Cadet roll call

                                                                  STAR TREK LOTUS FLEET

                                                                             A NEW DAWN








The stars of the Hromi sector twinkled softly compared to the brilliant lights of Starbase Lotus, it's window-studded saucer shape several kilometers in diameter revolving slowly on it's axis like a small, lone metal planetoid. One of it's four huge spacedoors was open, allowing incoming cargo ships to see the vast inner expanse within it's huge shell, large enough to accomodate up to four of the largest starships currently in service in Starfleet. At the moment however, there was but only one vessel moored inside.

It's shape was unusual for a Federation vessel. It's so-called saucer section or primary hull was a thick triangle directly connected to the flattened secondary hull from which stern barely angled on short thick pylons unusually short and large warp nacelles. Despite this compact frame however, the ship looked sleek and elegant, like a shark ready to knife it's way through a sea of stars. Several viewports were illuminated and there was a soft glow to it's unusual nacelles, indicating that it's antimatter warp core was active, albeit at low intensity.

Indeed, the vessel may have looked dormant on it's magnetic moorings and connecting energy tethers but there was life aboard. There were much less people than the usual hundreds that would be assigned on board once she would launch, but enough to oversee all it's major systems. The main transporter room however was devoid of activity. Only one copper-skinned, black-haired woman stood near it's brand new console, looking with green slanted eyes at a PADD and nodding to herself from time to time. Then she stood ramrod straight at attention stance with the padd tucked under an armpit, tapped on her combadge and lifted her head slightly to speak outloud.

To all fourth year cadets; this is Academy Instructor Snow; report yourself to transporter room One of the USS Alsea in fifteen minutes.

 

*     *     *

In the midst of her sonic shower, Sabrina ShadowHunt heard the announcement from Academy Instructor Snow resonate from the intercom. Swiftly exiting out of the enclosure, she was truly pressed for time to arrive the USS Alsea within the fifteen minutes timeframe allotted.

As she rushed to get dressed, she realized that she had stayed up way too late the previous night reviewing details of this distinctive Prometheus class starship. She was studying the status of the science officer console on the bridge of this vessel. The station was linked directly into the science department's main computer banks and could be used to analyze any sensor data that the operation station picked up. This was a change from the normal Prometheus class bridge layout she had seen which did not include a science station. These modifications represented a new role that the Prometheus vessel was asked to play in the fleet at that time. However, she also knew that this console needed to be updated and retrofitted since its last dangerous mission.

She recalled reading in her studies that during Lotus Fleet’s last engagement with the Borg many years ago, the USS Alsea utilized the multi-vector assault mode to attack the cube from multiple angles and vectors utilizing a full range of attacks. It sustained damage during that mission and was put into a non-operational status upon its battle-weary return. She pondered why they were using this vessel now. As a cadet however, she wasn’t privy to such confidential information.

Sabrina stood barefoot in front of the mirror at five foot, eight inches tall. She quickly brushed out her long thick raven hair before tying it into a single ponytail that would run down the center of her back. Her refined angular facial features were highlighted with amber hued eyes and a deep beige-colored skin tone. At twenty years old, she was a contradiction of youth and maturity along with a disposition that could shift from stoic seriousness to playfulness without warning.  She inspected all angles of her uniform and her appearance before exiting out of her quarters.

Just before entering a turbolift she realized that she had left her PADD sitting on the corner of her bed. Frustrated with such a ridiculous oversight, she beelined it back to her quarters and swept up the device with a hurried grasp. Checking the time on its display, she realized that she had four minutes to report to duty.

She hustled her way to the nearest Transporter room and presented a digital manifest of her orders. Once her orders were confirmed, she stepped onto a transporter pad and was summarily teleported directly to transporter room one of the designated starship.

Once fully materialized, she hustled off of the transporter pad and stood at attention before the copper-skinned Academy Instructor.

“Cadet Sabrina ShadowHunt reporting for duty as ordered,” she projected above her controlled deep respiration.

 

*     *     * 

 

 Oh, Bloody Hell, 15 minutes to report, why did I think this time would be different. 

Since day one, cadet training has been a continuous series of hurry up and then just wait, sometimes for hours for more instructions. Of course, sometimes cadet training reminded him of the stories his grandfather passed down from his creole grandfather about the old circus animals his family use to train.

These days, academy life is hurry up, jump through a burning hoop, then just wait.  At least the Animals got rewarded back then.  Now that we are entering the real-life starship training phase, I really thought that those days were behind us.  Guess not!

His Grandfather never said Bloody hell. He got that directly from his Mother’s Welsh/Irish side of the family, a temper that the academy training has helped restrain and refocus through discipline. Only in New Orleans would those two families have found each other for an adventure of a lifetime. 

Wonder what today will bring, well I should know something in 8 minutes or be on report in 9 if the turbo lift doesn’t move fast enough.  One last check in the mirror before exiting. Mom used to say, “LG Once you leave through that door, I’ll be on parade for all to evaluate.” It’s Showtime!

73 seconds remaining as he stepped onto the transporter pad. 

OK you beautiful piece of tech, he thought, please rearrange this fair-skinned, brown hair, blue eyed 21 year old kid into a man ready for the next chapter of Starfleet History. 

