One step forward

Posted on Sat Oct 1st, 2022 @ 8:48am by Commander Bethsabée Leroux (AU) & Captain Leah Morgan (AU)

Mission: What If?
Location: Earth Australia
Timeline: July 2155
1652 words - 3.3 OF Standard Post Measure

War was horrible and the battlefield was bloody even in a training ground but in the middle of it all stood a woman who was dressed in a blue uniform that was different to all the people around her. She kept calling out words in something alien to the men and women that were lying on the ground shooting towards targets in the distance at odd intervals.

The training session for MACOs to know commands in several languages was not going well. It had been the same for weeks but this time seemed to be the first time there was some type of success and the MACOs were actually listening to the order correctly.

Bethasbee was just about to give another strange order in the foreign language when a polite cough knocked her out of her thoughts on what to order. “Commander Leroux. There is someone here to see you?” A young man said and indicated to the top of the training area.

While not yet having been involved in any real diplomatic events with representatives of other species, Captain Leah Morgan had coordinated attacks and strategies with Andorians during the defense of Earth against the Xindi super weapon. As the newly minted Captain of an NX-class vessel, the first of the new Columbia refits, she knew that being able to communicate in an unfamiliar language would be vital. After scouring the list of potential candidates for her Chief Communications Officer, one name stood out to her. Now, she stood watching as her chosen candidate attempted to train a bunch of MACOs how to follow directions.

Beth turned to look at the figure stood there watching and raised her hand to acknowledge her before turning back to her class instructing them in Vulcan to break up before she started to approach the woman. “Can I help you ma’am?” Beth asked quietly as she climbed the hill to be level with the woman.

"Captain Leah Morgan," the woman offered her hand in greeting. She was wearing the full Starfleet uniform, hair pulled back into a neat bun. She definitely looked the part of an experienced Captain ready to lead a group of wayward souls on some sort of trek through the stars. "I've read your dossier. Impressive ability with languages and Starfleet officer training, experience both on the Delta project and in space," she began. Nodding down to the MACOs, Leah asked, "How does a language prodigy with such a resume end up working in the trenches with a bunch of MACOs?"

Beth took the other hand and shook it firmly before pulling back put in her hands on the vest that she wore over her uniform made it look like she belongs in the armoury department rather than the communication department. She glanced back at the MACOs still milling around watching them for a moment before they all looked away and moved over the hill to the barracks. “I’m just lucky I guess.” Beth said lightly taking the PADDs from her assistant as the older man walked past leaving the pair alone.

Knowing better than to waste valuable time, the Captain smirked a little at the comment. "What brings me here?" she asked rhetorically. Producing her own PaDD with a the logo of a starship named Atlantis engraved on the back, Leah began, "I can see you have much going on down here. But, we need someone of your language talent up there." Moving her hand so that the PADD was between them, but angled so that the screen was not easily visible, the Captain continued, "The Atlantis is Starfleet's newest ship. We will be taking her to meet the Xindi Council." Nodding toward the MACOs, she asked, "You've got the chance to help produce an agreement that forms lasting peace between our peoples. Does that sound like something challenging enough for someone of your skill, or are you happy helping a bunch of MACOs learn which direction an Andorian tells them to point their rifle?"

“Both are worthy tasks.” Beth commented looking at the PADD with interest. Beth was not happy where she was but did she want to head back into space and away from her connections on a earth. “So what makes my skills different than Sato? Quentin or Cheng?” The woman was fully aware that the woman was the Captain of the newest NX class ship but she had not been aware that, that had been the task that she was going to be doing first.

"For starters, Sato is tied to Archer," Leah replied, as though it was an avenue that she had actually attempted. In actuality, Beth was her first stop. She had read enough in her files to see the makings of a Starfleet Captain, she just needed someone to nudge her into the cursus honorum that was Starfleet Command. Getting around to directly answering the question, Leah replied, "You have experience on a ship, on a major research and development project, and you're one of the only officers not involved in the other NX classes that have experience with MACOs. Most up and coming officers only excel in one or two of those categories when all of those will serve life on the frontier well. On the rare occasion that you see a person with a resume like that, you want them to be your First Officer." Leah was well aware of the last couple of words that came from her mouth. It was part of her recruitment tactic.

"First officer? Me?" Now that was not something she had considered, she had the command skills why she was there leading MACO and why she had been on several ships until recently. "Now you are just trying to butter me up," Beth said trying to lighten the tension ever so slightly. "Maybe we need to get out of the field." Beth said seeing the MACO's watching in the distance still with the yeoman she had assigned to her to handle paperwork.

"Only if you're interested," Leah countered, with a slight smirk to indicate less pressure than the words conveyed. She could tell that the other woman was at least considering things. However, the mission was urgent given how soon the Atlantis would have to depart, especially since the ship's secondary hull would be incomplete for its maiden voyage. It is true that she saw something that she liked in Beth.

“Interested enough to get out of the field and cut my class short for the day.” Beth countered back indicating across the space to the watching group that they were dismissed. She was surprised but was this the challenge that she had really been looking for?

After the pair made their way to a more private location, Leah looked Beth over and asked the most common question a Captain could ask a potential crew member. “Where do you see yourself in five years? What do you want to accomplish over your career, what is to be your legacy?”

“Five years? I guess Captain of my own vessel if the fleet keeps expanding or teaching at the academy… they could use good communication lecturers with expanding species.” Beth answered. “Well I want to make sure the universal translator actually works properly and keeps expanding for every new species we shall meet.” Beth had a lot to accomplish if she was honest but the universal translator was key to communicating and what the start of any community needed.

Shrugging as if to indicate that the choice seemed rather obvious, Leah replied, "I can offer you the chance to test the universal translator on an NX vessel that will travel into uncharted space. As the First Officer and Communication Officer, you would gain valuable experience toward both of those goals." Motioning with her hand, she added, "The First Officer is just one step away from the Captain's chair. One misstep on my part, a bad medical exam, or a promotion could all land you into the center chair. And, a successful diplomatic first contact situation could prove the viability of the universal translator and kick off a decorated career teaching the future explorers at the Academy, to show that the Academy offers something schools like Oxford and Princeton cannot begin to develop."

“Yet here I stand having gone to neither university and still distinguished enough for you to ask me to be your first officer.” Beth commented with a smile as she tried to not think on a misstep that the woman could make. She wanted to at least have a few missions before anything like that happened. “I accept but I will say this I wish you no missteps Captain Morgan. I want to gain a lot more experience before anything like that.”

"Here you stand," Leah echoed, being firmly from the camp of those who had originally come from universities when the Academy had only been but a dream. The one thing that stood out to Leah as she met her future first officer was that she did not lack for confidence. Holding back a smirk as she remembered the days when she believed she could conquer the galaxy as her team pushed forward and made history. Sure, they were on the verge of failure were it not for a Captain wanting to prove his father's dream. Nodding toward Beth, Leah ordered, "Report to San Francisco by the end of the week to finalize the process, the Atlantis will depart in the coming week."

Well that was quick to say the least but looking at the PADD in her hand she could understand they speed was of the essence. There would be no real time to get to know the crew or niceties that normally came with a new assign. “Yes ma’am. I will be there.” San Francisco would feel like a million years from the outback and the training areas.