private USS Luna

[BloodDrops 762]

@@Mentis Soliloquy,

 

Blood drops glanced up from her work, a novel about some sort of secret agent. James Bond? That will never catch oh she thought. She continued to read it while waiting for everyone to arrive.

 

Blood Drops was the first to be in the meeting room, not because medical bay was nearest, she just simply did a site to site teleport a hour ago. One chair for another really, though hers was much comfier. She poured herself a glass of red from the decanter she had brought with her, she just needed a cat to stroke then she would be one of those villains from that show those humans liked.

 

She was defiantly going to complain to the captain about the lack of work for her, she had been sitting on her flank all day, and for what? She had done everything, even sorted out everyone's medication for the next six months. She took a sip from the glass and then back to the novel she was reading, she had gotten into it after all, it was quite interesting, Ernst Stavro Blofeld was indeed a funny character.

Edited January 2, 2017 by BloodDrops

[Once In A Blue Moon 894]

After Action Report, Ex Duster
Ensign Misty Flight, Helmsman, USS Luna
Luna conducted a maneuver / weaponry test in local asteroid cluster (see Captain's Log, Ex Duster.)
Flight path, thrust vectors and Helm audio log appended (see attachments 1.a-c, with 1.a-b also see Engineer's Log, Ex Duster.)

All systems were kept within standard operational parameters and operated in line with ...

Misty sighed, tapping through to the appropriate manual.

... in line with preliminary testing protocols 14.b.ii-iv, restricted due to concerns as raised by Engineering (see

tap tap tap-tap

see Engineer's Log 41407.28-29 - SB-238 space.)

Further to the above concerns, with exclusive regard to Helm actions, USS Luna performed as expected and without issue. Further, more extensive testing recommended in line with...

All senior officers please report to the briefing room.

"Thank Celestia," Misty muttered to herself, saving the report for later and nodding to Ensign Wilkins as they took the helm. Taking a slight detour, she grabbed a hot drink from the officers' mess before making her way to the briefing room, gulping down the tea and trying to drag her brain out of the post-action fugue.

Blood Drops was the first to be in the meeting room

"Doctor," Misty acknowledged as she walked into the briefing room. She didn't sit down herself, wishing to appear attentive and enthusiastic when the captain walked in, but she did put her mug down and logged herself on to the console in preparation.

Edited January 3, 2017 by Once In A Blue Moon

[Shadow Dancer 111]

Indicus heard the announcement and headed to the briefing room his mind on how he could best carry out his duties on the ship. It seemed this captain was quite by the book something he found odd because he was used to the book is just a suggestion type captains. Though he felt the by the book attitude would eventually turn into the book is just a suggestion as he gained experience.

[ReverieRiver 525]

"Wait, you can't just - !" No use. Doctor Blood had ended the transmission before Lunar could get any further words in. The thestral hissed softly to herself, "The nerve..." She understood bending the rules sometimes was necessary, she really did. She wasn't some uptight officer that stamped her hoof down on any and all fun because of regulations. But the doctor was doing this just to spite the counselor! How petty.

 

Well, at least events after that passed smoothly. Lunar only hated how her excitement had been dampened since then. She wasn't typically the sort to let others get under her skin, but there was something about the apparent fact that someone on the ship specifically held some grudge for counselors which irritated her.

 

 

 

Ship's whistle...

 

"This is the captain, stand down to normal operations crew, well done everyone. @(Everyone) All senior officers please report to the briefing room."

 

Lunar was quick to rise from her seat, taking only a few moments to gain her bearings before she made her way towards the briefing room for the meeting.

 

A few clicks of echolocation told her that there were already four other figures in the room by the time she arrived. The thestral couldn't discern who was who without hearing their voices, but she nodded in their direction, giving general acknowledgement.

[Mentis Soliloquy 3,024]

Episode progressing post

After about five minutes or so everyone had gathered in the meeting room all taking a respective chair at the table, Mentis was standing next to the display at the end of the room. "Now that we are all here I can tell you our first mission we've been assigned by Starfleet." He then turns to the display that brings up a small system of four planets. "This is the Theramere (no it doesn't mean anything) system, until recently it had but a single small colony of scientists from the Federation monitoring a nebular in the next system." He taps the display again making the picture zoom out to where the planets are...

