No Lovelace Lost
Posted on Wed Aug 7th, 2024 @ 2:03pm by Lieutenant JG William Verhoeven & Lieutenant JG Kaydren Aukai & Ensign Aaron Soong & Fleet Captain Maxwell Culver & Commander Clay McEntyre III & Ensign Jedda Khadja-Chata & Ensign Ross Clarke & Crewman Recruit Candice Kayne
2,088 words; about a 10 minute read
Mission:
Silver Rain
Location: USS Lovelave - Various
Timeline: MD4: 0900 hours
After a very long conversation with Captain Inex about joining her crew and just being along for the ride, Max and his small crew of junior officers transported aboard the USS Lovelace. To be fair, all transporter rooms looked the same in Starfleet, so there wasn’t anything impressive about that.
The whistle was on cue with Starfleet “senior officers” arriving and some poor yeoman was forced to call out, “Fleet Captain on deck.”
Standing in a line up was Captain Inex, her brown, leathery skin seemed nonplussed by their arrival. Her Executive Officer, Johnathan Laney, Max thought he must have been a first year cadet at the Academy the year he had graduated. Laney’s face was familiar and passive.He was followed by the ship’s doctor, Cerulean Blue, whose parents must have had a sick sense of humor.
“Captain Culver, welcome to the USS Lovelace.” Inex’s voice was about as passionate as her face or comparable to a Vulcan kolinar Master.
“Thank you, Captain Inex,” Max said excitedly. “I told you not to make a fuss and this seems a bit fussy.”
“Wait until you see your quarters, she hasn’t been able to get the quartermaster to assign rooms just yet. You’ll be bunking with the lower decks,” Laney joked, but lost him smile when Inex jabbed him with her elbow.
“Commander Laney,” Max said, extending his hand to shake.
Laney grabbed Max’s hand in return. “I hate El-Aurians. You really don’t age, do you? Somehow you look 26 and I look 59. The universe sure does have a weird sense of humor.”
Max nodded. “If you only knew,” he joked back.
Finally Inex introduced her doctor, a woman Max hoped would be quite bored during this joint venture.
“I guess it’s my turn,” Max said in response. “My security and tactical chief, Commander McEntyre, the…uh, Big Cat. Blue Lieutenant JG, blond Lieutenant JG, and the kids. Get to know them if you like. If not, I’m sure they’ll get over it…the kids, that is.”
The Big Cat nodded, a low purr of greeting from him.
"Clay McEntyre, it's a pleasure, Captain Inex." He reached out a hand in greeting
“This schmuck,” Kaydren whispered loud enough to be heard.
Clarke felt slightly hurt that Culver didn't show himself or the other much respect at they were introduced to Captain Inex and Commander Laney. He'd asked them to join him after all. Unlike Kaydren though Clare remained mute.
Candy nodded. "Be nice!" she hissed.
“That was me being nice,” Kaydren low rumbled in his high pitched voice.
Candy smiled brightly. "Captain. Lovely to meet you. Candy Kayne, FNN reporter embedded on the Intrepid," she said.
“Charmed, I’m sure,” Inex responded, though Max could sense more annoyance from the woman. “I’m afraid you won’t be able to film anything other than your bunk room, the Lovelace has some experimental equipment that you won’t be able to air.
“I wouldn’t worry about that though, since the Lovelace scrambles all unauthorized access by any recording devices,” Inex finished as she joined all the hands and bowed slightly at the waist.
“Welcome aboard, Miss FNN reporter, Candy Kane.”
“Maybe we should move the crew to their new cabin?” Commander Laney suggested, as if it was going to be a great set up for a joke.
Max already knew they were sleeping in a small cargo bay and it only had two ‘bathrooms’. Laney had an open mind and a face you’d want to punch every time he opened his mouth.
Max couldn’t place it, but Laney reminded him of one of the worst comedians of pre-World War III. Even his last name was close, so maybe they were related and perhaps Inex’s annoyance wasn’t directed solely at him.
“This was, Captain Culver,” Inex intoned with her cold, emotionless voice and expression on her face.
Max shifted his small duffel of personal items and expected access to a replicator for the purpose of ‘cycling his clothing. As the double doors opened, the doctor excused herself back to sickbay, but not before rolling her eyes at the display in the corridor. Either side was lined with the crew, all the way to the turbolift.
“I told you this isn’t an inspection,” Max whispered discretely in the Triexian’s ear.
“You did,” Captain Inex responded with a heavy sigh, the first sign of emotion from her. “At ease,” she ordered and the crew shifted as one. “They wanted to meet the man whom they’ve heard so much about. First Starfleet officer to work directly with the Romulan Star Empire, first Starfleet officer to address the Romulan Senate. First Captain to begin and expand the United Federation’s name and appeal to, what is it now? Four new alien races?”
“It’s actually only two. The Heliv and the Gensch. Both nice people. We are already aligned with the El-Aurians and Kriosians for many years now,” Max argued only to correct a mistake in the records.
“There’s even a rumor that you have a ‘candy manufacturing company on the Intrepid?” Inex wondered, her aura seemed more curious at this than anything else.
Max threw up his hands in resignation. “It would seem that way, though I don’t think anyone has been there twice and the crew report it being all over the ship. I often think they’re trying to prank me, but then they show me their stash of fresh and delicious candies that had to have been made the same day, usually.
