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- Captain’s Ready Room -

“Notify me when the Tactical Sensor Tests are complete, I will be in my Ready Room” She said and Donovan nodded.

As the Tactical Sensor tests were going on outside, she wondered if the Chief Engineer had any Idea what was about to happen.

With that she entered her Ready room, pulled out a small wooden box and activated the communications.

=/\= Captain to Lieutenant Tsmel, please report to my Ready Room immediately, Somers out=/\= She said and closed the link.

While she waited for her Chief Engineer, she looked over some reports and when the door chime went off, she put them to one side.

“Enter”

Her Chief Engineer entered.

Sofee walked into the room, as she was asked. "Yes, Captain. What might I be able to do for you?"

"Please be seated Lieutenant”

After the Vulcan was sitting, Somers continued.

“I am officially making you my Second Officer Lieutenant” she said and paused while she studied the Vulcan’s face.

Like most Vulcan’s, Sofee's face was unchanged. "Thank you, Captain."

“Oh there is one more thing!” She said letting it hang there as she stood up, picking up the small box as she walked around the table to her left and the Vulcan’s right side “Please stand Lieutenant” She said.

When the engineer was standing, she continued, as she opened the box to show the Engineer a black pip.

“As my Second Officer, and in my opinion my 2XO cannot be a Full Lieutenant, I am herby promoting you to Lieutenant Commander, with all the rights and privileges of that rank” Jasmine said as she placed the pip behind the second gold pip and stood back. “Congratulation’s Lieutenant Commander Tsmel, you have anything to say or ask?”

"Just thank you again, Captain. I realize this would be the correct thing to say in this instance."

“Indeed, you will need to spend part of your time on the bridge from now on, you understand? Also should you decide to in the future, you can ask to go through the CO’s course like I did, but I must warn it is no easy task, nor is commanding a ship for the first time.” She said trying to read the Vulcan and having no luck.

Sofee nodded. "I understand, Captain, but if I may, Captain, I do not yet trust the Engineering staff to leave them alone with the Engine Room. I had something happen to the ship once already, and I would prefer to have a couple of days to make sure that my Staff knows what they are doing."

"Thats okay Commander, but you will need to do some Bridge duty at some point" Jasmine said.

"I understand, and I shall do so."

"Also Commander when you return to Engineering make sure main and auxillary Power is running perfectly, when we go on our mission I do not want the Power to wink out" She said.

"That was the plan, Captain. I do not like it when anything 'winks out' while in my care. I will check that at once."

"Thank you Commander, dismissed"

Sofee stood up, bowed her head, and then turned and left. She headed straight for Engineering to do a quick check on her staff.

She watched the Chief engineer leave and returned to her desk and reports.

Sofee made it down to Engineering, and looked around. It seemed that the Engineering crew were all doing their job correctly, but she always wanted to double check recently. She had done a good job of training Ensign Jamin as her Assistant, but with the crew change of the Tomcat, he was transferred, and now she had to train someone new. Now she had to do it quickly, so that she could correctly perform her duties as Second Officer.

- Deep Space 10 -

With his duffel bag over his shoulder Anton took one last look at the USS Tomcat from DS10's observation area before turning and heading towards the docking port. As he walked through the station his eyes picked up the going on around him. Everything from the tired Starfleet officer to the shifty looking Ferengi... well all Ferengi look shifty so shiftier than usual.

As he approached the docking ring he saw a pretty fed up looking Ensign standing there. He had no doubt been playing doorman for a while. "Ensign step lively," he barked with his russian accent coming through, scaring the poor lad out of his skin. "Major Markov. I trust you have been informed I would be arriving."

"Uh no sir" came the reply. "I only have a Major Frost on the list."

"That would be because I'm his replacement. Major Frost has been reassigned." He paused while the Ensign took it in and though about whether or not to stop the 6' 4" Major. Anton chuckled. "I'll show myself in. And you need a coffee. I'll get one sent out to you." Anton brushed past and went inside the ship leaving the now even more confused Ensign behind. He began walking to his Quarters to drop his bag off before he could report in.

- USS Tomcat - Various -

Anton dropped his bag onto the floor in his quarters and walked over to the mirror to make sure his uniform was straight. A quick fix and out the door and into the turbo lift. Being so close to the bridge was always handy. As he walked out he took a quick look around at the staff there. Not seeing the Green uniform of Major Somers he turned towards her ready room and pressed the buzzer for entry.

