Computer, please, for the love of kimchee, end program!!!!!!!!
Lower Deck Tales: The Longest Day
- Thread starter CeJay
- Start date
This is United Trek, nothing ends that simply 
Just wanted to let you know that I enjoyed reading this. I followed your links to your other stories and I'm looking forward to digging into that over the next few weeks. Thank you for sharing your work with us!
Thank for the comments, it's great to see that the story is so well-received. Also very glad to know that it has sparked interest for my other work as well. Couldn't ask for more.
11:21
Srena never felt any pain.
That was because the polearm never penetrated her flesh.
Instead the blade simply vanished out of existence as soon as it made contact almost as if she was protected by a magical force field. It wasn’t magic. The blade simply didn’t really exist and neither did the polearm to which it belonged nor the Jem’Hadar who was wielding it.
And just like that they disappeared, along with the slain crewmembers and Marines and the corridor itself.
Srena stumbled slightly, now that the pressures were gone but managed to steady her footing before she could fall onto the black and yellow gridded floor of the holodeck.
Just a few feet away she spotted Mikaela lying on the floor, the only other real person who had been on the holodeck. She walked over to her. “It’s over, you can get up now,” she said.
The young woman didn’t move.
Srena walked all the way up to her and put her boot against her shoulder to rock her slightly. “Hey, you fallen asleep or something?”
Besson began to giggle and then slowly picked herself up.
But Srena was not amused and shoved her as soon as she was back on her feet.
“What was that for?”
“You being stupid and getting yourself killed back there,” she said. “I told you not to go that way.”
She shrugged her shoulders. “I was just trying to follow the rules.”
Srena rolled her eyes.
The holodeck doors parted to allow security chief Nora Laas and two deputies to enter the holodeck.
Both ensigns quickly jumped to attention.
“At ease, ladies,” Lieutenant Nora said. She was going over a padd but somehow seemed to be able to keep an eye on the junior officers at the same time. Judging by her facial expressions, she wasn’t particularly happy. “You realize that you’re both dead.”
“Yes, ma’am,” they responded in unison.
The Bajoran gave them both expecting looks. “And? Don’t you have anything to say about that?” she said, focusing on the more senior officer first.
“I followed the book to the letter, ma’am. I don’t understand why I got killed.”
“I see,” said Nora. “I suggest you remember to tell that to the Jem’Hadar if you should ever be unfortunate enough to run into them in the real world. If you only explain to them that you are following the book to the letter, perhaps they will show pity on you and just leave you be.”
Besson had nothing to say to that.
Srena snickered.
Nora shot her a glare and she stopped instantly. “And you? You got yourself and your people off the deck. Well, congratulations. But you didn’t get very far now, did you?”
“With all due respect, ma’am, but even with the Marines, the Jem’Hadar must have outnumbered us two to one. How was I expected to get out of that alive?”
The security officer smirked at that. “I’m going to leave you to ponder that on your own,” she said and used her padd again. “Now, your results will be added to your file and I suggest you put a little bit more effort into this the next time. Otherwise we might as well give up to the Dominion now and take our chances,” she said, spun around and left the holodeck with her deputies.
Both women exhaled.
“Oh, no,” said Srena her antenna sagging slightly. “It’s going into our files. Which means Star is going to see it. She already hates my guts enough.”
Mikki pushed her playfully. “You worry too much.”
“That’s easy for you to say, you don’t have her breathing down your neck.”
“I’m sure it’s not that bad.”
“And why for Uzaveh’s grace did you not listen and follow me off the deck?”
“I’m sorry, alright. I thought that with Nora watching and all she would want me to show initiative as the more senior officer. Following regs seemed like the right thing to do at the time. If it makes you feel better I promise that if we ever get boarded for real I’ll let you make all the decisions,” she said and snickered again.
“Gee, thanks.”
“I’m famished, let’s go get something to eat,” she said and headed for the exit.
Srena followed. “I really should try and get some rest before my shift starts.”
They exited the holodeck and stepped onto the corridor.
“If you don’t get to eat now, you’re not going to make it through your shift.”
Srena knew that her roommate was right so she begrudgingly followed Mikaela towards the Nest. But before they even reached the turbo-lift, they ran into the last person Srena had wanted to see.
Commander Star stood in the corridor in conversation with another officer and as far as Srena could tell there was no way to avoid her, all she could do was carry on and pray that the first officer wouldn’t spot her.
Unfortunately for her, Tazla Star was the kind of woman who prided herself at being completely aware of her surroundings at all times.
“Ensign Srena, I’d like a word.”
The Andorian froze and looked at the first officer. Then she looked back at Mikaela.
“I’ll save you a seat,” she said. “Be strong,” she added sotto voce and then quickly went on her way in order to avoid having to answer to the Trill exec herself.
But Star wasn’t quite done with the other officer yet. “Lieutenant, I don’t care how many people you need to bring in on this and how many double shifts it will take. I want you to get to the bottom of those sensor glitches and have them ironed out.”
The Trill was talking to Louise Hopkins, Eagle young chief engineer who seemed somewhat embarrassed to be taken to task by the commander in such a public place. But she simply nodded. “I’ll have it taken care of, sir.”
“Excellent. I expect a full report by 20:00 hours.”
Hopkins understood that the conversation was over and beat a quick retreat towards her engine room.
Star turned towards the waiting junior officer. “Ensign.”
“Yes, ma’am,” she responded immediately, stepping up to the commander and standing up straighter.
“I’ve had a look at your recent ESO results and I have to say I’m not pleased. Your response times have been lacking.”
“I know. I’ve been having some troubles with my co-pilot. He’s –“
Star raised a hand, cutting Srena off. “To be honest, Ensign, I’m not really interested what kind of problems your having. I need your ESO times to improve or I’ll have to take you off the active piloting roster for shuttle missions.”
That was the last things Srena wanted. True, being on both helm and shuttle duty was extra work but it was also the kind of challenge she wanted. And it was the kind of extra effort that would ensure her recommendations and promotions down the line.
“I think maybe you’ve put too much on your plate, Ensign. With the war going on I need you to be good at one position and not mediocre at two.”
“Ma’am, I believe I am one of the best pilots on this ship. And not making use of all my abilities would be a waste, especially as you say, during these times of hardship.”
She immediately knew that she had come on too strong and wished she had phrased that differently. Srena wasn’t really the boisterous type but she was certain that she had been right.
“Pretty sure of yourself, aren’t you?” she said with a tiny smile.
“I’m just trying to perform to the best of my abilities, ma’am.”
“Well, right now you’re not. I’ll give you one more chance to prove to me that you can handle the workload. But if you can’t deliver, I’ll ground you. Carry on,” said Star and spun on her heels to head down the corridor.
---------------------------------
11:21
Srena never felt any pain.