 

 

 

 

"This is where we are going." He says with a rather stern face. "Before you ask why, the reason is that the science team inadvertently found Netronium two weeks ago and a lot of it... on three of the four planets when they started looking for it. If your are unsure what Netronium is... well our hull is made from a combination of Duranium and Titanium which makes it like almost any other combat ready ship in existence rather resistant to phasers but still can be defeated in short order without shielding. However Netronium is completely immune to phaser fire no phaser employed by any known race can punch through this metal, so a ship made from such metal... would be yes immune to most attacks by any ship, a powerful ability indeed."

 

He takes a breath before continuing. "So when our science team found this they tried to contact Starfleet command about their findings, however the Romulans were listening to the teams communications and thus have laid claim to the system so that they could mine the ore. This in turn enraged the Klingons who were not going to have Romulans so deep into their neutral zone. Both sides nearly came to blows two days ago, but cooler heads prevailed."

 

He taps the display again, bringing up an image of a Klingon and a Romulan. "These two gentleman are leading the negotiations talks about the system to reach some sort of accord that won't end in bloodshed between the two sides. We will be there to ensure that nothing foul occurs at the talks and that the Federation is represented. Our orders are to assist the Klingon high council representative." Pointing to the Klingon. "This is Pakul Jok (@Hazard Time) and he is who we'll be assisting and leading the Klingon delegation, a proud man for sure by this records and rather honorable, we are to meet him near the system and then go to the meeting point where the talks will be held on board the Luna.

 

"Now for duties; Crystal (@Raven Rawne) you must make sure our weapons, shields and engines are ready to go at a moments notice the entire time we are at the talks, who knows what may happen. Indicus (@Shadow Dancer) You will be arming your men while these talks are ongoing, I don't trust Romulons as far as I can throw them, also you will be at the talks as you've quite some experance with them and can advice me and Pakul. Dr. (@BloodDrops) I've got a task for you I want you to go through all the possible toxins the Romulans employ and prepare antidotes I suspect there might be fowl play. Lunar (@Miss Reaper) You too will be assisting me and Pakul at the talks I have no doubt you will be invaluable. Finally but not least Flight (@Once In A Blue Moon) Do homework on the system and anything that we could use in a combat engagement and report your findings I want to be prepared if things get out of hand."

 

He looks at each of them again. "Questions?" 

 

(Side note to @Raven Rawne consider posting a spoiler tag each time @Miss Reaper can see Romulan you giving away some details to her, like he appeared nervous or his nose twitched, heavy breathing, things she may notice as a councilor) 

 

(bugger me this was 2894 characters)

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

Crystal Clear was sitting next to the councillor, since it was the nearest free seat when she walked into the briefing room. That, and it was within safe distance from the doctor. She listened to the briefing and prompltly nodded to the captain when he laid out her task during the mission. (@@Mentis Soliloquy, ) "Aye sir, my department will keep the ship at full combat readiness." She scratched her chin in thought and waited till the briefing was over to ask something.

 

Once the captain asked about questions, she raised a hand. "Sir, do we have any intel on the Romulans? I've only read about them but they seem a sneaky bunch, with those ship cloaking devices and all... We wouldn't know if they parked a whole fleet right before our ship. I guess I'm trying to ask what we know about this..." - she closed her good eye and zoomed with the implant - "Korak i-ch'Rihan Rul... weird name... do we know anything about him, or his past actions? He doesn't seem a nice type by the look of him."

 

@Miss ReaperThe Romulan in question, as portrayed on at the display screen, was an old chap. Time has made it's mark on his face, but his posture was flawless and, as far as Crystal clould tell, he wasn't a grandpa type. Rather an old wolf looking for his last glorious hunt. That made her a bit worried.

[Once In A Blue Moon 894]

Do homework on the system and anything that we could use in a combat engagement and report your findings

 

Misty looked through her hastily assembled briefing. There was plenty of data on the Aiet'al Nebula, but a great deal of it was from Klingon or Romulan sources, and so were less than reliable about ownership, territory boundaries and the like. The spatial data could be relied upon, at least, as could the science team's data.

