commander.

“Oh! Fearless Leader,” Agnes didn’t intend to be disrespectful, her words were just choppy and poorly planned in this state. “Joe and I are taking a buggy out with some others. We’ve got some medics and some fighters, but I’ll be looking at the creatures. Figuring out their deal.” She paused, bouncing impatiently. “That sound okay?”

Following the sound of the loud beeping noise to the main control station a a red screen was displayed with a recording on loop; “We’re under attack, the animals are scattered. Help us! Wild beast nearby!” Joe was unable to recognize who voice it belonged to with the screams and noise in the background. He looked around the room to see who were the members that were in the base. “So what do we do now?” He asked to hear if anyone has any good ideas.

The yelling from the recording was like a tsunami wave. Naima just became numb, not recognising Joe’s initial words. “We’ll need to divide whoever is still on camp now. everyone needs to be accounted for before we go.” She paused and her voice softened but wavered less: controlled ordering. “But everyone needs to go help.” Naima began to eye around, mentally accounting before directing others. “You’re the one that asked. What would you like?” 

Agnes had been just sort of chilling in her tent, casually running over most of the info they had learned from the algae, when she first heard the buzzing.  It was the Emergency Alert- Agnes froze. What was happening- had something gone wrong with the mission? It had sounded routine enough, but she’d been one of the few Exoplanet team members left behind, which meant something had to be horribly wrong if they couldn’t handle it on their own. She ran towards the sound.

When it came to emergencies, Naima had to visible signs of stress. Perhaps, she furrowed her eyebrows a bit more. However, her energy ramped up incredibly and she was running around yelling orders to those left on the base. There was a buzz around. The little people that were left but everyone was rushing. “God, I hope we don’t mess this up even more with this rush,” she blurted. Naima didn’t want to show she was exasperate but she couldn’t help it. She hadn’t noticed Agnes being near her. 

wanted threads & scenarios

thread with another character that stays on camp when it happens (so the other pov, mundane + calm until it happens) 

someone yell at naima???  fucking . . do it (she won’t take it well) 

arguing about how naima might not leave the camp

she knows first aid so she can help or give advice if there’s no doctor around

if you want to be bossed around, naima can command on what to do

a conversation about solutions to the predators (do we need a fence?) 

shitting on the clayton mission is always a plot lbr

DOES ANYONE WANT TO ENCOUNTER A SINGLE PREDATOR (somewhere unexpected and supposedly safe, thinking naima uses her previous experience of being attacked by a bear to ward it off) 

emotional counselling each other? guilt swap? 

hair scene – naima keeps appearances no matter what (SAND hates her for it too) but she’s so stressed that she ditches her weave + feels even more vulnerable 

she gets injured on her way to helping.....trips or something

This was not the first time Naima had approached Elias for conversation, but it was the first time Elias had been approached during their own down-time. The presence of authority made them nervous so they had used their work as an easy out each previous time. This time, however, it was patently obvious that they were not busy. Elias nearly jumped out of their chair, seemingly ashamed to have been caught resting. “Ah, no, I can’t say I’ve spent much time outside of the camp. I’m sure it is beautiful.”

Success, such a sweet delight. Something, she thought, Elias could be if the poor person didn’t work themselves all the time. Boundaries were always respected with each individual of the mission’s team. However, Naima just had to pick the brain behind the planet’s robotics expert. Now that she thought about it, it definitely wasn’t her field of study. “It’s a contrast to most of Earth, that vast untouched stretch of nothingness. Would you consider coming along to confirm it?”    

Since landing with the Clayton mission Ben began to understand the SAND crew was openly hostile. Readily suspicious and even resentful at their unexpected arrival, especially with the missing supplies fiasco all over the camps. He’d feel the same if he were left in the same position. Ben made a point to be more openly polite, especially with the SAND commander pleasantly extending the olive branch first.

The commander held herself with dignity, Ben felt the need to stand straighter in her presence. “I haven’t,” he started conversationally. “Seemed safer to stay close to camp considering-” Ben waved his hand vaguely in the air, “everything.” Still he smiled his most disarming grin, the but hanging in the air. “But I haven’t been on the planet as long as you all, Commander. Who am I to say no to a sightseeing opportunity.”

Naima was all about the smaller details when it came to other people, especially when encountering unfamiliar folks. It was understandable when there was a reaction to her presence. Her insecurities would place gender dysphoria and passing at the front—basic primal fears she hoped to leave behind on earth. Now, being tall or having authority was from her achievements. The tension others had physically in reaction to her was no longer wholly negative. 

