Captain Anzyl Praxas and First Officer Commander Neil O'Reilly left the ready room with a renewed understanding of their new relationship and dynamic.
However, Anzyl felt the need to tap into his previous host's memories of being a Diplomat. He was pretty sure Neil would be the only Starfleet uniform he would meet that day. Despite having read up on the crew and their dossiers in the days prior, the life memories of a diplomat and ambassador told him that dossiers were one thing, meeting the person face to face was always different.
To break the ice, Anzyl announced to the crew on the bridge, "Greetings, everyone! You may already know who I am, but let's make it official. My name is Anzyl Praxas, your captain aboard this ship. I very much look forward to meeting and getting to know each and every one of you in the future. For now, myself and First Officer O'Reilly are going to meander around and get some introductions out of the way. Keep doing what you're doing. We're not leaving the space dock, and in no rush." He clapped his hands and smiled, easing the tension in the room.
Some of the officers smiled and nodded, while others shook their heads, rolling their eyes.
"Well, number 1, let's get started," the captain smiled.
Going in a clockwise manner around the bridge, their first stop after leaving the ready room was the helm. The pilot seat of this massive vessel greeted them with familiar light pink skin, violet eyes, and magenta lips.
"Ensign Lusaalli, are you comfortable in your new post?" Anzyl smiled warmly.
"Yes, Captain. Just getting my feeling for the controls. I've spent many hours in the simulator and know just how this ship flies. You have nothing to worry about."
"So tell me, how did Kuumaarke recommend you for this post? She didn't even tell me she was sending you, but she is super busy being an Admiral now."
Her magenta lips smiled a heartwarming smile of gratitude. "I was the helm officer aboard the ISS Reskava. Then the posting came up for this ship, Captain Kuumaarke vehemently fought for me to have this posting, and I can't thank her enough! It's such an honor to be here!"
"Glad to have you aboard too, Ensign!" Anzyl smiled and proceeded on.
"And here is our Communications officer, Lieutenant Heluna, of the Romulan Republic," Neil open-handedly guided the captain to their next post.
A young woman in her late 20s, with long black, wavy hair and blonde highlights, turned around in her chair. She had a respectful smile and poise of grace and elegance.
"Aefvadh (be welcome here), Lieutenant." Anzyl bowed.
"Shaoi ben (formal greeting to a superior), Captain," she bowed her head. She sat with the poise and posture of a proud Romulan, but her style reflected the newer generations that explored the cultures and styles of the worlds beyond.
"I read that you were assigned here from your recent post aboard the RRW Lleiset, and you were handpicked by Jarok herself?" Anzyl greeted her.
"Indeed, Captain. I was the chief communications officer on the Lleiset and look forward to the opportunity this cultural exchange has to offer."
"That's a rather enlightened view coming from a Romulan," Neil spoke up.
"My people have been xenophobic long enough. The most it got us was a destroyed homeworld and not enough allies when we needed them most. The New Republic is using this opportunity to spread our wings and take on this new paradigm that we found ourselves in, and I couldn't be happier to be a part of it."
"Happy to have you here, Lt. Jolan'Tru (common hello/goodbye)," Anzyl bowed.
"Jolan'Tru, Captain," she gracefully bowed and returned to her station.
Neil motioned to the next station, "Our chief of operations, Lieutenant Eroga, Daughter of Drex of the house Martok."
Anzyl's face lit up, "Eroga! My, how you've grown!"
The Klingon woman in her early 30s, with chocolate skin, black wavy hair, and signature cranial ridges looked puzzled, "I'm sorry, Captain, but I do not think we have met before this day."
Realizing the truth in her words, he chuckled, "I'm sorry, Eroga, you're correct. My previous host, Milian, knew your grandfather Martok and grandmother Sirella well. I've known..." pausing to reset the correct memories, a common problem among joined Trill, "She knew you since you were born."
Eroga smiled awkwardly and nodded, "I will tell my grandparents you send them greetings."
"Moving on," Anzyl whispered to Neil and walked away a little embarrassed. He could usually sift through his six lifetimes of memories well. He's been joined for years now, but to this day, it still is tough sometimes.
"Our Chief of Security, Third Zide'Mok, Jem'Hadar of the Dominion," Neil motioned to. A stern alien man, with gray reptilian skin, small centimeter horns along his chin and jawline, and silver Jem'Hadar uniform.
