AT/D01 - Bridge

[Tyra Crawford]

== The Bridge of the USS Artemis is a perfectly oval room located on Deck Two. The walls and carpet are the typical Star Fleet colors of beige and gray with consoles trimmed in faux chrome.

As one enters the Bridge, they will find the bridge divided into three levels.  The center of the bridge, near the stern, the Captain’s chair is found on the uppermost level. In front of the captain’s chair, one will drop down to a lower level with chairs reserved for the First Officer and Mission Advisor.  Taking another step down, one will find the Helm and Tactical stations.

Surrounding the perimeter of the bridge, one will find eight workstations.  Stations on the starboard side of the bridge include: Slipstream status, Engineering, Communications, and Operations. Stations on the port side of the bridge include Science, Environmental Control, Security, and Away Missions.

On the forward wall of the Bridge is the Viewscreen System, which is activated by voice or manually from any console as needed.  On the back wall of the Bridge is the Master Systems Display.

To the right and left of the Master Systems Display one has access to the rest of Deck Two, which includes access to the Ready Room, Briefing Room, Captain’s Office and Quarters, and First Officer’s Office and Quarters. ==

[Carol Harriman]

The door slid open to reveal the bridge of the USS Artemis, home to Carol Harriman for a few missions. She took a breath and stood a little taller as she took a step inside. She stalled a moment after taking her first step as her eyes wandered the bridge, as if she was learning where everything was.

Slipstream, Engineering, Communications, Operations, Science, Environmental, Security, Away missions, Cap, First officer, and advisor...  Well, at least I remember this.  

Carol took another breath and took a few more steps, stopping a minute at the captain's chair, looking at the view screen a moment. Then she dropped her shoulders at exhaling a breath. 

**** Carol, get a move on. Start getting everything checked out so we can move when cap says go.  Carol proceeded to the helm station, as her mind kept her busy. Go... seems bland. How else can someone say go? Make it so. Do it. Engage. Hit it.  As Carol slid into her seat, her brain and fingers working automatically, behind the scenes of her thoughts, they began to log in and begin ship diagnostics. Another part of her brain kept going down the current rabbit trail and she soon started mumbling in a soft voice ways someone could tell her to go. 

"Commence...   Un-park..." Then she smiled as she continued to test out phrases. "Yeet us into the void Carol...   Move it or lose it...  Make some tracks...  Let 'er rip potato chip..."  

Carol snorted a bit here and there as she continued throwing out new phrases. It seemed to cool her nerves of being back and wondering where they were going and what her role would be. She'd changed a lot, not just from her academy and even ensign days, but just from shoreleave. The party was fun, but the location and the hike she took gave her something she wasn't sure what yet. 

Let 'er rip potato chip... heh...  damn it. I'm hungry now. 

== Tag anyone.. Sorry if this was a dumb post... Trying. ==

[Sovar]

== Mission timeline. See the recent FO Log for briefing information ==

Walking onto the Bridge from his office, Sovar took stock of the moment as he approached the center chair. The previous system they had just surveyed had been disappointing for the half-Vulcan with an astrophysics background. While it was all technically new, there was little in the way of interesting phenomena for Artemis to study.

Perhaps, that is a fault of my expectations for what we would find, and not for the exercise in exploration that we are currently engaged in.

Others within the Science department were fully committed and seemed incredibly happy with their current mission parameters. Sovar had noted an increase in positive demeanours within the department, with people smiling and excitedly talking about the away excursion to the M-class moon. Even those off-duty continued to discuss findings in Ten Forward.

So why is it that I cannot find similar contentment?

As his hand touched the top back of the center seat, the captain’s chair, Sovar wondered if he was being too focused on the command aspect of the mission. A brow raised as he confirmed his rumination. Tagging off with Captain Crawford had meant plenty of time for him having the conn, and more time for her to work on other matters. For his first mission as Acting First Officer, he was getting extra experience. 

For the next system they were approaching, Sovar would challenge himself to find mysteries that needed unravelling, even if it meant combing through the mundane. Finding his seat, he looked to the Bridge crew each in turn, before turning his eyes to the viewscreen. They would drop out of warp momentarily.

“Helm, as we exit warp, bring us to a heading of three-one-five mark zero-five. Three quarters impulse until we arrive at the first belt, then variable as you see fit for ship safety. Science, begin scans of the system and prepare a probe to study the subspace shear zone that was detected en route to our destination.”

== open tag to Bridge crew ==

[Aeryn Miller]

== Mission Timeline ==

Aeryn was once again on the Bridge, finding it the perfect place to be following the time spent sequestered in the lab, pouring over, discussing and generally abuzz with excitement at what had been discovered so far. Not only from the sensor scans either, but also from the M class moon that she'd been lucky to set foot on. Standing on an alien moon, knowing that life was just starting to blossom was something unique and sacred all in one. Unlike previous missions this felt somehow different, perhaps it was due to them being the first to set foot on such a moon, to be able to explore and witness without fear at least in terms of not being shot at for once. And boy did it deliver with their findings and that spectacular aurora.

It wasn't all sunshine and rainbows despite how the flame haired science chief felt within, how easy it would be to become bored or not get too complacent thanks to the unknown that still lingered. The going between systems not that Aeryn had any complaints since the Science had kept her busy, something she'd actually relished. So many things to answer, to question and understand while remembering to eat and socialise as much as she was able.

Now she looked forward to what awaited them in the next system, to see if the information was true and if so, well she was allowed to be excited, an emotion that had rarely left her since they first started exploring this sector.

The swish of the lift doors never went amiss thanks to her security training, a quick turn of her head and Aeryn acknowledged Sovar’s arrival, the FO already considered a friend as he prepared to take over the centre seat. Orders were then issued specifically to the helm and science and her old friend adrenaline joined the party.

