Ens. Gnai - Let's Get Sidetracked!
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Lich
Apr 17, 2024, 5:56:45 PMApr 17
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((Rakantha Province, Bajor))
This was turning out to be an... interesting training. Crewman Renirs seemed determined to be inflammatory, and kept hitting her equipment. There was little wonder why she seemed to be curious as to what Gnai had done to be stuck with her. It wasn't certain if that conclusion had any merit to it... Perhaps it was less what it had done, and more what it hadn't, yet. Maybe this was some sort of warning, a 'don't slack off or we'll stick you with her again' style introduction. Hopefully not.
Or maybe it was a cosmic punishment. A night in prison wasn't enough, and the universe wanted to mete out a bit more justice for the killing of the Romulan senator in that alternate timeline. Whatever it was that led to Gnai and Renirs being teamed up, there was no getting out of this. It would just have to grin and bear it, as the humans liked to say. Grinning wasn't really Gnai's style. Not for a lack of mouth, as many people seemed to assume about it, but for a lack of teeth. It was exceptionally hard to grin without teeth.
Gnai: Please don't take this the wrong way... ::pause:: Are you like this on purpose? You seem to take delight in... alternate methods of doing things.
When Renirs whipped her head to look at it more clearly, Gnai realized that she had in fact taken it the wrong way. Whoops. Maybe accusing the mildly hostile crewman of being unorthodox wasn't the right move. It had tried to pose the question as diplomatically as possible, but failed. Now she was likely to be more than just mildly hostile, it guessed.
Renirs: Of course! Being predictable and following the standards is what gets you. I had to learn that in my old home, on M’talas Prime. Horrible place. I and my friends there ran this charity work there during school hours, helping poor local kids avoid arbitrary detention by the corrupt police. If I did things the same way twice, I would have been kidnapped by Ferengi humanoid traffickers. Ever fought against Ferengi humanoid traffickers in your teen years?
Lt. Jovenan would probably be very confused about the data coming back from Renirs' tricorder as of now. The amount that she was waving her arms about would add so much noise to the data... As she spoke, Gnai tried its best to discreetly continue to scan the riverbed, holding its tricorder in front of it and waving it slowly in the correct direction. If they had to do work, it would rather actually get it done, unlike Renirs' apparently wanted. If it was her desire to spend all of shore leave on Bajor... that was her prerogative. Gnai could probably finish this itself.
Her story wasn't very cheerful, Gnai noted as it listened and scanned away. Galador II was a far more peaceful place - oh, look there's a bit of a gradient in the toxins in the river - so it had little experience with such things as 'corrupt police' or 'Ferengi humanoid traffickers'.
Gnai: Oh, sorry... ::pause:: No, Galadorans are not humanoid.
Renirs: Thought so. Those petty losers didn’t see what stroke them in the ears! You know, maybe I could teach you. Yeah, you and your soft-hand academia colleagues could do with some new ways to think things. Insight and stuff!
That was not at all a promising thing to hear. Very likely, her style of tutoring would involve hitting Gnai on its tank with a blunt object until the transparent aluminum broke. Even if that wasn't her direct goal, that would be the result, it presumed. One had to prioritize things when building robotic containment suits, of course, and one of the things that Gnai and its mentor had not prioritized was dodging. In its mind, it was far better to just avoid any physical conflict in the first place, rather than try and dip out of the way of some incoming object with such a clunky suit.
Gnai: Perhaps not.
At least Renirs seemed to calm down after that, and actually take interest in her work once again. That was good. Gnai was not so presumptuous as to assume that it might already be rubbing off on her - was that why it had been assigned on a team with her? That could be a reason... As she looked at her tricorder, Gnai took the moment to look more deeply at the analysis of the gradient in toxin concentration. As made sense, the gradient pointed to a higher density upstream from where they stood.
Renirs: Like, if you never raise your eyes from the ground, you’d never notice that there’s an old, hidden entrance to a cave at the bottom of that hill. Wanna go investigate?
