Gnai: Difference between revisions

* '''Height (outside of suit):''' Indeterminate blob

* '''Height (inside suit):''' 5'0" / 153 cm

* '''Hair:''' None

* '''Eyes:''' None

* '''Build:''' Stocky mechanical suit

* '''Voice (suit):''' Mechanical and monotonous, from speakers

* '''Voice (projected):''' Quiet and soft

Fresh out of the Academy, the newly minted Ensign Gnai was assigned to the {{USS|Artemis-A}}... but instead of ending up on the ship, it soon found itself trapped on {{ma|Romulus}} with the rest of the main Science staff of the ship (Commander [[Genkos Adea]], Lieutenant [[Jovenan]], and Lieutenant JG. [[Gila Sadar]]), abandoned there by the ever-chaotic CloQ <ref name="A Very Warm Welcome">{{Logo|USS Artemis-A|30}}[https://sims.starbase118.net/single/Artemis/-NrlrPoAD-LmeNtXxH14 A Very Warm Welcome], Ens. Gnai, {{USS|Artemis-A}}, 240102.28</ref>. One final wrench in its plans of a normal first assignment - they were trapped on Romulus in {{ma|2374}}. Unbeknownst to them, Captain {{ma|Benjamin Sisko}} and {{ma|Garak}}'s plot for dragging the [[Romulan Star Empire]] into the [[Dominion War]] had somehow failed to go off. All that they knew was that Senator {{ma|Vreenak}} was still unassassinated, and headed back to the {{ma|Hall of State}}, the building that housed the {{ma|Romulan Senate}}. For the Romulans to join the Dominion War, the team assumed that he would have to die <ref name="Through the Window into the Wonderland">{{Logo|USS Artemis-A|30}}[https://sims.starbase118.net/single/Artemis/-Nr6Fm6nfez8ZPCTLGiz Through the Window into the Wonderland], Lt. Jovenan, {{USS|Artemis-A}}, 240102.20</ref>.

One of the first steps that the team took, after Gnai joined it, was to determine how to properly disguise themselves. A [[Betazoid]], an [[Edo]], a [[Mizarian]], and a Galadoran would raise eyebrows - and likely alarms - if spotted milling about the capital city of Ki Baratan. As soon as it had proposed disguising itself as some sort of robot, the group was interrupted by a Romulan civilian, who promptly fled as soon as he had laid eyes upon the gathered officers <ref name="A Very Warm Welcome">{{Logo|USS Artemis-A|30}}[https://sims.starbase118.net/single/Artemis/-NrlrPoAD-LmeNtXxH14 A Very Warm Welcome], Ens. Gnai, {{USS|Artemis-A}}, 240102.28</ref>. The team gave chase, and Lt. JG. Sadar managed to block the Romulan's escape long enough for Cmdr. Adea to knock him out with his cane. Now burdened with an unconscious Romulan, Lt. Jovenan and Gnai hid the body back in a very convenient locker in the room they had first met in. It was during this trip that Gnai learned the reason why they were back in 2374 - the others had just come from an alternate timeline in which [[Betazed]] had remained occupied by the [[Dominion]] far longer than it should have <ref name="Please Sir, I Studied Klingon at the Academy">{{Logo|USS Artemis-A|30}}[https://sims.starbase118.net/single/Artemis/-NrxT-qEiQZgQNJDLB-1 Please Sir, I Studied Klingon at the Academy], Ens. Gnai, {{USS|Artemis-A}}, 240103.01</ref>. Confused, it continued to try and work at accessing the {{ma|PADD}} that the Romulan had dropped, before asking what their mission was exactly - a tall order, given that it was unable to read the {{ma|Romulan language}} that the PADD was written in <ref name="Out Of Its Depth">{{Logo|USS Artemis-A|30}}[https://sims.starbase118.net/single/Artemis/-Ns9Ky5VF9iMtrUnX9Rl Out Of Its Depth], Ens. Gnai, {{USS|Artemis-A}}, 240103.04</ref>.

The next bombshell dropped when Gnai was informed of the true mission - the assassination of Senator Vreenak. It had missed the discussion before, in which the team had decided upon that course of action, and it was only during that brief moment of calm that it thought to ask why they were really there in the first place. Stunned into silence, Gnai pondered the mission, clearly as apprehensive about the whole thing as the rest of the team. It was a lot to ask of an officer fresh out of the Academy. Soon enough, the team of blueshirts found themselves sneaking after a disguised Jovenan - the unconscious Romulan civilian had turned out to be quite a blessing in disguise - as they made their way through the administrative building towards a workshop that Lt. JG. Sadar had found through the PADD. When there, Gnai offered up a suggestion: perhaps they could use some of the tools stored away in this workshop as part of the disguise? It reasoned that civilian engineers might be able to get into military installations, such as the defensive turret that Cmdr. Adea had spotted en route <ref name="What Sort Of Civilian Building Has A Lab And Workshop?">{{Logo|USS Artemis-A|30}}[https://sims.starbase118.net/single/Artemis/-NsLBiwmgWTv_SZuTogR What Sort Of Civilian Building Has A Lab And Workshop?], Ens. Gnai, {{USS|Artemis-A}}, 240103.06</ref>.

