Getting off the transport ship USS Kallua.  Lieutenant Alexander Peak grabbed his bag headed out of the airloack docking onto Devon Fleet Yards.  The Yard was not just one or two ships but a series of docks working on all types and sizes of Starfleets ships.  From a Galaxy class getting a refitted saucer section, to the newer Edison class Heavy Frigate that Starfleet is now rolling out.  To the smaller ships used for short runs, transfers, and border patrol operations.  

Heading out to the main deck, Alex’s tablet chirped.  Picking it up, he say a priority message that read “URGENT: Please head toward Commodore Ekwuemes office ASAP.  Mission Priority One.  TAG 288292.” It was a weird message for just a lowly ranked Lieutenant that never talked to anyone above Commander.  

Alex’s reason for the transfer was to assist in Security Operations along the border.  Alex wanted to do something that gave back as the Starfleet Officer that had adopted him after the Collapse of Colony 724.  The officer was Doctorate of Law and specialized in Starfleet Operations for Logistical Diplomacy, Lawyer for the diplomats.  While Alex did not become a lawyer, he specialized in interstellar relations with pre-law.  This track pushed him into security.  

Heading to the office of the Commodore, it wasn’t a long trek through the yards as he would have thought.  Generally, unless assigned one did not get to pass through the yards as they would a station.  Some yards being more busier than others, required authorized personnel only to pass through, this kept the traffic down to those only rally needing to be there, however if a new ship is needing a crew they usually start out of at the fleet yards.  

Arriving at the Commodores office, his assistant, a Chief Petty Officer, who looked like she would rip the head off an officer for fun if they got in her way told him to take a seat.  “The Commodore will be with you shortly.”  She went back to her desk and continued typing.  

Alex waited, time passed slowly, he double checked his tablet to ensure he was suppose to be here.  His map showing arrived, ten minutes before his report time.  The time continued to pass slow.  Enough time passed to know this office seemed to be bare of the sectionals one might note of a Commodore.   No pictures of the Commodore, no model ships in the room, no medals or accommodations.  It was a shell of a office.  

“The Commodore will see you now.”  The Chief said as the office door opened up to a small conference room.  

“Ah Lieutenant Peak, take a seat.  Sorry for the less formal setting.  This is Lieutenant Cooper.” The young Lieutenant nodded as Alex sat down.  

“So I have brought you too together because respectively your doing great in your fields and Starfleet has bigger plans.  Take a look at the viewer.”  He clicked the desk on the conference table and thy all scuffled in their chairs to look at the screen. 

“The Starfleet border with the Romulan Free State.  Like every border we have, we have probes and beacons that ride the so called fence line that tells us who and what crosses into Federation space.   Several probes have been interfered with to either not show any data of a crossing or a corrupted version of what is actually happening.  This is causing us to send more border patrols out.  The mission is a simple one.  Check down each probe over a defined area and report back to Captain Lemons.  Starfleet Intelligence and ops will runs down the information.  Reset the probe and put back in service.  There is not a lot of action in this job.” He clicked the viewer button and turned back to the two lieutenants.  

Alex looked at them both.  This was usually dispatched to every ship and the crew would grab them on the way, now that they are doing special border missions, makes Alex think more is at play.  

”So, Lieutenant Peak has the Security background for this assignment.  On top of that he has some Chief time that I think will be useful.  To complement that Lieutenant Cooper is a Science Officer on loan from Starbase Bravo who’s main tasks have been probe scan downs and analysis. She also worked with engineering to consult on tampering.  Now, I’m assigning Lieutenant Peak as Commanding Officer for this.  Cooper nothing against you but he beat ya by 10 points on the Bridge exam, needed a tie breaker.“ The Commodore reached into his picked and pulled out a small box.  Alex didn’t know what to think.  And then he remembered that they never talked about a ship.   

“And the ship sir?” Alex asked knowing that he was probably not getting that Galaxy class he saw earlier.  

“Yes the Notus.  She’s a Phoenix class, she been modified a bit, bigger brig, med bays expansion, and science crew that can handle probes.  She’s a boarder runner not a deep space vessel, small but that’s how she needs to be. Alex, I’m promoting you to Lieutenant Commander, Cooper will be the XO and Chief Science Officer.  Assignment details have been sent to y’all.  Crew is a few Ensigns out of the Academy to help shuffle around a mostly enlisted and green crew.  No need for a shake down, you’re her eighth CO this year.”  

To Alex that answered all his questions.  To be given a Command out of the blue, but he had made way dealing with Romulan security concerns most of his career but something still felt off. Still felt like there was more to what could be happening. Maybe Cooper felt it too.   

To be Continued on Part 2.