That was because the polearm never penetrated her flesh.
Instead the blade simply vanished out of existence as soon as it made contact almost as if she was protected by a magical force field. It wasn’t magic. The blade simply didn’t really exist and neither did the polearm to which it belonged nor the Jem’Hadar who was wielding it.
And just like that they disappeared, along with the slain crewmembers and Marines and the corridor itself.
Srena stumbled slightly, now that the pressures were gone but managed to steady her footing before she could fall onto the black and yellow gridded floor of the holodeck.
Just a few feet away she spotted Mikaela lying on the floor, the only other real person who had been on the holodeck. She walked over to her. “It’s over, you can get up now,” she said.
The young woman didn’t move.
Srena walked all the way up to her and put her boot against her shoulder to rock her slightly. “Hey, you fallen asleep or something?”
Besson began to giggle and then slowly picked herself up.
But Srena was not amused and shoved her as soon as she was back on her feet.
“What was that for?”
“You being stupid and getting yourself killed back there,” she said. “I told you not to go that way.”
She shrugged her shoulders. “I was just trying to follow the rules.”
Srena rolled her eyes.
The holodeck doors parted to allow security chief Nora Laas and two deputies to enter the holodeck.
Both ensigns quickly jumped to attention.
“At ease, ladies,” Lieutenant Nora said. She was going over a padd but somehow seemed to be able to keep an eye on the junior officers at the same time. Judging by her facial expressions, she wasn’t particularly happy. “You realize that you’re both dead.”
“Yes, ma’am,” they responded in unison.
The Bajoran gave them both expecting looks. “And? Don’t you have anything to say about that?” she said, focusing on the more senior officer first.
“I followed the book to the letter, ma’am. I don’t understand why I got killed.”
“I see,” said Nora. “I suggest you remember to tell that to the Jem’Hadar if you should ever be unfortunate enough to run into them in the real world. If you only explain to them that you are following the book to the letter, perhaps they will show pity on you and just leave you be.”
Besson had nothing to say to that.
Srena snickered.
Nora shot her a glare and she stopped instantly. “And you? You got yourself and your people off the deck. Well, congratulations. But you didn’t get very far now, did you?”
“With all due respect, ma’am, but even with the Marines, the Jem’Hadar must have outnumbered us two to one. How was I expected to get out of that alive?”
The security officer smirked at that. “I’m going to leave you to ponder that on your own,” she said and used her padd again. “Now, your results will be added to your file and I suggest you put a little bit more effort into this the next time. Otherwise we might as well give up to the Dominion now and take our chances,” she said, spun around and left the holodeck with her deputies.
Both women exhaled.
“Oh, no,” said Srena her antenna sagging slightly. “It’s going into our files. Which means Star is going to see it. She already hates my guts enough.”
Mikki pushed her playfully. “You worry too much.”
“That’s easy for you to say, you don’t have her breathing down your neck.”
“I’m sure it’s not that bad.”
“And why for Uzaveh’s grace did you not listen and follow me off the deck?”
“I’m sorry, alright. I thought that with Nora watching and all she would want me to show initiative as the more senior officer. Following regs seemed like the right thing to do at the time. If it makes you feel better I promise that if we ever get boarded for real I’ll let you make all the decisions,” she said and snickered again.
“Gee, thanks.”
“I’m famished, let’s go get something to eat,” she said and headed for the exit.
Srena followed. “I really should try and get some rest before my shift starts.”
They exited the holodeck and stepped onto the corridor.
“If you don’t get to eat now, you’re not going to make it through your shift.”
Srena knew that her roommate was right so she begrudgingly followed Mikaela towards the Nest. But before they even reached the turbo-lift, they ran into the last person Srena had wanted to see.
Commander Star stood in the corridor in conversation with another officer and as far as Srena could tell there was no way to avoid her, all she could do was carry on and pray that the first officer wouldn’t spot her.
Unfortunately for her, Tazla Star was the kind of woman who prided herself at being completely aware of her surroundings at all times.
“Ensign Srena, I’d like a word.”
The Andorian froze and looked at the first officer. Then she looked back at Mikaela.
“I’ll save you a seat,” she said. “Be strong,” she added sotto voce and then quickly went on her way in order to avoid having to answer to the Trill exec herself.
But Star wasn’t quite done with the other officer yet. “Lieutenant, I don’t care how many people you need to bring in on this and how many double shifts it will take. I want you to get to the bottom of those sensor glitches and have them ironed out.”
The Trill was talking to Louise Hopkins, Eagle young chief engineer who seemed somewhat embarrassed to be taken to task by the commander in such a public place. But she simply nodded. “I’ll have it taken care of, sir.”
“Excellent. I expect a full report by 20:00 hours.”
Hopkins understood that the conversation was over and beat a quick retreat towards her engine room.
Star turned towards the waiting junior officer. “Ensign.”
“Yes, ma’am,” she responded immediately, stepping up to the commander and standing up straighter.
“I’ve had a look at your recent ESO results and I have to say I’m not pleased. Your response times have been lacking.”
“I know. I’ve been having some troubles with my co-pilot. He’s –“
Star raised a hand, cutting Srena off. “To be honest, Ensign, I’m not really interested what kind of problems your having. I need your ESO times to improve or I’ll have to take you off the active piloting roster for shuttle missions.”
That was the last things Srena wanted. True, being on both helm and shuttle duty was extra work but it was also the kind of challenge she wanted. And it was the kind of extra effort that would ensure her recommendations and promotions down the line.
“I think maybe you’ve put too much on your plate, Ensign. With the war going on I need you to be good at one position and not mediocre at two.”
“Ma’am, I believe I am one of the best pilots on this ship. And not making use of all my abilities would be a waste, especially as you say, during these times of hardship.”
She immediately knew that she had come on too strong and wished she had phrased that differently. Srena wasn’t really the boisterous type but she was certain that she had been right.
“Pretty sure of yourself, aren’t you?” she said with a tiny smile.
“I’m just trying to perform to the best of my abilities, ma’am.”
“Well, right now you’re not. I’ll give you one more chance to prove to me that you can handle the workload. But if you can’t deliver, I’ll ground you. Carry on,” said Star and spun on her heels to head down the corridor.
Star is really being an a**hole, isn't she? Great stuff, Cejay - I really enjoy your below-deck stories.
Getting caught up. So the mad dash for the flight was for naught and yet poor Serenna cannot take the chance it isn't and on top of that she wants to help her scoring so that she can advance as an officer. Of course, having a mouthy non-com to work with won't help in that regards as he does not share her career advancement desires.
Like the friction between the two - especially given that they could have to depend on each other in a combat situation. his nickname is slightly racist I suppose - but I like it for how it grates on her nerves. Continued greatness. Now to catch up with the rest.
