PNPC Ensign Rachel Flores - Rachel the Handywoman
Laria Herren
((The Monkbel Foothills - Mirror Lake, Arentis))
After hearing about the issues with Arentis’s weather control systems, Rachel had been dying to see what all the snow looked like. She had brought out her modified vintage hoverboard to try it out on the slopes. She’d broken out her fur-trimmed jacket and (begrudgingly not cowboy) winter boots and headed down for one of the less-perilous trails. The hoverboard flew smoothly and was extremely responsive, almost like it was responding to her thoughts before the movements of her body.
She tipped to one side, riding along the curved side of a snowbank. Her body was almost perfectly sideways. The fingers on her outstretched hand brushed along the fresh powdery snow. She started to lean back in the other direction. She’d learned during field-testing the board with Commander T’Seva that if she tried to push her balance too far she’d wind up flipping over and being sent tumbling down the hill propelled by the anti-gravs. As she leveled back out onto flat ground, her combadge chirped under her jacket. Rachel realized she probably should have put it on the outer layer. She tapped hard, trying to push the badge through layers of insulated clothing.
Lystra: =/\= Lystra to Rachel. =/\=
Rachel raised her voice to make sure Lystra could hear her on the other end.
Flores: =/\= Rachel here. What’s up? =/\=
Lystra: =/\= Ph, just wanted to know if you have some time to take a look at my hand. =/\=
Ah, her Boslic security officer friend had gotten into some more trouble. It seemed like Lystra didn’t even need to go looking for trouble, Trouble already knew her address and could hone in on her from a lightyear away. However, she didn’t anticipate a serious issue with the hand. If her hand was non-functional or seriously broken after the mission she would have heard about it right away. Not a full day later.
Flores: =/\= ::With a tone of mock disappointment:: What did you do this time? =/\=
Lystra: =/\= It’s working fine, but I did have to push it a little while on the Fauxterprise. Just want to make sure that I didn’t overdo it or anything. =/\=
Fauxterprise, that was a new one. She was glad to hear that her initial assessment had been accurate. It meant less for work her, and probably would have made her feel bad for her taunting if she had been off the mark.
Flores: =/\= Right. Where are you? =/\=
Lystra: =/\= I’m in my quarters now, but I can meet you wherever. =/\=
She looked down the last part of the foothill toward the little hotel on the edge of the lake before her. It seemed like a cozy place where she could sit back and warm up after hoverboarding. That would be a fine place to meet up and take a look at Lystra’s hand. Not to mention that both her and Lystra could stand an excuse to get out. She liked to bury herself in work or solo adventures to escape her feelings. And she had always gotten a similar vibe from her friend.
Flores: =/\= I’m actually down on the planet now, testing out this snow. I was headed down to the Clearshore Inn, by the Mirror Lake area of the planet. You could meet me there if you’d like. I’ve got my basic tools down here with me to tinker with the hoverboard. Should be able to give your hand a tune-up while sitting by the fire sipping cocoa. =/\=
As she spoke she leaned forward slightly, coaxing the board to drift forward toward the Clearshore Inn.
Lystra: =/\= Response =/\=
With that settled she slowed down, stopping just short of the stairs leading up to the inn’s front doors. She pressed her foot down on the activator pedal. The anti-gravs shut down and the hoverboard gently touched down on the snow. She slipped her foot loose of the foothold and picked the board up to carry in with her.
((The Clearshore Inn - Mirror Lake, Arentis))
She looked around the main lobby of the inn and drank in the atmosphere. It was rustic with large windows looking out at the frozen lake and flurries of snow. On the other side, two overstuffed leather sofas were sitting in front of a heavy stone fireplace with a roaring fire going. Rachel brushed the snow off her jacket and boots before making her way to the couch and sitting down. The heat radiating from the fireplace washed over her, banishing the cold away and letting her relax. She leaned back and relaxed for a bit before the squeaking of wheels got her attention.
A woman in a heavy robe, hood, and goggles stopped by, pushing a cart with various hot drinks. A Linaran, interesting. She’d only ever met one in person, boating aboard 104 with Queen as one of her boat passengers. Rachel looked over the selection. Hot cider, cocoa, coffee, tea. She saw a drink that looked like a dark green tea, only with a slight teal glow. It was unusual, but definitely eye-catching.
Flores: What is this?
Alari: It is like hot cocoa, but based on an edible fungus from my homeworld. That is bioluminescence that lights up the drink.
Rachel considered it and took the mug. She knew there were plenty of edible forms of fungi throughout the galaxy. And she was open-minded enough to try almost anything at least once.
Flores: I see. ::She took an experimental sip.:: I like it.
It was unusual, and nothing like hot chocolate. It was more like drinking a cup of mushroom soup without anything solid. Creamy, slightly garlicy. It definitely wasn’t something she would rush to order again. But it was decent and certainly warmed her up. She took a few more sips as the Linaran woman left after giving a slight wag of the head. Something that meant happiness or gratitude. At least she thought that’s what it meant.
After a minute she saw a woman with long purple hair and waved enthusiastically from the sofa.
Flores: Lystra!
Lystra: Response
She watched Lystra approach while reaching into her bag and retrieving her toolkit. Just in case the cybernetic needed any work. Hopefully she’d only need the tricorder.
Flores: I hear that y'all had quite the time over there on the fake Enterprise. What exactly did you put my invention through this time?
The hand didn’t look any worse for wear.
Lystra: Response
Rachel flipped one her tricorder and started scanning it for any signs of damage or anything that required her help. Even if had gotten damaged, it made her proud to see that her cybernetic baby had served Lystra well.
Flores: Let’s have a look. ::To the cybernetic hand.:: See what ails you, my friend.
Lystra: Response
Flores: No, I didn’t go. Important things to do, you know. Purge the water purification pumps, scrub plasma conduits, degauss the transporters. Stuff like that.
If the commodore had recognized that the call from the Enterprise would bother her, surely Lystra knew it. They had ironically had a conversation about facing fears right before the incident. It was said in a joking way, but a confirmation that her absence from the mission was very much intentional.
Lystra: Response
Ensign Rachel Flores
Engineering Officer
USS Constitution-B
===as simmed by===
Lieutenant Laria Herren
Mission Specialist
USS Constitution-B
A239402AG0