“I’m really at a loss. None of my command staff have been there, but many of my senior officers have.”
“It would be an exciting mystery to solve,” Inex responded with amusement. Her face softened, literally, from a leathery complexion to almost fluid, like the Founders.
“Your bunk is here,” Laney told the group. As expected, a set of double doors and the labeling indicated a small cargo bay.
“I’m sure it will be fine,” Max responded, nonplussed. “I haven’t slept in bunk beds since the early days at the Academy. Those were good times.” Max heard a small sound behind him, like someone was clearing their throat. “Lieutenant Auki and Ensigns Clark and Soong would like permission to observe the Slipstream engine during our short trip.”
This time, Max was surprised by the response. “Actually, they would be quite welcome. My Chief Engineer, Commander Fashal could use a few extra staff to work in engineering. That offer is open to anyone who might be interested in learning about our new technology.”
“And, if it’s all the same to you, I’d like to join you on the bridge and bring my helmsman, Lieutenant Verhoeven. Security will be accompanying Miss Kayne. She has a tendency to get lost and I wouldn’t want her to be accidentally shot by a phaser on stun if she wandered too far,” Max explained to Inex and Laney, alluding to the first that Kayne would be their problem child.
“I see. Well, it’s not much, but it’s only three days, right?” Inex intoned as the doors opened and a set of five bunks were lined between the two bulkheads, stacked two high and were short of personal space. Three additional bulkheads seemed recent additions to the modular design.
“We will apologize now for the lack of space, but the…uh, invitation was hastily made this morning. Miss Kayne, as the only female, we have erected privacy walls for you, and of course, for the water closets. See that you don’t get those mixed up when you’re wandering, please,” Inex explained as dryly as an over cooked turkey.
“This will do just fine. As you’ve said, it’s only three days. We’ll be camping out, right guys?”
Clay was not amused by the size of the bunks, human standard, not built for his...size.
Clarke had continued to remain mute as the scene unfolded around them. He was stunned into horror that they were all thrown together in a cargo bay like the cargo that must have been vacated. He's damp mood was momentarily improved with the confirmation he could work with the engineering team on the slip stream, but quickly dropped again as the Captain seemed overly enthusiastic about sharing a dorm.
Max turned to see the disappointment in their housing arrangements. “So no kumbaya, then?” he quipped.
“Looks like there’s an extra mattress, Clay. You can probably chuck them on the floor and we’ll lash them together to make a bigger mattress?” Max suggested to the Caitian.
Candy's blue eyes flashed around the room. "Um, Captain... perhaps they were unaware that an embedded reporter was with you? Surely they would've... spruced up something better, at risk of a story coming out?" She'd as soon find some cute guy to bunk up with, though-she wasn't worried. If only she could slip out of the reach of the weird talking cat. It would take some doing, but she was smart and manipulative, so she had little doubt that she could.
Jedda set his bag down on a lower bunk next to the door, quickly claiming it. "I didn't realize that field reporters required a diplomatic suite In order to do their job?"
“I believe that it is a coy attempt to escape her escort.” Clay commented as he pulled down the extra mattress and placed it on the floor with the other at the Captain’s suggestion.
"Of course we do," she said to Jedda. "I am not one of your soldiers," she said. "I am a civilian, and the FOP's regulations indicate that civilians are allowed to maintain their lives as they're used to," she said. "Section four, page 7, article 53," she continued. "And no. You are welcome to escort me to better appointed places," she said, "But don't think for a moment that I will hold back," she said.
“Oh can it,” Max grumbled. “You’re here at my request, Miss Kayne. That means you get the same treatment as I get. At least you got a privacy screened room and private head.
“Now get your shit together and bunk up!” Max left no room for argument.
Candy jotted a note on her PADD. Wait until the FNN heard about THIS! Still, she smiled. "Ok. Catman, I am going to the lounge," she said, tossing her bag on the floor. She didn't plan on needing most of her clothes for this trip, after all.
“We have three hours until we reach Xavier’s planet. I’ll be on the bridge. It’s the whole point of coming to the Lovelace. How about you go with that story, Miss Kayne?” Max suggested testily. She was getting on his last nerve.
"You want me to write a story about a Captain being on a bridge?" She asked, a hint of sarcasm in her voice. She wasn't here to make friends. She was here to uncover secrets. "Ohhhkay, but that seems kinda obvious." She shrugged. "Lead the way, then. Guess no lounge, too bad."
“Mister Clarke, I believe you were interested in the QSD? Now would be the time to find your way to Engineering. I pulled some strings, you have full access to Main Engineering and your guide can answer any questions you might have.
“Lieutenant Verhoeven, you’ll be with me on the bridge. The rest of you have three hours to fill…
“Any questions?” Max asked, his attention pointedly sharp toward Candy Kayne.
Clarke shook his head regarding further questions. The Captain had been gracious enough to allow him a front row seat with the Slipstream
“Okay!” Max exclaimed. “You all have three hours until we reach Xavier’s world. Make the most of them. Maybe this new ship will have some cross over technology that we can implement on the Intrepid. Keep your eyes and your ears open!”
Max turned and exited the cargo bay turned barracks. He wasn’t thrilled with the accommodations any more than the others, but it was a short term inconvenience.
He headed off to find a turbolift.
“Mind if I join you on the bridge, sir?” Will asked from not too far behind.
Max smiled. “I’d expect no less from a flyboy,” he responded.
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