<USS Avalon> Arrival of a Ranger: Walker T. Ranger
- From: TarvisTheRanger@xxxxxxx
- To: avalon@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 4 Sep 2006 21:00:50 EDT
"Arrival of a Ranger"
By Walker T. Ranger
Location: Shuttle 'St. Johns'
"Walker. You will find the love of your life in Avalon." The old man's voice
had held absolute certainty.
Walker thought back to that long ago conversation, the doubts and
absurdities still in his mind. 'Avalon, yeah right.'
As they dropped out of warp to join the local docking traffic, the pilot
called back, "That's your ship, isn't it, Sergeant?"
Walker stood from the bench in the passenger compartment, and moved forward
to look out the flight deck window. "Say what?"
"Then that isn't your assignment, Sergeant?" The pilot looked and felt
puzzled. "That's the ship name and registry I have on the transfer orders I
have
for you..."
Walker scanned the station again, finally spotting the ship at one of the
far pylons. "Oh. Her. Avalon, yeah, so I'm told."
The pilot, feeling a relief she dared not show, simply banked for the
station. This had been a strange ferry. First, the Bolian, now this guy...
both
doubting their assignments. She shook her head slightly, just as Approach
Control contacted. After dealing with them, she set up for final efficiently.
Walker leaned against the back of what was used as the co-pilot's chair,
watching the view before glancing down. "I apologize. I've had some stuff on
my
mind, beside the fact I've been all but demoted for the start of my stint on
Avalon."
She sighed. "The powers that be at Command are a strange lot at best,
Sergeant. Best not to even try to figure 'em out, unless you want a headache
and
still be puzzled afterwards."
"Yeah, Regellian Marine Command couldn't believe when they read the orders
initially." Walker shrugged slightly.
She took a better look at the man. "Oh. Exchange, eh? Command's not supposed
to screw with your commission..." She frowned. "Regellian CinC's probably
gonna be real angry."
"Wouldn't know. I was out in the field when I got the orders; my unit CO was
spitting force-whips when I left." Walker sighed.
She started chuckling. "Ouch. I've been hit with a Ferengi force-whip. Those
things hurt." She had, in fact, been a Ferengi captive for six months.
Unaware of what his words were about to do, Walker grinned and commented
offhandedly as he looked back toward the station, "The Ferengi have nothing on
the Regellian force-whip."
She instantly cringed at the mere thought, and the shuttle skewed as a
result. Cursing softly, she corrected, then landed, trembling. "That is way
uncool, if true. Those Regellians sound cruel!"
"Excuse me?" Walker arched a gold-brown eyebrow.
She turned to him, her expression raw with her memories. "I was a captive of
the Ferengi for six long, hellish months! The fact that you state that the
Regellian force-whip is even more painful than the Ferengi one frightens the
hell out of me, mister!"
Walker cursed lightly. "That's another difference between the Regellians and
Ferengi. We don't go whipping willy-nilly. Though even when it's warranted,
it's only a handful of lashes. Ten, max." Sighing, he swiveled the co-pilots
chair around and sat, "and I know you likely haven't meant insult, but as an
aside, I'm of Regellian nationality."
She paled. "Oh, God." Her statement was that of someone badly shocked, and
was a bare thread of sound. "D-don't hurt me! I didn't mean..." She shuddered
and tried to concentrate on the post-landing checklist, but found it hard to
concentrate.
Cringing in pain, Walker forcefully held back the chuckle that still wanted
to erupt, as he held out his hand. "Ranger, Walker T. It's a pleasure to make
your acquaintance, miss? And no harm, no foul."
She exhaled shakily, then said, "Irene Kelly Mastersen." She didn't mention
the fact she'd been recalled to duty only three weeks after she'd been
rescued.
"Wanna hear something absurd?" Walker grinned.
She chuckled uneasily. "Sure. Could use a laugh or two." She tapped the
wrong control at that moment and an alarm sounded.
Walker blinked, then scanned their boards quickly, having some knowledge of
Federation shuttles.
Blushing furiously now, she disabled first the alarm, then corrected the
overfeed to the port engine.