“ Aye Commander, initiating scans” she began, her fingers skimming the console with skilled ease. “ Probe is prepared to launch on your command”.

== Tag Sovar/Bridge ==

== GM input, what are the results of the system scans, please? ==

[Mara Calleja]

The mission to date had been deathly boring from the Chief of Security’s standpoint. So far nothing in the surveyed sector had managed to evolve an opposable thumb, never mind any kind of trigger to use it on.

To combat her own boredom, the freshly-minted Lieutenant Commander had been picking up shifts to help cover the lack of a CTO. She’d spent big chunks of her leave studying operational manuals and tactical protocols, and her comfort with the material had been a pleasant surprise to all concerned.

With that said, there was no imminent danger of Calleja conducting herself in the traditional manner of a Bridge officer. There had been a couple of good-natured profanities sent to away teams. More than a few unprepared callers to the Bridge had found themselves on the wrong end of her sharp tongue. But she was learning quickly, taking correction where appropriate and not needling the FO unless she was desperately bored.

It’s been a weird kinda fun though. I never for a second imagined I’d be sat in the centre chair on Artemis. Not even for a passin’ moment. Never mind with everyone’s blessin’. But here we are. It’s been happenin’. An’ I gotta admit… I kinda like it. Not that I can ever admit that. Security an’ Tactical are supposed to be the big rivalry, an’ here’s me moonlightin’ for the other side.

Mara was on one of her ‘cover’ shifts when Sovar swept onto Bridge. She saw him coming and quietly moved seats, swapping to the vacant FO's chair.

“Helm, as we exit warp, bring us to a heading of three-one-five mark zero-five. Three quarters impulse until we arrive at the first belt, then variable as you see fit for ship safety. Science, begin scans of the system and prepare a probe to study the subspace shear zone that was detected en route to our destination.”

“What he said,” Mara added with a faint smile.

Aeryn was quick to respond, the CSO preparing a probe as the Security Chief looked quickly over her shoulder to check on the Bridge crew. She was half-expecting to see the Captain as well so she was also looking for an empty station if needed.

== Tags. ==

[Carol Harriman]

Carol entered the bridge for her shift, having to report at the tactical station as scheduled by their acting chief tactical officer and first officer Sovar. She hadn't met him, just seeing him lurking around the ship. She noted those on the bridge as she made her way to the station, chewing the gum she'd thrown in her mouth after her coffee. It was only when she blew a bubble that she realized she didn't spit out the gum before arriving. She deflated the bubble as quietly as possible as she slid into her seat.

Meh. Bubbles versus coffee breath. 

She logged into the console and settled in for her shift.  She had been filling her off time in the holodeck, challenging her skills and trying to keep ready...just in case. She had just completed an obstacle course her friend had sent her. It wasn't the easiest to complete and she knew she'd be repeating it. As she was getting settled, she spent a brief time reviewing the log of the previous shift, to understand what had happened and anything that should be noted.

[Hallowette Maxas-Darl]

"You're not just a crew. You're my friends. I want my friends with me when I face the unknown." Captain Jean-Luc Picard

Some mornings conversation lingered between stations - polite smiles and gentle looks underlying the minutiae that otherwise punctuated the simple boredom that came with long periods of the routine. Others settled almost immediately into the familiar cadence of acknowledgements, sensor updates and the soft chorus of LCARS tones that accompanied a ship steadily going about her work. Since being assigned her permanent duty on the command deck, Hallowette had slowly come to notice those subtle differences - Perhaps every bridge developed its own personality over time. If so, Artemis' seemed to reveal itself more in small moments than grand ones.

She lifted her head slightly as the turbolift doors opened. Lieutenant Harriman stepped onto the bridge carrying the unmistakable aroma of fresh coffee, her expression suggesting she was already mentally sorting through the beginning of another watch. Hallowette couldn't help the faint smile that tugged at one corner of her mouth as the tactical officer realized just a heartbeat too late that the chewing gum accompanying her coffee had made the journey to the bridge with her. The quickly deflated bubble was almost comically discreet.

Hally politely pretended not to see it, smiling at her fellow officer as Carol relieved the watch at the primary tactical station.

It was a strangely comforting thing, really. Starfleet officers were often remembered for impossible rescues, impossible decisions and impossible odds, but most days were built from moments like this instead. A cup of coffee grabbed before shift. A forgotten piece of gum. Someone arriving a minute early to review another officer's log before quietly taking over a console. It was in those ordinary habits that people stopped being uniforms and became shipmates, and given enough time, if you were fortunate, they eventually became friends.

Her attention drifted back to her own display as Artemis slipped from warp into the waiting silence of another unexplored system. Fresh telemetry blossomed across the operations display in orderly streams, automatically sorting itself as Science began their scans. Communications routing adjusted in anticipation of the probe launch while tactical systems settled into their quiet vigilance, content simply to watch unless called upon.

Everything seemed to happen at once, yet, in quiet confidence never felt hurried. Hallowette found herself appreciating that more with every passing week. There had been a time when flying the ship had occupied nearly all of her attention, the universe narrowing to stars, vectors and graceful corrections measured in fractions of a degree or a micron of a second. Now, as her duties increased, so did  her perspective. She still loved watching the stars streak by through the viewscreen, but she had come to enjoy watching the bridge itself just as much. The way dozens of individual responsibilities blended so naturally together that it became difficult to tell where one officer's work ended and another's began.

There are far worse places to spend a life than here.

With one last glance across her displays, she looked toward the center of the bridge. "Commander Sovar," she said evenly, "operations is synchronized with Science's telemetry. Communications reports standing by for probe deployment whenever we're ready."

