by William Lindsay and Captain Salvek
90823.1200
A Short Time After Faulty Logic
-=Bridge, USS Serendipity=-
90823.1200
A Short Time After Faulty Logic
-=Bridge, USS Serendipity=-
Salvek took a moment, upon entering the ready room, to trace his hand along the bare wall. Zanh Liis’ things had been gathered up and taken away, but every hook on the wall and coffee ring on the desk where her decorations and mementos had been remained right where they were when she had left.
Salvek just hadn’t been able to bring himself to place any of his own personal belongings in here. It didn’t feel right. This was her ship, and her ready room. In his mind he could see the room exactly how it had been, with the hooks on the walls holding her hangings and each trinket adorning her desk.
He tilted the screen on the computer up, so William Lindsay could see him standing, and opened a channel to the Director’s office. The voice of a young female answered him.
[Director Lindsay’s Office, how many I direct your call?]
“The Director, Please.”
[May I ask who is calling and what this is in regard too?]
“Captain Salvek, and Zanh Liis.” He answered both her questions with two names, in the hopes the current conversation would be expedited to a conclusion quickly.
[Are you Salvek calling about Zanh, or Zanh calling about Salvek?] She asked, followed over the comm by a snapping sound that was most likely bubble gum.
“I am Salvek.” He answered calmly, despite the inane nature of the question.
[One moment please.]
The was a pause of about a minute, presumably the time necessary for the young woman to inform Lindsay who was calling, and for Lindsay to get himself some privacy to answer the call. When his face finally replaced the swirling Federation logo, Lindsay was wearing his usual dashing grin.
[Captain Salvek. How may I help you?]
“Admiral Lassiter has been making several unusually changes to this ship, not the least of which is the change in Captaincy. I need to speak with you in person immediately.”
Lindsay sighed. [Well, TI isn’t really the best place for ya at the moment.] will didn’t even want to think of the security precautions he’d have to implement just to have Salvek allowed in the building for a ten minute conversation. [Meet me at The Iron Horse in ten minutes.]
“The Iron Horse?”
[It’s a pub is Glasgow. Believe me, it’s in yer transporter records.]
“Then, I will see you in ten minutes.” Salvek closed the channel.
-=The Iron Horse Pub, Glasgow, Scotland
Salvek materialized near in the entrance of the Iron Horse Pub and as he took note of his surroundings he briefly questioned whether he had in fact been sent to the right coordinates.
It was not that he doubted the abilities of Crewman Parrish; Salvek had complete confidence in the man’s professionalism, but this did not appear to be the type of place one would conventionally meet with the director of an important Starfleet agency. Of course from what Salvek knew of William Lindsay both from his own personal experience with him and what he’d been allowed to see of his Starfleet records it was entirely possible that that was exactly why he’d chosen it.
It was quiet here and lit only by the afternoon sunlight which was able to pass through the darkened windows. Empty tables existed in abundance whereas conversation did not.
Though it appeared well kept, much of the décor was reminiscent of times several centuries prior. Oak paneled walls were decorated with photographs of sporting victories and a trophy of some significance was prominently displayed within a glass case. Just the slightest hints of modern convenience gave away the illusion, such as the Replicator tucked discretely behind the sharply polished wooden bar where only the more perceptive of people would even notice it.
Though Salvek could not speak to the overall perceptive abilities of the local patrons at least two large men sitting at the bar clearly had taken note of the entrance of a uniformed Vulcan Starfleet Captain. Which one of those characteristics about held their attention he was uncertain. Their conversation had halted mid-sentence as they apparently wished to avail themselves of the opportunity to study him further, their eyes suspiciously passing him up and down.
Before Salvek could offer any response to their evident interest he recognized a voice calling out from behind him.
“Salvek. Over here.” Came William Lindsay’s familiar brogue.
Salvek turned to where Lindsay's voice was coming from and quickly located the man at a table discreetly tucked into the corner apparently having been here long enough to order himself a drink of what appeared to be beer though Salvek was incapable of identifying a specific brand.
Salvek nodded to acknowledge Lindsay as he swiftly moved over towards his table, fully aware that even now Gem Lassiter was likely coming up with new ways to erase Zanh Liis’ legacy and that the sooner they were able to acquire Lindsay’s assistance the better.
“Your speed in meeting with me on such little notice is appreciated, Director.” Salvek started as he lowered himself onto the seat across from Lindsay, intending on getting to his point as quickly and efficiently as possible.
“Ah, there’s no need for the official title.” Lindsay interjected. “Call me Will. Whatever job they’ve got me doing we’re both captains now, after all.”