Like the friction between the two - especially given that they could have to depend on each other in a combat situation. his nickname is slightly racist I suppose - but I like it for how it grates on her nerves. Continued greatness. Now to catch up with the rest.
Eeek! Ok so likely to be a training accident but damn when it comes to chain of command it really bites if the person at the top doesn't have clue what to do. Nice way to jump into the action and give a shock to the system. Especially, given that Srena nearly got away too only for the last minute stab.
Ok so tough lessons learned there for both. Well actually no, as Srena has yet to decipher what she ought to have done. Nora has a tough teaching method. But I guess the Jem'Hadar would be a crueller taskmaster.
And Star was the expected bitch she was going to be. Now I have to wonder why it is she is riding Srena so hard. Is it because she sees something of potential or of herself before her own fall from grace? Or has she other interests in the Andorian? Whatever it is, I'm quite interested to learn why as she does seem to have a pick on her. I'm also interested to know how Srena fares in all of this.
Great stuff as usual CeJay.
And Star was the expected bitch she was going to be. Now I have to wonder why it is she is riding Srena so hard. Is it because she sees something of potential or of herself before her own fall from grace? Or has she other interests in the Andorian? Whatever it is, I'm quite interested to learn why as she does seem to have a pick on her. I'm also interested to know how Srena fares in all of this.
Great stuff as usual CeJay.
11:39
When Srena entered the upper part of the Nest on deck eleven, she found her roommate at a table with a few of their friends and true to her word she had saved her a seat.
But somebody else in the room caught the Andorian’s attention.
At a table close to the forward facing windows sat Darren Dinkins. He was laughing and enjoying a meal with a couple of his own acquaintances. When Dinkins spotted Srena he winked at her and then turned back to his friends who quickly broke out in laughter again.
She didn’t know what he had said but for whatever reason his attitude was bothering her greatly.
She made the unusual decision to walk over to his table.
Unusual because enlisted crewmembers and officers didn’t mix much on Eagle, especially not socially. It wasn’t a hard and fast rule; the two groups simply remained mostly separate unless it was work related.
Dinkins didn’t appear surprised to see the short ensign stepping up to his table.
“Hey there, Blue, what can I do for you?”
His friends tried hard not to laugh at Dinkins’ rhyme.
She looked the three men over. It was quickly apparent that Dinkins was their unquestioned leader. “Could I speak to you for a moment?” she said after she focused on him again.
“Naturally, my dear.”
“In private?”
“Surely I don’t have to interrupt my lunch for this conversation. Besides, whatever you’d like to discuss with me you can do so openly and in front of my friends here. I have no secrets,” he said and smirked again.
She took a deep breath. “Very well. I’m concerned about our ESO performance. Commander Star is riding me hard on this and I just need us to perform better.”
“You need us to perform better.”
She nodded. “Yes.”
“And that’s because of Commander Star?”
“Yes, because of Commander Star,” she said, beginning to feel exasperated by this languishing conversation.
“See, now this seems to me like an officer’s problem. You and Commander Star and the whole spit and polish officer corps being concerned about figures and statistics which have no real life application or value whatsoever. I’ve been around a little while and I know when things are serious and when it’s all for show and I’m not really one for show. Catch my drift here, Blue?”
One of his friends snickered.
“You’re saying that you don’t care about the exercises.”
“No, that’s what you’re saying. I don’t believe I used any of those words.”
“Whatever,” she said. “What makes you so sure that you’ll know for certain when it’s for real, anyway? You’ve got a sixth sense for that or something?”
“You could say that. And now that we’ve established that, here’s an idea. Why don’t you let me enjoy my meal and go back to your officer friends and next time Spots gives you a hard time about your performance in another meaningless exercise, you’ll tell her when the Jem’Hadar come knocking we’ll get those shuttles flying out of here faster than she can get her panties in a bunch.”
Srena didn’t know what else she could say. So eventually she just turned around and began to do just as Dinkins had suggested.
“Was nice catching up with you, Blue. We should do it again sometime.”
His two friends couldn’t hold it in anymore and broke out in laughter once again.
Srena froze with her back towards the group of highly amused crewmembers. It was quite clear what was happening here. Dinkins and his friends enjoyed being able to push around junior officers who had perhaps half the experience that they had. They knew perfectly well how valuable they were. And during a war perhaps even more so than a little Andorian ensign who had been called cadet until very recently.
She turned around very slowly to see Dinkins’ expecting gaze fall upon her.
She took small but determined steps back towards their table, placed both her hands on the edge of the top and then lowered her head slowly. “That is ensign to you.”
“Beg your pardon?” he said, still with a wide grin on his face.
“I hear you call me by that nickname one more time and I will go and have a conversation with Commander Star. And I’m sure Spots would just love to hear about the imaginative name you’ve come up for her as well. And trust me when I say that it doesn’t matter how good you are or how long you’ve been in the fleet, once you are known to them as a crewman using racial slurs for his own enjoyment, you’ll be pulling the nastiest, dirtiest and most mind-numbing assignments for the remainder of your depressing Starfleet career.”
Dinkins wanted to say something else but she didn’t let him.
“You will start showing more dedication and professionalism when you work with me or I promise you, I will make it my mission in life to make yours as miserable as I possibly can.”
His friends had long since stopped laughing.
“If any of this is unclear to you, tell me now.”
He needed a moment to find words. “No,” he said with a lot less confidence in his tone than he had shown just moments before.
“No?”
“No, ma’am.”
Srena nodded with satisfaction. “Great,” she said and pulled herself back up to her full height, her antennae seemingly standing at attention. “Nice catching up with you. We should do that again sometime,” she said and walked away, leaving Dinkins’ table to the dead quietness that had fallen over it.
“What was that all about?” said Mikaela when Srena had finally come over.
She shrugged. “Just work stuff.”
“Right,” she said. “Well, you better get something to eat.”
Srena would have loved nothing more than doing just that. Unfortunately time was not on her side. She shook her head. “No can do,” she said and snatched a bright green apple from her roommate’s plate. “My shift is about to start,” she said, bit into the fruit and headed for the doors.
When Srena entered the upper part of the Nest on deck eleven, she found her roommate at a table with a few of their friends and true to her word she had saved her a seat.
But somebody else in the room caught the Andorian’s attention.
At a table close to the forward facing windows sat Darren Dinkins. He was laughing and enjoying a meal with a couple of his own acquaintances. When Dinkins spotted Srena he winked at her and then turned back to his friends who quickly broke out in laughter again.
She didn’t know what he had said but for whatever reason his attitude was bothering her greatly.
She made the unusual decision to walk over to his table.
Unusual because enlisted crewmembers and officers didn’t mix much on Eagle, especially not socially. It wasn’t a hard and fast rule; the two groups simply remained mostly separate unless it was work related.
