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[Personal Log, Lt. Jr. Eric Aramond, TSN Raven, 2nd Fleet 4th LD
Stardate 9116-2237]Seeing as this is the first log that I’ve ever submitted to the TSN archives, I feel like this is going to require a bit of a preface. I’m a dedicated SciComms officer. If I can’t see something from my gridded screen just means that I need to shout at engineering for more energy, and my vision will be restored. If there are any chatter between local ships, I know about it. I am one of the Sentinels of our division. Nothing escapes my perception (except when I miss something vital, like how our target has a tractor beam). I’m also(currently) assigned to the TSN Raven. The command ship for the 2nd Fleet, 4th Light Division. That means I hear the orders from command (along with the dulcet tones of Lt. Hall), Cap’s orders to the other ships, and their responses. During a mission, I’m aware of just about everything that’s going on with the division and the space around it.
Today, I learned just how unique a position I have.
The shift started off ordinarily enough: with me sprinting down the halls of the station while tugging my uniform jacket into place. Mental note: get my damn alarm clock replaced. That’s the fifth time it’s failed when I need to be somewhere important. I think it was Matsyian that remarked about the division regulars always being the last ones to show up. I believe people are starting to catch on. That can’t be good.
It was loud and noisy in the galley. Again, something that never changes. I had to stop one of the kids observing from the Academy from drinking some new Kralien booze that was being passed around. I’ve still got no idea what it was, but if it’s purple and doesn’t smell like some sort of berry, then it’s not fit for human consumption. Double if it smells like diesel. Good to know my degree is being put to good use. I caught up with Aposine and Leonard while we walked over to the briefing room. Can’t remember what we talked about. Something about “toasters”?
First thing out of the senior officer’s mouths was that assignments were going to be swapped around in the division. There was muted grumbling. I was one of them. Like I’ve said, I’m on the TSN Raven. Please excuse my pride for serving on the lead ship. I should probably turn in my re-assignment request after I finish writing this, though. If I’m going to be shuffled off, I at least want a say in where.
Being on the Raven after a few weeks of Xavier not being around, and not having the crew to staff it was refreshing. Nothing against the other ships, but this is where my seat is. I was joined by my shipmate Wade on weapons. Matsyian sent us Assassino on helm, and an excited Tardov on engineering. Gebbens was there as XO, as usual; along with the Fleet Captain, sounding a little worse for wear. I need to figure out where he was for the last couple weeks, and avoid it like the plague, lest I catch the plague.
Before the sims started up, Wade and I were talking about the Duty Officer position. The position was about to re-open, and the topic was brought up somehow. I mentioned that I had thrown my hat in the ring to be the new D.O. Wade, about to finish his tenure as ADO, laughed that he had applied as well. I hope we both get selected for DO/ADO. It’s always nice working with him.
Anyway, the first sim was routine. Enough so that let myself relax in the light of the twin-screen setup I customized for my station. The science grid on my left, comms chatter on my right. The Raven was running smoothly, and all was as it should be. So, of course, the Phoenix immediately needed another crewmember, and we were the ship that had crew to spare.
I volunteered to go over. Gebbens is no stranger to SciComms, so the Raven was hardly hurting. I had barely stepped onto the Phoenix’s deck before Lt. Commander Zelrich was calling for a helms officer. Helm happens to be my secondary specialization, but I’ve always regretted it. It’s never a good feeling when you’re in control and the ship goes up in flames. I mentioned the secondary to Zelrich and he motioned me over to the console. As I walked over, every joke I had ever made about “the explosions of the TSN Firechicken” popped into my head. In my determination not to allow more jokes to be made this day, I had to remind myself to greet Greybeard. Damned nerves. Now if only I could remember who else was on the ship…
My tenseness was not helped by the fact that the next sim was set to be something that hadn’t seen since my days at the Academy: Ship vs. Ship. The Raven, Phoenix, and Hawk against the Hydra, and Lancer. I did my best to fashion my data pad into a second screen to throw the sector map on. One of these days, my need for complete awareness will come back to bite me.
Fortunately, it seems our techs have more work to do on that module, as it never successfully loaded up. I sweated a little less during the replacement sim as I got used to how the Phoenix handled. I say a little less because it turns out that the C.O. makes liberal use of the Red Alert. Different ship, different station, and my screen was flashing red before every engagement. Fun.
Then came our mission, and along with it, real control of the Phoenix. I quietly congratulated myself for making it out of the docks without scratching the paint. Our task this time around was to guide the N’tani fleet from the edge of the Promethean System back to Command. All the while, defending them from any forces with beef against the N’tani. Since no mission can ever go smoothly, pirates were coming out of the woodwork to test themselves against our combined might. I think it speaks well for the division that we all came out in one piece. We even discovered one of the N’tani ships trying to smuggle in narcotics. They might have believed that we trusted them more then we did.
At least we never had to be at the front of the fleet. I distinctly remember one of our ships traveling while in the arc of a shield-stripping N’tani grazer. I don’t envy whoever was flying that ship.
Nothing much else of note happened on the mission. I didn’t get us blown up (yay!) and seem to have a penchant for traveling at warp 2, as mentioned by Zelrich. Not sure if this is unusual, but I’ll need to speak to some other helm officers and get their opinion. Also, Zelrich seems to really like space wales. We encountered a pod of them while moving through sector, and upon one of the Ensigns (I think it was Remmick) mentioning that he had never seen one, we just had to alter course. He was also especially overjoyed when we discovered that another pod had made it past the defenses of Promethean Command and were flying by the station.
Our final mission had our ship faring poorly. That might have partly been my fault, as I was practicing keeping up a reverse speed so we were only ever in a single enemy beam arc. However, this meant that when it was time to go evasive, I had to spend a few precious seconds remembering to turn off reverse. At least all the damage to the front of the Phoenix was only simulated.
Anytime, time to wrap this entry up and submit that re-assignment request. I think I’ll put Raven as my primary, partly to be cheeky.
[End log]
It’s easy for SciComs, they get an overview. Helm and engineering get a much more limited view 🙂
Great log. It is fascinating to get the differing perspectives.
Still working on my notes from the last two shifts.
No no, Leonard, dulcet. I’m trying to compliment you, meatbag.
@Quinn: Thanks! Now if we can get a log from each ship every week, that would be neat.
@Remmick: I never realized that! From an IC perspective, it could be that the science background makes us more used to writing everything down.
@Matsyian: SciComms naturally see everything, Helm and Engineering need that second screen to make things easier on themselves, and Weapons is too busy blowing things up to care.
Oh I do run a second screen but still being so focused on shifting energy around tends to distract you from picking up the strategic or story overview.
I wonder if, as Remmick pointed out, that’s why logs are being written mostly by SciComms officers, because the other roles are engrossed in their jobs and not able to pay as much attention to what’s happening outside their focus.
We need to get you some tranya! Open a comms channel to Balok!
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