Cmdr. Karrod Niac - Limping into the Unknown

[Talos Dakora]

I've been loving this set of sims from @Karrod Niac. Nothing like getting all the new Ensigns initiated with a pleasant spacewalk gone wrong. Bonus points for the mental imagery of them following our favorite gruff, bearded Ops Chief around like a mama duck.

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((Outer Hull, USS Excalibur))

With the prospect of a long walk across the hull ahead of them Karrod grumbled to himself, wondering briefly if he should've taken his Doctor's advice to heart and avoided anything resembling the exact thing he was doing at the moment.  His muscles, tendons and bones all seemed to shriek in agreement but as they'd never gone to medical school, Karrod continued steadfastly ignoring them one heavy boot clomp at a time.  

Niac: ::after walking a moment:: =/\= Well, not quite what I was planning but it looks like we've got a little more time to get to know one another.  So, what do you folks do when you're not on duty?  Any fun hobbies?  =/\=

Jones: =/\= I like to tend plants. It's something I picked up a couple years ago, and it's been very nice. =/\=

Kijana: =/\= Ensign Jones, perhaps you should meet with Sleepy... She had quite the green thumb as well. As for myself. Eating... Cooking as well, but eating moreso. Among other things... =/\=

Jones: =/\= Oh yeah? Thanks for the recommendation. I'll look her up, and yes. Eating is a passion of mine as well. =/\=

Jovenan: =/\= I do just basic stuff. Reading, writing. Going for a run time to time. I guess I’ll need to check what all the ship has to offer. =/\=

Jones: =/\= What about you, sir? If I may ask. What makes your heart sing? =/\=

Karrod paused for a moment to give the question some thought and not because his knees were beginning to turn into some form of pain paste.  

Niac: =/\= Unfortunately, Sleepy, I mean Ensign Tiberius, transferred off the ship.  Last I heard she was heading to Starbase 80.  But to your question, Ensign Jones - my heart isn't especially musical but I've been accused of smiling, on several occasions, while in the boxing ring.  I've also picked up some culinary habits...they came with my symbiote, Niac.  Never really cared for cooking before but when you've got a master chef in your head all hours of the day, you either start cooking or have a minor psychotic episode.  =/\=

Karrod left it to each ensign to decide which way he'd gone with it.

Kijana: =/\= Don't forget bar brawls and disguises sir... =/\=

Karrod chuckled to himself and resumed his march towards the Marine hangars.  

Niac: =/\= That was one time, Hera....well, that you know of.  =/\=

He hoped that, somehow, the commlink would convey his wink effectively.  

Kijana: =/\= Are the both of you new to Starfleet? Or transferred from somewhere else? =/\=

Jovenan: =/\= I’m straight from the Academy, this is my first assignment. =/\=

There was a noticeable moment of pause on the comm while Ensign Jones considered their answer.  Karrod made a mental note to check the mans service record whenever they got back inside.  And after a sonic shower.  And probably some sleep.  And a large whiskey shaped analgesic for his back.  

Jones: =/\= I was in before. Just completed recommissioning training =/\=

Kijana: =/\= And your specialities? /\=

Jovenan: =/\= Science officer. I’ve got a degree in Planetary Sciences from university before Academy, where I specialised in astronomy and xenobiology. =/\=

Jones: =/\= Before, I was psychiatry. (I was a counselor) Now, my specialty is in virology and pathology. I won't bore you with the synopsis of my dissertation. =/\= oOYou're a nerd, Hiro Oo

Jovenan: =/\= How about you… It’s Kijana, right? Are you new here and what do you do around here? =/\=

Kijana: Response

Jovenan: =/\= Really? That’s… uh… cool. I haven't met many intelligence officers before. I met the ship's senior int officer during the mission briefly, thought. =/\=

Karrod felt like his EVA suit was getting heavier again but he knew this was just a sign of growing fatigue as they marched onward.  At least his young charges had taken the opportunity to get to know one another a little better.  He was glad they'd have someone to talk to at his soon to be scheduled memorial service.  

