<USS Avalon> "The Searching" - Part One



“The Searching” - Part One
by Commander Javan Sierra
Junior Lieutenant Savannah Eckstein
& Ensign Ryan Hollander



Javan Sierra threw his pack down in the seat and charged up the engines. He had to ask himself whether or not he was really looking forward to pursuing someone that they would never see again. On the one hand, all things aside, he really didn’t want to give up his shore leave to go searching for some inferior petty officer. However, his rational side told him that the murderer had to be brought to justice.

And, so, his decision had already been made for him.

“Up for an outing, Commander?” Savannah Eckstein said with a smirk as she boarded the shuttle behind Javan. Her smile lit up the otherwise-tainted shuttle and it took a load of Javan’s back. She knew tossed her stuff on the floor and sat down in the seat opposite of Javan. Propping her feet up on the console, she smiled again, “where we off to?”

“Starbase 33,” Javan said with his hands dancing nimbly over the console’s buttons, “that was where Lieutenant Snuffy’s shuttle sped off to. We’re assuming that it is the only way in which he could’ve gotten off the Avalon unnoticed.”

“An assumption? Commander, forgive me for saying so, but isn’t it more logical to pursue all plausible options whether they’re possible or not?” She had a way of making people feel stupid - Javan too. She eyed him with a look of strained content on her face. Somewhere, deep down, she was uncertain of pointing out her superior’s flaws. “If, of course, I can speak freely.”

It was Javan’s turn to smile, “of course, Savvy. We’ve been through too much to have worthless formalities between us.”

“You mean we’ve done too much.”

Laughing aloud, Javan reminisced about their nights together. She was right and he knew it. There was a candor between them that left nothing to the imagination and nothing as far as a command structure was concerned. “Yes, I suppose you’re right.”

“Of course I’m right, I’m the woman.” She smiled mischievously and dropped her feet to the floor. “I hope it’s all right, but I sort of pulled rank on Hollander and had him carry everything from the security offices to the shuttlebay.”

Chuckling, Javan returned to his duties until a clattering of material behind him drew his attention. Standing there exhausted was Ensign Ryan Hollander. At his feet were three phaser compression rifles and corresponding field packs. Three tricorders, rations, and comprehensive scanning equipment usurped from the security armory.

“I hate you,” Ryan said with half of a grin to Savannah. She promptly stuck her tongue out at him in response, “oh, God, you’re twelve.”

“Yeah, one that outranks you,” Savvy shot back as she stood and moved to help him pick up the falling articles of equipment. “Consider it a training exercise. It was designed to further your direction following skills and increase stamina in the muscles.”

“Shut up,” Ryan said, sitting down.

“All right you two,” Javan interjected as he turned in his seat. “We’re going to have some time between the time we leave and the time in which we arrive. So, in the interest of my sanity and your personal well-being, I would suggest talking civilly. Or, I’ll put you both in the corner.”

Ryan’s eyes brightened and he digressed to age seven in his sarcastic and entertaining response, “Oh, Dad, please or please or please can we go see the horseys? I will be the bestest boy you could imagine and I’ll even talk to her and be nice to her.” His demeanor changed back to his adult self, “even though she is a wretched bitch.”

The trio shared a laugh as the shuttle received clearance from the Avalon and slowly pulled out of its berth in the rear of the ship. Within moments it was at warp speeding away from Earth at the utmost of speed. Lol Kendrick, wherever he was, suddenly had a new meaning to run.



*********



The ride was uneventful. It was nice however to be set apart from the usual hubbub of the ship itself. There was a closer connection between the three officers in the isolated atmosphere rather than the crowded corridors and lounge of the ship. They shared stories of their past and, when the time was right, Javan distanced himself from his turns.

And, when the time presented itself, he made up an intriguing story. Over the years, and through numerous missions like the one he was currently on, he had learned to generate an alter ego to himself to lead people off. Somehow he didn’t think that they’d take all too kindly to having a ‘traitor’ on board. And that was if they believe to begin with.

The large starbase loomed in front of them like a citadel. Small ships and shuttles hovered and flew about it like moths attracted to flame. It was truly a spectacle because it was a thriving community out in the barren landscape of space. “Starbase 33,” Javan said moving up to the console.

Ryan looked at Javan as a beeping console alerted all three of the shuttle’s occupants. “They’re hailing us, sir. Audio only.”

“Let’s hear it.”

“Starbase 33 Operations to unidentified shuttle.”

“This is the Runabout Genevieve. I’m Commander Javan Sierra of the USS Avalon.” His hands flew deftly across the service to transmit his orders and classification for the mission at hand. “I am on an important mission with my associates Junior Lieutenant Savannah Eckstein and Ensign Ryan Hollander.”

There a brief pause where Javan could see the man at the communications console reading the incoming orders and deciding whether or not it was authorized. Javan smiled at the fact that the young man probably paid no attention to the security code embedded in it for authenticity.

“You’re cleared to dock at port F Beta 3. Welcome to Starbase 33 and we hope that your stay is enjoyable. If you need any help at all navigating the facilities or finding anything, the port master in your berth will be happy to assist you in anyway possible. Welcome - ”

Javan raised a hand to no one in particular, “actually, sir, I need to speak with your station’s commanding officer. From my reports here I am under the impression that it is a Commander Aaron Diablo?”

“That’s correct. I cannot guarantee anything, Commander Sierra, but I will forward a request to him and he should respond to you within the hour. Please be advised that the Commander, as the leader of his station, is a very busy man.” The man had probably said the same line to many a line officer in his day, but every time he said it Javan assumed that it had less and less meaning behind it.

“Thank you.” When the link with the station had been severed, Javan stood and motioned to Savannah to take the helm. He moved back with Ryan in tow into the back compartment to get their supplies ready. It wasn’t until he didn’t feel the ship decelerating that he became concerned. “Lieutenant Eckstein?”

The formality shocked her as she turned and looked at him, fear in her eyes. Her hands were trembling; it was a trait that Javan had never associated with Savannah Eckstein. He knew, for a fact, that she had hands that were steady as stone. Her lower lip shook spastically as she tried to mumble a response. “Ry - Ryan. Take - ke - ke - the helm.”

His eyes bulged incredulously and he smiled. “No way, Commander Sierra gave you that order and I would expect you to follow it. I’m sure he has a similar response. I’m not doing the bitch work because you don’t want to.”

Javan placed a hand on the young ensign’s shoulder, “I think that you better take the helm, Ryan.”

“Aye, sir.”

Savvy managed to stumble to her feet and make it two steps before collapsing into Javan’s arms. “Ryan! Dock us now!” She lay lifeless in his hands. “Commander Sierra of the Runabout Genevieve, we’re going to need medical attention immediately upon our arrival.”



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