A cadet comes aboard

Posted on Fri Jun 6th, 2025 @ 2:44pm by Ensign Bracca & Petty Officer 1st Class Saral & Cadet First Class Rusty Oaks

975 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: A marathon not a sprint
Location: USS Wolff- Deck 4
Timeline: Md01

Stepping through the doors of the Wolff's first transporter room Ensign Bracca ran his hand over his smooth blue head. Cadets were a mixed bag and he was curious why they'd been sent just the one for his senior year cruise rather than either several or non at all. He never remembered getting a starship assignment for his senior cruise, clustered with about a hundred other cadets on an old Miranda class having to take it in turns to work in various parts of a ship that only really went out as far from Earth as Alpha Centaurii.

"Is our latest arrival ready for transport Saral?" Bracca asked the Vulcan petty officer manning the operators console.

"Yes Sir," Saral replied. "I have already beamed the Cadets belongings to his quarters."

"Alright," Bracca gave the man a small smile. "energize when you're ready."

The slight tingling sensation that Rusty was particularly sensitive to gave him goosepimples all along his arms and legs. It was a sensation akin to the soothing coolness of inhaling menthol. His friends always told him he was bonkers that aside from a mild disorienting experience, they felt nothing during a transport.

Cadet Russell Oaks though was adamant that he felt something, and there was even a difference in what he felt using the public transporters on earth compared to a starship's. As he materialized aboard the USS Wolff he began forming on the transporter pad.

A few moments later he looked solid, but he himself felt a bit woozy and as he tried to step down from the transporter pad, his legs went a wee bit jelly and he wobbled until his eyes went up and he knees buckled, collapsing into Ensign Bracca, fainting like one of those myotonic goats he had observed on a field trip to the countryside.

"Welcome....oooffpphh." Bracca began to speak when the slightly taller human stumbled forwards down the steps towards him, he caught the man but both fell in a clump onto the deck.

Thoroughly emotionless at the surprising events of the Cadets arrival Saral moved around the transport panel and quickly separated him from Bracca. "Are either of you injured?" He enquired.

Rusty came to and found himself caught by the Bolian. "Sorry, Sir" he said and gingerly got back upright and looked at Saral. "Just my ego" he added.

He hadn't fainted like that in a while. "Guess I deserved that for skipping breakfast this morning. I don't usually do that, but it's admittedly not the first time. I promise I'm not defective. Don't send me back to the factory" he joked.

"No harm done Cadet," Bracca said as he hauled himself to his feet, "just be glad I wasn't the Captain or the Xo. Definitely wouldn't make a good first impression with them."

Rusty nodded. "I imagine not," he replied and brushed off the civilian clothing he had on. "I do not want to give them a bad impression. I am a pretty good student, and I want to show them why I earned this opportunity."

"First off show you can present yourself properly to an officer." Bracca smoothed out his uniform as he spoke.

"Not on duty, Sir," Rusty replied. "I don't live in my academy uniform, and there was no clarification on what uniform would be appropriate for this starship. I would be happy to change into one if that would be preferable."

"I would suggest you do before you meet Lieutenant Rowe the department head." Bracca said slightly surprised at the Cadets remark.

"Oh of course, Sir. I wouldn't dare without a uniform. Should I stick with a cadet uniform or one of those?" asked the cadet gesturing at Bracca's.

"Stick with the cadet uniform until you hear otherwise." Bracca suggested.

Cadet Oaks nodded in agreement. "Yes Sir. Of course sir. I will stick with the cadet uniform. What has been your favorite part about serving on the Wolff, Sir?"

"I piloted the ship without much damage out of an asteroid field that was exploding, that was quite the afternoon." Bracca replied. He motioned towards the transporter room door.

Rusty beamed with gleeful excitement. "That sounds riveting, Sir. Does the Wolff see much of that? I wasn't expecting too much when they told me she was a Luna class starship. Honestly, I figured it would just be a lot of standard orbit and scan this."

"Oh there is still plenty of boring travel from place to place but we have had our share of being shot at for a science explorer." Bracca began to head out the room.

Rusty chuckled and thought about serving on the starship. "Boring space travel sounds safe. My mother would be happy to know there's plenty of that. Honestly, probably best if I tell her that's the norm here."

"I think she would be happy to know you're as safe as can be." Bracca told him. "A second line explorer starship mostly on jobs around the mid core, somewhat safe but as I said, still has it's drama every so often."

"It will be an honor to serve regardless of the missions, Sir. To simply be aboard is...a dream turned reality. I hope that when I earn my commission after graduating that I could serve on a starship like this."

"Perform your duties well and don't break the ship and you'll do fine." Bracca led Rusty down the corridor eventually stopping at a turbolift. "Your quarters are down this corridor section six, room 32 and the bosses office is one deck down, get yourself squared away and go see her."

"Yes, Sir" replied Cadet Oaks. "Thank you for welcoming to the Wolff. I will do my best to get settled in and contribute to this crew, Sir."


OFF:

Cadet Rusty Oaks
USS Wolff

Ensign Bracca
Helm Officer [Pnpc Taliserra]

PO1 Saral
Operations [pnpc Taliserra

 

RSS Feed