Pip of the Hatchling

Posted on Mon Aug 12th, 2019 @ 2:01am by Second Mate Simon Starr & Master Steward Othor Jaxz Ghost of the Second Star
Edited on on Wed Oct 9th, 2019 @ 4:56pm

2,186 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Meanwhile...
Timeline: Launch from SB 214

-Start-

{Starboard Nacelle Pylon}

Vicente finished his final checks on the hull plating, eager to finish. One final plate, , after what he imagined was a million previous scans covering the entire engineering section. He has prepared for this, intentionally finishing at this point where he had the best view. There was another reason...

=0= Avor I'm gonna ride out here for the launch. Just let me know if that's a problem."

He knew damn well the interference from the Nacelles ate the message.

"¿Te estás disfrutando?"

His date smiled, her eyes glittering while she watched the cavernous doors open and the stars which shone beyond. Yessenia loved to hear the old languages, and his efforts had been very charming. Deciding the youth was not so bad she indulged him and took his hand.

{Bridge- Fala's office}


"Well then who is our damn pilot?"

Fala pinched her nose, explaining to Quinton for the third time a very simple point, "If Judah is dead by all accounts of his legal identity, then I can't say he is the one piloting us out now can I. It can't be you or Kas either. Ranking officer would be Avor, he is the only one."

Quinton mainly fought back on the point that Avor was a poor pilot, and the Second Star had scrapes aplenty already. The guy had talents in many areas, but barely passed steering in his Ops certifications. It held him back from further career moves though Avor was in addition a victim of complacency.

"Judah can guide the ship just fine, Avor just needs to be sitting there, we can even deadstick the controls and let him control thrust alone."

"Avor would love that I am sure. What a team we got here Fala."

This was however, the start of their adventure. These were the people he had, for better or worse. He looked around the bridge taking it all in.

They stood and left the table, walking to the bridge to see Avor sitting at the helm. Quinton tried not to swallow visibly, but felt a lack of confidence suddenly seeing him there. Right next to him at Tactical was Ableman Sinclair, the executive under Simon Starr, a professional spacer for sure, good in a fight as well.

Jade Ling was in the Ops station, which had absorbed the communication section in a hardware and panel conquest. Almost a third of the Bridges panels were run by OPS, as the mandates for Civilian freight were different. At times it would take the entire panel and three people to manage the systems for their varied cargoes. This ship was designed to do everything but battle. Jade had two wards attending far reaches and running orders for her to keep up with the demand. Kas was standing to one side of the Captains, the other side was reserved for Othor.

He was surprised to see Chief Callahan at the Engineering station, N'tach most likely had wanted to stay in Engineering proper.

Bas Klayton was their science officer and a certifiable Starfleet Officer. A smaller subset of the OPS board was the sensor display master, an impromptu workstation there allowed her to sit. It was Quintons hope she would feel more able to contribute if she served here like she would for Starfleet, plus she was a genius and an asset for their operation. Vicente would be here often as well, ferrying deliveries, small repairs, staff meetings, so a swivel stool adjacent to tactical was reserved in spirit for his occasional visit.

Feelings unbidden welled within him at the thought of absent Lui Kania, a surrogate mother, or older sister for him. She would have enjoyed this enterprise, and her sacrifice was part of how it came to be. His minds eye placed her on the bridge as well, at attention near the the back of the bridge. She never sat, preferred to be nearest to the door ready to race out for the landing party.

Quinton let his feet move, while his head was in the clouds. The moment was surreal, and he could scarcely believe it was actually real.

=0= XO on station, sir. Prepared to handoff baton.

Kas loved rigmarole, so Quinton indulged her. The whole ship was listening after all.

=0= Captain Beck reporting in, baton received. Make ready for departure, all hands to duty stations, report in.

One by one the crew sounded, the ship was ready, it was a muffled blur to him. A familiar song, but all the same Quinton swallowed, they were at the brink of it now. Avor took his seat, looking as lost as he should sitting as a their pilot. Quinton winked, tapped the console armrest to show he had control from there. Avor smirked and didn't seem to mind at all, and for the best. Kas had tried to teach him, but Dure had been their pilot for so long. he had never had to learn. A starship like this was way beyond him, and just like Lui, his ghosts of crewman past returned to him.

Terrence, Vollad, Lui, Corrin, it was a bloody business, and here he was driving six hundred souls into it again. Kas glanced at him, the delay in his command noticeable.

"Helm... on my mark..." He spoke to himself, remembering he was on record and had to act professionally.

Othor had given him much to think about after the christening. A ceremony was important, it was a morale matter. Things have to have a clear beginning. A big speech was just not his style though. If people came to church they expected a sermon, but this was a freight vessel..

He took a breath, knowing it would be his last as a freighter captain, and began to speak.

"My father gave a simple blessing to our old vessel, "May we enjoy Fair Winds and Following Seas..."

{Agora - Holding Cells}

Noxley had finally had a chance to get out from the lower decks now the new holding cells were being installed. Starr had told him to work with the engineers and he was glad to get out from the previous cells for a while. Having a look around, he headed straight for the new "brig" where he would be more regularly performing his duties.

