Shuttlebay ( Open )

[science_blues]

The shuttlebay was of a predictably reversed layout from that to which Spock was accustomed. The shift was a simple one, however, and she acclimated to it almost immediately. It took only a brief few moments before Spock located an acceptable shuttle and began the forms required. They were completed expediently and Spock assigned the two Yeoman on duty to the task of checking the supplies. As they did so, Spock moved to the bay console and checked the sensor alignments of the craft.

She did not need to glance at the chronometer to know the time. She had approximately 1.32 hours before the remainder of the team were required to be present. Ideally the checks she was engaged in would only occupy 35% of that time period, leaving the remainder for open study of the scientific and linguistic data the Enterprise had assembled.

Comments

[headnursechapel.livejournal.com]

Christine arrived in the shuttlebay a few minutes early. She glanced around, curious to see the new Spock, but he didn't seem to be there yet. The only person she saw, apart from the two yeomen loading the shuttle, was an unfamiliar, dark-haired woman standing at the computer console.

Even in her disappointment at not seeing Spock, Christine couldn't help but notice that the woman was incredibly attractive.

She stepped over to her, wondering if she was part of the away mission as well.

"Hello."

[science-blues.livejournal.com]

Spock glanced up from her console and arched a brow at the approaching human. She recognized the woman instantly, the photograph on her profile was surprisingly accurate. Spock stood and inclined her head as the blonde approached.

"Nurse Chapel," Spock greeted evenly. "You are early."

[headnursechapel.livejournal.com]

Christine smiled, a bit uneasily. She hadn't received any sort of note on who the other members of the away team would be, and she wasn't sure how this woman knew who she was.

Christine was sure she'd have remembered it if she'd met her before. The woman was gorgeous, with beautiful eyes and - Christine couldn't help staring at her upturned eyebrows. Her long hair covered her ears but - was she Vulcan?

"I...thought it would be good to meet the rest of the landing party, before we went," she said, mentally shaking herself. "I was looking for Commander Spock. Is he here?"

[science-blues.livejournal.com]

"A reasonable preparation," Spock commented and her arched brow dropped back into place. Of course, she had not met this Nurse Chapel. Spock took a brief moment and took in this Chapel, she shared some unnameable quality with the native and Spock's more familiar variant. It was most curious. That she was quite attractive and had legs of a most pleasing shape did not elude Spock. "I believe I am the Commander Spock whom you are seeking."

[headnursechapel.livejournal.com]

Christine's mouth opened and then closed.

"Oh!" she stammered, turning red. "Oh, my. I didn't know...I mean, I didn't mean to..." she trailed off, before taking a deep breath and forcing herself to stop for a moment, trying to regain at least some of her dignity.

"I'm sorry," she started over. "I, ah. I didn't realize you were - well, obviously, I couldn't know you were -" she swallowed, realizing that she was babbling, "a woman." She gave Spock - Spock - an embarrassed smile. "I bet you've heard that a lot since you got here."

Or maybe everyone had known it but her. She was blushing again.

[science-blues.livejournal.com]

"There is no need for discomfort, I assure you," Spock replied and folded her arms behind her back, one hand clasped loosely in the other. "Many have been startled by my gender. It is a perpetual curiosity.

"I am equally fascinated by the genders of those present in this universe," Spock continued. "That I have, recently, met two female Nurse Chapels is most remarkable to me.

"I hope my gender does not strain your regard," Spock finished evenly.

[headnursechapel.livejournal.com]

"Oh - no - of course not! I didn't mean to suggest anything of the sort - I'm sorry if I've made you uncomfortable." Mostly she was just...surprised. And not sure what to think. Her mind was racing.

"Your Nurse Chapel is male?" She couldn't help but be curious. "Is he...I mean...are you two..." She blushed again. "Are you...friends?"

[science-blues.livejournal.com]

"Yes, Christian Chapel and I are close associates on friendly terms," Spock replied. "I have found him to be a very competent professional as well as a polite and conscientious person.

"Please, do not concern yourself with my comfort," Spock added and permitted her hands to fall to her sides in a vague motion of casualness. "I am not easily discomfited."

[headnursechapel.livejournal.com]

Well, that sounded familiar. Depressingly so. Christine nodded.

"I suppose you have a lot of respect for him," she sighed.

She smiled at Spock's reassurance. "My Spock says the same thing - the one from my ship, I mean," she explained quickly. "But I'm not always sure I believe him." She leaned closer to Spock, as if sharing a secret. "He turns very green sometimes - especially when we tell him how much we appreciate him."

[science-blues.livejournal.com]

"Fascinating," Spock commented in return. "I have not yet had the opportunity to meet your native Spock. I can only hope this inability does not persist."

Spock blinked and motion by the entrance (http://science-blues.livejournal.com/3256.html?thread=85944#t85944) to the shuttle bay caught her attention.

"It seems two more members of the landing party have arrived, Nurse Chapel," Spock added.

[anna-kowalski.livejournal.com]

Anna and the extra person from Security she'd chosen, Lieutenant Hamilton, arrived in the shuttlebay at 14:55.

[science-blues.livejournal.com]

"Officer Kowalski," Spock greeted evenly as the woman and the Lieutenant approached. "You are punctual." It was a compliment, at least when it was from a Vulcan. Spock folded her arms again as she regarded the three officers who had already arrived.