And then, he was aboard the USS Alsea, Prometheus class.

“Cadet Lep Galar Hansen reporting for duty.”

After they came down from the transporter pad, Snow checked the two science cadets arrival on her PADD, nodding to them in answer to their perfunctory salute and attention stance.

''At ease cadets. Welcome aboard.''

She then frowned, going through her list again before addressing them both.

''Any one of you seen Cadet Holland?''

Looking at their blank faces, she saw that she didn't need to wait for a response. She tapped again on her combadge, her voice a whiff sterner than before.

''Cadet Gunner Holland; report. ''

 

*     *     * 

 

“To all fourth-year cadets; this is Academy Instructor Snow; report yourself to transporter room One of the USS Alsea in fifteen minutes.”.

The call coming overhead was drowned out by the hum of phaser being fired at minimum stun. The phaser looked small in the large hands of its holder. Gunner Holland was half Klingon and half Betazoid, but other than his Betazoid black eyes was built like a Klingon warrior of lore.

“Another sat test”. Holland noted to himself as he placed the phaser in the open slot on the weapons rack to his right.

Cadet Holland rolled his large Klingon shoulders making an audible crack which echoed inside the small weapons locker. Closing the lid on the phaser case he slid the storage box into the recess in the wall. Holland nodded approvingly to himself having completed his morning duties. Weapons tests were his favorite part of the security maintenance log.

While the other cadets readied themselves for their transfer Holland had been working with security maintenance aboard the Alsea for a few days now in preparation for the upcoming training mission.

“Cadet Gunner Holland; report.”.

The voice was stern and sounded annoyed. The Klingon in Holland made tardiness a trait he was not familiar with. With a speed more fitting a Betazoid eating desert than a Klingon reporting to duty Holland hurried out of the weapons locker towards the transporter room.

The doors to the transporter room opened with a whoosh and a quick survey of the room was all Holland needed to realize he was the last to arrive. Standing stern, he looked upon instructor Snow, nodded and spoke up.

“Cadet Holland reporting for duty”.

''With Vulcan timing no less, '' the instructor noted without expression either in her voice or on her high-cheekboned coppery face.

She was about to address them all when her combadge chirped.

''Snow here.''

''Lieutenant, this is Ops; the Aurora is about to arrive and has another cadet to send to you. Please stand by for the cadet's arrival.''

''Understood Starbase Lotus; Snow out.''

She then looked at each one of the three last arrivals in turn.

''Seems we will all have to wait. Unexpected to be sure; but if unexpected is something you can't handle, then you should reconsider your career choice.''

It was as if she expected one or all of them to turn around and climb back onto the transporter pad. But after four years of Academy, and the most demanding Academy branch at that, the Lotus Fleet Academy, they certainly were already well versed in the unexpecting department. This very summon to this ship was but yet another such occurence. And it was a certainty that this was not going to be the last.

Cadet Hansen was already assessing the situation from his own perspective in the confines of his mind.

We already have ''Cadet Hurry Up, '' who arrived first and '' Cadet Jump Through Flaming Phaser Fire,'' so I guess I'm ''Cadet Waiting;'' just trying to figure out how this all works.

Unknowingly, his head shook ever so slightly as he subconsciously acknowledged a nagging feeling inside.

Although we are all cadets, somehow everyone else seems so much more experienced.

And as if on cue, the instructor addressed him.

''Cadet Hansen; while we wait, may I have a word with you?''

Not even waiting for an answer, she walked into the farthest corner of the room and turned to face him, her angular face a blank mask of bronze.

(feel free to continue your conversation, I will be adding my character's arrival below. -Jureth) *** In the operations heart of Starbase Lotus the station's on duty tactical officer picked up the sensor signature from the incoming vessel the moment it was registered by the computer. "Sir, incoming starship, looks like the Discovery is home." "Note Captain Oseno's arrival time," the officer of the watch replied "and report it to Fleet Captain Samji." "Aye Sir." Aboard the Discovery the ship's tactical officer spoke up "Captain, incoming transmission from Starbase Lotus." Captain Oseno nodded "On screen." "Discovery, this is Starbase Lotus docking control. You are clear to dock immediately and all traffic has been instructed to hold pending your arrival." "Understood," Oseno replied "Disovery out." The viewer went dark and Captain Oseno again spoke to his helmsman "Mister Hunter take us in, steady as she goes." Terix observed the helmsman's expert docking maneuvers as the human's fingers moved defly over the starship's controls. It didn't take long before he guided the Discovery to Starbase Lotus and secured the ship in the assigned docking bay. Terix thanked Captain Oseno for the trip and the conversation they had engaged in during. Terix genuinely enjoyed speaking wtih the Bajoran who he felt didn't pass any judgement on him simply because of his species. As he stepped through the airlock and into the station proper he heard an announcement "To all fourth year cadets; this is Academy Instructor Snow; report yourself to transporter room One of the USS Alsea in fifteen minutes." Terix stopped dead in his tracks and went over to an information display along the bulkhead. He located the docking bay for the USS Alsea and stepped quickly toward it still carrying his duffel bag over his shoulder. As Terix approached the transporter pad he could see several other cadets already lined up. He joined the back of the line and waited for his turn to beam to the ship.