Reassignment

Posted on Fri Jan 3rd, 2025 @ 5:37am by Commander Celeste Tiae

1,309 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: 84 Years Young
Location: Celeste's Quarters: USS Harbinger
Timeline: (Before 'From Sun To Shining Sun)

Celeste paged through the new batch of paperwork that had just been received from the Starbase regarding the damage done to Harbinger in their last engagement. Eighteen days until she would be made good and already the list of transfers from the small ship had engulfed half her crew, already packing up their cramped shared quarters and departing. She'd said farewell to Ensign Granlund and Lieutenant Vickers that morning, which left the tactical department needing all new officers, but Commander Tigris would be the one taking care of that bit. As of 1600, and Celeste knew it was 1445 already, Lieutenant Commander Celeste Tiae belonged to the starship that was still sitting in the shipyard, dark and abandoned.

As the Chief Science Officer aboard USS The Sullivans, she'd have a section of roughly seventy officers and enlisted when it came down to it, but none of them would have arrived yet. One thumbprint, a dashed signature, and Harbinger's portside pulse phaser array would be pulled out in two days and replaced with one fresh of the production lines. 'The Sullivans', she'd looked it up the night before and it referred to World War 2 of that grand old world Earth, a group of five brothers who all signed up in the Navy of one of their major powers and refused to be separated from each other. Then they'd died together. There were worse ways to go, of course, but downing in freezing water was not something that she'd prefer when it came to it. Ship name heritage was important to the Federation and she'd always done her research into that.

Another series of transfers lit up her terminal and Celeste opened it to approve them by rote: Helm was now vacant, half of Engineering, Harbinger was becoming a ghost ship rather quickly. She herself was one of the longest-serving members besides the Captain, having been on board for just over 9 months, but it had been quickly determined by the Fleet that serving on the tin can that was a Defiant-class for extended periods was bad for mental health. In fact, her own roommate, Lieutenant Daniels, the Chief Engineer, was one of the few staying aboard, but they rarely were in the quarters at the same time.

The incoming transmission light came on and Celeste sighed heavily, that was probably the Commander himself and she reached out to accept it, then blinked twice as the face of Rear Admiral de Granville came up. He'd been one of her Academy instructors before joining the Bureau of Personnel, having shown interest in her development more than most of the instructors, but then again his father had been one of the diplomats that had brought Aethereum into the Federation. "Uncle Arthur." Celeste greeted him, a smile coming into view as she recognized him.

"Celeste, still hard at work aboard Harbinger, I see, I'm surprised that Commander Tigris didn't tell you to take a break and get some R&R before you were to report to Captain Bluegarden." Concern was on his face, because he knew that she didn't do much in the way of what he'd just suggested. In fact, it had been his idea to the Commander for just that.

"With everyone leaving Harbinger, I felt I should at least take a bit of the load off of the Boss." Celeste shrugged, "Routine work, transfers, repair authorizations and the like. He's been second-guessing a lot of the last three weeks, not that he should, mind you, it was a heck of a battle and he made the best decisions he could. We got Harbinger back, after all, even if she's a bit beaten up at the moment."

"And he'll get right back in the saddle if he has to watch over his baby while restaffing her." The Admiral put some admonishment into his voice, "It's the best way for him to recover, by not having the time to think about it, then he'll realize that everything happens for a reason, and he'll move on." Arthur de Granville gave a bit of a shrug, "But in a way, I'm glad I've gotten the opportunity to talk to you rather than just leave you a message, Celeste, because there have been a few changes in the scenery around your current location."

'He's bouncing around the subject.' Celeste thought to herself as a white ball of fur jumped from the floor to the table and stretched before sitting primly just inside of the camera view, "Evading again, Uncle Arthur? If it's bad news, just spit it out, you know I've had enough of it already, and I'm sorry you've been having to deal with Father about... Certain things."

"All part of the job, that last." The Admiral smiled, "His-" He cut himself off, "Your father is used to getting his way, but the agreement that we made was rather quite specific, you made sure of that part yourself. But you're right, so let me first commiserate with you on your promotion to full Commander, Celeste, because you're going to think you don't deserve it. I just want to point out that you HAVE been doing the work and achieving more than you may think."

"So long as it isn't because of who I am, I'll accept it, but you're still evading it." His words had warned her that this wasn't it, not the full story.

"You're not going to like it." Arthur led off, "You're getting a change in job along with a change of ship. Commander Tigris himself made this suggestion and with Commander Mondragon's injury, the position of Executive Officer aboard The Sullivans has become open for a new applicant and you are It." He gave a wry smile, "Your fault for doing such a good job as the Exec on Harbinger, you now get the opportunity on a bigger ship. I'm sure you'll find some time in a science lab still for whatever you were wanting to do, but it's going to be on the back burner instead."

Celeste started to open her mouth to object, but instead shut it and sat back in her chair. This wasn't part of the plan, she was just intended to be the Science Chief, at least, that had been the idea. A way to 'satisfy' her father by keeping her somewhat out of danger. And if it wasn't nepotism, then... Maybe they did see potential in her, "I'll have to find a way to screw up on my own then, won't I?"

"As if you could. But that is one thing that you're not used to doing, Celeste, screwing up that is, you are one of the most careful officers that I've seen out there, but not timid either." He shook his head, "So your new orders are as follows: Change your pips and your uniform and get yourself packed up, then go take some rest and relaxation before, and I mean BEFORE going to introduce yourself to your new CO." Even as he said it, he knew it was hopeless, "Help Captain Bluegarden get The Sullivans back into gear and get out there, then Happy Hunting."

"Thank you, Uncle Arthur, we'll do the name proud, you have my word." Celeste smiled until the background of Starfleet Personnel replaced her former instructor's face, then sighed. This was a completely different monster, more akin to what was to have been her fate in the Home Fleet if she'd remained on Aethereum. Well, those whom the Admiralty wanted somewhere often went there. She keyed a search in on the computer and a series of naval warships flashed into small windows of their own, along with a black and white picture of five men, arms around each other and grinning. There was research to do.

******
A Mission Post By:

Lieutenant Commander Celeste Tiae
Executive Officer / Chief Science Officer
USS Harbinger

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