From loeblich@rt66.com Sun Jul 5 15:21:30 1998 Date: Thu, 2 Jul 1998 21:05:21 -0600 From: Loeblich To: INDIGO FLEET List Serve Subject: [INDIGO] [USS PROMETHEUS] Can I? Can I? Please.. O Please?!? ---OFFICIAL INDIGO FLEET TRANSMISSION--- Date: Thu, 2 Jul 1998 21:08:16 -0600 From: "Loeblich" Subject: [INDIGO] [USS PROMETHEUS] Can I? Can I? Please.. O Please?!? SD 100703.0300 GMT Scene: Captain's Ready Room, USS PROMETHEUS FMD 7.0905 Lexaura stepped through the doorway as Talon exited, to observe the acting captain deep in thought. His eyes rose as the trill moved in front of his desk. When his eyes met hers, she looked away, trying to hide any evidence of her thoughts. This was, at least, what the Vulcan concluded. "Counselor?" Her eyes returned, noting the arrangement of four poips on the vulcan's collar. Her mouth fell open, and her train of thought derailed. "Comman... Captain," she corrected. "When did - who?" "Lieutenant Commander Phillippe Martel, approximately ten hours ago," the Vulcan replied flatly. "It is a legitimate field promotion, straight from Admiral Brooks, Counselor." "Congratulations," she managed to get out in response. He gave a slight nod. "Why have you come to see me, Counselor?" After a slight pause, she began: "I have a request, Sir." Her address was formal in tone, and quakey, almost childlike. One could easily deduce that this would be either an unusual request or a request unlikely to be granted. Sovak decided it would most likely be both. "What is it?" "I should like to give Captain Slick a proper memorial service." "Counselor....." Sovak began. Before he could conclude the thought, Lexaura interrupted. "I know that we are at war, and that we don't have time for these sort of things. I know it's just a show of emotional... well, I know it would serve little practical purpose, as there isn't even a body here..." she rambled, "but, seeing as how many are dead, the pilots, the AGAMEMNON, and I thought that.. what I mean to say is... well, with all the changes, and you as commanding officer, I think it's necessary." "Counselor...." the Vulcan tried again. "I'll do all of the preparations myself. You won't have to waste any more time or manpower on it, except for the actual time involved in the ceremony itself. We can make it very short in duration, like fifteen minutes or so. It can even be while we are en route to wherever we are going. Just, please, would you consider it?" Any one less observant than Sovak would have sworn that the blond trill hadn't taken a breath during that monologue. She stood still in anticipation of Sovak's response. "It has been my experience that most humanoids require some rite of closure when a death has occurred. Even Vulcans," he added, almost as an afterthought, then paused briefly. "Permission granted. The service is to be held at 1400 hours, and take place in the fashion you have outlined." Lexaura smiled brightly. "Thank you... Captain." "Thank -you-, Counselor, for arranging it," Sovak replied, surprising the Counselor, who barely managed to keep the astonishment she felt off her face. "It seems, Counselor, that you have some misgivings about my new rank," Sovak commented, steepling his hands and looking intently at her. Lexaura kept her eyes down. Sovak had interpruted her behavior as -misgivings- about his new billet. She didn't even know about the promotion until she saw those pips for herself. She did have -concerns- about it, but not wanting to get into this at the moment she decided silence was the best response. For now. When he did not get an immediate response, Sovak continued: "It was unexpected, not sought after, and quite frankly, I feel very uncomfortable with this responsibility. However, I was not given the option of refusal. At the moment and for the immediate future, I will be extremely busy. Once we have some leisure time again, whenever that might be, I would appreciate the opportunity to sit down and discuss this command change and the resulting impact on the ship and its crew." "Well, of course, Sov.... I mean Captain," she said automatically, a professional smile reasserting itself on her face as she spoke, though she still did not feel comfortable meeting his eyes just yet. "Until that time, Counselor, I would personally appreciate it if you could help Mr. Talon and I monitor the emotional well-being of the crew and their morale, something I am afraid I am not qualified to judge. Should there be a problem, please bring it to my attention at the earliest opportunity and help me find a way to rectify it. Keeping in mind, of course, that we are at war and such matters must necessarily often be subordinated to larger concerns such as survival and orders." "Yes, sir," she responded. At least she felt a lot better about responsibilty that those four pips meant.. and about the man who wore them. "Was there anything else, Counselor?" the Vulcan inquired. Flashes of her conversation with Roxy in the wee hours of the night on OMEGA came to mind. The same thoughts that accompanied her into the Ready Room from the beginning. "No, sir, not at the moment," she lied. "Then I will see you at the memorial service," Sovak told her, rising to his feet and waiting until she had followed suit, then escorting her to the door. She was so caught up in her own thoughts during that conversation that it didn't occur to Lexaura until after she had left how unusual such a gesture was for someone she had considered to be something of a..... cold fish, for lack of a better term. Yes, this was indeed a most unusual Vulcan, and the deeper you looked, the more atypical he seemed to be from the common conception of his species. One thing was for sure, she decided. Whatever happened around here, her services as Ship's Counselor were desperately needed aboard this ship, and her primary concern. Her personal feelings were secondary. ************************************************************* NRPG: 7.0905 Tur discusses a memorial service for Slick Dana/Tim Yeah.. it's a backpost.... I know, I know.. it doesn't really affect the timeline, but I wanted to have some character time. There are two more backposts to be sent out... (waiting for approvals)... and then I get caught up. Really.. I will.. I promise.... And Tim, thanks for the input.. .and no, you may not know what Tur is really hiding from Sovak... Submitted by: Dana Loeblich loeblich@rt66.com as Lt.jg. Lexaura Tur, Ship's Counselor USS PROMETHEUS NCC-25005 and also Cdor. Roxella Royan, Fleet Executive Officer INDIGO Fleet, SB OMEGA ***This message sent by an official member of Indigo Fleet*** Are you also posting your message to the newsgroup?!!! ---END TRANSMISSION---