Ens. Gnai - A Very Warm Welcome

[Lich]

((Walkway, Ki Baratan, Romulus))

Gnai had no idea what it was doing. It had been so excited for its first posting out of the Academy, making small talk with the officers on the ship that it had been assigned to and then suddenly, without a hint of warning, everyone was gone. After a moment, it was gone too, and now here it was - actually, where was it? There hadn't been any sight nor sound of other living beings in the room it had been snapped to. The design of the furniture, and the buildings outside of the window and doors seemed Romulan... perhaps? It flashed frustration and confusion, tendrils pulsing with light.

As it was getting its bearings, the door opened and Gnai turned to see a group of people that it vaguely recognized from the PADD that it had been given with the details of its new assignment. It was relieved to see people that certainly should know far better what was going on than it did, and Gnai made its way towards the group to meet them after they had all entered.

Adea: Ensign Gnai?

Commander...? It didn't recall his name, just his face from the file. But clearly the person in charge of the mission, based on rank alone. Gnai stood at attention as best as it could - a floating mass of filaments encased in a traveling containment suit could only approximate the posture. The others were both of higher rank than it, but also nameless in its memory.

Jovenan: Wait, you’re our new Ensign?

Sadar: Response

Gnai's traveling suit transmitted what words it wanted to say through speakers, at the same volume as normal speech. Most humanoid species couldn't understand the light-and-thought communications of Galadorans, and this was the best way to make its thoughts known.

Gnai: Aye... sirs?

Adea: Commander Adea - I recognised you from your transfer files. And it’s not very often you’d see a Galadoran on Romulus in a Starfleet uniform. Did CloQ just abandon you here?

oO Romulus. That was... assumed. Strange. And CloQ? Perhaps...? There had been a strange sound as the world changed - a laugh? Oo

Gnai pulsed with light in affirmation. Yes, it was very obviously out of place - they all were, but it was even more so, it thought. It had heard mention of CloQ briefly before, and from what dots it could connect, this near-instant travel was certainly something that they were capable of.

Gnai: Unclear. All of a sudden, everyone vanished, and then so did the surroundings. And now... ::one of its suit arms gestured to the room::

Sadar: Response

One of the crew approached Gnai, seemingly human, to its best guess. Its best guess wasn't always correct, though.

Jovenan: Hello, and welcome to the crew! I’m Lieutenant Jovenan, I’m the Chief Science Officer, have been for some couple of hours. ::shrug:: We were taken during the promotions ceremony.

This must have been who it was supposed to report to! Gnai was exceptionally lucky, to have ended up with the Chief Science Officer. It had been meaning to make time to introduce itself, when the ship had gotten on its way again, and now here she was. There was no time like the present - well, the past - and Gnai knew that it needed to stop floundering and make itself useful. That was the only way that it would get out of this, presumably, and leave a good first impression on its new shipmates.

Gnai: Good to meet you, Lieutenant Jovenan. Ensign Gnai, reporting for duty! What assistance is needed?

Sadar/Adea: Response

Jovenan: We’ll have to do the further introductions and explaining on the move. ::to Gnai:: We’ll have to find some way to disguise ourselves, have you happened to see any clothes around here? And, uh, how do we disguise you?

A good question. There was little disguising that could be done for its suit, nor did it really enjoy thinking about the possible indignity of being carried around by one of its commanding officers if they had to leave the suit behind. It really hoped that it wouldn't come to that.

Gnai: No, just this room, sir. And... Hm. That is a good question. That is a good question... ::the lights on its tendrils pulsed slowly:: Perhaps as a robot...?

Covering more of it with metal, or something that looked like metal would restrict visibility for Gnai, but if needs must...

Sadar/Adea: Response

Gnai watched as Jovenan walked to the door and listened. It moved around the room, poking at furniture and the sparse ornamentation, trying to find something that could be part of a disguise. The idea was not great, it knew, but there really wasn't much else it could think of that would work.

Jovenan: ::whisper:: A staircase, up and down, and a small corridor with another door on the opposite side of us. I don’t think there’s any… Shh! I hear steps! Someone’s coming!

As soon as it heard Jovenan announce footsteps, Gnai froze. The suit was quiet, for being something made of metal, but it still made noise when it moved, like anything else living.

Sadar/Adea: Response

As much as it found sending its thoughts to others rude, the limited telepathy of Galadorans was useful in circumstances like this. It couldn't hear replies, of course, but Gnai could at least get out one final question to its commanding officers and Lieutenant Sadar.

Gnai: ~ Should we hide? ~

Sadar/Adea/Jovenan: Response

The footsteps stopped at the door, and a slight muttering could be heard. Gnai had no clue what was said, being further from the door. The muttering faded, and the door opened fully with a whoosh after a few beeps at a console. A lone Romulan stood there, PADD in one hand, the other pointing at the console that he had just used to properly open the door. For as much as Gnai could stare, it did. The Romulan stared back at the various Starfleet officers crowded into the room. The clearly startled Romulan stammered, flummoxed.

oO This! Is! Not! Good! Oo

Sadar/Adea/Jovenan: Response

The Romulan stopped his stuttering, and seemed to make up his mind. He choose, simply, to flee. Perhaps it was fear at the sight of four uniformed members of Starfleet, or perhaps it was the urge to go report immediately what he had seen to a superior. Gnai couldn't tell, but lights flashed quickly down its filaments, worried. It looked to its commanding officers, briefly, hoping for orders. It had a fairly good idea what they would be, however.

Sadar/Adea/Jovenan: Response

TAG/TBC

--

Ensign Gnai

Science Officer

USS Artemis-A

A240102G11