USS Alexia
Alexia Class Strike Carrier
NCC-61667
Main Bridge
A few minutes later, Rei followed her Captain onto the bridge, along with Logan and the highest ranked recruits.
Shyvax wasted little time in getting to work. "Mr McLeod, take the tactical station. Mr Jenkins, man the Conn. Ms Kizuna, science and observation. Mr Kiyrutia, engineering."
Rei waited for her own assignment. She wasn't a very good pilot, but he was probably a better gunner than Logan.
"Ms Nechayev, have you ever commanded a vessel out of space dock before?" Shyvax asked.
"No sir," Rei replied.
The Captain looked at Major Ingles, who offered him a small smile.
Shyvax rose from his chair, stepped to the right, and put his hands behind his back as he ordered. "Take her out, Ms Nechayev."
Rei sat in the centre seat and let a small smile creep across her face. Of course, there was Kobayashi Maru and countless simulations, but now, for real, she was taking a command of a real starship.
Mom will love this.
"Science, confirm we are all clear for departure."
"All clear, Captain. Yard Master confirms Alexia is go for launch, and we have no unregistered contacts on sensors," Kizuna replied.
Captain. It was only protocol, since any officer who sat in the centre seat technically had the right to be called "Captain" regardless of actual rank, but it still made Rei smile.
"Engineering, set optimal power intermix for impulse and maneuvering thrusters."
"Aye Captain, intermix set," Kiyrutia said with a smile.
"Tactical, confirm weapons and shields are on standby and all hatches are secure."
"Confirmed on both, Captain Nechayev," Logan replied, knowing it would be to Rei's delight.
Rei took a deep breath before she issued a final order. "Helm, plot a course out of dock, heading 1-2-8 mark 0-7-7."
Jenkins entered the commands and looked back, to which he got a wink from Rei, "Course ready, Captain."
Rei smiled, and then emphatically shouted. "Full impulse!"
Before either Shyvax or Ingles could react, Alexia all but rocketed out of her docking berth, shooting past a school of worker bees and shuttles, nearly colliding with a freighter that was just passing over head.
Jenkins threw the steering control hard over, and the ship barrel rolled over the freighter. Completing the roll, he brought her up and over in scissors turn, before finally righting the ship and bringing her back on course at a gentle speed of a quarter impulse.
"Are you outta your mind, Fishie?! Is this what they teach in that damned idiot factory in San Fran?!" Ingles shouted at her.
A Vulcan would never curse or shout, but judging by how hard he tugged his SDU jacket down, Rei could tell Shyvax was furious on the inside.
"I would very much appreciate an explanation for that rather reckless display just now, Ms Nechayev."
Rei stood up, put her hands behind her back, and smiled again. "Captain Shyvax, Alexia is the newest ship in the fleet. I made a very close study of her design as part of my graduating thesis. It is my opinion that she is the best designed ship Starfleet has built since Constitution. We combine the agility of a Defiant with the firepower of an Avenger, on a frame almost as tough as a Vanguard to go even further into space than a Sovereign can."
"I felt that I owed it to my fellow Cadets to give them a chance to cut loose, and to prove to my Captain just what this ship is capable of."
"And yet, Ms Nechayev, ESD regulations are quite clear that a starship will utilize thrusters only while in dock. Further, you have violated a number of standing Earth traffic laws. And, most seriously, you disobeyed my orders and took us off course for a full five minutes."
Rei nodded, "Yes, Sir. I submit myself to your authority for disciplinary action."
Shyvax raised an eyebrow, "How curious. Surely you are aware I could have you court martialed for this display? Your status as a Starfleet Officer is in serious jeopardy."
She put a hand on the chair, "To borrow a line from my inspirational idol, sir, risk is part of the game if you want to sit in this chair."
"Quite right," Shyvax said as he sat down, "In that case, I believe I have a fitting punishment for you. Report to the Quartermaster on the double. You will be issued a Class A Dress uniform, which you will change into immediately upon arriving to your quarters. Once changed, you will join me in the wardroom at no later than 1800 hours, where you will host tonight's formal dinner and mission briefing."
"Is that understood, Ms Nechayev?"
Rei stood at attention, "Aye Captain!"
"Dismissed. And take Mr McLeod with you. I'd prefer someone to keep an eye on you."
Ingles kept a close eye on both Cadets as they entered the turbo lift, and a firm hand on his assault phaser.
"If either of them was Marines, I'd have kicked both their asses six ways from Sunday for that," he grumbled, "God damn reckless."
Shyvax raised another eyebrow, "I admit, Major, my knowledge of ancient Earth mythology is somewhat lacking, but why would someone wish to damn their God? Seems like an invitation to disaster."
"Call it stress, Skipper."
"Do you require medical attention, Major?" Shyvax asked.
