Welcome Aboard

Posted on Fri Oct 24th, 2014 @ 5:30am by Commodore Samantha York & Lieutenant Illise Hale

1,592 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Deadly Diplomacy
Location: Space, Calypso
Timeline: Current

ON

Illise had all but given up trying to make conversation with the still, skinny, messy-haired Starfleet Holo-technician. His name was Greg Saunders, and that was about all she knew about him. He had grumbled a greeting to her when he came aboard, more in the way of formality than anything else it seemed. Although he had fussed quite a bit while the Holo-Core was being loaded and secured, he was very quiet. In fact, he had spoken more in those first five minutes than he had for the rest of the trip - all eighteen hours of it. The USS Weaver was a small class VI shuttlecraft and there were no other passengers. Still, he quite obviously preferred the company of his PADD than to an actual flesh-and-blood person. He’d stuck his nose in it just after leaving the dock at Starbase 11 and had barely spoken since.

Illise didn't really mind the silence, since she supposed that a chatty-cathy companion would have been worse. At least it gave her the opportunity to continue her review of the data she had downloaded on her new ship, the USS Calypso. After a travelling for about an hour in silence, she turned control of the shuttle over to the autopilot and pulled out her own PADD. There was quite a bit still left to read about the Calypso. The ship and her crew had quite a career. She was especially intrigued by the fact that the captain and marine colonel were from an alternate universe. The possibilities of that alone were staggering. The current mission didn't appear to be very interesting from a scientific viewpoint since it was diplomatic, but the reports indicated that there had already been some trouble. Despite the tragic loss of her last ship, Illise found herself looking forward to this new assignment.

There are only so many logs and reports that one can read, however, so after several hours Illise put the PADD aside. She moved to the back of the shuttle and started some stretches, careful not to get too near the Holo-Core, least her travelling companion become agitated. He watched her for a few minutes until he was satisfied that she would not damage it, and then returned to typing away on whatever he was working on. Illise had asked him about it in an another attempt at conversation a few hours earlier, but he had only mumbled something about a new upgrade for a some type of predictive or analytic holo-subroutine (she could quite be sure which) and had gone back to ignoring her.

A few stretches turned into an hour of calisthenics, followed by a mediocre sandwich and glass of water from the replicator. After that there wasn't really anything else to do. The computer showed that they were still a good nine hours out. A nap might not be all that bad of an idea, since it wouldn't do to show up at her new assignment bleary-eyed. So Illise tilted back her chair and almost immediately fell asleep.

The dreams were always the same. In a way they were as dependable as an old dark, red-coloured, horrifying blanket - but one that was at least worn-in enough so that the edges no longer hurt.

“QaStaHvIS puq HoH batlh pagh tu'lu'!”

Illise shifted slightly in her seat but was not yet really awake. The words from her dream were so familiar and yet they also sounded strange somehow. It took her a second to realize that she was actually hearing the shuttle’s computer, and came fully awake.

“Attention: Entering the Panerian System. ETA to USS Calypso, 10 minutes.”

The warp drive shut down and the autopilot switched to the impulse engines. Illise stretched to relieve the cramp in her legs from sleeping in the pilot’s chair. The technician was still reading something. Did he even sleep? She wasn't sure. He looked up when she turned off the autopilot, then got up and went to the back of the cabin to check the Hollo-Core one more time before they arrived. He would be installing the new unit on the Calypso shortly, so everything had to be ready. After he was finished he would be taking the Weaver back to Starbase 11.

When he returned from his checks of the Core, Illise thought she might give conversation one last try. “All set?” She asked.

He paused in the act of sitting down, looking at her as though he wasn't sure if she had spoken to him or to someone else. “Yes.” He replied a moment later and sat in his chair. He put his PADD in the carry bag beside him then watched the progress display on his console. Illise let it drop since there wasn't much point now anyway, they were nearly there. Instead she activated the comms and hailed the Calypso.

“Shuttlecraft Weaver to USS Calypso. Weaver on approach, five minutes out. Transporting personnel and equipment. Permission to dock?”

"Permission granted," came the reply. "Proceed to shuttle bay 2 and report to the duty officer."

The location of shuttle bay 2 flashed up on her screen and Illise locked the coordinates into the helm. A couple minutes alter the Calypso finally came into view. She was an impressive ship, as all Galaxy Class vessels typically were, but now knowing some of the things she had been through she was all the more so. The letters NCC-71350 were lit up across her bow.

Docking went smoothly and the Weaver soon touched down in shuttle bay 2. The technician Greg looked eager to be off the shuttle, Illise shared his sentiment. A good shower and a real meal would go a long way right now. But those would have to wait. First she had to report to the duty officer for her assignment and new quarters. Once the shuttle was was shut down Illise and the tech exited. Even Greg seemed glad to be out of the confined space. They were greeted by three crewmen: one who took her bag and two more who went back in with the Greg to get started on the new EMH Holo-Core.

Quickly, before he was inside the shuttle, Illise bid him farewell. “Safe travels Saunders.” He stopped at the sound of his name and the other crewman passed him into the shuttle.

“Uh, ya...um you too.” He responded distractedly, then ducked inside and was gone. Illise shrugged, and the followed the crewman with her bag out of the shuttle bay. She asked, and he told her the way to the duty officer’s office, then they parted ways. The corridor was alive with the usual bustle that one would expect on a ship the size of the Calypso. Compared to the Starbase, this ship felt more alive. It was good to feel the engines through the decking again. Illise arrived at the office indicated by the crewman in short order and chimed for entry. She stood tall with her hands clasped behind in front of her.

The duty officer set down his PADD and sighed. He'd hoped for a quiet shift so he could catch up on some reading, but no, there had to be two shuttles and a misplaced crate of parts for operations. And now something else to occupy his time. "Come in," he said.

When he saw the woman his smile grew more sincere. "How can I help you?"

First impressions she told herself as she walked into the office and the door closed behind her. She smiled back at him, after all she was actually happy to be there, and held out the PADD with her transfer orders on it.

“Science Officer, Ensign Illise Hale reporting Sir.”

He took the PADD and thumbed through it, then checked it against the data on the computer. Satisfied, he affixed his thumbprint and handed it back to her. "Welcome aboard, Ensign," he said.

Then he pulled out another PADD and copied information onto it. "This has the information you'll need. Your quarters, the science department and other areas of the ship with which you should become familiar. Do you have any questions?"

Illise took the PADD held out to her and quickly glanced at it. She wasn’t required to report for duty for a couple hours. That was plenty of time to unpack the single bag which contained all she owned after the destruction of the Coulson.

She did have questions, most of them about the captain and marine colonel being from an alternate universe, but she prefered to broach the subject with them in person. Second-hand data was never really all that good. There was really only one other question which sprang immediately to mind. “Yes Sir. Where could I find the best Raktajino on the ship? It was a long trip from the Starbase.”

He thought for a minute before answering. "We have several places to get a drink, but I think the best would be Ten Forward, although it's been nicknamed Cousteau's Grotto 'cause of the ship's name." He glanced at his chronometer. "Shouldn't be too busy this time of day, either."

She thanked him and left the office. Looking at the PADD again she called up the areas of the ship he had mentioned that she become familiar with. No time like the present. She walked to the turbo lift and entered. "Ten Forward." she told the computer. Coffee first.

OFF

Ensign Illise Hale
Science Officer

Officer of the Day NPCd by
Commodore Samantha York
Commanding Officer

 

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