All Aboard! (Part 3 of 3)

Posted on 07 Sep 2016 @ 12:04am by Rear Admiral Lirha Saalm & Commander Langdale Wiggins & Commander Allyndra illm Warraquim & Lieutenant JG Jonas Flynn PsyD & Petty Officer 3rd Class Micah Hershey & Crewman Aurangzeb Ameen
Edited on on 07 Sep 2016 @ 12:07am

2,979 words; about a 15 minute read

Mission: Episode 12 - Recluse
Location: USS Galileo - Transporter Room 1
Timeline: MD -06 - 1420 hrs

Previously, on All Aboard! (Part 2)...

"Very good, then," she replied. "You have certainly come to an excellent research platform. As long as you do not use our labs to bring Galileo through temporal ruptures, I believe we can accommodate you." Despite her pleasant demeanor, Lirha was certainly not joking. Time travel was not in the list of things she'd signed up for in Starfleet. "It appears all of your affairs are in order," she added, offering his PADD back to him before motioning towards her group of assembled crew. "If you like, you may meet some of senior and junior officers next to the console. We have two from Operations who can assist you in getting settled."

Rahl nodded to her. "Yes admiral, I'll get myself sorted and get to work. Thank you." He snapped to attention for a moment before making his way.

And Now, the Continuation...

[ON]

As Jonas materialized on the platform his first thought that he had been transported somewhere else by mistake. There were so many people milling about it felt more like a transport hub on a major starbase than the mere transporter room of a Nova-class starship. His momentary doubts were cast aside as he recognized the Admiral and some of her command staff from the crew files he had been reviewing in preparation for this assignment. He stepped down from the platform and approach Saalm directly, offering her the PaDD containing his orders.

"Lieutenant Junior Grade Jonas Flynn, Chief Counselor, reporting for duty," he said with a smile.

The rear admiral took in the appearance of the ship's new psychological officer and returned his smile with a polite one of her own. He was average height for a Human and possessed a very fit build visible even through the looseness of his uniform jacket. "I am Rear Admiral Saalm," she replied, offering her hand while taking his PADD with the other. "Welcome aboard Galileo, lieutenant."

Jonas clasped hands with Saalm, giving a solid but gentle shake. "Thank you, Admiral. Glad to be here."

Lirha looked over the contents of his transfer orders contained in the PADD. A post-graduate degree in psychology at the University of Betazed, prior postings aboard Copernicus, Hamilton, and Starbase 414...it was an impressive array of experience for someone only in their 30s, and she much preferred to have a seasoned shrink aboard as opposed to a freshly-graduated ensign. The Orion offered the PADD back to him once she'd completed her brief review. "Thank you. We have been without a full counseling department for many months now," she half-warned. "Are you ready to get to work?"

"Yes, ma'am," Jonas answered with confidence. "I'll meet with my team tomorrow and we'll dive right in, integrating what appears to be a large number of incoming evaluations with any backlogged appointments. Though, of course, I'm available immediately if you have any pressing concerns."

'Pressing' was such an objective term, Lirha felt. If she thought long and hard enough, there were at least ten of the crew who she'd instantly send to the new counselor's office for an immediate evaluation based on prior unorthodox behavior -- holograms and exocomps included. But for the purposed of not wanting to overwhelm the man who'd been aboard for mere minutes, she simply smiled and lightly shook her head to dismiss the notion. "Nothing in pressing at the moment. Please, take your time to get settled. We will be in transit to Starbase 234 for another week before we make port."

Lirha then motioned over towards the transporter console where the rest of the arrivals were now gathered. "My senior and junior officers are over there and can help you find your quarters and new office. I will be sure to visit you shortly to give you an official tour of the starship."

"Thanks!" Jonas said, giving Saalm a friendly nod and heading in the direction she had indicated.

The meat of Micah Hershey's fingerpads beat with singsong chirp over a PADD surface. He was scrolling through the downloaded schematics of the Nova-refit: new theoretical warp geometries, proposed enhancements to the structural integrity field, increased computer processing power using available space. Largely it was boiler-plate stuff and at this point a lot of theory over solid results. In the days since leaving the program the news was not new- still bogged down. In a second window scrolled by Hershey's list of Engineering personnel. Pictures. Brief bios. Ranks. "Crewmen, your turn." The Wolff's Transporter Chief had ushered them on when a batch of Commissioned had come and gone in the material river of swirling blue and white. Hershey gave a sigh out, not realizing until just that moment he'd been holding his breath. Breaking out of the Proxima system, his strange sense of attachment to the project broke away in the face of something new and novel. Some people dreaded the personnel transfer. New faces, new names, new dynamics. Micah was fine with it.

Carrying his few personal effects in a duffel, he stepped up on the transporter pad skipping the mid-step. His eyes crept the amount of data he had on his PADD one last time before he decided to slip it into the cargo pocket of his technician's jumpsuit. He wasn't an officer yet... at least not on the level that he wore the commissioned style. Someone next to him said energize. Hershey's hazel eyes snapped to him and then away as the cascade of energy disassembled him and put him back together within moments onto a smaller pad. He cast a quick look around with a silent breath out. Again he'd held his breath. And he came to focus on an unusually full room.

