S1 M8: "By the Light of Helaspont"

[Julia Rellek]

[Captains's Ready Room]

Captains Log,

I knew this day would come, it always does. The day i would lose my entrusted first officer. Let it be noted, Commander Warring served the Tempest well and no one in the fleet is more deserving of this promotion than him. So as he settles into a new role I find myself beginning the daunting task of breaking in a new First Officer. James has been a solid second officer and I am excited to see him grow and watch him realize his potential. I'm not sure if he realizes it, but these are the ships that make Captains. We are constantly on the front lines - the front lines of battles and of diplomacy and of science. Wherever the barrier might be, we are here to bust through it. I hope Commander Hawk is ready for this wild ride.

We are en route to the Helaspont Nebula. It's widely unexplored and since we are in the neighborhood, Starfleet wants us to take a peek. Science and stellar cartography will certainly have their hands full. Things along the Tzenketh boarder have been quiet lately so a this scientific mission is a much welcomed break; a chance to spend my time doing what i truly enjoy.

[Klizh]

Deck 11
It had been thankfully quiet on the ship for the past few weeks; a much-needed respite in between crises and the adjustment period of losing Commander Waring. K'lizh had developed an affable rapport with Waring, enough to feel comfortable enough pulling practical jokes on the man. That was a level of comfort that did not come easily to K'lizh within Starfleet. He still felt more comfortable amongst his own kind than he did mingling amongst a multitude of species, all with their own senses of propiety. It was mostly a fear of accidentally offending sensibilities that made K'lizh sometimes feel like he was walking on eggshells socially. The cat jokes didn't really help that.

But he was taking measures to change that, put himself out there more and set aside his caution. Which explained why he was in a studio posing naked in front of a half-dozen of his crewmates, who were all studying his body intently enough to try to capture it with oil paints on stretched canvas. Of course, Caitians were uninhibited about bodies and barely had a sense of nudity beyond "I don't happen to have any clothes on my body right now," but it felt a bit different having so many eyes staring at him, analyzing every detail about his form. He wasn't certain how he had let himself get talked into this, the art teacher saying something about his fur being a more interesting study in lighting and shadow than bare skin. But he really wanted to scratch the itch on his back right about now...

[Jada]

[Deck 11]

Looking for something extracurricular that didn't involve violence and exercise, and was in fact somewhat relaxing, Jada had rediscovered her artistic side, developed in her time in the jungle and trying to remember certain scenic locations, and enrolled in the ship's art class. Which was how she now found herself trying to sketch a naked Caitian. Maybe this had been a bad day to join? Fortunately, since she usually did animals and nature scenes, this wasn't all that much of a stretch; in fact, Lt. K'lizh was a lot like a shadow-cat, only walking upright and sentient. Since she'd also skinned and butchered a shadow-cat, she had a good idea of the musculature beneath the skin, and something to keep her mind off certain things.  All she could say was to thank the goddess for all the fur.

She put pencil to paper (her preferred medium, it had been simpler), and tried doing the ears.

[Benjamin Bennet]

[Holo deck]

Bennet was sitting in a cockpit of an F-16. He had his hands around the stick that was held back as the air craft was screaming high in the sky. He was feeling the gravity pulling his body into the seat itself. There was nothing like feeling the pull of force of power. The roaring of the single jet was blazing behind him.

Over to his left he saw a missile coming toward him. He pulled the stick to thrust his plane to do a roll. As he rolled toward the left he saw the missile was still on him like snake chasing its tail.

He decided to push his craft down. Watching the mountain tops getting bigger, bigger, bigger and he quickly pulled the stick back to make his craft fly close between a two mountains. He allowed the jet forward. His right hand pressed the red button to shoot the flare missile. The flare missile flew back toward the seeking missile. It was just right to make the seeking missile to be trick to strike the flare making it explode as it hit. The top of the mountain was an extra wall of damage to take the missile away.

"WHooooooopppppppEEEEEEE!!!!" he yelled in his mouth piece. Then he flew up to spot the enemy craft. He had decided he was going to play a dirty game of who is the chicken. He was staring down his opponent and he was going toward them. The other pilot was seeing this crazy American pilot was going straight for him. That one had decided to be the chicken. Then Bandit hit the red button on the console to send two missiles to strike the enemy plane. The two missiles flew out and struck it.

A white bright light and an explosive sound surrounded him.

"STIMULATION OVER!"

"NO!! Computer! How come?" he was angry. He was sitting in the pilot's seat with everything gone. It was just plane holo deck with his Air Force Flight suit on, helmet on and his pilot seat.

