Lying in her bed, the mostly familiar surroundings of her new quarters filled Madisyn with a sense of unease. Most nights, she would sift through a large pile of administrative work while listening to Earth music from the 2000s, which gave her some sense of home, a habit she picked up from her former captain. However, tonight she had decided to lie down and let the ship fade into the background, aiming to get a full night’s rest before her new captain arrived in just a few hours.

She had been asleep for only a couple of hours when a beep from her comm badge woke her up. In her haze, she accidentally knocked the glass of water she had placed next to her bed onto the floor, muttering “Shit” to herself as she proceeded to answer the call.

“Hello?” she called, her tone revealing her uncertainty about who had contacted her. “Commander, the escort shuttle has not checked in since they picked up the Captain,” a harsh-toned Andorian voice spoke through the device. 

“When was their check-in scheduled?” Madisyn replied, ensuring she gathered as much information as possible. 

“Just over an hour and a half ago, sir.”

The realization of the elapsed time jolted Madisyn awake, dispelling any lingering tiredness. Her commanding instincts kicked in, and within seconds, she began to formulate her next steps.

“I will be there shortly.” With that, she ended the conversation, swiftly put on her red uniform, adjusted her comm badge with a determined flick, and tidied her mess, ensuring everything was in its place. Breathing deeply to steady herself, she made her way to the bridge with urgency. As she walked down the sleek corridor, the ambient lights above her cast a calm glow. She multitasked, deftly braiding her long red hair into a neat plait as she stepped onto the bridge.

Upon arrival, her eyes immediately scanned the expanse of the bridge, landing on the two senior officers stationed at the aft consoles behind the imposing Captain’s chair. The soft hum of the ship’s systems provided a backdrop as Madisyn waited expectantly for the latest updates on the situation at hand. 

Kin, the Head of Science, with his gray hair, deep blue skin and sharp features, wasted no time delivering the news. “About two hours ago, the escort shuttle missed its scheduled check-in. Given our current position near the Romulan border, I propose we set a course to intercept the shuttle, Commander,” he stated, his voice resonating with stern authority.

Madisyn studied her colleagues carefully—Kin’s intense focus contrasted with Nathan’s calmer demeanor. Nathan, the Chief of Operations, leaned forward with a furrowed brow, his fingers dancing over the control panel, checking over the data, making sure that we didn’t miss anything.

Decisions weighed heavily on her shoulders; the lives of the shuttle crew might hinge on her next command. If only the situation were more straightforward. 

She longed to simply order the ship to divert to the shuttle’s last known coordinates, but the constraints of her orders from Command were like shackles. They required her to maintain their position—an order that felt increasingly ill-timed considering the potential danger. With a heavy heart, she knew she needed to verify the next steps with her command; perhaps the shuttle crew had merely forgotten to make contact, but in this delicate vicinity, with Romulan forces lurking nearby, every second counted.

“Relay our current situation to command immediately,” Madisyn directed Nathan, her tone firm but composed. “Ensure it’s marked as a top-priority message; we need their guidance as soon as possible.” Kin and Nathan exchanged glances, both aware that the fate of their next move hinged entirely on the command’s response. The tension in the room was palpable, and they could only hope for a swift reply that would illuminate their path forward.

With her directives firmly established, Madisyn made her way towards the office positioned just off the bridge of the San Jose. This modest space, typically reserved for the ship’s captain, had, for the past few days, become hers temporarily. The hum of the ship’s engines served as a backdrop as she stepped through the door, noting the faint smell of recycled air mixed with the faint scent of metal, a reminder of the vessel’s storied history.

Upon entering, she was immediately greeted by a daunting mountain of transfer requests cluttering the desk. Each document bore the insignia of various fleets across the quadrant. 

The previous command and crew had been rapidly reassigned, leaving behind a chaotic trail of unprocessed applications for her to sift through.

With a heavy sigh, Madisyn settled into the chair, its surface cool against her skin, and peered at the daunting stack before her. The San Jose was currently afloat with merely a skeleton crew, its operational capability hanging by a thread of the new personnel who were stretched thin across various tasks. This extensive review of crew applications loomed over her, a task she longed to delegate to someone—anyone—else. However, as the first officer, it was her responsibility to navigate this challenge, regardless of the captain’s absence. Steeling herself, she reached for the first PAAD, ready to plunge into the details and find the right candidate.