Ens Chevalier - It's more fun to crash if you raise your hands and tendrils like this…
CPT Arianus
(( Main Shuttlebay, Deck 11, USS Artemis ))
Jaseb's naturally fair and white complexion now appeared even paler under the artificial lights. The dark circles beneath his eyes were strikingly prominent, indicating his exhaustion. One might have expected to see a few wrinkles on his face due to his tiredness, but the ensign was obviously too young for those. Or was his skin made of plastic; who knows?
Regardless of his fatigued appearance, dressed in sturdy field overalls and carrying a backpack, Chevalier appeared ready for whatever this "trip" lay ahead of this journey.
Jaseb scanned his surroundings with urgency, his eyes darting from person to person. Eventually, his eyes settled on a figure in the distance - Lieutenant Jovenan, his superior officer for the mission. He lifted his arm and vigorously waved, hoping to catch her attention. And she did - with a smile, she waved at him, signaling him to come to her.
Jovenan: Ensign Chevalier, right? Hello! Thank you for coming!
Chevalier: Lieutenant.. ::salutes:: Happy to find you.
Chevalier acknowledged the statement with a subtle nod and then brought his hand down from his face to rest on his torso. The lieutenant smiled and passed it over to him, handing him a scientific tricorder kept in a nearby box.
Jovenan: Here you go! I invited a few more people, and there were some volunteers signing in as well, so we’ll have to wait for a few moments longer before we can start.
And as soon as she finished her sentence, a familiar face with pointy ears appeared next to Jaseb. Chevalier had grown accustomed to this unnerving face lately, but he couldn't shake off the feeling of dread that accompanied it. That face was a constant reminder of Jaseb’s overstep in front of Commander Dakora. Then, Chevalier found themselves trapped alongside Savel in a nightmarish realm of death, pain, and despair. This was definitely a bonding experience that everyone would want to have...
Savel: Lieutenant, Ensign. ::a nod accompanied his greeting to each:: It is good to see you both.
Jaseb greeted him with a nod and slipped the tricorder into his pocket. Meanwhile, Chevalier's attention was caught by something genuinely remarkable - a mechanical suit so intricate and finely crafted that it stood out as one of the most impressive pieces of technology he had ever seen within the Federation. Chevalier stood in awe, his mouth hanging open in amazement at the sight before him. Upon realizing that the others were unimpressed with their new addition to the crew, he closed his mouth and adopted a dispassionate demeanor. However, the wonder still lingered in his eyes.
Gnai: ::to Jovenan:: Good to see you, sir! ::a wave to Savel and Chevalier, as chipper as a robotic voice can be:: This will be enlightening.
Any: Response
Slowly, the trainees gathered as Jovenan addressed the team before they left. Jaseb listened attentively, leaning against a nearby crate.
Jovenan: Good morning, everyone! I’m Lieutenant Jovenan, and I’ll be your training officer for the day. Today, we’ll learn and refresh our skills on how to gather, analyse and record data using a tricorder in the field. I’ll let you know of the exact scenario as we get on our way, but we’ll be heading to the rural Rakantha Province on Bajor. We’ll have quite a lot of walking ahead of us, so did everyone remember to get good shoes and a water bottle?
Ensign Savel was the first to speak.
Savel: I believe I'm sufficiently prepared.
Gnai: Aye sir!
Jaseb believed he was too. Food, water, a hammock, spare socks, a uniform, even a standard phaser pistol type 2-81, everything he thought he could possibly need, he packed.
Chevalier: Aye, ma’am. Prepared and ready.
Any: Response
Jovenan: Okay. There’s a replicator in the shuttle if anyone realises they need something. We’re still missing a person, so let’s wait for a few more minutes before boarding the shuttle.
When the last person arrived and was ready to leave, Chevalier noticed that they were missing one person—a pilot. Savel also observed the same fact.
Savel: Which shuttle will we be taking, Lieutenant?
Any: Response
Lt. Jovenan didn't seem worried. Her following sentence indicated that she was aware of the situation.
Jovenan: I got us the Kerynitis, you can drop your stuff in there already if you want. Any volunteers to pilot it?
