Sunshine, an Autumn Breeze, and a Surprise
Posted on Tue Aug 13th, 2019 @ 4:35am by Captain Aviram Drell & Commander Temperance Zachary
Mission:
Episode 01: "Vestal Hearth"
Location: Starbase Montgomery
Timeline: Day 01, 0837 Hours
ON: [[Starbase Montgomery, Day 01, 0837 Hours]]
Sunlight filtered through the treetops. Many of them were already showing signs of the changing season, their colored leaves scattered all over the ground. A few had managed to hold on and these rustled noisily as a stiff autumn breeze swept through.
Drell made his way slowly along the winding footpath, taking time to admire the scenery around him. It didn't surprised the El-Aurian to discover his new first officer had not been at the station terminal when they arrived. Given what he knew about the young woman, it made sense that she'd be spending some final moments alone outdoors. As much as he would have preferred to allow her that time, however, there were matters that needed tending to before they were scheduled to get underway.
Temperance sat on the ground, legs crossed zen style, eyes closed, her face tipped up toward the sun with her long hair cascading down her back, moving slightly in the gentle breeze. Though she was in uniform, clearly she wasn't overly concerned about appearances at that moment. Her jacket had been removed and was sitting on the ground next to her, along with her boots.
"Miss Zachary," Drell said, greeting her with a warm smile, "I apologize for the intrusion, but it was important we have a chance to speak. Would you care to walk with me?"
Straightening up, Temp looked up at the newcomer, raising a hand to shield her eyes from the sunlight as she cast a glance over his form, her eyes widening with recognition. "Captain Drell!" she exclaimed suddenly as she hastily pulled her boots on and scrambled to her feet. "Sorry Sir, I wasn't expecting you, of course Sir!" She grabbed her jacket, shrugging into it quickly and casting him an apologetic smile. "Sorry Sir, I was making the most of the sunlight, you know, before we leave?"
"Of course. No need to worry."
The two started along the footpath, walking side-by-side with one another. Neither said anything. Instead, moments passed in silence. The only sounds were that of the wind rustling through the trees, water flowing somewhere nearby, and the native fauna in the woods surrounding them. It was an experience rarely, if ever, found within the controlled environment aboard a starship.
"How was your trip to Montgomery," Drell asked after they'd gone several paces.
"It passed without incident," Temperance replied quietly, still looking around keenly at the setting around them. "Of course, it would have been a lot more enjoyable if hadn't both started and ended with a Transporter, but it was a pleasant enough journey otherwise. The Hiller is a small ship but she offers surprising comfort."
Drell nodded. He was glad to hear the journey hadn't been too strenuous. Making the transition to a new assignment was often difficult enough without there being other issues. This was especially true when one's new assignment was as visible as being executive officer of a ship like the Vesta. He remembered how he'd felt when they first approached him about taking command of "the Next Great Experiment". The fact that Zachary still appeared to be in relatively good spirits was promising.
"The last time we spoke, you said you were looking forward to this," Drell said, recalling their earlier conversation, "Now that we're actually here, how are you feeling about it?"
"Actually I think I'm probably more excited now that it's here and it's actually happening," Temperance replied with a laugh. "I will be happier when I'm actually on the ship though..." her voice trailed off for a moment. "Actually, uh, speaking of which, will there be shuttles running between the surface and the ship?"
A smile spread across Drell's face. He was aware of Zachary's relationship with transporter technology, moreso from having listened to her share some of her story than from reading her service record, and had planned accordingly. "The Constance is waiting for us back at the terminal," he told her, "but there's no rush. If you'd rather stay..."
"No, not at all," Temperance replied with a polite smile. "I believe my belongings have already been transferred to the ship, I was just enjoying the sunshine while I could," she said lightly. "The holodeck is great, but holodeck sunshine just isn't the same as the real thing. It's nice to just sit and recharge your soul every now and then, don't you think?"
"Most definitely," he agreed.
"I'm assuming you didn't come and seek me out just to talk about the weather though," Temperance said with a smile. "What's on your mind Captain?"
There was a brief moment of silence as Drell collected his thoughts. "When I first contacted you about this assignment," he began, "I told you that I'd chosen you for a reason." He said this all matter-of-factly, but in actuality, the decision had surprised many of the admiralty. They'd likely expected him to choose someone older, someone with more experience. That hadn't been the case.
"We both know there are going to be those who struggle with the idea of someone your age being given such a premier assignment right out of the gate..." Drell reached into the pocket of his overcoat as he spoke. His hand closed around the object inside and he drew it out again, revealing a small box. He held it, then offered it to Zachary.
There was a momentary look of confusion as she accepted the box. Though the box itself was familiar, she had several in her possession already, she was confused as to why she was being handed one now. Opening it up, she stared at the new rank pip, her confusion only growing.
"I figured this might help smooth things over a little," Drell explained once she'd seen what was inside, "...or, at least, give you something more to work with if anyone decides to give you trouble."
"Thank you Captain," Temperance said quietly. "I don't really know what to say, other than thank you. I won't disappoint you."
"Congratulations, Commander."
There was a moment of silence before Temperance closed the box and slid it into her pocket, a wry smile crossing her face. "You do realise the irony in this don't you Sir?" she asked quietly. "You're concerned about how people may perceive me given my age and my position... I think technically you may have just given them more ammunition."
Drell offered her a reassuring smile. "Then don't think of it as a weapon," he told her, "Think of it as a reminder of who you are and why you're here." He paused and looked her straight in the eye. "You already have my trust and confidence, commander. In time, you'll have theirs, too."
"I hope so Captain," she said quietly. "I hope so."
OFF
Captain Aviram Drell
Commanding Officer
USS Vesta (NX-94200)
Commander Temperance Zachary
Executive Officer
USS Vesta (NX-94200)
