An unusual new arrival

Posted on 21 Mar 2023 @ 10:22pm by Lieutenant Commander Samantha Smithson SB51 & Sergeant Connor Sharpe

2,827 words; about a 14 minute read

Mission: Orientation Posts
Location: SB51/Various
Timeline: Current

[ON]

- Security Office - SB51 -

Samantha was about to pack up and finish for the day, the four new crew she had on the trot had finally departed, now her relief had arrived and was getting a briefing from one of the security officers when her computer sounded, she groaned and pulled it up and lo and behold was yet another new arrival, this one was for the Tomcat, but he was an NCO, and a new Rifleman, she sighed and prepped the file and stood up and tugged down her jacket and left her office.

As she exited the Lieutenant Duty Officer who would take over from her looked up "finally leaving Commander?" He asked.

She looked at him sadly "I have a late arrival Orientation to do, I will need the office a bit longer, so just go ahead and start your rounds and prep the night shift team" she said and the Lieutenant nodded and watched her leave. She walked to the nearest turbo lift and entered "arrival" she said the moment the door closed.

- Arrivals -

The lift came to a stop and she stepped out, the nighttime arrivals were not so many so there was a lot of room so the Rifleman was easy to spot, she walked up to him "Sergeant Connor Sharpe!" She said by way of introduction.

Standing in the arrivals area, Connor looked around, trying to get his bearings. It had been some time since he’d been on a Starfleet Starbase and the differences between DS9 and Starbase 51 were quite obvious straight off the transport.

oO right, so should I head to the security office or Ops Centre? Oo Connon thought to himself as he adjusted the strap of his Rucksack on his shoulder to a more comfortable position. He was about to head out into the traffic of the station when he heard a voice announce his name from beside him. Quickly turning in the direction of the voice, Connor quickly snapped to attention at the sight of the three pips on the person’s uniform, “yes Ma’am, how can I help you?”

"At ease Sergeant, I am Lieutenant Commander Smithson, I am the station's Security Chief and I will take you through your orientation I encourage you to ask questions about your new assignment and I will answer what I can, but otherwise pick up your stuff and follow me please," Smithson said and started to head towards the turbo lift.

Picking up his rifle bag, Connor slung it over his shoulder before following Smithson out of the arrivals area, “well I guess as this is your station I should ask if you need me to check my rifle with you for safety purposes or something like that?”

"You will have to stay in accommodation overnight as there is no transport due to go to the Tomcats location until tomorrow so you have time to acclimatise to this sector of space, so yes you will have to check your weapon in overnight," Smithson said as they entered the turbo lift. "Have you any questions?" Smithson asked as the lift doors closed "main security?" she said and the lift began to move.

“Honestly ma’am I’m not sure what questions you could answer for me. My assignment is on the Tomcat not here on the station. I’m not sure why you would be made aware of the current mission of the Tomcat” Connor said as he tried to think of something constructive to ask the LC. “I could ask you about the station I guess. For example, Is Starbase 51 used as a supply port or does it have other responsibilities out here on the edge of federation space?”

"I know what I know about Tomcat missions because I have to as I do the Orientations for the new crew assigned to the ship, this station has many responsibilities, its main one is to keep an eye towards unclaimed space and police the sector, we have recently had some escort ships assigned to the station, Steamrunner and some Intrepid class ships, the largest regular ship in the sector is the Tomcat, there is currently another a Nebula class, but that is on loan and will be returned after the end of the current mission, but the station's location is command and control and just remote enough to avoid a serious look by hostile forces," Smithson said.

Eventually, the lift stopped and Sam stepped out and paused waiting for Sharpe.

Taking in this new information, Connor nodded before following Smithson out of the turbolift, “interesting, so what can you tell me of the Tomcat’s current mission? As I’ll be joining up after it is completed, Is there any parts of it I should be aware of?”

As they walked to Security "Well, you will be taken to the Hydaransz System, there you will need to report to the acting CO if she is not too busy and your Regiment Commander is already on a take-back mission, if First Lieutenant Flak is still on the Roosevelt then report to her not Lieutenant Commander Cahill. Lieutenant Falk will be your main departmental head, her official post is MXO but as the MCO is on this Starbase in Medical she is the acting MCO, any other questions?" She asked as they entered the security office and into Smithson's office.

