Joanne stepped off the shuttle that had brought her from Starbase 901 to the surface of the third planet in the Serenity system, known as Serenity. It was a very different place to the one she had just come from. The Mullurans had started an invasion of Ferengi space and all hell had broken loose on the Station.
Joanne was still unsure why she had been assigned to Serenity, the last six months she had been posted on an archeologically dig in a system known as Birdwell within the Briar Patch. Joanne was both a Medic and a Science officer, so she was fulfilling two roles on the dig.
The orders from Starfleet had come in three days previous and Joanne had been put on the next shuttle off-world and found herself on Starbase 901 two days later. With all the activity from the invasion, it had been hard to find anyone available to take her down to the planet surface, but eventually she had found a trader who was heading her way and had managed to 'hitch a ride'.
Now standing in the spaceport, she looked around and noticed that there was little activity at all.
"Can I help you?" someone asked from behind her.
Joanne spun around and looked in the direction of the voice. There she saw a middle-aged man, with greying hair wearing a Starfleet uniform. Almost immediately she realized that the person she was speaking to was no ordinary Starfleet officer, his rank gave everything away.
"No, I'm okay...," Joanne replied. "...Sir."
"Am I to assume that you are Lieutenant Foley?" the Commodore asked.
For a moment Joanne was stunned into silence. How did this Commodore know her name? Joanne thought. Was he here to meet her? If so, why was such a high-ranking official greeting a lowly Lieutenant?
"You don't remember me, do you?" Commodore Hunter asked.
"Sorry Commodore...," Joanne stuttered, "...but should I?"
"No, I suppose you shouldn't," the Commodore stated. "But I remember seeing you around the Academy from time to time. I'm Commodore Hunter, Base Commander. We received the orders from Starfleet Command of your imminent arrival two days ago. With everything that's been going on the past few days, I thought I'd let everyone else get on with their work and come meet you personally."
"Do you know anything about why I am here?" Joanne asked. "All I know is that I was to report to Serenity ASAP and await further instructions."
"I believe a vessel is enroute to Serenity to come and pick you up, but they are not due until tomorrow," Commodore Hunter remarked. "So I guess you'll be our guest for the night."
Joanne picked up her few belongings and followed the Commodore back to the accommodation block on the base. Within an hour, she had been put up in guest accommodation and after three days on the move, soon dropped off to sleep.
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