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Welcome Aboard

Posted on Wed Apr 8th, 2020 @ 6:11pm by Lieutenant Commander Mnhei'sahe Dox & Commander Rita Paris & Lieutenant JG Haruna Mizuhara
Edited on on Thu Apr 30th, 2020 @ 9:53am

Mission: Born and Reborn
Location: USS Hera, Deck 4, Main Flight Deck
Timeline: 2397

Having been called on by Starfleet to deliver much-needed disaster relief supplies to the colonists of the Epsillon Scorpii system's second planet, Pwanahn, it seemed Command was taking advantage of the opportunity. As the USS Hera and the USS Tereshkova passed going in opposite directions, a shuttle was launched as a transfer popped up on the PaDD of Commander Rita Paris. Opening the file, she began reviewing the service jacket of the latest crew member being sent by Admiral Meowlith. Or perhaps Admiral Forsyth, who seemed determined to be a thorn in their sides.

It saddened the old-fashioned officer that she was paranoid about such possibilities. But given their current situation, she had to at least acknowledge the possibility that every new crew member was potentially not who they claimed to be- perhaps even if they were. At least in this case it was a billet Captain Telvan had requested, and something of a rare specialization- applied sciences.

"Practical, that's good. Hm. Discipline problem, of course. Loves to tinker, that should work well. Introvert with anger management, little Napoleon complex maybe... hm. Well, at least you'll finally know people shorter than you... ugh," the pretty face frowned as she took a sip of coffee, and her eyes flickered to the chrono in the corner of the PaDD. Seven minutes til the shuttle Regina would be docking; time enough to finish the service jacket and more importantly, the psych evals. Thus Rita resumed scanning and talking to herself, to better organize her thoughts.

"Isolationist... wonnnnnderful. Why lone wolves want to join Starfleet to be stuck on a finite space to interdepend on other people I will never understand. Mmmm, low social skills... at least that should be less of a problem in R&D, although I'll have to warn Mona there'll eventually be a blowup, and to let it play out to a point. Oh, look at that, Earth girl... Cal Tech? Nope, Japanese National Engineering School. Let's see those Academy days..."

"Reassemble a shuttle? Not that impressive a trick with transporter technology, but alright... mmm, forcefield emitter. Might be able to help them work out that intertia field they've been struggling with. Mmm, robot drones, nice, very interesting..." The chrono now read two minutes until the shuttle docked, so it was time to go meet this interesting young woman.

Standing up, the anachronism straightened out and subtly tugged down the hem of the miniskirt of her uniform of an age long ago. Running her fingers through her tomboyish short blonde hair, Rita Paris grabbed a spare PaDD to stack under her current one, then grabbed another just in case. Checking her reflection in the mirror she kept on the back of the door, she made sure the three pips on her deep V collar were even and spaced properly- an example had to be set, after all. Besides, no one could read the rank ribbons on her sleeve as a modern rank, so the pips made things a lot easier on modern Starfleet personnel.

Satisfied that she passed inspection, the extradimensional explorer strode out of her retro and cluttered office, to arrive on the flight deck a moment later. Tapping the old command delta on her rather prodigious left breast, the first officer called out to open space.

"Paris to Hera traffic control. Can we put the Regina down on pad seven please?" As she gave the order, which she phrased as a request, as she often did, the career Starfleet officer strode briskly to the landing pad in question, to be in position when the shuttle arrived.

"Can do, Commander," came the reply, as Paris chose her location to watch the shuttle fly in, privately critique the pilot's landing and wait to meet the new girl, one Lieutenant Junior Grade Haruna Mizuhara.

The rear hatch of the shuttle slowly opened. What awaited the Commander was a rather strange sight. The pilot of the shuttle, cooped up in the front compartment was clearly focusing on his job. However in the rear compartment, there was a different story. A young woman, tiny in frame and stature sat crossed legged in the center of the rear area, several tools dotted around her in a mess and instruments attached to a headband sticking out from the top of her head, one of them some sort of eyepiece which she was using. Her face had the occasional wipe of grease or dirt on it, and her short brown hair could only be described as wacky and messy.

Her gold Starfleet tunic was unzipped, revealing several pockets and small compartments sewn into various sections of the tunic, while also revealing the young woman’s cropped undershirt. She didn't seem to mind being that exposed as she tinkered, and seemed pre-occupied with some sort of device that was now sitting in front of her. Haruna Mizuhara had been stuck on this shuttle since Deep Space Four, so she had brought along her own 'project' to 'play' with en route to stop her from touching anything on the shuttle. Especially after last time, where she had been forbidden to 'play' with the Starbase Shuttles.

One eyebrow slowly rose on the face of the first officer, and a patient smile settled into place as she waited.

