Ensign Tho’Bi & PNPC Tony Leone - Gawkers and Talkers

[Tobi]

((CARGO BAYS, LEVELS 279 - DEEP SPACE 224))

Deckhand shouts and equipment clouts were drowned out by the roar of retro-thrust. The squat grey bulk of the Danube Class Shuttle broke through the shimmering electric blue of the angular forcefield, and with it, the causality of vibration and noise returned. As it shunted into place upon the deck, the Andorian turned to the disgraced Mizarian.

Tho’Bi: No reason why you should have.

Sadar: I-I suppose not… 

A loud, heavyset, but friendly shout echoed out from the cargo bay below.

Leone: ::shouting:: O! It's Ensign Romeo! 

Dressed in the gold and black of Ops/Engineering with a pair of oversized headphones around his neck, a burly, squat figure with thinning slick-back dark hair and dark eyes was looking up at the Andorian.  

Leone: ::shouting with bravado:: Let down your Andorian hair!

The young Ensign smiled and shouted back.

Tho’Bi: That's two different stories, Tony.

Leone: ::shouting sarcastic:: Like you'd know!

It was at this point the manner of the Crewman Third Class changed. His face fell to stone. The bravado gave way to belligerence. Even the light reflected in his eyes died. It was at this point his gaze fell upon the dishonorably discharged, former Lieutenant, Gila Sadar. 

His dark eyes fixed on the Gila Sadar, the Enlisted Crewman brought his lips together, drew in a heavy breath through the thick of his nose, pushed his tongue between his lips, and spat onto the deck.

The Crewman returned his attention to the young Andorian Ensign. 

Leone: Watch yourself, kid ::nods in Sadar's direction:: People talk.

The Andorian nodded in return, but his expression remained unmoved, his tone even.

Tho’Bi: I hear you, Tony.

The Crewman shrugged, lifted the oversized headphones to his ears, tapped the outside of one, and idled off, footfall and shoulder bump in time to the tinny buzzy music.

The young Andorian Ensign could hardly look at Gila Sadar. He turned one way and back, and then repeated the action.

Tho’Bi: ::quietly:: Don’t worry about it. It's just one…

The Andorians voice trailed off as he noticed the dead-eye stares and muttered profanities spread out across the deckhands working the cargo bay below.  

He hadn't even finished speaking before the Mizarian Doctor and former Lieutenant had scurried off down the thin walkway. His antennae sensed her elevated heartbeat, the rush and stumble of her footsteps, as they became lost in the great shuddering vibrations of landing gear, the expanding dispersion of coolant vapor, and the clutter of deckhand shouts and cargo containers. 

The young Ensign turned back to the cargo bay below. Palettes of spare parts bound for Artemis had arrived on Cargo Sleds and now sat, strewn about the deck. The deckhands were an immobile mix of gawkers and talkers.  

Thud. His feet had hit the deck. He had cleared the railing and dropped down into the cargo bay, without deciding to do it. The deckhands took a surprised step back. A look of bemusement spread across their faces.

Without saying a word, the Andorian Engineer began to load the spare parts onto the shuttle. 

A familiar heavy set accent shouted out above the confused and still immobile deckhands. 

Leone: ::with attitude:: What? We're gonna let Ensign Romeo out knuckle drag us?

A quiet ripple of laughter spread across the cargo bay. One by one the deckhands began loading the spare parts onto the shuttle. All the while, a disgraced Mizarian Doctor rushed through the bustle and heave of the crowds, all alone.

End of Scene for Tho'Bi and Tony Leone 

((OOC: Danube class shuttle listed as one of Artemis support vessels on SB118Wiki

“During active shuttlebay operations, atmospheric integrity is maintained by means of an angular forcefield…” Star Trek The Next Generation Technical Manual, P. 158

Cargo Sled as described on Memory Alpha:

https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Anti-grav_sled ))

———————————

PNPC

Crewman Third Class Tony Leone

SB224

As Simmed By Tho’Bi 

And

Ensign Tho’Bi

Engineering

USS Artemis-A

A240203T11