The Transport Shuttle of Deafening Silence

Posted on 19 Feb 2014 @ 1:09am by Lieutenant Teth Miir & Petty Officer 1st Class Viru Evek

566 words; about a 3 minute read

Mission: Episode 05 - Solstice
Location: Shuttlecraft USS Jitterbug
Timeline: MD26 0730

Viru boarded the shuttle, a briefcase in hand carrying several pads of data from a personal research project. The young Cardassian cradled it as if it were an infant messiah made of latinum. He arrived in uniform, he was scanned in, assigned a seat. Row 6B. He looked up at the aisle lights and found the appropriate chair. He strapped himself into the seat and wondered how old the shuttle was. Judging by the wear on the furniture, he would guess several millenia.

He looked to the man sitting in 6A and was greeted by a very serious looking caitian in a dark gray suit with a yellow sweater vest. He seemed familiar to Viru, but he couldn't quite place him.

"Not going far?" the Cardassian asked, hoping to make idle smalltalk, he hated nothing more than a silent flight filled with strangers. It reminded him of funerals. He noticed that his seatmate had no luggage.

"Just going to see a friend on Martian Colony Three." he answered succinctly, hoping not to encourage too much conversation. He had hoped to have a quick nap, he had a big day planned, after all.

"Ah," Viru said, just a polite acknowledgement so he could go on and discuss what he wanted to. He was on his way to a very important briefing.


"Are you going to the conference? At the Daystrom Institute?"

"No." The caitian replied, trying to get comfortable in five point seat restraints.

"I'm just going for the day, just for the first day of the conference. I am giving a presentation. Very important research." the crewman continued. He waited for a response, but was met by silence.

"I think I have helped make a breakthrough in telomere deterioration prevention."

"Good." Teth did his best to sound off-putting, yet encouraging.

Viru sighed, annoyed by his inability to strike up a discussion.

"I guess they're also supposed to be announcing testing Borg based technology in limited trials again. Because you know, it went so well the last time. All we need is more cyborgs walking around. I just got orders for the Galileo, apparently they just had a battle with the borg. Several people were assimilated, including the captain. These devices are unpredictable and understudied, who knows if we can even safely keep former drones so close together. What if-"

"You talk far too much, crewman." the Caitian interrupted, "I'm one of the counselors on the Galileo. I promise, you can schedule and appoint with me, I will give you my complete and undivided attention and we can discuss whatever you like. But right now I am going to take a nap. If you do not cease speaking to me you will regret that decision. "

Viru rolled his eyes. "Aye, sir." He dreaded having to ever work with such a rude, self entitled, and whiny little man.

Undeterred he turned to seat 6C only to find a pregnant Tellarite woman in a science division uniform. Though conversation with Tellarites often proved to be colorful and entertaining, something in his gut told him that he should just leave her alone. Perhaps it was the snarling and bloodthirsty glare when they made passing eye contact.

So the Cardassian sat back in his seat, cradling his briefcase. He tried not to disturb either side, lest they bite his head off, either figuratively or literally.

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