Welcome Comitee

Posted on 30 Aug 2018 @ 7:34pm by Commander Luke Wyatt & Chief Warrant Officer 2 Kala Gorvel & Lieutenant JG Sofie Ullswater
Edited on on 30 Aug 2018 @ 7:35pm

2,356 words; about a 12 minute read

Mission: Episode 15 - Emanation
Location: USS Galileo-A, Deck 2, Airlock
Timeline: MD 140 - 0900Hrs

[ON]

Luke was waiting at one of the foot passenger airlocks connecting them to the shipyard, tapping the information PaDD he had downloaded from the main computer for new arriving personnel. He had already done a few of these informal meet and greets and especially with freshly graduated cadets. He knew how it was joining a new ship, but straight of the academy was a whole new kettle of fish, they mostly came in a few different categories from shy to brash, quiet to talkative and then there were the ones that were just a mixture of emotions, they were the funniest but most nervous. The thought made him chuckle, it wasn't uncommon for department heads to greet new arrivals but it was uncommon for department heads to greet someone outside of their department but with Luke being on the ship most days and most hours learning it top to bottom, inside and out it allowed the other department heads to get on with the important stuff, some were still yet to arrive all together.

As Sofie passed through the airlock she saw someone waiting in the corridor. She froze up a bit. Were they waiting for her? She'd expected someone to meet her but now that it was happening she felt rather nervous. She quickly recognised the person who was standing there from the manifest files she'd been reading. Recognition might have been reassuring if it were not for the fact that Sofie recognised this human as the ship's Chief of Security, a one Commander Wyatt. Why on earth it was him waiting at the airlock to greet her she had no idea - maybe there had been some mistake, maybe she wasn't meant to be boarding today. She was getting nervous again, it didn't help that this man seemed to be about double her height.

She put on her bravest face walked purposefully straight forward and spoke "I'm Ensign Ullswater, Sofie Ullswater," Good so far. She gave the commander a cheery smile "That's with an F not a PH, some people think its a strange spelling but I think its normal." Something died inside Sofie as she realised what she just said, she quickly tried to bounce back before the security chief could get a word in "I'm looking for the USS Galileo." She faltered, this was all going downhill very quickly. "I suppose that's where we are now?" There was no saving this now, Sofie tried to grin, hopefully the security chief didn't have a deep seated loathing for nervous babbling.

Luke watched the ensign walk down the corridor towards him. The woman was considerably shorter than he and a lot smaller but that was to be expected, he was larger than most men so a young ensign he'd have been shocked if she turned the corner and matched him physically. She started off well, her walk seemed to be on the confident side of the scale and up until she spoke she even looked confident. Giving the young woman a small smile he lowered his PaDD and looked at her

"We are most certainly on the threshold of the Galileo, Ensign Sofie Ullswater with an F not PH." He chuckled "I certainly don't think that's weird, so take a breath and relax I'm here to help you get settled in and show you around the ship. Not to interrogate you, unless there's something I should be made aware off?" he teased.

Clearly he was doing his best to set her at ease so Sofie tried and do her part and try to stop acting quite so much like an ensign caught in the headlights. "Nothing that springs to mind sir!" She said matching his humorous tone and found herself calming down a bit "Thank you sir, sorry about that." Then she swung the bag on her shoulder down a bit and pulled a PADD out of its pocket and held it towards him "Here are my assignment details."

Luke gave it a quick glance. "Save that for your department head, Lieutenant Sandoval. She will be the one to take care of the official assignment orders, I am just here to help you get settled in the absence of a fully established crew at this time." He reaffirmed before nodding to the officer manning the airlock "Ok, shall we? I am sure you have plenty of questions." He asked his arm outstretched pointing into the ship.

Following the commander's arms with her eyes Sofie's face lit up with excitement - the momentary nervousness rapidly fading. "That would be wonderful," she put the PADD in her hand back into her bag. Moving it into a more comfortable position she gestured to it with her head and asked "Do you think we stop by my quarters first so I can drop off my stuff? My quarters are..." She fumbled back the same PADD out of the bag and checked it again. "They're on deck 3."

"Deck 3, Section 16, Room 11, 03-1611 for short." Luke said as if rehearsed "Of course It's where I usually start these little introductions anyway since you'll be spending more time here than anywhere else. We'll take the turbo lift at the end of the corridor your quarters are shared but currently, no one else is occupying them, she's still yet to arrive I believe, she a good girl if a bit of a firecracker" Luke advised.

Sofie began to walk with the commander towards the turbolift and motioned with the PADD again "Yep, I've got her listed as Lieutenant Rice. I don't think I've met her yet though. She's part of your department I think." She paused for a moment realising she hadn't confirmed this yet and if she'd got this wrong then her earlier verbal blunders would look almost cheery in comparison "You are Commander Wyatt, right sir?"

Luke nodded "Good, I'm glad to see you've done some research usually I'd introduce myself but I had to stop you from combusting in sheer panic" He teased as he entered the turbolift. "You'll find Lieutenant Rice a more than accommodating roommate especially if you like a drink, she'll steer you straight so any problems that you can't go to your chain of command go to her"

Sofie blushed almost like she was combusting as the commander mentioned her earlier gaffes but as soon as the turbolift whirred into motion she found herself with a massive grin that she quickly tried to hide - this was her first trip on her new home's turbolifts. "Thanks for the advice sir." She patted the bag at her side noting the presence of the intricate bottle of kanar within, she was glad she'd decided to bring it now.

