"First Contact"

Jordan headed for the USS Taurus which was currently docked at Starbase 375. He had just made the trip from Earth to the Starbase and now was on his way to join his new ship. He knew one of his best friends from Starfleet Academy was going to be onboard the ship and had requested a transfer to be with her.

Rachel Luwall and Jordan had been in the same classes together at the Academy, but hadn't seen each other since graduating, although they had kept in touch via sub-space. Jordan was getting nervous, he had never really served on a Starfleet vessel before and he was wondering how he was going to keep in touch with his family, after all Casey was still a little kid.

He entered the embarkation bridge and after being checked over by one of the security personnel at the airlock headed for his quarters.

Ensign Luwall stepped into her quarters and looked around. It seemed so cold and impersonal. Well she could take care of that ! She took out the pictures of her parents and then she took out the picture of her real mom. It was the only one she had. The picture had been found in the basket next to her when she was still a baby. That was her only clue to finding her mother.

Walking out of her quarters she realized suddenly how hungry she was. Now where would the mess hall be? Calling up a map of the ship, she rushed towards the mess hall so she could eat something. Looking around at all the people she wondered who to sit with. Everyone seemed to already have made their new friends. Not knowing what else to do she sat down at the end of a table looking longingly at the other end where people were talking and joking around.

Jordan found his assigned quarters and entered. He placed his things down and took a seat on the small couch. As he sat, he took his guitar out of it's case and started to pluck out some chords. Playing his guitar always made him feel relaxed, but at the moment all it did was remind him even more of home, his family and especially Casey.

Gently he put the guitar back in it's case and looked around the sparse room. He couldn't turn back now, we was on his way to explore the galaxy, starting a new chapter of his life. Deciding to leave his unpacking until later, he instead left his quarters and headed for the mess hall.

Rachel sat quietly 'picking' at her meal whilst the crew around her enjoyed themselves. She was just about to abandon her meal and go back to her quarters when a face from the past walked through the doors of the mess hall.

Rachel squealed and ran over to give her old friend a hug.

"I didn't know you were on this ship!" She said, rather loudly. Looking around sheepishly she drew Jordan towards her table and started firing off questions. "What have you been doing? How's your family? How's Casey? ....."