[ACT 1] Lt. Robin Hopper: Boogie Wonderland
Robin Hopper
// Chief Science Officer’s Log, Stardate 202209.08
I’ve been practicing pronouncing the name of the planet we’ll be beaming down to tomorrow – and I think I’ve finally got it. IH-droo-sticks… Wait, no the emphasis is on the second– It’s “ih-DRUH-sticks”... I think. ::Sigh:: Oh there are a lot of Betazoid names to memorize all of a sudden! Whose idea was it to put so many Xs and L-Ws together? ::Chuckling to herself::
Anyways, we’ve nearly arrived at our destination and, after a briefing tomorrow, we’ll be beaming down to… the planet… to help get the Nobles’ colony sites established. I am both very much looking forward to exploring the planet and a little nervous about working with Miss– no, Daughter– Vananth-Polgonz. She already grilled me a little during the briefing back on Amity. Fortunately, from what I gather, Commander Ukinix seems to have a bit more experience um, ‘handling’, the Betazoid nobility.
I’ll also be teamed up with Lt. JG Bec Iko – who was very friendly in the ten or so seconds we met previously during my security check in – and Ensign S’Raga. I’ve never been to Cait, but it sounds like a dream. ::Under her breath:: No petting, Robin.
Anyways, uh, Hopper out! //
((USS Kitty Hawk – Turbolift))
Hopper: Are you excited about your first mission, Ensign?
Robin watched the Cait’s tail with interest as they stood inside the Turbolift together. She (mostly) contained a smile – though it grew harder with every little swish or flick.
S’Raga: Response
Hopper: Hmm? Oh, it’ll be great. From the reports I’ve read, this place is basically a destination resort – minus the resort, I guess. ::Thinking:: And we’ll be working. But all the same, it’s nice to get out now and then, hmm?
S’Raga: Response
((Moments Later, Transporter Room 2))
As the pair of officers reached the Transporter Room and the door slid open, Robin gave a warm smile to the familiar Bec Iko and a pleasant wave to the man standing beside her. Despite being assigned to the team investigating the incident that had split Wil Ukinix into separate individuals – one Betazoid and one Human – she actually had yet to the meet the man. It was nice to put a face to the name at last — or, rather, nice to meet the man behind the computer models she’d been staring at.
Ukinix(H): ::smiling, enthusiastically offering hand to both:: Welcome to Amity, ::smirking:: even though we’re on the Kitty Hawk. I’m Lieutenant Commander Wil Ukinix.
S’Raga: Response
Hopper: Nice to meet you at last, Sir. ::Shaking hands:: Lieutenant Robin Hopper. But call me Robin ::looking to S’Raga and Bec:: That goes for you too as well!
Ukinix had a warm and personable demeanor to him, which Robin was beginning to suspect was characteristic of Amity’s leadership following her dinner at the Vataix household. He also seemed to have gotten the memo on ditching the long sleeves and pants for their ‘tropical getaway mission’. She pointed to his outfit, which nearly mirrored her own. She wore her usual scant uniform but had ditched the standard-issue tights and boots in favour of jogging shorts and hiking shoes, respectively.
It wasn’t long before the two Betazoids, Daughter Vananth-Polgonz and Tani Lekasa, mediator for the Betazed government, entered the room. Hopper turned to face them and, despite the polite smile on her face, she felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise just a little.
Lohani: I see what they say about Starfleet is true. ::A glance to Lekasa:: Everyone’s always right on time. ::To the others, with one eyebrow crooked:: Lohani Vananth-Polgonz, Daughter of the Sixth House of Betazed. I… look forward to working with you all.
Robin mentally checked her desire to roll her eyes at the noble’s apparent condescending tone and held her tongue, just nodding politely instead.
Lekasa: Response
Ukinix: ::Offering hand to both, smile:: A pleasure to be supporting you both.
With the greetings all out of the way, Ukinix led the group over to the transporter pad. Hopper followed, double-checking that the tricorder clipped to her hip was still attached.
Ukinix(H): Everyone ready?
Hopper: ::Clasping her hands in front of her excitedly:: Let’s get down there!
Iko/S’Raga/Lekasa: Response
Lohani: What about our equipment, Commander? Contingency plans? You sure we haven’t forgotten anything?
Vananth-Polgonz was such a party-pooper.
Ukinix(H): All our equipment’s already beamed down, ::rubbing hands together:: it’s a sunny 28 degrees down there right now, and we’re heading down to the biggest of the thirteen islands. It’s gonna be gorgeous.
Lohani: Very well.
Robin breathed a small breath of relief softly between pursed lips as the noble got off her high horse and onto the transporter pad. The worst part of this was that Robin had no idea how much of her own subconscious annoyance Lohani was picking up… a detail which only annoyed Robin more. She tried to shake it off and just focus on the positives – which were many. The thought of a warm ocean breeze swaying the broad-leafed trees gave her some comfort, and she even felt a small smile make its way back onto her face.
Hopper: I, for one, can’t wait to get started.
Iko/S’Raga/Lekasa: Response
Ukinix(H): Ensign S’Raga.
S’Raga: Response
Ukinix(H): ::Smiling:: As the latest addition to our team, would you ::gesturing to transporter officer:: like to do the honours?
Robin noted the transporter officer’s amused smile, and gave her own reassuring wink to the Caitian Ensign.
S’Raga: Response
As they dematerialized in the glistening transporter array, Robin felt her heart surge with excitement.
((Idrustix – “Mid Islands Region”, Island Four))
As they rematerialized on ‘the other side’, Robin felt her feet sink into the soft earth. Looking down, she was pleasantly surprised to find soft-grained pale beige sand beneath them. Taking a quick glance at their surroundings informed her that they were not on a beach but rather in a sandy clearing, a couple dozen meters up from the water’s edge.
