Carpathia IV: Episode 11 - Departure Day
Space, Polaris Deep, NCCS Shadowdancer
It was departure day and the bridge was a flurry of activity. Aire arrived early, before the rest of the officers, to further familiarize himself with the bridge systems one last time before everyone else arrived. One by one, arrive they did and immediately set to the task of running systems diagnostics in preparation for their next mission along with a few other technicians inspecting the hardware for issues. Aire knew, both by observation and from his discussions with Captain Amaranth, that Adell trusted his crew to get the job done and Aire endeavored to do the same. It was an ideal worth continuing and to that end, Aire did his best to make himself visible around the bridge.
Aire found that it was a tricky balance to wander the bridge and observe each of the officers without hovering or appearing to micromanage. It seemed to go well enough, for the others paid him little mind and carried on with their duties as they normally would. All except for Kit, who appeared to grow slightly flustered whenever Aire drew near. Nevertheless, Kit still managed to perform his duties acceptably, coordinating last-minute loading of supplies from the station. Everything was going as well as could be expected, except for an intermittent glitch in the operations station, which Amenaru was trying to track down with the help of one of the technicians.
Aire: Any luck yet, Ensign?
Amenaru tapped his console, hitting the same button several times out of frustration.
Amenaru: Not yet. It works fine for awhile and then just seems to quit for a few seconds.
Suddenly, Amenaru raised his hands from his console and shook his head back and forth.
Amenaru: My console just powered down.
Aire looked down at Amenaru's console and the entire thing was, indeed, blank.
Amenaru: That confirms my suspicions that it's probably a hardware issue. Maybe Joust found something.
Amenaru tapped impotently at his screen for a few moments before his console finally powered on again.
Amenaru: Oh, there it is. I hope it's fixed now. Let me try a diagnostic now.
While Amenaru tapped at his console, Joust suddenly dropped from the ceiling between Amenaru and Aire. Gripping the ceiling with his feet and with wings unfurled, Joust hung between them holding a cable which he thrust into Aire's face.
Joust: Hiya, Commander! Found the problem!
Aire examined the cable carefully until he finally noticed a split in the casing.
Joust: Seventeen years of rubbing up against the conduit junction. I put down some foam on that spot and replaced the cable. How's it working now?
Joust flapped his wings and removed his feet from the ceiling at the same time, gracefully somersaulting in the air and landing on the bridge deck. Upon landing, he tucked his wings tight into his back.
Amenaru: The diagnostic is continuing normally now. I think that did it.
Aire: Thanks for your help, Joust.
Joust smiled and then bowed flamboyantly, twirling his arm dramatically.
Joust: All in a day's work, my good sirs. If there is nothing else, I request permission to disembark.
Aire: Permission granted, and thanks again.
Joust bowed again as he backed away.
Joust: An honor and privilege to assist the fine Shadowdancer once again.
With a final flourish, Joust darted away into the open lift while Amenaru watched, his face scrunched up in befuddlement.
Amenaru: Commander, is he for real?
Aire smiled knowingly.
Aire: Bats see life as a very elaborate game. Don't be fooled by what you think is silliness. When they commit to the game, they really commit.
Amenaru: Joust is the first bat I've ever met.
Aire shrugged.
Aire: I guess most bats don't find a psuedo-military hierarchy to be a very good game.
With this minor issue out of the way, work continued and Adell showed up soon after.
Teren: Captain on the bridge!
Quickly, the officers stopped what they were doing and stood at attention.
Adell: As you were.
And the frenzy of activity resumed as Adell strolled over to his first officer.
Adell: Status?
Aire: Systems diagnostics are nearly complete. We had a small hardware issue, but that has been fixed. Still on-schedule for departure.
From the helm of the bridge, Teek spoke up.
Teek: Commander?
Both Aire and Adell glanced over at Teek, finding him in his chair, waiting expectantly. Adell patted Aire on his back and headed to his own chair.
Adell: Do what you gotta do.
Aire wandered over to Teek.
Aire: Is there a problem, Ensign?
Teek shook his head.
Teek: No problem. I was wondering if you had a chance to go over the duty roster.
Aire nodded with a good guess as to what Teek would ask next.
Aire: You'd like to know if I noticed that you have a two-week hibernation coming up?
Teek smiled, seeming relieved that he did not have to ask the question himself.
Teek: Yes.
Aire: No worries. It's in my notes and I'll make sure you're scheduled accordingly.
Teek: Thank you.
From there, preparations began winding down. The technicians disembarked. Communications went quiet, as all the supplies were loaded. Frantic tapping on the consoles subsided. Everyone waited at their stations. All that was left was to wait for the appointed departure time.
Adell: Kit, send notice of last call for boarding. Five minutes left.
Kit: Yes, Captain.
