Ensign Na'Lae Mandak - Memories of Good, and Unknown

[Jarred Thoran]

(( Prior to Briefing, Just after Check In, USS Blackwell, Deck 12))

((OOC- Started working on this a while ago, thought I'd finish it up and shine a light on Lae a bit. ))

:: It had only been a short while since Lae had checked in aboard her newest assignment. She had spoken with the commandant of the task force to start, getting some pretty simple orders for the time being. Most everyone else were all trying to check in with medical, or psych, or whomever they needed in order to get their particular show on the road. Lae had decided to take a small tour instead. She'd be doing things a bit backwards, wanting to get to her quarters and get her things moved in from the cargo area. She moved off of the deck 12 turbolift right near the Shuttle Flight Control room. She smirked a bit remembering her first commission... The commandeering of the shuttle that took her from academy to Starbase 11, and the pilot who almost soiled himself...::

(( Flashback three years prior, Shuttle Tyderion, Perimeter of Starbase 11))

:: She'd been enroute to her first posting for some time, but finally the shuttle pilot looked over to her. ::

Pilot: We'll be arriving shortly ma'am.

Mandak: Perfect... It's been a while since we left... Is that...

:: She smiled as she leaned forward through the [...]pit area. She found herself instinctively sitting down in the second seat next to the pilot, watching in awe as the Starbase came into view. It wasn't the base that caught her attention though... It was the Constitution, and her massive glory. All 42 decks were calling her name. She felt a rush of energy all at once, knowing that she needed to be on that ship; that her life was about to begin. ::

Mandak: We going to the Constitution I hope?

Pilot: Well I'd orders to set down on the Starbase ma'am...

:: She pulled up the comm stack before letting him talk further. ::

Mandak: USS Constitution, this is Shuttle Tyderion, requesting to land... :: she mouthed the words sorry to the shuttle pilot...::

Conny: Tyderion, cleared to bay Two High. Slow approach pattern advised.

Mandak: May I? :: looking to the pilot, who was still figuring what to do...::

Pilot: I mean, you basically already are so... :: He sort of put his hands up in desperation, signaling his transfer of control to her. ::

:: She Rubbed her hands together, and got her bearings about the control panel. oO You could just be appropriate, just this once... NAH...Oo. Lae wasn't a hotshot by any means, but there was the random occasion where she'd run outside the lines a bit. This was one of those occasions. She took control, and moved the speed indicator up a bit. ::

Pilot: I'm pretty sure they advised low speed approach ma'am...

Mandak: They did? Hmm...

:: They were making their way pretty quickly to the suggested bay, and noted that the door was opening. She moved the speed up even higher, moving quicker and quicker towards the bay. her eyes widened a bit as she waited for the right moment. The proximity alarm began to go off, sending the pilot into a panic. ::

Pilot: Ma'am, give ME CONTROL! NOW!

Mandak: Live a little will you?

:: She punched in a 180 maneuver, turning the shuttle about face as they continued to move backwards at a ridiculous speed for landing. The rear of the shuttle breached the force field, and she threw on the rear maneuvering thrusters, just long enough to stop the shuttle, having her land ever so gingerly on the deck. She looked at the console with a satisfied look, then having forgot about him for a second, over to the pilot, who showed a face made for radio... ::

Pilot: Get out...

Mandak: Alright, alright... Sorry...

:: The rear hatch opened, and she began to step out. ::

Pilot: You forgot something... :: he launched her bag out the rear door onto the floor at her feet. ::

Mandak: I said Sorry! :: The door closed as the words came out. This was why she typically chose the more reserved moments in life. ::

((End Flashback 1, Back to Deck 12, USS Blackwell, Quarters Mandak))

:: Before she knew it, she'd managed to wander to where the senior officer's quarters began in that section of the deck. She knew the layout of this deck in particular, as she wanted to be able to offload her gear in good time to make for the first briefing. She found the sliding doors to her room, and punched in her access code. That familiar woosh rang out, and she took a few steps into her new abode. For now, things seemed pretty basic. She wasn't much of an accessorizer, so the chances of it remaining basic were pretty good. Just after she'd arrived, the chime rang on the door. Certainly it would be logistics with her things. ::

Mandak: Come

:: The door opened once again, and in stepped a rather tall yellow clad logistics officer, with a hovercart of belongings. ::

Logs Officer: Ma'am... I have in total three bags, and a personal computer. 

Mandak: Sounds about right. What about the safe...

Logs: Safe ma'am?

