09-04-2026, 05:15 PM
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'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?)==