Personnel or Cargo?

Posted on Tuesday 4 July 2017 @ 08:39 by Captain Melody Jones & Lieutenant Colonel Kachiko Bayushi
Edited on on Tuesday 4 July 2017 @ 13:11

Mission: The Perez Nebula
Location: Scout ship / Main shuttlebay
Timeline: Stardate 239407.03
819 words - 1.6 OF Standard Post Measure

A fast scout dropped out of warp, just a few hundred kilometers from the USS Merlin.

“Colonel,” the pilot called back from the cockpit, “I found the Merlin. I am opening a channel now.”

Kachiko glanced to her left, at the only one aboard anywhere near her height, her thirteen year old daughter, Reiko. Beyond Reiko, Staff Sergeant Rita Hernandez and Cadet Cai Sun were snatching up their belongings, the young Marine Cadet also hefting Reiko's bag.

“Thank you, Cai Cai,” Reiko had been chatting quietly with the light green Cadet. The quarter-Orion, quarter-Japanese and half-Chinese Cadet grinned, “Sure thing, dolly. I would carry the Colonel's gear, but she wouldn't let me.”

Reiko nodded, “I know, Mom's stubborn like that.”

“You two do realize that I can hear you, right?”

In the cockpit, “Swift Scout Hermes to USS Merlin. Personnel transfer, authorization Hotel Three Lima Lima India Delta Kilo Whiskey Tango Foxtrot. Please respond, over.”

====== Merlin Bridge =======

A female voice responded "Scout Hermes this is the Merlin Authorization approved. Main shuttlebay is ready to receive you."

Melody now rose from the Captains chair. She spoke to the lieutenant at ops "I'll go welcome our new marines, you have the bridge."

Normally Melody would have new officer and crew come up to the ready room but since this was the new Marine Commander, she decided she would meet them as they got off the shuttle.

She made it down to the shuttlebay just as the scout was settling down on the deck.

She stood waiting near the door with a pleasant smile on her, her hands behind her back.

The hatch hissed and popped open the second the swift scout set down on the well-polished deck, a small gaggle of people descending the ramp, headed up by an unusually diminutive pale white-haired woman wearing an all-black uniform. Even the commbadge, rank insignia and Type-II phaser were blacked out. The only color was the red undertones of the black wrapped hilt of the sword at the Colonel's left hip.

Behind her strode a young girl looking much like the Lieutenant Colonel, a Hispanic human woman and a pale green Marine Cadet.

The Lieutenant Colonel paused before the pretty red haired Commander, stiffening to attention, "Lieutenant Colonel Bayushi Kachiko reporting as ordered. Permission to come aboard with company?"

"Permission Granted. At ease Colonel. I'm Commander Melody Jones. The Captain is away on business at the moment so, I'm in command. Welcome aboard the Merlin."

Melody looked at the young woman next to the Colonel and then back again seeing a familiar resemblance. Then regarded the others "Would you care to introduce your entourage?"

"Of course," Kachiko smiled. Hands drawing Reiko around in front of her, she wrapped an arm around the girl. "This is Reiko, my daughter."

Then she gestured to the Hispanic woman, "This is my right hand, Staff Sergeant Rita Hernandez. If you need someone protected, she's your girl." Finally, the green girl, "This is my niece, Cadet Cai Sun. She was assigned to me for an impromptu Cadet Cruise aboard the Merlin. Let's just say that my cousin, her mother, wanted her to stay as far away from Fighters as possible. So she chose to be one of we Jarheads."

"Which mother was not too thrilled to hear," Cai muttered.

"Sorry, Commander. Her mother is Commander Karsel'lyn Lylyl-Llytherraias, the CAG on the Shanghai," Kachiko would have to remind Cai later about proper decorum around senior officers, but late. "Or she was. The Commander was injured in an accident a few months ago and was grounded, permanently."

"I fully intend on making my niece a damned good Marine, though we have to be sure that her pheromone suppressants are kept up-to-date," Kachiko frowned. "Which means that we are going straight to Sickbay from here, as long as my carrying this sword won't be an issue? I don't intend to carry this around, but quarters haven't been assigned yet."

Melody frowned "I'll have to have a word with house keeping" she said jokingly as she beckoned two crewmen over "I'll have you gear stowed in Marine HQ on deck 21. That way when you've finished in sickbay you can have a quick look at the facilities and meet some of the other marines. Your quarters should have been allocated by them."

She Offered her hand to each of them in turn "It's a pleasure to welcome all aboard. I think you'll find Doctor Miller is very friendly, as is everyone on board."

"If she's half as friendly as are you, Commander, I shall enjoy her company," Kachiko smiled; before handing everything save a PADD, her phaser and her sword to the crewmen. "These stay with me. No one save me handles the blade." Then she warmly shook Melody's hand.

"I look forward to working with you, Commander," was said before the four took their leave into the depths of the massive starship.