Joining the Crew

Posted on Tue Aug 4th, 2020 @ 11:19pm by Taryn Stephenson & Colonel Sehan t'Varis

1,123 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Shore Leave: Welcome to Drozana
Location: Drozana Station
Timeline: 238612.25

When the Raven's Claw arrived at Drozana, Gedak, the ship's Ferengi quartermaster, had posted an advert seeking new members of the crew for the ship - seeing as they were planning to acquire a much larger vessel, more manpower would be needed as well. He had already signed up about a dozen freelancers for minor duties - mostly more hands to hold screwdrivers for the ship's Chief Engineer, and more cannon fodder for Ashley and Hatham to send into the firing line. But nobody had seemed qualified enough to be serve as an officer on the crew.

That was until Taryn. When Gedak forwarded her details to Raven for approval, the Commander had decided that he would want to meet with her in person - rather unusual, Gedak had thought, but he had arranged the meeting nonetheless.

So, Raven had made her way once again to the main bar on Drozana, where she and Gedak had hired a small, private room to use for interviews and other meetings. She had made sure to look the most authoritative she could be, with her short, white hair neatly straightened, a fresh white shirt, and her black necktie in a neat Half-Windsor. As the air conditioning in the little room was set too high - so far, nobody had figured out how to set it, not even the owner - she had hung her leather coat over the back of her chair. With a jug of brown ale on the table, she was sat facing the door, waiting for this Taryn to appear.

After docking her shuttle in the station's shuttlebay Taryn made her way to the bar where she would be interviewed for a position on a new ship. The last one had been exciting at first - until the Captain reneged on paying her and a few others for their services. After taking what was hers Taryn was now looking for a new venture - and she was hoping that after a short search she'd found one.

Without knocking Taryn entered the room which the bartender told her was where the interviews were taking place. With her arms folded across her chest she waited for the interview to begin.

Raven looked up from the datapad she had been reading. "Taryn, I presume?" She indicated the chair opposite her. "Take a seat. Have some ale if you want some. I am the one they call Raven."

Taryn sat down and waited for the interview to begin. Being synthetic she didn't require any sustenance - although cold beverages were desirable on occasion to keep her mechanical parts well lubricated. On this occasion she decided that she would accept the offer of a drink.

"So..." Taryn said.

"So." Raven nodded. "My quartermaster sent me all the stuff you sent in response to his advert, but I don't give much for what's on a PADD. He told me he thinks you would make a good weapons expert. Give me a reason to agree with him."

Taryn replied. "I'm still alive"

Raven chuckled. "If simply being alive qualified anyone to be an officer on a ship, this would be a much easier job. You will need to give me more than that, I am afraid. But I like your sense of humour."

"You and your crew will still be alive if you put me in control of your tactical systems. Oh and you'll probably end up paying twice as much for someone half as good as me - but it's your money and a lot of people have more of that than sense. You however - you look like someone who has more of the latter. I'd hate for you to disappoint by proving me wrong" Taryn offered.

Raven smirked. She was beginning to like this girl. "You certainly sound confident. Good. How are you with Romulan weapon systems, I wonder?"

Taryn replied. "Well I'd be a pretty shit weapons officer if I couldn't use the weapons my shuttle is equipped with wouldn't I?"

"Good. You have an eye for quality weaponry then." Raven pulled on her shirt collar, making sure the Tal Shiar rank insignia on it were clearly visible. "One last thing. You will be working very closely with some Imperial Romulan officers."

Taryn really didn't care who or what she had to work with. At the end of the day she just wanted to be paid so she could get by until she got bored and wanted to go and work for someone else.

"I don't give a fuck who I have to work with as long as I get paid the right amount for my services. I accept latinum but there are other methods of payment I accept should you find yourself in arrears" Taryn responded.

"Well then." Raven held out her hand. "Welcome to the crew of the Raven's Claw. I will get Gedak to contact you to arrange all the details about payment and such, as well as getting you your quarters on the ship."

Taryn was surprised that the "other methods of payment" she alluded to weren't queried - but perhaps that was something which would come at a later date. Latinum was preferable but the alternate was just as good - at least to Taryn it was anyway. She shook the other woman's hand before standing up.

"Suits me. Oh - and you'll also have to make space in your shuttlebay for my shuttle. I'm fucked if I'm leaving that here because if I leave it long enough the Ferengi will gut the thing and then coincidentally have all of the parts available for sale when I ask where they've gone. It's not a big ship but you might find it handy if you need to navigate an asteroid field or the likes. Anyway - I'll see you later. If you need me you'll find me in the main shuttlebay tinkering with my shuttle" Taryn said.

"No need to clear any room, our shuttlebay is actually currently empty," Raven replied with a laugh. "We were using it as a secondary cargo hold. Again, contact Gedak, he will make the arrangements with you. Looking forward to working with you."

Taryn nodded and turned on her heel - leaving the room to head back to her trusty craft. It had been built by her creator to get from A to B - and for what it was it was beyond over-engineered. It was fast with above average armament and a hull that could withstand the impact of an asteroid or the immense pressures of a gas giant.

This new adventure for Taryn certainly sounded like a very interesting one - and she was looking forward to embarking on it.

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