PNPC 1LT Alene Torado — In the Soup
Naxell
((Shuttlebay, Deck 2, USS Khitomer, Ceram Archipelago ))
Alene nodded slowly, less to indicate agreement than comprehension. She didn't like going in blind, but she didn't have much of a choice. They'd have to come up with a map themselves.
Torado: Is this everybody?
Semara: :: Shaking her head :: We're expectin'...
Lieutenant Semara’s statement was bifurcated by the loud, hydraulic accusation of the shuttlebay’s main interior doors, as two figures entered, a Vulcan of average height and a comically tall Kressarian.
Semara: :: Slowly :: Two more…
Ohnari: Lieutenant El'Heem...do you have some information for us before we go?
El'Heem / Michaels: Response
Nothing happened for a time. They all just stood there, looking at one another. Mostly looking at Lieutenant Semara who seemed to have vanished in a cloud of flummox. Alene chuckled.
Torado: I really wish I'd brought snacks for this. ::finger snap of realization, pointing at El’Heem:: But, hey! I guess we are!
Semara: :: Lips pursing. :: Fine. :: Beat :: But if I'm pretendin' at first officer... :: Motion up and down Ras' height. :: we're doin' somethin' smart 'bout all this. :: Hand flourishing vaguely. :: I dunno, some kinda disguise. :: Beat, looking sideways. :: Talia?
Ohnari: Oh....::beat::: Ooooh....::clearing her throat:: I am pretty confident in my plastics abilities...::tilting her head:: I think he would make a rather fetching Redhead.
Alene had tipped her head to the side, as if turning Lieutenant El'Heem diagonal in her vision might have made it easier to see him in a new light. She was almost there, having painted him yellow with brown splotches, when Ohnari’s meaning hip-checked her imagination into a different direction.
Torado: Oh! Oh yeah, that makes way more sense than “pet giraffe.”
El'Heem / Michaels: Response
Semara: Oh, no. If I'm in charge a' this team and keepin' y'all safe, this is happenin'. :: A low, flirty chuckle. :: Don't worry, we'll make sure you're a very pretty woman. :: Coyly. :: 'Less you got a better idea, chief?
Something about the Lieutenant’s grin seemed familiar to Alene. Wicked, but playful, she'd worn it herself a time or two. And something about the way the Chief Science Officer was taking it placed it in a context that—holy crap, were they a thing? Alene started giggling lowly to herself. This was really going upset a lot of bets in the ship’s lower decks ship-shipping pool.
Ohnari: ::raising her hand:: They seem to have a less than desirable opinion on men, and considering it's Ensign Matthews we're rescuing...perhaps a little camouflage might be the thing. ::holding her palm in a vow:: And I swear on my integrity as a physician to reverse any temporary cosmetic changes.
Torado: Let's not commit ourselves to anything hasty, Doc. Maybe the Lieutenant and his, uh, special someone come to like things.
Did she wink at Lieutenant Semara? No, that was maybe just some stray dust tickling the marine’s eyelid. Probably. She didn't want to make an enemy of any black-clad officer—who did?—but if Semara was going to be gathering intelligence, what was the harm in letting her know that others were picking up on clues, too?
El'Heem / Michaels: Response
Semara: Alright. We're almost overdue. Michaels and Torado, take the shuttle controls and take us out, thrusters only. Once we're clear, hail the alien ship and let's request a flight plan. Keep the approach slow to give a minute. :: Beat :: Talia, I know I ain't a nurse, but I'll make up for my biochem scores with fashion sense. Lemme know how I can help. :: A head tilt to the shuttle. :: Let's go. You got questions, ask 'em in the shuttle.
Torado: You got it. ::to Michaels:: I fly, you talk?
It was the safest way to conduct diplomacy. Alene was, if not quite domesticated, she was at least self-aware.
El'Heem / Michaels: Response
Ohnari: ::her fingers steepled and chittered against each other in giddiness:: Lieutenant El'Heem, if you'll join me and Lieutenant Semara in the back of the shuttle…
((Brief Timeskip, Shuttlecraft 4, departing Khitomer))
They had left the shelter of Khitomer’s shuttlebay and instantly 1LT Torado was on edge. She had plenty of time behind the stick of small craft, and the Type-11 was nimble enough, but it was what she saw, both on the scanner and out the shuttle's giant forward windows that disturbed her. Nothing but pink.
Almost.
Torado: I can see the ship—except the nacelles.
Michaels: Response
Torado: A flyby? I'll see what i can do. See if you can get our new friends on the line.
The shuttle shifted, but the only indication that anything had happened was the way Khitomer twisted beneath them. It was eerie and nervewracking. And while there was usually some comfort knowing that space was mostly big and empty, they didn't have that here.
Michaels: Response
Torado: ::gritted teeth:: I won't be able to tell if it's gonna grab us until it already has…
Michaels: Response
TBC
——— ▯ ———
1st Lieutenant Alene Torado
Marine Officer
USS Khitomer (NCC-62400)
As simmed by
Commander Nax-Ellarneii-Tellargo
Commanding Officer
USS Khitomer (NCC-62400)
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