Introductions

Posted on Sat May 30th, 2026 @ 9:05pm by Captain Steven Jenkins & Commander Nusien

1,931 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: One Year Later…
Location: Bar One, Starbase One
Timeline: MD01 1400 Hours

Steven walked into Bar One, the primary bar on Starbase One, a PADD in hand. It consisted of a brightly lit metallic room with a round bar in the centre of it, standing tables dotted around it before hitting a dance floor between those tables and the seating booths round the edge of the room. He remembered his Academy days where he'd often frequented the bar with his classmates, and more than a few lunches there with his Mother.

He moved over to one of the standing tables, leaning up against it. It was the same one he usually occupied, or at least, it was in the same spot. The bar had been half destroyed during the Borg attack the year before so pretty much all of the furniture had been replaced. The table he and a girl he'd been seeing during his third year had hastily and discretely carved their initials into the under side of on their third date was long since gone.

"Well, if it isn't Captain Steven Jenkins." Came a familiar voice, Steven looking around to see the beaming face of a Human woman of African descent in her early fifties "Shouldn't you be over on that ship of yours?"

"Well, you know how it is, Chanelle." Steven flashed a smile "Even the wicked have to take a break sometimes."

"Bullshit." Chanelle laughed "You haven't taken a break since you carved your initials on the underside of my table when you thought I wasn't looking!"

Steven laughed sheepishly. Chanelle had been the manager of Bar One since the 2370s. She'd seen more Captains and Admirals come and go than a lot of people. She'd also seen her share of rowdy cadets, of which Steven had once been one.

"At least it was the underside." Steven finally answered "Sorry about that."

"You mean you're sorry you got caught." She smirked "What can I get you?"

"Water. I'm on the clock." He said, holding up the PADD "First Officer candidates."

"T'Lek not an option?" She cocked an eyebrow "I always thought you two had a bit of a something something going on."

"Yeah. It's called mutual annoyance." Steven laughed "Besides, I don't mix business with pleasure, anymore."

"Uhm hmm." She folded her arms "Whatever you say. Who's on your list?"

Steven handed her the PADD. She flicked through, shaking her head and tutting intermittently.

"He's too much of a cowboy for you. She's too much of a stick in the mud. El Aurians are just a pain at the best of times unless they tend bar." She said to herself "You know what? None of these will do for one of my boys. I'll be right back."

She walked off before he could say anything, taking the PADD with her. After a moment, she returned, dragging a somewhat confused looking Edosian behind her, gently pushing the man to the table across from Steven.

"Captain Steven Jenkins, meet Commander Nusien." Chanelle beamed "Steven here is a first time Captain looking for a good number one. Nusien is in the market for his first time in the job. Match made in heaven. I'll go get your drinks."

She moved away before either man could object. Steven half smiled.

"Some things never change round here. She still thinks she's the next Guinan. Maybe she's right." He said to the Edosian "Nice to meet you, Commander. I actually saw your file. Chief Medical Officer and Second Officer. Not a combination you see often. I'll admit, I figured the Second Officer part was a favour to Captain Santos. You actually looking for an XO job or is that Chanelle being, well, Chanelle?"

Nusien was a bit perplexed with the speed by which he was ushered over to the table. His robotic sounding voice did not belie that feeling. "Captain, she is correct. I would be honoured to be an XO of a vessel. At the moment it seems that the fleet is not ready for a Doctor to be an XO. But, if the opportunity arose I would not object."

"No one said the fleet isn't ready for a Doctor to be an XO. Hell, it wouldn't be the first time. It's the entire purpose of the Bridge Officer training." Steven noted, pausing "What prompted you to want to move from medical to command?"

Edosians rarely smiled, as when they did the mouth full of yellow sharp teeth made it seem more threatening than anything else. However, Nusien smiled in this moment. "I want to make sure that the cowboy diplomacy that some Captains use stops hurting the rest of the fleet." Of course this was meant as a joke, but only half a joke. Fact was Nusien did think that the fleet played too dangerously at the moment. "Joking aside Captain. I want to help make the galaxy safe. The best way that I can do that is from command. Using my medical knowledge to guide the decisions of a starship. Additionally I am a Diagnostician. I need to be where there are undiscovered maladies. The only place for that is out there as it were."

"I'll admit, Starfleet has become a bit more cold in recent years." Steven conceded, before questioning "So you think that command will help you improve your medical skills? Or am I missing a point?"

