The Shuttle Ride

Posted on Thu Mar 24th, 2022 @ 9:56am by Lieutenant JG Shaille Levine & Ashe Zachariah & Lieutenant Commander Jason Myers & Linza (Lin) Esni & Lieutenant Commander William Gunnison & Lieutenant Commander Calvin Morgan & Lieutenant Veznia MD PSyD & Lieutenant Alexis Aenera & Warrant Officer Callisi Veera

Mission: Double Bind

Shaille had never in her life been so glad to be transported back to the shuttle. The storm had eased enough that they could safely power down the shields and depart, and not a moment too soon as the light on their portable shield generator had started blinking orange again.

As she materialized inside the shuttle, Veznia standing next to her, Shaille immediately turned her attention to the helm. "For the love of the deities, can we get some warmth happening in here?" she asked before moving to a seat, safely stowing the shield generator and waiting for the next arrivals.

Veznia nodded in agreement with Shaille, "A stiff drink would do wonders as well." She added.

A yeti materialised next, soon revealed with be Keth's mane of snow caked fur. The Huanni looked both dejected, rejected, and emotionally off centre as snow made is head wobble from side to side.

"This water is problematic," Keth said as he vigorously shook his head to remove the snow cogged there. "I like it in liquid form, in a glass, and maybe with a little umbrella in it but this solid stuff is nasty. No wonder humans wage wars with balls of frozen snow, it is an evil thing."

He then held up the broken shield emitter he had been carrying.

"Also I broke my shield buddy," he said forlornly.

The next figures on the pick up were Callisi and Ashe. The rabbitess made her way up the ramp into the shuttle, and nearly slipped on the discarded snow and slush. "Whoa!" she caught herself on a railing. "Careful, there's slick here." the cyclopean rabbitess warned as she looked for a broom, or a mop, or something that could clear the hazard. Her EVA suit was removed, allowing her to take that first big breath of fresh air, and letting her ears unfold to their full, unrestrained length. Emperor's grace that felt fantastic.

Ashe followed Callisi into the shuttle, careful to avoid the water slick that had almost taken out her Ts'usgi friend. A glance around revealing a very damp looking Keth made it quite clear what had happened. "Bit damp over there pal?" she asked with a grin. "You know, typically people wait until they're no longer exposed to the elements to remove their EV suits, thus avoiding the chances of getting elemented," she stowed the EV suit she had removed and fluffed out her bright rainbow coloured hair.

"The helmet kept fogging up," Keth explained as he used the self-same helmet to scoop the discarded snow up and into. "So I see the environmental controls to high and that worked, then water started to condense on the face plate, and when I tried to remove it the water froze because I had to take the helmet off and the suit gloves to get at it."

"And then the troublesome water begins to stick to my hands and..." Keth then gestured to the puddle.

Callisi gave a nod, "As the other member of the group that can't fit in a standard EVA suit, I can sympathize." she mentioned, looking through the shuttle's hatches for where the Federation kept their maintenance gear. "If your people don't have an EVA design, maybe you should meet with Engineering to design one." she offered.

Removing his helmet as he stepped up to the group gathering, Calvin brushed off some snow that still clung to his suit. “Well that was an incredible experience I was happy to experience,” He stated really to no one, “And happier to never experience again.”

Jason arrived next, feeling at least a bit warmer... "You know, I say this with all possible respect but the Captain is going to need to get me some Aldeberan whiskey next time to numb me if we're going somewhere THAT bloody cold!"

"A heater." Alexis shuddered out as she rapidly shed her own EVA suit, glancing at Keth and considering him before shaking her head. He was still wet and that would just make her even colder, "I'll take anything warmer than what we just got in from right now, anything at all."

Linza heard "a heater" the moment she beamed back into the shuttle and pulled off her helmet. "That, a heater, please?" she shook the show off her helmet, doing her best not to hit anyone. "Why can't these things keep us any warmer?" She bounced on her heels a bit.

"We're alive," Will said, trying not to leave small piles of snow wherever he moved as he removed his suit. "I don't want to be a wet blanket, but that's a lot more than a lot of good people from this planet can say right now."

Shaille frowned at the remark, even though it was true. "We did what we could," she said quietly. "We did the best under the circumstances and saved as many as we could." She headed for a seat and sank down. "Can we ramp that heat up a bit more?" she called toward the front of the shuttle before turning her attention back to Will and the others. "Think of how many lives we saved... and none of them will ever know about us."

Callisi gave a nod, "Ramping up the environmentals." she gave a sigh, not looking forward to the rising heat. Though, she was just the pilot. Her contribution to this venture was the ride there and the ride back, she didn't brave the elements, she didn't risk her ears for this. So for those in the cabin, wet and cold and homeward bound, she cranked up the environmentals.

"That's the best kind of op, Levine. The kind where no one knows we were ever there. Like ghosts." she paused, "Provided you all believe in ghosts too."

The sigh was barely audble, but it came with a slight slump of the ears that Shaille recognised all too well. Standing up she moved to the replicator and made her request, picking up the small item as it appeared and walking across to Callisi. "Of course I believe in ghosts," she said with a weary smile. "Don't mind me, nothing suss. I promise," she added as she rested the ice pack atop Callisi's head, right between her ears. "If that doesn't work, we can always ask them to beam up some snow for you," she offered before moving back to her own seat.

Callisi gave a smirk, "And Ghost believes in you." she stated, a play on words on Koh's callsign. "Hmm?" she was dubious at Shaille's comment. Afterall, 'I'm Not Suss" is exactly what an imposter would say. Though, then came the payoff for her trust: The icepack.

Callisi seemed to almost melt, but it wasn't from overheating or exposure to water from some little girl from a midwestern farm. It was from the sensation of all the tension she didn't even know she was holding in just being removed. The relief from having all that heat just leeched from her, and the prospect of all the heat to come not even being a concern, was a very very welcome feeling indeed. And from the hands of a friend, someone who knew Ts'usugi biology so well.

"T.. thank you." She didn't even realize the stutter until it was out and gone. Seeing her like this was rare, but a welcome sight to those that knew how the Ts'usugi worked. As a people and as a society.

Shaille gave a quick nod and returned to her seat, looking around. "So, I'm thinking about booking a holodeck. A nice beach on a warm summers day. Who's in?" she asked with a glance around. "After all that snow, I think I want somewhere delightfully tropical and warm!"

"I'm there!" Alexis agreed, "Get some sun, work on the tan, drinks with umbrellas and maybe a bit of volleyball or something." She beamed at the thought, warming herself already, "I am totally in on that."

"Noriss Four." Callisi offered from the front cockpit. "It's a Dalacari world, Next generation weather influencer tech." she continued, "Though if you're content with sim rooms, go crazy." she snickered, returning her attention to the front panels, while adjusting the ice pack between her lengthy ears.

Shaille smiled, leaning back against the bulkhead of the shuttle, a smile playing across her lips before she spoke again. "I'll make the arrangements. In the interim, how about we just go home?"