JP: Lt (jg) Zenno & Ens Saava - Serendipitous Shuttle Shenanigans (Part 2B)

[Tim]

((Parrises Classic, Galactic Cosmodrome, Theta Reticuli IX))

Zenno also spied the shuttle coming their way at an unexpectedly high
velocity, even for the Classic, and he grabbed Saava and made a dive to
the left to the deck. They hit hard and arms and legs all akimbo, they
must have made a hilarious site. But there was no time for frivolity, as
a piercing scream came from right behind them. Jumping up into a ready
stance, Zenno and Saava stood back to back, prepared for anything.

But it was unnecessary, as all that had happened was that the shuttle
had missed them and it had hit a Gallamite female sitting three rows
behind them.

Saava collected herself for a fraction of a moment and then leapt over
the three rows in a single jump, with her bag at her hip, held in place
by a cross-body shoulder strap. It only took her a second to assess the
status of the Gallamite. The transparent skull of this species made it
easy to check for any brain trauma or alike - even without a tricorder.

This one looked fine, at least for now. She was not conscious, but her
breathing was regular. Saava helped the unconscious woman to get her
upper body upright. A position that might prove fatal to most
unconscious humanoids and that was the safest for a Gallamite.

She looked around and searched for somebody to employ for help as Zenno
checked the surroundings and investigated the shuttle. The Ferengi
nearby - who was paying attention to the game and his PADD again -
probably was not to be trusted to do something with no chance of profit.
To her surprise a Benzite kneeled next to her.

Benzite: Thanks for helping her. I… have no knowledge of first aid.

Saava: You know this individual?

Benzite: We’re close friends… here to enjoy the game together.

The small area in her brain that contained her emotions felt a sudden
warmth that Saava enjoyed for a fraction of a second before containing
it again. The Benzite and the Gallamite were an even pair just like
Zenno and her.

Saava: Keep her upright. She should regain consciousness again shortly.
If she starts sneezing after she wakes up, she might encounter problems
with her balance. In that case, you should seek the advice of a doctor
immediately.

With the situation handled and the stadium emergency response team on
site, Zenno took a deep breath to reset. Play on the field continued on.
Losing a shuttle into the stands was quite common. He looked down and
saw the shuttle lying on the ground, just next to his foot. Picking it
up, it felt… wrong. The mass was not correct. Saava stood up and moved
next to him.

Zenno: Saava, my friend. Excellent work. But feel this… it appears off?
I sense the mass is not evenly distributed?

Saava briefly took the shuttle and weighed it in her hands before
returning it to Zenno.

Saava: The weight distribution does not conform with standard
specifications.

Zenno: There is a seam here on the side. That is unusual. ::presses on
it, softly, then harder:: What’s this? A micro-antigrav!

Saava: ::raising an eyebrow:: This is an unusual design to say the least.

Zenno: This… this is not right. We must report it.

Saava: You are sure this is not just compensating for differences in the
local gravity? I am not sure if this is reason enough to abort the game.

Zenno: When it came to first aid and medical, I deferred to your
excellent judgment. ::kindly:: When it comes to the rules and
regulations, my judgment should prevail, dear friend.

Admitting that Zenno was right was always a difficult thing to do for
the Vulcan. But she agreed that this should be brought to the attention
of the authorities.

Saava: Agreed.

Zenno: Let’s go.

The game continued, as it was an inviolate rule that it does not stop
for anything short of one team conceding, time expiring, or the death of
a player. No one paid any attention to the Bolian and the Vulcan
approaching the Judge’s Rostrum.

But the Cygnian Security Guard was having none of that.

Guard: None may approach the Judges. ::beat, assesses the two:: Vulcan,
what is your business here? Control your male and return to your seats.

Zenno knew enough to know that Cygnians had some cultural baggage and
now was not the time to correct their misunderstandings.

Zenno: ::Slightly frustrated:: Saava, please… :: indicates::

Saava looked at Zenno and then the Cygnian and then back at Zenno. She
knew that Cygnians were a matriarchal society. Men were considered
incapable of concluding anything logical from any given set of input
parameters. She knew she had to walk a fine line between playing into
the Cygnian’s hand and still telling the truth.

Saava: Forgive my inattention to let this male take the lead. Under
normal circumstances, he is to follow my decisions. ::thinking back to
their lunch::

Zenno used all his training to keep his eyes from violently rolling to
one side.

She made a pause to consider her next words.

Saava: My judgment appears to be impaired by the discovery we just made.

She turned around to Zenno and extended a hand without saying a word.
Zenno complied and handed her the shuttle. “She’s enjoying this
tremendously, but of course she’ll deny it,” Zenno realized.

Saava: This shuttle has been tampered with. My calculations clearly show
that the game’s results are highly unlikely.

Guard: That’s what makes the tournament fun.

Saava: My male and I have had a discussion if this is sufficient reason
to abort the game. Let me show him that I am right once again.

Technically, this was not a lie. As they saw a smile form on the guard’s
face, she stepped aside and gave her a nod. Saava gave the Shuttle back
to Zenno and she had to acknowledge that this entire conversation had
made Zenno uncomfortable, which was an admirable and excellent state of
affairs.

Saava: Don’t let it fall to the ground!

They made their way past the guard and down the walkway to the Judge’s
Rostrum.

Zeeno: Saava, perhaps we should…

Saava: Silence, male! ::Whispering:: We must maintain the illusion.

She gave him just barely enough Vulcan side-eye to demonstrate that she
was having him on. She couldn’t risk this kind of impish behavior with
anyone else. Most of the other Starfleet Officers she knew would think
her rude and other Vulcans… Well the scandal would be talked about for
generations. But Zenno understood, and furthermore he delighted in the
repartee. She had to get her fill while she could.

