Lt. Cmdr. Alieth - Fly Casual
Alieth
((Corridor, Deck 10, USS Ronin))
Three hours might seem like a long time, but Alieth had found that, in many cases, it wasn't long enough. They'd barely had time to get the Ronin halfway up and running and a quick meeting with the XO when he'd come out of seeing the captain at the sickbay.
Of course,
Alieth had voiced her objections to the whole plan, as there was
little that could really keep the diminutive Vulcan silent if she was
determined to say something. Of course, the XO had also voiced his
objections to her choice to dye her uniform blood-green, and the
whole matter had settled into a terse silence that suggested a
discussion once the whole mission was over.
With
that future scenario looming over her head, the diminutive science
chief headed, once again, for Stellar Cartography. She was, after
all, close enough to abduct Ensign Lorana in person.
As
she strode with that determined, brisk pace that made her seem
unstoppable down the curved corridors of the Ronin, she pressed the
combadge on her chest to contact the other pair of junior officers
who would be accompanying her.
Alieth: =/\= Commander Alieth to Ensign O'Connor, report to Shuttlebay 1, I need you to get the Rhine ready for departure in twelve minutes. =/\=
O’Connor:
=/\= Response =/\=
A reasonable question, and Alieth had always indulged curiosity. It was, after all, one of the few emotions she allowed herself to show openly.
Alieth:
=/\= This is a stealth mission, we will be travelling far and
quietly, so have the Rhine up for it. =/\= :: She did a brief pause
and, when she spoke once more, sounded a little softer than usual::
=/\= I trust you were paying attention in the Academy's class on
casual flying. =/\=
O’Connor:
=/\= Response =/\=
She gave a nod, even as the half-Orion cannot see her, as she kept moving down the corridor. Shortly after, she closed the communication without bidding farewell, to press the combadge again.
Alieth:
=/\= Commander Alieth to Ensign Hopkins, report to Shuttlebay 1,
Ensign O'Connor will brief you there regarding the mission.=/\=
Hopkins:
: =/\=
Response =/\=
Alieth: =/\=Indeed it is. See you there in 12 minutes. .=/\=
With that, her footsteps led her at last to the laboratory she had visited so many times that day.
She lingered in the doorway for a
moment, glanced around and, as she saw the corridors empty, she
closed her eyes.
Briefly, she allowed her mind to touch
the wound in her shoulder as her fingers explored it through her
uniform. It was still bleeding, and the piece of shrapnel was still
firmly in place. She knew that the moment it was removed, she would
be in trouble, but for the moment, she could endure it. Twenty-four
hours, if she handled it properly, before she would require a
transfusion. Plenty of time for what they had to do.
Possibly
afterwards she might need some rest, but she could deal with it
later. Wasn't that sort of thing that always used to happen when you
served in Starfleet?
Just hold on and rest later. There
was work to do.
((Stellar Cartography, Deck 10, USS Ronin))
The door hissed open before her, and the woman who entered the lab was just the picture of Vulcan efficiency and determination. No weakness in her stance (except, perhaps, that she slightly favored the healthy side), no expression on her countenance (except, perhaps, an unusual pallor on her usually bronzed face).
Before she could say a word, the Caitian ensign stepped forward to update her on the work she and Mr. Tucker had been doing.
Lorana:
Commander, we've got some new readings from the freighter. It seems
that there are two decks with power. Sections 3 and 2. I think it's
possible they're using a containment field, which is why we aren't
getting any life signs.
The
petite Vulcan gave a curt nod and then she spun to face the engineer.
Tucker: ::pinching the bridge of his nose:: I’m getting scant readings from the freighter, might take a minute for the probes I boosted to do their job. On another note, the asteroid that isn’t behaving as one has now moved. The asteroid is at a bearing of 024 mark 45, and it’s slowly moving under its power, though it is about 100 meters out.::he took another sip of raktajino::
Alieth:
Excellent. :: looking back and forth between the two ensigns ::
report your findings to Commander Raga.
Lorana:
Yes, commander.
Luxa quickly did as she was commanded, while the red-haired human seemed to hesitate for a second. Alieth tilted his head, inviting him to speak.
Tucker:
::running a hand through his red hair::Commander, I’m starting to
get telemetry back from the probes nearest the freighter, ::Tuck
turns to face the commander::I’m now starting to track a ::beat::
I’m not sure if I want to call it an asteroid,::he scratched his
head:: I mean it’s got the composition. Still, it’s moving under
its own power, about half impulse if my readings are correct.
Alieth: We need to keep on tracking it, contact with…
Before
she could finish her sentence, the young Caitian woman, who had
approached her, interrupted her.
Lorana:
:: concern growing :: Commander, you do appear to be losing a lot of
blood. We can call someone from Sickbay to come here but it may be
wise to go there and have Doctor Kel check you over?
There
was a slight tremor in one of the Vulcan's sloping eyebrows that she
failed to suppress, a decidedly irritated twitch, though when she
spoke her voice was as flat as was to be expected. The green in her
uniform grew faintly as she tensed her shoulders.
Alieth:
There is no need to be concerned about my physical condition, Ensign.
You should focus on getting ready instead, you and me are leaving on
an away mission in seven minutes.
The
Vulcan's dark brown eyes locked onto the Caitian's amber ones for
longer and more intently than necessary, with not a single blink.
The eye
contact only broke when the engineer present made his presence known
again.
Tucker: Commander, should I contact the bridge about my asteroid?
Alieth:
No, report directly to the First Officer, he will need you as well.
You have your own away assignment getting ready at the moment.
Tucker/Lorana: Response
After informing the engineer where he should go, the diminutive Vulcan gestured to Lorana, somewhat sharply, to follow her.
((Six minutes later, USS Rhine, Shuttlebay 1, Deck 9, USS Ronin))
Just as three hours can be very short, seven minutes can certainly be quite long, if they passed in absolute and sullen silence. Of course, Alieth did not have a sullen attitude, but perhaps there was a touch of that Te-Vrikam stubbornness in her at that moment. That that her mother used to warn her about.
She,
of course, refused to acknowledge it, and strode decisively down the
launch pad on her way to the Danube class.
It was a
small, light, sharp-angled runabout with a speedy profile. Small
enough to pass unnoticed under a lot of radars, sturdy enough to jump
out of the system and hold off the Ronin for quite some distance and
time.... as long as it didn't take too many direct hits, of course.
When they entered the Rhine, the other two ensigns were already waiting for them inside, and the CSO wasted no time in formal greetings.
Alieth: Are we ready to go?
Lorana/Hopkins/ O’Connor: Response
Alieth: In that case, Mister O'Connor, set a course for the outer edge of the Olindra system. We will need to get there undetected, so speed is not our priority.
Lorana/Hopkins/
O’Connor: Response
Alieth: According to Starfleet Intel, there are indications that the Sheliak have unusual traffic in the system, so we are heading there to determine what they are up to and if the presence of the Tholians in such close proximity has anything to do with it. Our mission is to see and analyse whatever is there, ::turning to Luxa:: from a scientific :: turning to Hopkins:: and tactical point of view.
She, of course, expected the follow-up questions and expected them to take up a good chunk of the first part of the trip, so as the runabout completed its take-off routine, she settled into the co-pilot's seat, but turned it to the cockpit auxiliary consoles to answer the ensigns.
Lorana/Hopkins/
O’Connor: Response
[[TAGs!
TBC]]
Lieutenant Commander Alieth
Chief Science Officer & 2O
E239702A10
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