Posted by Ensign Saoir (Transporter/Security) in [DipInc] The Warbird Encounter [Tag Commander Loughty, Ensign Saoir]

Posted by Lieutenant Todd Nyman (Chief Counselor) in [DipInc] The Warbird Encounter [Tag Commander Loughty, Ensign Saoir]

Posted by Commander Oliver Loughty (Executive Officer) in [DipInc] The Warbird Encounter [Tag Commander Loughty, Ensign Saoir]
Posted by… suppressed (32) by the Post Ghost! 👻

[Snip]
As Sen’ton lead the group, he proved to be much more talkative than Commander Kerax was. But there was the sense that he was being deliberate in what information he was giving them.

Oliver observed Sen’ton’s demeanor closely, his mind working overtime to decipher the Romulan officer’s intentions. Despite Sen’ton’s seemingly forthcoming nature, Oliver couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to the situation than met the eye. With each carefully crafted word, Sen’ton exuded an air of calculated transparency, leaving Oliver with a sense of unease.

“While working in the medical department,” he started, “I have gained experience treating many species. I assure you, our examinations were harmless, standard procedures. Only to verify the accuracy of our initial scans.”

As Sen’ton spoke of his experiences in the medical department, Oliver couldn’t help but wonder about the true nature of their examinations. His instincts screamed caution, warning him to tread carefully in the presence of their Romulan hosts. Yet, outwardly, he maintained a facade of diplomatic cordiality, concealing his suspicions beneath a veneer of professionalism.

An uncharacteristic smile showed itself briefly before he continued,

“This is also not the first time I have been struck by an uncooperative patient. I have learned not to take it personally.”

Thank you for your assurance, Lieutenant,” Oliver replied, his tone measured yet tinged with skepticism.

He stopped the group in front of a closed door,

“Your Lieutenant did have to be treated separately, with more precautionary measures in place. This had to be done, however, for the safety of our crew. You will soon see for yourself, no harm has been done to him.”

After alerting the Lieutenant inside with a few loud knocks, he input a code. The door opened a few moments later. Behind it a containment field was also in place, similar to the one in the cell.

It was a small room, but much more than one would expect for a prison cell. In fact it appeared to be the Romulan equivalent of JO’s quarters on some of the smaller Star Fleet vessels. A small opening, resembling a replicator, was positioned on one wall and a door on the other, which one could assume led to additional facilities. As far as furnishings, there was a small table with three chairs and two sets of bunks lining the back wall. Nyman was laying on one of the bottom bunks, having just enough time between the initial knocking and the door opening to change to human form. He laid slightly sprawled out over the cot in a white medical gown, partially covered by a thin, rough-looking blanket.

“Lieutenant, as you requested, your Commander is here.”

Nyman opened his eyes and turned his head to the side. Seeing the others, he gave them a weak smile.

“Commander Loughtly, Ensign Saoir…” Nyman said, with a mixture of surprise and relief, “Glad to see you’re alright. You are alright, aren’t you?”

He swung his legs over the side of the cot and attempted to stand, a little unstable as he braced himself against the bunk’s frame.

Oliver observed Nyman’s condition with growing concern, noting the strain evident in the lieutenant’s movements. His heart clenched at the sight of a fellow officer in distress, fuelling his resolve to uncover the truth behind their unexpected predicament.

“Where- where are Micheals and Monroe?” he asked, slightly panting.

Lieutenant Nyman,” Oliver began, his voice laced with empathy, “I’m relieved to see you’re conscious. As for your inquiry, Ensigns Michaels and Monroe are currently… I have yet to confirm their whereabouts” His words trailed off as he exchanged a knowing glance with Saoir, silently acknowledging the need to tread carefully around sensitive topics in the presence of their Romulan hosts.

“Lieutenant, please pace yourself…” Sen’ton advised calmly, “The effects of the sedative have not completely worn off yet.”

As Sen’ton offered his counsel, Oliver nodded in silent agreement, recognizing the wisdom in allowing Nyman time to recuperate. Yet, beneath the facade of diplomatic composure, a storm of uncertainty raged within him, propelling him forward in his quest for answers amidst the shadowy depths of Romulan intrigue. With each step, he vowed to protect his crew and unravel the tangled web of deception that threatened to engulf them all.

[OOC: I know the room description took up a lot of space so feel free to interject between paragraphs too.]

|Lt. Nyman,
Chief Counselor
Also as Sen’ton|

“Perhaps we could be left alone while you retrieve my other officers” Oliver said as a request boarding order.

Commander Oliver Loughty
Executive Officer
USS Leviathan

“They will be released to you shortly,” Lieutenant Sen’ton assured, “For the time being, you may stay here.”

With a few more keystrokes, the field disappeared. A slight movement in the guards indicated their uncertainty. But Sen’ton, with a calm commanding presence, took a step into the room.

“This will provide you with water and our standard rations,” he said, gesturing to the device in the wall,

“You may request as much as you need… for the time being. We only ask that you not abuse this privilege.”

