Edge of Aether [Sci-Fi | IC]

[The Cyberiad Council]

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OOC | Discord | Crew | Theme

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"Attention all crew: This is Orwell speaking. The Captain has ordered a full assembly in the Hangar Bay. Please report there within the next five minutes, thank you."

Quadran's eyes blazed to life, looking at himself in the mirror. He adjusted his uniform and altered the brightness of the lights in his iris. The orange glow was purely superficial ant not at all related to his actual visual perception, but he like the way it looked. It was finally time to address the Crew as their official captain. He had met a few briefly, especially his Primary Command, but it had been a short meeting; very business like. In the two hours he had been on Citadel's shipyard, the Zelvan were finishing the final construction protocols and system tests as the bulk of the crew were arriving from their various systems of origin and places of residence. Engineering was taking over from the native shipyard personel, starting he main reactor an monitoring for any initial trouble, but it was humming like a newborn nasua. And of course the official transfer of the ship under his command. His biometrics had be synced with the ship's main computer, putting it under his control.

Satisfied he was presentable, Quadran stepped out of his quarters and turned right towards the aft of the ship, the bridge being down the hall to his left. Most of the crew were on their way to the Hangar Bay, and when he finally reached the area at the stern of the ship a large portion of the crew was assembled. A quick headcount showed there were a few stragglers as Quadran stepped onto a quickly built raised platform so those in the back could still see him. He looked out the Hangar's opening which was tinted blue by the air barrier and saw the edges of the Ship's sub-light engines and a portion of the shipyard.

"Greetings, everyone," Quadran began, his deep synthetic voice carrying through the large room. "I would first like to commend you all for you courage and devotion to the Alliance for accepting a position on board this Ship. We have a critical role that we must execute to the foremost of our ability in order to ensure the safety of the citizens of the Alliance. The Universe is vast and scarcely explored. As we speak, colonists on the edge of our knowledge and dreams are putting themselves at risk to expand boundaries of our understanding and reach. We will face dangers and challenges on our voyages, but I know that by working together we can overcome them. Look around you at your fellow crew who share the same drive you do to serve this Alliance. Our gathering together on this mission marks the greatest single act of cooperation among Alliance species to date, and that same sense of cooperation must be vital to us all as individuals if we are going to remain cohesive with such a diverse crew. I don't want to keep you from your tasks for long, so allow me to close by saying that I am thankful to have the honor and distinction to serve as your Captain. Our first mission is a simple run to Cellas-V to offload some supplies, so everyone return to your stations and prepare undock from the shipyard."

Quadran stepped off of the podium as the operations crew in the hangar quickly began breaking it down. "Attention all crew: 23 minutes until departure," Orwell's voice called over the PA system just as the sound of the sub-light engines firing to life shook the ship before lowering to a scarcely audible humming.

---

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23 minutes later

"Ra-tek, take us out and prepare to jump to phase space as soon as we are clear of Citadel's gravity well. Navigation, is the course set?" The navigation officer gave the affirmative and Quadran nodded. He stood on the central dais of the bridge, a circular platform slightly elevated with readouts from key ship systems. On either side of him were areas for the Primary Command to sit or stand and give orders while the helmsman had a seat in at the front. Along the wall were various bridge crew all carefully performing their duties: no one wanted to mess up on the first day. It was going to be a seven hour phase jump to Cellas-V, enough time to get to know everyone, and more than enough time for something to go wrong.

[Arkeyana]

Me'ech'qa, or as their actual name was, Mec-Ka, Slithered/crawled around the Dauntless prior to the meeting, familiarizing themselves with the systems and layout. It was nothing like the Hivemind's ships, which were far more utilitarian and logical than...this. Their appearance most likely drew stares from more than a few people, to their annoyance. After the quick meeting with the Captain, they made their way down to their stationing by the reactor, and started monitoring the ship's systems.

"So, how is it?" The Hivemind asked. The connection between the Hivemind and Species 3420 was designed to allow for maximum autonomy to allow for split-second decision making, with biological components in place to facilitate the Hivemind's takeover if needed.

Not as bad as I thought it would be, but still pretty shoddy. The Dauntless isn't even optimzed for Zero-G. Thought Mec-Ka.

"This is our first attempt at establishing relations with the outside galaxy, failure is an acceptable outcome, but it is not preferrable, good luck." The Hivemind said.

And Mec-Ka was alone, monitoring the ship's readings with an indifferent stare.

[Futrellia]

Doruz's Living Quarters
Officer Wing
The Dauntless

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"Don't forget where you're heart is." Doruz Varl replayed it over and over again in his head as he readied to climb aboard the Alliance shuttle that would take him to the Dauntless. He saw his family behind him. His mother, his Horde's Khoroden, dozens of his fellow Horde members, all those he considered close family and friends. "Don't forget where you're heart is." How could the Khoroden say that to him. The reason he was doing this was for his heart and Taitrus was closer to his heart than anything. He was doing this to prove to a galaxy that despised the Kuceans that they weren't all genocidal maniacs who sacrificed each other for their savage Gods. He thought serving in the Zelvan Navy would be enough, but his commanding officer wanted more from him. The Chief of Security position. It was a monumental honor, one that millions of Zelvan fleet officers would be better equipped for, but they gave it to him. No matter how much he tried to suppress it, the words kept piercing his mind, the honorable and wise words of the Khoroden were not to be ignored, but the way Doruz was obsessing over it was beginning to piss him off. As he sat in silence for the ride to the Dauntless, he thought back to his family, his mother, who had a look of sadness of having to watch his only son be taken from her once again. She didn't care about what the Kuceans did against the Zelvan, or what the Zelvan did to Tethea. She just wanted her son with her. Safe in her sight. Now, anything was possible. He would either come back to them, or not at all. The thoughts continued to swirl through his brain as he tossed his bags onto the twin sized bed, slightly larger than normal to account for the six foot five hulking body that would be forced to sleep on it. He peered out of the window, watching the vast emptiness of space, the image of Taitrus growing smaller and smaller from the viewport of the shuttle burned on his mind. He hated being away from his home, even if it was to help his race on the mainstage. He did little of this for himself, and most of it for his people. The galaxy's first Kucean in the Zelvan Navy. The first Kucean Chief Security Officer on a Zelvan ship. Some outside of his Horde called him a traitor and a Zelvan-lover, but most of those belonged to close-minded Hordes whose Khorodens were old, stuck in their Imperial mindsets, full of hate of any alien species aside from his own. Most of those died off in the following months, from typical Horde warfare. It was a new age for the Kuceans. One that either resulted in the Kucean involvement in the galactic community, or one that would result in the extinction of the Kucean race. Doruz would fight for a bright future for his Horde, his mother, and for his children to come.

