[aceman67]

Mission: New Beginnings

Involved Ship(s)

USS ENDALLA, NCC-84842, Captain Johnathan Reynolds (Aceman67)


Mission Summary

With only a day left until her dedication and shakedown cruise, the last of the Crew of the USS Endalla, Starfleet's newest addition to the Luna-Class, begin to arrive to assume their posts.

Further posts will fill in the time between launch, in 2385, and the Remnants of Hobus in 2388-89

[aceman67]

USS ENDALLA, NCC-84842, Captain Johnathan Reynolds & various Crew (Aceman67)

2385 - Utopia Planitia

Akira stood nervously in the transporter room, tapping her foot restlessly as she waited. How she drew this task, she didn't know. What she did know is who to blame. Oh, he'll pay... she thought to herself.

There were a lot of things she could be doing at this moment. The helm interface was lagging, again, despite practically replacing the majority of the touch interface, which appeared to fix the issue at the time. I wonder what's causing it...

"Ma'am, they're ready to come aboard," A Bolian non-comm said to her.

"What?" Akira asked, having been snapped out of her train of thought.

"They signalled that they're ready to beam up."

"Oh, ok. You have kids, petty officer?"

"No, ma'am." He answered almost too quickly.

"Neither do I and thankfully, I can give these one's back." She told him. "Energise,"

On the pad in front of them shimmered into existence eight school-aged children and one exhausted-looking teacher.

"Hi, kids!" Akira greeted them in as loud and cheerful voice as she could muster. "How was your tour of Utopia Planitia?"

The question immediately elicited a panicked glare from the beleaguered teacher just as the five youngest children swarmed the engineer with joyful tales of their 'adventure', while the two oldest students laughed, but otherwise stayed next to their teacher.

"Kids, Kids!" Akira said speaking over the din coming from the children. "One at a time!"

It didn't take long after that to get through each child and finally be able to move on.

"Alright kids, let's give petty officer Chular here some peace and quiet. First stop, Engineering!" Akira said as she exited the transporter room and headed to the primary turbo lift. Noticing that the teacher had fallen into step next to her, she turned her head towards her. "You could have warned me," Akira said.

"You didn't give me a chance." She said. "I'm Sarah, Sarah Valco," she continued, introducing herself and offering her hand.

"Commander Sugimoto, but you can call me Akira." She responded and took her hand and gave it a shake. "So, you're Halee's wife, pleasure to meet you," She continued, then stopped in front of the turbo lift.

"Ok, there's not enough room for all of us, so Michael, Lexi, Chubar, you come with me and Commander Sugimoto," she instructed then turned to the oldest child in the group, "Matthew and Racheal, you take the rest on the next lift."

"Yes, Mrs Valco," Matthew Reynolds and Racheal Fox responded, getting a smile from their teacher as the turbo lift doors closed with the first group inside.

"Matty and Racheal, sitting in a tree..." Vala, a six-year-old tellarite girl started to sing.

"K-I-S-S-I-N-G..." Robert, another six-year-old chimed in with her.

"Ow!" Both said as Matthew and Racheal flicked their ears simultaneously, getting a giggle out of Sava, a five-year-old andorian, just as the next lift arrived, and thankfully, or more likely due to the menacing glares from the two older children, the trip to down to main engineering was quiet.

Meeting up with the rest of the group, it was a short walk to Main Engineering, where Akira smiled when she saw the Executive Officer and old friend, Lieutenant Commander James Scott talking with the ship's Diplomatic Specialist, Laura Stevenson, at the Master Systems Display table.

"Good, you're here," Akira said to James and Laura. "Ok, Kids, you guys are in for a treat," She said, and then brought her right thumb and index finger to her mouth and let out a shrill whistle. "Ok, grease-monkeys, main level, front and center." She called out.

It didn't take long for a group of about twenty engineers to gather around the MSD table.

"Billy?" Akira said, looking around for the young cadet on his training rotation.

"Yes, boss?" He said, appearing behind the engineer, a tray of small cups filled with saké in hand.

"Good, start handing them out." She instructed then tapped her comm-badge. "Sugimoto to Stevenson, report to main engineering."

"On my way," a voice responded.

Above on the second level, a jefferies tube access hatch opened up and out crawled an engineer with her sleeves rolled up and uniform spotted with various industrial solvents and lubricants, and aside from her hair done up in a tight ponytail, she was a mirror image of her sister Laura.

