Ferry
Posted on 18 Aug 2020 @ 11:52am by Captain Corvus DeHavilland
Edited on on 21 Aug 2020 @ 3:50pm
Mission:
M1 - Emergence
Location: USS Vesta - Near Tzenkethi space
Timeline: MD1 - 0930 HRS
2011 words - 4 OF Standard Post Measure
It’d probably been the fastest nine hours of her life. How did you distill six years of service, friendship and life into such a short amount of time. The work part was easy, Feyja could manage to get her arms around the day to day tasks; that was why she was the best person for the job. The harder part was unwinding herself from the complicated web of friendships, working relationships and just general familiarity of a home she’d spent six years on.
She’d not really mentioned the specific details of what was happening, only that she was leaving and that the ship would be met by another Starfleet vessel in nine hours. They would be taking her the rest of the way to Obsidian Command. She’d confirmed early in the morning that the Cosmos was indeed en route and hadn’t stopped to take a look at it since. There really wasn’t any reason to.
Corvus stepped into the transporter room, duffel bag in hand, as the Transporter Chief was loading two small crates onto the transporter pad of her personal effects. She gave him a grateful smile and set her duffel bag with them as Captain Dansby and the newly promoted Commander Hagen stepped in as well. They were followed by the rest of the senior staff, all who seemed eager for a chance to say goodbye. Corvus wasn’t an overly emotional person, but it was touching to see that all of her friends had come to see her off. It might have been last second and without the pomp and circumstance that usually went with this kind of change, but it was welcome nonetheless. She took a few moments to shake all their hands and offer a brief goodbye before finishing with Captain Dansby.
“Permission to disembark, Captain?” She asked with a sad smile.
“Permission granted, Captain DeHavilland,” he answered, offering his hand to shake it. She took it, jumping slightly in surprise as he drew her into a hug. “You keep in touch Amélie, that’s an order.”
“Aye, Captain,” she smiled back as they embraced.
She gave one last wave to the senior staff of the Praetorian as she stepped onto the transporter pad. She took a deep breath and nodded to the Transporter Chief, “Energize.”
Captain DeHavilland watched as her friends disappeared and in a moment were replaced by the sleek, almost new looking interior of the Cosmos. Yet as soon as she thought that, she realized that she wasn’t standing on the transporter pad of an Intrepid-class vessel, and the man standing before her wasn’t the woman she was expecting to see.
“Commodore,” she said, stepping off the pad. “This does not appear to be the Cosmos,” she declared.
Minawara smiled cordially at this and nodded. "No Captain, I am afraid it's not,"he said as he stepped forward to be closer. "The Cosmos was delayed, and we were in the area, headed in the right direction. I do hope it would be too much of a problem." The Commodore offered to take the Captain's bag, an outreached hand. "We're a tad bit quicker than the Cosmos as well, so we'll be able to shave a bit of time off the run for you as well."
She shook her head, "Faster?" she asked, offering the bag to the Commodore, "What ship is this?"
Having taken the bag and taken a few paces towards the doors, the Commodore stopped and cocked an eyebrow. Tapping his Commbadge, he called to the heavens, "Mister Marocain, set a course for Obsidian Command, Velocity Three," Yoshi ordered, which was returned with a quick and easy "Yes sir." Looking back at the Captain, he resisted a mock pouting face, a poor habit he was picking up from his wife. "You're aboard the Vesta, Captain."
DeHavilland let a grin play across her features, "Well, then I suppose I have you to thank for a ride and for a command," she declared happily, "I'm Corvus DeHavilland, I've been asked to take command of Obsidian Command," she said, looking over to him as they walked. "Even if it wasn't planned, it's fitting that you're the vessel that takes me," she added. It had been the Vesta that had discovered the communication from Obsidian Command, somehow inexplicably drawn into a spacial void. The crew had been evacuated and everything else that they could get off the station while a skeleton crew remained behind to try and reverse what was happening. They had been assumed lost to the man, along with the near incalculable loss of a Stardock starbase. It had thrown that sector into chaos almost immediately and for the last eighteen months Starfleet had been trying to fill the vacuum to no avail. That was until the Vesta found the signal buried in the noise - the skeletal crew of Obsidian Command reaching out to anyone that could hear them. They knew how to get the starbase out, but they couldn't do it alone.
"Right place, right time," replied the Commodore as they walked. "And a trio of Engineers stupid enough to try and punch a hole into subspace with an engine that had catapulted us three years into the future once," he added with his own chuckle. "I don't believe we had prior met though, Captain DeHavilland, may I call you Corvus?" It was a matter of civility, the man enjoyed being on a first name basis with other Captains, Commodore in his eyes was just a Captain with a bit less freedom. "Though, if Sepandiyar entrusted you with Obsidian Command, under the watchful eyes of the Joint Fleet Command, you must have done something right. It's not something they'd take lightly."
