Old Friends, New Career

Posted on 01 Feb 2012 @ 12:59am by Rear Admiral Lirha Saalm
Edited on on 01 Feb 2012 @ 3:05am

1,948 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Episode 00 - Pre-Deployment
Location: San Francisco, Starfleet HQ
Timeline: MD 01 - 1350 hrs

[ON]

Water dripped from her face and hair and down onto her body as Lirha slowly climbed out of the large pool. The smell of chlorine once again seeped into her nostrils. Exhausted from the numerous laps she had just swam, she sat on the edge of the concrete with her feet dangling in the water and panted to catch her breath. Despite still being late Winter, the last few days had been hot and humid, and she guessed the temperature was in the upper eighties. She was used to warm summers, having spent four years at this same facility for her Academy training, but it had been quite some time since her last visit. With a sigh, she looked around the large recreational complex. Various off-duty personnel were busy frolicking in the pool and socializing at nearby benches while others were off playing basketball and tennis at the adjacent courts. Most of them looked young and Lirha guessed many of them were in their first year or two of course work. A group of male cadets sat nearby, also observing the scene and she glanced over curiously while catching the eye of one of them. He returned her gaze and gave her a mischievous wink which she couldn't help but grin at. Ignorance was bliss, and she guessed no cadet would ever approach an officer in such a manner while in uniform. Unfortunately, she wore only a white two-piece bathing suit which revealed nothing about her except for large areas of her green skin.

Somewhat rested now, she got up and moved to a nearby pool chair and delicately spread her towel over it before flopping down on her back to relax. She pushed a couple wet locks of her hair behind her ears and put on a pair of dark sunglasses to shield her eyes. Content and happy for the moment, she laid out in the sun and let her skin soak up the rays. Lirha closed her eyes and began to doze off as she contemplated her current situation. She had been pulled away from her last assignment without any notice and transferred back to Starfleet Headquarters with no real explanation. Normally she wasn't one to question orders but as the days had passed without any developments or briefings, she began to wonder what was going on. When she first arrived back in San Francisco several weeks ago, she had checked in with Starfleet Command to inquire but had only been given a couple PADDs full of starship specs and orders to stay on the facility's premises. Now, she was growing impatient, despite being given the opportunity to rest and relax.

A large cloud had been blocking her sun for almost a minute now and Lirha opened her eyes to investigate, only to discover that it was no cloud. A blond woman in a Starfleet uniform stood next to her chair, patiently waiting for her to acknowledge her presence. Lirha pushed her glasses up onto her head and looked curiously at the woman, slightly confused as to why she didn't announce herself. "May I help you?" Lirha asked politely.

"It's good to see you too, Lirha." the woman said with a warm smile as she looked down at the green lady. "I wasn't sure if it was you at first, but you're the only Orion I know in Starfleet who would come to the pool wearing next-to-nothing." she said, commenting on Lirha's scantily clad body.

The Orion immediately recognized the woman's voice, one which she had not heard in a long time, and looked closer at her. It took only a couple seconds before she realized who she was. "Jen?" she asked as her light green eyes lit up with excitement. She stood up from her chair and quickly wrapped her arms around the Human woman in a tight hug before letting her go and looking her up and down, inspecting her old acquaintance.

Jen, or Jennifer Rosewell, had been Lirha's best friend while they were in school at the Academy together. Jen was two years her senior but they had been bunked together during Lirha's freshman year due to overcrowding on the dorms. Originally from Texas, Jen was a farm girl from a small town who had been the first of her family to enlist in Starfleet. She and Lirha shared many of the same hobbies and interests as well as coursework, and found each other to be mutually pleasing. They had spent most of their free time together while in school and Lirha had been quite sad to see her go after graduation. They had kept in contact the first year after Jen was deployed but slowly lost touch over the next two years as the young officer's missions had placed her far away from the Alpha Quadrant. Now, it had been almost six years since they had last spoken and Lirha was thrilled to see her again. "I can't believe you're here...and back in San Francisco with me... what are you doing here?" the Orion asked with a big smile. She took a look at her friend's red collar and noticed four solid gold pips. "And you're a Captain now?" Lirha asked incredulously.

Jen chuckled and squeezed Lirha's arm affectionately. "Yes, for three years now. I've had my command for five years but Starfleet finally came to their senses and promoted me."

Lirha tiled her head in surprise. "Your command?"

"The Kato" she replied with a nod and another grin. "She's a great ship, Excelsior Class and a bit old and rusty but our Corps of Engineers definitely know how to build starships to last. I thought you would have known that already..." Jen remarked slyly with a hint of amusement.

