Ensign Ulasso - Welcome to Starfleet, Ensign. Your first mission- try and not die.

[Alora DeVeau]

Some great exposition here.

 

((Bridge, Deck One, USS Thor)) 

 

It takes a lot to make a Saurian nervous. Add academy training on how to compartmentalize your emotions on top of that and it made Ulasso a hard nut to crack when things got rough. That being said, potential imminent death at only the age of 13 (even being a full adult for a Saurian), on his first mission when his career had just begun made it so Ulasso was doing everything he could to keep it together. This was not the way he had thought this would go, fully confident in his training and skills and that he would have been able to make a great impression to his new CO and crew. Now he had piloted them right into a vulnerable position where they were left crippled. Nothing to do but try and keep it together and stick to his training. He leaned in to listen to what the terrifying creature on the viewscreen had to say, taking a gulp as he realized one of the trophies around the creature's neck was decidedly reptilian.

 

Pirate Captain Shok: =/\= Starfleet vessel. We are conducting a salvage operation. We have lost property on this planet. If you or your crew make any continued attempts, consider this your final warning. 

 

Greaves: =/\= (Shouting) You have engaged a Starfleet vessel. Stand down immediately or face the consequences of your actions. =/\= 

 

Pirate Captain Shok: =/\= Any perceived threat will be considered an act of aggression, and you will be destroyed. =/\= 

 

Greaves: =/\= Whoever you are, I swear to you, I will find you, and make you pay for the lives you've taken from me. =/\= 

 

Ulasso let out a slight yelp as Major Greaves suddenly smashed the end transmission button on his console. He gave a quick embarrassed glance around to see if anyone had noticed, but all attention was on the commanding officer.

 

Greaves:  Kessler, weapons, now.  

 

Ulasso: I still can't get a read on their position to optimize defensive maneuvers, sir. As we continue to descend we are once again blind.

 

Corelli/Kessler: Responses 

 

Brodie: I don’t think we’re going to get any quarter here…and another hit like that and it’ll be academic anyway. 

 

Ulasso: I dread to see the foul academy that creature would have been trained in.

 

Corelli/Kessler: Responses 

 

Greaves: (Shouting) Someone, give me options. All ideas are on the table at this point! 

 

Brodie: ::Quietly:: Wes…we need to consider the crew. 

 

Ulasso looked to the Major and noticed his eyes go distant, as if he were somewhere else for a brief couple of moments that felt like they lasted an eternity. The Major then seemed to snap back to reality with a haunting look of clarity on his face (or so Ulasso thought, these humans had so much non-verbal communication through their facial features it made it hard to distinguish sometimes.  He thought back to the academy where his friend Kel who was experienced with humans had helped him navigate the intricacies of conversation with them.

 

Greaves: (Quietly) ... the crew... 

 

Brodie: You know what I’m suggesting. 

 

Kel: =/\= Kel to bridge. What's going on up there? I've got casualties down here. What's our status? =/\= 

 

Greaves: =/\= Major Greaves here. Ship's in rough shape Lieutenant, and we're getting sucked deeper into the atmosphere. =/\= 

 

Kel: =/\= Has Lt. Corelli reached you? He was injured but left without treatment. =/\= 

 

Corelli: =/\= Response =/\= 

 

Greaves: =/\= He's in good company up here doc. There's a lot of hurt people everywhere. (pause) If you had to, can you move all of the patients you've got in sickbay? =/\= 

 

Kel: =/\= Response 

 

Greaves: =/\= Understood. Stand by for follow-on guidance. Bridge out. =/\= 

 

Ulasso kept his focus on monitoring the Thor's descent. Communications had once again been silenced by the isotopes in the atmosphere, and operations were limited due to the damage they had taken. All he could do was hope they weren't fired on again and maybe he could guide the ship down to a landing in the ocean. Hopefully they wouldn't be swallowed by whatever lived in that vast ocean.

