Oh By The Way....

Posted on Sat May 11th, 2019 @ 4:58am by

1,467 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: What Stalks The Night
Location: Transit Station. Earth

Will with orders to report to the Valkyrie headed to the nearest transit station which was just down the campus that was Starfleet Command. Where ever he looked people were rushing, walking in groups or laughing and joking about the poor weather. Will was rounding a corner when he spotted his CAG, Lt Luthar. He'd not really gotten to know the man much, all he knew was mostly what his jacket read, a talent pilot, passionate and driven. He also knew what he'd heard, engaged to a marine which made Will wonder how bumpy a ride that was.

Will also knew that duties on board this collosal ship was about to grow a great deal for the CAG. "Lt. Luthar, strange to see you here. I would have thought you would be test piloting the new fighters, or at least tinkering with one.

Zan was not expecting to hear his name called, even less so to see the Captain. He could have swore he was a Commodore before. "Captain..." A puzzled expression on his face. "Captain?"

"A long story." Will answered.

"What's going on Sir, we got a message to report to the Valkyrie." Zan spoke with that same puzzled expression. "What's the Valkyrie, where is the Dreadnought?"

Will ushered Zan onto the transport that had arrived. Once on board and the door closed Will answered. "Dreadnought's gone. What ever that thing was that infected the ship damaged her spaceframe well enough to take her off the active list."

"But they got it all right, I mean, its dead, dead dead." Zan asked.

"From what I'm told, yeah." Though even Will secretly doubted that, something like that would have not sparked interest from SFM and SFCE into starting an investigation or two themselves.

"And the Valkyrie?" Zan asked. "Don't get me wrong I like the name, very Norse mythology and all, very fitting actually for a pilot, I knew someone with the callsign but I've never heard of a ship with that name."

"This." Will answered handing Zan a Padd, on it held general information about the Valkyrie.

Zan took a moment or two to absorb the information he was handed, he felt a hand on his shoulder and it walked him out of the transport the old 'walk and talk' routine but in this case it was walk and read.

"Hand." Will spoke as he placed his hand on the reader to identify himself for the transporter padd. "Zan, hand."

Snapping back from his own little world Zan looked up, around and then put his hand on the reader. "This...wha....this is no ship I've ever seen before and in my years I've seen my fair share."

"It's new." Will spoke as he stepped up onto the transporter pad. "U.S.S. Valkyrie." He looked at Zan who was frozen in place. "Hey, Lieutenant, let's go."

Zan's bewildered face gave way to a realisation that the Captain was waiting on him, seconds later he stood next to him awaiting transport.

"Energising." Came the word from the room Chief.

*** U.S.S. Valkyrie's Transporter Room ***

"Permission to come aboard?" Will spoke as soon as the cycle was finished. When granted he stepped off the pad, placed his hand on the reader which identified him.

"Captain Hood, we have been expecting you. Welcome to the Valkyrie." A Commander in red spoke. "I am Commander Kirsty Win. Im the Chief Logistical Officer on board."

"Lt. Zan Luthar, my CAG." William introduced his fellow officer who was still nose deep in the PADD. When he turned to look at Zan he was like a kid standing in a sweet shop with shelves as high as the eye could see in awe. "Who is currently not with us."

It was like the words pulled him back to the moment. "Sorry Captain, just um, a lot to take in." Zan placed his hand on the reader and it read out his identification.

"She is." Kirsty spoke. "Come, I'll take you to the Captain."

As Kirsty lead the way her two companions were struck by the sheer size and scope of the ship now they were. They walked past a massive hanger, and by massive it truly was massive. There were rows upon rows of fighters, of various classes, deck crews, chiefs and everything had its place. It was like a pilots dream.

Walking into a turbolift they were whisked away to the Bridge. By Bridge is was far from what Will or Zan expected. The large room with several sections, a command table up front with walls lined with consoles, each section railed off from the next like a neat and orderly compartment of function. "Right this way gentlemen." Kirsty spoke to the two obviously amazed officers.

A set of doors opened and out walked a Vulcan woman. An image of everything Vulcan right down to how she walked and how she held herself. "May I introduce Captain T'paannil." Kirsty spoke. "Captain William Hood and his CAG, Lt Luthar."

"Welcome aboard the Valkyrie gentlemen. Commander, I believe a tour of the main hanger would be appropriate while I converse with the Captain." T'paannil spoke.

"Aye ma'am." Kirsty spoke, arm out back to the lift with Zan just after he handed the PADD back to Will.

"We should talk Captain Hood."

Short, to the point, direct. Will had a liking for Vulcans, they didn't have time to beat around the bush and they told it how it was, which is what he could do with right now. Together they walked to the large table forward of the main Bridge area where two officers walked away to give the area to the two Captains. Will looked at the table and it showed the entire area around them, every ship holographically marked, information listed next to each. "She is quiet the ship."

"Indeed." The Vulcan woman spoke as she observed William.

"An interesting name to suit too." Will added.

"You know of its significance?" T'paannil asked.

"Norse mythology, a female figure who chose who may live and who may die in battle, of those fallen half are taken to Valhalla, the other to the goddess Freya." Will was glad to have done a little research when he was told what was going on.

"Impressive." T'paannil remarked, the raised eyebrow clear to see. "I have been ordered to hand over command of the vessel to you, the crew from the U.S.S. Dreadnought are en-route to the ship and accommodations have been prepared." T'paannil placed her hand on the table top and instructed the ship to surrender all command codes to Captain Hood. William placed his hand on the table to complete the process.

"I relieve you Captain." Will spoke.

"I stand relieved."

T'paannil and Hood spoke for several minutes after exchanging information relating to the ship but Will knew that the best teacher would be experience itself. This ship was like no other, the size of a small station there would be no such thing as evasive manoeuvres, tactics would need to change from those he was used to employing. Once he was alone he stood staring at the holographics before him, he had mixed feelings about what was going on, this ship, why him, but orders were orders and he'd follow them.

He turned to the viewscreen that currently showed the view ahead. He thought about Vash, would she follow him to a ship like this? Would she want to stay on the planet or would she seek to do her own thing in retaliation for what happened? He couldn't exactly blame her though, he'd not asked about it figuring she would open up and tell him when she was ready. He knew some from Dr Patrovski's report but there was more to it he knew.

"Computer, percentage of Dreadnought crew currently aboard?" Will asked.

"6%." Came the reply.

Today would be a long day, there would be much to do, much to prepare and the day was still young.

*** Ready Room ***

Walking into the Ready Room he saw that it was large, much larger than what he was used to on the Dreadnought. Consoles, chairs, table, sofa all made the room comfortable yet functional. A replicator to the side, a smaller one under his desk to one side where draws would normally be. A model of the ship sat at one end of the desk.

Will sat within the large comfortable chair behind the desk, it was comfortable yet alien to him at the same time. It didn't feel right. He sent out messages to Commander M.Bawden and Colonel Frost to meet with them once they got on board, he'd need to meet with them soon. The rest of his senior staff would follow when they got on board.

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