Starbase Self Care
Posted on Tue Jan 28th, 2025 @ 10:36am by Lieutenant Adana Ramsey
823 words; about a 4 minute read
Mission:
A New Beginning
Location: SB 152
Timeline: Current
The melody of windchimes gently broke Adana's concentration, and she leaned back in her chair after silencing the pre-set alert. She had been intently studying the deck plans of her new assignment and felt content she could recall the layout of all 22 of them when needed. Not that she had to be working so hard at the moment; technically, she was on leave until the USS Valkyrie arrived in two days. But it was the inconvenient fact that she had been unable to join the ship prior to launch that drove her desire to be as prepared as possible when she finally was able to set foot onboard.
In truth, she hadn't intended to apply when she initially heard of the posting. The Aurora felt like home, and the crew... well, it was the closest Adana had connected with others since her roommates at the Academy. The phrase was overused, but they had become a family. Solid, dependable, familiar. And that was why she had giving the open position another look.
The command crew of the Aurora was close-knit and supportive, but it was not going to change for the foreseeable future. The captain and first officer were a pair that would most likely retire from those positions, and the second officer was a relatively youthful Vulcan science officer who seemed perfectly placed to serve on a Nova class science ship. Adana had become a solid Chief of Operations, and she had been given many opportunities to develop her command skills, but at the end of the day, there was no where to advance. Even if the position of second officer had been filled on Valkyrie, it was still a much larger ship with many more opportunities for promotion than she had were she was - so she had submitted her application.
Her interview had gone well. Captain Bass was perhaps a bit more relaxed than the others she had served under, but that was part of the point in seeking a transfer. When she was eventually promoted to the rank of captain herself and given her own ship, it was in her best interest to have experienced a variety of command styles. She had gotten the impression that Bass might be less by-the-book than Captain Moore (or herself), but that didn't mean he was someone who would run a loose ship or tolerate anything less than the best from his crew. Quite the contrary. This was someone who had gained her respect within minutes of their subspace conversation, and she was looking forward to what she was going to learn from him.
But that would be in two days. For now, she had studied her new ship for the entirety of a duty shift and it was time to relax. One sonic shower and a change of clothes later, she stepped onto one of the Starbase's many promenades and took in her surroundings. Restaurants were the most plentiful of establishments, and the thought of a nice dinner in an upscale venue sounded like the best way to start her evening. She wasn't particularly hungry, but subconsciously a fancy meal must have been on her mind when she'd changed from her standard duty uniform into lavender strapless evening dress that was already turning a few heads. Also, elegant restaurants were found on Starbases and on shore leave, not on Federation starships. Best to indulge when one had the chance.
Reviewing her options on a nearby kiosk, she decided to try a place named Babel 152, which specialized in intercultural fusion dishes. Making her way to the restaurant, Adana was seated at a table for one that overlooked a portion of the Starbase's massive arboretum. The hostess informed her that the Chef maintained a garden plot below for most of the fruits, vegetables, and herbs featured on the menu. This piqued her interest and she made a mental note to seek out the plot on her morning walk. An amateur gardener herself, she wanted to see how he managed to cultivate such a diverse crop in what had to be the same soil. Her own gardening had been relegated to hydroponics on her last ship, the 8 decks not allowing space for an arboretum. Perhaps she could arrange for a plot of her own in Valkyrie's expansive facility?
Three exquisite courses and a class of Vulcan Port later, Adana found her self back on the promenade in search of how to spend the rest of her evening. Casinos and dance clubs weren't her thing, but she saw an advertisement for a production of the Klingon opera Shevok'tah gish that began in twenty minutes. She started towards the auditorium. Of course operas could be enjoyed on a holodeck, but a live performance fit her requirement of indulgence. It was also one of her favorites, and she reminded herself to be careful not to hum along. Klingon opera stars hated that.
Lieutenant Adana Ramsey
Chief Operations Officer
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