MD: 3. 0530

After Ari had been relieved at the helm he headed to the shuttle bay to make sure the shuttle was ready to go.  He stepped inside and sat at the pilot console wondering who his co-pilot would be.  He could think of a number of people it might be, but wasn't concerned at the moment as he started to make his pre launch checks.  

Everything had to be just right and he would make sure.  When he had recieved permission to go Ari had made sure all shuttles and back ups were giving one final look over.  No doubt his orders didn't make him any friends, but he never had many to begin with.

Andy had checked the shuttle and made all the checks he could.  Sitting there waiting for the away team, he once again wondered who his co-pilot would be when Angel walked into the ship.

Angel stepped into the shuttle. The decom suit she was wearing was bulky and hot and only adding to the discomfort was her nerves. She was ont he verge of hyperventilating. "Calm Down." She coached herself.
As she slid into  the copilot's seat, she looked ouver at Marc and said, "Good Morning."
"Damn," she thought to herself, "did the guy ever get nervous.
Either he faked it very well, or he had cajoies made of steel." she thought.

Marc watched as Angel sat herself into the seat next to him.

" Morning Lt, isn't that suit a little uncomfortable for you? Marc said with a smile.  " I take it your my co-pilot for this little trip we're taking. " Do you know who's in charge of the away team? "

"Yeah, but Captain MacDonald said everyone had to wear one of the darn things. Where's yours?" Angel asked. "No, I'm not sure whose in charge. Maybe the Captain, maybe Blackmane." Angel smiled and said, "Yeah, if anything happens to you, I get to fly this baby."

Ari looked at Angel, " well, I don't plan on anything happening to me if I can help it.  I'll probably stay with the ship just in case while you guys go for a look see.  Nobody said anything to me about the suit, but I'll take one with me.  I'd never be able to fly this thing wear something like that and I might have to do some fancy flying and it would be a problem wearing it, " he said pointing to her get up.

The Eveil Kneviel remark came to mind, but Angel supressed it. And instead said, "Yeah it is bulky, but if I have to go down, I want to be prepared. And I didn't mean to imply that anything would happen to you."

"Put your foot in your mouth again, didn't you? Angel said to herself.  Angel turned to Marc and said, "Look, please don't take every thing I say to literal. Sometimes I speak without thinking. Gets me in trouble a lot of trouble.

" Don't worry , I didn't.  Though I've come close to not making it a time or two.  Been shot at, lost power and things like that.  Figured my number was up, but apparently not, " He said with a slight laugh.

"I don't think I've ever been real close. I've only been in one life and death situation, and I was too scared to even think about dying until it was all over. I was in a phaser fight a few weeks ago. Had to shoot some people." She said. Even now the thought that she had killed someone bothered her. The fact that today she might have to do it again, also bothered her.

Ari could see that the little Angel did say bout her experience was still bothering her.  " Yea sometimes you just react automatically, and then it hits afterwards.  I know how you feel.  When I was flying a runabout it was fired on by raiders and I lost a nacelle.  Thought for sure I was going to crash, but sorta pulled a rabbit out of a hat and escape to live another day.  I have found being in fleet can get a little hazardous at times. "

"Yeah, it can." Angel agreed. She was quiet for a few minutes as she checked the sensors and familiarized herself with the shuttle controls. If anything out of the ordinary happened, she didn't want any surprises. "What do you think we'll find down there?" She asked Marc. "There's something down there that's causing my friend a lot of pain. I want to find it and kick it's butt." Angel said almost to herself.

Marc listened to her words, but at the sametime his thoughts went back to that experience.  He seemed somewhere else when he realized she had asked him something.  " Sorry, kinda got lost in thought.  " I really have no idea, but the XO did want me to get some practice maneuvering under water.  Your guess is as good as mine< he said casually.

"I have a feeling whatever is down there, isn't anything we're going to like. I have a very bad feeling about this mission." Angel said.  "Good thing I don't believe in omens and ghosts or black magic. Although, a little prayer right about now couldn't hurt." She said.

" I hear that.  More than once I've said a couple.  Could be that's what pulled me thru that one experience though I'm not a religious person so to speak. "

"My Grandmother used to tell me that there were no athetists on a space ship about to crash land." Angel laughed.

" I think he was right, " Marc said, but turned quiet again.  Catching himself, he pretended to check something on his console.

Angel watched him as he pretended to check his console. "Marc, where are you from? Any family?" Angel asked.

" I ah...am from Toronto, Canada on Earth.  My parents are still alive, but have no brothers or sisters.  You? " That quiet side of him was starting to come out again and he couldn't help it.

"I was born on Earth too. The South, actually. My parents were both killed when the Starfleet medical ship they were serving on was attacked by a little know species called the Lorta. My brother and I went to live with my Grandmother. Then one day about a year later, my brother just disappeared. Haven't heard from him since. That was about six years ago." Angel said.  "You know Marc, there's nothing wrong with talking to your co-workers. I know I spend most o fmy time talking, and I probably need to take a page from your book. But we have to work together, you may as well resign yourself to the fact that I'll be talking the whole time." Angel warned him.

" Looking at her, he takes a hand and putting it behind his ear he says, " Ay, and gives her a big smile. " I'm not always very talkative, and especially when I'm at the controls of whatever I'm flying.  But I'll try a little harder otherwise. "

"Well, we maybe so busy on this mission, that even I won't have time to talk." Angel laughed.  

Ari smiled and then settled into his seat as it wouldn't be very long now before they headed for the science station.

Jointly Submitted

Mary McNeely
Lt. Angel Douglass
Chief Tactical Officer
USS ANDROMEDA

Craig Barrett
Lt. Marc (Ari) Venne
FCO USS Andromeda

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~-->
Make a clean sweep of pop-up ads. Yahoo! Companion Toolbar.
Now with Pop-Up Blocker. Get it for free!
http://us.click.yahoo.com/L5YrjA/eSIIAA/yQLSAA/dzRolB/TM
--------------------------------------------------------------------~->

Alt.Starfleet.Rpg (ASR) http://alt-starfleet-rpg.org/ usenet: news:alt.starfleet.rpg web archive: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/starfleet-rpg/
Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/starfleet-rpg/

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
    starfleet-rpg-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com

    http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/