Last Minute Reassignments

Posted on Wed Nov 20th, 2024 @ 4:48am by Lieutenant Commander Rebecca Bluegarden & Commander Irene Vincent "Rally"

1,609 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Season 1, Episode 2: War, Peace, And All That Jazz
Location: Deep Space Station K-9

Following a stopover in the Algonquin system to attain the correct heading, the Constitution class cruiser USS Yorktown dropped out of warp at Deep Space Station K-9. On the ship's bridge, Captain Bradford Bluegarden sat in the command chair, taking in the sight of the station where his daughter would soon be posted as provided on the main viewscreen.

"Captain, we have our docking orders." The communications officer reported.

"Excellent." Bradford nodded to the helm station. "Take us in, Mister Blake."

"Aye, sir." Blake responded.

As the Yorktown began to maneuver towards one of the space station's three arms to which it had been assigned to dock, Bradford opened up shipwide comms.

"Attention all hands: This is the Captain." He announced. "We'll soon be docking with Deep Space K-9. I understand that it has been a long voyage to get here. As such, everyone will be permitted three days' liberty on the station before we resume our mission. That will be all."

Down below, Rebecca Bluegarden stood near the airlock. Having already packed up her temporary quarters earlier that morning, the station's new Security Chief had already said goodbye to her father on the bridge, and was ready to get started with her new assignment.

Once the Constitution class cruiser slid into what would be its berth for the next three days, the airlock opened with a hiss and Rebecca stepped off onto the station, Eyeing the arrivals area and making way towards them, denoting a specific line for Starfleet personnel and hopping into it.

When she reached the front of the line, Rebecca handed her credentials over to the Tellarite on duty, slipping her bag off her shoulder and setting it aside for inspection. The Tellarite looked her credentials over and glanced through her bag before returning both to Rebecca.

"Welcome aboard, boss." He said. "The instructions to find your quarters have been uploaded to your PADD. I hope you last longer than the last one:"

"Why? What happened to them?" Rebecca asked.

"Dunno." The Tellarite shrugged. "She just up and vanished. We were never informed of her departure."

"Well, not to worry, friend." Rebecca said resting a hand on the Tellarite's brawny shoulder. "You're in good hands now."

Once Rebecca was through customs, her first priority was finding her quarters and dropping her bags. She found that the quarters she had been assigned were on Deck 11. Division Managers' quarters. Rebecca truly was moving up in the world.

Resisting the urge to freshen up once she arrived, Rebecca merely dropped off her bag before heading out again to report in to the station commander; somebody named Vincent. She had been told in passing turbolift conversation that the commander's office was located on deck 9, so she headed there:

---

"Whadya mean they reassigned May?!"

=I'm sorry Commander, but we've received notice from the Admiralty that her services were urgently required at Starbase 18,= the receptionist attempted to explain to an infuriated Commander Vincent.

"Not as badly as I need her!" Rally snapped. "The talks are scheduled to go live in six hours- six hours!- and you're telling me that Starfleet Command has the audacity to be reassigning my executive officer right before I'm scheduled to mediate diplomatic relations between two major galactic powers?!"

=Starfleet Command did inform us that a replacement in lieu of Commander Hopkins's Absence,= The receptionist reported. =She's scheduled to be here in approximately...=

his voice trailed off as Rally could hear the door to the reception area opening.

=...oh?=

...

=...yes, of course. I, uh... Commander, your new XO is here to see you.=

Rally buried her face in her hands. "Send them in, please."

The doors opened and in strode a curvy blonde woman with blue eyes which contrasted her red Operations division uniform. Once inside the office, the woman stopped and snapped to attention, clasping her hands together behind her back.

"Lieutenant Commander Rebecca Bluegarden, reporting as ordered, ma'am." She stated, her southern accent immediately apparent.

"Alright, let's spare the formalities and get straight to business," Rally sighed as she sized up the newcomer. "We got a lot of ground to cover and a very short time with which to do it in, so first thing's first... Bluegarden, you said your name was?"

"That is correct, ma'am." Rebecca responded professionally.

"Right, then," Rally nodded as she leaned back in her seat. "So, Bluegarden- what are your orders as you understand them?"

