Chapter 4
The long awaited day finally came upon them, the hull of the USS Spartan gleamed in the lights from the windows of the spacestation. Lennon again stood proudly at the same upper docking port, seeing the ship in a buzz of activity. He had waited many weeks for this but even now something held him back. He did not want to leave the novelty of the Spartan behind him, perhaps it was a sixth sense that he thought it better not to board the ship, he wasn't quite sure. He could have stayed there all day doing nothing, but just watching, watching and waiting, until his Tactical Officer Lt. Commander Cumbrae spotted him. He walked over from afar just to exchange a few words. "Captain, my security team and I are ready to board the vessel, and prepare for your instructions, I have many matters to discuss with you before we leave space dock."
The tone of his voice rarely changed throughout the whole sentence. Cumbrae just stood there, waiting for the Captain to reply. Could he tell the Vulcan about his sixth sense? No, Cumbrae would just see this as illogical and an inefficient use of the Captain's time prior to a busy mission. A brief thought and he made up his mind it was no-use delaying boarding the ship any longer. He would walk with Cumbrae to the docking port.
"Very good Commander, I'll speak with you in private before we disembark. Tell me Commander, have you served before with any of your security team?" he said beginning to move away, a sign for the Vulcan to follow
"No," was the sharp reply, "Starfleet Undercover Protocols tend to avoid putting acquainted officers on board the same ship." Lennon knew that, he knew the Vulcan would state the obvious, but just continued on and remembered privately how much Vulcans get on his nerves.
* * * * * *
Commander Ric Sara stood almost alone on the bridge, the place deserted for the time being, but he was sure in an hour or so the whole ship would be buzzing with excitement. It was the excitement awaiting a new ship on her first mission.
Ric marvelled at the design of this new intrepid class starship, the helm situated alone at the front of the bridge, were it should be. Ops were hiding away at the back of the room, adjacent to tactical. However, what he loved the most was the shear space the bridge possessed. The width was extraordinary, the entire crew for this mission could be placed simultaneously on the bridge with room to spare. Another unique feature was the Science and Engineering consoles at either end of the command platform. It was an efficient way to communicate throughout the whole ship. Only a few junior officers were currently on the bridge, mostly engineers ensuring the ship would function without any major problems. The crew for the forthcoming mission had not begun to board the ship, only a handful had been allowed on-board for routine medical examination.
The door to the turbo-lift then opened and Ric turned around expecting the Captain to be standing in the doorway, instead out walked a rather attractive woman whom he had never laid eyes upon before. She wore a blue uniform and the insignia of Lieutenant. She wasn't part of this crew, was she?
Ignoring standard Starfleet protocol she immediately spoke,
"You must be Commander Sara, I'm pleased to be serving with you,"
Ric just stood silently for a second trying to think if he overlooked this person in the crew compliment, unless.
"I'm Lieutenant Kestra Vall, ship counsellor," she said with a slightly puzzled look upon her face.
"Of course," he immediately replied, "I remembered Captain Lennon saying you would be joining us aboard the ship, welcome aboard."
Sara smiled and extended his hand to give a sincere welcome, she took it and began to sense a feeling of warmth. For a moment they just smiled at each other before the fact she was a Betazoid entered Ric's mind. Was she reading him right now? He began to feel slightly uncomfortable with this invasion of his privacy.
"And yes, I am Betazoid," she said sensing his thoughts, but reassured him, "But don't worry, I do not read peoples mind, I only sense their feelings and emotions."
"Should I stop feeling paranoid then?" he asked,
"That might help, if were going to work together," she laughed as she said. Ric only smiled again and removed his hand from the handshake.
"In that case you can call me Ric,"
"Thank-you Ric, you may call me Lieutenant Vall," she paused for a moment only joking, Sara laughed, but she continued whilst warmly smiling, "Call me Kestra."
To be continued.
The long awaited day finally came upon them, the hull of the USS Spartan gleamed in the lights from the windows of the spacestation. Lennon again stood proudly at the same upper docking port, seeing the ship in a buzz of activity. He had waited many weeks for this but even now something held him back. He did not want to leave the novelty of the Spartan behind him, perhaps it was a sixth sense that he thought it better not to board the ship, he wasn't quite sure. He could have stayed there all day doing nothing, but just watching, watching and waiting, until his Tactical Officer Lt. Commander Cumbrae spotted him. He walked over from afar just to exchange a few words. "Captain, my security team and I are ready to board the vessel, and prepare for your instructions, I have many matters to discuss with you before we leave space dock."
The tone of his voice rarely changed throughout the whole sentence. Cumbrae just stood there, waiting for the Captain to reply. Could he tell the Vulcan about his sixth sense? No, Cumbrae would just see this as illogical and an inefficient use of the Captain's time prior to a busy mission. A brief thought and he made up his mind it was no-use delaying boarding the ship any longer. He would walk with Cumbrae to the docking port.
"Very good Commander, I'll speak with you in private before we disembark. Tell me Commander, have you served before with any of your security team?" he said beginning to move away, a sign for the Vulcan to follow
"No," was the sharp reply, "Starfleet Undercover Protocols tend to avoid putting acquainted officers on board the same ship." Lennon knew that, he knew the Vulcan would state the obvious, but just continued on and remembered privately how much Vulcans get on his nerves.
* * * * * *
Commander Ric Sara stood almost alone on the bridge, the place deserted for the time being, but he was sure in an hour or so the whole ship would be buzzing with excitement. It was the excitement awaiting a new ship on her first mission.
Ric marvelled at the design of this new intrepid class starship, the helm situated alone at the front of the bridge, were it should be. Ops were hiding away at the back of the room, adjacent to tactical. However, what he loved the most was the shear space the bridge possessed. The width was extraordinary, the entire crew for this mission could be placed simultaneously on the bridge with room to spare. Another unique feature was the Science and Engineering consoles at either end of the command platform. It was an efficient way to communicate throughout the whole ship. Only a few junior officers were currently on the bridge, mostly engineers ensuring the ship would function without any major problems. The crew for the forthcoming mission had not begun to board the ship, only a handful had been allowed on-board for routine medical examination.
The door to the turbo-lift then opened and Ric turned around expecting the Captain to be standing in the doorway, instead out walked a rather attractive woman whom he had never laid eyes upon before. She wore a blue uniform and the insignia of Lieutenant. She wasn't part of this crew, was she?
Ignoring standard Starfleet protocol she immediately spoke,
"You must be Commander Sara, I'm pleased to be serving with you,"
Ric just stood silently for a second trying to think if he overlooked this person in the crew compliment, unless.
"I'm Lieutenant Kestra Vall, ship counsellor," she said with a slightly puzzled look upon her face.
"Of course," he immediately replied, "I remembered Captain Lennon saying you would be joining us aboard the ship, welcome aboard."
Sara smiled and extended his hand to give a sincere welcome, she took it and began to sense a feeling of warmth. For a moment they just smiled at each other before the fact she was a Betazoid entered Ric's mind. Was she reading him right now? He began to feel slightly uncomfortable with this invasion of his privacy.
"And yes, I am Betazoid," she said sensing his thoughts, but reassured him, "But don't worry, I do not read peoples mind, I only sense their feelings and emotions."
"Should I stop feeling paranoid then?" he asked,
"That might help, if were going to work together," she laughed as she said. Ric only smiled again and removed his hand from the handshake.
"In that case you can call me Ric,"
"Thank-you Ric, you may call me Lieutenant Vall," she paused for a moment only joking, Sara laughed, but she continued whilst warmly smiling, "Call me Kestra."
To be continued.