“That’s big.”
Commander Isabella Broska stood, arms crossed, in front of the window gazing out at the massive drydock in the distance; the station computer helpfully overlaying a zoomed in picture onto the transparent aluminum of the viewport.
“Just wait until you’ve seen it up close.” Captain Aakon Keacen stood by her, leaning against the window.
The pair had arrived at Brahams Station just over 48 hours ago after a rather dull four day journey from Deep Space 17.
Izzy turned to Aakon, a grin spreading across her face. “Did you get a sneak peak and not take your trusted XO with you?”
Aakon shrugged. “One of the space dock chiefs took me out on a shuttle pod at 2300 last night for a quick, early, inspection tour. Captains prerogative and all that.”
“Lucky duck.” Izzy muttered.
“Sometimes the fourth pip comes in handy.” Aakon pushed off and away from the window. “At least we’re getting this one because we’ve done well and not because we broke the last one.”
“Who knew that toiling around the Shackleton Expanse for 6 months scanning every ounce of stellar dust that moved was the secret to a ship upgrade.” Izzy gazed out the window once more. “I’m going to need more furniture.”
Aakon’s combadge chirped. “Captain Keacen, Lieutenant Bowman’s transport is arriving at docking bay 23 gamma.”
“I’m surprised that the conference was over that quickly.”
“It wasn’t. I summoned her.” Aakon tapped his commbadge “Thank you. Please have her meet us in conference room Sierra Nine.”
“Yes sir.” The line cut out.
“You’re a brave man, Captain.” Izzy brushed the hair away from her eyes, huffing in frustration at the few wayward strands that remained. “I’m sure she’ll have some choice words.”
Aakon shrugged, the two turning and walking towards the turbolift at the end of the hall.
“Have you heard from Jackson?” Izzy’s voice had softened, well aware she was touching on a sensitive subject.
Aakon cleared his throat as the two weaved around the numerous others walking through the corridor. “We talked a few weeks ago. He didn’t think he’d be able to make it back in time for the launch. Discovery is still in the Shackleton Expanse and Caldwell is along for the ride so everything is being done by the book; he’s got another two weeks where he finishes up with the Bridge Officer’s Test.”
Izzy nodded as the two stepped into a lift; she’d known that things had been a little off between the two after the Crossroads crisis but she’d hadn’t realized that they were at the point where it was weeks between speaking. “I don’t envy him having to do that with Caldwell looking over his shoulder; hopefully she’s preoccupied with whatever she’s doing on that ship.”
The two stood in a not so comfortable silence as the lift speed towards its destination, slowing after several minutes. The doors slid open to reveal Lieutenant Maria Bowman standing in front of the conference room door, a displeased look on her face.
“First you interrupt my time at the medical conference on Trill and then you don’t even unlock the door to the conference room? The inconveniences you put me through never seem to end.” A smile had slowly crept across her face as she spoke.
“Good to see you, Maria. Yes, I missed you as well.” A smile had spread across Izzy’s face as well. “Goodness knows it’s not the same without you around.”
Maria closed the distance between the two, embracing Izzy in a warm hug. “You could have at least pretended to entertain my anger.”
Izzy chuckled. “As your superior officer I am prohibited from encouraging your bad behavior.”
“They give you a third solid pip and suddenly we break out the superior officer talk.”
Aakon peered over Izzy’s shoulder, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “If you start following regulations, you too can earn another pip.”
Maria scoffed, waving her hand in the air as if the comment needed to be shooed away. “I’m not here for pips, I’m here for the weird science, bizarre alien life, and occasional white hole.”
Aakon moved around Izzy, gaining access to the door controls of the conference room. “I told myself the same there and here I am with four pips.” With the tap of a few keys the door slid open.
“That’s because you don’t know how to say no.” Maria said as she walked into the room. “That’s not a problem I tend to have.”
The conference room itself wasn’t particularly large, just enough for a table to seat four people. In the middle of the table was the holo projection of a Yorktown Class vessel, slowly spinning and shimmering a pale blue.
“So what exactly are we doing here? The Merrimack isn’t due out of dock for another three weeks.”
