Something New To Emerge
Posted on Fri Oct 4th, 2024 @ 8:42pm by Captain Akiva ben-Avram & Commander Arianna Frost
1,435 words; about a 7 minute read
Mission:
Mission 0: Everybody Has A Story
Location: Various
Timeline: 2375
Dawn broke loudly that morning. Where usually there was time to wake up, prepare for the lessons and the day, prepare for the research, today the deskop display was up early, lit up, a sound of a message received.
The first message arrived at 05:00 on the second.
Lieutenant JG ben-Avram, your participation in the research project is has been discontinued effective immediatly. Commander Bruce Maddox. Said the message.
At 05:15, the display lit up again, followed by the message received sound.
Reminder, you are to report to the Starboard Intake Bay 2, at 05:30 hours for induction onboard your posting with the USS Antioch, as Computer Systems Specialist. Chief Warrant Officer Charzekh. Quartermaster, USS Antioch.
At 05:20, another message arrived.
Lieutenant JG ben-Avram, confirming your reassignment to the USS Antioch. All your effects, bar your belongings in your quarters have been beamed aboard the USS Antioch. Confirming your indictuion at 05:30 hours. Wishing you a successful tour. Academy Registrar, Crewman J. Huntley.
At 05:30, the USS Antioch communications team sent another message.
Lieutenant JG ben-Avram, you are due for your sign in with the USS Antioch, please report to the Starboard Intake Bay 2, post haste. The ship departs at 06:30 hours. Chief Warrant Officer Charzekh. Quartermaster, USS Antioch.
Another message at 05:35 hours.
Lieutenant JG ben-Avram, you are late for your sign in with the USS Antioch, please report to the Starboard Intake Bay 2, post haste. The ship departs at 06:30 hours. Chief Warrant Officer Charzekh. Quartermaster, USS Antioch.
The message repeated at 05:40 hours, at 05:45 hours, at 05:50 hours.
"What in the world..." Akiva had to read each message a handful of times just to be certain of their meaning. How was it possible? He quickly dialed a transmission to Maddox's lab.
The transmission read as sent out, but the receiving end did not respond. The transmission, for the lack of a better term, rang out, after a few minutes.
"Why..." It made no sense. Akiva had been transferred to a ship and Commander Maddox was not answering. This was a misunderstanding. There could be no other explanation.
Akiva quickly dressed himself and headed down to Starboard Intake Bay 2 before he received any more messages. It appeared this was something he would have to clear up in person. When he arrived at the berth, he was still certain it was a mistake. Hopefully he could clear it up with the Quartermaster.
"I'm looking for Chief Charzekh," Akiva said to the nearest goldshirt, possibly a Security officer if the phaser was any indication.
A considerably smaller man, with light blue skin, fin-like ears, and a darker blue streak running across his bald head stepped over, looking appropriately displeased.
"Lieutenant JG ben-Avram!" Charzekh bellowed at Akiva. "Where in seventeen pits of Shoveth have you been? You are late, we were about to leave without you! Is this what the young officers have come to nowadays? Stand at attention when I'm talking to you!"
Akiva winced at the reprimand even though he technically outranked the other man. "I was unaware of any transfer orders until your message, sir... Chief." He did his best to stand up straight but the slouch was insurmountable due to the awkward tension of the moment. "In fact, I must insist that there is some mistake here. A clerical error as such. You see, I am a resident junior instructor at the Academy. I have active projects in the works. I simply can't be assigned a post on a starship."
The small blue man stared up at Akiva, though his demeanor greatly softened, as did his voice. "No mistake or clerical error. You were a junior instructor at the Academy, son." Said Charzekh as he handed him a PADD. "Your transfer papers, in case you haven't had a chance to read them." He then took out another PADD from his pocket and tapped a few commands in. "Welcome aboard the Antioch, Lieutenant JG ben-Avram. Here's your Quarters Assignment. Hurry up and stow your gear. Ship is leaving soon."
