Posted July 10, 2022, 9:16 p.m. by Lieutenant Commander Serena Stone (Executive Officer) (Sam Haynes)
The Athena was only a couple of hours out from Starbase. Behind them, another ship, the U.S.S. Velocity was paralleling them. It was a Sunlight-class fast frigate, and anyone watching long-range sensors would see it closing on them at breathtaking speeds. Built to be the fastest things in Starfleet’s main fleets, it was clear she was doing just that. Not long after, a message came through that the Velocity was carrying new orders and personnel for the Athena and would catch up shortly.
There was no need to change course and speed.
Less than an hour later the Velocity was drawing alongside the Athena, matching warp bubbles and then dropping back to impulse power.
A minute later the transporter pad shimmered, and as the light faded a redhead wearing Command red with lieutenant commander’s pips stepped off the pad. “I’m Lieutenant Commander Stone. I have orders to hand-deliver to Commander Legan and Captain Wallace.”
NE Higgs nodded and secured his station. “You’re expected. Right this way, ma’am.” Pushing back from the console he quickly escorted the new arrival to the nearest turbolift.
Serena ignored the fact that neither had been there to greet her. This was all very unusual and sudden, but she supposed that was the nature of emergency priority missions. Reaching up she tugged at her collar. It was too freaking tight, and the top didn’t want to sit quite right. She was going to have to have a word with the replicator later.
The doors peeled open and she stepped into the hum of the bridge. “Captain, permission to come aboard?”
“Granted.”
Serena made her way toward the front of the bridge. “Captain. Commander. I have orders from Starfleet, eyes only. If we could go to the Ready Room?”
A moment later, all three were inside. “Apologize for the sudden nature of all this.” She fished a black PADD from her pocket and passed it to Captain Wallace. “Ma’am. My transfer orders and orders for you from Starfleet.” She fished out another Padd, and this one she gave to Orvos.
“My transfer paperwork for you, and… a few updates for you, sir.”
The information was the same for both. The padd for Wallace had her transfer orders off the ship to a crucial emergency mission she was assigned to, with the principal briefs she needed to get started. They were coded to her biometrics and wouldn’t open for anyone else, to ensure even Miss Stone didn’t read them.
For Orvos, they had a few details of Wallace’s transfer, the need-to-know stuff. It also detailed that he was hereby promoted not to acting captain but a full captain. He was ordered to relieve Wallace of command of the U.S.S. Athena by the powers that be for the time being. Lieutenant Commander Stone was to be his executive officer for at least the cruise, or until he found someone better. Or she was dead. That latter one always hung unsaid but was still there.
As she let the two officers read over the paperwork she stood to the side, hands behind her back. Out of sight, her grip around her right wrist was tight, white-knuckled. Sometimes people wanted to shoot the messenger. Others might feel that this was her fault, even though she was just as bent over the table as they were. And not quite happy about it either. She did her best to keep her hazel blue/gray eyes neutral, but there was still tension in her jawline and shoulders that anyone could see.
Wallace sighed and stuffed the Padd in her pocket. As Orvos relieved her of command, she nodded. “I am relieved.” She said her goodbyes quickly, then began making her exit, transferring her things to the Velocity.
Quietly, she stood there, knot in her gut, waiting for whatever blow might fall.
Lt Cmdr Stone
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