A New Posting Part 3 (FINAL)

Posted on Mon Jul 26th, 2021 @ 3:17pm by Lieutenant Commander Andromeda Lightfeather & Captain Temperance Harding

Mission: Mission 0: Have Wings, Will Fly
Location: Marco Polo/Starbase 48/USS Endurance
Timeline: Stardate 239406.01

[ON]

As Andi and the Captain picked themselves up from the floor the klaxons were sounding and the Red Alert was active as the shields went up. Shakily standing up she helped the Captain up as she tucked her hair behind her right ear and looked at the helm station, the Lieutenant was on the floor not moving, but the helm console was working, for the most part, Andi rushed to the downed Helm Officer and checked his pulse and looked at the Captain with a sad face and a solemn headshake.

"Sorry Captain, he is dead," she said sitting at the helm station and reconfiguring the station to account for the damaged sections. In full duty mode Andi concentrated on getting the ship moving again, she felt suspicious eyes on her back, she knew the Captain was suddenly realizing that she knew more about the Intrepid than she let on. As the ship began moving again, it started sluggishly but soon stabilized, she recalled her time as a Helm Officer and applied erratic Manoeuvres to avoid continuing fire, by now the ship Tactical officer began to return fire.

"Commander, how is it you know how to pilot a ship?" Hernandez asked.

Without looking at the Captain "I was a helm officer Captain, so while I may have not flown in some decades it is like riding a bike, one never forgets" she said as she did a move that made the Captain stumble as the SIF was slow to react to her sudden evading pattern.

"Commander, you seem to know how to operate an Intrepid helm console and the way you re-routed the damaged systems, you are not just a trained helm officer are you?" Hernandez asked.

"No Sir, I have also done Security and been the First Officer at least twice, but apart from my stint as the Helm Officer of the Shinobi I have been XO on the USS Galileo and USS Churchill, both COs were unable to handle their position," she said then opened a Comms to Engineering.

"Helm to Engineering, how goes the warp core Chief? We really need to get out of here" Andi said.

Without missing a beat the Chief Engineer came back with an answer "we can do warp three at this moment" came the reply.

"Captain, your orders?" Lightfeather asked.

"Agreed engage warp three, Chief I want a higher warp as soon as possible" Hernandez said wiping his brow of soot and sweat.

The Chief engineer grumbled something in the back of his throat "Acknowledged Captain, engineering out" came the response and shortly behind that Andi responded.

"Aye Captain warp three, engaging now," she said and the pylons went up at an angle and the ship jumped to warp 3, as she made sure the speed was steady she turned to face the Captain "that was close Sir, but I have never known Pirates attack such a large Starfleet ship before!" she said.

"I know Commander, I am concerned too," he said and returned to his seat as damage repair crews arrived to repair the damage, Andi turned back to face the from as a Medical team arrived to take away the wounded and removed the dead Lieutenant.

Also, with the repair crews and medical staff came a replacement helm officer, Andi stepped away and he took over, she was greeted by a strange look from the Captain "what!!" she innocently said.

"You are a most confounding woman Commander" he simply said and returned to his job, he did not see Andi's mischievous smile.

After the night shift came on Andi returned to her quarters, but did not stay long and she was knocking on the Captain's quarters.

Some days after that night the Marco Polo arrived at Starbase 48 and docked, and starbase maintenance crews streamed aboard as did some replacement officers and the new ship's Counsellor also arrived, as Andi bid farewell, even after so many days's the guy was still smiling like the cat who got the cream, she turned to him "thank you for the lift her Captain and your... hospitality" she said with a small smile.

"You are welcome Lieutenant Commander Lightfeather," he said and watched her leave, she was not as innocent as she made herself out to be and he learned a few things from the encounter.

After leaving the ship and walking through the Starbase she found the walkway that led to the USS Endurance and walked across the gangway and into the ship properly, she tapped a wall interface and located the Captain "well may as well as get this over and done with" she said to herself and switched the interface off and headed that way, it seemed a long walk with a weapon bag over her shoulder and a bag in each hand as she entered the turbo lift "Captain's Ready Room" she said when the doors had closed.

Eventually, she ended up exiting on the bridge, it was just as well that the ship was only occupied by starbase techs, she ignored them and walked over to the CRR doors and pressed the Buzzer.

Temperance Harding was stood at the window of her Ready Room. The small sliver she could see of the Starbase's interior told her enough: they were still docked. A Workbee passed by, and beyond that, a few small craft drifted slowly to and from their destinations.

Starfleet had sent an alert status - be ready for departure ASAP. Well, she had replied with what they had - which wasn't much at the moment, and Command had answered - a brand new XO. Well, not exactly new, according to the file. Experienced, and with a record that started when she herself had barely become a teenager.