Jasmine was almost finished with her reports when the buzzer sounded.

Quietly to herself "Dammit just about finished too" She said then sighing heavily said "Enter"

A Marine Major entered, she studied him, and looked at new Crew lists and found out who he was.

"Ah Major Markov please be seated" She paused. "Could I offer you a drink?" She asked.

"Certainly. I would say some Russian vodka but I doubt you have any of that hidden in your desk. So a coffee will do nicely." He replied

Getting two drinks, one a mug of tea, the other a mug of Coffee and passed the coffee to Markov as she sat down. She gave him a mysterious smile as he said about Vodka "Oh, how little you know me, Major, I never drink on duty" she said.

Taking a drink of his coffee Anton got right down to business. "So Major what kind of shape are we in? And I hear we have a new 2XO as well. What's she like?" he asked.

Taking a sip of her mug "Well she is the Chief Engineer and a Vulcan, she has been a member of the Tomcat crew, long before I took command. So I figured she was over due a promotion and being the new 2XO a Lieutenant was too junior a rank, so I promoted her to Lieutenant Commander. As for the state of the ship, we are currently aligning Tactical scanners and I plan to run a CAP Drill. I see no reason not to keep our pilots in shape as well as the crew" She answered.

Anton chuckled. "A Vulcan eh? I suppose she will keep us marines well behaved at the very least. I'm sure she knows her stuff, I'll drop in on her later." He took another drink of coffee. "I'm going to assume those tactical scanners are a priority. We'd be no use without them. Once we get them working we can always have the CAP engage us in a simulated battle. Just to test both crew perhaps?"

Taking another sip of her tea "So Major where were you before coming to the Tomcat! did you serve on a ship or a base?" She asked.

"I've been about. Just off the USS Los Angeles as her XO. Before that I worked by way up the ranks of various stations and ships through the dominion war." He instinctively reached to his arm and scratched the scar. "Then got a nice post patrolling the border on the USS Hawk her her marine XO. Eventually moved to her Marine CO. Then the LA and now here. Figured that the Cardassian border was always where I'd be. And no better place than a Marine ship like the Tomcat. Your turn Major. How'd you end up out here?"

Finishing her tea and putting the cup down "believe it or not I started off as a Full Lieutenant on the USS Comanche a Steam runner Class ship, when things went south, I was transferred to the USS Sentinel made Lieutenant Commander and for a short time Second Officer, before that went South when the CO vanished." She paused "Then when an opening on the USS Invincible came up I had already transferred to Starfleet Marines and become the ships Marine CO on the ship, but I did not have much luck with COs as he too gone and done a vanishing act. Shortly after that I applied for my own Command did the COs tests and took Command of the Tomcat, my first Command and I am already on my second First Officer" She said with a light chuckle, and this is how I ended up out here, it is an experience I can tell you" She finished.

"Ahh I see. Well I'll make sure you don't do anything stupid. And I plan to stay around," he said with a mischievous wink. He drained the last of his coffee and put the cup on the desk. "CO's exam is to much trouble. I figure if they want me to command they'll offer me it based on my experience. If that's not good enough I'm content to keep doing this."

As he finished the Comms Came alive.

=/\= Donovan to Captain =/\=

Activating the Comm panel on her desk

=/\= Go ahead Lieutenant =/\=

=/\= Tactical Sensors and Targeting aligned, orders? =/\=

Looking at Markov but speaking to Donovan =/\= Have Helm take us clear of the station and prepare for a combat exercise with our fighters =/\= she responded.

=/\= Confirmed boss, Tactical out =/\=

As the link closed, Jasmine looked to Markov.

"Well Major go sort out the CAG and brief him on the exercise, Fifteen ships will be our CAP, while the other fifteen will act as the enemy, all of us will fire powered down Phasers, this will happen when we are a safe distance from DS 10" She said to Markov.

Standing up and straightening his uniform he replied, "Will do Major. I'll go and grab the 2XO and take her down with me. Let her see how that side of things run. Chances are I'll stay down with the fighter jocks control room to keep an eye on them." Turning about he walked to the door and pressed the button to open it. As it slides open he turned and said, "And Major. I'll bring you one of my bottles of Russian Vodka. For your off duty enjoyment of course." With that he walked out and headed towards main engineering.

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