11-11-2025, 08:41 AM
<< Bridge <<
Riley stepped out of the turbolift into the hush of the VIP corridor. The carpet softened her footfalls; warm wall lighting kept the edges gentle, and the corridor cameras blinked their steady, dispassionate watch. She checked the plaque—Tomer—then took a half-step off-center to avoid standing square in the threshold.
Plenty of people have had words about him. Fragments of overheard mess-hall opinions sifted through memory—tight smiles, rolled eyes, the kind of grumbles crews saved for diplomats who didn’t ride the same duty roster. Doesn’t matter. Your job is not to carry anyone’s mood. She let the thought settle into a simple rule: arrive neutral, keep it courteous, keep it moving.
Hands easy at her sides, palms visible, she drew a measured breath and tapped the chime.
“Midshipman Riley Wright,” she said, voice clear without pushing. “Sir, I’m here at the Captain’s request to escort you to the Bridge.”
She left a heartbeat of quiet for the sensors to confirm her ID and for whatever lived on the far side of the door—footsteps, a chair scrape, the soft intake of breath—to answer. If he’s prickly, be steady. If he’s distracted, give the next minute shape. The old line along her left forearm tugged under the sleeve seam when she folded her thumbs lightly against her fingers—reminder to keep movements economical and nonthreatening.
“When you’re ready, we can depart,” she added, tone even. “It’s a short ride up—no rush. I can wait here or just down at the junction if you’d prefer a moment.”
Riley shifted her weight back a fraction to give the doorway space, posture open, eyes level. The corridor remained quiet in her periphery—clear sightlines to the lift, nothing to snag them on the way. Treat him like any VIP: respect the title, respect the schedule. Get him there in one clean line.
She listened for the latch.
== GM-Input: Does the door open? If so, what is Tomer’s state (composed, hurried, distracted), and does he acknowledge readiness to depart or request a brief delay? If closed, is there an audible reply through the door, or any prox-sensor indicator of movement? ==
Riley stepped out of the turbolift into the hush of the VIP corridor. The carpet softened her footfalls; warm wall lighting kept the edges gentle, and the corridor cameras blinked their steady, dispassionate watch. She checked the plaque—Tomer—then took a half-step off-center to avoid standing square in the threshold.
Plenty of people have had words about him. Fragments of overheard mess-hall opinions sifted through memory—tight smiles, rolled eyes, the kind of grumbles crews saved for diplomats who didn’t ride the same duty roster. Doesn’t matter. Your job is not to carry anyone’s mood. She let the thought settle into a simple rule: arrive neutral, keep it courteous, keep it moving.
Hands easy at her sides, palms visible, she drew a measured breath and tapped the chime.
“Midshipman Riley Wright,” she said, voice clear without pushing. “Sir, I’m here at the Captain’s request to escort you to the Bridge.”
She left a heartbeat of quiet for the sensors to confirm her ID and for whatever lived on the far side of the door—footsteps, a chair scrape, the soft intake of breath—to answer. If he’s prickly, be steady. If he’s distracted, give the next minute shape. The old line along her left forearm tugged under the sleeve seam when she folded her thumbs lightly against her fingers—reminder to keep movements economical and nonthreatening.
“When you’re ready, we can depart,” she added, tone even. “It’s a short ride up—no rush. I can wait here or just down at the junction if you’d prefer a moment.”
Riley shifted her weight back a fraction to give the doorway space, posture open, eyes level. The corridor remained quiet in her periphery—clear sightlines to the lift, nothing to snag them on the way. Treat him like any VIP: respect the title, respect the schedule. Get him there in one clean line.
She listened for the latch.
== GM-Input: Does the door open? If so, what is Tomer’s state (composed, hurried, distracted), and does he acknowledge readiness to depart or request a brief delay? If closed, is there an audible reply through the door, or any prox-sensor indicator of movement? ==