by: Mellice Cem and Lair Kellyn
Stardate: 91026.1047
Concurrent with Women Have Wiles...
and Hardly Fair
-=Sibalt=-
Stardate: 91026.1047
Concurrent with Women Have Wiles...
and Hardly Fair
-=Sibalt=-
Special Assignment Event Log, Lt. Mellice Cem: Stardate 91026.16
Even though offered use of the underground, hidden comforts of this world meant to test a person's mettle, I have declined them.
Instead, the only (necessary) piece of their technology I've availed myself of is the transporter armband, other than that I've been hunting my own food, making use of my water rations and otherwise living off of the land.
What is the point of trying to match wits with your fellow Starfleet officers if you're taking the easy road-- sleeping in a soft bed every night, and eating from a replicator? Jelca and her colleagues may feel comfortable in their management roles doing such things, but in my role as unknown rival to Zanh Liis and her crew from the Serendipity, I will choose to take the more difficult route knowing it'll also be more personally rewarding.
This is going to be the most fun I've had in a long time.
Upon my arrival, I was given an outline of the Sera's crew roster, and just the last name, first initial and rank of two of the people on that list were enough to tell me all I needed to know. This has got to be a damn fine crew and tough too, given who their Captain is.
Zanh Liis, with four pips on her collar. Who'd have believed it.
I served with her for a time aboard the USS Aries. She was younger then, though from what I've seen of her from a distance though my visual enhancement gear, she hasn't changed much. She and I were vying for the same promotion back then, and trying to outdo each other at every turn. For awhile, it was a hate/hate relationship; but when we both lost out on the job and to a man neither of us felt was qualified for it, after which we quickly bonded through our disgust with Command over a bottle of Terran whiskey.
That turned our hate/hate relationship into a grudging acceptance. A few tough Away Missions working together turned that grudging acceptance into something damn close to mutual respect just about the time that she was yanked from the ship and put in another post.
Yeah, how that situation with the job we were shooting for turned out, neither of us could've predicted. In the end I had to respect the woman for being who she is and not being afraid to speak her mind.
She was transferred out not long after that, quickly too, and I had no idea where she'd gone or what had become of her; if she'd even still be in Starfleet. Hell, part of me thought for sure she'd have found a way to get herself killed by now. But apparently, she's done well for herself. I can't wait to use my considerable skills to make her stay on Sibalt a bit more miserable, and then give her absolute hell about it after the games have ended.
The other name familiar to me on the list is for much more sentimental reasons.
I knew Lair Kellyn during her post-grad work at the Academy, during which time she took great delight in reminding me just how young she was by calling me "Grandpa". I took to calling her "The Brat" in response and things took off from there. We had, during the two years we lived on the same floor of that dormitory complex, what you would call a warm, sibling-type relationship. I'd lost track of her, as of so many people over the years as we all moved from one assignment to another. But it appears she is doing well, also, and this is a good thing to see. I really hope that after the games have ended I'll be able to catch up with her and hear about what's gone on in her life since those days.
I've some stories to tell her, myself...
Mellice put the PADD he'd been typing on back into his pack and returned his attention to the crowd on the ground below.
He was kilometers away from their current position, high up in a tall tree that was currently obstructed from view by holographic blinds put into place to mislead them as to their true, distant surroundings. He watched with satisfaction as the teams shuffled through the mud. He'd been having a bit of fun with them all day, turning the rain on and off by manipulating the weather modification net at will. Now, it was time to sit back and enjoy the entertainment.
It was a bit of a shame that for some reason Zanh herself was not participating in the events- it appeared that their 'neutral observer', a large Irishman by the name of O'Sullivan according to his file, was taking up anchor position for her team.
Mellice, if he was a betting man, would've predicted based solely on evident brute strength and weight of the people involved that the Vulcan and his team was going to be first into the drink. Only time would tell.
It wasn't too long before he took out his PADD and, laughing, he made another notation.
They put up a valiant fight, but into the swamp the Alchemy team went...