Pointing to the chair "have a seat Sergeant" she said and sat behind her desk and pulled up the data on his file, as she did this an alert popped up oO interesting new Chief Support Craft Pilot arriving tomorrow Oo she thought to herself and realised transport would not have to be arranged, this other new arrival could fly the pair to the Roosevelt.

"Okay, just entering updated data into the system," she said as the wall to her right started to hum and buzz, this moment was left without comment in the hopes there would be questions.

Having taken out a small pad and pencil, Connor was busy writing down the names and descriptions of the officers he’d been told to report to upon his arrival when the moment of silence passed, looking up from his writing, Connor tried to think of something else to ask, “so the Tomcat is an Akira class. Which variant is she? Does she still have the flight deck or is she more the Torpedo boat type?”

Looking up from what she was doing "the Tomcat still has her flight deck but has also been modified, she carried three squadrons of Gryphon class fighters numbering twelve per squadron, there is one Fleet Squadron, one Marine Squadron and a Klingon Squadron. The ship also carried 467 Riflemen of the 95th Rifles of which you are now part, you will get your Regimental dress uniform when you finally get to the Tomcat. Initially, the Tomcat was a Marine Support Carrier fleet ship, her scientific ability is low as is her diplomatic profile, but the other profiles she can quite easily manage" Smithson said and paused as the first item popped out of the wall, Sam picked it up and turned to face the NCO and held it out to him.

"This is your ID Card, it is only to be worn on the Tomcat as its ID is linked to that ship when you are off duty and on the ship if you go to the Lounge then it is to be on your person, you do not have to display it, you just have to have it, when you are not doing Phys Ed exercises it is to be worn on duty at all times when you do away missions the ID card gets left in security, the enlisted accommodation is pretty basic, four to a room, it is bunk bed setup as I said modifications" she finished waiting for him to take the card and ask questions if any.

Reaching forward to take the ID, Connor looked it over before sliding it into his pocket, “hmm, well living with three other marines again is going to take some getting used to. I’ve been either on a planet or a Starbase for the past several years” he said as he reached down and picked up his rifle bag. “Well, since we’re here, might as well get this checked in,” he said, unzipping the bag and opening it up to reveal an old 22nd-century phaser rifle “I’ve taken the power cell out so it’s practically deactivated.”

Sam looked at it "turn it into security in the outer office before you find accommodation, and do not forget to pick it up before you leave" she said. Then an alert appeared on her screen "hmm, seems the Tomcat is getting a Chief support craft pilot, but will not be arriving till tomorrow" she said looking at the screen, then back to Sharpe.

The next item to pop out of the wall was a data crystal in the shape of an isolinear chip, she took it and registered it with the system and held it out to him "this is an isolinear chip-shaped data crystal, so you can use an isoliner port, it has some extra security clearances on it, not as many as an officer would have but enough for your position and it is Tomcat based, due to the area the ship operates in security is very high hope you can understand that Sergeant?" She said waiting for him to take the item.

Connor nodded, "Perfect, I've worked with security and intelligence officers before," he said before taking the crystal, "but I am curious why we're still using isoliner systems rather than the bio gel packs," he said, more as an observation rather than an actual question. "Is there anything else you have for me? Do you know when the Tomcat might be returning?"

"The majority of the systems on the Tomcat is Isolinear, the only gel packs are for holographic systems for the holodeck and Science and Medical which is a data crystal in the shape of a chip as it is easier to use, sadly the Tomcat was one of the many in the first batch of such ship classes that still relied heavily upon isolinear circuitry, but she had the latest chips and minimal gel packs," Smithson said and paused.

"You will be journeying with the Tomcat's new Chief Support Craft pilot, I will have the officer come and get you tomorrow as that is when her transport is arriving. While you are assigned to the Tomcat, your Regiment is out on a mission with a ship on loan to us, so you and the pilot will head straight out to the Hydaransz system where you will report to First Lieutenant Falk the acting MCO for the mission out there. *pause* From what little I know the Hydaransz System has a pirate problem and the defences were slight there that the sudden attack was a surprise, the majority of the facilities have been captured and the Nor class station there is under siege from heavily armed pirates, so the ship you will be detached to is the USS Roosevelt, but after that mission is complete the ship will return to Starbase 51 where after a lengthy downtime all crew from that ships will return to the Tomcat. Are there any questions thus far Sergeant?" Smithson asked.

