First Steps Back From the Bottom

Posted on Sun Dec 15th, 2024 @ 5:47am by Chief Petty Officer Aryx Thorne & Lieutenant Commander Elena Mao
Edited on on Mon Dec 16th, 2024 @ 11:38pm

1,861 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Lost Out Here in the Stars
Location: Bridge, Deck 1, The William Dawes
Timeline: MD001 - 0900

Aryx Thorne stepped through the final checkpoint with a relieved sigh, his boots clanking softly against the deck plating as he made his way down the narrow docking tube. The hum of the station behind him faded, replaced by the faint vibrations of the ship ahead.

The name USS William Dawes was stenciled neatly on the hull just outside the airlock. A small courier ship with only four decks, the Dawes looked every bit the part: practical, unassuming, and built for short hauls rather than grandeur. As Aryx approached the entrance, he let out a low whistle.

“Well,” he muttered to himself, “she’s no Galaxy-class, but I’ve seen worse. Granted, those ships were scrap piles, but still.”

The doors slid open with a soft hiss, and Aryx stepped inside. The Dawes was as compact on the inside as its size suggested. Narrow corridors, low ceilings, and bulkheads that seemed closer than they should be and gave the ship an almost claustrophobic feel. He glanced around, taking in the utilitarian design. Everything looked clean but worn—functional, not flashy. It felt like a ship that had seen more than its share of patch jobs, something Aryx could respect.

A passing crewman from the starbase in operations gold nodded at him. Aryx returned the nod with a smirk, shifting the weight of his duffel bag as he made his way to the nearest turbolift. A small plaque on the wall confirmed what he already knew: four decks, minimal crew, minimal amenities. A small but functional ship through and through.

“Deck 1” he said as he stepped into the lift, letting the doors close behind him.

The turbolift jolted slightly before humming into motion. Aryx leaned against the wall, rubbing the back of his neck as he tried to mentally prepare for what was coming next. Meeting a commanding officer was always a delicate balance—too formal, and you looked stiff; too casual, and you risked insubordination. Then again, if this Lt. Commander Mao had requested him personally, maybe she’d already done her homework on the ship’s engineer.

The turbolift came to a halt, and the doors opened to reveal the bridge.

The ship was ready and truth be told, so was Elena. Ready. Ready to be back out in space again. One overnight away from the next starbase but still, to her way of thinking, that's where the Dawes was meant to be. Out there. Not chained to a starbase while her captain and crew did an insufferable amount of busy work. Still, the module was stowed in the 'safe' that had been installed in her quarters and the cargo inventoried and tied down. All that was left were the passengers. With luck, they might even get away early.

She looked up as someone she didn't know walked onto the Bridge. The passenger manifest for this trip did not include active duty Starfleet and yet, he was carrying gear with him. Perhaps a last minute addition then.

"Can I help you, Petty Officer," she said as she rose from her crouch and set the scanner she'd been holding on its edge.

Aryx took a moment to take in the bridge before addressing the commanding officer. It was smaller than he was used to but functional, with no space wasted on unnecessary grandeur. He shifted his duffel bag to his other shoulder and stepped forward.

“Aryx Thorne,” he said, offering a lopsided smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Your new engineer. Reporting as ordered.”

She noticed. Fifty years as an Aegis agent, a product of relentless training and genetic engineering, she noticed. The way he took in the bridge before he spoke. The way his eyes remained flat and unreadable. This was someone with a history and probably not a good one. "Elena Mao," she said at once. Her expression neutral. "This is not an exciting job. We work in Federation space, usually shuttling goods and personnel between starbases and occasionally, babysitting science teams while they do," she waved her hand in the air, "whatever science teams do. This is also a small ship and we're pretty much living in each other's pockets when we're on duty." She cocked her head slightly to one side. "Still interested?"

Aryx adjusted the strap of his duffel bag, letting her words hang in the air for a moment before responding. The question wasn’t really about interest—it was a test. He could hear it in her tone, see it in the slight arch of her brow. She was sizing him up, probably wondering if he’d crack under the monotony or if his record would catch up with him before long.

“Interested?” Aryx repeated, his lopsided grin returning. “Commander, after three days in a tin can shuttle with a replicator that could only manage lukewarm soup, this already feels like an upgrade.”

Aryx nodded, letting the teasing tone settle him. “And as for living in each other’s pockets, I’ve had worse. Penal colony dorms aren’t exactly known for their spacious accommodations. So let’s just say I’m used to… this.” He said with open arms accepting the environment and laying his baggage on the table.

Penal colony," Elena repeated, her tone rising on the last syllable to signal the question that it was. Whatever else had been in her mind to say, fled before that statement. "When were you in a penal colony? It's not usual for an engineer to be stationed in a place like ... wait, were you an inmate there?"

