Awakening
Posted on Fri Jul 26th, 2024 @ 2:38pm by Commander Rovak & Llaudh Drusilla Creon & Rear Admiral Abhishek Singh & Lieutenant Mina Pfeiffer & Lieutenant JG Frak & Petty Officer 1st Class Ayol
Edited on on Sat Oct 26th, 2024 @ 11:56am
853 words; about a 4 minute read
Mission:
Startup Sequence [0]
Location: USS Qaraqorum, En Route to DS13
Timeline: 0400 Hours, MD01 - Stardate 79534.02
Awaken, my love.
Rovak heard his wife’s voice as he woke from slumber. He made a mental note to speak to a Counselor about the recurrence of her in his dreams, once one he trusted was available.
He tapped a button on his bedside console to disable the filters on the forward facing window of his guest quarters. Swirling blue luminescence dominated the field of view, as expected.
The USS Qaraqorum had been travelling at slipstream velocity for almost two whole standard days, DS13 was now only an hour hence.
As he dressed Commander Rovak felt somewhat remiss that he wasn’t there already, but with his own former command reassigned, he had to wait for the first ship going that way, which as it happened was the Engineering crew heading out to perform the refit.
Admiral Singh had gone beyond the duties of a gracious host, he’d brought his entire senior staff together for dinners in the stateroom and treated Rovak and his crew like dignitaries, he’d also gone out of his way to revise some of the planned refit details based on idle observations Rovak had made when they had gone over the schematics. Rovak appreciated the thoroughness.
It was his first time aboard an Odyssey-class. It was in his view somewhat ludicrously sized, the amount of empty space seemed illogically wasteful. In any event, it was comfortable, and it had enough engineers to ensure that DS13 would be operational in as little as a month.
He looked forward to seeing so many others again. Commander Flynn, Ambassador Velt, after his return to Starfleet twelve months ago, he had gone directly into active deep space duty on the Hercules, his children were the only Starfleet officers he knew before his assignment that he’d had time to see.
He reached the bridge a few seconds before 0530.
“Commander, please have a seat.” Admiral Singh gestured to the empty seat next to him, the bridge was in a Galaxy-class configuration.
“Thank you, sir.” Rovak said.
“We are ahead of schedule. How long, helm?”
“Thirty seconds, Admiral.”
“Good gracious, well ahead of schedule. A good thing you’re here Mr Rovak, I’d hate for you to miss the first sight of her.”
“Indeed, sir.” Rovak agreed.
“Arrival in five seconds.” The helm officer announced and all were silent as the slipstream front began to collapse, and suddenly a planetary system rushed at them.
The six transverse arms and central bubble of Deep Space 13 filled the viewscreen, with the blue-green jewel of the system’s lush fourth planet behind it.
“Deep Space 13, this is Admiral Singh, USS Qaraqorum. Requesting permission to dock with your Commander.”
Several faces appeared on the screen, central among them a blonde human woman with a warm but intense gaze, Lieutenant Pfeiffer. She had been the senior officer aboard since the station’s handover had been announced, but had a look of relief as she greeted the ship.
“Admiral, this is Deep Space 13. Welcome ashore, sir. And welcome home, Commander.” Lieutenant Pfeiffer said with a smile.
“On behalf of the Romulan Free State, I welcome you to Port Dreizhen. Jolan tru Admiral, Commander.” Ambassador, or in the Romulan tongue; Llaudh Creon aimed her sharp stare through the screen, affixed directly on Rovak.
“Our gratitude, Llaudh Creon. Jolan tru.”
“Jol-“ Rovak began the greeting as the screen cut out.
“I’m sorry, sirs. That’s my mistake. I assumed the conversation was over.” Ensign Frak at the communications terminal announced sheepishly. Rovak assumed she was one he would be getting for the station. "I'll hail them again."
“No thank you, Ensign Frak. Mistakes happen, but do not let them continue to happen. Commander Rovak is not as forgiving as I am.” The Admiral said in an ambiguous tone that may have been joking.
The helm officer discussed docking plans with the rest of the bridge. In a few minutes, the Qaraqorum was anchored at Dock One. At the airlock, Rovak and the Admiral were joined by his senior staff.
As they stepped foot on the station, a bosun's whistle blew. Yeoman Ayol, the Vorta Rovak had first met a decade ago on Starbase 51. He had learned the manual whistle, using it rather than the digital version most used.
Lieutenant Pfeiffer was there, offering a datapad to the Commander. “At 0545 hours on Stardate 79534.02, I yield command of this station and it’s sytems to Commander Rovak.”
“Thank you, Doctor. I relieve you of command.” Rovak took the padd and imprinted his thumb on it.
"I stand relieved." Pfeiffer responded.
“I believe we all have a lot to do.” Rovak announced, and everyone went about their work.
Llaudh Creon remained, a muted expression of happiness on her face. “Gentlemen, please follow me. It’s very easy to get lost around here at the moment.” She walked slowly, forwards yet sideways, turning back to face the Admiral as she walked. She felt Rovak's gaze upon her as she chatted with the older human. There was much unresolved between them, but there would be time for that later.
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