the Thux narrowed his icy blue eyes. "I wonder... who's department... that'd be?" another pause. "Whatever's in that bottle, take it. I'm not stopping you." and then he turned to Mickey, "Oi, Mick. Lose the bottle, ale or whatever it is."

"Bertrum, your a real Jackass quit being such a party pooper" Aladdin the dog spoke from his doggy collar

Bert didn't even notice the dog's outburst. As far as he was concerned he ahd always been able to understand dogs. Speech, if anything, was a step backwards.

"I'll beam him to sickbay" Mickey ordered the computer to beam Bertrand to sickbay. "Antos stay, as we are still conversing the nurse will take care of bertrum." Mickey said nicely

"Computer. Disregard that transport request." Cordale barked up. "Apparently there's a bug in the system, and anyone can just beam anyone anywhere. I'm certain that if Mister Bertrand here feels under the weather, he can walk just fine."

"Thank you, Lieutenant Cor. Computer lock out all transporter privileges for Lieutenant McClane, Authorization Bertrand R-23f. If you want them back, you can explain to the CO why I took them away."

"Cor, the man just heard me talk, I mean. It's freaky enough that I, an acting ensign, can talk whenever I want with this collar now," Aladdin spoke to him nicely.

Cordale thought about his own collar, and what conversations it usually started. Seems no matter where you go, a collar shows up and everyone starts talking. He actually chuckled. "No, this isn't a freak out. There's always a tension between Engineering and Security."

Bertrand picked up the bottle and moved to the door muttering, "First day out of dock..."

He stopped at the door and his shoulders sagged. He turned and came back tot he table. "Thank you for the invite. Maybe next time... not at a bar, eh?"

Then he left them to enjoy themselves. He would need to go to the far end of the ship before he was far enough away not to hear the negative thoughts they were having about him.

"Next time." The Thux said. Mental note to make it a coffee party.

Mickey felt humiliated for how he was now his mind was telling him to hurt himself as punishment for what he did there was no way whatever now he will be on the side of cuprum. "See that, McClane there you go again with all your quirks you still seem to piss people off!" He was going to leave and make himself suffer greatly for his insubordination.

"Excuse me" Mickey said as he calmly put down his communicator on the table and left the room he was in a trance-like state as he left the lounge. he then asked the computer were was the nearest airlock.

A heavy metal hand came to rest on Mickey's shoulder before he got too far away. Not in a 'bone crunching' sense, but more in a 'now hold on there' sense.

"Now hold on there." Cordale said, "Airlocks have all been certified and maintained." he paused for a moment, "And for the record, relax. He's not pissed he's just Security. It's their job to be pissed, cause they're the ones who get called in when the ... " he noticed he was in the presence of a lady... "Stuff. When the stuff hits the oscillator."

"Let's just sit and relax. No more crazy seat of the pants ideas and ... wait did... by the Source it happened." Cor looked a little shocked. "I became the responsible one." and he chuckled. "Now, Mickey, sit and try to get that MopeyThux look off your face. Besides, you dropped your comm badge, and we wouldn't want to lose that, now would we?" and the Thux held the aforementioned badge out to Mickey. "You leave patching things up with Bertrand to me... and next time, try to pick something a little less illegal to pass around? Maybe some unlicensed reactor accelerate or just straight up anti-matter martinis." he chuckled.

Mickey was not in himself as he continued farther away he didn't even notice cor trying to talk some sense into him as he continued to the airlock mickey's mind spoke to him "Does it really matter, you were the one so there is no point in letting the chief engineer take one as it was you and you alone who did this. So your only option is to self-inflict" Mickey was in the airlock as we speak as if there was any punishment it was going to be on himself for his recklessness.

"Computer, Lockout access to the airlock authorization McClaneAlpha1" He ordered the computer as he sees the others try to get to him but to no avail as he himself locked in the airlock

Was this really happening? D... did he just... Cordale almost... ALMOST facepalmed with his prosthetic limb. "Someone go wake up the counselor." he muttered, before he turned to the sealed airlock. Part of the Thux's mind went to the diplomatic side of the situation. To talk him out of that airlock. The other part viewed Mickey as an adult, technically, who was punishing himself for kidnapping the chief of security.