[GM-02]

==Miller==

System 285-Upsilion-2 - the star had no name in Federation star charts, and so the system simply got a designator until the crew got around to giving it a name - was fairly unremarkable. A main sequence star, somewhat smaller and colder than Sol, lay at it's heart, with a pair of small rocky worlds in close, followed by three gas giants.

285-U-2 V, the outermost planet and the closest one to Artemis, had some promising moons, potentially even a couple with water on them, and a pair of rings. Next up, IV, was smaller - well within the bottom 10th percentile for size of a gas giant - and moonless, though the quick survey did flag the atmosphere for a further survey as it appeared to contain several rare, or potentially even some unidentified, compounds. III was much larger, with a faint ring and several small rocky moons, but was otherwise unremarkable.

The inner two planets, II and I, were rocky and roughly the same size as Bajor. 285-U-2 I was right on the cusp of the habitable zone, but II was smack in the middle of it. Artemis wasn't close enough to get any further readings at the moment, but it definitely appeared to be a Class-M planet.

[Sovar]

“What he said.”

The Chief of Security’s response very nearly earned a grin from Sovar, but his face remained stoic despite the rapscallion comment. Calleja had managed to keep herself busy despite there being little for Security to chew on, and the FO found it satisfying to see her take to Officer of the Deck duties so well. There were some concerns about protocol and decorum from some crew about Calleja’s brand of command. However, Sovar assuaged such worries with those who needed it, and gave feedback to others who didn’t take the Security Chief’s initial corrections. After all, there was a whole department that seemed to be thriving under Lieutenant Commander Calleja’s guidance. He believed it would be good for others to see a different style.

“ Aye Commander, initiating scans” Miller said, her voice pausing only to enter commands into the console, “ Probe is prepared to launch on your command”.

While Calleja seemed to be blossoming regarding Bridge duties, Sovar noticed that Miller had been rather bubbly with all the science that needed to be managed. She was, in his regard, in her element. Miller was attentive to both her staff and mission priorities, while also taking on the occasional Officer of the Deck shift as well. Sovar ensured the latter happened as they drew closer to the sector. It gave the Chief Science Officer the chance to not only do the science that she wanted, but also to guide the ship towards those discoveries.

Those thoughts immediately halted at the remnant smell of coffee and Lieutenant Harriman’s arrival. It made Sovar want a mug of his own, even if it was closer to tea time than the brew of a dark roast for him. However, rare was the day that he brought something to the captain’s chair to sip on. It had not been a particularly eventful voyage for Harriman either, with most of their routing being straightforward. Such routine maneuvers were the least engaging part of being a tactical officer, he knew from experience. Sovar wondered if that was why Harriman seemed somewhat distrait as she took her station.

"Commander Sovar," the Tactical Ensign said, "operations is synchronized with Science's telemetry. Communications reports standing by for probe deployment whenever we're ready."

The First Officer acknowledged the Ensign with a nod before pulling a console up from the side of his chair and briefly checked everything over. After confirming everything was nominal, he put the console aside nearly as fast as he had grabbed it. Despite a part of him wanting to delve into the data, that was Miller’s job, and he knew she would let him know the moment they had something intriguing.

“Lieutenant Commander Miller, release the probe. Ensign Maxas-Darl, begin tracking the probe and maximize efficiency of the tight beam data relay.”

Maxas-Darl was described as ‘sunny’ to Sovar by other tactical officers. While he agreed with that assessment, he also found the Ensign to be efficient and talented. Though still a junior officer, Sovar could see traits that would carry her quite far, if she wanted. Eager to learn, but also understanding of the areas needing improvement. What Sovar has seen of Maxas-Darl led him to believe she might have a slight perfectionist streak to her too. Though he did not look down upon that so long as she understood it and controlled it; both of which required experience of which she was in the process of gathering.

“Helm, course correction, heading three-two-three mark zero-six. Keep steady at three quarters.”

Turning to look at Calleja, Sovar leaned just slightly in her direction before speaking.

“I understand that Lieutenant Junior Grade Krid gave you some…” he paused to consider his wording, “sass during your last watch? In return, you have been quoted as delivering some colourful repartee; specifically an expletive that I am unfamiliar with. A compound of two nouns with a euphonious quality despite its crudeness? Being a Tellarite, Krid was initially upset regarding the exchange, but I now understand he has added your word to his lexicon.”

Looking back to the viewscreen, then to Harriman’s coffee, Sovar found himself wanting a raktajino.

“Dare I ask what the word meant? Or should I be happy that Krid only received the verbal reprimand rather than your physical presence?”

== Tags to all ==

[Aeryn Miller]

While she awaited the sensor scan results and the word from Sovar to launch the probe, Aeryn took a moment to observe the rest of the Bridge, hiding a grin as Mara spoke, after moving to the FO chair to allow the Commander to take the centre seat. Her friend and fellow DH had taken to her additional duties with ease, as Aeryn herself had, grateful for the opportunity to do so and to gain invaluable experience. Harriman arrived not long after, the aroma of coffee hitting just right, although, if truth be told, Aeryn didn't need the additional caffeine, considering her current vibrant mood. Hally then reported back to their FO, syncing operations and comms to match what the CSO had been doing. Aeryn offered the pilot and her friend a smile before resuming her work.

Once the order was given to launch the probe and for the helm to do what was needed on their end, Aeryn processed it, launching the probe with her usual efficiency. " Probe is away, Commander", she informed, not having to turn around and with good reason, since she soon started to receive the data from the sensor scans. Perhaps we'll get to name the star, Aeryn thought wistfully, as she processed the information, noting how System 285-Upsilion-2 was, to put it mildly, fairly unremarkable, aside from being somewhat smaller and colder than Sol; it still showed promise thanks to the proximity of a pair of small rocky worlds and three gas giants.

