Home Is Where the Heart Is

Posted on Sun Jun 9th, 2024 @ 12:52am by Lieutenant Commander Christopher Evans & Commander Scarlet Blake

965 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: To Boldly Go
Location: USS Fenrir - Captain's Ready Room
Timeline: Day 4 - crew board the Fenrir

ON:

Chris was excited about his new assignment. He had arrived at the station a day ago but this was the first day crew were allowed aboard the Fenrir. He never knew what their future would hold together but he was on his way to meet his new Commanding Officer, pressing the chime for permission to enter the ready room the Operations Officer stood up tall and folded his hands together.

"Come in," Blake called, her voice holding a note of distraction. She was in the middle of hanging a picture behind her desk, using a careful hand to nudge a lower corner to try and even it up. It was a real painting, oil on canvas in a tactile wooden frame. But the scene was much more contemporary, showing the Norway Class ship amongst the vibrant swirls of a nebula. "What do you think?" she asked without even turning to see who had entered.

“I” Evans paused for a moment standing at a loose attention after entering the Captains ready room. “I think it’s perfect, Captain” he nervously continued “Lieutenant Commander Christopher Evans reporting for duty, Captain” by this time his gaze wasn’t on the photo but holding eye contact with his new Commanding Officer.

Blake nodded, offering a small, half smile to him as she motioned for him to take a seat, retaking her own to join him. "Good to meet you, 'Commander, I'm Captain Scarlet Blake," she introduced, making no assumptions of how thoroughly he'd been briefed on the way. After all, she had known very little when making her own way to Mars.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Captain” Chris said with a smile as he took the offered seat.

"I've taken a look at your record, it's impressive," she said lightly, already pulling the file back up on her computer screen for reference. "Can you tell me about it?" even as a First Officer, she'd always preferred new officers to tell her about themselves in their own words. It often told the ex-counsellor a lot more than an official record ever could.

“Oh I’d say I’m just your average Starfleet Officer” Chris smiled “I try and do my duties to the best of my ability and serve the ship on on as best I can.”

Blake nodded gently at the words. He worked to serve his ship. She could understand that. She'd been similarly driven. "Do you have ambitions for your time in Starfleet?"

“Honestly” Evans smiled “same as many, my parents are both officers. I’d like to continue up the ranks and have my own command, eventually” he smiled.

A whisp of a smile came to Blake at that, along with the kind of good humoured expression that said 'well I of all people couldn't blame you for that'. "You will be taking the role of my Second Officer here. It means that you'll be required to take bridge shifts in the centre chair and act up to First or Command as required. I...take it that suits your ambitions?"

“Yes Captain” a smile on the face of Chris. “I do have experience” he started to list some of his experience “but of course you have my service record.”

"Yes..." Blake glanced back at the screen, nodding slowly as she ticked a finger towards it. "You served as an instructor for a while, by the looks of it. How did you find it?" she asked with interest. She'd enjoyed her own time instructing more than she had expected.

“Honestly” Chris looked at his Commanding Officer “it was enjoyable, helping shape the next generation of Starfleet officers.” He was getting excited talking about it “I think I may have learned as much as the cadets, but I got restless and they needed capable officers on ships.”

Blake nodded with total understanding, not just born from her years as a counsellor. "I felt the same way," she admitted softly. "I really took to it, but...I ended up asking to be sent back to active service on a ship. I was born out here...there's a point where this becomes home."

A smile and a nod came from Chris “I guess it is in our blood.”

Blake couldn't help but smile at that, nodding as she motioned a hand as if to say 'too true'. "Is there anything you'd like to ask or tell me while you're here?"

Lieutenant Commander Evans sat in silence for a few seconds thinking about the question he was just asked. “Nothing that comes to mind other than wondering what our first assignment is, Captain” Chris smiled “I’m honestly excited to get out there and see what the Fenrir has to offer.”

"You and me both," Blake assured, arching an eyebrow with a slight but amused smile. She'd like to say she was in the know, but as far as missions went, she was having to wait like everyone else. "All I know is that it won't be long. We have....a week and a half left to get the Fenrir ship shape and Bristol fashion."

Christopher thought about what he knew had been done so far and some of the things he knew would at least have to be checked. “I think that’s a safe goal, Captain” he smiled there was still a lot to be done but the ship was in pretty good shape.

"A relief to hear," Blake admitted lightly, nodding to him with approval. "We'll be carrying out systems tests over the next few days, then an inspection so be sure to get ready for it. We'll weed any teething problems out."

“Aye” Evans smiled “we will be ready, sir.”


[OFF]

Commander Scarlet Blake
Commanding Officer

Lt. Commander Christopher Evans
Chief Operations Officer

 

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