Ensign Jovenan – Just another geological curiosity?
Jovenan
((Transporter Room 2, Deck 7, USS Artemis))
Having set up her programme in the Astrometrics, Jovenan had retired to her quarters to learn as much of thematerial as she possibly could. There wasn’t much to read, not remotely enough, as the sad truth was that they didn’t have much to write about the Da’al or their planet: there had been but a few contacts between the Federation and the independent, somewhat isolationist culture. But she also had limited time for reading, and Jovenan had had to skim parts that might not be as relevant for the mission at hand. She had promised to join Lt. Silveira in the cargo bay, but the unexpected visit to the Astrometrics had taken so much of her time that she had had only time to briefly stop at the cargo bay before being informed of their arrival to the Meranuge system.
Together with Lt. Silveira and Ensign Kag, she stepped into the transporter room, where she they were waited by Commander Adea and a transporter chief. The Commander smiled friendly, and Jovenan replied in same, even if she had begun feeling nervous again. It was the fact that this was her first real away-mission. It had been obvious ever since the briefing she’d go to the Da’al, of course, but it was the sight of the transporter platform that made her understand she was about to leave the already familiar Artemis for a planet whose society she barely knew. She tried her best to appear professionally calm in front of her direct superior, a senior officer, and a peer.
Adea: Fab; all ready to go down?
She checked both tricorders she had holstered to her belt: Her regular, scientific tricorder she would and should carry practically everywhere outside the ship, and a medical tricorder. Her experience with it was minimal, but should be able to use it to check all the very basic statistics of a patient, even if the higher functionalities were beyond her skills. She tapped both devices on her hips, confirming they were indeed with her.
Jovenan: Yes, sir.
Silveira/Kag: Response
They stepped onto the transporter.
Adea: Well, we’ll just have to take it as it comes. ::turning to the chief:: Four to beam down…
She tried to remain calm, breathe normally and stand still as the transporter chief moved some knobs and the device began to emit noise. Soon, it ripped her molecules apart, leaving nothing but blue mist on the platform.
((Palace of Culture, Tecra, Meranuge IV))
They materialised near a large building. The Palace of Culture had survived the impact particularly well thanks to its distance from the ground zero, although even then Jovenan could see several cracks on its walls and distorted rows of windows as the ground itself beneath the building had moved by the impact. She took the tricorder from the belt. While there was much to learn only by looking at the fracturing soil near them, she wasn’t here to study the local pedosphere. Instead, she turned to see something far more remarkable.
The crater was massive and slightly oblong, indicating the meteor had come down at a minor angle. Small but steep hills surrounded the crater, made of the displaced dirt and the remaining materials of the meteor. Most of the earth was on the side right to them, at another end of the elongated crater where it had been pushed by the meteor, leaving the other side mostly free for rescuers to approach the zone. Jovenan had difficult to comprehend this had in matter of fact been a living, thriving city, mere days or weeks ago, with jobs and cultural events and history and people. Now it was just another geological curiosity. To her at least. Looking at this sight, the Da’al might still see the places and people they loved, perished.
She couldn’t help but to look above the sorrowful crater and to the sky, where the rings rouse far above them, arching across the heavens and disappearing beyond the horizon. Watching the ugliness and the beauty, she didn’t know what to feel. Shocked, maybe.
They were approached by a person, a tall, grey-skinned young woman.
Kleebohn: Greetings. Which of you is Commander Ay-dia?
Jovenan turned her head to Commander Adea.
Adea: Response
Kleebohn: Of course, my apologies. I am Jiah Kleebohn. They told me you were coming. For my part, I welcome your assistance. We are all stretched to gossamer, I am afraid.
Adea/Silveira: Response
Being introduced, it was traditional to say something to acknowledge the other with a simple greeting. However, the most common human expressions in such situation, “pleasure to meet you” or “nice to meet you” felt somewhat inappropriate considering the circumstance, as did the Edo “health and happiness” or variants of it. Jovenan opted to more of a statement.
Jovenan: I hope we can be of assistance.
Kag: Response
Kleebohn: Over there is our triage center. ::pointing at the tent-like structure next to it:: Next is our seismic monitoring outpost. We have teams at five points around the crater keeping tabs on the aquifer network's stability. ::finally waving almost absentmindedly behind her:: And my office. This is the processing center. We're trying out best to keep good records, but things have been more like treading water than sailing, I'm afraid.
Adea/Silveira/Kag: Responses
As the others were talking, Jovenan looked down to her tricorder. It sure was warm there. The temperature might had been even pleasant if it weren’t for the moisture. The UV levels were lower than the ones reported in Vdam, perhaps because of the dust or the season, although still higher than safer limits on most inhabited worlds. The dust was the biggest issue.
Jovenan: Sir, the composition and amount of dust is not threatening to our teams, there’s nothing we can’t treat on board the ship afterwards. The masks are not necessary, although they might be more comfortable to breath in… and the locals might benefit of clearer air, with the longer exposure they have. The UV levels aren’t as much a problem, although I’d recommend avoiding getting sunburnt. Otherwise, I don’t see any immediate threat to us. ::pause, turn to Kleebohn:: Apologies, ma’am. With different physiologies, we need to be sure the planet is safe for us as well.
Kleebohn/Adea/Silveira/Kag: Responses
Jovenan hanged on with the team, waiting for individual instructions for them.
((OOC: I’m delaying responses to Kawarda until the scene is properly set))
TAG/TBC
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Ensign Jovenan
Science officer
USS Artemis-A
E239911J11