"You were hit by an enemy missile," the computer replied.

"Where?" Bennet asked.

"Behind from nine o'Clock," the computer replied.

"Awww. Damn it," he said unbuckling himself out the pilot seat. He was undoing his face mask. He was furious with himself. He had forgotten about that one air craft. He had been taken down again.

"Fine. End stimulation," he told the computer.

[Corridor]
He had undone the mask of his helmet as he stepped in the corridor.

[Solluk]

[Outside the Holodeck]

Solluk stood in the hall outside of Holodeck 2, perusing the latest news reports on his handheld PADD device.  He was interested in the progress of the case against the Ferengi entrepeneurs  who had been involved in their last mission.   According to the Federation News Service, thirty-two passengers had now joined a class-action lawsuit against the trio.  The latinum he'd secured was still in evidence pending the outcome of various court-cases.

He felt somewhat proud in having tucked the cash away, despite it being under false pretenses.  He felt certain that if the Ferengi had kept posession of the latinum, they'd have figured out a way of absconding with it.  Solluk was proud enough of his little deception that in his quarters, the slip of latinum the Ferengi had tipped him with was framed and on display, using a few square inches of the room's limited wall space.

Solluk didn't often consider himself clever or quick-witted, and the rectangular coin was a reminder of a time he'd gotten things right in a pivotal moment.   It was one of his rare tokens of success, like his graduation certificate and the letter of commendation he'd received from Starfleet when he was still a civilian pilot.  His Caitian roommate hadn't asked about why Solluk was hanging a small piece of currency on the wall, but Solluk was sure the object drew occasional curious glances.

As he completed an article about the court proceedings, the holodeck door opened.   It was still early.  Whoever had scheduled the room still had another fifteen minutes on their allocation.  Solluk was surprised to recognize the Security officer who'd escorted the Ferengi off the bridge in their last mission.   He was more surprised to see the man wearing an old-fashioned flight suit.

Straightening, Solluk nodded to the man.  "Hello, Sir," he hesitated, then added, "were you flying, Sir?  I didn't realize you were a pilot.  I'm here to run some shuttlecraft drills, myself.  What sort of craft are you into?"

(tag Benjamin)

[Ian Galloway]

[Deck 4 - Main Shuttle Bay]

Ian stood in the maintenance chief's office and went over the readiness of all the Tempest's embarked craft. As Flight Operations Chief, he was responsible for supervising all twenty-three of the auxiliary craft, to include the two runabouts on board. Datawork was not his favorite thing, but he also knew that it was inescapable.

Another of his responsibilities was the supervision of all other conn officers aboard the ship and one he hadn't met yet was the unusual Vulcan, Solluk. Since he also had to post the flight rotation for all the shuttles, Ian tapped his comm badge.

"Galloway to Crewman Solluk. Please report to deck four main shuttlebay."

"Might as well get ta meet the new guy. Even though a nebula should be nothing, one never knows, do one?"

Ian then returned to his PADD and the never ending datawork what was part and parcel of modern life as he waited for Solluk to arrive.

[S'Murr]

[Main Engineering]
S'Murr closed the access panel and set the spanner back in it's slot in the tool kit. His shift was about to end, and he was planning on logging some time in the holodeck. The humans had a sport called Hang Gliding (which did not translate well at all), and S'Murr had decided to give it a try. A thought crossed his mind. Why hang alone?

His new roommate was a Shuttle Pilot, and Galloway was actually flew the ship. S'Murr took a moment to tap his com-badge.
S'Murr to Gallowy. I was going to head to the holodeck to try the Hang Gliding program. I thought I would invite Solluk. Care to join in?

S'Murr didn't wait for the reply. He checked his PADD, and went off to the next job; another broken food replicator...

"Remember, S'Murr old boy," he said to himself. "You became an engineer for the glamour and the females."

[Ian Galloway]

[Main Engineering]
S'Murr closed the access panel and set the spanner back in it's slot in the tool kit. His shift was about to end, and he was planning on logging some time in the holodeck. The humans had a sport called Hang Gliding (which did not translate well at all), and S'Murr had decided to give it a try. A thought crossed his mind. Why hang alone?

His new roommate was a Shuttle Pilot, and Galloway was actually flew the ship. S'Murr took a moment to tap his com-badge.
S'Murr to Gallowy. I was going to head to the holodeck to try the Hang Gliding program. I thought I would invite Solluk. Care to join in?

Ian smiled and tapped his comm badge.