Dinkins didn’t appear surprised to see the short ensign stepping up to his table.
“Hey there, Blue, what can I do for you?”
His friends tried hard not to laugh at Dinkins’ rhyme.
She looked the three men over. It was quickly apparent that Dinkins was their unquestioned leader. “Could I speak to you for a moment?” she said after she focused on him again.
“Naturally, my dear.”
“In private?”
“Surely I don’t have to interrupt my lunch for this conversation. Besides, whatever you’d like to discuss with me you can do so openly and in front of my friends here. I have no secrets,” he said and smirked again.
She took a deep breath. “Very well. I’m concerned about our ESO performance. Commander Star is riding me hard on this and I just need us to perform better.”
“You need us to perform better.”
She nodded. “Yes.”
“And that’s because of Commander Star?”
“Yes, because of Commander Star,” she said, beginning to feel exasperated by this languishing conversation.
“See, now this seems to me like an officer’s problem. You and Commander Star and the whole spit and polish officer corps being concerned about figures and statistics which have no real life application or value whatsoever. I’ve been around a little while and I know when things are serious and when it’s all for show and I’m not really one for show. Catch my drift here, Blue?”
One of his friends snickered.
“You’re saying that you don’t care about the exercises.”
“No, that’s what you’re saying. I don’t believe I used any of those words.”
“Whatever,” she said. “What makes you so sure that you’ll know for certain when it’s for real, anyway? You’ve got a sixth sense for that or something?”
“You could say that. And now that we’ve established that, here’s an idea. Why don’t you let me enjoy my meal and go back to your officer friends and next time Spots gives you a hard time about your performance in another meaningless exercise, you’ll tell her when the Jem’Hadar come knocking we’ll get those shuttles flying out of here faster than she can get her panties in a bunch.”
Srena didn’t know what else she could say. So eventually she just turned around and began to do just as Dinkins had suggested.
“Was nice catching up with you, Blue. We should do it again sometime.”
His two friends couldn’t hold it in anymore and broke out in laughter once again.
Srena froze with her back towards the group of highly amused crewmembers. It was quite clear what was happening here. Dinkins and his friends enjoyed being able to push around junior officers who had perhaps half the experience that they had. They knew perfectly well how valuable they were. And during a war perhaps even more so than a little Andorian ensign who had been called cadet until very recently.
She turned around very slowly to see Dinkins’ expecting gaze fall upon her.
She took small but determined steps back towards their table, placed both her hands on the edge of the top and then lowered her head slowly. “That is ensign to you.”
“Beg your pardon?” he said, still with a wide grin on his face.
“I hear you call me by that nickname one more time and I will go and have a conversation with Commander Star. And I’m sure Spots would just love to hear about the imaginative name you’ve come up for her as well. And trust me when I say that it doesn’t matter how good you are or how long you’ve been in the fleet, once you are known to them as a crewman using racial slurs for his own enjoyment, you’ll be pulling the nastiest, dirtiest and most mind-numbing assignments for the remainder of your depressing Starfleet career.”
Dinkins wanted to say something else but she didn’t let him.
“You will start showing more dedication and professionalism when you work with me or I promise you, I will make it my mission in life to make yours as miserable as I possibly can.”
His friends had long since stopped laughing.
“If any of this is unclear to you, tell me now.”
He needed a moment to find words. “No,” he said with a lot less confidence in his tone than he had shown just moments before.
“No?”
“No, ma’am.”
Srena nodded with satisfaction. “Great,” she said and pulled herself back up to her full height, her antennae seemingly standing at attention. “Nice catching up with you. We should do that again sometime,” she said and walked away, leaving Dinkins’ table to the dead quietness that had fallen over it.
“What was that all about?” said Mikaela when Srena had finally come over.
She shrugged. “Just work stuff.”
“Right,” she said. “Well, you better get something to eat.”
Srena would have loved nothing more than doing just that. Unfortunately time was not on her side. She shook her head. “No can do,” she said and snatched a bright green apple from her roommate’s plate. “My shift is about to start,” she said, bit into the fruit and headed for the doors.
Go Srena! I just about stood up and cheered for her. Dinkins is an ass, and I'm shocked he gets away with that kind of racist language in Starfleet, so seeing her put him in his place was gratifying.
But she's Andorian, with a very high metabolism, and she hasn't eaten yet ... this can't be good. I hope that apple will be enough to keep her going -- and, given the way her day has gone so far, that she actually gets to eat more than that one bite of it!
You've created a likable young character and I'm interested to see what happens to her next.
But she's Andorian, with a very high metabolism, and she hasn't eaten yet ... this can't be good. I hope that apple will be enough to keep her going -- and, given the way her day has gone so far, that she actually gets to eat more than that one bite of it!
You've created a likable young character and I'm interested to see what happens to her next.
Sadly, I've come across people like Dinkins in my management career. They usually don't know as much as they think they do.
Glad to see Srena put this jerk weed in his place. But I wonder if he can be depended upon now that he has a real grudge with her? I suspect we'll soon find out.
Glad to see Srena put this jerk weed in his place. But I wonder if he can be depended upon now that he has a real grudge with her? I suspect we'll soon find out.
Yeah, Galen has the right of it-there's now a grudge there. Let's see how big a man Dinkins is, anyway.
12:00
After a detour to her quarters for a much needed yet much too brief sonic shower and a replacement for her sweat soaked uniform, Srena arrived on the bridge just in time for the start of beta shift.
She took her station from Lif Culsten who gave her a pat on her shoulder. “Don’t forget, we have a department meeting at 1800,” he said before he darted off towards the turbo-lift.
He did not get a glimpse of her stunned expression. She had indeed forgotten that all of the ship’s helmsmen were due to hold their semiweekly meeting that day.
So much for early dinner.
There was no point in dwelling over it and she swiftly took her seat in front of the flight control console. Her first order of business was to check their current course as well as speed, position and destination. Once she was certain that Eagle was not going to crash into a planetoid, she brought up the logs and quickly familiarized herself with all the events that had taken place during the previous shifts. She found that besides the red alert that morning, nothing of any consequence had transpired.
Lieutenant Junior Grade Lance Stiller, the beta shift operations manager, or how she liked to think of him, her partner in crime, was an easy-going, blonde and shaggy haired human who even though older and more experienced than her had never treated her like anything but an equal ever since she had come aboard. He was also an endless source of jokes, usually making bridge duty during beta shift a lot of fun.
And more importantly it helped to pass the time when nothing else was happening.
The mood on the bridge also depended on the person in command. It was rarely the captain himself, sometimes the first officer but more often than not one of the other members of the senior staff had the bridge during the second shift of the day.
Today it was Lieutenant Commander Leva, the chief tactical officer. The half-Romulan didn’t mind a jovial atmosphere while he was in charge maybe because he spent most of his time at the tactical board, running simulations or analyzing tactical data.
