New Arrival

Posted on Fri Aug 14th, 2026 @ 1:14pm by Ensign Charalyne Blackwood & Lieutenant Daniel Ellis

The Astraea was only a couple of weeks away from relaunching, and while Dee still had some shore leave available to him, it seemed prudent and proper to start familiarizing himself with the ship's refit. Some areas of the ship hadn't been touched, but several others had seen critical upgrades, ranging from new weapons lockers throughout the ship, uprated forcefield generators, and even new protocols to enact given the current state of Alpha and Beta Quadrant affairs.

It would not be long before the ship returned to the Delta Quadrant, and Dee already had enough experience there to know what to expect. Truthfully, the Delta Quadrant was ruled by only one law, and that law belonged to Murphy. If it could go wrong, then at some point, it most certainly would go wrong.

Dee was not the only one to return to the Astraea. Some of the security department had already begun to assemble, including several key personnel who had chosen to not accept reassignment. Several fresh faces were aboard as well. Some were engineers belonging to the station and drydock, and others who had been newly assigned to the ship. Dee had already met two new Warrant Officers in his department, and judging by the fresh manifest in his hand, there were going to be a lot more new faces before the week was out.

Elsewhere aboard the Astraea, Ensign Blackwood had found her quarters and stored everything appropriately. She knew that many security personnel had already boarded and she'd need to introduce herself. She made her way to the security deck and to the main office. She checked her uniform and knocked,

"Ensign Charalyne Blackwood requesting permission to enter, Sir." she said, deep in protocol. A voice on the other side granted, and she entered. She stepped to 2 meters from the desk, "Ensign Blackwood reporting for duty, sir". At first glance, she was following proper protocols for entry and addressing a senior officer, particularly her immediate officer in charge.

Dee was not one to typically use an office, except for matters of paperwork or private conversations. Days like today demanded ceremony, even if it to give space for new arrivals to formally report for duty. Ensign Blackwood standing in front of him was among that number. “Welcome aboard, ensign,” Dee said with a smile. “I’m Lieutenant Daniel Ellis, Chief of Security. You’re welcome to stand at ease, or have a seat.”

She nodded, "Thank you, sir!" and took a seat. "This is my first shipboard station since rotating out of Special Forces," she continued, "I've been posted on Starfleet bases since February of 2385. Two months ago I requested shipboard duty, and here I am. I hope to further my experiences as a security officer and eventually become a chief of security."

“Special forces?” Dee asked, raising an eyebrow. He hadn’t the chance to read everyone’s file yet, and that statement prompted him to put her dossier next on his reading list. “Well, I hope you don’t mind being thrown to the other side of the galaxy in a few days.”

"Sir it would be most pleasant to travel throughout the galaxy in a non-combat deployment." she said. Her mind briefly went back to the several combat deployments she had experienced, and part of her was grateful that she was no longer bound to them.

The lieutenant chuckled and clasped his hands together in front of him on the desk. "Well, I can't promise that it'll be quiet. There's plenty of guard duty and standing around, but there have been times when we've been called into service during tough moments. They'll be far less stressful, I'm sure. Are you ready to handle situations that are more mild?"

"Yes, sir", she said, "I've been performing guard duties for secured locations since cycling out of Special Forces. One could say the human side of me had become 'bored' as is the common vernacular.". She almost smiled. She caught herself and sat more upright as if in a position of attention. She continued, "My training and experience has me prepared to handle 98.248% of situations, and my recent mental discipline training will alleviate the tedium of standing a post."

Dee sat silent for a moment, doing his best to size up the new arrival. Her Vulcan features were prominent, and the human name had certainly suggested that she was a hybrid. The interaction so far suggested she had embraced her Vulcan heritage more than the human. "I would hope so," Dee stated plainly. "Just as much as I would hope that you wouldn't flinch or overreact when pressed or taunted by a potential threat. But that does make me wonder, have you fully embraced Kolinar, or are you walking a path between the Vulcan and human worlds?"

She thought for a moment before responding. She spoke, with the slightest hint of pain, "Sir, while many offspring of human/Vulcan marriages were sent to Vulcan for the higher education and discipline, I was not among them." She closed her eyes briefly before continuing, "As a child I had no exposure to Vulcan culture other than what little I was able to find in educational facilities. As I entered the Utah State University I found a much greater assemblage of literature on Vulcan culture and even some books on the mental disciplines. Given my somewhat superior physical abilities, and lacking the mental processes of other, more native Vulcans, I entered Starfleet and ultimately served in the Special Forces. I had access to a far greater collection of literature that helped me hone my mind into a sharper state than five years prior. I was able to visit the planet Vulcan on three occasions, but my time was limited by duty. To use the human vernacular I felt like I was being watched. While pureblood Vulcans have largely purged all emotion from their mental processes, they have a tendency to look down on hybrid children. I have accepted that Kolinahr is a state of being that I will not achieve, given my upbringing and potential lifespan." Blackwood sat up a little straighter.

