It's a long way to trip in a hallway, Pt 3

Posted on Tue Jul 1st, 2025 @ 1:47pm by Commodore Finchley Kerr & Captain Kevin, Lord Kilbane of Sanquhar & Lieutenant Commander Shr'Nesh Karadis & Commander Milani & Lieutenant Commander Dex

Mission: Delivering on the undeliverable.
Location: USS Thall/Portal planet
Timeline: Current., ran

The staff extended and the guard pressed it into Shon's back and pressed the trigger as a shot of what looked like electricity flowed into Shon. Shon screamed and writhed on the floor. "Again!" the daughter of Ra ordered and Shon's body contracted and shuddered again and lay still. "Remove her." she ordered. Shon, unconscious was dragged into Milani's room.

Kilbane started to move, but Finnigan held his arm and stopped him. Thankfully neither Milani, the Empress nor any of the guards saw them move, and Kilbane moved back into place. Finchley stepped forward, "As the Empress instructs" and he motioned for Finnigan and Kilbane to remove Shon's body. As they did, it was Finnigan who steered them towards the nearby room which he saw was a bedroom, knowing that they were going to be out of sight and hopefully speaking distance.

Karadis stood by, taking care not to act or react to what had just happened. Her head bowed, eyes on the ground, she said, "My Empress, may I humbly suggest that we move somewhere so that I can soothe the disdain you must feel for this fool who has so disgracefully spoken out of turn. I could...help relax you, bring you back to a better way of feeling, release the tension you might be feeling?"

The Daughter of Ra looked at her speculatively, "I thought you were a gift for my mate," she stroked Milani's hair, unless you would like to service the two of us. I can promise you you will enjoy your reward."

"I am at the command of my Empress, whatever is your hearts desire I will help fulfil" Karadis replied.

Milani stood and walked to her her face troubled. "I think I know you beautiful....." she seemed to be trying to process something but then her face grew smooth once again. "Daughter of Ra I want her for myself?" Milani's hand skimmed Karadis buttocks feeling the muscular tissue beneath her hands. She moaned. "Give me this gift oh Daughter of Ra?"

For a moment the Empress looked annoyed at being left out but eventually she nodded."She is my gift to you my love, so long as I can have her afterwards?"

Milani nodded took Karadis hand and led her towards the bedroom.

In the nearby room Shon came back to consciousness. "What the hell was that shitstorm!" she moaned rather pathetically. "Owww." she rolled over to see Kilbane and Finnegan looking at her.

"Well, it kind of went like this" Kilbane began his reply, "You spoke out and the Empress didn't like it, so she had you 'zapped' by whatever it is those guards use as a weapon. However, bizarre as it seems, it was kind of good luck that you did what you did because it gives us a chance...a very brief chance I might add...to look around this room as see if there's anything out of the ordinary that can give us a clue as to who these people really are. Before we do that however, how are you feeling?"

"Like I have been hit by a harapbeast and then some thank you for asking." Shon sat up and stretched, "I'm okay." Looking around she said "you take the cupboards and I will look at the fireplace, these icons interest me as they seem to depict some great battle'" Shon limped over wishing for nothing but a hot bath and to be alone with Finchley. "I'm a doctor not a bloody lightening rod!" she exclaimed to herself.

Kilbane walked across to one of the cupboards and idly opened it, glancing inside. "Nothing much out the ordinary in here, some dresses...if you can call them that, basically they're face cloth's with ribbons and eyelets. Some sandals, the odd head dress and what looks like..." then he closed the door, "...ok, you don't want to see what else is in there, suffice to say that you'd be kind of sore afterwards!"

Finnigan had opened another cupboard and looked inside. There was basically the same things, some clothes and sandals, but something else, a small pyramid with carving on it. "This might be interesting..." he said, bringing it out and placing it on the giant bed, "looks like a miniature version of this 'ship' we're in, though there's carvings on it."

Shon walked over and examined the pyramid. Her fingers ran across the hieroglyphs. "Surak's breath!" she exclaimed. Finchley come over here look" Shon pointed to a small line of design. "there is no way this could be here unless...unless someone from our dimension had been here before." she took the pyramid over to the fireplace, "here, look the same carving is on this part of the fireplace. It looks like old Federation?"

Finnigan was none the wiser, but Kilbane stepped forward and began looking around the small pyramid. He picked it up and began moving it round, speaking quietly to himself. Once he'd turned it around a few times, he looked at the others and said, "It's not old federation, believe it or not this is a form of Afro-Asiatic, but there's some symbols or words I don't know about. I mean, I can't read it all, but I can get a rough gist of what it says. 'Here lies the...opening or entrance to...world...the finder...reaches or travels...rises above all...none can stand against...', but that's it. If I had to guess, this is talking about another portal."

He snapped his fingers and pointed to Shon, "They're looking for a buried portal, that's what their mining for!"

Shon gasped, "you're right, it's a portal of course!' she exclaimed "well done" she said smiling at him. For a moment she remembered a happier time when they were together and cursed herself for hurting him. So are they thinking of invasion?" she said, "so we need to find this portal go through and destroy it, also helping the people here. " She laughed, "easy huh!"

"Well, that's the thing" Kilbane answered, still looking at the small pyramid and rubbing his chin at the same time, "are they bringing people through to help them, or are they looking to send people 'through' this portal 'to' invade."

"Ah, as your William Shakespeare said "there's the rub," Hopefully Milani can help us with that?"

"Yes, but Hamlet spoke only of himself and the fact that he didn't know what death would bring him" Kilbane replied, still deep in thought, "here though, either way they're going to do it, people are going to be killed if they succeed in finding that portal and using it."

"Is there anything on that artefact that might indicate a map?" she asked.

Kilbane turned the small pyramid around again and searched for clues. "The closest thing to a map is a description, 'near' or 'by' the underground water. I think this is describing the water that feeds into the oasis we were at. If we could trace the source back from there it could get us to the portal quicker than the diggers."

Shon nodded, "I wish Milani was with us."

