A New Beginning
Posted on Tue Dec 17th, 2024 @ 11:02pm by Captain Daegan Baas & Lieutenant Commander Ridge Maguire
2,353 words; about a 12 minute read
Mission:
A New Beginning
Location: Earth Space Dock / Utopia Planitia
[USS Europa - Bridge - SD 76993.65]
Smoke filled the bridge as consoles crackled and the ship lurched violently. Regaining his seat Daegan yelled out over the alarms. "Report!"
"Helms not responding, sir!"
"Fire the port RCS thrusters, to try and slow this spin!"
"Captain! This port nacelle is gone! We are drifting into the Badlands..."
Daegan looked at the flickering display trying to see what they were head for. "All HANDS BRACE FOR...."
[Earth Space Dock - Guest Quarters - SD 77035.78 - 0420]
Daegan bolted upright in bed. Sweat beaded his forehead as he took a deep breath, swinging his legs out onto the floor he sat on the edge of the bed as he wiped his forehead. Looking back behind him, he saw Jules looking up at him.
She had rolled over on her side, one hand resting on the small of his back, as she watched him surface from his nightmare. "Same dream," Jules asked, concern dropping the tone of her voice, making it softer, more intimate. "It's been happening more often lately."
He nodded reluctantly. "I think it may be that they still haven't issued the final report on the incident; or they have and that's what Admiral Jennings wants to see me about this morning."
"Could be," Jules said as she sat up, stretching, "Do you want me to sniff around a bit? See what I can find out?"
He smiled at her, always the intel officer, but shook his head. "No need. I meet with Jennings, glancing to the clock, in at 0930 anyway. I'm sure I'll find out then; one way or another." Getting up he padded over to and opened a drawer pulling out some workout clothes. "Since I'm up I might was well get in a run. A couple of laps around the station's central park should clear my head. How about after I get back, and changed we can go get some breakfast at that coffee shop on the promenade?"
"Sounds good," Jules said. "I've got a session at the dojo but I should be back in plenty of time." She slid out of bed and headed over to the closet, along with a spot to hang up clothes, there was also a set of shelves where she kept everything that didn't go on a hangar, neatly folded and organized. "Coffee sounds heavenly."
"Sound like a plan then." Reaching around her he grabbed his running shoe give her his usual pat on her butt. After all the years they'd been together that's was one of the things he had never stopped doing. Sitting on the edge of the bed he chuckled as he pulled on his shoes, remembering back to when they first start officially seeing one another.
Jules dressed quickly and pulled her hair up into a bun on top of her head, without using a mirror, instead, admiring his lean form. Twenty-one years and a whole lot of adventures later, she still didn't tire of the view ... or the man. "Masterson will be eligible for parole soon," she said quietly. "They say her rehabilitation is going well."
His head snapped towards her, "Now THAT was a name out of nowhere. Been keeping tabs on the enemy have you?"
"You try being kidnapped ... twice ... by a lunatic who has laid claim on your husband," Jules said. "Of course, I keep track." She rolled her head once and brought her fists up into position for a moment. "And work out regularly." She grinned cheerfully. "I'm all for rehabilitation but I'm still going to be prepared for eventualities."
"Well don't be too hard on her...", running his hands down his frame and posing over dramatically, "...I guess just have that effect on women."
"On lunatics anyways," Jules shot back as she walked over to him, fisted her hands in his t-shirt and pulled him close. "And if you know any other lunatics, now would be the time to get that off your chest."
He took her chin is his hand. "Just me...being crazy for you." Closing the distance he stole a kiss.
Jules leaped up, wrapping her legs around his waist, easier when you were as short as she was, and kissed Daegan back with interest as the saying went. "Right back at you," she whispered into his ear.
Looking down at her as they separated, contemplating a different type of exercise.
