*Unspecified Star date: D.A.S Raptor Brig*
She thrashed again against the steal cuffs pinning her to the table. Fangs flashing ad she neared her teeth with the strain. Sharp pain as the cuffs dug into her wrists and tail. The coppery sent of blood hit her nose moments before the blood dripped into view.
She threw her head back in a feral roar before going limp, breath heaving against her ribcage. She fought the telltale pricked of tears forming in her eyes. It wasn't supposed to be this way. Years of work carving out a place for herself in Starfleet. Playing by their rules, she finally had a place she felt in control, at peace with the song her soul sang. She'd found her coixia! How could the fates be so crew as to rip her away like this. Her uniform lay in tatters around the dark cell. He sought to teach her submission by tearing away her ankers. She slammed her head back against the immovable table, the aching pain distracting her from her despair.
The rattle of old-fashioned keys in the iron lock echoed in the small cell, and she felt her fangs click back down from where they had begun to recede up in her top gums. She hissed, ears flattening to the sides of her head furiously.
He clicked his tongue in false disappointment, though his red eyes glittered with euphoric malice as he stalked across the room toward her.
"You struggle fruitless" he purred deeply. His tail twitching back and forth in anticipation. Dragging his claw along her arm. He laughed as he retracted his hand as her teeth snapped at it when it came in reach. "Though a hunt easily won holds no thrill".
"I am no prey! You hunt in folly. I will tear you part soon as I'm free!"
He soundly ignored her and moved the other side. Paying her no heed as he replaced her iv with a fresh needle and new fluid. He only looked up when she snarled. "What is your aim? You gain nothing from this as I will not aid your cause in any way."
He chuckled lights reflecting on his green skin. He reached up and tangled his fingers in her blue curls jerking her head as far back as he could. He leaned down till their noses where almost touching his tail coming up to trave the curve of her face, deceptively gentle.
"I gain you, Hearthsteel." grinned wickedly as she hissed "I aim to invoke the rite when we hit home soil. What good is it becoming the King without a queen to secure my line?"
She snarled and spit in his face. Causing him. To release her and rear back. His eyes blazed as he pulled back and sent his fist into the side of her head. Pain exploded and her vision swam. She couldn't bite back a whimper as he grasped her right horn in a crushing fist. Forcing her eyes open she growled low, matching his. "I'll not bend to your whim, usurper," she whispered with venom.
Using her horn as an anchor he slammed her head back against the table, making her vision blur. He leaned down and hissed in her ear. "Your off-worlder will not come for you. Your second fell to my men. As you will fall to me. And when you do, you will submit to my rule."
He released her roughly and stalked from the cell. The iron door slamming shut with finality. The sound echoed for a hole after his departure. She stared at the ceiling; a few tears escaped the corner of her eye. He was wrong. Her second was strong. Her clan would free her. She just had to hold out. Her ears began to wring and as she closed her eyes against her blurring vision, she couldn't help but think on the beginning. How one catalyst wound the thread of her fate into the story that had led her to this moment.
*2233 U.S.S Kelvin, orbiting Outpost Gemini*
Lieutenant commander George Kirk picked at a loose thread on his uniform anxiously. He'd only been given the first officer post abord the U.S.S Kelvin a few weeks ago. And he was still anxious to prove to Captain Richard Robau, and to the rest of the Kelvin's crew, that he would live up to their expectations. He was waiting near the shuttle bay for the away team to return from their short shuttle to Outpost Gemini. It was a small federation outpost, far closer to the Federation-Klingon border than George would have recommended they place a base, had they asked his opinion.
"Didn't expect you to be the first of the welcoming party on deck Lt. Commander Kirk."
George turned and straightened, nodding politely as Robau came to a stop beside him.
"Always happy to surprise you Captain." George said with a small smile.
Robau chuckled and clapped him on the shoulder good naturedly. "At ease George." The taller man chuckled lightly. "I'd have thought you'd be more excited. What with our new crew members coming abord today."