The ship's intercom buzzed to life as a male robotic voice took hold of it. Hangar bay. Five Minutes. Great, barely any time to unpack. This was indeed reminiscent of his days in the Zelvan Navy. Always enough time for the Navy, very little time for anything else. A human officer told him that one time. He found it quite amusing. With his Security uniform already on, he left his quarters, bags still unpacked on the bed and locked the door behind him. Upon arrival at the Hangar Bay, he panned around to see the crew he would spend alot of time with. No other Kuceans. He did spot a Yarsaiver though. Interesting species, long history, short support for his people during the War. He saw a few in red-lined uniforms, his subordinates, his followers. People he could command. It was a refreshing experience, having people under his command, the command of a Kucean. He shaped up, stiffened his neck, turned to watch his Captain speak. He introduced himself in the past, told him his name, rank, purpose for being assigned to the Dauntless, nothing in-depth. But with that little time, he determined this Zelvan was an honorable captain, one that would do anything for his crew. A good man. Human term. He received his orders and his destination. Looks like unpacking would be a few hours later.

***

Doruz stood stiff by the entrance, his head panning back and forth at the activity buzzing around the Bridge. He had finished with his patrol, monitoring the halls, investigating each room, making sure the Dauntless' crew were safe. So far, his job had been uneventful, perhaps even boring. Mostly walking, looking. Nothing special. He had met a few crewmembers, including some of his security staff while they waited for more areas to patrol. He met one in particular that caught his eye. His Lieutenant, Exh-to Tetara, a T'avis, a valued officer in his other areas of expertise and second-in-command to Doruz himself. As the Bridge staff prepared to take the Dauntless out of the shipyards to their first assignment, to Cellas-V. Doruz tensed up, preparing himself for the jump. He hated phasespace or whatever it was called. Doruz didn't care. He just knew it made his stomach toss and turn each time.

[Tasuirin]

Exh-T'o Tetara

An Hour Prior

Lieutenant Exh-t'o Tetara made their way to the quarters in which they would be staying. At the Xha-t'at Naval Academy, fellow T'avis cadets had been told that Alliance ships rarely had the complete list of commodities that a T'avis would be used to at home, but attempted to be as accommodating as could be expected with a galactic federation of hundreds of distinct species. A direction to the security quarters, in the common language that Exh-t'o had been taught in the academy (and had excelled at strongly enough that the academy asked them to assist in teaching the less-able cadets), was the sign which Exh-t'o took to mean they were going in the correct direction. They picked up their kit bag and strode down the high hallways, following each sign as it came up. Finally, reaching the quarters for the security officers, Exh-t'o found their room and entered.

Inside was a fairly basic quarters room, with standard amenities. Of course, it accommodated for the T'avis' lean and tall build, well enough at least for Exh-t'o to muse that they had indeed thought of the T'avis physiology when designing individual quarters. Of course, not all of the cadets had been as accommodating to changes in environment as Exh-t'o, so the Lieutenant smiled at the thought of the many T'avis who would end up dropping out due to discomfort or disillusionment. The survival race indeed, Exh-t'o thought, somewhat cynical of the T'avis regard for their own survival abilities.

Reaching into their kit bag, they removed the items they would be wearing regularly - a standard-issue pistol, handcuffs, a few other necessities that they would require in their capacity as a security officer. He finally attached all of the items to his belt, when a mechanical voice began to speak, alternating artificially between slightly awkward higher and lower frequencies of sound.

"Attention all crew: This is Orwell speaking. The Captain has ordered a full assembly in the Hangar Bay. Please report there within the next five minutes, thank you."

Orwell, Exh-t'o thought to themselves, one of these 'mechanical crew members' I've heard about? They checked in the mirror to see if they were completely ready to go to the hangar, before opening the door and quickly walking out.

Exh-t'o yet again followed the signs to the hangar bay, finding a door that many people were walking in and out of. The T'avis Lieutenant straightened up their uniform one final time, entering into the hangar area. Inside, Exh-t'o began to finally notice the sheer number of distinct species and life-forms represented on the Dauntless. Somewhat taken aback by that, not being fully prepared for the actual spectacle, they marched formally towards where the other red-collared security staff were falling in. Exh-t'o stood at ease, waiting for this captain to which Orwell had referred.

Soon enough, the captain arrived. Exh-t'o was impressed and interested. Impressed by the formal presentation of this captain, and the eloquent way he spoke, and interested in the bio-mechanics present in this individual. Exh-t'o had been told that some members of the crew would be not fully biotic, but the T'avis was not expecting the captain to be as such. Though thinking about it more, Exh-t'o realised that it was a logical thing to do - increased reflexes, higher processing abilities... Exh-t'o did not focus on computer sciences in the Academy, nor did many of the T'avis there, but the introductory course they had taken as part of their lieutenant's qualifications had taught them enough.

Once the Captain finished speaking, Exh-t'o fully expected the Chief of Security to meet with them there, though looking around for the uniform, Exh-t'o did not see the Chief of Security anywhere. Receiving orders to patrol, then head to the bridge, the Lieutenant set off with a sense of urgency in his step. The T'avis barely needed to move their head to see into the rooms at either side of the corridor. Having four eyes helped with that sort of thing. Finishing their rounds efficiently, Lieutenant Tetara moved towards the bridge. Entering, they saw the movements and buzzing of many officers on this bridge as they attended to their duties. They noticed a tall, muscular officer wearing the security red that Exh-t'o was wearing, but with the addition of certain patterns that suggested this alien was the Chief Security Officer. Their eyes met, and Exh-t'o ignored the rest of the activity on the ship, moving over to the officer and saluting.

