Not Every Piece Fits....Initially.

Posted on Wed Jul 24th, 2019 @ 9:47am by
Edited on on Wed Jul 24th, 2019 @ 10:16am

2,434 words; about a 12 minute read

Mission: What Stalks The Night
Location: Ready Room

It had been late when Bianca had finally arrived on the Dreadnought, right before they had departed Earth. She wasn't sure what had happened to the last XO, and really that wasn't any of her business. Her one and only concern was carrying out her orders, even if it meant a last minute reassignment. She had been on Earth waiting for transport to the Rio Alto, but orders had come through reassigning her to the Dreadnought instead.

Now, bright and early in the 'morning', Bianca found herself standing outside the door to his office, straightening her uniform and running her fingers through her immaculately neat hair before she reached out and hit the chime, waiting for him to answer.

William sat in his rather large and spacious office. As the hours ticked on by, checkpoints met, all clear signals sent like clockwork they went. So far things had gone to plan for once, routine, business as predictably usual. There was one item of business that required his attention. A new First Officer. This one from what he could tell was from a security background, completed the Bridge Officers Exam, several qualifications, certifications. Otherwise all in all a very good service record. He did wonder that with all her assignments why she would pick this ship, of all ships in the fleet to serve on.

When he heard the chime to his door he looked up from the tabletop console. "Come."

Walking into the office, Bianca paused inside the doors, taking a moment to glance around before her steady gaze fell on Captain Hood, a smile settling at the corners of her lips as she approached his desk, holding her hand out, an air of confidence surrounding her. "Commander Bianca Caselli, I believe you've been expecting me?" she said brightly. "It's a pleasure to meet you Captain Hood."

William had indeed been expecting the Commander. He stood up offering a smile, his hand meeting hers and a gentle shake. "Please, take a seat." The usual pleasantries first. "I hope the size of the ship didn't cause too much of a problem locating your quarters?" He was shown his when he first got on board so he was spared that.

"I found it eventually," Bianca replied with a laugh. "I think it only took me about an hour, but I'm sure I'll get used to it quickly enough." Taking the offered seat, Bianca crossed her legs neatly, resting her hands on her knees as she leaned onto the arm rest of the chair. "She's an impressive ship, that's for sure. I'm not sure I've ever seen on one quite so big."

"She's a first and only." Which gave William a sort of prideful feeling. "Much of her construction and testing was kept secret." Starfleet didn't want word it leaking until it was too late for anyone to do anything about out. "But yes, give it time and I'm sure things will come naturally." Pleasantries aside. "I have to ask, why did you accept this posting? It's a controversial ship, not exactly the kind First Officers want to take if they want to command a starship since this is big enough to qualify as a station."

"I have no immediate desire to command in the near future, and, well," She cast a quick smile. "I've never been one to shy away from a challenge, and, well, it looks like this is definitely going to be a challenge."

"Well with a crew compliment of nearly 7,000 people, a civilian population of almost a thousand it will certainly be one." William spoke. "Do you have any questions, thoughts, considerations that you came here with?"

"I am somewhat curious as to what your expectations of me are," Bianca replied easily. "I mean, it can't be easy to command a vessel that is home to the better part of ten thousand people, so what do you want me to do to help relieve the burdens of your job?"

"With a smaller vessel it is easier to keep a hands on style of command. A Bridge is smaller, the senior staff in closer proximity and easier to manage tasks. As you will have noticed getting her that the Bridge is considerably larger, the ship and crew equally so. If I'm being honest I am a starship captain, not a starbase one. The dynamic needed is different, and I'm going to need your help to maintain the appropriate command authority on board a ship that dwarfs any other in service." Will spoke having through about the answer a number of times before.

"Well it's a good thing I'm not afraid of jumping in and getting my hands dirty," Bianca replied with a laugh. "I also have no commitments holding me back, so my intention is to be one hundred percent dedicated to what is in the best interests of this ship and her entire crew, which includes you, Captain."

"A number of the senior staff came with me from my previous command, you will find them skilled, dedicated though some are less formal that one might expect of a command like this. The Marines for example, Colonel Frost who commands. Or Lt Luthar our CAG." While that was not to say they were sub par officers, they were good at what they did but they didn't like to get bogged down in the politics of situations, only on what they had to do.

"Nothing wrong with being less than formal," Biana said genuinely. "Some of the best officers I've ever worked with have been informal..." She paused for a moment, before looking at him curiously. "Speaking of, how do you want me to address you?" she asked easily. "Sir? Captain? William? Will? Mr Hood?" she paused, taking half a breath as a devilish expression came over her face. "I'm going to assume that Willy is just right off the table completely?" she finished lightly.

"Captain or Will is fine, situation depending." While he had a ship to command and while most of his officers he knew, there were many of them he didn't and unfortunately for him, any one of them could be a reporter to the Admiralty. He was already on thin ice with them as it was, he didn't want to add to the situation if he could avoid it getting misinterpreted.

"Fair enough, Will," she said with a smile as she leaned back in her seat. "Most people just call me Bianca, or Bee. Honestly, I've never been one to stand on ceremony." She watched him for a moment, casting a very discerning gaze over his form. "Tell me more about you... I like to know the people I'm working with, so who are you, Will?"

Will began by explain a bit about his past, hardly anything special as he saw it or recounted it. Like Bianca it was very much down to earth duty and service. He went on to talk about events leading up to his commanding the Ascension class Dreadnought after a bit of story of his younger service. While he couldn't get into much detail about the last mission what he did say was that things grew complicated quickly and that its had lasting repercussions for him.

