240101.30.0100

For the next several minutes the four officers went through a repeat of the earlier conversation between Kr’Antren and Aryanna, including rewatching the video and both Aryanna and Zhaishi reading the mission report. 

Doc M’gok looked at the two officers with a look of sorrow and grief on her face.”I can not say I understand what you have gone through as I have not been in your shoes before. But I can say that on that day I for all intents and purposes I killed my sister on that field. I know this will not replace the losses of your crew or the ones that personally affected you individually, but if you feel that a debt is owed then I swear by my blood and the blood of my father that I will do what it takes to fill that debt.” She then bowed her head towards the two of them.

Aryanna looked at the person in front of her. “Where is your Bat’leth? If I may ask.”

Doc looked up and nodded toward Kr’Antren. “The captain holds it along with the traitors. On that day I promised to never pick up a weapon to harm another.”

Aryanna nodded. “That I can understand, but at the same time if things got bad out there.“ She then pointed to the frozen picture on the screen. “That is the officer I want standing beside me. The one who knows that sometimes to save many you must cut off the head of the snake.” Aryanna approached her and placed her hands on Shoji’s shoulders. “ You are Klingon and you are human, never forget that. You cannot hide from it. You can not deny it.” she looked over at Zhaishi, who nodded to the unasked question. “ You be who you are, accept both sides of your blood and be who this ship needs you to be when it needs it and I for one will call that debt paid.” As she looked into Shoji’s eyes and nodded.

Shoji turned and looked at Kr’Antren. “I will return your Bat’leth to you as soon as I get my stuff unpacked and find it. As for the other one, we will place it someplace to remind others that sometimes things need to be done that they may not want to do to save those that need it.”

“I agree to this Kr’Antren, not a place for it to be looked at as a trophy but one that sends a warning to both crew and visitor that we will do what must be done.” 

Kr’Antren nodded at this. “Done. Now chief, Aryanna, and I have a few things that we would like changed around here.” He pointed at the table. “First, this needs to go. We were thinking of a round table big enough for the command staff that could be expanded if need be. Of course, a chair for Lieutenant Scamandrius would need to be added.” 

Zhaishi walked around the room, typing on her PADD. “We should have no problem making that change sir, looks like there should be enough room in here. Hmm black with a wood outer ring, would look nice I think.”

Both Kr’Antren and Aryanna nodded.

“Ok, that sums up this room. Follow me please.” Kr’antren exits the conference room and steps onto the bridge.

“Captain on the bridge.” rings out as the bosun signal plays. “Ok, Let’s fix that right now. Computer. The captain’s signal only needs to be played when I enter the bridge from the turbo-lift.”

“Preset commands changed and new ones are acknowledged.”

“Ok chief, A few things on the bridge.” he held up a finger. “First, no one stands unless they want to, I want chairs for all positions.” held up another finger. “Second, as we are all now sitting, I think the consoles that were designated for Tactical one and two need to be more like the consoles that science and engineering one have. Once that is completed then Tactical one will become operations, since Lieutenant Sustram will be sitting in the usual ops position, and Tactical two will become Tactical one.”

“What about Lieutenant Scamandrius, Kr’Antren?” Aryanna asked “If I may make a suggestion?” as she walked around the bridge taking it all in, nodding as she heard Kr’Antrens’ modifications.

“It’s as much your bridge as it is mine, Aryanna.”

“Zaishi, as I’m gathering there is some history there that you have not told me about yet.” she looked at her with a knowing smile. ”You would probably know best, but how about if we add a crescent-shaped console in front of the main system’s display behind the Captain’s chair? I think there’s enough room back there.”

Zhaishi walked over to the area mentioned by Aryanna, looking at it with an engineer’s eye measuring it out in her mind. “With the chair that he needs, it is probably the best option. Otherwise, it could lead to some issues during emergencies if it was placed in front of one of the other consoles. Would probably just be enough room for that area to still be used as it is now. It will take a bit more work than the other changes so I’ll get a crew working on it asap.”

“One more thing Zaishi, I like to have some room to work. Seeing as they took design cues from the Sovies’s for the Inquiry bridges how about we change those boxy little consoles at my seat and the other one to more like the other consoles with turned a bit towards the side and back.”

Zaishi chuckles “Glad we’re still at Bravo station. I’’ place the requisitions right now so we don’t have to pull from our replacement parts. Better send me the new ones, too or I’ll go down there and someone’s head will roll.”

“Welcome to being the Chief Engineer Lieutenant, comes with some power. Just don’t let it go to your head. “ Kr’Antren said with a smile and a slight chuckle. “Anything else?”

“Well sir, there have been some whispers sent my way that some of the crew would like the forward lounge to be a relaxed atmosphere, some have suggested an English pub/tavern while others have suggested a pub/gaming hall vibe.” she walked over to one of the consoles currently not being used while in spacedock and pulled up some pictures and a floor schematic.”I was doing some research during what little free time I’ve had the last couple of days and I came up with these ideas.”