"Ensign First-Class Tetara, sir. I have been reliably informed that I am the second-highest ranking security officer on this ship. I assume that means we shall be working together quite closely. Might I say, sir, it is an honour."

Tetara's face did not show any outward signs of emotion, though the tone of voice used, a very regular tone, even somewhat melodic, indicated that Exh-t'o was, indeed, quite honoured to be on this ship, and that the T'avis would do anything in their power to fulfill their duties to the best of their ability.

[Khasinkonia]

Soräntå Måkämälåt
Chief Medical Officer of the Dauntless

The journey to the launch site for the Dauntless had been rather inconvenient. It was certainly out of the way from Ymaian. Whatever the case may be, I have a job to do, and it isn't as if home had alternatives that weren't lowly nurse jobs. I'd arrived precisely on time, ordering the first nearby worker to bring my bags to my quarters as I stalked to the bridge.

Naturally, the Zelvan continued to not bother to design ships with enough ceiling for taller races to properly stretch, so I took care to avoid doing so and hitting the ceiling. I had this obnoxious crick in my spine from being pressed like geyser-water into a Zelvan civilian ship.

When I reached the bridge, I cracked my neck and then my knuckles, then standing firm and tall now that the ceilings were more elevated. I'd miscalculated the time it would take for me to deal with my affairs, so I stood idly with my communicator for a while, awaiting the beginning.

---

Finally, the greater part of the crew was arriving, and I began mentally looking them up and down, one by one. Some would certainly be easier to treat than others, in a general sense. I made a steeple with my hands as I inspected each one from a distance, further trying to discern if there were any among them that might be frequent patients.

Our Zelvan captain was, naturally, present, as were a duo I assumed to be on security, based on their equipment and uniforms.

The T'avis had rather interesting biological structures, although they were something of a hassle when it came to surgeries thanks to their generous lungs in particular.

More notably, however, was the fact we had a veritable Kucean aboard. Being that they weren't Alliance members, my training on their biology was sparse compared to other species aboard, so some experimenting with dummies based on scans would be necessary to ensure I had absolute grasp on the workings of Kuceans. Being that the first legs of the journey likely were to be as silent as the starside plains, I would have plenty of time to familiarise myself with the matter, so long as the Kucean gives me no trouble over submitting to a full scan and physical relatively soon. Unless, of course, they fancy themselves keen on a surgical night-cloud if they're ever injured.

So long as Kucean biology is the only biology I need review and revise, there should be no problems. It certainly would've been nice if they'd provided a case file alongside the job description, rather than leading me down a magma tube.

[Futrellia]

Near the Bridge Security Bulkhead
The Dauntless
0827: 46: 32

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Upon the security officer presenting himself with a stiff figure and stiffer salute, Doruz examined the alien up and down, making a mental checklist of the typical security officer everyday carry. The T'avis was well prepared, as prepared as any security officer Doruz was in charge of. He would not suffer laziness or forgetfulness of any officer's sidearm or tools. To do so would result in automatic resignation of that officer under the Chief's order. True, he could give any officer the authority to shirk his duties, not wear his uniform or possess his sidearm, despite the complaints from the Captain of the Dauntless, but he was far from a lazy officer. He would not stand even a wrinkle. But the T'avis's uniform was clean with not a single rogue fabric hanging off his collar or cuff. Freshly pressed and professional, his tools all where they needed to be. A paragon officer for the rest to take inspiration from. Doruz closed his eyes and bowed his head, as was customary of any Kucean meeting another worthy of his respect. Doruz had read his dossier compiled by the Captain and other officers of the Zelvan Navy. He knew of the struggles he faced in his younger days, his victory to earn his first tattoo, the loss of his love and child. Doruz felt sadness when he read that portion of the Ensign's dossier. He couldn't imagine that pain of losing those he loved. But Doruz's sadness faded when he read about how he overcame it, joined the Alliance Navy and made something of himself. His previous superiors had nothing but praise for him, but Doruz would be the judge of that in the coming months. The bow lasted only three seconds before Doruz rose his head and saluted to the lower rank. "Might I say it is also an honor to meet you, Lieutenant Tetara." He wouldn't hold the T'avis in contempt for forgetting his rank. He had been an ensign for a long time in the Alliance Navy, it was probably just habit to say Ensign, but Doruz would continue correcting him until he got it down. He didn't have a problem with that. "I dare say the ship is in good hands with you as my second-in-command. I granted you this opportunity because I believe you will do great things, if what your superiors say is true. Your scores were higher than any of my other officers, including the Tactical Evaluation, Crisis Simulation, and Stress Testing. But under my command, you must prove your worth as my Lieutenant. I understand this is not a military vessel, and does not fall under the Naval category the Alliance or Zelvan Navy would have, but within the structure of Security, I run it as so. I find the military has the best ways of ensuring proper effectiveness with minimal complication, at least when it comes to officers that actually get things done. I run a tight ship, but only because the safety of everyone you see here is in our hands. We ensure that this ship's staff remain safe from exterior and interior threats. Therefore, all my officers will be alert and physically ready at all times, even during off-duty hours. Of course, you know all of this, don't you, Lieutenant?" He asked with a polite tone in his voice, but Doruz's face painted a stern look at the T'avis.

[Tasuirin]

Exh-T'o Tetara

Lieutenant Exh-t'o's leftmost eye twitched somewhat. Tetara did not expect to get their rank wrong on the first day, and doing so caused some degree of disappointment in themselves. But the Kucean CSO did not seem to dwell on it, so neither should Tetara. The Lieutenant waited for their superior to finish before making a response. They analysed each word as carefully as they could, hearing many of the statements that they had been told during training - 'alert at all times', 'remain safe from threat', 'effectiveness above all'. All these things written in the common language of the Alliance. Tetara, hearing them aloud, was effectively brought back to their hours of pouring over books and charts. When the CSO finished, Tetara finally spoke.

"Thank you, sir. And yes, I am aware of this. You may trust me not to fail, sir."