 

"The Aiet'al Nebula was first recorded by the Klingons in their early days of space exploration, although legend has it that the captain who found it merely labelled it yav 'eng and moved on. I'm sure Captain Soliloquy has a more extensive diplomatic briefing on its history, but it first became of interest to our scientists when samples recovered on a routine mission revealed unusual metallicity remains more in common with type II-b supernova remains," Misty paused, realising that she had strayed from 'tactically relevant' information.

 

"To cut to recent events, the science team discovered that, at some point in pre-history (and that's stellar pre-history, which is a very long time ago) the star at the centre of what is now the Aiet'al Nebula went supernova and should have collapsed into a neutron star. Instead, something interfered with the process and the neutron star either never formed or was blown to dust afterwards - possibly a supernova / nova double event or whatever; the official scientific term for this unknown type of supernova is a 'pec,' or 'peculiar,' which is scientist code for 'give us more funding and we'll tell you.' So that scattered a lot of rare, heavy elements to the stars - including the neutronium that's of so much interest to us all."

 

"This is, strictly speaking, a stellar nursery nebula in that the nebula is collapsing under its own gravity, and there are a couple of protostars forming. So in the wider area we have higher-density molecular cloud discs, with a diameter of roughly 150AU, forming into stars inside the larger nebula, which has a diameter of around 500ly. The four planets of interest to us are a cluster of rogue planets (planets without a star); if for any reason you end up on one bring warm clothes and a headtorch as they have surface temperatures of around 180K. No atmosphere either. From a tactical point of view there isn't much to worry about in the system, with the four planets in mutual orbit, aside from the radiation from the protostar around 30ly away. Nothing dangerous, but it will blind our sensors to the warp signatures approaching from that direction - a popular tactic for pirates and those wishing to launch unattributable attacks, as even if the ship survives or has its black box recovered the identity of the attacker will remain unknown. I couldn't say whether either side would attempt such a ploy, but as a third party vessel we would be the prime target in some theoretical false flag operation."

 

 

 

 

Edited January 6, 2017 by Once In A Blue Moon

[BloodDrops 762]

@@Mentis Soliloquy,

 

Blood Drops snorted at his suggestion and stood up, did he know how complex it was to make a antidote, she then interrupted Flight @@Once In A Blue Moon, "Sure I will go out back and get my supplies of top ten Romulan anti-toxins" she remarked sarcastically. "Or I might ask one of the Romulan doctors about which toxins they might use to sabotage the event" she snorted. 

 

She wasn't impressed. "You know how complex poisons are?" she asked the captain. "Most of there poisons would kill instantly without showing a sign or worse mimic the sign of other toxins, where the wrong antidote would in fact kill that patient. I'd rather not be remembered as the chief medical officer that ended up mixing up her antidotes and causing a war between factions" she remarked. 

 

"Though I suppose I could browse the databases and see if any trends do occur in any potential poisoning that the Romulan's might do. I might be able to produce some possible anti-toxins, though I will need fresh supplies since i didn't bring any with me" she remarked, she sat down and began thinking. 

 

"I want access to the whole room, bio-scanners, atmospheric scanners the works" she finished finally. "They have a tendency to use food poisoning, for that reason, keep them out of the mess and I want environmental controls as well" she added. She had several ideas already, this would indeed keep her busy.

 

"You want a backup plan for them if they prove to be hostile? Them and the Klingons?" she added. "The Klingons are more likely to just chop you're head off, so i;m doubtful they will do any poisoning, though you might have a clever Klingon for a change" she giggled.

Edited January 5, 2017 by BloodDrops

[Shadow Dancer 111]

Indicus left the room shortly after the briefing to gather the people necessary to act as guards in case of things going south. Each was given standard issue phasers, phaser rifle's and K-bar combat knives. Indicus grabbed a phaser and knife but equipped himself with a TR-116 Projection Rifle. He had heard about it being used in combination with a visual scanner headpiece and a micro transporter to make a very good sniper rifle. The visual scanner he had as apart of his normal gear the transporter he did not have but he had goals of getting for himself. With himself and his troops ready he and his troops walked to the bridge to await further instructions.

