From Out of the Shadows - Part Two

Posted on Thu Mar 19th, 2020 @ 5:56am by Captain Daniel "Karass" McKnight & Commander Jerome Cable & Lieutenant Jacob Stanns

Mission: Mission 98: Building Our New Home
Location: Various Locations - USS Dreamcrusher
Timeline: 0900Hrs - July 13th, 2393

It was morning on the USS Dreamcrusher as the ship was being refitted and repaired after her mission of exploration and patrol in the Taurus Reach, the ship herself was moored to the exterior of Starbase Vanguard, Dreamcrusher like all the other Guardians were unable to fit inside the massive hanger spaces of the older Ournal Two class starbases and a design was being worked on to house them.

None of this was in the mind of Lieutenant Jacob Stanns as the transport he was on emerged from slipstream along with a half a dozen other ships, all being escorted by the USS Massachusetts. Stanns had found himself marveling over the lines of the USS Massachusetts and he wondered if Dreamcrusher looked anything like her.

"Attention all personnel, we are arriving at Starbase Vanguard, we'll be landing in two minutes, prepare to disembark." came a voice over the intercom.

Like everyone else present, Stanns rose and liberated his two bags from where he had stowed them when he had boarded this transport when he had left Starbase 84 almost two weeks ago. Stanns then slung one of them over his back before he got into line to get off the transport once it docked.

Stanns was processed along with everyone else by the small legion of Starfleet security personnel present. "Thanks for you're cooperation." was what he was told from one of the various security personnel after they checked him over.

"No worries. Thanks for checking me over." Stanns answered with a smile before he began moving towards his destination. He found his way to the airlock for the USS Dreamcrusher a short time later after making his way through a labyrinth of corridors and passageways.

"Permission to come aboard?" Stanns inquired of the two guards at the airlock as he presented the two with his orders. "Morning sir, mind if-Ahh." the older of the two responded. "Thank you, sir." as he accepted the PADD from Stanns.

Stanns waited in silence as the second guard checked his bags over, in silence, he nodded. "Sorry sir, new regs."

"Not a worry gents, You owe me no apology for doing your jobs," Stanns answered, a gentle smile on his lips.

The second guard nodded. "Everything looks in order Commander. Welcome to the Dreamcrusher. Apparently, the skipper and the Ex oh both wanna see you right away."

"Oh." Stanns was surprised by that statement. "Thanks for letting me know."

"No worries sir, again, welcome to the Dreamcrusher."

Stanns nodded his thanks before he turned and went aboard, his first stop was the quartermaster's office for his quarter's assignment, once he had that, he went and dropped off his bags before he went to check in with his new skipper.

Stanns reached the destination after about twenty minutes of his arrival aboard ship, he tapped the door chime. "Enter." came a voice from within.

Stanns walked into the ready room to find Captain Daniel McKnight seated behind his desk with a slightly larger male officer across from him. "Captain sir." Stanns addressed the man formally. "Lieutenant Jacob Stanns, reporting for duty sir."

"Welcome aboard Commander, take a seat. This is Commander Jerome Cable, my first officer."

"A pleasure Commander." Rutland and Cable gently shook hands in the human style. "I'm told that you requested me as soon as I got here. I apologize for not getting here sooner, I needed to get my quarters assignment so I could drop my bags off."

"That's fine Jake, mind if I call you Jake?" McKnight inquired. "I prefer to be on a first name basis with my crew. It helps them bond and relate to me and make my life easier in that I know they can trust me, it goes both ways."

Stanns raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Of course sir but I should mention I prefer to be called Jacob. Its a little thing but its mine."

McKnight nodded his head. "Sounds good to me Jacob, welcome aboard."

Rutland raised an eyebrow in surprise. "You'll forgive me saying so skipper but, I wasn't expecting that."

"What were you expecting?" Cable inquired, a smile on his lips.

"I was expecting rigid and formal. What I've dealt with across my entire Starfleet career up to this point. I heard that this ship is a bit more liberal than most." Stanns answered.

"You have Commodore Zuko Omakan to thank for that, he was on a first name basis with everyone, he didn't care for the formality in Starfleet and neither do I. I followed his example and I found that his way worked for me," McKnight answered.

"Fair enough skipper." Stanns paused. "Daniel," he said in a hesitant tone.

Cable chuckled softly. "It'll take time, we understand. God knows it took me months to adjust to Daniel's command style. But you'll have a certain leeway in regards to your work. I read your file, says you love loud music so you won't need to worry, as all the walls and floors are soundproofed, its something this ships builders did when they laid down Dreamcrushers keel." Cable suddenly smiled. "It keeps the noise complaints down."

Stanns regarded Cable, a smile on his lips. "Yes I do like loud music, I will simply have the com system automatically shut off the music when I'm called. I had it set on USS Envoy so nobody was any the wiser and I'll do the same here." he regarded Cable and the McKnight. "Is there anything special I should know?" he inquired.

"You'll have a clean slate with me and Jerome here, regardless of what you did in your history. Any questions?"

"Nope, other than when do I start?" Stanns smiled.

"You start tomorrow at Oh eight hundred, I was reluctant to trust a new person with this level of responsibility but I don't have anyone highly ranked enough to become my new chief intelligence officer, you were at the top of my rather short list."

"I will make sure your faith in me is vindicated," Stanns answered as he nodded his head.

"I hope so Lieutenant but I leave that, up to you." McKnight smiled. "Lt Commander Lia Circe was a very stable member of my bridge crew and she was well liked and respected. She will be hard to replace," he added.

"I understand, I will attempt to do the assignment as well as I can. By your leave skipper?" Stanns answered.

"You start tomorrow but I respect your work ethic though," McKnight responded with a smile. "Take today and go settle in, learn the layout of the ship and the like. On your way Jacob."

"Aye skipper." and with that Stanns rose to his feet and departed in silence.

Cable smiled. "So, what do you think?"

"Not bad," McKnight answered. "I want to see how he settles in before I decide once and for all."

"Works for me, let's move onto our next problem." Cable answered.