Forgiven, Not Forgotten
Posted on Wed Jan 15th, 2020 @ 11:43am by Commodore Jane Saulitis
Mission:
Promenade
Location: Starbase 50
1452 words - 2.9 OF Standard Post Measure
Having met her XO and her new diplomatic officer Jane was once again back in civilian clothing for one last traipse around the station. She was highly enjoying being incognito. Very few people recognized her unless they were moving slowly enough and somehow most people always had somewhere to be. A voice came out of nowhere and she turned at the sound, almost shocked to hear her name.
Neil nodded to the Officer, “Jane,” he nodded, “I trust the people here have taken good care of you and your crew?” He nodded, taking note of the civvies. “I envy you, by the way,” he pointed to the clothing. “If I was to parade around here in jeans and I tshirt I don’t think it would help. I’d still get people taking note of me.”
She wanted to say that maybe he wasn’t wearing the right kind of clothing but held her tongue. He would be a bit conspicuous no matter what he was wearing, someone was sure to recognize him. “Well I have the advantage of not being on my own command while I hide. If you were to board Majestic it’s possible people would leave you alone. And yes, our visit has been completely ordinary, something that was much needed.”
“Ordinary,” he commented, “I couldn’t tell you the last time something was ordinary for me,” he smirked, “but I am very happy that your stay here was good. She’s a good station, we have some room to grow still. But we are getting the kinks worked out, as they say,” he gestured to the coffee shop in front of them.
“Coffee, my treat,” he asked as he walked over to the counter, “Ernie here makes the best caramel mocha I’ve ever tasted?”
“How can I refuse that? If there are any kinks they aren’t apparent to the rest of us. I haven’t heard my crew complain, actually I haven’t hardly seen any of them except the new ones who are itching to report for duty and keep tracking me down here. Ran into my new XO even, we had to try this noodle soup he had his eye on. I told him if he could get the recipe for me he could report for duty as planned.”
“The Noodle shop two decks up and to the left,” Neil nodded, “love it, Tess begs me to go there all the time.” Neil looked over his shoulder as Ernie approached the two Officers.
Ernie was a large man, very large man, by almost any standards. He was loud, slightly old for a human and was the last thing anyone expected to be running a coffee shop in the middle of nowhere. Nothing about Ernie or the shop for that screamed best coffee in the quadrant. “Neil,” the man exclaimed, his deep voice filling the entire space. “Get you the usual,” he pointed a finger at Neil?”
“Yes, Ernie,” Neil replied.
“And for you Miss,” he asked?
“Same,” Jane replied. She lived on coffee when on duty but since arriving at the station she’d been drinking less of it. Once they were out there amongst the stars again though, she knew her dependence would come back.
“Can I ask you a question sir?”
Neil nodded, “certainly.”
“How do you like running a station versus a starship? I imagine the differences are immeasurable.” Just the thought of everything that probably needed done on a daily basis here was giving her a headache. If it really had been her responsibility she thought the headache might never go away.
“It’s different and definitely presents it’s own set of challenges that I didn’t get on a ship,” Neil replied, “had to rearrange the Command Structure to help with that. If I am honest, it was a lot to balance my new role within the Task Force and this position, but Captain Rice has helped a lot. He’s a bit more stern to my more relaxed manner… we.. balance each other out.”
Ernie came back to the table, setting to mochas down, “Neil,” he set one in front of the Admiral, “Captain Saulitis,” he nodded, “and careful of that new XO, I hear he was a beast at the Academy.”
Neil could see the look in the Captain’s eyes, “don’t ask,” he commented, “Ernie seems to know everyone and everyone knows Ernie,... or so he thinks.” He sipped his coffee. “I guess to help answer your question, I wanted the station to provide a more stable life for my growing family. Traveling around on a ship is great, but this gives us more of a normal life. I think.”
That was odd. Jane seemed to stare at Ernie for a moment before finally moving on. “Well that makes sense to me, but what do I know about it.” Technically she was newly married but her husband was now off saving the universe or at least that’s how she imagined his job. She had a nagging feeling that somehow he’d changed the course of her life back when they were first engaged but he’d never admitted to anything and she never asked about it. The subject was off limits though Hak had never actually said that out loud.
“A couple more days and we’re headed for Sozon II. Should be a simple drop off. Some young beautiful princess agreed to marry the emperor there,” she changing the subject. “Missions never go as planned though do they?” Her thoughts drifted back to Vayr’s death and now his daughter was on board right now.
“We have a term for that, it’s called babysitting,” he poked a little fun at her mission, “diplomatic babysitting.” He nodded, “I’ve had my fair share of missions that went nothing like they were supposed to go. I’d love to say they are planned out and easy to follow but then that wouldn’t be any fun.” He couldn’t help but think back to the string of missions that led him to the station, each one a disaster if you were to ask him but somehow it worked out.
“A piece of advice,” he offered, “when they don’t go as planned, don’t let it get to you. It’s not easy, and yes, I’ve lost crew members in my missions. I think about them often, but I wouldn’t be able to do my job day in and day out, if I allowed those memories to weigh me down. We honor their memories by doing better and better every day we put the uniform on…” He realized he was getting a little to serious and should be taking his own advice.
“Well we are a diplomatic ship, someone and I won’t mention any names, thought the daughter of a diplomat would make a good Captain of such a vessel.” She took the coffee in her hands again and felt the warmth creep into her body before taking a sip. “Forgive but don’t forget hmm?” She had wanted to tell him it was too late at first but then she understood what he was saying. She hadn’t let it stop her, but she remembered each of the crew members who had died on her first mission including the ambassador. “I’ll try,” it was all she could promise. Her worst critic was herself and she knew it.
Neil sipped his coffee, “heavy is the head that wears the crown,” he sipped the beverage, “I think that is how the phrase goes.” Neil didn’t want to push too hard, what was coming out of her mouth didn’t line up with the pain he could see behind the eyes. But if he knew Commanding Officers well it was that you didn’t push till they were ready. They had the unique ability to compartmentalize things in order to face each day. It was a needed trait and one that also made it hard to sometimes break through. “I didn’t mean to interrupt your day, hopefully I didn’t take you away from anything important?”
“No, I was just wandering. But I should probably get back, put a uniform on and boss people around.” She gave him a smile. “Thank you for the coffee and conversation Sir.”
Neil returned the smile and nodded, “it was my pleasure, Captain,” he stood up, “next time you’re in the sector stop on by, we will have a docking port ready for the Majestic, anytime.”
Captain Jane Saulitis
Commanding Officer
USS Majestic
Rear Admiral Neil Harrington
Commanding Officer
Starbase 50
