Ensign Tho’Bi - Duct Tape Okie Dokie

[Tobi]

((OOC: As per Natasha's Sim, “Curiouser and Curiouser”.  Tho'Bi is beginning to feel the effects of the Boraxian lights. In his case these are, over stimulated, euphoria or irritability.  Lieutenant Commander Silveira's reactions are established. I'd assume Karen and Brian are free to create their own effects for their Characters or not (depending whether it affects their species), or reach out to Natasha.  I am working on the principle the effect is more intense in the Seedery as the light levels are higher. ))

((The Seedery - Boraxian Ship ‘New Hope’))

The ladder tube opened up onto a cramp hexagonal platform of rusted out grating, hanging from the ceiling, high above the open space of the Seedery. Ladder tubes junctioned off each of the small platform's six sides and stretched out across the ceiling of the massive sub-chamber. At the center of the platform, directly below the access ladder tube, the decking housed a separate hexagonal piece. This piece formed the floor of a simple one-person elevator that ran on a set of six mechanical rails straight down to the Seedery below.

From the lofty vantage point of the platform, the Andorian Engineer snapped open his Engineering Tricorder and swept it around, scanning the cathedral-like space.

Tho'Bi: ::excited:: The Seedery extends to the full length and breadth of the hull ::sweeps Tricorder upwards:: and is equal to… twelve decks in height. 

A fine mist hung in the air, creating a haze that obscured the structural limits of the cathedral-like space. Droplets of moisture clung to a thick dark green algae that coated the ceiling and extended as far as the eye could see. 

 

Storm: Meris, why don’t you see if you can get a fix on any life signs down here?

After an odd moment of hesitation, the Ensign flicked open his Medical Tricorder and began scanning.

Meris: Aye Lieutenant.

Silveira: Response 

The Tricorder chirped and beeped. 

Tho'Bi: ::smiles:: The Boraxians are using excess heat from their Warp Core and the cold of space to generate an artificial breeze.

Storm: Very ingenious of them. I think we need to get off of this level and down to the main growing level. Up here, we’re sitting ducks.

Meris: Agreed.

Silveira: Response 

Crisscrossing the upside-down carpet of damp green, irregular, unrefined lines of warm metallic glow spanned the massive chamber; casting an ever-shifting luminance of gold to bronze, then copper, followed by silver, then platinum, and finally brass, whereupon it returned to gold.

Tho'Bi: ::nodding:: I understand now why Dariell refused the filter to purify their Deuterium supply ::looks around:: The Boraxians are using their Warp Core to filter out the impurities ::beat:: after the Deuterium has burned off in the form of plasma, the impurities are all that remains.

Below his feet, through the dirty orange of the rusted platform grating, the Andorian could see rows of plant life in various stages of growth. 

Tho'Bi: ::looking down:: Magnesium, Iron, Calcium, even Sodium ::looks up:: all used here ::beat:: nothing is wasted.

Storm: How many of the life forms you are detecting down here are Boraxian and how many are Yurum, Meris?

Meris: I am detecting approximately fifteen Boraxian life signs...

The Ensign's fingers worked the Tricorder. 

Meris: However, none of the life signs are Yurum. Dariell must not be here. But perhaps we can find Kulpadu.

Silveira: Response 

Between the rows of plantlife, simple single track rails ran up and down the length of the cathedral-like space. Upon the rails, hexagonal containers travelled on a set of four loops, wrapped around the rail, and located on the container's bottom tip. The containers were locked into place on these loops by way of a foot-switch mechanism; this allowed an operator to tip and then tighten the containers with a simple kick of the foot.

Tho'Bi: ::grinning:: There is such elegance to their engineering.

As well as the system of rails and hexagonal containers, the lush green space was peppered with the occasional small single story construction, tanks of an unidentifiable purple liquid, an assorted collection of seed silo and hexagonal containers of freshly picked plant life stacked at the foot of mechanical six-rail lifts, ready for loading and transport to the various levels of the ship.

A handful of Boraxians could also be seen, scattered about the rows of plantlife. 

