Lieutenant JG Niev Galanis- Adelantado
Niev Galanis
((Derelict Vaadwaur Ship – Underspace Corridor))
Galanis: Sir, I’m aware this may sound drastic, but I don’t think it’s safe to keep them here. If we need the information from this crew member, or passenger, or whoever they are; then should we be considering transporting them back to the Daintree?
Shortrith: I'm inclined to agree. Especially as, I believe, none of us can read the text on the Vaadwaur biobed. If we get back to the Daintree, we can hopefully translate it to Federation Standard, or whatever language we understand, and work with that.
Hopper: At this point, he’s almost definitely dying if we just leave him here. Moving him’s a risk, but at least it’s a chance.
Niev nodded. Robin was right - regardless of if he was injured or not, staying on this ship was a clear death sentence.
Shortrith: How much of a risk is there for transporting?
Hopper: From here – too much. Sickbays are usually one of the most shielded portions of a vessel. If Flint tries beaming him out of here, he’s likely to end up Vaadwaur paté on the other end.
The sudden banging actually caused Niev to flinch this time. It felt like at any moment the Vaadwaur ship could finally start completely falling apart. They swallowed hard and found themselves pondering if there were any other options. The pragmatic part of the scientist knew the safest option was to leave him… but that wasn’t the right thing to do. It also made it far more likely they’d be stuck inside of Underspace for their rest of their life.
Hopper: Okay. No other choice. We’re moving him. At least there’s no gravity, right? Someone help me with the safety restraints. We’re going to float him out of here – back in the direction we came from, until the Daintree can get us out of here.
Galanis: I’m not sure we’d have any chance at moving him if there was.
Their lips pressing somewhat thin, Niev watched Robin unstrap the Vaadwaur from the bed. They kept one eye on their tricorder for any out of place readings.
Shortrith: We should be able to use our PADDS to record things like the crew dossiers, so we can find out about our patient and treat him effectively.
Hopper: Not a bad idea – though with power down almost everywhere else, we’re not likely to get anything not immediately accessible on the sickbay’s local processors. See if you can patch in and download anything that resembles patient files.
Niev blinked as Robin turned to nod and ask them for help.
Hopper: Help me with his feet? The less we bump him into things as we go, the better. Mind his oxygen tube. We don’t want to catch that on something and accidentally suffocate him.
Galanis: Yes, sir. I’ll do what I can…
Even in the zero gravity environment, the bulk of another person was still tricky to navigate around, Niev awkwardly helping Robin get him into position. At least the corridors had been relatively straight.
Shortrith: How much time do we have?
Hopper: We’re heading out the door now, Doctor… Don’t rush, just hurry, if you don’t want to be left behind!
Shortrith: Response
It wasn’t just Robin pondering how they wound up here. Niev was also keenly aware how eerie the situation was. Here they were, somewhere in subspace itself, aboard a crumbling derelict in the dark. They’d found a lone survivor shut away behind a forcefield the likes of which were usually seen in the brig. Now, they were moving that unconscious, raggedly breathing body down a dark corridor, hoping nothing would jump out of the dark at them.
It sounded like an awful holomovie.
Hopper: Gee, it’d be really spooky if he woke up right now, huh?
Galanis: …Spooky is certainly one way to put it, Commander.
Shortrith: Response
Hopper: =/\= Lieutenant Flint, we’ve got a third person for transport… Start trying to resolve our signals now, and the minute you get a proper lock on us, beam all three of us back to the Daintree and ready the biobed. =/\=
Flint: ::Slightly alarmed:: =/\= You didn’t shoot anyone did you, Commander? =/\=
Shortrith: Response
Mouth opening to respond, Niev felt an odd sort of sensation tickling at the back of their neck. They were suddenly distinctly under the impression they were being watched - scrutinized, even. It would have felt like an absurd proposition if they hadn’t only recently encountered those invisible subspace entities on Amity Outpost. For a few terrifying moments, Niev wondered if they had run into the beings again… but that was when they noticed it from the periphery of their vision.
Eyes.
The Vaadwaur had opened his eyes.
Galanis: Tharon’s bones!
It was lucky they were in a zero gravity environment, because the shock was enough for Niev’s hands to reflexively pull back from the formerly unconscious form, leaving it to float there in the air. They looked quickly from Robin, and then over to Renaie, recalling the presence of that phaser at hand. Were they going to need it? How dangerous were the Vaadwaur?
The Vaadwaur smoothly reached out a hand, arresting their momentum in the zero gravity against the edge of the corridor.Slowly, and with measured deliberation, their other hand reached up to rest for a moment on the breathing apparatus, as though feeling for something. With a depression of a button, the breathing amplified, the Vaadwaur’s voice issuing out from a small speaker.
Vaadwaur: A rather unceremonious extraction… ::a pause to cough and clear his throat:: …but an effective one. There will be no further need for combat. Recovering me from containment while the primary power grid is so clearly compromised… I commend your diligence, if not your finesse.
Niev impulsively cleared their own throat, hearing the ragged and dry gravel in the Vaadwaur’s voice. It was all but certain he’d just come out of stasis. It might even have been the first time he’d spoken in hundreds of years. Though far from a doctor, they wouldn’t have been surprised if he’d been suffering some kind of stasis sickness. It was impressive that the smooth baritone underneath still cut through, his voice and words still steady and relatively uninterrupted despite the clear effort it took him to speak.
Shortrith/Hopper: Response
Galanis: Are you injured? We have a doctor.
Vaadwaur: I find my vital functions surprisingly intact given the state of this vessel. You wear the garb of a coordinated fleet, though the aesthetic is... quaint.Tell me, what banner do you fly, and who holds the commanding writ among you, so that we might formalize our imminent departure from this ruin?
Shortrith/Hopper: Response
Quite unsure what to make of this stranger, all Niev could do was raise an eyebrow. They weren’t sure they’d ever heard anyone describe Starfleet’s aesthetic as quaint before. Nor were they even sure the Federation had commanding writs. Gaze shifting awkwardly toward Robin, the scientist considering biting their tongue. This could be a delicate diplomatic situation, for all they knew… but they couldn’t shake the feeling something rather large and important had come off in that last collision.
Galanis: With all due respect, sirs, this may not be an ideal place to introduce ourselves to each other… this ship is clearly falling apart.
The Vaadwaur’s head shook dismissively, now upright relative to the others. Without the tubes and biobed around him diminishing his size, his broad frame became much more apparent.
Vaadwaur: The structural integrity of this vessel was forfeited hours ago. Panic will not repair the bulkheads. Now, if you would be so gracious as to provide the aforementioned transportation to your vessel, I will assist you in navigating the corridors and allow your healer to perform their customs. I assure you, your cooperation will be noted when we reestablish proper order.
Shortrith/Hopper: Response
TAG/TBC…
