Posted by Gamemaster Nosferatu (GM) in MainSIM: Runabout – Shuttlebay

Posted by Commander T’Aria (First Officer) in MainSIM: Runabout – Shuttlebay

Posted by Captain Kastarak (Commanding Officer) in MainSIM: Runabout – Shuttlebay
Posted by… suppressed (9) by the Post Ghost! 👻
[Snip, snip]

Johann, the young human Ensign who was the pilot, almost jumped out of his skin at T’Aria’s appearance and sudden question. Indeed, his ear bud —which was for communications and not necessarily the music he’d been listening too — fell out of his ear and the latest musical genre could be heard coming for it as it fell to the deck. The red headed and freckled young man’s face turned as red as hair as he awkwardly fumbled under the seat for his ear piece. “Uh sir! Ma’am!” He stammered. His gaze flew to the young female medic how shared his cockpit with him for help.

T’Aria’s gaze flickered to the earpiece, then back to the pilot, mild amusement touching the corners of her eyes as she raised a curious eyebrow. Although they were on official business, she did not see a problem with his entertainment, assuming it did not distract him from his duties. They were still en route to the Chernov, so she doubted it had.

She just grinned as she rose, “Johann is really a great pilot and not as incompetent as he appears. We should see the Chernov within a half hour, Commander.”

“I am sure,” T’Aria nodded to the medic.

Finally finding the errant ear piece, Johann rose, turned off the music on the console before turning and speaking with a sheepish grin. “Thanks, Kate. You are always saving me. Yes, Commander we are just about an half hour away, we should see her in about 15 minutes.”

“Thank you,” she acknowledged him.

Kate just smiled before moving toward the hatch where T’Aria was standing, “Excuse me, Commander. I am just going to go back and make sure everything is ready for Captain Maddox.”

Nosferatu
Your Darkest Nightmare

T’Aria stepped aside so it was easier for Kate to access the hatch, then moved to take the seat she had vacated.

“Of course. Let us know if we can assist you in any way,” she added, knowing well the amount of preparation that went into a patient transfer. Turning toward the forward window, she considered for a moment falling into a comfortable silence, but she figured that would do little to ease what remained of Johann’s nerves, if any. So… she came up with a routine question that would at least give her a little more insight into the man, filling the last few minutes of their travel. “How long have you been a pilot, Ensign?”

– T’Aria, XO

“Thank you, Ma’am, I surely will!” Kate replied cheerfully as she headed to the back, preparing the bunk area for a patient and gathering the medical equipment she thought might be needed.

The flustered Ensign had reclaimed his seat by now, readjusting the earbud in his ear. His fingers glided across the console, making what seemed to be final calibrations as they neared the Chernov. By the time T’Aria settled into the chair beside him, his earlier embarrassment had given way to a calm focus.

“I grew up on a colony world,” he began, his eyes still fixed on the instruments. “Started flying a shuttle when I was seven — with my dad in the main seat, of course, sir.” A small smile tugged at his lips. “By the time I got to the Academy, it was an easy choice. I was done with atmospheric flying. I wanted to reach the stars.”

He flashed her a quick, mischievous grin before turning back to his console.

Nosferatu
Your Darkest Nightmare

T’Aria followed his attention and maneuvers, watching as the instruments adjusted to changes in local environmental conditions and data from the runabout’s internal sensors. Her knowledge of piloting was functional at best, but it had always intrigued her. It was technical skill that demanded stability and mental agility in its operator. Although it could be argued that technology had advanced to automation, T’Aria still found it required a great deal of ingenuity to work with and compensate for the limits of technology, especially for pilots whose careers took them to the more unusual (and seemingly misbehaving in the eyes of physics) places.

“You are undoubtedly passionate about your work,” T’Aria observed, struck with the fleeting mental image of a young child flying a shuttle craft alone, until she heard him mention his father’s presence. It sounded like he had been of influence to Johann. She thought to ask a follow-up question, but she assumed he would soon be occupied by their approach, so she slipped into silence.