"You know, it's adorable that you'd use operations codes to lock me out of the system. At least, the opening of this side but.. you do realize what department I'm the head of, yes?" he shook his head, then turned towards the group. "So, who wants to go get security to help the nice counselor help Mickey out of the box?" a pause, "I don't think we should bother Bertrand any further. I think he's had enough of all of these faces for one night."

Then back to the matter at hand. Mickey saw fit to lock him out of the airlock access. "Computer..." he started as he rubbed the bridge of his snout with his good hand and noted the airlock's designation on the door. "Place Airlock 21 in maintenance queue. Reroute power from airlock and place in power down mode. Maintain life support to contained cubicle. Authorization Cordale Spaghetti Niner Four."

A pause, then he looked to the others, "What? I was hungry when they asked me!"

"I won't let you take one for me Cor." Mickey said in the airlock as he was careful in his choice of words besides if he wanted to he can blow the airlock out with something else in mind. " I have a type one phaser in my pocket and a transporter inhibitor to prevent beaming so would you care to explain to the chief of security that the airlock was blown?" Mickey said as he activated the inhibitor and grabbed the phaser to show he wasn't bluffing.

Mickey's sub-conscious came again. "Don't explain yourself to anyone besides you know of what happened before don't let yourself open up to them. You were here for duty and fun but now that fun has been taken away there isn't nothing you can do except self inflict punishment on yourself." his darker half spoke to him.

The Thux gave the back of Mickey's head that 'Really?' look for a few seconds, and decided that there was an increasing amount of nothing he could say would help this situation any further. Well, there were a few choice words, but Moriloth was still here, and cursing in front of a lady always left Cor with a bad taste in his vocabulary. "Wallet sharks." he let one slip, but maybe she didn't speak Ferengi. Apparently, Mickey had planned for this very measure.

"We're shipmates, we're a team. That means sometimes doing what you don't like to make sure that everything runs smooth." Cordale mentioned, "C'mon out of there and we'll make things smooth." Cordale's brain went into a little bit of overdrive, working out a counter or two just in case things went south.

"Well, Bert decided to reprimand me. Besides, there is no other reason for me to live anymore. Go fetch Bertrum and tell him what's happening. Because I have nothing to say on the matter," Mickey went and sat down away from view near the door holding the phaser in hand contemplating.

DID THAT MISERABLE LITTLE BIPED PINK SKIN JUST TELL YOU TO FETCH SOMETHING LIKE YOU WERE A...

Cordale composed himself, took a step away from the airlock, and considered punching that airlock for a solid five seconds. Though, the airlock didn't do anything wrong, and so with fur a'bristle and a mind full of angry, the Grumble'Thux padded his way off in the direction that Bertrand went. Oh, he'd tell him what's happening, alright... and there wouldn't be a lady around to filter his report.

He found Bertrum in the transporter room, of all places setting up a site to site of his own.

Before the Thux had even had a chance to speak Bertrand simply, said, "I know. I could hear his plans before I even turned to the first corridor junction. I am erecting and SIF around the outer door, and remotely deactivating his phaser, but that is not going to help. In my experience, if a man want to hurt himself he will find a way... " he suddenly look up shocked at Cor. "Lieutenant Cordale, I will thank you to keep those kinds of thoughts a bit more under control. I am not sure which disturbs me more, your understanding of biology or, " he smiled, "that you might be right."

Cor hung there, mid-motion, as though about to speak when Bertrand seemingly knew the whole reason. Well, that's save him about five strips in the swear jar later. "Okay okay. One, stay out of my head. There's stuff in there I don't want to share, and I'll guarantee there's stuff in there you *don't* want to see... but we'll deal with that later. Our priority has to be getting Mickey out of his tuna can." Cor said, his anger about the mental invasion abating due to the need to save a life.

"He's locked the door, but wants to see me, yes? Well, lets make that happen. Please make sure you get Lt Reyes to the sight ASAP. Now, if you wouldn't mind activating the transporter for me, please"

"That'll be tough. He's got a personal inhibitor to scatter transport." Cordale pointed out. "Though, I can try to get you in there, but the closest I can get you safely is back in the hall just outside the airlock."

Bertrand grinned and tapped his head, "Except that I know the inhibitor frequency. Energize."

Once Cor had the frequency, he tuned the transporter to account for the inhibitor, and energized.

