Rendezvous with the USS Ravenscar
Posted on Sunday 6 September 2026 @ 20:59 by Captain Melody Jones & Civilian Sansa Draxx-Jones & Lieutenant Commander Seklar & Lieutenant Commander Robert Whizowski & Lieutenant John Mitchum & Lieutenant Deon Nyx & Ensign Tridi
Mission:
The Seal of approval
Location: Main Bridge
Timeline: MD2
1221 words - 2.4 OF Standard Post Measure
ON:
Captain's log supplemental. We have arrived at the Rendezvous coordinates on schedule, and long-range sensors have picked up the Ravenscar approaching at warp 4 en route to Megaptera.
Melody was sitting in her ready room studying the officer transfer request from Starfleet. It had come out of the blue, but Starfleet was insistent that Commander Ras be recalled to Starbase 308 immediately. The Commander had already been dispatched via shuttlecraft, which meant she needed a new first officer.
"Jones to Seklar, can you please join me in my ready room?"
"Of course captain, I am on my way," the Vulcan responded almost immediately.
Melody stood as the door opened. "Ahh Commander come in." She gestured to the chair opposite her. "I'm not sure if you are aware, but Commander Ras has been called back to Starbase 308 rather abruptly adn it has left us without a first officer. I'd like you to fill that role for the time being. You'd still have your responsibilities in engineering, but you keep telling me your staff are up for the challenge of more responsibility. So what fo you say?
"His departure is unfortunate, but not unexpected," Seklar answered, seemingly considering her offer. "I have fulfilled this dual role before ma'am, I am certain I can do it again."
The Comm system activated, "Bridge to Captain, the Ravsencar is approaching."
"On my way. Shall we, Number one?" She gestured towards the bridge.
Seklar nodded, wondering if a change in uniform was going to be warranted.
Melody came onto the bridge from her ready room. "Open hailing frequencies. Helm, bring us alongside and then match their course and speed."
Mitchum nodded. "Hailing frequencies opened, Captain."
"Course and speed matched, Captain," Tridi reported, his voice flat and characteristically tactless, his green-furred, cat-like face set in a look of intense, methodical concentration. He smoothed his hair down his pot-bellied frame, remaining completely unbothered by the sudden shift in command hierarchy behind him. Promoted first officers and unexpected starships were unpredictable variables; executing an exact, orderly approach vector was a process he could thoroughly control. The snub-nosed Jyracan adjusted the controls with practised, neat precision, adhering strictly to standard Starfleet flight parameters.
Seklar stepped onto the bridge behind the captain and beelined for the bridge engineering station. Since he had been called to the ready room, he had left Charlie in charge, and this wasn't needed in engineering at the moment, so he opted to work from the bridge this shift.
The bridge monitor sprang to life with the image of a human male in his late forties, Captain Olivers. "Captain Jones. A pleasure to see you."
Melody smiled "Likewise, Captain Olivers. How are your passengers?"
He laughed, "Strange you should call them that. I've got a ship filled with 500 harbour seals and a staff of trained scientists looking after them better than some ambassadors get treated."
"I take it Doctor Blessed is happy with their travel arrangements."
"More than happy. He and Fay are looking forward to seeing you and Doctor Draxx-Jones again. If you would like an inspection, we are more than happy to receive you. We've even prepared some lunch. Just not fish!" he added with a chuckle.
"We'll be beaming over shortly. Merlin out."
Melody stood from her chair and tapped her comm badge. "Sansa, would you meet us in transporter room 3?"
Sansa's voice came back over the comm. "I'm on my way."
Melody looked around the bridge "Is anyone interested in seeing this historic occasion?"
"Captain, permission to join the away team." Requested Mitchum.
"Of course, Lieutenant, the more the merrier," Melody replied.
Melody tapped her comm badge. "Bridge to sickbay. We're beaming over to the Ravenscar to view the passengers and have lunch. You're more than welcome to join us Doctor."
"Understood Captain. I'll meet you in the transporter room" came the crisp reply from Deon.
"I shall decline, Captain," Tridi replied, his voice flat and blunt, his cat-like face completely devoid of interest in historical marine life. "Maintaining our position relative to the Ravenscar requires precise, uninterrupted oversight."
Melody paused at the turbolift and turned to Seklar. "Number One. You have the bridge."
Seklar nodded and moved to the centre chair. "XO has the bridge," he responded.
Robert smiled as the doors opened to the turblift, revealing the CO and her away team. "I swear, I'm not nearly as bad as they say," he joked and held up his PADD with his transfer orders. "Whizowsky, Captain... mind if I tag along?" he asked, having been monitoring the comms traffic between the two ships as he had landed.
Melody had been looking over the transfer orders earlier that morning, and while she was expecting the new officer, he was early. "Ahh, Commander. Welcome aboard; by all means, join us." Melody replied, liking the new intelligence officer's enthusiasm. This is our security chief, Lieutenant Mitchum. Lieutenant, this is our new Chief Intelligence Officer, Lieutenant Commander Whiozowski. We'll be meeting our Doctor and my daughter, our mission specialist, in the transporter room."
The door to transporter room 3 opened, and Melody and the other bridge officers who had volunteered entered to find Sansa and the doctor waiting on the transporter pad.
Melody gestured to the new arrival. "Doctor, Sansa, this is our new Chief Intelligence Officer, Lieutenant Commander Whiozowski."
Sansa smiled and added, "Hello."
"Commander," Deon said by way of greeting, extending his hand and briefly shaking the other man's.
Deltans were well known for being an intensely sensual and tactile species, their natural inclination toward physical contact woven into almost every aspect of their social interactions. But Deon had learned to temper those instincts when dealing with other species. The pheromones Deltans naturally emitted could have a profound effect on those around them, and what might be an entirely innocent gesture by Deltan standards could easily be misinterpreted—or have consequences he never intended.
So the handshake was brief, polite, and deliberately restrained.
Robert nodded to Sansa and gave a warm smile. "Doctor," he greeted, then took Deon's offered hand. "Doctor," he greeted again. "It's good to meet you both," he added, putting his hands behind his back after the brief handshake.
"Are we all ready?" Melody asked.
"Oh yes," Sansa replied. "I'm looking forward to seeing Fay and....." Her voice trailed off as she seemed to zone out for a moment. The cortical scanner blinked for a few seconds and then stopped.
Melody stepped towards her. "Sansa, are you ok?"
Finally, Sansa nodded. "Yeah. There's something else over there, not just the seals. Something familiar. I'm ok, honestly."
Melody shot a quick look at the doc before she took her place on the transporter pad. Once everyone else was in position, she nodded to the transported chief.
"Energise."
OFF:
●●●● Captain Melody Jones
Commanding Officer
USS Merlin
Commander Seklar
XO
Sansa Draxx-Jones
Marine Specialist
USS Merlin
NPC Jones
Lieutenant John MItchum
Chief Of Security/Tactical
USS Merlin
● Ensign Tridi
Flight Control Officer
USS Merlin
○●● Lieutenant Commander Robert Whizowski
Chief Officer
USS Merlin
●● Lieutenant Deon Nyx
Chief Medical Officer
USS Merlin
