PNPC Lt. Sanara Pran: Pray (NT)

[Michael Meir-Wright]

(( The Hub, Starbase 118 Operations Tower ))

Sanara Pran had been pacing up and down the central pit of the station's command centre ever since she had been asked to hold the fort following Albion's deployment to Klingon space. She had read the orders from Raskor I ordering the Excelsior-class cruiser to apprehend the IRW Sienov and it's new Commanding Officer, Haz Arrihman.

The more she thought about the situation, the more she became convinced that it was a suicide mission.

How was an ageing Excelsior-class cruiser supposed to survive a confrontation with a mighty D'Deridex-class battlecruiser? Even with the presence of the U.S.S. Avalon and its squadron of fighters, the odds of Albion's survival were small. Infinitesimal even. She was more than aware of the supposed emnity between Commodore Kinney and Captain Taybrim- after all, it was one of the main topics of conversation on the station's "grapevine" as it were- but would the flag officer really send the thorn in his side on a mission with virtually no chance of surviving?

The more she thought about the situation, the more she became convinced that he would.

Her increasingly dark reverie was interrupted by the amused tone in Lieutenant Haneer's voice. ::

Haneer: You'll wear the carpet out Lieutenant.

:: She came to a sudden stop and looked at the Angosian, feeling non plussed. ::

Pran: Sorry, what was that Kella?

:: Kella Haneer smirked and gestured to the carpet with a wave of a hand. ::

Haneer: The carpet: you've been pacing back and forth for something like an hour.

Pran: Have I? :: Haneer nodded. :: Just a lot on my mind I guess.

:: She didn't need to explain what exactly she was thinking about because Haneer's smirk vanished in an instant, replaced by a dark look. In that moment Sanara knew that her friend was thinking exactly the same thing. The Angosian took a step closer to the Trill and lowered her voice, evidently not wishing the junior officers behind her from overhearing. ::

Haneer: I can't believe Kinney would send them on a mission like this.

:: Sanara nodded slowly in response. ::

Pran: :: quietly :: Kinney has to know that they aren't going to walk out of this one.

:: Haneer didn't immediately respond, but rather lapsed into a thoughtful silence, looking into the middle distance at nothing in particular. Several times she opened her mouth as if to voice her concerns, but shut it after a second. Finally she spoke. ::

Haneer: :: barely above a whisper. :: Do you think....?

Pran: :: finishing her sentence :: ... that Kinney sent them out to die? :: The Angosian nodded sadly. Seeing no point in beating around the bush- as Commander Whittaker was fond of saying- Sanara answered bluntly. :: Yes.

Haneer: Then what are we supposed to do? 

Pran: :: sadly :: Pray.

--

Lieutenant  Commander Theo Whittaker
Executive Officer

​Starbase 118 Operations/U.S.S. Albion

C239203TW0