Captain Michele Winters - Snakes and Gators
can...@gmail.com
((Gator Deck – Quarter Deck, Deck 12, USS Octavia E. Butler))
Michele wondered if she should have just stayed in bed today. It seemed as if at every turn the universe, karma or some other driving force was pushing her to make decisions that were just not her. Taking a deep breath and recentering herself, Michele decided that getting some smaller tasks that she had decided to wait until after shore leave to do might help get her mind back in the right place.
Michele stood at the duty station in the Quarter Deck, PADD in one hand and equipment manifest displaying at her other hands fingertips. This was an assignment she might generally delegate to one of the junior Marines but today it was something she wanted to do. Double, triple checking what her Marines had inventoried and making sure that everything was in order. As she stood there, the doors to the Quarter Deck opened and two Marines pushing anti-grav lifts entered the room. Michele gave them a glance and then looked back to her PADD, almost not giving the two a second thought. Then the mental picture of the anti-grav lifts threw up a red flag and she halted her inventory process and looked up, turning her body to face the Marines and eyed them both with scrutiny.
Both came to attention almost immediately and Michele stepped forward. Eyeing the Marines and then the lifts.
Xaivis: Captain Winters. Second Lieutenant Jacen Xaivis
One of the newer Marines to the ship and Michele had not officially welcomed them aboard. Yet another reason she should have stayed in bed.
Winters: Lieutenant (beat) Officially, welcome to the Butler. I hope your transfer went smoothly.
Xaivis: Thank you, Captain…or do you prefer Ma’am?
He rolled the word to rhyme with ‘arm’
Winters: (raising an eyebrow are the world roll) Captain will do fine, Ma’am in a crunch.
Xaivis: As you say. I’m looking forward to not being useful.
oO Not being useful? Oo Michele looked Xaivis directly in the eyes and cocked her head slightly.
Winters: Care to explain that statement Lieutenant?
Xaivis: ::Smiling:: I’m a Combat Rescue Officer…when we’re useful it usually means there’s a major problem.
A grin crossed Michele’s lips as she realized the officer was making a pun of his position. She liked puns, and jokes. If her team worked well with each other than even under the most stressful of times they could and would still joke with each other to relieve the tension.
Winters: Ahhh, yes. Keep those skills sharpened but hop to never use them. (beat) I agree Lieutenant.
Xaivis: I couldn’t agree more, Captain.
Michele shifted her stance and looked down at the grav lifts and the items sitting on them.
Winters: What’s in the crates?
Xaivis: I was brought up well…I was told never to turn up empty handed to the party.
Michele glanced back up at the Marine with a curious expression on her face.
Xaivis: These are a new design…based on a very old idea…they’re ASPs…hence the snake. It stands for Arial Support Platform.
Winters: Really, and how did you secure these?
Xaivis: I think it’s fair to say that it’s a mutually beneficial arrangement for their designer…::smiling:: and some fresh non-replicated Clavisoa berries did quite a lot of heavy lifting.
Michele grinned again at the explanation. She certainly paid notice of this officer. One with resources and the mindset to look to the Marines future certainly had a place on her team.
Xaivis: Would you care to give one a spin?
Michele stood up straight and eyed the Lieutenant with a devilish grin on her face. Maybe this was a bit of uplifting she needed today.
Winters: Absolutely.
Jacen began to unclip the box and took back the protective cover. The unit was approximately three feet long, with two small anti-gravity nacelles. It was a grey colour, the same as the ships hull. There were small rotors, almost like fans within the nacelles.
Xaivis: So…the concept dates back to the mid-nineteenth century…they used balloons to send bombs across to attack targets deep within enemy territory. The idea being you didn’t have to risk planes and, more importantly pilots.
Winters: A drone of sorts?
Xaivis: Exactly – long range scanners, long range weaponry, transporters. They’ve made these obsolete – unless they aren’t working…and then you’re in trouble…or you’re somewhere more remote.
Michele looked at the unit and folder her arms across her chest. The design was simple. The idea was simple and yet they had technology that outpaced this by far. What was the draw to stepping back in time and in technology? Her mind seemed clouded or maybe she just had too much other stuff on her mind.
Winters: So this is more of a backup when everything goes sideways?
Xaivis: This is designed to fill that gap…and especially aid in search and rescue operations. The sensor package that can mount in that housing is slightly more powerful than a heavy tricorder.
Winters: (turning to Xaivis) So what keeps this flying if all of our other tech has been disabled?
Xaivis: response
Michele unfolded her arms and knelt down beside the unit as it sat within, he case and gently removed it. It was far lighter than it looked. She was starting to see the draw to it. Even if their other equipment was disabled this, in it’s dormant mode could then be brought out as a backup or used to facilitate the entire operation.
Winters: (placing the unit back in the case and standing) I love it, but before I approve it for use, I want to see it on the range and in action.
Xaivis: response
Michele nodded and smiled at the Lieutenant. This was going to be an interesting addition to the teams equipment load for sure.
Winters: Meet me on the range in 5 minutes. I want to grab something first. (smiling) Nice work Lieutenant, I like the initiative and forethought here.
Xaivis: response
As Michele turned she headed back towards the weapons armory to grab a training combat drone ofher own.
((Gator Deck, Training Range, Deck 12, USS Octavia E. Butler))
As Michele entered the training range, Lieutenant Xaivis was already setting up the ASP. Michele walked in and tossed the training drone into the air and activated it with her wrist band. The drone came to life and took up a hovering position at the end of the range.
Winters: Lets see what this ASP of yours can do Lieutenant.
Xaivis: response
Michele grinned at the enthusiastic attitude and allowed Xaivis to go to work.
Tags/TBD
Captain Michele Winters
Acting Chief Tactical Officer
USS Octavia E. Butler
T239901JK1