Part 2
Sam began to realize that she had been doing a substantial amount of leaning on her First Officer, the woman was naturally a better decision maker, and was able to command more respect from officers that Sam's shy nature. The woman had gone through two extra years at the Academy to get her Command rating, something that promised an officer a captaincy within three years of being commissioned, and the fact that she had survived and passed, from a curricular that had an eighty percent drop rate, proved that she deserved Chillingsworth more than Sam.
In Sam's mind, that would be fine, she was Alabama born and raised, she had hardly an unfriendly fiber in her body. When a new officer or enlisted came aboard she'd greet them as if she was a roommate, not a captain. It was in this that her flaw came from, when a person did wrong she addressed them by asking them to improve, Suzanne barked like a Klingon captain and sometimes threatened like one as well. Where Suzanne could bark and bellow, Sam had to make herself be angry, which was quite hard for her and her southern mindset. However, as she stepped from the lift to the bridge, she straightened herself and put on her captain-like attitude and stepped to the bridge. The bridge was an amazing sprawl for a ship as small as Chillingsworth, large enough that Sam could almost do a complicated dance she had learned in her youth without adjusting for the few console's scattered about.
The round bridge had been changed slightly in the few days they had at Earth back at the end of January, it had been widened and the platform that once dominated the rearward portion had been removed and the bridge reconstructed to a complete circle. At the center, beneath a wide view area that was good for watching stars streak past, was her command chair, forward was the two panels, Helmsman on the left and the Navigator/Fire Director opposite. Abreast the chair on each side was the comms station, which was a bank of panels with the sensors farther back along the wall, on the right; the left had the bridge engineer and behind was the station of the sciences. In all, each station was almost three paces from the center chair, making the bridge seem empty and alone in the dogwatches when only the helmsman, comms, and one other officer were on the watch.
Helmsman Jennifer Shay seemed to ignore her captain on the bridge, she simply went on staring dully out the viewscreen with one hand supporting her head. Lieutenant Junior Grade, Third Officer, Hurar Numdum was just about the same in the command chair, except he was bent over his PADD which was opened to a newsreel.
Sam looked at where Ensign Vazzut had turned and was looking, his strange face creased in what Sam believed to be the Benzite expression for concern. "I hope this isn't what you brought me up here for Ensign."
Numdum sat up and stood quickly when he realized that his captain was on the bridge. "Beg you pardon Captain, won't happen again." his words were slurred from his sleep laden eyes.
Sam walked up and shook her head, she patted his shoulder. "Happens to everyone Lieutenant, I don't blame you." Numdum ran the last watch as well as the first, in his spare time he worked with Ray Goldsby to improve his knowledge of the ship's engines and systems, he was always worn out on the dogwatches. She let him sit back down and walked to where Vazzut was still staring with his concerned face at her. "What's going on Ensign." she asked, the face was beginning to worry her.
"Captain, we are being contacted by Captain Vo'Lok, he says he has a very important message for you."
That was why Vazzut had disturbed her, other than his strict performance of his duties despite a captain's spare time, anything from Captain Vo'Lok would be important. Sam wished that he wasn't assigning them to another 'softening attack' that they had gone through yesterday. "Put it onscreen." Sam told Numdum to get from the camera shot and sat down. "Look lively Jenny, it's Captain Vo'Lok." The reluctant Ensign sat up and tried to clear her eyes of weariness.
The screen faded from it's view of light gray ships surrounding Una II to the stoic form of Captain Vo'Lok in his command chair. "Lieutenant Commander, my apologies for disturbing you and your ship at this hour, but your urgent assistance is needed."
"My ship is at your disposal Captain, please state the problem." Sam response was disciplined and level, it didn't seem as so with her sweet southern drawl.
"With most of our ships either tasked to border patrol or awaiting the offensive here in the Una system, we have been unable to escort transports that tend to. . .break down." His voice seemed to be filled with contempt. "A man directing shipping traffic for the Federation in this sector reported that one of his ships is missing, the SS Azura, and currently the closest ships for the job that aren't partway through a refit are here in the Una system."
"You want me to find the Azura?" Sam guessed.
"Indeed, in truth your ship poses little tactical advantage, if the offensive is launched without you it will affect the operation little." Vo'Lok's face didn't change, he probably didn't even realize or care that he had just insulted the entire Chillingsworth.
Sam had to swallow a tart response but nodded her head. "Indeed." She fought back angry thoughts. "The full details of the mission?"
"They will be given to you when you reach the Sol system, the transportation director, Malcolm Sissel, will be waiting for you to contact him." Vo'Lok paused. "This mission is urgent Commander, Azura is supposed to be carrying some important cargo for colonies on the Romulan border, I suggest you get a move on." the image faded and Shay sat up and swore.
"Little dirty—"
"I don't want that thought completed Ensign, he is indeed a Captain." Suzanne had stepped unto the bridge soon enough to hear the insult.
"All do respect Lieutenant, but bugger his captaincy, he has no right to insult out ship like that, to think he had the nerve to." the short girl, barely twenty, shook her head.
