When Time Is Of The Essence

Posted on Mon Oct 21st, 2019 @ 4:02am by

Mission: For Whom The Bell Tolls
Location: Bridge / Ops
Timeline: MD9, shortly after docking
473 words - 0.9 OF Standard Post Measure

"If you'll excuse me," Cassie said almost as soon as the ship docked at Claddin station, and stepped towards the turbolift. "Computer, please note the time of docking."

The computer chirped. "Time of docking: 1014 hours, 38 seconds."

"Thank you," she responded as she entered the lift. "Deck 11," she instructed. Time was ticking, and she needed to check on an order she had put in the day her appointment with the High Matriarch had been scheduled. She had been told it would take some time to complete, as it was an intricate gift, but she had been assured if would be ready for her meeting.

She saw a few nervous faces as she entered the Operations and Logistics Centre. "What is it?" she asked. "Don't tell me it's not ready."

"Well," a young ensign stammered, "Not quite. We ran into a few hiccups, you see..." she started explaining as a replicator hummed to life. The ensign's shoulders lowered, and she sighed in relief. She then smiled apologetically. "Here it is then. Care to take a look?"

Cassie was then guided to a table and presented with the piece she had ordered. A perfect, if modified for the current purposes, replica of the Pelican Fabergé egg. The original, created in the very last years of the 19th century, had been created by the Fabergé's workmaster, a certain Mikhail Evlampievich Perkhin. The miniatures that had been nestled inside as the egg's "surprise" had been painted by the Danish painter Johannes Zehngraf. As far as Cassie knew, it was still intact and housed at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

The exterior of this replica was the exact same as the original egg: engraved red gold in the Russian Imperial style of that period. The date that had been engraved on the egg, however, was the current Mai'Aiud year, rather than the Earth years 1797-1897. Furthermore, unlike the original, this replica was surmounted by the Mai’Aiud national bird, rather than a pelican, in opalescent gray, blue, and pink enamel. Inside were nested miniatures of charitable institutions known to be patronized by the High Matriarch, rendered in Zehgraf's style. The gold stand and red velvet case were exact replicas of the originals offered to Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna.

Would the High Matriarch appreciate the effort? Cassie had no clue. All she knew was that she was respecting current custom: an offering to the High Matriarch upon a first meeting.

She carefully tuned the egg around, admiring the craftsmanship. Indeed, it had been made by a replicator according to specific parameters, but it was nonetheless impressive.

"It's perfect, thank you," she said, delicately placed the egg in its case, crooked it under an arm, and left Ops with a determined step. "Computer, time."

"Current time: 1030 hours, 21 seconds."

"Thank you."

Cassie stepped in the lift. "Deck 10, if you please."