With Honor
Posted on Sat Feb 6th, 2016 @ 3:05am by Admiral Ricky Wegener & Captain Li Hawke & Lieutenant Commander Michael Darwin & Lieutenant Commander Ophelia Payne & Lieutenant Commander Solis
Mission:
Further Challenges
Location: Holodeck 4
* Holodeck 4 *
Li arrived at Holodeck 4, wearing Klingon armor.She had gotten plenty of curious looks as she passed through the halls, but she simply greeted the crew without explanation and continued on. She tapped the control panel, initiating the program. The doors parted she stepped in to examine the scene. It was a cave of deep red rock with torches mounted on the walls. Two lines of holographic Klingons stood at the ready. She looked up as Rick entered, also dressed for the occasion.
“How’s it look? I ordered the three of them here and gave instructions to dress accordingly. They still have no idea why.”
“You told ‘em to put on Klingon armor?” he asked. “Aww...that might give it away.” He frowned briefly, but a smile popped back on his face. “But we’ll get to hit ‘em with the painsticks, right??”
tag
* Piper Medical Center *
Solis and Ophelia had just finished alpha shift when Li’s call came. In fact, they were both in his office, going over a post-surgery progress report. Once the comm channel closed, he raised an eyebrow at Ophelia. “Holodeck 4? Klingon attire? You have any idea what this is about?”
Ophelia shook her head. “Nothing. I haven’t seen Li in a while. I guess we’ll see, huh? We can change here but we’d better hurry.”
Solis laughed. “Well, sickbay has seen me in stranger states than Klingon battle armour. I’ll meet you out front.”
* Security *
Ganesh stood laughing at the one person it was currently dangerous to laugh at: Darwin. He couldn’t help it, though: Darwin looked ridiculous in over-large Klingon armor. “I think you got Gilroy’s, Sir.”
“Dammit! What the hell is with Li anyway, demanding Klingon armor for a... she didn’t even say what this was. I’ll bet she’s cooked up some crazy training thing based on her years in Intel. Crazy Intel...,” his words were muffled as he pulled the armor off over his head.
Ganesh took the chest and shoulder plates from Darwin and said, “Try the black set there.”
Setting a glare on Ganesh, who didn’t necessarily deserve it, Darwin grabbed the black armor and pulled it on. His temporary assistant helped him tighten it. This set was obviously intended for him: it fit just as it should. “Thank whatever deities. Hopefully this’ll protect all the important parts from whatever evil Li has planned.” Ganesh handed him a bandolier laden with knives.
“Ever notice that the Klingon armor doesn’t really extend past the waist? Do you suppose they have a ban on aiming for the gonads?”
Darwin didn’t acknowledge that verbally. He just turned an evil eye on him and walked out, heading for Holodeck 4.
* Holodeck 4 *
Solis and Ophelia arrived at the doors of the holodeck and stopped to look around.
“Li said to wait outside,” Ophelia commented. “She also said Darwin would be joining us. What exactly is this Solis?”
“You’re the Betazoid,” Solis replied. “You picking up anything?”
“Li and the Admiral are inside,” Ophelia answered. “But that’s all I can tell. She’s blocking.”
“Well, that is no surprise.” Solis shrugged. “I guess we’ll know soon enough.”
Darwin came down the hall and stopped beside Solis and Ophelia, looking them up and down. “Well... at least we’ll have medics here for when this goes badly,” he muttered.
That made Solis laugh out loud. He clapped Darwin on the shoulder then. “Always the optimist, Dar. But you do have a good point. Any ideas what’s up?”
“None. But when Li’s involved? Can’t be good. You know that I die in every simulation Oz runs?” He folded his arms and stared at the holodeck door.
“You should see her and Leto after one of their dinosaur hunts. Maybe they should take you next time to give the beasties someone else to chew on.” Ophelia smiled up at Darwin.
“I have my own beastie at home who likes to chew on me, thanks,” he said before he thought about it. Once it was out there, he realized how horrible that sounded and blushed. “What are we waiting for?”
Solis snickered. “Waiting for Edana to break your legs for calling her a beastie,” he teased. “We’ll reserve a room for you...one with a view.”
“She did break a coffee table with me,” Darwin said then reached over and pressed the chime on the door, alerting those inside that they were waiting.
