Family Tours

From TFC Galactopedia

Michael McLoude smiled as he watched his eldest son look about the corridors they were walking with wide eyed enthusiasm. Chaser McLoude, a middle-school aged boy and already taller than most his age had wide eyes. Although the boy had known the corridors of the Ambassador-class starship USS Gettysburg (NCC-50839) but it seemed those of USS Galaxy (NX-70637) seemed to fascinate him more. Granted the Akita-inu thought with a smile as he watched his eldest, he remembered being the same way when his father had received command of the Agamemnon. It was new he thought with a smile, and his son was absorbing the new.

Michael smiled at that thought, admittedly he wanted to be looking around goggle eyed as well, however, being a ship’s captain did not exactly allow that sort of frank admiration of your ship, at least where others could see it didn’t. He had been surprised when the Captain Antain had called him into his ready room to tell him Starfleet Command was offering him command of not only the newest ship in the fleet, but the first ship of a class was a bit astonishing to the Akita-inu terran. The andoran had been known as a bit of a practical joker in his time, and part of Michael had thought that he was doing just that to his first officer, but now, here he was on board the Galaxy, her master. He had free reign to assemble his crew, save one aspect. His chief engineer and CMO had already been decided. A husband and wife team, Laddire O’Donnel had been one of those involved with designing and constructing the Galaxy’s reactors and drive systems, and as a reward he had been given the assignment of Chief Engineer aboard the ship he had help to create and his wife Willow had spent several tours with Starfleet Medical Headquarters. Under normal circumstances Michael would have been put out by having two such important positions filled without his consent, but the records of both officers were exemplary, and He also thought it a good idea to have O’Donnel as the chief engineer, hopefully though they could steer away from any ‘Montgomery Scott’ jokes.

As if on cue to his thoughts a lean, almost wiry sable colored collie and a rather striking blue merle, the sable in engineering colors, the merle in scientific blue that seemed to mix with her fur patterns walked around the gentle curve the deck plan required. Accompanying them where three children, two girls, he knew to be twins Dana and Krystal both where nearly pure white in fur color, Krystal, the slightly younger of the two having a bluish black flare over her right eye with long brown streaked blueish black hair held back with a bow, Dana had a sable flare over her right eye, and pail tawny, nearly blond hair with white streaks that barely touched her shoulders. Shawn their son had a huge smile on his tri-color features as he saw new people. It was quite obvious he would be his father’s son; he was already rail thin, looking as if he never had had any baby fat.

Michael was about ready to make the introductions of his family to his Chief’s when fate or, more accurately Chaser’s wide eyed astonishment at Galaxy intervened. So intent on his studies of a display schematic of the ship that had just come to life on a wall monitor that he ran headlong into Krystal O’Donnel. While both of an age, Chaser was tall for his age, and though awkward in this stage of development, still out massed the much smaller Krystal, sending her right to her tail. That issued a small yelp of surprise and a pair of wide crystal blue eyes looking up at Michael’s son as Chaser stumbled backwards landing on his tail himself. His mis-matched blue and brown eyes blinked hard, then went wide of their own accord as he realized what had happened and scrambled back up, first, offering his paw to the smaller pup, then as soon as she was standing he stepping back quickly looking about as if he wanted to run off into one of the Jefferies tubes. Instead he darted behind his mother’s long skirt trying to completely hide himself. Normally Chaser would try to act the ‘model Starfleet officer’ as he thought of it at his age, but apparently nearly harming the little lady had stressed his son’s ability to combat his natural shyness just a bit.

If there was any adverse feelings on little Krystal’s part however they did not show. She simply smiled shyly back at where Chaser had disappeared behind his mother. Mika Rowena McLoude smiled and softly whispered to him in Japanese, her father’s native tongue, and the language that she had taught the children and her husband for quiet, discreet comments. Chaser for his part flushed horribly and re-appeared from behind his mother and stammered out. “I am sorry Miss Krystal, I… should have been watching… where I was going.”

Dana rolled her eyes as if she were already forming a negative opinion of Chaser but Krystal simply smiled stepped up and gave a little bow. “Konichi-wa Chaser-san,” she stumbled badly over the words, considering very few people that were not of Japanese but it was understandable and Chaser blinked his greating just as stumbled because of his surprise as he bowed as well.

For his part Commander O’Donnel gave a small chuckle. “She ‘ad been practicin’ tah greetin’ for weeks tah give tah you Mrs. McLoude,” he smiled. “Or should ah call ye ‘Eadmistahriss?” he gave a small smile as he held out his paw.

Michael smiled as he watched his wife try to puzzle out the words just said to her, he remembered reading his file that several of his CO’s had often commented they had trouble understanding Laddire at first because of his surprisingly thick Scottish burr. Finally she gave a small smile. “No, no ‘headmistress’ yet Commander,” she responded in her gentle voice. Mika’s eyes twinkled at the two girls, and Michael tried not to laugh, she knew the girls were tutored by their mother in dance, and Mika had admitted wanting to try seeing if they wanted to add gymnastics to their repartee, she was always eager for new girls to teach. “And I would prefer if I was not used to it too often, it seems far too… formal.”

Laddire chuckled as he nodded. While Mika was a ‘civilian’ she was also a teacher, and had been assigned as the head of the small educational department of the Galaxy, which, like the slightly smaller Ambassador-class had large populations of dependents, and children to teach. Her official title would be ‘Headmistress’ but Mika had already shown a dislike of that term.

Willow gave a gracious smile first turning to her commanding officer. “Captain,” she said in an accent much softer than her husband’s. “Thank you for accepting us so readily, I know it is customary for you to have the choice for all your senior officers.”

Michael smiled as he took her paw gently, after all, she was a doctor, and even in this modern day in age a delicate touch. It seemed the record about her having a very soft and delicate bedside manner was rather accurate. “It is quite all right, after seeing both of your records, I must admit I very well might have chosen you myself.”

Willow smiled. “And just so you know, that glowing acceptance will not save you from the medical deck captain.” She gave a look at Mika. “You are overdue as it is.”

Michael blinked looking, then turned to his wife, who simply smiled a smile of the just and interrupted before he could say anything. “You snuck away from Gettysburg before you could receive your yearly physical Michael, I informed Willow when I first communicated with her.”

He blinked and raised his eyebrow. Willow was it? He wondered how long she had been in communication with his CMO, apparently long enough for the two of them to feel comfortable about ganging up on him. He just looked over at Laddire who smiled. “Willy does it tah me to C’ptain,” he said with a rueful smile. “Seems ah might ‘ave a partner in mah sufferin’.”

Michael chuckled and smiled moving to include the O’Donnel’s into the inspection, smiling. He had a feeling that this partnership, and it seemed his wife and his CMO were hitting it off rather well. So far, this assignment was everything he could hope for, and he had yet to take his new ship out of dry dock.