Accepting Reality

Posted on Sun Mar 17th, 2024 @ 8:35am by Commander Roy Baker & Lieutenant JG Colby McBride III & Lieutenant JG April Collins & Lieutenant Gerald Thompson & Lieutenant JG Autumn Cruise & Ensign Hunter Mitchell
Edited on on Sun Mar 17th, 2024 @ 8:36am

Mission: Lexington S2, E1: Conflict Arises
Location: USS Lexington Bridge
Timeline: MD001 1000 hours
2815 words - 5.6 OF Standard Post Measure

The USS Lexington was a huge change of pace for Roy Baker, he had always assumed he would get his own command he was a little disappointed that he was overlooked for the opportunity. But to be the first officer of an Constitution class starship was a great opportunity within itself or at least he told himself that.

He thought about how he went from the USS Alexandria to the USS Britannia to the USS Lexington. And all that time he was only still a first officer. That was a hard reality for him to swallow. The only saving grace is that his girlfriend was the captain and he was the first officer. Which put him in a politically compromising situation.

He needed to be able to speak for the crew but he wasn't sure how the crew is going to accept him, knowing that he was sleeping with the captain. This crew was completely random to him. But most of this tree was still intact when they served under Captain Bond.

Roy was on the bridge serving his duty shift while the captain was in her ready room in the lower decks. The Constitution feature two different type of ready rooms the captain's personal ready room which was attached to her quarters, and then there was also the ready room on the bridges itself we seem to be more business like.

He remembered people like Gabriel Lorca had to ready Rose the first one he heard about was the podium with no chairs people would go there they would discuss things real quick and then they would leave, if he needed to have a more serious conversation he would take them to his personal quarters that had an attached ready room into it.

“Ensign Mitchell, for one former engineer to another I want to say you've done a remarkable job with these engines. I would be lying if I said I wouldn't like to go down to your engineering Bay and check everything out.” Roy said with the big warm smile on his face, he didn't really need the chief engineers permission to go down to engineering but as a common courtesy he thought he would ask anyways.

Hunter looked up at his name and over to the first officer. He started grinning when he complimented him on the condition of his engines and waited to him to finish speaking. “You are welcome to come down to engineering anytime you would like to.” Hunter said honestly. “I can’t imagine not being able to spend time with my engines.”

“I'm going to take you up on that.” Roy said with a warm smile on his face. He was eager to get down the engineering and check it out. The Constitution class featured a new type of engine.

“Let me know and I’ll make sure the coffee pot is on.” Hunter grinned at him. “Be nice to have a visit from a former chief.”

“Inviting me coffee careful Mr Hunter I may never leave engineering.” Roy said in a teasing voice, but thinking it was really nice of him to offer him a cup of coffee as well.

Hunter grinned. He liked the first officer so far. He seemed really approachable. That made it good for everyone. “I understand that feeling. Engineering it the best part of the ship.”

“You dont have to convince me of that.” Roy suggested with a big grin on his face. He was in complete agreement with Hunter Mitchell.

“I would disagree, the best place is the bar. The soul of the ship can be found there after hours.” April pointed out to the First Officer and to the man she called her boyfriend.

“The soul of the crew.” Hunter said with a smile. “I would agree with but the best place to be, where you get that feeling, hearing the engines as they hum along.” He grinned. “It is spectacular!”

“Well if it means that much to you then you should spend the night in the engineering room.” April pointed out to him. Clearly he was delusional to think that.

Hunter frowned. “I am to be punished for being proud of my department?” He was a little lost here. “We are talking work here.”

“Careful Mr Mitchell, women don't like to share their men. You might be comfortable with being in love with engineering but I wonder if she is.” Roy suggested to him as he pointed to April.

April smirk and she looked over to Hunter, the first officer was right. She's not sharing him with the ship at all.

“There is no question she comes before engineering in our personal life.” Hunter responded. “Professionally we both have to do our jobs it is what we signed up for but April knows how much she means to me.”

“Careful Ensign Mitchell, Engineering is going to get jealous now.” Gerald Thompson said with a big grin on his face. April was not the only one that could tease him.

Hunter shook his head and laughed goodnaturedly. “She can be quite a jealous set of engines but she knows the score, April is number one for me.” His eyes were on his girlfriend. “And so do you.”

“Careful Ensign, there's no deeper scorn than a woman's jealousy.” Roy suggested to him with the big green on his face. He thought I was cute that he cared about April, but the Lexington also wanted her attention as well and he knew that being a former chief engineer himself.