Meanwhile in Shuttlebay, Captain Kastarak and a group of his colleagues stood waiting for the transport to arrive. Along with them stood also Ensign Sutalo, the head nurse of the ship, monitoring the antigrav stretcher carrying Captain Maddox, the former one-hour CO of the Chernov). The plan, and the orders given Kastarak, was to transfer Maddox to the transport and welcome Commander T’Aria as the Chernov’s new XO.

As Kastarak looked down at the clearly living but not responding Maddox lying on his stretcher, he could not help and reflect over the shortest ever tenure on the Chernov.
Maddox had stood before the bridge crew just after arriving, speaking of Taggart with quiet reverence. I am not here to fill his shoes, Maddox had said, his gaze steady, the faint glint of humility visible even through the formal cadence. When the ground feels uncertain, we fall back on what we trust—our training, our discipline, and each other.

Now the same man lay motionless on the stretcher with his eyes closed. The irony was not lost on Kastarak. He had called them to discipline – and then, within the hour, had been carried away by frailty beyond command or logic. Kastarak stood by Maddox’s stretcher, hands clasped behind his back, watching Ensign Sutalo make some final checks for departure. He recalled Maddox’s final words on the bridge: For Captain Taggart, for the Chernov, let’s see this done.

Kastarak now left the stretcher, and walked back to the group waiting for the runabout to arrive.

We shall, he thought, echoing the same words in his mind: For Captain Taggart, for the Chernov, Kastarak would lead, as he now prepared to bid farewell of his last commanding officer.

Kastarak, Cpt
Commanding Officer

Pawl entered the control booth As he waited for clearance to open the shuttlebay door and activate the atmospheric shield to keep the air in the shuttlebay.

[[Lt ]] [[Pawl Batario]]
[[Chief_Engineer]] [[Uss_Chernov]]

John was waiting in the control room and was going to meet with the new XO. He even had a few more security teams on rotation today. As the shuttle was docking in the hangar he went down to greet the shuttle crew and the new XO.

Lt. John Forster (CWO)

In the cockpit of the runabout the young red-headed Ensign was skillfully positioning the runabout so it could make a clean entrance to the shuttle bay. “Ma’am, two minutes out. I’m contacting the Chernov to let her know we’re here and ready!” With a quick motion of his hand he opened a channel.
^=^Runabout Ganimedes to USS Chernov. Requesting permission to fly aboard!^=^

T’Aria offered an affirming nod and settled back into her chair, preparing for landing.

As the most senior officer in charge, Kastarak would have to make the decision. Almost like a game of whispers, the request travelled through a series of people – all arguably able to make the decision – until it reached Kastarak. He relayed that the request was permitted, and instructions to the Ganimedes was to land in Shuttlebay.

OOC: Now it doesn’t say in the specs that the runabout would be tractored in so I’m going to fly her in.

IC: In the rear of the runabout the cheerful young medic stood near the rear ramp, hanging on to a landing strap, ready to disembark and assist the transfer of Captain Maddox.

Nosferatu
Your Darkest Nightmare

Kastarak, Cpt
Commanding Officer

– T’Aria, XO

OOC: My apologies! I missed the bit about the permission being given!
IC:

The young Ensign guided the runabout smoothly into position, gliding through the bay’s forcefield without so much as a whisper. With a gentle touchdown, the craft settled onto the deck, its engines easing into an idle hum. As the large rear door lowered into a ramp, the medic stood poised at the top, waiting until it was fully deployed before descending—ready to assist in loading Captain Maddox aboard.

Nosferatu
Your Darkest Nightmare

Captain Kastarak stood by the antigrav gurney where Maddox lay, and said to him: “In accepting the inevitable, one finds peace. May your journey be without incident, captain.” After a quick Vulcan salute to his former commanding officer (albeit for an hour or so), Kastarak gave the order to begin moving the gurney off to the runabout.

Soon he’d see T’Aria and the new nurse, Ashley Montana.

Kastarak, Cpt
Commanding Officer