As the door to the bedroom closed leaving her and Karadis alone Milani drew her towards the bed. Her hands running over the Klingon's body, cupping her breasts and parting her thighs. "always found you beautiful" she said.

"Is this Milani speaking or the Daughter of Anubis?" she asked.

Milani looked confused....."I know you," she whispered, "but I am the Daughter of the God of the Dead." She moved closer to Karadis so their breasts touched sending a shock of pleasure through Milani, then suddenly she could see red and green float across her vision as she caressed the globes of the Klingon's breasts seeing her tied up and violated..."Karadis...I...I cannot fight....I am Milani I want you....I AM THE DAUGHTER OF ANUBIS AND I WILL CLAIM YOU FOR MYS....." Milani appeared to convulse and then looked into Karadis eyes. "Where is everybody? get me out of here, hit me, knock me out and find Shon!"

Then the red and green swam into her brain and her hand shot out to encircle the Klingon's neck and began to squeeze. "I will take your dead body to my father and, in death you will be my faithful slave."

Karadis was taken aback by the strength in Milani's grip, and she had to fight hard to draw a breath. Putting her arms down, she forced them up suddenly, breaking the stranglehold Milani had around her neck. She panted and staggered backwards away from her, whatever it was that was inside her seemed to give her more strength than she outwardly portrayed.

"Milani, MILANI, you've got to fight this, you MUST regain control of your mind!" Karadis called out.

A stream of red and white swam across Milani's eyes as the worms took control of the anger they had engendered in her brain, made her want to force Karadis to worship her, to take her savagely. At the same time she knew this woman as a crew member and an erstwhile friend as her hippocampus and temporal lobe fought to regain control. She gasped and fell back on the bed, "Karadis, the worms, pull them out, pleaseee!" she begged, as she began to shake violently.

Karadis rushed to the bed, grabbed Milani and forced her onto her side. Holding her as steady as she could, she peered down the right ear canal of her and saw something wiggling..." What the hell!" she exclaimed. She didn't have time to wonder though, and she looked around to see if there was anything she could use to try and extract what she assumed was the tail end of the worm. Seeing a small pair of tongs on a delicacies dish, she reached over and snatched them up.

"Ok Milani, this isn't going to be pretty, and I hope that I don't damage your ears, but I'll try and get the worms out" she said.

As carefully as she could, given Milani was still struggling around, she put the tongs into her ear canal and closed the ends. She felt the grip and slowly and surely she drew the worm out. It took a little force as the worm began fighting to stay inside the ear canal, but finally Karadis managed to pull it out, and once she had, she threw it on the floor and stamped repeatedly on it till it was a pureed mess. Turning Milani over to her other side, she once again delicately put the tongs inside Milani's other ear canal and fought to get the worm there out. This one was a little easier, and again, once it was clear of the ear she threw it on the ground and stamped on it till it was a messy smudge.

She place Milani on her back and allowed her to rest, stroking her hair to make sure she was soothed after the trauma.

For a few moments Milani was still, it seemed to her she felt rest after a long time awake. She felt hands caressing her hair and turned to see Karadis. "they have gone, you removed them, thank you Karadis. Milani pulled the Klingon woman down to her and kissed her deeply. "you can be sure that this is Milani, the Daughter of Anubis is dead." she smiled, "can we carry this on when we get home, you know I am very attracted to you?"

Somewhat surprised at Milani kissing her, as there had been no outward signs that she herself had witnesses that showed Milani had any interest in her, Karadis just stared. When she was then asked if this could carry on once back on the Thall, Karadis immediately answered "Yes!"

Milani smiled and sat up, "now tell me what has been going on?"

"In a nutshell" Karadis began, "you were captured, we followed to find you, found you but you weren't you at this point, you were whatever you became when the worms were inside you. The Commodore and the rest of us were offered the chance to join the Honour Guard or die, so we kind of pretended we had just to get out the room. I was then persuaded to act as if I was a gift for you so we were able to get into the room where you and the Empress were. I dared to speak to the Empress to see if I could be 'her' present instead of yours, Shon then faked a speech about that shouldn't happen, she was then made toast by the guards in the room and carted off by Kilbane, Finnigan and Finchley into a bedroom. You then asked for me as a gift 'from' the Empress, and she granted it, and so we end up here. I helped get whatever those worm things in you were and squished them. As far as I know, the others are still ion the bedroom looking after Shon and that's it all."

'Right, lets get back to them, I hopefully have information we can use and, they are going to wonder where the Daughter of Anubis is." For a moment she took Kardis hand, it felt warm and very strong and Milani wished they were back on board, alone.

Milani stood for a minute a little dizzy, she looked down on the floor at the smashed worms and shivered, I was there looking out with someone else's eyes. I kept shouting, trying to be heard." for a second she relived it then headed for the outward door. On reaching the door she pressed a panel which opened containing various weapons including their phasers. Milani tapped her head, "you see all inside here'" she said laughing and opened the door realising they were both still dressed in the flimsy white dresses.

Shon turned and looked at them, "Milani?" she questioned, "is that you?"

"Yes, Karadis removed them, no more Daughter of Anubis and I have some information. Here are our weapons" she said.

Finchley heard the sound of Milani's voice and turned to say something, then realised how skimpily dressed both she and Karadis were. He looked away and then up at the ceiling, pretending to be interested in a fresco that was up there, "It's eh...it's wonderful to see 'you' back again...emm, Commander. You too Karadis, hasn't been the eh, the eh...same."

"I was gone for about twenty minutes Bird, not a decade" Karadis replied, nodding and grinning to Milani and Shon about how embarrassed Finchley was and how he couldn't look at them.

Milani looked at Shon who was trying hard not to laugh. Shon went up to her. "Are you free from the Daughter of Anubis?' she asked.

Milani nodded, even if they offered me a two for one I would not partake, we found our weapons." She handed out a phaser to everyone, tagged one through a belt around her waist and picked up the staff weapon. "I know how to use this in our environment. So, where next?" she looked expectantly at Finchley.