Kr’antren and Aryanna walked over and spent a few minutes going through the pictures, schematics, and ideas with the chief engineer.“I think that should do it. Go ahead with those plans chief. As they all backed away from the console Kr’Antren noticed the time.” Now, if you would excuse me, ladies, It is quite late, and I for one would like to find my quarters and get some sleep before what I expect will be a long day starts in a few hours.“ he quickly moved out of the way as several crewmen in the gold of engineering made their way to the bridge and started to remove deck plates. “Hmmm, quick response time chief, That’s good. Nite ladies.”

“Thank you, sir, oh and sir I believe your assigned quarters are starboard, Aryanna’s are port. Deck two.”

“Thanks, chief, I was just going to ask if anyone knew where my quarters were.”

240101.30. 0630

The Dromi twins found themselves exiting their assigned quarters at the same time, making their way toward the turbo-lift. 

“Sustra, we are going to need to figure out for everyone’s sake some way of differentiating ourselves on the bridge. I would think that informing the Captain and crew that using our first names for informal communications and when needed that rank and first names would be agreeable.”

“That would work for me as long as they are ok with it. I see that we got clearance for rotating the ship in its docking berth.”

“Yes we did, docking control has given us the green light to rotate the ship so that the tail end is docked. So with that being said we are going to need to change operations as the aft shuttle bay won’t be usable for anything much bigger than a shuttle.”

Sustram nodded as they walked. “I’m supposed to be meeting Commander Thornton and  Lieutenant Rozo, the squadron Executive officer, at 0730 in the bridge conference room to go over the sequence of events for bringing the squadron onboard.”

As they stepped into the turbo-lift Viameli checked to make sure that no one else was behind them. “Bridge”

Exiting the turbo-lift and stepping onto the bridge they both couldn’t help but notice the abundance of engineering crews scrambling around the bridge, deck plates lifted and set to the side, consoles being removed and new ones being added, seats being adjusted and if needed moved.

“Looks like the only area not being worked on is ours. Sis.” he glanced around the bridge, noticing the major reconfiguration work going on in what once was a walk-through area behind the Captain’s chair. 

Viameli made her way towards her chair, having to weave her way through the various work being done. “As long as they stay away from my seat for the day, we will be ok.”

Sustram nodded as he followed his sister.

Sitting down she activated her console and started reading through the instructions that were sent to her in response to the request.” Hmmm, so thrusters and tractor beams. We can work with that.” She tapped her combadge.

“Captain & Commander Rigras. Lieutenant Viameli Dromi. We are cleared to turn the Dragon as we requested. Dock control has asked us to face the saucer toward the center of the docking area for the squadron loading operation and then return to our current position upon completion of the operation.”

“I’m on my way to the bridge as we speak Viameli, the Captain got a call from Taskforce command for a ship’s capabilities and mission brief. Contact dock flight control, and inform them we would like to conduct the operation in two hours.”

“Yes, ma’am”

Several minutes later Viameli received a reply from Bravo station flight control giving them the green light to proceed and that all traffic in the area would be notified. 

Aryanna stepped out of the turbo lift onto the bridge and let out a low whistle as she took in the engineering crews conducting the reconfiguration work. “Hope you guys are this quick when things get rough.”

A couple of the closer engineering crewmen let out chuckles.

Hearing the whistle, Viameli spun her seat around to face the Commander. “Commander, we just received the green light from flight control.”

“Have you let commander Thornton know?”

“Was just getting ready to ma’am he is in the briefing room with his Exec and Sustram. Going over this morning’s operation.”

Aryanna nodded, “I’ll poke my head in and let them know. Go ahead and make a ship-wide announcement, docking ports will close in ninety minutes.”

“Yes, Ma’am”

The ship’s whistle played over the internal comms system. “All hands. We will be conducting operations in two hours to bring aboard the 612th Mission support squadron. All departments make ready for undocking procedures. All hatchways and docking arms will be closed and moved in ninety minutes.”

Aryanna stepped into the briefing room as she heard the all-hands message come over the internal comms. “Commander Thornton, guess you got the message.” she pointed over her shoulder. “We should be ready to accept your first ships roughly twenty minutes after we complete turning the ship around.”

Commander Thornton nodded and then looked at his Exec and Sustram. “That will work, I believe we have everything all set on this end. Lieutenant, go ahead and let the wing leaders know, tell them we have changed the order and will be starting with the Aspara’s.” The exec started to type something on his PADD and nodded toward the Commander when he got a reply.

“Commander, mind if my Exec and I stay on the bridge to watch the operation?”

“Not at all, commander, your Exec, and yourself are more than welcome to join us on the bridge at any time. Maybe a bit crowded, sure you saw the work going on out there.”

“We did, we don’t mind standing.”