Ingles stared at the Captain for a long moment before he laughed and slapped the skipper on his shoulder, "And people say Vulcans don't have a sense of humour. I should probably get changed myself."
"Indeed. I think it would be rather poor form to arrive to dinner in your normal wear and tear, Andrew."
─•~:~•─
"Hhakh amton skirt! Do I have it on right?!"
Kayla was trying her hardest not to laugh at Rela, who was waging a truly fierce battle against the skirt option of Class A dress uniform.
"I mean, if it's such a problem, why didn't you just wear pants?" Kayla asked.
"You're such a Feanna Kayla! We were supposed to be in full dress!" Rela protested as she almost tripped over her legs.
Kayla shoved her Romulan little sister into the bulkhead, adjusted the side zipper so it would slide up correctly and quoted from memory, "Dress regulation twenty-two a, section twelve, paragraph eight; Female Marines shall have the option of donning a skirt in Class A dress uniform, to be worn at the discretion of each Marine."
"Skirts should be black in colour, composed of suitable fabric and kept in good repair, sitting evenly at the waist, and raising no more than one inch from the kneecap."
"How do you even remember all that?!" Rela asked in shock.
In truth, Kayla never forgot anything after her augmentation. But Rain had told her to keep that fact to herself, so she just kept smiling.
"I read a lot of books. You're good. Ready to head out?"
"Sure, even though I can barely walk. Let's go."
Both of the very well-dressed Marines left Marine Country and took the short turbo lift up to the deck two wardroom. Along the way, Kayla picked up the obvious signs of attention being directed at the two girls, which made her giggle on the inside.
But most of the attention, naturally, was on Rela. Barely eighteen, she was already becoming a legend on two different planets. The first Romulan to join a Federation Uniformed Service. Nearly all the bets were on a version of Worf. But the Marines had, yet again, proved everyone wrong.
"Do they have to keep staring?" Rela whispered as she ducked down to avoid the stares.
"They probably think you're cute in your skirt," Kayla teased.
An SO walking across the hallway accidentally-on-purpose shoved a shoulder into Rela, sending her tumbling forward.
Kayla caught her and scowled back at the SO, "Hey, what's your problem?"
"Why don't you and the Rommie watch where you're going, Sharkie!" the SO shouted back.
Rela drew herself closer to the SO, "What did you call me, Hevam?"
"I said watch where you're- "
The SO wouldn't finish. Another Human officer shoved him into the bulkhead grabbed him by the collar.
"Hey! You watch how you talk to a Marine, crewman!"
The SO looked at the taller Human and gritted through his teeth, "My brother was on Europa! He's dead because of this pointy-eared—"
The Human slapped the SO, "Obviously she wasn't there, you idiot! Get back to work, that's an order!"
The SO was released and half-shoved back down the corridor.
The Human savior extended his hand to Rela, "Sorry about that. You alright, Miss?"
"Kaimeao, Rela, Leftenant. Scout Sniper, FMC."
"McLeod, Logan, Senior Midshipman. TAC-OPS, Alexia," Logan replied, sarcastically matching Rela's tone.
"Oh, I outrank you. That should be, 'You alright, Ma'am,' by rights,"
Logan smiled, "My sincerest apologies, Ma'am. If I may, you look rather lovely in your dress uniform, Ma'am. Might I have the privilege of escorting you to the wardroom, Ma'am?"
Logan puffed out his chest and held his right arm, waiting for Rela to take it.
"What am I supposed to do with that?" Rela whispered to her sister.
"You take it, smile, bat your eyelashes at him, tell him he looks nice, act like it's a date," Kayla giggled as she led on.
"I'm going to kill you, Feanna."
─•~:~•─
Kayla walked into the wardroom and found a spot two seats down from Major Ingles.
Since Alexia was a brand-new ship, there was almost nothing in the way of decoration or history to look upon. She and her fellow Sharks would be the very first. The idea was exciting.
To her right, Rei approached, wearing the white and gold-braided Starfleet dinner jacket and appropriate dress issue pants. Her blue hair was tucked back behind her right ear with a single black clip, and her green eyes danced under the overhead lights.
"May I have the pleasure of seating you, Leftenant?"
Kayla's senses let her read everything about Rei in a heartbeat. Elevated heartbeat, respiration, dilating pupils, pheromones. She was interested, even smitten.
Boys were still stupid, girls were still dumb (except for Rain, Yue, Rela, Eyos, Evelyn and Comrose), and she never had any real time for being gross. But for some reason, Kayla wasn't as revolted by the thought.
She smiled, sat herself down, tingled slightly as Rei ran her hand along Kayla's shoulders, and followed Rei as she took her seat across the table.
Logan sat beside Rela and reached over to the jug, "Care for some Wine, Leftenant?"