[BloodDrops 762]

@Once In A Blue Moon, @Shadow Dancer, @Raven Rawne, @Miss Reaper

 

 

Several of the lights flickered throughout the ship. The bulk of it was mainly caused by Blood Drops and her subordinates taking command of the Holodecks, all the holodecks. Due to the increase in ship power the thruster's had less energy going to them, one of the minor drawbacks of Bloods work.

 

Blood was currently in the main holodeck, number one. In the corner of the room she had a trolley with all the successful antidotes she and her team had made so far, it only had several flasks with stoppers in. The failed antidotes were stacked in a growing pile. Several of her lab ponies trotted in and put there flasks either on the growing waste pile or the fair few onto the successful pile.

 

 

 

Blood began examining the latest result of the task the captain had given her. She nudged the dead hologram with a stick. "Failure" she grumbled. "Computer reset parameters and run the simulation with antidote beta" she remarked. She sat back and watched, she frowned as the hologram turned into a puddle. "Hmm, not quite right either" she remarked. She looked at the console, "Ah decoupled the dna enzymes, not a very nice way to go" she remarked. She continued with her work until she had finally made a antidote for this type of poison, "perfect, now next one" she remarked. She put it on the pile and nodded happily at the thirty or so different successful antidotes.

 

Give it a week or so and they would have found every antidote known to ponykind. She went onto the next one, one of the poisons used normally within food and drink, virtually undetectable. That's why she had requested full environmental controls. This toxin couldn't be kept above 33 dergrees since the enzymes degraded, so the races will be rather toasty within the negotiations, though it was easily enough to put it in a cold food however. 

 

She looked at how the toxin worked and began synthesizing the anti agents though the computer, she glanced up as one of the ensigns came in and balanced a beaker ontop of her waste trolley. Blood was about to yell at her to get another trolley and not be so lazy. Though the ensign knocked off one of the test tubes off and onto the floor, before Blood could yell at her. The beaker soon followed smashing onto the floor. Then the environmental alarms went off.

 

"EVACUATE" Blood yelled at the others within the room, they all exited though the secondary door, Blood glanced at the ensign who had managed to exit though the first door safely, she would reprimand her later. Blood rushed over to the good trolley not wanting to ruin her good work and began to push it out of the secondary exit, she then signaled for several of her staff to come to her, "Evacuate all of this deck, take all the good samples back to the sickbay for analysis, and bring me that ensign" she growled.

 

Blood Drops watched her hard work wheel itself towards the turbolift, if any of them were broken she might have to murder someone. She then sealed off Holodeck one and erected a level 10 force field around it, and encoded a password 'Clumsy Ensigns'. She would have to decontaminate that room later, unless it exploded. She watched the rest of her staff make there way to the appropriate exits, she then made her way to the exit until she moved up to the deck above, she spotted the dumb ensign who was hiding at the back of the group. the rest of the group was giving the ensign a wide berth.

 

 

Blood Drops trotted over to the Ensign who shrank back.

 

"Rule 1, You don't balance hazardous chemicals ontop of each other. You get a second trolley." she hissed. Blood had properly flipped out, and rightly so, if the chemicals reacted with each other it could get explosive. This ensign though lasyness had endangered the whole crew. Blood narrowed her eyes as the ensign tried to pass off the blame, Blood had enough.

 

She slapped the mare, Hard.  Knocking her to the floor hard. She then tapped her comm badge. "Security to my location. Make sure the holodecks are properly sealed off, after you've done that, send a detachment here. I've got a ensign that needs to visit the brig" she growled.

[Shadow Dancer 111]

Indicus was relaxing on a wall of one of the ships many halls as he waited for deployment. It was then he heard the Medical officer over his comm. "Okay I'll be down there with some backup to take care of the holodecks and secure the ensign." Indicus was already looking at the footage from moments ago showing what ensign had done what. Something he always did to make sure any reports were true.

 

Once they arrived It only took fifteen minutes for his security personnel to seal off the holodecks to everyone's satisfaction, and take the offending ensign to the brig. Indicus now just had to go through the paper work. "Well there we go, one ensign for a few weeks sleeping in the brig and scrubbing the bathrooms and a sealed off holodeck. Anything else Ma'am?"