Anzyl nodded, knowing that Jem'Hadar were not ones for small talk, idle chit chat, or useless banter. Only direct, pointed questions for this species of genetically grown warriors.
"Tell me, Third, how old are you? Do you have a Ketracel White supply on board?" Anzyl's personality completely shifted, from the open and charismatic Trill to a stern and dominant leader.
"I have seen 10 summers, and the medical officer has advised that the White can be replicated on board, enough for myself and the other Jem'Hadar on board."
"Tell me, why are you a Third, not a first or second?"
"You are first," Zide'Mok motioned to the captain, "and this man is second," pointing to Neil, "I am third, but highest order of the Jem'Hadar on board."
Anzyl thought, and remembered how Jem'Hadar ordered a Ship. "That is an incorrect assumption." He explained in a monotone commanding voice "In actuality, you are First, as you are in charge of the Jem'Hadar on board. Neil here would be your Vorta Commander, you report directly to him, and I would be your Founder, being Neil's Superior. Reassess your hierarchy to fit those parameters."
Zidemok thought for a second and firmly nodded, "Yes Sir."
"Thank you, First, that is all." Anzyl nodded and then left, turning to Neil, "an entire platoon of Jem'Hadar warriors on board for security, eesh, times have changed…"
Neil nodded and pointed to the last stop on the bridge, "and our Chief Tactical Officer, Veirik." He pointed to a muscular, well-built human-looking man, with military-short buzzed brown hair and a stubbled face. He seethed with masculinity and was probably the only person on board bigger than Neil.
"Our resident Illyrian," Anzyl smiled, "I was told to ask you about the 'Octo-Omni Directional Beam Array. Care to explain or elaborate?"
Unamused and a little annoyed by having to talk, the behemoth of a man explained, "It utilizes the Plasmonic Leech weapon battery, to fire either one, or up to all eight kinds of directed beam energy weapons at up to eight targets simultaneously. An Antiproton, Disruptor, Phaser, Plasma, Polaron, Tetryon, Transphasic, and Borg Kinetic cutting beams. While the Plasmonic Leech redirects energy drained from targets on impact, refilling our weapon energy batteries, allowing for near-constant weapons fire, as long as the target still has shields or power." He explained bluntly.
"Fascinating…" Anzyl spoke in wonder.
"Yes… fascinating." he blankly stared back, typing away at his console.
"Can you elaborate on what genetic augmentation you decided to go with?" Anzyl asked, continuing the conversation.
Visibly annoyed, "I chose militaristic augmentations, increased physical strength, stamina, reflexes, speed, and visual accuity as well as increased tactical reasoning and theorizing."
"Well…" he shook the man's hand, "Ad Astra Per Aspera Veirik." Anzyl smiled softly, fond memories flowing into his mind. The saying had evolved into a greeting among close friends among the Illyrian people.
Shocked by the use of the term, the brutish man calmed and relaxed suddenly, "Ad Astra Per Aspera to you, Captain…. How did…" he asked.
"My second host, Azre, served aboard the Enterprise with Una Chin-Riley along with Christopher Pike. She was groundbreaking and a revolutionary for your people."
"You KNEW Una Chin-Riley?!" his eyes lit up like he met a celebrity, now vigorously shaking the captain's hands.
"Wait!" Lusaalli and the other members of the crew piped up, "You were on THE Enterprise with THE Pike and Chin-Riley?!" she said interrupting, "Sorry, no holodecks on Lukari ships, so lots of time to read up on old Federation history."
"I wasn't! The Praxas symbiote was with Azre." he chuckled, "She was a stellar-cartographer on board. Spock was my boss then. I knew Una Chin-Riley, Uhura, the whole crew. I used to have cookouts in Pike's quarters… man he had good hair." He explained to the room, reminiscing about centuries past. "I was even on board during the notorious 'Subspace Rhapsody' incident!"
The crew laughed and gawked at each other. Veirik's mentality towards the captain and respect for him skyrocketed in that conversation. "It is truly an honor to meet you and serve under you, Captain! I will not let you down!" The huge man kept shaking the captain's hand.
"I look forward to working with you too, Veirik!" Anzyl said, finally prying his hands from his vice grip.
"Shall we continue to Engineering now, sir?" Neil suggested, as they walked to the transporter pad.
"Let's go!" Anzyl smiled and hummed and sang to himself, "Most unusual, so peculiar…." as he flashed white and disappeared.