| Date & Time: | 01, 0840 |
| Location: | Captain’s Office |
| Written By: | Captain James Cohen Lt. Commander Freya Preston Petty Officer 3rd Class Rayne Martinez |
| Post Date: | 02/14/2026 |
| Episode: | Ep. 1 – Fool’s Errand |
Rayne Martinez remembered when she first came aboard the station earlier in the morning and found where she would be staying. The set of quarters that she’d been assigned doubled as her personal office since there was no place closer to the bridge for her to work out of. It was strange being only a third class non-commissioned officer with her own quarters. However, it was certainly something Rayne would have to get used to.
The trip from her quarters to station operations hadn’t been a terribly long trip, or at least it wouldn’t have been had she not gotten sidetracked. The Promenade was much larger than she’d imagined and while none of the shops had been filled, it was still impressive to her. Going from such a small ship as the Rutledge to a station of this size was a bit daunting. The Third Class Petty Officer had been on the station for a day, but this was the first time she’d left her quarters since arriving.
Once inside station operations the first thing Rayne did was look around and take in everything she could. The young woman had a slight grin on her face as she crossed between panels and work tables before coming to the bottom of the steps. She looked up, realizing that the Captain’s office was at the top of them. Rayne took a breath, then climbed them before hesitating just outside the office for a moment before reaching up and activating the chime.
James looked up through the glass doors and with a wave of his hand indicated that the young woman standing on the other side could enter. He looked towards his Executive Officer for a moment, “Hold on a moment Commander.”
Freya had come to the Captain’s office in order to update him on the senior officers arriving on the station. Part of their conversation had also included his expectations of her in the current role that she’d been assigned. “Yes Captain,” She replied.
Rayne took a breath as she stepped inside the office to find not only the Captain behind his desk, but also the Executive Officer in the room as well. “I’m sorry, am I disturbing you?” She asked the two of them while pointing behind her. “I can come back another time.”
James shook his head, “How can I help you?” He didn’t recognize the young woman, but saw the rank on her collar and immediately understood the nervousness she displayed.
“Sorry sir,” She said then swallowed, “I’m Petty Officer Rayne Martinez,” She had somehow forgotten to introduce herself to them. “Your Yeoman,” She added. She tapped the edge of a datapad on the palm of her hand. “I just thought you might want some updates.”
“Please,” He said and indicated the seat directly next to the Executive Officer. “It’s probably good that we both hear them, also welcome aboard.” He told her. James was unaware, of course, that she’d arrived a day sooner than he had. That really didn’t matter to him all that much, “This is Lieutenant Commander Freya Preston,” He said.
Rayne nodded, “We’ve not met in person yet,” She started to say after placing the datapad down onto the Captain’s desk. “Though, I’ve heard a great deal about you sir,” Rayne said to the Executive Officer with a smile on her face. She was nervous around both of them, but she understood her job required her to work closely with the two of them.
Freya smiled warmly, “Correct,” She answered then looked toward the Captain. “Petty Officer Martinez arrived yesterday with most of the other enlisted personnel that have been assigned to the station. They didn’t know where to place her so they modified a set of quarters to double as her office and living space.”
James picked up the datapad and began to read it, the ship that had brought his daughter and him also deployed four runabouts for the station. There were supplies being brought aboard that the station quartermaster was overseeing. Some other civilians were on board, but more would be arriving in the coming days. Also much of the promenade had been modified to work as offices for the civilian mining and transport operations.
James looked back up toward the two women in their uniforms while also putting the datapad back down. “Thanks for the report,” He said to the Yeoman with a warm grin on his face. “I’ll make certain the command team doesn’t bother you when you’re on your off duty hours.”
Rayne nodded, “I appreciate it sir,” She said and took a moment to glance around the office. “I’ve never been assigned to a station before. I didn’t even know we were going to have a second station of this class.” She looked back at the Captain, “I’ve never been to Deep Space Nine either.”