"I can meet ya after I speak ta Mister Solluk at the shuttle bay. Don't forget ta replicate a pair of goggles, ya might be surprised how much speed one of those bloody things can reach. Galloway out."

[Benjamin Bennet]

[Outside Holo Deck suites]

[Outside the Holodeck]

Solluk stood in the hall outside of Holodeck 2, perusing the latest news reports on his handheld PADD device.  He was interested in the progress of the case against the Ferengi entrepeneurs  who had been involved in their last mission.   According to the Federation News Service, thirty-two passengers had now joined a class-action lawsuit against the trio.  The latinum he'd secured was still in evidence pending the outcome of various court-cases.

He felt somewhat proud in having tucked the cash away, despite it being under false pretenses.  He felt certain that if the Ferengi had kept posession of the latinum, they'd have figured out a way of absconding with it.  Solluk was proud enough of his little deception that in his quarters, the slip of latinum the Ferengi had tipped him with was framed and on display, using a few square inches of the room's limited wall space.

Solluk didn't often consider himself clever or quick-witted, and the rectangular coin was a reminder of a time he'd gotten things right in a pivotal moment.   It was one of his rare tokens of success, like his graduation certificate and the letter of commendation he'd received from Starfleet when he was still a civilian pilot.  His Caitian roommate hadn't asked about why Solluk was hanging a small piece of currency on the wall, but Solluk was sure the object drew occasional curious glances.

As he completed an article about the court proceedings, the holodeck door opened.   It was still early.  Whoever had scheduled the room still had another fifteen minutes on their allocation.  Solluk was surprised to recognize the Security officer who'd escorted the Ferengi off the bridge in their last mission.   He was more surprised to see the man wearing an old-fashioned flight suit.

Straightening, Solluk nodded to the man.  "Hello, Sir," he hesitated, then added, "were you flying, Sir?  I didn't realize you were a pilot.  I'm here to run some shuttlecraft drills, myself.  What sort of craft are you into?"

(tag Benjamin)

Benjamin was taken back when he saw the tall, slender Vulcan. He called him sir. He had seen the other officer had his three bars on his collar. His rank was crewman third class. The rank would considered to be slight higher then his. But he was a Starfleet academy officer trained.

Then he had recalled the Vulcan. He was Solluk. Story was told about how he had witted the Ferengi. It was impressive to know a Vulcan was creative to pull that off.

He cocked his head to his fellow crewman. "No needed to be formal," he told the other. "I am the one should be respecting you for your uniform for being on duty, Crewman!" He nodded his head to the other.

"were you flying, Sir?  I didn't realize you were a pilot.  I'm here to run some shuttlecraft drills, myself.  What sort of craft are you into?"

"I was flying a F- 16 Fighting Falcon designed by Lockheed Martin company. She was one of the fastest fighter jets that served in the United States Air Force. She can hit super sonic which can give possible knock an old man back," he smirked. He thumbed the door. "I was hoping to do the F- 35 the Raptor. But I should had used it. Cause I could still be alive in there," he said.

"Crafts. Fast one. And you?" he asked.

"And I am Benjamin Bennet...you can call me Bandit," he said removing the right flight glove off. He offered his naked hand to the Vulcan.

[Tag to Sullock and to whoever.... ]

[Solluk]

[Outside the Holodeck]

Solluk smirked, "Bandit, pleased to know you.  I also enjoy sporty craft, but I'll fly anything.  I used to fly a low-warp freighter in the Vulcan system before I enlisted."  He took the man's hand, shaking it firmly in the human fashion.  "Based on your interests, it seems you should have gone into Flight Control instead of Security."

At that moment, Solluk's badge beeped, and a voice emanated from the unit.

"Galloway to Crewman Solluk. Please report to deck four main shuttlebay."

Solluk tapped his badge, "=/\= This is Solluk, I'm on my way. "

He looked to Benjamin apologetically, "Perhaps we can discuss Terran aerospace vehicles another time.  They sound fascinating.  It was good to meet you properly, Sir.'

With that, he made his departure down to the Shuttlebay.

[Main Shuttlebay]

Arriving in the shuttlebay, Solluk quickly identified his department head, and moved to stand at attention in front of him.  "Crewman Solluk reporting, Sir."

(tag)

[Benjamin Bennet]

[Outside the Holodeck]

Solluk smirked, "Bandit, pleased to know you.  I also enjoy sporty craft, but I'll fly anything.  I used to fly a low-warp freighter in the Vulcan system before I enlisted."  He took the man's hand, shaking it firmly in the human fashion.  "Based on your interests, it seems you should have gone into Flight Control instead of Security."