Immediately, Robin reached for one of the backpacks, hoisting it over her shoulders. She also picked up a case full of surveying equipment, before adjusting her posture to try and reduce the impact of the load on her back. She left the remaining supplies, including the phase rifle, untouched.
In the distance, the ocean breeze rustled the leaves – just as she had hoped – and other islands poked their dormant volcanic tips over the leaning island flora.
Lohani: I must admit – the Twentieth House have picked a lovely world. It is remarkable that such a place could thrive under such adverse conditions.
No doubt Vananth-Polgonz was referring to the intense radiation which pelted the planet – the result of the system’s sun, which had undergone expansion during the past couple million years, and its surface instability. Coronal Mass Ejections were no joke and, were it not for the resident radiation-eating airborne bacteria, life on this world would likely have died out millions of years ago. It was quite remarkable and warranted further investigation!
Ukinix(H): Daughter Vananth-Polgonz, you have the brilliant Ensign S’Raga as Comms and Ops specialist, Lieutenant Hopper as our wonderful Science Officer, the dynamic Lieutenant Junior Grade Bec Iko to perform security analyses, and myself as a former chief engineer to provide engineering advice. So let’s start hiking and look for a colony spot for your House. ::To Starfleet officers:: Team, we’ll let Lohani lead, then once she picks a spot we’ll need your expert opinions on suitability, viability, risks, etcetera.
S’Raga/Iko/Lekasa: Responses
Hopper: I’ll start running some cursory scans now just to confirm that our habitability modeling wasn’t way off. ::A quick look to Daughter Vananth-Polgonz:: Not that I’m expecting any issues. Just being thorough, ma’am.
Somehow she got the impression the Betazoid did not appreciate being called ‘ma’am’.
Ukinix(H): So. ::Smiling:: Which way would you like to go?
Lohani: Well, as tempted as I am to simply set up a few loungers here on the beach and make a day of it, I suppose we ought to head a little further inland. We’ll want to find stable ground where our engineers can begin setting up the foundations for our first structures – which will include research facilities, housing units, and resource management facilities.
The noble pointed towards the volcano which towered in the distance, near the center of the island.
Lohani: For now, let’s make our way to higher ground. If we don’t come across a suitable location, we can at least have a better vantage point to survey the island from.
Robin wondered, briefly, if Lohani had any experience running a planetary survey team… or managing the construction of a new colony for that matter. Her knowledge of Betazoid nobility was extremely limited – primarily what she had gathered during her brief time dating Egan Retel, a sweet and rather timid Betazoid man whom she served with on the USS Wall Street… She recalled him describing them as broadly ‘glamorous’ and ‘tenacious’ – which seemed to match Lohani to a tee… but didn’t give her much confidence in the noble’s knowledge of colony management.
Ukinix(H): Alrighty. Team, grab your equipment and let’s go walkabout.
As Ukinix grabbed his own pack, Robin removed her tricorder from her hip with her free hand and began running the aforementioned scans. First and foremost, she wanted to determine if there was any radiation risk. While all of their team had been treated according to their physiology to protect them from the radiation and/or the bacteria that covered the planet, she was still nervous about the threat posed by a major CME event. Until the colony sites were more established and proper monitoring and safety equipment could be deployed, she was going to keep an eye on that.
Hopper: Ready when you are.
S’Raga/Iko/Lekasa: Responses
Robin noted that Lohani carried nothing. Feeling the weight of the pack on her back and the survey equipment tugging down on her arm, she sighed.
Lohani: ::Beginning the walk up hill:: Come along then, everyone. Let’s move.
As they set up the gentle sloping hill, covered in low bushes and swooping trees, Robin let her slow steady gait carry her over to Bec Iko.
((Note – This conversation may be in or out of earshot of your characters, depending on what you’d like to do. Tags are open for anyone else to join in - but you may prefer to have your own conversations as we walk))
Hopper: So, Bec! I know we talked about how ‘safe’ this region was during our briefing earlier… You’re not expecting any action on this mission, are you?
Iko: Response
S’Raga/Lekasa/Ukinix: Responses? (Optional)
Hopper: I guess you’ll do what you have to. ::Smiling:: Well, I feel reassured that you’re here, anyways… How are you feeling about the mission?
Iko: Response
S’Raga/Lekasa/Ukinix: Responses? (Optional)
Hopper: Personally – I’m thrilled. I spent two years cooped up in a deep space science vessel… I new coming to Amity would be a change of pace. But I’ll be honest, I hadn’t expected.. ::looking around at the tropical paradise they found themselves in:: ..anything like this.
Iko: Response
S’Raga/Lekasa/Ukinix: Responses? (Optional)
With a smile and a nod, Robin moved back towards the middle of the group.
Hopper: I’m detecting minimal fauna in this area – not unlike what Son Dro’s team and your team found during your earlier expeditions, Commander. ::Explaining:: There are significant populations of burrowing insects – a similar morphology to the ones Lieutenant Wong discovered – and the scanners are detecting a variety of other small reptiloid creatures amongst the brush, though they seem to be keeping their distance.
Ukinix/Lekasa/Iko/S’Raga: Responses
Hopper: Then of course there’s a ton of microbial life – including our friendly bacterium, Lucia. ::Looking around:: Anybody ‘feeling’ anything?
Lohani: I am quite well. ::Smirking:: Though the urge to throw off my clothes and run through the trees is strong – I don’t believe the bacteria is having any effect on me. ::A look to Lekasa and Ukinix:: How are you both faring?
Ukinix/Lekasa: Responses
Hopper: ::To Bec and S’Raga:: You two doing okay?
Iko/S’Raga: Responses
TBC