“Did you hear the one about the grieving Ferengi?”
Srena was still recovering from the last joke Lance had told but she definitely needed more. Very little of her day had given her reason to laugh.
What she failed to realize however was that the bridge had fallen dead silent while she had been looking at her instruments. “No I haven’t,” she said, unable to stop herself from giggling. “What happened to the Ferengi?”
When Lance didn’t reply, she looked up from her station and towards the human to her left. He was giving her a surprisingly serious look and shaking his head slightly.
She didn’t understand why. Not until she ventured a look over her shoulder.
Her cheeks flushed and turned to periwinkle when she spotted Tazla Star who had only just stepped onto the bridge. She was looking straight at her. Srena bit her lip and quickly turned back towards her station, hoping that the chastising look was as far as the first officer was going to take it.
Srena was in luck when Star turned to Leva instead. “Commander, I think I’ll take over the rest of your shift.”
“If you wish,” he said. “But it is not necessary.”
“Maybe not, but truth be told, I’m not crazy about the idea of the ship’s most experienced tactical officer pulling double shifts while we’re fighting the Dominion. Go get some rest,” she said. “I want you on the top of your game when we need you.”
The Andorian felt completely put off by the way Star was coddling Leva. It stood in stark contrast to the way she had been riding her all week. She wisely kept those thoughts to herself.
Moments later the tactical officer had left the bridge and Commander Star had taken the center seat. Srena couldn’t help but feel as if the Trill was keeping her focus firmly on her alone. She wasn’t brave enough however to spy over her shoulder to confirm that theory.
This feeling lasted the better part of two hours during which barely a single word was spoken.
It was a beeping sound coming from Lance’s station which first heralded trouble.
“Commander, sensors are picking up a faint energy signature at two-seven mark seven. Distance approximately two hundred fifty thousand kilometers. The signature appears consistent with that of a Jem’Hadar attack ship.”
Srena immediately sat up straighter in her seat and went to work to try to corroborate his report with her own navigational sensors.
She already knew exactly what was going to happen. Star would call a red alert, the captain and the alpha shift would return to the bridge and she would hand her station back to Culsten. They would try to find this supposed contact for the next couple of hours until a frustrated Owens would call the whole thing off again and it be declared as yet another sensor malfunction.
She nevertheless went through all the motions. She couldn’t afford to skip a single one, not with Star on the bridge.
“Tactical: I can confirm sensor contact with unidentified object at previously established coordinates. Computer analysis: Chance of contact being a Jem’Hadar attack vessel: 58.56%,” said Junior Lieutenant Trinik, the young Vulcan manning the tactical station in Leva’s absence.
Srena was getting the same results from her instruments as well. “Helm concurs,” she said and then braced herself for the red alert.
It never came.
“Ensign, check those coordinates,” said Star. “Are there any stellar anomalies in the area that could throw off our sensor readings? I want to know why we can’t get a 100% match.”
She quickly did as instructed. “According to our star charts the sensor contact is in the middle of an asteroid belt orbiting the Gamma Tauri star.”
She had to at least call a yellow alert, Srena thought. It was protocol when detecting an enemy vessel. When she didn’t, Srena and Lance exchanged quick, surprised glances.
“Helm, change our heading to the Gamma Tauri system. Tactical, stand by shields and weapons.”
Irritated as she was, Srena nevertheless executed the new orders immediately. “Yes, ma’am, adjusting heading to two-seven mark seven. Estimated time of arrival at current speed, twenty-five minutes.” She didn’t like this one bit. Sure, there was a chance this was another sensor glitch but if it was not, then she really preferred for Culsen and the rest of the senior staff to be back at their stations instead. She had fought the Jem’Hadar before and she knew she could do it again but she couldn’t help for her palms growing sweaty and her heartbeat accelerating. She couldn’t stop wondering why Star wasn’t calling the captain.
“Weapons and shields are on stand-by,” said Trinik. “Shall I initiate yellow alert?”
Clearly the Vulcan was as confused as Srena.
“Negative.”
Srena dared another glance towards Lance at her side to see if he perhaps understood what Commander Star was up to.
“Ensign, mind your station,” Star said sharply.
Srena’s antennae twitched in embarrassment and she promptly focused on her own panel again. “Ay, ma’am.”
For the next twenty-five minutes no words were exchanged.
“We’re approaching the Gamma Tauri asteroid belt,” she said when her console told her that they had arrived.
“Drop to impulse and raise shields. Lieutenant Trinik, do you have the sensor contact? Any changes?”
Srena had Eagle back to sub-light speed within a couple of seconds.
“Shields up. The sensor contact is unchanged,” said the tactical officer.
Srena felt Star stand up from the captain’s chair and move towards the screen which now showed a massive asteroid field with a multiple times more massive, bright white sun burning in the background, causing a marvelous blend of long shadows and lens flares.
She seemed to just stand there for a moment, studying the image almost as if she could spot the Jem’Hadar ship, supposedly somewhere within the tight asteroid belt, with her naked eye.
“Ensign,” she finally said, causing the Andorian to flinch slightly. “Do you think you could safely take us into the field and within visual range of the sensor contact?” she said without taking her eyes off the screen.
“Yes, ma’am,” she replied without thinking about the question.
This caused Star to smirk and she glanced down at the pilot. “Are you sure? You need to get us through there without so much as grazing a piece of rock.”
She felt the urge to swallow. That was asking for a lot. She looked down at her instruments to double check on the density of the asteroid belt and the average size of the rock fragments. It could be done, she decided but it wouldn’t be easy. She looked back up at the first officer and gave her a firm nod. “I can do it. But not with the shields up.”
Star seemed to consider that for a moment. Then she turned to head back to the command chair. “Mister Trinik, drop shields. Transfer auxiliary power to internal dampers,” she said and sat in the chair again. “Ensign Srena, take us in, thrusters only.”
And so she did.
As a pilot she was excited about the opportunity to test her skills and trying to squeeze a three million metric ton starship through an asteroid belt. At the same time she was petrified of messing up and driving Eagle right into one of those huge rocks. And all that while a Jem’Hadar ship was lingering by closely, hidden somewhere within this moving maze she was to navigate.
She put all those thoughts out of her head and instead tried to imagine that it was just her alone piloting a small and nimble shuttle through the asteroid belt as she had done countless times before.
“Distance to sensor contact now fifty thousand kilometers. Signature is still too faint for a positive identification,” the Vulcan at tactical reported.
“Bring weapons online,” said Star, her eyes remaining glued to the screen.
For the next few minutes silenced reigned on the bridge yet again with nearly every single set of eyes closely watching the screen where asteroids passed by at what seemed to be mere inches but in reality were many meters. Still, if one of those rocks were to come to close too the hull, without shields, it could have caused significant damage.