After sliding down the ladder from the second level, Kestral Stevenson was hesitant to approach the gathering. "Whatever it is, I didn't do it," she said.

"Ensign, front and center!" James ordered and was immediately obeyed; as Kestral quickly stood at attention in front of her superior officers.

"Now, those of you who have worked with me during the construction of this fine lady we now call home, you know what is about to happen." Akira started to address the crowd. "Those of you who are just joining us, listen up.

"I expect a lot from my grease-monkeys, while at the same time being a very easy going CO, I don't care how you go about your duties, as long as it's done in a safe, timely manner and by the numbers. Those who fail my expectations, I make an example of rather than disciplining." She continued, then she smiled as she turned to the young woman in front of her. "Same can be said for those that exceed those expectations, James?" She said, nodding to the first officer.

"Ensign Kestral Mary-Anne Stevenson," He began, reading from a padd and handing a leather case to Laura who wore a proud smile. "In recognition of the exemplary performance of your duties, by order of Starfleet Command, Engineering Division, Sol Sector, Stardate 62576.50, You are hereby promoted to the grade of Lieutenant, Junior Grade, and effective immediately assigned as Assistant Chief Engineer, USS Endalla, with all the authority, rights and privileges therein."

Everyone gathered began to cheer as Laura affixed a gold pip with a black center to her sister's collar then pulled her into a hug. "Congratulations, sweetcheeks," she whispered into her ear.

"Now, let's hear it for the new Chief!" Akira said, raising her cup. "Kanpai!"

"Kanpai!"

"Alright, thank you all," Kestral said after downing her shot of saké, which she was sure was the real deal and not synthehol, and looked towards Akira who gave her a nod. "Alright, you louts, back to work, this ship launches tomorrow!"

"OK, I need to get up to the bridge," James said, handing his cup to the cadet. "Have fun with the kids, Aki,"

"Now you hold on, Jim," Akira began to say. "We need to talk about you sticking me with them,"

"Wasn't my doing," He said as he watched the doors to Main engineering close, the look on her face leaving him with a mischevious grin.

As he walked towards the turbo lift, he nodded to passing crewmen but paused as he saw the ships Doctor kneeling next to an engineer by an open panel.

"What happened?" He asked.

"Nothing too serious, just cut his hand pulling the access panel off." Commander William Smith responded with his thick east London accent.

"I'll be ok sir," The engineer assured him.

"Try to be more careful,"

"Yes sir,"

"That should do it, the cut wasn't very deep, but if it gives you any issues, report to sickbay," The doctor instructed. "Commander, are you headed to the bridge?"

"I am, the captain said we got our orders this morning and actually wants to speak to both of us," James explained to the older officer, easily twice his age, then headed to the turbo lift.

The doors opened up to a busy scene, as panels were removed from consoles with final prep work being completed for the launch of the ship.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Halee Valco, the Chief Tactical/Security officer asked the woman currently on her back under the helm console.

"With respect, Ma'am, I wouldn't tell you how to field strip a phaser rifle." Marion Andrews, Flight Operations officer, answered.

Next to Halee, a Bajoran ensign who James knew as Li Essa, watched with a smile.

"I'll meet you in the Ready Room," William told James with a pat on his shoulder.

"Lieutenant Valco, she actually does know what she's doing," James told his security chief. "Didn't you know she has a masters in Computer Science?"

"Found it!" Marion said, pulling herself out from under the helm. "Bad gel-pack," She said, tossing the bloated pack to Ensign Li. "Get a tech to pull a fresh one from the stores and have it installed, that should fix the issue with the helm."

"Excellent work, Ensign," James said, then turned towards the Ready room, walked up and pressed the chime.

"Enter,"

"Ah, Commander, come on in," 'Captain' Johnathan Reynolds said. "Take a seat, we just got our first assignment." He explained. "Starfleet wants us to deliver colony supplies to a new joint federation/cardassian colony in the Minos Korva sector, and assist with anything that the colonial director needs."

"Joint federation/cardassian colony?" James said, surprised, "I know it's been some time since the Dominion War, but I would think that mutual mistrust would make such a venture an impossibility."

"That's what I told command, but you know the saying, ours isn't to wonder why..."

This takes place in 2385, 5 years before the Remnants of Hobus arc that's about to begin which takes place in 2388-89, I'll be doing small one-shot logs in this thread to fill in the 5 year gap.
~Aceman67