LT Tamio K'Wara - Extra dose of Pixie Dust over here, please!

[LT Tamio K'Wara]

(( Chief Operations Officer’s Office - Deck 05, USS Artemis-A ))

Lying on their back on the floor, staring up at the ceiling, Tamio had had half of a mind to delay the request listed on the PADD currently resting face-down on their stomach. Imril’s request for an instructor for their shuttle flight requalifications wasn’t any problem, really - the Artemis usually had plenty of capable pilots that could see to it, and looking over Imril’s scores from the Academy, they didn’t seem like a hazard to have flying above the skies of Rylor. And yet, Tamio was in a bit of an administrative pickle.

All their pilots were currently otherwise indisposed. Adlin had gone on a silent retreat to a moon some systems away and wouldn’t return for a little while, Lodia had gone back home for a family matter and wouldn’t return for weeks, Kat was still in the middle of taking her instructor qualifications and similar circumstances seemed to have accidentally fallen together all at once.

Was it an impossible pickle to solve? No, of course not, Tamio was quite certain that they could easily pull some strings to ensure that a pilot was dragged back to the Artemis - screaming if necessary - to conduct this requalification. But doing so would also absolutely flag them down for yet another counseling session with Lt.Cdr. Lux about Tamio’s continued insistence on not getting anywhere near the pilot’s seat. It wasn’t like they’d not gone on shuttles in the past 7 months that they’d served on the Artemis - they’d gone on plenty of outings and away missions that necessitated shuttle travel - but every time Tamio faced the prospect of piloting, even just as a backseat pilot for a junior officer wanting to improve on their skills from the Academy, their feet started twitching.

They kissed their teeth and then, in annoyance, scrambled to their feet.

K’Wara: Okay, enough with this.

(( Main Shuttlebay - Deck 11, USS Artemis-A ))

A couple of hours later, Tamio arrived at the Shuttlebay and headed straight for the shuttle that had been decided upon for the evaluation flight. They got all the way to the shuttle doors before their fingers started tapping rhythmically against each other, and they took a deep breath, before entering the shuttle where the Bactrican engineer was already waiting for them.

(( Cockpit - USS Perseus, Main Shuttlebay, Deck 11, USS Artemis-A ))

K’Wara: Hello Imril.

The younger Bactrican turned about to look at them, nodding in response to their greeting. And then, almost as an afterthought - or perhaps just more freely now that they’d given the ‘proper’ greeting - they waved.

Imril: Lieutenant.

Tamio came to a halt next to Imril’s chair, resting an elbow on the back of the seat as they looked at the screens that were already on and running numbers for the ever-active Engineering mind seated in front of them.

K’Wara: ::smirk:: Running system checks already? You’re eager to get started.

Imril: No, I’m not running preflights yet. Just looking over the specs. According to the maintenance logs, all of the shuttles received thorough tune-ups while we were away. In case they’d be needed for search parties. Workbees, too.

K’Wara: Well, that’s heartwarming. Though I’m pleased they didn’t send them. I don’t think these beauties could’ve stood up to the Maelstrom any longer than the Karnack did.

Imril: Response

Tamio moved around and took a seat in the secondary pilot’s seat, feeling that uncomfortable sensation in their stomach start to work itself into a knot. They tried to ignore it as they looked down at the PADD in their hand.

K’Wara: I know the Starfleet Corps of Engineers were real interested in the incident report for the Karnack’s crash. Any news on that front?

Imril: Response

K’Wara: Well, if anyone can figure it out, I’m sure it’s you all. ::looks up from the PADD with a smile:: All right. Ready to get started?

Imril: Response

TAG/TBC

LT Tamio K’Wara

Chief of Ops

USS Artemis-A
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