As the turbo lift opened Sofie stepped out and looked up and down the corridors "Which way now?" she asked, she had looked up some deck plans earlier but directions were never her strong point.

The turbo lift they had taken opened up to a singular corridoor with the option to either go left or right "Left, there only a few rooms on this deck you'll be glad to know but its a little more compact than the others." He allowed her to move out first before stepping out of the lift the doors closing behind them and onwards to its next ferry. "First left and the first door on the left"

Sofie nodded and began to walk in the direction the commander had indicated with a slight spring in her step. If it hadn't been for the fact that she was being escorted by a senior officer she might have skipped or run or any number of other things. The deeper she was getting into the belly of the ship the more and more elated she was all becoming - this was about to become home. She didn't say much as they walked, getting a bit lost in thought, but did think to ask "Any idea how the food is going to be?"

"Already thinking about lunch? It's nine o'clock?" He joked thinking about the question "Providing there's no replicator malfunction and the arboretum remains functional we should see a good variety of food. We also stock up on fresh food whenever we have the opportunity know we have a dedicated chef aboard. Pray that we don't have to revert to rations" Luke added as they turned the corner and the door to her room revealing itself. "That's you," He said pointing for the young ensign.

Sofie's heart began to beat quickly in nervous excitement. Through this door was a room she would have to live in for months on end. This was going to be her world, her place of solace and her space to let go. She really hoped it would be nice. Slowly she moved her hand to the control panel to unlock the door. She turned to the commander and grinned before pressing the button.

The door opened with a quiet swoosh and the quarters were revealed. Sofie stepped in and looked around, eyes lighting up and jaw-dropping. The room was clearly spacious - big enough for two at least - and it had a window out of which she could see part of the shipyard. There was a table, some chairs, the living space was certainly larger than that of the accommodation she'd stayed in while at the Academy. This was going to be home, her first home on a starship. She dropped her bag to the ground and let out something approximating a squeak of excitement.

Luke didn't want to ruin the moment for the young woman he stood patiently waiting on the outside of her quarters when he heard the quiet and short squeak. Luke chuckled to himself and tried to remember the first time he had stepped onto a starship. Unfortunately for him, however, the dominion war was ongoing and there wasn't any time to enjoy the niceties of his bunk he found himself in battle for weeks if not days. Oh, to be young he thought.

Sofie quickly took a look into the other parts of the room taking it all in. She found the beds and sat on one to check how comfortable they were (they were comfortable enough, she decided) and then moved on to look at the rooms other facilities. As she was doing this she remembered that perhaps now was not the best time as there was a senior officer just outside the door waiting for her. She picked up her bag and put it down on the table in the centre of the room before trotting back outside to meet up with him with a look of absolute glee on her face. "It's amazing!" she said excitedly and then, composing herself "Where too next sir?"

Luke was in mid-thought about the mission ahead when the young ensign emerged from the room "First we'll go visit the Bridge, its best to get it out the way and is one of the furthest away points from where you'll spend most of your time, that said you'll probably still find yourself there at least a few time a day." He said pushing of the wall and making his way to the turbo lift. "How did you find your room?"

"Its great!" The young ensign answered brightly, following Wyatt down the hallway. Her mind wasn't on her own room anymore though - the word bridge had really captured her imagination. She hadn't been on the bridge of a starship since graduating and not only that but it was going to be her place of work. Her pace quickened slightly in anticipation and she looked up to the commander with a slight expression of awe "What's it like - working on the bridge?"

“It’s.... organised chaos” he said with a half grin, “there’s hell of a lot going on even during a quiet day so when things get busy... we’ll lets just say that’s where the XO and captain earn their money” Luke stepped into the turbo lift informing it to take them to the bridge. “It shouldn’t be busy now but if it is to try and be mindful of other people” he advised.

Boarding the ship, getting in the turbolifts for the first time, seeing her new room - that was nothing compared to this. As the turbolift whirred upwards Sofie felt possibly the height of the nervousness (or was it excitement?) she'd felt so far. She nodded in acknowledgement of Wyatt's advice. The turbolift came to a halt and the doors slid open Sofie poked her head around the door sheepishly to take in the scene on the bridge. It didn't look busy. She looked up to the commander for confirmation that they could enter.
Luke observed Sofia with a small smile before nodding "Knock yourself out kid, You're lucky it seems like there's not to many people around. Try not to touch too much but I don't think you'd do any damage having a play" He said as he moved onto the station to talk to the on-duty security officer.

It would later be hard for Sofie to describe those first moment on the bridge with any degree of reality. It felt like a dream, in a few ways it was a dream. Perhaps a dream come true or perhaps a culmination of a half remembered dream from years ago - a space constructed by her mind that now found fruition in this hollow reality. She didn't really know what to think as she stepped out of the turbolift and set down her feet. The excitement was dying to be replaced by a mixture of melancholy and purpose - that powerful combination that overcomes one when in a moment they know they will look back on someday - that feeling that one day she would consider this a momentous event.


[OFF]

Lieutenant Commander Luke Wyatt
Chief off Security
USS Galileo-A

Ensign Sofie Ullswater
Science Officer
USS Galileo-A

Chief Petty Officer Kala Gorvel (PnPC Jake)
Engineering Oficer
USS Galileo-A

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