A New Assignment

Posted on Fri Feb 21st, 2025 @ 12:49pm by Captain Olivia Smith "Liv" & Major JB Dersch

689 words; about a 3 minute read

Mission: The Arms of Amadeus
Location: Templar Station - XO Office
Timeline: Before Townsend leaves for Earth to Meet Halo

The steady hum of the docking bay’s environmental controls filled the air as Major JB Dersch stepped off the transport, boots hitting the deck with practiced ease. The scent of recycled oxygen mixed with the faint metallic tang of duranium plating—different from a starship but not entirely foreign. Looming around him was Templar Station, a formidable installation on the fringes of Federation space, standing as a bastion of stability in an increasingly volatile sector.

JB adjusted his duffel over his shoulder, his sharp eyes scanning the bustling docking bay. Starfleet officers and station personnel moved with purpose, overseeing incoming shipments, prepping shuttles for deployment, and ensuring the station’s daily operations continued without a hitch. A small squad of Starfleet Marines stood in formation near the far end of the deck, locked in an intense training exercise under the watchful gaze of their drill instructor.

And standing just beyond them, arms crossed, was Captain Olivia Grace. She wore her duty uniform with the same crisp professionalism he remembered, her expression one of cool authority. Even after all these years, she hadn’t changed much.

JB smirked slightly as he approached. “Captain. Good to see you again.”

Grace allowed a rare smile to cross her lips. “Major Dersch. It’s been too long.” She gestured for him to follow, leading him into the station’s operations corridor. Around them, the pulse of Templar Station continued—technicians ran diagnostics, security personnel maintained their watchful posts, and officers engaged in quick, serious conversations over data padds.

“I appreciate you accepting this transfer,” Grace said as they walked. “The Marine detachment here needs strong leadership, and I can’t think of anyone better suited to whip them into shape.”

JB let out a low chuckle. “I’ll take that as a compliment. What exactly am I walking into?”

Grace’s expression darkened slightly. “The sector has seen a surge of corporate-backed operatives—some working under the radar, others testing boundaries more aggressively. They’re looking to establish influence where they shouldn’t. My security teams are working to identify and quietly remove them, but tensions are rising. I need the Marines on this station at peak readiness. If things escalate, we’ll be the ones standing between order and chaos.”

JB gave a firm nod. “Understood. First thing I’ll do is assess the unit, see what needs fixing. Any specific orders from Admiral Townsend?”

Grace exhaled. “He’ll be arriving soon with additional intel. For now, your orders are clear: organize the Marine detachment, evaluate their combat readiness, and make adjustments as needed. We don’t have the luxury of weak links.”

JB smirked. “You always did like a challenge, Grace.”

She returned his look with a knowing glint in her eye. “And you always did know how to get the job done.”

As they entered the station’s main operations hub, Grace cast a sideways glance at him, her tone shifting slightly. “By the way, how’s Lilly? Last I heard, she was stationed at Starbase 113 as a medical officer.”

JB’s expression softened at the mention of his girlfriend. “She’s doing well. Keeping busy, as always. We’ve been making it work—messages, short leaves when we can. She’s been heavily involved in post-Frontier Day trauma research, helping refine Starfleet’s emergency response protocols. I keep telling her she needs to slow down, but you know how stubborn she is.”

Grace smirked. “I do. She’s one of the best. Starfleet is lucky to have her.”

“No arguments there,” JB replied. “Would be nice if we could get stationed closer together, but duty calls.”

Grace nodded knowingly. “It always does.” She stopped just outside the entrance to the Marine barracks. “This is where I leave you, Major. You’ve got your orders. Make this unit into something I can rely on.”

JB straightened, giving her a firm nod. “Consider it done, Captain.”

With that, Olivia Grace turned on her heel and disappeared down the corridor, leaving JB standing at the threshold of his new post. He exhaled, rolling his shoulders as he prepared to step inside.

 

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