"A New Start"

Logan walked briskly back aboard the Taurus from the station. For some reason Commander Doggett had requested Logan's presence in his office at 14:00 hour. Of course it was just like the chief to only allow Logan five minutes to reach his office, but he knew that Doggett was just testing him. Doggett had been Logan's senior officer for the past eighteen months, both having been assigned to the Taurus during the shakedown cruise of the refitted New Orleans class vessel.

Logan also knew that although he only had a few minutes, there was enough time even with the turbolift system off-line to reach the office without breaking out into a run. For many of the crew aboard the Taurus, this had been their last shipboard tour. Some were leaving Starfleet all together, having served their fifteen years, others like the Captain where moving on to desk jobs.

Logan had liked Captain Scully, but she had been given a promotion to Commodore and given a position at Starfleet Command. The Captain was an 'old school' commander, well into her sixties but the passage of time was starting to show and the change to an Earth-bound job had come as some relief to the Captain.

The final set of crew were those like Logan and Doggett who were staying aboard ship. Most of those had taken time off once the Taurus had returned to McKinley Station to visit loved ones. The few that remained were involved in the fine-tuning of the ships systems or like Logan volunteers, ensuring that the ship remained operational.

Although Logan would have preferred to go and see his kid sister Lana, who had just graduated from the Academy. Doggett had 'suggested' that staying aboard ship could show Starfleet that Logan was dedicated to his job and a prime candidate for promotion. But Logan knew that the Chief just wanted to have someone he trusted with him. The Taurus wasn't due to leave McKinley until the 26th of June and there was always the possibility of making a quick trip to Earth during that time.

Logan had spoken several times to Lana over sub-space and she was getting very excited the last time they had spoken. She had just received her first assignment, although she was very 'cagey' about the details. All she would say to her brother was that it was aboard a vessel and like her older brother was in security. Logan had been pleased for his sister, his only living relative. Although there was a thirteen-year age gap between them, Logan had brought up his sister from the age of eight, when their parents were killed.

Logan hadn't at first been too pleased when he'd learnt that his sister had followed in their father and her brother's footsteps and taken the Security career path at the Academy. But Lana could look after herself, they had both been brought up to defend themselves effectively.

As the only two security officers' currently onboard ship, Logan and Doggett had to cover the entire vessel between them. Which wasn't so difficult, no one could transport aboard the Taurus directly, which left two options shuttle or transporter to the station and then walk across to the ship. There had been a lot of coming and goings since the vessel had arrived back which had made the job of security more difficult especially as the refit was officially still classified.

Logan finally reached the Security Chiefs offices and stepped inside. Although he hadn't been forced to run from the station to the Security Chiefs office (A distance of close to a kilometre) he had jogged along the final corridor from the Jefferies tube, just to make things look good.

"13:59" Doggett commented. "A minute early, just how far did you have to run?"

"Just from the station airlock and through the Jefferies tubes." Logan replied. "Now are you going to tell me what's so important that you just made me run all this way to your office."

"I wanted to see if you were upto your next assignment ?" Doggett replied, a smile crossing his face. He was well aware that Logan hadn't run all the way, as he had been tracking him from the moment he had arrived aboard ship. "And it looks like you're still in good enough shape."

"New assignment ?" Logan enquired. "I thought I was staying onboard ship as your number two."

"You are staying aboard the ship." Doggett replied. "But not as my number two. This came through about an hour ago, take a look."

Doggett passed a data Padds to Logan, who opened the file and started to read. At the head of the page was a transfer request in Doggett's name, which was labelled as approved. It stated that the Commander had been granted a transfer back to Earth.

"Why ?" Logan asked.

"Because I'm getting too old for this job." Doggett replied. "Ship security is a young mans game."

"You're only a few years older than me." Logan stated.

"Fourteen years to be exact." Doggett corrected Logan. "But there's something else, I've told very few people this and I'd prefer it if it didn't become common knowledge. Remember about a year ago, when I damaged my leg heavily whilst climbing. Well the Doctor discovered that I'm suffering from a rare muscle wasting disease. He says it's treatable and the disease won't effect my ability to work for at least another twenty year. But I know that I'm no longer fit to work aboard a vessel, so I requested a transfer to Earth. I'm going to spend the remained of my working life as an instructor at the Academy."

"I'm sorry to hear about your problem." Logan commented sympathetically. "So you're going to take try and take it easy are you. So who's replacing you ?"

"Take a look at this second Padd." Doggett replied, pushing a second Padd over to Logan.

Logan placed the first Padd down and started to read the second. A smile crossed his face as he read it.

"Congratulations." Doggett said.

"But how ?, why ?" Logan spluttered. "Why did Starfleet pick me to be the new Security chief."

"Because I told them to." Doggett replied modestly. "OK, I didn't exactly tell them to, but I made a strong recommendation that you be my replacement. You know this ship inside out, every nook and cranny. You are the best man for the job and Starfleet Security agrees with me."

Doggett stood up from behind his desk and reached out his hand. Logan brought his own hand up and shook his senior officer's hand.

"One last thing." Doggett commented, reaching into the desk drawer. "Computer, begin recording. Lieutenant Logan McQueen, by the power vested in me by the Federation council and Starfleet command I hereby promote you to the rank of Full Lieutenant."

Doggett opened the small box he had taken out of the drawer and walked around the desk towards Logan. He removed the black pip on Logan's lapel and replaced it with the gold one in the box.

"Lieutenant Logan, I hereby relinquish the security of the USS Taurus to your care." Doggett stated. "Good luck Chief."

"Thank you Chief." Logan stated.

"We'll see you at the Captain's leaving do ?" Doggett replied. "The new Captain should be aboard by then, let's hope that he doesn't stop the party."

"Of course." Logan confirmed.

"The new crew rosters are on your desk." Doggett stated. "I'd suggest you read through them before tonight."

"Thanks Chief." Logan said.

"I'd suggest you check the Captains and the security rosters first." Doggett suggested. "Try the seat, it's quite comfortable."

Doggett left his former office for the last time, whilst Logan moved around the desk and cautiously sat down. He was expecting the Commander to return at any moment and tell him it was all a big joke and that he wasn't transferring at all.

Doggett didn't return, so he relaxed in the chair and picked up the Padds. The first detailed the Captain's service record.

Alexander John Buford, a Commander. Logan thought.

Buford had not captained a vessel before, but had spent the last four years as executive officer aboard the USS Cochrane-A. He had an excellent service record and Logan started to feel like he knew this man. Just like Logan, Buford was a career officer, with a long line of service in the Military of Earth.

Logan put down the first Padd and picked up the second. This one started with a list of all the new crew coming aboard, spilt into departments. He skipped through to the security department, wondering why Doggett had pointed him in that direction. Several familiar names of returning crew scrolled down the screen, but one name stood out.

"Well at least we know where Lana has been assigned." Logan said out loud to himself. "So that's why she wouldn't tell me."

Logan checked the details and saw that Lana would be arriving onboard in about a week. She obviously wouldn't know of Logan's promotion, so it was now his turn to have some fun. Logan smiled and put down the Padd.