“Me neither,” Freya told the Third Class, “I’ve been on board the station for about a week and I’m still getting used to it.” She looked at the Captain, “I’m sure you’ve already been updated on the maintenance situation and the restoration efforts as well?”
James nodded slowly, “I have.” He answered his Exec. James knew the station was nearing completion for all efforts to bring the station online. There were a number of questions he had though, “Has the station been visited by Cardassians?”
“Not that I know of,” Freya replied. “I don’t even know if the Cardassians are aware that we’re in possession of the station. I guess eventually we’ll have to deal with them, but they’ll hardly try to stake a claim on the station. Or, at least I would hope they wouldn’t attempt to stake a claim on the station. It doesn’t hold much value to them anyway.”
Freya shrugged, “I don’t even know what the name of this station was when it was still in their possession. Much less, what they were using it for originally though I would guess it involved a mining operation of some kind. It has the necessary components to serve as an ore processing refinery.”
“That’s not what the civilians are going to use it for though Captain,” Rayne told him. “The ore processing area is going to end up being repurposed into something else. For now, the plan is to build Federation ore processors in the system. The refined metals will be transported to the station then transported out of the system.”
James thought that was an odd arrangement, “Why not use the ore processing system on the station?”
Freya answered him, “During the restoration process the engineering crews discovered that the station’s ore processing center was badly damaged. It’s so badly damaged that it’s beyond repair and besides, we don’t exactly have the parts to do it. So, the station will serve as the central hub for operations in the system.”
Rayne nodded, “I can get that report for you Captain?”
“Nah,” James answered his yeoman, “I’m sure you have a lot of other work to catch up on. Besides, for now I want personnel getting used to the station and helping the engineering and operations work crews on board.” He looked between the two of them, “Thank you for the update if you don’t mind Miss Martinez I would like to continue my conversation with the Exec.”
Rayne nodded, “Of course Captain,” She said with a warm smile. “I’ll be in my office if you need anything.” Rayne then disappeared from the office leaving the two of them alone.
James turned his attention back to the Executive Officer and his expression changed to something a bit more serious. “I would like for the senior officers to meet in the wardroom so that we may get to know each other a little better.” He leaned all the way forward.
“Certainly,” Freya replied. She didn’t quite have the heart to tell the Captain that she knew he’d picked someone over her and ended up with her anyway. That was a conversation she wasn’t sure how to have in the first place. Freya had a sense that it would probably come up eventually anyway, though she’d rather it not.
James stood up and walked over to the door of his office, “I also would like to be notified at the first sign the Cardassians may decide to enter the system. I would rather not be taken by surprise should they decide to visit us.” He looked out at operations, many of the workstations were unmanned because of the work going on.
Freya watched him, “I will certainly do so Captain,” She said then stood up. “I know I interrupted you trying to move your files into the station computer. I’m going to go back out to station operations so that you can continue to do that.”
James smiled, “Thanks,” He told her. Then before she disappeared he cleared his throat, “One second,” He remarked as he made his way over to his desk then turned. “I want you to know Commander Bancroft was my original choice for Executive Officer, though he turned it down. I’m glad you accepted the offer.”
Freya felt her heart sink, so the Captain had decided to bring it up. She swallowed and turned to face him with a bit of red in her cheeks. “I already knew,” She told him through a hesitant sounding voice. “Sam told me, shortly after I got here, that he had turned down the position. Said he didn’t want there to be anything hanging over us.”
James felt a surge of relief that she already knew, “Then I’m certain you know why?”
Freya found herself nodding once, “He has a far more extensive service record than I do and he was his ship’s Second Officer. It made sense that he would have been picked for the job, though I’m sure he had his reasons for turning it down.” She felt a little better knowing the Captain had so willingly told her despite her knowledge of the situation. “I promise I won’t let you down sir.”
“I know you won’t,” James told her. He was glad to know that his Chief Operations Officer was more than willing to tell Commander Preston the situation. “Dismissed Commander,” He told her then watched as she left the office. James sat down behind his desk and continued his work, making a mental note to check in on his daughter in a little bit.