[V] Capt. C. Egan Manno: And Then We Rode (Skyfire, Sampson, Chase Teams)

[Tony]

( OOC: For now, I'm assuming Sampson's under Amanda's custody. Amanda, let me know if you'd rather he remain a free NPC! )

(( Vishnu Cockpit ))

:: Three of them, then, there in the cockpit of the captain's yacht. If she had ever pictured herself aboard the Vishnu, it wouldn't have been like this: chasing after a wayward shuttlecraft that contained her first officer and chief of intelligence.

Why had she decided not to order an official pursuit? She could have made the case that their job on Pleethion was complete and taken the Garuda -- and, if not, she could have easily separated the saucer and pursued in the stardrive section. Pursuing Ross and Reynolds was a matter of protocol, not friendship. Wasn't it? 

She sighed. Her duty seemed clear, which was a fancy way of saying that she had no idea. However, she knew -- yes, if she'd learned anything in the last six months, it was this -- she had to act as though she held not only every card in the deck but a few not yet invented: the zero of hearts, the eleven of clubs. 

Even a few officers who weren't members of the senior staff had shown up, which explained how they had their current security and tactical officer:  ::

( Flashback )

Sampson: Permission to join the team, Captain.

Egan Manno: I don't know that it's appropriate, Ensign. I'd wanted to take only members of the senior staff.

:: Around them, her officers were disappearing into various craft. Sampson watched the movement for a moment and then looked back at her. ::

Sampson: I want to help. Put me where I can be useful.

:: She sighed. If this was an unofficial act, how could she refuse? She hadn't ordered the others to come in the first place, so she couldn't order him to stay behind. ::

Egan Manno: Very well. You're with me, aboard the Vishnu.

( Forward )

Skyfire: Mind if I ask a question, sir?

Egan Manno:  Not at all. Go ahead.

:: Unofficial as it was, Skyfire was still the second-highest ranking member of her little crew, which meant that he was -- if there was to be anything official about it -- the Vishnu's acting first officer. As she hadn't denied Sampson the opportunity to come with them, she wouldn't now deny Skyfire the chance to speak. ::

Skyfire: I understand you said this was a volunteer mission and I'm the only man in teal who did volunteer. Why did you ask me to accompany you in the yacht, out of all the fine officers you have and just promoted?

:: Her response was immediate and spoken all in a low voice. ::

Egan Manno: Because I want to be the one to find them, Doctor. And whatever's happened, I want to make sure they're alright. Both of them, no matter what. Harrison Ross was my first officer; Quinn Reynolds is my -- friend; and they're both members of my crew, which means I will look out for them, and that doesn't just mean locating the Thunderbird.

:: She felt a little drained after she'd said it all. She'd spoken honestly enough, but she felt like she'd oversimplified. "I will look out for them" -- and, all at once, she remembered one of Montanez's favorite warnings: "Make it as simple as possible, but no simpler." 

And in this case, she had simplified a little too far. ::

Egan Manno: There's also the matter of your abilities. Your file says you're mildly telepathic and empathic, but also fully human. Yes? That may be useful out here, if and perhaps when sensors are of no more use. ::beat:: I hope this doesn't bother you.

Skyfire: Truth be told, I felt... :: There was a pause. He took a breath. :: ...alienated...on the Excalibur. I experienced a few things that I never want to experience again. There was an accident while I treated a patient that had bizarre side effects, and the aftermath of Captain Nicholotti's death didn't make that any easier. If it wasn't for Ensign Taybrim's help, I probably would have resigned my commission.

Egan Manno: Well, for the sake of your future patients, and for the sake of every member of my crew, I'm glad that you didn't. I'm glad that you're here now.

:: That was true, and though it felt a little strange to say, it was -- true. Yes, absolutely. Carys would have been proud: There were her emotions, right out in the open; she'd revealed some vulnerability to her unexpected second-in-command on the captain's yacht. ::

Skyfire: Ye ken, I just realized while we've been chattin' I didn't catch yer name.

:: For a moment, she laughed, until she realized he was serious. ::

Egan Manno: Captain Cassandra Egan Manno, Doctor. At the risk of sounding too sure of myself, you didn't recognize me?

Skyfire: ?

Sampson: ?

Egan Manno: No, it's fine, and now that we all know each other....

:: She frowned at the monitor. Nothing yet. ::

Egan Manno: ...I suppose we continue following the trail of our missing shuttlecraft.

Skyfire / Sampson: ?

:: However, it appeared that she'd spoken only slightly too soon: A moment after they'd spoken, the Vishnu offered one of the Garuda's trademark proximity alarms. Cassie was on it in a moment. ::

Egan Manno: Definitely something unexpected. Profile and energy signature doesn't match the Thunderbird, but its warp trail takes it right up to the object.

Skyfire / Sampson: ?

Egan Manno: It looks like -- some sort of space station?

:: If so, it was about the most decrepit thing she'd ever scanned. Its energy signature didn't match the Thunderbird in part because it had no energy signature. Or a very minor one, anyway, hardly more than the standard CMBR. However, now that they were closer, the sensors also showed that, while the Thunderbird had definitely been here, the trail apparently led away again. However.... ::

Egan Manno: Gentlemen, all sensors on that station. Including your mind, if you please, Dr. Skyfire.

Skyfire / Sampson: ?

Egan Manno: =/\= Vishnu to chase teams. =/\=

Mei'konda / Voss : =/\= ?

Tan / Calderan / Trel'lis: =/\= ?

Any: =/\= ?

Egan Manno: =/\= The Thunderbird was definitely here. Let's do a quick flyby of this object, which may or may not be an old space station, before we continue. Scanners on full. =/\=

Skyfire / Sampson: ?

Mei'konda / Voss : =/\= ?

Tan / Calderan / Trel'lis: =/\= ?

Any: =/\= ?

Egan Manno: =/\= Say again? You're reading a partially Deltan lifesign over there? =/\=

Skyfire / Sampson: ?

Mei'konda / Voss : =/\= ?

Tan / Calderan / Trel'lis: =/\= ?

Any: =/\= ?

Tag! and TBC!

Captain Cassandra Egan Manno

CO, USS Garuda