He watched them disperse from his hidden spot not too far away. This was only the first of many challenges for the two teams, and an amused chuckle escaped his lips. *I think for the next game I'll toss in a few of my own ideas on how to rattle their cages...* he thought to himself, as he grabbed his pack and tapped his armband transporter to take him back to his own small base camp. Surely, with this lot of officers he'd have himself a field day--especially if they were this easy to distract.
Still, he knew that no matter how easily distracted the rest might be, two of them at least were certain to provide a challenge, especially in any battle of wits as opposed to just a show of physical strength.
He thought back again over his personal experiences with Zanh and Lair as he materialized at his campsite. He moved to the large log he had previously set up in front of the fire pit he'd built. He reignited the fire to chase away the evening dampness as it settled in around him, and once the fire was going strong he once more took up his PADD and began typing.
Special Assignment Event Log, Supplemental:
It appears I was right, the Vulcan's team was the first to hit the drink so now they have to set-up base camp, it was fun to watch and play with the weather net while they were out there having a grand ole time in these war games. I was surprised to see that Kellyn, even as drenched as she became, stayed pretty even tempered, well, for her, anyway- and appears to be much the same as I recalled her from the Academy. A little older, maybe a bit wiser. She certainly seems more open to trying new things.
Back then, she was so introverted and anti-social that she barely spoke and I thought she'd never leave the Quad. After she finally admitted to being nervous in large groups of people, a few of us decided something just had to be done.
At one point we literally had to 'kidnap' her from the Engineering Design lab just to get her out in public and seen. How she HATED that, even though we told her that it was for her own good. She may have resented us for doing so back then but I think it may have helped her more in the long run than she realized.
In the end, she had a couple of beers and a few laughs in the company of friends that night. Despite her determination to have a lousy time I even caught her smiling once. I know she actually enjoyed the evening even if she never would admit it. I knew in the end it was just about helping her get past her fear of interacting with people socially, hardly difficult to understand considering the conditions we grew up in on Bajor.
We didn't know if we'd be alive tomorrow- keeping a full social calendar was hardly a priority.
I knew at the very least that night out on the town was a first step in the right direction. By the end of it, at least Kellyn didn't seem to be so afraid anymore.
Zanh Liis, on the other hand, has as far as I know never been afraid of anything in her life.
I have to shake my head, looking back. By the Prophets, I think more than once we nearly just decided to have a duel, get it over with and see who was left standing at the end. On board the Aries we were bitter rivals for the top spot in both security and tactical. Needless to say that when neither of us got the job--that went to Ensign or should I say FORMER LT. Jason "'Fraidy cat" Fender. He didn't keep it long.
From what I understand, department leadership didn't suit him in the least. Rumors say he's now a farmer on Detrel VII, specializing in hydroponics. Vegetable crops, they say.
He packed his bags and resigned his commission at the first sign of the Jem'Hadar during the Dominion War and hasn't been heard from through official Starfleet channels since.
I can't wait to tell ZL that he washed out but damn, now that I think of it, it happened quicker than I predicted. I think I might owe her some latinum or at least a drink to settle that bet.
Mellice felt fatigue creeping up on him and finally stopped his typing. He placed the PADD back into his pack, putting it away for now.
He was deep in contemplation as he warmed his hands in front of the fire; entertaining thoughts of old times long past and new games yet to be played, wondering what the next 'challenge' for them all would be.
Whatever orders Jelca gave him in the morning as far as his role in the day's events, one thing was certain.
He was going to have a hell of a good time making 'trouble' for a couple of very good, very old friends.
Lieutenant (jg) Mellice Cem
Assistant Security/Tactical Chief
USS Revolution NCC-71605-A
Games Saboteur
and
Commander Lair Kellyn
Engineer and Reformed Recluse
Engineering Research and Development
The Alchemy Project
Assistant Security/Tactical Chief
USS Revolution NCC-71605-A
Games Saboteur
and
Commander Lair Kellyn
Engineer and Reformed Recluse
Engineering Research and Development
The Alchemy Project