Aakon sat in the chair near the head of the table. “You would be correct. It’s still undergoing repairs from the Orion cruiser scuffle. Unfortunately it seems Starfleet has decided we no longer will be stationed on the Merrimack.”
Maria leaned forward, her puzzlement clear visible. “What did we do this time? Just because some Orion pirates got a lucky shot in and blew the port nacelle doesn’t mean we deserve to be shuffled off somewhere else.”
“We aren’t quite being shuffled off.” Izzy joined them at the table. “Shuffled up may be a better way of saying it.”
Maria glanced between the two. “You both know how I love suspense. Which ship are we getting?”
Aakon nodded his head toward the floating outline of the ship in the center of the table.
Maria’s eye’s widened. “A Yorktown? That’s.” She paused to search her mind for a word. “Big.” She stood, leaning over the holo projection trying to read the small text. Persephone. As in queen of the underworld? I can live with that.”
Izzy glanced over at Aakon. “Told you she’d like it.”
Aakon let out a snort. “That’s to be determined.” He pulled a PADD out of the inner pocket of his jacket. “With the increase in officers on the ship you’ll have significantly more people reporting to you; roughly three hundred to four hundred general science staff, sixteen department heads, and three assistant chief science officers.”
Maria’s eyes widened for a moment. “Well, I’m always up for a challenge.”
“Then there is this.” Aakon slid the PADD across the table towards Maria.
She picked it up, quickly reading the text as it scrolled across the screen, before peering up at her two senior officers. “This is a joke, right?”
Izzy shook her head. “Not at all. It’s been a long time coming. We three have operated as an impromptu command team for well over a year now. Hell, you and I have dinner three nights a week and usually spend at least an hour discussing the ship and staff.”
Aakon leaned forward, a warm smile on his face as he folded his hands together on the table. “You’ve shown time and time again you have a keen sense of observation and there are few other officers I’ve met who have your skill at sciences. We’ve talked about it before and you have always balked at the idea but on a ship this size I need another trusted officer on my command staff. You’ve earned the position of Second Officer.”
Maria was seldom at a loss for words but this was one of those times. “I don’t have the credentials; I’m only a Lieutenant. I need to take the Bridge Officer’s Test.”
Aakon nodded. “All true. You’d serve in an acting capacity until you pass the test. I have full faith you can do that.””
Maria stared forward. Aakon could see the wheels turning and processing.
“Ok.”
Aakon’s face broke into a grin. “Excellent! We’re supposed to launch next week so there’s quite a bit to do. Thankfully we’ll just be transporting goods and staff to Deep Space Seventeen and run some final tests on the way over.” He leaned back, his posture relaxing. “There is time to start all of that tomorrow. Today you can get settled in on the station and at 0900 tomorrow we’ll have our first inspection of the ship.”
Izzy raised her hand to interject. “And tonight we have a wonderful dinner to celebrate your new role. I found this wonderful restaurant that serves some amazing Stamppot.”
Before either Aakon or Maria could inquire as to what exactly Stamppot was, the comm chime softly sounded. “Communications office to Captain Keacen.”
“Go ahead.”
“Feet Captain Caldwell wishes to speak to you.”
Aakon let out a soft sigh as Maria and Izzy both started to stand up, eager to leave the room before the Task Force Commanding Officer popped up on the wall screen.
“Thank you, I’ll take the call here.”
There was silence for a few moments on the other end. “Sorry sir, she’s asking for your beam over to Discovery. It just arrived.”
The three exchanged a look. “Noted. Inform the Fleet Captain I’ll beam over immediately.”
“Aye sir.”
“You have fun with that.” Izzy had already made it to the door.
“See you at dinner.” Maria called from the hallway, already having made it out the door.
Aakon pushed himself up from the chair with a deep sigh. He couldn’t fathom why Caldwell would show up with the Task Force flagship in tow and that also meant Jackson was back; he wasn’t sure he was ready for that particular reunion quite yet.
He stepped out into the busy corridor, the door closing behind him with a gentle swoosh as he muttered softly to himself.
“Here we go again.”
