Stories from the Wolff

Posted on Sun Aug 9th, 2026 @ 3:52pm by Ensign Auren & Ensign Bracca

1,549 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Crisis at Zeta-294
Location: Deck 3 - Main Mess Hall
Timeline: MD03 - 1845 Hours

Auren picked at a piece of bread, tearing off small pieces as he sat alone. He'd gotten lucky and managed to claim a corner table during the dinner rush, a good spot to quietly observe the room. His new shipmates. His first shipmates, even. It still felt almost unreal that he was finally here, in deep space, light-years from home and the Academy.

Watching people was something he genuinely enjoyed. He could lose himself in it for hours. It wasn't just the smiles, the laughter, or the quiet conversations shared across meals. There was something comforting about simply being surrounded by life. Even from the corner, the warmth of the mess hall seemed to draw him in, leaving him smiling faintly between bites of his own dinner. To anyone who happened to glance his way, he probably looked like a young officer lost in his own thoughts, only half aware of what was happening around him.

Aelira had said he paid far too much attention, and she had been right. Beneath the calm expression and absent-minded smile, Auren noticed far more than most people realized. Conversations drifted to him without effort. Emotions washed through the room in quiet waves. He found himself aware of people out of his field of vision before he heard their footsteps or saw their shadows. It wasn't something he consciously tried to do. It was simply part of how he experienced the world, and moments like this never stopped fascinating him.

Ensign Bracca was also looking for a seat, he weaved through tables already full trying to find a good spot that wasn't too occupied, luckily he soon spotted the corner table manned only by a young looking red collared Ensign just like himself. "Mind if I join you Ensign?"

"I uh..." Auren blinked his eyes and it seemed to take some effort him to focus his gaze on the one who had spoken. His gaze settled on the other ensign for a moment just before he offered a small, easy smile. "Not at all. Please." He extended his hand across the table to shake. "I'm Auren."

"Aaahhh the latest academy graduate to grace the Wolff, we seem to be acquiring new Ensigns at a very fast pace." Bracca said as he sat down, he took the mans offered hand and shook it gently. "Bracca, flight control."

"You know me?" Auren looked surprised as the Bolian sat down. "I thought I had been sort of flying under the radar. Nice to meet a teammate though."

"The boss told me we were getting a new Ensign for our department." Bracca told him. "You're the only new face Ensign around here in a red collar, so you must be Auren."

"That makes sense," and the young man figured that news really did travel at Warp 9. Auren fiddled with his bread between long fingers as he asked, "Anything I should know about working in your department, or this ship? Any people to watch out for?"

"You saw the condition of the ship when we got to this shipyard? for a science explorer we've taken and dished out quite a kicking over the years. Fighting pirates, flying the ship out of an exploding asteroid field." Bracca stabbed a fork through a chunk of his chicken salad. "Has been quite crazy at times."

"Sounds like fun," Auren said with another grin, and then popped a piece of bread into his mouth to chew. For all his laid back attitude, he was every bit as much a daredevil and adrenaline junky as the next pilot. When he'd swallowed, he added, "Got so lucky being posted to a Luna right out of graduation. How long have you been on board?"

Bracca chewed his salad as he thought. "Nearly two years now, before Captain Tigran took over command, she used to be the Xo, then Captain Emmerson decided to take a planetside assignment."

"I haven't met the captain yet," Auren said, tearing off another piece of baguette. "Don't expect to any time soon unless I wind up on bridge rotation, which I don't expect any time soon either." He figured it was more likely that Ash would have him starting out in the shuttlebays, which was fine by Auren. "What's she like, the captain?"

"If you want to meet her head to the lounge, she's there most days for at least one meal period. The table nearest the window, has a great view of space as it goes by, unless something important is happening she'll be there. Just head right up and ask to join her." There was a legitimacy in how he spoke.

"Really? Just anyone can walk up?" Auren sounded doubtful. "What about that whole decorum thing they went on about at the Academy? 'Commanding officers and fraternizing with the crew', all that?" He chewed on more bread thoughtfully after adding, "I'm sure she's very busy already."

"The captain has been with the ship for more than 4 years, came onboard as Chief ops, then Xo. She knows pretty much everyone onboard by name." Bracca told him. "still be formal and all that but unless she's already talking with someone just walk right up and she'll talk for a while."

"Hm..." Not much troubled or shook Auren, but he did hesitate a bit over this idea. "I'll think about it. In the meantime, I just want to impress Lieutenant Rowe, and you, and the rest of the team. Not like 'oh hey look hotshot pilot' kind of impress. Just want to make sure people know I'm a team player, and you can rely on me." He popped the last of his bread into his mouth to chew.

Bracca smiled glad that the new Ensign added the 'not like a hotshot pilot' remark. "So long as you don't crash the ship or a shuttle into anything you're not told to crash into everyone will be happy, definitely get some practise in on your attack and evasion patterns, we'll probably need them."

"I swear, I haven't crashed in at least two days, maybe even three," Auren joked, placing one hand over his heart, raising his other hand up, palm out. "Do you really think we'll see much combat, Bracca?" Auren didn't sound worried about it, just curious.

"We keep having run ins with a group of mercenaries of some sort, they've attacked a few federation facilities over the last few months and then attacked us only a few days ago, we only got out of it intact because two more starfleet ships were near enough to help us." Bracca hadn't been on the bridge but had heard much scuttlebutt and seen the repair teams from the London and Tigris helping fix the ship. "No doubt we'll probably see them again."

"Hmm," Auren's face was not revealing what he thought about that. But he did seem deep in thought for a while about it. Mercenaries? That would imply someone behind them, someone controlling or directing violent action. "Maybe I should schedule some simulator time," he agreed, sounding a bit distant, eyes unfocused on a distant point. "Not that I don't know what I'm doing, but always good to stay sharp." Auren seemed anything but the focused type.

"I usually try and get some holodeck time myself for practice every couple weeks, we sometimes have to fight the security team for 'departmental training' time on the holodeck, they really like shooting things without actually killing things or blowing chunks out of the ship." Bracca chuckled slightly.

"I know the type, from the Academy at least," Auren smirked. "I'm pretty good with a phaser, didn't have trouble qualifying on the range, but these guys were out there hitting targets without assist at half a kilometer or more. Got any programs you recommend if I can get holodeck time reserved?" Auren figured he would probably be working rather hard for the time being, and on a ship this size the wait list must be long.

"There's a load of Dominion war programs in the holodeck database, from flying fighters during operation return to the last battle of the war." Bracca replied. "They're very intense."

"I can imagine," Auren said. And it was the truth, he could only imagine. He'd been born the year the war started, had no memory of it whatsoever, had only learned about it in school. "I'll definitely try one of those. Thanks, Bracca."

"Though of course you'll want to get some practise in flying a Luna too," Bracca added before taking another bite of his food, "The Wolff flies so smooth when you compare it to the older ships that the Academy has in stock."

The smile that lit Auren's face said he was looking forward to it far more than any mere words could describe. How lucky he was, to be posted to a Luna-class right out of the Academy! The young pilot couldn't be happier, he believed, than the moment he would sit at the helm and fly this beautiful ship.

"Can you tell me more about your missions?" Auren leaned forward, bright eyed and eager. "I'd love to hear more..."

"Sure." Bracca smiled slightly. "But first let me go get another drink."


END:

Ensign Bracca
Flight control
[Pnpc Taliserra

Ensign Auren
Flight Control Officer
USS Wolff

 

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