Homecoming

Posted on Wed Nov 23rd, 2011 @ 7:28pm by Commander Sakkath

Mission: In Our Time of Need
Location: U.S.S. Takei

=^= U.S.S. Takei =^=

Sakkath sat with his legs crossed upon the command dais of the Takei's bridge, a PADD in one hand, stars streaking by on the viewer before him. He had already been over the duty logs for the Senior Staff, surprised at just how much had transpired during their absence from the station, and was finishing his departmental logs. Norval had seemed to handle things in Ops quite well, considering. Perhaps he would approach the Admiral and recommend the Trill be made a full Lieutenant.

"Commander," the call came up from the helm, "we're within visual range of 900."

The Vulcan looked up from his reports. "On screen," he ordered, as happy as the rest of his crew to see their home, though his features did not betray that fact. He handed the PADD to a passing Yeoman, straightening his duty vest from the command chair before activating the ship-wide broadcast.

"All hands, prepare for docking."

Closing that channel, he turned back to the helm. "Slow to impulse power. Alert the station to our approach."

"Aye, sir." The prismatic strands of light that accompanied warp travel coalesced into single points of white, Starbase 900 ahead of them for only a moment as the viewer changed to a familiar face.

"Welcome home, Takei," Norval said, his smile wide.

"It is agreeable to be back," Sakkath replied with only a nod. "Requesting permission to dock."

"Granted," Norval said, feeling a thrill of excitement as his own department head needed his permission. "I'm sending you docking instructions now. You'll need to avoid the area surrounding Hangar 51 because of the repair crews."

"Understood. Takei out."

The screen returned to an image of space, 900 now looming large.

"Slow to one-quarter impulse," Sakkath ordered, helm laying in the new course provided by Norval and Ops. It only took moments longer for them to align with the docking port.

"Engine room, reduce speed. Port and Starboard thrusters to station keeping. Aft thrusters ahead one-half. Helm, take us in, ahead bearing zero-mark-zero-zero. Aft thrusters to one-quarter. All stop, let the momentum carry us from here."

The ship filled with a dull thud seconds later as the inertia brought them into contact with Starbase 900.

"Lock docking clamps, engage all moorings," Sakkath said, and already the breathlessness that accompanied docking had started to turn to a flurry of activity ahead of disembarking. "Attach umbilicals and pressurize the airlock," the Vulcan ordered as he stood. "Department heads, prepare reports for tomorrow morning's 0800 debriefing. All hands, dismissed."

Just the slightest twinge of regret appeared in the Vulcan's mind at that moment, even amid all the moving bodies that now surrounded him. His first command had just come to an end, and as he looked back on it, he judged it a success. More could have been done, but more had not been welcome. The ship was home, along with all hands. That, Sakkath thought, was enough.

He remained there on the bridge, opening the exterior hatches himself, until the computer reported that he was the vessel's final occupant. Content to have done his duty, the Vulcan made his own way to the airlock, PADD tucked beneath one arm.

For all things, he told himself, there is a first time. As he stepped into the airlock, he hoped that future commands would end as well.

And then, as the Takei shut behind him and 900 opened before him, he similarly opened his mind, looking for that one bright spot that he could find even amid 661 crowded decks...

___________________________
Lieutenant Commander Sakkath
Chief Operations Officer - SB 900
Commanding Officer - U.S.S. Takei