Hiring Iy'dan

Posted on Thu Aug 4th, 2022 @ 7:07pm by Captain Iy'dan Brell

1,451 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Short Treks
Location: Deep Space 21 - Promenade - Replimat
Timeline: 2395 - 4 years previous

ON

The promenade was a bustle, a change from how it was only a month or so ago. A broken shell, devoid of life.. a ghost town one might have said. Now it was alive, chaotic and vibrant with sounds and colour and culture. Station life was something he never thought he would adapt to but it turned out it was something that appealed to him more than he realised.

Slowly he had been drinking his iced tea while watching the myriad of people pass him by from his vantage point in the replimat. Niska, exuberant as always was slinging cocktails around through the open bar onto the promenade, Jaas'rah was busy tending to his customers in his grocery store, actually able to buy real food! Perhaps this was the best move he had made.

From nearby a deep voice boomed, "This place is a lot more active than I expected..."

"You should have seen it a month ago..." Iy'dan started to look around for the owner of the voice before spotting an Admiral/Commodore striding into the replimat. "...sir!" he added out of respect and started to stand to greet the other man formally.

"Tarkalean Tea," the Flag Officer said to the replicator as the Lieutenant was speaking. He turned around, seeing the man about to rise, and outstretched a hand, "Quite unnecessary, Lieutenant. I'm not really the type to be focused on all the pomp and circumstance that comes with a flag rank. My name's MacCray, Gregory MacCray and I'm pleased to meet you." He picked up his cup and walked toward the Lieutenant, "Do you mind if I sit?"

"Please" the Trill motioned for the Admiral to take the seat across from him more than a little puzzled that someone of his rank was interested in socialising with a Lieutenant. "If I may sir, what brings you to the station?"

"Couple different things," he answered being purposefully vague. "More personnel related than I typically am responsible for though. Normally I'm on a Starbase serving as Sector Commander for a relatively unexplored area of space known as the Maelstrom that's out passed Cardassian Space. You ever heard of it?"

"Vaguely. I was offered a position out that way several years ago but I turned it down in favour of a tour of duty on Starbase fifty!"
The Trill said as he brought himself back down to his chair still a little puzzled with the Admiral wanting to sit and talk with him.

Greg nodded, "Starbase 50 is a nice place to visit. I've been there a few times myself," he took a sip of his Tarkalean Tea and quickly set it aside, "Cardassian replicators never do anything any justice. They don't hold a candle to Starfleet's replicators, don't you think?"

"You adapt after time... or at the very least what they produce deadens your taste buds just enough after time to make it seem delicious!"
The Trill offered, allowing his sense of humour to break through the professional crust he had erected as the Admiral had started to sit down.

"If I may be so bold, Lieutenant, at ease before you sprain something," the wily old man said with a smile. "I don't expect my drink companions to be so poised and polished all the time. It makes things a lot more boring that they should be, especially with what I am about to talk about." He tried to Tarkalean Tea a second time, "Still dreadful, but it is growing on me. Maybe my taste buds are dying as you suggest?"

"Its a fact Admiral... It happens to all of us living with Cardassian food replicators!"
Forcing his shoulders to relax as he took another sip of his drink, still wondering if the Admiral had another motive for sitting with him.

The Admiral rested his back against the chair, "Have you ever thought about not living with Cardassian Replicators? Plenty of places have Federation standard ones. Only drawback with them is they're food's made of shit."

"Compared the a Cardassian food replicator that creates food that actually tastes of shit you mean?" Iy'dan smiled, starting to figure out where the Admiral may be going with this but said nothing more on the matter. "I haven't really thought about it in the last few months. With everything that has happened my career has almost been put on hold!"

"Why would you ever do something like put your career on hold, Lieutenant? An officer I once knew warned me that if I put my career on hold I might as well be moving backward instead of forward."

"New husband, time travel, actually meeting a dead civilisation... The last month on this station has been more of a revelation than the rest of my career thus far. Once we have unpicked everything we have learnt I'll start looking at my career again". Although the train of thought in and of itself was enough to make the Trill consider what he might do next. Chief science officer or something more challenging?

Greg smirked, "Really all that in a month? Sounds like this old Cardie station has been really keeping you on your toes. Then again I suppose it was an old Earth philosopher that once opined that all was Flux and nothing still. Ever heard that before?"

"Sir, I've been living that the last month. No need to have heard of it... As everyone here could attest!"

"Certainly sounds like it," the older man said with a uproarious laugh that would be better expected from a Klingon than a Human. From his pocket he placed a small wooden box on the table opposite the Lieutenant silently. He motioned for the Lieutenant to open it.

Iy'dan set aside his drink, and pushed the plate away that contained nothing more than a few remnants of his pastry before pulling the small box towards himself. His internal orchestra of voices from his previous hosts now silent with anticipation, not something that happened often... or ever.

'It is... Isn't it... It is!' Arjin started to chant in his head, her guess being it was a promotion, something Iy'dan himself suspected also but he contained himself until the box had been opened. Once opened and confirmed with the black cantered pip sitting within the container he couldn't help but smile.
"Thank you sir but if I may ask... Do you not already have a Chief Science Officer?"

The Admiral crossed his arms, "Right now I am more in need of quality personnel who can help me with administrating the region. The Federation and Starfleet have essentially pulled out of the region in the last few years because of everything that has been happening in the galaxy. The destruction of the Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards on Mars during the android revolt, the Romulan Supernova, and about a million other things have really hampered our operations there. Things are on the upswing nowadays though and I need to shore up some key roles. You're one of the people I thought of."

"I'm honoured sir... Which role, if I may ask?" the Trill kept his reply to the point, not wanting to waste the Admirals time and attempt to coax a complete sentence from the man.

"Director of Scientific Operations for the Maelstrom Sector," the Vice Admiral revealed before continuing, "However, my Executive Officer will be retiring by the end of the year. At that point you would be the next in line."

It was everything he had wanted with his career but there was one thing he needed to clear first... Vincent!
"In that case I accept but I will need to talk this over with my Husband first... if you wouldn't mind waiting a few hours that is?"

"It's a pretty big decision for you," the Admiral confirmed as he humbled with the tea between his hands. He considered a moment, "Alright. Please do. Geronimo will be at the station for another few hours due to other responsibilities. Let's say you send me your decision at 18:00 today?"

"Understood Admiral... I will talk to him and be in contact!" Iy'dan could barley contain his exuberance, and only through sheer force of will, and a modicum of past life experience thanks to a few of his previous hosts, he didn't bound from the table like a freshman cadet. Instead he also found his was nestling the cup of warm liquid between his hands, his future laid out in a path before him.

He lifted the cup finally, downed what remained of the liquid and then started to stand. "If you will excuse me Admiral, I have something of a very important conversation to have!"

The Admiral nodded, "Yes, of course!"

END

 

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