"Damn it..." Muttered Haruna as she placed one tool down and picked up another. "Come on..." she said to herself. The pilot of the shuttle had spun around in his chair, and shrugged at the waiting commander as if to indicate that he wasn't sure what to do with the small strange Engineer.

After waiting thirty seconds, counting it off with the beat of her heart, Paris made another mental note about the eccentric engineer- work focused to the point of distraction. Then, in a voice that carried the authority of a Starfleet officer or a den mother, the gold-clad commander called out.

"LIEUTENANT JUNIOR GRADE MIZUHARA. Do you know where you are right now?"

Tools went flying everywhere as Haruna literally jumped right out of her skin. She nearly fell backwards as she was caught off guard. She looked around quickly. Her eyes snapped onto the commander in front of her. She tilted her head slightly to one side, then to the other as if confused.

"Erm..." she said simply looking the commander up and down several times. "Well... you know my name... so I'm on a ship... but..." she was trying to put the pieces together in her head. "Wait, what year is it? Have I screwed up again?" she picked up a tricorder and tapped on it. "Wait...." she said. We've not time traveled. You're not a Time Lord are you.... erm..." she looked at the woman's rank stripes on her sleeves "Commander?"

"Assuming you are expecting to find yourself on stardate 74080, or February of the year 2397 by the old Earth calendar, then no, YOU have not time traveled, Miss Mizuhara," the buxom bombshell in the throwback mod minidress explained. "I can assure you that I am most certainly not a lord of time. I am, as you have correctly observed, a Commander. In Starfleet. You may have heard of us. Semi-military operation on a continuing mission to explore strange new worlds, seek out new life and new civilizations. To boldly go, that sort of thing. Ringing a bell?" The old-school officer explained it all with a benign smile and a casual air that made it seem as though this was a lark, although the shuttle pilot sensed enough danger that he was doing his best to busy himself with something on his control panel.

"Yeah" Haruna replied. She still seemed a little confused. "So, this must be the USS Hera. Do you have a different dress code? Or do we all get to wear the retro snazzy looking uniforms?" she asked with stars in her eyes. She had always been a bit of a fan of the old uniforms; which never seemed to suit her tomboyish personality.

"If you can convince the Captain that there's a good reason for you to wear the retro snazzy uniform, it's always a possibility," the curvaceous commander admitted. "Because yes, this is the USS Hera. Now, according to your service jacket, you did attend and graduate both Starfleet Academy and Officer Training. So when last I checked, when arriving aboard a new duty station, there are certain procedures. Protocols. Traditions. Requirements, even. I don't suppose you are familiar with any of them, Miss Mizuhara? I take it from your reactions and general demeanor such things were not enforced on the Yorktown or the Ranger, hmmm?"

The general demeanor of the old-fashioned officer was still pleasant, but as crewmen worked the flight deck, they were surreptitiously watching the exchange. The Commander greeted all onboarding officers and crew, from the lowliest crewman to the highest of dignitaries... and some of them didn't even make it off the shuttle. Given the patient exchange, it was starting to look like this might be one of those, as the flight deck crewmen kept themselves busy while eavesdropping on the exchange.

Haruna grinned as she rose to her feet. "Aye Commander. I just like my own style, I've found that in Starfleet and other organizations, the 'monkey see, monkey do' attitude just leads to a herd of sheep" she explained with a grin. "I prefer to... colour outside the lines" she added with a smile. She picked up a few of the tools off the floor and began slotting them inside her uniform in custom made pockets and pouches. "Regardless..." she bowed. "Requesting permission to come aboard?"

There was a long pause at that… a rather deliberate one, that stressed that the request was not automatically granted, but instead, being considered. “I appreciate that you prefer your own style and that conformity is not your choice. Your low opinion of discipline, insulting military tradition and lack of respect for the chain of command is noted. I must say, it’s an… interesting choice to make as your introduction to your new duty station, and a new commander.”

Rather than launch into a longer speech to expand upon those points, the career Starfleet officer paused at that, patiently waiting to see what sort of response she would receive.

Haruna blinked a few times, not quite certain how to respond. Yes, she had a few problems here and there with the command structure, but she was a tinkerer and an engineer. "Sorry Commander, but I know most people think of Starfleet as non-militarised..." she replied quietly. She didn't want to start any arguments here in the back of a shuttle. "I'm not your average Officer Commander, most people don't like me because I'm different" she explained. She looked away momentarily at the bulkhead of the shuttle. "Its why I have no friends..." she looked back trying to not tear up. "I'm always the odd one out.."

Taking a step forward, the commander took a bit of the steel out of her voice. "Rank and discipline exist for a reason, Miss Mizuhara. They lend structure. Being the individual is easy so long as there is structure. You call it 'monkey see, monkey do' and 'a herd of sheep'. We call it discipline, respect for tradition and a chain of command. That structure provides the lines of which that you like to colour outside, and without it, we have chaos. There is always room within Starfleet for unique individuals, Miss Mizuhara. But it is WITHIN Starfleet, not without.."

