Qui si convien lasciare ogne sospetto;
ogne viltà convien che qui sia morta.
ogne viltà convien che qui sia morta.
Here one must leave behind all hesitation;
here every cowardice must meet its death.
here every cowardice must meet its death.
(Dante Alighieri)
[USS Charon, shuttle bay]
From the moment she had slid into the pilot seat, Sakarra realized just how different the 'Fortis' felt. It was not just the different nacelles or the - well, that was fascinating - quantum singularity that made her brow rise immediately as her fingers touched the panel. It was as if the little ship's entire soul had changed.
Not necessarily for the worse. But it might take a few minutes to 'reconnect' with someone who had changed so profoundly.
Not necessarily for the worse. But it might take a few minutes to 'reconnect' with someone who had changed so profoundly.
The young woman decided that the diagnostics could take care of themselves for now and made her way back outside, at what one could call a near leisurely pace for a Vulcan. With her fingertips tracing the changed outlines of the shuttle, she inspected the new nacelles, stopping for 11.2 seconds to admire the interesting form, and then moved on to the antenna array.
Just as she rose on her toes to get a closer look, familiar footsteps caught her attention and she briefly canted her head.
"You are early, Cyrin Dicari. Would you mind giving me a 'lift' so to speak? I should like to examine these in more detail."
Just as she rose on her toes to get a closer look, familiar footsteps caught her attention and she briefly canted her head.
"You are early, Cyrin Dicari. Would you mind giving me a 'lift' so to speak? I should like to examine these in more detail."
As Cyrin walked in he couldn't help but smile seeing Sakarra running her fingers across the shuttle. She startled Cyrin when she spoke seeing as her back was turned to him, "Lieutenant." He said, "Is it not best to be early?" He asked her. He walked up to her, "Sure I have no problem giving you a lift Lieutenant." He sensed her 'frequency' and felt comfortable, "Sakarra, again thank you for your help," he whispered so no one else could hear him.
"I want you to correct this matter immediately. No one and I mean no one receives preferential treatment on this ship- not even that damn fool Lamont. Do you understand me?" Shiarrael stormed into the shuttle bay sending a crowd of technicians moving themselves out of her path. Behind her the poor quarter master tried to keep pace while looking incredibly flustered "I don't care if it was a request by an Admiral so dare not to repeat that line."
"I'm sorry Captain, I'll fix it as soon as possible." The quartermaster lowered his head, hugged the PADD in his arms, and quickly turned around the left the shuttle bay.
Walking up to the Fortis Shiarrael looked between Cyrin and Sakarra "you two seem to have become quite friendly."
It was quite impossible not to hear the Captain making yet another entrance, but the young Vulcan's attention remained focused on the transceiver array while she balanced on the Ensign's hands.
Finally, she glanced down at the CO and quirked an elegantly arched brow.
"Good afternoon, Captain. Preflight is nearly complete and the survey outlines are downloaded to the mission commander's console for your perusal."
Directed towards Cyrin, she continued in a level voice "Thank you, Mr. Dicari, I believe this shall suffice. Extend my compliments to your teams and the engineers."
Sakarra couldn't help but notice how carefully the Betazoid lowered her back onto the flight deck and there was just a glimmer of mild amusement in her eyes.
"Shall we?"
Finally, she glanced down at the CO and quirked an elegantly arched brow.
"Good afternoon, Captain. Preflight is nearly complete and the survey outlines are downloaded to the mission commander's console for your perusal."
Directed towards Cyrin, she continued in a level voice "Thank you, Mr. Dicari, I believe this shall suffice. Extend my compliments to your teams and the engineers."
Sakarra couldn't help but notice how carefully the Betazoid lowered her back onto the flight deck and there was just a glimmer of mild amusement in her eyes.
"Shall we?"