[ReverieRiver 525]

Lunar listened intently to the captain's (@Mentis Soliloquy) briefing, ears perked and alert. As he brought up images on the display, the thestral utilized the tactile interface on her console in order to follow along and be aware of what he was talking about while he talked of the planet and the system; as well as the Klingon and Romulan representatives respectively as their images were displayed.

 

Klingons were rarely pleasant creatures as it were... And the Romulan (@Raven Rawne), though getting on in years, had a steely sort of air about him. Negotiations might be difficult, the counselor mused, especially since both races tended towards being so prideful.

 

But at least it hadn't come to bloodshed over this valuable system of planets. If they were open to negotiations, then Lunar would certainly help to the best of her ability. Her keen sense for determining how one was feeling - in some cases, to pick out a liar if she caught the physical tells - would be useful.

 

"Aye, sir," she affirmed when assigned her duty. "I'll do my best."

 

She was quiet when asked if there were any questions; she had none, at least none that hadn't already been asked. She knew what she was to do, and she could only hope things would go well when the time came.

[Mentis Soliloquy 3,024]

 

With only the three of them still in the room he looks to his engineer (@Raven Rawne) "I suppose no one wants to know about the Romulan then? Well I don't know much on him bar his file." He brings up the Federations file on him. "This is General Korak i-ch'Rihan Rul I think I just butchered that name he will be leading the delegation for the Romulans, Lunar (@Miss Reaper) make sure you read his file in depth and get a sense for the man, our soon to be adversary." He looks to his image himself. "I'll send a memo out to everyone to read up on his file, best we all know what we can. If that's all dismissed you two." 

 

Once Mentis was back on the bridge he ordered warp 5 to their meet up point, which would get them there in about 2 days. After this when in his ready room Ensign Flight (@Once In A Blue Moon) delivered her report on the system. "I think your not gonna be an Ensign for too much longer at this rate Flight with the way your going, go have a good eat in the mess hall you have some off time for this amazing report."

 

Later the captain was informed of this breach on the holo-deck. "Can someone please tell me what happened down there?" Comm-ing to Dr. Blood (@BloodDrops)and Indicus (@Shadow Dancer)

 

(I think that's brought everyone up to the same speed to my satisfaction, we'll have this issue with the ensign sorted then move to a random day on the flight, open to suggestions in the OOC) 

 

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

The crystal mare wasn't exactly satisfied with the fact they had so little on the man who would soon walk on the dacks of this ship, but she rationalised it wasn't her problem. Until someone sabotaged the ship that is, or tried to pulverise Luna into space dust...

 

She left the briefing room and caught up with Indicus to ask about getting access to select security cameras and the delicate matter of a certain alcoholic present. He agreed, but the mare was expected to heep the wine in her room and locked. She didn't object, it was a reasonable request.

 

Crystal spent the rest of her shift in the Main Engineering, and once the warp drive was engaged and enough time has passed, shesent the team to fix the moody thruster bank. Nothing special happenned, but she did have to order an increase of matter injection to the Warp Core by 1,2% to meet the power demand of the now operational Holodecks. When a red icon appeared by the main holodeck, she just shrugged and cut the power to it's systems, save for environment control and lights. No point letting the replicators run rampant without supervision. Although the level ten field chewed up all of the saved energy and then some. She paged the Bridge for further instructions on containing the emergency.

[BloodDrops 762]

@@Mentis Soliloquy, "S@@Shadow Dancer,

 

(Will let you decide about Bloods drinking)

 

Blood Drops checked her tricorder and continued her third sweep, after finding no traces of the toxins or base particles she nodded to the group. She had spent the last two hours cleaning up the ensigns mess. She wasn't looking forward to the meeting with the captain or the security. She just wanted a glass of wine, she had a thirst for it anyway. "Looks like we got the last of it, you all can now have the rest of the evening off" she remarked to her team. Blood then went though the decontamination protocols like the rest of her team, cleaning the suits before removing them.

