Carpathia IV: Episode 124 - Maiden Voyage
NCCS Shadowdancer-A, Deep in the bowels of the ship
Mikado and Darius received their quarters assignment just in time, for the Shadowdancer was scheduled to depart early afternoon the next day. Mikado's experience so far on the Shadowancer was positive, though a whirlwind, and he wondered if he'd ever manage to remember all the names and faces he'd just learned. The only sour spots so far were his very brief encounter with Tuomas. Rather, observing Tuomas interact with Nalma, but that appeared to be an outlier amongst the gregarious crew. The other issue was standing right next to him. Did all Carpathians talk this much?
Darius: And that's how I came to shift the forks and the spoons from one side to the other in their drawer tray! Ha ha!
At least Darius thought something was funny. Mikado tuned him out some time ago, focusing on negotiating the labyrinthine corridors and watching the quarters numbers as they went.
Mikado: This one is ours.
Together, they each stood in front of the door in silence, wondering what was beyond.
Darius: Open it.
Mikado: You open it.
Darius shrugged and reached out with his little claw.
Darius: Gotta be one of us.
Darius poked the door control and it slid open, revealing what could charitably be called a shoebox. Without even walking in, they could see all of what the first room had to offer. Two workstations, two desk chairs attached to the floor, and two lounge chairs, all of which occupied each side of the room and taking up most of the floor space. On the back wall was another door.
Mikado: It's a little small, but that's okay.
Darius: Brand new, though, so it's not grubby, at least.
Mikado: Beds in the back?
Darius: Let's check.
With barely enough space to walk side-by-side between the workstations, Mikado did the honors this time and opened the next door where they found the arrangement of the sleeping area similar. Two beds on opposite walls, tucked into little cubbies with drawers on the bottom and cabinets on the top. Closets on each side by the door. This time, however, there was a difference. One bed had a blue pipe, a conduit of some sort, running from the floor to the ceiling, right next to the opening. Anyone sleeping there would have to contort themselves a bit to get in and out.
Darius: Dibs!
Darius rushed from the doorway and hurled himself onto the bed without the pipe, leaving Mikado to wonder what just happened. Some sort of odd Carpathian tradition, perhaps. It didn't matter to him, anyway. Both beds appeared the same, aside from the pipe and that was a minor inconvenience. Mikado tossed his suitcase onto the bed and sat down.
Mikado: I'm going to get out of this uniform and go to the sento. Do you want to come?
Darius: It would be good to relax on our last night before we leave. You go ahead and I'll catch up. I want to see if I have any messages first.
Darius stepped over the bulkhead lip into the, for lack of a better term, living room, and closed the door behind him to give Mikado his privacy. After having a seat by his console, he felt around the monitor, hunting for the power switch. He found it quickly, and with a quick press, the monitor came to life, ready for his login.
Darius: You know, Mikado, they really haven't changed these console designs much in ten years. The internals have been upgraded, but they still look the same on the outside. I still remember the first computer I got when I was five years old...
The bedroom door slid open, sooner than Darius expected. Mikado certainly seemed to be a quick changer and Darius was still talking when he started to turn to see what Mikado was wearing to the sento.
Darius: Honestly, it was more of a toy than a comp... ACK!
Evidently, when Mikado said he wanted to get out of his uniform, he meant that very exactly, for there was nothing following that statement expressing any desire to put on something else afterwards. There was Mikado, in all his glory, with nothing more than a towel draped over his shoulder. Worse still, the tight confines and the fact that Darius was seated meant his field of view was filled almost entirely with wanger and silver pubic hair glistening under the lights. The most expensive seat in the house, if that's what you were paying to see.
Mikado: I'll probably be in there awhile, so take your time.
Darius, paralyzed with shock, just blithely watched as Mikado stepped through the room and out the door into the corridor. Still a few more seconds passed when something clicked in his brain. After a quick shake of his head, sending little bits of fur scattering about, he darted from his chair to give chase.
Darius: Mikado! Get back here!
Ready Room, NCCS Shadowdancer-A
Departure day and the first moment of the entire day Aire had off his feet. It would be a short respite. Just a brief sit-down to check his console before returning to the bridge with Admiral Zhang, who occupied one of the guest chairs.
Admiral Zhang: I see you wasted no time decorating, Aire.
Aire's first thought turned not to the books, the clock, or the other knick knacks, but the figure of Blue sitting on his desk. To this, he smiled and patted it lovingly.
Aire: A little embarrassing, maybe, but I don't go anywhere without my Blue figure. Until recently, I kept him in his box, but Blue himself told me to take it out, so I did.
Admiral Zhang: Not embarrassing at all. It's good for people to put their personal touches in their space.
Aire took one last glance at his monitor and, satisfied, stood, prompting Admiral Zhang to do the same.
Aire: I hope you'll join me for a drink once we're underway. Shall we?
Admiral Zhang: If you're satisfied, I am eager to depart.
Bridge, NCCS Shadowdancer-A
The bridge swirled with activity, with every console manned and several others darting about finalizing pre-launch sequences. Joust, hanging from the rails on the ceiling, observing all, called out as soon as the Admiral and Captain left the ready room.
Joust: Admiral and Captain on the bridge!
All activity ceased as they stood at attention. Joust, too, let go of the ceiling rail and floated to the deck below.
Aire: Status of all stations.
Teren: Security ready.
Nalma: Tactical ready.
Amenaru: Moorings retracted. Running lights active. Operations ready.
Kit: Communications ready. We have clearance to depart.
Teek: Helm ready.
Aire made his way through the bridge to his chair, but he did not sit down.
Aire: Care to take a seat, Admiral?
Admiral Zhang gave Aire a breezy wave and stepped to the circular wall by the lift.
Admiral Zhang: Your ship, Captain. I'm just a passenger on this ride.
Aire gave Admiral Zhang a nod and took a seat in his chair. Once comfy, he tapped at his armrest control.
Aire: Medical status.
Sorchae: Medical fully stocked and ready.
Aire closed the medical comm and tapped at the next one.
Aire: Engineering status.
Minnie: Full power available at your command, Captain.
Aire: Helm, starboard thrusters 10% lateral.
Teek: Starboard thrusters 10% lateral, yes Captain.
The only indication that the ship was moving was watching the station from the starboard window slowly drift away. Aire rose from his chair and stepped to the window to watch. Though he could clearly see the station, he knew that those on the station could not see him. The standard tint setting did not allow that.
Aire: Lieutenant Pendergast, lower the opacity of the bridge windows to zero.
Amenaru: Yes, Captain. Setting tint to zero.
Aire continued observing the station. Within, he could see the tiny people through the windows. Not long after, he noticed at least one person pointing at the bridge. Soon, most of the observers were either pointing, waving, or both. Aire waved back, now just becoming aware that Admiral Zhang joined him at the window and waved too.
After a couple of minutes, it was time for Aire to return to his chair.
Aire: Thrusters at station-keeping. Prepare course for Draconis. Full induction until we're clear of the station area and then take us to Q4.
Teek: Thrusters at station-keeping, Captain. Setting course for Draconis. Ready when you are, Captain.
Aire: Hit it!
Teek pulled the throttle and the new Shadowdancer-A slipped away from the station, her maiden voyage now underway.
Commissioned art in this episode from:
AvareonArt
Zelbunnii
Less_End
Thatwildmary
Colourbrand
Falke2009