Mandak: You know... the one with all my credits and latinum in it... :: She shot him a serious look now, with her hands on her hips. ::

:: The man seemed to squirm for a moment, clearly not seeing the ruse and thinking he'd messed up. ::

Mandak: Sorry, just messing with you. Do I need to sign something?

:: The man stayed quiet, and handed her the PADD she was holding. She punched in her signature in receipt of her gear, and gave it back to High Tower. He gave her a low smirk, and went to turn. ::

Logs: Anything else ma'am?

Mandak: That's all for now... Let me know if you find it... 

:: With that, he turned and left, chuckling to himself. She moved now to her things, plopping the computer on the bed. She'd a lot on her mind as of late, some of which she'd be able to explore on that computer. With Johan's disappearance some time ago, she'd been combing through local news and other personal sources for any leads on his whereabouts. He had always been the reason to keep on pushing. Always was the reason to keep on fighting, through whatever life had to throw at her. But with him gone now, it made things seem so... heavy. She opened the computer, and pulled up the HUD, punching in her command code. She opened her skimmer app, which could be programmed to scan news sources, much like a ticker, built to custom parameters. Nothing popped out at her... She sighed and laid back on the bed, undoing her top, and letting her hair fall. There wasn't much time till briefing, but she was beginning to doze a bit. 

((Dreaming, SS Diligent, Area of Rekar III Trade Space, Some time ago ))

Johan: Alright my dear... Take your place. It's nearly time.

:: The smell of smoke was thick on the deck of the bridge. The operational room was full of cigar smoke. She never understood the terran man in that sense. Of all the things Na'lae knew of the human race, and in particular this human, she never understood the purpose of  a cigar. Johan insisted it was to christen the new ship. Lae didn't necessarily think that her vessel needed to be filled with smoke as a send off. Nonetheless, she thought it was quirky. oO That's dad...Oo. She moved about the cabin, touching all the surfaces and controls as Johan moved around as well, smoking his awful treat. ::

Mandak: These things are just as I drew them...

Johan: I made it a point to use your drawings in the design plans. Had to make sure this ship was special.

Mandak: Well you didn't have to. :: She smiled lightly.::

:: Lae had drawn starships for as long she could remember, using them in stories that would take her imagination to the Sol system and back. She never thougth she would be walking in and touching an embodiment of her mind. ::

Johan: You know things are different now. No more being told what to do, when to do it. You've grown. I think it's time you were afforded the opportunity to move forward on your journey.

Mandak: You know, for once I think I might be able to do that. :: She moved towards the helm, getting ready for pre-departure procedures, when another man came and motioned to the seat she was about to take. :: Excuse me...

Johan: Lae... Your chair is here. :: he pointed to the center chair that was hoisted from the ceiling on a control arm, a bucket type seat with systems panels at the sides, almost like a small pod of sorts. The Captain's seat... oO Why's he pointing at that... Oo.

Mandak: I don't get it...

Johan: Don't you? I didn't just want to build a ship that was inspired by you. I wanted to build a ship that was commanded by you Lae... It's time. Na'Lae Mandak... Take the seat of your first command. And for gods' sake, let that man take his station...

:: Lae was... in shock. Not quite sure what to say, she turned to see the helmsman smiling at her, as were a few of the other crew members. She stumbled to the side awkwardly, letting the man take his post. She moved towards Johan, and touched the arm of the chair. She sat inside the control station, and the control panels came to life. Systems subschecks were being performed, and she could see the progress reports being filed by the deck bosses one at a time through the holographic heads up display. She moved her hands in the air in front of the screens, watching them arrange to her liking. She rotated the control arm on the chair, moving her about the radii of the center of the room. She could see all stations, all angles. Centering back now towards the main helm, the computer prompted her on the screen "ma'am... where shall I plot a course?" ::

Johan: This ship knows you, Lae. Knows your make up. It is you... Biometrics that are tuned to you, and can learn from the routines you perform. This is quite your ship now.

:: Her thoughts were racing, not knowing how or why, or what next. ::

(( End flashback ))

:: She stood now, snapping back to reality, with the looming feeling of running late. There had been the trailing of a commbadge notification, no doubt the Captain wanting his seniors to assemble. She got herself together, putting her long hair back up, and redressing. She needed to find Johan... Some way... Some how. She just had to. ::

TBC

-- 
Ensign Na'Lae Mandak
Helm Officer
USS Blackwell 
Andaris Task Force
O238901VL0