"No harm," Walker grinned as he swiveled back to face her. "My great-great
grandfather has a gift that the Regellians call ForeTelling." He paused to
chuckle. "Now admittedly, he hasn't been wrong yet, but he's foretold that I
will find my lifemate on Avalon." Walker paused as a thought came to him.
"Wait.
Avalon, I always thought he meant 'Avalon', not the Avalon." He looked
between her and the outside in confusion.
"A-avalon? That's myth!" She started laughing. "Mythical island somewhere
near Britain, supposedly." She looked at him, still laughing. "And the irony
of
your assignment also being named Avalon..." She closed her eyes and tried to
force herself to calm, but found it difficult.
"Now you see why I've been preoccupied?" Walker grinned, "It sounds absurd,
but with this being the Avalon..." He left the statement, still fully
confused.
She nodded. "And since you're not going to be riding the outside of the
ship, you would be in Avalon."
"There is that." Walker chuckled.
She then cursed as she realized something. "Blast and damnation!" She was
clearly unhappy.
"Hmm?" Walker looked to her confused, though not about his grandfather this
time.
She sighed, feeling defeated. "I need to report to the Counselors aboard."
She frowned. "I'm so decidedly not over that stint on Ferenginar." She
grimaced, "And I hate headshrinkers like the plague!"
"I don't like'm myself," Walker chuckled. "Wouldn't happen to know how I go
about getting items inspected by Security, hmm?"
She laughed, but the sound decidedly didn't have a healthy ring to it. "Go
to the Security front desk and show 'em the cases?" This was so overtly
sarcastic that Walker didn't react. "Seriously, just call for a Security-check
as
you board station." She looked at him apologetically. "Sorry for the sarcasm."
"Sarcasm is fun, though my cousin outwits me more often than not." Walker
grinned as he stood.
She stood as well, then shook his hand. "Hopefully I'll still be in
Starfleet when you return this way." She knew she was dangerously close to
being
disqualified for mental reasons.
Walker grinned slightly, "If they toss you out on your ear, message me. I
might be able to help you."
She nodded. "I'll do that, if I can remember your name once they trank me."
This last was very rueful and an admission of what had happened more than
once before.
"Just recall Earth's old Texas lawforce, the Rangers." Walker grinned.
"Or the old Terran TV series?" She grinned back. "Chuck Norris was pretty
cool in that one."
"You wouldn't believe my middle name if I told ya," Walker grinned and
started for the passenger compartment.
She chuckled. "Texas, isn't it?" She waved. "I gotta scram."
"Aye, though I wasn't named after the show." Walker grinned as he grabbed
his cases.
She just nodded before she preceded him out of the shuttle, almost running
now.
Location: Izar
Walker blinked, but followed at more of a sedate pace as he started looking
for a proper security detail, his two cases giving him a good workout even in
Federation gravity.
One of the security personnel patrolling the shuttlebay shouted, "Halt!
Stand your ground!" He was tall for a Human, but fairly typical for a
Regellian.
Walker laid his cases down, then looked to the officer. "Could you possibly
help me?"
"Yeah. Guess you want that stuff checked...or chunked."
"Chunk it, you pay for it." Walker grinned slightly, "Checked, if you
please."
The man, having heard that last more than once, muttered, "Or if I don't, I
suppose, Sergeant?" He waved to the first case. "Open it."
"Regellian Great Katana," Walker dropped to a knee and cracked the case,
then flipped it open.
"Great galaxies and silver birds!" The man then whistled. "Looks deadly."
"Only in the right hands," Walker grinned.
The man muttered, "No, it'd be safe in the right hands. In the wrong hands,
even more deadly. Maybe not to the enemy it was meant to defeat, though."
"True enough," Walker grinned, "luckily I only train with it."
He nodded. "Approved. Next." He shook his head. "Knowin' you Regellians,
this may take a while. Some of you lot seem to carry a veritable armory with
you."
"But not me," Walker grinned as he closed the first case, then cracked and
flipped open the second, larger case. "Rapiers, foils, and one other set of
fencing/duel weapons."
