shuttle trip

Posted on Tue Jul 14th, 2015 @ 10:07am by Captain Enalia Telvan & Lieutenant Vi Mingenbach PhD

Mission: The New Sydney Fiasco
Location: Main shuttlebay
Timeline: During Shore Leave

Enalia pressed the door controls for the small shuttle, tossing her duffel in on the bench as she waited for the heavy door finished opening. Finally, it was and she entered, immediately starting the pre-flight checks. It looked like this was a perfectly brand new shuttle - the plastic was even still on the chairs. She'd have to talk to her new ops chief about that later.

Finishing her pre-flight checks, she still had a few minutes before her official launch and as it was well scheduled, others might be joining her. It would be a surprise to anyone joining her that the captain herself would be the pilot.

Vi knocked on the shuttle's door and entered. "Knock knock," she said looking at the empty shuttle. "Am I intruding, captain?"

"Not at all! Just waiting for any other takers before the scheduled departure time." Enalia said with a smile.

Vi smiled back. She hadn't really gotten the chance to know the captain and this would be the perfect opportunity to do so. She could also probably gain a new friend on this new ship. She entered the shuttle and took a seat. "So who else is joining you and where were you planning on heading, sir?"

"It's ma'am when we're on duty, please. As far as I know, you're the only one that opted for shuttle services rather than the transporter. We'll be docking on Platform 3 of the orbital station right near the spa houses. I'm going to spend as much time as I can there. What are your plans?" Enalia was relaxing, the countdown to departure still not for a minute or so.

"I actually really hadn't made any official plans si--ma'am," she said, quickly correcting herself. "I haven't been to a spa since I was a young girl. I'd love to go with you."

"Excellent!" Checking the ship's chrono, Enalia hit the door controls, sealing them inside. "Close enough to launch time. Shuttle 33-A to control, we're leaving now." The controller started to protest as the shuttle rose from the deck and headed out the huge hangar bay doors but Enalia slapped the comm panel, silencing any incoming radio chatter. "Boring conversation anyway..." she muttered as she banked just enough to inspect the bottom of the pod as they passed under it.

Pointing out a window, Enalia wasn't too happy with what she saw. "The paint is still scratched all to hell from a workbee smashing into the ship during refit. Remind me to let the Ops Chief know."

Vi listened to the captain. She seemed extremely laid back to be a commanding officer for a ship. It actually kind of worried Vi because maybe this was a sign that she didn't follow rules and regulations. "Yes sir, I certainly will."

"Ma'am... I have boobs. Call me sir again and I'll prove it." Enalia said as she levelled out their flight path and headed towards the station. "ETA to arrival, 7 minutes," she said, logging it into the flight recorder.

Vi smacked her face with her palm and sighed deeply. "I'm incredibly sorry si--ma'am. It's just that on my last ship my captain was also female and she was very strict on her crew calling her sir instead of ma'am...she quite a bit of a feminist if I might say." She smiled at Enalia. "But proof won' be necessary."

"I'm a feminist as well, but I guess a different sort of one. I take pride in being a woman - especially since I came up through the ranks in a male dominated pilot field. Nevermind the slug in my belly flip-flopping with every barrel roll.." Enalia replied as she relaxed for the easy part of the trip.

Vi frowned. She was a little confused. "Slug in your belly?...Ma'am, are you pregnant?" It came out before she could even control herself. "Sorry, forget I said that." Vi had always had this problem of being socially awkward.

Enalia had to laugh. Pregnant? It felt like it sometimes. "No, no... My symbiont. I'm a joined Trill."

She growled to herself. Idiot, she thought. "Sorry ma'am. I've yet to read the crew manifest. It's something I planned on doing this shore leave."

"It's fine. And if that's your idea of fun, then by all means. Don't let me stop you." Enalia replied, checking the controls to make sure they were still on course.

Vi nodded to herself. "So um, captain, what do you like to do in your spare time?"

"Relax and try not to worry about everyone and my ship," Enalia quipped back. "I'm hoping to at least do the former for a day at these spas. What about you?"

"Well, Commander Sinek wanted me to think about the assistant chief science officer position, which I don't think I'm ready for. I want to read a little. Work on my Basotile, and meet some new people."

Enalia was slightly surprised at this. "You have a Basotile? I heard the Rodulans were keen on getting them all back some time ago."

"Sir, I am Rodulan," Vi replied, wondering when they'd arrive at the spa. "I need it to help me with my telepathy."

Enalia had to facepalm on that one. "Sorry, I forgot. I guess memorizing over seven hundred personal files, I'm bound to get a few people mixed up. And again, it's ma'am."

"I completely understand MA'AM," Vi said, enunciating the last part. "How long until we reach the spa?"

"We're beginning docking procedures now, actually," Enalia said, pointing out the window to the station docking bay growing larger in the window. "Tractors just locked on and we should be there in a few minutes." She wasn't about to forget anything about this woman now, what with her proclivity towards the word 'sir'. The candy-pink hair would help as well. "So... I hope your flight has been a comfortable one. I apologize for the lack of an in-flight movie and drinks, but hopefully it was short enough that the conveniences weren't missed."

"I could have used peanuts but the flight was acceptable si--ma'am." She stood and grabbed her things. She gestured to the door. "After you?"

As the shuttle settled down, Enalia locked down the controls and shut the shuttle down. Then she grabbed her own things and headed out of the now open door. "Indeed. The first spa I'm hitting is supposed to be straight out of the hanger deck, past the information desk on the right side. Are you heading there as well then?"

"I'm right behind you!" she said, following Enalia. Hopefully spending time at the spa would give her the time to get to know her captain on a personal level, if she was willing to opening up.