Act I Scene I: Starfleet Hospitality

Stardate 1/9407. The Federation has enjoyed a century of relative peace within its borders. The long and devastating war against the Romulan Star Empire is all but forgotten and the Federation’s border with them remains tense, but stable. The Klingons remain silent as well, perhaps still engrossed in a conflict with the unknown enemy on the far side of their empire. The Federation’s peace-time focus is now on research and exploration, although Tellarites and Andorians argue for a stronger navy of gunships and frigates. The compromise is the new Constitution Class Cruiser. Equipped with the most advanced weaponry and home to state-of-the-art scientific research and medical facilities, these debutants of the fleet can operate for years beyond the logistical support of star bases. It is the dream of every starry-eyed Star Fleet recruit to serve on these ships.
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Re: Act I Scene I: Starfleet Hospitality

Post by ManWithDoor » Wed Sep 22, 2021 10:21 pm

Cadet Craig is usually pretty fast on his feet, an important skill when those feet could be crushed in machinery if the feet don't move out of the way quickly, but he is fully caught flat-footed by the Chief Engineer. His body auto-pilots offering a handshake, but his expression is shocked into immobility for a long moment.

Eventually he manages to squeak out a response. "Yes, Sir. Thank you for the compliment. I hope I live up to your expectations, I'm looking forward to serving here."
Holy crap, that was not what I was expecting! I was expecting a super hard-ass that I wasn't supposed to complain about, not an eccentric Vulcan.
Rule Number 12: "A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head."

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Re: Act I Scene I: Starfleet Hospitality

Post by Orvost » Tue Sep 28, 2021 4:04 am

Jacob
Lieutenant Vandane points toward the floor.

“We’re here on the bridge up in the dome; top and center of the saucer section. Security is bottom center of the saucer section. Like I said: the commodore is a stickler for security and he put it in a central location. The Pas-de-Calais has a turbolift system—another upgrade thanks to the commodore. From here, take the turbolift straight down as far as you can without it ejecting you into space.”

Alik
The chief engineer enthusiastically takes Alik’s offered hand and vigorously shakes it up and down, and side to side.

“Well Shucks! We were told not to expect you to report for duty until the day after tomorrow. I gather you are here to scope out your colleagues and your workspace? And I see you brought an…”

The chief engineer looks over at Weathers and stops. His grin melts away as he stares at her with a hard look on his face. His voice loses its goofy cadence as he speaks the last word with the matter-of-fact tone you normally associate with Vulcans.

“…acquaintance.”

Weathers is staring back at the Vulcan, but suddenly breaks eye contact and looks around nervously. For someone who thrives on being the center of attention, she seems suddenly self-conscious.

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Re: Act I Scene I: Starfleet Hospitality

Post by ManWithDoor » Wed Oct 06, 2021 11:36 pm

Alik groans within the vaults of his mind. Of course things couldn't go smooth. An eccentric Chief Engineer is one thing, but yet another hostile environment because of his association with Weathers is beginning to wear on him. What was it this time? Was it that the Chief had read the personnel reports from the Starbase? No, that would lead to her having a confused look, not a self-conscious and nervous demeanor. There's history here, one which he is completely ignorant of.

Trying to keep things moving forward, he ignores the change in demeanor and charges forward. "Yes, sir, wanted to meet the team and be ready to hit the ground running come the morning shift. And to try to understand the unique layout of the ship, as I am supposed to show up for supper with the Commodore. I don't want to be tardy and make a bad first impression."
To clarify, Alik is frustrated that associating with Weathers is causing yet more drama. I as the Player am totally fine with this development.
Rule Number 12: "A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head."

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Re: Act I Scene I: Starfleet Hospitality

Post by Orvost » Sun Oct 31, 2021 3:10 am

The Vulcan’s attention switches from Weathers to Alik and, just like that, the grin and voice are back.
“Well, friend, I can show you where to find anything on this ship. I can take you to the commodore’s suite right now if you’d like.”

The Vulcan walks back toward the door, as if it has already been decided that he will escort Alik to the commodore’s quarters.
“If you’re dining at the commodore’s table, put on your officer formal wear if you have it, your service uniform if you don’t. Don’t wear your midshipman greys from the academy—you’ll look like a child!”

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Re: Act I Scene I: Starfleet Hospitality

Post by ManWithDoor » Thu Nov 11, 2021 5:23 am

Alik's eyebrows shoot up as he follows his immediate superior. "I'm grateful for your feedback. To be honest, I hadn't even thought about what I'd wear. Spacers like myself had much more transactional interactions, and rarely spoke with a commanding officer. I'm comfortable here in engineering, but formal dinners are new." He allows his nervousness to show, rather unusual for his normally gregarious demeanor. "If you have any other advice, I'll follow that as well."
Rule Number 12: "A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head."

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Re: Act I Scene I: Starfleet Hospitality

Post by Orvost » Wed Nov 24, 2021 4:16 am

Alik looks back questioningly at Weathers as he follows the vulcan out of the room.

“I’m, just, going to…” Weathers completes her sentence with some vague gestures. Alik gathers that she is either staying in Engineering or going back to her room and has no intention of going anywhere with the goofy vulcan.

The vulcan walks with his loping gait and makes some gestures of his own: every time some other crewmember passes him and Alik, he makes pistols with his fingers and ‘shoots’ a greeting at them. All the while he is dishing more advice to Alik:

“I saw from your school transcript that one of your focuses was warp drive technology. That’s fine if you’re gunning for a chief engineer position. It will give me and you something to chew the fat about. If you want to talk shop with the commodore, you should bring up comm systems. He was a communications officer before command school. I’m sure you have noticed the abundant customizations he has added to the Pas-de-Calais—he has her tricked out like a hotrod!“

The vulcan looks at Alik and grins expectantly, hoping he recognizes and appreciates the human cultural reference.

