The Right Person for the Job

Posted on Sat Aug 8th, 2026 @ 5:09pm by Captain Marc Steyn & Lieutenant Syvar MD & Lieutenant JG Maec O'Donnaghue

2,059 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Season 1, Episode 1: Ashes of Wolf 359
Location: Earth Space Dock - Office Suite 159

ON

Because Genesis was still weeks away from being ready, and Marc had a copious amount of paperwork to complete before his ship's launch, Command had granted him the use of an office on the starbase. They had described it as "small," but it was nearly twice the size of his old office aboard the Roosevelt. It even included a separate bedroom, along with an attached washroom and toilet. It felt less like an office and more like a modest hotel suite.

On reflection, perhaps it was something he would have to grow accustomed to. He was a commanding officer now, and with the position came privileges as well as responsibilities.

PADDs lay neatly arranged across his desk as he worked his way through the crew manifests. His attention lingered on the medical department. Doctor Syvar had already been hard at work assembling the ship's medical staff, but one particular name had caught Marc's eye. He found himself wondering whether the good doctor might be willing to allow one of his nurses to split their duties. Given the large size of Genesis's crew, it seemed a practical arrangement, or at last to the Captain it did.

He reached up and tapped his combadge. A sharp chirp confirmed the computer was awaiting his request.

"Captain Steyn to Doctor Syvar and Lieutenant..." He paused briefly, glancing back down at the personnel file to confirm the name. "...Lieutenant O'Donoghue. Please report to my office aboard the starbase. Level Ninety-Three, Suite One Fifty-Nine."

The channel closed with a soft chirp, leaving only the quiet hum of the office and the ever-growing stack of personnel files waiting for his attention.

"On my way captain," the Vulcan's cheerful voice answered.

Maec had just got himself situated as he was getting himself ready to leave space dock when the genesis was able, his comm badge chirped as he smiled "On my way captain" he said as he packed the last of the books into the respective box and placed it with the others placed high by his door, the blast door retracted as he stepped out, winding his way to the turbo lift. It was only a small way from his quarters, Stepping in Maec spoke, "Computer take me to Level 90" he said as the turbo lift whooshed to life and deposited him at level 90.

While he waited for their arrival, Marc took a moment to step away from the desk, stretching the tension from his shoulders and feeling the satisfying release as his back protested before it popped and finally relaxed. He had spent far too many hours hunched over personnel reports, supply manifests, and operational documents. The responsibilities of command had a way of finding every spare moment, and he was beginning to understand that a captain's work was rarely finished.

He made his way over to the replicator.

"Raktajino, double sweet," he ordered.

A soft hum filled the room as the replicator's familiar shimmer of light coalesced into form. Within moments, the steaming beverage appeared in the receptacle. Marc retrieved it carefully, cradling the ceramic mug between both hands and allowing the warmth to seep into his fingers. The rich aroma of the Klingon coffee substitute rose gently, a welcome comfort amidst the sterile efficiency of the starbase.

For a moment, he simply stood there, enjoying the brief pause.

He crossed the office toward the panoramic viewport that dominated one wall, offering a breathtaking view into the interior of the station's main docking complex. Calling it a window seemed almost inadequate. The transparent aluminium stretched from floor to ceiling, providing an uninterrupted view of one of Starfleet's greatest engineering achievements.

Beyond the glass, the cavernous interior of the space dock stretched away into the distance, a vast artificial environment where starships hung suspended like jewels within a mechanical cathedral. Massive support structures crisscrossed the interior, illuminated by thousands of work lights and glowing status indicators. Docking arms extended from the walls and platforms, connecting vessels to the station while teams of engineers and technicians moved along them like tiny figures against the immense scale of the facility.

The gentle movement of machinery was almost hypnotic. Cargo transports glided silently along their designated pathways, carrying supplies and equipment between the various levels. Shuttlecraft darted through the open space, their navigation lights blinking as they weaved between larger vessels. The constant activity gave the impression that the entire station was alive, a vast organism dedicated to maintaining the fleet.

His own ship was absent from the impressive display. Genesis remained at Utopia Planitia above Mars, undergoing the final stages of construction and preparation before her launch. For now, she existed only in schematics, reports, and Marc's imagination.

Instead, his eyes settled on the vessels currently occupying the dock.

An Excelsior-class starship dominated one section of the facility, its elegant lines and sweeping nacelles instantly recognisable even at a distance. For a moment, Marc thought it might be the USS Hood, but the angle and distance made it impossible to confirm the registry or name emblazoned upon the hull. Regardless, seeing a ship of that class brought a certain sense of familiarity. The Excelsior design had become an icon of Starfleet exploration and endurance.

Nearby, two Miranda-class vessels rested within their docking berths, their distinctive roll-bar configurations making them impossible to mistake. They were older designs by modern standards, but Marc knew better than most that age did not necessarily equate to obsolescence. Many of those ships had served for decades, their crews and captains carrying them through conflicts, discoveries, and missions that had shaped the Federation.

Directly outside his viewport, however, was the smallest vessel in sight.

