Arrival

Posted on 09 Feb 2023 @ 10:14pm by Ensign Drevas & Lieutenant JG Thex sh'Zoarhi & Lieutenant JG Shoniara T’ghann Dex & Master Chief Petty Officer Alexi Michelle

2,150 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: S3 Episode 5: Diplomatic Incident/Hydaransz Again (Incidentals)
Location: Federation transport shuttle SS Coe

[ON]

The federation transport shuttle SS Coe sat on its pad on the station's hanger waiting for its passengers to take them to the Tomcat.

With a slight hiss, Thex stepped out of the turbo lift with a smile on her sapphire face. Just one small trip and she'd be at her new assignment. Stepping into the small craft she took her seat waiting for her two fellow crewmates. Lieutenant Dex and Ensign Drevas were what Lieutenant Commander Smithson had called them.

Next to arrive was a tall, lanky Kelpien ensign. In one hand he carried his officer's packing case and a duffel bag slung over the shoulder, in the other he held a brown paper bag, the kind used to hold food. Perhaps he'd made a stop for a bite to eat on the way here. He donned the uniform of the Operations division, though his being a tactical officer was also entirely possible. You never knew.

"You must be lieutenant sh'Zoarhi." The newcomer smiled kindly at the stunningly attractive Andorian Shen. He spoke in Andorii, almost flawlessly and without an accent. It'd been a while since he'd last used it, especially since he and Lavissa were no longer together. "I was ordered to meet up with you and another here, as I am sure you were as well. I am ensign Drevas."

Dex stood with her bag over her shoulder and Puss by her side. She looked back at the station and was glad to be leaving. There was nothing for her here, never a home but always somewhere to be moving on from. The door opened onto the shuttle that was to take them to the ship. Her two new crew mates had arrived before her. She looked at Puss and he sat down. “Hello I’m Shoniara T’ghann Dex the new ACMO but just call me Dex. She placed her bag on the floor and sat down. “Anyone knows how long this trip will be?”

" Yes, that's me," Thex said as she stored her bag which jingled as she did so. " Your Andoril is good. Judging from the accent you learned it from one of the southern tribes. " She said to the Kelpien before turning to the hybrid Vulcan as she sat down in one of the seats. "Shouldn't be long. Just out to the Tomcat."

"Four hours, according to what I can find out about its current location." Drevas nodded at the new arrival and her pet. Vulcan as she looked, she didn't sound Vulcan to him. Interesting. He'd have to find out more at some convenient point. He hefted his bags onto the shuttle and sat down in the pilot's seat, programming their course on autopilot. "Southern tribe? I'm afraid my tutor was an Aenar, not an Andorian." He smiled wistfully. Lavissa had been one hell of a tutor when it came to anything to do with her people - and one hell of a friend, and then significant other too.

She looked at Drevas it seemed he was holding something within himself as she could feel the attraction he seemed to have towards the Andorian. Perhaps they knew each other, she thought. She wasn’t sure of how she could enter the conversation and sat fiddling with the now annoyed Puss’s collar. “Would anyone like to meet my Sehlat?” She asked.

Drevas smiled at the large Sehlat that accompanied her. He knew of the Vulcan animal, of course, and how fierce they could be if you rubbed them the wrong way - which didn't mean he was necessarily afraid of them. He just needed to be careful.


MCPO Alexi Michelle had been given her orders. She carried her rucksack over her shoulder as she made her way from the transfer station to the departure dock for the USS Coe. She walked quickly to the transport holding her PADD with her orders in one hand as she stepped over to the officer of the deck. Her orders were verified and she was directed to continue onto the waiting vessel post haste, which she did. Stepping onto the transport she quickly stowed her gear and took a seat as she looked around at who else would be travelling with her. The passengers were already seated, An Andorian, A Kelpian, and the last of at least half Vulcan heritage and holding a Sehlat cat in her lap. oO Well, this should be an interesting four hours 0o she thought as she brought her attention to the PADD.

Drevas' head turned to look at the newcomer as she boarded the shuttlecraft behind them. He'd been told that there'd be three to travel, not four, but then again things could most definitely change. "Well, hello. And you are?" He asked as he typed their course into the shuttle's navigation console. This one seemed a bit more Vulcanlike, more serious than the other who was travelling with them. Perhaps she was full Vulcan then, he reckoned - though again with the multitude of species that could breed with Vulcans and produce offspring indistinguishable from Vulcans, he could've been entirely wrong.

Alexi looked up from her seat at the Kelpian and raised an eyebrow. oO I would rather keep that to myself Oo She thought to herself. In her opinion, the Kelpian officer was a little too friendly for her tastes. "MCPO Michelle, Sir." She stated matter-of-factly then brought her attention back to her PADD, obviously not interested in further conversation if it could be avoided. After all, she did have a lot of new information to digest in the four hours it supposedly would take to get to the Tomcat.

" Your Sehlat looks lovely. What's their name?" Thex said looking at the large cat next to the Vulcan hybrid. Turning to look at the kelpien she added. " An Aenar. Don't see many of my people's kin species out among the stars these days. Were they in Starfleet?" She politely inquired.

