—- Starbase 86, Operations —-

Commodore Commodore Ciffao Tharc looked less than pleased. The Tellerite was not normally unhappy but given Captain Olivia Carrillo’s fairly short career as a captain had usually included bringing back ships in a state of disrepair the sour expression was not new to her.

“The USS Falcon went off grid, it was supposed to stay put, show the flag,” Tharc overserved.

Carrillo felt that she should defend her fellow captain but did not know him well enough to assure the Commodore that he had probably had a good reason. With Captain Radak the head of Selene Division sick on Starbase 86 undergoing treatment it apparently was Thrac who had to deal with the rogue captain.

“I could go look for him,” Carrillo volunteered.

Thrac shook her head, “If they’re in trouble they’ll have to deal with it themselves. You have something else to do, with Captain Radak out I’m assigning you to head the negotiations between two warring worlds in the Triangle. Their conflict has been making interstellar travel difficult because both of them attack anything that goes in their sector.”

“The Selene’s not a great diplomacy ship,” Carrillo observed.

“I’m reassigning the Selene. You are getting the USS Andromeda, the first of its class,” the Commodore said, loading the ship specs up on the screen on the left wall.

“I get it, Galaxy-class, Andromeda-class. It’s the nearest galaxy to earth,” Carrillo said recognizing the ship’s overall shape from the famed class.

“Less of a science ship than the Selene, but you’ll be able to take most of your crew,” Thrac said, handing over a PADD containing orders, “New First Officer, and we’re promoting your diplomatic officer. You’ll also take a Federation Diplomat with you, someone outside of Starfleet, so treat them well. You’ll also transfer over the Academy students and instructors and obviously the crew already aboard given it’s much bigger than your last command.”

—- USS Andromeda, Captain’s Quarters —-

The ship’s hallways were a mess of people moving in, and finalizing the last of the procedures to make the ship ready for departure. There had been a skeleton crew that had taken it from Utopia Planitia to Starbase 86 and they had rolled into the ship’s new permanent crew. As the first of the class most of the other missions had been proof of concept missions to show that the class could perform as expected.

“This is a starship?” marveled Lieutenant Pierre Lambert, who was Captain Carrillo’s husband and thus shared her quarters with her. He had been born and had mostly served on the USS Boston back during the days of the original Miranda-class. He’d gotten himself trapped in a time bubble and sent forward to the present where he’d been discovered by the USS Lunawhere they’d met.

“You complaining?” Carrillo asked setting down her duffle bag as their adopted daughter entered with her own bag. She added, “The goal is to impress people.”

The girl who had learned a smattering of French from Lambert was able to talk to Carrillo thanks to the universal translators, “Where do I sleep mommy?”

“We’ll configure one of the rooms for you,” Carrillo smiled.

“Aimée this is a big ship, I bet there’s more to do here,” Lambert said.

“There’s a lot more. Rec areas, games, sports venues, and of course holodecks. We’ll also be able to embark families and other kids,” Carrillo said. Aimée had not seen another kid since her people had been hunted to extinction, save for her.

“Speaking of holodecks, I need to go and learn how to fly this,” Lambert said, setting his bag against the wall, “Pr’Nor is running a training series before we ship out.”

It was constantly a struggle for the time lost officer to keep up with flying modern ships. He had trained and served on relics of a long past era, and the move to modern ships was not always easy.

—- USS Andromeda, Ready Room —-

A tall severe woman looked at Captain Carrillo and raised an eyebrow. While she did not have the beard of Captain Radak the Vulcan head of whatever Selene Division was now called, the woman was ever bit as Vulcan.

“I have been assigned to the USS Andromeda,” the Vulcan said.

“Okay, I was expecting a diplomat for the mission,” Carrillo said.

“I believe I will be assigned here on an ongoing basis,” T’Venik said.

She appeared in her mid-fifties, but knowing Vulcans was likely in her second century. Not being a Starfleet Officer Carrillo had not been given the woman’s service record.

“We have a Diplomatic Officer already,” Carrillo pointed out.

“Yes, that is correct,” nodded the Vulcan, “Do you have one science officer?”

“Well no,” Carrillo admitted.

“Diplomacy is as important as science, and I am confident that greater capacity in this area will serve your ship well,” T’Venik said inclining her head.

“I’ll have operations set you up an office near Lieutenant Commander Diya Acharya’s,” Carrillo said, “Do you have aides or anything?”

“Yes, I’ll ensure operations has that information,” the Vulcan nodded, adding,  “Thank you captain.”

—- Starbase 86, Officer’s Lounge ——-

The Andorian studied the crew manifest and nodded, he set it on the table and glanced at Captain Carrillo, a woman who had in some ways taken the job that he had been aiming for and had now advanced further and faster than him.

“I served with many of these officers on the USS Seattle,” Kan Th’kaotross observed.

A core of the crew had been together over a number of commands, and Carrillo was a late addition, after Th’kaotross had left. “You were Chief of Security?”

“Yes, Lieutenant Jara replaced me,” he nodded.

“Well First Officer is an exciting role,” Carrillo said, smiling and hoping the very large Andorian did not hold a grudge, “Your record shows you’re more than up for it.”

“Your last first officer?” the Andorian asked.

“She’s being reassigned,  the purpose of the Andromeda from what I understand will be partially diplomatic and partially tactical. We have a large science department but it’s a secondary concern at the moment,” Carrillo said adding, “My First Officer needs tactical experience.”

“And you selected me?”

“Truthfully, you were the name I was given,” Carrillo admitted, “But while I guess I could kick up a fuss, you seem like a good fit.”

“Then it seems like we will be serving together,” Th’kaotross nodded.