Niac: =/\= Maybe you have, Ensign Jovenan, and you just don't realize.  They do have a tendency towards subterfuge...and leather jackets occasionally.  Never quite figured out the latter although I think they believe it makes them look edgy.  =/\=

Kijana: Response

Karrod compared their location in his mind to a map he'd brought up on the inside of his heads up display and he was discouraged to see they hadn't made nearly as much progress as his aching muscles claimed they had.  Fortunately the much younger and less recently exploded Ensigns seemed to be keeping a chipper spirit, even Ensign Jovenan, whose heartrate had dropped steadily as they walked.  

Jones: =/\= Looks like we're getting close now. Ensign Jovenan, do you spend much time in an EVA suit, or do you prefer doing your study through sensors? =/\=

Jovenan: Response

Jones: =/\= Fair enough. ::waving a slow hand at the endless starfield:: You can't beat this view though, huh? =/\=

Karrod took a breath and reflexively tried to wipe his brow but collided with his helmet visor.  Gritting his teeth in annoyance he took a long, slow breath and looked around, trying to remind himself why he'd thought this was a good idea just few hours earlier.  The panoramic view across the hull was truely spectacular and he felt for a moment like a character in a childhood story, climbing his way methodically up the side of a sleeping giant.  He didn't quite remember how that particular Flotter holostory ended and tried to simply enjoy the moment.  

Niac:  =/\=  Couldn't agree with you more.  Sensors can show you a lot more but there's no replacement for the old Mark II eyeball when you're looking to be awestruck.  =/\=

Jovenan/Kijana: Response

After an interminable hike that seemed like days but the chronometer in his helmet insisted was only fifteen minutes the team came within sight of the massive hangar doors that would hopefully lead them back into the safety of the ships interior.  Karrod again tapped at the controls on the arm of his suit and prayed that whatever computer issues had befallen the airlock would've be present here as well.  

Jones: =/\= Let's hope somebody's home. =/\=

Karrod scowled deeply as the door refused to open.  

Niac: =/\= Nothing...suit confirms a link to the door controls and accepts my authorization but I get an error message.  Anybody else?  =/\=

Huffing deeply, Karrod crossed his arms over his chest and scowled at first the door, then the control panel and then, the universe as a whole.  Someone was clearly tormenting them for some grievous past sin he'd committed, although which Karrod couldn't quite recall.  Niac's perfect recall began offering a detailed list which nearly made Karrod try to poke his midsection again.

Jovenan/Kijana: Response

Karrod tapped at his suit controls and tried to open a comm channel to the transporter room, rapidly losing what little of his patience he had.  

Niac:  =/\= Karrod to transporter room 2...=/\=

The comm blatted an error tone and Karrod cursed loudly within his helmet.  

Niac: =/\=  Alright, minor annoyance is starting to turn into a bigger problem, but we'll figure this out...any minute now. =/\=

As he looked around and considered their dwindling list of options, DS224 loomed large in his vision.  The ship was docked and only a few hundred meters of void separated them from the skin of the station itself.  The idea that was forming was comprehensively terrible but, at the same time, was looking more and more like their only option.  

Niac: =/\= Well, unless one of you knows how to hotwire a door I think we're going to have to jump to the station. =/\=

Jones/Jovenan/Kijana: =/\= Response =/\=

Karrod had to admit their less than positive feedback had a ring of truth to it.  

Niac: =/\= In that case I'm open to suggestions.  Otherwise, we'll tether off to one another and make a quick hop over to the station.  There's an emergency airlock adjacent to the docking umbilic and I'm....mostly sure that one will let us in. =/\=

Jones/Jovenan/Kijana: =/\= Response =/\=

TAGS/TBC!

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Commander Karrod Niac
Chief of Operations
USS Excalibur - NCC-41903-A
Commodore Kali Nicholotti, Commanding
V239509GT0