[Mission Teaser/JP] MSNPCs Luirétt, Vahljeahn & Dariell - The First Day of the Rest of our Lives
LT Tamio K'Wara
(( Operations Center - Deck 1, New Hope )) (((OOC: This is NOT the Mission Starter. This is a Mission Teaser, to introduce some of our important MSNPCs. Please await Lt.Cdr. Munro's Mission Starter coming later.)))
Luirétt looked at the two individuals who’d joined them in the brain center of their new home. It had seemed a miracle when they - thanks to a couple of co-conspirators in the Dockyards - had managed to commandeer an old colony ship. ‘Old’ being the operative word. They’d barely left the Capital Dockyards before the first Engineering issues had started arising, and despite Dariell’s vast (theoretical) knowledge of starships and engines, the issues were lining up like children at a new candy store.
It was all they could do to solve one issue before three new cropped up, and not for the first time since leaving the Capital Dockyards aboard this stolen vessel, Luirétt longed for the safety and comfort of their penthouse back in Sun Haven Spire.
Luirétt: Please, explain it one more time, Dariell…
Dariell: So, as I said - I believe I am on the right track to discovering the origin of the error cascade. Yesterday, when the optical subprocessors started flashing those error codes, I found a code that I was able to decode the solution using the quick reference handbook. Following the abnormal procedures, we were able to clear like half of those errors. I know there are still a couple of presents that need to be decoded; still I’m sure they all can be traced to some residual data misalignment between the primary and secondary computer cores, which was repeatedly referenced in the handbook in connection with these error codes. ::paused to catch the breath:: That still doesn't explain why the turbolift can't distinguish certain crewmembers' voice commands, but I'm halfway through that thousand-page maintenance manual, and certain references I've read so far give me confidence that the solution will definitely be found there for me to solve this inconvenience.
Dariell felt as though everything they said was just a long, neverending lecture. Them held the stack of datapads tightly against his chest, sensing that they were more interested in finding out what needed to be done rather than the details of what was happening.
Dariell: We will need to shut down the secondary computer core for a couple hours, to clear the primary computer core registers and restart the communication protocol between the cores to solve, hopefully, the misalignment I think is happening between them. After that we will see what else needs to be sourced and was not caused by that. I will, in the meantime, finish my reading on the turbolift issue and start working on a solution, as that problem is definitely mechanical rather than software-related.
Luirétt struggled to follow along with Dariell’s explanation, their one right arm lifting so they could rub an ache in their frontal lobe.
Valhjeahn had his lower and upper arms crossed in front of them as they listened.
Dariell skills, or knowledge, even if theoretical, had granted them the position and Valhjeahn still deposited every trust in them. But reality had proven to be far less theoretical than it should.
Valhjeahn: I admit my ignorance on such matters, perhaps if you take another approach to it, try not to look for the solution, but maybe the cause of the problem.
Luirétt nodded slowly, relieved that their old friend stepped in with a suggestion. Luirétt didn’t have the faintest idea which of Dariell’s offered options was the better one, and while they knew that Valhjeahn was as ignorant as they were on this front, Vahljeahn was better at hiding their ignorance.
Luirétt: ... Yes, I agree. ::to Dariell:: Thank you, Dariell. Your continued assistance is invaluable to our cause. ::smile:: Genuinely, we are very grateful.
The issue was that Dariell still played Whac-A-Mole with their problems, using the Quick Reference Handbook as a guide for procedures and solutions, but the QRH was usable only when the problem arose. And even then, it was the simple manual, based on solutions such as "for this problem, press this, do that, and reference this chapter in this or that maintenance manual for further instructions." - what led to opening the specific maintenance manual, reviewing dozens of pages of the relevant chapter, examining the attached technical drawings or system analytics formulas of the source code, and, if nothing helped to understand the issue, going through the references and other sources mentioned in the 'problematic chapter.'
Yeah, it helped that many of the ship's systems and technologies were at least similar to what they had read about before, but that provided little comfort when it came to applying the knowledge practically. So far, they had always been able to find the root cause, but by the time they had solved one thing, five others had just popped up.
Dariell: I believe we'll get to the bottom of this and figure out what caused these recent incidents, but the truth is that we're still learning about this ship, and besides, there are too few of us to be in all the right places at once. (beat) For at least the next few days, we'll need to roll up our sleeves and cut our rest and sleep cycles by half so we can manage what's coming at us and at the same time be able to work out what caused all of this.
Vahljeahn listened as Dariell spoke. They let their Senior Engineer speak without interrupting them.
Luirétt: Of course. I’ll ask the Boraxian Engineers, who chose to remain with us in our escape, to aid you as they can. ::pause:: But please, be careful. We cannot risk your health at this stage of our journey…
Daryl nodded, understanding the concern. Everyone was already doing their best. But they either needed more hands on board or to do more work with those they had, and that was a fact.
