USS Wolverine
Repair Shuttle Bay: (Side Sim) Head of Department Check-in (pt. 2)
Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Alba Waban (Engineer) in Repair Shuttle Bay: (Side Sim) Head of Department Check-in (pt. 2)
Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Alba Waban (Engineer) in Repair Shuttle Bay: (Side Sim) Head of Department Check-in
This is where the story of a drop emerging from a hail storm found her way bound to space. The name of a once courageous Canidin with a pure white pelt gets to narrate her story. Her name, you might ask? Alba Ayita Waban.It all starts with her first posting onboard a starship, which she had once thought could only be bound to become a dream. By boarding a federation issued shuttle to what would become one of the greatest adventures for this sightless individual.
The 27 year old shepherd happened to be sitting patiently by the port side of the transport shuttle when it was time to abandon what had been the first posting she ever knew since becoming an ensign. Starbase 17, located in the Alpha Quadrant from a galaxy known as the Milky Way. There was a tight grip surrounding what appeared to be a snow colored pole with a red portion at the very tip, distinguishable as what humans had come to call a White Cane.
It was only the sound of thrusters which felt like a familiar melody to the junior grade officer. This meant a long passage leading towards a vessel as one few officers had gotten to experience before. Lt. Waban was as somewhat anxious, feeling static rush through every strand of fur scattered across her body. There happened to be a Trill ensign who had taken a seat right beside her. Ears silently shifting towards the sound source against those familiar leather seats she had grown familiar with.
While not being a really social individual, Alba could sense the tension in the atmosphere from the tight grip he had been providing the leather with. Her four digit traced the surface until a slightly smaller hand was reached. Face turning to where she could only assume he’d meet her sightless gaze half-way. A friendly smile pulling back on her hound features. This boy was a recent graduate from the academy about to begin his spatial adventure. One of which children looking at the sky through a telescope often dream about at night.
For a moment, Waban wondered if she had startled him. Her ears tilted back slightly, listening to the tiny changes in his breathing and the subtle creak of leather beneath him. He was nervous. Very nervous. She could almost feel it radiating from him through the contact of their hands.
“I apologize, Lieutenant,” came a voice that wavered with the raw, untested nerves of a freshly minted science officer. “It’s just… reading about subspace anomalies and stellar nurseries in a textbook back on Earth is entirely different from knowing you’re about to fly directly into one.” He shifted slightly, his breathing shallow, as he tried to mask the overwhelming scale of his newly realized dream. “I keep thinking I’ll miscalculate a tachyon field on my first shift and let the entire crew down. It is a lot of pressure for someone who has only ever analyzed simulated data.”
The smile almost faded from her face before that hand lifted to look for his shoulder and just resting a white paw. “Hey, it’s alright.” Her voice was slightly rough when burning down to a whisper. Experiencing the world through this kid almost made her feel small in the vastness of space. But this was her time to step up and make someone else feel safe. “We all need an anchor out here on our first deep space run. Consider me yours until you find your space legs.”
The hazel eyed Trill couldn’t help but thank her beneath his breath. Though adrenaline continued rushing through his fragile veins. As read on medical books, their skin was as much cooler than a human’s and something that had thrown the lieutenant off. But when he made the decision to talk again, Defiant looking ship came into view through the frontal viewscreen. Which meant they were about to dock beside a vessel known as the U.S.S. Wolverine.
Alba waved a gentle goodbye once the blast doors from the airlock were blown open. Not many people happened yo be currently walking around the repair bay. But without sight, it would certainly become a difficult task to report towards her newly assigned department head. She could hear the carpet beneath her boots before entering the work area, white cane rolling up front. By the moment in which the Canidin realized, happened to be a cold air vent right in front of her. An embarrassing move for the new girl.
With flattened ears, she turned around before finding one of the runabouts, leaning her back beside the familiar vehicle.
It happened to be a blonde eyed man with hazel eyes that approached the leucistic officer sitting on the floor. Her ears lifted from her skull when hearing steps approaching her area. Small vibrations across the decking beneath her feet. At first, Cade seemed hesitant to assist the rather tall engineer standing before him, until he could actually comprehend the situation. “Is someone there?” came Alba’s voice when shifting her head from one side to the other. The left ear angling while looking out where he had chosen to stand.
Turning his head to the side and making sure the rest of their colleagues had their heads stuck down a Jeffries Tube, he finally held out his hand. Alba’s fur rose on its ends once his hand reached her. Her attention being drawn to that right side of her body. “I heard you were the kid joining this show.” He said as she rose to her feet, black boots clicking against the ground.
That voice was unfamiliar, not the man she had spoken with when being assigned to the Merrimack. “Lieutenant Junior Grade Alba Waban.” were the five words blurted out of her mouth, no handshake offered. “I’m looking for the main Engineering area and…” her ears flattened, purplish eyes landing sightlessly on the man. “I appear to have gotten lost along the way.”
“Lieutenant.” The officer interrupted. “Everyone has to start somewhere. Even new souls onboard.” He let out a breath, once her paw was released, she shook it in the air almost as though a cat had gotten its frontal limb wet. “Allow me to lend you a hand.” Cade offered. For a second Waban appeared reluctant to accept help from a stranger, but finding her way through sound, touch and smell would take much longer than she would like.
“…alright.” She nodded once, following the sound of the man’s footsteps leading down a carpeted hallway. They walked down halfway through before stopping, his hand reaching against an oddly smooth surface mounted on the wall. Both sides of that long tunnel did. For a moment there was only silence before one of the displays powered on, ears drawn to the source of the sound. “Computer, locate engineering.” He spoke aloud enough for every office to walking down to hear. ‘Engineering is located on Deck 4. You are currently on Deck 2.’
Somehow, the junior officer was surprised by how intricate this ship’s computer system and database happened to be. “Provide auditive instructions leading down to the main workshop.” He continued before glancing at her the same at a teacher would acknowledge their students. She opened her mouth to speak and thank him before another command came from the speakers. Slightly startling her. ‘Proceed forward approximately twenty meters. At the junction, turn left. Continue for twelve meters until you reach a turbolift.’
These commands went on for about 20 minutes before the junior officer found the final turbolift leading two decks down from their original positioning. Rolling the white cane in front of her body, the path seemed clear. That is until coming into contact with a pair of sliding doors leading to Engineering Deck A. Surely enough a ship was much different than the station in which she had spent the last 9 years of her life.
There was some vibration beneath her feet, and the scent of coolant and recycled air in the atmosphere. Familiar sounds she had grown to know as a safe haven. With some hesitation, she continued onwards, stopping by a railing posted around the catwalk. “Excuse me, I’m- looking for Lieutenant Buchanan.” that hesitation made her cringe. “I’m Alba Waban, the new girl.”
Lt. JG. Alba Waban
Engineering Officer
U.S.S. Wolverine - NCC-99199 (Brazen Class MK. II)
Kaden heard an unfamilar voice in engineering. He was curious to determine who it was. He stood up, stepped away from his desk and walked out of his office. He noticed a young canine humanoid lady standing at the entrance to Main Engineering. He did notice the young officer hold a cane. He did not have a ton of background but was expecting a new engineering officer to the Wolverine and had the understand she was blind and was a canine humanoid so he assumed it was Lt. Waban.
He walked over to the young officer, as he had not hear what was said by the Lt but then said, “I am Lt Buchanan, Chief Engineer. Is there something I can help you with? I believe you are Lt Waben, my new engineering officer? I welcome you to the Wolverine and to the main running blood of the ship known as Main Engineering.” He then waited for a response from the young Lt.
Lt. Buchanan
Chief Engineer