Nervousness
Posted on Sun Feb 16th, 2025 by Lieutenant Rhys Bennett & Lieutenant JG Elle Hayashi
1,082 words; about a 5 minute read
Mission:
M01 - The Hooke
Location: Shuttle Depot, Starfleet Headquarters
Timeline: Present
Elle smoothed the front of her uniform with a somewhat nervous expression on her face. Her thoughts kept going back to her time at Starfleet Medical where she had just finished her residency. She had learned so much, grown so much... And yet she was just as nervous about this next adventure that her mind was a blank slate.
"Where are you off to?" Rhys asked when he noticed the young officer in a teal uniform. He wasn't typically one to make idle conversation, but from the looks of things she seemed quite nervous.
Elle turned and looked at the bearded full Lieutenant, "I'm... Um," She hesitated for a moment. She'd never seen this officer before and yet he was sitting there nearby waiting just like she was. "I'm going to my first duty assignment after my residency."
"You're a Doctor?" Rhys asked.
Elle felt her cheeks turn a slight shade of pink, "Yes, Doctor Hayashi Elle," She answered.
"Japanese?" Rhys asked next.
Elle nodded, "Partially Japanese yes," She told him. "I was assigned to the starship Hooke to fill in as the ship's Chief Medical Officer." She answered, "First time I've been on a ship."
Rhys nodded, "Nothing to be nervous about." He told her, "I heard the Hooke is a fine ship with a fine crew," Rhys thought about his next words somewhat more carefully. "Lieutenant Rhys Bennett," He held out his hand for her to shake.
Elle shook his hand, "Nice to meet you Lieutenant," She replied. "Where are you off to?"
"Same ship as you," He told her, "I was assigned as the ship's Chief Science Officer. I just left the Ares two days ago." He looked her over for a moment, "So you're going to be responsible for the crew's health and well-being," He nodded after he had spoken. "That shouldn't be too terribly difficult to handle."
"Well when you put it that way," Elle replied with a slight stutter in her voice. She tried to remember what every mentor she'd ever had tried telling her. There wasn't a reason to be nervous about anything, she needed to be confident in everything she did. Now, however, she was going to an entirely new place though and it was all on her. "Have you met the Captain?"
Rhys noticed the change of subject and didn't dare return to the previous point of the conversation. "Not yet," He told her. "Have you?"
Elle shook her head, "Not yet," She stared toward the landing pad for the shuttle that hadn't arrived just yet. "Someone said he had only recently been promoted to Captain."
"I think we're about to find a lot of people on board who've only been recently promoted," Rhys told her. "I've not been a full Lieutenant for too terribly long myself and this is the first ship I've been to where I'm the department head."
Elle laughed nervously, "Yeah, I was made Lieutenant Junior Grade yesterday afternoon. I mean," She looked toward the Lieutenant once more, "I knew I'd be promoted as soon as I finished my residency." She found herself shrugging her shoulders slightly. It was sounding more and more like the crew of the Hooke were rather inexperienced. "I wonder why Starfleet would put people into positions like that..."
Rhys wasn't sure what she meant, he thought perhaps she was rambling a little bit. "Positions like what?"
Elle thought about the question for only half a second before she replied to him. "Where everyone on board has never filled a position before being assigned to that ship. I'm sure not everyone is like that, but..." She let her voice trail away along with her thought. "Do you know anyone on board?"
Rhys shook his head, "I don't," He told her. "You're the first person I've met that is going to be aboard actually." Rhys saw the shuttle beginning to land and the group of crewmen in front of them making their way to the shuttle. "I've heard ships like this one have a smaller crew, we'll all meet each other in a relatively short time I'm sure."
Elle pulled the bag she was carrying a little further up her shoulder, "Probably," She said. "This is the first time I've ever been on a starship, or led an entire department." Elle had top grades which helped her get the position in the first place. Now she just had to make the best and most of it.
"I gathered," Rhys told her, "I remember the first time I was stationed on a ship. It was a little daunting, but you'll do just fine."
Elle swallowed hard at first then relaxed a little bit. "As long as I don't mess anything up too terribly bad." She laughed nervously as she stepped up onto the ship. "It'll be fine I'm sure." Elle found a place to sit, "I wonder if these people are assigned to the ship as well?"
"Maybe," Rhys said as he sat down next to her, "This shuttle will take us to a docking platform at Utopia Planitia then from there we'll take another transport to the ship. Some of these people may be going somewhere else. Though, I think the only ship scheduled to come out of the yards today is the Hooke. I'm not entirely sure though," He shrugged.
Elle made herself comfortable next to him, "Oh," She answered.
Rhys looked at her, "Still nervous?"
Elle nodded, "A little," She told him. "But at least now I know one person on board the ship where I'm going. So, that helps a little bit." Elle took a deep breath as she felt the shuttle lifting off the ground. "As long as I don't think too much about it right now I'll be okay," She admitted finally.
Rhys listened intently without looking toward her. He was focused on the shuttle getting itself off the ground and turning so that soon it was pointing toward the upper atmosphere. "Just let me know if you need any help getting around once we're there and I'll help you."
"Thanks," She told him, "I would appreciate that."
Rhys then fell silent as the shuttle raised slowly until they had left the atmosphere. It would take them several minutes to get to Utopia Planitia then probably another hour from there. He eventually looked over at her and gave her a warm smile before looking forward once more and closing his eyes.
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