Oh, it hadn't noticed that at all, actually. Gnai followed Renirs' pointed finger to the hill near to where the river bent again near them. That was... certainly interesting. And upstream from where they were now. How much harm would it be to take a minor detour? Acquiescing to one of Renirs' ideas might make her more likely to listen to Gnai as they got back to work, after all.
Plus it was now curious. They couldn't not check it out. Just one peek inside, how much could that hurt?
Gnai: It is on the way, as the toxins are in higher concentration in that direction of the river. An investigation is only prudent. Perhaps... toxins can be scanned for inside. It could provide more data on their origin.
A flimsy excuse to cover up its curiosity. It would hate for Renirs to realize that it could be so easily side-tracked, or they'd never get anything done. She seemed to be the exact sort of person to be able to conjure up some sort of far-off marvel that they would need to investigate right now, before more work could be completed. That was impossible, of course, but it wouldn't put it past the universe to give her a bit of leeway in breaking its rules when she didn't want to work.
Renirs: Response
It turned off its tricorder and tucked it away before starting to walk briskly towards the cave.
oO Perhaps Lt. Jovenan should be informed so it doesn't look like her charges disappeared... Oo
As they reached the cave, it clicked its combadge to call Lt. Jovenan.
Jovenan: =/\= Response =/\=
Renirs: Response?
Jovenan: =/\= Response? =/\=
With that, it stepped into the dim light of the cave mouth and pulled out its tricorder, starting to scan the walls as it went. The darkness was a little harrowing, but it wasn't as deep and foreboding as the cave in the prison had been, so its body stayed dancing with little lights.
Renirs: Response
TAG/TBC
--
Ensign Gnai
Science Officer
USS Artemis-A
A240102G11
This was turning out to be an... interesting training. Crewman Renirs seemed determined to be inflammatory, and kept hitting her equipment. There was little wonder why she seemed to be curious as to what Gnai had done to be stuck with her. It wasn't certain if that conclusion had any merit to it... Perhaps it was less what it had done, and more what it hadn't, yet. Maybe this was some sort of warning, a 'don't slack off or we'll stick you with her again' style introduction. Hopefully not.
Or maybe it was a cosmic punishment. A night in prison wasn't enough, and the universe wanted to mete out a bit more justice for the killing of the Romulan senator in that alternate timeline. Whatever it was that led to Gnai and Renirs being teamed up, there was no getting out of this. It would just have to grin and bear it, as the humans liked to say. Grinning wasn't really Gnai's style. Not for a lack of mouth, as many people seemed to assume about it, but for a lack of teeth. It was exceptionally hard to grin without teeth.
Gnai: Please don't take this the wrong way... ::pause:: Are you like this on purpose? You seem to take delight in... alternate methods of doing things.
When Renirs whipped her head to look at it more clearly, Gnai realized that she had in fact taken it the wrong way. Whoops. Maybe accusing the mildly hostile crewman of being unorthodox wasn't the right move. It had tried to pose the question as diplomatically as possible, but failed. Now she was likely to be more than just mildly hostile, it guessed.
Renirs: Of course! Being predictable and following the standards is what gets you. I had to learn that in my old home, on M’talas Prime. Horrible place. I and my friends there ran this charity work there during school hours, helping poor local kids avoid arbitrary detention by the corrupt police. If I did things the same way twice, I would have been kidnapped by Ferengi humanoid traffickers. Ever fought against Ferengi humanoid traffickers in your teen years?
Lt. Jovenan would probably be very confused about the data coming back from Renirs' tricorder as of now. The amount that she was waving her arms about would add so much noise to the data... As she spoke, Gnai tried its best to discreetly continue to scan the riverbed, holding its tricorder in front of it and waving it slowly in the correct direction. If they had to do work, it would rather actually get it done, unlike Renirs' apparently wanted. If it was her desire to spend all of shore leave on Bajor... that was her prerogative. Gnai could probably finish this itself.
Her story wasn't very cheerful, Gnai noted as it listened and scanned away. Galador II was a far more peaceful place - oh, look there's a bit of a gradient in the toxins in the river - so it had little experience with such things as 'corrupt police' or 'Ferengi humanoid traffickers'.