[0930]
Daegan stepped out to the lift into the administrative area of Earth's massive space dock. Separate from the Operations center for the station, this area housed the Admiralty and staff that ran a lot of the day-to-day operations for Starfleet. He was anxious and dreaded the pending meeting all at the same time. It had been almost a month now after the loss of the Europa and still nothing. Even though he knew the Admiral he took a deep breath before entering. Entering the office he saw Admiral Jennings was sitting on the edge of his receptionist's deck with a cup of coffee in hand as they laughed about one thing or another.
Looking up to see who had entered he immediately came off the desk as he sat his coffee aside. Stepping forward extending his hand warmly. "DAEGAN! It's been too long. I was glad to hear you and Jules were okay. How are you doing?"
The jovial greeting was unexpected, but he shook his old friend hand as the Admiral put his hand on his shoulder. "Jules is Jules...as always." He added with a grin. "But I lost my ship and 23 of my crew...and I still haven't heard anything about the investigation."
"What?" That was closed over a week ago. You haven't heard anything?"
"Not a word. Though we were in transit from Bajor to Earth at that time. But we were traveling under orders, so it wasn't like Starfleet didn't know where we were."
Shaking his head. “Bureaucratic mentally…” Looking to his aid, just appearing from a side corridor. “Lieutenant, find out why Captain Baas wasn’t included in the notifications on the final report on the Europa ruling.”
Nodding. “Yes sir.”
Admiral Jenkins motioned to his office as he retrieved his coffee. “Come, let’s talk.”
Deagan led the way into the office, but remained standing until the Admiral came around his desk and sat.
“Will you sit down you ‘ol sour puss. You know with that expression of yours I should assign you to the Academy. Just you walking around scowling would scare the cadets into not doing anything stupid.”
Daegan’s lip curled slightly at that a smile breaking his features.
“That’s better. Speaking of the Academy. Remember when we…”
Daegan raised a hand pointing at the Admiral, smiling. “That was your fault.”
Jenning grinned, “True, but you took the hit for it.”
Daegan shrugged. “That was friends do. Especially when that friend was already had a few strikes on him.” Gesturing to the office in general. “Seems that you straightened yourself out pretty well though.”
Nodding in agreement, “I can’t complain. Though I had always thought you’d be the one to get Admiral before any of us.”
Shaking his head. “I’d rather be out there,” gesturing to the portal, “than behind a desk.”
“Ever the man of action...Well you’re gonna love what I’ve got ya. But first; about the Europa.” Jennings paused, his arms resting on the desk as he lifted his hands up. “I want you to know there was nothing you or your crew could have done.
“What caused the initial explosion, and the loss of the nacelle, was a Romulan mine. A cloaked relic from the Dominion War. It was probably deployed by a War Bird during a battle…Who knows. Seem it had been adrift all these years and was jump dumb luck that it was the Europa that hit it. The Romulan Senate expressed their sincerest apologies to the loss of your ship and those of your crew.”
Letting out a huff. “So the speed of the impact and the resulting detonation tore the nacelle off, sending the ship into the spin. The resulting overloads and secondary explosions kept us from being able to regain control which sent us into the Badlands and the plasma storms did the rest.”
Jennings nodding solemnly. “Exactly. But enough of the melancholy, I have an assignment for you and a new command.”
Daegan cocked his head slightly. “A new ship?”
That’s right. The USS Valkyrie. She just been commissioned, fresh from the Utopia yards and a short shakedown run to Andor and back. She docked at Utopia and waiting for you.”
Nodding approvingly, “The Valkyrie…I like the name. What class?”
Jennings ignored the question and after a few inquiries the pair beamed to one of the station’s shuttle bays where a pilot was waiting for them. Once cleared of the station’s traffic it was a short trip to the Utopia Planitia yards. Despite repeated attempts to get any information of the ship he surrendered, allow his friend to keep his secrets, but they did discuss the ships fleet assignment and orders.
Once they arrived they didn’t dock in one of the shuttle bays. Instead, they entered the station’s cavernous dock through a pair of open space doors. The shuttle flew straight for the central spire where several ships were docked. There were several ships docked and he looked over them all as they move closer. The new Constitution class, a Dunderstadt, an Echelon, but they passed them all and turned abeam towards a Ross class starship.