Nyman made an effort to stand up straight. He stared at Sen’ton with a look in his eyes that very few people had ever seen there. A mix of defiance, preformative bravery and genuine anger. He puffed up a little and spoke,

“Providing someone food and water is not something the Federation considers a privilege.”

“So I have heard,” Sen’ton replied.

A tense staring contest started between the two. Lieutenant Nyman knew he didn’t have the strength for anything more. It only took a few moments to realize the attempt at intimidation would end in failure. Each breath became heavier as he struggled against gravity with weakened muscles. Vision blurred to the point of uselessness. He broke eye contact as he collapsed back to sitting on the lower bunk, defeated.

With nothing else left to do, he defaulted to what had worked before. He was thrust back into being the person he was ten years ago. The person that had survived much worse than this before. With an intense fear behind his eyes, he stared at the ground right in front of Sen’ton. He pushed off the bed and landed on the floor, on his knees in front of the Romulan officer.

“Lieutenant, I…” he pleaded, “I’m sorry sir I won’t… I shouldn’t have disrespected you like that I’m sorry. I’ll cooperate, whatever you need me for. I’ll do more tests, I’ll do anything you tell me to. Please, don’t tell the others that I-”

The rush of panicked thoughts escaped until the only thing left was gasping breaths and a few tears. Sen’ton furrowed his brow and sighed. He wasn’t relishing the counselor’s fear. In fact, he was more concerned than anything.

Saoir watched the interaction between Lieutenant Nyman and Sen’ton with a mixture of concern and curiosity. Nyman’s sudden shift in demeanor caught him off guard, his apology and subsequent plea for cooperation revealing a vulnerability Saoir hadn’t anticipated. As Sen’ton excused himself from the room, Saoir couldn’t help but feel a pang of empathy for Nyman, recognizing the toll their current situation was taking on the Lieutenant.

“Commander, it is best that I leave…” Sen’ton said, “Please alert our officers if you need anything. Someone will be back with Lieutenant Nyman’s uniform.”

|Lt. Nyman,
Chief Counselor
Also as: Sen’ton|

Saoir moved quickly to help Nyman to his feet. “What have they done to you?” he asked, “why are you so weak? Did they torture you? They mentioned a Vendorian. Do you know who they were referring to?”

Ensign Saoir
(Transporter/Security)

Nyman looked up to see who was helping him. Gradually being pulled back to the present day as he recognized the Ensign.

“I’m… I’m okay, Saoir.” he insisted, “He thinks he broke me, but he didn’t. Maybe we could use that to our advantage sometime.”

Paired with another weak smile that explanation was convincing enough. Or at least he thought so. Revealing certain truths at this point was not going to benefit anyone.

“Vendorian agents of the Tal’Shiar are not heard of.” he continued, mentally constructing more excuses to explain away as much as possible,

“Perhaps they were talking about one of their own. If there’s one aboard, we should be careful, especially with what we say out loud. Vendorians don’t like being revealed either, at least not by others. If you suspect someone, don’t say anything in front of them.”

Nyman rubbed his eyes free of the tears he had let escape. He stood up on his own, then clumsily made his way over to the wall. Interacting with the dispenser caused a small cup of water to materialize. Nyman brought it to his lips, and paused. Then downed the whole thing at once. He generated another and turned back around to the group,

“They separated us a little while after you left. I don’t know what they gave me… whatever it was, it was strong. I couldn’t move or anything. I could still feel, I was still conscious. If they wanted to ask me questions, or torture me for some reason, they would’ve done it then.” He paused only to finish off the second water before continuing,

“What did they want from you two?”

(OOC Note: The last post has been shortened from original, but I’ll incorporate in the future. Also snipped -Ava)

|Lt. Nyman,
Chief Counselor|

Saoir nodded Nyman’s explanation, his mind filled with worry for his fellow officer. However, couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t right about this whole situation. Nyman’s insistence that he was okay didn’t fully ease Saoir’s concerns, but he respected the counselor’s attempt to maintain composure.
“They wanted information about our mission,” Saoir replied, his voice steady but tinged with a hint of frustration. “They also want us to help them with their ship. I am sure they are after something. Have you had a chance to figure out what they’re are up to?”

“Seems like you were able to figure out more than I was,” Nyman replied, “After we all were separated, all they did was run me through what I assume must have been every medical test they could think of.” He figured it was more for the sake of Lieutenant Sen’ton’s personal fascination than for any meaningful purpose. If that were the case, it was unlikely that the others were given the same treatment.

Saoir glanced around the room, taking note of their surroundings. They were in a small, dimly lit chamber that appeared to be a makeshift holding cell. The walls were bare and metallic, and there was only one door leading in and out.
“I don’t do well in captivity, Counselor, I guess that is one of my weaknesses,” Saoir said in a low voice as he looked around to ensure there were no Romulans around. He wanted to be carefule about expressing his weakness in their presence. He gaze met Nyman’s. “Do you believe we are in danger? They seem to be accommodating at times but I don’t know if its some kind of ruse.”