“We’re getting a visual of the sensor contact,” Lance said.
Srena couldn’t afford to look at the screen however.
“Magnify.”
“Sensor contact confirmed as a Jem’Hadar attack vessel,” the Vulcan tactical officer said. “However I’m not reading an active power source or life signs on board. It appears heavily damaged.”
“It’s a wreck,” Stiller said. “No wonder we were not able to identify it sooner, its warp core has been destroyed and its been running on battery power. Sensors were probably having a hard time distinguishing it from the rocks surrounding it.”
Star seemed to agree. “It must have been caught in the asteroids belt’s gravity field after a battle. We’ll tow it free and investigate it once we have cleared the belt again.”
“Engaging tractor beam,” said Trinik.
“Ensign, reverse course and take us out of the field. Just as before.”
“Reversing course,” she acknowledged. She had listened to the conversation taking place around her but she hadn’t been able to take her eyes of her instruments for even a second. Eagle and more importantly the asteroids surrounding them hadn’t stopped moving and she had to make sure that they would stay well clear of them.
This task had become even more challenging when she had been given the order to make a u-turn. It didn’t help that Eagle had become about a million pounds heavier as soon as it had taken the Jem’Hadar vessel in tow.
She managed to turn the ship around but couldn’t avoid their payload to be slammed into two small asteroid fragments.
“Careful with the goods, Ensign. A destroyed Jem’Hadar ship won’t have a lot of intelligence value,” Star said sharply.
“Yes, ma’am, sorry, ma’am,” she said quickly but again couldn’t risk making eye contact. Her fingers were now racing over her console, making constant and miniscule course corrections to keep Eagle as well as their load out of harms way. She desperately wanted to wipe the perspiration off her brow which was threatening to drip into her eyes.
“Srena, there’s a big one at one four two mark one four,” said Lance. “It’ll cross your flight path.”
“I see it,” she said but didn’t make any major course corrections to avoid it.
The operations officer shook his head. “Still coming.”
Srena nodded but didn’t say anything.
Apparently the first officer was seeing it as well. “Ensign, you need to adjust your course.”
“With all due respect, ma’am but right now there is no place for us to go but forward or that Jem’Hadar ship will be crushed to pieces.”
“Find another way.”
“Only one way, ma’am,” she said. “Hold on.”
Eagle plunged sharply at the last moment, dropping underneath the large asteroid and pulling the Jem’Hadar vessel along with it. The ship shuddered noticeably as the internal dampeners were not able to compensate in time for the sudden maneuver.
“We’ve cleared the asteroid belt,” Lance said and then shot Srena a beaming smile.
“We have sustained no damage to the hull,” reported the tactical officer.
All in all Srena felt pretty good with herself. She finally managed to wipe the sweat off her forehead and then turned to find the first officer.
She did not look happy. In fact she looked surprisingly tense.
It caused Srena’s antennae to droop with disappointment. There simply was no pleasing her.
“Owens to bridge, what the hell is going on up there?”
The young Andorian could see the pained expression on the first officer’s face upon hearing the captain’s voice. It took her a moment to find words. “Sir, we have located a disabled Jem’Hadar vessel within an asteroid field and have just finished towing it back into open space.”
“I’ll be right there. Owens out.”
Srena finally understood why the first officer had never called out an alert. She had not wanted to alarm the captain unnecessarily. If it had indeed been another sensor malfunction, he may have blamed her for it. But judging from the tone in his voice he was not pleased at having been kept in the dark.
The young Andorian quickly turned back to her station when she noticed that the Trill’s glare looked distinctly accusatory as if this had all been her fault.
Owens entered the bridge no two minutes later. He shot a brief glance towards the screen where he spotted the Jem’Hadar ship still being hold in a tractor beam and the asteroid belt from which they had liberated it. He focused on his first officer next. “Commander, my ready room if you please,” he said and left no doubt that it hadn’t been a request.
Lance turned to his Andorian crewmate after the ready room doors had closed behind the two senior officers. “Think somebody may be in trouble,” he said with a smirk.
She nodded but took little joy at the revelation. “Yeah. And guess who she’s going to let it out on?”
“You have nothing to answer for,” he said quickly. “You did a remarkable job getting us through that without so much as a single scratch to show for.”
She appreciated the nice words but she knew that a certain Trill would not see it that way at all.
Star remerged from the ready room some ten minutes later. Srena had no idea what exactly had been discussed behind closed doors but to her credit the first officer kept her chin up even as she headed straight for the turbo-lift, not acknowledging a single person on the bridge.
Thankfully a few minutes later her bridge duty came to an end and she promptly handed over her station to the gamma shift helmsman. She nearly ran off the bridge to find a bite to eat before she had to report for her department meeting.
After a detour to her quarters for a much needed yet much too brief sonic shower and a replacement for her sweat soaked uniform, Srena arrived on the bridge just in time for the start of beta shift.
She took her station from Lif Culsten who gave her a pat on her shoulder. “Don’t forget, we have a department meeting at 1800,” he said before he darted off towards the turbo-lift.
He did not get a glimpse of her stunned expression. She had indeed forgotten that all of the ship’s helmsmen were due to hold their semiweekly meeting that day.
So much for early dinner.
There was no point in dwelling over it and she swiftly took her seat in front of the flight control console. Her first order of business was to check their current course as well as speed, position and destination. Once she was certain that Eagle was not going to crash into a planetoid, she brought up the logs and quickly familiarized herself with all the events that had taken place during the previous shifts. She found that besides the red alert that morning, nothing of any consequence had transpired.
Lieutenant Junior Grade Lance Stiller, the beta shift operations manager, or how she liked to think of him, her partner in crime, was an easy-going, blonde and shaggy haired human who even though older and more experienced than her had never treated her like anything but an equal ever since she had come aboard. He was also an endless source of jokes, usually making bridge duty during beta shift a lot of fun.
And more importantly it helped to pass the time when nothing else was happening.
The mood on the bridge also depended on the person in command. It was rarely the captain himself, sometimes the first officer but more often than not one of the other members of the senior staff had the bridge during the second shift of the day.
Today it was Lieutenant Commander Leva, the chief tactical officer. The half-Romulan didn’t mind a jovial atmosphere while he was in charge maybe because he spent most of his time at the tactical board, running simulations or analyzing tactical data.
“Did you hear the one about the grieving Ferengi?”
Srena was still recovering from the last joke Lance had told but she definitely needed more. Very little of her day had given her reason to laugh.
What she failed to realize however was that the bridge had fallen dead silent while she had been looking at her instruments. “No I haven’t,” she said, unable to stop herself from giggling. “What happened to the Ferengi?”