Exh-t'o did not particularly notice the stern look on the Kucean's face. The Lieutenant had never been one for faces or nonverbal cues, but they noticed the clear and polite tone of voice. One that carried with it some form of responsibility. Tetara was aware that they would have much to do with the security team, and with such an officious leader at its head, Tetara was sure that the team was in good hands.

"And I apologise, sir, I shall attempt not to get my rank wrong again, sir."

[Xah]

Ra-tek
Helms

This was so exciting! Ra-tek hadn't felt this important since the day xe was recruited off xer home world and introduced to the wider galaxy. Mal-kop were often used as pilots amongst Alliance members, but usually in shuttles, small attack craft and larger trading and diplomacy craft; hardly anyone trusted them to control anything important, yet here xe was. With few personal effects, a lack of need for sleep and a work ethic that put some robots to shame, Mal-kop usually weren't given much in the way of quarters, but Ra-tek was amazed that xe had an entire cabin to xerself. Sure, it was small, probably a converted broom cupboard, but it had a perch to sit on, some entertainment and smelled almost right; something very important to Ra-Tek. After poking around in the small room for a while, Ra-Tek went to explore the rest of the ship, or at least the parts that xe was allowed access to. The shiny grey and yellow harness that identified Ra-Tek as a member of the ship's Operations and Bridge crew gave xer some leeway in getting around; xe'd already seen Command and Control, it was after all, where xe'd be working, and xe was intimately familiar with xer workstation having trained on equipment identical to it before posting, but this was a big ship. To Ra-Tek at least. Before xe could get far though, there came the announcement from Orwell, the ship's computer, to assemble in the hanger bay; letting out a breath of disappointment, Ra-Tek headed off.

---

Well that sounded all very interesting, Ra-Tek thought as xe bounded and flapped xer way along the corridor towards his station. Xe was only small, so a lot the Dauntless' crew usually didn't see xer until xe was almost next to them, but xe'd learnt that a semi-flying method of transport was not only faster, but made xer far more noticeable. On xer home world, flying was the only real way to get around and xe missed it when on a ship, but actual ship flying was almost as good.

Xe entered command and control, primary optics wide, having a good look around. Despite xer experience in ships, xe still enjoyed the feel of a good operations center. It felt good to be part of the mind of the ship, where all the decisions and actions started. Xer station, the helm, was right at the front, for everyone to see; no pressure at all. A reclined chairand a data jack was all Ra-Tek needed, so xe could directly access the ship's flight control systems. Ra-Tek settled in, got comfortable, and felt the jack in the back of xer, for want of a better word, 'neck', connect and interface with the one in the chair, and all of a sudden Ra-Tek was no longer just a Mal-kop in a seat, but a large, 700 kU spaceship, xer awareness extending out through sensor relays, cameras and other new and interesting inputs.

"Ra-tek, take us out and prepare to jump to phase space as soon as we are clear of Citadel's gravity well."

The first command. "Taking the ship out." Ra-Tek replied, remembering, in all his eagerness, to remain formal whilst working. Xe sent mental commands to the ship's thrusters and almost laughed in giddy glee as the vessel slowly moved away from its moorings and out into the wider space. Xe could feel already this was a nimble vessel, far different to anything else xe'd piloted. Simulators didn't even come close to the feel of being in actual control. The ship slowly pivoted on its axis until facing in the right direction and then Ra-Tek let the bigger drives kick in, sending the ship faster, out towards the point where someone else would trigger the phase drive. It felt good to be flying again.

[Ormata]

Adm. Hiedbaark, First Officer
Bridge

A figure stood on the bridge, off to the side in a far more observative role than would otherwise be noted from a First Officer. Granted, the black suit with gray markings would otherwise indicate an officer in the Primary Command staff, yet the coat over such a thing was far more archaic in it's own way. Reaching down to the bent knees, gray-blue and pattered as though it might be some sort of Terran wool, coarse along the skin, covered the black suit for the most part, an oddity to be sure, and on the collar of that coat was a simple moniker of an eight pronged sun, rays bursting out, gold among the far more dull colors. This was Admiral Hiedbaark, First Officer, and the man stood at his ease for the duration of the exit.

He could smell something, though...sweat and pheremones and such clotting things that made a room uncomfortable, that made it seem as though the air was musty and humid with a coming storm. A careful, slow look with squinting eyes about the area for the bridge confirmed such a thing, the little gestures of a minor ritual, the hesitation at pressing some buttons, some of the eyes practically looking as though they were going back over previous notebooks on the procedures. The crew was nervous, something that annoyed him to a degree; they couldn't be too green to be nervous, that was for damned sure. The Zelvans, annoying as they might be, would take no chances as far as experience was concerned. Perhaps it was the occasion, and yet...and yet it wasjust a simple supply run. A damn supply run.

Well, it most certainly beat dodging bullets in Parliament.

The production of a small datapad was something easily done from his coat, nimble fingers tapping along the thin surface as he looked about the bridge. Reviews, perhaps? Maybe, though the elder Yarsaiver had little need for such a thing as memory. The small computer, jacked to the back of his neck, most certainly helped with some of those aspects along with controlling and reserving the more chaotic bits and pieces of his mind. In reality, he was performing the more interesting aspects of sifting-through the bits and pieces of data concerning the vessels defensive capabilities, her engines, things of that nature. He'd had a chance to see the numbers before, but memorizing the capacity of a vessel was something the Admiral had learned to do early in his career.

He could, however, place a smell far more interestingly potent than the sweat and pheremones; it was the smell of a Kucean. There had been several times he had met such beings during the war, and a singular time wherein he bore witness to that rage they named. The smell or the people or the rage was not something one would easily forget, not at all, and with some silence he took his leave from the position on the bridge, the communicator in a pocket being an easy enough way to contact him or, if all else were to fail, a simple intercom call would suffice. Besides, the Yarsaiver did not intend to go far. Vuving could recall that the Security Chief was a Kucean, something that was quite interesting all things considered, and had even skimmed over the man's record. It was quite interesting with some of the names mentioned being familiar, including the parents.

