What Can I Say? I'm Just That Good.

Posted on Fri Jan 4th, 2019 @ 9:05am by

1,346 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: The Emerald Road
Location: Commodores Office

"Alright!" Rebecca exclaimed.

Curious faces stared back at her from around engineering. She hadn't realized she had said that aloud. "Uh, sorry. Carry on."

Red faced she gathered up her work and scampered out of engineering. Still embarrassed she stood outside the Commodore's office a few minutes later.

Will was in his office having left Sickbay to visit Vash, he didn't want to be on or near the Bridge his his foul mood. The capture of those responcible and the recovery of Vash came first and at a price. One Vash had paid both personally and intimately. He'd left the Bridge under Commander Yashui's care, feeling she would be more suited right now to command than he.

When his door chime sounded, he was hoping the good Doctor was attending to give him an update, something that would lighten his spirits. "Yes." The doors opened, it was not the Doctor, yet a young woman in his doorway. "What can I do for you?" He asked waving his guest in.

Rebecca stepped forward, "Full damage report courtesy of the Chief Engineer," she handed him a PADD. "And here is my Operations Report.."

"Thank you." Will took the reports hoping that they would at least cast a ray of hope for the conclusion of the mission. He knew when they got home there would be questions, difficult questions would be asked and perhaps returning with a ship in good condition would help lessen the blow. "You did well today."

She stood before him at attention, "Thank you sir, but I feel there is room for improvement sir."

"There always is, to think not is to invite complacency and that can be dangerous." Will spoke, he didn't recognise her. He knew her name but the rest however...

"Were you on the Indefatigable already when the Dreadnought crew arrived?" He knew he didn't have a Sandoval on the Dreadnought's senior staff but with this merging of crews while the actual Dreadnought was repaired meant a lot of new faces and names would crop up.

"I came from the Denver sir. Took a shuttle to Starbase 12. From there the Growler, which you met up with to transfer last minute supplies. I apologize for not reporting to you sooner, but with my daughter and this Vash situation my plate was a little full."

"Everyone's plate." Will spoke reading the Chief Engineer's report. Optimistic as the Chief was, Will knew that James had a certain perspective on things to make it not appear as bad as it actually was. That said though considering the attack he'd not given the civilian population on board much thought, his mind otherwise distracted. "Is she ok following the attack?" He asked. "No doubt a scary ordeal for her."

"Aimee?" Rebecca shrugged. "I think so, though I'm not completely sure. You never know. When she was younger I kept her with her grandfather. This will be the first time she's been with me more than a few weeks or a month. But, the holographic nanny I created works well, and she's very independent. This is what she wants, and I took steps to make it happen.

"I met one of counterparts from an alternate reality once. The woman was an Admiral in charge of a whole Starship Group. By all measures she was successful. Made some wise investments on the Ferengi Stock Exchange, and made billions. But, there was one thing she did that I didn't do. After the accident she gave Aimee up for adoption, and her daughter hated her. Her son Ethan grew up never knowing his sister. I don't want to repeat that mistake. Aimee is my strength."

"Hopefully once we return to the Dreadnought where its far more spacious, more suited to civilian and service personnel you might find things better for family means. The Prometheus class lacks much in quantity that the Ascension class does." Will answered. "That said, I do not have children so its not something I've had to think about myself before."

"I have to admit, getting pregnant at the Academy, and losing her father was not on my ten year plan, but I wouldn't change a thing."

Will smiled as he thought back to his Academy days. "The things we get upto in our youth, especially in study of a career." Some of the things he got up to nearly cost him his career, this new venture just might. "Should you be assigned to the Dreadnought once we return I suggest talking more with Lt. Bradshaw, I suspect you two will work closely together considering the size of the ship." Will did like to encourage teamwork, even if this mission he was more out of the team than in it.

"The Bawden's have been parents for some time on at least two previous Dreadnoughts so how life can be on a ship I admit does see more action that the average assignment."

"I will. We seem to get along well so far. I spent most of my short career in engineering, so that's where I'm comfortable. Though, with the Dreadnought being a carrier I will have a heavier work load than your standard operations officer."

A carrier, is that how the fleet classified the class now? He remembered when he was handed the blueprints of his new command and seeing the title of Anti Capital Deterrence. "Indeed, I am sure Lt. Luthar, our CAG, will be in regular contact with you for his departments needs. A good pilot, capable leader but not so much on the paperwork."

"I am not certain if that is the classification," she admitted, "or it's primarily function, but you do have a CAG and your shuttle bay isn't limited to shuttles. I am a certified pilot as well. I was a member of Nova Squadron, though admittedly it isn't what I am best at."

"You should speak to the CAG, I'm sure he might be able to slip you in some hours to keep any certifications current." Will spoke, his mood easing but not by much. While he liked the diversity available in his crew and what they could do he didn't want that distracting them from the primary function. "You might also speak with Commander Bawden at Tactical and Commander Reign at Security, you will also work closely with them in combat situations and anti boarding measures, it might help if you had a feel for how each operates."

"Thank you sir. Of course sir. I'll have to admit tactical is not something I am good at. Engineering is my passion. I thought about being a test pilot for a little bit. That's why I joined Nova Squadron... That and to be completely frank, my fiance was a member too. With classes and labs I didn't have much opportunity to spend any time with him. Childish I know, but I guess I wasn't too far removed from being one. It seems only logical that it would kick in from time to time."

William had thought of a lot of potential career choices in his youth, often leaving him wondering where his life would be today had he taken one of them. Now he would never know because he was Master of a starship, but even that would be left to question when they returned home, cargo in hand, Vash rescued. "I wont take up any more of you're time. It's my hope that the Dreadnought will be repaired when we return or at least in a state we can board her again. You should familiarise yourself with the design, specs and systems on board because they are vastly different to this ship." His hand towards the door indicating she was free to go unless she had additional questions.

Taking the hint she snapped to attention with a click of boot heels and saluted her comanding officer. She saw no point in contradicting him over the studying of the specs. She had already done so long ago. Not wishing to look a fool she had utilized a holodeck to get comfortable with the ship.

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