The intercom on Commodore Rick Hunter's desk buzzed and the sweet voice of his Yeoman, Jamie Piper, filled the air.
"Commodore, Colonel Osbourne is here to see you."
Hunter thumbed the reply switch. "Thank you, Jamie. Send him in."
Moments later, the large wood doors swung open on silent hinges and in strode a tall officer wearing the uniform of the Starfleet Corps of Engineers. He stopped in front of Hunter's desk and stood smartly at attention, and said, "Colonel Oswald Osbourne reporting as ordered, sir!"
"At ease, Colonel," replied Hunter. He stood and offered the other man his hand. "Welcome to Serenity."
"Thank you, sir."
"Can I get you anything?" asked Hunter, motioning to the replicator alcove behind his desk.
"No thank you, sir."
Hunter shrugged and sighed inwardly. He was hoping to prolong this interview so he wouldn't have to get back to his boring paperwork for a little while, but he could tell he wasn't going to have much success. Outwardly though, he maintained his professional demeanor and didn't let his disappointment show.
"All right, Colonel. Before you can start dismantling Starbase 901, you will fly up to the Starbase and work out a schedule with Captain Mallory. Most of the Starfleet and Starfleet Marine Corps assets have already been transferred down to Serenity, but many of the civilian Starbase residents still need to be moved, not to mention all the biological matter on the station."
"Biological matter, sir?"
Hunter raised an eyebrow. "Of course, Colonel. Starbase 901 was a community of over 100,000 permanent residents. That included families and children. The Starbase had all the amenities you'd expect to find in any normal planet-side city -- schools, parklands, gardens, playgrounds... There are hundreds of trees scattered throughout, some of them quite old and large. There's even a Giant Redwood in the center of the Main Promenade! All that has to be removed and transplanted before you can even start disassembling the superstructure for the move through the Black Gate. Trees don't like the vacuum of space, you know."
Hunter watched as the Army Engineer's facial expression fell. He clearly hadn't been expecting to have to play gardener on this assignment. He had to give the man credit though. The dismay in his face only lasted a second before being covered over by his stony facade again.
"I see...," was all Osbourne had to say at the news. "In that case, with the Commodore's permission, I'll beam up to the Starbase and begin figuring out the logistics with my people and Captain Mallory's."
"Very good, Colonel," said Hunter. "Dismissed."
With that, Colonel Osbourne pivoted on his heel and strode from the office as smartly as he had entered.
When he had gone and Hunter was once more alone in the room, he allowed himself an amused smirk. He's tossed a huge monkey wrench into the Colonel's plans, but he had no doubt that the man would deal with it competently and efficiently.
Starbase 901 would get moved out of orbit on schedule, even if the Colonel had to tow it with his bare hands.
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