In the Office

Posted on Wed 28th Mar, 2018 @ 9:23am by

1,233 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Brushfires
Location: PCU Offices, Starbase 109
Timeline: MD 4, 09:00

The Starbase shipyard had loaned Captain Suzuki a suite in the Pre-Commissioning Unit office spaces. They clearly hadn't been used in a while, and there was a smell of dust and time in them. But Suzuki had put on her dress uniform, and gathered her new Yeoman -- the previous one had died aboard Samurai -- and stood in the center of a holography recording rig, recording the letters of condolence for the families of the dead.

"Words," she said, addressing someone who was not there but focusing on Mr. Mejia. "Words can't possibly soothe the pain. But they're what I have. Words to tell you that your son Scott was not a faceless, forgotten person; a statistic. He was a member of my crew. A vital, occasionally funny, often very, very serious member of my crew. As part of Repair Locker Two, Scott..." she trailed off, glancing toward the door as it opened.

Lantz gave a quick glance around and realized she'd interrupted the grieving captain. "I'm sorry," she apologized. "I'll leave this mid-morning break platter for you and come back another time." The platter held fruit and pastries that only Marin could make so light and fluffy, a pot of spearmint-lemongrass herbal tea, two mugs and two small plates with appropriate eating ware and napkins. She set it on what she presumed would be the Yeoman's desk.

Wrinkling her nose, Jade added, "I can have my crew of humaniforms in here to freshen things up a bit. Just let me know when - it will take them about 20 minutes, I think." She turned toward the exit.

"No," Suzuki said, "Stay. Please." She'd hoped when the door opened, that Riko McCord would come through. She hadn't seen her second officer and friend since the last moments she could recall during the battle. She knew the Science Officer had lived -- was she so badly emotionally hurt by the Captain's failure that she couldn't face her?

Aiden stood next to the Captain at parade rest, respecting what she had to do. He knew most of what she had been through, at least he had been briefed. He was a yeoman, and a damn good one, at least in his opinion. but he was more than that. He hadn't been sent to the Vanguard because of his organizational prowess, though he did possess those, he'd been sent to act as a close protection agent, a bodyguard, along with his other duties.

So, he viewed anyone he didn't know, anyone that he hadn't personally vetted with suspicion. The woman had a sterling reputation, so he didn't want to appear paranoid, especially since he hadn't exactly been forthcoming with the Captian about his full skill set or his orders. Still, he kept a close eye on things as he waited.

"I'm Suzuki Hikari," the Captain said, stepping out of the holographic camera ring. "Captain Suzuki of Samurai. But I expect you already knew that, Ms...?"

"Lantz. Jade Lantz. I own Orchids & Jazz in the Promenade, and I'm president of the Promenade Merchants Association. I came to welcome you on behalf of the association, and wish you well in your stay here. We've all heard about Samurai's difficulties, and offer our compassion for your losses. I -"

=^=Captain Suzuki, there's a secure coms transmission for you,=^= the station communications officer interrupted.

"Excuse me," the Captain said to Ms. Lantz. "Mr. Mejia, can I take that call in silent mode with this rig?" she gestured at the equipment they'd been using to record condolence messages.

"Yes ma'am, you can," he said as he moved closer, "you just need to push that blue button on the console, there."

Hikari nodded and squared her shoulders. "This probably won't take long," she said. "I expect that it's BuPers requesting my resignation."

"I would say that is highly unlikely ma'am," Aiden said even though he knew she hadn't been talking to him.

Suzuki smiled tightly, and stepped back into the holography set-up. She pressed the blue button, and focused on something, or someone, only she could see. Her lips moved, but no sound emerged from the holography circle.

Jade had learned patience from years of living with humans. Even so, she was pleased when the door behind her opened. She turned to see who would enter, but it was a complete stranger.

Riko slipped through the door and paused when she saw that Captain Suzuki was not alone. "Oh, hi. I didn't expect to find others here in the captain's office. I hope I'm not interrupting?"

"Not at all. In fact, I'm the one who's out of place here. I only stopped in for a minute, to bring my condolences, and a little food. Then Captain Suzuki received a phone call and asked me to wait. So, I'm waiting." She put forth her hand, making the presumption that this was one of Samurai's crew, since she referred to this as the captain's office. She looked human, so a handshake was appropriate. "Jade Lantz, owner of Orchids & Jazz, on Deck 600 in the Promenade."

Taking the offered hand, the newcomer said, "Riko McCord, Chief Science Officer - well, I was. Now I don't know what I am. Or what I want to be." Dropping Jade's hand, she looked around the office, frowned and muttered, "Not much of an office."

---

Within the communications rig, Suzuki pressed the blue button. She heard the noise-isolation field go up, and then an Andorian woman in the uniform of a Starfleet Vice Admiral appeared. "Captain Suzuki," the Admiral greeted her. "I am Vice Admiral zh'Tok, Fourth Fleet."

"Yes, ma'am," Suzuki responded. Fourth Fleet covered the Triangle area; Suzuki had been expecting BuPers to deliver the bad news, but Fourth Fleet made as much sense.

"No beating around the bush, Captain. Yesterday, we held a board of inquiry in absentia. It's standard practice when a ship is as badly damaged, and as many lives lost as you've been responsible for."

Suzuki nodded. "I'll have my resignation to you by end of working hours."

The Admiral snorted and shook her head. "You don't get out of this that easily," she said, but her voice held a hint of teasing. "You may appeal, of course, but the finding of the board was that you were not negligent or culpable in the incident. Your officers told you there were no other ships. Unless you're precognitive and ignored the warning...?"

Suzuki shook her head. "No, ma'am. But five years ago, I encountered this same cloaking technology. When Commander McCord mentioned static, I should have...."

Zh'Tok raised a hand, cutting the Captain off. "Five years ago, Captain. Five. Years. Ago. Nearly two thousand days. How many times between then and now have you been informed of sensor anomalies?"

"Several," Suzuki admitted.

Zh'Tok nodded. "You did not cover yourself in honor and glory," she admitted. "But you also didn't make such a gigantic mistake that Starfleet can afford to do without your services. What happened to you is not an isolated incident. Piracy has been on the rise in the Fourth Fleet area of responsibility. My area of responsibility. And the keystone to investigation and defense is Starbase 109. Which just lost its commanding officer."

Suzuki shook her head again. "Ma'am, are you transferring me to...."

"Congratulations, Vanguard Actual," the Admiral said. "Today is the first day of your new command."

 

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