With a laugh, Lirha put her hands on her hips. "Now how would I have known that, Jen? I'm don't work in the command department and I sure don't get updates on every new Commanding Officer and their assignments."

The blond woman flicked her eyebrows up and down with a glint to her blue eyes and unclipped a PADD from the back of her belt, then presented it to Lirha. "Well, you do now." she said with a smug look on her face.

Lirha blinked and stared at the captain with a blank look on her face. "What?" she asked after a long pause, then finally took the PADD from her hand to hastily read over the transfer orders. She wouldn't put it past her friend to play a cruel joke on her but she also didn't think that this would be an appropriate time for such jest.

"Congratulations, Commander," Jen started, "You're officially the new Commanding Officer for the Galileo."

A flood of emotions rushed through Lirha's head as she stared wide-eyed at her new orders. She felt honored and privileged, yet also slightly scared and tentative. She had no previous command experience and she wondered why Starfleet had chosen her for the assignment. "Jen...oh my..." she said to the Captain, unsure of what to say. She sat back down slowly on her pool chair and ran a hand through her dark hair as she contemplated the repercussions and her immediate future.

Seeing her young Orion friend suddenly flustered was enough to make Jen sit down next to her and put an arm around her shoulders. She gave Lirha a tight squeeze and pulled her close to help explain the situation. "Lirha, this was my decision. I've just been reassigned to Starfleet Command and am losing my command for a desk job," she said in a soft and quiet voice, "At first I was so upset...I even filed a formal protest, but then I realized that this my new career path. My new job is Task Force Commanding Officer for the 7th Fleet, which is where you are now assigned, so I'll be able to look after you. I know we lost touch with each other for a few years, but you're still my friend, and have been a great officer. Your experience in operations and intelligence made you a perfect candidate for command, and I know you well enough to say that you'll do just fine."

"Jen...I don't think I'm ready for this." Lirha answered quietly and nestled her head into her friend's shoulder. Despite her apprehensions, it was a comforting feeling to have Jen be the one to break the news to her. She had always looked up to her throughout the Academy and it was only fitting that she was now the one to help her transition into her new career.

Jen patted her shoulder and whispered in her ear, "You'll do just fine, trust me. I wouldn't have chosen you if I didn't think you weren't up for the challenge."

Lirha glanced around and noticed that the two of them were getting a few stares from nearby cadets. She pulled away and sat upright while adjusting her top in an attempt to cover herself more. She suddenly felt awkward about her appearance and the fact that the young male cadets at the pool were scouring a new Commanding Officer with their eyes. "When do I depart?" she asked her friend, finally accepting her new position.

"Five days. The Galileo is at our shipyards here in San Francisco. She's already been christened but our engineer's are finishing installing her final systems. When you get a chance, take a shuttlecraft and do a quick inspection... I think you'll be impressed." Jen replied with a sideways smile.

"And my orders?" Lirha replied curiously.

Jen looked at her friend with a serious and professional face. "You'll have to report to me at 0930 tomorrow so I can brief you, as well as receive your ship's manifest. Your first mission will be volatile, to say the least." she said with a warning tone to her voice.

"I should expect as much, right?" Lirha answered with a sigh. She had the feeling that she was going to be thrown into the mix, and not in a gentle manner.

"With Starfleet, always." her friend replied, then gave her a final pat on the back before standing up. "I'm going to be busy for the rest of the day but I finish at 1900. How about we go for some drinks later tonight and catch up? You can tell me about all the interesting men," she paused, "and women who you've met in the last five years?" she said with a big grin.

"Mmm...I'd love some good gossip," Lirha replied enthusiastically, "Meet at my quarters, 1945?"

Jen leaned over and gave her friend a strong hug and a kiss on the cheek. She was happy to see her, to say the least, and excited for their plans for the night. "Sure. Just don't out-dress me like you always do."

"Not my problem, maybe you should learn to wear matching colors." Lirha answered smugly and gave her a wink.

The blond captain stood up and looked down at Lirha, not saying a word, instead giving her an inviting look. She walked off calmly out of the pool area and back towards the headquarters while nodding at several junior cadets and officers who had stopped and stood at attention while she passed. Lirha sighed again, slightly envious of her friend's career progression and also excited about her own. She figured she would ask more questions that same night after a couple of drinks, and maybe get to the bottom of what she saw was a pre-arrainged command.

[OFF]

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LCDR Lirha Saalm
Commanding Officer
USS Galileo

CAPT Jennifer Rosewell (NPC)
Commanding Officer
USS Kato

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