Honing the Raven's Claw

Posted on Sat Mar 28th, 2020 @ 1:25pm by Lieutenant Daisy Stanier & Colonel Sehan t'Varis
Edited on on Sun Dec 20th, 2020 @ 4:08am

1,211 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Prologue: Before the Inferno
Location: The Raven's Claw
Timeline: Some time in 2385

“All hands, prepare to take this bird out.” After over a year of repairs and retrofitting, the moment had come. Outwardly, the bird-of-prey was still not much more than an antique, but she had been carefully retrofitted, and her systems were up to scratch and fully operational again. Or so Raven hoped, anyway. It was now time for a shakedown cruise, before Raven and her crew of 50 misfits had a new home, and a new ship, far more suitable for mercenary and smuggling operations than the unwieldy freighter they had been using previously. Many parts used for the refit had been stripped from said freighter, and although the bird-of-prey’s performance was nowhere near that of a contemporary ship of an equivalent class, she was far more capable than anyone could have expected. After all the refit had been conducted by a crew mostly unfamiliar with the type, and without proper facilities.

A few hours later, Raven finally took a seat in the ship’s small lounge and helped herself to a glass of Romulan ale. The tests had gone well, and although the cloak’s performance had fallen slightly short of what had been expected, the disruptor and photon torpedo systems had exceeded expectations, and the warp drive was running without any issues. They had come far in the past year, Raven mused, as she overlooked the small band of officers that was drinking around the bar. Half-bloods like herself, Romulans like Teli, Ferengi like Gedak, even humans like Daisy and her baby sister - species did not matter to the members of her rag-tag crew, and they worked together almost like a family. Raven was proud of them.

Daisy now felt like she was as close to home as she was going to be again. She had slowly settled into life on the freighter - and now she was an important part of the misfit crew which was now about to embark on a new journey aboard their new ship. Sure it was ancient - and probably outmatched by a majority of starships out there - but Daisy felt relatively confident it would do the job after the refit it had received.

With her sister in her arms Daisy found her way into the lounge and sat down opposite her now close friend - placing Azalea on her lap gently.

“Ah, Daisy,” Raven said with a smile, as her friend sat down. “I know, you’re going to go on about your age again, but I am going to ignore that,” she added with a grin, as she poured another glass of ale and put it in front of Daisy. “Today is a day of celebration.”

Daisy shrugged and accepted the offered drink. She’d given up reminding Raven of that - instead she picked up the ale and took a sip of it before taking a larger swig. Once she put it back down on the table she spoke.

“This bucket of bolts reminds me of home - but smartening it up gave me plenty of time to polish up the dedication plaque I managed to save before it blew up too” Daisy said.

Raven smiled. “Glad you feel at home here.” She took another sip of her ale. “Reminds me, she doesn’t have a name yet. I know we never named the freighter, going by various aliases. But I think this ship deserves a name.”

“Well it’s your ship so...Raven’s...Claw? I dunno. Of course you could name it after me if you really wanted to...” Daisy suggested.

Raven laughed. “Are we that kind of friends, then?” She shook her head and refilled their glasses. “I do like the name Raven’s Claw though. Okay, to the Raven’s Claw!”
Daisy then picked up her ale and took another swig of it before taking a PADD out and loading a program for Azalea to learn the letters of the alphabet. One by one she listened to the sounds before pressing the matching letter on the screen.

“Strictly professional” Daisy responded.

Raven laughed. “She will make a fine addition to the crew when she is old enough.” She took another sip. “So, Teli tells me you’re becoming really quite good at close quarters combat?”

“I’m sure she will. And yeah...I’ve been getting plenty of practice in when I get a chance in the evenings. I figured it might be best to learn another form of combat just in case I don’t have my phaser...or if it breaks” Daisy replied.

“Yeah,” Raven replied. “It is definitely a good idea to have more to rely on than just one weapon. I like my bodyguard to be well trained and flexible.” She looked at Azalea for a moment before continuing. “I have Gedak out to find some more business opportunities for us. He has a few leads, so we should have the latinum flowing again soon.” She sighed. “Refitting a 175-year old relic is not cheap.”

Daisy nodded. “I appreciate the opportunity of being able to try and make a life for myself and Azalea. It’s not the life that my parents would have wanted for us but...at least we’re still alive...and that’s all thanks to you”

“Well, I am glad we found you. We make a good team, you and me.” Raven smiled. “We are your family now.”

Daisy responded. “Maybe one day I can repay the kindness that you’ve shown Azalea and I in the worst time of our lives. Sadly though...all she’ll ever know of our parents is a holographic recording they made just after she was born”

Raven put her hand on Daisy’s. “You know me. I may show everyone a tough outside, but you know that inside, I am a bit of a softie.” She laughed. “There is nothing more important to me than the wellbeing of my crew. My family.”

“You’re the closest thing that Azalea and I actually have to family now. I won’t forget what you’ve done - and I’ll make sure she doesn’t either” Daisy replied.

“Least we could do.” Raven took the bottle to pour another glass of ale, just to find that it was empty. “Well that’s disappointing. Still, we have a lot still to do tomorrow. The Claw is not quite ready yet I think.”

Daisy nodded. “We’ll be ready when we’re ready Raven. Here...finish mine”

Daisy then pushed the remainder of her glass of ale over towards Raven. She liked it but she’d had enough of it for one day.
Raven took the glass and emptied it in one go, before standing up. “Well then, I suggest time for some sleep. Lots of work tomorrow.”

“Yeah. Goodnight Raven” Daisy responded.

She too stood up - carrying her sister - and walked out of the lounge and back to their quarters. This was now the life that Daisy would live - and she’d got used to it and even had to admit she liked it. Starfleet had betrayed her and Azalea - and Daisy felt neither her or her sister owed them no loyalty. Her loyalty was to Raven.

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