Dinner ghosts

[tomcat]

The tours ended and dinner began. The only two not present were Mr. Ramos and Dr. Tam, both were busy with their duties. While Tam peered through his Mag-viewer, Ramos sat on the bridge listening to the garbled communication from Lt. Williams.

"Sqquuuuelllcch... east another day's w...rk to get the impul... sqqwwwwaaaccckk.... ack on line. The warp core appears to be shot. Without any 'fuel', there is n... ay to re-sssqquuellcch"

"All right, keep me posted," said Ramos clicking off the line. He had become annoyed. The broken communication was nerve grating, but the unknown signal had him on edge.

The junior Science Officer had been tracking the signal as it moved left and right of its position but maintaining distance and course. The Golayshian still claimed they were reading nothing and that the Columbia staff was wasting a lot of energy on a 'ghost'.

Ramos scratched his forehead and stood up from the command chair.

"Its gone sir!" said a voice behind him. Ramos turned to the science officer who was looking blankly at him, "Sir, it just disappeared from my scanners."

Ramos looked towards the viewscreen and the cloud that they floated within, he wondered if there were something out there with them.

One floor below in the modified briefing room, the dinner was winding down and the mess staff were cleaning up the dishes and serving coffee and cordials.

Each of the crewmen were mingling with the different ladies while Captain Corbin and Isaboul sat with Darkan.

"Captain," said the princess, "give Captain Darkan and I a moment please." With a nod, Corbin stood and walked over to the bar serving cordials.

"It is getting late," she said matter-of-factly. "Is it imposing too much if my staff and I spend the night aboard your ship, Captain? We will have another long day tomorrow and I do not wish to take the stressful flight back. Also, do you think your crew will be able to get my ship back in operation – I keep hearing something about Deuteri... oh something like that," she giggled and her hand grazed over his. "Steve," she said his name. "Surely your vessel will have this 'fuel' that my ship needs to become operational so that I and my people may return home?"

On Deck-6, in the galley, tempers were beginning to heat up... "Did you see her with him? She was looking at me and wanting to talk to me!"

"I don't know what you are talking about..."

OOC: Chris, to keep a time frame with our story and your activites, the end of the tours and the commencement of dinner were 1 hour after your tricorder scans and the start of your science tests. The dinner lasted 1 hour to this point so we are 2 hours total into your study. You have 2 hours and 15 minutes left until your study reveals its answer and then the 7 hours needed to synthesize the antidote. Of course, you will only need about 30 minutes to synthesize enough for the officers.

[GandalfOfBorg]

OOC: Should Darkan try to resist this attempt?  He knows that his ship cannot just give up some of its fuel stores without good cause.  I am on the fence in how he should respond.

[tomcat]

Matt, feel free to respond however you think Darkan would in this situation - a woman just asking an innocent question. She is not trying to work her mojo here and Influence you - which she may resort to later - it is just an innocent question.

Darkan on the other hand is not being mind controlled by the Hydraen, but he has become pretty receptive to her, know what I mean. It would be like your girlfriend/wife batting her eyes and saying "Look here honey, don't you just love this gold bracelet?"

A woman's wiles... :shock: - Isaboul is asking for fuel.

[GandalfOfBorg]

OOC: Ok, just wanted to make sure.

Darkan answers truthfully.  "I apologize, Princess, but as far as my chief engineer tells me right now, we do not have enough to share without severly depleting our reserves -- our current mission just wouldn't allow for it.  I am sorry," and he truly was.

[tomcat]

Her smile left her face at his response, but then she laughed. "Your Chief Engineer? I do not recall meeting him. Is he here?"

She looked around at the dining room for someone that was not there. Her eyes fell on Mr. Stonn who sat at the table, Saleesia next to him trying to converse with the rigid Vulcan.

She looked back at Darkan, "Thank you Captain, for the fine meal." She stood up and walked across the room to stand next to one of her maidens and Mr. Stonn. SHe listened for a moment and then jumped into the conversation.

Darkan watched and he felt as if a void was where his heart had been. It was like an icy ball had been put there in its stead. Jealousy, and a touch of rage began to fill him...

OOC: Darkan... I need an Opposed Willpower test TN based on roll below:

Roll(2d6)+7: 4,6,+7 Total:17

-Extraordinary Success will clear Darkan's head of what's bothering him
-Any other Success controls emotions though he will be angry and a bit spiteful
-Failure causes him to be angry with Stonn - may show it at the dinner
-Complete Failure will cause him to storm from the dinner
-Disastrous Failure will cause him to rant out and command everyone to leave the dinner hall

[GandalfOfBorg]

Willpower - (5+2)+2+9 Courage = 18

Darkan, quite obviously, bore Stonn through with phasers from his eyes for a moment or two.  As a steward passed him by, the captain snatched two glasses of champagne, downing one immediately.  Rage gave way to remorse and self-pity as he headed off to a seat near the wall to quietly sulk and try to figure out what just happened.