A Journey Begins

Posted on Wed Jun 24th, 2020 @ 4:57am by Captain Nycolas Temple
Edited on on Wed Jun 24th, 2020 @ 5:18am

Mission: New Moon Rising
Location: USS Pandora

As Lieutenant Commander Nyx Temple piloted his shuttle craft to the Luna Shipyards above Earth, he couldn't help but notice the pale, yawning moon staring back at him from the distance. Fitting, as it were, given the designation of his intended ship.

His ship.

The young Commanding Officer had held leadership positions before, certainly managed to prove himself as a leader, but this was the first time he would be captaining his own ship. The big chair was his, the Ready Room was his, all eyes of the crew would be on him. The parts of his mind that were excited about this appointment clashed with the parts that were scared beyond belief. A part of him still felt too young to be here; all the Captains he met as a child had all appeared to be much older, much wiser people than Nyx believed himself to be right now. But Starfleet saw fit to see him serve and he would have no time for doubt out in the Inconnu Expanse.

The runabout was guided neatly into the nearest docking bay of the Refit station currently putting the final touches on the USS Pandora. The new ship was barely of dock after her first service, having been one of the first Luna Class ships built last decade, but her new long-term mission decreed that she be updated and improved to handle such an arduous journey. Only the USS Merrimack had made it out of the treacherous gravitational storms of the Expanse, and now the Pandora was being sent back in for an even longer journey. As Temple powered down the runabout and disembarked, he captured one last look out to Earth's moon in the starboard window.

He was about to be a very long way from home.

Nyx swaggered through the bustling shipyard, still wearing his black Lucis jacket and not his Starfleet uniform. This caused some of the work crew to give him a second glance, as the tall, broad man in an unfamiliar attire walked through unescorted. Finally a security officer approached Nyx as he stood on the gangway, staring out at the underbelly of the Pandora.

"Starfleet Security. Please identify yourself." The officer insisted, hand hovering over his phaser rifle.

Nyx turned and gave him a smile, "Relax, Goldshirt. That's my bird up there."

The officer looked to Nyx, then over to the ship, his furrowed brow not getting any more relaxed. "Come again?"

Temple sighed, fished into his jacket pocket for his small PADD and handed it over to the officer. The Security guard looked it over and there was a sudden straightening of his spine and that hand, which once hovered of his rifle, was quickly drawn into a solemn salute.

"Captain Temple. My apologies." He responded shakily.

"At ease," Nyx replied with a laugh, "Glad to see you're on alert. I hope you'll be joining us onboard."

"Aye, sir," He answered, still stiff as a board.

"Am I first to arrive?" Nyx asked, leaning onto the steel railing of the gangway and staring back up at the ship again.

"No, sir," The officer answered, "Lieutenant Commander Glyndar arrived not long ago."

Nyx smiled, "My second in charge certainly doesn't waste any time. For the best, probably." He looked back at the ship and jerked his thumb to the Pandora proudly. "That ship, she's a beauty, right?"

The office nodded eagerly, "Yes, sir."

Nyx shrugged and stood up straight, "Better not keep her waiting."

"Yes, sir," He replied. They began to walk again but he had to ask, "Do you mean the Pandora or Lieutenant Commander Glyndar?"

Nyx let out a big laugh, "Both."

OFF