round 4 LTCDR Mei'konda - Into the Unknown

[Rahman and Rivi Vataix]

((Bridge, USS Veritas, 0900 hours))

:: Mei’konda hadn’t gotten much sleep.  It was hardly his first experience in assisting a starship’s departure on a mission, but this was the first time he’d felt this combination of excitement and anxiety.  Excitement, because it’d been a year since his last deep space assignment.  Anxiety, because of what was going on with Evan. ::

:: He hadn’t had as much time to get to know the Bridge crew as he would have liked, but as he understood it, he’d have the better part of a month to get to know them while the Veritas traveled to Shadow’s Edge.  Being limited to Warp 5 was going to be interesting.  He’d settled at the Operations console, logged in, and spent the better part of the morning chatting quietly with Lieutenant Maravosh, the helmsman, as well as reconfiguring the console to his exact preferences. ::

:: The Caitian’s ears rotated as the turbolift door slid open.  He didn’t have to look in order to recognize Rahman’s footsteps, but still turned his seat and bobbed his head toward her. ::

Rahman: Notify the station we are heading off on our way to Shadow's Edge.

Blake: Aye, Captain. Flight plan logged. Esperance is standing by.

:: Rahman’s eyes turned toward him. ::

Rahman: Final pre-departure systems check please, Mr. Mei'konda.

Mei'konda: Final pre-depaarture systems check.  Aye, Captaain.  

:: Spinning his chair briskly back around, Mei’konda let his hands dance across the ops console as he began the automated level five diagnostics that would supplement the more intensive ones that the crew had been running, in preparation for departure.  One by one, major systems blinked green on his screens.  Moments later, he heard the telltale whistle of a shipwide announcement, and the Captain’s voice. ::

Rahman: =/\= All hands, this is the captain. We are making way for Shadow's Edge. You've all done an excellent job getting the ship ready during this difficult transition.  We're going to find answers, I promise you. =/\=

:: Tradition.  The Captain preparing the crew for this mission.  Considering what had happened to their previous commander, certainly a smart move. ::

Rahman: Departure check?

Mei'konda: All systems reporting nominaal, Captaain.  The Veritas is ready for depaarture.

Rahman: All right, get us underway, Commander Blake.

Blake: Standby for clearance from Esperances Ops.

:: Mei’konda glanced toward his right, where the Lieutenant was working through the departure procedures.  He remembered being at the helm.  It was a lot to keep track of. ::

Maravosh: Star Station Esperance confirms we are a go for departure.

Blake: Engage thrusters. Steady away from station docks.

:: Mei’konda’s ears perked and rotated as the Veritas began to move slowly away from the station.  For a moment, he was surprised.  On the Garuda, his human crewmates hadn’t been able to pick up the sound of maneuvering, and on the Invicta, engine sounds were muffled completely, often replaced with something natural played through the hull.  But the Veritas was very different.  Less well insulated, much more power for her mass.  She wanted to MOVE.  He was starting to understand the attraction of a smaller, tougher ship. ::

Rahman: Ahead to Shadow's Edge, warp... ::She raised an eyebrow.:: five.

Maravosh: Warp five, confirmed.

Mei’konda: Full power traansferred to navigaational sensors.  Tetryon fields chaarted.  It doesn’t look liike there is anythiing out of the ordinaary in our path.  At least… not for the Shoals.

Blake: The Mother Road's current trajectory has been confirmed, but we'll need an additional check once we get into Coalition space. Long range sensor calibrations will likely be required with drifting from the road. All departments are green.

Rahman: Engage.

:: Stars streaked in front of them, Mei’konda instinctively leaned back in his seat, and let out a short breath.  They were on their way. ::

=========

Lieutenant Commander Mei’konda

Operations Officer

USS Veritas