Lt Jovenan – Cosplaying a Romulan
Jovenan
((Administrative building, Ki Baratan, Romulus))
Gnai: ::as stunned as can be conveyed through its speakers:: Twenty-three... seventy-four...
Yes. The two science officers were in 2374, in an unfriendly territory, carrying the unconscious body of an innocent civilian to be hidden in a closet while they would plan out an assassination with their two doctor colleagues. It would have been absurdly funny if they weren’t constantly in a mortal peril.
Jovenan: Yeah. That would mean that the rest of the crew can be anywhere in time and space. It’s a terrifying thought… How, um, how are you faring?
Gnai: This is... fine? Well...? Given the circumstances. ::a few tendrils flare out:: This was... not what was expected, sir.
Jovenan pursed her lips and nodded. She had seen a few new ensigns arrive to the crew over her career, and while some were unusual, like reporting to the XO while he was strapped to a medical bed, this one must have been overwhelmingly bizarre. The fact that Ensign Gnai wasn’t freaking out was remarkable.
After a lot of physical effort – from Jovenan’s part, Ensign Gnai was probably unaffected inside its suit – the two managed to lock the Romulan in a closet. Ready to rejoin the others, Jovenan lead them out of the room, only to find the Romulan device their victim had been carrying discarded on the floor. She picked it up and handed it to the Ensign, who accepted it hesitantly.
Jovenan: Do you think you could find something about this building from this? Like, where we could find our disguises or some quiet place?
Gnai: This is all in Romulan... ::a bit more tapping::
Jovenan: Yeah, sorry, I don’t speak it either. See what you can do.
They continued walking back, finding the two Doctors in the staircase. Doctor Adea was seemingly finishing checking Doctor Sadar’s chin, which didn’t appear to have sustained serious injury.
Adea: I don’t think anything’s broken, but there’s some severe soft tissue damage - it’s going to swell and discolour, and be quite painful for a while but I don’t think it’ll be anything permanent.
That was a relief to hear. Jovenan was very aware that they couldn’t take any more risk like that for as long as they didn’t acquire medical equipment. And preferably not even then.
Gnai: ::tapping paused as it spoke:: Could someone not wear the uniform of the Romulan in the closet?
Sadar: ::wince, followed by blurred mumbling:: In that case, in terms of size, I think you’d be the best bet, Lieutenant.
Lieutenant? Wait that’s me! Jovenan raised her eyebrows as she exchanged looks with the rest of the team. The Romulan civilian was a bit taller and bulkier than her, not to mention of the four of them, Doctor Adea was the one who probably had the confidence to portray a Romulan successfully. Surely it needed to be someone else but her.
Adea: Agreed; plus we don’t want to give anyone a chance to examine my eyes too closely.
Jovenan looked him straight into the eyes. His full black eyes were distinct from most humanoid species, who like Jovenan and the Romulans had some level of coloration in the irises. It would tell him apart should he try disguising himself as a Romulan, but Jovenan doubted it would be that big of an issue, considering her different hair and the lack of Romulan facial features.
Jovenan: I, uh, can try it on, but I don’t think I’ll pass as a Romulan even in their clothes either…
Gnai: ::handing the PADD to Jovenan:: This looks useful? Perhaps?
Accepting the device, Jovenan looked at what the Ensign had discovered. The PADD featured rectangles and other shapes as well as text she recognized as Romulan but couldn’t read.
Adea: It might also add credence to the lie that you’re one of them.
Jovenan gave Doctor Adea a confused look before focusing on the PADD again. What they were seeing looked very much like a floorplan and given the shape of it and the placement of the stairwell, Jovenan believed it was of this building.
Jovenan: Huh? Yes, this might be very useful! If I’m not mistaken, we’re here ::points at the PADD::, and the room we were was over there. But what are these other rooms?
Doctor Sadar stepped to Jovenan’s side to look at the floorplan with her and Ensign Gnai. Jovenan, holding the device, turned it slightly so that the Doctor could read it better.
Gnai: Is... this what all missions on the Artemis are like, sir?
Sadar: ::mumbles:: Welcome aboard. ::indicates with her fingers:: This... ::shallow breath:: Seems like office floors. Which would suggest terminals with ::wince:: network access.
Jovenan nodded, entirely focused on the PADD. They could use public transportation to reach the administrative district, though she doubted they would gain access to the Hall of State itself. She tried to figure out which symbols on the floorplan indicated replicators, which would allow them to gain access to all the most basic equipment they would need as well as make their attempts to disguise themselves much easier.
Adea: You have no idea, Ensign. Right, we’re going to need more disguises.
Raising her gaze from the PADD, Jovenan looked up to the Commander again.
Jovenan: Either way, we shouldn’t be standing here out in the open. I suggest we return to the first room until we find a safer location from the map.
Sadar/Gnai: Response
Led by Doctor Adea, the team returned to the room they first came in after arriving to Romulus. He gestured at the closet Jovenan and Gnai had imprisoned the Romulan they had encountered.
Adea: Jovenan, take our Romulan friend there’s uniform and get yourself kitted up. Gnai, Sadar, see if you can get that PADD to talk to us in a more friendly manner. I’ll have a look around, see if there’s any useful equipment.
Jovenan hesitated. She still didn’t believe she would be the prime candidate to wear those clothes or to conduct whatever tasks she would receive after donning the disguise. Either way, it was a direct order and if they wanted to succeed in their mission, she needed to start dressing up.
Jovenan: Aye, sir…
Sadar/Gnai: Response
Leaving the others to work in their respective tasks, Jovenan walked once more to the locker, opening it and pulling the still unconscious Romulan out. She was slightly worried how much force the Commander must have used to cause him to remain knocked out for so long, but right new she had other worries.
Jovenan: ::whispering:: Sorry.
Adea/Sadar/Gnai: Response
She removed the clothes off of the Romulan, a voice in her head constantly nagging that she was violating his privacy doing so. Having taken all the necessary items from him, she pushed him back into the locker and locked him in. She then began taking off her own uniform, replacing each piece with one she had taken from the Romulan.
Soon, Jovenan had a folded Starfleet uniform in front of her, while her body was covered by a set of Romulan civilian clothes. Walking to the rest of the team, she tried adjusting the weird shoulder pads.
Jovenan: This is embarrassing.
Adea/Sadar/Gnai: Response
Jovenan: I could do that, but need I remind you that I don’t look like a Romulan even in these clothes? I have the wrong hair colour and style, wrong ears and eyebrows and forehead. I would still be spotted immediately.
Adea/Sadar/Gnai: Response
TAG/TBC
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Lieutenant Jovenan
Chief Science Officer
USS Artemis-A
E239911J11