 

Blood got changed into her usual garments before removing the level ten force field around the holodeck. She would have to continue her work tomorrow, if the captain allowed it that was. She needed a sonic shower, and a large glass of red. Though she was disturbed from her thoughts by her comms badge summoning her and Indicus, she let out a sigh and made her way to the meeting.

 

Blood sat down next to the head of security. She blinked at the captain, Not going to tell him I slapped her, that wasn't very professional but well. It felt good. Blood started her story, "Well, that's a long story, I was using the holodecks to synthesis the anti toxins that you wanted me to synthesis. I also had to make the toxins and antidotes to actually have a baseline to see if they were working on the test subjects. No point trying to poison the races you are trying to cure" she continued. "I needed to study both our own, Romulan and Klingon, physiology and how that can be affected by potential toxins." she continued.

 

"So i excluded the treatable toxins and poisons that we can cure, and instead focused on the more unlikely scenarios. Though in order to do this I needed to make new anti toxins and anti venom's. Since we can treat the majority of poisons that the Romulans or Klingons might use. We made around about a dozen successful anti toxins as requested, though the unsuccessful ones were put in the er. Corner of the room" she remarked.

 

"If I had a mobile sterilization chamber, which I had requested pre-voyage, which was denied, then this wouldn't have happened" she continued. "One of the ensigns instead of taking the trolley full of these test tubes with the unsuccessful toxins and poisons and such, to dispose off in the proper manner. Which takes ages because my request for a sterilization chamber was denied" she paused. "My general rule is, if you find a full trolley you got to clean it. Which takes ages because we don't have a sterilization chamber on standby, so we got to use the scrubber." she hoped the captain was finding the problem here, she needed a mobile sterilization chamber.

 

Blood blinked, "So this ensign did the classic, balance the test tube on the rack. Which caused it to fall off and end up setting off the environmental alarms. Though it was sealed and taken care off and I've decontaminated the site, and it is now usable. No-one was injured in doing this, so in all. It went rather well, despite the small spillage." she finished.

 

"Oh I will submit the report later, after a visit to the sonic shower and a large glass of red. I take it I can continue to use the holodecks for this area of research?" she asked.

 

"No-one was harmed in this really".

[Shadow Dancer 111]

"You may continue with your work. Though next time you fill a request for a mobile sterilization chamber get me and I can flag your request as a priority for security it should get through faster and get it approved. Well enjoy your drink." Indicus walked away his job finished, viewing the file on the Romulan.

[Mentis Soliloquy 3,024]

 

He looks to the pair of them. "Dr... (@BloodDrops) I think you could of been more subtle hitting me. Look this is not a hospital ship we don't get everything a science base dose." He sighs for a moment before resuming. "I'm happy for you to have this mobile sterilization chamber, but we'll need to pick one up when we get back to a star base it's not like I have one just laying around in a cargo bay." 

 

He looks more to Indicus (@Shadow Dancer) this time. "Is the time this ensign will be in the brig... well is it warranted?" He looks up her name. "Ensign... Roseheart... She's a perfect record on here..." He shakes his head. "I'm going down to the brig to talk to her and see what she has to say, but I'm not having her in the brig when she's not committed any sort of intentional crime, confined to quarters or light duties is more appropriate. The pair of you are dismissed, yes blood I'll also put my name on your request."

 

When the pair left he made his way to the brig and talked to the Ensign about what had occurred, she relayed a similar story as Blood and did not mention the assault, he had her removed from the brig and suspended from duty for a fortnight, he was not going to have someone in his brig from his own crew on the first few days of the ship actually doing something.

 

(I'm thinking one more random minor event before the start of the talks, your all welcome to do anything you please so long as it's minor)

[Once In A Blue Moon 894]

 

 

"I think your not gonna be an Ensign for too much longer at this rate Flight with the way your going, go have a good eat in the mess hall you have some off time for this amazing report."

 

"Thank you captain," Misty acknowledged with an awkward salute, then walked off the bridge at a brisk pace. Although she was off-duty, there was one matter she still wanted to look in to, so as she walked she tapped out a message to Crystal Clear on her communicator. 

 

@@Raven Rawne.

 

Lt. Cdr. C. Clear

Could we please speak at your earliest convenient moment. I would appreciate a briefing, informal if you prefer, on what I should and should not expect from the Luna with regards to thruster power and reliability.

