Posted by Cadet Vaarek (Medical Officer) in Shuttle Bay 2: Shuttle Rodent (XO’s Team)

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Izak Waryn (Chief Engineer) in Shuttle Bay 2: Shuttle Rodent (XO’s Team)
The Chief Engineer arrived at Shuttle Bay 2 with a tricorder and a standard issue phaser on his belt. Izak quickly checked in with the engineers retrofitting Shuttle Vermin to make sure they were on track, then made his way to Shuttle Rodent where he’d be working with the XO, Roger, and a Cadet named Vazrek that he hadn’t met yet.

He smiled when he arrived at the Shuttle and saw Commander O’Nell supervising the work. Once an Engineer, always an Engineer I guess.

“Well, I know the modifications couldn’t be in better hands, Sir, so I’m going to commence the preflight checks. Once they’re done I’ll pop out and help with any modifications that remain.”

Lt J.G. Izak Waryn - Chief Engineer - U.S.S. Ark Angel

Shortly ago, Vaarek had received an order on his padd to report to Shuttle Bay 2. He brought his medical bag with him. WOuld this be his first away mission? He was not sure about the orders.

He noticed two well-ranked officers – Waryn and O’Nell – by the shuttle. He looked to see which one had more pips – it was O’Nell – and walked up to him.

“Sir, Cadet Vaarek reporting as ordered.”

Cadet Vaarek, Medical

Nala stepped into Shuttle Bay Two expecting order.

Instead, she found controlled chaos.

Crewmembers moved between equipment crates and open maintenance panels while engineers worked beneath the exposed hull plating of two shuttles positioned side-by-side in the bay. Diagnostic lights flashed in rhythmic pulses across partially opened access hatches, and the sharp scent of coolant and heated circuitry hung in the air.

Nala stopped just inside the bay doors, amber eyes widening slightly as her ears rotated forward.

The shuttle nearest her had half its interior wall plating removed, exposing dense clusters of circuitry and rerouted power couplings. Another technician disappeared nearly waist-deep into an open maintenance hatch while someone on the opposite side argued about shield harmonics.

Her tail gave a startled flick.

This was not the quiet, pristine laboratory environment she had imagined when she’d received the away mission briefing.

This was alive.

The sound alone nearly overwhelmed her heightened hearing:

• power tools whining,
• plasma relays humming,
• overlapping voices,
• the heavy clank of cargo containers being repositioned across the deck.

And beneath it all she could feel the low vibration of the Ark Angel herself through her paws.

Nala tightened her grip on the datapad tucked against her chest and forced herself not to freeze in the doorway.

Observe first. Process second. Panic never.

Her gaze shifted toward the nearer shuttle where several officers had already gathered.

One officer—broad-shouldered, sleeves rolled slightly as he inspected a panel—was clearly engineering. Another stood nearby supervising the work with the practiced posture of senior command. A third figure, younger and unfamiliar, had just arrived carrying a medical bag.

Away team.

Nala swallowed carefully.

She had spent years mastering classrooms, simulations, and controlled environments. But this—this was different. This was operational Starfleet. Fast-moving. Unpredictable. Loud.

Exciting.

Terrifying.

Wonderful.

Her ears twitched again as she studied the shuttle itself.

The craft looked worn in the way good tools often did: slightly scorched plating near the impulse vents, fresh replacement panels along one side, maintenance markings still glowing faintly where engineers had been recalibrating systems.

Functional over elegant.

She liked that.

Her eyes tracked over the modifications automatically, her mind already trying to identify the purpose behind each adjustment before she consciously stopped herself.

Slow down. One thing at a time.

Nala inhaled deeply and smoothed the front of her uniform jacket.

Then, gathering herself, she finally stepped fully into the shuttle bay and began making her way toward the others—tail carefully controlled behind her, posture straight, trying very hard to look like she belonged there.

LT.JG Nala