Star Trek: Ensigns Life
Introduction
The Cardassian Wars are at a stall as both sides reach for agreements but old wounds are hard to close and skirmishes are often. With another year of graduates leaving Starfleet Academy, join four young ensigns as they head to the Cardassian Boarder.
Chapter 1: Fresh Faces
Starfleet Academy
The award ceremony had just finished and four old friends had finally made it, Ensign pips adorned their new uniforms, One Red and Three Gold. As they waited for their posting, Ensign James Knight was getting on his friends nerves.
"Enterprise, Enterprise, Enterprise." He repeated over and over, with his fingers crossed and his eyes closed shut.
It was every cadets dream to serve on a Enterprise and now twenty years after the fatal loss of the Enterprise – C, a new ship was to bear the famous name. Unlucky for him, the four of them had been commissioned to a Nebula Class Ship. NCC – 4182, USS Night.
"The Night? No Fair!" James moaned upon seeing this.
"I wouldn't be to disapointed, you didn't exactly do well in the final exam." Ensign Cassandra Bates reminded him as the four walked off to try and find their shuttle.
James just pulled a face behind Cassanda's face, resulting in a slap across the head from Ensign Emma Hutton. Before he could say anything, Ensign Carl McKeefe had grabbed him and started dragging him towards the outside.
As the three officers took it in turns to drag a resisting James, they slowly made their way past the rest of eager Ensigns all heading to their respective posts. The hall was awash with all three department colors and trying to see the Senior Officers was proving a problem. Luckily for the four Ensigns, Commander Lisa Clarke, Executive Officer of the USS Night had found them.
"I take it the guy on the floor is James?" Lisa asked, making them jump out of their skin.
"Yes Sir." Cassandra quickly said jumping to attention.
"At ease Ensign." Lisa said trying not to giggle.
"Firstly, I'd like to congratulate you on graduating and on your commissions to the USS Night. Who knows if you fall in line and do your job, I might secure you a transfer to the Enterprise."
This made James quickly jump to attention and the four officers laugh.
"Now I have your attention, I have your new assignments." Lisa started, typing on her PADD.
"Ensign Bates, you are the new Flight Officer, Ensign McKeefe, you've been assigned to work in Engineering, Ensign Hutton, you have been assigned to mission ops and relief officer and Ensign Knight you have been assigned to Environment Control and relief officer. Now you know your positions, if you'll follow me the shuttle is waiting."
Before James could even protest at what he thought to be a useless job, the commander had begun to walk off to the shuttle area.
Inside the shuttle, Lisa allowed Cassandra to take the helm and fly them to the Night. As she eagerly entered the co-ordinates, James was sulking, Carl had fallen asleep and Emma was studying the layout of the Nebula Class. As the shuttle slowly lifted off and headed for the space station, James's mood slowly changed as his eyes fell on the brand new Galaxy Class. Planned to slowly replace the aging Excelsior Class as the backbone of the fleet, this Galaxy had been given the distinction of bearing the historic name and the ship he had his heart on. Unfortunately he was heading away from it and instead heading towards the USS Night.