"Well," Dee observed, "you and many of your mannerisms remind me of a Vulcan, regardless of your upbringing and tutelage. I'll be curious to see how you shape out during your tour aboard the Astraea. And I'm no stranger to being of two worlds. Prior to Starfleet, I used to live on the streets, and I ran into some hard times. I wound up going into security because I needed to get away from Earth, and to find where I belonged with the skills and talents I naturally possessed. What made you choose this particular life? It takes a special breed to join Special Forces, and starship security isn't too different."

"Given my martial arts training and physical strength, it struck me as the right path, as well as my personal history making me a prime candidate. My parents were deceased, I have no other known family, and in the event of my death in the field there would be little in the way of ceremony for family that did not exist." she responded, "My entire mindset underwent a major shift from the time I started to the time I was cycled out under medical.". She clasped her hands together and rested her chin on them. "My beginnings in the Special Forces were much like most humans who complete the training. I was still living a fully human life and somewhat embraced the 'indestructible tough guy' mindset. After the first year I began to learn that being half Vulcan brought expectation." She raised her head slightly and pressed her hands in a prayer position. "I was being watched for future leadership but mentally I was unqualified. Between missions I could, as so many of the team would say, 'drink anyone under the table'. I began to feel detached from the social aspects of the team. I maintained appropriate contact while in the field, but my free time was being dedicated at an increasing level to the study of the Vulcan mind. By the time I felt more qualified to become a team leader, the team and myself were caught in an ambush at the hands of Klingons. My physical capabilities led to my surviving the attack, while the rest of the team did not. My injuries left me in unsatisfactory physical condition to remain active, thus I was reassigned to security. The rest, as is said, is history." She stifled a smile.

Dee sat quietly, taking mental notes to refer to when he reviewed Blackwood's file. "A rugged life does well to prepare oneself for a career like this. But I do have to ask, if you received injuries while in Special Forces, and those injuries forced you to change lanes, what are the nature of those injuries, and how should we expect them to guide your time with the Astraea?"

"Partial skeletal rebuild of my ribs and pelvis, sir." She replied. "As well as my prosthetic eye. While I am able to meet standard physical requirements, the enhanced physical requirements of the Special Forces were no longer within my capabilities. There should be no accommodations necessary to fulfil my assigned duties."

The security chief nodded, continuing his growing list of mental notes. “Understood. Are there any regular medical checkups or maintenance I should be aware of?” He was fully aware that one’s medical history and details were protected by doctor-patient confidentiality, but knowing that one needed to visit medical every so often would factor into the duty roster. “As for the cybernetic eye, is that simply for sight, or are there other features available? X-Ray vision? Heat mapping?”

Blackwood touched the left side of her face near her eye, "Occasionally I experience a dull ache in my left eye socket. Typically treatable with basic analgesic medications, none that would impede my abilities as a security officer, sir. "She said, "Once a year I am to report to the local medical officer for a checkup but that is more general routine than for the injuries. The eye itself, " she said, tapping the side of it, "provides standard vision. As for X-ray vision, "she stifled another smile, "it was determined that my having such facilities would certainly make shipmates uncomfortable."

Dee chuckled at that last remark. "Well, I will note that accordingly. Should we get into a situation where we need to look through walls, at least we'll know we will have to use the tricorder. I would definitely recommend visiting the medical staff before we depart. Medical records are likely already transmitted, but it would be good for them to be familiar with any parts they may need before we're without regular supplies or support."

The lieutenant then shifted in his chair before asking, "Do you have any questions for me at this time?"

She thought for a few seconds, "None at this time, sir. I look forward to serving with you." she said, "As for additional parts I have enough on hand for 2 complete replacements, as it was the only logical way to guarantee their presence should such a situation arise. To paraphrase Louis Pasteur, 'Chance favors the prepared crewman'."

"Perfect." Dee rose from his chair and extended a hand. "In which case, you are dismissed, Ensign. Welcome aboard."

"Thank you, sir." she said as she stood up and shook his hand. She returned to a position of attention, executed an about face, and exited his office.