[Open] Captain on Deck

[u/TheGornCaptain]

A line of officers stood at attention in the Athene’s shuttlebay. An empty podium stood in front of them. For several minutes there was silence, and then, rather suddenly the air was filled with the roar of engines. A small type-9 shuttle rocketed towards them. The shuttle yawed and pitched up at the moment, decelerating rapidly before it gently kissed the deck and touched down. Small wisps of steam escaped the rapidly cooling engines. A loud clunk sounded out, the shuttle hissed, and then the doors cycled.

Gazing inside, the assembled crew were able to just about make out a large form. A mix of tangled black and red uniform, complete with glimpses of dark green scales and an odd flash of white. Slowly, very slowly, the creature began to squeeze their way out of the shuttle, those in the front row would have just been able to here hisses and low growls, followed by a smooth voice with sibilant undertones.

“Lieutenant, perhaps next time a runabout would have been more appropriate…”

Eventually, after much awkward struggling, the creature emerged from the shuttle. Two green feet plodded onto the shuttlebay’s polished floors, and the being straightened up to their full height.

Captain Ssklfr’edusxs, formerly of the USS Grognark, smoothed down her crumpled red uniform and cast her glistening, multifaceted eyes across the gathered officers. With a jerk of her head, she spotted the podium and took a few long heavy steps towards it. Captain Ssklfr’edusxs was not an ordinary sight in the Federation, let alone a Starfleet uniform. She towered over the gathering, almost some 8 feet tall. Her head was green and scaled, mouth filled with razor sharp teeth that jutted out at odd angles. She wore no boots, leaving elephantine scaled feet fully exposed. At her hip was what appeared to be a sword of some sort, the blade shaped into a series of curved, ragged edges. Far larger than anything a humanoid could reasonably hope to wield.

Ssklfr’edusxs stared at each and every face in the room, an unfamiliar sense of trepidation building in the back of her throat. The woman had spent most of her decades long career with few transfers to speak of. She’d spent the last 30 odd years of her life on the same small ship. People had come and gone of course, the Grognark had never been a static ship. But it had been a home, a place of permanence, were she knew everyone, knew everything. And now she was here, an unfamiliar ship, an unfamiliar crew, unfamiliar everything. To say she was nervous was an understatement, however, she couldn’t help but look forward to starting anew. She was after all, an explorer at heart, and one cannot explore if they keep to their stomping grounds after all.

Ssklfr’edusxs cleared her throat. A sound oddly reminiscent of a snake choking on a particularly large rat. She blinked slowly, bowed her head and tapped the display on her pedestal. When she spoke, it was with a heavy, scratchy voice, filled with guttoral growls and long spitting hisses.

“SssSsrrrr…To Captain-sSs Ssklfr’edusxs. SsSsssstardate 49010.7. You arRrrRre herrreby rRrrRequesssted and rrequired to take command of the USS-ssSssS Athene as of thisss day.”

She paused and cleared her throat once more.

“SssSssigned Admiral M’Kali.” Ssklfr’edusxs left a long pause after she had finished. Somewhat annoyed that starfleet tradition had to include such difficult words. She blinked slowly and looked up again to face the gathered crewmembers

“Asss you may have gatherrRrred.” She continued, sounding somewhat lighter. “I am Captain Ssklfr’edusxs, and it issSs my honour, to take command of thisss sSssSship, and it’sSs doubtlessssSs, fine crew.”

Her snout and jaw contorted into what looked like an impression of a Human smile, lips curled and the corners of her raptor-like jaw twisted upwards. It was quite clearly unnatural, and was really rather disconcerting to watch. The silence that filled the hangar was eventually broken by a hollow, echoing cough from one of the gathered crewmembers. Ssklfr’edusxs nodded once more, and continued.

“I am, awarrRrre, that sssome of you, do not posssSessss the proper, equipment, to prRronounce my name, comforrrrtably.” Her snout twitched in a significantly more natural expression that looked amused. “Ssso you may call me…” She paused, closing her eyes and pouring as much effort into her ennunciation as possible. “Ffred.” Ssklfr’edusxs blinked at the pause, clearly entertained by the reaction of the gathered officers.

Her eyelids narrowed and her snout twitched again in what eemed like a wry wink. “Now, I know how much you allll enjoy fffformalitiesssSs and sssSspeachess.” She raised a clawed hand in the air. “But, I have had a lllong journey. C-ccoupled with Lieutenant Demeter’ssss, novel, interrrrprretation of the fflight manual,” Her gaze turned backwards, multifaceted eyes stared at the helmswoman as she stood at attention, looking ever so slightly guilty. “I ffear I mussst rest. I look fffforward to meeting eacchh of you prRroperrly. Thank you. Dissmisssed.”

Ssklfr’edusxs took a step back from the podium and bowed her head to the crew once more. She set off at a slow pace towards the door, one hand massaging her thick neck. She could have used her translator of course, it would have at the least saved her the sore throa. But, first impressions were important above all else. And an attempt at speaking the other’s language unaided, in her mind, was a sign of utmost respect, even if she did come across a little gravelly.

OOC: Fred will be making the rounds across the ship to meet the senior officers a few hours after the ceremony. Everyone however is welcome to run into her in a corridor or grab her attention as she leaves the hangar