Then came the information on the planets themselves, starting with the fifth and outermost planet, the fourth and then the third, all gas giants, two with moons and rings in some form and one without; the moonless giant flagged for further survey due to the possibility of rare and some unidentified compounds. As for the two innermost planets, Aeryn once again studied what she was being told, with the second planet smack in the middle of the habitable zone compared to the first planet. At this distance, it was hard to confirm, but out of all of them, it appeared to be Class M.

" Commander, I've got the results of the sensor scans; we have a main-sequence star, somewhat smaller and colder than Sol, with five planets in total. Three are gas giants, and two are rocky, roughly the same size as Bajor. 285-U-2 V is the outermost and closest one to us currently, has some promising moons, two possibly have water on them, and it has a pair of rings. IV is slightly smaller, moonless, but has been flagged for further survey due to rare, even unidentified compounds, and III also has a faint ring system and several small rocky moons, but otherwise unremarkable. Now I and II are the ones I mentioned being around the same size as Bajor; I is on the cusp of the habitable zone, however II is right in the middle of it. We're too far away at the moment to get further readings, although it definitely appears to be Class M.

As much as Aeryn would like to explore them all, she would defer to Sovar as to where they would start.


== Tag Sovar/Bridge ==

== GM input, what information does Aeryn/Artemis receive once the probe launches? ==

[Mara Calleja]

For all her confidence, and there were absolutely times when it appeared boundless, Mara was still happy just to sit back and learn when it was appropriate to do so. And this seemed like one of those moments. It didn’t phase her in the least that the ‘teacher’ in this case was one of her closest friends, because Aeryn was giving a great demonstration of how to handle planetary survey. Sovar too had a scientific background and between the two of them there was a lot for the Bandaran to take in.

This is absolutely the kinda thing I need exposure to. It’s way outta my usual comfort zone but I need to know how it works.Ops and Tactical are close enough that I got transferable skills. This science stuff? Nope. Well. Not yet, anyway.

Calleja saw the First Officer had zeroed in on her, and she turned to meet his gaze.

“I understand that Lieutenant Junior Grade Krid gave you some…” There was a tactful pause from the Commander. “...sass during your last watch? In return, you have been quoted as delivering some colourful repartee; specifically an expletive that I am unfamiliar with. A compound of two nouns with a euphonious quality despite its crudeness? Being a Tellarite, Krid was initially upset regarding the exchange, but I now understand he has added your word to his lexicon.”

There was a faint smirk on Mara’s lips at that.

“Dare I ask what the word meant? Or should I be happy that Krid only received the verbal reprimand rather than your physical presence?”

The Security Chief chuckled quietly.

“I mean, most swearin’ is just various words meanin’ genitals, right?” she replied. “Us humans got so many words for those bits o’ the anatomy an’ most of them are taboo to someone. Me personally, I go for the weight o’ the word.”

There was a smile on her lips as Mara spoke. A lot of people made the mistake of believing that, just because she was often brutally direct with her turn of phrase, the Amazonian woman didn’t know better. But she really did. Use of language was an interest of hers and now Sovar had unwittingly let the genie out of the bottle.

“A sharp one syllable curse just comes across as nasty,” she continued. “I’d still use a curse though, an’ the reason I do that is shock value, especially up ‘ere. Most people take a second, thinkin’ they can’t ‘ave heard what they thought they just did, an’ that lets me speak. You add another couple syllables to that curse, then there’s added insult an’ ridicule to it. I call him a twat, that probably comes back on me for bein’ crude. I call him a useless catastrofuck of a man, then there’s a pretty good chance others are gonna laugh at that. An’ they did, meanin’ it smarted a lot more, an’ the admonishment is gonna stick with him. He’ll think twice before takin’ me on a second time, which for me is job done. So there’s method behind the madness.”

The feral smile returned.

“Well. Usually, anyway,” she finished.

== Back atcha boss! ==

[GM-02]

==Miller==

The probe was fired and sent on its merry way. Telemetry from the probe came back quickly, confirming the status of the unit and all of its sensors, and they began questing out towards the subspace distortion.

Unfortunately, the distortion was on the opposite side of the system, approximately eight light-hours away from Artemis' position. It was going to be the better part of twelve hours before the probe was in position to begin returning detailed data, perhaps less if Artemis moved further in system.

[Hallowette Maxas-Darl]

Hallowette was already reaching for the probe telemetry when Sovar gave the order, bringing its signal onto her display almost as soon as Aeryn released it from the ship.

"Aye, Commander. I have the probe."

The transmission resolved cleanly, and she narrowed the tight-beam relay as it moved away from Artemis, watching long enough to satisfy herself that the connection would remain stable before allowing the computer to handle the routine corrections. "Relay is established, 99 microns by 0, Signal is strong and telemetry is coming through cleanly."

Aeryn's report began turning the collection of anonymous contacts on her display into worlds just as Sovar adjusted their course, and Hallowette shifted easily between the two. "Three-two-three mark zero-six, holding three-quarters impulse." Her fingers moved across the helm controls, bringing Artemis smoothly onto the new heading before returning to the operations display to compensate for the change in their relative position to the probe. The work flowed naturally from one task into the next, familiar enough that neither demanded all of her attention, leaving her free to listen as Aeryn briefed the Commander on what the probe was seeing.

Three gas giants became rings and moons, one of those moons perhaps holding water beneath an alien sky. Another planet possessed an atmosphere strange enough that even the sensors couldn't immediately identify everything within it, earning a small lift of Hallowette's brow as the report continued. She imagined they would be getting a closer look at that one eventually.

