A Good Mistake

Posted on Sat Jan 3rd, 2026 @ 9:55am by Ensign Ian Milkovich & Petty Officer 2nd Class Raven Mattel

Mission: A Dawn on Drax
Location: Deck 15 - Shuttlebay

ON:

With the Pandora's re-launch now imminently only a few hours away, and the reworks to her shuttle bay completed by the refurb team, it was time for the ship to receive her support craft. As a Luna Class vessel, the Pandora was home to five shuttles and the Captan's Yacht - the latter of which was already docked when Temple and his family returned. That just left the shuttles to come out of their storage in the Luna Shipyards and dock back home on the Pandora.

Ensign Milkovich was piloting the S.S Rise back into the Pandora with Petty Officer Mattel at his side. As the Rise left dry dock and came around the station, they saw the Pandora resting in her bay.

"She's a beauty." Ian remarked as the Pandora came into view.

Raven leaned forward in her chair to get a better look at the vessel. "Wow. I guess I'm just used to seeing it from the outside." She nodded, "That's our home."

Ian laughed, "Indeed it is." As the Rise approached the rear docking window of the Pandora's shuttle bay, he signalled ahead to the vessel. "S.S. Rise inbound to docking bay one. Thirty seconds until threshold."

"We see you Rise." Came an unfamiliar voice of a new officer. "Security team is on standby to receive you."

Raven tilted her head a little, frowning. "Security? Do they think we stole this or something?"

"No." Ian giggled, "The Security Department are just running protocol drills. Helps them sharpen up before launch. It's pretty standard procedure."

"Oh." Raven replied, but she stiffened up her posture nonetheless. She became acutely aware that they were likely being watched now and didn't want to put a foot wrong. "Do I need to do anything?"

"I've got it." Ian smiled as he tapped away at his console. "You just relay back anything that I need, okay? This is a good training experience for you, too."

"Heck yeah." Raven nodded, "Maybe I'll become a pilot, too."

The Rise silently glided into the Pandora's shuttle bay, as Ian powered down the impulse engines and manoeuvred the craft above her landing position.

"They'll likely be a couple protocol steps." He explained to Raven, "A bio-security scan, weapons check, hull inspection."

"S.S. Rise, proceed to docking pad three." The Security Officer relayed from down inside the Pandora. "And prepare for your weapons scan."

At this, Ian furrowed his brow. Raven noticed and raised an eyebrow, "Everything okay?"

"He must be new." Ian remarked to her before pushing his comms button. "Correction, Pandora. You mean to complete a bio-hazard security scan first, correct?"

"Negative, Rise." Came the terse reply from Security. "We are performing a weaponry and foreign technology scan first. Proceed to the docking pad."

Ian ruffled at the officer's tone. A voice inside of him was telling him to leave it, but acting on his own bristling reaction, he replied. "That is not the protocol, officer."

Raven leaned back in her chair, feeling immediately uncomfortable. "What?" She whispered.

Ian sighed, "I don't know who that guy is, but he doesn't know what he's doing."

"Negative, Rise." The Officer was even more insistent now, an authoritative voice over the speakers. "You will proceed to the docking pad and standby for your weapons scan."

"Who the hell is this guy?" Ian scoffed, trying to look out of the window. "I did this a hundred times on the Saratoga."

"Maybe procedure has changed?" Raven suggested lightly. "Or he's doing it differently."

"Or he doesn't know what he is doing." Ian sneered.

"Rise. Proceed to docking pad three immediately." This voice was different, he recognised it as Lieutenant J'Oh. Ian felt himself swallow hard, as if he was being scolded.

"Aye, sir." Ian reported back immediately.

The shuttle craft turned in position and hovered over to the required spot, before settling down onto the metal floor below. The craft was surrounded by Security officers, as the shuttle was scanned.

"Power down all systems." The Security officer was back on the comms now. Ian did so without complaint. "You will receive your bio-hazard scan, and then the Security team will search the hull."

"Acknowledged, Pandora." Ian responded, not wanting any further arguments.

Not long after, the Security Team boarded the vessel as part of their search and inspection drill. Ian tried to see if he could recognise which of the officers had been on the comms. He did a double-take when he saw a dark haired Bajoran man, another Ensign that he had not met before. Something instinctual told him that this Ensign was different, perhaps even familiar - although they had not met. Raven pushed him to walk forwards before Ian could speak, and the Security team were clearly focused on their job at hand. The Ensign didn't stop to speak either, the team starting their drill immediately in perfect precision.

"Come on." Raven hissed at him. "Before they decide to run a training exercise on detaining officers."

Outside of the vessel, a terse-looking Lieutenant J'Oh was stood waiting with her arms crossed. "What was that, Ensign Milkovich?"

Ian was still in his feelings that he was right and the Security officer was wrong, and he had no problem speaking his mind on that matter. Raven was a step behind, hands clenched nervously. She had never been reprimanded before, she didn't know what to do with her hands.

"It was the wrong procedure, sir." Ian insisted, giving a shrug. "It's bio-hazard, then weapons. That's how we did it on the Saratoga."

