Passing Forward

[Vice Admiral Lara Rell]

Lara sat in her office at Starfleet Command. She'd already met with her senior staff regarding their current projects and upcoming needs. Later today she would also sit down with the President and his senior advisors to brief them on their Gamma Quadrant project.

For now though she sat down at her small table for breakfast, and Mack appeared as if by magic with a steaming plate. But the omelet he slid in front of her looked suspicious and she poked it with her fork.

"What's that green stuff," she asked with narrowed eyes.

"Spinach," he said as as small steaming pitcher drizzled hollandaise over the top of the egg dish."

"You know I don't like spinach," she said and regretted the words almost instantly. There was nothing more guaranteed to get her spinach in almost everything she ate over the next week.

"You'll like this," he promised and slid a plate of potatoes and another of sausage links almost as a reward for trying the omelette.

He bustled off and came back again shortly to deposit coffee and juice in in front of her. Then another officer came in with an additional plate and she looke to Mack for an explanation.

"You'll have a visitor shortly," he said as the plate of crepe' with strawberries was added across from her.

"That looks good," she said and then looked back at her own omelette. He'd never forgive her if she switched plates and she knew what that would mean, and she didn't have...

Her eyes closed briefly as fresh pain swept over her. She missed the man who should be at her side sharing the meal yet she knew it just wasn't in the cards right now.

She took a deep breath and then her first bite of heaven.

Tag Any

[Captain Xian Chen]

Xian stood outside Vice Admiral Rell’s office at Starfleet Command conferring with her adjutant. The ensign took his job very seriously. Xian tried to be patient with him, but at times his unyielding dedication to his job grated on her nerves. It was always more irritating when her nerves were already on edge. Like now.

“You’re meeting with the Vice Admiral is in five minutes Captain.”

“Yes Ensign,” Xian said calmly as she did her best to avoid rolling her eyes at the young man who stood beside her with his face focused on his PADD. “We’re already outside her office…”

“Yes ma’am,” he said in acknowledgement then continues his train of thought. “Our shuttle for the ship leaves in two hours. I will see to it that our personal effects are properly stowed aboard before our departure.”

“Excellent,” Xian said and she turned to head into her meeting.

Noting her movement the Ensign high-tailed it to catch up to the Captain. The doors swooshed open and before Xian could open her mouth the Ensign proclaimed, “Captain Xian Chen to see Vice Admiral Rell!”

Xian groaned inwardly, taking a moment to retain her countenance as she awaited the Admiral’s staff to handle the formalities on their end.

Tag Lara

[Vice Admiral Lara Rell]

“Captain Xian Chen to see Vice Admiral Rell!”

The perfectly coiffed Lieutenant Junior Grade behind the reception desk raised an elegant vulcan eyebrow at the Ensign and pushed a hidden button that let the admiral's yeoman know her visitor had arrived.

She looked at her screen and nodded when her board lit green. Standing she smiled at the Captain. 

"The admiral is expecting you ma'am. If you'll come this way."

She stood and led them down a short corridor to a door at which CPO Rand was standing to welcome the captain.

"Ma'am," he nodded and stepped aside.

The receptionist caught the ensign's arm as he attempted to follow his captain into the admiral's office.

"Come with me," she said in a no nonsense tone that told him he was _not_ needed until the captain left the admiral's office.

"Captain," Lara said in a warm voice. "Please join me," she swept a hand toward the chair at the other side of the table.

Tag Xien

[Captain Xian Chen]

Xian could not help but be amused by the reaction of the young Vulcan officer who sat poised behind the Admiral's reception desk, at the overzealous declaration of er adjutant. It was good to know that she was not the only one who found him to be over the top.

While they waited those brief moments as the staff communicated her arrival, Xian stood tall in her small frame with all the confidence and intrepidity that she felt inwardly. This was a time of great pride for her. The culmination of years of hard work, establishing her reputation and laudability had led to this moment.

Xian nodded to the young officer and followed the young officer down the corridor. She offered her a quiet thanks as she was greeted by the CPO. Upon entering her office, Xian stood at attention until the Admiral offered for her to join her.

Looking at the spread before her Xian moved to take a seat and said, "I hope I am not interrupting your breakfast Ma'am."

Recognizing that there was a plate of food in front of the seat she'd taken at the little table she looked at the Admiral again and asked with a smile, "Or am I joining you?"

Tag Lara

[Vice Admiral Lara Rell]

It wasn't all that common for her to greet a newly minted captain personally. It also was very uncommon for that captain to score a private meeting with a Vice Admiral. But this was a special case, a special ship. The captain appeared to her to be self possessed and confident, always a good quality in a commanding officer

"I hope I am not interrupting your breakfast Ma'am. Or am I joining you."

She smiled gently as the nerves probably got the better of her and she didn't hear Lara's invitation to sit by the luscious crepes. So she nodded and reiterated her offer.

"Please," she said and indicated the plate across from her. "Unless I miss my guess, Mack here has figured out one of your favorite foods. I, however, have been relegated to spinach in my omelette. He is quite bossy." All of it was said with the greatest warmth and affection and another bite of the very flavorful omelette.