When Lance didn’t reply, she looked up from her station and towards the human to her left. He was giving her a surprisingly serious look and shaking his head slightly.
She didn’t understand why. Not until she ventured a look over her shoulder.
Her cheeks flushed and turned to periwinkle when she spotted Tazla Star who had only just stepped onto the bridge. She was looking straight at her. Srena bit her lip and quickly turned back towards her station, hoping that the chastising look was as far as the first officer was going to take it.
Srena was in luck when Star turned to Leva instead. “Commander, I think I’ll take over the rest of your shift.”
“If you wish,” he said. “But it is not necessary.”
“Maybe not, but truth be told, I’m not crazy about the idea of the ship’s most experienced tactical officer pulling double shifts while we’re fighting the Dominion. Go get some rest,” she said. “I want you on the top of your game when we need you.”
The Andorian felt completely put off by the way Star was coddling Leva. It stood in stark contrast to the way she had been riding her all week. She wisely kept those thoughts to herself.
Moments later the tactical officer had left the bridge and Commander Star had taken the center seat. Srena couldn’t help but feel as if the Trill was keeping her focus firmly on her alone. She wasn’t brave enough however to spy over her shoulder to confirm that theory.
This feeling lasted the better part of two hours during which barely a single word was spoken.
It was a beeping sound coming from Lance’s station which first heralded trouble.
“Commander, sensors are picking up a faint energy signature at two-seven mark seven. Distance approximately two hundred fifty thousand kilometers. The signature appears consistent with that of a Jem’Hadar attack ship.”
Srena immediately sat up straighter in her seat and went to work to try to corroborate his report with her own navigational sensors.
She already knew exactly what was going to happen. Star would call a red alert, the captain and the alpha shift would return to the bridge and she would hand her station back to Culsten. They would try to find this supposed contact for the next couple of hours until a frustrated Owens would call the whole thing off again and it be declared as yet another sensor malfunction.
She nevertheless went through all the motions. She couldn’t afford to skip a single one, not with Star on the bridge.
“Tactical: I can confirm sensor contact with unidentified object at previously established coordinates. Computer analysis: Chance of contact being a Jem’Hadar attack vessel: 58.56%,” said Junior Lieutenant Trinik, the young Vulcan manning the tactical station in Leva’s absence.
Srena was getting the same results from her instruments as well. “Helm concurs,” she said and then braced herself for the red alert.
It never came.
“Ensign, check those coordinates,” said Star. “Are there any stellar anomalies in the area that could throw off our sensor readings? I want to know why we can’t get a 100% match.”
She quickly did as instructed. “According to our star charts the sensor contact is in the middle of an asteroid belt orbiting the Gamma Tauri star.”
She had to at least call a yellow alert, Srena thought. It was protocol when detecting an enemy vessel. When she didn’t, Srena and Lance exchanged quick, surprised glances.
“Helm, change our heading to the Gamma Tauri system. Tactical, stand by shields and weapons.”
Irritated as she was, Srena nevertheless executed the new orders immediately. “Yes, ma’am, adjusting heading to two-seven mark seven. Estimated time of arrival at current speed, twenty-five minutes.” She didn’t like this one bit. Sure, there was a chance this was another sensor glitch but if it was not, then she really preferred for Culsen and the rest of the senior staff to be back at their stations instead. She had fought the Jem’Hadar before and she knew she could do it again but she couldn’t help for her palms growing sweaty and her heartbeat accelerating. She couldn’t stop wondering why Star wasn’t calling the captain.
“Weapons and shields are on stand-by,” said Trinik. “Shall I initiate yellow alert?”
Clearly the Vulcan was as confused as Srena.
“Negative.”
Srena dared another glance towards Lance at her side to see if he perhaps understood what Commander Star was up to.
“Ensign, mind your station,” Star said sharply.
Srena’s antennae twitched in embarrassment and she promptly focused on her own panel again. “Ay, ma’am.”
For the next twenty-five minutes no words were exchanged.
“We’re approaching the Gamma Tauri asteroid belt,” she said when her console told her that they had arrived.
“Drop to impulse and raise shields. Lieutenant Trinik, do you have the sensor contact? Any changes?”
Srena had Eagle back to sub-light speed within a couple of seconds.
“Shields up. The sensor contact is unchanged,” said the tactical officer.
Srena felt Star stand up from the captain’s chair and move towards the screen which now showed a massive asteroid field with a multiple times more massive, bright white sun burning in the background, causing a marvelous blend of long shadows and lens flares.
She seemed to just stand there for a moment, studying the image almost as if she could spot the Jem’Hadar ship, supposedly somewhere within the tight asteroid belt, with her naked eye.
“Ensign,” she finally said, causing the Andorian to flinch slightly. “Do you think you could safely take us into the field and within visual range of the sensor contact?” she said without taking her eyes off the screen.
“Yes, ma’am,” she replied without thinking about the question.
This caused Star to smirk and she glanced down at the pilot. “Are you sure? You need to get us through there without so much as grazing a piece of rock.”
She felt the urge to swallow. That was asking for a lot. She looked down at her instruments to double check on the density of the asteroid belt and the average size of the rock fragments. It could be done, she decided but it wouldn’t be easy. She looked back up at the first officer and gave her a firm nod. “I can do it. But not with the shields up.”
Star seemed to consider that for a moment. Then she turned to head back to the command chair. “Mister Trinik, drop shields. Transfer auxiliary power to internal dampers,” she said and sat in the chair again. “Ensign Srena, take us in, thrusters only.”
And so she did.
As a pilot she was excited about the opportunity to test her skills and trying to squeeze a three million metric ton starship through an asteroid belt. At the same time she was petrified of messing up and driving Eagle right into one of those huge rocks. And all that while a Jem’Hadar ship was lingering by closely, hidden somewhere within this moving maze she was to navigate.
She put all those thoughts out of her head and instead tried to imagine that it was just her alone piloting a small and nimble shuttle through the asteroid belt as she had done countless times before.
“Distance to sensor contact now fifty thousand kilometers. Signature is still too faint for a positive identification,” the Vulcan at tactical reported.
“Bring weapons online,” said Star, her eyes remaining glued to the screen.
For the next few minutes silenced reigned on the bridge yet again with nearly every single set of eyes closely watching the screen where asteroids passed by at what seemed to be mere inches but in reality were many meters. Still, if one of those rocks were to come to close too the hull, without shields, it could have caused significant damage.
“We’re getting a visual of the sensor contact,” Lance said.
Srena couldn’t afford to look at the screen however.
“Magnify.”
“Sensor contact confirmed as a Jem’Hadar attack vessel,” the Vulcan tactical officer said. “However I’m not reading an active power source or life signs on board. It appears heavily damaged.”
