Ensign Orientation (Part 1)

Posted on Sat Apr 26th, 2025 @ 4:20pm by Captain Qierress & Ensign Serefu Yua & Ensign Devon Hunt & Ensign Hale Moore & Ensign Emri Goro & Ensign Tsugumi Harudori & Ensign Serena Bailey

1,780 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: 1 - Third Contact
Location: Holodeck
Timeline: MD01 - 1600

An announcement rang out over the comms as an official sounding voice announced, =^= All lower deckers, please report to Holodeck 1 for Ensign Orientation. =^=

While the announcement went up, Qierress stepped on a small stage set up for the occasion. She held a spear with a crystal head in her right hand, figuring that it made her look more Captain-like and would hopefully earn the respect of her crew. Patiently, the Gelrakian watched as her younger crew filed into the holodeck.

Serena quietly slipped into the holodeck glancing around at who else was there, then her eyes were drawn towards where the Captain was standing. She'd never met or seen anyone like Qierress. Why was she holding the spear, though it was very pretty. What sort of crystal was the spearhead made of? Was the captain some sort of warrior Queen or Princess?

Amelix came bounding in. Spotting Serena, the Tygarian bounded up to her and started speaking rapidly as normal. "Hi, Serena! What race is she? Why is she holding a spear? Is she making a point?! Oooh! I made a pun! Look at that! How funny is that?! Oh, and do you know what all of this is going to be about? Is there an agenda? If so, I didn't get one! Did you?"

Devin Hunt was the next to enter the holodeck. Being completely new on the ship, he still didn't know anyone. Looking towards the stage, he was a little confused to see the Captain holding a spear. Before arriving, he tried to study up on the Gelrakian people. But nowhere in his research did this come up. The Ensign considered asking the others present about it. But honestly decided to keep the question to himself. Hopefully Captain Qierress would explain the spear in the opening of this meeting.

"Late, late, late, late..." Ensign Hale Moore was running down the corridor as he spoke to himself, almost hitting a corner when he turned, rushing to the holodeck. He stormed in with flushed features, his hair a little bit of a mess and wide eyes when he realised...he wasn't that late. His chest heaved with each breath and he tried to slow it down and make it less loud as he found a spot. Only then did he look at the stage, his eyes wide. A Gelrakian. In the flesh. "This is so cool..." he whispered to himself, shifting with nervous energy.

Emri parked himself near the door. There were a lot of excited, nervous ensigns all around the room, and he was not about to put himself in the middle of all that energy. He couldn't really see to the front clearly, with all the crowd between him and the stage, but he could see enough to know which direction he was supposed to be facing, and it wouldn't stop his ears from working.

Serena turned her gaze towards Amelix, keeping the straight face facade. "I did not get an agenda nor a memo, but I believe that this is where we find out our duties as to what we will be doing on the ship. I also feel that perhaps it is the custom of the Gelrakian to hold these proceedings utilizing the spear which could be a symbol of authority. They are very much into crystals. If you wish to be insulting, you give a piece of wood to them. I do not think that you want to do that at all."

Amelix took all of this information in from Serena but saw Emri coming in the door. She shouted across the room, "Emri! Emri! Come here! Join us!" The Tygarian started bouncing up and down excitedly while trying to wave Emri closer to her and Serena.

It was tempting to pretend he hadn't heard the Tygarian, but he'd already learned enough about Amelix to know she'd just shout louder. And possibly barrel through the crowd to reach him. And then everyone would be focused in his direction, and that much attention would probably give him a splitting headache and that was not how he wanted to start his Starfleet career. His shoulders slumped as he trudged over to Amelix.

In the meantime, Amelix continued, "Well, that's weird! Shouldn't our department heads tell us what our duties are? Why would the Captain do that?! I wonder what that spear's shaft is made of! It is not made of wood and I guess that make sense especially since you told me that Gelrakians don't like it, but why is wood so offensive? Do you know? And crystals are pretty! I bet the Captain would really like me then! Look at my head!" She started bouncing up and down excitedly and pointed to the crytsaline-rock structures that scattered light in all directions.

Looking over at Amelix, Ensign Hunt couldn't believe what he was witnessing. Even though he was an Ensign, the Quebec was not his first assignment but actually his second. Honestly, he recalled being a little naive. But not as goofy as these Ensign near him were coming off.

