LtJG Gila Sadar - It's only Paranoia if it's Unfounded
Gila Sadar
((Port Side Observation Deck - Nova Gamma Borealis Cruise Ship))
oO Let me fuse with this bulkhead. Let me just… Disappear into nothingness, be reduced to insignificant space dust, just be anything that’s not me right now Oo
Dakora: Excellent. ::He grinned:: The first stumble of the trip is out of the way and they haven’t even started serving the in-flight refreshments yet.
Savel: I was not aware that we were expecting any stumbles.
Gila’s face was a suitable shade of deep magenta as she scrambled up on all-fours, only for her to realize that Commander Dakora had extended a hand to assist her in her latest and most pitiful attempt at reassembling her meager dignity. Though it gave her gooseflesh that her misstep had elicited such a cordial and altogether inappropriate response in terms of their asymmetrical position on the ships, she accepted his genuine assistance, and slowly rose to her full height.
Sadar: R-R-Right, o-of course, sorry, that was- uhh… ::swallows:: I’ll be more careful.
Approachable and straightforward was pretty much the modus operandi for the Betazoid First Officer - at least so far as Gila had understood - and the pat on her shoulder that followed his assistance reaffirmed this.
Not for the first time, Gila found herself wondering which species was truly the diametrical opposite to her own: the Klingons or the Betazoids. Her time spent with Starfleet was making a powerful argument to the latter...
Dakora: I’m just glad you’re ok. Welcome aboard!.
Savel: Indeed, it is good to have you with us, Lieutenant.
Sadar: Th-Thank y-
The intimidating Bolian from the docking hatch called inwards, and Gila found herself eager to be literally anywhere else.
Bolian Freighter Crewman: You’re holding up the line.
Gnai: ::to Talos and Savel:: An effort should be made to invite her to join this group, when on the freighter.
Dakora: Absolutely. ::To Gila.:: You will join us, won’t you?
Savel: It would be preferable to have all of the Artemis crew together for this experience.
oO Well, I can’t very well say ‘no’ at this junction, right? Oo
So instead, Gila nodded slowly. She had come with the intent of showing a modicum of interest in socializing, only she had hoped to make her actual appearance in a far less demeaning manner. She was making an unfortunate impression of herself... A fact that she would have ample time to torture herself about as the queue moved ever so slowly into the bowels of the freighter.
Bolian Freighter Crewman: ::frustrated:: Next!
The queue of would-be tourists moved slowly into the heart of the Ship, and eventually, the shute leading them further into the vessel opened up onto a large open deck - structurally questionably large - with large seating groups placed around the room facing the large transparent panels that lined the walls, affording the passengers an unparalleled view of the outside. Currently, it was just the nondescript Docking Bay, but soon enough, it would be endless space, stretching forward as far as the eyes would be able to see.
Gila had to do her utmost to perish the thought of how the - presumably - thin panels of transparent material were all that separated her and her cohorts from the cold vacuum surrounding the vessel. Thankfully, Ensign Gnai seemed to have no trouble abstaining from such concerning thoughts, as it instead found itself thoroughly excited by the prospect of approaching the Bajoran Wormhole.
Gnai: This is very exciting, wormholes are so rare! Especially ones as stable as this... There was this very interesting paper that was published recently, proposing that the reason that this wormhole is- ::pausing to look at some seats:: These are the best seats left for viewing the wormhole.
Dakora: Perfect. ::He checked the chrono on his wrist.:: We should be departing soon, so we’d better get settled in.
Savel: I am curious about what else they intend to allow us to view once we have traveled through the wormhole.
Sadar: W-Well... I don’t imagine we can go very far? As far as ‘licensed’ tourism, the UDoP and Starfleet might be interested in keeping that kind of traffic to the deep Quadrant more limited…
It was just guesswork, obviously. Commercial and passenger vessels had passed through the wormhole for almost since its initial discovery, but the Dominion War had made wanton passage less regular, as far as Gila knew… Then again, it had been a long while since the war’s conclusion.
Gnai: Lieutenant Sadar! There is a seat here for you. ::patting a seat next to it::
Sadar: O-Oh! ::sits down slowly:: Th-Thank you, Ensign.
