Life Changes in an Instant

Posted on 03/10/2020 @ 5:05pm by Captain Cian D'Anvers

Mission: S1E2: The Plomeek Soup Conundrum
Location: Ready Room, Deck 1, USS Crazy Horse
Timeline: Day 5 at 1000

Seated on the sofa, her legs tucked up beneath her, a cup of strong tea in hand, Sidonie waited for the counselor to arrive and in the meantime, struggled to come to terms with everything that had transpired. Fifteen minutes ago her life had changed completely; her mind struggled to catch up, to accept what had to happen.

Ilos has received the summons and even though his CO had tried to stay calm, he could hear the urgency coming through. He rescheduled an appointment and made haste for the bridge. Once there, he chimed the Ready Room door. This was urgent, but it probably wasn’t ‘break down the door’ urgent.

"Enter," she said in a soft voice as she gestured for the Counselor to join her. "I don't know anyone on the ship yet and ... well ... I've received some news."

“Oh?” Ilos asked. He took a seat on the sofa next to her. “What’s happened?”

"Its believed that the Cardassians are attacking Invernian freighters again. The Federation is reluctant to get involved and membership negotiations have ended." She looked at the Counselor unable to keep the death of her personal dreams out of her eyes. "I've been recalled."

“Recalled? To Invernia?” Ilos asked, perhaps rhetorically. He let out a breath slowly. “I’m sorry to hear that, Captain. Is there anything you can do?”

"There's more," she said after a moment. "there have been attacks against our freighters ... my Father ... he was one of the victims."

The Counselor quietly nodded. He stood and approached the replicator. “Pyrellian ginger tea, two servings.” The two beverages shimmered into existence. Ilos took one in each hand and brought them back to the sofa. He passed one to Sidonie. “I’ve always found this soothing. I’m sorry to hear about your father.”

"Thank you," Sidonie said as she accepted the tea, blowing gently across the surface, before taking a cautious sip. "He is ... was ... a good man with the most infectious laugh. He had this way of making people feel at ease which made him perfect for the negotiations." Her expression turned bleak as she placed the cup back on its saucer. "I cannot believe I will never see him again."

“I’m afraid I don’t know anything about Invernian afterlife beliefs,” Ilos admitted. “But I do know this. You will see him again. When you close your eyes and think of the good times. He will always be part of you, in your memories.”

Blinking back tears, she pressed one hand to her lips and nodded. "I do. I can," she said after a moment. "I missed so much time with him pursuing my career. He understood ... had one of his own ... but still, family matters. Why does it take a death to understand that?"

"The humans have a saying about not knowing what one has until it's gone," he said. "But loving someone means respecting and even appreciating their life decisions. I don't think he simply understood your career. I think he was happier knowing that you had something like Starfleet in your life, making you feel happy and fulfilled. If you had given that up to stay with him, he would have been sad knowing you'd thrown so much away, and he probably still would have died. So take comfort in knowing that your absence probably made him nothing but a proud parent."

Sidonie's mouth quirked upward slightly at the thought. "I suppose so," she said. "At least I hope that's true." She took a few cautious sips of tea, letting the peace of the moment surround her. As she rested the cup on the top of her thigh, she looked at the Counselor. "I'm going home ... I'm not really sure how I feel about that ... but events are conspiring to make that happen quickly. What are the odds that my replacement would happen to be in the area at the start of a three week shore leave?"

Ilos smiled weakly. "Pretty low. It sounds like maybe they were going to recall you once your replacement's shore leave was over, but your father's death accelerated their timelines." He sipped his own tea, now cool enough for a larger mouthful. "What can I do to make this as smooth a transition as possible for you?"

"You've given me a chance to talk, to ... take a breath. Think it through." She set the teacup on the coffee table and her expression softened. She drew breath to speak but was interrupted by a call from the Bridge.

"Bridge to Captain."

"Ysayne here. Go ahead."

"Captain, the USS Haslam has arrived and requests permission to transfer Commander D'Anvers and his wife," the Operations officer said.

Sidonie straightened, becoming for these last moments, the Captain she had been. "Permission granted. Escort the Commander and his wife to the Conference Room and assemble the Senior Staff. Ysayne out."

She looked at the Counselor and nodded firmly. "Well, now it begins. Thank you helping me ... put this into perspective. Shall we go welcome your new commanding officer?"

He offered his outgoing Captain a smile. He stood and extended a hand to help her off the sofa. "We shall, Captain."

She accepted and returned the smile; together they left her Ready Room and as she walked across the Bridge, the thought occurred to her that it was hers no longer.

None of it.

A post by

Lieutenant JG Toran Ilos
Chief Counselor
USS Crazy Horse

and

Cmdr. Sidonie Ysayne
Commanding Officer
USS Crazy Horse