How do you do it?

Posted on Fri Mar 13th, 2026 @ 2:24am by Captain Dick Sprague
Edited on on Fri Mar 13th, 2026 @ 12:00pm

694 words; about a 3 minute read

Mission: How do you do it?
Location: Various
Timeline: Current

OFF:

New Mission Time!


ON:

{USS Albion, Bridge}

Sprague:  ::pacing about the bridge, talking to himself::  "U.S.S. Albion. Captain's personal log. With most of our mission mess cleaned up, we're almost back to Starbase 10. Yet I feel uneasy and I wonder why. Perhaps it's the emptiness of this vessel. Six of our crew have been reassigned. Our entire Marine detachment assigned to a temporary detail to protect Admiral Start while on vacation. And Albion feels like a house with all the children gone. No, more empty than even that. The departure from Cumulonimbus Five is like an open wound. It seems that I have left the wisest part of myself back there... on the Planet of Galactic Paradise--"

Andrews:  ::interrupting::  "--Captain, would you like to activate your personal log?"

Sprague:  "Oh uh, I mean..."  ::turns toward the main viewer while putting both hands on the center railings in the rear of the bridge::  "Status, Mr. Pendragon?"

Pendragon: "On course, Captain. Estimating Starbase 10 in 1.2 hours."

Sprague:  "Very well." ::returns to his deep thoughts::

Florian:  "Captain, I'm receiving a hail from Cumulonimbus Five."

Sprague: "I ordered no communication with Cumulonimbus Five."

Key: ::suddenly appearing out of no where to Sprague's right:: "Yeah, that was a good one, good one, that was a great order, Dick, uh I mean Cap'n!"

Florain: "Sir, it's Admiral Star."

Sprague: "Put 'em on screen."

Key: "That's a good one too, Dick, Cap'n."

Star: ::appears on screen on a lounge chair, wearing swim trunks and a flower pattern Risa shirt, flanked by Janeway, SIr`el, Nabarati, Valentino--all of whom have sun glasses and earpieces:: =/\=Dick, it's great to see you again.=/\=

Sprague: "The same, Admiral. What can I do you for?"

Star: ::accidentally knocks the Horga'hn replica and the other piece of decorative art, that he inadvertently took from the Star Fleet Executive Transporter Shuttle, off of his tray table with his umbrella'd drink:: =/\=It's actually what I can do you for, Dick.=/\= ::confused by the language:: =/\=Never mind... You've been a superstar these last few missions. In fact, right now you're the highest rated Captain in the quadrant. What's the secret sauce, Dick?=/\=

Key: "Chocolate sauce?"

Star: =/\=I have an elite Star Fleet command and crew evaluation team en route to the Albion right now. Their mission is to observe and annotate everything you do so we recreate your magic on other ships.=/\=

Key: "Magic... Magic cake?"

Star: ::accidentally knocks his drink over while attempting to return the Horga'hn replica and decorative art to his tray table::


{USS Albion, Shuttle Bay #1}

Vale: ::looks at a container, then at her PADD:: "Hmmm. That's not supposed to be here." ::goes over to investigate::


{USS Albion, 10 Forward}

Dwyer: "And that's when I said, 'The Borg can stay, but the Vulcan in the Tribble suit has to go!'"

Divus: "That's hilarious, Gene! The funniest joke I've ever heard!"

Dwyer: "I'll be here all stardate."

Grallator: "Another round?"


{USS Albion, Main Engineering}

Grexx: ::opens a closet door:: "Ack!"

Mack: "Yeah, that's not good."

Ferra: "It's fortunate I'm here with you guys. Do you need my help?"


{USS Albion, Bridge}

Star: =/\=Tell them everything you know and show them everything you do. I don't want just one Dick, I want 100 Dicks.=/\=


{USS Albion, Corridor}

Von Haeften: ::flipping through the latest edition of 'Star Fleet Intelligence Weekly':: "Oh my."


OFF:

So that's our mission: An evaluation team is coming aboard to figure out why Sprague is so "effective" as Captain. Meanwhile, our Marines are stuck with Admiral Star, and three unknown discoveries were just made by our crew independently. You know my philosophy: YOU tell the story--YOU decide what happens... Short, quick posts that add to the story and take it in unexpected, yet inevitable directions. Most of all, have fun with it!


Locations:

Bridge:
Sprague (CO)
Andrews (XO)
Pendragon (COO)
Florian (2O)
Key (FCO)

Shuttle Bay #1:
Vale (SCP)

10 Forward:
Dwyer (EO)
Divus (C)
Grallator (Bartender)

Main Engineering:
Grexx (CEO)
Mack (CSO)
Ferra (CC)

Corridor:
Von Haeften (CIO)

Cumulonimbus Five with Admiral Star:
Janeway (Marine)
SIr`el (Marine)
Nabarati (Marine)
Valentino (Marine)


What else could go wrong?


Captain Dick Sprague
Commanding Officer
USS Albion NCC-3020

RSS Feed