The man nodded. "They look," he scanned with his security tricorder, "and
scan as legitimate. Care to show me your ownership papers for the lot of them?"
"Of course, if I may dig into my seabag without getting a plasma burn in the
back?" Walker grinned teasingly.
The man chuckled. "And I've not even drawn my phaser. Sheesh." He shook his
head. "What on Earth did you do to shake up Mastersen? Never seen her
actually run toward Medical wing before!" He frowned. "If you've hurt her..."
He
trailed off, but the threat was clear nonetheless.
"Only an unintentional verbal flashback trigger," Walker grumbled to himself
as he dug through his seabag for the PADD noting ownership of all his
weapons.
The man shook his head. "She had a rough time of it after she got kidnapped
by that Daimon and his nasty crew." He shook his head sadly. "She may never
fully recover." He looked through the PADD's content and nodded. "You're
clear. Thought you people were assigned in pairs?"
"We are," Walker chuckled as he placed the PADD back in his bag. "Assume my
exchange mate is already aboard." He shrugged. "Since I've not actually
boarded the ship, I don't know yet."
The security man chuckled. "Let me phone this in, then escort you to the
Avalon's berth. You are headed to the Avalon, right?"
As Walker considered the question, he called in. "Atmore to Main. Checked in
Mister Ranger. All clear."
"Aye." Walker chuckled, "And we won't even get into what my 2x great
grandfather said."
He blinked. "Your great-great grandfather's still alive?! That's unlikely
even for you Regellians, isn't it?"
"Don't actually know if he is. Was last time I spoke to him. Though yes,
he's older than dirt, as the saying goes." Walker checked the latches on the
second case before shouldering his seabag and grabbing both.
Atmore goggled for a moment before remembering another bit of odd lore about
Regellians: the fact they were immensely powerful. "Oh. Guess you ain't
gonna need help." He chuckled.
"I'm at the edge of my limit even in Federation gravity," Walker grinned,
"But I've got it."
The man laughed. "Ok. Want an anti-grav sled, so you don't drop stuff?"
"I'll make it," Walker chuckled, "I'll be shipping some of this back to my
parents. As I told Irene, my unit CO was spitting force-whips as I left, so I
thought it prudent to pack in a hurry."
The man shivered. "Yeah. Buggin' out when your CO's spittin' that sorta
thing is pretty wise."
"Why I didn't pack some of it off at one of my transfer points," Walker
shrugged, "Haven't a clue."
Atmore nodded, then chuckled. "I've done that, too. Why don't we simply put
it all on a grav-sled, head to the parcel-service office here, and get that
done right now?"
"Sounds like the best plan," Walker grinned. "And before you say it. The
journey never begun is never completed."
The man just started laughing at that, clapping several times. "Oh, and you
stole my thunder all right! Let's get while the getting's good, eh?"
"Let's roll!" Walker chuckled.
The man nodded, then summoned one of the grav-sleds before carefully
assisting the cases onto it. "Your sea-bag obviously goes with you, as does, I
expect, the smaller case?"
"Aye. I don't plan on dueling anyone in the crew," Walker chuckled, "but I
can just holodeck or borrow weapons, if I do."
Atmore nodded. "Let's go." He tapped a control and the sled began to trail
them by a full pace. As he entered the turbolift, he held the door open and
tapped a command. The sled, obedient to it, slid inside, then to one side.
Walker leaned against the lift as he waited for the ride. He shook his head
as the ForeTelling came forward again.
"Deck Thirteen-Fifty-Two, Section Eighteen-Golf." The man's tone was crisp
professionalism during the command. Once the turbolift responded, he grinned
and waited the trip, which he knew would take nearly three minutes.
"What do you know of the Avalon?" Walker looked to the man.
"She's Starfleet, I think. Other'n that, not much."
"About as much as myself," Walker chuckled.
The man stated, "She's been through some interesting times. That much seems
apparent. Just exactly what is not entirely clear. Someone's keepin' mum. For
once."
"Wonder why they needed noncom marines," Walker pondered.
"Non-coms? That's odd. Supposed to be officer exchange here."