Did Starfleet still doubt her ability to Command? Was that why they had sent such an experienced First Officer? Her brow furrowed slightly, following the train of thought. If they doubted her... Captain Markov had signed off on her skills, her ability. Did HQ doubt his judgement too? Shaking her head, Temperance dismissed the notion. Starfleet was trying to give her the best help it could, surely... Right?

The doubts were chased away by the sound of the chime. She had already been alerted that the XO had come aboard, so this could only be the woman herself. Taking a breath, Temperance let it out slowly, allowing her reservations to go with it. She had to trust, had to. "Come." Turning from the window, Temperance didn't step away from it, as she got a first look at her new XO.

When Andi heard the voice say "enter" she did so as she entered in far enough so the doors would close she looked at her new Commander "Lieutenant Commander Andromeda Lightfeather reporting Captain" Lightfeather said as she put her bags down and took the weapons bag off her shoulder and waited till the Captain spoke, then she remembered her transfer Padd, she dug through her carry bag and pulled the Padd out and held it in her hand ready.

A stature that matched the record, Temperance thought, as she now stepped away from the window. "Welcome aboard." Moving to the woman in front of her, she offered a hand. Lightfeather was a couple of inches taller than herself, and her head tilted ever so slightly to make eye contact. "I trust you had a pleasant trip?"

Taking the offered hand and giving it a firm shake "thank you, Captain, and yes I did, here is my transfer Padd" Lightfeather said holding the Padd out with the other hand to the Captain.

Taking the PADD, Temperance moved towards her desk. "Please, have a seat. Can I get you a drink?"

Looking at the location where the Captain pointed and sat down and crossed her legs "thank you sir and some green-leaf tea" Lightfeather said with a smile as she looked around the CRR, 'not had the chance to make this place homey yet' she thought to herself, but otherwise remained silent.

Getting the woman her tea, and a typical English brew for herself, Temperance set the two cups on the desk and sat down herself. "I must say, you have quite the distinguished career, Commander."

Picking up the cup and taking a sip "thank you Sir, but two of my postings as First Officer did not get very far, as they failed in various ways, one decided to switch to Starbase duties, I could not follow as I am not too keen on a Starbase post, the other, he lost his Command for failing to do what he was supposed to, after that and some time on earth I went to Security for a bit, but so far I am like a jack of all trades" she said with a smile.

"I can appreciate not wanting a Starbase position - staying still for too long isn't my thing. It's the fighter pilot in me. Always gotta be moving. I hope this assignment pans out better for you than your last couple of assignments. Having a Commanding Officer removed for incompetence cannot be a fun experience."

Looking at the Captain "No sir, it is not, never really got a chance to do a serious XO duty because of it, my time on the Dreadnought as CoS was not what I thought it would be, I hoped it would have been different to an actual starbase but the Dreadnought is a massive ship I always referred to it as a barn with warp nacelles on, but it was essentially a mobile starbase and too much like an actual one, so I requested a transfer if you feel you cannot fit in somewhere, it is a wise thing to leave, well I think it is" she said.

"I could not agree more. You should always seek the best possible fit for yourself. Otherwise, you start to chafe." Temperance agreed with a nod. "I can't say I've had to myself, but then I was often happy with most things, as long as I had a fighter craft to fly."

"Former fighter pilot, I see I am trained to fly a Valkyrie fighter, not the Gryphon version the one that came before it, I am also a qualified shuttle pilot. Not had fighter combat experience though and I am not current with fighter clearances as the fleet phased out the Valkeryies when they brought the Gryphon class into service. What fighters did you fly in your time Captain?>" Lightfeather asked.

"Gryphon's, and Razor's," Temperance replied. "Spent my early career in the Gryphon. The USS Invincible. Almost 4 years, Ensign to Lieutenant. Made Flight Leader before my transfer. I then flew the Razor Interceptor off the USS Illustrious. At least for two years. That was when I had the accident that took me off flight status - I'm no longer rated to fly."

Looking sad "have you ever wanted to take out one of the latest fighters just for a general flight, or sit in a co-pilot's seat while an actually qualified pilot does the flying?" Lightfeather said looking at the Captain.

Temperance sat back in her chair, and her eyes went to the window, as she considered the question. "I think I do need to keep an arm's reach from the fighters if I am honest. The accident left me with slightly impaired vision - which unfortunately cannot be fixed. It is what made me lose my flight status. If I start taking joy rides as a back-seater, I may end up thinking I can do it myself, which is only going to end in disappointment."

"I fully understand Captain, that subject will be dropped, shame though, so is there anything else I need to know about this ship before I officially become your First Officer and we set off on our first mission?" Lightfeather asked.

"Nothing I can think of," Temperance answered with a smile. "Welcome aboard, XO."

Smiling back as she stood in one swift movement "Thank you, Captain, I will drop my stuff in my quarters and then report to the bridge" Lightfeather said.

"Very well, dismissed."

"Yes Sir," Andi said with bags in hand she left the Captain's Ready Room and headed straight to her quarters to drop her stuff off before she reported to duty on the bridge.

[OFF]