"I am ready Lieutenant, and no problem. I will make sure that I extend your praises to them." Cyrin looked at the Captain and then back to Sakarra, this had been the first time he would be alone, so to speak with Shiarrael since his attempted assassination on her, Sakarra would most likely be source of strength. "Captain," he said as he waited for the two ranking officers to enter the shuttle.
Shiarrael stepped inside and instantly noticed the difference. Her eyes immediately narrowed and she turned to look at Dicari "perhaps my perception has changed but there is something different about this shuttle."
As Sakarra slid back into the pilot seat, she heard the scientists shuffle into the shuttle's hold. Interestingly enough, none seemed inclined to get closer than 1.4 meters to the CO, making for a great deal of milling about and stepping on other people's toes.
With a hum quite different from what the young Vulcan was used to, the engines sprung to full life and the console changed from displaying the last preflight readouts to engine status. She transferred the last batch of diagnostics to Cyrin's station and then canted her head at the CO's dry remark.
Something different indeed.
With a hum quite different from what the young Vulcan was used to, the engines sprung to full life and the console changed from displaying the last preflight readouts to engine status. She transferred the last batch of diagnostics to Cyrin's station and then canted her head at the CO's dry remark.
Something different indeed.
Cyrin followed t'Rehu and Sakarra into the shuttle and before he sat down looked over to the Commanding Officer, "Yes ma'am. Several changes were made, one of them being the engines another being the communications relay." He added. As everyone filed in and took their seats, Cyrin sat in the co-pilots chair and shut and secured the back hatch. "Back Hatch is locked and secured Lieutenant." He announced as his console began receiving the last batch of diagnostics from Sakarra. He looked over them, "Everything is in order, watch the impulse drive there is some minor power spikes going on. Nothing I can't handle, just don't push it to hard." He punched in a few more commands, "These power spikes are to be expected from a quantum singularity drive Lieutenant. We are ready to depart." He was nervous, but didn't want the Captain or anyone else to know that. 'Lieutenant, this is my first real flight. Please bear with me,' he spoke to Sakarra telepathically so as to not be overheard, the voice in her head could clearly be heard to be nervous and unsure of what to expect.
The sound of the shuttle was different but altogether familiar- she had spent most of her life on Romulan ships and could feel the pulse of a singularity- but here? She made her way to the front of the shuttle "Ensign" she looked past him and at the controls "what were the exact modifications?"
Minor power spikes indeed. Oh, the things one could do with a shuttle like this, provided it didn't tear itself apart first. It was a rather good thing Sakarra not only knew how to deal with such a craft but in fact had a certain affinity for it, otherwise their trip might have been full of excitement, but woefully short.
'Do not be concerned, Cyrin Dicari' she answered silently 'Those spikes are hardly worth mentioning.' In fact, if he was bothering to actively sense anything, he just might pick up a deep sense of satisfaction from the young Vulcan.
Yes, odd looks and unfamiliar 'vibes' aside, she and the shuttle would get along just fine. Like a house on fire.
"Bellatora Fortis requesting clearance for launch."
Even before she got her response, the rest of the maintenance personnel scattered and the big doors curved open.
Even before she got her response, the rest of the maintenance personnel scattered and the big doors curved open.
Cyrin didn't turn around to look at the Captain, his eyes focused on the console bringing up schematics of the new nacelles and the communications relay. "EnArrain t'Khellian and Lieutenant D'Vana installed the new nacelles using Romulan technology with a quantum singularity as its power source. There was also an ISD installed in the communications section of the shuttle to have, from what I understand, a more stable and reliable communications line with the Charon. The ISD device feeds off of the quantum singularity and is modified to a frequency of four hundred and fifty terajoules." He answered her question as he made a few modifications before the engine blew.
[to be continued]
Captain Shiarrael Rehu
Commanding Officer
USS Charon
&
Lieutenant Sakarra Tyrax
Second Officer
USS Charon
Second Officer
USS Charon
&
Ensign Cyrin Dicari
Chief Operations Officer
USS Charon
Chief Operations Officer
USS Charon