"I am an officer," Walker grumbled, "I willingly took the demotion. I'm just
wondering about the rhyme and reason."
"I don't see any, brother." The man's tone was showing his anger now.
"Nobody should be forced to resign commission just to be on a specific ship!"
"Oh. I didn't fully resign it; Regelis Military Command wouldn't allow that.
My Regellian commission is on hold until I return to Regellian service."
Walker chuckled, "I'm glad they forced that, or I wouldn't have been so
willing.
May have only been a Senior 1Lt, but it took me a few years."
"Hmph. I'd've had my CO and CinC tell them where to stick their demotion,
personally." The man was not impressed. "Not right. Simply not right."
"I'll forgive'm if my grandpop's ForeTelling comes true," Walker grinned
mischievously.
The turbolift shuddered, then stopped. Several seconds later, it resumed,
but at a slower speed. "Not again!"
"Hmm?" Walker pushed off the wall at the lift's shudder.
"Damn fools playing with explosives again. Maybe more of those nardy
terrorists." The man was clearly not amused. "We've still got seven decks,
too."
"Explosives?" Walker looked perplexed.
"Yeah. Like things that make other things go boom?" The sarcasm was biting
in the remark. "Some of the senior high students in the Chemistry track have
had this crazy idea they know how to handle the big stuff...idiots."
"They best be glad I don't know the station's layout," Walker muttered,
"It'd be a MART they'd be receiving."
"Assumin' this bunch didn't blow themselves to Hell and back, they'll get
escorted off-station and deported home...never to return." This time when the
turbolift stopped, it chimed, and the man relaxed. "We got here safely. Thank
God."
"If I knew the layout, they wouldn't even need an escort. Now pallbearers,
on the other hand." Walker's grin was grim.
Atmore maneuvered the sled out, then cautioned, "Murder's not on the ticket,
hear?"
"It's good I don't know the layout, eh?" Walker grinned as he followed.
"Regellians just don't tolerate idiocy."
The man nodded. "Or being thrown obstacles that don't belong. I truly
understand. Been gunnin' for an OXP assignment, but it hasn't happened. Yet."
"Straight security, or did you cross-train with Marines?" Walker arched an
eyebrow slightly.
"Straight Marine until I got messed up during a demolition run. Then I went
Security, since I still had the training to check folks' stuff in. Beats
drawin' disability."
"Wonder when the Avalon is shipping out," Walker pondered.
The man chuckled. "Sorry." He then led Walker to the proper office to
facilitate the shipping. "I'll go check on the Avalon for you."
"Not what I meant," Walker chuckled, "I might be able to make a few calls
for you. Just depends on when the ship weighs anchor."
Atmore turned and left the office, returning five minutes later. "They'll be
leavin', according to the board, "at Captain's discretion", which tells us
precisely jack."
Signing off on the package, Walker turned, "That is jack." He chuckled, "Too
bad my combadge likely doesn't have the range to reach a Regellian relay
station."
The clerk frowned down at it. "Locked case of swords, eh? That'll require
insurance and additional shipping fees due to it being oversized."
"No worries," Walker chuckled, "I can pay." He added banking information for
them to use. On a whim, he attempted to use the ansible feature of his
Regellian badge to reach a relay station.
"Regellian Relay Station Alpha-Six. Who is this?" The woman didn't mention
whoever it was was very faint indeed.
"Regellian Marine, Ranger, Walker T. Currently on exchange to the
Federation." Walker paused to allow them to verify his information. "Was
wondering if
you could bounce me through to my cousin, Unit Commander for Battalion Six,
Ranger, Thomas."
The clerk rang up the order, then attempted to jack the price by ten
percent, but Atmore, the alert security man, spotted the extra keystrokes and
growled, "Cancel that overcharge, Misty."
Waiting for a reply from the relay, Walker looked from the clerk to the
security officer and back.
"One moment please. Be advised you are very faint." Eight seconds later,
Thomas' voice rang out. "State your business, name first." His tone was
indicative of a man not interested in dealing with guff.
