Salvatore's Soiree - Part III

Posted on Fri Mar 21st, 2025 @ 11:45am by Captain Robert Burke & Commander Vincent 'Vin' Salvatore & Lieutenant Marques Hunt & Lieutenant Ryssa Dari & Lieutenant JG Gianna De Luca & Ensign Shanice Winters

1,271 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: EPISODE 1: SHAKEDOWN
Location: Deck 3, VIP/Officer's Mess
Timeline: MD029 2000 hours

::ON::

Vincent walked over to the record player and lowered the volume a bit, before grabbing a glass and fork. As he walked back, he began to gently tap on the glass, to get the attention of everyone gathered there. "Hello Everyone. Can I get your attention, if you please?" He said as he stopped in front of the table and looked around the room at everyone gathered. "First off, for those I haven't formally met, allow me to introduce myself. I'm Commander Vincent Salvatore and I have been assigned as the First Officer and Chief of Intelligence on board. Full disclosure, which is something you may not always head from an Intelligence Officer, the order came down from high up. However, after talking with our dear Captain about that decision, we decided to make sure he had the final say. So, if things go bad, you can actually blame him."

He started to chuckle slightly before holding up his hand. "I'm kidding, of course. After what happened with the Orion's and the Hecate's mission for exploring the Beta Quadrant, we felt my experience here would prove to be a benefit. I hope to do my part in keeping you all safe and well informed."

Smiling and politely chuckling at the joke, Burke acknowledged it would be indeed his fault if anything went wrong via muggery and facial expressions. He allowed his First Officer to have his moment in the limelight. It was tough to come aboard after launch, for any officer. Burke did wonder though if it was wise to insinuate someone higher up had an agenda of his own. Nothing to worry about for now, he reflected as the wheels in his brain began turning.

"Now, this whole shindig was my way of getting to know you all and letting you get to know me. So, allow me to break the ice, as it were." Vincent took a moment to clear his throat a bit before he started to speak again, keeping to his smile. "As some of you know, my main work was on the Mallard, as the lead of the time who intercepted and distributed information in this second. One of the teams anyway. However, my skillset has always been in security and field work. Covert Operations and developing a network to go to when I need information or help. This is what most of you may know. What you may not know is I am from a pre-warp planet. Specifically, Sigma Iotia II, which is a like Earth but much further back in history. While I may look human, I am Iotian. Most of you may have learned about my homeworld in your history class, which was a surprise to me when I saw a chapter dedicated to it, talking about the famed Enterprise and its crew's meeting as well as how it was shaped before and after. I heard a cadet refer to is as a mobster planet, which isn't that far off. When I left, it was generally the same, except forwarded 70 or 80 years."

He took a moment to breathe, letting out a bit of a soft sigh, before ending with. "I grew up surrounded by crime and violence. One group attacking another. And, before anyone askes, yes. My father was involved in one of those groups. My brother and I were pretty close to being a part of it too. My brother was more on his way to being a part of it then I was, and to be honest, it wouldn't surprise me if he was should I ever make it back. Maybe be too, had I not been taken from it. Now, I don't know much about who took me and, I am not quite ready to talk about my experience on the ship I was one, but a part of me is grateful for it. Had I not been on that ship, and Starfleet hadn't intercepted it, I would have never been taken in and joined the Academy. I've been able to use what I learned back home and on that ship to craft me into who I am now." He took a second and smiled as he held up his glass. "As far as now, but whatever happens from here, we face it together. You'll have every skill I have available to you. Plus... every trick in the book I've gathered along the way."

Moved by the man's honesty, and the trauma he must have felt growing up, and then being plucked from a pre-warp society, Burke held up a glass and declared, 'hear, hear!'

Ryssa, too, raised her glass, joining the toast. That was quite a story and he deserved the accolade by making it to Starfleet and choosing a better life for himself.

Marques and Shanice looked at other nodding in approval as they both raised their glasses as well.

Gia had listened to the XO's backstory with interest and she'd made a mental note to maybe write something down while she remembered it. Raising her own glass, she joined in the toast along with everyone else.


Opting to do one more circle of the room, Burke picked a glass of the New Zealand white that he brought, and made a roundabout line for his new Chief Science Officer. 'Lieutenant Dari, I hope you're enjoying yourself tonight?'

"Hello, captain," Ryssa replied. "Getting everyone together socially is a good idea." She did not, however, answer the question. But she was enjoying watching others.

He smiled, opting not to press the officer. 'You'll have to thank our new Executive Officer for the idea,' he said, taking a sip of his wine as he watched the other officers milling around and interacting. 'It's a solid idea, we're all going to be living cheek-by-jowl for the next five years. We might as well begin building bonds now.' He opted to try a different tack with her, 'and you're settling in just fine to your roll?'

"Yes." She smiled. "I love science and so far I've had plenty to keep me busy. For me, that's a good thing." She hesitated for a moment, then asked. "And you, sir? How are you settling in with the crew?"

'Oh just fine,' Burke replied with an answering smile, and adjusted his glasses as the other guests milled about them. 'It's been a pleasure to see everyone settle in and get stuck in to their work. Bodes well for the future.' He looked at her, 'some of the reports that are starting to come out of your department are pretty impressive, if you don't mind my saying.'

"Thank you. I've got a good team of scientists to work with." Even so, Ryssa appreciated the praise from the captain.

'Long may that be the case,' Burke replied with a grin. 'Now, don't let me detain you. I'm sure you'll like to circle with the other officers before disappearing.' He was projecting of course.

That was pretty much what she planned to do. Ryssa was outgoing and friendly when it came to areas where she was comfortable. But parties where she didn't know many people were not in her wheelhouse.

[To be Continued ...]

Captain Robert Burke
Commanding Officer
USS Hecate

Commander Vincent 'Vin' Salvatore
Executive Officer/Chief Intelligence Officer
USS Hecate

Lieutenant Marques Hunt
Chief Flight Control Officer
USS Hecate

Lieutenant Gia De Luca
Chief Counsellor
USS Hecate

Lieutenant Ryssa Dari
Chief Science Officer
USS Hecate

Ensign Shanice Winters
Media Relations Officer
USS Hecate

 

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