Inside, an indicator alerted Rick and Li that their guests were waiting outside. Rick rubbed his hands together in glee. “Oh, man. This is gonna’ be fun,” he said, then turned to Li. “By the way, what setting are the painsticks on? I mean, I want it to be agonizing, but I don’t want to kill ‘em. Especially Ophelia. I like her most out of the group.” He flashed a smile.
“She thinks a lot of you too,” Li answered. “I set them just enough to be a little breathtaking but not bad enough to need Solis’ services after we are done. Good enough?”
He sighed heavily. “I guess.” Turning, he announced, “Computer, arch and open the holodeck doors.”
The doors slid open and Darwin glanced at Solis and Ophelia. “I’m guessing this is going to be loads of fun,” he whispered in a sarcastic tone. He then stepped through into the holodeck. “Admiral, Captain,” he nodded to the two.
Ophelia stepped in behind Darwin and Solis followed her in. They both greeted the CO and XO.
“Welcome Mr. Darwin, Mr. Solis, and Miss Payne.” Li nodded to each of them and looked over their dress. “Most impressive, I must say. Admiral?”
“If I do say so myself,” he said, then realized she wasn’t asking him to comment on how impressive the holodeck simulation was. “Ah, yes. So,” he said, his hands behind his back and circling the trio, “it appears that a big moment in your lives has come upon us and, as the wonderful commanding officer that I am, I wanted to make it something that you would remember for many years to come. Captain Hawke, who is as devious and sometimes evil as I, agreed wholeheartedly to the idea and…” he paused, waving his hand around the holodeck, “...here we are.”
Back in front of them he shouted a Klingon command and the holo-Klingons all stood at attention, their painsticks activated and at the ready. “You have been recommended for promotion to the rank of Lieutenant Commander.” He slid close to Ophelia, “And here comes the deviously evil part,” he said in her ear, then spoke loudly again. “As a commemoration of that promotion, you will undergo a rite of passage that only the hardest warriors can endure--the Rite of Ascension. You can thank Captain Hawke for talking me out of having the painsticks at full strength. I did say sometimes as evil as I, right?”
Ophelia looked as if she were waiting for the punchline of a joke, but it didn’t come. She glanced to Solis and Darwin, gauging their reactions, then turned back to Rick. “I am honored, sirs. Last time I turned it down but I suspect this time I must comply.”
Li cleared her throat to hold back a laugh. “Indeed.” She then looked from Ophelia to the two men. “Who would like to be first?”
Trying, unsuccessfully, to keep a glower off his face, Darwin shifted and glanced at Solis, realizing that Solis wasn’t volunteering. “I’ll go first, Captain,” he said. He and Gilroy had once, only once, sparred with painsticks as their weapons. Both had ended up vomiting from the pain and had vowed never to do that again; he couldn’t, however, recall what strength the sticks had been on. He hoped Li had convinced the Admiral to have these at less than half-strength. If not, he might just have to deck the Admiral before the day was over.
Rick and Li had made their way down to the end of the course so they could present each one with their rank pips as reward for making their way through. Of course, they would get their promotion anyway, but this was more fun. That much was obvious from the almost crazy smile on Rick’s face.
“Sirs, I don’t know the phrases for each...,” Darwin looked at the Klingons standing on each side of the gauntlet, “pairing.”
Rick spoke up. “That doesn’t matter as it’s not the real deal. You only have to go through to the end, and not by running or trying to take out the fake Klingons.”
“No hitting the fake Klingons? Well, that just takes all the fun out of it,” Darwin grinned. He stepped forward and the first two Klingons pressed the painsticks into his sides. He winced, expecting enormous pain, but that didn’t come. Instead, it was relatively mild and he nearly laughed. He looked down the line, though, and realized the Admiral’s game. He grimaced and shouted in pain. Staggering, he stepped to the next pair and, again, shouted in pain. Thrice more, he stepped forward and the Klingons hit him with the painsticks. On the last pairing, Darwin, hammed it up even more, shouting and collapsing in front of Li and Rick.
Li spoke in sonorous Klingon, announcing for all Darwin’s promotion up the ranks. She then took his pip, knelt down and attached it to his collar. “Well done, Lt. Commander Darwin.”
Rick shook his hand firmly. “Congratulations,” he said, then stepped closer and whispered, “I see what you did there. Nice.”
