Jeden checked the towel robe she had wrapped around her as she gently squeezed the water out of her hair. She threw back her head and let out a sigh, “Stupid hair…I should just cut it off”, which drew the attention of several of the other officers in the gym changing room who were getting changed to either getting changed for the gym or pool or from it. Two women near here, who were slipping into their workout clothes chuckled and nodded in understanding.

Seated across from her a young Betazoid Lieutenant looked up at her, “You have nice hair though, be a pity to cut it off.” Jeden smiled at that, “True, but you try drying it in any reasonable time so it doesn’t get damaged or tangled.” With that, she wrapped a towel around her hair and walked out of the changing room near her bunk hall. She loved her long hair and though annoyed with it she never cut it off but drying it was such a pain in the ass especially compared to the side where she had the undercut. 

She passed several junior officers, several who she recognized from the day before who were coming off of alpha shift, as she made her way through the corridors of the massive Galaxy-class ship. Within a minute she rounded a corner and walked into the realm of the lower decks. Bunks lined the walls on either side of the corridor, two high, with retractable drawers beside each. Several of the bunks had their privacy covers drawn, likely members of Gamma of Delta shifts who were sleeping. Walking past them she reached her own bunk and pulled herself up into it and laid down. She had been on the ship for a little over twenty-four hours and they had been a whirlwind already.

Shifting slightly to get comfortable she grabbed the PADD from the little pocket beside her head and opened up her messages. Within she saw several general messages to the whole crew about upcoming events in Ten-forward and some of the other lounges as well as a swing-dance competition being held in cargo bay 5. Smiling at these she logged them in her calendar in case she had time and opened the recording feature.

Personal Log – Stardate 78332…No 333…ah, May 2nd 2401.

Ensing Sonia Jeden

She stopped and watched as several ensigns walked by talking rather loudly. One, a Bolian stopped when he saw her watching them, “Hey, your new right? We are off to the bar, want to join?”

Jeden propped herself up on her elbows and shock her head, “Not right now, thanks though. Need to get a few thoughts down but maybe there later.”

The ensign shrugged, “Sure thing,” and moved off but not before smiling at her. Jeden tapped the controls for her privacy covers which slid into place and continued her log.

Today has been a whirlwind. I have been assigned to the Beta shift which is great and start tomorrow, which means I won’t have the night shift all the time.  That said I met with my new commanding officers. I am going to be split between Engineering and Operations but it seems like I will most be reporting to Lieutenant Commander Ortega. 

 

I am pretty happy about that, I have read her file and Lieutenant Commander Alkos Kudege before joining but I didn’t realize how intense Ortega could be. For a human who isn’t even 5 feet tall, she seemed to tower over everyone. It was very clear that she expects the best from everyone who works under her and anything short could result in getting suck with the worst shifts and duties or even a transfer from the Columbia. Honestly, though she reminded me of my Mom. She expected nothing less from her team which makes sense when we rely on the ship to keep us alive. 

 

That said she was intimidating for sure, her experience alone is impressive but I would not want to get her mad at me. Pretty sure she could snap me like a twig, guess you get that when you marry a former Klingon warrior. She has to be tough as nails if her husband is like any of the Klingons I knew back home. 

Jeden paused for a moment as she removed the towel from her head as it slipped partly off.

I wonder if she can get any fresh gagh…I heard she likes it. The academy really struggled. Anyways though I am to report to the engineering at 13:30 tomorrow and need to read through a dozen or so SOPs beforehand as well as review the wealth control design schematics for Villam Four and the blueprints for a science station we will be constructing when we arrive. It will keep me busy.

 

My meeting with Kudege though, was something else. Ortega was moving through engineering the whole time while Kudege wanted to meet in Ten-Forward as his rationale was, ‘We are off duty, why not act like it.’ He was not what I expected from his records. 

She paused as she thought back to the meeting and shifted slightly in her bunk as she realised she was blushing.

He was charming, and, well very attractive. It is always nice to see another Bajoran but he had me laughing for a good 10 minutes before we even talked about work; I can understand why so many of the women, and men, adore him based on what I heard last night in the lounge. Basically, since I have a strong engineering background both he and Ortega felt I would be best placed with Ortega but will do regular rotations in operations to continue with my training. He obviously had read my record and academy transcript and he commented on my low marks in the survival and tactical courses and told me to practice those as we never know when we will need them, that and I quote, ‘Lieutenant Niro Seth-Rowal will have both our hides if you cannot hold my own…’ I am not sure I want to meet this Niro based on that. But Kudege did give me some training programmes I am to work through on my own time.

 

Guess I have twenty-four hours until my first shift as a Starfleet officer. I cannot wait though I know it will be hard work.

With that, Jeden tapped the end recording button on her PADD and set it on the bed beside her. Opening the privacy cover she slipped out onto the ground and opened her drawer and pulled out a pair of leggings and a long shirt. She quickly hung her towel robe up beside the classic Starfleet recruitment post with the original Number 1 on, Una Chin-Riley, and got dressed before grabbing PADD and making her way to the Arboretum to begin making headway on the work Ortega had assigned her.