Rookies (Part 1)

Posted on Thu Aug 26th, 2021 @ 7:39am by Commander Keisuke Takahashi 'K.T.' & Lieutenant JG Takumi Fujiwara 'Tak' & Lieutenant JG Connor Talmage mr

1,020 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Handling the Fallout
Location: Spacedock and USS Myogi

The Type 8 shuttlecraft glided through the vast emptiness of Earth Spacedock towards the New Orleans Class Starship currently docked inside the space station. At the controls was Ensign Takumi Fujiwara. Though he had flown shuttles many times before, this was his first unsupervised flight. He and another Ensign fresh out of the Academy were carting some supplies aboard their first post-Academy assignment:

"USS Myogi, this is shuttle 8-6-1-3 on final approach." Takumi relayed over the comm channel. "Transmitting clearance codes."

Takumi's fingers danced over the shuttle's console as he entered the clearance codes to transmit. A few seconds passed before a voice came over the comm channel in response:

"Shuttle 8-6-1-3, this is Myogi control; clearance codes have been verified: Welcome aboard."

"Acknowledged." Takumi responded, signing off the comm channel.


Connor was put off guard by being on the ship. For the first time in his career he was no longer a cadet.
He was nervous beyond other things to.

He needed to calm his nerves. He decided to attempt a conversation with the other Ensign.
"So your a graduate to?" Connor asked.

"Yep," Takumi responded from the pilot's seat as he went through the shuttle's landing procedure. "First assignment; apparently these people need a pilot badly enough that they're willing to settle for one fresh out of the Academy."

"I suppose I can say the same. I left my farm in Texas for this." Talmadge joked. Sorry didn't to mean to get personal. I'm Connor Talmadge." Connor said gesturing his hand to the man.

Takumi knew an introduction when he heard one, but at the moment, he was in the middle of approach procedures. Once Takumi verified that a second or two of inattention wouldn't cause trouble, he swiveled the chair around to accept the profferred hand of the other Ensign.

"Takumi Fujiwara." He said as he shook Connor's hand. "I hope we see each other soon." Connor replied as he went to report to his station.

The shuttle glided into the Myogi's shuttlebay, touching down in a somewhat central location of the shuttlebay, yet positioned in a manner so as not to be an obstruction to other arriving or departing shuttles. Once they were down, Takumi set the shuttle's parking brakes before lowering the shuttle's cargo ramp to offload the pallets of supplies they were carrying.

"Well," Takumi said as he reached for his walking stick before swiveling the pilot's chair around. "I don't know about you, but I'm going to go find the captain and report in."

Takumi set the walking stick down firmly and used it as a brace to get up from the pilot's seat.

Connor quickly headed to report to the captain. Grabbing his padd and quickly running.

Unlike his more eager colleague, Takumi calmly made his way out of the shuttle and approached two officers in red chatting about something.

"Excuse me," Takumi called out as he approached the two officers. "I was wondering how to get to-!"

At that moment, the officer with his back turned to Takumi turned around, and Takumi found himself staring down a familiar face:

"No way: Keisuke??" He gasped.

At first, Keisuke wasn't sure what to make of being recognized, until he realized that the ensign standing before him with a walking stick was indeed Takumi.

"Takumi, is that you, dude?" Keisuke asked.

"Well, yeah, it's me, but... What are you doing here, man?" Takumi responded.

"I work here:" Keisuke said, rustling the hair on the back of his head. "It's not easy being the third in command, but when your wife's the captain, it makes things a little easier."

"Wait, you..." Takumi trailed off as his mind struggled to process all the information being thrown at him at once.

Keisuke could tell by the expression on Takumi's face that he had clearly broken his former Project D partner.

"Look, maybe when we're off duty, we can grab a beer in Five Forward and catch up." Keisuke proposed. "There's clearly a lot that's happened to both of us since Project D disbanded." He said this in note to Takumi's walking stick. "In the meantime, what was it you were about to say?"

"Oh, right;" Takumi stammered, snapping back to reality. "I was going to ask how to get to the bridge."

"Well, why don't we stop flapping our jaws, and I'll show you." Keisuke said, beckoning for Takumi to follow.

...

As the two made their way down corridors to the turbolifts, Takumi couldn't help but engage Keisuke, for there was so many questions:

"So... You actually found a girl who liked you... And you liked her back?" Takumi asked.

"Yeah," Keisuke admitted. "It wasn't easy admitting it to myself that the feelings I was having was love, but once I did, my life has been nothing short of bliss."

"Well, that's nice." Takumi said. "I'm happy for you, Keisuke."

"Thanks, buddy." Keisuke responded. "She's been everything I never knew I could ask for in a woman. Just don't let the first impressions of her get to you; she's actually way nicer than that if you get to know her off duty."

"O..kay..." Takumi muttered as the two approached the turbolift as two crewmen were exiting, whom Takumi and Keisuke traded places in the turbolift with.

"Bridge." Keisuke requested, starting the turbolift in motion. "Anyway, how are things going with you and that golfer chick? Last I heard, you two were still going strong as a couple."

"Oh, it's fine." Takumi dismissed. "Marriage has been rather idyllic."

Keisuke perked a brow.

"So, you decided to fully commit to her and tie the knot?" He said. "Any kids yet?"

"Not really." Takumi admitted. "Mika's actually quite happy with not having kids."

"Bummer..." Keisuke muttered.

Takumi could tell by Keisuke's eyes that there was something else he wasn't telling him:

"Hold on, is there something I'm missing here?" Takumi questioned.

Keisuke smiled.

"You'll hear all about it when we catch up later on." He said, patting Takumi on the back, causing Takumi to wince a little.

To be continued:

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