Taking Stock

Posted on Sun May 1st, 2022 @ 6:21am by Executive Officer Jake Ford & Nollel Livaam (*)

Mission: Mission 15: Adrift
Location: Deck 6 - Cargo Bays
Timeline: MD-02 0800
1698 words - 3.4 OF Standard Post Measure

The night's sleep hadn't been that kind to anyone, and Jake was no different. It was difficult to get used to sleeping in a shared 'shelter' like this one had become. People had made the best of it, pulling together and putting the effort into helping out, but he knew that this was just day one.

"Nollel." He found her tucked away near a corner where some of the extra supplies they'd scavenged up had been dumped. "Tell me we've got coffee somewhere in all this mess..." he sighed, looking around the half-dozen crates they'd managed to grab in a rush. "What's our inventory? Think we've got enough to get through a week of this, or am I sending someone next door to the livestock storage with a big knife?"

“Of course I have coffee. Do you think I would let Michael loose without out it?” Nollel demanded as she pulled out the huge canister she had wrestled into the cargo container that she was using for the urgent supplies from the dumped pile. “We actually have livestock in there?” She wondered standing up to look properly at Jake from where she was bent over trying to organise the chaos. There had been no rhyme or reason to the pile so it needed her as Cassie was out cold finally.

"Supposed to. That's what was on the official listing, though..." he leaned in conspiratorially. "I never bothered to check. Could be a drug farm or a storage unit for Burnie's high explosives for all I know." He allowed himself a little brevity; he figured they both needed a bit of that for now.

“Oh I know where those are and Michael would not use a storage unit that relied on power. He knows better.” Nollel laughed. She was fully aware of where the explosives were if she needed them. “Maybe we should check they might need food or something.” Nollel did not want to deal with that chaos of the situation got worse.

"Take someone with you. Worst comes to the worst, Leiddem looks like he'd fit in on a farm." He tried to keep the mood light.

“I am taking you as poor Leiddem has spent the time looking for your friend.” Nollel said leading the way towards where they would be able to look into the cargo area. It was a simple task and seeing it was on there minds now they could do it quickly.

Fair comment, he thought silently. "Anything else we should be worried about? We've probably got some hazard gear if someone needs to make a run to grab something we missed," he offered.

“I am not sure to be fair at the moment. I am still cataloging properly. Cassie and Delaney have set up hygiene packs but I can’t remember what we have on this floor in regards to anything.” Nollel admitted stepping through another door that led to a platform. She only knew the way as she had questioned the platform looking newer than a lot of the area when they had come in the night before.

"In theory, we've got fresh water supplies, shielding from the deuterium tanks, and...if memory serves, there's even supposed to be a chapel somewhere aft of the cargo bays - I'll have to check if that's still there later," he said. "Not exactly a five-star resort, but we can get by with what we have for now. At least, that's my hope."

“I am not sure I am the type to pray for a miracle but I believe that might be enough. Should check it out could use it to escape the hustle and bustle.” She was going to need to find a place later on just to have a moment to herself. “Got to give the collector some credit here about the ship he made it a better cargo ship than any other I’ve seen. Ahead of his time.”

"No doubt. I bet there's things and places on board that nobody knows about," he agreed.

They opened the hatch, which hissed as though it hadn't been touched in a little while, into the adjacent cargo space. From their vantage point, they were expecting to look out over a cargo hold filled with livestock - from the schematics and inventory, at least.

Instead, they were met with an empty space. Probably half the size of a normal cargo hold, and without space doors, they found a completely vacant storage area containing exactly...one small chest-sized container.

"Well...that's unexpected," Jake said quietly.

Nollel had expect pandemonium but there was nothing but stuffy air and silence that greeted them. “Anti climatic to say the least.”

Descending the ladder from their upper platform into the bay itself, Jake's curiosity was taken by the single small container, which sat abandoned and covered in dust near one corner of the room. He glanced at Nollel, initially cautious, but his curiosity was getting the better of him and he needed to know if there was anything either helpful or problematic at hand.