Aeryn had been almost incandescent since Artemis entered the sector, and Hally had enjoyed watching it. There was something infectious about seeing a friend encounter exactly the sort of mystery she had spent her life preparing to understand, particularly when every answer seemed only to provide her with several new questions.

Then Aeryn reached the inner worlds, and Hallowette found herself listening a little more closely.

A planet on the edge of the habitable zone was interesting. One squarely within it, roughly the size of Bajor and apparently Class M? That's cool!

Her gaze slipped toward the viewscreen before returning to the probe telemetry. There was nothing there she could distinguish from any of the other points scattered across the darkness, certainly nothing resembling a world, but knowing it was there changed something all the same. Somewhere deeper within the system was a planet no one aboard Artemis had ever seen, orbiting a star that had never been given a name. Perhaps it had oceans? Perhaps clouds moved through an atmosphere no living person had ever stood beneath, rain fell against mountains no one had climbed, or sunlight warmed empty plains that had waited billions of years without anyone there to appreciate the view. There might be life there! Orrr...absolutely nothing beyond geology and weather. They were too far away to know.

Hallowette smiled faintly at her console. I guess that is rather the point of all of this, huh Hals?

She checked the relay again, ensuring the probe remained comfortably within its transmission envelope after their change in heading, while part of her attention wandered toward the conversation developing behind her. Apparently Lieutenant Krid had discovered what several members of Artemis' crew already knew: Lieutenant Commander Calleja possessed a vocabulary considerably larger than regulations strictly required, and Commander Sovar had made the bold decision to ask her to explain it.

Hallowette listened despite herself.

Mara's answer was, beneath the profanity, actually a rather good piece of applied linguistics. She wasn't simply defending the satisfaction of swearing at someone; she was talking about cadence, shock, ridicule and choosing language according to the reaction she wanted from whoever heard it. Hallowette had spent enough of her life around diplomats, and a good portion of that fascinated by the ways different peoples communicated, to recognize the principles immediately. Profanity was particularly interesting in that regard because literal meaning could become almost incidental to cultural meaning. Some insults were devastating in one language and faintly ridiculous when translated directly into another, while others became considerably worse once someone explained what you had actually just said.

Then Mara offered catastrofuck as an example.

Hallowette's lips twitched. "Uhm, There's a Cardassian expression like that." She offered rather absentmindedly.

The observation escaped before she had really considered whether the center of the bridge was the appropriate venue for comparative profanity. She looked up from her console, interest momentarily overcoming whatever instinct might otherwise have suggested restraint.

"...Garak valnek shoth." she said, with no apparent realization that she was butting into someone else's conversation.

Her pronunciation carried the hard consonants and clipped precision of someone entirely too familiar with the language.

"It...literally translates as something close to 'may your genitals become acquainted with the business end of a vole,' but valnek implies the vole is both diseased and particularly enthusiastic about the arrangement."

She paused, considering her own translation with the faintly dissatisfied expression of a linguist who knew Federation Standard was failing her.

"Actually, you know? Enthusiastic isn't quite right. There's an implication of sustained determination." Her brow furrowed for another moment. "Cardassian has several words for that."
Only then did Hallowette seem to become aware that she had enthusiastically contributed an exceptionally vulgar Cardassian expression to a conversation between the First Officer and Chief of Security.

Her gaze moved briefly between them. "It's uhm...quite rude."

The clarification wasn't particularly necessary.

Hallowette's brows lifted slightly at whatever expressions greeted her contribution. "I'll get back to work now..."

Another burst of telemetry arrived from the probe, mercifully — or perhaps unfortunately — giving her something else to occupy herself with. Hallowette turned back to her station without apparent concern, verifying the packet had reached Science intact before settling once more into the rhythm of her duties.

"The...uhm, Relay remains stable, Aeryn..err...Commander Miller."

[Carol Harriman]

As Sovar made a few orders, Carol was lost in a gaze for a moment, watching the navigation readouts on the tactical console. Maxas-Darl sat at helm and checked on the probe. As people talked, she made a respectful nod of her head.

Carol watched the navigation, especially curious as to the course correction the commander requested. She continued to chew on her gum, the occasional pop an indicator to others that she was, while observing the route they were on, curious where they were headed. She started to map their trajectory and used information from the probe to help her be on the alert for any possible issues they could face.

[Mara Calleja]

== Cdr Sovar is indisposed currently - posting with his permission to keep us ticking over. ==

There was an actual grin on Mara’s face as Hally spoke. Her points were relevant and the Bandaran was enjoying the debate.

"I'll get back to work now..." the Tactical officer said, quickly reporting back to Aeryn.

“They grow up so fast, right? From wallflower to joinin’ in wi’ the big dogs. Proud o’ ya. But yeah. We prob’ly should do some work.” There was no reproach in Calleja’s voice at all. “‘Cause there’s a Cap’n round ‘ere somewhere an’ I just know she’s gonna appear the same second anyone goofs off.”

The Security Chief looked up at the viewscreen. The beauty of the system was a little lost on her - all she was seeing was hiding places and attack angles.

“All stations, before we push in too far, gi’ me a threat assessment please. Humour the paranoid Security officer.” She looked briefly at Sovar for his approval, tacit or otherwise, before continuing. “We got 5 planets, moons, celestial debris an’ plenty o’ places to hide. Federation ain’t done much lookin’ around here but tha’ don’t mean we’re the only possible players. If there was somethin’ we should be worried about, be it enemy or naturally occurrin’, where would it be?”

As she leaned forward in her borrowed FO’s chair, Mara was confident that most of the Bridge crew had already done some kind of assessment, but it wouldn’t hurt to hear it out loud.

Non-zero chance I just broke some unspoken rule an’ someone’s gonna make me look stupid. So be it, I’ll take th’ risk.