“Thought you’d appreciate that, Admiral,” Darwin gathered himself and stood. “Thank you for the promotion.”
“It is very well deserved,” Rick replied. “Now, who is next? It may be daunting, but definitely worth it.”
Ophelia stepped up to to the gauntlet and stood silent, looking at Darwin. Suddenly her eyes widened and, unseen by Solis, she smiled.
“And so it begins.” She stopped between the first two Klingons, who bent down to press the painsticks to her sides. She put on a good show of trying to resist crying out, but then seemed to give in. The next two brought forth a scream, making Solis look really worried. She continued on, staggering to the third pair and finally to the last. Once they were done, she hobbled another step forward and collapsed against Darwin.
Darwin caught her and made a show of holding her up for the Admiral. Not so bad, right? Good acting, he thought at her.
“And another brave officer has passed the Right of Ascension!” Rick announced. “Excellent work, Ophelia, and congratulations.”
“Thank you sirs.” She stood as Li attached her new pip.
Now, Li looked down the line and rumbled a command in Vulcan. Solis bowed slightly, and stepped forward, steeling himself to be zapped. When the painsticks made contact, the surprise in his face was huge. He shot a look at Darwin and Ophelia, shook his fist at them, then gave in to the scene. His bellows echoed off the walls of the cave until he finally reached the end.
Darwin laughed then cheered the doctor on.
Solis, as the other two had done, fell at Li’s feet and growled in Vulcan. She answered accordingly, then announced his promotion. “For a job done well and one in which you have faced some of the strangest times a doctor could.” She attached the pip to his collar. “Now rise.”
Solis did so and turned to Rick. “Thank you Admiral.”
“You, sir, are very welcome,” Rick replied. “Seriously, though, I was hoping for a higher setting but I was overruled.” He shrugged. “Again, congratulations to the three of you on your promotions and thank you for indulging the old man in this.”
Li moved aside a panel that looked like rock and revealed a table set with champagne on ice and five glasses. “Jan sent it over.” When the cork was popped, she filled the glasses.
“I so owe you two,” Solis laughed as he looked at Darwin and Ophelia. “I was about to rush out and make sure Ophelia wasn’t dying.”
‘Only her? Thanks, I see I need acting classes,” Darwin laughed and took a glass. “To my fellow promotees.”
“To us,” Ophelia agreed and Solis raised his glass. “I was expecting just to haul you back to sickbay, Darwin,” he grinned. “Then call your beastie to come comfort you after your ordeal.”
Li raised an eyebrow. “Beastie?”
“Please tell me it’s not another spider…” Rick frowned.
Darwin had choked on his champagne and now turned pink. “Ah, no, Admiral, it isn’t a spider. Solis, let’s not repeat that where said beastie might hear you.”
“Oh, I almost forgot,” Rick said after downing most of his champagne. “We all have to wear these outfits through the rest of our shifts.”
He’d just made it up and, from the look he got from Li, she was surprised and didn’t seem very happy about it. “What? It’ll be fun!”
“Kozel will be convinced I’ve finally gone off the deep end,” she said, then smiled. “However, I’ll agree if we go to dinner in them. All five of us. And bring El’Shar. She could use a good laugh.”
“I can do that,” he said. “To Cravings!” he said, holding up his glass.
“To Cravings!” Darwin mimicked the Admiral. This was a story for Gilroy.
“Aye sirs,” Solis answered, and Ophelia touched her glass to theirs. “Cravings...where a Klingon can get a decent steak and enough ale to float us out the door.”
“Amen to that,” Rick replied. “It’s a bit early, but I’m sure they’re open and I can always eat. Now, here’s the plan: on the way there you have to scowl the entire time. We’re Klingons!” He looked around at the group. “NO...I’m not drunk.” He held up the glass. “This is all I’ve had. Don’t judge me.”
“My first too,” Solis answered, “but certainly not my last. Shall we?”
Ophelia slipped her hands into the arms of Solis and Darwin. “We shall.”
“In that case, follow me. Computer, end program,” she ordered. The arch appeared and she led the way out, singing a Klingon war chant.
____________________________
Captain Li Hawke
Admiral RIck Wegener
Lt. Commander Michael Darwin
Lt. Commander Ophelia Payne
Lt. Commander Solis