“I like your attitude,” Naima immediately replied, trying to capture and maintain a certain energy. Admittedly, she didn’t know Benjamin well other than his name, face and possibly his occupation. The Clayton Mission and their roles remained a mystery to her. “Oh, not that much longer. What’s been taking up most of your time then?” It was a decent save in her opinion, rather than straight-up asking about his role even months after their arrival. 

Seela considers himself a man of few spoken words and many thought of. In his opinion, words that should be let out into the world should only be released to aid the progress of humankind, rather than the deterioration of it. For this reason, most words he finds himself speaking aloud are usually responses to questions, for what greater way to progress into the future than to educate those with lesser information?

But when the questions asked have nothing to do with a raise in education, they fall under a category that makes the man shake in his boots with fear:

Small talk.

His head raises at being acknowledged, the pen that was scratching rapid notes across his notepad stilling for a breath. Leader Halcombe had an air about her that could command a nation, immediately garnering his attention despite the implications of her talk. God, he hated mindless conversation. “If you’d already seen it once, why would you go again?”

Was it still anachronism, if it was place not time? Albeit, the notebook in a place with the technology they were using. Otherwise, there was something about Seela that didn’t quite fit the expected mould of Providencia and the mission. “Boy, it’s not as stupid as you’re trying to force it sound like.” The southern version of speech was ramping around him. Naima was not aware. Before she could try to ruffle his hair out of slight affection, she withdrew her hand before it got obvious. Naima knew wiser than that if she wanted Seela to react better. 

“Maybe you’re not made of porcelain but I don’t think you’d fare well against a couple of those predators we’ve seen lurking.” Nobody would really stand their weight against them unless they had weapons or were trained. Being tough or not, did not exactly change that fact. “I’m good with safety.” Eleanor shrugged. “Why not. But I’m sure it’ll not be your last  tramping in the woods.”

Something about Eleanor’s phrasing made Naima’s constant stream of thought pause for a millisecond: fending off predators. It almost seemed like a life-long danger for her, Naima remarked to herself. “Come on, El. You deserve it. Breaks are a must when so many of us big-headed folk clash every minute.” She glanced at the lush nature ahead. “There’s just so much to explore properly.” She paused. “Would it be yours?” 

“It’s actually medic Bakkoush but I’m working on it.” Everyone on this camp seemed to misjudge Gul’s repertoire, she was working her way up to being a doctor and being a medic just fit with her plans. Gul took the misjudgements as compliments. She guessed it was that she was just too good. The thought that her team leader confused her with the doctors put an ear to ear grin on her face. She always felt at home with Naima. 

“Well, lets get going then, it’s getting dark.” As they both headed towards the clearing, she decided to speak her mind, “ I just wanted to run into you to discuss whether you upped the security since the robbery or if you’ve got any leads so far?” The last thing Gul wanted was to keep more than two eyes out for stolen supplies, she was just so exhausted. 

Normally, the medics didn’t remind Naima of her mother. More than just because they lacked the stern and efficient nature, but also because they had different approaches for their work. Yet, her mother always corrected her when she didn’t distinguish between the physician her mother was and the surgeon her brother is.  “I don’t have an ounce of doubt about you, but every little helps.” 

Naima was glad to get moving. She could feel a slight breeze and the babel of Providencia’s nature managed to sooth her. Then, work stuck again. Naima couldn’t blame Gul for her opportunity. She sighed softly (not at nature, unfortunately) at the question. “Security is sadly absent occasionally.” Her hands gestured as she spoke. “You see, external threats versus internal spats like this. We’ll pull through. Other than that, there’s not much I can confide in. We need to confirm anything we’ve got. You can’t rush a diagnosis, no?” 

“I… ah…” Adom stumbled over his words, mostly because he wasn’t quite sure what he wanted to say. Had he gone West yet? He was terrible with directions, and had no way to know for sure. “Yeah. Sure. I’d love to take some pictures, if that’s okay.”

Naima leaned forward slightly to get closer to Adom’s speech, nodding gently. “Just don’t trip yourself up if you do.” Her tone was soft but she wanted to joke to break his uneasiness. “I don’t think that boss Clayton can ship over a new camera if you break it.” 

“I don’t know.” Eleanor shrugged. She had seen parts of the forest during her frequent trips back to the landing ship to check on the sleeping animals but it was so vast, there was a lot she had not explored. She was happy to stay close to camp where it was safe. “Sure. I can’t leave our leader on her own in the woods. We are not really supposed to go too far alone.” 

"And not many seem to want to accompany me despite that exact reason. But I’m not made of porcelain.” Naima chuckled at that. “Although, that makes me sound far more like a risk-taker than I actually am. It’s just so beautiful, you have to forget safety for a single moment.” She stopped herself suddenly, feeling she spoke too much and too earnestly. “Shall we savour this trip as a special one-off treat then?”