Fleet Opening Mission: To Our Future

[Steve Malloway]

STARBASE THRINACIA
Conference Room Theta, Deck 22
2140 hours

The Admiral made his way slowly down the central aisle, feeling all the piercing eyes of Cadets watching him, the Lieutenant Commander standing to one side from the central podium as he arrived, turning around just short of the front. His own eyes began piercing back to the Cadets, feeling each eyeline shot down as they met.

"Thank you, Commander." Steve said, not looking her way but making sure all the Cadets' attentions were on him before turning to move behind the podium. He placed the PADD infront of him. "Officers of the Fleet, and yes I mean Officers now before I get questions. After the display of courage each and every one of you has shown throughout the last several hours, as well as the commitment radiating through your enthusiasm during tenures at the Academy it is with great pleasure that I graduate each and every one of you from Cadet…”

The speech carried through some more, name after name being read out along with graduation rank and their new assignments. Important names to remember were:

William Angel was being promoted to the rank of Ensign and assigned as Chief Security and Tactical Officer onboard the USS Majesty.
DJ Hurt was also being promoted to Ensign, joining Angel on the USS Majesty but as the ships new Chief of Helm and Navigation.
William Halsey had gained his graduation rank of Ensign, receiving assignment to the Taskforce Flagship, USS Agamemnon, as Chief Engineering Officer.
Des Locker was to join Halsey in rank of Ensign and assignment to the Agamemnon, but position of Chief Counselling Officer was given.

After several minutes passing, the Admiral set the PADD back down, and stood up straight with a tug to his uniform. He would have preferred a more elaborate ceremony, but the damage sustained to the Fleet and the need to get everyone out there was great. So a shambled conference room with grubby uniforms would have to do. He saluted to all present with a professional nod to his head, and an air of pride that these new officers would do him proud within the United Federation of Planets Defence Fleet, and finished with a quick, “Ensigns, dismissed!”

The officers before him all stood, returning the salute before some dispersed or others turned to one another to discuss the past several minutes. Mixed signs emanated; some were ecstatic over their assignment, some concerned over their abilities, some not so sure the decision was right. However the Admiral himself had made each assignment official, chosen them all personally and was happy in the knowledge they would all prove well. Now all the Ensigns-were-Cadets had to do was to find their CO and report in for their further instructions.

He smiled slightly as he remembered his own graduation day. True it was the extravagant ceremony found with the majority of all others back on HQ, but the feelings of satisfaction and relief about yourself were all the same. As he brushed the old memory aside he thought of how soon his daughter’s graduation would be, a smaller smile flicking his mouth as it sunk in that it wasn’t too far off either. Another brush aside as he spotted the Commodore awaiting him near the back of the room, so he walked over.

“Commodore, I assume Lieutenant Commander Jackson has reported in?”

TAG: WILKO/NEW ENSIGNS AND THEIR COs