After a few weeks relaxation on Lake Town Commodore Hunter called Commander Joel Palatio back to duty, to pull convoy duty through the sector. The Commodore's exact words had been 'Use anything and anyone you want.' and here he was in a hangar bay full of Cat's eye ships and fighters. He patted one of the ships on the side as he followed the Quartermaster of the place, a Chief Warrant Officer Third Rank Rowand.
"So how many of this things you say there are?" Joel questioned the young woman.
"I didn't say sir," She turned and pointed down the hangar, "Originally there were thirteen of them. One was lost and three are in terrible disrepair. That leaves you with nine working ships."
"Good." They walked down the line and he stopped at one of the Cat's Eyes seen the old earth muskets on the side, he got intrigued. On the side it had an inscription Daniel Boone. 'I wonder who the hell Daniel Boone was?' He had no idea who the guy was or if he even existed but he did love old guns. "I'll take this one."
"Uh sir," the Warrant Officer looked up and down at the ship, there were scars and black burns from different weapons fire on the sides, "this one has seen a lot of action, there are way never ones. One or two that never got used."
"Nope I'll take this one." He nodded as he went under the cockpit and inspected the two long muskets that were drawn on the bottom. "Yep this one will do. I'll need six starfighters make it two Peregrines, two Banshees, and two Scorpions."
"Yes sir." She started inputting information on a PADD she was carrying. "When would you want them ready sir?"
"By the end of the week." 'But I'll still need a crew.' He got out from under the ship and walked out of the hangar bay. He pulled out a small PADD and looked at two of the names he had already requested to be transferred to his command. A rookie pilot named Alex Dalton, and a Sensor specialist named Dexter Gray. "That leaves me short five people." He said to himself as he approached a terminal. He pressed some buttons and the familiar Starfleet logo came up.
From Commodore Hunter to Commander Palatino. He went through the usual routine of confirming his identity for the machine. A pre-recorded message came up on the screen.
"Commander Palatio, the request for the transfer of personnel over to your command has been accepted. As of 2030 hours tonight Ensigns Alex Dalton and Dexter Gray are under your command. You still need to get five more by the end of the week. With the situations that have been engulfing the colony I had to call you out of your R&R. We need all officers on duty for the time being. Good hunting on your temporary command Hunter out."
The screen flickered and Commander Joel stared at a blank screen, he looked at his chronometer and smiled. I got four hours to get something to eat before I meet the ensigns. They must be really nervous being transferred to another squadron, especially with a commander they never met. I hope I don't intimidate them. He thought about the days when he was an Ensign so long ago, and how some commanders intimidated him; sometimes he didn't know what to do.
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