== Tags all! ==

[Aeryn Miller]

Just because Aeryn was focused on her work didn't mean the CSO wasn't part of the Bridge; the ongoing conversation between Sovar and Mara was particularly enlightening, as her friend explained her use of profanity. Aeryn was a fan of curses and such, with those kinds of words proving useful when she needed to let off some frustration or got annoyed with someone or something. Finding Mara's explanation succinct and straight to the point, and if anything, it also taught her a thing or two. Hally offered her thoughts on what Mara had said; no doubt it proved fascinating to a language enthusiast like Hally after she had completed the requested course change. Aeryn didn't blame her friend for joining in, even if she hadn't meant to.

It wasn't as if they were at red alert or anything, as Hally slightly fumbled Aeryn's rank while confirming the relay status. She understood, had even been there herself, so naturally offered her friend a warm smile. " Agreed", she confirmed before Mara spoke, her smile turning to a grin at the suggestion that they should all do the same, especially if the Captain happened to return to her post. With that in mind, and with Mara asking those present for a threat assessment, even if it was to humour Mara's paranoia. It made sense considering their current position, the unknowns surrounding the mission, and so Aeryn thought of the possibility from a Science perspective.

Aided by the probe as it made its way towards the subspace distortion, although given the data she was receiving, it was going to be the better part of twelve hours until they got any useful data, unless it was decided to move further into the system. Again, that wasn't a decision she could make, but she could offer what she had.

" From a science point of view, there's the subspace distortion on the other side of the system, that's approximately eight light-hours away from our current position. Although its threat potential against us is currently unknown, as it'll take roughly twelve hours before we get any detailed information, maybe less if we move further into the system".

Of course, there was also the possibility of other things occurring if they looked at either of the planets in more detail, but Aeryn didn't need to say that out loud until they looked closer, and also because she wanted to let her colleagues have the same opportunity to add their input, even more so from a Tactical standpoint.


== Tag Bridge ==

[GM-02]

As the crew discussed their options and the system they found themselves in, a single button began blinking. Artemis was receiving an audio-only message.

==Unsure who wants to be sitting on comms==

[Hallowette Maxas-Darl]

Hallowette's cheeks warmed at Mara's assessment of her progression from wallflower to "big dog", though the grin she tried to suppress made it difficult to mistake the embarrassment for anything particularly serious. She wasn't entirely certain when she had ever qualified as a wallflower, hells, her grandmother would probably have required several minutes to recover from such a suggestion, but arguing the point seemed likely to extend a conversation she had only moments ago promised to stop participating in.

Mara's request for a threat assessment drew Hallowette's attention back toward the system displayed across her console, and some of her amusement at the prior conversation faded naturally as she considered the question. Aeryn answered first, identifying the subspace distortion on the far side of the system, but Hally found herself looking elsewhere. The same things that made the system interesting made it exhaustively complicated from a tactical perspective. Rings obscured sensor returns. Moons provided plenty of mass to hide behind. Even the gas giants themselves created enormous spatial and gravitational regions that present sensor angles couldn't properly resolve. None of that meant there was anything waiting for them, of course, and she wasn't inclined to imagine enemies simply because the universe provided places for them to hide. But that didn't mean Mara's point was any less valid.

"From Tactical, I'm most interested in the ring systems and the moons around Three and Five," Hallowette offered, bringing the relevant contacts onto her display. "There are enough bodies and particulate matter to complicate long-range sensors, especially from our current vector. Nothing we've received suggests anyone is there, but if someone didn't want to be noticed, those would give them considerably more options than open space."

She glanced toward Mara with the smallest smile. "So...yeah, your concerns are not presently supported, Commander, buuuut," she winked, "They aren't entirely unreasonable, either." That seemed the diplomatic answer.

Hallowette returned her attention to the probe, allowing Aeryn's assessment of the subspace distortion to filter into the growing picture of the system. Between Science, Tactical and whatever other stations contributed, they would eventually turn uncertainty into something more useful. That was part of what she had been enjoying about bridge duty: no one person was expected to see everything. Aeryn saw phenomena where Mara saw potential threats, Carol was hard at work at the second tactical station, and Hallowette found herself somewhere among them, each perspective adding something the others might otherwise miss.

A small indicator illuminated on her communications display, which drew Hallowette's eyes immediately.

For the briefest moment she assumed it was another packet from the probe, until the computer identified the signal differently. Incoming communication. Audio only.

Her fingers were moving before the thought had completely settled. "Uhm, Commander Sovar..."

Whatever lingering amusement had remained in her voice disappeared beneath the calm professionalism of someone suddenly presented with something that mattered to the here and now. Hallowette isolated the transmission, checked the carrier strength and allowed the computer to begin its usual analysis while ensuring nothing untoward rode alongside the signal that shouldn't.

"Sir, We're receiving a transmission."

Her eyes flicked across the display once more, confirming what she was seeing before looking toward the First Officer. "Audio only. I'm putting it through."

Hallowette opened the channel.

==GM: Now this here is a proper long distance call, now innit!?! (what're we hearing, oh master of the game?)==

[Mara Calleja]

"From a science point of view, there's the subspace distortion on the other side of the system, that's approximately eight light-hours away from our current position,” Aeryn replied. “Although its threat potential against us is currently unknown, as it'll take roughly twelve hours before we get any detailed information, maybe less if we move further into the system."

“OK, so unspecified anomaly with unspecified potential, an’ a 12 hour wait to find out any more. Got it,” Mara summarised. “There’s no more questions I can ask really. Guess we wait an’ see.”

"From Tactical, I'm most interested in the ring systems and the moons around Three and Five," Hallowette offered, bringing the relevant contacts onto her display. "There are enough bodies and particulate matter to complicate long-range sensors, especially from our current vector. Nothing we've received suggests anyone is there, but if someone didn't want to be noticed, those would give them considerably more options than open space."

