LtJG Gila Sadar - An Influence, to be sure. Bad? Who can say?
Gila Sadar
((Crew Decks - Nova Gamma Borealis))
A holographic representation of the USS Defiant rotated lazily on the display. Its small size wouldn’t be as effective as the Artemis’ at frightening away the rather uncouth squatters of the planet below, but hopefully the notoriety the small vessel had accrued during the Dominion War would be enough to do the job.
Sadar: ::brief pause:: This could work.
Savel: We will have to hope the sight of a heavily armed ship will be enough on its own to deter the pirates here.
Dakora: Let’s do it. ::He pointed to the nameplate.:: Just edit the name if you can… what’s the name of that Defiant Class they’ve got over on Amity? ::He snapped his fingers as he tried to recall it.:: Independence. USS Independence-B. Use that name.
Soon after that, the communicator that they’d confiscated from the pirate flickered to life with an abrasive scratching sound, and both Ensign Gnai and Gila herself started slightly at the sound.
Communicator: =/\= Shazaak, come in. You’ve missed your check-in. Report now. =/\=
Shazaak? The pirate, most likely.
Savel: I imagine any attempts at a response would immediately clue-in the rest of the pirates of this one’s fate.
Gnai: But would no response be worse...?
The Lieutenant Commander frowned, shaking his head.
Dakora: Unless one of you can convincingly speak scaly-pirate, then I think we stay quiet.
Sadar: … I, uhh, I’m out on that front.
Communicator: =/\= I’m sending someone to your last position. He better not come back with news you let that oversized blueberry take you down. =/\=
That was likely the worst possible outcome. However, the impending doom that was sure to follow in a few minutes, seemed of a much slighter import considering that the obstinate guide - who clearly had no concept of time or place - lunged for the communicator. Thankfully, her fellow officers had an excellent reaction time, as Ensign Gnai kept the communicator safely out of his reached, just as Lieutenant Commander Dakora pulled him back by the scruff.
While Gila instinctively shied away from what was sure to become a violent altercation if the Bolian’s flaring temper wasn’t dealt with, she couldn’t help but smile slightly at the rather brazen - and entirely warranted - with which the Lieutenant Commander treated the increasingly dislikable Bolian.
Guide: The nerve! Give me that! I’ll have that brute know this isn’t the first set of pirates I’ve faced down and he won’t be the last! In fact he’s not even the first of his kind that I–
The change in atmosphere was palpable, even to the socially obtuse Gila. The Bolian clearly recognized the effect of his words as well, as he quickly clamped a hand over his mouth.
Savel: You have dealt with these pirates before? Yet you have not only withheld this information from us but have continued to operate your tours in this sector?
Gila didn’t have to know her fellow officers that well to know that at least two of their number were just about fed up with his trickery. She just wasn’t entirely sure which ones would be the first to lose their tempers.
Guide: Well n-not exactly. That’s not what I meant. I of course make it my business to know everything about any area of space I intend to sell a tour to. But– ::suddenly turning deviant:: But I won’t say anything else about it! I have to protect the integrity of my business, and I can’t do that going around giving up secrets!
Seeing the whites of Lieutenant Commander Dakora’s eyes in a rather impressive display of ocular gymnastics made Gila fight the instinct to smile.
Sadar: It’s my experience that - if the Lieutenant Commander felt the information would be prudent to the continued course of action - he can be rather persuasive.
Serving on the Artemis was having a poor influence on her personality.
Savel: Regardless of this information, our time here is limited before another pirate arrives. We must engage that holographic image and move if we do not want to risk another fight. ::to Talos:: Commander, I think it would be wise for the Bolian to remain with us. He is a valuable source of information. To both us and the pirates, it would seem.
Gnai: Aye, agreed.
Dakora: Gnai, set the holoprogram to execute in five minutes. ::He grasped the Bolian’s shoulder firmly.:: You, are going to take us to your communications room.
Guide: Are you taking me prisoner? On my own ship?? ::sputtering:: I'm going to have a very stern word with your superiors, and you're going to be court-martialed so hard... so hard... ::yell of frustration:: I don't even know what! But you'll regret this!
Dakora: Great. You can take it up with my Commanding Officer. A nice lady, you’ll love her. ::He jabbed a finger forcefully at the corridor beyond.:: Comm room, now.
The sound that escaped Gila’s throat at the jovial comment, which to the ears of the experienced was the gravest of threats, was decidedly unelegant, and something caught in the middle between her choking on her need to share the truth and laughing out loud at the insanity of Addison MacKenzie being described as a ‘nice lady’.
