PNPC Lt Vailani Zoyara - Distortions
Ava Munro
(( Cockpit of the Kerynitis ))
Vailani: Ensign Meris, please take us out.
Meris: One moment, Lieutenant. I am not yet satisfied... ::eyes scanning::
There was nothing Zoyara hated more than a belayed order. She hated it when a senior officer did this to her. She had just discovered, for the first time, that she hated it when a junior officer did the same to her even more so. She craned her neck wondering what it was that Meris’ colleagues must have missed - it does happen, rarely - and the explanation was not forthcoming.
Meris: ::to Vailani:: Now we are ready. Starting engine startup sequence.
Her mouth opened to immediately reprimand the new ensign and then she closed it. This was a conversation she'd have - in private. Unbeknownst to them, the J'Naii had just promoted themself to Chief Troublemaker, and she would not have a troublemaker on her team that could not follow orders.
She thought of Gila, and how she had gone off on her own, determined to fix her own problems and refusing to trust others. That kind of solitary thinking would do Meris no good and she wouldn't allow it to happen under her watch - again.
Meris: =/\= Kerynitis to Shuttlebay Operations. Requesting departure. =/\=
The hangar door began to open, revealing the blue force field that prevented a massive depressurization of the bay.
Shuttle Ops: =/\= Kerynitis. This is Shuttlebay Operations. You may depart when ready. =/\=
Meris: ::satisfied:: We are clear of the Artemis.
K’Wara: Nice flying, Meris. Watch those response times. ::to Vailani:: So, what’ve we got on the itinerary for the day, Chief?
Zoyara consulted her PADD, and observed some waves of subspace drift that could affect the shuttle's engines.
Vailani: Flight plan adjusted for subspace distortion, alteration to the plan sent to DS224. We have four locations to scan. They've been experiencing subspace distortional drifts around the station. A natural phenomenon, as you all will know this area of space is unique for its celestial anomalies. The scientists on the station need more data to figure out its origins - which is what we're going to get them.
Meris: Aye, Lieutenant.
As the others began their respective tasks, her thoughts began to wander. She wanted to refuse to give Gila more airtime in her head. Easier said than done it would seem she'd joined the revolving door of Zoyara's failures that never failed to remind her of how wrong she had been.
In a vain attempt to think of anything other than her deceitful former friend she focused on her station. Except Gila's last hurt expression was all she could see. The pathetic look of self pity, Gila Sadar's favourite manipulation tactic - she imagined that she was hovelled up in some dark space in DS224 feeling sorry for herself. It would be satisfying if she didn't think that Gila enjoyed being miserable.
oO I don't care Oo
When the Cygnian spoke she realised she had balled her fists. An unpleasant habit of hers that would become much more frequent during times of stress.
oO thanks Gila Oo
K’Wara: The closest coordinate isn’t too far, but it’s right on top of the medical transports that just got sent off. Don’t want to risk jostling them.
Vailani: We should start with the farthest-away coordinates first.
Meris: Setting course. ::tapping controls::
The Kerynitis set off into the vast expanse surrounding the massive space station, and Zoyara felt a familiar sense of foreboding overcome her. It wasn't uncommon for her to have these sensations - she was one of the universe's great worriers. She made a point to recheck the checks again - quietly, she didn't want her team to think that she had developed an immediate mistrust of them but two of the three she had only just met. Their competence was unknown to her.
Her mind began to flick through all the ways in which things could go wrong - even on a simple mission like this. She had ignored her feelings on Gila on the moonbase. She considered it pure luck that they didn't have some strange alien monster to deal with on top of everything else. Now, she would make sure they were alert and prepared for everything.
Bergmen: Powering impulse from the primary grid to compensate for the reserves' drain. Ensign, you can accelerate for another 0.023 impulse, or we can use the excess to replenish reserve energy. Reserves are at niner six point eight percent.
Zoyara nodded her approval, it was nice to know that someone knew to vocalise what they were doing and why… she couldn't resist a glance towards Meris.
Meris: Response
K’Wara: =/\= Medical Transport Athanas, this is the Kerynitis. We’ll be passing overhead in a moment. Subspace drifts abound, suggest strengthening dampeners just in case. =/\=
Athanas Pilot: =/\= Roger that, Kerynitis. Strengthening dampeners. =/\=
K’Wara: Chief Vailani, I’ve requested system maps of all previously logged instances of subspace drift for comparison from the Science Center.
Vailani: Good thinking, send them to my station when you receive them. I can run the comparison and overlay our findings - we can even create a time lapse simulation for them.
Meris: Response
Bergmen: Do we plan just the scan of those distortions, ma’am, or will we take some particle samples as well?
Vailani: Once we complete a scan and there are no anomalies it may be a good opportunity to test the transporters and put our sample collecting protocols into practice.
The Cygnian nodded and she, haughtily, sighed and turned to her station. Somehow she felt she was being tested by the exam proctor. Did he think she wasn't worthy?
Her father's words reverberated in her head when she thought of her promotion to Chief of Operations and his implication that it was only as a response to Frontier Day.
oO they've been doing a lot of that Oo he had said. Then that awful ensign, Tho'Bi, parting words.
oO by officers like your father Oo
Her father was a decorated war hero and a general in Starfleet Marines. She had resented Tho'Bi, and still did for that statement. Of all the people, to speak ill of her father. He was a no nothing fool that had spent his first weeks here falling over himself and walking into walls. It was a surprise to her that he'd survived Breetia at all. What does he know about sacrifices? What does he know about loss and grief? He would never be a match for her father or his greatness.
Her father may have been hard, but he got results. It was a necessity of war. Preparedness was 80% of that. You had to be prepared for what would come. After all, every battle is won before it's fought, according to Sun Tzu an ancient Earth expert on war and a very popular phrase of her father's.
K’Wara: The medical transports will be out of system in approximately four minutes, Chief. Recommend non-invasive scans of the distortions only until then.
She inhaled a breath she had to focus her thoughts on this mission. There was no time for stray thoughts to take root.
Vailani: Agree, Lieutenant. We can begin with long range sensor sweeps. That should let us know the scale and density of the subspace distortion. Once the Athanas has cleared safely, switch to narrow-band scanners, combined with multi spectral sweeps.
Meris/Bergmen: Response
K’Wara: Understood. I’ll get the tactical sensors mapping any potential subspace fault lines.
Vailani: Good thinking. We don't want to run into one of those.
Meris/Bergmen: Response
K’Wara: =/\= Medical Transport Athanas, you have crossed the system border. Peaceful stars light your path. =/\=
Athanas Pilot: =/\= Fair winds, Kerynitis. Athanas out. =/\=
One less thing to worry about at least. She returned her focus on the data coming in from the long range scans.
K’Wara: We’re clear, Sir.
Vailani: That's unusual.
Zoyara enlarged a portion of the scan results.
Vailani: There were supposed to be several distortion drifts in this region.
Her keen eyes flicked from one section to the next.
K’Wara/Meris/Bergmen: Response
Vailani: Do we have the previous scans for comparison yet?
K’Wara/Meris/Bergmen: Response
As the shuttle approached the vector in space and the shuttle appeared to rumble ever so slightly.
Vailani: Keep us nice and steady ensign, a slight reduction in the power from the impulse thrusters will help with control. What's the multi spectral scan telling us, Lieutenant Bergmen?
K’Wara/Meris/Bergmen: Response
Tags/TBC
Lt Vailani Zoyara
First Officer
USS Artemis-A
A240004LL2