Daegan leaned forward a bit in his seat. “A Ross class, that's a big ship…”.
Jennings grinned as they slowed, coming up over the ship’s saucer, Interrupting the Captain’s comment. “That’s not the Valkyrie…as they cleared the saucer, “THAT’S the Valkyrie”.
Approaching the ship from it’s forward, starboard quarter. Jennings watch his friend’s reaction. “Vesta class, 22 decks, fully integrated, aft landing deck with elevator, and a quantum slipstream drive.”
Daegan barely listened to the Admiral list of a few of the ships feature and capabilities, as he looked over the ships lines. Unlike most of the new ships being produced, the Valkyrie was one of the remaining classes of starship to retain the sleek curves and streamline configurations. In the Valkyrie’s case it was most likely due to the needed hull geometry for the quantum drive. Regardless of the reason she looked like she could slice through anything with ease.
The pilot smiled as the Captain stared at his new ship, and it wasn’t the first time she’d seem that expression. Her hands moved over the console taking the Captain on a visual tour of the exterior of the ship flying the shuttle almost sideways to keep the majority of the view port toward the Valkyrie.
Glancing to the pilot at her maneuvers he spoke as he took in every detail of the ship. “I might have to steal your pilot.”.
Eventually the approached the main shuttle bay they flew in, penetrating the forcefield. As the landed there was an assembled detail waiting for the Admiral and their Captain.
As the hatch to the shuttle opened a crew member sounded the traditional call and the senior officer present call the bay to attention. “Admiral on deck!”
Jennings had glanced to Daegan to see his expression had returned to his typical stoic-ness, smirking a bit as he whispered. “Don’t scare them too much”
The pair approach the Lieutenant commanding the detail, “Permission to come aboard?”
“Granted sirs”
The Admiral looked to the Captain next to him and back to the assembled detail. “Well. I’ve never been one for long speeches, nor did I care for them when I was in your shoes. So….Computer Transfer all command codes for the USS Valkyrie to Captain Daegan Baas as of this date. Authorization, Jennings 3 Delta 748 Romeo.”
“Transfer complete. The USS Valkyrie is now under the command of Captain Daegan Baas.”
Daegan stepped forward. “Something he never was or will be…”
Several of those closest in the detail snickered, as intended, at the dig on the Admiral. Looking about those that had snickered locked up immediately as Daegan scanned the detail, probably thinking the Captain’s stoic expression was intended for them.
“At ease. Computer, all station.”
“Channel open.”
“Crew of the USS Valkyrie, this is your Captain. A lot of work remains to be done before we depart, for all of us. You already have your orders from the dock master on completing the remaining preparation. In that regard you know what need to be done so there is no need for me to repeat what has already been covered. The biggest question on most of your minds is, what do I expect from you. That’s simple, I expect the best…and you will get nothing less from me.
“I still have to select the ship's XO and senior officers. So if anyone hearing this feels you are up to the task feel free to submit for the position.
“Another question no doubt on your minds is where are we headed. This to, has another simple answer. The Valkyrie is a ship of exploration, so we are headed into the unknown; to Deep Space 5…and 4…and beyond. We will use the time it takes to get there to work any bugs out of the ships systems as well as getting to know one another. No one is perfect, everyone has their short comings, but a crew…a family comes together, they adapt, over coming these individual short comings, and are stronger for it.
“The Valkyrie is one of the newest, and fastest, ships in the fleet. The fleet doesn’t know what the Valkyrie is capable of…But They Will. Captain Out.”
After nodding to the Lieutenant the detail was dismissed and Jennings stepped up. “Let go take a look at your ship.”
Captain Daegan Baas
CO - USS Valkyrie
Admiral Jennings - NPC
Played by Baas
Julianna "Jules" Raihan-Kurral
Played by Ridge Maguire
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