As they discussed the strategy for overtaking the turret and using it to shoot down the Senator's shuttle, Gnai focused its efforts on its own disguise. With the help of the replicators in the lab, Gnai created rolls of mirrored foil and paint <ref name="Smoke and Mirrors">{{Logo|USS Artemis-A|30}}[https://sims.starbase118.net/single/Artemis/-Nsb_58lxipw_cDuUo83 Smoke and Mirrors], Ens. Gnai, {{USS|Artemis-A}}, 240103.10</ref>. Best not to leave any part of it showing. The science blue of its chassis was painted over with a drab Romulan grey by Lt. Jovenan, as it affixed the foil to the tank, turning it into a one-way mirrored surface. To finish off the robotic façade, Gnai attached a few scrounged up metal plates from the lab to the frame holding its tank.  

Now fully disguised as two Romulan engineers, followed by a Mizarian and her robot companion, they made their way to the turret. At the entrance to the base of the artillery, a group of Romulan soldiers acted as security, and stopped the officers, demanding to know why they were here and why they had brought an alien to such a sensitive location. Gnai remained silent, trying to emulate some ideal of a robot that it had in its head <ref name="Best Laid Plans...">{{Logo|USS Artemis-A|30}}[https://sims.starbase118.net/single/Artemis/-Nsj4j7nva_-Woe_Nima Best Laid Plans...], Ens. Gnai, {{USS|Artemis-A}}, 240103.11</ref>. Thankfully, some quick thinking from the others rescued this attempt, and they found themselves in the base of a large Romulan turret. Cmdr. Adea ordered Gnai and Lt. JG. Sadar to work on framing the Dominion for this attack - discarding various replicated ketracel white tubes and a strange prosthetic face mask of the Commander himself - as he and Lt. Jovenan worked on the firing controls. Frazzled, they tried their best <ref name="I'd Rather Be Framing A Painting...">{{Logo|USS Artemis-A|30}}[https://sims.starbase118.net/single/Artemis/-Nt2oFkxcrlzV3nIBte1 I'd Rather Be Framing A Painting...], Ens. Gnai, {{USS|Artemis-A}}, 240103.15</ref>.

Soon after they had finished their haphazard frame job, the Senator's shuttle entered targeting range. With seconds to go, Gnai expressed its regrets about the mission to Lt. JG. Sadar, who echoed them. The shuttle was hit, and it careened into the turret, crumpling the building into a mess of metal and fire, killing the team instantly <ref name="Shots Fired">{{Logo|USS Artemis-A|30}}[https://sims.starbase118.net/single/Artemis/-NtHfEbz25lGScTE7PWg Shots Fired], Ens. Gnai, {{USS|Artemis-A}}, 240103.18</ref>. Unbeknownst to the team, this had been all a massive mistake - by trying to recreate Sisko's plans, they had inadvertently started a war with the Romulans, forcing the Federation to fight on two fronts during one of its most dire moments. And like dominoes, one act lead to another, eventually ending with a Betazoid coup and the subjugation of the Federation under the heel of Empress Tevet Elain. CloQ rewound time just a fraction of a second before they all perished, and dropped Gnai into yet another stressful circumstance - the courtyard of a Betazoid prison colony <ref name="Built With You in Mind">{{Logo|USS Artemis-A|30}}[https://sims.starbase118.net/single/Artemis/-NtGhTHSrk4d4nUfLsDk Built With You in Mind], CloQ, {{USS|Artemis-A}}, 240103.18</ref>.

In a flash of white light, Gnai found itself unadorned with mirrors and staring up at the snow falling from an open sky onto the austere grey walls of some sort of prison complex. Much to its delight, Captain [[Addison MacKenzie]] of the {{USS|Artemis-A}} was nearby - it had recognized her from the PADD that had displayed its deployment orders as it left the Academy - as well as the two Vulcans: Ensign [[Savel]] and Lieutenant Commander [[Salkath]]. Trying to get ahead of any future questions, it announced itself to the captain, and rattled off the details of the mission that it had just abruptly departed. This was met with the first of what would likely be many eyebrow-raises from Ens. Savel <ref name="Captain, I've A Feeling We're Not On Romulus Anymore">{{Logo|USS Artemis-A|30}}[https://sims.starbase118.net/single/Artemis/-NtHsywGnTa3X2tF_wqj Captain, I've A Feeling We're Not On Romulus Anymore], Ens. Gnai, {{USS|Artemis-A}}, 240103.18</ref>. Introductions were short, if they happened at all, and the group of Starfleet officers shortly found out that they were in fact personae non gratae at the complex. A Betazoid woman reacted negatively to any attempts at contact, and soon they found themselves staring down a brutish jailer and his four guards. Gnai was absolutely terrified, and found itself clamming up once again <ref name="A Distinctly Unwarm Welcome">{{Logo|USS Artemis-A|30}}[https://sims.starbase118.net/single/Artemis/-NtSZCoxySYlY1SF4pUF A Distinctly Unwarm Welcome], Ens. Gnai, {{USS|Artemis-A}}, 240103.20</ref>.

