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? ==