Storm: Beautiful, sure. Unless you’re the one who has to climb twelve decks of it, or unless someone’s hiding in wait in the tubes above our heads. Meris, how many Yurum and how many Boraxian?

The Helms Officer looked at Lieutenant Storm for a moment before replying

 

Meris: I told you... I am detecting fifteen Boraxians and no Yurum.

Storm: Well, that is interesting. These are single person lifts. I’m going to go down first. Assuming the Commander is okay with it, we should all head down to the main level. I have a theory about Dariell.

Silveira: Response.

The Andorian Engineer watched as the space weary platform shuddered its way to the Seedery below. Dark blue eyes then turned their attention back to the dancing lights of his Tricorder. The breeze caught his antennae and he felt the damp across his paler, but better, skin; a rouge manifestation on what should have been the predictable flow of environmental control systems. 

Crunk! The one-person elevator arrived back with an atonal prang of rusted metal against rusted metal.

Meris: Tho'Bi. You next.

The Andorian glanced up from his Engineering Tricorder with a faint look of amusement on his face. He glanced over at Lieutenant Commander Silveira. 

Silveira: Response 

Tho'Bi: Aye, Aye, sir.

The Andorian returned his Engineering Tricorder to its place on his utility belt and stepped onto the small elevator platform. It swayed slightly and bobbed under the weight of his one meter ninety centimeter frame and denser bone structure. A quiet grinding vibration shuddered through the rusted deck grating.

Tho'Bi: ::looking down:: Okie dokie….

Silveira: Response (if required)

A paler, but better, blue finger dabbed the small hexagonal control panel.

Crunk! The one-person platform lift of ancient origin and unknown service history made its uncertain twelve deck descent to the Seedery below.

((Time-Skip 5 minutes: Seedery floor, Boraxian Vessel ‘New Hope’))

 

The light mist reduced the algae covered ceiling twelve decks above them to a diffused shimmer of shifting crisscrossed metallic tones and dull, damp green haze. The air smelled damp with plantlife and there was the slight chill of moisture on the breeze. 

Lieutenant Storm looked over at Ensign Meris.

Storm: I couldn’t visually account for everyone you said was on this level.

The Helms Officer nodded and turned their attention to the medical tricorder. 

The Andorian Engineer traced a finger along the cracked and worn surface of one of the single track rails.

Tho'Bi: ::quietly:: They must have left in a hurry ::looks up along the line of rail:: these rails are old ::beat:: barely up to the task.

Silveira: Response.

Storm: I get it that someone could be crouched down. It’s also possible that someone could be hiding.

The Andorian began crawling along the rail, inspecting the battered old rail as he went.

Meris: There appear to be some structures in that direction... ::pointing:: Some of the Boraxian life signs are working in that area. At the same time, perhaps we should focus on finding Kulpadu. Since there are no Yurum life signs in this area, he may be our best lead on Dariell.

Silveira: Response.

Unaware of the Away Team's direction of travel, the Andorian continued to crawl along the line of the rusty old rail.

Silveira: Response 

The Andorian dropped his head to look back, between his arms and legs, towards the Lieutenant Commander. 

Tho'Bi: ::to Silveira:: Sorry, Sir.

The Andorian stood up, but on his hands; walked back to the waiting Away Team, on his hands, and then flipped onto his feet.

Tho'Bi: ::to Silveira:: I was inspecting the rail ::nods happily::

Silveira: Response 

The Andorian swayed happily on his heels.

Tho'Bi: I do feel a little… groovy. …oh. Yeah… ::nods:: could be the lighting.

Silveira: Response (if required)

Up ahead the Helms Officer reached the first of the Boraxians tending to the plantlife. A curved blade of fizzing electrical charge scythed through a line of tall, thin crop.  

The Ensign holstered their tricorder, and approached with hands open.

Meris: Greetings. I am Meris of the Federation Starship Artemis. It would be an honor to know and be known.

Dunk! The dull metal impact drew the Andorian Engineer's attention. A Boraxian was struggling to righten one of the hexagonal containers and had evidently kicked the container in frustration. The one meter ninety centimeter tall Andorian strolled over to the now frustrated and increasingly ill-at-ease Boraxian. 