Jaseb's heart jumped as he caught the eye of the Kerynitis. The shuttle was equipped with the latest navigation and propulsion systems, making Type 11 one of the most advanced shuttles in the Federation fleet. Savel approached the shuttle's rear. The ramp was down, and Kerynitis waited to be boarded, ready to take off for Bajor. Jaseb followed him, visibly upset. As far as he trusted ensign Savel, he wasn't convinced he could get them down in one piece - or at least that was his experience.
Chevalier: Are you sure, Mr. Savel? If I remember correctly, the last shuttle you piloted disintegrated under your hands and ended up as a convertible after crashlanding…
Chevalier wasn't trying to be a jerk; he was glad to have survived the last flight with Savel and would like to continue doing so.
Savel: I volunteer for the task; however, I would understand hesitation from others given how my last flight ended. In which case, I have no issue with conceding piloting duties to another.
Chevalier: Just try not to kill us this time. Please.
Any: Response
When they decided who would pilot the shuttle, the lieutenant and members of the training group boarded the shuttle and stowed their equipment in preparation for the mission. As Savel stored his equipment next to Jovenan's, he looked at the lieutenant.
Savel: Lieutenant, how long do you anticipate this training exercise will keep us on Bajor?
Jovenan: Response
Savel: Very well, I believe I am ready to depart whenever the rest of the team is sufficiently prepared.
Gnai: Ready sir, as well.
Chevalier carefully secured the trapping net's buckles, ensuring that it was firmly fastened to his backpack, and then turned to the group.
Chevalier: Ready too, lieutenant.
Jovenan/Any: Response
As Jaseb was about to go to the cockpit, he noticed Ensign Gnai standing beside him. Through the transparent plastic-steel "glass" of his reservoir, Jaseb saw that one of his tendrils gestured at him, causing his suit to wave at Jaseb in unison. So Chevalier stopped and smiled at their new addition to the crew. Jaseb removed the glove from his mechanical arm, and his mechanical fingers ran lightly over the fingertips of the Gnai suit’s hand in a Galadoran hello, greeting the ensign.
Jaseb hoped he made that gesture right because he wasn't sure. With his life on the ship was a constant whirlwind of responsibilities, work schedules, loading and unloading of cargo, as well as briefings and debriefings, it was difficult for Jaseb to find the time to sleep, let alone read up a summary he downloaded from the ship's database on his new roommate. In fact, they had only just met after a week of living together due to their opposite shifts and work schedules, and the reason Chevalier actually found out that he had a new roommate was that one evening, he met a colleague from OPS changing the tag next to the door of their quarters. It was both absurd and funny at the same time.
Gnai: It is good to meet you, this ::with a gesture to itself:: is Ensign Gnai, science officer. Your name is...?
Chevalier: Nice to meet you, Gnai, ensign and science officer. Welcome onboard. This ::mimics Gnai's gesture:: is Ensign Jaseb Chevalier, operations officer.
Gnai: Fantastic! It is good to meet you, apologies for not making contact sooner.
It seemed that he probably did, or perhaps their unitary personalities made it easier for them to break the social ice. Jaseb understood the urge, the dream of a single mind and voice, as his people felt the same. When he read about the Galadoran religious glorious sentient entity, he knew he had found his soulmate who would understand.
Chevalier: No issue here, Gnai. Perhaps you could leave a sticky note with a message next time. But don’t worry. To be fair, I could also leave a note along with a small welcome gift to make the space more inviting for you. So please remind me to give you that present when we return as I'm afraid it might have collected some dust already.
Jaseb noticed the lieutenant discreetly observing them. He gestured Gnai towards Jovenan, suggesting they continue their conversation later, not wanting to keep others waiting longer. It was time for them to take their seats. Ensign Chevalier took the Engineering and Tactical station, leaving the Comms and Science station to Gnai. Savel took a position at Navigation, with their CO, Lt. Jovenan, sitting on their left as a pilot monitoring while OPS settings remained in place at her station. Ensign Savel began pre-flight check, and everyone started to prepare for the flight…
Jovenan/Savel/Gnai/Any: Response
TAG/TBC