"This can't be happening..." Akiva said under his breath. "It... it just can't be." He tapped his combadge. "Ben-Avram to Commander Maddox."
No reply. Wherever Maddox was, it wasn't in range of the communications grid. That was strange. He had a lecture today. Or did he? Something was very wrong.
"Where's... I need to speak to whoever is in charge of Security," Akiva told Charzekh. "Can you direct me?"
The Chief sighed and nodded, "down the corridor, turn right, Turbolift at the end, go to Deck Three. You'll want Lieutenant Celesia."
After wandering Deck 3 for far longer than he cared to admit to himself, Akiva made it to the Security Office. He was well past flustered by the time he arrived, though he wasn't one to show it.
"Excuse me," Akiva mumbled when he walked inside.
There weren't desks so much as work stations crammed together in the tight space afforded to them. Doors leading to the Armory, the Brig, and the Chief Security Officer's office were on the adjoining walls, but everybody seemed to be out in the open.
"Excuse me!" Akiva repeated, this time more frantic. "I'm looking for Lieutenant Celesia! It's... it's important!"
A dark-haired bajoran woman with extremely light blue, almost translucent eyes, stepped behind one of the side panels. "Everything brought to security is important." She said, her tone slightly accented. "I'm Lieutenant Celesia Rahn, Chief of Security. I assume you're Lieutenant JG ben-Avram? Chief Charzekh says you think you've been assigned to the wrong posting?"
Her dark hair was pulled back into a severe bun. Her nasal ridges had a v-shaped ridge between yer eyebrows and were quite pronounced. This severe look and her quite toned physique made up for her severe lack of height.
The question made Akiva visibly deflate. While it was the end of the world for him, the Security Chief seemed to be fully aware of and indifferent to his predicament. Still... he had to know.
"Ah, yes," Akiva confirmed. "That, that was me. I'm having a difficult time contacting Commander Bruce Maddox. He doesn't appear to be anywhere nearby which can't be right. Could... could you please locate him? I'm sure he can clear this up."
Celesia sized him up for a moment. "Come with me, Lieutenant." She motioned for Akiva to follow her.
At last! They were finally getting somewhere. Akiva followed along as ordered with a pep in his step.
As they entered her office, she motioned for Akiva to sit down and then she sat opposite him at her desk and tapped a few commands on her laptop display and then turned it to him.
"You know Ensign Vasara Shim, Commander Maddox's Assistant, yes? This was the memo sent by Ms Shim, moments ago, as you can see by the time stamp," Celesia said. "As you can see, she confirms in the transfer in the memo sent by the Commander's office."
That gave Akiva pause. It matched the message he had received as well. At first he had thought it was just an automated notification, or perhaps Commander Maddox had reluctantly forwarded something out of his control. On reading it a second chance, Akiva realized...
"He reassigned me himself." Akiva was more than stunned; he was gutted. His mouth quivered as he fought to speak words that wouldn't formulate. What could he say? "He reassigned me himself." The words repeated and were just as true as before. What had he done wrong? He was supposed to follow Maddox on a research project. Now he was being sent on a mission to nowhere far away from the research and development hub he was promised. "I... I understand," he said, the weight of the situation finally sinking in. He had been used up and cast aside into the rank and file personnel of Starfleet. Ship duty. That was what his future held now. "I'm... I apologize for having wasted your time."
Rahn observed the emotions dance across the younger man's face. "I'm sorry it's not the answer you expected, Lieutenant. If it helps, the Antioch is a good ship with plenty to do. I'm sure you can find your place here too."
"Right..." Akiva nodded without really listening. "I... I should go see to my quarters... and my department head..." He looked at Rahn long enough to say, "Goodbye." And then he made to leave, though not before wiping his eyes dry.
Rahn stared after the man for a moment before shaking her head and sighing. "Humans..."
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