Meeting the XO

Posted on Fri Oct 16, 2020 @ 12:34pm by Commander Ajani Carter & Lieutenant John Stoneman

Mission: Episode 1: On Stranger Tides
Location: Esquimalt Station Observation Lounge
Timeline: MD -03
1668 words - 3.3 OF Standard Post Measure

Ajani stood before the large picture windows which looked out over the massive internal dock. She was watching the traffic as it came and went. She watched as yet enough workbee train headed for her new command, her very own ship. The Sabre class was nestled in the construction lattice below the window she stood at. The external work was finished and most of the internal work was winding down but there was still work to be done. The train which was just now docking with the Eagle was carrying much of the supplies and a fair amount the parts still needed to finish this small but powerful ship.

"Commander?" Carter turned and smiled at the Young Officer who had been serving as her assistant while the Eagle was being finished. "Kenady, something else for me to sign?"

Kenady smiled "Not this time, coffee" she handed the older officer a mug of steaming hot coffee. "Freshly made"

Carter took the offered mug and took a deep breath inhaling the aroma of what she knew to be 'real' coffee made from coffee beans. "Thank you Ensign" she said turning back to the window just in time to see one of the new Ascension class carriers, the U.S.S. Phoenix. She knew the skipper, having served with him while he commanded the Hood, so many years ago.

The Commander was waiting for her executive officer, Command had assigned him to the Eagle and thus she was yet to meet him. At least in person, they had corresponded via subspace while he made his way to the station. He wasn't late yet.

Esquimalt Station had a very pleasing observation lounge, Stoneman's senses were quickly assaulted by freshly ground coffee as he entered. The station was busy and John was on track to meet with Commander Carter here in the lounge. This would be the first time he met the Commander in person though they had been in communication several times as he traveled to the station.

John scanned the room and caught sight of a Commander, mug in hand at the window. The view was indeed stunning as the Phoenix was passing the station. Everything else seemed very small in comparison to the new fleet carrier. John had opted for his dress uniform and stepped up on the deep Blue carpeting.

"Commander Carter?" He moved closer and came to attention. "John Stoneman, reporting as ordered."He looked straight forward as he reported.

Turning at her name Ajani looked her new Executive Officer over, "At ease Lieutenant. Its a pleasure to meet you at last. I take it your journey here was uneventful i take it?"

John smiled and relaxed his posture as requested. "Yes ma'am. It was pleasant enough but a long way for a tall guy with a short seat."

Carter chuckled "Well i am glad that they gave you the short seat" she winked "Please take a seat" she indicated to the table she had been using as her office while her ship was being prepared. Take one of the other side from her XO and logged into her computer and took a sip of her coffee. "Have you had a chance to look through our mission yet?

Stoneman grabbed a seat and pulled out his Padd and placed it on the desk. "Briefly. It wasn't too specific what sectors of Cardassian space we would be patrolling. I have been out here on the DMZ with Mercury a few times. Strictly on station missions. But given the history of the area it can get hostile fairly quick."

She nodded "Okay, well we don't really have an area of operations. We are on a covert mission" she shrugged a little "It is classified, for the time being only you and I will have the full mission profile." She handed him a padd "It is for your eyes only but the short version is that there is a sudden spike in pirate activity in Cardassian space. Obsidian Command thinks that there might be Pact influence, maybe even out and out funding. Our job is to discover what is going on, we have a few leads but nothing solid."

John realized why the listed mission had been so vague in nature now. "I would suppose we are getting fleet level intel at this point." He took the Padd and studied the briefing. It was clear to him there was a good amount of financial support being traced. It took hard currency to pull off maintaining vessels at this level. Stoneman made several mental notes as he reviewed the briefing again. He handed the Padd back to Commander as he finished.

"A few tactics could be used. However if we snoop around a bit we could either get lucky and follow the money trail or grab a few of these pirates and shake the tree a bit and see what falls out." Stoneman knew is was the commander's call on this entirely, however it seemed like a major concern of fleet command.

"Oh we are going for the second one" she smiled "The other part of our job is to remove them as a threat. I would dthink that once we start capturing their ships we will gain their attention. We will have the Venture and the Express, a Galaxy and Steamrunner for support, but they wont be able to respond quickly enough if we get ambushed, so when planning our route and actions we need to be careful."

"That's quite a bit of firepower, but as usual nothing in direct support. The Eagle is gonna stick out like a sore thumb if she is observed and the word travels fast in those areas. Perhaps a 'Danube Ruse' of some design could give us the advantage of surprise. The signal of a damaged Danube would be hard for them to resist."

John couldn't take full credit for the suggestion as it had been used once before in the Romulan Neutral Zone. The 'Bait and Hammer' as it was called drew a hostile vessel in unaware it was loaded with Marines and overloaded with shields... Coffee was needed and he attempted to flag down a server.

"Well" she replied "Not that simple, These kinds of things have been tried before. Its going to take time i feel, we could get lucky and catch an attack before it really gets going, but i think we're gonna end up responding to a distress call. The improved engines on the Eagle will give us the speed we need, and Cardassian freighters have been fitted with better shielding." she shrugged again. "I am requesting a dozen high powered sensor satellites we can place but there is a lot of space to cover"

Coffee now in hand, mixed to the proper color. Things were better. "Those Sensors would extend our reach if deployed well." Stoneman knew the speed of a Saber Class was going to allow it to respond quickly as needed.

"Thats the idea, each satellite is packed with the best stealth technology the Fleet can muster without going full cloak. I can see them being venerable though so for the most part we will plant them in inhabited systems." She frowned "Which is a whole other set of problems."

"Can they be re positioned for more than one use?"

"They could be, as we cleared a sector they could be picked up and moved. I would, however, like us to set up a network that would have 100% coverage of Cardassian space. Once our mission is done they will be turned over to Central Command anyway. The sensors are last generation and there isn't anything in them we can't afford to give them." she tilted her head and watched her XO for a moment. "You're too young to have fought in the Dominion war, but are you having any problems going into Cardassian space?"

Some wound just ran too deep, too many generations suffer.

Stoneman was taking a drink of his coffee. And set his cup down. "Not at all ma'am. Duties here are a major challenge to all who serve in the quadrant really. I had had a few in my family who fought. Actually a few generations. If our mission holds true I see the Eagle being to perform quite a service with this mission. Just being able to get into the area and get a good look around will be a great opportunity."

Stoneman's family tree had been very lucky over the years not to suffer any loses. He certainly didn't wish to be the first to lose his life in the process of his own career. John was much too absorbed in his new position to worry about mortality.

"I have experienced conflict on a small scale on the Mercury, nothing of what many of my peers have been exposed too. I think my anxiety is with the safety of the crew and thoughts of what we may come across. The Eagle shall have a select crew with some very experience talent. And some much more experienced than others, overall as a team we have not been tested. Our goal is to bring them back."

John sincerely hoped he was sending the correct message to the captain. No bravado was needed here at all. The mission and safety of the crew was his number one priority.


"That it is" she said as she nodded "I think we both have a lot of work to do before we launch. There are some areas of the ship that are not yet habitable, but most is so i'd advice going and having a look around. She is small but the Eagle has a lost of corridors."

"That sounds like a plan to me. I have a updated Saber Class startup checklist I can get busy with, and I need to get out and meet with some of the crew. Just in case we have any issues that need to be taken care of before we depart."