Gathering the Team

Posted on Thu Oct 2nd, 2025 @ 12:48pm by Lieutenant Commander Deanna Celes & Commander Jonathan Grayson & Lieutenant JG Kate Kono & Chief Petty Officer Aaron Geiger

1,330 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Wild Wild West
Location: XO's Ready Room
Timeline: Current

Jon sat behind his desk as he waited for the others that would make up the away team he was leading to show up. He had called, Deanna, Kate and Chief Geiger to his office so he could discuss the upcoming mission with them.

Deanna arrived shortly after Jon. She had just stopped to speak with the captain briefly after the big conference and then checked with Kuzma to get the latest scan data. She held up the PaDD letting Jon know she had the updated info.

Jon nodded and smiled, "Excellent Deanna. What does the latest scan data show?" He asked wanting to get as much information as he could before transporting to the planet.

Aaron was walking into the XO's room presenting an odd sight. Followed by another Enlisted Crewman he had a rectangular circuit array in one hand, in the other a hyperspanner in the other, and a small flashlight in his mouth, shining directly at the board. The acrid smell of electricity and the ringing of the hyperspanner hung in the air. The Chief handed the circuit board over to the waiting, and uncomfortable crewman, placing his tools back on his belt. "Give that to the L-T. It's for the Engineering replicator that's spitting out the misshapen replacement components. Thanks Ramirez." Aaron turned as the crewman sped off. "Apologies Commanders, I was already 75% done with that when you paged me. Figured I could make use of my walking time. Chief Geiger reporting as ordered."

Jon looked to Deanna and smiled. He stood up from behind his desk and extended his right hand. "Chief, I'm Jonathan Grayson, it is a pleasure to meet you, and I apologize for having our first meeting under these circumstances." He gestured toward the replicator, "Get something to drink and have a seat while we wait for Lieutenant Kono to arrive."

"It seems like Aidan put you right to work upon your arrival Chief" Deanna noted. "Suppose you like being busy with all of that sort of thing."

"Sure looks like he did." Jon observed with a smile.

Aaron shook the XO's hand and then the OPSO's. "Nothing like getting right to it. He and I see eye-to-eye in that regard." The Chief walked to the replicator. "Coffee, with the faintest bit of cream computer. Like the pitcher walked by the coffee pot. My typical mug please." After a moment the replicator hummed and Aaron picked up a well-worn and stained mug, chipped near the handle. On the front in bold letters was written PROPERTY OF DS3 MESS HALL.

"We'll get started once our erstwhile Lieutenant Kono shows up." Jon repeated as he looked at Deanna and shook his head in disapproval over Kate's lateness.

"Coffee drinker, and serious one at that based on that cup. You'd make Kathryn happy. I might mention you to her next time I see the admiral, assuming you don't get on the good side of the captain quickly" Deanna said playfully. "You have been in StarFleet a long time. You seem to have fared alright through the war. How much conflict did you see? Were you always an engineer, or was that something that happened later in your career?"


"The war Commander..." Aaron's eyes unfocused momentarily. Fire suppression system down. Hull breach. Seal the hatch. Seal the hatch. Seal the hatch. Cut the power to the exposed decks. "I was lucky." He smiled in segue. "Always an Engineer, most of the time it feels like simultaneously a long time and just yesterday I was a fresh Crewman." Aaron sipped the coffee. "Starfleet at this point is home, the admin folks will have to forcibly retire me when the time comes. Hopefully I'll have made enough of an impression on some Senior Officers such as yourselves by that point to convince them to let me stick around just a little longer. There's always one more jump."

Deanna nodded, picking up the emotions from him. "I fully understand Chief. The XO and I were both in the war as well, as was the captain. If you are looking for a place to stay until retirement, the captain will welcome you, as long as you can hack it."

Kate entered the ready room and waved at Jon, Deanna, and Aaron. She saw that they were relaxing with their preferred beverages and helped herself to the replicator.

"One blue icy-pop squeeze with the top already cut off."
Kate watched as the sparkling swirl of the pattern replication left a tasty long stick of blue ice encased in it's plastic wrapper on Jon's receiving plate. She pulled it off and licked at it until her tongue turned blue while taking a seat in front of Jon's desk with the others.

Jon nodded and smiled at Kate. She was a free spirit, marched to her own drum and it was refreshing... most of the time. "Now that Kate has graciously joined us, I can tell you, you are all part of the away team transporting down to the planet to try and discover how humans got here as well as observe the settlement which is from the Old West. We'll replicate clothes and have the phasers made to look like the revolvers of the time." he looked to Deanna, "Have you more information to add?"

"Outfits and your equipment will be at the ready when you get to your quarters. The captain wished to remind everyone that the Prime Directive will be in effect until we determine how these humans got here, and then we will shift into First Contact protocol. Everyone needs to keep in mind that as the commander noted, these humans seem to be living in a period from ancient Earth that was known as the Wild West in the North American continent. They have likely never seen an alien, the technology of the era was limited, and violence was more likely. Avoid conflict, remember, we are on an intel gathering mission essentially. As they appear to travel by both horse and rail, we have a beam in location set so that we can transport aboard the train and exit quickly as it arrives at a settlement. I'll have more information about backstory for everyone before we transport. Based on the recorded schedule, we should have a transport window in 30 minutes."

Jon nodded as Deanna finished her briefing. "Very good Deanna. "Alright everyone, you heard Deanna. Go to your quarters, get changed and meet in the transporter room within the next 30 minutes."

Kate nodded and stood back up with a mouth full of ice-pop and walked out the door waving happily at everyone behind her.

Jon just smiled and shook his head as Kate left. "I'll say this for Kate, she is an original and I mean that has a compliment."

"I'll pair up with the Chief when we ultimately split up down there" Deanna said with a smile. "No need for you to keep me all to yourself on away missions" she joked.

"Well thanks Deanna I see how it is, tossing me aside like yesterday's garbage." Jon bantered back, winking at Deanna as he did.

Aaron drained his mug and placed it in the recycler. "Now this'll be something to see. Can't wait to lay hands on a steam engine. By your leave Commanders." He said in deference as he strode out the door, humming the opening theme to the old Earth film "Tombstone."

Jon nodded, "See you in the transporter room Chief." He returned pleasantly.

Deanna smiled. "This is going to be interesting. I believe the famous saying is, 'Give a girl the right pair of boots and she can conquer the world.' Suppose we'll find out" she said with a wry grin as she stood up. Let's saddle up. I aim to misbehave."

"Oh really?" Jon answered grinning at her, "Then all I can say is watch out world!" As he stood as well. "Let's get to this, we have a mystery to investigate."

 

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