LT Tamio K'Wara - A Diplomatic Staging Ground
LT Tamio K'Wara
(( Cockpit of the USS Acheron - Ebers System, Balancar Sector, Alpha Quadrant ))
It was a gamble, which was a very familiar way for Tamio to start all mental recollections of the harebrained schemes they often came up with while mid-action. In Starfleet, there were rarely ever any sure way to victory, barely ever any actual chance in hell that their scheme would work and a plethora of ways that a plan could go wrong.
Purposefully sending torpedoes filled with anti-gravity matter into a rupturing rift in space? Not in the top 10 of most reckless plans they’d ever been part of, but definitely up there. Nevertheless, it was their best shot at getting out of this with the Acheron still in one piece, and as such, their felinoid eyes remained glued to the screen showing the outside of the shuttle - and the violently pulsing rift - as they waited for any sign that the opposing shuttle had understood the plan.
Then, a flash of light.
K’Wara: That’s our cue. Hit it!
Alex reacted immediately.
Storm: Done.
The crew watched with bated breath as they watched bright flares of silver and purple dust scattering within the otherworldly blackness of the Ebers Rift, the closest approximation you probably came to glitter in space forming a cloud between them and Hinkly’s shuttle, and a minor explosion on the other side of the rift lent its nuances to the cloud.
It was a breathtaking sight, and Tamio dedicated it to memory. They didn’t usually paint, but this - if any - was a scenery worth putting to canvas.
Vailani: Did it work?
Cole: :: Squinting out the viewport :: Maybe? I mean we’re still here so that’s something, right?
Storm: I’m reading the shuttle on the other side. It looks intact. Lieutenant Cole, are we still being pulled toward the rift?
Natasha didn’t have the chance to reply before the Acheron reacted to its sudden freedom with a surprised jolt. There was a moment of silence as the four of them seemingly waited for the ‘other shoe’ to drop, but nothing happened.
Vailani: Anything from Hinkly?
Cole: :: surprised :: He’s still alive, shuttle appears to have stabilized and … he’s hailing us.
That was a good sign.
Storm: I can sense him. He’s worn but uninjured.
Even better sign.
Vailani: Response
K'Wara: On screen, Nat.
Cole: Aye, Sir.
The man who appeared on the viewscreen was unfamiliar, in more ways than one. There was the obvious point that he was a complete stranger, but it went beyond that. Despite his shuttle resembling the Acheron a great deal, his uniform - and it was a uniform, that much Tamio was certain of - was unlike any military force Tamio had ever made the acquaintance of.
Hinkly: =/\= Let’s try that again, Commander Hinkly of the UEA. Thank you for your assistance. Who do I have to thank for my timely rescue?=/\=
The glances exchanged between Natasha and Alex spoke volumes.
Cole: =/\= Lieutenant Junior Grade Cole, UEA Sir? =/\=
Tamio furrowed their brow slightly, waving their hand beneath the viewscreen’s area of visibility to show Natasha to mute. If this was what they anticipated - a glimpse to another area of space, or dimension entirely - they had to be vigilant. In a best case scenario, the Ebers Rift just got upgraded to the staging ground for a lasting diplomatic connection beyond the looking glass. Worst case?
Well, Tamio really didn’t want to have to think of that one, but historically, alternate universe encounters rarely ever worked out in Starfleet’s favour.
Storm: We’ve not seen that uniform before.
K'Wara: Careful. ::waves for the sound to be turned back on:: =/\= We’re pleased to have been of assistance, Cmdr. Hinkly. This could’ve gotten pretty bad. If you don’t mind, how did you get stuck in there? =/\=
Vailani: Response
Hinkly: =/\= All valid questions and concerns. UEA, United Earth Alliance. ::confused:: I’m surprised there’s anyone that doesn’t know who we are. As for how and why I was stuck in the rift. I was sent to investigate an anomalous signal that was being sent through an uncharted anomaly. Upon arriving I sent a probe through and somehow something shot back at me, damaging my engines and I started to slowly drift towards the rift. =/\=
Tamio looked to Alex. While her tactical acumen was solid, as expected by one of her experience and rank, her telepathic abilities were equally valuable during diplomatic negotiations.
