Cmdr Oddas Aria: The Finish (Tag: NT)

[Nicholas St Gabriel]

(( Ital Coanda d'Selim, Nearing the Finish Line ))

:: The past six hours had been brutal aboard the Selim, not because it had been particularly physically demanding but because of the sheer stress.  The third through fourth place racers had been right in front of them as if laid out like so many jewels on a nobleman's hand.  

The finish line had was in sight for all of them and all four of the little craft had begun to put all they could into making the best possible speed - the Selim included.  Their first obstacle was as squat little vessel from Andor, a mix of blues and whites against the dark and angles where Aria's own craft was in the traditional bronzes and golds, with a bit of her own styling in black and white sails. 

The Andorian pilot, Theb Th'avhaanner, was actually the winner from the previous year and an arrogant little man, someone she had only seen in interviews before, but who seemed to take great pride in winning what he called a 'Bajoran Pastime'. 

It had rubbed her the wrong way. 

Now, watching through the sites at how close the man was, she thought they could do it: they could pass the Andorian, maybe more. ::

Oddas: Jazmine, lock down the upper mainsail and adjust prepare to adjust the sprit sails to a port course of 3 degrees, and z minus .. 2 degrees. 

Jazmine: You think we can .. ::  her eyes widened slightly before her cockiness returned:: Yes, Doctor Oddas.

::Aria shook her head and was about to rebuke the girl when she saw a smirk, and then she got to work with the girl and over the next hour they tightened sail, adjusted the jib just right and hung on for dear life when it felt like their ship was going to shake apart Jazmine called out from her station on the upper mainsail. ::

Jazmine: We need to ease up Aria!

:: At that moment there was a loud crack, Aria thought it sounded like one of the wooden ribs holding the port and starboard halves of the ship together.  She listened for air leaks even as she looked through the sights at the Andorian. ::

Oddas: oO No air leaks ... twelve more ribs left.. Oo

:: The ship continued to shake. For the first time ever Aria thought she saw real fear on Jazmine's face.  She could pull a lever, let the mainsail spill, alleviate the pressure, and it would all be over - or, she could go a little longer and ... she saw it, the Andorian vessel was vectoring slightly behind them.  If Aria could keep it up .. ::

 Oddas: Three more seconds Jazmine .. 

:: She kept watching, and tapping out seconds with her fingers.  One... Two .... Three... ::

Oddas: oO There it was, the Andorian vessel can't catch up! Oo

:: As if on cue there was another crack, another rib of the ship was protesting.  Aria pulled a lever letting the lower mainsail spill, and instantly the little ship stopped its rumble and acceleration.  Aria let out a deep breath and looked to Jazmine who seemed to be recovering, both her breath and a little bravado. ::

Jazmine: Did we do it?

Oddas: Spectacularly.

:: Suddenly there was a loud shredding noise, one that caused Aria's heart to sink, she knew exactly what it was - she had had nightmares about it, thought it wasn't the worst one she had feared.  A glance at the instrument panel - a row of blinking lights - confirmed the lower mainsail was ripping off. ::

Oddas: I'm blowing the sail! Salvage the others!

Jazmine: On it!

:: They went into a quick choreographed dance, moving the other sails out of the way, and in the case of the jib and port spirt sail, jettisoning them as well rather than let them become hazards.  In all, the emergency seemed to go on ages, and in reality, took 5 minutes. 

They floated next to the bow window looking towards the finish line drinking water planning their next move when they realized, by signaling of the lights at the station, that the first place had crossed, as had second.  ::

Oddas:Theb Th'avhaanner is still behind us, we're going to deploy everything we have and beat him. 

Jazmine: Isn't steering going to be hard?

Oddas: Definitely.

:: For the next hour Aria and Jazmine leaned into the sails they had, straining and pushing against the sails, with the Andorian's ship closing to within 3 minutes of their time, until the pair finished, finally, third in the race.  Through a port window Aria thought they could see the pale blue man scowling, but admitted it might have been her imagination.::

END

PNPC Jazmine Snow

Budding Gambler

simmed by Oddas Aria

and

Commander Oddas Aria
Commanding Officer
USS Eagle,  NCC-74659
ASDB Co-Facilitator / Training Team / Captains Council
E239305OA0

One man's 'magic' is another man's engineering. -Robert Heinlein

Wiki: https://wiki.starbase118.net/wiki/index.php/Oddas_Aria