If Mickey knew that he was to expect Bert to come in, he wouldn't let him. "Don't you do it, i have a 23rd century custom phaser made by me in my pocket, non-regulation. So I would also appreciate if you don't come in here because right now your the last person I wish to see." Mickey called out through his mind if he was a betazoid he has to read his mind.

Unfortunately Mickey didn't know the plan and the first he knew about it was the familiar blue haze. Bertrand was fast, inhumanly fast. Despite Mickey's suicidal tendencies, everyone had a survival instinct, and that hesitation to push the fire button was what Bertrand had counted on.

His hand flashed out and wrenched the phaser away. With a quick flick he emptied the power charge from the chamber and then returned the pistol to Mikey. The entire thing had happened in the time it took Mikey to draw a breath to protest.

Now it was just the two of them in the airlock.

"Relax, McClane. I am not here to stop you killing yourself. No one can do that but you." Bertrand said sitting on one of the seats in the otter lock. "Sit down. Or are you in a hurry to be somewhere?"

Mickey pulled out his type 2 23rd century phaser to attach it to his empty chamber it was just a prop in his hand now. "Your good, I will give you that. I wasn't intending on firing, I was intending to blow myself out of the airlock. But, since that is no longer an option, I shall cooperate." Mickey said as he sat on the floor away from Lieutenant Cuprum.

"Tracey Green," Bertrand said, aprapo of nothing. "Served with me on the Potempkin. Borg got him at Wolf 359. We pulled what was left of him out with the rest of us. Doctor's fixed up his body. He was dead within three years; shuttle accident officially. Really he was killed by the Borg, just took him a while longer to die. Wife, three kids. Poor bastard."

"Then there was that other poor bastard, got took same day. They pulled him out, patched him up. Bit of a loner, all of his friends from the ship gone, no relationship. Yet he's still going. Heard they made him a Security chief on some big important ship. Never can tell what is going to make one man crack and another survive."

Mickey just sat there quietly and let it all sink in as he was cooling down but his mind was slowly getting back to normal as he was calming down.

"Take you for example," Bertrand gestured with his gloved hand to the man opposite. Good job, plenty of friends, get to take your dog on tour. Plenty of people out there would sell their first born to have it as good as you. Yet, here you are in an airlock waiting to blow us both into space."

"I wasn't planning on injuring anyone but myself," Mickey said in short.

"Kinda inconvenient my being here then," Bertrand chuckled. "Now you'll have to take us both."

"You've obviously planned for this sort of thing before. Transport inhibitors and non-standard phasers are not the sort of things a man regularly takes to a party with friends. I assume you have also planned on who is going to look after Aladdin when you have done away with yourself? Or are you thinking he will just be fine, knowing his master blew himself away without even talking to him about it?"

"I was planning on asking Councilor Reyes to watch over him after I was gone," Mickey said to him not looking at him but keeping his mind off of other things.

"You need to ask her before you go. You wouldn't get a chance after. Thing is, Mick, if you are doing this to punish yourself, then you've got it all wrong. You don't get to decide what punishment will fix things. You don't get to decide how to repair a situation. You get to accept a punishment with grace when you are told by the person affected what punishment THEY require of you."

"Of course, if this is to punish me, well, that's a different story."

"How the hell can you know how I feel? Even though it was a prank an all that, I screwed up. But, you don't get to take it out on Cor as it was my idea in the first place, you should have taken it out on me. It's all a bunch of bullshit," Mickey looked down.

"I know," Bertrand said. "I knew you were behind it. One of the greatest tools for investigative policing is being able to feel guilt from a person. I also know Cordale is a good solid type and wouldn't have condoned that behavior. As for knowing how you feel, I don't have to be an Empath to know that feeling. You stuff up, maybe someone gets a cold sonic shower. I stuff up, people die. And people have; many good people."

"World is a shitty place, isn't it McClane? Seems like half this crew have lost a limb or more in some accident, or are harboring some deep scars. Yep, Galaxy is hell. Question is, will you improve that by dying or living? Just dying gets you out, but leaves us with the mess still."

"I think that's why the guy I mentioned before hung around. He figured he could make the Galaxy a better place, if just a little bit. Make sure people were better to each other; keep them safe. Not everyone, some were still going to die, even under his watch, but he could save some. He could make the Galaxy better for some. He believed, really believed that regulations helped make the Galaxy better."