Storm: We’ve been caught on our side of the rift’s wake as well.
They took that to mean she didn’t register any duplicity of any sort. Good tidings.
Vailani: Response
K’Wara: Yeah, I agree... =/\= The signal you registered was likely from our space station. It was quite a gamble, sending a signal through to us. =/\=
Hinkly: =/\= After realizing my options were limited I sent a distress signal to the Armstrong, but the interference from the rift proved to be fruitless, like screaming into the void itself. I took a gamble and tried sending a message through to whoever it was that shot me. Hoping for the best, ::laughing:: even tried throwing rocks. =/\=
Storm: =/\= Well that explains a few things. You were the one throwing the rocks? ::Alex blinked:: Remind me to never get into a game of darts with you. Your aim is dangerous. =/\=
She was not wrong, and Tamio smirked slightly in response to that. It was a damn near miracle that Hinkly hadn’t accidentally destroyed them while they tried figuring out he was there to save.
Vailani/Cole: Response
Hinkly: =/\= Darts? =/\=
Storm: =/\= Throwing game of skill.=/\=
While Alex spoke with Commander Hinkley, Tamio turned towards the rest of the team.
K’Wara: LT Vailani, how’s the rift looking? Is it holding?
Vailani/Cole: Response
Tamio guessed that meant the diplomatics would have to wait. It made sense that the rift was ‘sore’ after the beating they’d given it with all their probing, so giving it time to reconstitute itself into a more stable state would likely be in the best interest of both parties.
Storm: =/\= Will you be able to get back to your people? =/\=
Hinkley: =/\= I might end up limping the entire way there, but I’ll make it eventually. =/\=
Tamio nodded.
K’Wara: =/\= In that case, fair winds, Cmdr. Hinkly. =/\=
Vailani/Cole: Response
The viewscreen turned dark as they saw Cmdr. Hinkley’s shuttle turn about and head away from the other side of the rift, and then, the rift grew dark. The sudden silence was like a sigh of relief, or a tremble of things to come. Tamio couldn’t decide which.
Storm: Unfortunately, we still have the conundrum of who sent the worm to the station.
Vailani/Cole: Response
Tamio nodded.
K’Wara: If the upgraded sensors of the tactical upgrades intercepted Mr. Hinkly’s message mid-programming, that may explain a great deal.
Vailani/Cole/Storm: Response
Regardless, it wasn’t something they would be able to ascertain from out here. And given the state of the Acheron, it was very unlikely they’d be able to make it back to the Artemis right this instant.
K’Wara: Nat, take us back around to Luxasi. Think the rift should be left alone for a little bit, give it time to settle down. ::to Vailani:: Lieutenant, patch us through to Researcher Zurah.
Vailani/Cole/Storm: Response
Within moments, the Nuvian Captain of Luxasi appeared on the viewscreen once more
Zurah: =/\= It’s good to hear your voice, Lieutenant. Our scans are showing the rift back within normal parameters. =/\=
Tamio grinned at her, the adrenaline from the events at the rift still coursing through their system.
K’Wara: =/\= And it should hopefully stay that way, Zurah. ::beat:: Don’t suppose you’ve got the kettle on? We’ve got a shuttle that could really use some R&R before our trek back to the Artemis. =/\=
Zurah: =/\= Of course. ::smile:: I do believe it’s time we meet face-to-face. Luxasi out. =/\=
They breathed out, nodding to themself a little bit. Then they looked around the group of officers, who had stepped up to the plate in a massive way. Malfunctioning tactical phasers, alternate universe communication technologies and a rupturing space-time rift?
K’Wara: Damn fine job, all of you. If Luxasi’s got a bar, I’m buying.
Cole/Vailani/Storm: Responses
End Scene for LT K’Wara
((( OOC: Thank you all for joining this little jaunt! It was an absolute delight to share the Acheron with you for the past month! )))
LT Tamio K’Wara
Chief of Operations
USS Artemis-A
A240006GS1