Captain's Log

Posted on 09 Aug 2023 @ 10:12pm by Captain Bane Plase

980 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Outbreak
Timeline: Following "More Bad News"

ON

Bane stepped into his quarters and waited the moment when he heard the doors hiss closed behind him before letting out a giant sigh of relief, and collapsing into his couch.

He had been going warp 9.875 for the last several days on the planet, and on the rare occasion he was on the ship, here too.

He laid there on his couch, his right arm over his eyes,his right leg hanging in the air off the couch, left foot tucked under his right knee, letting the stresses of command, First Contact and the last several days percolate in his head. He'd barely had time to process anything since the got here.

For the better part of quarter an hour, he thought about the events that had transpired. Finally, he got up and sat correctly on his couch, feet planted firmly on the carpeted deck, staring into nothing.

"Computer, begin Captain's Log," he stated.

"Recording," came the voice of the computer, the same voice that had been on every single Starfleet ship and installation since the early 2320's.

"Captain's Log, stardate 78186.6. This mission of First Contact, so far, is a success, though there still lay many challenges and hurdles we must cross before the mission can be definitively logged as a successful completion. Honestly, the amount of things that must be done, from the moment we decide to make First Contact to the successful end of the mission is daunting, to say the least. That said, this being my first First Contact mission that has actually succeeded in making First Contact is incredibly enjoyable, if not also incredibly exact and incredibly stressful. I wonder if the rest of the crew is feeling it. I will need to talk to Commander Larsen about that in a few hours, after I've had some much-needed rest.

"Speaking of my Executive Officer, he just informed me that while I was on the planet, Starfleet Command contacted him and let him know he was being reassigned after the conclusion of this mission, and our safe return to Deep Space 9. This has, naturally, surprised me considerably. As a rule, Starfleet Command informs the Captain of any changes of personnel, especially key personnel if it isn't the Captain of said ship or installation making the request, whether it be at the request of the servicemember, or at the request of the Captain due to personnel issues. It is especially true given the fact that the Captain, in this case yours truly, has hand-picked the Executive Officer to serve with him. A great deal of thought, consideration, research, interviews and references are reviewed and conducted before a Captain settles on a hand-picked First Officer, so Starfleet almost never breaks up that team. For whatever reason, they have decided to do it this time.

"I am sad knowing Erik will be leaving us, leaving me. I am not sure how I will run this ship without him. He has been exemplary performing his duties, and has become a personal close friend. I am not sure I have had that sort of relationship with my Executive Officer since now-Admiral Savok was my First Officer. When I myself was a First Officer on the U.S.S. Pegasus-D, Captain Montgomery, Prophets be with him, fostered that sort of relationship with me, and it is that relationship that I have strived so hard to foster with my Executive Officers since I became a Commanding Officer. Erik will make a damned fine Executive Officer on Zeta Omega IX, a colony and research station on the very edge of Federation space. There, he will be Executive Officer and Chief Science Officer. It is good that he is getting back to his roots; there are days I wish I could go back to being just Chief of Security and Tactical no doubt. I am concerned about the workload, though. I am not entirely sure Commander Larsen has the appreciation for how much work he will be doing. He can handle it, I know, but he is going to be in for a rude awakening, I think.

"Circling back to the mission at hand, earlier today was the big reveal to the entire population of the planet that intelligent, civilized people lived on other planets and travelled the stars. Their leader, known locally as Tashi, is a wildly intelligent, capable, compassionate and empathic, if not young, leader. If she lives long enough for her world to become a full member of the Federation, I would not be surprised to see her on the Federation Council, or even leading the Federation as President. In an unusual move for us, and an unheard of move for the Antiocians, the Tashi formally asked us for assistance in a matter on the planet. I saw no reason to not lend a hand medically, and I am confident in Drs. Elodin, Winters and Kin'Fuji to help out as much as they can without compromising our technology to them.

"I've also been highly impressed with Lieutenant Bast during this mission. He just came on before we left spacedock prior to this mission several months ago to assume the Chief Operations post after Lieutenant Lisald had his breakdown and asked to be demoted. Mr. Bast has been absolutely indispensable with this mission. If and when it is a success, his name will be at the top of the list of officers that contributed. I feel I must point out here that when I asked Mr. Larsen who his replacement should be, without hesitation he mentioned Lieutenant Bast. If he keeps up the work he has been doing, I don't think I could disagree at all.

End Log."

The computer chirped, buzzed, then said, "Saved."


With that, Bane made his way to his bedroom with an appointment with his bed.


OFF

Bane Plase, Captain
USS Cygnus, Commanding

 

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