<Katra Station - Operational Control Center>
Solluk smirked as Saxon clandestinely called for a Red Alert. It was good to have a compatriot on his side in this particular battle. Someone to commiserate with him over the petty injustices of a burgeoning bureaucracy.
However, when Saxon suggested sending Goodspeed to meet the delegation, Solluk actually barked with laughter.
"I'm sure there's a provision against using subspace devices as weapons of war," he said, likening the Engineer to a tricobalt demolitions device.
But of course, that wasn't fair to tricobalt devices.
"I think this is a job for the station's Diplomatic Officer," Solluk said, "Why don't you go brief her on the impending arrival of this team, and see to it she provides the necessary greeting. While you're with her, see if she's made any progress with that tentacled beast we've got in the isolation unit."
He paused, and then realized there was one other onerous task he could inflict on his poor old First Officer.
"Oh, and speaking of Goodspeed... maybe you ought to tell her about this."
Delegating such tasks was one of the ameliorating perks of being a CO. Solluk moved to take the Command Chair.
"I believe it is your job to take a phaser beam for me, if necessary," Solluk added, beginning to enjoy his day for the first time, "I can promise some kind of posthumous medal... assuming civilian oversight approves."
If one could define 'Century' Saxon's career in one word, '
perilous' would be in the Top 10 of suggestions. From sabotaging behind enemy lines, to leading the charge among churned battlgrounds, risk was his business, and he accepted such with courage.
But 'peri'l was a word that wholly undersold what Solluk had just asked him to do: to let Lt Catherine Goodspeed, the station's Chief Engineer, know there was a delegation from the Interim Council coming to 'shadow' the senior staff. Including her.
"
I resign" was all he said dryly, and then with a non-verbal (but somehow still completely communicated)
hurrumph, the XO glared playfully at Solluk before stalking out of the OCC.
Beja first, he decided. He needed time to steel himself for the other battlefield.
Not that seeing the Chief Diplomatic Officer, Acting Chief Medical Officer
and Counselor had no risks of its own; the Klingon had a recent tendency, likely as some kind of parting agreement (or was that conspiracy) with Dr -
Captain -Tess t’Lhoell to take charge of his wellbeing now the prior CMO had her own, first, command. It was perhaps an unfair comparison, but Beja had previously proved herself to be as a determined warrior of peace as her people were for battle. She was, John had found to his dismay,
relentless in ensuring his mental and physical condition was up to par. Partly, without doubt, it was simply a matter of ensuring the First Officer was fit to pick up the baton should, Great Bird forbid, the Commanding Officer be incapacitated.
But his advanced age was, without question, a persistent combatant that the Quiet Warrior, the Daughter of Noh'ves, seemed to be very much keen to engage - hand to hand if necessary - and Saxon's patience risked being a casualty, very much expecting reminders to take it easy, to speak up about his feelings, and to seek help when he needed it.
For a moment, he contemplated tossing a mental coin to see which painful encounter to experience first, before ultimately deciding that Beja's caring efforts trumped the withering, likely resistant, glare of the durable Engineer.
<Katra Station - Counselor Office>Saxon had been told that the Lt Commander had subsequently moved from the Wildlife Centre as he was on his way there, and thus redirected his march towards her office. Inwardly, his shoulders sagged; the Wildlife Centre could have been a useful distraction, on neutral territory. But in her professional office she was on home turf, and no doubt surrounded by materials that would remind her to query him about his welfare.
Standing outside her office, Saxon therefore set his shoulders, found iron in his spine, and chimed the door that, for the moment, shielded him from an exercise in self-reflection.