She glanced toward Mara with the smallest smile. "So...yeah, your concerns are not presently supported, Commander, buuuut," she winked, "They aren't entirely unreasonable, either.”

“Hey, even I used the word paranoid,” Calleja replied with a good-natured grin. “Have we run a scan of the wider system?” She turned in her chair. “Lieutenant Harriman, is that somethin’ you can help wi’ please? Any evidence of engine trails in general, particularly around the 3rd an’ 5th planets in th’ system?”

Any further questions were brought to a halt by the next report from Maxas-Darl.

"Sir, We're receiving a transmission. Audio only. I'm putting it through,” she said, addressing Sovar.

“Put a trace on it,” Mara replied. “Can we tell where it’s comin’ from, an’ any detail on who’s sendin’ it? Recognisable frequencies maybe?”

== Pre-emptive GM input on the transmission please. Are we able to tell anything about where it’s coming from and who’s sending it? Does this information match whatever the voice has to say? ==

[Aeryn Miller]

As frustrating as it might seem, Aeryn wished there was more information, but her hands were proverbially tied until the ship got closer to the distortion. So for the time being, she agreed with Mara about waiting and seeing. " For now, yes", she said, before Hally answered Mara with how things looked from a tactical point of view. The CSO understood the interest in the moons and ring systems around the third and fifth planets, respectively, and why they could potentially provide cover for someone who wanted to hide or operate somewhere relatively untouched. More answers to seek, depending on the path they chose next, although the scientist doubted they would skip to the other side in a short burst, because what was the point of missing out on something, and their current mission?

In short, this system was already proving different from the last, and while she'd been excited, she also knew when to rein it in, learn from what they were seeing, and not get ahead of herself. The conversation between Hally and Mara continued for a few minutes longer, with good-natured comments shared, until Mara turned to Harriman and asked her to scan the wider system, specifically if the sensors could pick up any traces of engine trails around the planets Hally had highlighted.

It made sense to Aeryn, and it wouldn't hurt to rule it out either way, considering the nature of their orders, and at least they would know before Hally said something none of them was exactly expecting.

Who could be sending an audio-only message? Could it be some undiscovered sentient life? A message from the future? Aeryn could postulate and guess as much as she wanted, as Mara asked the relevant questions and they waited to see who was on the other end.


== Tag Bridge ==

[GM-02]

The audio popped onto the bridge speakers, crackling some around the edges with static. [Hello? We saw your ship come into the system, and we need your help. We---] The static intensified for a moment, before the woman's voice came back. [---a drought for---]

The static was worse this time, before her voice came back about five seconds later. [---so please, come to Nalim. We need your-] There was a sound like a crash, a deeper voice, indistinct with distance and the static. [No, please, don't tu--].

The message ended abruptly, the channel going dead. Fortunately, it was easy enough for someone to localize the transmission as coming from 285-U-2 II, the world in the habitable zone towards the inner system.

[Mara Calleja]

== Trying to get things moving. I’m leaving a lot of the details of who does what and how as vague as possible, so that the gaps can be filled in when players are able. ==

As the message played, Mara felt all her protective instincts start to fire. She didn’t really know what she was going to do about a drought but she absolutely wanted to try her best.

I mean, I’m known for bein’ a killer, but it ain’t why I joined up. I joined up to keep people safe. An’ here we got people definitely need us.

One of the Tactical officers reported that the channel had closed, and another voice reported that they had the transmission triangulated to the planet 285-U-2 II.

“Helm, full impulse. Take us to 285-U-2 II.” Calleja heard the voice and was a little surprised to realise that that one was hers. She was absolutely overstepping now, and potentially stepping on Sovar’s toes, but mentally she shrugged and pressed on.

I’m prob’ly in the shit already. Fuck it. He’ll shut me down if he wants to. They let me take this seat knowin’ what I’m like.

“Science, get us everythin’ you can about that planet,” the Security chief asked, her voice calm and unflinching. “Tactical, full sensor sweep as soon as we get in range. An' hail whoever just called. Keep goin’ until we get an answer. Somethin’ is goin’ on an’ I need to know what.”

Mara drummed her finger on the arm rest before she went to the ship comm. There was enough going on the Bridge to keep the crew occupied, but there were other questions she needed answering and a relief mission that needed planning. And right now she couldn’t think of a better person to do that than the Augmented CMO.

“Bridge to Mayfair. Artemis ‘as been signalled by the planet designated 285-U-2 II, an’ we’re makin’ best speed there now. They’ve requested urgent aid an’ said somethin’ ‘bout a drought before the message cut out. 2 things please. Do we ‘ave any medical information at all about the inhabitants of that planet? An’ can you take the lead on gettin’ a relief mission equipped. We may have to treat mass dehydration an’ malnourishment. How do we do that? I need your planet sized brain for that one. Call Engineerin’ an’ Support if you need to.” There was a smile on her lips as the Amazonian woman spoke.

With a stream of orders given, Calleja leaned forward in her chair. Now all she could do was wait until Artemis got closer, and she got answers to some of the hundreds of questions that were coursing through her mind.

== Tags all! ==

[Aeryn Miller]

The message that played was one Aeryn hadn't expected; up to that point, she hadn't anticipated finding sentient life, at least not those with communication capabilities, turning this not only into an aid mission but also into a first-contact situation. However, she shouldn't have been surprised, a notion that quickly dissipated, because this was what they had signed up for. If previous surveys of this region hadn't picked up on the planet designated 285-U-2 II, or Nalim as the woman had called it, then all their questions would soon be answered. Data collection would happen naturally, because right now they had something to focus on. As Mara began issuing orders, Aeryn didn't think too much about it, as they had a duty to help those who had asked, and she doubted Sovar or even the Captain would choose a different path.

