"Facing The Music Once Again"
(Previous Post: Tiffany's 'Putting...')
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Setting: NEW ALEXANDRIA, Koniki's Anteroom
David, along with Commander Jack Foley entered the antroom outside of the bases CO's office. Allyson, cheerful as always, greeted them.
"Good afternoon Commander, Lieutenant."
"Allyson," both engineers replied in unison.
"The Admiral was expecting you. I'll show you..."
And like clockwork, the doors to Admiral Koniki's
office opened. The flag officer stepped through and
shook Foley's hand.
"Commander. Good to see you again. I'm sure the
SKEHMET didn't give you any problems."
"No sir. You'll have to thank Commander Vasquez for
that one. She spent most of the time getting the
operating systems up and running again."
Koniki's eyes met David's.
"Gentlemen," and he gestured to his office. Once
inside, David saw that the Admiral wasn't alone.
"Commodore," David said shaking his former CO's hand.
"Lieutenant," James replied, "excellent work on the
HATHOR... and running both positions."
Foley looked at David. "*Two* positions?"
"Yes," James said, "David served as CEO and XO during
the mission."
"Then I apologize. You had your hands full," Foley
said, "first time?"
"No," David replied, "it seems that the powers that be
knows a good combination when they see one. This was
actually the third time I've served as XO to Serenna."
"And I have to say that you did a helluva job
Lieutenant," Koniki said.
::That's different:: David thought. "Thank you sir."
"Now, the reason I brought you here," Koniki said
starting the meeting, "repair time."
Foley looked at David and nodded. "Two weeks time on
the ANUBIS sir. The HATHOR will probably take 8 more
days. She took quite a beating."
"Tough little ship," James said.
"I'd serve on her again," David added, "if the ceilings
were another 2 meters taller."
"We could always adjust your height," James replied
with a chuckle.
"Not on your life sir," David said.
"Lieutenant," Koniki said clearing his throat and
nodding to Foley who them left the office, "since Jack
wasn't there he needn't be here for the next round of
questions. What's your assestment on the Imperians."
"Tough sons a bitches sir. Far worse than anything
I've encountered in my career... so far."
"Would you say *tough* as to the damage they did to the
HATHOR or *tought* all together?" James asked.
"Both," David replied, "and you know from experiemce
we've been in some sticky situations before
Commodore."
James nodded, "True, but the Admiral's and my concern is
the safety of the ships we send out. *If* they find a
way and make it into Federation space, what do we do
to ward them off?"
"And I'd like your answer from both aspects of the
post you served during the mission." Koniki added
sitting back in his chair.
"Well, as an engineer we need just about every
available hand on that one. The extensive damage is
worse than any Borg attack I've read about. Their
speed and adaptability is... simply fascinating."
"And as an XO?" Koniki asked.
"If I were to ever serve in the position again I'd
advise my captain to tuck tail and run."
James and Koniki exchanged glances.
"Odd," James said, "I know you're a hard charger David.
That's... almost uncharacteristic of you."
"Let's just say that I see things differently now
sir." David replied pointing to his right eye and
thoughts of the past entered his mind.
"Well... again, job well done Lieutenant," James said.
David nodded.
"Dismissed Mr. Dawson," Koniki said and as the massive
engineer exited the office James looked at his CO.
"Well... seems to me that you owe me a steak dinner sir."
Koniki smirked, "It could be a front."
James shook his head. "Not getting too much into your
affairs sir, but are you ever going to give him a
break? Look at what's happened to him and look at how
he sees things now."
Koniki leaned forward on his desk. "A wolf in sheep's
clothing is *still* a wolf James. Remember that. But I
will take it under advisement."
James stood. "All I can ask for sir," and he left.
===================================
As the lift stopped and David stepped off, he bumped
into his former CO.
"Captain Serenna," the CEO said with a grin as the
Romulan/Terran eyes narrowed at her former Academy
classmate.
"I'd appreciate it if you'd address me by my right
title... number one."
David shook his head and laughed as Serenna rolled her
eyes.
"How goes your work?" Serenna asked.
"Its going," David replied, "just had the strangest
meeting with Koniki though."
Serenna's eyebrow inched up her forehead. "Oh?"
"Yeah," David replied, "it was just... odd. Anyway, I
have a question for you."
"I might have an answer," Serenna replied.
"Are you going to give Uxtar and Derek the business
end of your boot?" the CEO asked.
"I wasn't planning on it," Serenna replied as she
folded her arms across her chest, "should I?"
David shook his head. "No. You shouldn't. I can
understand where they were coming from."
"So you as the superior officer aren't pressing
charges?"
David grinned, "If I had a slip of latinum for every
time I went off half cocked because someone did
something to Sabrina they would have drummed me out of
Starfleet *long* before my court martial."
::Good for you David,:: Serrena thought to herself, "So
you're saying that I shouldn't talk to them?"
"No... not at all. We can't have junior officers having
their way with us old folks."
Serenna eyes narrowed even more. "Speak for yourself."
David put his arm around his friend's neck. "And I
love you to... Granny," and he quickly walked off
feeling the heat of the ANUBIS XO's eyes burning a hole
in his back.
===================================
He had been anticpating this ever since they returned. He needed to see her for himself. As David entered the infirmary he was greeted by the on duty medical officer.
"Lieutenant Dawson? What brings you by?"
"Doctor, if its possible could I see Commander Enaii?"
He shook his head. "I'm sorry Lieutenant. I'm under strict orders..."
"Doctor... please. Just for a minute."
He looked at David. "Be quick... for my sake."
David nodded as the doctor pointed him in the
direction of Enaii's biobed. David stood looking down
on the ANUBIS' ILO.
"Well... I thought this was something I'd never live
to see," the CEO started, "but its good to have you
back Commander."
David pulled up a stool and looked down on Enaii as
she slept.
"I know that you and I haven't always
seen... well... we've never seen eye to eye on anything.
It's as if we've always had it in for each other. As
long as I been a Starfleet officer I never thought I'd
serve with a nemesis either, but that no longer
matters. What matters is that your wife and your
daughter needs you. Now more than you know. It pained
me to see Sabrina suffer and had to suffer because of
what you did. And that was my fault. But you have to
understand Commander, I had to. I simply had to. I
couldn't let Zulot escape after what he did. But
my... brash course of action led to your death and the
misery that stemmed from it."
David paused as he looked at the blonde ILO.
"I died... I don't know if you knew that but as
talented as you are I bet you even knew out there. And
dying has taught me one thing. Its more important to
live and enjoy the life we've been given. We have
charges Enaii," and David paused again and chuckled.
That was the first time he'd ever addressed the ILO
without the use of her rank beforehand, "and those
charges need *us*. Sabrina needs you. Talia needs you.
We all need you. So you fight. Do what you have to do
to come back. If you don't have the strength, I'll
provide it for you. So don't you die on us again. Or
I'll be highly pissed."
The CEO took the ILO's hand and gave it a gentle
squeeze and place it back on her chest and left.
===================================
as
Lieutenant David Dawson
"A Starfleet officer... that's all I am and that's all I'll ever be." 2006 post #159
Stardate: 60344.1600
Setting: NEW ALEXANDRIA, lift
Stardate: 60344.1630
Setting: NEW ALEXANDRIA, Section C-2, Level 1, Infirmary
Stardate: 60344.1700
Julian Knight (d_dawson_1@yahoo.com)
Chief Engineer
USS ANUBIS NCC 18501
- Avery Brooks as Captain Benjamin Sisko,
Commanding Officer of the Federation Spacestation Deep Space 9