Dex smiled, “his name is AkolashiKa, but I call him Puss. He is very friendly unless you attack me.” She laughed. “He is middle-aged now so mostly he likes to eat and sleep. “ she ruffled his golden mane and his ragged purring filled the shuttle. Dex suddenly felt, for some reason, very alone and she shivered.

" Hello there Puss I'm Thex. Are you going to help keep the ship safe?" Thex said softly as she offered the big cat a hand to sniff.

puss lifted his golden head up and smelled Thex’s fingers, then he began to lick them purring loudly. His licking stopped and he stood pushing his head into her knees rumbling with pleasure.

"She was true! A medical officer. We met at a bar one day." Drevas replied wistfully. "She had the sweetest smile and she even smelled sweet, too, like mint and vanilla combined together. She told me it was a perfume she purchased on Risa." Something about the way he talked about her suggested that he and this Aenar had been more than just friends - even if the wistful smile he had on his lips didn't positively scream it. "She transferred away from Babylonia just before I left. What a shame...'

" Ah, she was your playmate," Thex said recognising the tone of his voice. " It must be hard to part from her."

"Indeed." In a society that did not have bond groups the term lost some of its meaning, really, but the meaning stayed. Drevas had heard the term before. "We were very, very happy together - and then she was transferred to an outpost on the edge of Federation space. It would not make sense for us to still be together, and so we parted. We still talk, occasionally, when she is in a familiar space. But alas." Drevas sighed wistfully. "In any case, we have a rather long journey to embark on..."

Dex felt rather left out of the Kelpian’s obviously romantic memories and turned to Michelle who was studiously looking at her PaDD. Dex knew she did not want to talk but she thought she would at least say hello. “Hi, my name is Dex, Shon is my first name and I am the new ACMO, pleased to meet you, this is my Sehlat Puss,” she said indicating to him.”

Alexi looked up from her reading and offered a small smile, "It is nice to make your acquaintance, Shon. I am the new Security Investigations Officer. Master Chief Petty Officer Michelle. First name Alexi." She paused looking at the rather large feline. "Your companion is quite interesting. I do hope he has been thoroughly trained to behave on board a starship. "

Puss turned his head to look at her as though he understood her words. “Thank you for calling him my ‘companion’” Dex said. Although I love him he is not my pet but rather my service animal for the non-Vulcan side of me. He behaves anywhere unless anyone is aggressive towards me so do not worry about him. I am sorry to bother you I just wanted to say hello.”

Alexi nodded, "Being of two worlds can be most," she paused debating the correct phase she wished to use, "I have found it to be both fascinating and difficult. Perhaps we can speak about this some other time. I really do need to review this material, and there is a lot of it to learn." She gave a small lift of the PaDD in her hand.

Drevas decided to let the other three talk while he sat down in the shuttle's passenger seat. They'd never get there if they didn't first set off, after all, and the trip there promised to be a pretty long journey.

Alexi brought her eyes back to the PaDD and continued her study of the information she was given. The Tomcat was indeed an interesting ship. She definitely was going to have her hands full.

" May I ask where you got Puss? " Thex inquired.

Dex smiled. “Of course, the whole is a long story but The short of it was as a child I never cared for the Vulcan part of me. Never learned to meditate properly, and ran away from school. Went to live on Earth with my Grandfather and fell in love with medicine and a wonderful man. Then my husband and child were killed by Klingons and I went off the rails, as they say.” She smiled wanly. “I lost it, left Starfleet and wandered around taking odd jobs here and there drinking a lot of alcohol. Then I met a Vulcan T’Ghrek who showed me what I needed to survive and made me his sister hence the T’ghann part of my name. We then found out I lacked a particular enzyme that most Vulcans have that helps with meditation. He gave me Puss so when I need to meditate I can. His brainwaves give me a physical bridge for the enzyme so, when he purrs out brainwaves entwine and I can meditate. He really is more than a service animal though, he has become my pet.” She smiled ruefully. “Sorry, that was rather a lot of information. Too much probably.”

" No that’s fine. Always good to find out about the people we're serving alongside. " Thex said memories in her brain of the attacking beast her own family owned as guard animals. They'd always been angry, kept half-starved to keep them violent. She could still remember their hot rancid breath as they chased after her through the permafrost when she'd run from the compound. Not that this big cat was likely to do anything like that she thought as she scratched under his chin.

Dex smiled, he only reveals his true nature if my safety is threatened.” Puss looked up at her. “I’m pretty sure he knows what I am saying.”


Conversations continued mostly quietly around her as the Transport travelled the distance to the Tomcat. Alexi had finally put down the PaDD after two hours of flight having gone over the information three times. Now she merely observed her travelling companions as they each seemed to be contemplating their new assignments.

Conversation seemingly over Shon took out her PaDD and began to refresh herself on the Tomcat specs. After a while, she became drowsy, the soft, almost imperceptible sound of the engine conducive to sleep. She nodded off.

[OFF]







Ensign Drevas

 

RSS Feed