Flight to Titan Station

Posted on 10 Oct 2017 @ 12:08am by Lieutenant JG Tris Shizn & Lieutenant JG Cameron

3,232 words; about a 16 minute read

Mission: Episode 15 - Emanation
Location: Shuttlecraft Patriot
Timeline: MD 32 - 0900 hrs

ON:

Ens. Shizn performed a quick exterior inspection of the Type 11 Shuttlecraft and then came on board. This was definitely a premier executive version of this Type, with the seating limited to 8 passengers. This allowed more space for each passenger, as well as a larger area for amenities.

Tris entered the shuttle to find Ens. Trask in the copilot seat going through preflight. "Well, she looks fine on the outside," the Andorian said as he stood behind the co-pilot's seat.

Without turning about Trask simply replied, "Oh yes." Ens. Harrison Trask was the grandson of Rear Admiral Edwin Trask. Harrison barely made it through the Academy, so 'Papa' tried to keep him close, making him a pilot for Starfleet Command. Harry continued, "This shuttles is kept in fine condition for the Command Officers. Nothing but the best for the Starfleet Admiralty and their aides." He turned to Shizn, giving him a sly smile and a wink, before raking the medium length blonde hair out of his face.

Tris categorized Trask as a spoiled Human, not deserving the honorary position. From his precious conversations, he learned about Trask's lineage and expected reputation to uphold. Shizn did not reply, but just shook his head at the ridiculousness of the situation. He too had a father in the Andorian Imperial Guard, but knew that his father would never use influence to provide a better station for anyone. Not even his own son.

Tris shrugged off the idea and looked into the empty cabin with the 8 very comfortable looking chairs. Each seat had emenities for dictating or corresponding during flight, as well as several methods of entertainment. He had inspected them when he first came on board. The most surprising item for each seat were the noise cancelling earbuds. An occupant could of course listen to music or any entertainment, or transition the device, so that they could not hear anything within the cabin.

Tris glanced at the chrono and saw that it was 0900. He knew the executives, Admiraly, or their aides would arrive any moment.

Right on schedule, Tris observed their first passenger enter and take a seat. He was a middle aged Bolian male in a very expensive business suite. The Andorian found this to be quite a contradiction. He had always seen Bolians in a more subordinate role. Tris thought he should keep an eye on this individual. He might learn something.

The next person to enter the Patriot was a young human female. She was what most humans would describe as glamorous and or vivacious. She looked young, yet walked confidently. He found nothing timid about the way she carried herself. Tris found her to be of average height, long brown hair, wearing a business suit with skirt, however not a very long skirt. Tris felt she no doubt wanted to show off her bare legs.

At the end of the line was a man dressed in a Starfleet uniform with two golden pips dressed along one side of the mustard collar. The pointed ears seemed in sharp contrast to the violet color of his eyes; he was definitely Vulcan, but with a little something else mixed in.

With a cursory glance, Lieutenant (JG) Cameron surveyed his fellow passengers for what would be at least the next three and a half hours of his life before moving towards the front of the shuttle adjacent to the pilot's station. Nobody else past the navigator was in Starfleet colors, and as an officer, Cameron preferred not to spend those hours sitting in the back.

As he approached, he observed the Andorian pilot. While Vulcans still viewed the blue-skinned race with a degree of stigma, Cameron had never known it.

"Good morning, Ensign," Cameron introduced.

Tris had watched as the Lieutenant walked into the shuttle. His first impression was that this person was Vulcan, but there was something that his Andorian senses told him was different, but he couldn't put his finger on what that might be. He gave a slight nod and replied, "Good Morning Sir. Ensign Shizn at your service today." Gesturing to his side, "And this is Ensign Trask, our co-pilot."

Cameron regarded with composed displeasure as there were only two seats at the forward section of the shuttle. He nodded politely.

Tris saw an unhappy look upon the Lieutenant's face. Shizn quickly added, "I believe we have only one more passenger before we lift off."

