[SB] LtCmdr Sky Blake, "End of the world you know."

[Deliera Jay]

((Shuttlebay 1))

::When she found out that it was Rahman coming to replace Zhou, she had to admit that she was a little relieved. Not because Zhou was leaving - far from it - but because Sky had worked with Rahman before. She knew how quick the captain could pick up information and use it.

::She hadn't realized, however, that Starfleet had decided to replace almost the entire crew, save from a handful of people. Sierra was staying aboard, likely as a relief helmsman, but seeing as the Coverian was a jack-of-all-trades, she really could have been doing anything. Elis, Shrmoa and Cormac had all been reassigned to positions either outside the Shoals or in deadzones - Cormac had obviously managed to piss off one Kinan Venroe to the point where he'd been sent to Outpost 3, a small survey station no bigger than the Syracuse. He'd been less than unhappy when she'd asked.

Zhou: ...you are hereby requested and required to relinquish command of your vessel to Captain Roshanara Rahman as of this date. Signed, Admiral sh'Hiel, Starfleet Command.

::Zhou had gotten the worst treatment out of all of them. Hidden under Command's reassignment orders to Esperance was an intense feeling of failure. If Sky hadn't known any better, she would have said that it felt like Starfleet was blaming him for Captain Carrero's death.

::Hell, by the way they were acting, they might as well have been saying that they blamed the entire crew for her death.::

Zhou: Computer, transfer all command codes to Captain Roshanara Rahman. Voice authorization: Zhou-Tango-Sierra-33.

Computer: Transfer complete. USS Veritas now under command of Captain Roshanara Rahman.

::The bosun's whistle. Sky closed her eyes.::

Rahman: I relieve you, commander.

Zhou: I stand relieved.

::The unfortunate thing about it all was that Sky yet again had to start from scratch. The crew she'd grown back into had been dispersed thanks to a political agenda - no thought about how it might affect the job they'd been doing, no thought about how they'd all have to adjust after the first pirate attack they'd be subjected to, or even the first letter from family they'd not receive for weeks. It'd taken the original crew months to adjust.

::They wanted the Veritas back in the fold and up to full standard in less than three days.::

::She suppressed the urge to shake her head in annoyance.::

Rahman: All those besides the senior staff are dismissed. We'll be proceeding back to Shadow's Edge tomorrow. If you wish to spend some time on the station, you are free to do so.

::Aside from their new recruit, every familiar face from the Veritas senior staff disappeared to go pack up, to head for their assignments, leaving only Sky Blake and a handful of people she barely recognized next to more whom were complete strangers.::

Rahman: It's good to see you all again. I'm sorry it couldn't under more pleasant circumstances, but Starfleet has tasked us with finding out what happened, and there's no set of officers I'd rather have at my side to tackle this mission.

Greyson: And to you as well, Captain.

Kelrod: We’ll get to the bottom of this, I’m sure.

Anyone: Response?

Rahman: Lieutenant Tuk, I understand you've completed advanced training at the academy?

Tuk: Yes, Captain. I did quite well, too. ::smiles::

Rahman: ::nods:: Excellent. I am hereby promoting you to the rank of full lieutenant as you assume the position of Veritas's chief of security.

Tuk: Thank you Captain.

Rahman: I'd like you and Lieutenant Sands to check the armory and assess if we need any additional equipment before we leave Esperance.

Tuk: Aye, Captain. I will also check overall tactical capabilities, too.

::Four type 10 phaser arrays, two pulse phaser cannons, one quantum torpedo launcher, three photon torpedo launch, 16 centimetre ablative hull armor and a resupply to all weapons due . . . nowish.

::Veritas was a tough ship that could take on a lot, but it was by no means it's own army. Limited sensor capabilities in areas of the Shoals meant targetting scanners were essentially your eyes on a good day. It was why Elis was always antsy, but at least the Bajoran had a steady trigger finger.::

Sands: Response?

Rahman: Ensign Harik, I'd like you to work with the engineering department, specifically Commander Walker, Lieutenant Greyson, and Ensign T'Dara. ::She looked over at the chief engineer and her underlings.:: The ship's subspace antennae was damaged in an ion storm a couple of weeks ago, but we don't have time to wait for a proper replacement. Do the best you can to get it working again.

::She couldn't help but smirk.::

Walker: Response?

