Captain Trake Promontory: A Module of Fire and Ice
Avander Promontory
(( Simulated Bridge of the Thor in the Simulated Badlands, Holosuite 1, Deck 5, USS Thor ))
The proctored command training module was going really well. Acting Captain Kreshkova had outsmarted the pirate terrorists of the Badlands and tricked their homing-torpedoes into hitting the unmanned shuttle instead of the ship.
Of course, every success had its own consequences and as the torpedoes hit their mark, warning lights flashed and alarms sounded. The viewer screen previewed the massive conflagrations as the plasma streams lit up.
Promontory: Brace; we’ve got incoming!
Kreshkova: Lieutenant, if you can use vhat is coming to cover a get-avay do.
The ship rocked and everything was bathed in bright, white light. Trake fell out of his chair…
((Simulated Andorian Ice Plains, Holosuite 1, Deck 5, USS Thor))
…and onto something a bit softer than the vulcanized rubber of the Thor’s deck plating.
As his eyes adjusted, the entire simulated bridge was gone. Instead, they were on a snowy planet, decked out in winter gear.
oO This isn’t right. Oo
Meris: W-what is this? ::picking themself up:: Is this snow? Where are we?
Trake looked around again, there was something familiar about this planet. No, not a planet…
Promontory: The moon of Andoria.
Kreshkova: Vas zhis... supposed to happen?
Almost definitely not. Sure, weird things happened in the Badland. One could find themselves transported halfway across the galaxy, for example. But that didn’t usually involve a change of clothes. Ockham’s razor suggested a holodeck glitch. Wasn’t some Andorian survival exercise one of the possible training modules? He’d better double-check.
Promontory: Computer, arch!
None appeared.
That wasn’t very reassuring at all.
Kreshkova: Zhat didn’t vork.
Meris: What should we do now?
Trake could feel the other’s eyes on him. Of course he didn’t know what was going on, but a key part of leadership was confidence. Panic wouldn’t help them now. It would be better to soldier on while they very calmly tried to think of alternative solutions.
Promontory: Carry on with the training module. It looks like the computer just skipped us to a different scenario. Commander, you’re still in charge!
He gave the mission specialist his most reassuring smile.
Kreshkova: Okay... Vell, let’s not stand here exposed. Before ve try to figure out vhat happened, let’s see if ve can find a cave or cleft vhere ve can get out of zhe vind and hear each ozher better.
Meris: Do either of you have any experience in this type of terrain?
Trake gave a little shrug.
Promontory: I’ve been to Andoria maybe two or three times. (beat) It’s fine.
If you liked cold and duels and Andorians. He looked up towards the nearby ridges.
Promontory: Your eyes might be better than mine, can you make anything along that ice cliff?
Trake had never visited, but he understood Lt Cmdr. Kreshkova’s native Russia was some sort of frozen wasteland. Maybe she could read the rock and ice better than the others
Kreshkova: I zhink I see somezhing up zhere a vays.
Good enough for Trake. He started to trek in that direction.
The wind howled around them and carried another low wailing sound.
Meris: That sound... that is an animal, is it not? It is true that animals in environments such as this sometimes eat people?
Promontory: (brightly) Only if they’re tasty!
Trake wasn’t actually too up on his fauna of Andoria, but then again, given the titchiness of the holodeck program thus far, he wouldn’t be surprised if they threw in a random Mugato!
He kept the thought to himself, however, lest the holo-program actually take him up on the suggestion.
Meris: Perhaps we should take stock of what is in our packs before we venture more deeply...
Promontory: Smart!
He pawed through his pack, stopping to strap on the phaser and take a bite of a ration bar.
Kreshova: Response.
Meris: These appear to be standard Starfleet survival provisions. Do either of you have anything different?
Promontory: Ah ha!
He had found his evaluation PADD. It was a small thing, but it felt like a reaffirmation of normalcy. He noted the parameters of the training program had indeed changed. He marked a quick “plus” mark to Mr. Kreshova’s record and stowed the PADD in the pack again.
Promontory: Sorry, just a bit of proctor business, carry on!
Kreshova: Response.
Meris: On my homeworld there is a story about a creature that inhabits the polar ice regions. It is called a Kreshaal. The creature is said to blend perfectly into the snow and detect body heat from several kilometers away. According to the story, if a traveler stops moving for more than ten minutes the Kreshaal will approach and swallow them whole. ::a pause and furtive glance out the cave mouth:: You don’t suppose there’s anything like that here, do you?
Trake gave the young J’naii a hard stare.
Promontory: Lieutenant, do you have a concept in your world of don't jinx it?
Kreshkova/Meris: Response
Promontory: It just means don’t ask for trouble… it just might find you!
As if to accentuate the point a distinct howl echoed from the back of the cave. It was definitely animalistic and sounded large.
Kreshkova/Meris: Response
The temperature was continuing to drop outside the cavern, yet the foreboding sounds and darkness of the cave didn’t seem any more inviting.
Promontory: I’m just going to keep my phaser out, regardless.
Trake looked to their acting CO.
Kreshkova/Meris: Response
TBC