 

Many thanks.

 

Ensign M. Flight

 

Her finger hovered over the 'priority' flag, but decided against it. It might take a while to filter through, but it could wait for now. That done, she pocketed her communicator and allowed herself to relax. It was a pity the holodecks were offline, given that she had a little extra free time, but perhaps it was just as well. She hadn't sent any messages home since she had been transferred to the Luna, and although she had mostly gone her own way six years ago she still felt a pang of guilt for not at least keeping her parents informed. Perhaps they'd even respect her choices, now that they had paid off, she thought to herself. 

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

The crystal mare was in her office when her communicator did a little dance on the desk. She looked away from her screen and picked it up. "Hmm, a meeting?" She glanced at her work - shift rosters and the like - "Actually, why not." After all, the ensign was tasked with piloting this ship, so it made sense she had some questions. Hay Crystal too had some, but there was nopony to ask them to. Save the ship constructors themselves...

 

She tapped a reply:

 

Ensign Misty Flight,

 

If you have a moment, I'm in my office. Otherwise,  just catch me when you do.

 

Lt. Cdr. Crystal Ckear

 

The mare put down the communicator and got some tea from a nearby replicator.  So convenient she didn't have to put her hooves off the desk to reach it - whoever made this ship was a genius. She took a sip as she glanced at the wall of screens. So far so good, now that they fixed the thruster bank, and the doctor cleaned up the mess in that holodeck. Such a refreshing experience, having greens all around.  Her previous vessels were so old that orange was considered good enough.

 

Crystal resumed her boring administrative duties - just two more hours till she's off the hook.

[Once In A Blue Moon 894]

 

 

If you have a moment, I'm in my office. Otherwise,  just catch me when you do.

 

 

"Commander Clear?" Misty knocked on the open door, poking her head into the office, "If you're free now...?"

 

Having been invited in, and with the minor pleasantries out of the way, Misty broached the topic of the Luna's reliability.

 

"Are we going to suffer more thruster failures if the Luna performs any more high-pressure maneuvers, such as our initial dash to clear space?" she asked, "I know the regulations and recommended limits, but I must confess that I am more familiar with shuttles than I am with frigates. Every shuttle had, sort of its own spirit - some would rattle along with everything held together by little more than duct tape and optimism, but they always held together when you needed them to; others were unpredictable and had to be treated with respect or they'd smear you across a hanger wall. You got a feel for them, and you knew what they could do and what you could get away with," Misty paused to examine Crystal Clear's expression, wondering what her take on this decidedly unscientific interpretation of shuttle mechanics.

 

"The problem is, the Luna just seems to big to really get a feel for her - there's a disconnect that wasn't there when it was just me in the cockpit. Most of the time, if something happens, you'll resolve it down here in engineering without me even knowing, and that doesn't help me get a feel for what she will and won't do in a pinch. I know it's not a precise question, but what is the impression you've got from the Luna?"

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

@@Once In A Blue Moon,

 

Crystal Clear looked up at the door and saw the ensign. Should've closed the door, she thought to herself. "Uh, sure, come in!" The red mare got her hooves off the desk with a bit of embarassment and stood up for her guest. "Sorry for that, standing for most of my shift just kills my legs... Aaanyways, would you like something to drink? Tea, maybe? Please, have a seat."

 

Once both mares took their seats by the Chief Engineer's desk, and this time a certain officer sat like a civilised person, Misty Flight laid out her concerns. The crystal mare tried to look friendly, since the ensign seemed a bit nervous. When the other mare paused, she nodded and encouraged her. "Go on, I won't be able to answer unasked questions, you know."

