To Salvage A Starship (Part 1)

Posted on Wed Dec 31st, 2025 @ 10:54pm by Captain Patricia Cooke & Lieutenant Charlotte E. "Charlie" Yeager & Commander Katrina Chance & Lieutenant Commander Andrew Star & Lieutenant Commander Lahki Bakshi Dr & Lieutenant Akira Kogami & Lieutenant Alice Penrose & Lieutenant Mezan Boone & Captain Jacob Rye

1,085 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Ghost Starship
Location: Briefing Room - Deck 1
Timeline: The day after "Steel Beach, Starfleet Style!"

Following her new CMO's reporting in, it was time for the senior staff briefing about their... Guest's recent finding: Leaving the ready room, Patricia made her way to the conference room to get things ready for the briefing. When she entered, she soon found that the room was not entirely deserted:

"Hoh, Jeez-!" Patricia gasped with a start as she noticed the figure already standing in the briefing room.

The figure turned towards Patricia as soon as she was startled, revealing that it was Dave who had been quietly standing in the briefing room in the blind spots from outside.

"I'm sorry, Captain:" He apologized coolly. "Did I startle you?"

"Well, yeah." Patricia responded, annoyance entering her tone. "At least make yourself visible next time, Dave."

"I just wanted to get here early, to make sure I wasn't getting ignored." Dave surmised. "I figured people would start showing up soon if you all were serious about my discovery."

"First of all, it's not your discovery, pal." Patricia argued. "If those pictures were true, then technically that ship is Starfleet property."

"Oh, but of course." Dave nodded. "Yet, it's curious that Starfleet has managed to misplace a ship like that, isn't it?"

At that moment, the conference room doors opened again, causing Patricia to be startled once again, only to find that it was Akira walking in.

"Jumpy today, are we, Patty?" Akira smirked as she side-stepped her way around Patricia.

"Blame this asshole for that." Patricia motioned towards Dave with her thumb. "You'd think he was impatient or something, camping out in the conference room ahead of everyone else."

"Hey!" Dave remarked.

"Another one?" Akira chuckled, immediately assuming that Dave was yet another one of the latest crew rotations. "I mean, no offense, Patty, but this is starting to get kind of silly..."

"And you must be the hot-headed friend of Captain Cooke's." Dave surmised. "You know she told me quite a bit about you yesterday."

Akira shot Patricia a dirty look. "Really, Patty? After all I've do for you, you go behind my back and call me a hot head to this rando?"

"What? No! I didn't say any of that!" Patricia immediately denied, turning to Dave.

"I'm sorry, I'm afraid I misspoke." Dave assured the two women. "I had plenty of time to do some reading up on who I'll be working with for this operation."

There was several seconds of silence before Patricia spoke again.

"...You creepy motherf**ker." She muttered before leaning in towards Akira. "I say we keep an eye on him..." She whispered into her security chief's ear.

"Got it," Akira nodded as she took her seat- near the door, of course, in case Dave decided to try anything funny.

The doors swished open, and the youngest and oldest crewmen of the mighty MO stepped in, donning his newly gold uniform. Lt Cmdr Andrew Star looked around the room, getting a feel first before sitting down. "Morning!" He shouted, no matter the situation, Andrew was still his loud, happy self.

Behind them was the Chief Science Officer, Lt Commander Lahki Bakshi. The Betazoid woman smiled lightly. "Good morining," she said, nodding once at Andrew and the rest of the crew, before taking a seat, and pulling out a PADD to take notes.

Patricia's eyes widened.

"Bakshi?" She gasped. "What the hell are you doing here? Actually, scratch that: That conversation is best tabled for the ready room."

Alice was the next to enter, although her entrance was rather more understated. The counsellor gave a delicate nod to the others already there, and her movements were economical as she moved towards a chair, a way to keep herself grounded in group dynamics. She already held a cup of tea, her hand wrapped around the warm china as she lowered herself gently into a seat. "Good morning," she greeted, finally looking around the faces. Her gaze lingered a moment longer on the stranger as she tried to place him, but didn't succeed.

Moving like a graceful shadow in the night, Katrina was the next to enter the briefing room. She stepped off to the side in silence, very much aware of her traditional place at Captain Cook's side and intending to take it. For now, she simply wanted to observe. In particular, she clocked the new(est) face in the crowd, curious what he might bring to the metaphorical, and literal, table.

Next into the conference room was Lieutenant Yeager. Coffee in hand, she slid into the next nearest seat (as Kogami had taken the nearest seat) and waited for the briefing to start.

The doors to the briefing room opened once more, admitting Captain Jacob as he stepped inside with measured efficiency. His eyes swept the room in a practiced way — faces, posture, the unfamiliar civilian presence — before he moved toward an open seat near the table.

He offered a brief nod in the Captain’s direction, acknowledgment without interruption, and settled in smoothly, hands resting together as his attention returned to the briefing at hand.

Whatever had prompted this assembly, it was serious enough to warrant everyone being here — and that was all he needed to know for now.

Once everyone had arrived, Patricia rose from her seat and moved towards the briefing screen.

"As I'm sure you're all aware by now, Starfleet has given us our next assignment." She began. "I suppose we should start with the elephant in the room." Patricia indicated Dave. "This gentlemen here is Dave... Um..."

"Jones, Captain." Dave nodded. "Dave Jones."

Akira fought back a chuckle.

"Right, Jones..." Patricia said. "Anyhow, Mister Jones here is an independent scientist not affiliated with any scientific institution. He was out here in the Mutara sector studying celestial phenomena in the region when he came across this:"

Lahki raised an eyebrow, but didn't speak yet. Civilian scientists usually went one of two ways-either they came in, tried to take over and thought they knew everything, OR they were helpful but mostly kept to themselves. Lahki had worked alongside a few different civilians, but she knew that prudence and keeping an open mind was the best course of action. Until they made a fool of themselves, and then-that's what airlocks are for-she hid a small smile of glee. She would NEVER but the thought was funny anyway.

To be continued...

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