Carpathia IV: Episode 315 - Accolades
Ready Room, NCCS Shadowdancer-A
The day after the funeral, Aire turned his attention to happier things. Adorned once again in his dress uniform, Aire stood before the back window of his ready room, watching the stars streak by the stern of his ship with his hands folded together behind his back. Not long after he started stargazing, he heard the door chime sound that he was waiting for.
Aire: Come in.
Aire turned as the door opened, spotting Joust with a small wooden box in one hand and a tablet in the other.
Joust: I have everything and the staff are assembled.
Aire: Very good. Lead the way.
With a nod, Joust turned and walked back through the door with Aire following behind. Down on the bridge, the senior staff and bridge officers were lined up in a U shape from one side of the bridge to the other, ready for his arrival, with one exception being Sorchae, who sat in the command chair.
Trex: Captain on the bridge!
All the officers immediately stood straight and stiff, awaiting Aire to come to the bottom of the stairs.
Aire: At ease, everyone.
Joust had the officers lined up well, by rank, with Trex as the one nearest to the foot of the stairs. Aire approached her first.
Aire: Lieutenant Trex Fisk. Your devotion to the ship and crew is unparalleled. On a personal note, we all appreciate your calm demeanor. I promote you to Lieutenant-Ccommander.
Trex: Thank you, Captain!
Joust opened the box and Aire plucked a new badge from it. After removing Trex's old rank pin, he affixed the new one.
Aire: Congratulations, Lieutenant-Commander Trex Fisk. I would also like to offer you the position of Second Officer.
Trex: Oh, taking Nalma's place? That's a tough order, but I shall do my best!
Aire: I know you will.
Aire moved down the line to Amenaru.
Aire: Lieutenant Pendergast. You've come so far in such a short time. You know, I reviewed operations logs and I did not know the intertial dampeners had gotten that dodgy during the battle. In addition to repairing comms to Engineering, you were working heroically to keep the inertial dampeners going, even so far as drawing from the standby power from the conference room coffee pot and cocoa machine.
Amenaru: Right, about that. Sorry I broke it.
Aire: A small sacrifice. I hereby promote you to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander and offer the position of Third Officer.
Aire reached into the box again and began replacing the pin on a visibly vibrating Amenaru.
Amenaru: Yes, Captain! I won't let you down!
Aire slid on down next to Ramei.
Aire: Lieutenant Sokari, you did an amazing job keeping Engineering running in the most trying of circumstances. I hereby promote you to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander.
Ramei gave a somber nod and everyone knew what, or rather, who, he was thinking about. Aire could see that Ramei struggled to hold his head high while he attached his new pin.
Ramei: Yes, Captain.
Aire: I'd also like to see you in my ready room for drinks later. We have much to discuss.
Ramei: Understood.
Next, Aire moved to Tamati.
Aire: Lieutenant Sione. You were all over the ship, Engineering, Bridge, the catacombs. I also have Sorchae's report of your performance and it is stellar.
Tamati: Doing my duty, Captain.
Aire: By the recommendation of the Chief Medical Officer, I promote you to lieutenant-Commander.
After attaching Tamati's new pin, Aire and Joust moved on to their next target.
Aire: Lieutenant Junior Grade Morningstar. You did excellent work jumping from station to station as needed.
Baal: Thank you, Captain!
Baal was excited, exuberant, clearly the demeanour of a man expecting something.
Aire: However, I will not be promoting you today.
And just like that, Baal deflated like a popped inflatable raft.
Baal: Aw.
Aire put his hand on Baal's shoulder and leaned in close.
Aire: I'm very much looking forward to giving you your command officer's exam myself. Joust, put it on the schedule.
Joust: Consider it scheduled, Captain!
Aire next slid down to Teek.
Aire: Ensign Rinc. I don't think I have to tell anyone here that your piloting was absolute perfection today. Also, I think this is the first time anyone has ever done a power slide in a Falchion-class ship. Very impressive.
Teek: Thank you, Captain! Having a simulator in my quarters means I get to play around on it more.
Aire: That should be standard for all helm staff quarters. We'll definitely look into it.
Teek: We can call them Teek Simulators!
Aire allowed himself a chuckle. Why not? He decided then and there to put it in his recommendation, but not tell Teek about it.
Aire: We'll see about that. For now, you'll just have to content yourself with this Lieutenant Junior Grade pin.
Teek stood straight and proud while Aire attached the new pin and then moved down the line to Shep.
Aire: Master Chief Specialist Masaret. No matter how badly injured you were, you kept going and we're all grateful for your stamina.
Shep: Whatever it takes to get the job done, Captain.
Aire: I grant you the rank of Ensign. We're also in need of a new tactical officer. Of course, we all wish the circumstances were better, but you are the best person for the job right now.
Shep: Thank you, Captain. I accept.
Aire: Much appreciated. Commander Joust will get you all set up for that later.
Aire affixed Shep's new badge and moved along to Sylvar.
