by Vol Tryst and Salvek
90819.2300
Concurrent with The Captain's Wife
-=USS Serendipity=-
90819.2300
Concurrent with The Captain's Wife
-=USS Serendipity=-
Salvek stood outside Counselor Tryst’s office, waiting patiently as he wrapped up a session with a crew member. As the young ensign departed, she shared a nod with Salvek, and continued on. Vol slid out behind her into the corridor, and Salvek began to stroll as Vol fell in step beside him.
“How do you think it went?”
“And you would be referring to . . .” Tryst asked. He assumed Salvek meant the ceremony to see off the O’Sullivans, but he wasn’t entirely sure.
“The transfer of Command.”
“I think they appreciated the sentiment. I know I…” Tryst choked on his words, unable to complete his sentence. He was hurting, and Salvek knew it. They all were.
Salvek quickly refocused the Counselor’s thoughts. “For the crew I mean. Did you get a sense of closure from them?”
Tryst sighed. “I’m starving, will you walk with me sir?” He asked. Salvek nodded, and they moved off towards the nearest lift, with Tryst intending to visit the café for something to eat.
“Captain, you and I both know that this is part of the game, part of being in Starfleet. We officers accept the decisions of those above us, straighten our tunics and go on about our duties. Closure however is very much a relative term. There is no definite time or specific quantity that tells you closure has occurred.”
Salvek took Tryst’s words as an indication that some would take longer than others to process the change. He immediately thought of those like Dane who would take the longest to adjust to Salvek being in Command.
“If I may be frank, Counselor,” Salvek stopped walking and Vol turned to face him, understanding that the Vulcan wished to have his undivided attention. “I need you. The Captain depended on you, and so must I for your wisdom and insights into the crew.”
Salvek turned and resumed walking, though he was clearly not finished speaking, so Vol waited for him to continue. “That being said, I must ask, how are you? I understand you had an initial session with Counselor Hood. Are you able to execute your duties aboard ship?”
Vol tried not to take the question too personally.
"I'm afraid that question is best directed to the Doctor and not the patient, Sir. I'm sure Counselor Hood will make her evaluation on my condition ready for you as soon as you request it. To throw in my own two bars of latinum however, I don't plan on going anywhere, Captain." The Betazoid smiled.
Upon finally entering the cafe, Vol quickly ordered a bowl of soup with a special sort of cracker to compliment the dish. Vol said it quickly, but Salvek was sure it sounded like Matzo. The Captain requested the same, intrigued by the large wafer that was presented to the Counselor. When the two were seated, with Vol making no objection to the Captain’s company, Vol spoke again.
"As I said Captain, every Starfleet officer has no qualm with serving under a Commanding officer, whoever it may be. If you had polled the crew as to whether or not they wished Zanh’s departure, the consensus would have been a resounding, 'No.' Nevertheless, if you were to again poll the crew as whether they would have picked anyone other than yourself to take Zanh's place, again the answer would have unquestionably been 'No.'
"Nobody wanted her to leave, but such things our out of our hands. But the state of unrest is incomparable to the uproar that would have ensued had Admiral Lassiter given the post to anybody else."
Vol knew his words may have seemed like those of an ultimate suck-up, but Vol was true to his heritage. He was just being honest, pure and simple.
Salvek took a bite of the large wafer Vol had called a Matzo. His eyes widened a bit in surprise. “This is quite enjoyable.”
“Well, it’s a giant flat unleavened cracker basically. I’m surprised you’ve never heard of one before.” Vol said, considering the Vulcan’s preference for simple staple foods.
Salvek set the Matzo down, and crossed his hands. “Do you think, Counselor, that given the Admiral’s mental state during all this, that a case could be made that the change in command was not hers to make? That she was not competent to do so?”
As Vol pondered the question, trying to decide how to say yes without sounding disrespectful or overly enthusiastic about it. Before he could answer, the piercing sound and personality of Ashton Ledbetter shocked his ears and mind like a hot poker.
“Did you know about this!” He said, pointing at Salvek as he approached the table with rapid yet perfectly measured strides.
“About what?” Salvek asked, with perfectly honest confusion.
“Lassiter! She just met with me a few moments ago. She has made me the new Security Liaison to the Alchemy Project.”
Salvek shifted his eyes back to Vol, who’s head was tilted to the side and offering him a lopsided grin. They both knew that they had just been given the answer to the question Salvek had posed moments before.
Ledbetter continued on ranting, undaunted by the fact neither man appeared to be listening to him. “I thought she was going to tell me she was giving me a new ship! This is Zanh Liis’ last stab at me from the grave isn’t it? She got you to go along this as her last request to her former first officer. I bet you gave the Admiral the idea yourself!”
Despite the stress of the situation, Vol actually had to stifle laughter, as Salvek slowly rose from his seat to stand over the much smaller Ledbetter.
“I most certainly did not, and neither did the Captain.” He said, calmly. Salvek had no doubt now that the Admiral was not in her right mind. He pictured the man that had been at his side, weapon in hand and life in peril, as Keiran O’Sullivan risked everything to help him save Lair Arie from the Romulan vessel.
That was the kind of man you want in Security.
Ashton Ledbetter was the kind of man you wanted to leave.
“As for your new position,” Salvek continued, “I do not believe you are in any way suited for it. Security is not your…specialty.”
“Well you don’t have to argue the point with me Salvek! I’m no more happy about it than you are!”
“So what do we do about it?” Vol asked. “You don’t exactly just show up in the Admiral’s office and relieve her of duty, no matter how unfit she may be acting.”
“We will need more evidence.”
“Evidence?” Salvek looked up to see TC Blane had entered the café, and had a PADD in his hand. “Evidence of what?”
“Evidence that the Admiral’s recent actions have been ill founded and a direct result of medical and emotional duress.”
“Then I’m just the man you wanted to see.” Blane stretched out his arm towards Salvek, with the PADD extended towards him. “Orders for reassignments, from the Admiral. Looks like your wife is out of a job.”
Salvek snatched the PADD with an unusually amount of frustration, and looked at the names. Dane Cristiane was being reassigned. Paxton Briggs was being assigned as First Officer, despite Salvek’s assumption that he would be allowed to choose. Ledbetter promoted to Alchemy Project Security Liaison. Lair Kellyn relieved of duty for disobeying direct orders.
Salvek paused, wondering if anything could possibly have been any more absurd than what he had just read. Then her saw the last name.
Rada Dengar, relieved of duty due to being an ongoing threat to the safety of Serendipity and the Federation.
“Preposterous.” Salvek declared, as anger managed to work its way into his voice. He held onto the PADD, knowing he would need it for what he had planned next. “She is attempting to dismantle everything Captain Zanh has built.”
“So what are we going to do about it?” Vol asked, again.
“I’m going to go talk to Zanh Liis. So should you.” Blane said, directing his gaze toward Salvek.
“In time. First, we will need an ally. I’m going to pay a visit to William Lindsay.”
****************
Vol Tryst
Ship’s Counselor
USS Serendipity NCC-2012
and
Captain Salvek
Commanding Officer
USS Serendipity NCC-2012
Vol Tryst
Ship’s Counselor
USS Serendipity NCC-2012
and
Captain Salvek
Commanding Officer
USS Serendipity NCC-2012