Luck of the Irish

Posted on Wed May 21st, 2025 @ 10:51pm by Lieutenant JG Sung Jin-Woo & Lieutenant JG Jessica Bluegarden & Ensign Sung Jin-Ah & Captain T’Kal & Lieutenant Commander Valerie Novis

1,916 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: ARYL 1X01: Bound for Cold Frontier
Timeline: En Route to Starbase K-11

It had been approximately a week and a half since the Ark Royal had left Spacedock. The journey so far to Starbase K-11 had been uneventful. But now, the Ark Royal was facing its first potential delay in a crew rotation from another ship. Both ships had reduced their speed to allow plenty of time to conduct the transfer, and the sight of flying alongside a nearly brand new Excelsior class ship was certainly a sight to behold.

It was getting late, and a shift change was about to happen, at least for helm given the schedule that Jin-Woo had made. Jin-Woo had spoken to the relief officer on if it was possible to hold off on the shift change until the personnel transfer was complete, as he never liked changing shifts in the middle of something important. The relief officer was more than happy to start a little later, so Jin-Woo would be on the helm for the personnel transfer.

"Speed matched with the USS The Sullivans, sir." Jin-Woo reported.

Valerie stood near the Captain's chair, able to keep a general eye on her tactical station as well as being available for consultation as needed, "Thank you, Mister Sung." She stated clearly, "Maintain this position while we conduct transfer operations." This was something that the Captain need not respond to personally, so she was handling it.

For communications, the shift change had already happened, and Jin-Ah was on the Comms station for the late shift. She had received an interesting request from The Sullivans, something Jin-Ah felt best passed along.

"Sir:" Jin-Ah spoke up from her station. "The Sullivans is requesting that a command level officer beam aboard."

Valerie gave the sister an odd look before turning back to the Captain and took a further step forward and leaned in, "Captain, this is an odd request... Did you want to handle this one, or would you like me to transport over to The Sullivans to see what they want?"

“I will beam over,” the Captain replied. “Signal USS The Sullivans that I shall be there momentarily. Ms. Novis, you have the conn.”

"Aye Captain, I have the conn." Valerie responded as the Vulcan stood to vacate the chair, taking her own seat in the center chair to keep an eye on everything.

"Aye, Captain:" Jin-Ah nodded, turning to relay the Captain's message to The Sullivans

---

The Vulcan Captain materialized on the transporter pad of USS The Sullivans. “Greetings.”

Mounted on the wall of the transporter room within sight of the transporter was a replicated poster from Earth's Second World War. The poster prominently featured a red border and the image of five Humans in historical navy uniforms flanking the hatch of a historical navy vessel. Above the image were 5 five-pointed stars, and below was the text:

the five Sullivan brothers
"missing in action" off the Solomons
THEY DID THEIR PART

Standing behind the transporter controls alongside the transporter operator was a man in security green with the rank of Commander.

"Captain T'Kal." He greeted, stepping around the transporter controls to extend a hand to the visiting Captain. "I'm Commander James P. Sullivan. Welcome aboard... Well, the USS The Sullivans."

T'Kal stepped forward and accepted the handshake, a gesture many Vulcans avoided but she took graciously. "You have my thanks, Commander. I would be grateful for more information about why I was summoned here, rather than having you simply send us our new crew."

"Believe me, keeping things routine would have been my first choice too." Commander Sullivan responded, motioning for T'Kal to walk with him. "However, Captain Bluegarden says she has intel on the Klingon great house that operates in the sector where you're headed. Naturally, she doesn't want to risk the information being intercepted if we were to simply transmit it you, and thinks that a manual handoff is the safer way to go."

“Understood.” T’Kal followed in silence as they made their way across the expansive Excelsior class ship.

A few minutes later, they were stepping off a turbolift to meet the Captain.

On the way up to the bridge, the two officers had been joined by a junior Lieutenant from the engineering staff. The young woman told Commander Sullivan that she was on her way to the bridge to sign off on her final work duties on board prior to her transfer.

The bridge of the Excelsior class starship certainly made its Constitution class equivalent feel cramped by comparison. The stations on the bridge were much more spread out, making full use of the additional space. However, the glimpse of the bridge was only brief, as the three officers drew up to a nondescript doorway near the back of the bridge.

"Wait here, Lieutenant:" Commander Sullivan instructed the junior officer. "This shouldn't take long."

With a nod from the Junior Lieutenant, the doors opened and T'Kal and Commander Sullivan stepped into a small office. Behind the desk was a middle-aged human woman. Her blonde hair was beginning to gray in spots, but her blue eyes still held a youthful twinkle despite now being in her late fifties.

"Captain Bluegarden;" Commander Sullivan said. "Captain T'Kal of the Ark Royal, as requested."

Captain Bluegarden nodded. "Thank you, Commander." She said, her southern drawl apparent. "You may leave now."

Commander Sullivan nodded. "Once you're done, Lieutenant Bluegarden is here to sign off on her transfer." He informed the captain before taking his leave.

Once the two Captains were alone in the office, Captain Bluegarden spoke:

"Before we begin, can I interest you in some refreshements?" She asked. "I figure it's the least I can do for asking you to come all this way."

