Ensign Jace Ryen - Anticipation

[alongtheway]

((Shuttlecraft Sagan, en route to the USS Ronin))

The soft hum of the shuttle's engines filled the small cabin, a steady mechanical rhythm that blended with the quiet blue glow of the forward console.  Through the viewports stars drifted slowly past as the shuttle coasted on its final approach.

Ensign Jace Ryen sat upright in the passenger seat, hands folded loosely on his lap.

The single pip on his collar still felt strange to him.  He lifted his hand up and touched it lightly, almost without thinking.  The metal was cool beneath his fingers.

Ensign.

His parents would be proud.  He had put in the work, he had earned it, but that single pip felt very heavy to him at this moment.

Only weeks earlier he had stood with the rest of his graduating class at Starfleet Academy, watching the banners ripple in the wind above the parade grounds in San Francisco.  And now he was here.  His first assignment.  Security Officer aboard the...

Ronin

He allowed himself this moment of excitement.  His Human nature bringing out a small smile on his face, his dream of serving aboard a starship finally coming true.  He let the feeling exist for a moment before settling it again with practiced discipline.  His Vulcan mediations had taught him long ago to not deny his emotions, but to focus on understanding them.

The shuttle console chimed softly, breaking the silence.  Jace glanced down at the padd resting against his knee.  Its screen displayed the personnel records he had been reviewing for most of the journey.

Fleet Captain Karrod Niac commanded the Ronin.  His service record stretched across the stars it seemed - exploration, diplomacy, and more than a few engagements that suggested a captain comfortable making difficult decisions.  

The First Officer, Commander Toryn Raga.  Tactical experience, leadership commendations.  A Security Officer himself before being promoted to Command.  The Second Officer, Lieutenant Commander V'Len Kel, possessed an equally impressive record and an extensive background in the medical field.

The Command structure of the Ronin appeared... efficient.  That was encouraging.  But the officer Jace had studied most carefully was his new department chief.

Lieutenant Jack Kessler.  Chief of Security and Tactical since early 2402.  The file had been thorough.  The more Jace read, the clearer a picture became of this officer he would soon report to:  Experienced, decisive, and deeply familiar with the ship and its crew.

Jace surmised that he would be the most logical person to learn from.  He dimmed the padd and leaned back slightly in his seat.  The quiet of the shuttle had given him ample time to prepare for his new assignment.  

He had already sent messages to his parents earlier in the journey.  His father had responded almost immediately.  A brief congratulations followed by a reminder that "the real learning begins once you're in the field."  His mother's reply had arrived shortly afterward, considerably more concise.  "Your achievement is commendable.  Continue to pursue excellence."

He rubbed his hands together, and thought fondly of his parents for a few moments.

He had also written to a few of his fellow graduates, some of whom were already scattered across the fleet.  Different ships.  Different paths.  All of them beginning the same journey.  One particular peer he had grown fond of hadn't received his assignment yet.  He hoped he would be chosen for the Ronin as well, but chances of that happening were almost nil.

The shuttle's navigation console chimed again.

"Approaching the USS Ronin," the computer announced calmly.  Jace looked up through the forward viewport.  The sleek silhouette of the Ronin drifted into view against the distant starfield.  He allowed himself to take in this moment, watching the starship grow bigger and bigger as the shuttle came closer.

This would be his home now.  His first post.

Jace straightened his uniform slightly before rising from the shuttle seat.  His calm Vulcan composure remained firmly in place.  But beneath it, the human side of him felt something unmistakable.  

Anticipation.

((Security Office, USS Ronin))

The shuttle hatch opened with a soft mechanical hiss.

Ensign Jace Ryen stepped down onto the deck plating of the Ronin's shuttle bay for the very first time.  For a moment he paused just inside the threshold, allowing his eyes to take in the hangar around him.  This was it.  

Starfleet vessels had been a familiar environment for most of his adolescence, growing up aboard his parent's postings had made starships feel almost like a second home.  Yet, this felt different.

This time he wasn't a passenger watching as officers carried out their duties.

Now he was one of them.

He adjusted the strap of his duffel and made his way toward the exit corridor.

The walk through the ship gave him time to observe the Ronin for the first time as a member of its crew.  The corridor lighting cast a warm glow against his face.  Shore leave had left the ship quieter than it might normally be, with much of the crew enjoying the beaches of Lolagi IV below.

The planet hung in the distance, oceans glowing faintly even from orbit.

Jace slowed as he approached the security office doors.  He paused briefly outside the lieutenant's officer door.  A quiet breath passed through him, more out of habit than necessity.  Then he reached up and pressed the chime.

When the door slid open, Jace stepped forward and stood at attention, putting his best foot forward.

Ryen:  Ensign Jace Ryen, reporting for duty, sir.

His voice was calm and steady, the practiced tone of someone accustomed to maintaining composure under scrutiny.  Inside his mind his thoughts moved quickly through the moment.

Kessler: Response

---

Ensign Jace Ryen

Security Officer

USS Ronin NCC-34523

R240303JR2