"Well, from what Kilbane has said about tracing the water source to find the portal, that would be my plan" Finchley answered, "only we don't have a tricorder to do that, unless you can think of a way of converting your medical tricorder so we can use that Shon?"

"If you're looking for a water source I know where the main one is? It's under a mountain about two hundred miles from here.' Milani said.

Shon looked at her tricorder and began to fiddle with it. "I can convert it to look for pariton particles, that might...."

Milani interrupted Shon who looked annoyed. "We can take the transport to the source.", she looked towards the door where the noise of running feet could be heard.
"We need to hurry" Shon said.

"Finnigan, go and check what's got everybody so jumpy they're running around" Finchley ordered. Finnigan made his way to the door and opened it slowly, then slipped through.

"I wonder what's got them all jittery?" Karadis asked out loud.

Kilbane shrugged his shoulders, "Could be anything from the lunch bell just being rung to the sky falling down."

Finchley clicked his fingers and pointed to Kilbane, "That's brilliant, that's absolutely BRILLIANT!"

"It is?" Kilbane asked, now very confused.

"YES" Finchley bellowed, walking over and grabbing Kilbane by the upper shoulders, "We tell them the sky's about to fall down!!!"

Kilbane looked even more confused, "How does telling them that help us?"

"We spin them a yarn" Finchley said, now grinning from ear to ear. "Look, if these people are what we think they are, basically Egyptians, the they'll have all kinds of Gods and superstitions. We use that to tell them that their Gods are unhappy and that's why they've not found what they're looking for. We can use that small pyramid thing to show them some of the hieroglyphics and explain that unless they tell us what they're doing and allow us to help them, their Gods will send a storm or flood or whatever to 'smite' them unless they allow us to help them. Let's face it, I don't think that many of them will be able to read or understand what we're showing them, after all we know their cultural history is passed along by story telling, so we can make up anything we want. Tracing the water source from a couple of hundred miles away will take to long, this way, we get access to the dig site and we're already dressed as guards, well, most of us anyway."

"Ah, I see" Kilbane replied, "so we'll be able to just walk right into the mine."

"Got it in one" Finchley answered.

Finnigan re-appeared in the room again, "Looks like there's a storm brewing, there's been a call for everyone to shore up the mine opening."

Finchley turned to face everyone, "Ladies and gentlemen, it's story time..."

"So you don't want to get to the water source immediately?" Milani said. " I'm confused, and then the transmat would take us to the mines?" she looked around, "I'm sorry have I missed anything?"

Shon looked at Finchley and then Milani. "If Milani can get us there with her.....remembered technology then....why aren't we doing it?"

A sudden trammel at the doors made Shon jump.

"No, you haven't missed anything" Finchley replied to Milani, "but if I'm right, then there's no time for us to trace the water source and get back in time to beat the diggers to the portal" Finchley replied, "we have to adapt the plan, unless you Einstein's have a better idea?" Finchley replied, pointing to the door which had just been thumped by the passing mass of people.

"I'm just glad to be back with you all Sir," Milani said, "Maybe if I pretend to be the Daughter of Anubis one last time I can get us out of here?"

Shon gave a surprised gasp. "Okay I managed to adapt the tricorder if we need it to find any water, I don't know how long it will last, it keeps wanting to revert to a medical tricorder." she laughed.

There was now a sustained banging on the door and calls of "The Daughter of Anubis, find her, call out the imperial guard!!"

"We had better get going," Shon said as Milani picked up the fire stick.

"Indeed we do" Finchley replied. He stepped forward and stood beside Milani, "They're going to want to question you as to why you didn't answer when they knocked on the door, so yes, being the Daughter of Anubis one last time would be helpful." Then he looked at Karadis, "You're going to have to play along as well Karadis, you both need to persuade the Imperial Guard that you were...well, you know...otherwise engaged. Once you've both persuaded the guard that's what was going on, 'we'..." and he pointed to everyone else, "...will say we were assuring you both privacy but are now taking you both to see the Empress so she can...uh...how do I put this...'have her turn...with Karadis. Hopefully they'll accept that explanation and let us go about our business."

He turned back to Milani, "You'll have to guide us to this transporter or teleportation device, though how we'll use it I don't know, but we'll just have to figure it out and quickly."

He looked round them all again, "If this goes sideways, I want each of you to make a run for it, get out of this place ASAP by whatever means and head back to the oasis. There's no point in all of us getting caught, so I hope I'm making myself clear. Right, try and look convincing when we open the door."

Once again he looked at Milani, "I hope you're a good actress Mil."

He reached forward and opened the door, facing them was an angry looking Honour Guard.

Milani stood to her full height grabbed Karadis by her hair and pulled the Klingon to her allowing her hands to run down Karadis front to her crotch. "I AM THE DAUGHTER OF ANUBIS BY WHO'S AUTHORITY DO YOU DEMAND MY ATTENTION?"

The three lead guards knelt down and Milani could see them tremble. They looked at each other trying to communicate the need for one of them to dare to speak to a god. tremble.

"WELL" Milani thundered.

"Great Daughter of Anubis, the Daughter of Ra sent us to ensure your safety, you were taking so long the Empress ...... she thought...." his voice petered out.

"You mean she wishes to partake of this dark temptress. Return to the Empress and tell her she will soon be where I have been. I will deliver her in a little while, now GO...before I turn you into HEVELAH.!" Milani kicked the door and it slammed shut.

She let go of the Klingon, "I am sorry, I did the first thing that came into my mind, forgive me?"

"No, no, no. In my culture, you just made the first move" Karadis replied, "Ordinarily I would do something similar, but given our current circumstances I think we can let it go...for now."

"When you're both quite finished with your dalliances, could we perhaps get on?" Finchley said to both Milani and Karadis, gesturing towards the door.