 

Corelli/Kessler: Responses 

 

Greaves: Belay the Valkyrie launch. All power to maneuvering thrusters and structural integrity fields. Ensign Ulasso, how is that gliding going? 

 

Ulasso: We are entering the lower atmosphere sir, the planet's gravity is taking over making it hard to keep a lower angle of descent. Soon we will be pulled into a dive, and I don't have enough power to fight it.

 

Corelli/Brodie/Kessler: Response 

 

Ulasso smelled the commander approaching his console once again. The first time he had approached and cut the transmission to the Pirate ship Ulasso had taken in his scent. For a Saurian, someone's scent was more important than their appearance. Major Greave's was that of a clean cut Marine, lacking the extra non-necessary oddities such as perfumes, lotions and colognes that some creatures adorned themselves with. It was also a clean scent, that of someone who followed a strict, unflinching hygiene regiment. Ulasso assumed the Major even cleaned out his toothpaste cap. He felt the Major's hand fall on his shoulder.

 

Greaves: Ensign, you stand relieved. Give me the conn.  

 

Even in this dire circumstance, Ulasso felt a sense of loss at having to step away from flying his new best friend, the Thor. Through all of this he had connected with the ship in a way he found it hard to do with other sentient beings. He was an Ensign on his first mission however, and in these dire circumstances he needed to put his love and pride aside and defer to his commander. It was the best chance of getting out of this alive.

 

Ulasso: Yes sir, let me prepare to transfer conn control.

 

Greaves: The best we can do now is to buy time for the crew to evacuate, and that's something I can do from here... alone. The rest of you, get to an escape pod.  

 

Brodie: Response 

 

Greaves: The state the ship is in, the computer isn't going to be able to make the decisions that need to be made. I'll glide us the rest of the way in.  

 

Corelli/Kessler: Response 

 

Ulasso watched as Greaves reached down and keyed in a command on the console. A piercing boatswain's whistle filled the entire vessel. Every compartment that had power and audio heard the same sound at the same moment as the ship-wide channel opened. 

 

Greaves: =/\= All hands, this is Major Greaves. (Pause) Abandon ship. I say again, abandon ship. (Pause) If you're trapped and can't get to an escape pod, brace for impact. I'm staying aboard and I'll try and put us down as softly as possible. After the crash I'll come find you... For everyone else, it's been a pleasure. (Long pause) Good luck. Greaves out. =/\= 

 

Ulasso had finished his work and stepped away from the conn. He watched as the Major took his seat and was engulfed by the chair. The Major stood over a foot shorter than Ulasso, and Ulasso had noticed they had brought quite a large chair for him to sit in at the Conn, he assumed in anticipation of his large size. He couldn't help but admire the Commander's potential sacrifice and put it in his memory as something he would call upon if he ever received a command position in his distant future.

 

Ulasso: Godspeed and thank you sir.

 

Corelli/Brodie/Kessler: Response 

 

[Begin Act II]

 

((Corridors, USS Thor)) 

Ulasso stumbled through the corridors along with his ship mates. Flashing lights leading him the way to his escape pod as he tagged behind his more experienced colleagues who he assumed had drilled this countless times.

 

Ulasso: will there be enough room for us all in the same Pod?

 

Corelli/Brodie/Kessler: Response

 

They reached an escape pod and all crammed in. Ulasso had to duck his head entering the pod. The door closed shut with a "whoose".

 

Ulasso took in the escape pod flight controls and recognized them from his academy training. He knew through chain of command he would now answer to Lt. Commander Brodie.

 

Ulasso: Lt. Commander Brodie, I can try and pilot this pod down to a general location on the surface. Once we clear the isotopes in the atmosphere we might be able to get a better view. What are your orders?

 

Brodie: response

 

Ulasso: I will do my best sir. 

 

Corelli/Brodie/Kessler: Response

 

Ensign Ulasso, (HCO) Officer 
USS Thor 

 

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