Nodding to the pilot, Cameron regarded the taken seat for one last moment before relenting. "Very well. Might I inquire on our anticipated departure time? As well as arrival at Saturn?"

Ens. Shizn hesitated, concerned about promising something he would not be able to deliver, namely the arrival of their last passenger. "Well Sir," the Andorian began hesitantly, "I am required to wait for an additional 12.5 minutes . . , or until they arrive." Whichever comes first. he thought. Tris wasn't quite sure how that information was going to go over with the Lieutenant, so he quickly went on with his answers. "Flight time to Titan Station in Saturn orbit is expected to be 3.6 hours."

If another look of disappointment had crossed Cameron's face, it wasn't evident. He took the information in stride. In fact, by his meager calculations, he would have expected a lengthier transit time. "Very good, Ensign. In that case, I will join the others and await our departure."

"Yes Sir," the Ensign replied encouragingly. "I'm sure it will only be another minute or so."

Cameron nodded again before turning back for the passenger compartment.

Just a few seconds later Commander Renquist stepped aboard and walked directly to the Andorian, who stood at the pilot chairs. With full authority in his voice the Commander stated, "Ensign, I'm here now. No more delays. Let's take off."

Tris was a bit shocked by the abrupt nature. His antennae lifting up and back at the commanding tone. Shizn could certainly understand why the senior officer might need to be in a hurry. He was sure there might be several important situations for the urgency.

Ens. Shizn quickly replied, "Yes Sir." He then turned and slipped into the pilot's seat to make ready.

Cameron glanced up from a PADD he'd started to review by the time he sat down to measure the gauge of the Commander; there had been quite a bit of pomp in his statement, and Cameron wondered if the Commander would have ordered the pilot to leave one of the other passengers behind had they shown up afterward.

The launch of the Shuttlecraft Patriot went without incident, and they climbed out and away from Starfleet Command and San Francisco. Following the expected flight plan out of the busy planetary flight control canopy, the shuttle was soon brought to full impulse on a trajectory for Saturn.

Taking time out of his reading to look towards the front canopy, Cameron felt a tinge of enjoyment at seeing the starry expanse without interference of atmosphere or bulkhead. This was where he wanted to be -- in space. Not occupying some station on Luna or tending to some Admiral on Earth.

He let his gaze fall to the pilot and wondered for a moment if he should have pursued a navigational focus instead of engineering.

Tris happened to glance over at the Commander to see him very involved in reading something. Looking to the Lieutenant, he saw that Lt. Cameron was looking out the front view screen. Tris was curious and turned his chair about to face the Vulcan and asked, "Lieutenant, would you like to sit up front for a time?"

The question came as a surprise, but Cameron found himself already beginning to lean out of his seat before he pulled himself back at the last possible second. He'd been in Starfleet for a little over five years now. And yet, he was behaving like a 3rd year cadet when it came to a chance to see the stars unadulterated. Why?

Perhaps, because your current assignment will not permit such opportunities very often, he thought.

"Provided it would not be an inconvenience to your co-pilot." Cameron fashioned in Vulcan tone-neutral.

Tris smiled at the consideration the Lieutenant was giving to the situation. Initially, he was actually thinking of giving up his own seat, but with this Vulcan's statement he chose to remain. Turning to his co-pilot, "Mr. Trask, would you mind preforming the secondary protocol fusion reactor check . . . at this time?" He continued to look at Trask, raising his eyebrows and the tip of the left antennae tilted up as well. Tris hoped this was enough body language to get his point across.

Ensign Trask looked to the pilot with a confused expression, initially. But after a second comprehended the intent. Trask knew full well that a secondary protocol did not actually exist, in his situation. But with the recent conversation did well in putting all the pieces together.

A smile crossed his face, "Of course Sir." Trask stated and began to rise. He looked at the faces close to him and then stated, "This should take about 20 minutes or so." He glanced around again and stated, "I'll . . be back." With that he turned and walked to the rear of the shuttle.

