| Date & Time: | Day 04, 0713 |
| Location: | Replimat Promenade |
| Written By: | Lieutenant JG Zotras Lazol Ensign Dexter Elliott Ensign Valencia Roma |
| Post Date: | 02/20/2026 |
| Episode: | Ep. 1 – Fool’s Errand |
Dexter had lost track of how long he’d actually been on the station for, the engineering Ensign certainly felt like it had been forever. He’d missed going back home to Earth, and now he was beginning to regret that decision. Now, however, communications had been restored and the promenade was rebuilt. The final push was finally over.
He sat in the replimat of the promenade watching as the last of the work was being completed on one of the EPS conduits. Dexter looked in the other direction just in time to see the station directory sign burst to life. And, behind that he could see security personnel entering the office where the chief of station security was assigned to work.
The replicators were functioning, Dexter had spent eighteen hours on those the day prior, and it seemed like all was well. As long as the Cardassians didn’t come and blow up the station, the Ensign was less than concerned about the work that had gone into the station. Civilians hadn’t started to arrive, at least not yet anyway. From what he understood that was going to be a while as Starfleet personnel were still coming onto the station.
By the time Lieutenant Zotras Lazol had gotten to the seating area of the replimat he realized Dexter had already finished eating. The El-Aurian sat down anyway, “You were up earlier than I expected.” He pointed out while toying with his coffee. Zotras was probably young by El-Aurian standards, only in his twenties and all that. He never knew what his species’ home planet looked like.
Dexter looked up to see the El-Aurian sitting down, they’d met weeks earlier when Zotras first came to the station. Dexter had been one of the engineers to come aboard the station over a month earlier after he’d graduated from the Academy. “I couldn’t sleep,” He replied. “The station is not typically this crowded sorry I didn’t warn you about a crowd.”
Zotras shrugged as he looked at the line of Starfleet personnel, “Most people were eating on the different ships that were here. Now that the replicators are functional they decided not to go through the upper pylon to get to the docked ship.” He shrugged, “The civilians who are planning on living and working here are supposed to arrive soon.”
Dexter was rather confused by that revelation, “I didn’t think any civilians, besides the family members of some of the officers, were coming aboard for weeks.” He realized he may have misunderstood when he’d been in the meeting two days earlier. “Well, I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised?”
Zotras leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest, they weren’t. Apparently we got everything done earlier than what had been expected. Starfleet thought it was going to take us at least another two weeks to finish the work. The living situation here is further along than initially anticipated.” The El-Aurian was probably as surprised as Dexter had been by this news.
Perhaps even more than surprised by this news, he sat there trying to get a read on the man’s emotions after finding out. The station was ready for the arrival of civilian personnel and the shop owners so it only made sense for them to arrive sooner than originally planned. Or, at least, that’s how he understood it anyway.
Dexter shrugged it off, he’d learned at the Academy to always expect change anyway. He’d come to expect a lot of things whenever it came to Starfleet and the Federation as a whole. “Do you know when they’re supposed to start arriving?”
“Today,” It was Ensign Valencia Roma speaking as she approached the two men. The science officer sat down in the open chair at the table and put her spiced hot tea on the surface. “I’m Ensign Roma by the way.” She told them, this was the first time she’d spoken to either of them and she did feel sort of guilty for involving herself. But, the science officer couldn’t help but overhear their conversation.
Dexter turned and looked at the young officer she looked familiar and it took him a moment to realize she’d only just graduated from the academy and in his class no less. “Ensign Elliot, but Dexter is just fine.” He told her.
Zotras was, at least in the moment, glad she’d joined them. He’d never met this young woman before now, but he did like meeting new people. “Lieutenant Zotras Lazol,” He answered. “Probably the only El-Aurian on board, and one of the few you’ll probably ever meet.”
Valencia sipped her drink while she listened to the other two introducing themselves. Maybe it hadn’t been as big of a deal to sit down as she thought it would be. They were all junior officers, that probably helped quite a bit. The two men probably knew each other from working on the station, Ensign Roma had only arrived on the station yesterday.
Many of the junior officers who weren’t part of engineering or operations arrived yesterday, but the ship they came in on left relatively quickly after. Now, when she looked out the window on the cross way of the second level there were no ships. The station was on its own for the moment, which was a little weird to her.
Valencia wasn’t sure about this assignment, the station was in the deepest reaches of Federation space. There wasn’t a lot around them, and they were just near the border with the Cardassian Union. Valencia had been a little girl during the Dominion War and her parents had been involved. Valencia’s parents didn’t like the Cardassians, and they weren’t the only ones in the Federation.
“It’s nice meeting you both,” She remarked, “The civilians are scheduled to begin arriving this morning. There are two transports and a freighter bringing in additional supplies and the civilians who are going to be living here full time. These shops,” She looked around, “Will be opening in the coming days.”
“Great,” Dexter answered, “So now the promenade will be even busier than it is now.” He shook his head slowly. Dexter wasn’t all that upset by this news, in fact he welcomed it, but there would be a lot more people on the station than just them. “I wonder when they’ll start getting the mining operations underway?”
Zotras shrugged, “I don’t know that part.” Zotras was aware that the main purpose of being in the Uvel System was going to be mining operations, but the station was more than just that. It would be a hub for trade and commerce, as well as, a defensive measure against anyone who may want to take such a valuable system for themselves.
Valencia had her hand resting on the mug, “I don’t know that part either,” She replied while staring at the dark liquid in the mug. “The mining hubs that will be located throughout the station for refining the metals don’t take long to deploy. The freighter may be carrying the necessary components for those as well.”
She grinned, “I’m just looking forward to exploring the system further, the surveys that were conducted are going to be continued over the next several months.” That was the part that excited her the most. It made it all the easier to be a science officer this far away from the main areas of research and development.
Dexter was glad the junior officer he’d just met had something to look forward to. Dexter wasn’t sure if he really had much to look forward to himself, but it would certainly be an adventure. Even if it was something that was far removed from the reason he’d joined Starfleet in the first place. The engineer would be busy with ship repairs once vessels started arriving and staying for longer periods of time.
Zotras finished his drink and began to stand up, “I suppose I should go make sure preparations are being made for the civilians. I’m sure the Quartermaster is tracking it, but I’m going to go talk to him and make sure.”
Valencia watched the El-Aurian leave, he was the first one she’d ever met. Valencia was fascinated by his species, but she pushed that thought aside. Her attention went back to Dexter, “It was nice meeting you.” She said and then she too got up and left the replimat.
“It was nice meeting you as well,” he replied with a warm smile. Dexter then sat there quietly, once again alone at the table. He toyed with his drink until he’d finished it, then Dexter stood up slowly and stretched. The crowd had thinned out quite a bit, he noticed it when he looked around, and he knew it meant a lot of the Starfleet personnel were starting their work day.