Cadet Review

Posted on Thu Apr 23rd, 2026 @ 12:54pm by Petty Officer 1st Class Ayol & Commander Alex Flynn & Cadet Senior Grade Bellis & Cadet Senior Grade Camilaar 'Cam' of Rhade & Lieutenant Chase Olson & Cadet Senior Grade Bird Brennick & Cadet Senior Grade Peyet & Cadet Senior Grade Iplik, Son of Raavon & Cadet Senior Grade Bulros, Son of Vell

1,027 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Shoreleave [3-4]
Location: Great Hall, Civilian Sector
Timeline: Morning - MD20

"Welcome Cadets. I am Commander Alex Flynn, First Officer. You are today coming aboard DS13, one of Starfleet's most unique installations. No doubt some of you have heard of Starbase 80 and their quantum fissure, thinking that this is just another one of those. Let me be the first to tell you that such thoughts will leave you unprepared." Alex did her best to suppress the more ambiguous pronunciations in her Scottish accent.

"The anomaly here in the Dreizhen system possesses none of the qualities of the Starbase 80 fissure. In fact, it has no properties whatsoever that our sensors can detect. It can't be seen. It can't be scanned. What we can tell you, is that every six and a half days, give or take an hour, it swaps itself to another reality. And not just a universe where everyone you know is there except they're evil, or they all wear different hats, so far we've only encountered realities where short of the existence of humans, nothing is as we know it."

"Other than the entirely inscrutable and unprecedented hole in space that gives us the occasional gift of insane alien enemies and remarkable friends, this is actually a fairly quiet assignment. Mostly the anomaly links to empty intergalactic space. We've got an entire system to explore, and we've only really taken a good look at a couple of the planets. Anything that comes through the anomaly is classified top secret. Talk about it, and it's the same as giving the Breen our command codes or shield frequencies. Obviously there are civilians here, so we don't expect everything to be secret forever. But we're going to do what we can to keep a hold of any information." Flynn said.

"So, are there any questions?" She asked the hall full of cadets.

Bellis raised her hand.

"Yes, you. Please state your name and department for the group." Flynn asked, not having memorised names or assignments yet.

"Cadet Bellis, communications. There have been rumours that the defector Captain Drusilla Creon is here. Are these true?" Bellis asked directly, her Tyrakhean accent giving the words a tang.

"It is true, yes. But Drusilla Creon is Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to our ally the Romulan Free State. Any history she has prior to attaining that role is irrelevant to how we treat her. I hope everyone understands that." Flynn said to the group, confident that if one of them had heard the rumour, so too would have others.

Bellis nodded. It was a good answer for her.

Another Cadet raised his hand. "Cadet Bul, medical. Is it true that there could be like, a universe where it's only naked ladies?" Despite being obviously part-Klingon he had an unenthusiastic and unpolished way of speaking that often came out of the dense inner cities of human colonies, one that sounded at once like he either possessed great wisdom or lived with an impediment, perhaps both. There was some embarassed laughter, and some genuine.

"Yes." Flynn said simply. "However, there's also an equally good chance of a universe where everyone wants to punch you in the dick. You, specifically." Flynn told the cadet, silently relieved to have had a softball question.

"Weak." Bul responded with what might have been disappointment.

"Commander, Cadet Camilaar of Rhade, engineering," the Felinoid raised a paw-hand. "Would there be any chance I can join the construction and repair teams? The faster this station is finished the better off we all will be." He grinned, though he wasn't quite interested in the anomaly that much, hopefully when alien technology lands in their hands—he'd get to help pick at it.

"That would be a question for your chief, but good hustle." Flynn told the cadet, in a tone she hoped wasn't dismissive. She admired his moxie.

"Cadet Brennick, comms. Is it true that there's an original Constitution-class still in service here?" The cheerful looking Angosian Cadet asked.

"That's... not a question with a simple answer. Original not so much, but there is a version of the USS Excalibur in service as one of our garrison ships." Flynn explained.

"Awesome." Brennick said with a quiet laugh to himself.

"Cadet Iplik, son of Raavon. Communications. Commander, will we be expected to have our memories erased if we see things that are too above top secret?" The Klingon asked with an incongruent north American accent.

Bellis was as surprised by the question as she was the Klingon's accent. She had not met any Klingons from Earth before. She hoped the answer was not also surprising.

"I really hope that's not a serious question. No, we don't erase anyone's memories." Flynn said, wondering why it seemed to be the American Klingons with the weird questions. It wasn't a subculture she'd encountered previously.

"Commander, Cadet Cam," Camilaar shortened his name for speed, "may we request duty shifts aboard the USS Excalibur?"

"Again, probably something to discuss with your chief. We'd love to be able to consider preferences, but the job comes first, expect to be assigned where you're most needed." Flynn said to all of them.

"Alright, thank you for your questions. Before we let you go, the quartermaster has a few words to say. Some of you know Lieutenant Olson already, those that do know to take him seriously. Lieutenant?" Alex yielded the floor to the eccentric human.

Olson took Flynn's place at the top of the stairs, looking at the rows of Cadets below.

"Alright zygotes, listen up and listen good. I'm Lieutenant Olson, and I'll be your quartermaster until some dread thing out the anomaly drags me screaming to my doom. I talk fast, I think fast, and I have absolutely zero patience for cadets who don't take this briefing seriously. Understood? Right!" Olson ranted shoutily and rapidly in his unplaceable accent at the host of young soon-to-be-officers with more theatrical flare than he usually put in, as he went through the basics of quarters assignment, safety, requests, and all the usual admin, but with a level of threat that made it memorable, and made even the most laid-back cadet take it seriously, for fear that Olson's slightly exaggerated mania wasn't an act.

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