With the seat free, Cameron moved into the cockpit. A glance at the navigational board showed them somewhere between the Earth and Mars orbital radius. "Thank you, Ensign. Although I should point out that there is no such thing as a secondary protocol reactor check..." having been in the Operations and Engineering field for over five years, Cameron knew his systems. "Still, I appreciate the attempt at tact."

Tris appreciated the Lieutenant's honesty, and his tact as well. A slight smile came to one side of his mouth. He felt he was looking at an equal. He thought, Maybe this won't be such a boring trip as expected.

Shizn then slowly reduced the lighting over the cockpit area, allowing for better viewing through the forward port. He turned to look for himself as the shuttle speeded on at high impulse.

After a long silent moment Tris recalled a poem or saying he had read while at the Academy. The Andorian quoted softly as he continued to gaze out upon the Galaxy before him, "To be a star you must shine with your own light, follow your own path, and don't worry about the darkness, for that is when the stars shine the brightest."

Cameron came out of his serene examination of the star field at the Ensign's words. Not quite sure what Tris had even said, or whether he'd been speaking directly to Cameron. Cameron asked, "Did you say something, Ensign?"

Tris smiled and commented, "I was just reciting something written by a human from their ancient history." He glanced to the Lieutenant and asked mindfully, "What do you see when you look out upon the stars?"

The question puzzled Cameron for a moment. It wasn't until several seconds later that the Ensign might have been speaking on a more emotional level than a logic one. Such was the plight of the Andorians...

"The physical properties of stars... particularly those whose light have reached Sol, are well known, Ensign." Cameron suggested in blatant defiance of how much he'd been enamored by them moments before.

Tris realized that the Vulcan had shifted into his 'stone-faced' responses. He knew some Vulcans to do this. He felt it was more of a front or facade than their honest thoughts and/or feelings. But of course, they don't supposed to have any feelings. Tris tried again, while still looking directly ahead at the stars, "As a Vulcan, other than their physical description, what do you find . . " He had to choose his words carefully, so not to provide an emotional question. "I mean, what do you desire to look at when you look at the stars?"

Cameron knew where the ensign was trying to get at. His Xenexian heritage even wanted to allow Cameron to answer the question honestly and thoughtfully; but Vulcan discipline... even for a Rish-tor veh like him, was a tough thing to crack. "I desire to see them closer, perhaps." He answered.

Closer? Tris queried in his mind as he contemplated Cameron's response. The Andorian supposed that 'that' was the best answer he was going to get from this Vulcan, at least for the moment.

To help transition away from that intense situation the pilot added, "Well, for this trip we won't be getting much closer to them, with our short trip just to Titan."

---

Since the Lieutenant had not gotten up and away from the flight area, Tris presumed that this Vulcan might be interested in further conversation. Tris knew there had been some 'issues' between their races in the past and definitely wanted to not approach any of those volatile subjects. So, after a long pause Ens. Shizn, without turning from his controls, asked with an almost monotone voice, "Lieutenant Cameron, may I ask you a personal question?"

Cameron regarded the ensign for a thoughtful second. "Of course."

The Andorian continued in the same monotone and kept his eyes front, "This is of course none of my business, and please forgive me if I am asking too much . . " Tris now hesitated. He wanted to ask a personal question, but he knew phrasing it properly was also just as important. Tris was all too well acquainted with the touchiness of beings, their heritage and especially, those of a blended species or race. "I have noticed a physical difference in your appearance. May I ask your heritage?"

"My father was Vulcan. My mother was Xenexian." Cameron answered simply before a wanting look from Tris made it seem that the ensign expected more. "They... met... while my father was working as part of a Federation humanitarian relief team during the Dantari occupation. Shortly before I was born, my father returned to Vulcan. I remained with my mother on Xenex until I was an adolescent, at which time I decided to move to Vulcan."

It was an intensely sterile version of the painful story Cameron harbored, but was accurate enough.