“Anyway, the commodore’s favorite upgrade is his subspace transponder. It’s his baby. The commodore claims a whole suite of rooms for himself and that monstrosity fills most of them.”

Just then Alik and the vulcan cross paths with Campeador, who looks annoyed. The vulcan ‘shoots’ him a greeting. Campeador hesitates then gives a formal nod, acknowledging the vulcan’s superior rank, then tries to chat with Alik.

Apparently Campeador went to security to check in and find out where they’ll be dining tonight. Security personnel were happy to meet him, but wouldn’t recognize his security clearance until his identity was verified with a bio-scan from the ship’s doctor. So now he is going to the medical station to submit to a physical examination so his readings can be compared to his medical records from the academy.

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Re: Act I Scene I: Starfleet Hospitality

Post by ManWithDoor » Wed Dec 15, 2021 11:29 pm

Alik makes mental notes of the Chief's advice, finding it valuable even if the way it was communicated was unsettling. His eyes are blank of reaction from the hotrod reference, his knowledge of random trivia lacking in that department.

He lets Campeador know during their brief meet that the Vulcan was giving him the tour, including where dinner is, if he wanted to tag along. Although he recognizes that checking in at Medical is a smart idea, regardless of the timing.
Rule Number 12: "A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head."

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Re: Act I Scene I: Starfleet Hospitality

Post by Orvost » Mon Dec 20, 2021 4:08 am

Campeador agrees to come with Alik. The vulcan spends the rest of their walk through the corridors trying to chat up the reluctant security officer. The vulcan reminds Campeador that, under Starfleet regulations, engineering personnel are used to make up any manpower shortage in a security situation. He assures Campeador that, as Chief Engineer, he takes the role of back-up security seriously.

Alik recognizes the wide corridor they are walking down as the trio come to the double doors that open onto the bridge. The vulcan enters the bridge and looks around momentarily. He shoots his greeting pistols at the bridge crew on each side of the door, then he promptly turns and leaves. Alik sees Jacob on the bridge speaking with the communications officer. They briefly lock eyes before the door closes behind the vulcan.

“I just wanted to see who was commanding the bridge right now: the commadore or the first officer.” The vulcan doesn’t elaborate on his statement, but Alik doesn’t recall seeing either the commodore or first officer on the bridge.

Directly starboard of the bridge is another set of wide double doors. Between the bridge doors and these other doors stands a large man in a security uniform, who grins and returns the vulcan’s pistol greeting. The vulcan leads the two cadets through these new doors and, as he does so, proclaims that they are now entering the commodore’s suite.

Through the double doors, Alik sees a short hallway and five doors: two on the left, two on the right, and one on the far end of the hall. The vulcan speaks as he points to the nearest door on the right: ”That is the commodore’s counsel chamber. I’m 99% certain that is where the commodore will be entertaining your company tonight.” The vulcan pauses for a moment, heaves a self-satisfied sigh at a job well done, then promptly turns to leave.

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Re: Act I Scene I: Starfleet Hospitality

Post by ManWithDoor » Sat Jan 08, 2022 12:37 am

Alik has slowly recovered from his shock and somewhat hesitantly gives his superior officer a solid smile and finger-guns of his own. The man is clearly doing his best to work well with others, and the junior engineer is pretty sure this isn't some elaborate sarcastic mockery, so who is he to judge? As a Spacer he's more cosmopolitan than most, but how would he fit in if put on a ship full of Andorians? Or Orions? Or Klingons?!? He can't say he would come across any more natural, and might try outlandish things too. So he feels he should let go of his awkwardness and embrace this strange new world.

He then takes a moment to straighten his uniform and checks he looks presentable, nods to Campeador, and with a firm stride approaches what he has been told is the Commodore's Counsel Chamber.
Rule Number 12: "A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head."

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Re: Act I Scene I: Starfleet Hospitality

Post by Orvost » Tue Jan 25, 2022 6:42 pm

Campeador looks like he was content to leave with the vulcan, but quickly changes direction as Alik strides toward the Counsel room door. The question he was going to ask dies as a grunt in his throat as the doors swoosh open. From within the Counsel chamber, a final syllable shouted in anger escapes as Alik strides in with Campeador stumbling behind him: “-GAIN!”

The Counsel Chamber is a large rectangular room with Federation, Star Fleet, and ship insignia and regalia hanging from the walls and ceiling. The decor leaves one with the impression that this is a place for official business. The only other entrance/exit point from the room, aside from the door you came through, is a door on the wall to your left as you come in. Above this door, in an old Latin script, is the phrase SVPRA HVMEROS GIGANTES. Dominating the space in the room is an antique wooden table suitable for hosting a large meeting or a banquet. Leaning on this table, staring at each other face-to-face are Commander Chekov and Commodore Singh. The Commodore is significantly smaller than the Commander, but he holds himself with authority. Whether that authority comes from the extra gold stripes on his sleaves or from his native presence, it’s hard to say.

Both men stand straight and compose themselves as you enter, like quarreling parents changing posture in the presence of their children. They begin talking over each other.

“These must be—” “May I introduce—” “—our cadet cruise—” “—Cadets Craig and Campeador—” “—I’ll let you get acquainted—” “—you are dismissed.” “—I’ll take my leave.”

Commander Chekov then walks out through the door you came in. Alik isn’t sure, but he thinks Commander Chekov winks at him as he passes by.
Last edited by Orvost on Mon Feb 07, 2022 7:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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