George rubbed the back of his neck as his face flushed slightly. "Yes…..well honestly sir I'm more concerned about making a cultural misstep." He admitted quietly.
Robau nodded eyes catching on the shuttle as it slowly made its docking procedures withing the Kelvin. "True, a concern I harbor as well, what with the Kelvin's crew being predominantly human, apart from a few Vulcan crew in our science team and our own CMO." He turned, and George was able to catch a spark of excitement flash in his captain's gaze. "But you must admit it is trilling to be the first federation ship to house Ryuchanda star fleet officers."
George nodded absently and turned back, watching absently as the shuttle docked and the bay doors closed behind it. Lights and panels flickered as the shuttle bay went through the re-pressurization processes. George grinned as he felt his pulse pick up ever so slightly. The unknown was one of the reasons he'd joined Starfleet in the first place. To learn, to discover. The Ryuchanda where very new to the Federation. They where hard won in the negotiations for joining the federation. Their home planet, Detania, was a veritable resource gold mine. Vast varieties of minerals, planets, foods where just the tip of the iceberg.
The Ryuchanda had created in atmospheric satellites that absorbed, collected, and stored energy from the frequent electrical storms the planet was exposed to. Entire cities where powered with this energy, efficiently, and without pollutant biproduct. They where a very suspicious people as a whole, however. And even if they where federation on paper, they still retained the right to self-government, and much of their culture and language was guarded.
Miraculously, however two of the Ryuchanda had expressed interest in attending Starfleet academy, quickly breezing through the curriculum, and graduating with top marks. They where married, as far as George understood it. And had settled to working on Outpost Gemini, as it was the closets outpost to Detania. About a month ago they had filled out a request from to transfer to a starship, and George still couldn't figure out how Robau had won that petition.
As the light above the door to the shuttle bay turned green , indicating the docking procedures had completed. George and the captain stepped through and waited at the base of the ramp. Dr Sonita had entered shortly after them, followed by several members of the Engineering and Security teams.
As the shuttle doors slide open George had to fight to keep his jaw from dropping. It didn't matter how many new alien species he met over their travels; some still surprised him. And if the expression of his other crewmates where an indication, Starfleet's knowledge on the Ryuchanda was lacking, to say the least. While humanoid their appearance was drastically different. The first word that popped into George's head looking at them was 'dragon'.
He focused first on the male figure. He had a square jaw, but his chin was slightly pointed. His skin was a deep red, his eyes, where a deep gold. His ears came to a sharp point, and they twitched, more animated than any Vulcan ears George had seen. His hair, slightly curled, was cut short and was an icy blue in contrast to his skin. And jutting out at the crest of his head where curled horns, pitch black and sharp. His nails came to sharper points, not quite claws, but close. But most striking was his wings. Large and textured much like a bat's, they flared out slightly behind the Ryuchanda. A slim tail with several black spikes curled around his waist almost like a belt. He wore a standard red Starfleet uniform. His uniform indicated the rank of Lt. Commander.
George glanced over at the female Ryuchanda. Slighter of build she was near identical body shape wise. Wings, tail, angular face. Her skin was a purple, of all things. While her black hair was pulled back into a neat bun. Antler like horns grew around the curve of her head, almost looking like circlet. Her eyes a bright blue. She also wore a red uniform, with the rank indicators of Lieutenant.
They both held a posture and walk of predators. Confidant, and strong. They came to a stop in front of the group and in tandem thumped their fists twice, diagonally across their chests. Tapping about where George would guess their heart was if their anatomy was similar to humankinds.
"Soul's fire, and well met Captain." It surprised George when the female stepped forward and lifted her chin slightly in greeting. Her voice was an alto rumble that he'd never encountered before.
Robau returned the chest thump and responded in kind. "Well met Lieutenant. I am Captain Richard Robau. It thrills me to have you join my crew."
