A Quick Orientation

Posted on 19 Dec 2019 @ 1:12am by Lieutenant Talrian Bran & Petty Officer 2nd Class Hunter Kawolski

2,041 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Tyr's Hand
Location: Security Offices
Timeline: 1030 hours

Despite having orders to join the away team to the Station at 1100 hours, he received an updated message stating he was to meet with PO2 Johnson a half hour prior in order to 'receive equipment and uniforms necessary'. He knew Johnson only briefly despite they were on the same away mission to Earth. There wasn't much time to get to know anyone during that mission. From the beginning things seemed to be wrong - and with everything that happened, that feeling was very much justified.

He didn't know what it meant to get 'uniforms and equipment'. He had his pack with the usual medications and tools he would take with him on an away mission, so what equipment did he need? And he had his uniforms. But, even though he and Johnson were the same rank, Johnson's updated orders were signed by Lieutenant Bran and therefore had weight to them. He showed up at the offices at the appointed time, his pack slung over a shoulder.

"Hey," Johnson said as Kawolski arrived. He was just slightly taller than average, an inch under six feet if not six feet itself. Short dark brown hair and bright hazel eyes, he seemed to be the jovial sort when their live wasn't in peril. "Come with me and we'll get you taken care of," the security officer said. Kawolski spoke with his brother, Trapper, about Johnson and found that Trapper liked him. Thought of him as a 'good egg' and that should be enough for Hunter, but Johnson was a little too close to Bran. At least on the mission he seemed to take Bran's orders in stride as if there wasn't anything wrong with them.

"Didn't know we could pull corpsmen in as medics," Johnson said as he led the way to the store rooms near the back of the offices. "Great idea, I'm thinking. At least this way there's somebody right on scene if something goes wrong."

"Yea, well," Hunter said, leaving the rest unsaid. He wasn't done with his protests over this change of assignment. He knew Trapper wasn't happy with it. He remained quiet when Hunter told him about his meeting with Bran earlier but he knew his brother well enough to be able to notice the angry stillness of his brother's body. The angry glint in his eyes. He was sure that Trapper - who did so much to keep Hunter from following him into security - wasn't going to let this slide either.

Johnson didn't seem to consider the unfinished thought as he opened a door. "Got your weapons test results. You passed but we'll have to work on that, along with a few other things. But it was good enough to get you on the team today. Pretty cool, isn't it? Going to an alien station that's only alien because it's the wrong time? I mean, how did humans turn out in this timeline?"

Hunter shrugged. "My family came from a colony ship that was launched before the warp flight. We missed a lot of what happened after the Wars." He looked around the room. It seemed small and, he glanced back to make sure, it had another lock on it. As if it were off limits but to select people. He expected to see weapons, shackles - that sort of thing. Instead he found short shelves that contained helmets, tacvests and thin black bodysuits. Along with some weaponry that was different from what he was used to but realized that the three of them had them on the mission. Strange guns that they wore holstered on their thighs rather than the wand like phasers that Kawolski was used to seeing.

"Let's see," Johnson said, as he consulted a mini-PaDD then grabbed items from several of the shelves muttering mostly to himself the entire way. A pile was forming on a small counter while Johnson inputted notes on the mini-PaDD. Finally, he turned and put a hand on the top of the pile. "Okay, gotta get you to sign for this so we can keep an accurate inventory. Chief was very specific on that. Don't worry, we all had to give our marks the same."

"I don't want any of this," Kawolski said, eyeing the pile.

Johnson shrugged, "Yeah, I know, Trap's mentioned there was some resistance to the orders. But, c'mon, do you really think it's so bad?"

"Pretty much," Kawolski said. "I don't want to be around that madman if I can help it."

Johnson only nodded as he held out the PaDD. Reluctanctly Kawolski put his thumb on the scanner. "We know and we're trying not to hold it against you."

"Against me?" Hunter said, aghast at the idea.

Johnson picked up the pile and nodded they should leave the room. Johnson eyed the lock to make sure it was sealed. "Some of us, the ones you're going to work the most with, kind of feel that you don't think we're worth having a medic on our missions. Like you're more important than us being kept alive."

"That's not it at all," Hunter said, frowning. "I don't have a problem with any of you guys, I don't even know any of you. But, it's that..." he trailed off to make sure anything he said didn't get back to the meglomaniac and give him cause to discipline him.

"Yeah, but you don't really know the Lieutenant much either, do you?"

"I know enough," Kawolski said, following Johnson, unsure where they were going. Their planned departure was at 1100 and from what Hunter remembered, Bran didn't like his schedule to be screwed around. He remembered the fight between the security chief and former chief operations officer.