Silveira/Storm: Response.

Meanwhile Ensign Meris continued his exchange with the first Boraxian. 

Sethaleen: I am Harvester Sethaleen. I'd heard we had aliens aboard.

Meris: May we speak with you, Harvester Sethaleen?

Sethaleen: So long as you do not disrupt my work. This grain will not harvest itself.

As Tho'Bi approached the frustrated Boraxian and his ailing container, the conversation between Ensign Meris and the first Boraxian began to drift out of focus; ordinarily, it would be no problem to maintain focus on the exchange, but the Andorian felt the range of his perceptive world lessen; whether to be due to the aftereffects of his seizure or the current effects of the Boraxian lighting, he could only guess.

((OOC: Tho’Bi can no longer perceive the between Ensign Meris and the first Boraxian))

The Boraxian took several steps back as the Andorian approached, but said nothing. In response, the tall blue alien simply smiled and crouched down to inspect the locking mechanism that held the hexagonal container in place on the railing.  

The foot paddle had broken loose from the locking clamp. An easy fix with a plasma torch, but the Engineer had been ordered to leave his tool kit on Artemis. 

The Boraxian studied the crouched blue alien cautiously from a few meters back, surrounded by tall, wide, green leaves swaying idly in the artificial breeze.

Paler, but better, fingers dug into one of the snug pockets on the utility belt. An old-fashioned multitool, made snug by a circle of silver, was retrieved.

Tho'Bi: ::without looking up:: For every bodge, there is the right tool.

To the Boraxian's surprise, the multi-tool was set to one side, and instead the tall blue alien opted for the circle of silver. The Boraxian approached in a series of small, careful footsteps. 

Tho'Bi: ::gesturing with the circle of silver:: And this… is the right tool for every bodge ::beat:: duct tape.

The Boraxian crouched and then almost immediately fell back as the circle of silver extended outwards in a long straight line of silver, with a loud rasping sound.

The Boraxian regained their composure as the straight of silver was torn free from the circle of silver. They watched in quiet curiosity and amusement as this, apparently advanced, alien wrapped the line of silver around the broken joint between foot paddle and rail clamp.

The blue alien pressed the foot paddle with its blue hand. The clamp locked and the container rightened on the old rusty rail.

The Boraxian smiled with amused delight at the advanced alien's childishly simple solution. The blue alien looked at them.

Tho'Bi: Bodged.

The Boraxian: Bodged.

((Harvest Silos, Seedery - Boraxian Ship ‘New Hope’))

Rising to the height of several decks, the battered and tarnished harvest silos towered above the Away Team. Unlike so much of the infrastructure and equipment aboard the Boraxian ship, the Silos were circular in shape; their curved surfaces dented and malformed from countless years of use and then neglect, nevertheless, reflecting the ever-shifting metallic tones from above the mist and the haze. 

The air was full of the steady grind of hexagonal containers shuddering their way up the six rail elevators, up to, and disappearing within the crisscross of shifting tones and dull, damp green ceiling, twelve decks above.

The Andorian Engineer caught up with the Away Team just as they reached the first Silo. A small group of Boraxians attended to their duties around Silos two and three; beyond them, a lone Boraxian stood to one side of Silo four. Unlike the other Boraxians who were engaged in various forms of agricultural labour, this lone Boraxian appeared to be engrossed in what looked like the Boraxian equivalent to a PADD.

The lone Boraxian looked up from the glowing hexagonal device and locked eyes with the Away Team.

One second. The grind of food containers. Two seconds. The smell of damp plantlife. Three seconds. The cool of moisture on the artificial breeze. Four Seconds. From a distance behind them, a Boraxian spoke the word, “Bodged”, followed by laughter. 

The lone Boraxian bolted. Their four arms swung back and forth as they sprinted into lines of thick purple leaves, flat and wide.

Silveira/Storm/Merris: Response.

((OOC: Lone Boraxian may or may not be Kalpadu, may or may not have dropped Hexagonal PADD, as to be decided or not, going forward…)) 

TAGS/TBC

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Ensign Tho’Bi

Engineering

USS Artemis-A

A240203T11