"No, I don't believe we have met. But I have read extensively on you and your ship, considering the obvious connection," she smirked, "I've not met Admiral Sepandiyar either. Only really know him by reputation, and the ten minute subspace call where he gave me command of the stations," she chuckled darkly. "I can tell you, no one was more surprised than I was to get that call." It really was a surprise. She'd not been in the active transfer pool nor had she inquired anywhere with anyone about a transfer to her own command. She'd been happy and content in her role on the Praetorian with the expectation of remaining there until the command was hers. Ten years at the least, by her math. "What's your impression of him?"
"The Admiral is a quick study, intelligent, and likes to be swift in his decision," replied the Commodore tactically. Their last exchange had not been pleasant, nor had it left the best taste in Yoshi's mouth. "If I had to pick between being trapped in a room with him, or with General MacTaryn though, I'd chose the Admiral any day. And, from what Edward tells me, he plays all his promotions and talent acquisitions close and careful, wanting to make sure that every piece is exactly where he needs it most."
"That's... not far off what I've heard," she nodded, "Pretty polar opposite from the Major General, but I've never had the pleasure. If I'm perfectly honest, I don't understand why Starfleet allows a group like the Marines to exist. They're antithetical to the very nature of Starfleet. Regardless of how... effective... they've been in the past," she frowned. "Not a popular opinion, though," she chuckled as they paused at the lift. "I was wondering, if your Chief Engineer has some time, if I could take a look at your quantum slipstream drive. I'm not much of an Engineer myself, but as a pilot, I can appreciate having that much power behind you."
"I've come to appreciate the Marines," said the Commodore thinking to his own recent experience. "While not what we at Starfleet like to think we represent, the unfortunate truth is sometimes there is a need for them. I tend to find more so, though, that Marines have a different way of thinking about things, seeing the world through a different lens. And I can appreciate that." As the pair walked he nodded to her second question, "I am sure Jack would be ecstatic to show it off. I like to think I know more than most about it, but in that Mister Mantel is a true expert. Though, fair warning," Yoshi paused and regarded the woman with a smile, "He can be a bit to deal with, and his childish appearance can be startling to most."
"Yes, of course," she smirked, "Because no one's ever taken a look at me and judged me at a glance," she quipped. It might have been the 24th century but that didn't stop the men she'd worked with over the years judging more by her physical appearance than the quality of her work. She'd enjoyed setting them straight, but by actually doing it better and by a firm boot up the ass when necessary. She didn't mind either. "Maybe after lunch?" she asked, "I won't lie, Commodore, I've been awake for nearly twenty-four hours straight. I could use a quick nap."
If she'd known the kind of day she was going to have, she would have crashed the minute she got back to her quarters after dinner last night, but like most nights, she'd procrastinated her own relaxation time until almost midnight. She knew herself well enough to know that she couldn't sleep without some decompression time. Right when the Admiral called. Since then she'd been running non-stop to try and get to everything sorted on Praetorian. She of course had plenty to do with her new Command, but it wasn't that pressing. Not as urgent as settling her old command before leaving had been. It felt good not to have that looming over her head.
"How long will it take your fancy new drive to get us there?" she asked brightly as they loaded in the lift and went down one level. It took her a bit by surprise, expecting that she was going to be in lower deck quarters for her short trip. Not this high on the decks with the rest of the Senior Staff.
"A couple hours if you need to catch some shut eye," replied the Commodore. "Orders were to get you there quickly, so we'll be there shortly. Maybe three?" He paused as they came to a stop outside one of the VIP quarters. "Though with Obsidian Command still being checked over, well likely be kept at an arm's length for the first hour or so, let me know and I can keep you aboard as long as you need," he added with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes."
"Three?" Corvus asked incredulously. "No rest for the weary, is there?" she chuckled. "Well I think I'll just take a few minutes to myself, then drop by your engineering deck. I'd like to see the drive actually functioning in the slipstream," she smiled, taking her bag from the Commodore politely as she stepped through the door, "Would you like to join me in Engineering, or do you mind me seeing myself there?"
"If I join you the Commander will be on his best behaviour, so perhaps it's best if you go alone; get the full experience," replied Yoshi with a laugh. "If you need me though, I'd be just a short comm badge away," he replied stepping back from the door. "Take your time Captain, there is no rush on our part. Enjoy your inevitable nap," he added.
"Thanks for your hospitality, Commodore," Corvus smiled one last time before stepping through into her temporary quarters and letting the door hiss closed, finally giving her a moment of silence. She took a deep breath, dropped her bag on the floor and collapsed into the nearest chair.
