To New Opportunities

Posted on 07 Aug 2016 @ 9:14pm by Rear Admiral Lirha Saalm & Captain Jonathan Holliday

1,405 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Episode 11 - Divinum Mundi
Location: USS Galileo - Deck 1, Captain's Ready Room
Timeline: MD 31 - 2005

[ON]

The news had come as a shock to Lirha -- a most unexpected and unwelcome set of orders that had been relayed to her and almost broke her heart. She had stared at message contained on her PADD for almost ten minutes before being able to process its implications. At first she'd been filled with anger and then confusion, but those feelings slowly gave way to acceptance of the transient nature of Starfleet's way-of-life.

She hesitated to tap her commbadge for a moment, but finally willed herself to summon John. "Captain Holliday, please report to my ready room," she said through the channel. She then looked back down at her PADD which contained his immediate transfer orders back to Starfleet Academy.

Holliday, having been finalising his duty shift for the day and handover to the following team, was not far away from the Ready Room, taking him only seconds to depart the main Bridge and step through the doors into Lirha's chamber.

"Admiral. You asked to see me?" He stood to attention ahead of his CO, noting that she seemed to have a rather unusual look on her face. He thought for a moment before she had chance to reply, deciding that Starfleet had probably issued new orders to them.

"I...recognise that face ma'am, speaking freely. Let me guess - Starfleet have found something else for us to explore, on the different side of the quadrant from where we are now?"

In a sense he was both correct and incorrect, and Lirha gave him a weak smile. "Yes...something new to explore, but not for us. Only for you." She handed him the PADD which lay in her lap and contained his Academy transfer orders. "I cannot join you on your adventure, this time," she added solemnly.

Holliday took the PADD from his CO and scanned through the data - they were obviously transfer orders, but...for him? The Captain took a deep breath before re-reading the paperwork to ensure that he had understood it correctly. He was being reassigned, effective immediately.

"Admiral. I...Ma'am...I don't know what to say."

"Well, I think you have always wanted to be back working in the tactical field...so perhaps a congratulations is in order?" She tried her best to find the positives in his reassignment, and she had always felt that life aboard a science vessel was something he would eventually get away from. "Our assignments are never permanent...such is the way of Starfleet."

"Indeed." Holliday replied solemnly as he looked down at the orders once more.

"Associate Dean of Tactical Operations...well at least they saw fit to give me a title with a few more bells and whistles." He tried to joke as he remembered the last time he was at the Academy. It seemed that in a few years his experience had gone far enough for him to take a step from having been a mere instructor, to one of the highest positions at the Academy.

"I suppose I should be grateful they aren't trying to lumber with an Admiralty at the same time...."

She waggled a green finger at him teasingly. "Be careful what you wish for, John. I have seen many commanders and captains soon find themselves desk-bound within months of beginning their Academy tenure. Besides, I think you would look good in brass rank pips. Spirits know, you have more than earned them by now."

Jonathan cringed at the idea of the admiral's pips - he had spent most of his career trying to avoid the whim of the admiralty; to then join their ranks would be almost an insult to everything he had achieved over the years. That said, the best way to deal with people like that was to be part of their ranks, so perhaps it would not be the worst outcome for the Martian.

"That's kind of you to say ma'am. I...presume that a shuttlecraft can be made available for me to return to Earth? If not too much trouble?"

Lirha nodded. A shuttlecraft would indeed be his to take back to San Francisco, but it would not be one of Galileo's. "Yes," she confirmed, "the Academy has sent a courier to pick you up from our current location. A Danube-class runabout, if I recall correctly." He could certainly be traveling in style back to his new job.

"It appears you are now a VIP within Starfleet...one with your own pilot," she laughed softly. "The USS Kent should be arriving by the end of the evening to take you to you back home."

"Thank you ma'am." Holliday replied with a chuckle. A VIP indeed... he mused in his head, the audacity and ridiculousness of the idea was enough to make him break his usual stonewall gaze and let a few more chuckles break free from his lips.

"I suppose I should get packing...."

As much as she had tried to hide her sadness underneath a makeshift wall of pleasantries and jest, she now felt her lower lip begin to quiver. "..John.." she swallowed a lump in her throat, "I am very happy for you...but I want you to know I will miss you dearly," she confessed. "And I think the crew will miss you as well. We have never served with another XO ever since I was promoted to commander. I...am not sure what I will do once you are gone."

Holliday took a breath as he acknowledged the sentiment of affection from his CO. It was true that he too has become rather attached to his posting, and also of his shipmates. Leaving would not be easy, and forgetting almost impossible.

"I have been proud to serve with you too Ma'am...I will...miss you, and everyone else aboard this vessel as well. Suffice to say it has been the greatest honour of my career - and I doubt that will ever be surpassed."

Lirha's eyes were now damp and she blinked away a couple stray tears that had accumulated at the bridge of her nose. "I suppose I will visit you the next time Galileo returns to Earth. And perhaps by then...your god-children will have been born," she replied with a sniffle. The Orion didn't care whether or not John wanted the duty or not; she had decided long ago to bestow the honor upon him.

"Thank you...Lirha." Holliday replied in a momentary break from his usual formality and adherence to regulation. In truth the Orion Admiral was one of the few people he considered a friend, and the honour of being made a godfather was something that even the most regulation-loving officer would struggle to reject.

She slowly stepped back and smiled at him one last time before coming to attention to wait for him to request a relief from duty.

Johnathan came to attention a moment later - he was glad that they would be able to finish things up the way that they had started; as two officers of the fleet. He remembered the formality with which he had first greeted her before launching, as a mere Lieutenant-Commander, and mused upon the fact that they would be parting so much further along the rank chain.

"Rear-Admiral Saalm, I hereby request to be formally relieved of the post and office of Executive Officer, of the USS Galileo and to immediately step down from active duty under your command."

"Request approved, captain," she answered. "You are hereby relieved of duty aboard Galileo." Lirha held out her green hand for him to shake one last time. "May the spirits bring you good fortune on your next adventure. Dismissed."

With one final shake of the Admiral's hand, Holliday remained at attention as he turned and began his walk towards the doors of the Ready Room, letting the thought sink in that this was the final time he would ever walk through these doors, at least, for now. Pausing for a moment he reached out a hand and touched it gently against the bulkhead. This ship was a part of him now, and always would be.

With a smile aimed at nothing in particular, he tapped the door chime, and headed for the turbolift.

[OFF]

--

RADM Lirha Saalm
Commanding Officer
USS Galileo

CAPT Jonathan Holliday
Former Executive Officer
USS Galileo

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