A Change Of Command, A Change of Plans
Posted on Fri Nov 15th, 2024 @ 5:59pm by Captain J.T Carlson & Lieutenant Kris McEntyre & Lieutenant Commander Benjamin Johnson Sr & Lieutenant JG Daphne Crenshaw & Lieutenant Shiki Ichiose & Lieutenant JG Kas Th'shrytrir
1,254 words; about a 6 minute read
Mission:
Season 1, Episode 3: Trespassing
Location: USS Tigerfish (NCC-1509)
Timeline: Nov 23 2265, 1435 hours (Stardate 1534.2)
Personal Log: J.T. Carlson, Stardate 1534.2. Our Location: En route to United Starship: Tigerfish. My Assignment: Assume command of Tigerfish after previous Commanding Officer was recalled to Earth for reassignment. The Tigerfish’s mission: retrieve Starfleet Intelligence probe near the Klingon control territories of The Triangle, a region of space intersecting the Federation, Klingon Empire and Romulan Empires.
It was a rather abrupt reassignment. A request to the Border Command by Deep Space K-9’s commanding officer had J.T Carlson on a shuttle to the Lancaster Class Tigerfish. An older vessel by all accounts but if J.T had learned anything in his near 20 years of space service, it’s the older ships that are the most reliable, the most capable, and the Lancaster Class was no exception.
He had read most of the crew rosters, studied what little on their current assignment as he was able too before boarding a shuttle to the Tigerfish’s current location. She’d been radioed ahead, ordered to drop out of warp and hold for J.T’s arrival. Now he was minutes away.
J.T flipped several switches to cut on the communication circuits to the Tigerfish as the ship came into view from the shuttles' viewport windows. She was an impressive sight, the same lines that inspired his prior command, the Kongo, a state of the art Constitution Class starship. J.T would enjoy his time here, he thought to himself.
“Tigerfish, this is Kilo Charlie-42, approaching the landing pattern, requesting opening of shuttlebay.”
The static of subspace radio and after a moment a reply.
“Kilo-Charlie-4-2, this is Tigerfish, shuttlebay doors are opening, you’re clear for landing. X.O Johnson has been notified and will meet you. Tigerfish out.” A woman’s voice, thick with accent from what J.T would assume would be the old U.S. South, perhaps even Texas.
J.T took the controls, guiding the shuttle into the bay for a graceful landing and gathering his things as the shuttle turned about on the shuttlepad, he took a deep breath, pulled down his tunic and stepped off the shuttle as the bay pressurized and the doors to the shuttle opened.
Ben Johnson stepped out from the turbolift to the Docking ring doors, prepared to meet the Tigerfish crew. Formerly an Engineer, he was excited to watch. He loved watching-and DOING-the docking and undocking procedures. Now? He was an old, divorced paper-pusher. How times had changed. Still, he smiled as the doors opened. "Captain. Welcome to Tigerfish," he said. "We're pleased to see you," he said. "Please, follow me to the Bridge," he said, stepping towards the turbolift once more. "It's close by," he explained. Well, with turbo lifts, ANYTHING was close, wasn't it?!
"Thank you, Commander. I'm J.T. Carlson, I've been assigned as Tigerfish's new Commanding Officer." J.T Nods in greeting as the two began to walk towards the Turbolifts. He was a broad built man of 6 foot 4, with graying salt and pepper hair and a trimmed beard that would suggest the man was older than his 43 years of age. His uniform, Command gold, with the double full braids and a middle ring of dashes of a full Captain.
"I apologize for the abruptness of my arrival, I didn't get much of a warning from Admiral Rittenhouse. I understand we're heading for the border and the need to hit the ground running..so to speak. I'll need Communications to link to the nearest Earth base and download our current operational orders and I'd like a staff briefing to be called as soon as we're back underway."
Johnson nodded. "I can arrange that, sir," he said. He made some notes in his PADD, and sent those off to the Yeoman. "I am sure you didn't; I didn't get one, either," he said. He made a mental note to call the man and yell. OR to talk his ex-wife Vila into doing it. She was good at that kind of thing.
The Turbolift opens a few moments later onto the bridge. The two step out, and J.T gets his first look at the crew of Tigerfish. It was definitely a smaller bridge than he had grown accustomed to on the Kongo, but he could work with it. He had prior experience with this model bridge on an Anton Class Destroyer.
Hearing the turbolift doors open, Kas glanced from the Helm workstation, headstalks quivering. Squinting in the human-normal light of the Bridge, he saw the Command gold and the braiding on the sleeves. 'Captain on deck! he called as he rose from his chair, pulling a smart salute.
The Andorian studied their new arrival carefully, intrigued by the abrupt change of command that had occurred not long before they were to cross the Neutral Zone on this most classified of missions. The tall male carried himself with an air of assurance that Kas found comforting. This is a guy who knows what he's about, he thought.
"Ufufu~ who's this fine hunk that you've brought us, Commander?" a chocolate-haired Lieutenant in Sciences blue inquired with a mischievous look in her eyes.
J.T looks over to the chocolate haired Lieutenant with a stern look before turning back to the rest of the bridge.
Daphne couldn't help but smile at that exchange, standing straight at her stations, hands clasped lightly behind her back.
“Stand at ease. I’m J.T Carlson, Captain J.T Carlson. I’m your new commanding officer.” He spoke with that same air of confidence that he carried himself with.
“I know that Commander De La Valliere‘s sudden departure may come as a shock, but I hope that I can count on each of you to continue to perform your duties to the expectations of the Space Service and to the best of your abilities.”
He looked to the helm and navigational stations.
“Navigator, lay us back in course for the probe, Warp Factor Six.”
J.T turned to Kris at communications.
“Communications, link to K-9, Id like copies of our operational orders sent to my terminal in my quarters.”
Kris nods. “Aye, Sir”
Looking towards his colleague at the Navigator's station, Kas waited patiently for the scant moments it took them to lay in their course. Waiting for the nod, Kas then accelerated the ship to warp speeds, pushing the ship as fast as he could.
'Course laid in, warp factor six, aye,' he acknowledged.
Sitting down in the Command Chair with the air of swagger he carried himself with, J.T nods his head.
"Helm, Engage!"
J.T turns his head to look at his new First Officer.
“Mr. Johnson, could you inquire with the engineering section if it possible to get 105% out of the reactor”
He nodded. "Aye, sir," he said. He radioed down to Engineering, and, after getting a reply, he looked up. "Looks like we're good to go," he said. He raised his voice. "Let's roll. Captain, on your orders."
“Warp Speed!” The new Captain of the Tigerfish ordered as the revving of the engine engulfed the bridge and the ship was moving again at Warp Speed.
——————
Captain J.T Carlson
U.S.S Tigerfish Commanding Officer
Commander Ben Johnson
USS Tigerfish Executive Officer
Lieutenant Shiki Ichiose
USS Tigerfish Chief Science Officer
Lieutenant Kas Th'shrytrir
USS Tigerfish Chief Helm Officer
Lieutenant JG Daphne Crenshaw
USS Tigerfish Chief Security Officer
Lieutenant Kris McEntyre
USS Tigerfish Chief Communication Officer/Intelligence Officer
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