To Be Or Not To Be?

Posted on 02 Apr 2013 @ 9:28am by Captain Jonathan Holliday
Edited on on 02 Apr 2013 @ 9:29am

1,098 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Episode 03 - Frontier
Location: USS Galileo - Deck 2- XO's Quarters
Timeline: MD05 - 1130hrs

[ON]

In a hurry the XO had returned to his quarters to finish his preparations for the upcoming away mission to the surface of Rojar II. Grabbing a new uniform, John quickly stripped out of the one he was wearing and tossed it towards the replicator to be recycled.

As he finished putting the second leg of his trousers on, the computer terminal behind his work desk began to chime, summoning him to pay it attention sooner rather than later. With a sigh, John finished pulling his uniform on before reattaching his commbadge to his chest, and headed towards the panel.

Lifting the screen up, Holliday didn't recognise the source of the transmission - it was a Starfleet signature certainly, and looked like it was originating on Earth but that was about all he knew. With just the slightest hint of trepidation buried under anticipation and intrigue, he tapped his hand against the key to accept the call.

It took only a moment for the Starfleet logo on the screen to dissolve into a bald-headed human officer wearing the insignia of a Commander, and the bright yellow colourings of the Operations/Security division.

"John Holliday. You're a hard man to pin down ya know that? Been trying to hail that Nova-class of yours for hours now - must be right out on the edge of comms range huh?"

The man in front of him spoke with an accent far more indicative of the southern states of North America than the more Martian accent that John himself used.

"Commander Riley....I haven't heard from you in quite a while now...not since the Academy if memory serves."

"Hell John you still a stuck up sonofabitch? I'd have thought some time cooling your heels in deep space would have calmed you down at least a notch!"

"I see you haven't gotten any less irritating than you were when I had the misfortune of teaching down the hallway from you...What can I do for you Riley?"

John had a hint of irritation in his voice by this point - afterall he was not at all fond of his days at the Academy and now he was being slowed down from reporting to the transporter room for his upcoming away mission. Folding his arms, the XO sat back in his chair and waited for a response.

"Well look at you. Promoted to Commander and you get all uppity...like a crocodile with pips! I'm trying to do you a favour here dammit!"

That was enough to get John's attention, it was not often that someone wanted to do Holliday a favour, if anything it was very much the other way around - since leaving the Academy, he had used up most of the favours he was owed by other members of the Fleet and very much stood alone these days.

"A favour? What kind of favour?"

"Ahh now you wanna listen....you remember the Excalibur? We served in the same combat wing during the Dominion Wars when you got a mess made of your pretty face?"

John knew the Excalibur well - she was a Galaxy-class starship who had earned more than her fair share of combat merits and awards during the Federation's engagements against the aggressors from the Gamma quadrant and had long been a source of inspiration amongst new tactical officers for the number of scrapes she came out of in one piece.

"I'm familiar with that vessel. Yes."

"Well..Starfleet has finally seen sense and offered her CO a promotion up to Admiral...and followed it up by promoting the Excalibur's XO up to fill the big chair. 'Course that means there's a gap in the command chain of the Excalibur, and well, her new captain is an old student of mine...suffice to say, he's trying to choose a new First Officer and can't seem to make his mind up."

The words coming over the comm were enough to make John feel faint. He had wanted to serve on a vessel as large as a Galaxy class in a command position since he had first left the Academy all those years ago. Ships of their size and majesty were hard to come by within Starfleet, and seeing the Galaxy-class off Galileo's bow for the past few days as part of this survey mission had almost been teasing the Martian Commander.

"You...have any suggestions for this old student of yours?"

John asked with a dry mouth, licking his lips to try and restore some degree of moisture, albeit futile in the end. Palpitations began to rock through his chest as the words he heard next made contact with his ears.

"Well...I've heard of this newly-promoted Commander serving out on some little Nova-class who's pretty handy behind the Tactical station...sounds to me like the kind of officer who'd be far more useful with something a little more heavily armed to work with...what do you think?"

"I...I don't know what to say....I mean..I've only been on Galileo for a while - I doubted anyone had any idea what we were up to out here?"

The older man on the screen burst into laughter as he saw the look of confusion blended in with shock spread across John's face. He relished the opportunity to surprise the Galileo's XO this way. Whilst he might not have gotten on with Holliday particuarly well, Wilbur Riley had always known what was best for his pupils.

"We know damn well what you're up to - how else would we know what those asterioids or comets or whatever it is you people study were made of? Listen - you've got 72 hours. Either accept the post or I'll be giving it to someone else. Like I said - if ya wanna get off that floating laboratory and back where the action is - you'll take it. Riley out."

And with that, the screen faded into darkness, Riley's face replaced by the emblem of Starfleet before that too faded into nothing, leaving only a blank screen, and a blank faced Commander staring into it.
Moments of silence passed before the quiet was vanquished by the voice of the ship's captain summoning John's away team to the transporter room. Snapping back into reality, Holliday decided that at least for now, a decision of that magnitude would have to wait. Slamming the access terminal lid shut, he bolted for the door, contemplating the fact that very soon, he could be facing a very important decision.

[OFF]

CMDR Jonathan Holliday
Executive Officer
USS Galileo

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