LtCmdr Jovenan – Where am I supposed to hold on, when the armrests are full of scary buttons?
Jovenan
((Bridge, USS Artemis))
From the Captain’s seat, the Universe opened wide. The uninterrupted line of sight to the main viewer made Jovenan feel she could be thrown off the central chair and float through the air and into the dark, star-spotted space behind the large screen. There were consoles behind which to hide, no other displays with rolling figures or diagrams in which to drown oneself, just the space and the invisible line of the ship’s path. She would have thought that having no concrete plan and no one to look up to at that moment and from whom to receive orders had made her feel weak, but the feeling had to make way for the surge of strength radiating from the seat. She was seeing with the eyes of the Artemis, she could move its muscles and speak with its voice. Still, all that power failed to make her feel any less vulnerable. The Artemis could throw her off and run away. She could only take the reins and hope she’d be able to hold on.
Jovenan: Execute.
The ship gained speed and broke free from the gravity of the planet. The darkness of the space grew darker and the distant stars brighter as they turned away from the world below and from its reflections of the local sun. Jovenan’s gaze wandered in the interplanetary space, but there was nothing her eyes could see; despite the feeling of connection to the ship, she still couldn’t detect the invisible waves or fluctuations like the Artemis’ sensors could. After a moment, she spoke to the bridge crew again.
Jovenan: What’s the situation with the Orion ship? Do we have their location and heading?
Cole: ::tapping to confirm scans:: According to their current trajectory they will be approaching from the far side of Galaris VI ::beat:: Their path could take them to either Moric or Galaris IV. We’ll be crossing their path in seven minutes
Jovenan: And their configuration? Tactical abilities?
Tho’Bi: ::quiet and focused:: Power signature indicates ::beat:: matter antimatter reactor ::turns to Jovenan:: older than ours ::beat:: less stable ::beat:: ship's fast, though ::beat:: rigged for manoeuvrability.
Cole: They're larger than us. ::pouring over the data at her fingertips:: Their weapon systems are considerable, but do appear to be older. ::confirming:: as does their defenses.
Jovenan nodded and turned back to the viewscreen with its immobile distant stars and specks of dust lit up by the deflector. The Artemis had a not unreasonable chance in defeating their older and less advanced opponent in combat, should there be one. Then again, the other ship was a nimble giant and likely piloted by people who knew battle, so the winner had not yet been determined. Jovenan preferred not to test their odds in practise, but if her underdeveloped skills in diplomacy and persuasion failed, she’d be forced to rely on her non-existent combat abilities. She only knew so far that the ships were too close to each other in strength that a mere threat of using force might not be an effective method in convincing the Orions to speak and stand down.
Tho'Bi: Recommend we initiate a system wide scan of CMBR for hidden transmissions ::beat:: the ship, the moonbase, the planet ::beat:: but anything hidden too ::beat:: Orions like a cloak.
Cole: ::nodding:: Good thinking Tho’Bi. ::pulling up multiple sensors:: Both tachyon and gravitic are not detecting anything at the moment, but I’ll keep sweeping. They might be hiding in the Destroyer's wake.
Following the suggestions and reports from the two Ensigns, Jovenan hadn’t noticed Gnai approaching her until it was just in front of her. On her typical place by the Science station, everything she had needed to mind were on the screens around her or sitting on the central seats, but now she needed to pay attention to every report, to the viewscreen, to the series of buttons on her armrests she pointedly avoided touching by holding her hands on her lap, and to everyone entering or leaving the bridge. Holding on against being overwhelmed, she smiled at the sight of a familiar Galadoran.
Jovenan: Good. Keep your eyes on the long-range sensors as well, in case there are more of them. ::to Gnai:: Lieutenant.
Gnai: ::handing PADD to Lt. Cmdr. Jovenan:: Sir, this just beamed in from the Atlas, there were some strange readings in the microwave range, as Ensign Tho’Bi suggested that it might be prudent to look out for.
Jovenan accepted the PADD and tried to give it as much attention as she dared to, while also frequently raising her eyes to the main viewer, expecting to see the Orion Destroyer appearing at any moment. In addition to the microwave readings, there were non-natural-looking neutrino readings, which in itself didn’t mean much; anything from antimatter engines to the Bajoran wormhole emitted those. Microwave wasn’t much more specific than that.
Jovenan: Thank you. These readings could indicate what’s happening on the moon or with the Orion vessel. Any ideas?
Tho’Bi/Cole: Response
Gnai: Exactly. This had thought the readings were a bit odd, but hadn’t realized the Destroyer was there until almost at the Artemis. One of the other planets in the system had blocked visual readings of it…
With as gentle smile as she could considering how much effort she had to use to hide her insecurity, Jovenan raised her hand and interrupted the Lieutenant. She didn’t know if it was trying to defend itself or merely reporting what had caused the incomplete scans – and it to abandon the away team – but Jovenan didn’t care about either explanation. She wanted to think she would have done exactly the same as it had done, because any other course of action would have placed the Atlas and its occupant in danger.
Jovenan: It’s okay. Good thing we came to rendezvous with you then, or we might not have been able to reach you before the Destroyer. Now, to your station, please. Let’s try to figure out what the Orions want.
Tho’Bi/Cole: Response
Gnai walked to the Science station, and Jovenan was left with just the viewport. There was also the helm in front of her, under the viewport, and she could see every station just by turning her head or the chair, but the viewport drew her attention quite naturally. It would take her time to get used to the fact that she was, in essence, in control of every station on the bridge, not just her own safe little corner now occupied by the trusted blueshirt.
Gnai: Cross-referencing the scans from the Artemis and the Atlas… the Orion ship seems to have been in contact with the strange base that the other team beamed down to.
Jovenan: We discovered that the Orion Syndicate is supplying both sides of the war. Moric could be their base of operations, or that of whichever faction or operator is in charge of the contact with them. We could… ::pause:: Go to yellow alert, raise shields. Helm, try to intercept the Orion vessel before they reach Moric.
Tho’Bi/Cole/Gnai: Response
Jovenan straightened her skant uniform. She knew it was pointless, new creases appeared every time she changed her pose on the seat. The Orion ship nor the moon didn’t yet appear on the screen, so she turned the chair and looked at the junior officers.
Jovenan: I take it that we can’t contact or beam the away team up. Is there something we can do to counter their jamming?
Tho’Bi/Cole/Gnai: Response
Jovenan: The Orion vessel is in contact with the base. Would we be able to determine what method they are using and replicate it?
Tho’Bi/Cole/Gnai: Response
----
Lieutenant Commander Jovenan
Chief Science Officer
USS Artemis-A
E239911J11