Ensign Varyn K’lev stepped off of the shuttlecraft Arcturus into a whirlwind of activity.  Starbase Bravo had been a very busy place since the Vaadwaur attacks, making it a perfect venue for a young officer to develop skills vital to their future in Starfleet.  Carrying his duffel bag, the male Orion crossed the shuttlebay towards a receiving area, joining a crowd gathered around a Andorian lieutenant with a PADD.

“Welcome to Starbase Bravo.  My name is Lieutenant sh’Ravix, and I will be distributing your duty assignments.”

The lieutenant then began to read a list of names and assignments; as she called names, members of the group stepped forward, then left after receiving their assignments.  Ensign K’lev took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves.  My first assignment!  Fresh from the Academy, no less, and posted to a major Starbase, he thought.  I hope I don’t make a fool of myself…

The lieutenant’s voice broke into his reverie.  “K’lev, Ensign Varyn?” she said.

“Here, ma’am,” he replied.

“Gamma shift, command level.  Deck officer training, reporting to Lieutenant Faras.  Sending your cabin assignment to your PADD.”

His PADD chirped; taking it out of his bag as he left the shuttlebay, K’lev began to walk towards the nearest turbolifts.  The ride to the residential section in which his quarters were located was uneventful, which gave him some time to work on an idea that he had been periodically tinkering with since his junior year at the Academy.  As he left the lift, engrossed in calculations, he walked headlong into a technician; both fell to the ground, duffel bag and tools scattering about.  “I’m so sorry!” He stammered as he scrabbled back to his feet.  “I didn’t see you there!  Here, allow me.”

K’lev helped the Caitian back to their feet, then both gathered up their respective bags and parted.  The ensign made his way down the corridor until he reached  his assigned cabin; entering, he crossed to his bunk and began to unpack.  Checking the duty roster, he saw that he had an hour or two before his first shift.  I wonder what there is to eat around here, he thought.  After looking up the restaurant options on the Promenade, and finding a Klingon bistro that looked interesting, Ensign K’lev made sure his uniform was in order – it was important to make a good first impression on his first shift, after all – then left the cabin with his PADD in hand, off for a bite to eat before his assignment began.

The bistro was pretty good – the gagh was fresh, and there was an aspiring poet who had done a rather-enjoyable reading – but soon the time came for Ensign K’lev to report to the command level.  As the turbolift ascended, the young Orion began to feel nervous again.  He took a few deep breaths, steadying himself somewhat as he fingered the ensign’s pip on his collar – he still felt not quite ready, but perhaps one never did, and accepting that was the first step?

The lift’s arrival on the command level broke his introspection; Ensign K’lev stepped out onto the deck and presented himself to Lieutenant Faras for orders; over the next several hours, he began to familiarize himself with the station’s systems and was run through several simulations.  By the time his shift ended and he left to return to his cabin, K’lev felt tired, but proud of himself; while it hadn’t been perfect, his first steps into this first assignment had left him excited for what he might learn on his next shift.