"You're not on the Saratoga, Ensign." J'Oh replied. "This is how we're doing it on the Pandora. And even if it was the wrong order, Ensign," She was using his rank very purposefully, "Then the docking ship still makes the call on the procedure that they wish to follow. You don't argue with them."

Ian sighed, "But - "

"Aye, sir." Raven spoke up, cutting him off. "It won't happen again."

"Be sure that it doesn't." J'Oh was giving an order, not a suggestion now. "We have four more craft to bring in from Luna Shipyards, we don't have time for you to debate procedure."

"Aye." Ian nodded, obediently.

"Ship is clear." Came the call from inside the vessel. The Security Officer team marched out of the. Rise in two firm lines, then lined up on the dock in front of Lieutenant J'Oh.

"Good work." The Lieutenant smiled as she approached them. "This is a good start to our drills, but we could be sharper. I want everything to be air-tight before Lieutenant Keith arrives. We want to impress your new Chief, correct?"

"Yes sir!" The team responded together, shouting in unison.

"Good." She smiled.

J'Oh walked the line of the Security Officers; she stopped in front of the dark haired Bajoran and leaned into whisper something at him. Ian and Raven watched from their viewpoint several metres away. Ian tried to make out what was being said but he could not hear them. J'Oh placed a reassuring hand on the Ensign's shoulder. His dark eyes turned and found Ian staring back at him. The Ensign snapped his view back in front of him again, as he nodded solemnly to the Lieutenant.

"What was that about?" Ian wondered aloud.

"Probably talking about the bratty pilot arguing with him." Raven unhelpfully suggested, as she prodded Ian in the shoulder. "Come on, we need to get the next shuttle craft."

Ian slowly nodded, a weird feeling in the pit of his stomach. He allowed Raven to pull him away from their spot, though he glanced one more time back at the Security team, just as they turned and walked away from the Rise. He didn't like this feeling at all.

=====

[Deck 5 - Pandora's Box]

Several hours later and all of the Pandora's support craft were now safely tucked away in their berths, ready for the ship's departure. Raven and Ian were now off duty and enjoying a meal in the ship's main crew mess, an-Earth like restaurant called the Pandora's Box. They were in a booth together, eating and relaxing. Ian had managed to continue on with his day without any further reprimands, though he was a little churlish still at being told off by the Lieutenant. Raven noticed this as he picked at his food.

"Darling, you need to stop sulking." She insisted, "It was a minor thing, I bet Lieutenant J'Oh doesn't even care. She does not have the time to get hung up on one junior officer's mistake. She's too busy being a big boss."

"I guess." Ian nodded, then he sighed, "I guess I'm just going to have to get used to do everything a different way now... now that I've chosen to stay here, I mean. I feel like I had more freedom before."

"On the Saratoga?" Raven tilted her head as she asked, a little confused. She had never served on that vessel but she was surprised to hear it apparently had different protocols.

Ian frowned a little then nodded, "Yes. And before that, too. On the Qaraq, too. I liked being able to make my own decisions, I guess."

"Well that ain't Starfleet, honey," Raven shrugged, "And the only way you get to be a big boss like Lieutenant J'Oh is by showing you can follow orders."

"True." Ian sighed again. "I've been thinking of applying for a higher position, though."

"Oooh, first officer?" Raven said then burst into giggles at her joke.

"Not quite." Ian laughed a little in response. "No, I meant either Assistant Chief Helm or another leadership position. Chief of Boat, perhaps?"

Raven listened to this and nodded, "I think you should." She said encouragingly, "You've got the experience."

"Yes, which Captain Temple knows I have." Ian said, convincing himself further that this was a good idea, "So I'm lucky to be serving under him again. He knows what I've done - both here on the Pandora before and the Qaraq. Surely that has to count in my favour?"

"Of course it does!" Raven insisted, "You could totally do that role."

As they were speaking, a team of Security Officers entered the room together. They were likewise just getting off duty, and had come from a team-building gym session. They were wearing their training gear still and waltzed into the room with an air of arrogance and sweat. One of the Security team, a rather bulbous-armed Australian man nick-named Mack, stopped by their table. Ian recognised him as being in the shuttle search team earlier.

"Hey now, Ensign Milkovich." Mack sneered, "I'm about to have some food and a drink. If that's alright by you." He gave a snickering sneer. "Please - let me know if that's the right order I should be eating."

Raven sized up the man with a withering glance while Ian sunk into the booth. Mack kept on walking as the rest of his team gave a hearty chuckle at Ian's expense.

"What a ridiculously childish man." Raven hissed under her breath, "Imagine feeling the need to puff yourself up like that."

Ian could only frown, "Yeah."

"I'm... I'm sorry about that." Came a voice from next to their table. Ian looked up and saw the dark-haired Bajoran officer. He was wearing a black tank top and shorts, a towel resting over his right shoulder. Ian caught a quick glimpse of his taut arms, before looking away immediately.

Ian just stared ahead at his own hands on the table, "It's ...fine."

"It's not." The Ensign insisted, quietly. "We all make mistakes."

Ian was about to open his mouth to argue, the words 'I was right' coming forth upon his tongue, but Raven, knowing better, interjected before he could speak. "Hey, don't I know you?"

