A Guilded Cage

Posted on Fri May 21st, 2021 @ 8:30pm by Ashe Zachariah & Captain Abigail Laurens & Lieutenant Commander Evelyn Rozia & Linza (Lin) Esni & Lieutenant Commander William Rogers & Lon Nren & Commander Ichiko Gail & Lieutenant Commander William Gunnison & Lieutenant Commander Calvin Morgan & Lieutenant Alexis Aenera & Ensign Jaimie Nolan

Mission: Pathstone to History

To an outside observer it could have appeared that the crew of the Astraea were simply on vacation. Their surroundings were most certainly luxurious enough. The large windows (although reinforced to be unbreakable) provided stunning views of the beaches that not all that long ago many of them had been enjoying.

The main room was filled with comfortable seating and a large table with chairs. Fabricators on the walls were ready and waiting to provide almost anything that they could be asked for, so long as it was food and drink, all served in perfectly non breakable vessels and without silverware.

Perhaps a keen observer might notice the lack of decorations or knick knacks that were found in most other Dalacari spaces, nothing that could be easily moved, picked up or used as a weapon of any kind.

This was a safe area, an area where guests were accommodated while security completed their investigations.

Yes, it was luxurious, a nice, neat, perfectly welcoming luxurious cage.

Evelyn was waiting on her feet near to the door and resisting the urge to pace while she did that most dull of duties. However, she'd set herself to the post in part to be able to greet any official visitor and take them to Buck, the senior officer present, but also to account for any of the crew that were brought there that weren't there yet. Only a couple more of them were out there, still... Without knowing what was going on..

The door slid open and what looked like a creature made of shopping bags came stumbling in. "Okay, okay, I get it, I need to be with the others, but really, you don't have to puuuush!" The bag-creature said in an eerily familiar voice and faint ticks coming in rapid order.

The rustle of bags continued as the creature rearranged and a face appeared as it turned and Evelyn recognized the Science officer named Alexis, who searched and found a spot by the wall where she somehow managed to disgorge the contents of her hands. Evelyn counted seventeen different bags, one with what appeared to be a uniform peeking out the top. "What did you do, Alexis?" She asked, a bit of accusation in her voice.

"It wasn't me!" The Betazoid objected, counting the bags and comparing them in her mind. She was wearing a luminescent sheath dress that seemed to be every color of green depending on the angle and lighting the viewer looked from, "I just did a little shopping is all..."

Lon had been silent the whole time. Taking in every detail. Most of all he was confused. Confused and scared that this may cost him his contract with Starfleet.

Calvin had found himself a comfy chair, slid a table over to be used as a ottoman. He stripped off the dress uniform coat, which was semi neatly hung on a chair next to him and rolled up his sleeves, bringing himself to his more normal appearance. In his hand was a glass, whiskey neat, and a bottle on his "ottoman" for quick refills. "A little shopping is an understatement I'd say," He said with a smirk and jest.

Alexis blushed slightly, but put on a stubborn face as she made her way towards Calvin, "You wouldn't believe the sales they've got going on, after all, Dalacari come in matched pairs, and so I've got lots of duplicates in different colors, but it's amazing! And since I lost basically everything on the old ship, I had to get some replacements to my wardrobe.."

Linza knew a cage when she saw one, and was in one. "I don't like this...I get that they say they have to bring us here but what the hell happened?"

"We're still trying to figure that out ourselves," Will said. "The security drone we talked to was rather tight-lipped, as it were, about any specifics, other than saying some sort of anomaly broadcasting a Federation power source has been detected and agreeing to tell us what was occurring once we were all together and more secure, in their eyes."

It was all Lon could do not to break down as everyone spoke.

A few minutes later, the final two pieces of the puzzle were brought in: The ship's second in command Ichiko Gail, and the captain herself Abigail Laurens. No cuffs, no restraints, just moving of their own free will. Just like the others.

Being closest to the door, Evelyn breathed a sigh of relief and only took an additional step towards Lauren, "Ma'am, it's good to see you again, we're all okay here, but some of us have been a bit concerned about what's going on.

Abigail nodded briefly to Evelyn before casting a steady glance around the rest of the gathered staff, assessing for physical injuries or any other obvious signs of trauma or distress. Seeing none immediately obvious, she exhaled slowly. "Is everyone okay?" she asked softly.

"Everyone's unharmed physically." Buck reported. "Disappointed in Dalacari hospitality though. I think we're all just trying to work out what the hell is going on."

"That's what I'm trying to find out Commander Rogers," Abigail replied calmly.