From: Katrina L. Browne (kbrowne_at_wellesley.edu)
Date: Sun Apr 06 2008 - 09:09:05 PDT
-=(^)=- “Indigo” Con’t From: “Done Moved On” -=(^)=- Location: USS CHANTICO Stardate: 2.80406.1537 Scene: Bridge Time Index: Prior to the Taskforce Arriving at the Rendezvous Lieutenant Commander Kor sat in a chair that she new did not and should not belong to her. Its curves felt all wrong, as if it would never really fit the arch of her back. The normally logical woman knew that this was ridiculous, that the chair was standard issue Starfleet furnishings, that she had sat in one identical to it hundreds if not thousands of times. Logic didn’t seem to dispel the fact that the chair seemed to be designed for a person even larger than herself. This notion was equally ridiculous as Eishnala was rather tall for most females. However, the two inches the Daisy had on her seemed to be what would make the critical difference for the blasted thing to actually be comfortable. The young Ferengi officer, Ensign Ishka (a name widely popularized during the Nagus-ship of Rom), heard the woman dressed in red accented uniform—fidget—and fought the temptation to cast a glance back at the slightly older woman. It was bad form to…fidget…before a battle. Ishka remembered her basic combat and leadership courses at the Academy rather clearly as she had only been out of the institution for only half a year. Kor’s actions could intensify the nervousness of the others and that was something someone in her position had a responsibility to prevent. The problem with fidgeting is that you don’t tend to realize you’re doing it unless of course someone points that out to you. Often as a motherly sort of gesture. They we missing just such a motherly type. Daisy wasn’t there to place a gentle hand on her shoulder and give her a knowing smile. Not that Eishnala would have really wanted to have faced that woman at this particular moment. -=(^)=- Location: GS-2 Scene: Executive Officer’s Office Time Index: Omega Briefing Her team had returned from the still Dominion occupied ANDARA. They had been successful in stopping the signal, but the motivations of those operating the now destroyed stealth vessel were significantly less clear. The wreckage had been brought on board the USS CHANTICO and returned to the station for analysis. Answers would not be immediately forthcoming, if they ever were. The station’s senior staff had more pressing matters at hand. In the attempt to find a solution to the artificial violence on ANDARA and to perhaps create a lasting peace between the world and the Federation, two of their numbers had gone missing. Drake had gone a hero. Of that much, Eishnala was sure. She had been informed there might be some way to rescue him, just as he had rescued the crew trapped on a rickety freighter while it was being pursued by a Dominion warship. If they couldn’t bring him back, the Andorian woman had already resolved to see that the memory of action would remain—a luxury that was afforded to few Intelligence officers. Of course, they would have to fudge the details a bit in the official statements. The war against the Dominion had been growing in popularity amongst Federation worlds largely due to the fact that the Dominion was easily cast as an aggressor that had woefully chosen to become a belligerent with little provocation. The propaganda machine needed to make certain that no doubt would enter into that simple narrative. Yet, the discussion that was about to commence (Eishnala checked her chronometer again), was aimed at providing their lost comrades with a better gift—freedom and their lives. Lieutenant Commander Kor was not as certain about her CO’s historical fate. The vial…it had been real blood…red and copper and brown and red…human blood (well mostly human blood). Eishnala’s cheeks stained a slight indigo at the memory. The blood had stayed as red as her own was fated to remain cobalt if pulled from her own veins. The azure woman looked a little molted when she blushed. It was certainly not a look she wanted to have in front of the other officers at the meeting (she checked her chronometer). It was certainly not a look she wanted to have because she had thought to much of…a traitor. The news had been hinting at Daisy being that even before she disappeared. Eishnala had rallied against that label as deeply unfair. Had she actually defended…a traitor? The indigo that had died down a little bit came back in full force. Eishnala was very rarely close with people. They had a tendency to disappoint. It made it all the worse that while she would never have fancied herself friends with her CO (they had spent too little time to cross that threshold) she had been confident in the other woman’s integrity and willing to say so on the record. Hadn’t Daisy made a promise to her? To the people of the station? It was a warrior’s duty to take the word of another warrior as an honor-bound promise. But that duty didn’t salve the sense of betrayal as Eishnala remembered the conversation that had convinced her that the new CO would always stand with the community of the GATE. -=(^)=- NRPG: Taken from Kim’s “Conversations.” Scene: CO’s Ready Room Time Index: After the 1st Battle for the Gateway Daisy lightly dropped the comm padd on her desk and sighed. "Right this second, I just don't care. Let's talk about getting you to lighten up a little bit when we're alone. I mean, really? Do you have to be so rigid?" Eishnala exhaled with fatigue, struggling maintain her usual 'professional' composure. "Commander, I am enjoying the duties you have offered me with the XO position. However, I was not aware that typical XO duties involved the Commanding officer and the XO engaging in calling each other by names that imply such a level of.... familiarity." Taking a sip from yet another cup of coffee, Daisy sputtered and laughed softly. "I am invested now, in the stabilizing and ongoing protection of GATEWAY, Lieutenant. As my chosen XO, I think we'll get comfortable enough with each