Old School

Posted on 26 Feb 2016 @ 12:33am by Rear Admiral Lirha Saalm & Ensign Calvin Henderson

1,279 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Episode 10 - Symposium
Location: Jupiter Station - Galileo Airlock
Timeline: MD 88 - 1640 hrs

[ON]

Having spent time chasing down his new posting after what was described as an ‘unfortunate technical glitch’ Calvin was offered more shore leave time which he took at home with his family. He now returned to Jupiter Station to catch up with his ship and take up his post as astrometrics officer and waited with baited breath at the entrance to the docking corridor for the ship.

It had been some time since he was able to call a ship ‘home’ and there was a certain apprehension crawling under his skin. Calvin wasn’t one to easily make new friends or talk to anyone new for that matter. He was one social butterfly who was most likely fluttering alone in the corner, at least wishing he was a wall flower...they at least attracted a bit more attention. This time would be different he told himself, this time he would go in, be confident, charming, witty and all the things he secretly longed to be. Yet there he stood, on the edge of the docking area, bag over his shoulder, a smaller travel dufflel bag in his hand, and he couldn't move.

From behind the blue-collared ensign, Lirha approached with her head buried in her PADD while she made her way to her ship's primary airlock. The recent Exeter symposium had just ended, much to her relief, and now some proper semblance of her normal routine could finally begin. The past week had been spent socializing and politically manipulating all manner of Starfleet and civilian personnel who wanted to speak with her, and though her social skills were up to the task, she had departed the venture feeling emotionally drained. Starship life was what she was not seeking, and secretly, she couldn't wait to get back underway aboard Galileo.

Her thoughts were quickly interrupted when she walked full-speed into the back of a crewman who had apparently been in her way and was standing next to the airlock. Her PADD fell to the floor with a soft thud and she looked up in surprise to see a tall, dark-haired Human right in front of her.

"Oh! I am sorry..."

"Oh no I am...Admiral," Calvin added as he picked himself up and brushed himself off. "I was the one standing in the way of the airlock...w-waiting to head in. The place was so quiet I didn't expect anyone to be on board let alone coming this way. Are you alright?"

"Just fine," she answered while reaching up to push her stray dark locks from her cheek and back behind her ear. "Are you a new crew member?" She assumed so but didn't want to jump to any conclusions.

"Yes Admiral, Calvin Henderson...Astrometrics...Ensign," he didn't know what to do, shake hands, salute, so his genius brain suggested that he bow slightly.

Lirha's eyebrows raised slightly at the science man before her. "Oh..an astronomer? By trade or Starfleet delegation?" she wondered out loud. His junior officer rank suggested the latter, but perhaps it could be a combination of the two.

"A little of both, it was something I was interested in as a child and to take it further, I saw Starfleet as my best bet to chart more and maybe even visit some of them one day."

"I see. And is this your first assignment since graduating the Academy?" she wondered out loud. If it was, it was surely an exciting time for the young man, for Galileo was usually considered to be a dream posting for aspiring stellar hobbyists. Or perhaps he was transferring aboard from a different starship?

"My first after my cadet cruise Admiral. They kept me on a little longer to cover an absence, but it wasn't for long," he stumbled slightly over his last few words, realising he was talking to a superior officer like a friend. Calvin quickly corrected that, "I do look forward to working under your command Admiral."

She nodded with silent thanks for his gratefulness. "First time aboard a Nova-class, I also presume?" It was a bit of a rhetorical question and she didn't give him time to answer before continuing. "I believe you will find it very...cozy. We do not have many luxuries found aboard the larger starships, but we are a close crew. I hope you do not mind sharing quarters."

"It is something I will get used to Ma'am. My mom says it will help me get over being, as she says, 'so damned shy around people'," Calvin gave a smile as he adjusted his bags around him. Holding them for so long now was beginning to fatigue his arms.

"Shy is always relative," she remarked. Especially across the spectrum of different species and personalities, and so far he had not seemed to be very hesitant to answer her questions. "Everyone is somewhat 'shy' the first time they board a new starship. New faces, a new command staff, new nuances..."

She then reached out towards the airlock's control pad and entered her authorization code causing the outer hatch to pressurize before opening. Once it had finished its sequence, the door opened and allowed them both to enter. "After you," she offered.

"No, after you Admiral. She is your ship...plus I have a bag to fit through. I trip and fall on a flat surface. I best leave some room," Calving gave a dry smile from the corner of his mouth.

"I insist," Lirha repeated, still waiting for him to enter. "After all, someone must be next to you to catch you if you fall again," she added with a sideways grin.

"Thank you," Calvin grinned as he rather clumsily bumbled his way through the airlock. Thankfully without knocking into anyone or anything.

Lirha took note of his bags which seemed to be large and plentiful. "...If I may ask, what have you brought with you that encumbers you so much?" Perhaps a secret animal or exotic booze, she wondered.

"Star charts. The old paper kind. They are my backups. For those times ships loose power, end up adrift. I don't want us lost in space and not knowing where to turn," Calvin grinned, "I do have a habit of being over prepared...or so I am told."

"Oh? ...Do you carry a sextant as well," she joked with a soft laugh. Paper maps were almost unheard of except for the historical archives. Something about it, however, seemed to be authentic, and she admired his passion for the traditional methods. "I believe you will find our astrometrics lab to be quite sufficient for all of your work."

"Thank you admiral," the young Ensign smiled as he walked on a little, "and yes, I have one of those too...just in case. There is nothing better than giving more original methods of stargazing a go once in a while. It keeps me thankful for what we have and grounded in what to do, in case it all fails. They are after all, more advanced versions of the same principle. Sometimes there is nothing better than a hands on approach."

A simple nod sufficed for Lirha's acknowledgement of his sentiment. She walked next to him but not close enough to impede his bulky bags, then stopped when they reached the nearest T-junction. "I believe this is where we must part ways, for now. Operations is down on Deck 6 and they can help you get settled into your new quarters. It is nice to have you aboard, Mister Henderson."

[OFF]

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RADM Lirha Saalm
Mission Advisor
USS Galileo

Ensign Calvin Henderson
Astrometrics Officer
USS Galileo

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