Lieutenant Ras El'Heem - Fly in a web
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((Deck 16, Science Lab, USS Khitomer))
In that moment, the stump at the end of his right arm began to ache, as if it knew of its own accord what an EVA meant. His left hand encircled his right wrist, squeezing absentmindedly.
El’Heem: There’s significant risk, but it hasn’t exactly damaged the ship yet either. I’ll be right there on comms with you and Melville-Kilpatrick will be monitoring your vitals.
Most EVAs were fine. He knew that, and he wasn’t going to let his trauma slow down their orders. Besides, it wasn’t the EVA that relieved him of his hand, was it? It was his own hasty decision making. His own action to frantically do what he could to prevent that prove from firing.
oO Then again, if Lera’s suit hadn’t... Oo
He couldn’t let himself think about that. Ras swallowed the
thought down, deep. These were different conditions and they’d take it slow.
Melville-Kilpatrick: I've got that part down, I promise.
And that was something, right? They’d have a medical officer monitoring Richard’s vitals instead of a pilot.
Matthews: Confidence, you fill me with it.
Naxell: Response
And that too, they’d have the captain’s blessing – no, orders – to do this one. Ras allowed himself a deep breath and he dropped his wrist.
oO Let it ache. Let it remind me of the stakes. Oo
Melville-Kilpatrick: I should be able to keep track of everything from here.
Matthews: We have a few uplinks to sickbay from here. You should have access to your stations from here. If that helps. I know for me it’s kind of easier now to work from the science labs and if not actually be here. Still utilize the specific systems.
And Richard was worrying about UI. It was only Ras who was projecting
nervousness.
El'Heem: Alright, Matthews…Richard. Come back with that sample.
The chief turned back to his console and looked over the scrambled telemetry before nodding to Naxell that they were ready.
Naxell: Response
Melville-Kilpatrick: Ideally, I'd be able to notice before anything went...too wrong.
Ideally nothing would go wrong at all.
Matthews: :: Pressing a few buttons and getting ready to leave :: Oh, but I do like surprises though.
El'Heem: See you on the other side.
Naxell / Melville-Kilpatrick: Response
((OOC: I’ve spoken to Isaac and confirmed Naxell’s departure with Matthews.))
Ras watched them leave the lab together and nodded to himself before turning to the remaining ensign.
El’Heem: Alright ensign, we want this routine. ::beat as he returned to his console:: well as routine as can be when EVAing in….whatever this is.
Melville-Kilpatrick: Response
He pulled up a live feed from the airlock where they’d be departing. For now, it sat empty, but Naxell and Richard would be there soon enough.
El’Heem: ::under his breath:: good luck, Richard
((Brief Timeskip, Deck 16, Science Lab, USS Khitomer))
The lab had been quieter and tense since the doors closed behind them. Namely because Richard wasn’t there to fill the silence with stupid commentary that used to make Ras chuckle but now was simply a part of the day to day working alongside him in the labs. The tension wasn’t the sharp kind of immediate crisis, but the kind that caused you to run through one too many “what ifs” in your head. Ras stared at his console, eyes fixed on the empty airlock feed, waiting for the pair to enter. He exhaled once through his nose and forced himself to move.
Ras split his display into layers with a flick of his fingers. External telemetry, what little of it they could trust, pinned to one side. Internal systems on another. He began routing suit pathways manually. Environmental readouts and any EM interference patterns bleeding in from the cloud. None of it clean reliable, but it was all he had to hold onto.
His prosthetic tapped once against the edge of the console, rhythmically, and finally the two wandered into frame. Ras glanced toward Melville-Kilpatrick.
El’Heem: You ready?
Melville-Kilpatrick: Response
El’Heem: As I’ll ever be. ::tapping the console to allow audio feed:: =/\= Richard. Ensign MK and I are ready when you are.
Naxell / Matthews: Response
Ras watched Matthews suit up and the suit data came online.
El’Heem: =/\= Suit data is coming through now. =/\=
Naxell / Matthews / Melville-Kilpatrick: =/\= Response =/\=
His comm badge chirped and he tapped it as ensign Mordas voice came through.
Morda: =/\= Ensign Morda to Lieutenant El'Heem. Sir, Lieutenant Michaels and I have discovered something that might pose a hazard to the planned EVA. =/\=
His eyes lifted to Melville-Kilpatrick as he spoke.
El’Heem: =/\= Matthews is in the airlock now, getting ready. What’s the hazard? =/\=
Ras knew Naxell and Richard could hear him through the console as well, it was best they heard all the variables before any decisions were made.
Naxell / Matthews / Melville-Kilpatrick / Morda: =/\= Responses =/\=
He scrunched his face and ran a scan within those parameters.
El'Heem: =/\= I’m seeing it. Seems to be localized to the nacelles. Must be why we’re pinned. We’ll see if we can get a better understanding of it. ::turning to the console:: Richard, captain, I suggest we steer clear of the nacelles and any other filaments you might encounter out there. EVA screen filters will be able to pick up the infrared signatures. ::beat:: Captain, this might not be a one-man job anymore, but it’s your call. ::hesitating:: I can be down there in the airlock right away. =/\=
He tried not to let his voice shake with trepidation, but the stakes were higher now. He didn't expect the captain to don his own EVA and follow Matthews out, so it had to be him.
Naxell / Matthews / Melville-Kilpatrick / Morda: =/\= Responses =/\=
TAGS/TBC
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Lieutenant Ras El ‘Heem
Chief Science Officer
USS Khitomer (NCC-62400)
K240106RE3