Some unexpected news

Posted on 15 Sep 2020 @ 10:14pm by Captain Jasmine Somers FCapt & Captain Maia Sterling
Edited on on 15 Sep 2020 @ 10:39pm

1,559 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: S03 Ep 02 Trouble in the Sticks (Incidentals) Galen IV Phase 1
Location: Captain's Ready Room
Timeline: While returing to SB51 after the Clean Up Post

[ON]

Jasmine was in her Ready Room when a flash updated arrived, it was security locked so she used her code to unlock and decrypt it and as she read it a sad smile showed across her face but it was overdue, she pressed the intercom button to the bridge where she had left Maia.

=/\= Commander Sterling please report to my Ready Room =/\= she said in an emotionless tone as not to betray her emotions and closed the link and waited for Maia to enter.

=/\=On my way captain=/\=

Less than a minute later Commander Sterling went into the ready room. "You wanted to see me, Captain?" Maia asked.

She looked up at her longtime serving First Officer "please have a seat Maia, I believe you will need to sit down after the good news I have for you and it has been a long time in coming. Can you believe that you have served dutifully as my First Officer for over ten years! Time has flown, but for you, it has served you well and this news just confirms what I have known" the Captain paused failing to hide a smile a little.

Maia sat down. This sounded serious... "Good news you say?" Maia said confused.

"Commander Sterling... Maia, I am proud to announce that you have been given command of your own, the ship is the USS Leto a Norway class, congratulations Commander" Jasmine said as she pulled out a bottle of 50-year-old whiskey and two shot glasses and after opening the bottle poured them a shot each and held out a glass for Maia "I will allow it this once" Jasmine said with a smile.

Maia as blown away. "A command of my own? Starfleet command mus be desperate for new CO's." She replied. Then took the glass... "Cheers!!"

"Not desperate Maia, I put feelers out and this is the result, so this phase one part of our mission is your last as my First Officer, you will have about two weeks shore leave before you have to report to Utopia Planitia to take over the Leto. So you will need to pack your stuff from both the Tomcat and your permanent quarters on the Starbase when we return *she holds up her glass* cheers Commander and best of luck on your first command" Jasmine said as she downed the shot in one go.

"Cheers" Captain, I've been here so long it will be difficult to leave.." Maia said.

"Not as hard for you as it will be for me Maia, you have been my right hand for over ten years, trying to replace you will not be an easy thing, also that white band you wear! Well, that is yours to wear if you so wish, regardless of where you are serving, with you leaving the Tomcat I will be down a dammned good First Officer *sighs* oh well change is inevitable and if a First Officer does not take over from his/her current CO, then the next logical step is a command of their own. I do not want you to go, but if you remain you may beat Commander Riker for the length of service as First Officer, I believe you are ready, but do you believe you are ready?" Jasmine asked.

"I think I'm ready. You yourself just stated I'm one of the damned best first officers in the fleet, now I will go on to be one of the best Captains in the fleet. I understand that I will be in this task force so I really won't be that far away. I will never be farther than a subspace message and in fact, you will still be my reporting official and commander in the chain. Took just over 10 years to make Captain. Not the fastest run but certainly noteworthy. I would have loved to take command of the Tomcat, but the Admiralty had a different design in mind. They assigned me a Norway class starship. They are relying more on my abilities as a diplomat than a scientist. I did ace the command college course. Just took them a long time to through the list of officers to find the right one for the right mission. You have been a great Captain and a wonderful friend Jasmine. I will miss you more than you know. I think the Admiralty has different plans for you though." Maia said.

She worked through the jumble her First Officer said, there was no denying the confidence in the woman which would be good and serve her well in the years to come. *nods* "I have a feeling Maia, that you will be picking up the diplomatic messes my crew leave in our wake. Just over ten-years as my XO I initially as I said wanted to make it so that if anything happened to me the fleet would recognise you as the next in line, but they have given you your own command *pauses* as for what the Admiralty have for me! I fear while I command this ship I will never make it past Fleet Captain, there is Commodore next but that would take me out of the centre seat and Colonel Somers is not quite ready to take my place, not yet. The big question would be is, if they did promote me would they let me retain my command" It was a rhetorical question she had asked.

She looks at Maia "so Maia have you ever thought about your commands mission statement? That is if you ever got command of your own prior to latest events" she asked.

"I have indeed been toying with a few ideas such as; Diplomacy is a complex and often challenging practice of fostering relationships around the galaxy in order to resolve issues and advance Federation interests," Maia stated, "What do you think?" Maia finished.

"I think it is brilliant, the Mira Sector needs a diplomatically orientated ship out here, this ship is not set up as a diplomatic so I have little to no experience with it. Will you be speaking to that former Orion Commander who asked for trade relations with the Federation?" The Captain asked.

"Prelate Jola'n? Yes, I will. He is the one that requested a formal Federation ambassadorial embassy." Maia replied.

*nods* "a grand idea, the more friends we make out here the easier your job will be because I will not need to blow things up *chuckles* You will need to get permission from Starfleet for the Prelate to have an Embassy on Starbase 51 because Galen IV is not safe even though we have cleared the planet of Bluegills. So it is either the Starbase or Earth if it is the earth you will just need to let them know and you may have to fill out some forms" she said "have you thought about a First Officer and it should be a good one?" she asked and made a mental note to find a new First Officer for the Tomcat.

"Yes, I have, Lieutenant Commander Sheena Toran. We actually served together on the Tecumseh. She has a strong background in security and Federation Law". Maia replied.

"Excellent, you know Maia you are going to be hard to replace and whoever takes your spot will have big shoes to fill, for over ten-years you have served under me loyally and faithfully even through my weird moments, do not say there have been none, because I know there have *smiles* you have anticipated what I needed and dealt with it before it came to my attention and I cannot thank you enough for your service to me and this ship and crew. So who will be taking over from you as CSO?" the Captain asked.

"I think the best person for the job is Matt Thompson. He has served loyally and competently for over four years. He is ready for the job. That is my recommendation Captain." Maia replied confidently.

"Very well, I will speak to him and let him know," the Captain said then looked at the chrono "Oh crap! we both better get back to the bridge, I know we are on an easy route to the Starbase, but still" she added and stood up and walked over to the replicator "one breath freshener spray" she said and a little spray bottle appeared, she picked it up and aimed it at her open mouth and depressed the nozzle and a fine mist entered her mouth, she turned to Maia and held it out to her "it is a mint breath freshener, we have both had a drink and I do not want to give the crew a bad impression" she said with a smile.

Maia took the spray bottle and atomized her breath.

The officers exited the ready room and were back on the bridge. As they entered the bridge Jasmine looked back and quietly said: "I hope you are ready for the next step Maia!" She said with a smile, but she was not asking.

"So do I Sir, but I believe I am up to the task." Maia replied.

Jasmine returned to her seat and called up the latest, "ah good four hours before we arrive" she said and sat back.

[OFF]

Fleet Captain Jasmine Somers
Commander Officer

Commander Maia Sterling
First Officer/Chief Science Officer

 

RSS Feed