Carefully, he touched the control latch to the container and popped the lid. Inside...was not what he expected.

"This looks like...clothing?" he wondered, motioning her close. "Formalwear. Mostly rare fashions..." he lifted a sparkling silver piece that looked like a woman's ballgown. "I think this is Tholian silk. Some of this stuff must be incredibly valuable."

“And from the security tag it’s been here awhile like 2393.” The woman commented as she looked at the material that was being held up. She had seen many people dressed in items like that but it was not often it was found somewhere like this. “Very expensive. I wonder who it belonged to and why they have not missed it.”

"Good question. I don't see any inventory files or ownership records." He gave her a look. "Finders keepers, huh?"

“Let’s investigate it later as it is pre the time the crew better alternative versions of themselves. It might be something left over from that incident and down here for that reason.” Nollel said pointedly despite how amazing she would look in the ball gown.

"Yeah, probably right." There was no sense in thinking about that now. He motioned to the dress she held. "You should keep that, though. Burnie would fall over himself if he saw you in it."

“Cannot say I ever have occasions to ever wear anything like that now.” Nollel said sadly putting it back down. Maybe in the future there would be an occasion but not now and certainly not this week.

Closing the lid of the crate, Jake took another look around the bay. "So...no livestock. Where does that put us in regard to food supplies?"

“Well I had not factored in the livestock to be honest so still leaves us with four days or so.” Nollel did quick calculations taking in that some crew were vegetarian and others were certain diets. “I would be more concerned about keeping everyone occupied and busy.” Boredom would be something more concerning as they tore people down mentally and made everything worse.

"Right. We'll need someone to look after morale," he agreed. That wasn't necessarily his forte: he could provide reassurance and leadership to an extent, but beyond that his hand was limited. "If you're looking after supplies and logistics, I'd rather not burden you with that. Any suggestions?"

“Leiddem… probably not him thinking on it with no armoury chief we need him to do that.” It was logical to default to him of all people when he seemed to be thriving in the role. “Delaney?” It seemed like something she could do along side other jobs and she seemed like she and the right personality for it.

"She's lively enough. And she knows how to keep people out of trouble," he nodded. "All right, we can get her on it. Maybe offer her this space to set something up separate to the other bay. Good thinking." He patted her on the shoulder. "Honestly I'm glad you're here. Without Reuben...I don't think this is something I could do on my own."

“If Jeassaho was not so deep in engineering guts you would have her support. Or Kendra. Lots of women to around to back you up.” She laughed. “And Leiddem will keep her out of trouble. So I think we have a winner there. You can discuss it with as I am going to head towards getting some shut eye before working on more organising. Have you had enough sleep?” She checked.

"Sleep is overrated," he grumbled. "So long as we've got coffee, we'll be fine." He scratched his beard, which he hadn't shaved in a few days. "I should check in on the rest; do the rounds a little. Think you'll be able to set something up with Delaney?"

The blonde did not think that stimulates were the best options to keep them healthy but she was not going to argue right then and there after less than 24 hours locked down. “If I can find her but it might be better coming from you or Kendra.” Nollel was not part of the command team she just could organise anything from multi billion credit organisation to tiny 40 crew ships that get into crazy situations.

"You sure?" He'd always seen Nollel as unofficially part of the Rosie leadership, but he understood her worry. Maybe she had a lot to deal with already. "I'll see which one of them I find first on my rounds. Let me know if you come up short on any supplies, we'll see what's practical."

“Completely sure. I am going to catch some sleep for a couple of hours so it makes sense for you plus you can deal with the arguments. If you see Michael tell him I’m right at the back by the left wall.” She knew when she was beat and needed a bit of time to herself to focus and rest. There were only so many hours you could focus even for her species.

"All right, I will do." Jake nodded his understanding. "Let's see how everyone else is doing."