“Attention on deck!” The young man shouted and then taking his own order snapped to attention. A mechanic was kneeling at the threshold, the top part of his uniform coveralls wrapped around his waist and an open tool box at his side. He casually dropped the tool in his hand in to the box, gave a withering glance at the young officer and stood pulling his coveralls back up as he turned to face the commander, “Sorry sir, they pulled me out of my bunk to get this hatch open.”
Catching the insignia as the mechanic slid his left arm into the sleeve of his coveralls, Madison stepped across the threshold, “At ease lieutenant,” eyeing the young officer, “Commander Gilbert?”
The Commander nodded.
Madison pulled a plastic memory stick out of his pocket and handed it to the commander, “Pursuant to Colonial Authority Order 314 I’m taking command of Jump Station Orion-42 on this the 35th of Tereshkova, one-hundred and ten. I’m also to inform you that you’ll be staying on as my XO, your orders are on the memory stick.” Pausing he glanced back as the lieutenant finished getting his uniform in order, “lieutenant walk with me a bit.” Turning back to Gilbert, “I want senior staff in my office, 20 minutes.”
Commander Gilbert stood, mouth agape, and watched Madison walk down the corridor the lieutenant following in his wake. He remained motionless for several moments after the two men disappeared around the corner. He had read Commander Madison’s dossier, but his abrupt manner had not been expected. His thoughts were interrupted by a woman coming through the airlock.
She came to attention as she stepped in front of Gilbert, dropping a heavy duffle at her side she presented her orders. “Lieutenant Commander Brinks reporting as ordered.”
Gilbert plugged her memory stick into his PDA and reviewed the information. “Amanda Brinks, Operations Specialist, you’ll be helping me keep this station running, once we get it running. This is your first billet on a jump station?”
“Yes sir.”
“You spent the last 15 months on the Columbia ring, that’s a research station out in the void?”
“Yes sir.”
“Good you’ll be an asset in getting this station operational. Grab your gear, I’ll show you to your quarters.”
“Yes sir.”
Catching the insignia as the mechanic slid his left arm into the sleeve of his coveralls, Madison stepped across the threshold, “At ease lieutenant,” eyeing the young officer, “Commander Gilbert?”
The Commander nodded.
Madison pulled a plastic memory stick out of his pocket and handed it to the commander, “Pursuant to Colonial Authority Order 314 I’m taking command of Jump Station Orion-42 on this the 35th of Tereshkova, one-hundred and ten. I’m also to inform you that you’ll be staying on as my XO, your orders are on the memory stick.” Pausing he glanced back as the lieutenant finished getting his uniform in order, “lieutenant walk with me a bit.” Turning back to Gilbert, “I want senior staff in my office, 20 minutes.”
Commander Gilbert stood, mouth agape, and watched Madison walk down the corridor the lieutenant following in his wake. He remained motionless for several moments after the two men disappeared around the corner. He had read Commander Madison’s dossier, but his abrupt manner had not been expected. His thoughts were interrupted by a woman coming through the airlock.
She came to attention as she stepped in front of Gilbert, dropping a heavy duffle at her side she presented her orders. “Lieutenant Commander Brinks reporting as ordered.”
Gilbert plugged her memory stick into his PDA and reviewed the information. “Amanda Brinks, Operations Specialist, you’ll be helping me keep this station running, once we get it running. This is your first billet on a jump station?”
“Yes sir.”
“You spent the last 15 months on the Columbia ring, that’s a research station out in the void?”
“Yes sir.”
“Good you’ll be an asset in getting this station operational. Grab your gear, I’ll show you to your quarters.”
“Yes sir.”