“Ok, see you in a couple of hours then.” she turned and left them to finish up.

0830

Aryanna stood behind and between the two, now helm/navigator, positions. “Lieutenant, let’s take this nice and slow, no need to rush this.”

“Yes, Ma’am”

“Ok then, here we go. Take us to a blue alert.”

A klaxon rang out across the Dragons’ internal comms as the main lights dim a bit and the blue lights come alive. Aryanna took a second to look around the bridge. “Release and retract the docking bays.” She watched over the lieutenant’s shoulders as the station sent a green message on successful detachment and retraction. “Release docking clamps” several audible thunks were heard as the clamps were released.

“We are showing all clamps are released and locked.”

Aryanna nodded.  “Bravo flight control, this is the Dragon. We are ready for you to push us out. Standing by for clearance to use thrusters.”

“Roger that Dragon, we are starting the push, now.”

They all watched as the Dragon slowly started to move, Sustram tapped a few buttons on his console as the main view screen split and showed the view from the aft shuttle bay and the normal forward view. “Looks like flight control has halted and routed all traffic around us.”

“Very well.”

A couple of minutes later they feel the dragon come to a stop. “Dragon, you are cleared to start your rotation. Thrusters only. Let us know when you are ready.”

“Thank you, flight control. Dragon is starting its rotation.”

“Ok Lieutenant, let’s not scratch the paint.”

“Yes ma’am.” 

^^” Remember sis, the Dragon is not a Raven class.”

“Ya, ya, ya. Concentrating.”^^

For the next several minutes all eyes are on the twins as they rotate the Dragon. While Viameli uses the holo-LCARS to rotate the ship, firing thrusters to gently rotate the ship and thrusters again to counter/slow down or stop the rotation, Sustram kept his eyes on several areas of his calling out distances, rotation speed, and thruster firing sequence. They watched as the Dragon slowly rotated and then came to a slow stop.

<<” Nice work, if I didn’t know better I would have thought it was one person versus the two of them.”>> 

“Nice work lieutenants. Sustram, Commander Thornton, you’re up.”

Commander Thornton looked at Lieutenant Rozo and gave him a nod. He then leaned into Aryanna and kept his voice low, pulling his pipe from his mouth and pointing at the two Lieutenants. “If they work like that when we get out there, you’ll have one hell of a flight control team.”

Aryanna nodded. “Don’t let them hear that, there are going to be too many flight control officers with big ego’s on this ship,” she said with a smile.

Thornton chuckled. “Yaaa, we may have to figure out something to bring them down a peg or two.” he placed the pipe in his mouth.

They waited several minutes as they aired for the forward shuttle bay to report that they were ready to receive the incoming ships, seeing green across the board Sustram went to work. 

They watched as four Aspara bombers started to come into view off the starboard side in a tight diamond formation.

“Angel flight one, you are cleared to approach. Angel Black one, Angel Red one you are cleared to land, Angel Green one and Angel Blue one hold your position.”

They watched as the top and starboard diamond members slowly broke away and approached the Dragon.

They watched the main view screen as Sustram called forward each four-ship formation, bringing them onboard.

“Commander, All angels are onboard.”

Aryanna looked over at the Commander and his exec. “Welcome aboard the Dragon, gentlemen.”

Hearing the turbo lift doors open, Thornton let out a slight chuckle. “Couldn’t have timed that better myself.” Four officers in black flight suits carrying what looked like plaques under one arm approached them. “Commander Rigras, these are our four wing leaders. We would like to present the Dragon with some items. Back in the old days, it was a tradition that as a squadron was assigned to a ship that they would place a patch in several locations to show that they had been there, we would like to carry on that tradition.”He nodded at the four officers, who brought forward the plaque on each was an engraved version of the squadron’s patch.”We figured one in the bridge briefing room, one here on the bridge, one in the mess hall, and one that will be hung outside the squadron ready room.”

Aryanna nodded. “I’m all for old traditions, Commander.”

Thornton nodded and the four officers headed to the proposed locations, two went towards the turbo lift, one went to the bridge briefing room and the last went to a spot on the starboard side of the aft main systems screen. Tapping a spot on the bottom of the plague he reached up, a little higher than normal head level, and placed the plaque against the wall a little red light on the bottom turned green he let go of it and headed toward the turbo-lift as the officer who went into the briefing room stepped out a few seconds later and joined him.

“Had that planned, did we?”

“Maybe a little.” Thornton chuckled.

“Ma’am, Forward shuttle bay doors are closed. All systems and departments are showing green.”

“Very well lieutenant, let’s put her where she belongs. I’m sure there are plenty of folks waiting to come aboard and who would like to stop taking the long way around in the station’s docking bay.” she tapped the internal comms button on the Captain’s center chair, as hers was still being reconfigured. “All hands, Departure from Bravo station in forty-eight hours, all departments and sections make ready.”