The guards restrained the officers, dragging them away for an unclear 'further processing', into the drab and monotonous interior of the prison. When they finally stopped, the jailer informed them that they were being charged with "High Crimes against the Dominion" - terrorism and conspiracy - which would be punished with hard labor. Gnai was worried, immensely so, that it was being charged for its connection to the assassination of the Romulan Senator in 2374... somehow <ref name="It's Treason Then">{{Logo|USS Artemis-A|30}}[https://sims.starbase118.net/single/Artemis/-NtgQCQ-p4oueuHE5fU1 It's Treason Then], Ens. Gnai, {{USS|Artemis-A}}, 240103.23</ref>. After further inquiry - followed then by a sharp blow to Ens. Savel's gut - the jailer revealed to the team that their crime was attempting a coup d'état on a Dominion-controlled colony. And that Starfleet and the Federation had declared such an act to be unsanctioned. Gnai instantly began to worry for real now about the assassination and the consequences that it might face for such an act, pontificating on it while they were escorted from the processing to their cells. Locked away next to Lt. Cmdr. Salkath and across from Cpt. MacKenzie and Ens. Savel, Gnai's worries only grew as it realized the magnitude of what they had all done prior to arriving at the prison. It didn't help that the other prisoners of the cell block they were in were vocally displeased about their chatter <ref name="Actually Captain, It's Called A Prison">{{Logo|USS Artemis-A|30}}[https://sims.starbase118.net/single/Artemis/-Ntrtu1jxHaY1Fc4WY1Z Actually Captain, It's Called A Prison], Ens. Gnai, {{USS|Artemis-A}}, 240103.25</ref>. The team planned for the following day: splitting up to talk with the others and hoping that this would prove less adverse reactions from the general populace. While stuck in their cells overnight, Gnai and Lt. Cmdr. Salkath chatted briefly, with the Lt. Cmdr. offering to inspect Gnai's containment suit for damage the following day, which it appreciated. Gnai also suspected that the walls were made of a composite of duranium after closer inspection, passing this along to Lt. Cmdr. Salkath <ref name="Chatting With The Neighbor">{{Logo|USS Artemis-A|30}}[https://sims.starbase118.net/single/Artemis/-Nu2yOsswd9GdJpZsFtt Chatting With The Neighbor], Ens. Gnai, {{USS|Artemis-A}}, 240103.28</ref>.

The next morning, after brief conversation with Lt. Cmdr. Salkath and the other officers, Overseer Drox woke the rest of the cell block up and announced that they were all behind schedule. Somehow, she was worse than the previous jailer (as promised). After informing the other prisoners that their mealtime was being cancelled due to the presence of the Starfleet officers - a clear attempt to foster division between the prisoners - they were marched outside to begin the work for the day. The officers were tasked, alongside a few of the other prisoners, with extraction and sent down deep into a cave nearby to the prison, watched from above by guards and the sadistic overseer <ref name="Somehow, Even Worse!">{{Logo|USS Artemis-A|30}}[https://sims.starbase118.net/single/Artemis/-NuHZEY1R42Dx2mx82vx Somehow, Even Worse!], Ens. Gnai, {{USS|Artemis-A}}, 240103.30</ref>. Deep inside the cave, the officers were confronted with the harsh reality of the prison's labor force, watching as another group of exhausted and grimy prisoners made their way back up the same tunnel they were descending, after having worked through the night. As they reached where they would be working, the other prisoners started immediately, giving the occasional glare back to the Starfleet officers who were decidedly not. Gnai wanted to push ahead on the plans to interact with the others, offering to go as a representative of a non-Federation species, but this was quickly overshadowed by Ens. Savel's plan to start a fight and get sent to the Overseer. This sounded like a horrible plan to Gnai, the proud coward that it was, and instead Gnai looked to the captain for some semblance of reason <ref name="I Do Not Understand The Desire To Get Sent To The Overseer's Office Thank You VERY Much">{{Logo|USS Artemis-A|30}}[https://sims.starbase118.net/single/Artemis/-NuRXp2gC0dfITfmteJP I Do Not Understand The Desire To Get Sent To The Overseer's Office Thank You VERY Much], Ens. Gnai, {{USS|Artemis-A}}, 240104.01</ref>. As soon as it set off to meet with the Caitian that the captain pointed out for it to make contact with, everything vanished again. Much to Gnai's delight though, the crew was back on the ship, and set to dock at {{ma|Deep Space 9}} for shore leave, with CloQ vanishing into thin air before their very eyes. Everyone was back in one piece and it could finally get started with its time on the {{USS|Artemis-A}} <ref name="Does This Count As Escaping From Prison?">{{Logo|USS Artemis-A|30}}[https://sims.starbase118.net/single/Artemis/-NufVf7u6PubA1onr72e Does This Count As Escaping From Prison?], Ens. Gnai, {{USS|Artemis-A}}, 240104.04</ref>.