The pair talking were not especially hard to find, nor was the speech made particularily hard to hear, and the First Officer caught the tail-end of it as he turned the corner. The first was, as to be expected, a Kucean in the right uniform, the second being, as it turned-out, the T'avis. Vuving had not had many dealings with that particular race, not at all, and the overall structure of the being suggested something far different than the more bulky Chief. Interesting things abound. A thin smile stood along his lips, something that was fairly hard to do, and the Admiral spoke in a low voice, lower than what would otherwise be consider audible for persons, a harsh growl that was hard on the ears for most.

"Chief, Lieutenant. I trust that, Lieutenant, I can surely make you an Ensign if you insist on it. Rank is earned hard, yes? I trust you did not become too used to being an Ensign that you forgot advancement was the aim."

[Tasuirin]

Exh-T'o Tetara

~snippity snip~

Exh-t'o heard the First Officer before they saw him, though the T'avis' peripheral eyes locked onto the Yarsaiver long before Exh-t'o had any chance to react to what he was saying. No doubt, were they on Xha-t'at, a scuffle would ensue, both would walk away relatively unscathed and one would have a new tattoo to add to the collection. Of course, the academy made it abundantly clear that the Alliance Navy was not Xha-t'at.

Exh-t'o had become rather accustomed to hiding their emotions. Not out of fear of repercussions or any nervousness that came from the prospect of shaming oneself, but simply out of duty. Emotions, Exh-t'o had found, tended to get in the way. Regardless, the T'avis was incensed by the First Officer's words. Such an ambitious thing to say, nearing the point of dishonour. One does not make intentions clear in T'avis society save to one's closest peers, lest they reach the ears of another and the ambitions and dreams shatter. Moreso, to show such disregard for basic things, such as responsibility, loyalty and duty in the pursuit of personal gain... Perhaps Exh-t'o would never understand the Yarsaiver's motives. Regardless, it appeared to the Lieutenant that this officer's intentions were not all that they appeared.

The T'avis wheeled around to the superior officer, offering him the customary salute and standing bolt upright, barely a sway in their posture. Lowering their four-digit hand, Exh-t'o spoke softly. "With respect, sir, doing one's duty is the aim, above all else. I earnt my rank by doing my duty, and it stands tribute to the estimation of my superiors. But regardless of rank, I still intend to do my duty, sir."

Certainly, though Exh-t'o had not been a lieutenant for long, passing their exams, gaining their rank insignia and joining the Dauntless as 2IC to the Chief Security Officer was one of their proudest achievements. Exh-t'o attempted to come off as cordial, lest the Admiral made true to his threat. Though the T'avis logically acknowledged that the Captain would oversee any promotions and demotions on the ship, there was still a slight nervousness behind the months of protocol and respect instilled into each member of the Xha-t'at Naval Academy.

[Ormata]

Adm. Hiedbaark, First Officer
Bridge

"With respect, sir, doing one's duty is the aim, above all else. I earnt my rank by doing my duty, and it stands tribute to the estimation of my superiors. But regardless of rank, I still intend to do my duty, sir."

"With duty comes achievement, with achievement rank, with rank advancement in many, many things. As for the earning of your rank..."

He paused, the rasping voice laying dormant for just a few moments. The Admiral considered his words carefully, his thoughts in order, the world about them always moving and always something to distract and yet the thoughts had to be in order, placed correctly. The officer was angered, just a bit, by the fact of the words used, of the misunderstanding that came from the careless joke, things of that regard, and it would be annoying to have such misunderstandings pile on top one another. Exhaling through the nose, he began again.

"As for the earning of your rank, you think you have. That's yet to be seen in my eyes. That stated, I've heard interesting things on T'avis martial arts. I would be honored if we might, one of these days, trade blows in practice."

[Tasuirin]

Exh-T'o Tetara

~snippy snappy snoo~

The T'avis knew they could do little beyond affirm what the superior officer was saying in this regard, lest they appeared to be insubordinate. Exh-t'o found the Yarsaiver's outlook ambitious beyond most of what Exh-t'o had ever seen, perhaps even ruthless. Even in the academy, training for officers, some of whom might one day become Captains, Admirals, perhaps even heads of the whole Naval force, not a word was spoken of advancement beyond the rank of Lieutenant amongst the cadets. Exh-t'o knew cultures amongst the Alliance all had distinct outlooks on even the most uniform of things, but the Lieutenant was somewhat taken aback by the comment.

"Yes, sir. Of course."

The security officer did not feel at all good about saying such things. Perhaps there was some degree of fear of showing emotion after all in the T'avis' brain. But beyond that, Exh-t'o would not complain about the perceived untruth of the First Officer's comments. Though after the statement which the high ranking officer made, the invitation to spar was something which caught Exh-t'o's attention. Sparring was a thing of honour amongst the T'avis. One was honoured to have their request for one-on-one combat accepted. Was this officer allowing Exh-t'o the chance to dishonour him? Placing the status of one's honour in the hands of another was a sign of great honour in itself. Perhaps this officer wasn't as dishonourable as Exh-t'o initially assumed. First impressions, after all, never last long in T'avis culture.

"I would gladly take up your offer of training. At your leisure, sir."

There were a few things that Exh-t'o had found joy in after the untimely death of their love. Training in combat was one of them. The T'avis prioritised self-control above most things in combat, making them surprisingly adept at sparring in particular, though no less efficient on the actual battlefield, where this self-control was dedicated to the new aim of effective killing in just as zealous a manner as it was for sparring amongst peers. Exh-t'o successfully held back a smile, though it would be safe to assume that some degree of happiness would be detected by the Yarsaiver as their conversation concluded.

[Khasinkonia]

Soräntå Måkämälåt
Chief Medical Officer of the Dauntless

As it often happens without imminent tasks, the security personnel found themselves in the midst of a conversation. Inconvenient for me, as some cultures get personally offended by having their idle speech interrupted by important affairs. I don’t understand why any intelligent species would develop such an odd quirk of personality, but, in any case, the convenience usually isn’t worth the trouble of having to indulge such offences.