Milani smiled and nodded, "Yes Sir, follow me' she said as she thought for a moment, I need the pyramid, I can use it to open the transit booth." She held her hand out to receive the object and walked over to an extravagantly decorated panel and pressed what looked like an apple in the hand of a naked rather well endowed male. the panel slid back to reveal a small cubicle. Milani placed the pyramid into an opening shaped to receive the article. The transit lit up and began to emit a whirring sound.

'I will have to be the last to enter the beam, I have entered the co ordinates for the water source, it should be inside a cave but it is guarded by something I can only explain as a large animal, we humans would call it a dragon and it sits outside the cave" she laughed. "It emits a neural paralysis beam, very painful, very nasty, dissolves the parietal lobe of the brain, you will not be able to destroy it until the beam is curtailed so you're up Shon. Now the first two please step into the light."

"Finchley turned to Kilbane and Finnigan, "Ok you two, you're up."

"Why us???" Kilbane complained, "you're the ranking officer."

"And that's why I've chosen you two to be the guinea pigs for this contraption, as I am the ranking officer" Finchley replied, and placing a hand on Kilbane's shoulder he added, "Rank hath it's privileges."

Kilbane pushed Finnigan towards the transit light, and as he walked towards it himself he muttered, "I'll give him rank hath it's bloody privileges..."

Karadis stopped next to Finchley, and leaning in she said, "You shouldn't tease him like that you know."

"But look at him, he's so happy" Finchley replied, "he's never happier than when he's complaining."

Karadis just laughed silently.

Karadis and Finchley stepped into the beam and vanished. "Shon," Milani indicated for her colleague to step into the cubicle. Shon hesitated, "you are fully Milani again, I would hate to find out you are not following us?"

Milani laughed, "don't worry I am fully me, I just want us all to get home, hopefully to a ship that is still there, now, go. I hear them returning.."

Shon stepped into the cubicle and the beam took her. Milani looked around her and, for a moment she wished she had more time to explore this new world, then she stepped in pressed a small icon on the pyramid and it came out into her hand. A second later she appeared in the cave along with everyone.

"I'm glad you all arrived safely, I disabled this transit cubicle so no one can follow us. She held out the pyramid, "this may still be able to help us. So, where is this creature?"

"You...you...you...mean...the...big...bug...eyed...fucker...who's...staring...at...us" Finnigan stumbled out, his hand shaking as he pointed behind the group.

Karadis slowly turned round and saw an enormous beast looking back over it's shoulder at them. It was the stuff of legend to her, stories she'd grown up on whenever the legends of Kahless was spoken of.

"Whom do we seek, Kahless, How do we find him?, Together, Give us light to see, Forever, Will he hide from us always?, Never." Karadis began chanting.

Before anyone could react, she uttered a guttural roar and charged at the beast. her long strides covered the distance between her and it quickly and as she leapt at it she activated the staff she had in her hands. Lightening beamed out and struck the beast in the side, but it only annoyed it more than hurt it. It threw out a clawed arm, trying to hit Karadis, but the Klingon was faster and avoided being hit. Rolling in the dirt, she was up an one knee again and already striding towards it again, once more the rod struck out it's power and caught the beast under it's right eye causing it to rear up in pain and strike out blindly.

Kilbane watched in awe as Karadis charged the beast and when he saw that she'd managed to hurt it, he took off himself, an inner madness taking control of him. As he ran, he took out his phaser and began firing at will, striking the beast several times causing it to once more rear up in pain. Karadis meantime had climbed the cave ledges and was almost level with the head of the beast as it came back down. Jumping out, she landed on the back of it's neck and clung on as the beast tried to dislodge her by throwing it's head back and forth.

Kilbane now fired repeatedly at it's legs, each hit causing deep scars to appear and blood to spray out. The beast tried in vain to move around and position itself to face it's attackers, but the cave entrance was to small and it bounced back and forth. Karadis now took the rod she had and jammed it's end into the one good eye of the mighty beast and fired again and again and again. The beast roared loudly, but began sinking towards the ground, unable to dislodge it's attacker from it's neck. Karadis continued firing for all she was worth, and eventually, the mighty beast sank to the ground, the smell of singed and burnt flesh emanating out from it. As it hit the cave floor, Kilbane put his phaser into it's mouth and fired several burst causing the beasts head to buck backwards, but it was dead.

Karadis, having fallen off the beasts neck as it hit the cave floor, now stood up and once again uttered a guttural roar. Once done, she stormed towards Kilbane and grabbed him by the collar and forced him into the cave wall. "Strip...NOW...I want sex!"

Kilbane didn't react, but Finchley did. He ran full pelt to Karadis and grabbed the hand that held Kilbane up against the wall, "KARADIS, LET HIM GO, NOW!"

Karadis swung her head round, and she looked wildly at Finchley, blood lust still in her eyes. Finchley knew the signs, he'd seen them before and he knew how to handle it. "Let him go Karadis, the fight is over, you won, you killed the beast, there's no need to do anything else, it's over."

Slowly, Karadis blinked and the fire in her eyes dimmed to be replaced by her normal stare. Letting go of Kilbane, she looked at him and said, "Sorry Kilbane, I didn't mean to do that to you..."

Kilbane slid down the wall and onto the cave floor, visibly shaken. Finchley guided Karadis back to the group and then turned back to Kilbane, "Hey, Prince Charming, come and join us."

Kilbane took himself off of the ground and slowly walked back to them, but stood on the opposite side from Karadis.

Shon, wide eyed ran over to Kilbane opening her tricorder, " that was SO stupid stand still let me check you out?" It took longer than expected with the modifications she had made to her tricorder but it still performed its basic medical functions. She sighed, "you're fine but your adrenaline is off the scale which is only to be expected." She wanted to shout at him telling him he was a fool but she knew that was not what he wanted to hear so she kept her counsel. "You need to rest for a while sit down and take some deep breaths," she paused, " you are either incredibly stupid or incredibly brave." for a moment her hand found his.

Kilbane could only look at Shon as he was still a little shocked between attacking and helping Karadis in killing the beast, and how Karadis had reacted afterwards when they'd done so. He looked down numbly as Shon briefly took his hand, but he couldn't say anything at that moment.

