LtCmdr Sasch Kreshkova - The Calm of the "Cockpit"
Karen Morris
(( Simulated Bridge of the Thor in the Simulated Badlands, Holosuite 1, Deck 5, USS Thor ))
Sasch had been ready to heave a sigh of relief as she was sure that the computer would recognize their successful completion of the scenario with the removal of the Fortuna’s fuel cells and backing out of firing range.
She was mistaken.
A blinding white light flashed across the screen. Sasch covered her eyes with her forearm. When the brilliance … both on the viewscreen and in her own mind … subsided, the first thing that registered was large fuchsia colored blotches across her field of vision. The next thing she noticed was that the countdown clock, instead of being cleared, began counting up.
Vait! Is zhat a second ship?
She blinked furiously again.
Snot! It is!
Kreshkova: Maybe zhe flash of light has my eyes playing tricks on me, but, Mr. Promontory, is your countdown clock - vhich should haf reset vhen ve beamed zhe anti-matter tanks over - now counting up?
Meris: I am running diagnostics. The computer is having trouble identifying what just happened.
Promontory: Uh… I’m also running analyses…
One of the things that they don’t teach you at the Academy is what to do with yourself when you are sitting in the center chair waiting for an answer.
oO How do other Captains look so collected? Oo
Sasch wanted to sit on her hands or crack her knuckles - neither of which would be helpful at that moment. Instead, she set her hands in her lap and focused on not balling them up into fists as she waited for, what felt like, an eternity!
Meris: If it is like a doomsday clock, in that it counts down to zero representing Armageddon, then counting up would indicate we have improved the situation on a galactic scale.
Promontory: I think that might be overly optimistic. It may be that we have—huh, hold on…
Hold on? She HAD been holding on. Her jaw clenched, and her fingers tightened around the armrest.
Promontory: That’s it! There was something else in that fuel tank. When we beamed it aboard, we also exposed the ship to a radiological compound. That clock is how long we’ve been exposed...
Sasch’s mind ran a myriad of scenarios and permutations in the few seconds of silence.
Promontory: And longer is bad.
This time, she didn’t hesitate. She knew what she would do.
Kreshkova: Mr. Promontory. Isolate zhe container that has zhe radiological compound. Inform me vhen you haf it.
The new alarm blaring startled the frazzled, green-haired Captain. So before she had a chance to carry out her plan the words…
Kreshkova: Vhat is it now?
…escaped her mouth with an edge to her voice.
Meris: Torpedo inbound. ::calmly:: I am taking evasive maneuvers...
Sasch watched the viewscreen as Meris outmaneuvered the torpedo. Her whole body wanted to slump back into the chair when she counted, not just two ships, but four. But the Kreshkova pride wouldn’t let her. She sat erect in the center of the chair with one arm on each of the armrests. She would portray confidence in her crew, even if she didn’t have confidence in herself.
Promontory: Torpedo is a miss! (beat) Nice flying Meris!
The torpedo hit a plasma column and burst into a conflagration of light and energy in all directions. Sasch turned her head and closed her eyes for the briefest of moments.
Promontory: We have turbulence incoming!
Kreshkova: I’d guess so.
Sasch’s fingers gripped the edges of the Captain’s chair.
Meris: Response
Sasch really wanted an answer about the fuel tanks, but she realized that both Meris and Promontory were multitasking to the best of their ability. She opened her mouth to ask again when Promontory cut her off with…
Promontory: I’m reading another torpedo—no, not just one, a full spread!
Sasch breathed in loudly through her nose and held her breath, hoping to calm her ratcheting heart rate that was climbing exponentially.
Kreshkova: You’re doing an amazing job, Meris. I hate to ask more of you, but ve need everyzhing you’re capable of, right now.
Meris: Response
Another series of misses. oO Maybe he is a better pilot zhan I haf given him credit for. Oo
Promontory: Wait, telemetry updating, the torpedoes are turning, they’re heading back this way!
Kreshkova: Mr. Promontory. If you haf a lock on zhe fuel container vizh zhe radiological elements, transport it aboard a shuttle. Vonce you’ve done zhat, tell me vhich shuttle. Meris, please continue to vork your magic.
Meris: Response
Sasch slipped out of the Captain’s chair and moved to an empty console. She reconfigured it for remote flight.
Kreshkova: I’m going to remote pilot zhat shuttle out of zhe Zhor until ve can lock onto it vizh a tractor beam at a minimum safe distance.
Meris/Promontory: Response
Kreshkova: Da. I’ve got it.
She keyed her controls into the shuttle that Promontory had given her and began to pilot it toward the edge of the shuttle bay. As she did, something inside her slipped into place. She might be commanding the Thor, but at this second, she was once again a pilot, and the calm that she always felt, no matter how bad the flight situation, real or simulated, was washed over her. Her eyes took on a glint, and the lines washed off her face.
Meris/Promontory: Response
Kreshkova: As soon as it’s out of zhe ship far enough to tractor it, Mr. Promontory, you’re in charge of keeping it vizh us.
Meris/Promontory: Response
~*~
Tags/TBC
~*~
LtCmdr Sasch Kreshkova
Mission Specialist
USS Thor
O240103SK2
“She made broken look beautiful and strong look invincible. She walked with the universe on her shoulders and made it look like a pair of wings.”
- Ariana Dancu