Tris hesitated. He hesitated a lot longer than he realized as his mind tried to recall all that he had read about Xenex and the current population. What he remembered made him raise an eyebrow as the left antennae moved toward Cameron as if scanning him, which of course it/he could not do.

But, . . the realization then came to Thotris ch'Shizn that the mixed heritage for Cameron must have been a great deal the same like he/himself endured in his youth, even into his adulthood, for that matter.

Tris finally said with a flat tone, "Xenexian." It was more of a comment and not a question. He added, "I can only guess that your time as a child or youth was rather . . " Tris again hesitated, trying to find the right word, but again wondering if he should even ask him these questions. Tris thought, He might find my questions infuriating or disturbing to say the least. He finally finished by saying the word as a question, "Arduous?"

Uncertainty filled Tris' mind and expression. His antennae moved to angle back and down, away from the point of attention. To many Andorians, this might be the appearance of someone that was fearful or cowardice. But the fact was, that his was one thing that, in a way, made them equals. And that was something that Tris had not had in a very long time.

Cameron regarded Tris's statement for a moment before bowing in a careful nod. "You could say that." He briefly recalled a few of his less fond memories on Xenex, as his own people despised him for being a half-breed, and the Dentari for being part-Xenexian. Given his Vulcan heritage, it made it difficult for them to harass him in their usual ways since doing so might have elicited outcry from the Vulcan homeworld.

That of course would have required someone on Vulcan's attention, which Cameron doubted he had at the time.

"And you? Ensign?" Cameron asked, deciding to move the conversation away from him and onto the Andorian. There were no genetic markers that he could discern that might have hinted at mixed ancestry, so Cameron pushed forward with what he knew of Andorians.

Which wasn't much...

"Did you grow up on Andor?" He asked.

Tris slowly pursed his lips, realizing that he had just unconsciously opened the door for a conversation about heritage. That was not a topic that he usually would talk about, although he had recently with that Orion woman. Maybe there was a reason it had been coming up more often now. He guessed he could be evasive and only answer the question out to him, or he could be open just as Cameron had for him.

The Andorian turned and looked pleasantly at the Xenexian and replied, "Yes. I did grow up on Andoria with my parents, a very loving couple. But, I would guess that you are curious or wanting to know about 'my' mixed heritage?"

Cameron rose a brow. "I am aware that Andorians possess four genders compared to the relative galatic norm of two; zhen, shen, chan, and than, and that each gender represents one piece of a greater whole towards reproduction and societal development." He paused. "So, the fact that you say 'couple' gives me cause to inquire on that particular nature, yes."

"Ah," Tris stated as a way of explanation, "yes. It is true that there are 4 genders, but they do not live together to raise the offspring. A trustworthy male friend or comrad will be asked to provide their portion. The females decide who will raise the child, after the Zhen brings it to term."

"And this was the case in your up bringing?" Cameron asked.

Tris sighed as he thought of the right words, then replied "Yes, but my parent's situation was more complex. You see, there is a sub-species known as the Aenar. They live in the northern wastelands of our world. There are several distinct differences, which cause some Andorians to be prejudice, and think them inferior." There was a long pause and he added, "My mother, a 'Shen', is an Aenar. It was my father's sister a 'Zhen' that carried me to term. No one else was willing to carry their child." Tris looked down, solemn, wondering if he had said too much.

"I understand." Cameron admitted after a moment, recognizing the commonalities that laid between Tris and himself.

Tris knew this feeling well. He had been here many times, yet tried not to stay long. The Andorian smiled looking at Cameron as his antennae moved to focus on him, "The challenges of my heritage even brought me to Starfleet, but I have no plans to let them depress my life. It's just unfortunate that other Andorians will not accept me for who and what I am. It's their problem. I try to not make it mine."

That was a good speech Tris had made, but he truly only believed half of it. He knew the truth was otherwise. Yet, he expected to live a positive life just the same.

OFF:


Lieutenant Cameron
Chief of Operations
USS Galileo

Ensign Tris Shizn
Interim Shuttle Pilot
Starfleet Command

 

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