Once More Into the Breach

Posted on Wed Aug 9th, 2023 @ 8:25am by Commander Riko McCord & Podkayne Mars & Captain Isabella Perry & Verrana Nemis

1,393 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Rescue
Location: Planet ??? (Hanger Bay)
Timeline: MD 5, 1145

Isabella entered the hanger bay which housed WV Nomad and made her way to where Gordy was working. "Gordy, is Nomad prepped and ready for launch?"

The robotic footman, house manager and overseer turned and wheeled his way over to his friend and boss.

"Yes madam," he responded with a bit of glee in his voice. "Nomad has been refueled and made mission ready per your specifications. Also, Podkayne has been working on the vessel as well, but I am not quite sure what she has modified."

Gordy wheeled himself a little bit closer and leaned into ear shot of Isabella. "That Podkayne is an interesting one, I tell you that."

Isabella laughed and walked over to one of the access hatches of Nomad that was opened. Once closer, she saw a pair of legs sticking out. Recognizing the boots as Podkayne's, she knocked on the hull of the panel to gain her attention.

"How's it going in there?" she asked Podkayne as she knelt down to get closer.

The humaniform-turned-pilot mulled over her answer, and then replied. "Good. It's going good." She tightened a bolt and then slid out on a small anti-gravity board and sat up to look almost eye-level with Perry. "I still haven't figured out exactly how we got here so fast, but I think I can control the engines a little better now, and I will figure it out one of these days."

Wiping her hands down the legs of her jeans, she asked, "Are we getting ready to go somewhere?"

"It's mission time," Isabella said as she looked into the access panel her new friend was working in. "We leave in ten minutes. I hope you got your bags packed already. Do you need anything before we pull out?"

"Don't really need packed bags, boss. It's not like I have a lot of clothes anyway. I think I'm good to go ... literally." Podkayne smiled and kicked the gravity board up and caught it. "I'll hand this back to Gordy and get on board."

She'd barely had time to worry about packing or unpacking, and most of her things, such as they were, were still aboard Nomad, in the quarters she'd been assigned there. Not being a biological, she didn't feel the need for a lot of space, so her bunk in the so-far unshared room was more than enough with a few pairs of jeans and shirts, plus a couple of uniforms which could be recycled.

Verrana entered the hanger in a bit of a hurry with both hands filled with duffel bags and one across her back as well. She saw Isabella and Podkayne speaking near Nomad and walked over to where the two were.

Isabella noticed her Romulan friend and was a little shocked to see her carrying over stuffed bags of... whatever was contained inside of them.

"Uhmmm, you think you have enough gear?" The Nomad captain asked as she visually examined the bags.

"Well," Verrana responded. "I have some tactical gear we could use in this bag." She raised the duffel bag in her right and dangled it in front of her two compatriots. "In this bag," She raised the bag in her left hand. "I have a few weapons that I have been wanting to try out for a while. I picked a some up at a couple of black market dens I came across during my journeys."

"You seem to be expecting trouble," Podkayne said, leaning her back against the side of the ship. "Usually expecting it means you'll find it. Wouldn't it be better to avoid it?"

Verrana looked at Podkayne and tried to hide her annoyance. "Podkayne, I understand that you are new to this life. SO let me share something with you. There is an old Earth saying that I have fallen in love with." Verrana dropped both bags and let them fall to the floor with a clunk. "I would rather have it and not need it, than need it and not have it."

"Amen to that!" Isabella claimed aloud.

"I do not go looking for trouble, but I do want to be prepared to meet trouble head on when it comes rearing itself." Verrana stated as she pointed down to the bags. "Now since you seem to doubt me and my skills, help me lug this gear on the ship and I won't think about leaving you in a firefight."

Not taking offense, "That would be totally illogical," Podkayne said with a shrug. "Why would you be illogical as well as prepared for trouble that could be avoided?" She picked up a bag and slung it over her shoulder with ease, as her humaniform body was strongly muscular.

Shaking her head at the lack of logic that seemed a part of biological entities, she entered the ship and dropped the bag in the main lounge before going into her own room to get clean clothes and then heading into the shower area.

Isabella looked to make sure that Podkayne was not in sight or ear shot. When she was sure, she let out a loud laugh to Verrana. "As funny and interesting as that was, go easy on Podkayne, You have to keep in mind that this is all new for her. Especially learning how to deal with new people and new situations."

"I know Isabella!" Nemis responded as she removed the duffel that was on her back. "She also needs to learn that trust among us is going to be the most essential thing between us that will keep us alive. She must trust that we are competent in our jobs and not question that fact."

Isabella thought for a moment and had to agree with her best friend. As Isabella was about to respond, Riko entered the ship. Isabella waved her hand and signaled for Riko to come over to meet them.

McCord had heard the last comment the captain's friend made, and it didn't endear her any. How can she learn to trust someone who is so totally untrustworthy? she groused to herself.

"If that's the way you really feel," the second officer said, "why don't you try acting more trustworthy? Be her friend instead of her critic all the time. Frankly, I don't trust you myself, and often question your competency. The only reason I'm willing to accept you at all is how much I trust Isabella."

She turned immediately to her boss, and asked, "What do you need me to do first? I was thinking of checking all the systems, but if there's something else you have in mind ...?"

Isabella motioned her head toward Nomad's entrance hatch. "That was on my list of Riko tasks, actually," The Nomad captain stated. "I will be in shortly and we can go over any last minute adjustments that need to be made."

The Romulan sneered as Riko made her way up the vessel's gangway. As soon as the teammate was out of earshot.... "You know," Nemis said as she got closer to Isabella's ear, "If she is not careful, she will regret talking to me in such manners."

Before Verrana could continue on, Isabella grabbed her by the forearm. "Listen to me, Verrana. Riko is a good person, and our first officer. Show her the same respect that you would show for me."

Verrana snatched her arm back from Isabella and showed her the same sneer that she showed for Riko. "I just don't understand what her problem with me is. I haven't done anything to the wench. She better know that I am here only because you asked me to be here."

"She knows." Isabella said. "But I want you to put in the extra effort to play nice with everyone O.K.? I know who you really are under all that gruff. They are still learning."

"Whatever." Nemis scowled as she grabbed her last duffel bag and made her way to the vessel's gangway. "I will check our weapons gear and other equipment. Let's hope Riko doesn't find a way to get under my skin again ... for her sake." The last part of her words were inaudible to Isabella, but she caught the anger behind it.

Isabella sighed and made a mental note to speak with Riko sometime soon about this situation before it blew into something more.

 

RSS Feed