240101.29.2137

For the next several minutes the two Lieutenant Commanders followed the Commodore spending those few minutes to start having the typical get-to-know-you conversation.

Exiting the turbo-lift the two Lieutenant commanders see that they have arrived on one of the docking levels for Bravo station’s enormous internal docking area. Through the panels, they could see ships attached to docking clamps, and shuttles going this way and that way between the various ships or between various areas within the station ships.

 In some ways, you could call the area in front of them a perfect example of controlled chaos. “Now we just go to take a walk in this direction for a bit.” The Commodore said as he kept walking, practically ignoring most of the personnel who made way for him and the two commanders just slightly behind and to the left of him.”

“So Commander Kr’Antren, which one was your’s?” Aryanna asked as they continued walking, nodding toward the view panels.

Kr’antren took a sec to look out of the panels. “There she is, can barely see her with the larger ships on this level. Two levels up, four o’clock position. The Reliant class ship.”

“Ahhh, a Reliant class, nice ships from what I hear. Haven’t been on one yet.”

“Yes, yes they are.” he took a final look at the Osiris and followed the Commodore as he kept walking.

“Any ideas?”

“Nope, It could be just about anything. Task force forty-seven is still relatively new so anything and everything is possible.”

She nodded in reply and then saw that the Commodore had stopped in front of a busy docking entrance. 

The crowd was rather thick with personnel coming and going through the entrance to the docking extension, so much so that the two lieutenant commanders could not see through the viewing panels as they approached.

“Make way, make way” Started to ring out as the Commodore approached, not stopping as he made his way. Checking his PADD and the docking port. 

As they made their way through the docking arm they both couldn’t help but feel a tinge of excitement at what lay before them.

They kept walking as the crowd continued to part and they made their way onto a ship. He made his way to a set of turbo lifts and entered one of them. “Hmmmm, no deck officer. May want to fix that Captain,” he said as he looked at Kr’Antren.

“I noticed that also, sir. Top of my list” he looked at Aryanna. “Number o…” he started as Aryanna held up a finger. “First rule for me, no nicknames.”

“Ohhh, ahhh… Aryanna or Rigras?” He raised an eyebrow.

“Either one will work.”

<<” Oh boy, he’s one of those. Going to have to work on that.”

“Indeed.”>>

The commodore chuckled. “Kr’Antren, I always found surnames, if applicable, was the best course of action.”

“Yes, sir.”

The turbo lift came to a stop, before exiting the commodore looked at the two of them and gave them a smile and a nod. As he entered the bridge the ship’s whistle immediately sounded followed by “Commodore on the bridge.”

The commodore walked up beside the center chair and took a look around. “Welcome to the USS Dragon, She is the latest of the Inquiry class block three ships to enter service.”

The two Lieutenant Commanders stood and looked around the bridge taking in the bridge and the crew. 

“Well I’ll be, I just can’t get rid of you, can I lad.” As a tellarite in a gold tunic pips of a lieutenant stepped forward tapping a swagger stick against his leg.

“Damn, I thought they were going to take you to the old folks home?” Kr’antren replies with a slight smile on his face. Then turned towards Rigras.

“Rigras, let me introduce you to Lieutenant Skagath. Formerly of the USS Osiris.”

“They tried but the nurses said I was too good-looking. And, don’t forget the best part boy. ” He looked at the commodore and gave him a knowing smile.

Kr’Antren shook his head. “And unfortunately for me, I still don’t know what my parents were thinking, my godfather.”

Skagath let out a chuckle. “See it didn’t hurt now did it, lad.” Skagath looked at Rigras, and stood as tall as he could, puffing his chest out a bit. “Lieutenant Skagath, Chief Tactical officer ma’am.” he went back to a console to the right and slightly behind the Helm console. “Oh, the doc is here too.”

Kr’Antren nodded at this and then raised an eyebrow as he realized what Skagath had just said regarding his position on the Dragon.

Aryanna felt a tap on her shoulder. “Ma’am, the Commodore sent a message. Said you would need a new tunic.” she turned to face the familiar voice at her side with a smile growing. “Chief Thorn didn’t know you were up for a new assignment, and thank you.”

“I wasn’t. The Commodore’s aide called me a couple of weeks ago and asked me if I would like to take the position, something about there being a possibility that you would be in command and if I wanted to still work with you.” she pointed to a small area out of sight where one of the walls had a blocked view. “ Only got here a couple of days ago, barely had time to get myself situated in my new office and quarters yet.”