Though Salvek preferred a certain amount of formality, he saw little reason to argue the point right now and simply nodded that it would be acceptable before he continued.
“Will, to be blunt, Admiral Lassiter has made several distressingly rash changes to the crew of the Serendipity recently.”
“Other than the change in captaincy?”
Will took a long sip of his beer after his question. A barmaid set a pint down in front of Salvek without even having been asked, and Salvek took a sip for the sake of being social, since he was a visitor to Will’s homeland here.
“I did not bring any form of payment or gratuity.” He informed Lindsay regretfully.
“Forget it. I have ya covered lad. Go on.”
Salvek took another, longer sip of his beer. He could see why the locals found it to be refreshing, even if he had no use for the concept of refreshment.
“The Admiral has reassigned several members of crew to different positions on the ship, and some are being sent off the ship altogether. Her reasoning is dubious at best, and I believe her judgment to be impaired by the recent trauma she has endured following the loss of her son, and subsequent medical episode.”
“What specifically do ya find distressing about her actions?” Will traced his finger around the rim of his glass.
“She relieved Lair Kellyn of duty of her own accord. Such an action should have required a hearing first, at the very least. She declared Rada Dengar to be a threat to the Federation, which I find to be an emotionally charged statement, and she has made Ashton Ledbetter Security Liaison to The Alchemy Project. I cannot justify that decision with any sort of logic. There are other moves as well I can share with you if you wish, but suffice it to say I believe all these changes, along with making myself Captain, have all been designed to punish Zanh Liis for the death of her son.”
Salvek concluded his speech with a sip of his drink. Will blew out a breath slowly and leaned back in his chair.
“That’s quite a mouthful.” He observed. Will chuckled slowly to himself. “And ya’ve come ta me why?” Will asked. He knew the answer, but he wanted to hear Salvek say it.
“Because I alone cannot move against the Admiral. I know Doctor Hartcort and Vol Tryst can speak to the medical grounds, but I do not carry the political clout necessary to countermand the Admiral’s orders, even with the medical evidence. The Serendipity needs its crew to survive, and the crew needs its Captain. That is Zanh Liis.”
This was exactly what Will had expected Salvek to say and also what he’d feared. The grin he’d previously worn fell from his lips before Salvek’s eyes. Will looked primed to speak but paused for a moment as he took a swig from the glass before him, seeming to savour the familiar flavour when all he was really doing was willing the liquid to contain the solution to his problem. He exhaled slowly in appreciation, for just a second looking down upon the drink before turning his eyes back up to Salvek.
When Will once again spoke his tone was markedly less enthusiastic than it had been just seconds before.
“I’ll talk to Gem about undoing the changes with the crew.” He said slowly, taking a brief moment further to consider what he was saying because he sure as hell didn’t want to say it. “But I don’t think I can bring yer Captain back.”
“It will not likely be without challenges but I do believe it is in your abilities to have her position reinstated.” Salvek objected, perplexed as to why a man he knew to be a friend of Zanh Liis would not wish to help her get back to where they all knew she belonged.
“Don’t get me wrong.” Will replied, slowly dragging out his words. “I could surely convince the people in power to at the very least reconsider accepting Liis’ resignation.”
Lindsay could quite easily think of more than one high ranking female officer he’d known over the years who’d be more than willing to help him get any legal technicalities pushed through. He was still on good terms with many of them and as for the rest he saw nothing that a little charm couldn’t cure.
“Yet, you will not do so?” Salvek questioned in a tone that, were he not Vulcan, could quite easily have come off as annoyed.
Lindsay couldn’t have blamed him for being quite a lot more than annoyed. He had just told him he could do what he’d asked and so he knew Salvek must have been thinking that he’d simply chosen not to do it.
Will picked up his beer as if to take another drink before putting it down, deciding against it and looking back up to Salvek, asking simply, “Do ya not think that was me first response upon learning what had happened? Ta try ta get Liis reinstated back on her ship where we all know she should be?”
Though they say Vulcans were not especially skilled at reading people’s tone, Will could see Salvek understood perfectly that he was serious about wanting to help. What hint of annoyance there may have been was replaced with traces of curiosity as he efficiently prompted Lindsay for a further explanation.
“I gather that the situation has changed.”
“That is has.” Will replied, deciding now that the decision of another swig was the right one. He took no time to savour the taste this time. “It changed the moment O’Sullivan asked me not ta do it, said Liis didn’t want it. I might think they’re mad for it, the pair of them, but I’ll not go behind his back or against either of their wishes.”
Many other men in his position would have begun to protest against Will for not fighting for his cause when he knew was right. Were their positions reversed then that’s certainly what Will would have done.