"So, once they're all connected we'll run a test through the force fields and make sure their working" Noxley said to the engineer finishing the holding cells off. "We don't want it too easy to escape from" he continued, half jokingly.

Noxley heard the call to duty stations and smiled. The time had come, even after all the events that had happened with the old chief of Security and the rangers. Starfleet had finally given the all clear for the ship to take off. The holding cells currently empty, he took his position.

The captains speech didn't come over the comms, the speakers in the room were disabled for security reasons. The hallway played at full volume, but there was only a faint warble through the door.

{Security Office}

As the call came over the comms in Starr's office, he noted that Sinclair was on bridge duty right now, and nodded to himself. He was definitely more fond of the security part over the tactical part of his role, but he decided that as it stood, he would need to make sure everything ran smoothly across the ship.

He also had drills and training to prepare, and the "holodecks" were still being installed. Looking at how the crew responded to the order to duty stations, he made notes on response time and any crew members that seemed to be a bit slow of the mark he noted down as requiring further training.

Starr waited until the end of the first duty shift before calling the first batch of crew members for their proficiency tests. Before the end of the shift arrived, he knew he would have to arrange something. When the shift came to an end, he looked through the duty roster and called the Junior crew that had just finished. He was tempted to call them officers, old habits.

=0=All junior crew will need to report to Security after their shifts for weapon proficiency training and evaluation=0=

He then went through the regime one more time that he had set up with Kas while the first shift was on duty.

The speakers prattled on "...A worthwhile voyage for any soul brave enough to commit to a cause and fight tooth and nail to achieve it. Ours are the hard hearted and resilient pioneers..."

{Sea Devils Tavern- Deck 31 OOS zone}

Othor knew the gentry couldn't mix, and the Forward Lounge "Jolly Rogers" was where the brass were. In the Bowels of the ship Deck 31 carved out of a supply closet that had blown out walls for a neat staged room affect; here, the decorations were minimal, games and gambling plenty. Drinks were strong, nothing fake. He knew Simon would tap him on the shoulder about this place any day now, probably whenever the first drunken accident occurred. Still, they had to have a place to go, or this behavior would spill into their workplace.

"Dabo...DABO!"

The two stage tone told the tale of a man having a great day. It was infectious, the launch party had started early here. He kept a close watch to keep it from attracting a deputy's eye but was jealous he couldn't join in.

Akio and Judah were here, nobody questioned them here. Nobody cared. Othor also observed Rowland, focused on a sphere glowing brightly in his hands. The fanfare of the announcing moment, however brought all attention to the main screen above the bar.

"... in moments we are leaving the confines of Starbase 214, to receive a payload which might put us at a new peace funded in trade between the Talarian Military Government and the Federation. A peace we would be the cause of, a future belonging to us.

This got cheers. Rowland even smiled, but the truest sign of happiness he saw was a crewman sitting alone at a table. His smile at the announcement, and visual of the eclipsing starport told the tale in a glance. A young man, alone in the world, striking out. Feeling old was never so bittersweet, how he envied such a start.

One of the Rangers on board followed a figure clad in black armor. Othor sensed her, Toriza broadcasted herself to even the non telepathic. It was alarming when she took notice of him right away, and immediately adjusted her course to come to him. She sent the Ranger to the bar for a drink and locked eyes. Othor simply let Fate come his way, she was not going to kill him, but he feared her.

"I do not wish to discuss this again Telepath." It was all she said, she must have presumed he heard the rest but his skills werent tuned like that. It took great effort to create a verbal stream of consciousness from his telepathic senses. It was far easier to collect their memories and remember their stories.

Not one to be easily moved, he returned in genial manner, "I'd rather we discuss what your men will do while they aren't... engaged. I have ideas for recreational outings and training sessions. Care to sit down?"

{Starbase 214}

Admiral Ferrell was listening as the speech concluded,

"Heave Ho My Lads... It's a long long way to go. Helm, take us out."

The Admirals office afforded a premiere view of the starbase. His eyes were set on the Second Star. He waited to see the impulse flare, but only after the ship began to move did he realize one of the Impulse reactors was not active. Notes indicated there simply hadn't been time to get it repaired, but a Christopher Callahan in their Engineering department confirmed they could fix it en route.

They'd rather leave limping than stay one more moment. It made him furious, but their resilience was what they needed to achieve the goals set before them.

They passed to his view-port, at this proximity the imperfections in the hull plating stood out, pockmarks, patches, bare swaths lacking paint.

His eyes squinted trying to see something, it looked like... he knew he was wrong. There was no way...

A moment passed, then he signaled Ops.

"Are you kidding me? Terry give me eyes on their Starboard Nacelle, Optical if you have it."

The sensors were scrambled, but the optical rangefinders worked perfectly. Vicente had an oxygen tent inside a hull abscess, and there was a rather vigorous activity within.

=0=...

He tapped his badge only to realize there was no stopping them, he would be a fool to sully himself handling such a scene. This was what he had gotten from the whole gambit and it made him dizzy to think of what rode on this endeavor.

He finished his message, daring to find the moment charming. His benediction followed them through the doors, and he too felt a great envy.

"Fair winds and following seas Second Star..."

-End-


Ben
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