Friend or Foe

Posted on 20 Jan 2015 @ 4:44pm by Lieutenant JG Drusilla McCarthy & Captain Jonathan Holliday
Edited on on 21 Jan 2015 @ 12:13am

1,561 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Episode 07 - Sojourn
Location: Starbase 84: Observation Deck
Timeline: MD07 1700 hrs

ON

Standing by the observation window, Dru watched as the space traffic moved in a fluidious motion. It almost seemed like a ballet dance, the weaves and waved around each other, one ship slotting into a space having been left vacant by another. They made it seem effortless but the counsellor knew better, she may have been only a few short years of the academy by normal standards but she knew more about a ships operations than she cared to mention.

Her clothes were dress down, just a pair of jeans and a t-shirt alongside a pair of runners on her feet. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail.

Sensing a presence behind her, the woman didn't move as her focus stayed on the never ending dance playing out in the space outside. "I apologise for asking you to meet me here....I figured that neutral ground would be best for this conversation."

"It's not often that I get asked by a junior Lieutenant to report somewhere. Although I suppose these circumstances are a little different."

John replied as he stepped out of hte shadows of the starbase's night cycled lighting. He had read the repots of Lieutenant McCarthy's last posting, and the rather unenjoyable outcome. The chance to bring one of his old crew back into the fold however, was worth the late night stroll.

"I trust you are well Lieutenant?"

Smiling at these words, Dru wondered if Holiday had changed in any way since they last knew each other. Although from what she's been told, their last meeting was a little unorthodox with him finding her after the brain aneurism burst.

"As well as anyone can be given the situation they find themselves in I suppose...Captain...." Dru stumbled a little over the word as she kept her eyes on the ships passing by outside, "Congratulations are in order I believe...twice over. Last I saw you were a Lieutenant Commander."

John bowed his head and smirked at the thought of his career progression since they had last met. He had come a long way since he had first sat in the XO's chair aboard the Galileo, and now found himself occuping the main position aboard ship.

"Indeed...the extra pip is taking some getting used to. Commodore Saalm has done rather well for herself too - it seems that the Admiralty are well recognising of the ship's merit and service."

John took a moment to gather his thoughts before continuing.

"I understand you do not have a starship posting at present?"

Laughing at his question, Dru finally turned to actually face her old executive officer. "There's a rumour doing the rounds alright that suggests so." Althought her physical appearance may have changed very little, there was a hardening about the counsellor's eyes that had never been there before. Secrets lay beneath that went untold. "Last I heard USS Galileo had herself a counsellor."

John knew that a lot of the crew had changed since the Lieutenant was last aboard - faces had come and gone, but some of the core staff had remained the same, himself, Lirha and the wisened CoB the main example.

"Indeed. Although I do believe the Assistant Chief position is still vacant in that department. If of course the rumour of your lack of posting proves to be concrete?"

Laughing at this, Dru leaned back against the railing of the observation windows as she folded her arms loosely across her chest. "The rumour is concrete, unless someone forgot to inform me that it's changed."

Studying the Captain closely, Dru softened as memories of her time onboard USS Galileo came back. Faces and people she found she missed, "How are your teddy bear catching skills these days Jonathan?"

John frowned at the informality of her comment - he had been trying to keep people on the straight and narrow whilst he was Captain but it seemed he would be destined to failure in some departments.

"I...had forgotten all about that. It is...progressing. Let me get to the point - Galileo is in need of additional counselling staff, and as far as I am aware you are in need of a post. The two seem mutually beneficial situations."

Dru couldn't help the broadened smile at Holiday's obvious attempt at deflection. She let it good....It was good to know that sometimes hadn't changed and he was still showing everyone a persona of being hard core. "I'm open to the situation....A change of scenery and a smaller crew might be what I need right now."

John was about ready to pull rank and force the transfer of personnel - but he knew that it would probably cause him more trouble than he wanted right now.

"Very well - in that case I will arrange to have you assigned to my command as Assistant Chief Counsellor - I will have your embarkation orders transmitted to you shortly. Welcome back aboard Lieutenant."

Coming to attention, Dru nodded her head at her new Captain, "Thank you for this opportunity Captain....Hopefully things will turn out a little better this time around."

As Dru watched Jonathan turn to walk away into the dimness of the station, she relaxed her body before taking a deep breath, "Jonathan? How is your father? Last time we spoke he wasn't well."

John had to take a moment to quantify exactly how long ago it was he had last spoken with the Lieutenant before her medical absence. His father's condition had led to an ongoing saga that had taken it's toll on both him and his immediate family, but at least now it was concluded.

"He's well...teaching at the Academy now of all things. Seems that Stafleet wasn't as disagreeable as he first thought."

Dru couldnt help but smile again at the almost robotic response. Jonathan had left all evidence of emotion from his words and just stated the facts. "That tells me how he physically is...It doesn't tell me the rest. Did you ever make that trip back to Mars after?"

"I haven't been back since I took command of the Galileo - time is a luxury I couldn't afford. However...I am planning on meeting with my father next time we return to Earth."

He replied matter-of-factly. His relationship with his father was the strongest it had been for years if not decades, and the idea that his father was actually proud of his accomplishments at least had driven him to do an even better job as Captain than he might have done otherwise.

"But otherwise the matter is personal - feel free to bring it up when I am due my next psych evaluation if you must. I will answer your questions then."

Dru couldn't help it but she gave a soft laugh. "Jonathan....I asked you to meet me here so you'd no idea what this was for. You arrived in uniform, ready and prepared for a fight of some sort, I now know it was so as to offer me a position back onboard the USS Galileo. If you'd been coming to meet an old friend, you'd have dressed in civilian clothing. I do know that you have a number of different outfits to suit certain occasions. I'm not asking these questions to psycho analyse you, I'm asking as a friend as I understood the pain and anguish you experienced when news of your father's illness was made known."

Dru held her ground and didn't step further, she knew Jonathan would try pull rank but as the orders had not yet gone through, he wasn't yet her Captain and on neutral territory it would be difficult to try use his rank, "It's ok sometimes to let down your guard."

John grunted in annoyance - he had a dislike for counselors that had stemmed his entire career, as usually they found a way to make him look foolish when he really did not wish to. Reaching up to fiddle with his collar, he nodded before turning to leave again.

"Sometimes...but only when I am comfortable to do so. You will take the post aboard Galileo?"

Nodding her head, Dru shoved her hands into her pockets as she forced back an outwards sigh. Secretly though, she was biting her cheek to hold back the smile. Jonathan hadn't changed one bit. "Of course Captain."

John grunted again this time in order to indicate that he was pleased.

"Very good Lieutenant. I look forward to seeing you aboard. If you will excuse me?"

Dru made a hand gesture excusing Jonathan from her company as she turned back to her ship gazing with a bright smile. It'd been a long time since she'd been able to feel happiness and she hoped that maybe this might stay true.

"And Jonathan....Try wear some of those outfits sometime. You'd be surprised at how much of a freedom they give you."

John visibly grimaced at the idea of being out of uniform - whilst there were occasionally times that he would want to be out of the comforts of a Starfleet wrapping, this wasn't the time. Without saying a word, he continued to walk away.

[OFF]


Lt. (JG) Drusilla McCarthy
Assistant Chief Counsellor
USS Galileo


CAPT Jonathan Holliday
Commanding Officer
USS Galileo

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