“Cadet’s Log – Supplemental – We have finally arrived at Starbase Bravo in the Mellstoxx System, which will be our home for the next few days, while we wait for the rest of the cadets to arrive, and for our training ship to be ready for launch. Until then, we have been offered temporary accommodation aboard the station and invited to enjoy all the amenities that it offers. On a more personal note, I have never been to this station before and am honestly a little apprehensive – but I assume that it will be a similar experience to others I have had on other Federation starbases. Either way, it will be interesting to see what adventures this place holds.”

Ω

The runabout touches down on landing pad ten – the mag-locks activate, holding the Gurney into place and allowing the connector cables to plug into her charge ports. With the craft firmly in place, an automatic message plays, telling the crew to collect their things, have their comm badges and transfer PADDs ready and to follow the blue guide light to the  processing centre.

The cadets grab their bags and anything else they have with them – Victor Murphy is still tinkering with his tricorder, attempting to hack into its computer systems and read its code, while Sally Tang has just had an idea for a gadget of her own. Captain Hunter is finishing up in the Gurney’s cockpit, starting with a level two systems diagnostic, then opens a hidden compartment under the console and takes out a mysterious item, before rising from the chair, grabbing his carry-on and heading to the exit.

The Captain and cadets depart the Gurney and begin to follow the blue guide light that appears on the floor. Eventually, after walking past the other landing pads and shuttlecraft, they come to the processing centre, which is mainly just terminals, for people to input their data and check their reservations or just see where things are. For crew, however, they are required to scan their comm badges, biometrics and transfer orders. Thomas steps up to the terminal and presses a few buttons to log into Starbase Bravo’s computer system.

• <Scanning> <Accessing Starfleet Database> ID Confirmed:
  • Starfleet Identification Number: LO-114-3094
    • [Cadet/III] HUNTER, Thomas Orion
  • Current Posting: [Starfleet Academy]
    • [Starbase Bravo] / [USS Exeter – NCC-1672]
  • Current Assignment:
    • [Junior Grade Examinations]
    • [Vocational Training Cruise]
      • [Shuttle Bay Technician]
      • [Pilot]
        • Level: [0/3]
  • Senior Officer: [Professor Gail Hargreaves]

Notifications: [2]

• [1] Message
  • [Professor Gail Hargreaves]
• [2] Attachments
  • Starbase Bravo Welcome Pack [Download]
  • Starbase Bravo Itinerary [Download]

Thomas and the other cadets’ records appear on the screens in front of them, along with a message notification from Professor Gail Hargreaves, the section head of the junior class, who has also included some helpful materials.

Dear Cadets,

Welcome to Starbase Bravo! As your junior year is coming to an end, and your examinations are about to commence, the Academy faculty and staff wishes to congratulate you all for your success and we wish you luck in your exams.

As part of your exams, you have been invited to take part in the Vocational Training Cruise, and while the USS Exeter is being prepared, you will have temporary accommodation onboard Starbase Bravo.

A reminder to all cadets, that you *must* attend sickbay and receive a full physical before you can take part in any examinations or the training cruise.

To help with your introduction to the station, I have included the Starbase Bravo Welcome Pack, and an itinerary for your stay. Good luck, again, cadets.

Professor Gail Hargreaves.

Head of Junior Year, Starfleet Academy.

Itinerary:

• Proceed to your quarters, via the turbolift.
  • Deck: [747] Corridor [11] Room [15]
  • Follow the [Pink] Guide Light if you need help.
• [07.00 – 10.00]: Cadet examinations:
  • Check your exam schedule for details.
• [10.00 – 11.00]: visit sickbay for physical exam.
  • Deck [369] Secondary Med Bay: General Practice.
  • Arrive and check-in with the Med Bay terminal.
• [12.00 – 13.00] Lunch: Plenty of food places are available
  • Deck [420]  is the main deck for cadet food courts.
• [13.30]: Deployment to [USS Exeter]
  • Cadets must be on time for transfer to the USS Exeter.
    • Deck [325] Command Division: Shuttle Bay 1
      • Reporting to [Lt Cmdr Jessica Devene]
    • Deck [326] Operations Division: Shuttle Bay 1
      • Reporting to [Lt Cmdr Thracks]
    • Deck [327] Science Division: Shuttle Bay 1
      • Reporting to [Lt Cmdr John Garcia]
• From here, cadets will be shuttled to the USS Exeter, where the cadets will crew the ship and mission directives will take place from there.
• This itinerary has been downloaded to your PADD
• The Starbase Bravo welcome pack has been downloaded to your PADD

The cadets take note of the large amount of information and log out of the terminal. Thomas, Victor and Sally grab their gear and make their way to the turbolift, expecting the Captain to follow them in –  instead he tells them that he’ll catch them up later.