There was a reason that she and Mara held the rank of Lieutenant Commander, and when it was her turn for Science's role in finding out what they could about the planet, Aeryn would get as much information as possible, as all of these moving parts would eventually become a plan, a plan that the crew would collectively execute.

" On it", she replied, knowing she didn't have to say anything else, turning back to her console to bring up the data she would need, as well as potentially picking up anything new from the probe that had already been launched upon their arrival.

The all too familiar sense of adrenaline spiked alongside her natural curiosity, and Aeryn knew how important it was to be well prepared.


== Tag Bridge ==

== GM input, what information is Aeryn able to find on planet 285-U-2 II? ==

[Hallowette Maxas-Darl]

The voice emerging through the bridge speakers was broken almost beyond usefulness, pieces of a stranger's message reaching Artemis through bursts of static.

Hallowette leaned a little closer to her console as her fingers worked across the communications controls, trying to clean the signal while the computer recorded everything that survived. Drought came through clearly enough. So did Nalim. Then there was a crash, another, deeper voice somewhere farther from whatever transmitter they were using, and the woman's sudden protest before the channel disappeared altogether.

Hally had already begun working on the trace Mara requested, following the carrier back through the communication system until the computer resolved its origin and highlighted a familiar contact on her display. Her eyes lingered there for the briefest moment. 285-U-2 II. The same apparently Class-M world Aeryn had identified only minutes earlier, when it had been little more than a distant possibility for Hallowette to populate with imagined oceans, clouds and mountains.

Someone lived there. Someone had a name for it, and the first thing they had ever said to Artemis was that they needed help.

"Transmission originated from Orbital body Two," Hallowette reported, bringing the result onto the appropriate displays. "285-U-2 II." Her voice faltered as she considered the appropriateness of her next statement. "Nalim."

"Helm, full impulse. Take us to 285-U-2 II." ordered Mara.

"Aye, Commander. Full impulse." she answered without hesitation.

Her hands were already moving, bringing the navigation solution across her display and checking their projected course against the system's known elements before feeding the correction into the helm. Artemis swung toward the inner system beneath her hands, acceleration building as the stars shifted almost imperceptibly across the viewscreen. "Course laid in. Making best speed for Nalim."

Mara's next orders spread quickly across the bridge and beyond it, with Science turning its attention toward the planet while preparations for relief began elsewhere aboard ship. Hallowette caught only pieces of the conversation with medical; her own attention had returned to Communications, where the carrier that delivered the original message remained stubbornly silent. Mara wanted them to keep hailing until someone answered, and Hally reopened the frequency, transmitting along the same narrow band the original message had used.

"Nalim, this is the Federation starship Artemis. We received your transmission and are responding to your request for aid. We are en route to your planet now. Please respond." her normally gentle, accented voice more authoritative and serious as she addressed the desperate voices beyond.

Hally released the transmitter and listened, watching the display while several seconds passed without an answer. She then checked the frequency again before setting the computer to repeat the hail at regular intervals, then widened her monitoring to the surrounding bands in case whoever had contacted them attempted to answer elsewhere in the spectrum. There were too many possibilities to attach much meaning to the silence yet. The interference might have been atmospheric, the planetary transmitter might have failed, or whoever sent the message might simply have moved away from it. The crash and second voice remained harder to account for, but until they knew more, it was simply another piece of an increasingly complicated puzzle.

"No response yet Sir," Hallowette reported as another unanswered hail went out toward Nalim. "I have the hail repeating on their original frequency, and I'm monitoring adjacent bands in case they answer somewhere else." She turned slightly in her chair, teal eyes falling on the center chair, "If they answer, we won't miss it."

She turned back to her console, her gaze returning briefly to the planet on her display as she settled back into the overlapping work of monitoring their course and Communications. Only a few minutes earlier she had wondered whether any thinking being had ever stood beneath its sky, and now, with Artemis making best speed toward it, that question at least had been answered.

==tags==

[Robin Mayfair]

Robin Mayfair's softly southern-accented voice came back a few moments later.

[Understood, Bridge. I'll see what I can find out for you, Commander. And we have two GR-77 water replicators in Cargo Bay 3, along with eight collapsible cisterns. Engineering can make more of both without too much effort. Plenty of emergency food rations in Cargo Six, and we can turn the replicators on the ship loose to make as many more as we can. I guess it'll depend on the needs of the planet, but I'll get my people organized so we're ready to go as soon as we arrive.]

== Tag Mara ==

[GM-02]

==Miller==

As Artemis moved closer to the planet you were able to tell that 285-U-2 II, other than having a name not even a mother could love, was a pretty standard M-class planet. It's a little more arid than an Earth or Bajor type, but is still well within habitability standards. With around 55% of the planet covered in water the seas were smaller and clustered a little more than usual, which left swatches of the planet as rocky plains.

Around the seas and other water features, however, the climate was quite favorable, although there were signs that the greenery was lesser than it had been previously. Whether that was a seasonal indicator or something more systemic was tougher to ascertain without longer-term readings.

As far as habitation was concerned, however, the planet was deserted - mostly. There was a single settlement at the confluence of a pair of rivers that came down from a mountain range and travelled to the planet's main ocean. There were no signals being broadcast from there at the moment, but a focused scan would be able to tell that there were several small power sources in the area, and visual scans showed plowed fields and other works necessary for a colony in the area.

[Robin Mayfair]

[Mayfair to Bridge. Unfortunately we've got no more information than you have access to. There's no medical info available on the planet. We'll have to wing it. Recommend I join whatever initial away team you organize. I'll need to assess the situation on the ground and take some scans.]