When the doors directly in her path eventually parted after what felt like an age of travelling, the bright lights and voices of those present were in stark contrast to the last time she had been on the bridge of a starship. She stepped into the command centre silently.

Designed during a renaissance of Starfleet aesthetics, Andromeda’s bridge blended polished steel and cool metallic finishes with the unmistakable nostalgia of an earlier age. Like the rest of the ship, the room was enormous. Unfamiliar. While it featured many of the same department stations as most command centres, this room had ramps to port and starboard that led from front to back, several auxiliary stations spread around the room and three very comfortable looking chairs sitting atop the command platform. Perhaps the most jarring aspect of her new command centre was the lack of carpet… but she supposed that at least made cleaning easier.

Looking around, there wasn’t a familiar face in sight. Most of the ship’s previous command staff had transferred to Hood with Captain Carrillo and those that remained had kept the ship ticking over until their new commander arrived, but none of them were her choice. She’d likely get to know them in time – she’d have no choice but to given the distance they would travel together – but for now, they were strangers. One by one she travelled the room, introducing herself to those present. There was Lieutenant Commander Daren D’Kel, a brutish Xelliat in command red that would be her eyes and ears at strategic operations; a Klingon exchange officer form the House of VaQor, Lieutenant K’Voran, was in the midst of solving a supply crisis from his position at Ops; and lastly a tall, fierce looking Orion woman at tactical that went by the name of Lieutenant Vaela Neris. The three welcomed her, offered their support to make her feel at home, but there was still something missing…

“Good god, will someone turn down the glare on those lights…”

A laugh left Noli’s lips as she swiftly spun on her hips and watched as three very familiar faces emerged from the port turbo lift, Prida at the front and shielding her eyes in the over dramatic way she was known for.

“Bold choice to remove the carpet,” Rennick shrugged as he crossed the bridge and offered his hand to the Captain in warm greeting. Noli gladly reciprocated and shook.

“Perhaps our enemies will be blinded by the glare?” Morrek Shaal remarked, standing off to the side, arms folded across his chest.

“If they live long enough to see it that is,” Lieutenant Neris smiled proudly, then took a moment to go around the group and introduce herself as their tactical chief. Everyone was in the midst of introducing themselves to one another when the starboard lift opened and drew an excited gasp from the Chief Engineer.

“Akaria!” Prida called out happily, making a beeline for the short haired Risan who emerged into the command centre, only to be pounced upon by the Bajassian.

“I knew Starfleet were sending us a new science officer, but I had no idea it was you,” Noli grinned, skipping over to the woman and sharing a warm hug before pulling apart. “I thought you were still at Avalon?” The Captain quizzed, confused at the sudden appearance of the woman.

“You really think I’d let you pair skip off into the unknown with anyone else but me in charge of your science team?” Lieutenant Commander Akaria Okan grinned, shaking her head slowly. She then looked to the strangers in the group and started shaking hands in greeting.

“Akaria served with Prida and I aboard Ulysses and Arimathea many moons ago,” Noli elaborated for those unsure of where the dynamic between the trio had originated. With the greetings and introductions out of the way, those who knew the bridge well showed the newcomers to their stations, D’Kel advising the new command team that despite their absence from the bridge, the ship’s medical officer and counsellor were very much alive and well elsewhere. Satisfied with the Xelliat’s reasoning, the Captain turned to look at the wide-angled window which filled the forward bulkhead, replacing the traditional view screen she was used to aboard her previous commands. She’d enjoy having the organic view of the galaxy no matter where they went, rather than having to watch it through an image on the screen.

Sidling up to her, Thomas tilted ever so slightly to lean in to her earshot. “You’re going to have to sit in it eventually,” he smiled, knowing exactly what she was doing with her delaying tactics.

Turning her head to the right, the Bajoran looked at her XO with narrowed eyes, but soon relented. He was right, of course. She couldn’t put it off any longer, not if she was going to carry out the mission assigned to her by Starfleet. It was just… just a very big step. Once she sat in that chair for the first time, she was the Andromeda’s captain, not Lakota’s, and that was a massive moment for her. Taking a step towards the increasingly comfortable-looking chair, she couldn’t help but wonder if she would ever get out of it once she did eventually sit.

And she was proven right the second she made contact with the chair, sinking into its comfortable padding and enjoying every second of comfort. Whilst she enjoyed the moment, the XO began preparations for departure, checking in with all departments while Morrek assumed the Conn and Prida ensured propulsion systems were working fine from the aft engineering station.

“Course heading, Captain?” Morrek spun in his chair to face the Captain once he had adjusted the controls to his liking.

“You know…” Akaria spun in her own chair and caught the Captain’s gaze. “You’re in command of an explorer now. Unless they specify otherwise, you can pretty much take us anywhere. An-y-where.”

Rennick laughed. “She has a point, Captain. Where do you want to go?”

Noli pursed her lips as she gave the question some serious thought for a few moments, before a very famous quote from a very famous Earth story came to mind.

“Helm… second star to the right.”

Morrek looked puzzled. “Captain?” He queried.

Noli smiled. “…and then straight on till morning.”

Rennick chuckled, “immediately recognising the Captain’s reference to his planet’s history. “A fitting first course, Captain,” he nodded in approval.

Beyond the panoramic window, Deep Space 17 slowly began to fall away as Andromeda eased from her position in the station’s traffic lanes, turned gracefully toward open space, and set course for the unknown.