Fortunately, the diminutive First Officer, a Yarsaiver, if I recall the precise species name correctly, made the decision to interrupt almost as if it were on my behalf, drawing away the less currently relevant T’avis so I could ensure the Kucean was aware that they would need to be examined relatively soon in order for me to ensure I am further familiarised with their biology, should they require emergency medical attention at any point.

I moved towards them slightly, listening carefully to ensure the Yarsaiver was indeed drawing the T’avis away for a moment, rather than simply interjecting with a comment or some other short diversion.

Assured that my original suspicions were correct, I swiftly walked towards the convention, narrowing in on the Kucean.

“I understand you’re a Kucean,” I stated, tapping the being on the shoulder to ensure I had their attention, “Is that correct?”

[Futrellia]

Near the Bridge Security Bulkhead
The Dauntless
0827: 42: 24

---

"Don't stress it, Lieutenant. If you forget again, I will remind you. It's.." The approach of the First Officer of the Dauntless hushed Doruz's half finished sentence, his head turning to meet him and stiffening his figure, striking a perfect salute to the First Officer, but not to his Dauntless rank. He had read very closely into Admiral Hiedbaark's dossier, as everyone aboard the Dauntless could, to an extent. Doruz was highly impressed and fascinated in the Admiral's numerous activities, including his remarkable service during the War against the Zelvan. He performed admirably during the three rels they were involved. Then they abandoned his people, as did the others once sworn to the Holy Empire. He didn't once blame the Admiral for his government's actions, as long as the Admiral didn't blame him for his government's.

He listened closely to the Admiral's rousing of his Lieutenant. He crossed his arms and listened more intently after the Lieutenant's calm and composed responses. He couldn't deny the Admiral's valid points, even if he didn't appreciate how the Admiral was drilling into his 2IC's rank. The First Officer had every right to do so, but overall, didn't have the power to make or break rank, as that power belonged strictly with the Captain. As intriguing as the conversation between the security lieutenant and the first officer was, he was interrupted by the Chief Medical Officer, her spindly body approaching, determination in her bio-luminescent eyes. She tapped his shoulder lightly to ensure he was paying attention to her. To eliminate the possibility of her thinking he wasn't, he oriented her body towards her, taking his attention from the lieutenant and first officer fully to the Doctor.

“I understand you’re a Kucean, Is that correct?” She must not have seen many Kuceans in her studies. Anyone who has ever seen a small glimpse of one know that Kuceans are very distinctive from many other races across the Galaxy. While very rare to see off of Taitrus since the war, their faces had been plastered on every galactic news agency on the anniversary of the war every rel, to remind the universe just how bad the Kuceans were, how hateful, how angry, and how blood-thirsty they were. And now, how they had been neutered and reduced to a couple of barely hospitable worlds, less than one million still around. "Yes, Doctor, I am. Do you require me for something?" He said, trying to manipulate his vocals into not sounding as course and rough as his species were designed to sound. The result was a higher-pitched version of the same voice. He coughed, trying to mask it, vowing to never try that again.

[Khasinkonia]

Soräntå Måkämälåt
Chief Medical Officer of the Dauntless

I looked upon the Kucean, who was now clearly male, inspecting his form once more now that I was nearer. I nodded in response, and clasped my hands together, rather pleased that he hadn’t immediately spiralled into the obnoxious and excessive hole of blather that some races insisted upon padding their talking with. His voice, from what I’d previously heard of Kucean voices, seemed somehow odd, although I couldn’t quite place what about it was unusual.

“Excellent. I hope that cough isn’t one of many,” I joked regarding his voice, giving him a bit of a rigid smile along with it, “Can’t have you getting sick so early now. Topically, the fact is, I will need to see you in my office as soon as reasonably possible for a full examination, implies scans, a physical, blood tests, the works. We don’t need to do it all in one go, but I do need to ensure the file information on you, and, by extension, your species, is accurate in order to properly treat you if it should ever be necessary. You understand, Alliance medical curricula on your species is nastily sparse, so all of this is very much necessary for me to run simulations to filter through techniques on dealing with your biology in any such cases. If you feel this is not necessary for some reason, I will warn you that I may not have readily available data on dealing with you—quite dangerous if an eruption is nearby. That medical blather all being said, I’m Doctor Soräntå Måkämälåt, Chief Medical Officer if you don’t already know me. Being that I need a name to keep down for your appointment for records purposes, refresh me on your name. I know you’re Chief Security so it’s easy to find in the dossier, but it escapes me at the moment, and I’d like to get this scheduled as soon as possible so there are no immediate medical concerns aboard this vessel, other than routine examinations for the other crew which should come after I’ve arranged a better file for you.”

[Futrellia]

Doruz Varl, Chief Security Officer
Near the Bridge security bulkhead

---

Doruz gave a grin in response to the CMO's reply to his attempt at relaying a more comforting tone in the Kucean's otherwise rough and course speech. He listened as the Doctor sugar-coated the urgency behind gathering more information on the Kucean body so she could effectively treat him in the case of injury, a possibility that was considerably higher than those not serving as a Security officer. Doruz understood the need for information on him, and had no problem with taking care of this now before their first mission. It would take time for her to review all of the information, memorize the location of internal organs and how to treat them in case of injury, but at least the information would be there, as opposed to having to conduct guesswork while trying to remove a possible bullet in one of his kidneys.

"Of course, Doctor. Lead the way." The CSO said as he turned to his Lieutenant, tapping his shoulder. "Lieutenant, you have the bridge. I'm going offline." He told the T'avis, informing him that he would not be responding to any reports or calls until his meeting with the Doctor was over with. He turned back to the doctor and motioned for her to lead him to the Medbay.

[Tasuirin]

Exh-T'o Tetara

~snap snap~

Exh-t'o appeared to straighten up more than they had before, turning back to Varl with snapping heels, "Yes, sir." The T'avis understood the CSO's need to leave, as well as the doctor's need to analyse the Kucean's anatomy. In fact, Exh-t'o had heard many stories of Kuceans, though none in concrete lettering - their fabled Godsrage had been the terminal point of many Alliance soldiers' careers, as well as their lives. Certainly there must be some form of biological component that allows this to occur, or even forces it, though the Alliance's collective lack of knowledge on Kucean biology made any attempt to confirm or deny this under current circumstances impossible. Exh-t'o would have been interested in talking to the doctor after she was done, though the T'avis knew that it would be dishonourably interrogative at best, simply rude in addition.