Salvek however had an ability that was far too unique to view a situation objectively rather than just considering personal benefits and objectively he knew why Will couldn’t do what he was asking.
Were Zanh Liis to ask Salvek to stop this fight then as much as he may have objected to her decision he would still have stopped. Respect and indeed loyalty could override what personal preferences he had.
Salvek took a small sip again from his own drink as he considered his position. He was certainly grateful that he had not been asked to stop just yet.
“Captain O’Sullivan is undeniably focused on what he believes to be Zanh Liis’ best interests,” Salvek evenly acknowledged. “When she decided to accept her removal he therefore supported her in that decision. However I do not believe that resigning was what she truly wanted.”
“She’s always struck me as the type of woman who knows exactly what she wants.” Will replied, not trying to be unhelpful but realizing he may have come off that way. If he had, then Salvek offered no sign he was bothered.
Salvek had never doubted that the Captain had understood what she had wanted. Indeed, her ability to make the right decisions was one of the reasons not just that he held her in such high regard but that he wished to return her to command of her ship. It made it difficult to explain then how he so doubted her decision here. He thought that perhaps it would be best explained by analogy.
“After a trying day one may feel as though they wish to sleep indefinitely.” Salvek replied. “The next day however one will still be glad to have woken up.”
“Is that why you think she accepted her removal?” Will asked almost offended at how easily it seemed Salvek was suggesting Liis mood could be swayed. “Because she was tired?”
Salvek had never thought that, fatigue was far too simple a reason. He had thought of little else recently than to consider why the Captain had chosen not to fight. She’d told him it was ‘time’, that she needed to just be and to sort out many lifetimes in her mind. He had understood her decision and at the time he’d accepted it. Yet the more he thought about Starfleet and Zanh Liis the more he realized that the two simply were not supposed to exist without each other.
“No. What I am saying is that what seems like the best idea at the time can often be open for reconsideration a short time later. The most difficult part of this is that, of all the orders the Admiral has given, Zanh Liis’s removal is the only one that was agreed to by the officer in question. All our efforts will be futile unless she agrees to return, which I believe Commander Blane is already working on.”
The barmaid returned to the table. She had been hovering nearby, waiting for a break in the conversation to approach. She didn’t know what the two men were discussing but the Iron Horse what not exactly a haven for Vulcan Starfleet Officers so she was guessing it was probably in the realm of “I’d tell you but then I’d have to kill you,” type information.
“Anything else for ya lads?”
Will gestured to Salvek, indicating he should place his order first. Salvek required nothing else, and was aware that he was already drinking on Will’s tab.
“No thank you.” He replied.
Will slipped his middle and index fingers around the base of his glass, and pushed it towards the barmaid. “Another, please.”
“I understand your desire to not go against either of their wishes,” Salvek continued after the woman disappeared behind the bar. “Neither do I. However, I owe Zanh Liis my life many times over and though she would probably scoff at the notion, I consider her my closest friend. I believe she will wish to return, especially when she hears what has become of her crew during the short time of her absence. If you agree to assist me, you should do so knowing you will not be betraying the trust of either O’Sullivan.”
At that moment Will found he was smiling again. It was not quite the devilish grin he’d had when he’d come here but hearing something close to passion in Salvek’s tone had him quite touched. Lindsay didn’t think Liis would scoff at all at the notion of her being Salvek’s closest friend. Only very few people and exceptionally few Vulcans would willingly and openly challenge the orders of a powerful Starfleet Admiral and Will didn’t believe any of them would for someone who didn’t mean something very important to them.
Slowly Will leant back in his chair, pretending to muse, as in a near O’Sullivan like gesture, he rubbed his fingers along his chin.
“Well, when ya put it like that…I don’t see anythin’ wrong with a little preliminary work to ensure her position’s open if she still wants it.”
Vulcan or not there was still a distinctive gratitude that passed through Salvek with that remark. It remained there as he watched a now more enthusiastic Lindsay rising from the table and began to rise along with him.
“Never mind about the drink.” Will called to the barmaid before turning back to Salvek with a smile. “It looks like we’ve got a bit of work to get done.”
He looked back at Salvek, as he fumbled in his pocket for a few strips of latinum to put on the table. “Where will ya start?”
“I will start by seeing if indeed she still wants it.”
*********************************
Captain William Lindsay
Director, Temporal Investigations
and
Captain Salvek
Commanding Officer
USS Serendipity NCC-2012
Captain William Lindsay
Director, Temporal Investigations
and
Captain Salvek
Commanding Officer
USS Serendipity NCC-2012