Hershey hadn't expected such a large contingent of Galileo natives to be meeting the new crew. He stood by as the higher ranking crew stepped off and he brought up the rear. His duffel laced into his fingers he decided to right it with his shoulder strap. He was able to park it into the nook of his shoulder and arm socket before it was his turn to hit carpet.

Once he did he wasn't sure who to speak to. He knew some of them by bio profile images but their names were in a moment gone. He'd never been great with names. Machinery was easier. Oh well. Go with the flow was his style. He adjusted the strap on his shoulder, already trying to slip off, as his eyes took in the commotion before him, the cacophony of exchanged pleasantries all bleeding into a background.

"Welcome aboard Galileo, petty officer," Lirha said to the young mid-sized, reddish-haired man who'd stepped forward. She extended her hand to the new arrival all the while wondering if he was a new security or engineering NCO. "I am Rear Admiral Saalm, commanding. Do you have your orders?"

She had the serpentine green skin and jade eyes of an Orion- the first Micah had ever laid eyes on. Well except for his roommate's propensity for holosuite programs with them in a more native element. Her hand extended, the youth first stood at attention and extended his own. His grip was solid but by no means a vice. "Good afternoon, Sir. Thank you, sir." He'd never thought he'd be addressing an Admiral. He was far down the totem pole, one of the little people. He gave her a nod and the attention of his hazel eyes shifted to his pocket. A fluid motion came as he pushed his duffel from hip to against his butt and fished out his PADD.

He looked at it only a moment, the mute-squeal of a thumb tap and two finger dances. And then he rotated the PADD over for the Admiral's perusal, "Here you are sir," he said, body returned to attention.

"Please, call me 'captain'," she replied with a soft twinkle shining in her light green eyes while she took the offered device from him. It didn't take her long to begin skimming through its contents -- they were brief compared to that of the El-Aurian's she'd reviewed just moments ago, and this petty officer appeared to be only two years removed from the Enlisted Academy on Earth. She took notice of his internship and prior work experience at Indii Warp Drive Testing Facility and Proxima Shipyards while slowly nodding to herself with approval.

"You are already familiar with Nova-class starships, Mister Hershey?" she asked after seeing one of his previous construction assignments aboard Bonhomme Richard."

"Yessir," Micah replied, his nod following. "Specifically with the proposed refits for the class. The Bonhomme Richard is one of the scratch-built testbeds for new warp field geometry and the next generation of bioneural gelpack relay structure." His eyes glanced at the rim of his PADD as the Admiral so easily scrolled his short record, "I believe the serving Challenger is testbedding new shield emission systems and upgraded multiband phaser arrays." His eyes gave in to a brief dart of the gathered officers milling nearby. It was a lot of give and take, handshakes, tense expressions, reading eyes. Hershey decided his was best stayed on the Admiral. She had incredible eyes. Reminded him of royal jade, in a pendant his stepmother wore around her neck. It'd been in her family for generations.

She nodded in understanding then offered the PADD back to him. "Very good. I believe you will find Galileo a familiar sight, in that case. Our primary mission profile is ongoing scientific investigation and we are attached to Starfleet's Planetary Sciences Division. All of our systems and upgrades usually fall into that realm." Usually...but not always, she reminded herself. "I hope you will enjoy your deployment with us," she next added before turning to gesture towards the larger group of personnel behind her. "Our senior officers and Operations personnel are here to help you get settled before your next shift." She concluded by giving him a curt nod indicating dismissal.

Hershey took his PADD back with a nod that was more of a polite one, deferring to her. She was busy. He only injected a quick, "Thank you Sir," as he did as she intended and he waded into the mess of personnel. Hopefully on the other side was a door and a helpful body. He needed to find his temporary quarters, stow his gear and then preferably breathe.

The blue haze of the transporter gradually dissipated, its high-pitched whir fading as Aurangzeb materialized onto one of the illuminated pads of the platform. He was taken aback by the number of individuals crowding the interior of the cabin, spilling into the corridor as the clammer of introductions and small talk overwhelmed the smaller confines of the transporter room. He couldn't recall a time when this many personnel congregated in this section of the ship, at least not all at once; perhaps prior to when the Galileo first launched? He wasn't assigned to the Nova-class starship then, but he surmised the number of crew reporting on board at that time was more than double what was present now. A steady influx, how overwhelming! He thought as brown-colored eyes thoughtfully surveyed the crowd.

Stepping down from the platform, Aurangzeb fished a data PADD from the pocket of the pair of harem pants he wore. Unlike many those who filled the room, he wasn't due back to duty in engineering until the following morning, so he forwent wearing a uniform jumpsuit in lieu of the comforts of civilian attire. Over the last two months, he'd grown fond of the informality of civilian clothing rather than the utilitarian drab of a uniform. He'd re-acclimate to life on board a starship with ease, no amount of time away had him doubting this; however, he wouldn't deny missing the opportunity to pick out a unique ensemble at the start of each day.