“It’s a wreck,” Stiller said. “No wonder we were not able to identify it sooner, its warp core has been destroyed and its been running on battery power. Sensors were probably having a hard time distinguishing it from the rocks surrounding it.”
Star seemed to agree. “It must have been caught in the asteroids belt’s gravity field after a battle. We’ll tow it free and investigate it once we have cleared the belt again.”
“Engaging tractor beam,” said Trinik.
“Ensign, reverse course and take us out of the field. Just as before.”
“Reversing course,” she acknowledged. She had listened to the conversation taking place around her but she hadn’t been able to take her eyes of her instruments for even a second. Eagle and more importantly the asteroids surrounding them hadn’t stopped moving and she had to make sure that they would stay well clear of them.
This task had become even more challenging when she had been given the order to make a u-turn. It didn’t help that Eagle had become about a million pounds heavier as soon as it had taken the Jem’Hadar vessel in tow.
She managed to turn the ship around but couldn’t avoid their payload to be slammed into two small asteroid fragments.
“Careful with the goods, Ensign. A destroyed Jem’Hadar ship won’t have a lot of intelligence value,” Star said sharply.
“Yes, ma’am, sorry, ma’am,” she said quickly but again couldn’t risk making eye contact. Her fingers were now racing over her console, making constant and miniscule course corrections to keep Eagle as well as their load out of harms way. She desperately wanted to wipe the perspiration off her brow which was threatening to drip into her eyes.
“Srena, there’s a big one at one four two mark one four,” said Lance. “It’ll cross your flight path.”
“I see it,” she said but didn’t make any major course corrections to avoid it.
The operations officer shook his head. “Still coming.”
Srena nodded but didn’t say anything.
Apparently the first officer was seeing it as well. “Ensign, you need to adjust your course.”
“With all due respect, ma’am but right now there is no place for us to go but forward or that Jem’Hadar ship will be crushed to pieces.”
“Find another way.”
“Only one way, ma’am,” she said. “Hold on.”
Eagle plunged sharply at the last moment, dropping underneath the large asteroid and pulling the Jem’Hadar vessel along with it. The ship shuddered noticeably as the internal dampeners were not able to compensate in time for the sudden maneuver.
“We’ve cleared the asteroid belt,” Lance said and then shot Srena a beaming smile.
“We have sustained no damage to the hull,” reported the tactical officer.
All in all Srena felt pretty good with herself. She finally managed to wipe the sweat off her forehead and then turned to find the first officer.
She did not look happy. In fact she looked surprisingly tense.
It caused Srena’s antennae to droop with disappointment. There simply was no pleasing her.
“Owens to bridge, what the hell is going on up there?”
The young Andorian could see the pained expression on the first officer’s face upon hearing the captain’s voice. It took her a moment to find words. “Sir, we have located a disabled Jem’Hadar vessel within an asteroid field and have just finished towing it back into open space.”
“I’ll be right there. Owens out.”
Srena finally understood why the first officer had never called out an alert. She had not wanted to alarm the captain unnecessarily. If it had indeed been another sensor malfunction, he may have blamed her for it. But judging from the tone in his voice he was not pleased at having been kept in the dark.
The young Andorian quickly turned back to her station when she noticed that the Trill’s glare looked distinctly accusatory as if this had all been her fault.
Owens entered the bridge no two minutes later. He shot a brief glance towards the screen where he spotted the Jem’Hadar ship still being hold in a tractor beam and the asteroid belt from which they had liberated it. He focused on his first officer next. “Commander, my ready room if you please,” he said and left no doubt that it hadn’t been a request.
Lance turned to his Andorian crewmate after the ready room doors had closed behind the two senior officers. “Think somebody may be in trouble,” he said with a smirk.
She nodded but took little joy at the revelation. “Yeah. And guess who she’s going to let it out on?”
“You have nothing to answer for,” he said quickly. “You did a remarkable job getting us through that without so much as a single scratch to show for.”
She appreciated the nice words but she knew that a certain Trill would not see it that way at all.
Star remerged from the ready room some ten minutes later. Srena had no idea what exactly had been discussed behind closed doors but to her credit the first officer kept her chin up even as she headed straight for the turbo-lift, not acknowledging a single person on the bridge.
Thankfully a few minutes later her bridge duty came to an end and she promptly handed over her station to the gamma shift helmsman. She nearly ran off the bridge to find a bite to eat before she had to report for her department meeting.
Great job by Srena in getting the Jem’Hadar fighter (and Eagle) out of the asteroid field intact! Of course, now there’ll be hell for her to pay with the XO, but that’s to be expected with as fragile an ego as Star has.
I can understand Star wanting to show some initiative, given Owens’ hesitance to trust her, but going off half-cocked into a treacherous asteroid field (and possible ambush) without notifying the captain is just plain reckless. No doubt, she got a boot to her backside in the ready room for that foolish omission.
Continued excellence.
I can understand Star wanting to show some initiative, given Owens’ hesitance to trust her, but going off half-cocked into a treacherous asteroid field (and possible ambush) without notifying the captain is just plain reckless. No doubt, she got a boot to her backside in the ready room for that foolish omission.
Continued excellence.
Wow, that was a risky move by Star -- too risky. I would have loved to be a fly on the wall of the ass-chewing Owens surely gave her, but this is Srena's story.
And Srena rocked! I could really feel the concentration and pressure and focus; you did an excellent job conveying all of that.
Can't wait to see what happens to her next on this crazy day.
And Srena rocked! I could really feel the concentration and pressure and focus; you did an excellent job conveying all of that.
Can't wait to see what happens to her next on this crazy day.
Fantastic instalments CeJay. I worry about Srena crossing words with her NCO flight partner. Although chastised he seems to be a bully and rather blunt. He could still be a lot of trouble. In the meantime, Srena's day is still far from over. Another rogue sensor reading and more scrutiny from Star.
Loved the perspective from Srena yet again. It was especially effective in this instalment to explain a little of bridge duty shipboard life as well as the attempts by the Andorian to read the unfolding situation within the asteroid belt. Worries over Star's actions seem to be well founded as it was a gutsy move to make without informing the captain. Star is obviously aware that Owens would take over and not trust her to hunt the sensor reading down. However her approach hardly endears future trust. As for Srena she can see some of the fall out for Star and just maybe has a little sympathy for the First Officer.
Great stuff. Loving this.
Loved the perspective from Srena yet again. It was especially effective in this instalment to explain a little of bridge duty shipboard life as well as the attempts by the Andorian to read the unfolding situation within the asteroid belt. Worries over Star's actions seem to be well founded as it was a gutsy move to make without informing the captain. Star is obviously aware that Owens would take over and not trust her to hunt the sensor reading down. However her approach hardly endears future trust. As for Srena she can see some of the fall out for Star and just maybe has a little sympathy for the First Officer.
Great stuff. Loving this.
Similar threads
