Ambassador Rivi Vataix: Pilgrimage

[Rivi Vataix]

((Ops, Copernicus Center, Amity Outpost))

Ukinix: =/\= Looks like it’s starting to work- argh! =/\=  

When the commander's voice cut off, Rivi and the others in Ops looked over at one of the monitoring displays to see the work bee hit hard by one of the Hawlat angels.

Ukinix: =/\= #@%#! =/\=

Paarus: =/\= Commander! Are you ok? =/\=

When there wasn't an immediate answer, Rivi called out, her voice showing just the slightest hint of anxiousness.

Vataix: =/\= ...Wil? =/\=

He'd been through so much with her, helped her after the 

psionic

 attack back on Betazed. For it all to end now on their first mission together as commanding officer and FO-

Ukinix: =/\= ::Relieved exhale:: Yep, I’m OK.  I think I almost became part of the station. =/\=

Rivi took a deep breath, letting it out slowly.

Paarus: =/\= The plan was to drive the stellae away from the station commander, not get pushed into the station by the stellae. =/\=

Aleksandrov: Response

Keehani: ::Relieved scowl, under her breath:: By the Four, Wil.  I swear-
 
But the other Betazoid woman cleared her throat. They needed to remain focused if they were to succeed today.

Vataix: Keehani, what's the status of Wong and Reade's team?

Her aide went over to one of the consoles to pull up the communication logs.

Keehani: No recent status updates from them, Ambassador.

Vataix: Try to contact them and let them know about the plan.

Keehani: ::Nodding:: Understood.

As Keehani walked away to call them, Ensign Paarus spoke up from his work bee over the comm.

Paarus: =/\= Paarus to Ambassador Vataix. Group Gamma will be crossing the half way mark in a few minutes. =/\=

Vataix: =/\= Excellent. I think that's our cue to launch the Independence. =/\=

Ukinix: =/\= Aye, around 25 clicks to go.  Slowly increasing speed.  Hey does anyone know how fast these things can travel? =/\=

Paarus: =/\= Responses =/\=

Rivi looked over at Dr. Aleksandrov to see if she had any thoughts.

Vataix: Doctor?

Aleksandrov: Response

Ukinix: =/\= Well I’m about to find out.  I’m taking my group of Stellae past the halfway mark, with some gusto. =/\=

Vataix: =/\= Be careful, Wil. We'll head out on the Independence now. =/\=

She turned back to Keehani and Aleksandrov.

Vataix: Keehani, stay here and coordinate between Amity and the Poseidon rig team. Dr. Aleksandrov, let's get to the Independence.

Aleksandrov: Response

Keehani: Response

((Bridge, USS Independence-B))

The ambassador and the geologist arrived on the bridge of the Defiant class vessel, still docked at Terminal A, to find Lt. Commander John Carter already making preparations for launch.

Vataix: John! I see you've made yourself familiar.

Carter: Response

She nodded and looked over at Dr. Aleksandrov.

Vataix: Doctor, if you'll man the science station and get ready to deploy our "angel pusher."

Aleksandrov: Response

Vataix: John, how are your piloting skills?

Carter: Response

Vataix: Take whatever position you feel most comfortable with.

Carter: Response

As he settled in, Rivi looked around as other officers and crew quickly took to their own stations preparing for lift off. She made her way to the captain's chair in the center of the bridge, which sat on a raised platform with two large consoles on either side. She thought again briefly of her cousin and all the other Starfleet officers she'd known before who sat in chairs like this. Now, here she was, a civilian but one who was the highest-ranking authority of the Federation out here in the Delta Quadrant. She led not just the 645 Starfleet personnel assigned to Amity for support but the larger contingent of Diplomatic Corps and civilian staff and was effectively the Mayor of a floating frontier town in space.

She turned around and sat down in the chair, looking over at everyone to see they were ready.

Vataix: Take us out. Dr. Aleksandrov, how are our work bees looking out there?

Aleksandrov: Response

Vataix: And the Stellae?

Aleksandrov: Response

A call from Ukinix filled the room again.

Ukinix: =/\= Ukinix to Amity.  The Stellae are behaving in a way we haven’t seen before.  I’m transmitting you sensor information.  Can we ask one of the Hawlat if they know what they’re doing? =/\=

She looked over at Dr. Aleksandrov and nodded.

Vataix: =/\= Yes, we'll forward the information to them. Have they changed their behavior towards you? =/\=

Ukinix: =/\= Response =/\=

Paarus: =/\= Response =/\\=

Vataix: On screen.

As they all looked at the creatures, the first noticeable difference was the change in color, their bodies now matching the purplish glow of the nebula.

Vataix: What do you think, John?

Carter: Response

Vataix: Open a channel back to Amity.

After he did so, she called her deputy chief and cultural affairs counselor who was with the Hawlat now along with his assistant First Secretary Daniels.

Vataix: =/\= Independence to Dr. Orrey. =/\=

Orrey: =/\= Response =/\=

Vataix: =/\= We've sent data that one of the work bees has collected regarding a change in the creatures. Perhaps the Hawlat can help us understand what we're looking at? =/\=

Orrey: =/\= Response =/\=

Daniels: =/\= Response =/\=

Any Hawlat: =/\= Response =/\=

TAG! TBC...

Ambassador Rivi Vataix
Chief of Mission and Commanding Officer, Amity Outpost
Federation Diplomatic Corps, United Federation of Planets
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