“I can handle this.” Hunter said with determination.” He looked at Roy. “It worked for you, didn’t it?” Hunter didn’t see the problem, he loved April and knew she felt the same.

“Yeah it works for me.” Roy simply said, he was not willing to go into personal details but overall they work for him.

“And it will work for us”. Hunter said with determination. “Especially when someone is important to you.” His eyes went to April.

“It better.” April said with a smirk on her face. She lives at course being a little snarky with her response. But it was nice to hear him say that.

“I like your style.” Autumn said to April from operations. “We need to let them know exactly where we stand.” She had come on board with Baker and the captain, having served with them before.”

“Thanks, no doubt I like your style too.” April said with a big grin on her face. She was getting good vibes from Autumn.

Autumn smiled. She had a feeling they were going to becom friends. “Would you like to meet for lunch later.”

“I would like that.” April said with a big grin on her face. She had a good feeling about Autumn as well.

“First one there grabs us a table.” Autumn said with a smile. She was glad that April had said yes. She was already making a friend.

“Agreed.” April said with a big warm smile on her face. She had the perfect place in mind. A table she normally sat at.

“Can I ask you a question about our captain.” Hunter said to Roy. He was a little nervous but he was curious and felt it was better to just get it out there.

“What do you want to know?” Roy asked, wondering what Hunter wanted to know.

“What can we expect her command style to be like?” Hunter asked. “What does she expect of us?” Maybe it was a bold question but he was their first officer.

“And what makes you think I know?” Roy asked teasingly. He knew his relationship with the captain was not common knowledge yet.

“You’ve served with her before.” Hunter’s eyes lit up then. “And we know you two are in a relationship, just like April and I are. I just would like to know what she expects.”

“Are you a telepath, did you develop some telepathy that I don't know about?” Roy asked, he had no idea how young the Ensign was. How could he possibly know that he was in a relationship with the captain when they didn't publicly announce it.

“No.” Hunter shook his head. “I heard that at the station before we left.” He sighed. “I know better than to repeat gossip. Forget I said anything, he won't happen again.” He silently wished he had just kept his mouth shut.

“Typically I would say don't believe in rumors, but in this case the rumors are true.” Roy suggested to him. He was annoyed that somebody was spreading rumors on the station, it was really his place and Gabbi's place to tell their story.

“Again I apologize.” Hunter replied. “I shouldn’t have said anything.” He felt like he had really passed over a line.”

“Don’t feel so bad.” Autumn spoke up. “We all have done something like that before.”

“Yeah what she said, I'm just teasing a course we've all done something like that before.” April said with the big smirk on her face.

“Whew!” Hunter sighed. He grinned and looked to Roy.

“Does that mean I won’t have to walk the plank?” Hunter said with a smile.

“This is not a pirate vessel.” Gerald advised Hunter. He couldn't help but have a big smirk on his face.

“I was joking.” Hunter grinned. “On ships they just beam you into space.”

“The airlock is still a possibility but there's no plank attached to it.” April suggested to him.

“Hmmm.” Hunter grinned. “So just open it up and shove em out.” He thought that was a little bloodthirsty.

“I guess so.” Gerald said with a confused look on his face.

“Someone has quite a sense of humor.” Autumn said to April. “Is he always like this?” She found it to be amusing.

“Which year are you referring to?” Gerald asked knowing that she was talking about Hunter.

Autumn looked over to Gerald and smiled. “I take that to be a yes.” She smiled as she looked around. “As I seem to be the new one here. I am happy to be among you.”

“As one of the old timers here, welcome aboard.” April said with a big grin on her face.

“Thanks!” Autumn said warmly. “I admit I was a little nervous about coming onboard but you all are friendly like the crew on my last ship.” She looked at Roy. “Right Commander?”

“Why would you be nervous?” April asked, thinking that sounded a little silly. She was trying not to show how she felt. Her tone was sincere. They were not scary people.

“It’s all new.” Autumn smiled. “Not knowing how I would fit in, but that lasted less than a minute. Y’all are my kind of crew.”

“Oh I can tell this is going to be a fun crew.” Gerald said with a big smile on his face.

“The best of the best.” Hunter grinned at them. “I’m looking forward to serving with all of you.”

April was not sure if they were the best of the best, but she did appreciate the fact that he was at least trying to show camaraderie. “To the Lexington.” April said in a cheer like fashion.