Commander Dakora looked upon his subordinates with a great smile on his face, and while Gila was uncertain as to what had elicited such a vivid response, it was an agreeable one. It wasn’t that she had suspected the Commander would be unhappy with the assembled group, but it certainly made her own concerns about whether the decision to join the trip had been the right choice.
Dakora: I just wanted to thank you all again for coming! I’ve never been to the Gamma Quadrant– or through a wormhole at all, now that I think about it.-- And I always find that most firsts are better with friends.
Savel: I too have never traveled through a wormhole. I also see the increased value attached to the experience by getting to share it with those I've become acquainted with. I thank you for the invitation.
Sadar: I-I also have to thank you for the invitation, Commander.
Gnai: Response
And as the four Starfleet Officers shared their excitement and anticipation for the event ahead, they felt the vibrations of a vessel, preparing to unlatch itself from it’s docking clamps and set forth into the great wide beyond.
Dakora: …And here we go.
Gila watched with awe as the muted bronze colors of Deep Space 9 slid out of view as the freighter turned about, pointing itself directly at where the wormhole was known to be. The wormhole didn’t open until a vessel actually came within the zone of proximity, and Gila was certain that this was going to be a spectacle in itself. She’d watched the wormhole open and close from the viewing areas on Deep Space 9 a few times, but actually being this close to it would be an entirely different experience.
One that she could honestly say that she, both as a xenologist, historian and anthropologist, was very excited for.
Sadar: This wormhole is also unique in-so-far that it holds such a significant cultural value to the Bajoran people… I wonder if any studies have been made to ascertain whether their Prophets also reside in other wormholes?
Gnai: Response
As the vessel approached the wormhole, now coming within the necessary proximity to trigger the wormhole’s expansion to allow passage, the intercom was engaged, and a somewhat familiar voice - altered by the fact that it was now less annoyed and more ‘cheery-for-the-sake-of-commercial-value’ - spoke to them in a tone that broadcasted ‘tried-and-tested’.
Guide: Welcome to the Nova Gamma Borealis, the only Gamma Quadrant tour provider licensed and recognized by the Government of Bajor. ::He paused.:: If you look out our port side, you will see the dazzling display of blue particles called verterons that make up the structure of this beautiful corridor.
Commander Dakora leaned over to say something to Ensign Savel in a discrete tone, but Gila was so preoccupied with the wonder outside the viewing panels, she paid it little notice.
Gnai: Response
Guide: –- we’ll pass through the mouth of the wormhole here in the Denorios Belt and emerge from the terminus in the Gamma Quadrant some 4.7 lightyears from the Idran system. And here we go!
The wormhole enveloped the entire ship in its blue thrumming light, and the verteron particles danced about the vessel like long, swirling bands of liquid light.
Dakora: Amazing. ::There was a sense of wonder in his voice as he spoke.:: I’ve never seen anything like it…
Savel: Neither have I. It is a truly fascinating spectacle.
Sadar: It’s wondrous...
Gnai: Response
The journey through the wormhole could’ve taken hours for all that Gila knew - so enraptured was she with the landscape outside - as she tried to make sense or reason of this realm through which their clumsy vessel charged. She wondered what the Bajoran Prophets had thought when the first of these primitive vessels started wandering through their domain, with what sense of wonder and awe the ancient Bajorans had had to translate into a digestible truth that they could introduce to their story of the universe…
But altogether too soon, the journey was over, and they exited the wormhole and came back to regular space. Well… ‘Regular’ space.
Her own mind terrified her sometimes, considering what a wonder leaving home had once been to her.
Guide: That’s 60,000 light years in a matter of about a minute. ::He paused, ostensibly to advance the prompter he was reading from.:: At the time of its discovery it would have taken the Federation’s fastest ship 67 years at maximum warp! Now, sit back and relax as we take a quick hop over to the Idran System, the historic site of Starfleet’s first foray into the GQ!
‘Historic’. Much could be said for their illustrious guide, but he certainly knew how to captivate some of his audience. And while Gila was practically bouncing with the idea of retreading the steps of that initial voyage into the Gamma Quadrants that kickstarted more than a decade of complicated politics and exploratory ventures, others of their party were less enthused, almost seeming uninterested now that the wormhole had been left behind.