"What do you believe in Mickey?"

Mickey had something click though he couldn't understand of what he felt but what he said really clicked with him. Though even though this would be totally illogical, he was going to speak. "I heard from the fleet many years ago that one young man. Defying all odds went to a forbidden sector in the alpha quadrant many years ago. Do you remember the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701?" Mickey asked him nicely

Bertrand smiled. That had been the moment. Get a person who to speak about something they are passionate for and their Joy de vie returns. Maybe not for long but probably for long enough.

"No, I have never heard of it," Bertrand lied. "Why don't you tell me?"

"Bertrand, your lying, I can tell," Mickey smirked as he put slid the uncharged phaser to the CTO without worrying for the safety of himself. He knew he was exaggerating as he told him the story but he told it to him anyway, even though he is smarter then he looks. Bertrand listened to the tale, let the man get more engrossed. He noted, though Mikey probably didn't, the moment in the story where the young man put the weapon down so he could explain things better with his hand gestures.

"This Kirk bloke sounds like quite a fellow. Something of a Hero?" Bertrand asked.

"He did so much, yeah, so of that cost him. But he even blew up his own ship to prevent capture from the Klingons. I'm talking about when they rescued then Captain Spock," Mickey said of his story.

"Sounds like he took a lot of risks, too. Did he ever make mistakes? No, of course he did. What did he do about them? I assume an airlock and a phaser weren't his answer."

"He learned from them and moved on. Boy this whole ordeal was stupid," Mickey calmed down and got up. "I think I'll go for a spacewalk later, after, when I have to get re-evaluated. Because, even though there won't be any cushioning I accept what's to come. But I don't even have a spacesuit to go for that walk right now."

Bertrand patted his rumpled suit pockets, "Seems I left mine behind too. What say we use the inner hatch door instead?"

Mickey walked to the communications console and called Cor. "All right, Cor I'm going to come out now," Mickey said to the Thux who had been polite with him even though this really made him feel sick to his stomach.

There was silence on the other side for a moment, and then the airlock powered up. "You're all clear." came the voice of the Thux after a moment.

The door rolled open and the two men stepped in, both calm and settled. Bertrand gave a nod to those around him to show that things were under control.

"I'll need some iced tea, non-alcoholic, later. Boy do i feel like crap" Mickey said as he wanted to get out of the airlock.

Bertrand nodded, "Now you see why Romulan Ale is banned. Best get yourself down to Dr Antos. If nothing else it will show you are back in control."

Aladdin saw his master as he ran to him and just gave him a hug. "Mickey" He just said in short as he gave him kisses.

"Oh, i am so sorry boy" He hugged his dog not letting go

Antos headed off to find mickey. as he tried to find him with his mind. Antos thought a bit he knew it would be faster to ask the computer or even ask mickey himself. He hoped he was not being a bother as he closed where he thought where mickey might be. "Mickey?? He said rather quietly.

Mickey heard him call through the telepathy way. He was betazoid as was Bertrand. "Im at the outer door of the airlock Aladdin is with me" Mickey replied to antos in his mind.

Antos felt him and where he was "I will be right there!" as he ran down the luckily empty corridor where Mickey was along with Aladdin were there. Antos was not sure what was happening to him but he was there to help as a friend or anything he needed. When he closed on them he slowed to a brisk walking pace. "Hello Mickey and Aladdin." He said slightly out of breath.

Mickey looked up at the doc. "Hey, let's go to sickbay. Just to be on the safe side." Mickey smiled at his friend Antos when aladdin joined in.

"Antos, may i go with him?" Aladdin asked nicely

"Why would I deny you Aladdin?? That would be likeme as Dr floxx and captain archer not allowing porthos in."He said kindly "Your always welcome! Aladdin. Please join us!!" Antos said with a smile. "Whats going on Mickey? He asked casually as they walked to the medical section. "Come on Aladdin!" the doc said sincerely to him.

"Well, let's just get there and i'll explain" Mickey said nicely. Aladdin followed as well quietly.

"Very well!" sounding a bit disappointed.

--------------------------------------------

[OFF]

Lt Bertrand Cuprum, CTO
Lt. Cor Cordale, CEO
Lt. Antos Rittan, CMO
Lt. Mickey McClane, COO
Ens. Moriloth

USS Victory
Pegasus Fleet