Dariell: May I speak with them too? I will have a rest period in an hour, so I can join you then. Maybe I will be able to persuade some to stay, speaking with them as Engineer to Engineer. Any of their help would be a blessing.
Vahljeahn stepped closer as they clasped their hands behind their back.
Vahljeahn: I shall join you and will gladly help with that.
Luirétt nodded, watching as Dariell left the meeting. Once they did, the change to Luirétt’s slim form was immediately noticeable, their four arms sagging more, the blowholes in their skull widening and tightening in rapid succession to process the stress.
Luirétt: It’s just one thing after the other...
Vahljeahn walked to their leader. Luirétt was like the Mentor, the respectful figure that they all needed.
Vahljeahn: Do I sense some regret, my friend?
Luirétt: Of course not... This was necessary. The Households would’ve never listened to us. I just wish... ::sighs::
Vahljeahn again crossed their hands, all four of them in front of him. A sort of humbling gesture they had acquired over the years.
Not for the first time they felt some remorse over how things turned them in this direction. Their feeling was that they had forced Luirétt to take the action they wouldn’t have.
Vahljeahn would have carried that burden from them, but although being a charismatic and notable figure, they would still need years to be at a similar step as Luirétt.
Vahljeahn: Just what my friend?
It was a difficult thought to put into words. How did one intended to lead vocalize concern or doubt with the current course of action, without prompting a sense of hopelessness in the ones you were supposed to lead? Not for the first time, Luirétt wished they had had the good sense to pay closer attention to how the Great Mother and the Matriarchs Superior had done their jobs.
Being a spokesperson and public speaker was easy. Being in charge of decisions? This was where Luirétt’s experiences fell short.
Luirétt: Were we too hasty, Vahljeahn? You cannot tell me that you don’t hear it, the creeping sense of doubt? Every day, more of our fellow Yurum question whether joining us in this endeavour was foolhardy or a mistake.
That question had troubled their mind as well. But they couldn’t find any other alternative. There was nothing else but this act of desperation for them to find their place. A place for their fulfillment, without the extreme reverence that kept hindering them. Vahljeahn had no doubts this wasn’t a malicious design by the other Boraxians.
They always believed every being was, by nature, good. But how could they keep living in the same society that kept them aside as they were almost worshipped.
A place where their rights were different?
Vahljeahn: You think we made a mistake.
It was a statement rather than a question. Vahljeahn fully understood what Luirétt was feeling, but they always relied on the Old Yurum knowledge.
That was why Luirétt was their Leader.
Luirétt: ::speaking with conviction:: No. Our cause is just. Regardless, our cause would have been just as just in a year, or a decade. More time would have given us a chance to win over more of our fellow Boraxians, to inspire more of the Yurum to study, to seek out the experiences necessary.
Vahljeahn smiled and crossed his arms. This was the balance that Luirétt provided.
The balance between his eagerness and impulsivity, as much as a Yurum was eager and impulsive.
Vahljeahn: That was why we had to take these drastic measures. Maybe I was impatient, but there were already more of us considering this.
Luirétt: And yet impatience may be the end of our cause before we have the chance to champion it properly.
Vahljeahn: And what more could we have done? My friend, we fought all the way with our petitions and requests. You, of all people know this. You were on the forefront of it. Tell me, what did it change?
Luirétt had no answer, and their silence spoke multitude. Nothing had changed, and if they had to be completely honest, it was very unlikely anything would have ever changed. And if they had delayed, perhaps it would have put the Sectarian Faction in a worse situation than it currently was.
Vahljeahn smiled sadly. This self imposed diaspora was the result of all that.
They didn’t want to call them failures, because they didn’t want Luirétt to feel responsible. And they still fought with casting blame onto the Boraxians.
But something had to be done. Maybe it was too drastic, but it was worth it.
Vahljeahn: This was the only way.
Luirétt: ... I hope you are right, my friend.
Luirétt turned to look out the large glass windows behind them, overlooking space. A place that none of them had been destined to go, and yet their hearts called them to regardless.
To a future free of their mandated destinies.
Luirétt: I hope you are right.
To Be Continued in the mission “Care For Me”
Luirétt
Leader of the Sectarian Faction
As simmed by
LT Tamio K’Wara
Operations Officer
USS Artemis-A
A240006GS1
&
Vahljeahn
Second of the Sectarian Faction
As simmed by
Lt.Cdr. Vitor Silveira
Chief Tactical Officer
USS Artemis-A
O238907VS0
&
Dariell
Chief Sectarian Engineer
As simmed by
LtJG Ollie Bergmen
Operations Officer
USS Artemis-A
A240009JC1