We Can Do It!

Posted on Sun Oct 31st, 2021 @ 12:12pm by Raven Mattel & Ignatius

Mission: The Gauntlet
Location: Cargo Bay 2

ON:

Ignatius was standing at the industrial replicator, busily removing a pile of winter uniforms that he had concocted on the machine, before carrying them into a large carrier bag. All around him, there were junior officers doing the same thing, as they prepared for the Pandora's final journey. Sweat dripped from the clothier's bald head as he heaved another pile of the heavy clothing from the replicator over to the bag, where it was promptly moved to the distribution area.

Having entered the Cargo Bay, Raven Mattel sauntered across to where Ignatius and the team were working. She was wearing denim work coveralls and her black wig was rolled up in a red handkerchief with white polka dots. She stood before Ignatius and raised up her arm to show her strength.

"Raven the Riveter at your service." She declared proudly. Some of the officers stopped and cheered her arrival. Raven beamed at the warm reception.

Ignatius saw the display and gave a short smile, but he was too focused to indulge for too long, "You look fabulous but where have you been? I messaged you an hour ago."

"Getting thrown about this washing machine they call a ship." Raven replied with a shrug, "Plus I had to perfect the look first."

"Of course." Ignatius laughed. "Just don't tell me you got them to play 'Flashdance' through the ship's speakers."

"No... but damnit, I wished I had!" Raven cried, snapping her fingers in faux disappointment. A crewman walked past with a pile of clothing and Raven curiously looked it up and down. "What are you making? Your message said you were working on a clothing project. I thought maybe you'd had a breakthrough with your illuminated designs idea?"

"No, I haven't. We're making winter uniforms for the crew." Ignatius replied, as he turned back to the replicator and started another cycle.

"I was gonna say, that design is not your best work." Raven shook her head, "But for uniform, it's... cute, I guess."

"Lieutenant Commander Mindo has asked me to organise this for everyone." Ignatius explained, "Once we reach the nebula, it's gonna get damn cold in this ship. The heavy attire will help us reduce energy usage and keep everyone warm."

Raven blinked, "Sorry, who?"

"Lieutenant Commander Mindo." Ignatius shrugged, "He's XO now."

"XO?! Of the ship?" Raven continued to blink.

"Yeah, something happened to Commander Nash, haven't you heard?" Ignatius paused his work to look at his friend with incredulity.

"Hello! The look." Raven responded, indicating to her costume. "Is Nash okay?" She asked with trepidation. The battle between the Resistance and the Alrakis Pact had been fiercely contested, with the Pandora smack bang in the middle. Even from the lower decks of the Pandora, Raven experienced the intensity of the fight. She felt every hit the Pandora took. It was feasible, therefore, that there were casualties onboard. Perhaps even... fatalities?

"He's in a coma, apparently," Ignatius replied, "Word is that he'll recover eventually but Mindo couldn't really tell me much; he was just getting out of Sickbay himself. We got beat up pretty bad this time, Raven."

Raven wrapped her arms around herself, "Oh damn. It felt bad." She let out a long breath, "So now Mindo is second in charge? I mean, glass half full here. Talk about having friends in high places."

"Raven, I'm literally friends with the Captain." Ignatius retorted.

"Oh right. But you've not gone drinking with the Captain. Or participated in a holographic reality TV reunion show with the Captain. Or gone on an adventure to Paradise with the Captain." Raven said knowingly, "And you've not intentionally coopted alien technology to defraud a theatre full of people, then accidentally stolen that technology and smuggled it onboard the ship through Mr. Zo... with the Captain."

It was Ignatius' turn to blink. "I guess... not."

"Well, I guess we won't be doing anything else like that with Mindo for a while." Raven frowned, "Not if he's in the second big chair."

Ignatius frowned at this too. "Yeah... I didn't think of that. BUT! Mindo did request that I help with this winter uniform project, and suggested for you to come help. So it's not like he's going to just forget about us civilians."

"Mindo would never." Raven nodded, then she pursed her lips together. "I wonder who's going to take over his bar?"

"Raven!" Ignatius scolded. "We have bigger problems, remember? The ship, the nebula, the cold?"

She shook her head, "Right, right, right. So how can I help?"

"We're making as many uniforms as possible then putting them into these carrier bags to be distributed to every deck before we reach the nebula." Ignatius answered, pointing out the piles of clothing, the bags, and the line up waiting to go.

"These are the ones ready to go?" She asked, looking at the final stage of the production.

"Yeah, we're just holding all the bags there till we're ready to start delivering them." Ignatius nodded, as he retrieved another pile from the replicator.

"I'm not much for the physical work, but organisation is my jam." Raven looked at him intently, finding her place to help. "Let me cross reference the crew and passenger lists and ensure we're distributing the uniforms in the most efficient way possible. I'll ensure we send the right amount to each deck, and create a traffic route to ensure we're handing them out as quickly as we can."

Ignatius gave her a grateful smile, "You're the best."

Raven pumped her arm up once more, showing off her slender bicep. "We can do it!" She declared loudly, and suddenly the unmistakeable opening bars of 'Flashdance' started to play through the Cargo Bay speakers. Ignatius gave her a deadpan look as Raven convulsed into giggles.

OFF