It took a passing second before his eyes locked with the emerald green orbs of Lirha. Aurangzeb visibly brightened, a dimple forming in the pocket of his right cheek as he smiled broadly, the stark white of his teeth framed by full lips. "Captain." His voice was soft, yet audible over the din of conversation. "Namaste, I'm glad to see you." Aurangzeb approached the smaller woman, dipping his head politely as he noticed the Admiral's stomach was more pronounced then when last he saw her. "Are you well?" He asked, instinctively handing her the data PADD.

The last new arrival looked very familiar to Lirha, but not as easily-recognizable as Min had been. Something about the man's brownish skin, dark hair, and facial features reminded her of a time years ago when Galileo was first exploring the cosmos. "Hello, Mister...?" she searched for his name out loud, hoping he would help her remember him more fully.

Aurangzeb's smile faltered, yet forced to maintain some semblance of a smile more akin to a lopsided grimace. He was crestfallen, she didn't remember him. Had it really been that long? She'd probably had a countless number of crew filter pass in that time period, but he hated to believe he was all that forgettable. He'd temporarily departed the Galileo with a positive reputation intact, an invitation to return when his mind and body were in a better place. He was now, the time away had proven as much. Recovery had required a tremendous amount of dedication, energy, and time, but here he was, a bit more grown up and perhaps a little wiser, too.

"Ameen, ma'am... Crewman Aurangzeb Ameen. I used to be one of your damage control specialists. Returning after an extended shore leave or sabbatical, whichever makes the most sense given the circumstances." He said by way of reintroducing himself to the admiral.

Ameen...Ameen... she repeated in her head a couple times before the lightbulb lit. "Ah yes," she finally smiled once the old memory snapped back into the present. "You were with us in '89 if I remember correctly," she added, taking his PADD and viewing the transfer orders to double-check the contents. "What brings you back to Galileo?" she asked. "Too much shore leave?"

Aurangzeb visibly relaxed, relieved that she'd remembered him in some small way. "Something like that." He replied quietly. "I was..." he searched for the words, uncertain of how his privacy could be preserved while speaking honestly. He didn't want there to be secrets; all she needed to do was access the full contents of his psychological profile to understand why he'd been gone for such a long while, but that didn't mean he wanted to keep it his for just a while longer. It didn't feel that way to him--the time he'd spent away--but reality was still a concept he struggled with day-by-day. "... I was ready to come home." He managed, settling on a moderately ambiguous, yet honest, answer.

She smiled to herself at that answer. Home for most NCOs in Starfleet was not usually their base of operations, and she'd always held a strong affinity for those who preferred the spacer lifestyle. "Welcome home, then," she replied with a wink. "She is in good shape right now but we have optimized her over the past years. Your new department head, Lieutenant Kirilova, can bring you up to speed on Galileo's most recent refit. But she is still the same starship at heart since you were last aboard." Lirha pressed her thumb into the signature box to approve his transfer then handed the PADD back to him. "Operations is over there," she then pointed to the other yellow-collared personnel near the door. "They can help you find your new quarters and take care of your supplies. I will see you soon, perhaps for a surprise inspection of Engineering."

"I look forward to it, ma'am. It's good to see you again." With a single nod of the head, Aurangzeb navigated his way through the throng of new crew toward the operations crew.

Allyndra greeted each quietly as they had time. There were a lot of new faces coming aboard and that meant that medical and counseling would be busy during the transit. Tuula had moved up a spot and Veri was nearing the end of her studies as a nurse practitioner so everything should work out and of course she would get to know each much better as they came through sick bay.

So engrossed in the text exchange with one of his sixteen year old sons, Wiggins hadn't even noticed that the group of people had already done their introductions. He was about to engage the remaining group of people when another text from his son came in. With a huff at the words on his PADD, he tucked Ophelia under his arm tighter and fled the room to make a voice call. He'd have to introduce himself later.

[OFF]

--

RADM Lirha Saalm
Commanding Officer
USS Galileo

Ensign Mimi
Operations Officer
USS Galileo

Ensign Ryan Alexander
Operations Officer
USS Galileo

Crewman Aurangzeb Ameen
Engineering Officer
USS Galileo

Ensign Miraj Derani
Chief flight control officer
USS Galileo

Lt JG Rahl Tyton
Chief Research Officer
USS Galileo

Lieutenant JG Jonas Flynn PsyD
Chief Counselor
USS Galileo

Commander Langdale Wiggins
First Officer
USS Galileo

Cmdr Allyndra illm Warraquim
Chief Medical and Second Officer
USS Galileo

LCDR Luke Wyatt
Strategic Operations Officer
USS Galileo

LTJG Noah Khoroushi
Asst. Chief Operations Officer
USS Galileo

CWO3 Greg Mitchell
Security/Tactical Officer
USS Galileo

PO3 Micah Hershey
Engineering Officer
USS Galileo

LT Min Zhao
Chief Operations Officer
USS Galileo

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