“Yes, that was a possibility.” Then she pointed at the Caitian in red standing by the commodore. “I learned a lot about myself in that meeting we had. Let’s leave it at that.”

Chief Thorn gave her a slight smile and stood in front of her, blocking any view from others as Aryanna quickly doffed the gold tunic and donned the new red tunic. “I was waiting for you to realize you aren’t the same person you were when you reported to the office months ago.”

Aryanna stepped from behind her, handing her the yellow tunic. “Thank you for being here.”

“Oh. I’m not the only one here. Lieutenant Zhaishi is here too, she is the Chief Engineering Officer. We both arrived together. Don’t think I’ve ever seen her smile so much as she did when she saw the main engineering. I think she found something she loves more than…” She gave Aryanna a knowing wink.

“We’ll get together later on and talk, she said in a whisper to the chief as she stepped up beside Kr’Antren giving the Commodore a nod.

The commodore stepped forward and cleared his throat. “We have some business to conduct folks.” the bridge staff and crew stopped what they were doing and faced the center chair and the three redshirted officers standing in front of it.

The Commodore handed the PADD to Chief Thorn. “It’s your turn now, chief.”

Chief Thorn stepped forward and walked to the other side of the chair facing the two Lieutenant Commanders and held the PADD out in front of her.

Kr’antren stepped forward.

The ship’s whistle played over the ship’s internal comms channel.“All hands, attention to orders. From Starfleet Headquarters, Office of the Admiralty. Lieutenant Commander Kr’Antren you have been requested to take command of the USS Dragon, NCC-89882. Signed by Commodore Ekwueme on stardate two-four-zero-one-zero-one-point-two nine.”

Kr’antren stepped forward and placed his hand on the PADD as the system scanned. 

“I Lieutenant Commander Kr’Antren accept and affirm the orders presented to me.” he accepted the PADD from the chief. “Computer, transfer all command codes to Lieutenant Commander Kr’Antren authorization Kr’Antren-zero-six-two-nine-Juliet-Uniform.”

“All command codes transferred, U-S-S Dragon is now under the command of Lieutenant Commander Kr’Antren.”

Kr’Antren stepped in front of the center chair and turned to face Lieutenant Commander Rigras. 

“Computer, by my order, assign Lieutenant commander Aryanna Rigras to the position of Executive Officer with all rights and privileges inherent to said position. Authorization Kr’Antren-zero-four-one-eight-nine-three-Alpha.”

“Lieutenant Commander Aryanna Rigras is now recognized as the Executive Officer of the U-S-S Dragon.”

Commodore Ekwueme stepped forward in front of Lieutenant Commander Kr’Antren “One more piece of business. Can’t have three Lieutenant Commanders in leadership positions on a ship, just doesn’t make sense to me. Was going to do this to whoever ended up in the seat, a bit early for you but some positions do have privileges. By the authority granted to me by Starfleet headquarters, I hereby promote Lieutenant Commander Kr’Antren to the rank of Commander with all rights and privileges inherent with that rank. Congratulations  Commander.” He stepped back after he swapped out the pip to shake Kr’Antrens hand. “I’ll have the official orders posted when I get back to my office.”

“Excuse me, Commodore, you said three Lieutenant Commanders, who’s the third?” as he shook his hand.

“Ahh yes, that would be Lieutenant Commander Thornton, the commander of the 612th Mission Support Squadron. They have been assigned to the Dragon. Not sure if you knew but the Inquiry class can have a squadron assigned to it and the command staff of Task Force fort-seven put in the request when they received word that the Dragon was going to be assigned to the Task Force.”

Kr’antren nodded in reply.

The commodore quietly departed as the rest of the command staff made their way to the center chair to congratulate the newly assigned/promoted Captain and the newly assigned Executive Officer.

After several minutes as things began to return to normal, Kr’antren tapped on his combadge. “All command staff, bridge briefing room in thirty minutes.” 

“Computer, what is the location of Lieutenant Commander Thornton?”

“Lieutenant Commander Thornton is currently in holosuite 215-Delta on Bravo.”

“Computer, Connect me to him please.”

“Connected. Captain.”

“Lieutenant Commander Thornton, this is Commander Kr’Antren. Captain of the USS Dragon. I will be conducting my first command staff meeting in thirty minutes on the Dragon,  in the bridge briefing room. I would like for you to join us if at all possible.”

“Yes sir, just finishing up this holo mission as we speak.”

“Thank you, commander, see you in thirty minutes.”

“Well Aryanna, let’s go see what we took command of, shall we.” as he gestured with the PADD to where he believed the bridge briefing room was.