She then went over to Karadis, the Klingon looked wild and dishevelled her pupils still wide. "your Qaq is, of course off the scale and your ability to make sensible decisions may be 'out' for a while.." Shon grinned, "but you will be fine.."

"That was exhilarating..." was all she could say, a look of triumph in her eyes.

Milani stood, her mouth still slightly open at the scene that had faced her as she alighted from the cubicle. "I see you found the beast she said not being able to control the broad grin that split her face. "Commodore, I disabled the transmat cubicle for a while but they will repair it and follow u...." then she noticed the Klingon's wild look and the ragged cuts in her already flimsy dress, she swallowed hard. "Follow us." she finished the sentence. "I wish we had our uniforms, I feel so silly dressed like this. right, where next?"

Finchley looked at Shon, "Well, if you can use your tricorder to pinpoint whatever it is you think you can find to trace the water, we can start from here."

"I will try although this jury rigged thing might not work too well. Shon began to move around exploring the back of the cave and then towards the cave opening. She looked back then forward once again. "Oh.." she exclaimed.

"What's wrong?" Milani asked. "Oh..yes I see what you mean." she turned, "anyone here scared of heights?" she looked out again. Must be several thousand feet down down there."

"Look" Shon said, "there are steps cut into the rock, no handrail that I can see but wide enough for us to navigate and the signal is coming from below us." She looked back. "It looks rather like Vulcan's forge" she said feeling a little homesick. "but without the heat." She stepped down onto the first step. "Keep to the side and don't look down." she called and began to descend.

"I'll take up the rear, Kilbane, Karadis are you ready to move on?" she asked.

Kilbane and Karadis both nodded, but said nothing. They were both in what looked like a shocked state, not usual for either.

Finchley looked over the edge and down the several thousand feet towards the bottom of the cliff. "It's not that I have an irrational fear of falling from a great hight, my irrational fear is the sudden stop you come to when you hit the bottom..."

Milani smiled, "to be honest I think you would be dead before then if that is any comfort?" she said as she slowly continued her descent. It seemed like hours as she watched. every foothold the sun beating down on her back. The only shade the occasional overhanging cliff. If truth be told she was not sure she could keep her balance if she looked up or back and the valley floor never seemed to get any nearer.

Then a small opening appeared in the cliff partly obscured by the only seeming bush growing on the cliff, she felt a brief brush of cool air on her face and neck. "In here for a rest," she called and crawled in to what appeared to be a bigger space. She stood to admire the walls which were covered by some sort of rock from which the cool air seemed to omit. Here too was a smaller fountain and she buried her head in the cool rushing water drinking as she did so. "In here" she shouted. "there is water and it is cool. She sank down, her back to the wall luxuriating in the coolness as it began to radiate through her back and she felt sure Shon would agree they rest there a while. She looked down at her legs which were turning bright red and were becoming sore, she sighed and closed her eyes.

Kilbane and Finnigan were next in, glad to be out of the glaring heat, both walked over to the small fountain and took handfuls of drinks of water to assuage their thirst. Finchley was next in, and he looked around the small cave, he too glad to be out of the sun for a while. Though he was thirsty, he wanted to make sure the remainder of the team got a drink first before he allowed himself to get a drink of water. Karadis entered the small cave and when she saw the fountain she walked over and plunged her top half in, drinking deeply. Finally dragging her upper half out of the water, the flimsy material she wore was now completely sodden and clung to her body leaving nothing to the imagination.

"Seriously Karadis, you couldn't just cup the water in your hands like anyone else to drink and cool yourself off?" Finchley asked, unable to look at Karadis as she basically looked naked, instead looking up at the cave ceiling.

Karadis looked down at her well defined body, the flimsy material clinging to her, "Really Bird, I never took you for being prudish, like I've said before, it's not like you've never seen me naked."

"And as I replied before, that was different circumstances, we had been captured and were ordered to 'strip' our clothes off before being herded into a cell in near freezing conditions" Finchley replied, still staring at the cave ceiling, "We huddled together for shared body heat..."

"Yeah, you should have told that to your hardening di..." Karadis began replying.

"ALRIGHT, WE DON'T NEED TO GO ON ABOUT THAT ANYMORE!!!" Finchley called loudly.

Kilbane and Finnigan sniggered behind their hands, they wanted more detail about the situation, but they'd wait till they were alone with Karadis to ask her.

Shon pretended not to have heard the back and forward between Karadis and Finchley. She had always meant to explore any feelings they might have had for each other and for some reason it made her feel nauseated. She knew she was tired, bone tired and they still had a long way to go. She looked at Finchley trying to gage his facial reactions and turned away wanting nothing but to be in his arms.

"As your Medical Officer we should spent the next few hours here and rest and rehydrate. Here," she pulled a bag from her pouch. I stole these sweetmeats prior to our leaving and they are full of sugar. Divide them up between you, drink plenty and try to sleep. I would advise moving out again after the heat of the day."

Milani nodded, "good idea Shon." she took a sugared sweet from the proffered bag and went to sit by the cave opening. As she sat there the sound of beating wings made her look up. An enormous bird the size of a shuttle rose and fell in the air currents. As big as it was it looked beautiful and as light as a feather. It turned its enormous head, its great green eyes looking straight at her. The sight was soporific, a moment of calm in the middle of a mission that, as yet had no end. She smiled and fell into a deep sleep.

Shon saw Milani fall asleep and her own tiredness began to overcome her, she lay down her back to everyone and tried to sleep.

Finchley, as tired as he was, knew he wouldn't be able to sleep. Once everyone had had their fill of water, he allowed himself to walk over and cup some of it into his hands and drink deeply. Once his thirst was assuaged, he ripped a small part of his uniform off, put it in the cool water and place the material around the back of his neck. A slight tingle came over him as the water ran down his back, and he allowed himself a sigh of satisfaction that they had all made it this far.