"I must apologize to all of you," Spock prefaced, "I cannot abide by superfluity, yet all three of you have been chosen to attend this mission despite the direct intent that your skills and presence go completely unwarranted.

"It is a conundrum, admittedly," Spock continued, "But your indulgence is that of safety. Thank you for being early."

[original-fine.livejournal.com]

Jim was not early. Nor was he, in the strictest sense, late. He strode in to see the team nearly assembled, and as he stepped into the shuttle bay Lt. Commander Mulhall stepped in behind him. He nodded at those he knew, and introduced himself.

"For anyone who doesn't know," he said, "I'm James T. Kirk of an entirely different Enterprise. I've been asked by the captain to take his place on this first trip." He glanced at Spock. "Has there been a transporter malfunction, or some type of atmospheric interference?" It was disconcerting, not having his finger on the pulse of the ship like he was used to. Especially when he was expected to be in charge.


[[OOC - I'm a little overwhelmed, guys, so I wanted to say I'll be in and out trying to get stuff done and I don't have any plans at all for what happens or how the alien stuff goes and I'd be obliged if everyone jumps in with whatever. I mean, I wouldn't expect you not to, but I don't want anyone laboring under the impression I am actually in charge or know what I'm doing.]]

[science-blues.livejournal.com]

"Not to my knowledge," Spock replied, which was to say: no.

"Repeatedly, it has been related to me that there is a hostile presence within an unreasonable range of the Enterprise. Though they are currently disabled, I felt that overt reliance on the transporter would be unwise.

"If you feel differently," Spock continued placidly, "The transporter is available and it is your prerogative, as the commanding officer of this mission, to select it if you choose."


(OOC - No worries. Since there shouldn't be anything particularly dramatic about this mission, we should be able to get through it pretty quickly.)

[original-fine.livejournal.com]

Jim waved a hand. "No, I was just wondering. You have a point--the transporter's caused a lot of havoc lately. You seem to have everything arranged."

It was a strange situation. A disparate group. But the mission itself was quite simple, and Jim was glad just to be doing something again.

[headnursechapel.livejournal.com]

Christine smiled in greeting as the rest of the landing party trickled in. She didn't know the security officers, but it was a pleasant surprise to see her own Captain Kirk walk in. Ann was right behind him, and Christine nodded to her, pleased that she'd been chosen to join the mission.

[anna-kowalski.livejournal.com]

Anna decided to introduce herself to nurse Chapel while Captain Kirk was talking to Commander Spock. "Hi. Anna Kowalski," she said, holding out her hand.

[just-uhura.livejournal.com]

As she hurried into the transporter room, Nyota noted that she was one of the last people to arrive. Normally she would have made sure to be one of the first, especially considering who the Science Officer on this mission wa.s It was foolish, she told herself, to be so concerned with impressing this Spock as she had been with her own. But still she couldn't help feel slight disappointment that the first two meetings with this female version of the Vulcan she knew were marred by her slight unprofessionalism.

"Anna," she greeted with a rushed smile, tucking her PADD beneath her arm and giving the group a nod in greeting.

[original-fine.livejournal.com]

Jim smiled, shaking Anna's hand. "Good to have you," he said, and looked up as Uhura arrived.

"Lieutenant," he acknowledged, with his habitual blend of casual professionalism. "Looks like we're all here. Uhura, I'm interested in how much progress has been made deciphering their language. How long do you think calibration of the universal translators will take?"

[ann-mulhall.livejournal.com]

She didn't interrupt the captain, but Ann was occupied with examining the female Spock. Not overtly, and not rudely staring, but it was her first opportunity since meeting the younger captain to meet a double. And the comparison was fascinating. Uncanny and clearly a genetic goldmine. Seemingly a perfect opportunity to observe both the nature-nurture question and gender normatives.

But their mission was of another nature, and Ann schooled her thoughts to what little they knew about this planet.

[just-uhura.livejournal.com]

"It's difficult to say," Nyota admitted with a heavy sigh, once again holding her PADD out before her to reread the notes she had made. Despite her frustration that she had been able to make limited progress with the language, which she was was unreasonable since she had so little to compare it with, she felt that warm buzz of excitement at something new to figure out and unravel. When was the last time she had a professional challenge such as this?

"I've got little comparison, and of course this is something brand new. But enough was deciphered to reciprocate the greeting. I'm hoping that, if willing, interact with this species will allow us to better grasp the language. The intonations, the way they speak seems to me as if they rely almost as much on body language as they do on the spoken word." Poetry in motion. She was looking forward to seeing if her hypothesis was correct.

[original-fine.livejournal.com]

"We'll make extra sure our tricorders are gathering visual as well as aural data," Jim said. By "our" he obviously meant "everyone who's not the captain." "If you've got any data on the body language, you can brief us in the shuttle. Any questions?"

He was excited. Routine, perhaps, but this wasn't just a new planet--it was a new planet in a new universe, with a team drawn from three different dimensions.

[canadianbill.livejournal.com]

[OOC - why did it never occur to me to ship Chapel/fSpock? *facepalm* BILL, YOUR SHIP SENSE IS FAILING.]

[rn-chapel.livejournal.com]

[OOC: It is my opinion that fSpock goes with anyone, little black dress style.

Well, anyone with ladyparts.]]

[original-fine.livejournal.com]

[[OOC - Indeed. I ship f!Spock with pretty much all the ladies. But Chapel is especially justified.]]