Full Speed Ahead
Posted on Tue Dec 17th, 2024 @ 4:07pm by Lieutenant James Constantine
666 words; about a 3 minute read
Mission:
Episode 2 - The Sins of History
Location: Shuttle 'Charon' - en route to USS Artemis
Timeline: MD010 2200 hrs
Stretching his legs out to combat the stiffness from too many hours couped up in a shuttle, James Constantine ran his hands over his dark hair, stifling a yawn.
Time worked strangely in a shuttle, he'd decided. Hours could be days and days could be hours, who could tell. It was just like one long endless day until you arrived. Thankfully, he didn't have far left to go until he reached his new ship.
James glanced back to where the pilot was having a well deserved nap, instinctively checking he was okay before looking back over the readouts coming through. With the little bird currently cruising on autopilot, there wasn't much left to do.
He seized the opportunity to get up and stetch his tall frame, the athletic man grimacing at not having moved enough in the last however many hours. "Cup of coffee, strong, hot," he caught hold of the glass cup and sipped it carefully, his lips pressing together with satisfaction at the bitter twang.
Settling back at the helm, he pulled a PADD onto his lap, starting to write his log with no other distractions on offer. He'd always preferred writing logs over recording visual and audio. It gave him time to consider what he wanted to say...and just as importantly, what not to say.
'Frankly, it's good to be heading to another posting. Perhaps I just worked in Intel for too long, but I have a lingering instinct to keep moving. It feels unnatural to be in the same place for too long.
'I don't know much yet, but the USS Artemis appears to be a ship dedicated to law and order. That singular focus is appealing in more ways than one. A concentration of expertise usually leads to better results. Not to mention superior resources.
'To be honest, I'm hoping for a challenge. It's crass to admit that when your work revolves around the misfortune of others, but I need something to get my teeth into. To stretch my mind and skills, or I'll go crazy...'
James paused his writing, a frown coming to his features as he reconsidered, erasing the last few words. He'd learnt a long time ago that nothing was sacred and it was a bad idea to digitally record anything that he wouldn't mind a stranger reading. Because they just might.
'...To stretch my mind and skills, and stave off any threat of boredom.'
James paused for a generous sip of coffee as he considered what really lay beneath the words he'd just written. The thought that had been rattling around his mind for the last few months. That liked to make itself heard in the middle of the night, usually just when he was about to drift off to sleep.
'The truth is, not a day goes by that I don't question whether I made the right decision to leave Intelligence. The answer is always the same. Yes. It was absolutely the right decision. After everything that happened...it was the only decision. But it doesn't mean the bloody question doesn't keep spinning around my head.
'Maybe a new position will help put the question to bed once and for all.'
James discarded the PADD, pinching the bridge of his nose as he sighed. One thing was for certain, rumination wasn't going to achieve anything but a headache.
Stretching awkwardly in his chair, James glanced to the readouts for good measure. Eight hours and sixteen minutes until arrival. So close, but it still felt like an eternity to be trapped in a tin can. He pulled a bag closer, rummaging around until he caught hold of an old fashioned book, finding his place before settling back to do his best impression of someone who definitely wasn't struggling to stay awake.
A post by
Lieutenant James Constantine
Criminal Investigations Officer, USS Artemis
Starfleet Criminal Investigations Unit
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