Ensign Tho’Bi - The Silver Dart

[Tobi]

((Passive Launch Bay, Sub-Level - Boraxian Cityship))

The young Andorian's dark blue eyes glanced around the control room; his antennae sensing the regimented shift of climate controlled airflow. His assistance had been requested; overhauling the bridge systems of the Boraxian vessel ‘New Hope‘; but he had been asked to transport over, not to ‘New Hope‘, but to the CityShip instead; having witnessed via remote feed, the danger faced by the Away Teams aboard the Cityship, he was less than enthusiastic about the idea; but his Engineering curiosity had won out.

…and orders, orders had also won out too.

Tho'Bi: ::uncertain:: Ensign Tho’Bi, USS Artemis ::nervous stutter:: re-reporting as ordered.

His words were met only with the low frequency drone of potential energy, coiled and ready up the length of the launch tubes.

Tho'Bi: ::uncertain, but impatient:: Hello?  

With a clunk and a shunt the doors of the transparent capsule opened, and a familiar, if unexpected face, stepped out into the control room. 

Dariell: ::smiles:: It’s an honor of mine to know and be known, Engineer Tho’Bi.

The young Andorian took an involuntary step back, such was his surprise. His following words were blurted out, rather than thought through.

Tho'Bi: Darriel …I had not expected to see you again.

Dariell: Why so, Engineer Tho’Bi? Didn’t you come here to lend a hand with the refit of New Hope's bridge?

Tho'Bi: ::apologetic:: Forgive my surprise …I am, of course, ready to assist you in the overhaul of the bridge of ‘New Hope' ::bows slightly::

Dariell: For that, me sincerely thank you and express our gratitude, Engineer Tho'Bi. ::tilts his head:: I can't help but wonder why you seem to act so erratic now, so surprised? Please forgive my question; I'm only trying to understand you better.

Tho'Bi: But …I do not understand ::tilts head:: why we are here ::looks around::

Dariell: I was here, on Cityship. That’s simple is, why you are here, Engineer Tho’Bi. We could meet on New Hope, yes, you have your shimmer of light that brings you between spaces. (beat) But me seen your enthusiasm to know more when we got known. Light is nice, but did you glide the stars?

The young Engineer could not hide his childlike excitement at the opportunity to experience a passive launch shuttle.

Tho'Bi: ::smiling:: Cool.

The familiar, but unexpected, face smiled back and gestured for the young Andorian to head toward the door to the tube that led to the shuttle.

Dariell: Please follow me.

The journey may not have been long, but it was certainly captivating, especially with the glass tube providing a stunning view of the maintenance deck beneath. They could also spot their shuttle, held firmly in the tight grasp of metal claws, patiently awaiting their boarding.

Dariell: Magnificent, is it?

Tho'Bi: It is quite something. 

Dariell signaled that it was time to move on to the shuttle. As they entered, they shut the door behind them, watching through the window as the tube air bridge started to pull away from the shuttle.

Dariell: Please, sit in the right seat. ::points to the cockpit::

Tho’Bi: Of course.

The young Andorian followed the instructions and took up his assigned place in the right seat, with Dariell sat in the left. The fingers of four hands danced over the four keypads; screens shimmered into life, as the sleek shuttle craft shuddered with the rising hum of systems warming up.

Dariell: Does your Starfleet have shuttles like ours?

Tho’Bi: We have shuttles, but they rely on their own power to launch.

The silver dart shook a little as it was aligned with the launch tube; a hexagonal set of six blast doors drew back to their respective corners, revealing the launch tube; and, at its far end, glistening stars against the darkness of space. The shuttle floated into the tube, drawn by the invisible current of electro-magnets; the hexagonal set of blast doors drew back together, sealing the tube from the launch bay.

Dariell smiled and waved and gestured at Boraxian, who appeared on the screen outside, on their side, and then quickly turned to Tho’Bi, and pointed at the keys on the keyboard that hung over Andorial's head.

Dariell: Press both illuminated buttons together, and then pull that lever to your left away from you.

Dark blue eyes located the pair of illuminated buttons and lever to his left.

Tho’Bi: ::to himself:: Okie dokie… 

A pair of blue fingertips pressed the pair of illuminated buttons; a dense pulse, like the heartbeat of a great and ancient animal, began building around them; with it, a haze of diffused lights, ever-shifting in metallic colours, burst around the sleek silver craft.

Tho'Bi: ::to Dariell:: There is no spoon….

The young Andorian pulled the lever.

A split second of nothing.

THUUUUUM… in a shimmering burst of metallic light, the first massive induction coil compelled the shuttle forward. 

THUUUUM… second massive induction coil; burst of metallic light.

THUUUM… third induction coil; burst of light.

THUUM… fourth coil; light.

THUM… fifth; burst.

The sleek silver dart broke out into space; and shot across the darkness in total silence.

Having grown up on a Space Station, the young Andorian was accustomed to shuttle craft, but never before had he felt like he, himself, was flying.

Dariell: Response 

Following Dariell's instructions, the space-born Andorian used the craft's small Fusion-Powered Ion Thrusters to cox the silver dart toward New Hope; its ancient bulk loomed in front of them; while to starboard, the Artemis glistened in the distance.  

The young Andorian found himself relaxed for the first time in months; away from the Artemis, away from the dressing downs, and the looks of disappointment, the muttered expressions of frustration, and sighs of disbelief; out there in the darkness, shifting silently through the black.

Tho'Bi: There is such grace in this technology…

Dariell: Response? 

The silver dart skimmed across the sparse particles, ever closer to New Hope and its retrofitted launch tube; the young Andorian dabbed the Ion Thrusters, teasing the craft into line with the approaching launch tube; then, without warning, a great invisible force took hold of the shuttle, and began pulling it toward the launch tube.

Tho'Bi: ::surprise:: Woah!

Dariell: Response 

The Andorian let go of the controls and allowed the New Hope launch tube to do all the work; the sleek silver dart met alignment with the hexagonal tube, and shot down it.

The young Andorian recoiled in his seat at the rapid approach speed. 

Dariell: Response? 

THUM… fifth, slowed; burst 

THUUM… fourth coil, retardation; light

THUUUM… third induction coil, arresting velocity, burst of light

THUUUUM… second massive induction coil, coming to a halt; burst of metallic light. 

THUUUUUM… the first massive induction coil brought the shuttle to a stop, in one final burst of metallic light. 

The hexagonal set of six blast doors opened and the sleek silver craft floated into the launch bay of New Hope.

Tho'Bi: ::to himself:: Really good noodles…. ::To Dariell:: Thank you.

Dariell: Response 

TAG/TBC

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Ensign Tho’Bi

Engineering

USS Artemis-A

A240203T11