Kit typed in the words that would soon be displayed all over message boards around the station and the ship, in case any stragglers needed to disembark. Adell tapped the control for engineering in his armrest console.
Adell: Engineering, report status.
Minnie: All systems nominal, Captain. Ready for departure.
Adell next opened communication with medical.
Adell: Sick bay, report status.
Sorchae: Sick bay ready for departure.
Adell closed his armrest communicator and turned to Aire.
Adell: Care to take the bridge, Commander?
Aire stood and called out to all.
Aire: All stations report status!
With no hesitation, each station gave their status starting with the highest-ranking officer and working down.
Teren: Security nominal.
Nalma: Tactical nominal.
Amenaru: Operations nominal.
Teek: Helm nominal.
Kit: Communications nominal.
Adell remained in his chair, fingers interlaced and tapping his thumbs together.
Adell: Commander, the ship is yours. Take us out.
Aire did a rapid double take. Usually it was the captain's privilege to start the ship and crew on a new mission. Arie recovered from his surprise quickly, assuming that Adell was testing him, if just a little bit.
Aire: Very well. Kit, give the final departure signal and contact station control for clearance.
Kit tapped at his console, already carrying out Aire's orders before he even finished his sentence. Though he'd seen it done many times before, this was his first time giving the orders to take a ship out himself. As he gave his commands, the officers immediately set upon their consoles to carry them out.
Kit: Yes, Commander. Sending the signal and contacting control.
Aire: Helm, thrusters at station-keeping.
Teek: Thrusters at station-keeping, Commander.
Kit: Clearance to depart received, Commander.
Aire: Status of boarding area, Teren.
Teren: Boarding area clear, Commander.
Aire: Amenaru, close boarding doors, disengage all moorings, and activate running lights.
Amenaru: Closing boarding doors and releasing moorings. Running lights active.
Aire: Nalma, scan the vicinity to make sure that our way is clear.
Nalma: Yes, Commander. Scanning.
Amenaru: Boarding doors closed, Commander. Moorings clear.
Nalma: Our way is clear, Commander.
Aire: Very well. Teek, five percent thrusters aft.
Teek: Five percent thrusters aft, Commander.
Aire watched the windows as the Polaris Deep station began slowly drifting away from the Shadowdancer, a sight similar to what an ancient steamship captain may have seen when pulling away from the dock long ago. The departure of any large vessel, much like a steamship, was cause for a gathering, as the windows of Polaris Deep were full of onlookers there to observe one of Carpathia's largest vessels leave its cradle to depart into the unknown yet again.
Aire stood stiffly, arms folded across his chest, doing his best to maintain his composure. During his four years of desk duty, he despaired of ever having a position on a starship again. The invitation letter he received from Captain Amaranth was cause for elation, but it was just an abstraction back then. Now, watching the station slowly slide past the windows of the Shadowdancer, the sheer emotional weight of this day came down on him hard. Staring ahead, he tried to appear as stoic as possible, but kept watch at the smiling and waving onlookers in the windows in the corner of his eye, wondering if they could see the quiver in his lip and glassiness of his eyes.
Glancing at his status screen and again out the bridge window, Aire was satisfied that the Shadowdancer was sufficiently clear of the station. Fearing his voice might crack, Aire called out his next order as authoritatively as he could, hoping to power through his sentimentality.
Aire: All stop!
Very soon after, the distance between the station and the ship ceased to grow.
Teek: Helm reading all stop, Commander.
Aire: Turn starboard 90 degrees, full thrusters.
Teek: Turning starboard 90 degrees. Full thrusters.
Polaris Deep quickly scooted out of view as the Shadowdancer turned away into the starry void of space. Before Aire could give his next command, however, Amenaru spoke up.
Amenaru: Shall I play the dramatic music, Captain?
Aire blinked several times and looked over at Amenaru, wondering if he had just heard what he thought he heard. Adell, however, seemed perfectly unsurprised by this request and nodded his head.
Adell: For our new commander's first outing, I think that would be appropriate, Ensign.
Amenaru tapped the commands into this console and a soaring orchestral score began to play over the bridge's speakers, thankfully not too loud so as not to interfere with any commands given on the bridge. Aire was flustered for a moment for the sheer oddness of what just transpired, but managed to regain his composure.
Aire: Helm, set course for the Sunstone Nebula. Speed, Quantum 8.
Teek: Setting course for the Sunstone Nebula at Q8.
Aire now turned to Adell for the final order.
Aire: She's all yours, Captain.
Adell smiled and paused before he gave the final word.
Adell: Engage!
Teek left only one button left to push to activate the main engines. Once he touched that final control, the Shadowdancer zinged off through the stars on the start of her new mission.
Commissioned art in this episode from:
Jenova87
Zelbunnii
Less_End
Thatwildmary
Colourbrand
All city pictures from SimCity 4
