Time To Pack

Posted on Sat Aug 10th, 2019 @ 8:49pm by Admiral Paka Larem
Edited on on Thu Nov 14th, 2019 @ 11:37pm

1,478 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: [A] A Breath of Fresh Air
Location: Starfleet Command, Earth, Admiral Paka’s Office.
Timeline: 0900, Friday 16 December, 2388

0900, Friday 16 December, 2388
24 Days to Departure

"Good Morning Commander." Admiral Paka said, with a smile across his face, as he entered his Yeoman’s office. As usual, she had been there since 0700. "I still don’t know how you manage to be here as awake as you do with 2 children." He let out a small chuckle.

"Coffee helps. So does having Darren around more." She smiled as she grabbed a cup of coffee for the Admiral from the replicator built under her desk. She preferred a minimalistic office, and fortunately, being a Yeoman for Admiral Paka, he had given her permission to rearrange her office.

He grabbed the coffee from her and sat on the sofa in the waiting area. She had worked for some Admirals who were all about rank, but Admiral Paka had always made a point to get to know as many of the officers under him as possible. "Oh, does he not still own the restaurant?"

"He still does, but he finally got around to hiring a second manager, so he only goes into the San Francisco branch when there is an issue now, which doesn't happen very often. It’s also freed up enough time that he thinking about opening a third branch now too. Just got to decide where."

"I know one is in San Francisco, but where was the second one again? Somewhere in England if I recall." He asked.

"Yeh, Liverpool. It’s in the North West of the country. In a lovely area by the River there. He is thinking of opening the third off-world. Just got to find a nice little planet somewhere not too far away." Her console beeped. "Sir, Admiral Glash’s office just informed me it is sending someone down in a few minutes. Your eyes only."

"Well, I better get started then." He stood up and walked into his office.

----

He walked into his office and activated the wall monitor. It showed various ship deployments in and around the Sol sector, which was under his purview. He sipped his coffee once more, sure that Commander Hanover had adjusted the pattern and added something to the recipe of the coffee. He sat at his desk, and almost instantaneously, Commander Hanover had forwarded his schedule to his desktop console, and one of the PADD’s on his desk.

Then his schedule was cleared. Commander Hanover didn’t have the authority to do that, which means it came from someone else. The comm panel on the desk beeped.

"Admiral Anderson from Admiral Glash’s office to see you, Admiral." She sounded uncomfortable, presumably because she just used the word ‘Admiral’ 3 times in 1 sentence.

"Send him in Commander, thank you." The door opened and in walked Admiral Stephen Anderson. ‘Not one of the friendlier officer’ he thought to himself. "Come in Stephen, can I get you a drink?"

"No. Your Yeoman already offered me one." ‘That explains why she was uncomfortable.’ "What do you know of the Task Force we have in the Delta Quadrant."

"Straight to business I see." He paused, purposely longer than he needed to, and took a sip of his tea. "I don’t know much of specific deployments, but I am aware of our assets there, in a broad sense.

"Admiral Glash has made it clear that this isn’t necessarily an order, based on the distance and time involved. The position of Task Force 38 Commanding Officer is open. He had several thoughts on who should be offered the position, including myself. He wanted to give you the first choice of refusal. You have the option of taking a flagship, and your own staff."

"That’s… quite an offer. How long do I have to decide? Where is the position?" Laram asked.

"We think the gateway is due to open in 24 days. The Admiral would like an answer in the next few days. And you would be based out of Kartelan Station."

"You think? We don’t know for sure?" He asked.

"The USS Khepri came through a semi-stable wormhole from the Epatha system in the Delta Quadrant to the Raeyan System, in the Fourth of July Nebula. Using previous readings from the sector, including the time that the Khepri came through, there was the same raised theta-band radiation detected from long range sensor posts. They occur approximately every 45 days. By our estimates, it is due to open in 24 days, but we don’t know for sure. We are assembling a Task Group, including a colony group."

"A colony group? How many ships and colonists are we talking about?"

"14 ships, so far, including a Flag Ship for yourself. And around 5000 colonists."

"That seems like a lot of colonists for an area so far away." Paka was trying to work out what was going on.

"Helios Colony has around 13,000. Persephone around 160,000. But they are in the Round Table. We have a few loose assets in the Gradin Belt, including Kartelan Station, but no other planetary assets. From sensor scans the Khepri brought back, there is a mountainous planet around two and a half light-years from Kartelan. It’s M class, and there appear to be no indigenous lifeforms. Command wants to establish a colony on it. We could send about 45,000 on the ships we are sending, but we are limiting it to 5000. 2 of the ships in the group are SCE, and they are taking an extra 400 engineers between them. Initial estimates show they can have the basic infrastructure of the colony up and running within 3 weeks.

"That seems rather quick. How are we building it up that quick?"

"The SCE ships are Insignia class, fitted out with extra industrial replication modules. I’ll have all the information sent to you. But you have a few days to think about it. It is a long way away."

"Very well, Admiral, I shall let him know my answer by Monday. Thank you, Stephen." Paka nodded to Admiral Anderson, who remained in place. "Was there something else?

"Yes, Admiral. What do you think your decision will be?"

"I have just found out, and already told you I will decide by Monday." It was clear from his demeanour that Admiral Anderson wanted the position. Laram also knew this wasn't the first time Anderson has been passed over for a position. "Now was there anything else Rear Admiral." He emphasised the ‘Rear’ indicating that this conversation was over. Anderson shook his head and left the room. "Thank you."

He called through the open door. "Camile, come in here for a few minutes please." She walked into his office with a PADD.

"Admiral, I’m sorry, I don’t know what happened to your schedule, I am looking through the backups and…" Laram held up his hand.

"It’s not that. Please, have a seat. You have been my Yeoman now for what, 8 years?" He asked her.

"Yes, coming up on 8 years next month." She paused, and a wave of worry passed over her face. "Am I being reassigned, Sir?" She visibly stiffened up.

"No, but I was just offered a position I think I will take, and I wanted to know if you would join me." He saw a smile on her face, but he kept his face as stoic. "It’s Kartelan Station, in the Delta Quadrant."

"I thought we were cut off from the Delta Quadrant?" She asked, with a hint of confusion and worry in her voice.

"The USS Khapri appeared in the Raeyan sector. They came through a wormhole which apparently opens every 45 days, but they aren't sure. They are sending a task group through when, or rather if, it opens. Admiral Anderson is going to send me the information, but can you check up on it. He sounds like he wants the position himself. I don’t want you to make a decision now. I am asking you, and I don’t want you to go if you, or your family, don't want to."

"How would it work with the family? I doubt there would be many civilian positions in the task group." She asked, almost sounding hopeful.

"You are right, however, there are two SCE ships and a colony group. We are starting a new colony on a planet near Kartelan. If you decide to, we can add Darren and the kids to the colony group. And naturally, if it doesn’t work out, you can come back. Take the morning off, get Lieutenant Commander Seresta to take you over. Go home and discuss it with the family. I still have to decide for myself if I want to go."

"Thank you, Sir. The rest of your schedule has been cleared from somewhere, and I'll be back after lunch."

Paka nodded. He had already made up his mind. 'Time to pack' he thought to himself.

 

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