“I believe we might just have to be careful for now,” Nyman said, hoping the ensign would pick up on the hidden advice in his words.
He walked over to one of the chairs, more steady than before, and sat down to think. The crew needed him to be mentally alert. His personal experiences could be vital to the crew’s survival, but it would be a struggle to maintain composure.

Once he was sure Nyman was okay, Saoir walked the room, “I am not only a security officer, but a trained engineer as well. That is why I am in charge of the transporters on the ship. If we were to escape, I would say we can start by trying to find a way to disable the security systems,” Saoir suggested, already scanning the room for any signs of surveillance equipment. “If we can cut off their ability to monitor us, it’ll give us a better chance of making a break for it.”

As Saoir began to inspect the walls for hidden panels or wires, he couldn’t shake the feeling that their situation was more dire, the threat ganglia on the back of his neck had not settled down. Was it because he was alarmed or was it because there was a real danger, he couldn’t tell. But he pushed those thoughts aside, focusing instead on the task at hand: escaping from their captors and getting back to their ship, where they belonged.

Ensign Saoir
(Transporter/Security)

Exploring the room revealed several loose panels, victims of the same damage found throughout the rest of the ship. Blown fuses and overheated relays suggested some kind of electrical overload. Wires appeared to have just been pulled from connectors and left to hang loosely. Some had been spliced and reconnected with adhesive strips. And a few had been haphazardly reconnected, tangled and twisted together.

There were several systems that were obviously functional, the emergency lights, the door controls, the ration dispenser. The door worked off of a fail-secure system, meaning loss of power meant trapping them inside. Many systems had been partially or completely disabled by the damage, most notably a basic audio/visual surveillance system, a motion detection grid, and a computerized monitor for the ration dispenser. Also of interest, there was some sort of terminal connection, but the terminal interface had since been removed.

|Lt. Nyman,
Chief Counselor|

Oliver sighed heavily, his brow furrowing with concern. “I share your concerns and your desire to escape,” he admitted, his voice tinged with resignation. “However, from what we can tell, the ship is in space and in bad shape. I fear if we try to escape, we could trigger a major malfunction. And even if we do manage to flee, then what? Are we to retreat to our shuttle?” He shook his head, a sense of frustration evident in his demeanor. “Perhaps for the moment, we should heed their suggestion and get some rest.”

Despite his words, Oliver’s resolve remained firm beneath the pragmatic facade. He wasn’t defeated, but rather, he understood the necessity of caution and patience in such dire circumstances.

Commander Oliver Loughty
Executive Officer
USS Leviathan

Saoir nodded in acknowledgment, acknowledging the truth in the commander’s words. “Why don’t you and Lieutenant Nyman get some rest. I am afraid I won’t be able to do so, at least not until we are off this ship.”

“Commander,” Nyman said, with a gesture requesting he step closer. Looking over his shoulder, the Lieutenant to a moment to watch Saoir searching the room. To make sure the Ensign was sufficiently distracted. His tone was quiet, to keep the conversation between the two of them.

“If it was their intent to harm me, they certainly would have, but…it was unintentional. And I can only hope you don’t think any less of me because of how I reacted. I really don’t want to let you or the others down.”

Pausing, Nyman took in a long, deliberate breath. Usually, he was the one helping others untangle their feelings. It was a lot harder to do it yourself.

“Oh, and it might go without saying,” he added, “They were already suspicious, but now they are defiantly aware. They might try to use that information as leverage. I don’t know how, but they might. If it ever comes down to keeping secrets or the anyone else’s safety, I know you will make the best choice.”

|Lt. Nyman,
Chief Counselor|

(OOC: Please ignore the previous note here)

His fingers went back to tracing the edges of loose panels, his eyes scanning for any hidden wires or surveillance equipment. He couldn’t help but notice the haphazard state of the ship’s systems, evidence of significant damage and neglect.

His attention moved momentarily to Nyman and Oliver conversing in hushed tones. Saoir couldn’t help but feel a twinge of curiosity about their exchange, but he knew better than to pry.

Ensign Saoir
(Transporter/Security)

It was about 30 minutes or so before another Romulan officer was at the door. This time delivering Nyman’s uniform. The Lieutenant met them at the threshold, pulling the uniform out of the officer’s grasp without a word. They seemed slightly phased, but soon turned their attention to the Commander,

“Commander Loughty, Commander Kerax wishes to speak with you, alone.”

After the other’s left, Nyman took a moment to inspect the uniform. Finding nothing unusual except that his comm badge was missing. Nyman slipped it on over his medical gown, mumbling something indecipherable. Then, walking back over to the table, he once again sat and thought.

“Saoir,” he began to ask, “What have you found so far? Anything useful?”

|Lt. Nyman,
Chief Counselor|