He looked round at the team, all now fast asleep where they'd sat or leaned. As much as most of them could at times be a pain at times, he wouldn't trade any of them in for anything the universe could offer. They were an eclectic group, but for some reason, they just gelled together and it worked. He smiled to himself, out of all the people he'd trained or served with over the years, 'this' was the best of the best to him and he wouldn't have it any other way.

~Your getting soft in your dotage Bird~ he thought to himself. He sat on a nearby boulder and closed his eyes, but he knew he still couldn't sleep, his mind was on what lay ahead and how they would work out what to do on finding the portal.

Milani woke suddenly as a cooling breeze swept across her. Outside the sun was still there but the evening was nearly upon them. She sat up looking at the group still asleep the look of exhaustion on their faces. Having no idea how long they had slept she was aware that once the darkness fell the descent down the steep stone steps would be impossible. She walked over the Shon and gently shook her. "Shon, wakeup, I think we need to move on!"

Shon jumped awake immediately aware of their situation. Wake the others, I will wake the Commodore." Milani nodded. Shon stood, stretched and walked over to the Commodore. Kneeling down she wanted to run her fingers over his tired face and gently kiss his lips but instead shook him gently. "Finchley, wake up, time to move on" she whispered into his ear.

"I'm not actually asleep" Finchley answered, "I haven't slept, just had my eyes closed and been thinking about this portal and the implications it has for this world. I've been thinking about how it could be used for good, and how it could be used for evil. The good part is that we 'could' try and get help for those native to this planet, the evil part is that someone else finds it and brings an army here to subdue those native to this planet. Depending on what we find, 'if' we find the portal, our decision...my decision...makes or breaks this place, and that's a hefty responsibility for me. I guess that there's only two choices, we stop the Empress and her subordinates by stealing the portal, or, we sabotage the portal so it can't be used."

He laughed hollowly, "Did you know the word sabotage was brought about by workers throwing their wooden shoes, called sabots, into machinery, thus breaking them. I mean, where on this planet would we find the 'wooden shoes' to break a portal?"

He stood up and walked to the back of the cave, facing the wall. He held out his hand and touched it, feeling it's roughness and granite like hardness, "What are our wooden shoes going to be..."


Milani looked at him and made a decision to talk to Shon. Something about the Captain disturbed her, he seemed, preoccupied and not his usual self. Shon was going around waking the rest of the team. "We need to get going before the sun sets," she said. "Make sure you drink plenty, we fell lucky with this cave and we have no idea if, or when we will get to rest again."

Shon looked out of the cave and, seeing everyone else was ready she once agin stepped out onto the steep path cut into the rock face and began the long way down. Milani had decided to bring up the rear and began to step down behind Kilbane. They continued for what seemed hours as the steep path showed no signs of ending and the valley floor seemed no nearer as the sun gradually began to sink. Strange sounds began to echo around the mountains the occasional roar amongst them. Shon's calf muscles began to complain and, not for the first time she wished for fitness like Milani or Karadis, 'maybe I could ask them for lessons when we get home' she thought.

The darkness began to be all encompassing and several times she slipped as the steps became uneven. "We need to find somewhere to stop for the night, it's getting too dangerous to .......ARGGHH!" she screamed as something grabbed at her hair and a foul smell surrounded her. She could feel the brush of leathery wings against her face and, suddenly a sharp pain in her shoulder as claws tore through her clothes, then, she felt herself falling. A moment later she found herself on the floor of yet another cave. "In here, everyone!" she called as she pulled herself further in from the ledge. She lay there breathing hard.

Kilbane had scrambled down the steps, along with Finnigan and found the cave Shon had shouted out about.

"Are you Ok, what happened?" Finnigan asked.

“Something flew into me, some sort of huge avian, it unbalanced me and scratched me.”

As the others trooped by and into the cave, Karadis looked back up the steps to see if Finchley was catching them up, but there was no sign of him. Sticking her head in the cave she asked, "Has anyone seen the Commodore, he's not within sight of here up the steps?"

Milani looked worried, “I was bringing up the rear, he could not possibly have gotten back passed me!”

Shon jumped up heading for the entrance, “Did he fall. Could he have fallen!? She shouted panicking.

Karadis looked at Kilbane and Finnigan, "We should go back up, see if we can find out what's happened to him."

Finnigan and Kilbane didn't need asking a second time, they were both out the cave and heading back up the steps instantly. Karadis looked at Shon and Milani, "Best if you two both stay here in case he shows up, he may need medical assistance...he will do from me if he's gotten himself into trouble, plus we could do with someone searching this place to find some wood for a fire and anything that seems drinkable and edible as we'll need food and water."

Milani walked to the back of the cave where, surprisingly a spring of fresh water bubbled. She bent down a cold water flowed into her mouth. She moaned in joy is it hit the back of her throat. She walked back “there’s water back here as well, seems a little strange.” She waited for Shon to speak to her. “Shon, Shon?” She walked over and knelt down. “Shon, are you okay?”

Shon was shivering uncontrollably sweat streaming down her body. The scratches on her arm looked red and green and she was murmuring nonsense. She ripped a piece of her clothing ran back and plunged it into the water. Reaching Shon she placed the wet rag on her forehead and reached for her tricorder.

Heading back out the cave, Karadis began her ascent of the steps after Kilbane and Finnigan, they needed to find out what had happened to Kerr. After around thirty minutes of climbing, they came to bush next to the steps and Finnigan called a halt to catch his breath. "What the hells gotten into Bird anyway, he should know better than to wander off!" he said.

"That's if he did wander off, what if he was attacked like Shon was and carried off as dinner for whatever flies around this place" Kilbane answered.

"Actually, it's the other way round" a familiar voice said as someone appeared from the bush.

Karadis' head whipped round, "BIRD!!!" she grinned, then remembered the situation. She walked across and punched him in the arm, "What the hell are you doing scaring us by disappearing like that, we thought you were dead!"

"OWWWWW..." Finchley yelled, and rubbed his arm, "I saw a great big flying thing, and followed it, had to go past the bush there to find out where it landed. I was thinking about this climb down and how long it's going to take us, and also about the fact we have no food and very little in the way of water. So..."

