Furious Orders

Posted on Thu Mar 19, 2026 @ 10:01am by Lieutenant Commander Ronald Hawk & Commander Richard Fitzsimons & Commander Timothy Rouse

1,976 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: S03E01 - Something about Tribbles
Location: Langley Station - XO's Office
Timeline: MD02-17.00 hours

ON:

Tim read the information he'd gotten once more. Meeting with the stations Executive officer at 17:00hrs. He wished the message said why.

Ron received that same message. He took took it at face value, and made his way to the Executives office, tailing Tim without realisation that they were heading to the same place.

Richard leaned back in his chair studying the bios on his PADD. His fingers creased over his forehead as he tried to ease the headache that had lingered since last night. It was interesting getting the more in depth background of Ronald but it posed interesting questions.

His hand continued to stray to his collar as if the new pip felt like a weight that he couldn't get used to. It was still a shock of sorts, an unexpected ball thrown at him from the left field that caused him a daze. Starfleet had never been about career advancement for him; rather a second chance of living; to make amends for the life before. It was going to take time to get used to.

Hearing the room chime, the officer stood to greet the men, "Enter."

Tim entered the room, only then noticing the men that had been walking in the same direction as him was also entering. He didn't say much, just raised a eyebrow.

Ron following on close behind, only now realising that they were to enter the same room was puzzled. "Afternoon/Evening, you summoned me?" He couldn't explain why, but he felt like he had been called in in front of HR.

"I was about to say the same thing." Tim said, looking from Ron to Richard. "Are we indeed here for the same meeting?"

"Lads, it's good to see you both, sorry for the abrupt notice for this meeting. The stations been chaos the last few days with diplomats and teething problems steming from current construction projects." Richard indicated to the seats facing him as he took a seat, "You've both only arrived recently, is settling in all going well?"

"Depends what you mean by recent, sir. But yes, thank you, settling in very well." Ron said, keeping his professional manner and tone, in stark contrast to his persona when the two men had been drinking together.

Recent? Tim thought to himself. He'd been on the station for almost two years now. Although since he has been in the reserves the 'paperwork' might make it appear like he just arrived. He decided to simply ignore the comment and answered the vague. "We've been here a while now,"

Richard nodded his head as looked at both men. "Good to hear. Look, I won't skirt around why I have you both here and let's see if I can get to the point. Tim I expect the name USS Fury might not mean anything to you, but what about yourself Hawk? Some documents may have already crossed strategic op's desk by now."

“Defiant class, assigned to Langley on standard patrol assignment, we assigned her her first patrol to start later this week,” Ron reeled off almost as if bored. “But what’s she got to do with?”

Richard nodded his head confirming the information given before taking out two PADDs and handing them to the men before focusing on Tim to start. "After consultation with Starfleet and the Commodore, we would like to assign command duties to you both for the ship. Tim; you've been on reserve for awhile now. While we know your family situation, Captaining the lady gives you an opportunity to get out an about more while still having time for your family. She's permanently stationed here at Langley so your not having to go out into space for exceptionally long periods of time. Patrols will be rostered. We would hope that you'd consider this as your experience is one which would be of use."

As she glanced over the padd the words the Commander were saying struck. They were giving him his own command? "You're letting me command her?"

Richard nodded his head as he studied the man's reaction. "No reason not to as I mentioned. With your extensive experience as a tactical officer and then numerous years as executive officer; it makes sense. She's only a defiant class so it'll be small crew and with the staffing issues here on station; you'll get the bare minimum except where it's absolutely urgent."

Would it make him sound vain to say he was aware his qualifications were fitting for his own command. "Thank you, sir." He hadn't done much the last year. After the Sedna was decommisioned after the explosion, to much damage to salvage, and Meru choosing to retire, he'd simply been waiting, and focussed on Andy so Ellen had more time for her career.

"And yourself Hawk..." Richard swiveled his focus back to the other man. "The Commodore personally recommended you to stand as the lady ship's executive officer. She knows it's been tough on you coming back and with all of the changes. But again, you know a good number of the crew here on Langley and have had relations with them. You know how the patrols work and how the space around here is. Between yourself and Tim; the pairing makes sense. Especially for the close quarters that'll be involved."

Ron was blown away by the offer. It wasn’t quite the position he had left behind. The man giving the orders had that job now, but it was a step in the right direction. He read further down his PADD and then stopped rereading a sentence a few times over. “It says here that I will retain my position as Assistant Strategic Officer here in the station, and that I’m to take charge of Tactical off the Fury. How does that work exactly? Is Star Fleet expecting me to do three jobs at once? And to still do those jobs to at my best ability?”

