Editing Melody Leigh Haverstaad (section)

===Serving Onboard USS Black Jack===
Her two and a half years on the Black Jack were the most peaceful she had ever experienced during her 10 years in the fleet. The Black Jack was quickly reassigned off the Border and into deep space for exploratory missions, leaving her little time to ply her trade except in its most basic terms. 

She was most often called upon to put together and head the Ambassadorial Guard whenever a new diplomat or government official from another world came on-board, but there were no incidents during these times. 

The single biggest event to happen during her tour of the Black Jack was a Borg Incursion in 2403. Melody, along with every Marine and Tactical/Security force on the ship were mobilized and were forced to fight off several waves of Borg as they beamed onto the Black Jack and several dozen other combative ships before the Cube could be destroyed. Melody watched in horror as many of her crew-mates, some of which had been with her as far back as their tours on the Marlboro, be turned. She was forced to kill several before they could be fully assimilated.

The Black Jack sustained little damage beyond internal damage from fire-fights and only a 2 week refit was needed at Starbase 23. During this two week overhaul, however, she took and passed all the appropriate tests to become a Senior Chief Petty Officer. Passing the tests was a pre-requisite, but that didn’t automatically convey the rank. She was promoted to SCPO three months later for no apparent rhyme or reason. 

With this promotion, Melody had come almost as close to the top as she could get. There was only one more natural rank she could attain, that of Master Chief Petty Officer, before she hit a ‘glass ceiling’. The only two ranks above Master Chief were as much positions as ranks, that of Master Chief Petty Officer of (Whatever Fleet she was in) or Master Chief Petty Officer of Starfleet. At any one time, there were only as many Master Chief’s of the Fleet as there were fleets. Her own Master Chief of the Fleet was Master Chief Petty Officer of the 49th Fleet Don Johnson, and he’d been in that position for no less then seven years. And at any one time, there was only one Master Chief of Starfleet, which was always picked from one of the Master Chiefs of the Fleet. 

There were thousands of Master Chiefs in the Fleet, and Tens of Thousands of Senior Chiefs. Less then 100 at a time ever got to serve in the much vaunted positions just one more level above her head. It was easier to become an Admiral then it was to become a Master Chief of a Fleet, and easier to become President of the Federation then to become Master Chief of Starfleet… at least Presidents had a term-of-office, some Master Chiefs of Starfleet had served for 30 years in the past. What was worse, a Master Chief from any department could qualify for the positions, it didn’t matter if the candidate were Security, Engineering, Medical, Operations, or other. It was mandatory that candidates be fully trained in at least two different departments before they were ever considered for the position/rank.

Melody would require more training, and more experience, if she ever hoped for one of these positions. And her prayers were answered not long later when her orders came through to report to Earth, for training in experimental Tactical Technology. She packed her bags and boarded a high-speed transport back to Starbase 23, which was nearly 2 months away, so she could catch a transport back to Earth.