16 November 2401
Starbase Bravo/ USS Chawla

“I always liked the look of the old Constellation class. But this…. Aww, this is a thing of beauty, some of the old mixed with a lot of the new.”

Rigras echoed in Aryanna’s head as she looked out over Starbase Bravo’s docking ring, looking at the ship currently stationed at the end of the docking arm that reached out from the door a few feet to her left. She turned as she heard the door swoosh open and footsteps exit. She noticed the yellow tunic officer look around, notice her, and approach.

“Captain Rigras?”

Aryanna looked at the yellow tunic’d Benzite wearing the pips of a Lieutenant Commander. “Yes, Commander..”

“Ahhhh, I thought so…Something about the way you were looking at her. I can report that she is as good as she was the day she originally left the shipyard. My teams finished up with their final inspections yesterday.”

Aryanna looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

The commander took a deep breath through his breathing apparatus and held it a second before exhaling. “I was conducting my final walk through ma’am. I don’t sign off on anything till I make sure myself that everything is as it should be.” As he handed her a PADD. “The maintenance logs and diagnostic testing results, ma’am.

Aryanna nodded, accepting the PADD from him.

As he turned and continued along the hallway before him.

[[“Well, as they say, there’s no time like the present.”
“True though I always liked “don’t put off till tomorrow what you can get done today.”]]

As she walked the door swooshed open in front of her guiding her footsteps forward.
Entering through the ship’s open hatchway, she noticed as the lights started to snap alive in whitish blue light shining against the glossy black floors and the grey walls. Looking down at the PADD, then back up. She took the turn toward the right when she reached the first junction.

Aryanna stopped in front of the turbo lifts, tilting her head slightly to the side.

[[“What is it?”
“Ssshhhh.”
“Ahhhh. Ya, it’s quiet, eerily quiet.”
“It’s a ghost ship. A legacy that we need to change”]]

Stepping into the turbolift she gave a slight shudder, not in fear but at the memory of what had happened on this ship. She had read the reports and seen the pictures, she knew that the Chawla in its silence was speaking to her, telling her its story.

“Bridge”

As she walked out of the confines of the turbolift she noticed two things: the smell of sage wafted throughout the space in front of her and movement from the right-hand side of the bridge.

“Took you long enough, thought I was going to fall asleep in this chair waiting on you.” As a green tunic’d human woman spun in the right-hand chair toward the turbo lift doors.

“Meadow, how? When?”

“Well hello to you too.” As she stood and stretched her back. “As for when that would be about two hours ago now. It’s amazing how fast news makes its way around. It does help though when you still have connections with Task Force 47 staff.” she said with a wink.

Aryanna nodded as she stopped to take in the bridge laid out in front of her, she walked and stood in front of the central chair, placing her hand on one of the armrests.
“Sorry Meadow, about not stopping by your office. The command has been keeping me rather busy with getting me up to speed on what has happened the last few months since I left.”

“I understand. A lot has happened around here and I’m sure they would want to get you up to speed as fast as possible.” She walked over in front of the chair she was just sitting in, picked up the bundle of smouldering sage, circled it around, and then snuffed it out on the plate it was lying on.

Aryanna looked at her with a questioning raised eyebrow.

“Old traditions for new beginnings, both for you and for her.” As she looked around the bridge.

Aryanna turned back to face the dark view screen, taking in the sleeping bridge. “It’s yours if you want it.” she turned to face the green tunic’d commander. “I was going to stop by your office tomorrow and make the offer. But since you’re here.”

Meadow looked at the chair and then at Aryanna. “You sure?”

“I wouldn’t have asked if I wasn’t.”

“Guess I’m going to need a new uniform.” She stood a bit straighter and looked at Aryanna. “Captain Rigras, I formally accept your offer to be the executive officer on the Chawla.”

Aryanna nodded and then took a deep breath, “Very well, I guess there is one thing left to do.” As she took a seat in the central chair. Tapping a button on the right hand armrest, a small LCARS screen raised and tilted back. Aryanna held her right hand to the screen

“I, Captain Aryanna Rigras, do accept and affirm the orders presented to me and as such accept the duties and roles inherent with the position of Captain.” She watched as the screen went from amber to green.
“Computer, transfer all command codes to Captain Aryanna Rigras, authorization Rigras – Cuatro – zero – six – two – nine – Zulu – Juliet – four .”

“All command codes transferred. USS Chawla is now under the command of Captain Rigras, Aryanna.”

The two of them watched as the LCARS screens and panels slowly blinked and came to life around them.
“Computer, by my order, assign Lieutenant Commander Meadow Bearsong to the position of Executive Officer with all rights and privileges inherent to said position. Authorization Rigras – Cuatro – zero – four – two – zero – Alpha – Alpha – Nine”

“Lieutenant Commander Bearsong, Meadow is now recognized as Executive Officer, USS Chawla.”

Meadow stood “Well, I don’t know about you captain, but it has been a long day and I for one intend to get a few hours of sleep before facing the morning.”

Aryanna tapped the button once again and watched as the screen slid back into the armrest. Standing, she looked around the bridge again and nodded.

“So what is the plan for tomorrow,” Meadow asked as she looked at a console she walked by, “we’ll make that today as of a few minutes ago.”

“We start putting a crew together.” As she headed toward the turbolift.