Thomas gives a nod, and allows the turbolift doors to close, sending it to their quarters on deck 747, while Captain Hunter steps into a small side room, where there is a dim light and a single terminal, which the Captain approaches and activates. Typing on the terminal screen, he logs into the computer using his comm badge and access codes, in order to check into the starbase, then takes out his personal PADD and taps it onto the Near-Field Communication reader to access a secret layer of the standard Starfleet terminal.

• <Scanning> <Accessing Starfleet Database> ID Confirmed:
  • Starfleet Identification Number: LO-150-7771
    • [Captain] HUNTER, Nickolas Joseph
  • Current Posting: [Starfleet Intelligence]
    • [USS Nightingale – NCC-60805-A]
    • [Starbase Alpha]
  • Current Assignment:
    • [Commanding Officer]
    • [Operation: SONGBIRD]
      • [Federation Ambassador] / [Agent]
  • Senior Officer: [Admiral Silvia O’Ryan]

Notifications: [1]

• [1] Message
  • [Admiral Silvia O’Ryan]

Λ

[Captain Hunter],

KYU – The delegations from the [Klingon Empire] and [Romulan Republic] will be arriving at [Starbase Bravo] approx 17.00 hrs.

• Your contact on the station is [Federation Diplomatic Attache Lt Cmdr Inara Stevens] – She will assist you in this mission.
• This is of high-importance to the Federation, so a deal needs to be made with the [Klingons] and [Romulans].
• This is a [top secret] meeting – only the [station commander] and upper levels of [Starfleet Intelligence], [Klingon Intelligence] and [Republic Intelligence] are aware of this.

Good luck, [Nick].

[Admiral Silvia O’Ryan]

Federation Ambassador [Starfleet Intelligence]

Λ

With his mission brief delivered, Captain Hunter deletes the message, logs out of the terminal and heads for the turbolift.

Arriving on deck 747, the Captain soon arrives at the cadets’s quarters, which are little more than a bunk beds against the wall, a table, some chairs and a food replicator. “Boy, I remember those days and I’m very glad they’re over.”

Thomas, Victor and Sally are unpacking their gear, and putting it neatly away in their very small lockers. “Great of you to join us, dad… we’ve taken the liberty of setting your bed up all nice for you… would you like some top-grade replicated food?”

Nickolas looks longfully into his sons eyes and gives a small chuckle, “Son, I am a Captain. I have my own quarters way upstairs and ill be dining with the station commander tonight, but thank you for the offer.”

“There is something that me and your mother wanted to give you though.” Nickolas reaches into his sleeve and pulls out a small comm badge and places it in Thomas’ hands. The badge is an older model circa 2350’s – it is a little scuffed and worn, but the writing is still clear, when Thomas turns it over and a moment of realisation occurs:

‘ HUNTER, Joseph – SA-160-4375 ‘

“Dad… this is Grandpa’s comm badge, this means everything to you.” – Nickolas wraps his hands around Thomas’ and closes them tight. “The badge is a symbol of everything that we stand for. The promise we make. The people we help. The planets we travel to, The things we discover…. He would have wanted you to have it.”

Thomas accepts the honour and looks to Victor and Sally, who nod in support. “I also have a gift for the both of you – Sally, I arranged for some Valkyries to be delivered to the Exeter.” Sally’s eyes light up and a gleaming smile draws across her face. Ever since she was a little girl, she dreamt of flying the Valkyrie-class fighter.

The Captain then turns to Victor and takes a small device from a hidden pocket, as a stern look crosses his face, “This is the code to the tricorder you ‘borrowed’ from tech services – do NOT try to hack into any other Starfleet devices… it WILL get you in trouble.” – Victor gives a smile and a nod of acknowledgement, as he looks through the PADD in amazement. “This is the entire code sequence for the tricorder. I… I can do so much with this data, I need to start work on it immediately…. oh and thank you.”

“Do… not… tell… anyone… about this – work in secret. You guys are some of the best I’ve ever seen, but you’re still just cadets right now, and when you graduate, you’ll just be ensigns, so hone your skills and get better and when you’re in a position of power, then you can break some rules for the greater good. Work hard, play hard and other bits of generic advice … and speaking of work, I have to go and have dinner with the Commodore.” The doors to the cadets’ quarters close, as the Captain says goodbye and heads for the turbolift.

The three cadets replicate some food and get tucked in, Sally looks over the schematics to the Valkyrie-Class – looking into its systems and tech-specs, though it’s nothing new to her. Victor examines the tricorder data, discovering it has several billion lines of complex code. He concludes that he needs to sift through the information, decode it if possible and modify it if necessary. Thomas, on the other hand is just focused on eating the food – it has been a long day, and there is a longer day ahead of them tomorrow.

After food, the cadets begin to revise and ask each other questions in preparation for the examination. They set their alarms for 06.00 and hang their cadet uniforms up, by their bunks, before resting up and trying to get a good night’s sleep.

To Be Continued…

Ω