Lost And Found

Posted on Thu Dec 21st, 2023 @ 11:26pm by Ensign Brooke Parker & Cadet Junior Grade Maxwell Hofmann & Lieutenant Azrel Vox

0 words; about a 1 minute read

Mission: Mission 5: The Price of Paradise
Location: Bridge
Timeline: M5 MD01 (2268.07.24) 1500

The long looming corridors of the massive Constitution class were a maze to the untrained and Midshipman Maxwell Hoffman certainly fit the bill. The novice fresh faced, wide eyed cadet was trying his best not to get turned around for the third time in a row. He had managed to find his quarters fairly easily but now finding the turbolift again to get to the Bridge was another matter entirely. It didn't help that the ship was still fairly deserted...

Maybe this was the way...

Max noticed a young woman walk past, maybe she would know. The ensign was blond, petite and pretty, someone Max normally would be scared to death to speak to, but he gave it a go. "Ah, excuse me, ensign," he said in a sheepish voice.

The young woman, who was Ensign Brooke Parker turned around, "Hello Midshipman, can I help you?" She asked, trying to give a reassuring smile.

"Do you happen to know the way to the turbolift?" Max asked.

Brooke smirked, "Yes, this way," she said as she ushered the young man to follow her. "I'm Brooke, by the way, Brooke Parker, sciences."

"Max Hofmann, communications," Max responded as the doors to the turbolift opened.

"Here it is," Brooke announced.

"Thank you," Max responded with a sheepish grin as the turbolift doors closed. He pulled the handle and said, "Bridge."

After a short turbolift ride the doors opened revealing the brightly colored bridge of the Midway. He just stood there, dumbfounded and wide-eyed looking at the vista before him.

Vox was the first to spot the young man standing in front of the closed turbolift doors with the classic, deer in headlights expression on his face. Getting up from her chair, she tapped her console so it was in standby mode, and approached the young man, who she could now see was a Midshipman.

"Hello Midshipman, welcome to the bridge, can I help you? " she asked.

The young man snapped out of it and looked at the young woman, "Yes, Lieutenant, thank you... I am looking for Lieutenant Vox," he responded.

"Oh, well you found me. I am Lieutenant Vox. What can I do for you, Midshipman?" She asked wondering why he was looking for her.

The young man's eyes widened as he snapped to attention, "Midshipman Maxwell Hofmann reporting for duty Lieutenant," he said in the authoritative tone he could muster.

Aze was slightly taken aback by the young man snapping to attention. "At ease, Midshipman. You will end up in Sickbay with a bad sprain if stay like that for too long." she paused as the young man relaxed.

"So, you are going to be under my wing to learn about the facets of communications and Xenolinguistics, the study of Alien languages: phonology, morphology, syntax etc," she asked.

The young man nodded as he eased up, "Yes, lieutenant, thank you," Max said quickly. He hoped he didn't already make a bad impression. He was 20 minutes on this boat and already felt like a fish out of water. This was going to be a challenge. He looked at her, "Ah, what you like me to do first?" He asked.

Aze pondered the question. She had received a notification that she would be getting a cadet to shadow her role but had forgotten about it and thus not prepped that much. She had to look professional and appear as though she had prepped.

"Pull up the spare chair from the auxiliary science station and we can start by you telling me what you already know about communications. This isn't a test it's just so I can gauge what level you are already at. No pressure. " Aze replied.

"Ah sure," the young man responded. He slid over the chair from the auxiliary science console and sat down, "I am fluent in 5 languages, 3 Terran and 2 non-Terran. English, German, Spanish, Vulcanian and Klingon. I recently have been certified gold with Subspace radio and gold with the Universal Translator..." He ran off his credentials in a matter of fact tone but then admitted, "This is my first space assignment," he said.

"Your credentials are impressive. I myself can fluently speak 8 languages including my native tongue, Trill. Plus English, French, Mandarin, Vulcanian, Klingon, Andorian, and Romulan. We have the same certificates for both the Universal Translator and Subspace Radio."

"When studying communication I came across a very old method called Morse Code. I might never use it but out here in space, you never know. At the academy my roommate knew Morse Code as well.l, so one night, I tapped on my bedside table 'I would like a glass of water' she tapped back 'Get it yourself '. Aze laughed.

"What interests you in communication?" Aze asked.

The young man chuckled a bit, "My grandfather taught me that years ago... He was a subspace radio engineer and got me interested in space communications... But also I've always had an ear for languages, they come pretty easy to me," he responded, starting to get a little more comfortable with his new boss.

"I also found languages came easy to me as well. But, most of the French I know comes from my first host, Torbin. He was a renowned scientist and whenever he visited Earth, he spent a lot of time in Paris. " She explained.

"Oh ok," Max responded, interest piqued, "I'm actually not too familiar with the Trill. I can't say I've seen or heard a sample of your language either."

"Yucm'g chug u usuno." Aze replied. "Roughly translated as 'isn't that a shame'" she added.

"Huh, interesting, I'll have to make note of that," Max responded as he attempted to repeat the phrase, "Yucm'g chug u usuno." Overall the pronunciation wasn't bad but clearly needed practice.

"Excellent pronunciation. You will only get to hear Trill spoken if you visit the home world or on one of our trading vessels and maybe when I use the odd curse word." Aze smiled.

The young man chuckled, "Well that is good to know anyway," he responded with a smile, "I hope we get to encounter many new languages and cultures although I've heard the Midway doesn't do much exploring."

"Well, things can always change out here so you never know. But yes, I do hope we encounter other languages and cultures so we can learn something new. Oh, and if you want it. "Fubo u teeja jui.' is a greeting on Trill. It means roughly 'Have a good day' . "

The young man vocalized it several times before nodding, "Got it lieutenant," he responded and then stared at her for a moment before saying, "I'm sorry, was that a dismissal lieutenant?" he asked.

"Not yet. Is there anything you want to ask? If not, then you are dismissed until our next session. You can ask me anything you need to. " Aze replied.

Max nodded, "Just trying to take it all in at the moment," he admitted, "I'm sure I will have more questions later, but I don't have any that come to mind..."

"I'm sure you will. " She picked up a small data rod. "This data rod has the Trill language on it. You might like to have a closer look. " Aze commented.

"Thank you lieutenant," the young man responded, taking the rod, "I certainly will." He stood up from the chair, "I'll just slide this back and be on my way then... I will be on duty in a few hours." And so it began...

 

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