Lineages, Part II
Posted on Wed Aug 26th, 2026 @ 4:16pm by Commander Percival "Percy" Tapper & Lieutenant Tyler Hunt
Edited on on Wed Aug 26th, 2026 @ 5:31pm
1,591 words; about a 8 minute read
Mission:
Escape Velocity
Location: Ready Room, USS Eventide
Timeline: 15 Days Before Launch
Previously...
Percy found himself remembering a younger Andre among a group of United Earth Fleet hopefuls in Sao Paulo, several weeks after the Xindi attack. Earth was a very different place twenty-seven years ago.
While never becoming friends, both Percy and Andre were well-acquainted and had brushed shoulders more than a dozen times over the years.
"I've known your father for a bit," Percy said with a nostalgic smile. "He was serving aboard Meridian during the stand-off with the Nausicaans while I was aboard Spetsai."
"He mentioned you giving a room full of Flag Officers a piece of your mind a few years ago," Tyler brought up. "Something about research you had been doing while assigned to the Academy and would not back down. My father didn't get into the details but said that you got your point across. Left him highly impressed."
Percy smiled with a bit of pride. "There was a period of time where Starfleet Academy was becoming too naval, too focused on preparing for potential war with anyone new we might run into." He motioned for Tyler to take a seat and then sat back in his own chair.
"Prior to the founding of the Federation, the Coalition were busy fighting a bloody war with the Romulans. By the time it ended and the Federation was founded, there were still quite a few flag officers who were intent on having Starfleet on a war-footing. In very short order, the Academy was quickly becoming an officer candidate training school with no room for the sciences."
"Thank you, Sir." Tyler sat down in the seat as instructed. "That was starting to change by the time I graduated the Academy."
Percy whistled low. "Thank the stars it did. Some at Command had entirely forgotten what Enterprise and Columbia accomplished twenty-five years ago. But I digress."
He studied the young man in silence for a few moments that would have felt less awkward had it only been for one.
"Lieutenant," Percy said, "Tell me about yourself. Where would you like to be in five or ten years?"
Remaining silent for a brief moment, Ty hadn't expected this question at all. "Five years from now, I would like to be on the track to command. Definitely a first officer in ten years."
"Those are good goals and with your service record, I don't doubt you'll accomplish them in that timeframe." He paused and studied Tyler a little more. He certainly looked like Andre, but he seemed more his own man than a cut of his father.
"How do you feel about being far from home for months--maybe a year, crammed into a small vessel and surrounded by scientists?"
"Outside of my parents and sister. I have no relationship ties that would make me need to run back to Earth every couple of weeks or months. Actually, I am looking forward to getting out there and making a bit of history. The vessel isn't too small. And I have no issues with scientists. Unless there's something that I don't know about them."
Percy nodded and considered his own relationships and entanglements. There weren't any--not anymore. Not since Evie died, and definitely not since he and Claire had moved on from one another. Tyler's youth meant his connections were closer and stronger.
"Scientists and academics are one of the more peculiar varieties, Mister Hunt. Those in service to Starfleet will understand the proper shipboard channels and the chain of command--they shouldn't be too difficult to deal with. However, I suspect the civilian scientists will test your patience from time to time." He reached over and picked up a data PADD, scrutinizing the contents with a lazy scroll.
"Here," Percy said, placing the PADD in front of Hunt. "This is the current provisioning list. The first section is the ship's equipment. Between engineering, medical, and security, there is already a lengthy demand for supplies. We'll need those before anything else. The second section is consumables. Food, water, medical supplies, environmental reserves, power-generation materials--all the good stuff we'll need when we're weeks away from a resupply."
He let Tyler examine the PADD.
Accepting the PADD, the Lieutenant began looking it over. Arriving on board before coming to the CO's office, he caught a glimpse of the cargo around the corridors and being brought on board. Needless to say, it was erratic and unorganized. The thought of it all put a bit of a frustrated look on his face. Taking a breath, he regained his bearings and straightened his face. "I'll get to this list right away. When are we expected to depart?"
