Starfleeting

Time was a fickle thing on a starship, where the days shifted in and out with the turn of the chronometer and change of the artificial light. Thankfully for the crew these last few weeks had been filled with preparations, courses and testing and re-testing instrumentation and sensors to ensure a safe journey. In the wake of the Nero incident and the destruction of a federation planet, the quick transition back into Starfleet day-to-day made the mourning process that much easier for those most affected. Even Starfleet Command had to commend the newly christened ship and their crew on their ability to function as a well-oiled machine during and after such a perilous mission. It was the mark of an excellent crew. It was the mark of excellent leadership.

Departure from Starbase 1 went smoother than expected, with little else to do but fine-tune the daily routine while they sped off to their first assignment; a welcome change for the recent graduates from the academy and newly enlisted crewmen.

Until the day that Admiral Chandra sent a addendum of their mission to Starfleet Control.

“We are to make a stop at Starbase 3 to pick up Lieutenant Elizabeth Dehner for duty aboard the ship. Further orders will be given at the rendezvous point.” Even the communications officer who relayed that information sounded confused by the change in orders, but the ships heading changes were made without much thought.

Dehner’s arrival, and the orders that came with her, were far from welcomed but orders were orders. The entirety of non-essential and off-duty crew members were assembled that day during Delta shift to introduce their newest member. As requested by the Admiral, the meeting was also broadcasted ship-wide.