<a class="link link--internal" href="https://bluemoonroleplaying.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=83335&amp;pid=2015179#pid2015179"><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#dda0dd">Iona Knutesdottir<br/>
</span></a>Unknown Ticonderoga Class Ship<br/>Morning Watch<br/>Tagged: All<br/><br/>"Everyone go to channel 6," she ordered and used her suit's capabilities to switch over while still monitoring the primary channel with its eerie, repeating voice.  A voice she wanted to get out of everyone's ears before it spooked them any more than it had.  Iona knew it was just a loop, a bit of electronic waste that was stuck transmitting its broken message across their frequency and there wasn't anything to be scared of, but even the hardened lifelong spacer and Captain felt the hairs on her arm stand up.  What it might be doing to the others -<br/><br/>She caught a glimpse of Donovan standing ready by the hatch, looking like a coiled weapon relaxed and ready at the same time,<br/><br/>- okay the others except Donovan worried her.  They were already hyped up with the macabre situation and when people got stressed then bad things started to happen, like making impulsive decisions.  She had to get a hold on her crew before anything bad happened.<br/><br/>"Everyone up?  Okay," she was glad to hear them acknowledge they'd clicked over to a frequency that was clear of the taped plea for help.  "Thomyris, take Donovan," damned if she wanted to be without Donovan right now but it was professional not personal, "and get to the bridge.  Lock that nonsense down and get us some answers.  I especially want to know anything about an illness or an outbreak.  If you need something don't wait and think about asking for help, ask for help and then wait."<br/><br/>"Crecy, is the power stable to the pod?"  Once he answered affirmative she gave her next order.  "Okay, back up everyone.  Let's play this cool," like the person in the pod her mind supplied with malice.  There wasn't any ice on the pod to brush away with her armored gloves, that had long sublimated into vacuum just like the water from the bodies of the corpses, leaving a clear view into the pod at its occupant.  Even through the yellow cryo-fluid the girl's pale complexion and ash blonde hair were striking.  No that wasn't the right name for it, what was it?  Realizing her mind was trying to fixate on the trivial to avoid thinking about the situation, Iona willed herself to focus.<br/><br/>"Thank you, Doctor Khan.  And good job stabilizing the pod, Crecy."  Turning her body so she could look at them, especially at Jon-Lai she continued.  "If you hadn't been Jane on the spot with noticing the signal, Cookie, we might have missed her - it is a her by the way.  Looks like you'll need to start setting an extra place at meals soon," Iona's voice had mirth in it to reassure and praise Jin-Lai.  That the Captain didn't feel it wasn't evident, it was just another tool of command.<br/><br/>"We're not opening this thing here and it's not," she said with iron conviction, "going back to the St. Anne.  Not until you're one hundred percent satisfied there's no biocontamination or other risk, Doctor."<br/><br/>"We're going to use Donovan's new toy.  Start working on getting the pod free, stabilized with power, and ready to transport to the shuttle.  Donovan's," she clarified.  "Doctor Khan, if you need any additional supplies or equipment from the St. Anne, make a list and we'll get it transferred over before you crack this," her gauntleted hand thumped the pod just above the window, "open.  You need someone to assist and provide security but we've got time so be thinking about who you want.  We'll leave the shuttle a hundred meters out from the St. Anne and use it as an isolation ward.  We still have the Annie and there's no possible way anything can get from vacuum, across empty space, and into the St. Anne.  If need be we'll just vent her to space or abandon her and bring y'all back aboard and decontaminate you in a survival bubble before letting you in the hatch."<br/><br/>Donovan and Thomyris had a job and were on it.  Crecy and Khan did as well.  That left Jin-Lai and Iona needed to keep the cook busy so she didn't have time to think and get rattled.  "Cookie," she said and grabbed the side of Jin-Lai's suit to gently orient her to face the pod and the glowing promise of life.  "Do you think you can help her out some more?  The girl in the pod?  Crecy and Khan have got things under control," warm reassurance and confidence in her voice carried over the comms.  "Jack in your comms to the pod and just talk to her."  Iona indicated a cable patch on the pod that would allow just that.  "If she moved she might just be able to hear you, like someone in a coma.  I know I'd like to hear a friendly voice from a pretty girl if I was in her situation.  Just talk to her, Jin-Lai.  Tell her what you're going to make her for her first meal when she wakes up.  Anything."<br/><br/>After patting the cook on the shoulder, Iona pushed off and gave the three of them space to work.  Dr. Khan would take care of things from here, now that she knew what Iona wanted.  At the hatch Iona pulled herself around and used a kick from her legs to sail up the passageway, pushing the occasional corpse from her path and then using finger and toe touches on the bulkheads, overhead, or deck to reorient herself and continue towards not the bridge but the engineering spaces.<br/><br/>A dead ship full of dead men didn't seem to bother her as she went on her solo path.<br/><br/>"I'm heading to Engineering.  Thomyris, get us some answers."