The Unexpected Assignment
Starfleet Academy – Cadet Match Day
It was the most anticipated day of the year for the fourth-year students. Every senior spent the last three months of their final term interning on a starship or at a starbase. After all the hours of study and physical training, they finally would be serving, performing real work as almost real officers. The competition for posts on ships, especially the heavy cruisers, was fierce.
Today, at precisely 10:00am the assignments would be posted.
Now, at 9:55am, Cadet Sylvia Tilly was downing her fourth espresso of the morning attempting to calm her nerves. She reminded herself yet again to ratchet back her expectations. As a theoretical engineer she might get a posting on a ship, but it was just as likely she would be posted to one of the shipyards. In fact, with the number of ships docked for repair, a shipyard was her most likely prospect.
But oh, how she longed to be assigned to a starship! For Tilly harbored an ambition to one day command a ship. But she never spoke of it to anyone, certain they would find the idea laughable, without even an infinitesimally small possibility.
She didn't notice the door to her room open and her suitemate dash in, breathless.
"OMG Tilly. You got Enterprise!"
"Huh?" Tilly asked, thoughts far away.
"Enterprise! The flagship! Your post."
Tilly looked up, confused. "That must be a mistake. Enterprise doesn't take cadets."
Enterprise – Cadet Match Day
Dr. Phil Boyce breezed into the ready room without announcing his presence, as was his usual way. "Did you tell Chris yet?"
Enterprise's First Officer, Commander Una stopped dictating and tried to look nonchalant. "Was there something of importance that I missed telling the Captain?"
Phil snorted before replying, "You know exactly what I mean. And by the way, pretending to be innocent doesn't work for you."
Una fixed the doctor with her best puzzled look, including a raised eyebrow. "You yourself Doctor insisted the Captain take time off. Without interruptions. I am simply following your orders."
The doctor rolled his eyes. "Well, there is a first time for everything."
"Besides," Una added, "you know the Captain leaves decisions about training postings to me. And this cadet is … special."
"She must be for you to give such high praise. But you also know how Chris feels about cadets serving on his ship. You need to give him a heads up before he unknowingly meets her in the corridor."
"And I will. I have everything planned. The Captain is due back the day before Cadet Tilly arrives."
Space Dock San Francisco – One Week Later
Captain Christopher Pike was granting himself a rare indulgence. Yes, it had delayed his scheduled return to Enterprise, but the ship was in the first day of a 48-hour pre-launch countdown and little on board required his attention. Any unexpected problems would be ably handled by his first officer.
Walking around the shuttle, he carefully checked the outside plating and structure for imperfections or damage. Yes, the space dock crew already performed the same inspection, but it was an old habit, ingrained from his days as a test pilot. Satisfied all was in order, he boarded the ship and started the pre-flight checklist. As a Captain, he seldom had the chance to pilot a ship anymore, much less fly solo. And the trip to Enterprise would be his last opportunity for genuine solitary, quiet time. Once on board, many would clamor for his attention, frequently, often all at once, and at odd hours.
The pilot in him admired the sleek design of this new shuttle, both inside and out. It was the first production model of a new design, superior to any of the shuttles Enterprise currently carried. A call from flight control interrupted the silence and his thoughts.
"Captain, we are putting you on a temporary hold."
"Explain."
"Late arrival of a passenger who is expected on Enterprise. ETA twenty minutes."
Chris sighed, "Acknowledged." Then he walked to the back of the shuttle.
Tilly puffed, jogging to keep up with the specialist guiding her through the flight area as she was trying to balance her two heavy large bags and a smaller shoulder bag. Already late after last night's farewell party, she didn't have time to change from her civies into a uniform and had arrived at Starfleet's central space dock to discover she missed her assigned transport and was rebooked on the last shuttle leaving for Enterprise.
What she didn't understand was why everyone she encountered seemed nervous that this change of plans would delay that shuttle's launch and pushed her to hurry, hurry, hurry!
They zig-zagged around various small ships and she spotted one with its ramp open and a man leaning against the doorway, arms crossed, but looking patient and unhurried. Must be the pilot, she thought. Moving closer, she noticed his civilian clothes. And how nicely he filled out the long sleeved henley shirt and jeans. Disappointed, she concluded he was a pilot assigned to space dock rather than one of her new crewmates.
As she started up the ramp he reached out and took her two large bags, stowing them in an aft compartment. He smiled and gestured to one of the seats behind the flight console. She stared at him a little too long and chided herself, but it was hard not to get lost in those vivid blue eyes and handsome face. Again, she was disappointed their paths would diverge once she boarded Enterprise and he returned to space dock.
"We will be underway soon," the pilot said and once assured she was settled, he returned to the front of the shuttle and started communicating with flight control. Tuning him out, she rummaged through the small bag looking for the briefing materials on Enterprise's specifications and senior officers.
"Damn, damn, and double damn!" Tilly said out loud after confirming the materials were not in the bag. The pilot must have heard her outburst as he looked up and she could see his dimpled smile reflected on the front viewscreen.
"OK back there?" He asked.
"Sorry. I just forgot something. It's not important."
"You can always have it relayed when we reach the ship."
"Thanks."
He went back to work and she tried to relax, determined to enjoy every minute of this experience. During the past week of exams there had been little time to think about this unusual posting and the excitement it had generated among her classmates. And no time to research the ship or its senior officers.
Enterprise had not taken a cadet on board for an internship in over three years. Why her? Why now?
Don't overthink, just make everything you can of the assignment. Tilly reminded herself. Enterprise! How did I get so lucky? On hearing the news her mother assumed it had been a mistake. A few of her classmates were jealous. But I am on my way. In just two hours I will be on board.
I wonder if I will get the chance to meet Captain Pike? Or is he too busy? Oh, I really, really hope I meet him at some point. And that I can speak in complete sentences in his presence.