Serena raised up an eyebrow in a Vulcan like manner. 'Perhaps she will like you. I do not know as I am not the Captain. And yes, the department head would give us our instructions. "I see a few other ensigns that we have not met. Perhaps, Perhaps there could be something that can be done."

Amelix was unphased. She continued in her rapid speech, "But if the department heads are giving us instructions, then what's this all about? It doesn't make sense and things have to make sense! They just have to! Science demands it!"

"Or maybe, it's so we all have a chance to meet properly," Ensign Moore smiled to her, watching her with hope and badly hidden excitement. "I mean, the Academy's a big place and not everyone always worked together, so it's a good way for us all to...be in the same room. And we get to see the Captain! Some of us might never get that chance again with our duty assignments. That's pretty nifty, right?"

Amelix turned to Hale. She was ecstatic to have someone else involved in the conversation. She looked at him, tilting her head from side to side, occasionally allowing her crystaline structures on her head to potentially blind Hale with some refracted light. "I think I remember you! Yes, yes, yes! You're the person named after that Terran comet, right? Haley! And your parents wanted More of Haley, so that was your name, right? I'm just so good at this!" she enthused. "I know that we had some classes together! And now we're on the same ship! How great is that?!"

"It's...more of a family name..." Hale said hesitantly because he didn't want to ruin her excitement. He blinked against the light of the crystals and had to squint to block some of it out. "And, yes, we had..." Oh no, he remembered. They had also done basic medical training together. And in the simulation, Hale had killed the holographic patient with the sprained ankle. On accident, of course, he had panicked and started administrating hypos.

"Well, More Haley, I promise you that if we have any emergencies, I'll handle them! After all, medical training is part of science and I just love science! There's always MORE to discover! I hope that you're in our corridor for sleeping arrangements! I do so enjoy having so many friends in the same place! Think of all the experiments that we can try! We're all going to be bosom buddies!" She put her arms around Hale and Emri.

Hale laughed at that, managing to sound excited and nervous at the same time. "You can have science. For the record, I got...better at the whole medical emergency things..." he added the last as a shy whisper and looked at Emri.

Emri eyed the yellow of Hale's shirt. "Or maybe you can both leave the medical emergencies to the medical staff."

Hale looked at her and gave a smile that could only be described as goofy. "That might be the best idea in this room."

"Oh, come on, Emri! What if there's an away team and that I'm the only science officer and no medical officer came down with us or the medical officer was unconscious?! Think! It would be very important that someone like me knows science! I could start patching everyone up lickedysplit! That is how Terrans say that, right?! Oh, dear! I would hate to get it wrong! I really don't want to mispronounce things!"

"It's rare that any us will have contact with the Captain," Devon said as he finally spoke up. "At best will have a run with the First Officer, checking things out in our respective departments. So the fact that this Captain wishes to haven an orientation with us, means that there is an extra interest being taken with us." He specifically turned his attention to the science officer. "We were all given basic first aid training at the Academy."

"Of course we were!" Amelix announced. "But how many of you are going to remember it in a crisis situation?! I know that I will! I also know that my scientific background could assist when something is wrong other than normal injuries! Hopefully, though, none of use will have to experience that problem, right?!" She beamed a smile at Devon.

"Haley's comet. I, for one, thought of Lizzy Hale from Halestrom, an old Earth Rock Band back in the 2000's Era," Serena stated dryly. "Could be related to her as well." Once again, she gave no glimmer of a smile. (Ala Wednesday Adams')

"I...it's just a family name!" Hale declared, his eyes wide as he looked at Serena. "I think it was a Henry and Henry and one went Harry and one went Hale and it sort of became a family...thing..."

Amelix asked, "So, you're all comets, then?!"

Serena gave a nod in answer to Hale's comment.

"No, we're not...comets," Hale said awkwardly and looked down, shifting where he stood.

"Not a comet," Serena repeated.

A few seconds later, Tsugumi and Serefu entered the holodeck. "Honestly, will you stop getting hurt!" Tsugumi complained. Serefu smirked as she checked the band aid that Tsugumi had placed across the ridge of her nose.

"I can't help it. I'm naturally curious," Serefu grinned as she walked beside her. "Oh look the Captain has a pointy spear thing!"

"And you're going no where near that!" Tsugumi warned. "Knowing you; you'll have an eye out, literally!"

"No putting out any eyes," Emri said. "And no getting injured to be allowed into Sick Bay."

 

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