Crossing A Bridge

Posted on Thu Dec 10th, 2020 @ 10:54am by Commodore Keiben Haistro

1,512 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Episode 2 - Echoes Of An Empire
Location: Deck 1 - Bridge
Timeline: Mission Day 1 @ 1430 Hours

ON

Tamaska had been avoiding the bridge, and hadn't wished to go there as of yet, she'd only been getting updates as to the repairs. She wondered if Keiben had gone there as of yet. Everytime she had thought to go there, she felt a little bit anxious, however it was time that needed to be done. Maybe if she and Keiben were to go together on the bridge it won't be too difficult?

When they both left science , Tamaska remarked to Keiben. "I am going to get changed into my new uniform, and then we need to talk about the elephant in the room so to speak. The thing that I am sure we have been avoiding?" not referring to the bridge by name.

"That is our next Stop number one" Keiben tried the nickname on again, still finding it wasn't quit sitting right with him, likely because he often heard Captain Davies refer to her own first officer in the same way. It was something he would need to adapt too and he could feel she had similar misgivings about the phrase also.

"Don't worry about changing yet, I was only pulling your leg in the meeting with our two new senior officers... More importantly, we both need to see the bridge, we both need to try our new seats out..." he paused for a moment allowing that statement to sit between them as they both had some very large shoes to fill in that regard. "And then I need to listen to you begin to nag me about away missions and the like!" he turned a wolfish grin on her after his last remark already knowing she would want the away mission under her own jurisdiction... Something he knew was hers by right and by regulation.

The turbolift arrived rapidly and deposited them on deck one in next to no time, the joys of a smaller ship. The thing with the Nova Class, instead of the bridge being deck one as with most other federation starships, deck one on a Nova Class also had the Commanding Officers and First Officers quarters, the main conference room and the Captains ready room. They rounded the corner, this deck looking particularly new, the carpets having only been laid a day before and the doors to the big room sat silently before them.

"You ready for this?"

Holt took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Well, not really, but we need to do this. Let's get this done." her heart starting to beat rapidly. She almost wanted to grab Keiben's hand but that will not do. She was an XO and she was right here with the new CO and her friend, it was time to muster up her normal strength and put behind her current emotions to that of more professional. Her heartrate slowed to normal. "I'm right beside you and this will be our 'first' mission to navigate new territory as in, the bridge." giving a bit of a laugh and trying for some levity.

"You know, the thing about my nagging about you not going on away missions etc. Remember, this vessel can actually land on the planet, that in fact changes thing just a wee bit, but we can discuss it at a later date." Tamaska added.

He nodded his agreement to delaying that conversation about the away missions and started forward, the doors to the bridge slipping open before him. What greeted him was the familiar and the new. The familiar was the layout, standard circular room, two seats at the centre of the room for Captain and First officer. In front of them was a console for Flight Control and Operations, this was a fraction larger than the previous iteration as before Ops was one of the surrounding consoles but modern starships seemed to favour putting Operations along with the pilot. Lining the outer of the room were the other consoles. Tactical, Engineering, Science One and Two. All as they had been on the previous bridge. The new came in the format of the lighting, brighter than before. The colours, warmer than before. It was just different enough to put Keiben at ease and he didn't feel as if he was walking all over the memory of his friend and mentor.

"Wow" was all he said after he had taken long enough to take it all in.

"Woah" Tamaska said echoing Keiben's sentiment, as she walked around the bridge taking it all in. "It's.. It's beautiful!" there might be a little bit of sadness, but it was muted by the wonder she felt about the changes. She gave a little start, as she thought she felt the previous captain's presence and a ghostly hand place a hand on her shoulder giving it a squeeze.

"I think.. I think... this is meeting someone's approval. I may sound crazy but, I feel Captain Davies here right now." Tamaska tearing up. "Instead of it creeping me out, I'm finding comfort in this feeling. I felt someone touching my shoulder, and it felt familiar much like she has done in the past when giving approval." Holt laughing slightly through her tears. "Who knows, maybe she's become the ship's guardian angel." an inexplicable feeling of peace coming over her.

He would have been lying if he said he couldn't feel that same etheric approval, he had felt it the moment he had stepped onto the bridge with Holt. Beyond that, it felt right, comfortable somehow, like slipping on a worn pair of shoes despite how new the entire bridge module was.

He finally turned his attention to the Command chair, the left had seat, the big chair, was calling him.
He moved over to it, ran his hand over the headrest before turning and lowering himself down into it. He had taken the command chair before but this time it was his responsibility.

Tamaska watched as Keiben sat in the Command Chair, feeling goosebumps prickle up her skin. She could feel it in the pit of her stomach, the butterflies deciding to flutter about. With her heart pounding, she made her way to the XO chair, placing her hand upon it. It was a brand new chair, she ran her hand along its headrest and then carefully eased herself down into it. She jumped a little bit, feeling like a jolt of energy course through her body, as if the Copernicus accepted her as the XO.

She turned towards Keiben,"You look good there, in the chair of command. and I do believe that the Copernicus is agreeable to it." giving a chuckle.

It did feel good, if a little small for his shape and size, one of the disadvantages on insisting his physique stayed at its best possible condition.

"You talk about Copernicus as if she is a living breathing entity" he regarded his First Officer intently. "It comes across as almost spiritual!"

"I've always believed that things have a spiritual side to them. Chi as it is sometimes called. Anything that is created, anything that grows, it has a spiritual energy, this includes rocks. I do consider the Copernicus to be a living entity in some aspects. The blood, sweat and tears, also the love and care that goes into creating something in some ways give it its own sort of life. I know of engineers who love to talk to the ships or other things they work on to encourage said items to keep working or maybe even 'talk' to them to find out what was wrong." Tamaska chuckled, "You just got another insight about me, something I tend to keep quiet most times."

"Given the fact this little ship through sheer force of will saved as many people as she could when she should have been destroyed... I tend to agree with you Lieutenant!"
He patted the armrest of his command chair, already feeling comfortable there despite earlier misgivings.

"I wholly agree, she did get us through that mess." Tamaska looked around the bridge, from her perspective it just looked so different. A few moments of silence, "Well, I probably should go change into something more suited for this chair. I feel sort of out of place wearing the colors of security. Maybe my mind is finally catching up to the idea of my being your Number One.." she blinked, "Um that might take a couple of days or so for me to get used to that. This is so sudden!" giving a teasing grin.

"And I should go check unpack some of my belongings... Even though they've only come up a single deck!"
Once more he patted the seat armrests, this time with both hands however as he stood with a little bit more spring in his step. Most of his worries fading away and an excitement starting to build to see this mighty bit tiny ship set sail once more.

"Oh my, I still need to do that myself!" Tamaska replied getting up from the XO chair. "Yup time to get things rolling."

END

 

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