Savel: Response
Something about their entirely flippant way of treating his complaints clearly rubbed the Guide the wrong way, as he turned awfully rebellious in the face of four trained military personnel, and his only likely chance at escaping pirate custody again.
Guide: You know what, I refuse! I'll take my chances with the New Idrans. ::turning his nose up to the rest of the Starfleet officers, then sitting down on the floor, arms crossed:: At least they're honest about when they take a man prisoner.
Unfortunately for him, his general attitude seemed to be finally pushing their ever-patient XO to the end of his rope.
Dakora: You heard them on the radio, right? They think you roughed up our friend over there. ::He pointed to the downed pirate.:: You think they’re going to listen to your crazy story about a bunch of Starfleet Officers loose on the ship or do you think they’ll just shoot first and make an example out of you? ::He shifted his gaze to the Vulcan.:: Savel, what d’you think?
Savel: Response
A curious question, but Gila was willing to answer.
Sadar: Hmm... ::examines the armament in Savel’s hands:: Broken limbs, most certainly, and likely worse yet. Depending on the finesse and training of the wielder, I wouldn’t be surprised if such a weapon would be capable of doing a rather unrefined amputation on the spot. ::pause:: Why?
Springing to action, the Guide seemed suddenly very interested in joining their further exploration of the Nova Gamma Borealis.
Guide: You… uh… you make some good points. ::He waved a pointer finger.:: You’ll all be hearing from my union representatives, b…but I’ll cooperate.
Gnai: Timer set... It would be prudent to leave, would it not?
The sound of a door cycle drifted towards them from a distance, and the Lieutenant Commander saw that as a clear sign that they had overstayed their welcome.
Dakora: ::Quietly:: The Comm Room, Mister Blueberry.
Clearly not a fan of his new moniker, the Guide nevertheless led the charge - thankfully in the opposite direction of where the pirate’s arrival had been announced - and the four Starfleet officers fell in line.
Savel: Response
Sadar: Understood.
Dakora: ::Still whispering:: Stay frosty, Savel. Can’t have them calling us in.
Savel/Gnai: Response
As they approached a T-intersection in the narrow walkway, the Bolian guide pointed to a door on the right, which seemed to be the comm room. Stupid as ever, Gila allowed herself to feel a sense of relief of the unanticipated boon of them reaching their destination without encountering any hostiles, but - as it was wont to do - the universe decided she hadn’t had enough torment as of late. As such, the left-hand branch of the T-section soon flushed a pirate towards them, catching them all in a moment of stupefied shock.
Would it be unreasonable to hope that he hadn’t noticed them?
His eyes narrowed on their Bolian Guide, and then, the muzzle of his weapon began to rise. The Lieutenant Commander’s reaction was immediate.
Dakora: Fire!
Savel: Response
Spurred to action by her innate need to avoid violence - a need which was presently making her legs shudder and her fingers twist the obsidian band on her right hand - Gila turned towards Ensign Gnai next to her.
Sadar: Th-This way!
Was it cowardice? Most certainly. Was it logical? Oh, most definitely. Neither she nor the Ensign had any weapons to speak of, and keeping the Bolian Guide away from the pirates was in their best interest. This was what led Lieutenant JG Gila Sadar to do something most out of character - she gave something remotely resembling an order, and she pushed someone. The Bolian, obviously. Which he wasn’t happy with.
Guide: I can walk on my own!
Sadar: Then do so faster!
Gnai: Response
Leaving the Lieutenant Commander and the Ensign to the firefight for a few moments, Gila looked at the communications equipment in the room. Her choice to remove the Bolian from the altercation in the corridor was simple. It wasn’t that she didn’t think that she and the blue collared Ensign could find out how to work the communications equipment in here on their own, but who knew what kind of illogically annoying ploys would be enacted if the Bolian joined the pirates.
Sadar: Ensign, how much longer until your distraction is triggered?
Gnai/Dakora/Savel: Response
Sadar: I guess we’re in a hurry then…
Gnai/Dakora/Savel: Response
Heading for the Communications Console, Gila perused it. She’d gained something resembling experience with discerning the functionality of foreign technology, and at least this time the controls were in universal standard instead of Romulan. She’d take the wins where she could get them.
Sadar: Commander, we have access to communications.
Dakora/Savel/Gnai: Response
TAG/TBC
LtJG Gila Sadar
Medical Officer
USS Artemis-A
A240006GS1