Bianca nodded along, letting him speak, though the majority of what he told her was stuff already readily available in his jacket. "So, that about sums up your professional history, but who are YOU?" she countered. "Did you always want to be a Starship Captain? What do you like to do for fun? How does your wife feel about being mistress to a few million tonnes of metal? We're going to be working closely together, we may as well get to know one another, don't you think?"

"Honestly I wanted to design ships, I was stationed at UP for some time and I enjoyed it there." Part of him missed it at UP, seeing something take shape over time, creating a vessel with a purpose, a home for others and taking pride in his work. Fun....well there is the rub, fun has been something of a luxury I have not been able to purchase because of previous assignments and the complications arising from them. It's been a while since I was able to take any sort of leave and while I don't mind, I like being busy, fun is something I seldom get to enjoy these days." Thinking about it, he couldn't remember the last time he took any leave. "I am, unmarried." Will spoke.

"You know you should always make a little bit of time for fun, especially if you have no fun to go home to," Bianca chastised with a smile. "You like designing and making things... I don't know, go build a boat on the holodeck?" She offered a shrug followed by a small laugh. "I always wanted to be up here among the stars, except for a brief stint when I was sixteen and decided I wanted to be a dabo girl because it looked like fun."

Will smiled. "I admire your optimism, but wait until you sit in the centre chair and you will discover just how taxing it is, even behind the scenes." Then Will paused. "Since you are taking over the role of First Officer, I should probably brief you on the mission tasking I've been handed." Will called up the details on the monitor and rotated it. "We are carrying a large quantity of gel, yes that kind. We are to follow a set route with regular check ins, with code words at each check in." The route was displayed on the screen, the dots indicating check in points, another list to one side denoting code words for both all clear and under duress.

"Well, nothing like jumping in at the deep end to get started, right?" Bianca replied with a grin as she leaned forward to look at the screen. "What's the time frame allocated for checking in?"

"Within 3 minutes of our arrival of the check point. Our progress is being monitored very closely." Will answered. "When we arrive at a check point the computer is programmed to send a coded message to command, within three minutes of that we supply the designated reply and the code word for that check point of which there are two." There was a pause to let the information sink in. "One of our cargo holds currently holds the gel which is under security guard, the Chief Medical Officer, Chief Engineer, yourself and myself are the only ones permitted free entry however a search will be made before entry." Which reminded him to check in with Lt Bradshaw about those modifications that was raised with him.

"I assume the guards on duty have been thoroughly vetted by security before being stationed in the cargo hold?" Bianca asked, raising one eyebrow curiously. "All in all though it seems pretty straight forward, take the gel, deliver it, go on our merry way." She paused, and grinned. "What could possibly go wrong!"

"Commander Reign is overseeing the security measures in place, though command was reluctant to relinquish custody initially." Will replied. "Well if that is all this mission is going to be it will give everyone a chance to get used to the new ship and become familiar with her operation."

"I can understand why command would have been reluctant to relinquish custody, I mean, it's not like we're carrying a few hundred tonnes of raspberry jam," she said with a quick shake of her head. "I can't even begin to imagine.." her voice trailed off momentarily. "Where it it all going anyway? What the hell do they need that much gel for?"

"I don't ask those kinds of questions because in my experience, I don't need to know or its something I don't want to know. Our tasking is to ferry the cargo and accompanying equipment to the outpost and upon arrival, transmit clearance codes. We will be sent coordinates to beam down the cargo and depart." Hood replied. While his nature would want to ask questions, to know, after the last mission he was on thin ice as it was and he needed to keep below the radar.

"I see," Bianca said with a shrug. "Well, I'm sure we'll find out soon enough if we're meant to. Still, it's curious though isn't it?" She laughed quickly. "Anything else I need to be aware of before I jump in and get started?"

"I'll send the mission tasking to your office, encrypted naturally so that you can review it yourself. Aside from that I would suggest meeting the senior staff, most of them have worked together for over a decade and you, like it or not are an outsider to them. I know that may seem cold since we wear the same uniform, but they need to know you to be someone they can count on, someone they can follow and I think a more relaxed setting might help, something informal. A meet and greet that is not duty laced." Will answered as he forwarded the information and spoke his suggestion.

"Well..." Bianca said, taken a little aback by the bluntness of his remarks. "If that's the case why wasn't a new first officer promoted from within your senior staff?" she asked simply.

"Command assigned her, hand picked by sector operations." Will spoke. As much as he would have liked to have picked someone, nobody wanted it. "The situation was forced because none of the senior staff wanted the role. Some are family people, others enjoy what they do. I'm not going to force a position and the responsibility onto the shoulders of those with no desire of it."

"I see," Bianca said, raising an eyebrow slightly. "Well, I guess this is going to make things interesting for everyone involved then isn't it?" she smirked slightly. "If there's nothing else Captain, I may as well get started. Seems I have a lot of ice to break through."

"Indeed. Dismissed." Will spoke as he stood up. Only time would tell how Bianca would fit in, she had a long term crew standing before her and while they would follow her orders she needed them to work with her, Will needed them to work with her and only she could manage that, with time.

With a smile, Bianca stood up and smoothed the front of her uniform. "Very well, thank you Captain," she said before turning on her heel and heading for the door to head for her office. It looked like she needed to make a battle plan.

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