She nodded and her face lite with a smile. "My name is Shi'channa. My soul's fire is engineering, specifically warp core tech is my specialty." She gestured to the male at her side who stepped forward. "This is my coixia Vho'Rex." At their slightly confused looks she chuckled. "I suppose it would translate closest to 'partner' or 'bonded'."
He dipped his head down briefly, if respectfully. "Well met, I am excited to be pioneering this path for my people." His voice was deep and rough, but he smiled brightly at each crewmember in turn. "My Soul's fire is combat, and I will be joining the security team."
Captain Robau's brown furrowed slightly in confusion, and he glanced around the bay. "weren't you also bringing your…." He cut off as their heads snapped back toward the shuttled.
George's jaw finally won out and he gapped as a smaller form glided quickly out of the open shuttle in a blur. The figure did a flip mid air and landed gracefully on small, bare feet.
Shi'channa's bell like laughter rang out as she threw her head back. She placed a hand on the new figures head. The young female barely came up to her shoulder. "Forgive the interruption Captain. This is our daughter Dru'Kenna. She was very excited to finally be on a starship that she appears to have forgotten her manners."
The girl winced before repeating the chest thump, that George was starting to realize was the Ryuchanda greeting, her gold eyes sparkling with warmth and eager anticipation. "Soul's fire, and well met crew of the U.S.S Kelvin!" she smiled. She had the same draconian build as her parents. Purple skin and the beginnings of antler like horns matched her mother. But she had long wavy ice blue hair and golden eyes that were identical to her father's. her voice was lyrical almost, if a touch deeper than most human females. "My Soul's fire is Culinary, and I hope to one day also be a Starfleet officer like my parents!"
George laughed and nodded in greeting. "Culinary? That's incredible. It's a rare talent these days with everyone relying so heavily on replicators. My Wife, Winona, has been complaining about a 'weird aftertaste' she gets from the replicators since we found out she was pregnant."
Dru'Kenna's eyes lite up like fireworks. She turned to her mother, her tail unwound from her waist and it reached out and wrapped lightly around her mother's wrist, tugging slightly. "May I?" she practically begged.
Shi'channa chuckled and leaned forward to tap her forehead into her daughters. "Soul's fire is meant to be shared but only if Lt Commander Kirk allows it."
Dru'Kenna practically squealed as she spun back to George, her tail releasing her mothers' writs. Her chin rose and her stance broadened, almost looking like she was about to issue a challenge. "Lt. Commander Kirk I would be honored if you would allow me to share my Soul's fire and display my culinary gift for your family."
George smiled but cast his captain a slightly nervous look. Robau leaned closer and whispered under his breath. "Ryuchanda believe they all have an individual skill they are unmatched at. Their 'Soul's Fire', their passion personified. They put all that they are into their greatest skill. I don't know all the details but if the girl's gift is culinary and she's offering I'd take her up on it, we've got more than enough supplies for whatever she wants to create.
George nodded and turned back to the girl, who was practically vibrating with excitement. "I'd be honored Dru'Kenna." George said with a smile. He leaned forward and whispered loudly enough for the rest of the group to hear. "Although I think the group here is gonna get jealous. Could they come as well?" her glanced between the girl and her parents, somewhat nervously. He'd not had much knowledge of how to conduct himself around the Ryuchanda and was hoping he wasn't offending her by bringing more people.
If Possible Dru'Kenna smiled even wider. "It would make my soul sing if I could share my gift with so many!" she spun and grabbed her father's hand in hers, her mother's tail came to wrap gently around her writs. Voh'Rex dipped his head slightly toward his wife. She nodded and turned back to address the crew.
"Captain Robau, I think this would be an excellent opportunity to get to know the crew better. If you could show us to our quarters Dru'Kenna will want to start working on her creation. We could all meet there at 1800 hours for dinner and an in depth meet and greet?"
Robau grinned and rubbed his hands together. "That sounds like an excellent idea Lieutenant. Come! I will show you to your quarters and we will all reconvene for dinner." He turned to address the rest of the group. "Lt. Commander Kirk, walk with us. The rest of you, dismissed."