Richard laughed a little as he looked between both men. "Does Starfleet ever expect anything less? We are working at the minute to back stop and better support strategic op's staffing situation. It should allow you to step away and know that Drevas and the staff will be fine in your temporary absences. It will also help to strengthen your department because being on the patrol allows better targeting of any regional concerns on the direct front line. Tactical...well as I mentioned previous Fury is a baby defiant class. We can't fit many onboard so it makes sense that the executive officer will need to double job. Why not give you what your used to? I can look at science or medical if you thought they might be a better fit for you?"

“With all due respect sir, my paper work on my desk won’t be going away, and right now I’m flag shipping a new innovative strategic system. I can’t be in two places at once! My work will suffer somewhere!” Ron kept his composure as he spoke. Showing his dicontent but without anger.

Confusion wrinkled across Richard's face as he studied Ron and tried to understand what was happening here. "Are you saying that you would prefer not to take this role on Fury?"

Tim just looked from one to the other, wondering what was happening here. He hadn't heard of anyone rejecting aposting like this.

“I’m saying I would like not to be overloaded. But I’m guessing my options are slim on that front. Operational requirements take priority, of course.” There was a bitterness in Hawks voice. Not toward the men in the room, but toward the way of the world. Of all the things to change, it was the ones that annoyed him most that hadn’t.

Richard was a little set back by how this conversation had gone but at the same time he was starting to perhaps grasp a little the problem. "The last thing we need is an overloaded officer when the truth for you is simple...your not long back after a long absence and your still finding your feet in a world that kept existing while you were away. Let me ask you this...how could it be made easier for you to be able to do what we are asking of you?"

A deep sigh left Ron, as he resigned himself to his fate. “You can’t. Not without taking a job, or part of a job away, and seeing as I want this new role you are offering me, and we all know Langley is pushed for staffing, there won’t be any give. I’m going to have to make it work myself, aren’t I?”

Richard looked across at Tim as his mind wondered was the man being given a bigger issue than the command of a patrol vessel. The officer moved forward in his chair, crossing his arms on the desk as his eyes moved between the two men. "You have support here Hawk. Weather that support is in the form of myself, Kate, Drevas, counselling and Tim. While this job is tough; nobody expects a person to loose themself and we will all do everything in our capacity to help you. Your a good officer...a good guy. That matters to us all."

Tim still had some problem grasping how this meeting about their apperent new posting had ended up in this conversation. He didn't really know Ron. Ron might have been XO when he, Meru and the rest of the Portland-Sedna crew had arrived. And had might been in a meeting together at some point, he probably wouldn't have recognised him walking the corridors of the station. "Is there anything known about the, I'm sorry, what was the ship's name again?"

“The fury?” Ron chipped in coming back a professional standard, as if a switch had been flicked and he was now seated firmly back in his position as a strategic officer. “She’s a defiant class. Officially a part of the stations garrison as a patrol vessel to keep defence of the sector. Unofficially? I’d hazard a guess that Star Fleet might see the station as a target after the events of the last 18 months. She’s a lot of firepower for a simple patrol after all.”

Well, that was certainly a change in attitude, a change he was happy about. "I am familiar with the class." he replied. "What about any other crew, have they been assigned to the Fury?" he asked Richard.

As an alarm went off on Richard's desk, he brought up his LCARS display. "Ok I'm sorry lads, but I need to move ye along if thats ok? My next appointment it outside and I can't put him off anylonger. It's like a velorail station here today with meetings."

Glancing up, his eyes moved between both men as he gave careful consideration to what he would say next. "We have paired you both together because on paper your both a very good fit for not just your work experience but also your personalities. Working in close quarters we need to know we have people who can work together and not against eachother. Stresses will always play a part...just don't forget to ask for help before it becomes too much. Tim I will send you on all of the details pretaining to the other assigned staff and it'll be a chance for you both to meet between now and first petrol."

On those words, Richard moved to his feet and nodded to both men as a means to dismiss them.

"Yes, sir" Tim simply said.

tag

OFF:

Commander Richard Fitzsimons
Executive Officer
Langley Station

Commander Timothy Rouse
Commanding Officer
USS Fury

Lieutenant Commander Ronald Hawk
Executive Officer
USS Fury
Assistant Head Strategic Officer
Langley Station

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