New Beginnings
Posted on Sat Jan 6th, 2024 @ 2:55pm by Lieutenant JG Kaydren Aukai & Fleet Captain Maxwell Culver & Commander Lorut Vila & Commander Rylen Lyo & Cadet Senior Grade Freki Azorius
Edited on on Wed Jan 31st, 2024 @ 9:08am
2,141 words; about a 11 minute read
Mission:
Interlude
Location: Cait, USS Intrepid
Timeline: Interlude
Cait - Home of the Azorius family.
The morning began like any other. The computer in Freki’s room blinked to life in a myriad of colours as his morning alarm sounded. Just as like any other morning, he pulled back his covers, rubbed his eyes and sat up, stretching as he slowly woke.
He stood up and headed to the bathroom to check his face in the mirror. The young Caitian looked tired but healthy. He stood, checking himself out possibly a little too long., His physique was not particularly muscular or defined, but rather lithe and handsome, his reddish maneful framing his face down to his chest where it joined a long trail down below.
Just like any morning, Freki pulled on his underwear, his socks and his cadet uniform. It was the final time he would be wearing it as an academy boyas, the young cadet would be joining his final cadet cruise as after many years of hard work and studious preparations, he was to report to his duty post today. After finishing his final training mission, Freki opted to head home to spend a couple final days with his loved ones before heading to his new home.
The shuttle was to leave his home on Cait to head to the nearby Starbase, and he was nervous but excited. From the Starbase, he would connect with a shuttle to where he’d be sent on his way to his new home, the USS Intrepid.
“Freki, you’re going to be late if you don’t get your butt in gear!”
He groaned as he heard his older brother call from the other room. He was a sleepyhead sure, but did he honestly think he’d be up late today of all days?
“I’m coming! “ he said, grumpily
He brushed his uniform down with his paws to smoothen it out and pulled in his gut, which he didn’t really have to start with.
“Looking good….Cadet!” He said to himself.
He smirked as he headed out of the room and to see his brother.
Cait Central Shuttleport
Speaker System: “The 09:50 departure will be boarding in a few moments. All passengers should ensure they are checked in and have all their personal belongings with them”
The voice echoed through the hangar bay as Freki grabbed his few bags and looked around one final time. He had no idea when he would next be here on Cait. He had a new life to look forward to now, a new family to meet.
He headed towards the shuttle and got into a line of people also bound for the craft. It was a small craft compared to some but still seated around 20-30 passengers. Once his documents were checked, he got onboard and found a seat, putting on the restraints and taking a deep breath. In mere moments, he was looking out at the stars. He was going to need to get used to the inky blackness and the light of those stars, for it would be the backdrop to his life now.
There were a couple of other Starfleet uniforms on board but Freki didn’t know any of them, so he simply looked around before closing his eyes and letting himself fall back into a nap.
Starbase Shuttlebay
BOOM. He heard the noise of the shuttle landing in the bay with a surprisingly loud thud. He got to his feet when allowed to do so and exited the craft. The shuttle bay here was familiar as he’d been here just the other day for training so he knew where to go and what to do.
He looked around to find the shuttle he needed to take him to the ship and boarded much like he had before, sleepily drifting through space as the shuttle took him home.
Shuttlebay, USS Intrepid
The shuttle approached the ship slowly and all Freki could do was gasp. The Intrepid was huge and splendorous. This new ship class was large, elegant yet powerful and it took his breath away to see it up close as the shuttle entered the shuttle bay on board. As he got off the shuttle into the bay, he looked around, taking stock of the new home. Granted, the shuttle bay wasn’t exciting but it was just the start.
As he got to his feet, he stepped out into the bay and looked around in awe, but his gaze was soon met instead by someone in the wrong colours….
Kaydren was carrying several boxes back to the Astrometrics labs, to help Doctor Sardeek with upgrades, when he bumped into someone heading straight into him. At barely over a meter tall, most people have him leeway, but not this noob. Annoyed, he tried to peer over or even around, but he was too buried.
“Ya wanna help me out there, bean pole?” Kaydren grumbled.
Freki looked around a moment before pointing towards himself.
"Uh, you talking to me?" he asked, a little confused. He had expected to be greeted by a member of command staff but here was some short, blue guy with a bit of an attitude.
"I'm supposed to be meeting the Captain I think? Or the XO?" he said, puzzled. "I'm the new Cadet?" he added.
He watched as Kaydren looked at him up and down. “They aren’t makin’ ya any smarter though.” Kaydren set his box of equipment on the floor, right in the middle of the corridor. “First thing ya learn, if yer smart, I ain’t convinced one way or d’other bout you yet, but first rule, put yer shit down in the way and someone will come along to help out!”
“Don’t be listening to Lieutenant Aukai. He’s a quick trip to the ship’s brig!”
“Or the captain’s bed!” Somebody shouted a little too loud, a bit too excited.
This comment caught the cadet's attention and his ear flicked as he noted it mentally.
Kaydren sucked some air between his shark-like teeth and climbed up on his stack of crates. “Now! Who’s the idiot’s got to go runnin’ around with his mouth jawin’? That’s yer captain yer talkin’ bout ya pigs. I’ll tell you all somethin’, captain ain’t ctawlin’ into nobody’s bed ‘cept his own. Now who said…?