"I've been assigned to this station as Chief of Security, ma'am: Replacement for Natalia... Chernobyl, I believe her name was?" Rebecca explained. "This whole kisses and hugs thing I heard your receptionist say out there is news to me."

Rally blinked. No... surely, they didn't... "Did they inform you of any additional responsibilities in addition to your role as Chief of Security?" she asked, just to confirm her suspicions.

"They did mention something about a Hopkins, too, and that's the reason why I'm here; because there's some sort of misunderstanding:" Rebecca replied. "It's kinda impossible for me to replace two officers at once, ain't it?"

Rally leaned back in her chair and groaned- quite loudly. God damnit... not only were they reassigning May out from under right before what was likely to be one of the most crucial summits in this sector's history, but now they were furnishing her replacement without bothering to tell her that she had been assigned to the station as Executive Officer? When she got back to Earth, she was going to have some very strong words for the Admiralty...

"Unfortunately, I'm afraid it's not a mistake," Rally sighed as she sat back up. "We're now less than six hours out from a major diplomatic summit between the Eifie Republic and the Rheuysian Reich, and now Starfleet Command has left me high-and-dry without an XO. So, as much as I hate to be saddling you with an additional responsibility that you probably weren't prepared for... can I entrust you with those duties?"

"You can." Rebecca nodded. "It's my job to keep everyone on this station safe, and if that means knowing stuff above my pay grade, then so be it."

Well, that was easier than Rally was expecting it to be; time would tell if this Bluegarden girl was a woman of her word, but with the hours now ticking down until the talks were scheduled to begin, beggars couldn't afford to be choosers.

"So, then," she began. "As I'm sure you've already been made aware, Deep Space Station K-9 is set to play host to a major diplomatic summit that could see both the Republic and the Reich admitted into the Federation; so that I can properly gauge what I still need to fill you in on, I want you to tell me everything you know going into these talks."

Rebecca put two fingers to her chin as she pondered Commander Vincent's question.

"Well, I am well and truly familiar with the recent aggressions of the House of Khartan. The Oriskany's gotten into a few scuffles with Klingons as of late. Lost a few good men." Rebecca explained. "It's my understanding that because of these aggressions, we got two new applicants for Federation Membership. I ain't too familiar with the Elves, or whatever they're called, but I am quite curious about these Rheuysian characters, though: Everything I've read about them leads me to believe that their values are diametrically opposed to ours, which makes the concept of integrating their society into ours quite counterintuitive."

Oh, dear... Okay; it looked as if she was going to have work to do in order to be fully caught up in time for the talks.

"Well, then," she began. "We've got less than six hours before these talks go live, so my first order to you as Executive Officer will be to read up on as much about the Eifie Republic and Rheuysian Reich as you can; I would speak with both our Chief Communications Officer, Damien Maillet, and Chief Science Officer, Freya Michaud, for more information."

"I'll be sure to make the acquaintances." Rebecca nodded. "Will that be all, ma'am?"

"Well, on any other occasion I'd give you the tour, but we're running a little short on time," Rally sighed. "I'm going to let you off the hook so you can speak with Maillet and Michaud at the first available opportunity; my receptionist can point you in their general direction on the way out."

She glanced up, her eyes betraying a sense of minor guilt that she had to saddle this poor girl with the responsibilities on such a short notice. "Er... hopefully no offense, Commander? I'm hoping once this is all sorted out, we can get better acquainted on a later occasion."

"None taken, Commander." Rebecca responded, a gleam of sympathy in her eyes. "I'm sure I'd be the exact same way if I was in your shoes."

"You're too kind, Commander," Rally smiled. "Well, I'd best not waste your time; dismissed."

Nodding, Rebecca turned to make her leave. It would seem that her first order of business would be to talk to more folks. Maybe all of this interaction would help her to get to know the station better, so that way she could impress Commander Vincent on said later occasion...

Posting by

Commander Irene "Rally" Vincent
Commanding Officer

Lieutenant Commander Rebecca Bluegarden
First Officer
Chief of Security

With a special guest appearance by

Captain Bradford Bluegarden
Commanding Officer
USS Yorktown

 

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