The Art of Living Dangerously

Posted on Wed Feb 22nd, 2012 @ 12:07am by Lieutenant Jasad Broca

Mission: Crises and Consequences
Location: Deck 3, Escape Pod H-47
Timeline: After Senatorial Visitors

Jasad opened the Emergency Escape hatch leading to Escape Pod H-47 on Deck 3. The emergency escape vehicle was, like all Federation inventions, unnecessarily roomy, comfortable, and easy to get into. The pod was less an emergency escape tool and more an extended hazard shelter, able to accommodate six humanoids for six weeks. There were hundreds of these pods on Sovereign class ships, and they were all much the same.

Each pod sported reclining chairs along the outer wall. A food, water, and medical dispensary could be found in a large center station. Flip-down displays came from the ceiling. Computer, environmental, and attitude controls were accessable from arm-rest consoles. The luxuriant seat cushions could be folded up, revealing a waste receptacle. Privacy screens could be activated, rising from the floor to shield you and the other occupants from acts of hygiene. Disposable washcloths imbedded with sanitary, allergy-safe chemicals could be pulled from beneath the chairs, along with canisters of odor-neutralizing sprays, tooth and horn brushes, and a multispecies cleaning paste.

Above each seat was a small luggage cabinet to store emergency supplies, with room enough for evacuees to bring essential gear. Between the luggage cabinet and the top of the reclining chairs was a small oblong window. It wasn't a real window, but a virtual representation of outside sensor data. This made little difference to the human eye. You couldn't sit and see out of your own window, but you could see through the windows above other occupants- presumably so that you wouldn't feel overly clausterphobic. The pod was tall enough to stand in, and if all the reclining seats were in the upright position, there was room to walk in a tight little circle, allowing occupants to stretch their legs a few times per day.

In all, the Federation escape pod was more accommodating than some Cardassian shuttles. It was this eye towards luxury that had helped Jasad to realize the final bit of space he needed once one of the holodecks had been converted into an emergency med station. Initially, the idea of moving some officers and crew into the escape pods had seemed ludicrous. What if there was a legitimate emergency? The answer, however, had been self-evident. If there was a real emergency, then some of the crew would already be in the pods, and also be in an excellent position to help others get aboard. Hence, the plan had been approved by the Admiral, "As long as you don't expect me to sleep in one of those things." Plus one or two expletives.

After deciding that each available pod should carry just two crewmembers, Jasad had volunteered to be the first to move into a pod for the duration of the evacuation effort. Then he'd put half of the crew into an electronic 'box' and drew names at random, with a bias granting people from the same department a 50% greater likelihood of being bunked together. The result had been something the Admiral might not be thrilled about when he learned about it at suppertime. Still, it had freed a remarkable amount of crew quarters, meaning that more evacuees could be accommodated aboard the Arizona.

"Lieutenant," Jasad acknowledged with a nod as he entered the pod. He had a few meager possessions in a duffel bag, which he stowed above his seat in the luggage cabinet. Then he plopped down and sighed. It had been a long shift. "I trust you've had a productive day," he added, awkwardly hunting for small-talk with his subordinate. It seemed certain that if nothing else, the next few days would be... interesting.