"Two weeks," Percy said, seeing the frustration on Tyler's face. "We're going a long way from home. There won't be a supply officer waiting for us at the next starbase and there won't be a warehouse two corridors away if we suddenly need more of something. The key thing here is not to let every reasonable request become a requirement. If you do, we'll end up leaving with a ship full of things people wanted and no room for the things we actually need."
He gestured to the PADD and then continued. "Your job is going to be unforgiving, Mister Hunt. People will dislike your decisions--maybe all one hundred and eleven of them. Some of them will accuse you of not understanding their work and some will probably tell me the same."
Tyler handed the PADD back over to the Commander. "I completely understand. Two weeks will be plenty of time for operations to be organized the way I need it to be. Telling people no, I suppose, will make me the most disliked officer on the ship." By his tone, the last part was clearly a joke.
"I doubt that," Percy replied with a half-grin. "At the end of the day, the crew will realize we all have to make sacrifices. And I'll always have your back, Mister Hunt." Percy said the last with slow incline of his head to the younger man.
"Regarding quarters assignments," Hunt brought up. "Enlisted clearly will be sharing quarters. But what about civilians and officers outside of the senior staff?"
Percy nodded knowingly. "Senior staff have their own quarters with an office area built-in. It's small, but that's how this Mark-Two design was meant to be. You'll have your bunk, a small bathroom, and a very cramped sitting area. The entry into your quarters is your office--Operations, in your case. It's no more than a desk with a computer terminal and a couple of chairs."
He paused and smiled to himself. "The quartermaster--Petty Officer Noufen Garn--can assist you in getting settled. All senior officers have quarters on Deck Five. It's the junior officers who will have to learn to co-habitate and argue over the top or bottom bunk."
Tyler couldn't help but laugh as he thought back to his days on the lower deck. "I certainly don't miss those days. Cramped, but there are plenty of good and wild stories living on the lower decks. The interesting thing is that we were getting away with something and keeping secrets down there. Looking back, those senior officers had those same experiences. And allowed us to figure out. That's the kind of officer I want to be for my own people. And to guide them when necessary, of course."
Percy let out a gentle chuckle, joining Hunt in his reminiscence. "A little over twenty years ago, my first assignment was an older Daedalus-class design. The Kiawah. We were overstaffed for eighteen weeks and that meant four sharing quarters meant for two."
He scratched the back of his ear while flashes of some of his old crewmates appeared in his mind's eye. It wasn't often he thought about those days, not because it was so long ago, but because it was a point in his life where he was less science officer and more naval officer.
"Guidance," Percy said, echoing Tyler's last comment. "Now that sounds remarkably similar to something I heard your father say once."
"Bit of advice he gave me right before I walked the stage at my Academy graduation."
Coming to his feet, Percy's expression went neutral and he regarded Lieutenant Hunt carefully. "I won't belabour our meeting, Lieutenant--I know you're looking to get settled. It's a pleasure to have you here and when the time is right, we'll break bread in the Captain's Mess."
Taking the cue, Hunt came to his feet as well. "Thank you, Sir." Doing a quick bout face, the Lieutenant exited the room.
Percy watched as Tyler left the Ready Room, thinking about what a fine young man he was. It wasn't often an officer came through the ranks with his pedigree and performance record. His job would be a tough one but Percy also knew the Lieutenant was up to the task.
Returning to the latest engineering diagnostics, he seated himself and began scrolling through the near-limitless lines data on his work screen and quietly wished someone else could take care of the chaos with Cochrane Shipyards' engineers while he drained a few flagons in the Mess Hall with the younger officers.
Commander Percival Tapper
Commanding Officer
USS Eventide
Lieutenant Tyler Hunt
Chief Operations Officer
USS Eventide
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