At that moment, Solluk's badge beeped, and a voice emanated from the unit.

"Galloway to Crewman Solluk. Please report to deck four main shuttlebay."

Solluk tapped his badge, "=/\= This is Solluk, I'm on my way. "

He looked to Benjamin apologetically, "Perhaps we can discuss Terran aerospace vehicles another time.  They sound fascinating.  It was good to meet you properly, Sir.'

With that, he made his departure down to the Shuttlebay.

[Main Shuttlebay]

Arriving in the shuttlebay, Solluk quickly identified his department head, and moved to stand at attention in front of him.  "Crewman Solluk reporting, Sir."

(tag)

Benjamin watched the Vulcan walk away. The human was shaking his head. "Fascinating. It is more awesome," he smiled. The Ensign had to laugh inside.

So he had to head back to his quarters to clean up, shave and get ready for a visit to the mess hall.

[Ian Galloway]

[Main Shuttlebay]

Arriving in the shuttlebay, Solluk quickly identified his department head, and moved to stand at attention in front of him.  "Crewman Solluk reporting, Sir."

[Main Shuttlebay]

Ian turned, smiled and nodded to Solluk, knowing the Vulcan dislike of shaking hands.

"At ease crewman. I just wanted a chance ta talk ta ya as ya are part of the Flight Operations Division. Good work in hoodwinkin' those Ferengi gits. I'm sure they are howlin' all the way ta Ferengenar about their latinum. Serves the little Boogits right. Any way, glad ta have ya aboard. As I was goin' over the flight rotation, it seems as part of the last change over of crew, our runabout the USS Tigris needs a pilot. When ya are on duty, if someone needs a pilot for her, that's goin' ta be your assignment. That's all I have, so dismissed."

Ian nodded again and tapped his comm badge.

"Galloway ta S'murr. On the way."

Ian then signed the duty roster PADD and headed for the nearest turbolift.

[Solluk]

[Main Shuttlebay]

Hoodwink.

Gits.

Boogits.

These mysterious words came pouring off of his superior's tongue like water pouring down a waterfall.  Solluk was tempted to inquire about their meaning, but instead filed them away for future review.

Despite not completely understanding every word the man spoke, he got the impression that his Department Head was generally pleased with his performance during the last mission, and he smiled slightly, taking pleasure and pride from that fact.

His smile widened when he was given the Tigris as his official assignment.  The Tempest had faster and more maneuverable shuttles aboard, but none of them compared to the Runabouts in far-reaching capability.  They were able to handle a broad range of mission types.  Essentially, they were miniature starships in their own right.  There was no more prestigious assignment aboard for an embarked craft flight specialist.

"Thank you, Sir," he said, "I'll be sure she is always ready to depart at a moment's notice."

With that, Solluk was dismissed.  Before he could withdraw, Lieutenant Galloway tapped his badge and spoke to none other than Solluk's own roommate, S'Murr.  Solluk wondered if the two were friends- an unlikely pair given the tendency of officers to avoid fraternization with enlisted personnel.  Perhaps they were about to engage in some work-related activity where Flight Control and Engineering overlapped.

The Lieutenant was presently off to the turbolift, and interrupting the man to make inquiries seemed unwise.   Instead, Solluk turned his attention to the Tigris.

He walked up to the craft, laying a hand upon its hull.  He'd sat within her once before, but that had been weeks ago.  "Let us get re-acquainted," he said softly, an illogical gesture to an inanimate object.  He then went inside to perform a standard pre-flight check.  If there was anything amiss with his new charge, he wanted to know about it.

[Ian Galloway]

[Holodeck 4]

Ian arrived with a two sets of goggles and handed one pair to S'murr with a big smile.

"I figured I'd save ya some time and replicate them myself. Now, Flyin' is as natural as breathin' ta me, but I'm not so convinced that ya know the difference between pitch and roll. Ya sure ya are up fer this? I mean the holodeck safety protocols will keep ya from breakin' yer fool neck, but it won't stop me from laughin' like a hyena if'n ya end up hangin' by yer tail from a tree or summat else."

[S'Murr]

[Holodeck 4]
S'Murr picked up the goggles and chuckled. "No worries, Ian," he said. "If I can't learn to fly, I'll still land on my feet." HA! Counter Earth-Cat Joke!

He tapped his combadge.

"S'Murr to Sullek. Mr. Galloway and I are entering Holodeck 4 to try our hands and hang gliding. Care to join out little flock?"

He looked back at Ian and snapped the goggles over his eyes. "Shall we?"