"...You thought you'd hunt the bird so we could have some meat to eat, niiiiiiiicccceeeeeee" Finnigan replied.

"Not just that, there were eggs as well" Finchley said, moving the bush leaves back to reveal three rather large eggs, as well as the dead 'bird'.

"Ok, I can live with this, our need is great, we need sustenance" Karadis replied, "anyone who doesn't agree can bite me because we're going to be eating cooked food providing Milani and Shon have found wood or something to burn in the cave. Let's get back."

It took less time going back down than it did climbing up, so soon all four of them entered the cave and Karadis said, "Found him."

Milani looked round, “Good, glad to see you sir. Shon is ill, she has all the symptoms of an infection.” She pointed to the back of the cave, “plenty of water, another spring. I think it’s those scratches she received"

Once Finchley had put down the dead 'bird' he'd carried back with him, he bent down to take a look at the scratches, then he looked at Shon, sweat on her brow and she was shivering. Without further hesitation, he bent forward and began sucking on the scratches and spitting out the blood he drew out.

"Water!", he said to Milani, as he continued to suck at the open wounds.

Milani nodded and ran back to the water, then she saw six wooden cups. Without thinking of the strangeness of the arrangement she filled a cup and took it back to Finchley.

Finnigan screwed his face up as he watched Finchley suck away at the scratches, "Really???" he exclaimed.

"He's trying to draw the poison out of the wound" Karadis said, admiring Finchley's pluck.

"Yes, I know what he's doing, but he doesn't know what's in the wound, it could affect him too!" Finnigan answered.

"That's why he's asking for the water" Kilbane added, "so that if there is any poison going in his mouth he can dilute it as he rinses and spits the water out, not so much poison will enter his blood stream."

"Yes, but still..." was all Finnigan could add.

“Sir,” Milani said as she handed it to him. Shon’s breathing became slow as her lips turned blue. She looked up at Finchley.

"I'm only going to give you one order Commander" Finchley winked at Shon, "Don't you dare die one me, I still need someone who'll nag me when I'm doing things wrong, and you fit that criteria!"

With that, he gave a quick smile and once again began sucking at the wounds Shon had to try and draw out the poison within.

Shon could hear Finchley as though she was underwater, a great waterfall fell on her face, her ears felt blocked and her chest felt as though a lagabeast was squeezing her in preparation for its dinner. Her legs now felt as though they were freezing and would soon shatter. She didn't know wether she was dying but she felt quite ready for the next great adventure, somehow there was someone she felt was missing. He was near, she could feel him and she could not leave without him.

"Finchley" she whispered through her blue lips which began to turn from blue to rose pink. The weight lifted from her chest and her legs began to feel warm once again. She wanted, needed to sleep and as she drifted away her lips opened. "I love you" she said quite loudly.

Milani rolled her eyes and thought how much she could embellish that when Shon woke. However she gave a sigh of relief and sat back.

Finchley sat on the ground, glad to see that Shon was mostly back to her normal colour, but she still looked a little gaunt. Not surprising seeing as she had had poison in the wounds up till a few minutes before. When she began drifting off to sleep, he also knew that it was the bodies way of naturally trying to heal itself, so for him, the major part of the scare was past, it was up to Shon now to do the rest as they had no medical equipment or medicines to help her. Though he felt a little queasy himself, he was aware that having the water to rinse and spit the poison out had lessened himself getting anywhere near as bad as Shon.

He smiled when she'd loudly told him she loved him as she drifted off, and taking her hand in his and knowing she was asleep, he replied, "I love you too Shon."

"Oh get a room the both of you, please!" Karadis said as she turned away.

"Something the matter Karadis?" Finchley asked, looking round at the Klingon woman.

"Apart from me wanting to throw up after you both showing your feelings for each other out loud...no. not especially" Karadis replied sarcastically.

"Good, then you can take first watch whilst the rest of us get some water and rest" Finchley replied, grinning.

"Whatever" Karadis answered, heading for the cave entrance.

~The truth be told, you've never had a true love in your life, someone who'll give you everything you desire and more~ Finchley thought to himself as he watched Karadis head off.

He looked at Milani, "Make sure everyone gets some water please Mil, then we can all get our heads down for a few hours."

"Yes Sir" replied Milani smiling at the sleeping Shon. "I wish we had something to eat?" she said out loud. "Heaven knows what we will meet next." She had the bottle she had clipped to her waist, filled it with cold water from the spring and handed it round beginning with the Commodore. "Rinse your mouth out again sir, that poison was pretty strong."

Finchley did as he was asked and spat the swilled water onto the ground.

Milani bent down and put a few drops on Shon's lips which Shon suckled down. Moving on to Kilbane she waited for him to take a draught, then, refilling the flask she went to Karadis who was at the cave entrance. She could smell the musky sweat on the Klingon and Milani's loins ached. "Drink?" she asked stealing a look at the breasts barely contained in their leather.

Karadis took the flask and drank deeply from it, the water overflowing her mouth and washing down onto her breasts. She'd caught the stealing look Milani had at her barely covered ample chest, and though pleased at the thought she was being admired, said nothing about it...for now.

"Tell me Commander, what do you make of the lovebirds over there?" she asked quietly, nodding towards Finchley and Shon.

Milani moved closer to her seemingly drawn to the Klingon’s magnificence. ‘I think” she said, I think it should be private when on duty but, clearly Shon did not know what she was saying and the Commodore, well sometimes someone in love may let something….slip.” Milani had the sudden urge to bury her head in Karadis’ cleavage and tear her nipples free sucking and biting, her hand slipping under……”Ahem…” she said moving back. “I will return inside and see what, if anything there is to eat, I will bring you something if there is."

~I know exactly what you'd like to eat~ Karadis thought to herself, her own desire for Milani now taking hold of her, ~and when we're back on the ship and alone, you'll have your chance but you'll have to work for it!~

Moving back inside Milani noted that Shon’s breathing was even and deep. Looking at Finchley she said “Sir did you collect some meat? I could start a small fire? We need to eat.”