"The opposite Captain. I think that my medical skills will help command a starship. I have no eye for the center chair. I know that there are a lot of officers out there who want to command their own ship. Me, my goal, my dream is safety in a word. My people are family. We have large and joyous clans. My mate and I have twenty children ourselves. That said we want nothing save to make sure that family stays together and happy. I feel the best way that I can do that is guide the fleet toward a more medical approach to exploration, if I may be so bold. If we went out there to first do no harm, things may go a lot better for us all. I may not be able to guide the whole fleet, but I can guide one ship at the very least." Nusien shifted in the seat, as it was not designed for a tri-ped. Almost as if on cue a server arrived with a stool that swiveled. They removed the chair and placed the stool. Nusien sat with an elated thank you. "The galaxy is not designed for tri-peds."

“No, I suppose it’s not.” Steven replied with a wry smile “Let me ask you the question my predecessor asked me when he was looking at me for the role; why should I want you as my Number One rather than all the other prospects?”

"Who better to seek out new life, than a person who has been sworn to protect it." Nusien began and fell silent. He took a sip of his drink as he allowed those words to hang in the air. "A doctor is perhaps the best advisor that anyone can have. We know everyone's secrets and keep those confidences. Additionally, I will make sure that you stay on the right path. The path that leads to life, and not death. There is always a peaceful solution."

"That is our official mandate." Steven said "What about when the going gets tough? Historically, Starfleet has a tendency to get shot at, and sometimes, we have to shoot back."

"Then sir, I recommend phasers on stun." Nusien laughed at his joke and when the laughter died off he returned to a serious tone. "Sir, I am not completely naive to the way of the galaxy. Trust me I know when weapons are the answer as opposed to words. Although, I would be lying if I said that I would not seek out the solution with the least amount of casualties." Despite the introduction by Chanelle, Nusien got the distinct impression that he was being interviewed. Is it even possible that he would obtain such a position in a bar. Stranger things have happened or so he thought.

"Well, generally ships don't have phasers set on stun, Commander. Except one incident in the 2260s." Steven smirked to himself "That being said, right answer. Last question. When the Captain wants to beam down on the away mission, what is your response?"

"I have three hands with which to stop you sir." Nusien replied in a deadpan. It was said that Edosians had a very dry sense of humor, and right now it seemed that Nusien proved that correct.

"So a Captain's rank means nothing to you?" Steven cocked an eyebrow "Let me be very clear. I can and will still be going on away missions. No first officer will stop me from doing so."

"It is quite the opposite. The Captain's rank means everything. A ship is nothing without its Captain. It is for this reason that the policy involving Captain's and away missions makes sense. However, if you make it an order that I am to let you go then you shall go. But..." Nusien was about to continue when something else that Jenkins had said finally settled into his tri lobed brain. "You just stated that you wanted to be clear on a policy. Does that clarification mean that you are giving me the position?"

“It means I’m offering you the position, Commander.” Steven corrected with a wry smile “You’re free to turn it down, if you so wish. I’m aware Yorktown doesn’t carry the prestige of some vessels, and dealing with a newly promoted Captain who climbed two steps in rank isn’t for everyone. Especially when he is liable to disregard certain regulations.”

"Well, lucky for you my people pride themselves on keeping willful people in line. Just ask my twenty children." Nusien replied with a smile. The smile showed his sharp yellow teeth, and could be somewhat unsettling. He raised his third hand, the one that protruded from the centre of his chest. The hand had two fingers and a thumb on it, and the hand was extended for a shake. "I accept Captain."

"Welcome aboard the Yorktown, Commander Nusien." Steven said shaking the hand with a wry smile "We're due to move out in seventy-two hours, provided Spacedock maintenance teams finish their jobs on time. If it's only minor work remaining, Engineering teams on the ship can finish the job. Now, serious question here. Did you just say twenty kids?"

"I will make sure that my belongings are transferred from the Tomahawk in time. Yes sir! Twenty and I am proud of each and every one of them. When I get leave again, I suspect we will have a few more. My family is considered average by Edosian standards. I am one of twenty myself." Nusien beamed with pride as he spoke. There was nothing more important to him than family.

“And there’s my brother complaining two are hard work.” Steven chuckled “Anyway, I’ll leave you to your afternoon, Commander. I need to go and check in with Chantelle. She and I go back and she'd likely kill me if I moved out without saying goodbye. Again.”

"Very well sir. Thank you sir. I will see you on the ship." Nusien stood with a smile. He had decided to come in for a drink on a whim. Now, it seemed that this drink had changed the course of his career. The excitement was hard to hide.

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