Topic: Star Trek: Veiled Chimera Subject: Meeting the Posse
((OOC: Will backpost interaction with Reid))
Stardate 2365.02.19 USS Peregrine; Deck 4 – Shuttlebay 1 – 1125
Stormrider braced his elbows on the top of the fence keeping the horses in the stable yard. Right right foot found it's way to the bottom rung. He moved the shoot of grass from one side to the other as he watched the magnificent beasts run. There were strong one and fast ones, and they were all beautiful. He couldn't wait to tame them all.
“Hello, again, Ens Garner,” the Trill said, coming up behind the young man, “Looking for the Flight Operations Office?”
"Hello Sir. Just looking at the shuttles." Garner replied with an easy smile.
“Right this way,” Zai nodded, gesturing toward the gangway that led up to the bay’s Operations and Observation mezzanine. “We see you’ve found your way here, easily enough,” the XO continued, leading the way up the steps, “Always a good start. We’re sure it won’t be long and you’ll be able to find your way around the ship blindfolded…”
"Yeah, Reid was kind enough to give me a tour earlier." Garner said as he followed the XO.
The Desperado arrived on the scene. With a nod the two men moseyed into the adjacent building that held the tack. Noises could be heard inside. Stormrider was to meet the rest of the man-in-black's posse.
Another round of snickering went around the table, at that, and had just begun to fade away when the door opened to admit Tochi and a young-looking, sandy-haired human wearing an ensign’s pip on his collar.
“…and this is what we have come to call the Flight Ops Office,” the Trill was explaining as he ushered the ensign in. His gaze swept the faces gathered around the table (and the blue one that appeared on the wall-mounted monitor) and he smiled faintly. “You’re all here,” he said as the door whispered shut behind the kid, “Good.”
“No place we’d rather be, Commander,” Megan chirruped, her bright gaze running over Garner for an instant, “Who’s this, then, sir?”
The little school marm was the first to approach.
Tochi’s grin widened. The little shuttle-pilot’s enthusiasm was infectious as ever. “Well, Megan,” he beamed, resting a hand on the woman’s shoulder as he strode past, “that’s the purpose of this meeting, isn’t it?” He drew to a stop next to the stoic Vulcan standing at the head of the table, turned, and gestured toward the kid standing by the door; “Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce you to Ensign Bradley Garner; our newest Flight Control Officer.
Garner lifted one hand to wave hello as he was being introduced. His smile broad as he looked around the room adding names to faces.
Mr Garner, this is the USS Peregrine’s Flight Control Department,” Tochi continued, waving vaguely at the assemblage. “This rather stern looking fellow to my left,” Zai indicated the bronze-skinned Vulcan at his side, “is Master Chief V’lur; our chief flight systems specialist and, at any given moment, my eyes and ears in Flight Ops…”
“Ensign Garner,” V’lur nodded curtly, “Welcome aboard, sir.”
Master Chief.
…Tochi indicated the Japanese man sitting on the far side of the table, next; “Chief Petty Officer Seto Yasuo; our other flight systems specialist…”
Chief Yasuo stood, smiled, and reached across the table to shake Garner’s hand. “Welcome aboard, sir,” he said, pumping the ensign’s hand, “Feel free to call me Yas.”
Chief.
“Most all of us do,” Megan interjected.
“Thanks to you,” SCPO Kukkonen quipped, prompting the elfin red-head to poke her tongue out at him.
“…If there’s anything you need to know about any ship in the galaxy,” Commander Zai continued with a faintly amused shake of his head at Kook and Megan’s banter, “Yas is your man.
Next,” the Trill gestured to the burly, bearded man seated next to Yas, “Senior Chief Maarti Kukkonen…”
“Tervetuola, Ensign,” Maarti nodded, offering a friendly smile and a welcoming nod, “I suppose you’d better get accustomed to calling me Kook; Megan will have you doing it before long, anyway.”
Senior Chief. Three Chiefs.
Stormrider's gaze next went to the three savages standing in the room. Their feathered headdresses and buckskin clothing a counterpoint the the dud's the rest of the posse wore. The tall one with the pointed ears and most elaborate head dress lifted his hand in the traditional greeting of his people. His face grim, Stormrider was new around these parts. Then the smallest one with the single feather in his hair, and finally the meaty one with the beard. Stormrider eyed the three men as they eyed him back.
“Well, b’cause ye are,” Megan teased, “an’ a big ol’ groombly bear, ‘s well!” Without waiting for the Commander to introduce her, the effervescent little woman bounced to her feet and thrust out a tiny hand. “Hullo, Ens Garner,” she squeaked, “I’mPettyOfficerOwen…Megan…MeganOwen.Mean’Kook’reshootlepilotsbutwedoaweebito’timeonnabridge’swell.Et’sgoodtaemeetye,sir.Efyeneedsomeonetaeshowyeaboot,jus’lemmeknow,sir!”
No, not school marm. The little red head lost the bonnet and bustle, and she too was in cowboy dud's. Her cowboy hat pushed back to form a halo around her head, both her hands resting on the grip of the two revolves in her gun belt. Stormrider could tell how fast she was by the way she carried herself. She looked at him, a half smile forming on her lips, she looked away and then back. Stormrider looked at her, then lifted his hat with one hand and smoothed his hair back with the other. He looked down at his boots, then back up at her. A smile was forming on his face as well.
"Something something something" People were talking,"...should you care for a guided tour."
"Yes!" Garner almost said, but let the XO carry on with the introductions as he refocused his attention.
"Finally,” Zai said, motioning to the pale-blue face of the Andorian woman that appeared on the viewscreen, “Lie… er…” Tochi cleared his throat, smiled a bit sheepishly, then continued; “Ensign Vaela P’Tammah; our Assistant Chief Flight Control Officer. You may have seen her at the CONN when you were on the bridge just a bit ago.”
On the screen, Vaela’s expression morphed from curiously surprised to presenting a congenial smile as her gaze flitted from Zai to Garner. “Welcome aboard, Bradley,” she said softly, “I’m sure you and I will come to know each other fairly well. I understand we are to be sharing quarters.”
Outside? Framed by the window? How does that work? Garner thought.
The blue skinned woman's red vest contrasted nicely, her stetson hung by the chin strap, coming to rest on her shoulders, but Stormrider's eyes were drawn to the bullwhip she was running through her fingers. He could tell that this broncobuster was the Desperado's right hand man.
"Good to meet you...rommie..." Garner hated how awkward all his first impressions seemed to be. Turning to look around the room, "Good to meet everyone really, I'm looking forward to working with all of you." He tried desperately not to let his eyes linger too long on any particular person, any particular person at all. "Don't know if Commader Zai said anything about me before today, but I'm fresh out of the academy. I'm talkin' fresh. So I'm here to learn, can't wait for y'all to show me the ropes. Each ship has her own culture, and I'm looking forward to learnin' th' Peregrine's. From what I can see the flight deck looks tip top, and all the shuttles are in good repair. Love a tour a little later when Commander Zai here's done with us." Garner gestured to the XO steering the conversation back.
Posted on 2018-10-15 at 14:15:20.
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