"Do you?" Johnson asked, as he led the way back to the other side of the room. He let out a whistle and a thickly muscled, head shaved man looked up. He had a dark, intense look in his deep eyes. The new petty officer quickly signed out of his terminal and quickly caught up to them. Hunter noted that he was dressed much the same way as Johnson and Bran on their last mission - the strange weapon strapped to his thigh with straps going to a thick, heavy looking vest. The gold security uniform underneath it was somehow more subdued in coloration compared to the standard uniform his brother normally wore. He noticed affixed pouches on the vest but had no idea what they could contain or what function they might serve.

"Kawolski, Stavros," Johnson said, making quick introductions. "Stavros will be with us on the trip to the station and will help you get yourself outfitted." They stopped where Johnson opened a door that led to a corridor. Kawolski recognized where they were. Down the hall were the brig cells arrayed around a central control station. Johnson tapped the brig officer on the shoulder. The brig guard nodded and locked the console before stepping out. Kawolski automatically looked around. All the cells were empty. "Stavros doesn't talk much, unless it's about the glory of Apollo. You should like him, he's from a strange, religious based colony as well."

Stavros rolled his eyes and let out a muted sigh, but he did nod a greeting to Kawolski. Hunter noted the rolled sleeves revealing two intricate tattoos, one on each forearm. A sword and a shield.

Hunter turned and took in their surroundings, about to ask about Erickson when he decided he didn't want to know.

"Sorry, we don't have a lot of time to let you go back to your quarters to change. And, honestly, we want to make sure you get it on right the first time. Believe me, if the defecation hits the oscillating device, you do not want to have put some of this on wrong. Let me see that pack." Johnson indicated Hunter should put it on the console.

Kawolski looked around, then back at the pile of items Johnson brought with them. "Stavros will help you get dressed, then we'll make sure to load up your equipment in the best way possible," Johnson said, seeming concerned only with the straps and back of the pack.

"Step inside," Stavros said as he went to the panel on the wall next to the cell. "The restraining field will be obscured to give you some privacy. We're not all savages," he said, throwing a dark look at Johnson, but there was humor in his voice. "Then undress. First, we need to get the baselayer on and all the parts in the right places."

"Parts?" Kawolski asked, pausing in removing his tunic.

"Yes," Stavros said, the word simple enough but the pointed look saying much, much more.

Kawolski sighed as he caught the meaning. Suddenly he had a few more reasons to want to get the orders commutted and away from this assignment. For his part, Stavros leaned against the edge of the cell and gave the impression he could wait forever. Which, Kawolski realized, he probably could. Letting out another sigh, he continued to strip out of the medic uniform.

Ten minutes and several missteps later, he emerged from the cell, the field brought down as he started dressing in the muted gold of the security uniform. Stavros helped him into the strange, weighted vest and helped him to strap on the strange holster.

"Packs good to go for now. We'll talk about organization later," Johnson said. He checked his chrono. "Looking good, gold suits you," he said with a wink. "Must be a family trait."

"Let's go," Stavros said, "we do not want to be late."

"Because you'll be in trouble, I'm sure," Kawolski said.

"No," Johnson said, "Think about it, kid, we're going to be the first ones to experience a new culture! We get to go check out the station and what it has to offer us. How many times you got that?"

"Kid?" Kawolski started, only to quiet when Stavros put a heavy hand on his shoulder.

"Forget it, that one's too thick to understand reason," the thickly muscled man said with a shrug. "He truly means no offense though. Most of the time." He indicated Kawolski should follow Johnson out. Kawolski shrugged into his pack as he went with the other two. How did Trapper put up with all this?

Bran, actually, was the last to arrive, but it was still a few minutes before 1100 when he entered the small shuttle. He was dressed simply, like the three of them with the tacvest, drop holster and a subdued uniform coloration. He had slightly tinted lenses over his eyes but, in every other respect, he appeared to be the same as Kawolski remembered him - cold, distant and without a single ounce of joy in his entire being.

"Load up," Bran said instead of a greeting and headed up the gangplank. "Once we dock, I understand there is some form of processing for admittance. Then, as I'm told, we're going to be given standard access - the same as any citizen of the Terran Union. We'll try to find out as much as we can in the time we've been allotted. You'll each have specific assignments but, Kawolski," Bran said, turning to find the medic - completely ignoring the daggers thrown his way. "We're counting on you to give an idea of medical technology and practices. We don't know what changed that led to this..." he felt the bitter taste of the word in his mouth as he paused to say it, "...timeline. Anything could be important. As the least trained member of this team, you're with me. Stick by my side and don't draw that weapon unless it's absolutely necessary."

Bran wasn't sure they'd be allowed to keep them, but he was going to give it a try in any case. Some very quick research suggested the Terran Union was a bit...weapon obsessed.

Having given the orders he took his seat at the front of the shuttle. Stavros took the pilot seat which left Johnson and Kawolski to the rear seats, his pack at Kawolski's feet. "Take us out," Talrian said to Stavros after they received the clearance from the Bridge and a 'go ahead' from the station to dock.

 

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