 

Once the ensign was finished, the engineer leaned back in her chair and pondered over an appropriate reply. "Hmm... it's hard to tell actually. She's so fresh I swear I can smell the paint in some areas. The fact that she's pretty much one of a kind, and packed with comepletely new systems, previously unused on any class of vessels only complicates the matter." She leaned forward to her guest. "I'll tell you in secret that we actually had to open the manual to fix that thruster bank. Something I haven't done in years..." Crystal took a sip of her tea and resumed a neutral pose, but kept a gentle smile. Her eye implant reflected the lights from the opposite wall of screens. "Since we're talking about gut feelings, and don't get me wrong, I fixed enough hardware with harsh language and a well placed kick to know what you meant about those shuttles, I'd say she's a bit like a firstborn mare from a good home. Her parents put a ton of time and resources to give her the best they can, but..." She tisked. "Once out of their sight, the perfect daughter turns out to be quite a wild one. Whoever designed this ship, could now die happy and have a monument raised in their honour. My concern lies with how she was put together - a busted sensor here, some fried circuits there... Nothing serious enough to be noticed on space trials, but I expect some minor niousances popping up here and there. But, since we're talking about manouvreability, and not sonic shower heads, I can promise you that, while we're in warp, I'll have all three banks checked for any malfunctions and half flanked assembly, just in case. I don't have the manpower to check all of the aux and manouvering ones though, but we'll get them checked in due time. Like every screw and lightbulb actually."

 

She cocked her head slightly, and smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, if stuff fails, we're all in trouble, so that's enough motivation for me to make sure it doesn't. Anything more you'd like to ask?"

[Once In A Blue Moon 894]

Don't worry, if stuff fails, we're all in trouble, so that's enough motivation for me to make sure it doesn't.

 

"Oh, I didn't mean to..." Misty stammered, "I, I don't doubt that ma'am." 

 

Anything more you'd like to ask?

 

"Nothing more ma'am, thank you for your time," Misty downed the rest of her tea, stood up, gave an uncomfortable salute ("Ma'am") and walked smartly out of the office. A couple of corridors later she strode into the toilets and after glancing along the cubicles to check that nopony else was there she sat down on one of the toilet seats and buried her head in her hands.

 

"D**n it, she thinks I'm questioning her engineering skills!" she mumbled into her hands, going back over the conversation in her head. Was that even a conversation she was supposed to have with the chief engineer? Was everyone going to mutter behind her back, calling her a jumped-up shuttle jock who thought she owned the ship? 

 

Resolving to sort this out, somehow, Misty pulled herself together. With a quick glance in the mirror to check that she didn't look too disheveled, she left the toilets in search of some much-needed dinner.

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

@@Once In A Blue Moon,

 

The crystal mare didn't really have time to react as the pegasi quickly bid her farewell. She automatically nodded at the salute, but now  she sat by her desk, trying to figure out what happenned. "Okaaaay..." - she said to herself, still a bit shocked at the sudden end of this meeting. Crystal reached for the ensign's cup and recycled it in the replicator, and took a sip of her own drink.

 

All in all, maybe it was better that way... She'd rather have a causcious Helmsman than a simulator ace with a planet sized ego. She resumed her work.

[Mentis Soliloquy 3,024]

Episode progressing post

(@Raven Rawne, @Once In A Blue Moon, @Shadow Dancer, @BloodDrops, @Miss Reaper, @@Hazard Time)(Your part coming up now))

 

The next 2 days there was not too much of note going on-board the Luna, the engineering kept working on the ships kinks trying to make sure everything was ironed out, security was running battle drills in the holo-deck (not the contaminated f-ed one, we have 2 now if we did not before). This action alone had a fair few of the bridge crew involved as well. Mentis and Lunar spent a few hours each day trying to gather what information they could about Korak i-ch'Rihan Rul (@Raven Rawne) and then trying to get in his head, they also had quite some talks about Pakul Jok (@Hazard Time) as well, even Indicus managed to join them on the second day to get informed himself some more than he may of been.

 

Then the day in question arrived, meet up day with the Klingons in their space before moving to the neutral, no that's not right, the contested system. Almost all hands were on deck as they finally made it to the rendezvous point.

 

There was not a ship in sight or on scanners. "Well it seems the Klingons are cloaked then." Mentis announced the obvious. "Indicus (@Shadow Dancer), try to hail them, they'll be there."

[Shadow Dancer 111]

Indicus curtly nodded, "Yes Captain."  Indicus pressed a couple of buttons initiating a visual and audio signal to be sent. When the signal was sent Indicus could only wait for the response or send out a general message if it took to long, but for now they would wait to see if the hail would be accepted.