“I appreciate the offer, Captain,” T’Kal replied. “In my many years on Earth I have become fond of herbal tea, thank you.” She took a seat in one of the available guest chairs. “I would also ask, what is your relationship with the officer I am receiving?” She had not had time to review every file. That was Novis’s job, after all.

Before responding, Captain Bluegarden pressed a button on the desk.

"Yeoman, requisition two rounds of tea; one herbal, one peach." She instructed. "And while you're at it, send Lieutenant Bluegarden in here."

Once she was done talking to the Yeoman, Captain Bluegarden turned back to T'Kal.

"She's my daughter." She responded.

Before Captain Bluegarden could explain further, the office doors opened, and the Lieutenant that had ridden the turbolift to the bridge stepped through.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything?" She asked.

"Not at all, honey." Captain Bluegarden responded. "You all done with your work?"

"I am." The Lieutenant responded, handing over her transfer orders. "Commander Davis has already signed off on my transfer orders, so you're the last person I need to see."

Captain Bluegarden nodded and signed off on the transfer orders, handing them back to the Lieutenant.

"If you'd like to stop by the galley one last time and pick up some grits just the way you like 'em, it's Chef's special today." Captain Bluegarden explained.

"Thanks for the heads up, mom." The Lieutenant said. "I may just."

“Lieutenant,” T’Kal said, nodding to the young woman. “I am T’Kal, Captain of USS Ark Royal. I understand you are the seniormost of the personnel coming to my ship. Welcome.”

"Thank you, Captain:" The Lieutenant nodded. "Just hoping to do some hard, honest work for a change."

"Not that she don't already bust her back, of course." Captain Bluegarden said as the Yeoman arrived with their refreshments. "It's just... How do I put it? She ain't very comfortable with her celebrity status here, and wants to forge her own path and not be known as the Captain's daughter, if that makes sense?"

“I do,” T’Kal replied, taking the tea and nodding to the Yeoman. “I can understand the appeal deviating from the path set by others. It can be difficult to know with any certainty whether you are doing what you are doing because you want to, or because others want it for you.”

"Frankly, if I had my way, my little girl would stay here." Captain Bluegarden admitted. "But, I understand that she feels this is stifling her growth. Sometimes you have to accept that your little baby birds are ready to spread their wings and leave the nest."

The younger Bluegarden chose not to respond to the comment made by her new captain, instead leaving the office to go and get some of the grits her mother had said were being prepared.

After the younger officer left them, T’Kal sipped her tea and considered the Captain of this Excelsior class ship they were aboard. “Do you have any information about Klingon operations in Sector 262 of which I should be aware? Anything not yet in the briefings made available to Starfleet Command?”

"I do, because I know full well about the Great House that operates in that sector:" Captain Bluegarden responded. "Are you familiar with Sector 813? With the Eifie Republic, and what's now the Federal Rheuysian Republic?"

“These are places I’ve not thought about for some time,” T’Kal answered. “Klingon aggression in that sector, against the Federation, the Eifie, and the Rheuysians, was more extreme than elsewhere in the year leading up to the Four Day War.”

"Indeed it was, and I should know, because I was there:" Captain Bluegarden said. "The House of Khartan; they're a special breed of sombitches. They can talk the talk and walk the walk."

Captain Bluegarden leaned forward.

"My best advice; if you're heading out to Sector 262... You better watch your ass." She said.

T’Kal raised an eyebrow. “It was indeed my intention to make sure my ‘ass’ was always watched,” she responded, about as playfully as a Vulcan could get. “Thank you, Captain. Please be assured that I intend to do everything in my power to keep my crew alive, your daughter included. And thank you for the tea.”

"You're welcome." Rebecca nodded. "I'll make sure you receive your intel packet on your way out. It contains everything we know about the House Khartan and its operations. I hope you'll find it helpful."

"No doubt we will," T'Kal replied, standing up. "I will return to my ship, Captain Bluegarden. I hope our paths cross again."

"Oh, and one more thing:" Rebecca said, remembering The Sullivans' current course. "You'll want to readjust your heading once the personnel transfer's complete. We're en route to rendezvous with Temporal Investigations, and our course has taken you off of yours. I'd go into detail, but Temporal Prime Directive and all that."

"Fascinating," T'Kal said after a short pause to consider what she had been told. "Consider it done." She raised her hand in the salute of her people. "Live long and prosper, Captain."

"Peace and Long Life." Rebecca returned the traditional Vulcan greeting, minus the salute.

And with that, T'Kal was escorted back to the transporter room, so that their mission could resume. After a short detour, of course.


END

Captain T'Kal
Commanding Officer, USS Ark Royal

Lieutenant Commander Valerie Novis
Executive Officer, USS Ark Royal

Lieutenant JG Sung Jin-Woo
Chief Helmsman, USS Ark Royal

Lieutenant JG Jessica Bluegarden
Engineer, USS Ark Royal

Ensign Sung Jin-Ah
Communications Officer, USS Ark Royal

With a special guest appearance by

Captain Rebecca Bluegarden
Commanding Officer, USS The Sullivans

Commander James P. Sullivan
Executive Officer, USS The Sullivans

End

 

RSS Feed