An Oberth-class science ship sat docked alongside the stations interior, its compact frame filling the entire view from Marc's perspective. Compared to the larger starships nearby, it looked almost fragile, but he knew the reputation of those vessels. They were not built for power or combat; they existed to explore, observe, and gather knowledge. In many ways, they represented the purest ideals of Starfleet.

Marc took another sip of his raktajino, watching the ships and the activity around them. Soon, Genesis would join that scene. Soon, she would move from being a collection of components and engineering reports into a living starship with a crew depending on him.

The thought was both exhilarating and daunting.

The door chimed, pulling him from his thoughts.

Still looking out at the dock, he absently called out, "Enter."

Syvar was the first to enter, his youthful appearance a stark contrast to the position he held now. Though twenty six standard years old, he had the appearance of a young man who might be at the end of his teenage years. Adding to that his abundance of emotions and it occasionally made him look even younger. "Captain?" He queried as he waited for the man to turn around and face him. "You wanted to see me?"

Maec walked round the corner to find suite one-fifty-nine. He pushed down his uniform as he entered the suite, a small smile fixed on his face "Lieutenant O'Donnaghue Reporting as ordered Sir" he said as brought himself further into the room.

"Gentlemen, please, come in. Take a seat."

Marc was pulled from his thoughts, his gaze reluctantly leaving the view beyond the window. It had captivated him on more than one level. His mind had wandered from wondering whether any of the ships in the busy dockyards had been rebuilt from the shattered hulks left in the wake of Wolf 359, to contemplating where this unexpected new chapter of his career might lead him.

The captain waited until both men had settled before speaking.

"I'll get straight to the point. Doctor Syvar, your nurse is far more than a qualified medical officer. Having reviewed his record, I believe his skills would be invaluable elsewhere as well."

The captain shifted his attention to the nurse for a brief moment before looking back to the doctor.

"With his consent—which I intend to ask for next—I would like to assign him a second duty as the ship's counsellor."

He folded his hands on the desk.

"I appreciate that this would inevitably draw him away from the responsibilities he already carries within Sickbay. That's precisely why I'm speaking to you first. I won't make the offer without your input, Doctor. If this arrangement would leave your department shorthanded or compromise patient care, I want to hear your concerns before I ask for his decision."

"If he's needed as counselor, I can hardly say no sir," Syvar answered, almost logically, "but I expect him in sickbay during times of emergency or a red alert."

"Which brings me to the next point..." Marc said, his gaze settling on Lieutenant O'Donnaghue. "Lieutenant, is this a position you would be interested in taking on? Even if only on a trial basis? It would, of course, be with the full understanding that you would continue to report directly to Doctor Syvar and, at his request, you would be expected to answer to Sickbay whenever a medical emergency or crisis demanded your expertise."

There was no point in dancing around the issue now. Time was slipping away, and Genesis was rapidly approaching completion. Before long, she would cast off and sail into the vast black expanse of space. Yet several key positions still remained unfilled, and Marc could no longer afford to delay difficult conversations.

Maec had looked on with a smile "I am more than happy to undertake this role sir" he said smiling at the captain "As long s my department head is ok with me splitting my duties i have the experience to perform both of my roles and will happily do both" he said folding his hands in his lap as he looked around.

"Then it's decided," Marc said, unable to keep a note of excitement from creeping into his voice. "I'll let Doctor Syvar handle the paperwork. Commodore Reyes has been encouraging me to learn the finer art of delegation."

His smile broadened as he offered the other man a hand.

"But, paperwork aside, I would like to formally welcome you to the Genesis senior staff. It's good to have you with us."

Syvar just nodded. "The so-called paperwork will have been sorted in the morning," he promised.

"Very good," Marc said with an approving nod. "Doctor, I'll need to sit down with you properly soon. It'll be more of an operational discussion than anything concerning the day-to-day running of Medical. That, I'm very happy to leave in your capable hands. What I do want to discuss is the wider command structure aboard Genesis—including the possibility of having you take the centre chair from time to time when circumstances require it. You're a senior officer, and I don't intend for command responsibility to rest solely with the usual bridge crew. If I'm unavailable, I want to know the ship is in capable hands, and I suspect you may find yourself wearing a captain's chair on occasion."

He began to rise from his chair, glancing briefly towards the chronometer before offering an apologetic smile. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to cut this a little short. I have a million and one things still to get through before we launch tomorrow, and apparently the paperwork doesn't care that I'm about to become a starship captain." A faint chuckle accompanied the words. "Thank you both for your time. I look forward to seeing you both tonight at my home. For once, there'll be no uniforms, no reports and, hopefully, no one asking me to sign anything."

And with that, Marc escorted them both from the suite that had served as his home away from home for the past several weeks. He paused briefly at the threshold, casting one last glance back into the room.

It was a strange feeling knowing he would likely never see it again. So much of the final preparation for Genesis had happened here—late nights, endless reports, difficult conversations and the occasional precious hour of quiet. Yet tomorrow, Earth would be behind him, and this temporary home would become another small chapter in the life he was leaving behind.

He turned back to his guests with a faint smile and continued down the corridor, ready to face whatever the final hours before launch had in store.

END

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