Aire: Chief Specialist Sylvar. We all appreciate your initiative. You saw a problem and didn't wait around for comms to be repaired. You ran straight up here and warned us. Otherwise, we'd have been thrown out of that wormhole and ended up who-knows-where.
Sylvar: I've never been one for sitting around waiting for something to happen.
Aire: And we all appreciate that. Your ship coming into our lives was very fortuitous. I promote you to Master Chief Specialist.
Aire attached the pin and next on the list: Quenya.
Aire: Cadet Vayhama. I simply cannot have you continue on with this ship like this.
Quenya looked like she was about to have a heart attack, but Aire continued.
Aire: That is why I'm giving you a field promotion to Ensign.
Quenya exhaled sharply and clutched her chest.
Quenya: Don't scare me like that!
The others snickered a bit until a shout came from down the line.
Amenaru: Quenya outranks Sylvar now!
Quenya's face suddenly split into a very disconcerting grin as she turned and looked Sylvar dead in the eyes. She wrung her hands together like a panto villain and giggled diabolically.
Quenya: Mwa ha ha ha ha!
Aire pinned on Quenya's new rank, thinking that there was still a little bit of Minnie left behind. A thought that delighted him greatly.
Aire: You'll still need to do your studies, but now you'll get new quarters, a new uniform, and, as Amenaru pointed out, some new authority.
Quenya: Thank you!
Until now, all the officers were lined up in order of rank, highest to lowest. The one exception to this was Kit, last in the line. Aire asked Joust to do this, because he wasn't sure he would be able to continue after.
Aire: Ensign Savea. I think we all learned a very valuable lesson. Never bring a gun to a Kit fight. You have exceeded every expectation imaginable.
Kit held his head low, incapable of making eye contact, and gave a mousey acknowledgement.
Kit: Yes, Captain.
Looking down at Kit took Aire back to the first time they met. Aire stepped off the gangway from the Furious Spectre to find the first member of the Shadowdancer crew that he would meet, Kit Savea. He remembered seeing Kit's tiny, slender frame, wondering how he could have possibly graduated from the Academy, weak as he appeared. He remembered the meticulously polished and brushed uniform. His perfectly enunciated speech. He was a picture of timidity, but pride at the same time. Unlike then, Aire no longer saw a tiny waif standing before him, but, perhaps, the bravest man he had ever met.
How long was Aire lost in his flashback? He did not know, but it was long enough for the others to take notice.
Kit: Is everything okay, Captain?
Without a word, Aire grabbed Kit and pulled him into a tight hug, while the others looked on in surprise. There they stayed, long enough for Teek and Amenaru to have a little conversation.
Teek: I didn't get a hug.
Amenaru answered with a smile.
Amenaru: Don't worry about it. Kit just has that effect on people.
All those in line, including Teek, nodded in agreement.
Teek: Yeah. You're right.
By now, Aire and Teek were facing each other again.
Aire: It is my pleasure to promote you to the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade.
Still with a couple of sniffles in his nose, Aire attached Kit's shiny, new rank pin.
Aire: Now, with that out of the way, Joust, my tablet, please.
Joust closed the rank pin box and tucked it under his arm while handing Aire his tablet. Aire swiped through several menus to find the record button and tapped it.
Aire: Captain's Log, August 29, NE 215. Today's entry concerns Commander Joust. He's a right pain in the ass. Flippant. Scheming. Sneaky. Rule-breaking. Pops up when you least expect him. However, don't be fooled. These are actually his good qualities. Amongst those also include his people management skills, which are the best I've ever seen. He has a solution for any situation, no matter how hopeless. Above all else, he is brave. Whatever the job is, he'll get it done and his crew will follow him. Upon our return to Carpathian space, I recommend Commander Joust for promotion to Captain.
Joust spread his wings wide, even before Aire revealed his feint. By the end, they wiggled deliriously.
Joust: Aw! I just needed to find the right person to recognize my particular brand of assholery.
Aire: Well, you'll have a year to hone that even more, because that's how long it will take to get back.
Joust: Looking forward to the journey, Captain!
Finally, Aire turned to Sorchae, still sitting in the command chair.
Aire: Sorchae, I wish I had something to offer you. Should Carpathia start producing medical frigates, I will recommend you for Captain as well. For now, when we get back, just tell me whatever it is you want to do and I'll do whatever I can to advocate for you.
Sorchae: Much appreciated, Aire, but I'm fine to remain right here. I can't imagine anywhere else being even half as interesting as this ship.
Aire: We'll always be happy to have you. As for all of you, I'd give you medals if I could, but it's not like we have a closet full of hundreds of them stashed away. When we return, I assure you that there will be many accolades to give. For now, you'll just have to wait. I thank you all for your bravery and service. As you were.
All those on the bridge responded with a chorus of "Yes, Captain!" and returned to their duties.
Commissioned art in this episode from:
AvareonArt
Zelbunnii
Less_End
Colourbrand
Falke2009
