Arriving at Vulcan (part 2)
Posted on Tue May 30th, 2017 @ 6:19am by Commodore Samantha York & Lieutenant T'Pral & Lieutenant Arnon Barak MD, PsyD & Lieutenant Alexandra Alves M.D. & 1st Lieutenant Leroy Mangalia & Lieutenant JG Annie Dixon & Chief Warrant Officer Jemner & Veronica Kiley
1,406 words; about a 7 minute read
Mission: Pulling Together
[CONTINUED]
[OLD]
Softtouch smiled in that warm way that is a part of his being; among Jem's People expressions are the greatest way to communicate with other sentiant beings. He bent down closer to the girl's height to look her eye to eye. [Please forgive my bad manners.] He signed as the simulated voice of a slight tenor by the inflections, spoke for him. [I am Nurse Jemnar Softtouch, I used to be on what was called by humans 'the Graveyard shift' so my social skills are a bit lacking. It is good to meet you.] At the end of his signing he offered a gloved hand to shake.
[NEW]
"Glad to meet you... sir...", Veronica stuttered on a low voice, and a shy look on her face, quite much surprised the strange man's way of communicating. "I'm... Veronica..."
"I've re-assigned Mr. Jemnar to the afternoon shift, so he might get a better chance to make friends.", Alex said with a friendly smile, looking at her colleague.
"Your mother has been very kind." SOfttouch signed and the translator gave a voice to the words. "Let's me practice my social graces you might say."
"I'd say your social skills are developing great.", the doctor said in a complimentary tone, then turned back to her daughter, "Maybe once in a while we can invite Mr. Jemnar to watch a soccer game on the holodeck. What do you say?"
[If the Little Lady would allow I would be honored.] Softtouch nod and smiled in his bright way. [I love the Earth games, once I attended with a man from Brazil this event called...] He had to think for a second or two. [Cup of the World during my time in the acdemey. Only that was Futbul and not Soccer I believe?]
"Yes, yes! Exactly! You are very right!", Veronica suddenly grasped, and words began to spin out of her mouth like a waterfall, as they finally got to a topic she could talk about whole day long, "It's actually called football, but a lot of stupid people call it soccer, because they'd confuse it with another game, which is not even played with the foot. It's so idiotic of them!"
"Hey, watch your mouth, little girl!", Alex interrupted.
"Did you know my mom was an interschool champion?", she then diverted the conversation, "She's the best forward player in the whole galaxy!", she said with shades of pride in her voice.
[The best at being Forward in the Galaxy.] The translator converted his words. [I dare to say I am impressed." Softtouch flushed a little as the sheer pride of the little girl washed over him as her emotions were so innocent and full of affection he could not help but smile more. [You will have to tell me how it is really played?[ His hands were in a blurring motion. [I was lost with the game but my friend's team won the match and the whole competition I do believe?]
"True, I've played back in my day, but I'm far from being the best in the galaxy.", Alex said with a humble laugh.
"Oh, it's played on a field with two teams, eleven players in both and...", Veronica started to explain the rules, but then, her mom interrupted her just in time.
"Hey, I'm sure you can explain those rules to Mr. Jemnar... later.", the doctor smiled, not sure if she wants to sit through the next five hours listening to her daughter's 'seminar' about football rules.
[Chief Engineer's Office]
T'Pral sat rigidly in her office as she spoke to her DADD. She had sent Lieutenant Dixon up to the bridge for orbital insertion. After all, once they arrived, T'Pral would be on leave. It would do Annie some good to get some bridge experience in the meantime.
"Husband," she said, "The Calypso is about to arrive at Vulcan."
"Already?" S'Tras replied, a note of surprise in his tone. "I was not expecting you for another three weeks." He was of similar age to her, and wore his hair cropped close to his scalp. His uniform was similarly yellow, though he served in Tactical rather than Engineering.
T'Pral's expression hardened slightly. "Symptoms are progressing... more rapidly than previously planned."
S'Tras nodded in understanding. "I see. It is convenient, then, that I am already here."
An eyebrow rose. "The Exeter is at Vulcan?"
"Indeed, we are on a resupply mission. We will be here for some time. Up until our prior planned... leave."
"Given such an extended period on station, it is logical that the Exeter crew is taking shore leave as well?"
"We are," he confirmed. "As the humans would say... murdering more than one avian with a single projectile."
T'Pral blinked at the butchered aphorism. "Humans are a strange species."
He nodded in agreement, "Yes, they are." He paused a beat, "When will you arrive?"
"We are entering the system presently. I expect the leave rotation will begin within the day."
"Then I shall plan to meet you on the surface in the morning."
"That would be agreeable, husband."
[Bridge]
Lieutenant Dixon bent over the Engineering console, busying herself with monitoring the warp core's status and output. If she managed to spend her entire shift without anyone noticing her, it would be ideal. Though she knew the likelihood was slim. At Commander Munich's comment about the warp core, she began her preparations for core shutdown.
She turned slightly in her seat to watch the viewscreen, for her first glimpse of Vulcan. She hoped that she would have time to visit it... hopefully T'Pral wouldn't be away for the entire time.
[Arboretum]
Lizzie had a long list of supplies she wanted to get for the arboretum. There had been little chance to do any major replanting in the past several years and she looked forward to setting up a third arboretum now that she had the time. Fortunately, as the Commodore was the former head of the Calypso science department, it was pretty easy to get approval for the necessary rearrangements.
She practically danced around her workroom as she thought about all she could get done over their stay. There were some new hybrid plants she wanted to check out as well. And there was a little Betazoid chocolatier in Shi'Kahr. She'd have no credits left by the time they left Vulcan, but it would be worth it!
Once the Calypso reached orbit, Lizzie made arrangements to meet with someone at the greenhouse to hand-pick the plants she wanted.
[Counselor's Office]
Arnon finished the last of his administrative work for the time being and was now looking forward to a bit of shore leave. He wondered what trouble he could get into on Vulcan and whether or not he might end up bailing his son and daughter out of jail. Probably not Carlos, anyway. Despite being a marine like his mother, or perhaps because of it, Carlos was generally smart enough to stay out of trouble...or at least avoid getting caught. Rhiannon...well...he'd just hope for the best. They were both officers in their own right now and they would have to look after themselves. Besides, it was Vulcan. Unless they crashed a frat or sorority party at the science academy put on by one of the off-world student fraternities or sororities, where could they even find trouble to get into?
-Orbit-
"Calypso, this is Lieutenant Mangalia asking permission to board," Leroy said as he rubbed at his face. He'd been awake the whole time he was flying to Vulcan to meet up with the ship. His rotation had gone well, and had even talked a few people into trying to be pilots. He had read that there were less and less Cadets interested in flying then they were something else. "I'm at just over Bingo fuel, so take your time control."
[Bridge]
Samantha smiled. "Permission granted. Welcome back, lieutenant."
She was pleased that her Calypso family was back together again. It had been far too long since they had any shore leave. She hoped this would go better than the last one had.
____
OFF
Chief Warraant Officer Jemner Softtouch
Nurse
Veronica Kiley
Alexandra's daughter
Lieutenant Alexandra Alves
Chief Medical Officer
Lieutenant T'Pral
Chief Engineer
S'Tras
Mate of T'Pral
Lieutenant JG Annie Dixon
Assistant Chief Engineer
Lieutenant JG Elizabeth Jackson
Botanist
Lieutenant Arnon Barak
Chief Counselor
1st Lieutenant Leroy Mangalia
Flight Leader
Commodore Samantha York
Commanding Officer
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