Pioneer or Bust
Posted on Mon Sep 14th, 2020 @ 8:43pm by
Edited on on Tue Sep 15th, 2020 @ 7:28am
1,162 words; about a 6 minute read
Mission:
Episode 10 - New Home, Same Pioneers
Location: Transport Vessel
Timeline: MD005 2300 hrs
Ensign Zaire Bryne lay on the bed in the cramped sleeping quarters he shared with another graduate from the Academy who was headed to his first assignment as well.
His temporary roommate talked nonstop about how excited he was to be going to serve in security. Zaire knew it was rude but he finally had just closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep, otherwise he would have either said something or ended up wandering the narrow corridors all night long.
After he had graduated from the Academy things had gotten weird for a few days. He had been assigned to the USS Horizon and it was a matter of hours before he was to head out when his orders were canceled.
Zaire had almost panicked, wondering why he would have been displaced. He had studied hard and graduated in the top portion of his class, most of the friends he had in the Academy were already gone and here he was sitting without a ship to be headed to.
It wasn’t long before he had new orders and here he was headed to Starbase Sirius to meet up with the USS Pioneer for his placement in the science department. Zaire has read his orders several times before it sunk in. The ship was known to have an excellent command staff and crew. It was one of the top on his wish list of where he wanted to be placed.
Zaire’s parents had come to watch him graduate from the academy and so he headed to share his news. He had been surprised by their visit given that they hadn’t been happy with his decision to join Starfleet but now they were very happy. Almost too happy when Zaire thought about it, now that he had nothing but time while he waited to arrive at the Starbase. Maybe he was reading too much into it though. Instead of being a pessimist he should be happy they had finally accepted his choice for his life instead of manipulating and trying to choose his career.
Zaire had downloaded minimal information on the command staff of the Pioneer to see if he could get any hints of what they were like. He should have know better. It was just a lot of information on their careers, though the good news was there wasn’t anything bad. He found out about the same about the chief of science. A Lieutenant Commander tr'Hwersuil. His record in the fleet was good but like all files you couldn’t learn much. He had raised to chief and a lieutenant commander and was Romulan.
Zaire had to keep reigning himself in and remember that he was new, an ensign. He wasn’t likely to get exciting things to do at first and it would be a while until he would even be considered for the bridge. Still, he had made it through the academy and was now on his way.
For a moment he thought back to the early days when he had been young and wanted to be just like his dad, and then he thought about being a pilot, an engineer and everything possible but it was a true calling to science that had made his decision. Zaire couldn’t imagine doing anything else.
He turned into his side, wishing he could sleep but he hated being crowded and they were packed in like sardines. Zaire glanced at the time and realized he would be at the station in the morning. He couldn’t wait to be able to eat a meal without feeling like he was sharing it with the person sitting next to him.
Zaire wished his brother and sister had made it to his graduation but someone had to stay and run the business. He would try to do a subspace call at some point. They were not alike in many ways, but they were close. Zaire wanted them to have the same freedom of choice he did, it would come down to whether they had the strength to push forward.
His younger brother Taran was destined for Starfleet as well. He wanted to enter the security department and his sister Tesna was already talking about operations. That left no one to take over the family business. His parents had blamed him as the oldest for leading his siblings to follow his choices. Zaire hadn’t pushed them in that direction, they had asked him about Starfleet and he had told them why he was joining. He didn’t want to be tied down, he wanted to mark a difference, see the universe and serve for the better of everyone.
Zaire knew he was going to be wasted tomorrow if he didn’t try to get some sleep. He forced himself to not think about what the future would bring, why his parents seemed overjoyed with his career in Starfleet and heading to the USS Pioneer when they had been so against it.
Instead, he calmed his mind and relaxed, thought about a happy place from his childhood back home, where he would go when he wanted to be alone with his thought. Before he knew it he was asleep.
Several Hours Later
Zaire had just finished eating his breakfast on the transport vessel when there was an announcement that they were approaching his destination, that they were to collect their bags and be prepared to leave.
SammiToday at 2:04 PM
He quickly drank his coffee down and got up, dumping his tray and headed towards the door, grumbling to himself when it seemed like everyone had the same idea. The corridor was full of people, so Zaire chose to wait until it cleared out some.
Finally there was a line of those that were left and he got in it. Zaire made a mental note to do whatever he had to in the future to not end up on one again. He wasn’t claustrophobic but he hated the close quarters for that period of time.
When he got to the front of the line, he gave his name and held out his paperwork, waiting as they verified who he was. Zaire had a moment of panic when it seemed to take longer than he expected. Then, he was handed his paperwork and hearing on his way.
Zaire felt as if at this moment, it was when the reality had set in. He was headed to meet the ships first officer to take his first assignment. It made all those classes at the academy worth every minute, the instructors who were hard on them to make certain they were trained to the best of their ability. He was now a member of Starfleet and he couldn’t be happier. It was a new chapter in his life and was embracing it.
Ensign Zaire Bryne
Science Officer, Empok Nor
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