Greyson: Righto.

T'Dara: Response?

Harik: Response?

Rahman: Besides that, you all should get acquainted with the ship's systems and make preparations for departure. I'd like an assessment of the ship by tomorrow morning.

Walker: Response?

Greyson: Aye, captain. ::looked to his fellow minions:: Divide and conquer the ship systems?

T'Dara: Response?

Harik: Response?

Rahman: Doctor, Counselor, if you could do an inventory of sickbay to make sure we're properly stocked?

Blueheart: Response?

Moonsong: If Doctor Blueheart requires my assistance.

::Rahman nodded, turning to the counsellor fully.::

Rahman: This is a smaller ship, and you're the only counselor this crew has. I don't want you to be overwhelmed, but I'd also like you to work with Commander Blake, our new first officer, on assessing the state of the crew, how they're handling everything, and if any of them in particular need more help. She's been with the rest of them for nearly two years.

::Oh yes. How could she forget? With Zhou and Cormac leaving, as well as Rahman's personal preference, Sky had essentially been promoted to First Officer.::

Moonsong: Yes, Captain.

::Sky gave a quiet and singular nod, arms still crossed in front of her more in an effort to kick the small chill the temperature was giving her. This had been the first time she'd stepped into the shuttle bay in about a year - next time, she'd be sure to add an extra layer to her clothing.

Rahman: Commander, the officials on Shadow's Edge have forwarded their preliminary findings thus far about the attack on the governor's residence, but frankly, it's hardly anything to go on. I'd like you to look into the wider situation with Shadow's Edge and the governor. If he had any enemies or if there was something in the works that would cause someone to target him. You'll brief the rest of the staff as we make our way back to the colony.

Jolara: Response?

Rahman: With the difficulty in communications throughout the region, we won't be able to speak with him directly until we arrive at Shadow's Edge. When we do, I'd like you to meet with him. Get the details from him directly for yourself.

Jolara: Response?

Rahman: Commander Kelrod, if you could prepare a SAR team. I suspect honestly we'll be needing your services a lot more here than we did back in the Corridor, and I'd like for a team to be ready as soon as possible.

Kelrod: I’ll do my best. I’ll go through the roster and look for candidates.

Rahman: When you've picked your team, forward the list to myself and Commander Blake.

Kelrod: You’ll have it first hour in the morning.

::She finally looked over at King - of whom was actually a familiar face.::

Rahman: You'll want to get acquainted with some of the "rules" here in regards to flying through the Shoals. Auto-navigation is unreliable. I'll brief you on further details in my ready room, say in two hours?

King: Response?

::She gave a final nod and then looked back at her crew.::

Rahman: This is going to be a major adjustment I know for some of you. ::She looked up and around the shuttlebay.:: She's a more modest vessel than what we've been on before, but she's home now.

::There it was. What she'd been waiting for. She'd been expecting quips and snaps from both crews - the Veritas crew and the Invicta/Syracuse implants - dissing each other and equipment. Zhou had been full of them on his way back, and honestly, so did most of the original Veritas bridge crew as they sat their with their heads in their hands trying to qualm feelings of failure and disappointment.

::She didn't intend to take Rahman out of context - and really, the Trill couldn't talk, seeing as she captained a ship which only had seven decks and could easily be less than half the size of Veritas itself.

::The Brekkazoid just didn't understand why comparisons between vessels in order to determine which was "the best" needed to be made. It wasn't about the ship, it was about how the crew used the ship. Creativity on the job, and these people needed a hell of a lot of it.::

Rahman: Welcome aboard. Dismissed.

::They all scattered like ants.

::Sky sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. Unlike her old crewmates, she intended to make the best of the situation - but when she quite literally had the most experience in the Shoals out of all the Bridge crew (a far cry from how it used to be for her when Zhou brought her aboard), it was going to be a difficult feat.::

Moonsong: Commander, I will need some time to go through the personnel files of the crew before I can meet with you for any definitive observations.

Blake: Yeah. Let me know when you'd like me to come up.

Moonsong: Thank you.

::And with that, the Counsellor turned away.

::It was going to be a long journey back to Shadow's Edge.::


Tbc . . .

LtCmdr Sky Blake
First Officer
USS Veritas

C238803SB0

I am not a sheep, ser.