Commander

Chapter 5: Strange New Worlds

It was the last day of leave, and Rev was rushing to the transporter room from the tailor shop, having just gotten her uniforms from Mr. Jones. She beamed on just in time, for the ENTERPRISE was just pulling away when she transported aboard.

    "You better watch out, Commander. If the Captain finds out you were almost late on your first day..."

    "I made it, did I not?"

    "I'm just saying, Commander."

"I assume you will not tell?"

    "I won't."

    Scotty winked as he switched off the transporter, and the two of them headed out together.

    Rev sat on her bed a few moments later, looking at her new sleeves. Mr. Jones had made the material out of a new sort of cloth, much stronger and softer, with her new cuffs: two squiggly lines that showed her new status.

    Straightening her shirt once more, Rev stood up and paced around her room. She still had an hour until her first shift started, so she sat down to read ship slides.

Time in space was an interesting concept. Shifts aboard the starship were layered, but each person worked a twelve-hour shift, with one-hour lunch breaks. You slept when your shift was over, and ate breakfast and dinner before and after your shift.

Rev had gotten lucky, sharing most of her shift with both Kirk and Chekov. Her shift overlapped with her brother's which meant she'd spend about seven hours on the bridge, then Spock would take over and she'd spend the next five in the Sciences department. Chekov only had a one-hour difference then Rev did, and Kirk's was exactly the same as hers. It was convenient for her, having her Captain and closest friend on the same schedule as she was.

After an hour of reading, Rev switched off her computer and stood up, exiting her room.

"Commander," Kirk said, grinning, as Rev entered the bridge.

"Captain," Rev answered, and took a science officer's spot at her station.

    It was two weeks before the ENTERPRISE stumbled across a new planet. They hadn't meant to find it, really, as they were exploring an unknown part of the galaxy.

    "--It's atmosphere is much like Earth's, Captain. It should be safe to explore, get some readings."

    "Thank you Commander."

    "Sir."

    Kirk stood from his chair studying the planet in front of them.

"Life?"

"Some life forms, sir, humanoid. No known species."

    "Alright. Little Spock--"

    "Sir."

    "-- Ensign Smith, Lieutenant Anderson, and Doctor McCoy will accompany me to the planet to get some readings."

Kirk pushed his intercom.

"Spock, you have the conn."

"Yes, Captain," came a response, and the landing party exited the bridge.

They beamed into a field of white. It wasn't very cold, but white winds were swirling everywhere.

"What is it, sir?"

"What is what, Commander?"

Rev looked around, stepping off the rock she'd transported onto and kneeled down to feel the ground.