[ACT 3] Lt. Robin Hopper: On Defense
Robin Hopper
((Idrustix – Southern Tundra Region, Team A’s Accomodation Hut))
Robin tried to convince herself that the piercing cold outside was not overwhelming the pod’s environmental control systems’ ability to keep things comfortable – but the goosebumps on her arms betrayed the reality of the situation.
She had taken advantage of the temporary access they had all had to the Quimby’s replicator to produce a fresh uniform for herself, recycling the dirty marshmallow-covered skant she had been wearing for over 35 hours. She had opted for the full standard uniform, sleeves and pants and all, hoping it would help to stave off the cold – and for a brief time, it had seemed to work.
Hopper: I wish I’d been born an Andorian…
Dro/Reade: Responses?
Kivik: ::Cheerily:: This place reminds me of home, actually.
Lohani: I thought J’naii was a temperate world.
Kivik: Oh, it is – but I grew up at a scientific research colony near the south pole. So this feels somehow right… More hot chocolate anyone?
Robin accepted the offered refill with a grateful nod. There were several thermoses full of various restorative drinks – another gift from the Quimby. The shuttle had arrived in the nick of time to collect the teams and bring them to the planet’s southernmost continent – where the tetryon bombardment was weakest and their odds of breaking through the Trenvonn’s net to speak with the Kitty Hawk were slightly better… It was still going to take quite a bit of work.
Hopper: ::Shivering:: Thank you. ::Taking a sip:: Lieutenant Reade, I trust you’ve gotten your equipment set up by now… Have you had any luck with those drone communication devices Ensign S’Raga left us?
Reade: Response
Kivik: Right – what exactly is the plan with those?
Hopper: We’re going to integrate them with the signaling device we cobbled together out of our old comms boosters. ::To Reade:: Or something like that. I’ll let our ranking Engineer explain.
Reade: Response
Kivik: Alright, I think I understand. Thanks, Scotty.
Hopper smiled as the Kitty Hawk’s science officer shrugged nir shoulders and gave her a look that clearly said ne was only barely following the technical babble.
Lohani: And what can we do to help?
Dro: Response?
Robin turned her attention to the two Betazoid nobles she’d been asked to babysit. Son Ucron Dro of the Twentieth House and Daughter Lohani Vananth-Polgonz of the Sixth. She recalled the two of them being at odds during their mission briefing – and the thought of having both of them crammed together in one little hut with them had not been a welcome one. But, circumstances were what they were.
Hopper: Well, Daughter Vananth-Polgonz, with your understanding of communications equipment, I think you’d be best suited to assisting Lieutenant Reade…
Vananth-Polgonz nodded. At least she was getting over her desire to avoid any serious work on this trip.
Reade: Response
Hopper turned her attention to Dro.
Hopper: …and, Son Dro, I was hoping that, with your experience as a planetary engineer and veteran, you might help us work out some sort of defense system.
Dro: Response
Robin crossed her arms, holding the cup of hot chocolate to her chest and trying to absorb its warmth as much as possible.
Hopper: Those drones are still out there, scouring the planet – and we now know they’re particularly interested in Betazoids for some reason. So, that means we need to keep all of you as safe as possible.
The J’naii stepped forward, tucking nir hands behind nir back.
Kivik: Son Dro, I’m happy to assist with that. My speciality is not in communications equipment – but geosciences are more my cup of cocoa. Maybe we can find some way to harness the environment to obscure our presence here? Or at least gather some pointy rocks to throw.
Dro: Response
With everyone’s objectives clarified, Robin took another sip of her hot chocolate. The one benefit of the chill air here was that her headache had finally begun to subside… then again, that also could have been on account of the stimulant that Ikaia had administered. Perhaps it was both. Either way, she knew she was going to have one hell of a power nap when they were finally back aboard the Galaxy Class starship in orbit.
Hopper: I’ll do whatever I can to help you all out – and liaise with the other teams. Ultimately, our goal is to restore contact with the Kitty Hawk and get everyone out of here. Safely. So we need to collaborate. Is that going to be a problem for anyone here?
Reade/Dro: Responses
Lohani: Fine by me. ::Smiling:: Cousin Ucron and I can certainly set our disagreements aside for the time being.
Hopper: Great. In that case, let’s get started!
Reade/Dro: Responses
TBC