“Come on Aukai. Let’s settle this here on the ship.”
Kaydren glared at an older man, probably a Master Chief, if he was anything. “No…lookin’ around I got it down ta who did it. Next action we have, I’m gonna chew off your ear. Now ears are all cartilage, but once you’ve chewed through the cartilage of your enemy’s ear, you never forget how tough that sumabitch is,”
Kaydren chuckled as he crawled down off a literal soapbox. “Well, looks like y’all need something to do, so bring these where they belong, hmmm? And remember, Doctor Sardeeek ain’t as nice as me, he’ll peck out your eyes. You’ll be blind for days while they regrow your implants.”
Freki smiled a little, the rambunctious guy had gone from mildly threatening to almost funny now.
The men grunted and groaned, but the boxes were picked up and taken away to where they belonged.
“I expect they’re all waiting for a cadet like you in the captain’s ready room. Let’s go, kid. You’ll get plenty of time for dilly dallying later.”
Freki nodded in response and followed him until they were outside the door, which is when he said his goodbyes and breathed deeply, entering the room.
Vila was sat in the ready room with Max, her foot tap-tap-tapping away as it often did when she wasn't allowed to be active in some way. They were waiting for their newly-assigned Cadet. Of all the ships in the Fleet, of all the command teams to pick, they picked this one?! She was certain it was some kind of test from the Prophets. She was tapping away at her PADD, finishing duty rosters and other boring things that she had to do now when the doors opened, and the deranged-looking alien-bear escorted a Caitian into the room. What was UP with the cats on this ship?!
Vila looked up as the new Cadet entered the meeting room. This was the official "meet-and-greet," and also the breaking-in for Lyo. He better impress her.
"Hello," she said, coolly.
The Caitian nodded politely. "Hello, Senior Cadet Azorius, reporting for duty, Sir"
He took a seat when prompted and smiled widely to the Commander and nodded to the Captain also.
"It's a great honour to be able to serve the final part of my Counseling training onboard such an exciting modern ship..." he said joyfully.
Vila simply raised an eyebrow. She looked to Max. "Indeed," she said, but motioned to the Captain that he should take over. They were settling into a routine now-as newcomers joined the crew, she was the "bad" cop to his "good" cop, and she figured that if people survived their first encounter with her, they were up to mettle, and she would leave them alone (mostly) for the duration of the tour. Fail her, and who knows what would happen.
“Welcome to the Intrepid, Cadet Azorius,” chimed in Rylen. The Ops chief was both surprised and not surprised at the number of felinoids on board. “I am Rylen Lyo, Second Officer and Chief of Operations.” He gestured to his right. “This is Commander Lorut, our XO, and Captain Culver.”
Max leaned forward and smiled. “Don’t worry, we’re not all standing on hundreds of years of pomp and circumstance, rules and regulations, ancient dusty traditions…” Max started, allowing the room to go silent.
“Throw this it out an airlock. Just remember to look after yourself and your crew mates. In twenty years, no one’s going to remember when you’ve spilled hot chocolate on your captain while in engineering, right?”
Vila raised an eyebrow. "Maybe leave the jokes to Gocx," she said. "Welcome to the Intrepid, Azorius," she said.
“Hey,” Max interjected. “I have a great sense of humor.” He leaned in to pretend he was gonna share a secret when he simply said aloud, though down pitched a little for the Caitian’s closeness, “I picked Commander Lorut as an Executive Officer.” He sat back and gave her wide, brown puppy dog eyes for extra measure.
At his comment, Lorut gave him a look that would've melted the poles on Earth. She remained silent, though, plotting his untimely demise.
“What do you think, Commander Lyo?” Max sucked a bit of air between his teeth. “Does this Cadet Counselor have what it takes to take on this crew? I’ll be honest, it isn’t as easy as it looks. We have one full time and two part time Counselors.” Rena was really only working with himself and Vila as active patients.
The young cadet grinned while blushing, hiding a little bit of shyness. "I can assure you, though I am young, I have got great grades in all my courses at the Academy and am fully prepared for duty aboard this ship" he said.
He looked around the room to those gathered. "You have nothing to fear, I am confident I will make a difference aboard the Intrepid."
“I think we have enough craziness to keep any counseling staff on their toes,” said the Kriosian dryly. “I think you will get quite an education on the Intrepid, Cadet Azorius. I personally like your enthusiasm; I would say it’s infectious, but I’ve had the vaccine.”
Vila spoke up. "Grades aren't everything, though that is impressive. I think that while Doctor Campbell is on her sabbatical for school, you will be needed," she said. She was still mad that she was being forced to do counseling - Counseling was for crazy people. She wasn't crazy, just angry. "Welcome aboard," she said.
“And if you think Commander Lyo got the vaccine for enthusiasm, Commander Lorut was patient zero in the lack of enthusiasm area,” Max joked and winked at the Cadet. “It seems my command team has already accepted you, so I guess it’s up to me to compete the triangle. Welcome aboard Intrepid.
Vila nodded. "Get to Sickbay, and check in with Dr. Greene," she advised, but with a small smile. She was trying to be less abrasive but still found it difficult to connect with the junior officers.
She watched as he left, and then turned back to Max.
"If we get any more counselors, I am putting in for a transfer," she joked.
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