"Yes." The Ensign smiled a little. "You leant me your hoodie."

"Oh right!" Raven clapped her hands together. She turned back to Ian, "This guy knows about mistakes. He was running around in a towel!"

"I have to go." The Ensign hurriedly replied, not wanting to be embarrassed any further. "Sorry, again."

With that, he was gone. Raven was deep into her recollection of events of that day in the gym when the half-naked man came storming out of the showers, while Ian could only look up as the Ensign walked away, joining his colleagues in the Security team. He admonished himself internally for not saying more, not accepting the apology and offering his own in response. He felt a tinge of regret now that the Ensign was too far away.

"What was his name?" Ian asked, interrupting Raven's story.

"Oh. Um.... No, I forget." She grimaced. She looked over, "I could find out?"

"No, it's fine." Ian sighed, "I just... I was going to apologise but you know what, forget it." He looked up at Raven, "Can we go?"

Perturbed, Raven blinked a couple of times. "Yeah, sure." She finally shrugged. "If you want." They stood up from the bench and began to head towards the door, "You found his luggage for him, though. Remember?"

Ian froze, "Damnit!"

=====

Ian was back in the Transporter Room, trying to speak to the officers at Starfleet HQ.

"It's the belongings of Ensign Navat." Ian was practically shouting into the panel. "N-A-V-A-T. They were placed in the Shuttle Bay luggage storage by mistake. We need them sent to the Pandora."

"The who?" Came the reply from the churlish Dock Master. "Pandora?"

"The USS Pandora, NCC-80114." Ian sighed. "We are stationed at Luna Shipyards, berth one."

"I'll 'ave a look." The officer replied with a disgruntled tone as the channel went silent. Ian sighed, drumming his fingers on the desk.

Raven was in the background, looking at the panels with a quizzical expression. "What if every time we used the transporter, our original self is broken down into molecules and destroyed, and what re-appears is a near-perfect, but not quite the same, replica of who we really were?"

Ian looked over to her and frowned, "Then I'd ask for it to replicate me some nicer arms." He remarked, thinking of some nicer arms he had seen recently.

"Oooh." Raven nodded, "I'd want it to change my hair colour every time. Like, just at random. Bam! New hair."

"What if it made it blue or purple?" Ian asked, contemplating the idea.

"I would love that." Raven insisted, "Do you know how often I used to wear wigs? Even the good ones were itchy and made my head hot. This way, I could change up my hair whenever I wanted."

Ian thought about this, then nodded. "Okay, but monkey's paw. All of your hair would change to blue or purple. All your hair."

Raven paused then burst into giggles. "I would love that, too!" She admitted.

"Aye, Pandora?" The Dock Master broke into the conversation. "We found it. We don't have a shuttle though."

"We'll transport it." Ian insisted, not wanting to waste a second longer. "Thank you!"

~~~~~

Soon after, the duo were on Deck 17 pushing the luggage on a hover-cart.

"What are you going to say?" Raven asked. She looked around the corridor to see if anyone else was about.

"I'll just blame it on HQ taking forever to find it." Ian shrugged, "And not that I completely forgot about it."

"Sure, sure." Raven nodded, "But what are you going to say to the guy?"

"Look, this is my way of helping him out, okay?" Ian frowned, "He can take it as a gesture of good will, or whatever, an apology."

Raven could see there was a little tension in her friend's tone when she spoke about him. To her it seemed like he just wanted to get this over and done with as quickly as possible. Ian had barely bothered to look or interact with Ensign Navat in Pandora's Box, he didn't seem overly interested in hearing (or giving) and apology. Perhaps he was afraid to admit that he had made an additional mistake that day? Men and their egos are rarely separated, she thought. Whatever his reasoning, she was enjoying this turn of events. She was just along for the ride.

"Okay." Raven put up her hands. "If you insist. I just thought maybe you'd like to say something else, too."

"I will." Ian firmed his jaw as he spoke. "I will."

Finally they made it to the Ensign's quarters. They quickly unloaded the belongings onto the floor in front of the doorway and Raven pressed the door chime.

Moments passed and there was no reply. Ian pressed the chime this time, as if that would make a difference.

After another moment of nothing, Raven put her ear to the door, trying to listen. "I think I hear a sonic shower."

"He's in the shower?" Ian sighed.

"Yes." Raven nodded, still listening. "Which is ironic if you think about it because the first time we met he - Oh, it stopped."

A swell of panic rose within Ian and he took a step back from the doorway. Knowing the Ensign was approaching, he suddenly felt ill. "I can't do this."

"What?" Raven hissed, "He's coming!"

"I... tell him you found them!" Ian called out, as he turned and ran away down the corridor.

"Coward!" Raven shouted.

"Excuse me?" Ensign Navat frowned. He had opened the door as Raven uttered the insult.

Raven demurred a smile, blinking her eyes as she tried to come up with an explanation.

Ian raced into the turbolift and pressed the 'door close' button with extreme urgency. He breathed a sigh of relief as they came together. Leaning against the wall, he gently knocked his head against the bulk head.

"Stupid. Stupid. Stupid." He moaned to himself.

OFF