Said Yeoman didn't react at all to Lara's gentle teasing but hovered near the captain after showing the her into the room and then inquired, "What would you like to drink ma'am?"

Tag Xian

[Captain Xian Chen]

"Please," she said and indicated the plate across from her.

Xian smiled graciously and moved to take her place. There she saw a plate of food that looked incredibly delicious. She eased into the chair as she listened to the Admiral.

"Unless I miss my guess, Mack here has figured out one of your favorite foods. I, however, have been relegated to spinach in my omelette. He is quite bossy."

Xian could not help but crack a smile at the dynamic between the Admiral and her Yeoman. It was clear they had an establish rapport with definitive boundaries. She knew how difficult she could be at times. With the way her mind worked she could get quite focused and that could make the jobs of subordinates challenging.

“It looks delicious,” she said looking at Mack.

"What would you like to drink ma'am?"

“Jasmine tea, please.” Xian gave him a grateful look before picking up her utensil and cutting into the delicate crepe. “This is a pleasant way to take meetings,” Xian said in a lighthearted way. “I may have to try it in the future; especially with our Marine and Starfighter contingent leaders. They may grumble less with full bellies.”

Tag Lara

[Vice Admiral Lara Rell]

“Jasmine tea, please.” Xian gave him a grateful look before picking up her utensil and cutting into the delicate crepe. “This is a pleasant way to take meetings,” Xian said in a lighthearted way. “I may have to try it in the future; especially with our Marine and Starfighter contingent leaders. They may grumble less with full bellies.”

Lara smiled at the younger woman. “It’s something I learned from my own Mentor. It tends to put people at ease from the start.”

She took another bite of her own food and a moment later a steaming and fragrant cup of tea was placed at the exactly correct angle in front of her guest.

“I know you haven’t been told what this meeting is about Captain.” She smiled fully aware that scuttlebutt tended to leak information, like she was about to impart, through a command like a sieve. But Lara Rell had her own ways of finding holes and plugging them.

“And I’m also certain you’ve spent no little time in conjecture over what ship you’ll get.” She turned a little serious. “I’ve been in the same position and understand the feelings quite well.”

She set her fork down and steepled her fingers over her plate. “Captain, we have a situation with the Klingons as you well know. Our senior officer pool is comprised of well-seasoned negotiators and reasonable people. Unfortunately, Klingons aren’t all that reasonable. And yes, that’s where we’ll be sending you… Quo’nos.”

“Captain, I’m giving you Nike. You’ll depart spacedock in the next three hours.”

Tag Xien

[Captain Xian Chen]

Xian listened as the Admiral began to speak. Any nervousness she felt had little to do with the company she was in and much more to do with the anticipation of what her future would hold. Xian did not suffer from that state of being awestruck when in the presence of powerful people. She saw tem for the person they were and not the job or title they held.

“I know you haven’t been told what this meeting is about Captain. And I’m also certain you’ve spent no little time in conjecture over what ship you’ll get. I’ve been in the same position and understand the feelings quite well.”

It was true. Xian’s mind had been reeling since her former commanding officer had told her of her promotion. The possibilities of what ship she would be placed in command of filtered through her mind as if she were viewing a slide show.

“Captain, we have a situation with the Klingons as you well know. Our senior officer pool is comprised of well-seasoned negotiators and reasonable people. Unfortunately, Klingons aren’t all that reasonable. And yes, that’s where we’ll be sending you… Quo’nos.”

There were rumors flying about the tensions in the Alpha Quadrent. Since the loss of Romulus and Remus during the supernova tempers have raged and there had been many conflicts between various groups that ad resulted in casualties. It seemed that Xian was about to be sent on a mission into the heart of discord.

“Captain, I’m giving you Nike. You’ll depart spacedock in the next three hours.”

Xian’s eyebrow rose. The USS Nike…Three hours… She took a moment to process the enormity of this moment. She was not being given just any ship. The Nike was the former flagship of the Eight Fleet. A ship that had been retrofitted with advanced weaponry and all the bells and whistles that come when an Admiral sits in the command chair.

The questions began to flood her mind.

“Good thing I started out my day with a great breakfast,” she said with an anxious mirthful smile as she lifted another bite of the delicious crepe to her mouth. As she chewed she thought of what se needed to know before her departure and then began asking Lara to fill her in on the details.

Tag Laura, end if appropriate

[Vice Admiral Lara Rell]

The meeting went more smoothly than she expected. And she ended up more comfortable with her choice than she had been before Xian Chen had arrived in her office.

She passed along the necessary information and her expectations. And finally when their breakfast was finally finished and Mack had cleared their places, she held out a hand to the younger woman.

"Take good care of Nike Captain. She's a good ship with a proud history and a good crew."

When the Captain had left she turned to Mack. "Do you think they have a prayer?"

"It's hard to say Admiral," he smiled. "It's hard to evaluate the confidence factor and how that will influence the Klingons. She's not the norm for a line Captain."

Lara nodded and then shrugged. "I know, but is it enough." Her comment was rhetorical and her yeoman knew it so he said nothing.

"Time will tell," she said and walked over to her wide window to watch the San Francisco skyline.

"Time will tell."

End Lara