"He may be right, Chillingsworth is a very small ship, her comparison to a ship like the Renown would be much like that of an ant, to an anteater. We do indeed pose little tactical advantage on any battlefield." Numdum said sourly, he obviously hated the words, but he always spoke the plain truth.
Suzanne scoffed at the Trill. "To think that an officer aboard her would make such a comment is just as unthinkable."
Numdum moved his tired eyes to the First Officer. "I tell the truth Lieutenant, the whole truth and nothing but, so help me God." it had taken some time for Sam to realize that not only was the Trill formerly a student of law, he was also a devout Christian, which was very strange. "And I always will when among fellow officers."
Suzanne and Jenny were both about to through comments into the fight when Sam cut them off. "Either way, whether we are important or not, we have orders and I intend to fulfill them. Helm! Lay in a course of the edge of the Sol System, I'd rather not get mixed up in her traffic today." She stood and addressed Numdum. "Hurar, I want you to get some rest, I'll need you when, or if, we find the Azura." the Trill bowed his head and left the bridge.
Sam turned back and sat down. She asked Shay for a report.
"Course laid in, engineering reports recommended speed is Warp Factor 2.5, that will put us in the Sol System around reveille."
"Very well Miss Shay, execute maneuvers." the ship came around, Una II and her sun falling away. Shay reported that they were on course, they were moving slowly on Impulse speed. "Ahead Warp Factor 3." the stars accelerated and the planets faded. Blue tendrils grew on the screen as they accelerated past Warp One, before long the stars were streaks of blue as they rocketed towards Earth. It was almost 0100 hours before anyone had anything to say. Suzanne had brought them all a mug of tea to the bridge, which was upsetting since Sam took only coffee hot, and Shay commented on how disgusting it was without being sweetened.
"The point is to wake you up Jenny, not satisfy you." Sam smiled as she sipped the hot liquid.
"More like boil my insides, you know it's hot when you feel it burning your stomach. I find tea that hasn't any sugar bad anytime." She reluctantly drank hers and shook her head when she burnt her mouth.
"I use to dilute a small amount of unsweetened tea in my water, usually gave it a little more flavor and more enjoyable." Sam said, she had to admit that the tea was quite bad without sugar.
Vazzut swung away from his control panel and looked at the bridge. "I had the privilege to speak briefly with the director of the Marine School on the African Continent, he says that to make sure that training units hydrate while in the field he will mix the water rations that day with a large amount of water tea so that the trainees enjoy it. He says that the results are such that he had to stop due to the rising cost of the tea he needed."
Sam laughed, yet Suzanne seemed to be puzzled. "What on ea—" she changed the wording to save her from puns "Why were you in Africa?"
Vazzut huffed, making the two tendrils hanging beside his mouth move. "I never was, I only met the school director."
Suzanne's face reddened, she had misinterpreted the conversation and went to sit at the science station, far away from view. The bridge resumed it's silence for the rest of the watch. At 0200 a replacement came in and took over for Shay so she could go get some sleep before they arrived in the Sol system, and before long so was Vazzut. Two hours before the reveille (0600) Sam stood and left the bridge to Suzanne. She took the turbolift down several decks and went to the mess, she grabbed a small breakfast plate and left to visit her Heads of Operations and Security.
Starfleet had come some way in recent months, she remembered reading the articles in the Academy Post about the new training programs for more combat like forces, and the increased awareness the captains were having towards their ship's internal affairs, as well as the creation of a new group of officers known as Executives. Sam, as the captain of only one hundred fifty officers and men, was indeed concerned with the internal affairs of her ship. Where on a larger ship a spat between two officers would be dealt with by the department head or an officer above the fighting personnel, yet Sam was peaceful soul, she always wanted someone to find an easy and agreeable solution. Yet sometimes people didn't get along.
One of those problems was Sam's security head, Chief Sergeant Thaddeus Kindrick had apparently not been popular among his class at the Berlin Arm, and wasn't very popular aboard Chillingsworth. Aboard the ship was supposed to be three officers assigned to the security division, each one supposed to command twenty enlisted, the chain of command went by succession. The first problem had been when Rebecca Haymore decided to stay aboard Walker and the third officer was wounded on the First. By succession, Chief Kindrick had full authority of the department until the third officer was back on his feet. Unfortunately, by the time the third officer, now an ensign, was walking again, the entire enlisted and new warrant staff of the security division was completely behind the Welsh chief and actually asked that the ensign not resume his authoritative position in the department. This had all happened in the middle of January.
When the ensign attempted to agree and follow Chief Kindrick as his second, another officer, a very proud Englishman, opposed the thought and tried to extend his arm out of his department and place the ensign on a throne of sorts. By the time the news of this conflict reached Sam on the fifteenth, the groups willing to fight, which did not include the ensign and Kindrick, had formed and were one arm swing away from a brawl in the mess room in the middle of the night when Sam walked in. In the end she removed the officer and agreed to let the ensign still serve on the security staff, although he was under Chief Kindrick.