Aryx felt the weight of the question hit the room like a low-level hull breach. He should have seen it coming. The way her tone shifted, the careful phrasing and he could practically feel her curiosity burning through the silence.

He took a deep breath, scratching the back of his neck as if trying to massage away the tension building there. “Yeah, Commander,” he said, his voice even but unavoidably tinged with a hint of defensiveness. “I was an inmate. Five years. Penal Colony 412.” He paused, meeting her gaze directly. “But before you ask, everything’s above board. Chief of Federation Penal Colonies, Admiral Renak, personally handled my paperwork and signed off on my assignment to the Dawes. I figured you’d know, given… well, people don’t just show up to assignments without clearances.”

"My situation is a bit different," Elena said evenly. "If you're loyal to me and to the ship, then I'm loyal to you in return. And that's no small thing. So, Aryx Thorne, be honest with me then. Is this somewhere you want to be? On my ship? A member of my crew?"

Aryx paused for a moment, caught off guard by the directness of the question. He searched Elena Mao’s face for any sign of judgment or hesitation, but her expression was unreadable—steady, sharp, and demanding nothing but the truth. He respected that, even if it put him on the spot.

“I don’t know if ‘want’ is the right word,” Aryx admitted, his tone measured but sincere. “But I’ll tell you this: I need to be here. After everything that happened, I’ve been clawing my way back into this uniform one bolt, one repair, one chance at a time. I’m not looking for an easy gig or a free pass. I’m here because I want to earn my place again. Maybe that starts with the Dawes.”

This was his shot and he couldn’t miss.

“Look, I know my record’s messy. Starfleet doesn’t give out second chances lightly, and I get why some folks might think I don’t deserve one. But if I didn’t want this—really want it—I wouldn’t be standing here. I’m ready to put in the work, I’m ready to prove I belong here. This ship might be small, but I’ll treat it like it’s the flagship of the fleet.”

"Then, welcome aboard," Elena said. She smiled then, small and subtle, you'd almost miss it if you weren't looking. "Alright, between Hunt and I ... Hunt's the pilot, we've taken care of stowing the cargo and I think, Hunt's gone through his checklist. Time for you to get acquainted with the ship and verify that he's ready to go. I have to get over to the starbase and talk to the brass. They want to brief me personally about our next run."

She paused for a moment. "I'm missing something ... oh right. Computer, I formally accept Chief Petty Officer Aryx Thorne's transfer to the USS William Dawes as Engineer. Make sure he has the right clearances."

"Working," the computer responded. "Chief Petty Officer Aryx Thorne is now the Engineer for the USS Dawes."

"Private quarters, bog standard and all, but you have some time to bring personal stuff aboard. Checklist comes first though ... and this console," she gestured toward the one she'd been scanning, "has been acting up. Our last 'engineer' ... if you could call him that ... couldn't find the problem."

Aryx stepped up to the console, setting his duffel down against the base of the bulkhead. He loved fixing things. His gaze flicked over the panel, taking in its blinking error lights and sluggish response time. He ran his fingers across the edge of the display, frowning as he tapped the controls. He crouched slightly, peering beneath the console with a practiced eye. He went down below the console.

Five seconds. That’s all it took.

He let out a low chuckle and straightened, glancing over his shoulder at Mao. “Well, Commander, I think I’ve found the problem.”

"Good," Elena said. "Well, I'll leave you and the Dawes to get acquainted. I'll be back in an hour or so. Probably less. The base commander tends to keep our meeting short and to the point. I once actually got a cup of tea out of him but that's only because his aide didn't catch the pointed glare he shot in the kid's direction."

He reached under the console, securing the two loose cables with a firm push until it clicked into place. The console immediately flickered, its display resolving into crisp, bright readouts. The blinking error lights disappeared, replaced by smooth functionality. Aryx dusted his hands off and stood.

“Good as new and don’t worry, no charge for the first fix,” he said jokingly. Thorne grabbed his duffel bag and swung it back over his shoulder. He continued. “Go do what you got to do, Commander. I thank you for the chance, I’ll get settled in, and moving forward, I’ll make sure the Dawes runs smoother than a Vulcan meditation session.”

They left the Bridge and entered the turbolift together. Thorne got off on Deck 2 and Elena continued on alone to deck 4 and the transporter room. So far, she thought, things look good and really, it's not like we'll be spending years together. Two days max and we'll be at the starbase, delivering our cargo.

A Post by:

Commander Elena Mao
Commanding Officer
USS William Dawes

and

Chief Petty Officer Aryx Thorne
Engineer
USS William Dawes

 

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