Jason Devron had only been an Ensign five days, and had spent all of that time aboard the huge orbiting complex know to everyone as Starbase Bravo.  He’d caught a brief glimpse of it when he’d first arrived in the star system, but nothing could prepare him the sheer size of the place.  Just the idea that he was now, way down in Mike Sector on deck 668 was honestly astonishing to him.

Eventually with the aid of his personal PADD he found himself at the right docking bay.  As Jason approached the open airlock door leading to the vessel he’d been assigned to only the previous day, he spotted the figure of someone he knew.

“Permission to come aboard sir.”  He saluted the female officer before him.

“Permission granted Ensign Devron.” She returned the salute. “Welcome aboard the USS Jaxartes.”

He’d only met the Bajoran Lieutenant, Bolka  a few times.  The first of which being when she’d helped him gain a tactical advantage during a holo-simulation being run by the Vulcan officer who was now captaining this ship.  As if on que the very man himself appeared behind the young Ensign have come along the main corridor from the opposite direction.

“Number one how many do we have on board so far?”

“With Mr Devron here, eleven.” Bolka replied. “Though Mr Bellbrooke isn’t best pleased at being roped in as your Chief Engineer.  Said is job was just to see the ships engines where in full working order after the refit. Not accompany her on the first mission.”

“You can reassure him that once everything checks out we’ll drop him off somewhere.” The Vulcan took the PADD the Lieutenant was holding and looked at the list of names on it. “Well we’ll have to make do with the EMH for now.  However this ship isn’t going anywhere without two officers to rotate at helm and we’ve just had one snatched from use!”  He used the index finger of his right hand to scroll the menu and add a cross by the name of then Ensign who had been reassigned.

“May I suggest Ensign Stuart, sir?  The Orion.”  Jason suggested.

The Vulcan looked thoughtfully at the PADD then back up to Jason. “Interesting choice Mr. Devron.  And a logical one.”  He walked over to a nearby terminal linking him with the stations systems. “Computer locate Ensign Stuart, Lyanne Jolel SE 301 – 429.”

_____

Somewhere along the aft section of a damaged Sutherland Class research vessel a Worker-Bee was making repairs to one of the ships maneuvering thrusters.  Whilst other Bee’s, a lone shuttle craft and a half dozen space-suited engineers busied themselves with their own tasks across the ship’s hull.  At the controls of the compact single seat repair ship, a young Orion female used its two robotic arms to move the thrusters’ outer casing back into position.

The onboard radio gave two bleeps indicating an incoming message. “Control to Tango X-ray One Zero Seven.” Came a females voice

“Zero Seven here.” Answered Lyanna.

“When you’re finished with that job; head back in.  You’ve been reassigned.”

“Confirmed; Control.  Just fixing in the casing now.  Zero Seven out.”

Lyanna Stuart pondered for a moment.  She’d volunteered to take this temporary assignment when the ship she was due to board; became delayed somewhere within the Delta Quadrant.  And whilst Lyanna had enjoyed the opportunity to fly one of these small Worker-bees and help out with hull repairs to this starship; the young Orion couldn’t wait to get her hands on the controls of something a little larger!

_____

Lieutenant-Commander Salan had spent the best part of an hour walking around his new command.  He had spoken to various members of the crew, including the slightly disgruntled Chief Engineer Bellbrooke who seemed unhappy about so many things, it was a little hard to keep track.  So he’d politely asked the man to fill out a full report that he promised to read later.

He now found himself in the aft observation lounge with its large windows, which for now only looked out on to the interior of the hanger. A small flat package sat on top of a large wooden table.  The note attached simple read, ‘To the new captain’.  Interested and slightly puzzle Salan carefully unwrapped the package.  Inside he found a painting of the USS Jaxartes flying past a bright blue-green nebula.  The Vulcan studied the painting for a while noticing the careful brush strokes and attention to detail.  In the bottom right had corner he spotted the painters signature ‘S. Ruslanovna’.