other over time. Eventually, you might even find yourself feeling "ok" with calling me by my first name when we're alone." "I find that highly unlikely, Commander." Eishnala remained cool. "I have been observing you and your relationships with members of the PATRIOT crew. I've seen how the Marine laughs at the very idea of you staying in a command position. While I appreciate your having chosen me as acting XO, my instinct tells me it's highly unlikely you'll be staying with us for very long. I'm aware of your misgivings about yourself in command and I expect you'll contact the Borg about another more experienced Commanding officer to take your place, Ma'am." Daisy gently lowered the comm padd to her desk and pulled herself to her feet. Eishnala responded to that gesture by taking a step backwards and crossing her arms over her chest. She raised an eyebrow and smirked as Daisy replied flatly. "Then, you would be mistaken, Eishnala." "As a doctor, you are aware of Andorian hearing." Eishnala continued calmly, trying to hide her annoyance Daisy had taken the liberty of calling her by her first name. "I've heard the fatigue in your voice on more than one occasion and you sometimes underestimate how far I've gone before you start talking to yourself, expressing your concerns and your frustrations." Daisy laughed easily. "You're right. I do talk to myself when I'm upset. I'm sorry if you overheard and were upset by it." "I'm not 'upset'." Eishnala snapped coldly. Daisy smirked. "Really?" "Quite the contrary. You have my sympathy." Eishnala sighed uncomfortably. She turned to the side and looked away as she admitted " You are an excellent doctor and had clearly expressed a preference that Starfleet allow you to spend your time in the Chief Medical officer position so you devote more time to your children. You left on what was supposed to be a holiday and ended up getting an assignment that puts you back in a Command Position and away from your children. I would not blame you for leaving the moment the Borg can bring another Commanding officer from Federation territory to take your place." the tone of Eishnala's voice change slightly as she spoke. To Daisy's ears, it almost seemed to shrink as she spoke from that of a mighty Andorian Soldier to that of an exhausted and depressed young woman. The human woman's face softened. With a patient sigh, she put one hand on her hip and then scratched lightly, thoughtfully, at the the back of her head. Her long blonde hair was tied neatly in a bun that looked all "professional" but sometimes began to itch towards the end of the day. "This crew has lost a lot." Daisy acknowledged calmly. "The Wormhole... and you believed that, with that, you lost the Federation. Then, there was...that Martin Davies fellow, your previous chief Engineer among just a few of a long list of fatalities. People have been seperated from their friends and families...affectively 'losing' them as well. Captain Kane disappeared. The Prophets are believed to have abandoned this realm." Eishnala nodded, lowering her eyes. "But, I have to protest your assessment of my own situation." Daisy replied flatly. "I apologize if you are offended by my observations, Commander." Eishnala shot back quickly. "It was not my intention to insult you." "I'm aware of that, Lieutenant." Daisy laughed weakly. "I'm not insulted." "You're not?" Eishnala blinked, confused. "I'm also not going anywhere." Daisy replied, stepping around her desk and closer to the younger Andorian woman. "I wouldn't do that. I've put too much time into getting to know this station, getting to know her crew and attempting to gain their trust. Because I do know how much they've lost - I wouldn't dream of working so hard for them to get used to me and then simply running off to an easier assignment the first chance I get." Daisy smirked. "What about your children?" Eishnala asked skeptically, studying Daisy's face. "When the situation is stable and I believe they will be safe, I'll bring them to join me on GATEWAY." Daisy shrugged. Then, she offered Eishnala a smile and assured her. "You're stuck with me." Eishnala blinked, surprised by how the tone of Daisy's voice rang true. Then, she asked, "So you're really committed to a long term stay at an assignment that is clearly outside the comfort zone that you had chosen for yourself? Why is that?" "Because sometimes you gotta have faith." Daisy shrugged flatly. Fatigue brought out the faint midwestern American accent in her voice and she smiled. "Haven't ya ever heard the expression that sometimes things happen for a reason?" Eishnala raised her eyebrows and smirked, "As in, because you accidentally ended up in command of this station...maybe this is where you are 'supposed to be' and, with effort, you will rise to the occasion?" "Yup." Daisy shrugged once again, stepping back and hopping up on the corner of her own desk. Her long legs dangled over the edge as she leaned across and pressed a button on the monitor. Then, she leaned forward and grinned bravely at her young XO. "Trust me, honey...I'm gonna kick ass." Groaning inwardly, Eishnala gave a patient exhale and a weak, strained smile before she replied, "Yes, Ma'am." -=(^)=- Scene: Eishnala’s Office Time Index: As above “Trust me”…the phrase rang through the Andorian’s mind. She had thought a lot on that interaction a mere few months ago. Eishnala’s antennae drooped. She had trusted Daisy and that was what made watching that video feed so painful. The rotating insignia of the standard fleet resolved to show the faces of three people she had never met before. -=(^)=- NRPG: Not really plot-centric sorry. Needed to get out some of the feeling that would have pent up over the course of the last mission out. I’ll see if I can write some actual story later this week. -=(^)=- Katrina Browne Lieutenant Commander Eishnala sh’Kor Executive Officer Gateway Station-2 From HyperNews_at_youth.net
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Mon Oct 13 2008 - 03:10:17 PDT