Zenno: Oh you are going to play this out for the rest of the trip,
aren’t you? oO I must come up with a counter-plan. This cannot stand. Oo

Saava: I am uncertain as to what you are referring to. oO A .004%
probability of a misunderstanding allows for the use of the word
uncertain. Most logical. Oo

The pair approached the judges table. Zenno put the shuttle down in
front of the head judge.

Saava: This shuttle has been tampered with.

Zenno: There is a seam on the side which should not be there.

The Risian judge looked at them with some skepticism. He took a second
to express his disapproval of what was happening and looked to the guard
who was supposed to keep people like Saava and Zenno in check. With a
sigh he took up the shuttle and looked at it.

Judge: What do you think is wrong with this?

Zenno: There is a micro anti-grav unit affixed. It could influence the
track of the shuttle at a crucial moment.

The judge hesitated as he investigated the anti-grav device that Zenno
had mentioned. It only took a couple of moments before he turned to his
right and gave the shuttle to his head technician responsible for all
the installations in the stadium. As the woman took a look, her eyes
widened.

Head Technician: We have to investigate all official game components.
Immediately!

Zenno: Thank you.

The judge did not even take the time to thank Saava and Zenno or respond
in any other way, but started to talk into his communicator. Only
seconds later a loud fanfare boomed through the stadium and the players
stopped their play immediately, to look up to the judges’ table. The
head judge patched himself into the stadium speakers.

Judge: All games are in a Judge’s Time-Out for a technical review. Ten
minute delay.

The boos and sounds from the crowd were loud and oppressive. While Saava
looked at the Judges, Zenno surveyed the stands and the field. If it
were possible, the color would have drained from his face. The enormous
viewscreen in the center of the field was used to show replays, score
updates, and something especially disconcerting called the “Kiss Cam.”
But now it was focused on them with the text below reading “Fans Allege
Cheating at Judge’s Rostrum.”

Zenno grabbed Saava in the crook of her arm.

Zenno: Saava…

The tone in his voice instantly let her know this wasn’t their usual
shenanigans, but something serious. She saw where he was looking and saw
her own image looking back at her from the screen.

Saava: Based on the crowd’s behavior and the fact that we are displayed
on the viewscreen, I suggest we leave the vicinity.

Zenno: That would be an excellent idea. This way.

The Cygnian guard had disappeared and Zenno was increasingly worried. He
saw some Nausicaans pointing in their direction and some unkind looks
from a rather large gang of surly Andorians, all wearing team colors of
the Ice Pirates.

Zenno: Faster, please.

While situations like these were definitely more Zenno’s specialty, it
did not take a trained security guard to recognize that the situation
may quickly become difficult for the two friends.

Saava: I concur.

They walked half-way down the carpet from the Judge’s Rostrum when it
looked like a group of Ice Pirate fanatics were headed their way from
the stands. Saava had to admit that part of her confidence went away
upon seeing the rage in the fanatics’ eyes. Looking around, Zenno saw a
service door and hoped that it wasn’t secured.

Zenno: This way! ::Into the Service Hallway & secures the door behind::

The service hallway had cleaning equipment, industrial replicators,
atmosphere processors and lighting kit. This part of the stadium was not
made for looks, that much was certain.

Zenno: Prudence dictates a quick exit, my friend. Back to the spaceport
and avoiding all contact with other fans. Do you concur? oO This looks
exactly like the place where they would find dead tourists. Oo

Saava: The opportunities to agree with you are rare. This certainly is
one of those.

They turned the corner, trying to find their way out but they stopped
short. A Nausicaan, a human, and a being that Zenno couldn’t readily
classify were coming straight at them.

Human Assailant: Stopping the game was a bad call. Our boss had a lot of
action ridin’ on it!

Nausicaan Assailant: Arrr!

Zenno: ::Whisper to Saava:: Third defensive position, I’m high.

Her mind immediately went into high alert and she gave Zenno an almost
invisible nod as she got into position. They had trained together a lot.
And apparently, Zenno had not forgotten all of it. The choice of tactics
was good, even for Savaa’s standards. She was proud of her Bolian friend.

Unknown Assailant: You’re coming with us to explain it to the boss. On
your feet or scraped into a bag, either way.

The Nausicaan put his arms out and attempted to grab Saava, but she
evaded smartly, went low and launched her foot into the Nausicaan’s leg
joint, which pleasingly went in the wrong direction. He gave out a shout
and crumpled to the deck as Saava got clear. While the other assailant
attempted to restrain Zenno with all the grace of a drunken Ferengi.
Zenno side-stepped the clumsy assault, grabbed the being by the arm and
flipped him over on top of the human. Both went down into a clump of
arms, legs, sweaty clothes, and day-old synth-ale vapors.

Zenno: Let’s go!

Saava: Like in the good old days…

The old days - in this instance - referred to their days on the
holodeck, practicing. But she said it in a way that was reminiscent of
old Earth movies. The official version was that she studied them out of
awe for the human species. But Zenno had always suspected she was
enjoying some. And although she would not care to admit it, maybe part
of her was.

Zenno had a wild grin on his face as they ran down the corridor, looking
for the best way out to the spaceport before their opponents could catch
them. As for Saava, she kept her discipline intact, but had she been
given to emotions, she would have reveled in the adventure and the
companionship with glee.

[TBC]

Ensign Saava
Nurse, Medical Division
USS White Pine

As simmed by

Lt. Connor Dewitt
Engineer
USS Arrow
A239901CD3

And

Lt (jg) Zenno
Acting Security Chief
USS Arrow
A240006Z13