"Cousin," Walker grinned, "I'm ashamed at you." Deciding to humor him, he
stated, "Ranger, Walker T. You happy, cuz?"
"Well, well. And what does my cousin need this late at night?" His tone was
slightly less annoyed now.
"It's not late here cuz, how was I suppose to know it was late there."
Walker grinned, "You wouldn't happen to know a unit that needs at the very
least
an explosive trainer?"
Thomas paused for a moment. "You mean a demolitions expert capable of
training, but maybe not actual demolition work?"
The security man chuckled dryly before commenting, "An explosive trainer
might be a tad messy, lad."
Walker chuckled at both Thomas and the security officers' statements, "Yeah
cuz."
Misty, disgruntled, removed the charge, then deducted the proper amount from
the man's account. When the amount adjusted down by half, she blinked. "What
the hell?! Supervisor!"
Walker, waiting for Thomas, arched an eyebrow.
The supervisor came over, checked the tape, then chuckled. "Regellian
credits are double Federation, Misty. See the transfer here?" He pointed it
out.
Walker grinned slightly.
She blinked, then blushed furiously. "Big exchange rate, with no points."
She sighed. "Permission to take early break?"
Walker looked to the supervisor with a grin. "Let'r go, she had a heck of a
shock." He winked teasingly.
The supervisor raised an eyebrow, then nodded. "Go on, Misty. Take double.
The case is too heavy for you to heave-ho anyway." He chuckled, as she looked
briefly ready to scream at him.
"It was just light enough for 'me' to heave-ho," Walker grinned teasingly.
She, however, wisely simply walked toward the back.
Thomas stated simply, "How fast can this expert get here? The battalion
needs somebody else, as it turns out."
"Get the higher ups to haggle over it with the Federations Personnel
officer?" Walker chuckled at Thomas lightly.
The supervisor looked at the case, then looked at the two men. "Care to lift
that thing onto the platform? Then slide it this way; I'll have a cart
ready." He suited action to words.
Thomas grumbled, "What is this about you being a Sergeant, Lieutenant?
Something's a bit off."
"Someone on the Fed side had to have screwed up," Walker chuckled as he
single-handedly manhandled the case, "I just decided not to fight it. My
officership is still on record with R-Marine Command."
"Better be, or I'll take it up with the CinC's on both sides! This is an
outrage!"
"Your not the only one to agree," Walker chuckled slightly.
The supervisor put the proper labels on the unit, then carted the case off.
"Hope they don't mind it taking several weeks," was his parting shot.
Thomas grumbled, "That's good, cousin. I'll get it arranged forthwith.
Ranger out."
The connection went dead, but what the security man had heard was
extraordinary. Since he knew Regellian, he'd understood every word of both
sides, as
he'd proven.
"No worries on the time, just make sure it gets there. The person I was just
talking to is a unit commander. You don't want him pissed." Walker grinned
teasingly before looking back to the security officer. "Thomas is checking
into it."
The man just nodded. "Let's jet to the Avalon's berth. Not a good idea for
you to arrive there after they leave, hey?"
"You said it, not me," Walker chuckled and started for the main area.
Ten minutes later, the security man grinned at Walker. "You've arrived at
Avalon. Have a good day!" He then sprinted off.
Waving, and hoping him luck, Walker stepped toward the hatch.
The security guard at the interface saluted, then stated, "May I see your
papers?"
Reaching into his seabag, Walker pulled out the PADD and held it out.
The man accepted the PADD, scanned it, then nodded. "Welcome aboard,
Sergeant. If you don't mind me saying so, you don't look like a
non-commissioned
officer. You look more like a commissioned one."
"I am commissioned," Walker chuckled, "Just not for this tour."
"Dicey business, that. You're on deck twelve. Your quarters have your name
temporarily on the door below the quarters-number."
"Thanks," Walker chuckled, "I assume my case has been cleared?"
"We received notice it was cleared something on the order of twenty minutes
ago. Go on, willya?"
"Goin," Walker smirked and entered the ship, headed slowly for deck twelve
and his quarters.
< Tag: Command, any crew who happen to see him in passing >
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