During the lull the last item popped out it was a strip of paper, she took it and registered it with the system, she waited to see if there were any further questions from the Rifleman so far!

Taking in this new information, Connor pondered for a moment, "a Nor class station? Just like DS9, or at least DS9 before the federation retrofitted it before the war. These pirates, are they Orion? Nausican? Random misfits?"

"Your standard mix of species, unlike those that were originally in the system around twelve years before!" she left that hanging there while she took a strip of paper with a long numbered string on it and waited to see if he was truly curious by her unfinished response to Pirates.

“Originally in the system? What’s that supposed to mean?” Connor asked, leaning forward in the chair, “are you saying these pirates managed to oust another band or pirates?”

"The original pirates were cyber-enhanced, they were not Borg, it was a crude cybernetic enhancement, much like the Orion Males do and from what reports have said the Tomcat was one of many Starfleet ships to take part in the operation to free the system and they were lucky the Pirates were not linked mentally, they were big, tough, but not well coordinated. Still, they made a lot of widows and orphans, the Tomcat had a high turnover for that battle. But the Pirate outing might have happened before Starfleet, the Klingons and Romulans took it off them, now it seems another group of Pirates are trying their luck and that is what you are going into" Smithson said as she held out the strip of paper.

"This is a one-time use code, it has been registered to you, should all other crew be incapacitated use this code, it will lock out the computer to hostile intentions from bearing parties and if it is tried to be bypassed the ships data core will be wiped thus denying the hostile parties of vital information, memorize the code and destroy the piece of paper, the new officers that have been assigned to the Tomcat have also had a version of this setup but as the ship operated mainly in unclaimed space and weeks away from any substantial support such security measures are required, okay you have your ID Card extra security clearances and the one-time use code, are there any questions before I let you go?" Smithson asked.

"Oh, also you will need to find Starbase side permanent quarters so your lift will not be ready until tomorrow, so you will have time" Sam added.

“After everything you’ve just dumped on me, I think the bar might just be the best place for me,” Connor said giving a smile, “besides I’m not going to be here long. I don’t see any reason to inconvenience someone else on my behalf”

"Oh, you will not be doing that Sergeant, I mention prominent quarters on the Starbase as when not on operational duty missions you will need somewhere to stay and the rooms on this starbase are larger than the Captain's quarters on the Tomcat, they are self-contained rooms and unless you plan on leading a spartan lifestyle then starbase quarters are a requirement as a bunk room does not allow for many personal items in it. But get yourself one, there are plenty available and a large portion are assigned for the use of the Tomcat crew, the Captain has quarters on this base" she paused. "As for a drink, if I was told what I just told you when I first got here, I would want a drink too, but the current pirates are a mix of Alpha and Beta Quadrant species, not one is enhanced, so you are lucky," Smithson said.

"So until 0600 hours tomorrow, your time is your own, at exactly said time the pilot with you will come and get you, and she will have further directions, are there any questions before I let you go on your merry way Sergeant?" She asked.

Taking another moment, Connor shook his head, “no Ma’am, I think that will give me plenty to look over before tomorrow. So should I meet the pilot in the shuttle bay?”

"No she will come to you, to get you, from there you will both go to the assigned Runabout and head straight to the USS Roosevelt in the Hydaransz system, you will report to first Lieutenant Falk the ranking Rifle Officer, so if there is nothing else Sergeant, your time is your own, enjoy it," Smithson said with a smile.

Standing up from his seat, Connor snapped to attention, “Thank you, lieutenant, I will happily do so” he said before bending down to retrieve his rifle bag and his Rucksack, “if I am dismissed, I shall get myself squared away for the night”

"Lieutenant Commander, or Commander Sergeant, please remember that for future as there are some Lieutenant Commanders on the Tomcat, now dismissed," Smithson said and watched the Rifleman leave her office, she grumbled under her breath and she missed Karyn, she used to help with the intake when needed but since she got promoted and assigned to the Leto she was a man down.

[OFF]

 

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