[USS Athena] "Greeting Dignitaries" (JL)
- From: T'Shana Tubed <antediluvian2370@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: USS Athena <ussathena@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 2 Mar 2009 22:13:55 -0800 (PST)
"Commander Svonn," came the voice of the OPS officer. "The Starzen shuttle
has an Admiral Detalya aboard. They are requesting to dock, sir."
Svonn raised an eyebrow. They had just seen the small shuttle, and its
contingent (its own fighters, two Starhawk fighters, and four Scorpions
trailing), come around the far side of the warbird.
"Grant them permission," Svonn said. He rose from the command chair.
"Inform the shuttle bay to be ready to receive them. Also, inform the captain.
I shall go to greet them myself."
"Aye, sir," the Lieutenant at OPS said.
"Inform Arrain Zerliak," Svonn added. "I would like two security officers
there as well."
"Aye, sir."
T'Shana sighed deeply as the turbolift moved down toward deck 10, carrying
her to the shuttle bay deck for the second time this day. Why she had not been
informed of the issue with a certain console earlier, when she was working on
some of the conduits, was beyond her. She was just double tracking now, and
that was a waste of time in her opinion.
She stepped out of the lift, when it halted and rushed down toward the
shuttle bay with her Engineering kit. It only took her a few minutes to get
there and find the console in question. The bay was fairly quiet, only a couple
of people working on a shuttle off to the side. She popped the panel open and
slid under the console to begin her work.
A few minutes later, small yellow lights around the shuttle bay started
flashing. A voice came over the loudspeaker. "Attention all flight deck
technicians. Incoming guest shuttle. All technicians observe VIP protocols.
The Starzen shuttle is one, point-five-three minutes out."
T'Shana didn't see the lights, but she heard the announcement. She snapped
up and promptly hit her head on the underside of the console. A few expletives
came from her mouth, before she slid out of the open panel much more carefully,
rubbing her head.
Looking around, her eyes went to the shuttle bay entrance, where a strange
looking craft began its approach alongside several fighters. She stayed seated
on the floor, still rubbing the bump on her forehead.
Svonn and two security officers entered the shuttle bay just as the Starzen
craft was nearing the shuttle bay entrance. The two Starhawks broke off, and
resumed their flight around the ship. The two fighter escorts followed the
Admiral's shuttle into the bay.
The Starzen shuttle, which wasn't very remarkable to look at, touched down
easily on the deck. The two fighters did likewise. Their pilots both
scrambled out of the cockpits and took up a position to either side of the
shuttle entry T'Shana watched the whole thing, utterly unimpressed. The
two other officers in the bay with her, were standing at attention by the
shuttle they had been working on.
"Oh, yeah.... VIP protocol," she mumbled and scrambled up with a grunt. She
checked her hand. At least she didn't cut herself, no blood on her fingers, but
her head hurt nevertheless.
In her effort to stand up quickly, she kicked her Engineering kit and the
contents scattered all over the floor with a loud clattering noise. She watched
as one of the couplings bounced across the bay and toward Svonn's feet.
"Oh crap," was all that came from her mouth, before she shot forward and
ran after the item. Almost catching up with the bouncing coupling, she scooped
down and reached out for it, but wasn't quick enough. It went by Svonn's feet
and came to a halt about 30 cm in front of the tip of his boots, while T'Shana
didn't have so much luck in putting on the brakes. She stumbled, and in her
scooped down position, rammed into Svonn from behind, her shoulder hitting
right below the Vulcan's buttocks.
Admiral Detalya had just opened the shuttle door. He looked out just in
time to see this woman scooting across the floor and ramming into the other
officer.
Svonn lurched forward, from the blow to the backs of his legs. Fortunately
Arrain Yaenev, one of the security officers on the escort detail, reached out
and caught the Vulcan before he fell flat on his face. The two pilots from the
Starzen shuttle were quick to draw their weapons and train them on the woman on
the deck.
T'Shana wasn't so lucky as to be caught. She bounced off Svonn, rolled to
her side, and came to a halt on her hands and knees just in front of the
Starzen shuttle. After she caught her breath, she lifted her head, looking up
at the man coming out of the shuttle, then glanced left and right to the
weapons pointed at her.
She froze, her eyes quickly flicking to Svonn, then the Starzen man again,
blushing. "Oops."
Detalya glanced down at the woman, now kneeling directly in front of him.
It was unclear whether he was amused, or the Admiral in him was ticked at the
unprofessionalism of this officer.
Svonn, however, it was easy to see, was not pleased. For a moment, he had
let his emotions slip and there was definite anger in his eyes. He quickly
regained control."Gentlemen," He said calmly to the two Starzen pilots. "I
assure you, she means your Admiral no harm."
The guards looked to the admiral who gave a slight nod. They both eased
their weapons back to ready positions.
"Erei'Arrain," Svonn said, just as calm as before. "I believe you are
blocking the Admiral's exit."
At Svonn addressing her, T'Shana unfroze. Her hand quickly reached out and
grabbed the coupling from the floor, then she stood and brushed her uniform
off. "I'm very sorry.... Commander," she looked at Svonn, as she moved aside to
give the Starzen man room to exit. "My apologies, Admiral," she lowered her
eyes, bowing to the man slightly.
Humor actually showed on the Admiral's eyes as he stepped down from the
shuttle. "I was wondering if this was a Federation ritual for greeting
dignitaries."
"No, sir, it is not," Svonn said quickly, not giving T'Shana the chance to
speak, and shooting her a quick glance. "The Erei'Arrain shall, however, be
sending a note of apology to the Captain."
T'Shana, by then standing at attention, had to fight the urge to blurt out
'the hell I will'. She clenched her jaw, not in the least bit happy about
Svonn's words, but trying to give the Admiral a friendly expression.
Admiral Detalya, gave T'Shana a "once-over." He certainly appreciated an
attractive woman, and it seemed the Federation had their share of them, or at
least, he hoped this was the case. He leaned towards T'Shana and said, "He's
letting you off easy, young lady. If it had happened on my boat, you would be
scrubbing this entire deck with your tooth utensil."
One of T'Shana's brows slowly rose, as she eyed him. Young lady? "It's
Lieuten...err... Erei'Arrain cha'AAnikh, sir," she replied, emphasizing her
position as an officer on the ship with a tad of a smile.
Svonn shot her another look, again letting his emotion through, as if to
say, 'No one said you could speak.' It was only an instantaneous slip, as he
quickly took on his normal neutral appearance. "That will be all, Erei'Arrain,"
he simply said.
The smile faded from her face. She glanced at Svonn with obvious annoyance.
Did he have to play the hard-ass now, so that no one would question his actions
in the mess hall the previous day had been anything but brought on by his
emotional state due to pon'farr? Gee... get that stick out of your rear, she
thought, wishing for just a moment he would be able to read her mind.
"Admiral," Svonn said, having caught the look on T'Shana's face but
ignoring it. "I am Lt. Commander Svonn. Second officer, and chief science
officer. On behalf of Captain Mergahn, and the Federation of Planets, I bid
you welcome to the U.S.S. Athena."
Jointly logged by:
Lt. Cmdr. Svonn
Chief Science Officer
Erei'Arrain T'Shana cha'AAnikh
Engineer
"Knowledge becomes wisdom only after it has been put to practical use."
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