“To us.” Autumn agreed with a wide smile. She was really happy to be here. Command had assigned her well.

“I have to agree this is going to be a fun crew.” Roy said with a big grin on his face. “I already feel like I'm at home.”

Hunter smiled. It was a good sign that the first officer was feeling the same way they were. “Maybe we should have a crew gathering.”

“Someone's bucking for a promotion.” April said in a teasing manner. He was right though, they should have a party.

“Aren’t we all.” Hunter grinned back at her. “Really I just think it lets us get a chance to know one another.”

“Is that why you pursued me to get a promotion?” April said with a big smirk on her face.

“Oh no.” Hunter smiled. “It was your refreshing personality and those eyes or yours. I didn’t stand a chance.

“Not sure how my eyes could get you a promotion, but what do I know apparently.” April said with a smirk.

Hunter smiled at her. “You know that's my intention where you are concerned.” He had it bad for her.

He was really burying himself with his comments, she was admired by this because of a sweet romantic but at the same time he was being a little ridiculous and might look full-hearted so she knew she needed to save him.

“In any case, XO, when do we get to meet the captain?” April asked has as she looked over to Roy.

“She's in a meeting with Starfleet command. When she's ready she'll come up to the bridge.” Roy suggested to April.

“Are we possibly getting a mission?” Autumn asked. She hoped they were. She wasn’t one for wanting to sit in the dock for very long.

“Yes, but I know as much as you do.” Roy suggested to Autumn.

“It is still a mission.” Hunter's eyes lit up. “I am looking forward to one as well. The engines don’t like sitting idle too long.”

“Is that a fact Mr Mitchell?” Roy said with a big smile on his face, he liked that answer and the engineer in him really liked that answer.

“Yes.” Hunter grinned. “She purrs when we are out there and sitting here can make her a little silky.” He was teasing of course.

“No offense.” Autumn said as she looked from Hunter to Roy. “Y’all are different.”

“And this is why you shouldn't date an engineer.” Gerald said with the big grin on his face, of course he was teasing.

“No comment.” Autumn said with a grin of her own. “Both the captain and first officer are former engineers.”

“And how do you know that, are you spying on them?” April said with a smirk.

“I served with them on the Alexandria.” Autumn smiled. “The commander was the chief engineer there and Captain Moretti talked about her days as an engineer. She was the first officer there.”

“So you know a lot about them.” Hunter said with a smile.”

“I do.” Autumn nodded. “But I believe it’s best to get to know someone for yourself.” She grinned so as not to seem snippy. She looked over to Roy. “Right, Commander?”

“Why are you dragging me into this, it looks like you're both doing a good job burying yourselves.” Roy said in a teasing voice. “All joking aside, yes it is better to get to know somebody yourself versus relying on someone else's opinion, cuz remember everybody's opinion is different you might see something one way, the other person might see something another way.”

“What I can tell you.” Autumn said, with a serious expression. “Having served under them both before, you can’t get much better. They are excellent officers and they care about the crew.”

“I can say on behalf of the captain that we both have enjoyed getting to know you. We're also both looking forward to getting to know all of you.” Roy suggested with a big grin.

“I am glad to hear that.” Hunter said with a smile. “Sounds like we are all feeling the same.” He knew sometimes he joked a little too much and he was working on it but it was a relief to know the first officer had a good sense of humor.

“Anybody want to take any wild guesses about what our first mission is going to be about?” April asked. She feared it was going to have something to do with the Gorn.

“Considering the current gossip.” Autumn said quietly. “Patrolling our borders for trouble.”

“I believe we'll be patrolling the borders as well.” Gerald said in support of Autumn.

“Patrolling is good.” Hunter nodded in agreement. He knew it was an important assignment. They needed to help keep their borders strong.”

“I'm holding out hope for an exploration mission.” April suggested to the group, hoping that they would get an exploration mission. She is not a warrior or a soldier, she signed it to be an explorer. She would have hoped the last war with the Klingons would have been the last time but now apparently the Gorn are just knocking at the front door.

“I think we all want that.” Autumn spoke up. “I was speaking more from a realistic perspective. I hope you are right.”

“We will find out soon enough everyone, until then we should just focus on our duties.” Roy suggested as the scene starts to fade away.

“Yes sir.” Hunter replied as he and the rest of the crew went back to their duties each feeling good about the conversation they had had.