They returned to face the reptilian First Officer of the vessel, retaining all possible formality while doing so. "My apologies, sir. I would be interested in continuing this conversation, though I must commit my attention to my bridge duties, in lieu of the CSO's absence. We may continue the discussion elsewhere, at another time, if it please you, sir."

Upon the completion of the Lieutenant's statement, they turned away, facing towards the central area of the bridge, four dark eyes gazing attentively around the bridge as if looking for something in particular, though the T'avis wasn't looking for any specific thing, only scanning around for signs of trouble - scuffles, intruders, weapons that shouldn't be there... The list went on. Exh-t'o enjoyed standing. Made their tall stature easily apparent, and made them quite literally stand out. Exh-t'o would happily stand there until they were relieved of their duty.

[Grenartia]

Phoenix MacDougall had just finished getting their belongings into their quarters, when the ship's AI made a ship-wide announcement.

"Attention all crew: This is Orwell speaking. The Captain has ordered a full assembly in the Hangar Bay. Please report there within the next five minutes, thank you."

As they walked towards the hangar bay, Phoenix realized they didn't care what anyone back home said. Any race of alien robots that decided to name the AI of a starship after one of humanity's most famous writers of dystopian fiction HAS to have a sense of humor of some kind.

Soon enough, McDougall arrived in the hangar, and the captain began speaking.

"Greetings, everyone," Quadran began, his deep synthetic voice carrying through the large room. "I would first like to commend you all for you courage and devotion to the Alliance for accepting a position on board this Ship. We have a critical role that we must execute to the foremost of our ability in order to ensure the safety of the citizens of the Alliance. The Universe is vast and scarcely explored. As we speak, colonists on the edge of our knowledge and dreams are putting themselves at risk to expand boundaries of our understanding and reach. We will face dangers and challenges on our voyages, but I know that by working together we can overcome them. Look around you at your fellow crew who share the same drive you do to serve this Alliance. Our gathering together on this mission marks the greatest single act of cooperation among Alliance species to date, and that same sense of cooperation must be vital to us all as individuals if we are going to remain cohesive with such a diverse crew. I don't want to keep you from your tasks for long, so allow me to close by saying that I am thankful to have the honor and distinction to serve as your Captain. Our first mission is a simple run to Cellas-V to offload some supplies, so everyone return to your stations and prepare undock from the shipyard."

Followed shortly thereafter by Orwell stating: "Attention all crew: 23 minutes until departure."

Even if Alliance time was at a 1 to 1 ratio with Terran time, that would give them plenty of time to head towards their station. Just as they reached the door to the bridge, they noticed several other officers chatting in the corridor. Something about the CMO needing some baseline readings on Kucean biology. Phoenix found it odd that that information wasn't already made available to her. In any event, they took their station on the bridge, behind the Captain, facing forward. They still had several minutes before departure, so they passed the time by accessing data on some of the ship's systems that they were less than familiar with, in anticipation of one day possibly needing to MacGuyver a solution to some problem.

Eventually, the time came to depart, and the Captain ordered the helm to clear all moorings. And with that, they were off. As the ship accelerated to leave the planet's gravity well, a thought occurred to them.

"Pardon me, Captain, but with your permission, I'd like to ensure our sensors are properly calibrated by taking some scans during our phase jump."

[Khasinkonia]

Soräntå Måkämälåt
Chief Medical Officer of the Dauntless

Excellent. Ideally, this matter would be done quickly now that the Kucean had his affairs in order. I’d forgotten that security and military personnel tend to be straight-cut and efficient in demeanour, as battlefields have little time for ornate tripe.

“Anyway, let’s get on with this,” I said, turning and beginning towards the corridor, “Medbay should be down the hall towards...bow? No, that’s the front. Whatever the case may be, just follow me and we’ll find it soon enough.”

I then started on down the hall, fairly certain my office was to be on the left soon enough. The question remained whether they’d assembled it mostly to my liking, or if I’d have to make do and deal with it later. My file was rather unclear on even where the thing was, so there was no telling if they’d listened to my specifications during setup, or whenever they put together the medbay.

[The Cyberiad Council]

Captain Quadran
Dauntless Bridge

Captain Quadran kept his eyes peeled on the main window of the Dauntless, watching the dusty red planet pass by beneath them until it disappeared from view and they were turned to the starry embrace of the endless night. Unlike the other stations, his was a semicircle of screens with readouts and information and notably lacked a chair. But it wasn't as if he required one. Without turning his body, he listened intently to the conversations between the Commander, First Officer, Lieutenant and Doctor. It would be good if they became familiar with one another given the likelihood of frequent interactions among the lead command staff.

"Pardon me, Captain, but with your permission, I'd like to ensure our sensors are properly calibrated by taking some scans during our phase jump."

Quadran turned to meed his CSO and his eyes shifted to a light blue. "I applaud your initiative, Dr. MacDougall. Take as many scans as you require to make your assessment, and report your findings to me afterward. I eagerly await the results." With a small bow his head, a soft custom of the Zelvan, the Captain returned to his original position as the ship's sub-light engines shut down and the phase drive began creating the isolation field. A bright halo of green an teal, and yellow light formed a few dozen units from the bow of the ship. Tethers of light spooled out from the center as the field crackled with energy.

Orwell's voice emanated from an unseen location- "Ready to jump to phase space on your mark, Captain."

Now the ship waited on the edge of the Aether, a single action separating them from the true beginning of their mission. "Mark," Quadran said in his rumbling synthetic voice. The ship jumped forward as the isolation field wrapped around them, creating a kaleidoscope of color around the ship as the light from distance stars was scattered and warped around the shell of energy.

"Eta to destination: 7 hours, 35 minutes," Orwell's voice sounded throughout the ship.