The security office was near the rear of the saucer, just forward of the Engineering stations, and it was deserted at this hour. The only life was the Operations officer, the Lieutenant Junior Grade Devvers' office had been destroyed on the First and didn't have full pressurization yet, sleeping over her paperwork, and Thaddeus Kindrick, a man only twenty years old, polishing his combats. He wore the more utility like uniform that most enlisted members did, Thaddeus stood and showed some respect when Sam cleared her throat and entered the room.
"You're up early." Sam spoke, she had heard he wasn't a man to waste sleep.
Thaddeus chuckled. "Or is it late, I can't tell anymore."
Sam smiled and sat at the meeting table in the middle of the room, briefly she recalled reading Kindrick's file. Thaddeus George Kindrick, Welsh born and poor due to his father's gambling problem, had several problems. He was claustrophobic and could lose track of the days, he'd start a tour knowing everything, then by the end he'd be on the edge of madness. He had already had one cruise aboard the Constitution-refit USS Kirk and the reports on his command ability and ticks had come from the newer captain, Captain Thelin, himself.
(Pause for a second, I know that the USS Kirk is actually an Exeter-class cruiser, but I've decided to make it a Constitution-refit because currently the Vesper and Exeter are yet to be developed and launched. At some point Thelin will receive the Kirk-B in the Exeter-class and Samantha will receive one of the first five Vespers the USS Arnhem.)
She realized that the strange madness from the monotony of starship life was starting to set in, Kindrick would eventually end up without any track of the time except for that on his watch. Currently there was no known cure for his condition except for a leave.
Kindrick sat opposite of her and continued to polish his boot. Sam looked at where Devvers lay sleeping. "She seems peaceful." she stated, almost stupidly.
Kindrick looked from his shoe polishing. "Poor thing I'd say. She's got a whole department full of young men who haven't mastered how to resist a pretty Orion face, a dozen who have and are willing to use that mastery to their own advantage."
Sam looked across at the young face. Young but weathered, it was marked with acne scars and was somehow still deeply tanned from his previous life on the farm. Strange, Sam hadn't seen many Welshmen with a tan as deep as Kindrick's. "I'd say. It's amazing that she's an Orion, doesn't even try, and I still have a hard time keeping eye contact."
Kindrick laughed. "I use to share a living space with one, I've had enough practice to know, yet she can still get to me sometimes." He began to blush, regretting making the statement. He put his boots back on and looked at Sam. "Now, what can I help you with Cap'n?"
Sam turned to the table and crossed her arms on the glass surface. "We've been given orders to assist in the hunting down of a lost freighter, we'll be arriving in the Sol System around reveille and I plan to move out an hour after."
"Anything more detailed than that?"
"No, only that we need to get in contact with a Malcolm Sissel and he will tell us what we need to know."
"And you of course have special orders for me?"
"I hope to hold a meeting, in here, around 0615 if I can. Then we'll be meeting with a small supply ship before we move out at 0700. By seven-thirty I want a security and operations team at ready status." that was the part that got Kindrick.
Kindrick suddenly looked tired, he nodded his head and ran a hand through his short blond hair. "Very well, we'll be ready before then."
"Good, I know you don't like it but it's much needed precaution, you know as well I did what we could have prevented if we had been on alert instead of simply moseying along. And it came in handy when we ran into that smugglers nest near the Bomari System remember?"
Kindrick nodded, he crossed his right leg over his left and inspected a fleck of dust that had landed on his gleaming black boots. It was the closest thing to admitting she was right he would give.
Sam placed her palms on the table and stood. "Alright, I expect this room cleared at zero-six-fifteen." she turned and left the room, Kindrick threw a have a nice morning after her as the door closed.
When the door was closed he looked at the sleeping Lieutenant Devvers had her head laying on her desk. "You hear all that Jan?"
The Orion, who most called Jan simply because it was less formal that Devvers, raised her head and brushed her jet black hair back. She grabbed a hairband and began to work it into her usual ponytail. "How could I not? You were speaking like you were in a crowded restaurant." she finished with her hair and adjusted her blouse from where it was rumpled.
"Liar, we were speaking at a very quiet volume, you just need Doc Polk to fix your hearing." Thaddeus shifted his legs and stood, he walked over and started a pot of tea on the portable stove from the Operations lockers.
"Still interrupted me." she grinned and sifted through the papers on her desk.
Special issue instant tea leaves, laced with special nutrients to assist in hydration and energy production, brewed in a matter of seconds and poured a strong and thick brew of tea. Thaddeus poured two cups, filled his with about three tablespoons of sugar, also laced with special nutrients, and took the cups over to the desk. He sat opposite of the attractive Orion and sipped his tea once before responding.
"Jan, one day we'll get a moment, we've been trying for a whole month, and one day we'll find the spare time."
Jan smiled, that sweet warm smile that was entirely not Orion, but human and enough to make a blind man see. "One day."