Gnai: Oh, sorry... ::pause:: No, Galadorans are not humanoid.
Renirs: Thought so. Those petty losers didn’t see what stroke them in the ears! You know, maybe I could teach you. Yeah, you and your soft-hand academia colleagues could do with some new ways to think things. Insight and stuff!
That was not at all a promising thing to hear. Very likely, her style of tutoring would involve hitting Gnai on its tank with a blunt object until the transparent aluminum broke. Even if that wasn't her direct goal, that would be the result, it presumed. One had to prioritize things when building robotic containment suits, of course, and one of the things that Gnai and its mentor had not prioritized was dodging. In its mind, it was far better to just avoid any physical conflict in the first place, rather than try and dip out of the way of some incoming object with such a clunky suit.
Gnai: Perhaps not.
At least Renirs seemed to calm down after that, and actually take interest in her work once again. That was good. Gnai was not so presumptuous as to assume that it might already be rubbing off on her - was that why it had been assigned on a team with her? That could be a reason... As she looked at her tricorder, Gnai took the moment to look more deeply at the analysis of the gradient in toxin concentration. As made sense, the gradient pointed to a higher density upstream from where they stood.
Renirs: Like, if you never raise your eyes from the ground, you’d never notice that there’s an old, hidden entrance to a cave at the bottom of that hill. Wanna go investigate?
Oh, it hadn't noticed that at all, actually. Gnai followed Renirs' pointed finger to the hill near to where the river bent again near them. That was... certainly interesting. And upstream from where they were now. How much harm would it be to take a minor detour? Acquiescing to one of Renirs' ideas might make her more likely to listen to Gnai as they got back to work, after all.
Plus it was now curious. They couldn't not check it out. Just one peek inside, how much could that hurt?
Gnai: It is on the way, as the toxins are in higher concentration in that direction of the river. An investigation is only prudent. Perhaps... toxins can be scanned for inside. It could provide more data on their origin.
A flimsy excuse to cover up its curiosity. It would hate for Renirs to realize that it could be so easily side-tracked, or they'd never get anything done. She seemed to be the exact sort of person to be able to conjure up some sort of far-off marvel that they would need to investigate right now, before more work could be completed. That was impossible, of course, but it wouldn't put it past the universe to give her a bit of leeway in breaking its rules when she didn't want to work.
Renirs: Response
It turned off its tricorder and tucked it away before starting to walk briskly towards the cave.
oO Perhaps Lt. Jovenan should be informed so it doesn't look like her charges disappeared... Oo
As they reached the cave, it clicked its combadge to call Lt. Jovenan.
Gnai: =/\= Ensign Gnai to Lieutenant Jovenan. Renirs has spotted a cave that may be of interest in the investigation of the river toxins. Please do not worry if you cannot see anyone near the river, no one has disappeared, sir. =/\=
Gnai had no idea how Renirs might react to it telling Jovenan of their plans, or of it placing the discovery of this cave on her. In its mind, this was the best way to get away with a little bit of curiosity chasing, while still appearing to be hard at work. One could even say that they were taking initiative, going off into the unknown in search of answers. And who knew, perhaps there was a secret Cardassian stockpile of... whatever might require this substance down there.
Jovenan: =/\= Response =/\=
Renirs: Response?
Gnai: =/\= Thank you, sir. Utmost care and concern will be taken towards safety. Do not worry. =/\=
It had Renirs with it. There were far more pressing threats to its safety out by the river with her (if her tall tales of beating up the security chief were to be believed) compared to whatever lay within in the cave, it suspected.
Jovenan: =/\= Response? =/\=
With that, it stepped into the dim light of the cave mouth and pulled out its tricorder, starting to scan the walls as it went. The darkness was a little harrowing, but it wasn't as deep and foreboding as the cave in the prison had been, so its body stayed dancing with little lights.
Renirs: Response
TAG/TBC
--
Ensign Gnai
Science Officer
USS Artemis-A
A240102G11
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