[sb118-juneau] Ensign Tomas Falt - Arrival
Tom Cholewa
((Runabout, Ring 42, Dialran System))
The sound of the internal comm stirred Tomas from another uneasy sleep. He had not slept well since they had left Starbase 821. Even though the trip had only taken a few days it felt like weeks. He yawned and stretched as the internal comm chimed again.
Falt: Okay, okay, I’m up.
He stood and walked the few steps to take him from the back room of the runabout to the cockpit. As the doors swished open an amazing sight greeted him.
Shuttle pilot: We’re here, and I thought you’d want to see this.
An enormous ring filled the shuttle’s windows. Tomas knew from the briefing’s he read that is was two astronomical unit’s across. That number did no justice to the sheer scale of the construction before him, even at this range he couldn’t see the entire circumference. He stared in awe for a moment.
Shuttle pilot: Are you going to stand their with you’re mouth open all day or are you actually going to come in and sit down.
Falt: ::Smiling at the shuttle pilot and sitting down::. Thanks for waking me.
Tomas was grateful for the pilot’s company on the trip. He was an Ensign like him, although where Tomas was fresh out of the academy he was not far off promotion. Apart from his name, Rodriguez, Tomas hadn’t been able to learn much about him. Not that the man was quiet, rather they’d shared a friendly banter instead of discussing their personal lives.
Shuttle Pilot: No problem, we’ll be arriving soon anyway.
Tomas checked his console, sensors showed a ship 100 km ahead. He felt a sense of excitement building.
Shuttle Pilot: We’ll be in visual range in a few moments.
Sure enough after a couple of minutes what had been a bright star in the sky came into focus as the USS Juneau. Tomas regarded his first posting, even next to the ring the Juneau was an impressive sight as her hull reflected the light from the system’s G class star.
Shuttle Pilot: There she is, you’re first posting.
Tomas glanced at the Ensign. The banter was gone as he manoeuvred the run about into the correct flight path for transport.
Shuttle Pilot: Gather the gear whilst I say hello.
Tomas stood up again. As her entered the back room of the Runabout he heard the ensign open communications. He fetched two crates of medical supplies from the rear room, along with his own small crate of equipment and personal effects. He placed them on the transporter pad as the Ensign went through the protocol of arranging transport.
Juneau Transporter Chief: You are authorised to begin transport of material and personnel to transporter room 2.
As the Chief spoke the target co-ordinates appeared on the transporter console next to him. He locked them in and beamed the crates over. After an electronic alert confirmed transport had been successful he turned to the pilot.
Falt: Thanks for the lift.
Shuttle Pilot: Not a problem, I’ve got a nice quiet trip back now. I can catch up on some holo-novels in peace.
Falt: ::smiling:: Sounds like fun, enjoy.
He wondered if he would cross paths with the Ensign again.
Falt: ::Nodding at the shuttle pilot:: Energise.
((Transporter Room 2, Deck 3, USS Juneau))
Tomas materialised on the transporter pad. He took his first breath of ship’s air as the transport chief greeted him.
Transporter Chief: Welcome aboard sir.
Falt: Thank you, Chief
Transporter Chief: The Captain wants to see you right away sir, I’ll sort those crates out.
Falt: ::Stepping down from the pad:: Thank you Chief.
Tomas waked out of the transporter room and down the corridor to the turbo lift at the end, nodding at the few crew members he past. As he reached the end of the corridor the turbo lift doors opened to great him. He stepped inside and took a deep breath.
Falt: Bridge.
((Bridge, Deck 1, USS Juneau))
The turbo lift doors opened and Tomas got his first sight of an actual star ship bridge, not a holodeck simulation. He wanted to pause for a moment and take it all in but he guessed loitering in a turbo lift on his first day would not be well received. ::Tomas closed his eyes, partly to capture the moment, and took a deep breath::.
oO Let’s do this Oo
::Falt opened his eyes:: He recognised the Captain from the briefing notes he had read on the shuttle. The Bajoran woman’s uniform was immaculate, even more so than his own brand new, fresh out of the academy, one. He strode to her and came to attention.
Falt: Ensign Tomas Falt, reporting to the bridge as ordered.
Oddas: Welcome to the Juneau Mister Falt, it appears you found the ship ok.
Falt: Aye sir, it was a long shuttle trip but the Juneau was right where you’d said she’d be.
Oddas: ::nodding:: Pleased to hear it, I'm afraid I'm going to need to put you to work right away. We're currently in orbit over Ring 42, on a previous visit we ascertained the Ring was 1.25 Million years old, but the City where some crew have gone missing seems 10,000 years old. We could use a science officer to help us determine if the City is part of the original builders' design or came along later.
It had been a long shuttle trip and Tomas had been hoping to find his quarters, settle in and get some rest. Any fatigue he felt evaporated as the Captain described his task. This was why he was out here, to learn about how cultures lived and survived in their native environments. He couldn’t really believe his luck.
Falt: That’s not a problem sir, that’s why I’m here. I will need a station and access to the relevant data.
Tomas felt his heart rate increase slightly. Partly with excitement but part of him felt a weight of expectation. Even if the First Officer handled all personnel matters it was unlikely the Captain wouldn’t have read his file and know that Tomas had specialised in archaeology and anthropology at the academy.
oO No pressure Tomas Oo
Oddas: Mister Stelek, ::gesturing toward the Vulcan woman at the operations station:: can help you with that.
Falt: Thank you sir.
NT, TBC
Ensign Tomas Falt
Science Officer
USS Juneau, NX-99801
J239807TF2