Ensign Xel

Posted on Sat Dec 22nd, 2012 @ 8:32pm by Ensign Soraya Xel

Mission: Funzone
Location: Starbase 11, Docking Spire
Timeline: One Day Prior to Mission Start

Xel stepped off the transport and onto the deck of Starbase 11. The trip to Trill would've been pleasant, had she been given the time to actually see anything. Her family visited her in the hospital, of course, but she wasn't afforded the time to visit.

As he pressed the wall panel to summon a turbolift, she had to remind himself that Starfleet had not, in fact, universally redefined the standard height for wall panels in the last several weeks and had all of them repositioned higher, but that she was notably shorter.

Xel's joining to Soraya Wren had been particularly trying. Xel had barely survived the stab wound which killed Relkin and severely damaged the symbiont pouch. Even commandeering the fastest vessel in orbit at the time, a variant Klingon bird of prey, the trip from H'atoria to Trill was almost too long.

Soraya herself had been on the list, but only two days prior to the joining, had been completely unaware just how soon her life would change. So Soraya had been plucked from her duty, returned to Trill, and implanted with the Xel symbiont as soon as it arrived. Two weeks in the hospital ensuring she didn't reject the symbiont, and that she was able to walk without tripping constantly and such, she was shipped off to her new assignment.

Xel had undergone the gender confusion and loss of self several times before, but it was never any easier. The host was always new to the dance floor. Soraya, a young Ensign, had to reconcile the memories of Captain Relkin Xel and all of the previous hosts before him.

She was assigned as part of the replacement crew for the USS Arizona, a Sovereign-class ship. Captain Haverson, commanding. Relkin had heard of Haverson. Not exactly Starfleet's best and brightest, fairly inexperienced. Unfortunately, being a new resident of the body of a 24-year-old woman, it was unlikely Xel would be commanding anything bigger than a sailboat on the holodeck any time soon.

As the turbolift doors opened, she was welcomed into the main hub of the starbase's central docking control spire. Transparent panels on all sides offered a view out onto the various starships coming and going. She saw her own transport departing from the point several decks above her where it had docked, heading for the spacedoors.

Soraya approached an available informational kiosk. "Captain Relkin Xel for the USS Arizona."

The system responded instantly. "Captain Relkin Xel is listed as deceased. Would you like to report an error?" the computer asked.

It took her a moment to register her mistake. "No. Ensign Soraya Xel for the USS Arizona."

The station computer responded immediately with the Arizona's registration and current command staff, along with her name, rank, and position. "Would you like to check in?"

"Yes," Soraya replied.

The computer took slightly longer to respond as it communicated back and forth with the starship's main computer. "You have permission to board. The USS Arizona is at Gate 3A." It helpfully displayed a map showing a path from her current location to the Arizona, parked at one of the few gates large enough for such a majestic vessel to dock.

Soraya adjusted the strap of her luggage on her shoulder, and then strode off for the ship.