"This stuff smells awful. No ale?" Rela asked in turn.
Logan got up and brought the jug of blue ale over to the table, "Nothing but the best for our Romulan Sharkie friends, of course."
Rela blushed as Logan poured her a full glass. Captain Shyvax and Major Ingles arrived in the wardroom, and everyone stood up in respect to the two senior officers.
Once Shyvax had reached his table, he motioned for everyone to sit again before raising his glass, "A toast. May the wind be at our backs and fair seas at our horizons."
"Fair Seas!"
Dinner was brought out after the toast, with the yeoman serving everyone by order of rank. The Old Man came first, followed by Major Ingles, and down through the ranks.
Rela and Kayla were served at the end, the Yeoman putting a covered plate in front of each of the young Leftenants. Rela had a plate Viinerine, the long green noodles glimmering under the curious yellow sauce.
Kayla had hand-pressed meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and "Taber" chicken gravy, a recipe that Uncle Mark had shared with her. Her senses told her instantly it was just a replicated facsimile, but it smelled delicious.
"I hope you all find the food to your liking. I took the liberty of consulting your personal files and had the computer select a suitable meal. Please let me know if anything is amiss," said Shyvax as he sipped his soup.
Shyvax was unusually courteous for a Vulcan, Kayla noted. She half wondered if he was trying to butter up his crew.
"The Viinerine isn't bad. Where did you get the recipe, sir?" Rela asked from her side of the table.
"One of the many advantages of the new Milky Way Alliance, Leftenant. For the first time in three centuries, we are able to freely trade and exchange ideas with our lost Romulan cousins. I think it is to our mutual benefit," Shyvax said as he held up a glass of ale.
"Major Ingles, would you care to begin the briefing?"
The Major rose and hit a console on the wall, bringing up a holographic star chart, "My pleasure, Skipper. Well, Sharks and Fishes alike, welcome to the first briefing of Operation Blackbeard. Unlike that wily bastard however, General Marshall intends us to take the role of the English Crown and bring justice to the savages."
Ingles continued, showing the images of the Federation/Orion border, "For at least a year now, Orion Pirate attacks on Federation, Klingon, Republic, and independent shipping has been escalating, and drastically so. The attacks are happening more often and with greater force. A typical Orion pirate raid involves a smash and grab. Force a freighter's shields down, beam whatever you can out of her hold, and haul ass before she can call for help."
The images flipped again, showing the live recordings of the attacks, "But for the last little while, the attacks have been more involved, with everything from hostages to colony raids. MIS and Starfleet intelligence seems to think that the Orions are using privateers to secure resources and funding for their conventional military."
"Why would they do that, Major?" Logan asked.
"That's part of what we intend to find out, Fishie. Alexia will put herself on the border as a visible deterrent, and if we can, try to figure out who's behind all this and shut it down, permanently. We don't anticipate heavy action, but the first rule of my beloved Corps is to always be ready to fight."
Ingles pointed at Rela and Kayla, "Any planetside or boarding operations will be under my Scout Sniper's command. I don't need to remind you of doctrine, do I?"
"No Sir!" everyone replied.
"Excellent. Well, that's all I got. Anything from you, Skipper?"
Shyvax shook his head, "Nothing at the moment. Our first task will be to escort a Republic Convoy carrying a load of technical equipment and computers to the Kinshya frontier. Alexia has been tasked as escort for this convoy. We'll have more detailed operational orders when we arrive on station."
"The Republican Karansu hasn't sent an escort, sir?" Rela asked.
"I was not made aware of any such resources, Leftenant Rela. When I enquired myself, I was told only that the Republican Navy's resources will be needed elsewhere. Nor has the Klingon Defense Force committed any forces to the area. We will be on our own for the moment," replied Shyvax.
Before the Captain could continue, the Bridge Comm's tech broke into the room, "Bridge to Captain. We're picking up a distress signal from a Romulan freighter, Faetor Faeoh. They're under attack from unidentified ships and requesting assistance."
Shyvax rose immediately, "Red Alert. All hands to battle stations. Set a course for Faetor Faeoh and engage at maximum warp. Ms Nechayev, Mr Logan, you will accompany me to the bridge."
Beside the Captain, Ingles raised his wrist-comm, "Alexia 1-9 to all call-signs, stand to. I repeat, stand to. RRF to tasking positions, con one carry, weapons free!"
Kayla stood up, drew her Mk2 Assault phaser, and pressed her thumb to the scanner, releasing the safety and readying the weapon for use. Rela did the same, but she nearly tripped trying to reach her holster on the awkward skirt.
"Told ya you shoulda worn pants," Kayla teased as she put on a TAV handed to her by Major Ingles.
"Shut. Up!" Rela shot back.
─•~:~•─