---

---

Orwell

[box][align=center]
“Anyway, let’s get on with this,” I said, turning and beginning towards the corridor, “Medbay should be down the hall towards...bow? No, that’s the front. Whatever the case may be, just follow me and we’ll find it soon enough.”

"Pardon me, Dr. Måkämälåt, I couldn't help but overhear: would you like me to direct you to the Medbay?" Orwell asked from a nearby panel mounted on the side of the hallway, his purple wave-form moving in tune with his voice.

[Khasinkonia]

Soräntå Måkämälåt
Chief Medical Officer of the Dauntless

I blinked for a moment, registering the sapient speaking screen, then remembering that this ship came with an onboard AI. Orwell, was his name, I believe. Yes, Orwell was his name. And he got the pronunciation of the second word in my name correct, as it would happen, even if nobody had bothered to mention to him that Íńgasûr lack “family names” like other races, so the general honorific system with names became rather null.

“Yes, I need the right direction so I can deal with our Kucean officer quickly.”

[Tasuirin]

Nhexchan Valdrimoth

"Attention all crew: This is Orwell speaking. The Captain has ordered a full assembly in the Hangar Bay. Please report there within the next five minutes, thank you."

Nope. Not this time.

Lieutenant Nhexchan Valdrimoth sat in his quarters and gazed over his cybernetic arm. Through his right eye, he could see it as others could. It looked metallic, somewhat efficient as a prosthetic... Most would just see it as a cybernetic arm, if they paid any notice at all. His left iris rotated slightly as he gazed down at his arm in a way he often did. He voluntarily activated then deactivated the circuitry within his arm, watching as the visual display showed even the slightest increase in heat.

As he sat there, circuitry gradually heating, though never quite enough to show up on most heat sensors, a sharp pain shot through his left side. He fell to the floor, coughing as the cybernetic portions of his lung struggled to keep up. He reached onto the table with his cybernetic arm, grabbing some painkillers, digesting them quickly. They began to take effect immediately, allowing him to at the very least stand up. He moved over to a cabinet of his, opening it with a key he kept around his neck. Inside were vials, some vibrant colours, other duller in hue.

"Attention all crew: 23 minutes until departure."

The AI present on alliance ships annoyed Nhexchan more than most AIs. Regardless, he knew that at some point, his absence would be noticeable. But it wasn't as if the ship required weapons for the time being. Finding one of the colourful vials, he rolled up the sleeve on his uniform, and took a needle from the cabinet.

---

---

Nhexchan entered the bridge, a spring in his step, as he moved towards his station. The ship was already in phasespace, and the colourful outside lights played with the sensors in his cybernetic eye. His uniform was untidy, but he was there. He sat at his station, not acknowledging his tardiness at all, as he began to get to work, activating the station and gazing at the computer screen.

[Futrellia]

Commander Doruz Varl, Chief Security Officer
En-route to the Dauntless Medical Bay

---

The bulkhead door leading away from the Bridge irised shut behind them, leaving the Captain and his Command staff in the very capable hands of Lieutenant Tetara, who he had no doubt was watching every little move the officers were making with extreme suspicion, just as any Security officer under his command would behave. He raised his left hand to his ear-piece, connected to S-Comm, or Security Communications, a secure line of comms between all officers of the Security division used only in combat situations, though it could be commandeered by Doruz whenever he had announcements to make. He pressed the small button in the centerpoint of the piece. "All Officers, this is Commander Varl. I'm going offline for an unknown amount of time. All requests or vital comms are to be redirected to Lieutenant Tetara's comm number, out." He said, letting go of the button and ending his connection with S-Comm. He turned the ear-piece off and removed it from his ear, placing it gently into the pocket on his left sleeve. He caught the CMO's confusion on the nautical terms of a ship's directions. "Bow, Fore, Stem all mean the front, ma'am. Just as Aft and Stern mean the rear of the ship." He said inquisitively to the Doctor, examining the many labeled doors they were passing by, and many crew staring at the Kucean. He nodded at all of them, recognizing some of them were staring at him in a rather aggressive manner. No doubt some of these people had family who served in the Zelvans' external forces during the War, then again, who didn't? Of course some of them most likely held grudges against the Kuceans, wishing to kill them all, or simply spite them with evil expressions. Doruz didn't pay them any mind, nodding back to them in a friendly manner. The Zelvans helped him keep his emotions under control while dealing with situations such as this. Prior to his Zelvan Navy training, receiving a dirty look such as these were grounds for a physical response, according to Kucean customs of old. Luckily for them, Doruz was domesticated, as many of his fellow Zelvan navy cadets referred to him as. He didn't understand the term and knew it was a Terran one, and he didn't much care what it meant. Still doesn't.

His attention was grabbed by the sound of Orwell, the Ship's advanced Artificial Intelligence, speaking out at the Chief Medical Officer from the nearby electronic access panel, watching the purple waves bounce at the reception of it's voice.

[The Cyberiad Council]

Orwell

"Marvelous, I shall direct you on the fastest route possible."

The AI's purple waveform flowed together into a singularity before expanding into the shape of a hand with an index finger pointing down the hall. "Since the medbay is an area of such importance, it is located on central deck five and roughly in the center of the ship for ease of access and location."

The hand continued to jump from monitor to monitor, directing the duo back to a central hallway that ran relatively uninterrupted from the bridge, to and through the Medbay (with alternative routes around the medicinal hub)before terminating at the main reactor and Phase Drive. "As I hope you can see, the Dauntless was designed to make vital areas of the ship posses the simplest and shortest route between them. The main medical facilities are located just forward from the central primary reactors with a clear shot to the Bridge."

With the two nearing the door to the Medbay, the hand was replaced once again by the standard waveform. "I hope I've been of assistance; feel free to ask me for help anytime. I am always available anywhere in the ship."

[Arkeyana]

Me-ech-qa departed from the engineering station, electing to move about the ship to keep their tentacles from going rigid. Shifting in form, they assumed the quadrupedal shape that was best for maneuvering under the artificial gravity of The Dauntless before setting off, plodding along. They passed the Medbay, their full bulk passing in front of one of the entrances before moving along down the corridor.