The dangers of getting too used to wonder, she supposed. A work hazard for Starfleet officers… A jaunt of 60.000 light years paled, she supposed, compared to time travel and interdimensional visitors.
Dakora: Well I’m thirsty and I think I saw a concessions replicator over there somewhere. ::He thumbed back toward the central central deck.:: Can I get any of you anything?
Gnai: Response
Savel: A spice tea, please.
Sadar: I, uhh… I-If it’s available, I’d like a cup of Iner.
Commander Dakora turned to her with a peculiar look in his eyes, and Gila felt herself straighten almost immediately, ready for an order of some sort.
Dakora: Doctor Sadar. ::He shifted his gaze to the nervous Mizarian.:: Care to come with me and help me carry all of this?
Sadar: O-Of course, Sir!
She realized that the Lieutenant Commander had likely not considered it a proper ‘order’, but one did not reject a direct request from one’s superior officer. And particularly not Gila.
As she and the Commander got in the short line for the concessions replicator, the intercom was initialized once more, and the Bolian guide’s voice echoed throughout the deck once more as they reached the next step of the trip. Looking out of the observation panels, Gila realized that the Nova Gamma Borealis had exited warp, and was now cruising through a star system.
Guide: And we’ve arrived at the historic Idran Sys– ::His words broke off.:: Wait. What’s that? Uh– stand by, we’re having some technical difficulties.
The Betazoid Commander raised an eyebrow, fixing her with an expression that showed clear confusion. Meanwhile, Gila’s fingers automatically sought out her anxiety band. ‘Technical difficulties’... Experience from a year aboard a Starfleet vessel with limited shore leave - admittedly a self-inflicted malady - immediately made her mind concoct all the possible ways this could go as wrong as possible.
Dakora: As long as the drink replicators still work…
Sadar: S-Somehow, I’m not certain that’s our chiefest concern right now, Sir.
The voice of the Guide broke through again, but this time his tone bore more than a hint of panic, and the obsidian band obediently twisted a couple of times around Gila’s finger.
Guide: There is no reason for alarm! It appears there are some other vessels in the area right now and–
A deafeningly loud static hiss erupted from the speakers, followed by garbled electronic sounds that did not sound like they were intentional or in any way benign. Gila’s paranoid instinct to always expect the worst, cultivated by serving probably the most cursed first year as a Starfleet Officer anyone could imagine, was proven right when an unfamiliar - and decidedly non-commercial - voice spoke, with all the gentle melodious tone of gravel rolling around in a metal drum.
Voice: =/\= Unknown Vessel, you have invaded the sovereign territory of the New Idran Confederacy. Stand down shields and prepare to have your vessel impounded. =/\=
Gila sighed deeply, just as the Commander mirrored her apparent exasperation with a groan.
oO I guess it’s not paranoia if it's proven right, right? Oo
Dakora: Response
Sadar: Y-Yes Sir, but-
Gila started back towards their fellow officers, just as a bright light zoomed past the vessel outside the viewing panels, and a sizable explosion was set off just off of the port bow, which nearly blinded her. There were certainly disadvantages to transparent wall lining, she decided, particularly when it came to sudden explosions of light in the dark abyss. Of course, the jostling that the explosion provoked wasn’t entirely welcome either, sending Gila to her knees, alongside most of the other passengers on the deck.
The explosion triggered proper panic in the already nervous civilians, and she heard multiple people - children and adults alike - start sobbing and seek their family and friends for comfort, while more than a few started searching for a crew member to harass for more information about what was going on outside.
Gila, meanwhile, kicked into the familiarity of ensuring the health of her immediate patients.
Sadar: Everyone okay!?
Dakora/Savel/Gnai: Responses
Confederate Voice: =/\= Last and final warning. Lower shields. =/\=
A telltale blue glimmer faded over the viewing panels for a second, as the freighter’s shields were lowered, the crew of this commercial venture clearly more than a little shaken by the show of force by the unknown force.
Sadar: That is… Not ideal.
Dakora/Savel/Gnai: Responses
TAGS/TBC
LtJG Gila Sadar
Medical Officer
USS Artemis-A
A240006GS1