"I want to make a new start here" she said as she zipped up her uniform. "Can I have a chance, please?"

"That, Miss Mizuhara, is entirely up to you," the curious commander in the old-fashioned uniform cocked her head slightly. "You and I have exchanged remarkably few words, yet you have very clearly informed me that you have no respect for the rank structure, tradition, orders, and in point of fact find following any such obligations to be insulting to your personhood. While you clearly have a markedly low opinion any such person who does... which would be your new 751 fellow shipmates, your commander and your captain."

"As of this moment, you have not yet come aboard. So this little conversation is currently between the two of us. Your section chief is not aware you hold her in contempt, capable of only 'monkey see, monkey do'. Your captain does not know you feel she oversees a 'flock of sheep.' Your preference for your own style, rather than military tradition, is currently known only to me. All of your preconceptions and insulting perspectives of the USS Hera and her crew are still on that shuttlecraft right now. If you'd really like a new start, this is EXACTLY the time and place for one. But it won't come from me, Lieutenant Junior Grade Mizuhara. That is a choice for you to make... you see?" By the end of the speech, the buxom blonde was leaned in slightly, there at the base of the ramp of the shuttle. Her voice had softened, and she had a look of anticipation in her eyes... perhaps even hope.

Haruma wiped her eyes with her sleeve, then stood bolt upright like someone had sent an electrical shock through her spine. "Apologies Commander" she said simply. "Its been difficult for me recently, regardless of that. I intend to do my job to the best of my ability. Reporting as ordered". She just hoped that this would be adequate for the Commander to let her finally take up that chance.

'We can talk about difficult," the Commander continued in that gentler tone. "Because we would prefer that your life on the Hera not be difficult, Miss Mizuhara. A little attention paid to military discipline, a little dedication to duty is all we ask, and the eccentricities we can work with, all right? Now, permission to come aboard granted, Lieutenant Junior Grade Mizuhara. Let's get you settled in, shall we?"

Turning to no longer be physically blocking the ramp off the shuttle, the tall Earthling gestured to the pressure doors that led off the flight deck with one hand, while offering a PaDD to Haruna with the other. "Let's chat a bit as we get you to your quarters, shall we? Here's your welcome aboard package, including your quarters assignment, maps of the Hera, limited computer access and some appointments to keep. You need to check into the command in order to have full access, so that means a meeting with the first officer, a meeting with the captain, a physical as well as meeting the chief engineer, as your department head. Once everyone signs off, you'll be checked into the command, and be granted full access for active duty."

"Any questions, Lieutenant?"

"None at the moment... well..." she paused for a few seconds. "I am a little confused, Starfleet didn't exactly tell me what I would be doing on the Hera. I'm an Engineer but they told me that it was a classified matter," she explained simply.

“That remains to be seen,” the curvaceous commander replied with a smile that was not at all unfriendly. “But given your background, you’ll most likely be assigned to our Aerospace Research and Development department, where we’re creating new variable mode starcraft for the 25th century. At least, if I had to hazard a guess. But I can’t say for certain, as Lieutenant Commander sh’Zoarhi may have other plans for your particular skillset.”

Haruna nodded as she walked by the side of the commander, their height very different indeed. "Understood" she said with a smile. She was kind of excited to be getting something different to do, something that not everyone could do.

“We do good work on the Hera, and we’re an... unusual starship. A starship of secrets and wonders, I suspect you will discover. So here are your basic rules of survival, Miss Mizuhara. Expect the unexpected, and be prepared for anything by maintaining an open mind,” the Amazonian first officer explained, if somewhat cryptically. “If there is something out of the ordinary, there is probably a reason for it, and a story behind it. Ask. Explore. Be respectful, of course, but be inquisitive. Ask the questions, seek the answers and grow, learn and evolve. Kind of the point of life, ennit?”

Haruna continued to walk beside the commander. "Yes Sir," she said simply in response. "When should I report for duty?" she asked. She hoped that the commander would be kind enough to give her a day or two to settle in and to familiarize herself with the ship.

The full-figured first officer gave the young woman an askance expression, one of mixed bemusement with an upraised eyebrow. "You have your welcome aboard package, and a list of whom to meet with. I leave it to you to set the appointments, and it is on your own timeline that you complete your check-in and report for duty, Miss Mizuhara. I shall leave that all in your capable hands, and I will come check on you if too much time passes and no one has seen you outside your quarters."

Stopping in the corridor, Paris pointed to the nameplate, which she then touched and dragged down to eye level for Haruna. The LCARS display read:

LT JG MIZUHARA, H

"Welcome home, Miss Mizuhara. Welcome to the USS Hera."

 

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