Coming onto the unknown
Posted on Fri Feb 6th, 2026 @ 7:20pm by Lieutenant Celestine Eisenhorn
614 words; about a 3 minute read
Mission:
Children of the Stars
Location: USS Montana
Timeline: Present
:OFF:
Glad to be onboard! :) Just a quick introduction post to the Montana’s newest crew member.
:ON:
The shuttle slid out of warp in a flare of blue-white light, the stars resolving into sharp pinpoints as the USS Montana came into view.
Celestine Eisenhorn stood near the forward viewport, hands folded behind her back, the quiet hum of the engines vibrating through the deck plates. The Montana was a Miranda-class vessel—compact, adaptable, built for patrols and exploration along uncertain borders. Not a flagship. Not a relic. A working ship. The kind that saw everything.
She studied its familiar, functional lines in silence. Twin rollbar modules arched over the saucer, sensor arrays glinting faintly. A ship meant to endure.
“Approach vector established,” the pilot announced.
Celestine took a slow breath. Thirty-five years old. Starfleet officer. Physician. And now the new Chief Medical Officer of the Montana. The weight of it settled over her—not heavy, but steady.
The shuttle docked with a muted thrum. She straightened her uniform—teal-trimmed collar, medical insignia at her chest, hair secured neatly at the nape of her neck. Everything in order.
The hatch opened with a soft hiss. The corridor beyond smelled faintly of metal, ozone, and recycled air carrying the warmth of a living ship. Crew members moved with practiced ease, glancing up just long enough to register a new face and a new officer before returning to their duties.
Celestine stepped aboard the USS Montana without ceremony.
Every ship had a personality. Some were restless. Some proud. Some uneasy. The Montana felt… steady. Alert. Like a watchful creature at the edge of known space.
A young ensign approached, nervous but determined. “Lieutenant Eisenhorn?”
She gave a small, polite smile. “Doctor is fine.”
He blinked, then nodded quickly. “Yes, Doctor. I’m Ensign Rho. I’ve been assigned to escort you to Sickbay.”
“Thank you, Ensign.”
They walked in companionable silence. Celestine took in everything—the lighting, the subtle vibration of the warp core, the way officers greeted one another with familiarity.
“You’ve got big shoes to fill,” Rho said after a moment. “Our last doctor was… well. Very well liked.”
Celestine considered that. “Then I hope they taught you well,” she said. “I’ll do my best to take care of the rest.”
Rho smiled, visibly reassured.
Sickbay doors slid open with a gentle chime. The medical bay was immaculate. Biobeds lined the room. Diagnostic displays glowed softly. The scent of antiseptic and recycled air was comforting in its own way.
A Trill nurse looked up from a console. “Lieutenant Eisenhorn?”
Celestine corrected gently, “Doctor Eisenhorn.”
The nurse’s smile widened. “Welcome aboard, Doctor. I’m Nurse Lethas.”
Celestine stepped fully inside Sickbay, letting the doors close behind her. “This is where people trust us with their lives,” she said quietly.
“And where we try very hard to deserve that trust,” Lethas replied.
Celestine nodded once.
————
Later, alone in her quarters, she sat at the edge of her bed and removed her boots, listening to the distant murmur of the ship. The Montana was already changing course, already moving toward whatever waited beyond the next star.
She activated her personal log, then paused, looking out at space.
Not with fear. Not with hunger for glory. But with curiosity. And resolve.
“Personal log, Lieutenant Celestine Eisenhorn. I have reported aboard the USS Montana as Chief Medical Officer. New ship. New crew. Unknown horizon.” She paused with reflection. “I intend to keep them alive long enough to meet it.” The stars drifted past the viewport—endless and waiting. She wondered what adventures lay ahead of her.
:OFF:
Dr Celestine Eisenhorn (Lt.)
Chief Medical Officer
USS Montana
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