"Thank you, and yes, just over there" Finchley pointed, "it's some kind of flying reptile or bird, perhaps you can gut it and if you find something to burn, so you can cook the meat. There's also a few large eggs, though don't ask me if they're the same as normal birds eggs we've eaten on previous missions, I've no idea."

Turning back to Shon, he stroked her hair, then her cheek, down her neck and onto her shoulder. He carried on down her arm and back up it again and back to her neck. He moved his hand across her chest and felt the steady heart beat of someone who was in a deep sleep. He wanted so much to lean down and kiss her on the lips, waken her and hold her in his arms, but he knew sleep was best for Shon, but he did slip his hand under her tunic, and closing his eyes, he held it there to once again feel her heart beat.

Somewhere inside her Shon felt his touch and she moaned softly turning towards him. A slight smile played along her lips as she slept.

Milani saw and looked away, it was a private moment that, it would seem churlish to watch, or indicate that she had seen it. She look the rather large avian and stripped it of its feathers. With her small knife she opened it and gutted the creature cutting the breast meat…with that she thought of Karadis and smiled. There was enough breast to feed the four of them. She looked around for something to cook them in. She found what looked like an old nest at the back of the cave with sticks big enough to burn. Making a small fire she blew on it gently until the kindling caught. Threading a stick through each piece of breast she held them over the fire until they sizzled the smell of cooking meat made her stomach rumble. The fat began to drip into the fire and the cave was filled with sweet smelling smoke.

She stood and walked over to Kilbane handing him a stick, “not sure how it tastes?” She said laughing. “Sir,” she handed one to Finchley and took one out to Karadis. “Enjoy,” she said, “unless you would prefer it raw?” She smiled. Walking back into the cave she said, “omelette for breakfast with….I think kidneys.” She sat down her back against the wall watching the fire and the sun die.

Kilbane accepted the stick with the meat on it gladly, he was very hungry. However, he knew enough not to just gulp it down, but to take small bites and chew it slowly to release the juices and the goodness, if there was any, allowing him to feel fed. Finnigan was the same, though he did eat it slightly faster than Kilbane as he wasn't sure if Kilbane would try and steal his.

As Milani handed her the meat and spoke to Karadis, joking with her about eating it raw, the Klingon breathed in slowly through her nose. Though they had toiled a bit since escaping the strange ship they'd been in, she could still smell the oils and perfumes Milani had had lavished on her as the Daughter of Anubis and this caused her to want, and want deeply. There was also something in the smile that Milani had given her, something that was more than friendship, but unspoken. She would need to leave it there for the time being though, but she would come back to it later.

Milani screwed her nose up at the taste but she knew the protein was welcome. Her palate was rather delicate and she had a mainstay of what she liked. She smiled remembering her academy days when she relished the taste of rations and was teased unmercifully for it. She stood and refilled the water bottle taking it round the eaters once again. She knelt down by Shon, “How is she Sir?” She asked.

"She's sleeping peacefully now" Finchley replied to Milani, not taking his eyes off of Shon. When he eventually did turn to look at Milani, his thoughts were of what had happened to her back at the Empress' ship. "How about you Mil, are you feeling any after affects to what they did to you back there?"

She squatted down in order not to talk down to her Commanding Officer. "it's strange but I still get glimpses into that world. Flashes of places I have been, people I have met." she looked at Shon. "Shon told me that it might be a race memory but that the further away we get from the situation the less I will be able to connect. For instance I know this mountain is named El Barrah and that there is something about it I need to recall but it is just outside my memory."

Milani sat down pulling up and hugging her knees. Whispering she said "If, when we get out of here. I intend to pursue a relationship with Karadis. As you two go way back can you give me any advice?"

"It's odd that you're having what effectively are ghost memories of things from here though, being you're Betaziod" Finchley replied, "but...what if the Iconian's visited Betazed and brought some of them back here before returning them to your home planet. It could account for the memories, if they're passed down your gene lineage."

He looked down at Shon then back up at Milani. It didn't surprise him that she wanted to have a relationship with Karadis, he saw how easy they could be around each other, though with just enough tension to cause a niggle or two.

"Ahh...advice on having a relationship with Karadis" he began, "Well, do you have any riot or protective gear?" he smiled.

Milani laughed quietly, "I can hold my own Sir. I know she is stronger than me but I have many moves that will surprise her. Vanilla sex has never been my thing..." she stopped a slight red flush reaching her face. "Sorry Commodore you don't need to know that." she began to move away. "I will relieve Karadis in a few hours. I'll think on what you said about the Iconian's. There are many old legends on my world that might encompass that. When we return, if there is a ship to return to," she said ruefully.

Shon moaned and stretched her eyelids fluttering in dreams.

"You and Shon are good together sir." she said.

"Mil, as much as you're my XO, I'd like to think we're friends as well" Finchley replied, "Don't apologise for speaking your mind on personal matters withy me. I have no doubt you have many surprises that could put Karadis off her stride, and being adventurous in your sex life isn't a crime, it's what you make of it with whomever you choose to share it with. If I can offer one piece of advice, just make sure it's consensual and that it's enjoyable for the both of you and not just one party."

He looked down at Shon as she moved and sounded out in her sleep, and in reply to what Milani had said he answered, "We took the long way round, but I think you're right, I adore every neuron and fibre of her mind and body, I've no idea what I'd do without her."

Looking back up at Milani again he carried on, "Try and get some sleep now before you relieve Karadis, and thank you for the cooked...whatever it was...it was most appreciated. Sleep well Mil, sleep well."

Milani reached out and, for a second put her hand on his shoulder. "You need to get some sleep also Sir." she moved away checking that the others appeared to be sleeping. then she moved to the back of the cave building up the fire and lay down. There was a moaning sound outside the cave as a strong wind began to blow and Milani found it strangely comforting as it reminded her of the land around her home on Betazed. then she slept.