Future Generations
Posted on Thu Nov 17th, 2022 @ 4:04pm by Commodore Loatha Targaryen & Lieutenant Commander Lily Snow PhD, MD
989 words; about a 5 minute read
Mission:
Short Treks
Location: USS Copernicus
Timeline: 2430-10-01, 11:00
Lieutenant Commander Yeaca stood looking out the window of his Quarters with a giant smile on his face. The Federation Starship Vol'Rala, a member of the prestigious Pandora Class, was right outside his window almost close enough that he could touch it. The ships of the Pandora Class were highly sought after postings because they were the Constitution Class ships of today, capable of handling whatever the galaxy threw at it. Exploratory missions, humanitarian missions, tactical assignments - the Vol'Rala and her sisters could handle it all.
And, no matter what he did, he just couldn't get assigned to one. Having found three open positions on the ships of the Vol'Rala's Class, each of his applications had been quickly denied. He had trouble understanding why at times because he had the education and he, perhaps most importantly, had the experience that was needed to serve on such a ship. The problem was he had been told by so many of his friends that he just didn't have the right experience having served on ships like the Copernicus almost his entire career.
The Copernicus was an amazing ship, but not everyone saw her that way. The Copernicus was a member of the Sommerville Class Starships. While they were incredibly focused mission specific craft, the problem was they were not as robust and capable of handling missions outside their routine configurations. The Sommerville Class was the spiritual successor to the California Class in Starfleet. Ships of her class were designed to handle secondary assignments after ships like the Vol'Rala had moved on to the next mission. Also, like the Californias before them, they had mission specific profiles. Sommervilles were either assigned to the Diplomatic Corps to transport high ranking officials, the Corps of Engineers to solve engineering related dilemmas, or the Scientific Administration to handle planetary surveys or medical emergencies. The Copernicus was assigned to the Scientific Administration to meet that rather narrow criteria.
Learning that the Captain was going to be reassigned to a new posting had softened the blow for him of losing out on an assignment to the Vol'Rala herself, but that was only because he thought he was going to have the chance to be Captain of the Copernicus. Instead, Starfleet Command informed him to be expecting a new Captain to be coming over from the Vol'Rala any minute now. So, to recap, he was stuck in a dead end job and now he needed to break in a new boss too.
It was enough to drive a man to drink.
"Bridge to Commander Yeaca."
Too late now, "Go ahead."
"Sir, Captain Snow and two guests are about to beam over from the Vol'Rala. I thought that you'd want to know."
The Efrosian nodded and stifled a sigh, "Thanks Ops. I'll go to the Transporter Room to receive them."
"Aye Sir."
As the channel closed he caught a last glimpse of the Vol'Rala hanging in space nearby. So close, yet so far.
As soon as the First Officer entered the transporter room he turned and nodded crisply to the Transporter Chief, a young Zaranite that had only been aboard for about an hour himself. Stepping between the Chief and the Transporter Chamber, he looked over his shoulder while keeping his body facing the Chamber, "Energize."
"Energizing now."
Turning back toward the small transporter pad, Commander Yeaca watched as the form of new passengers started to appear within the four-pad chamber. The form of a man and a woman took the port and starboard pads respectively, but he was more concerned by the arrival coming in the forward spot. As she materialized before him the Commander shifted on the balls of his feet, intent on putting his best foot forward. Nodding politely, he waited for the new arrivals to request permission to board.
Snow was dressed how she normally is for Duty. Pressed uniform jacket, white hair in a professional bun, and an ankle length skirt. She turned her Turquoise eyes upon her new first officer. "Permission to come aboard." She asked in a colder British accent.
The Efrosian stepped forward, "Permission granted, Captain, welcome aboard the Copernicus." He glanced over the shoulder of the Captain to see the other new arrival, "Captain Pike?"
"Just Chris," he answered as he reached toward the young lady opposite him, "my wife, Vina."
"Welcome aboard," he said trying to withhold his exuberance. He returned to his Captain, "you're the last of the personnel being transferred from the Vol'Rala, Captain. Copernicus is ready for departure on our mission upon your order; however, I won't deny I am fairly in the dark on our assignment."
"Lets get Captain Pike and his wife settled into their quarters." Snow said in a colder British accent. "Then I will brief you on the nature of our mission."
Pike looked at the duo and interrupted after having stepped off the platform, "I'm pretty familiar with Starfleet ships, Captain. I think we'll manage to find our own way. You two can get going. I'm sure you have a lot to talk about." He lifted his hand to help his wife from the transporter chamber.
"It's no trouble, Sir, we can escort you on our way," Commander Yeaca offered.
"No that's fine. We'll be alright," Vina countered. "Let's head home, Chris."
As the two passengers stepped away the First Officer looked at his new Captain, "Where would you like to talk, Captain?"
Snow cocked an eyebrow at the man. She wasn't use to be called Captain, and that wasn't her rank, but it was common to referred to the ships commanding officer as Captain. "Which is closer, my quarters or my office?"
"With the size of the Copernicus, Captain, your quarters and office are one in the same," the Efrosian answered. "You do still, however, have one of the largest cabins aboard the vessel." The Commander said with a smile. He motioned, "Right this way, Captain."
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