Post by Deleted on Apr 8, 2014 11:04:37 GMT -8
"You're absolutely sure about this?"
Lia sat in her office, such as it still was at the moment anyway, with Bethany on her lap and Greg stood hovering just off her right shoulder, eyeing her critically. She'd wanted to make this call with them both there. Some might say it was so she didn't change her mind, but mostly it was so that the many-pipped officers she was calling would know just how serious she was about her decision, and why.
She looked up at her husband's concerned eyes and smiled softly at him. The strange old man's words and the young teenager's actions had sat heavier on her mind than she had liked to admit to herself at the time. Was she really doing all she could to protect her family?
She was now.
"I'm sure," she said. "I was crazy to think this could work, really. We'll never really be safe out here, and whilst I could easily rationalise my own well being away for the greater good and trust you to make your own choices, I could never forgive myself if anything happened to Bethany."
As if she knew she was being spoken about, their daughter gurgled happily, causing Greg's frown to melt into a proud smile.
"Alright," he said, gently, squeezing her shoulder for a moment. "There's no going back, you know."
Lia laughed.
"That's ridiculous," she said. "There is always the option to go back. There's no such thing as never, or impossible. If there's one thing I've learnt in my career, it's that. You can't count on anything, especially the stuff you think will never happen."
She'd only found two things she could count on, in point of fact. One of them was holding her daughter. The other was holding her heart.
She looked down at the blank console and let out a very quiet sigh. Bethany was tugging insistantly at the front of her uniform, her little hands grabbing their way towards her commbadge, and Lia shifted her slightly so her interest was diverted to mommy's ponytail instead of the shiny thing on her chest.
"Want me to have her?"
Lia shook her head.
"No, we're doing this together," she said. Greg snorted softly and stepped back to give her some space.
"I'm sure you'll look very composed when she's pulling your hair out," he said, amused. Lia shot him a pointed look.
"I'm a master of composure," she said, dryly. "Anyway, no sense in putting it off any longer."
She pressed the centre button on the console with single-minded determination and rearranged her facial expression into the most professional look she could manage with a baby on her lap. There was a short moment where nothing seemed to happen, then three figures appeared on the screen. Lia smiled politely at them.
"Captain Barlow," said the man on the left, the fairly recently minted Admiral Gabriel O'Mara. He had a perpetual sort of confidence about him, which Lia had always admired. "We got your note. It sounded serious."
Lia smiled a little.
"I'd never trouble you all with something frivolous," she said, nodding deferentially. "I'm not going to beat about the bush. I'm requesting a transfer back to Earth, effective immediately."
There was a pause, but none of them looked surprised. Lia wondered if they'd been expecting something like this from her for a while.
She wondered, then, why it had taken her so long to see it herself.
"There's probably no point in my asking," said the man in the middle. Admiral Mike Xenton, one of the many top brass responsible for fleet movements out in the further reaches of space; Mike had been working at Starfleet Command for about as long as Lia could remember, and it had been he who she had worked as an aide for in her early days as a Starfleet diplomat. "But is there anything we can do or offer that will change your mind?"
Lia sighed a little, and shook her head slightly.
"My mind is made up," she replied, with about as firm a tone as one could get away with when speaking to Admirals, even ones you knew well. "Mike, I've been beyond honoured that you'd entrust this position to me, I really have. But there are plenty of people who could do you proud out here."
"They won't be you, though, Liandra," interjected Gabe, and Lia smiled back at him. "But we understand why you're asking." His gaze fell on Bethany, who was still more interested in Lia's hair than in any of the people on the console.
There was a pause. Lia held her tongue, knowing the value of a moment's silence when you were trying to persuade someone of something. The last thing she wanted to do was say something that would hurt her case. After all, no-one said they had to grant her request. She only had the right to ask.
"We'll be sorry to lose you," said Mike, after a moment, and Lia tried not to look too pleased at his words.
"They'll be sorry to lose you," added the woman at his side, with a wry smile. "I'll be happy to have you." Admiral Helen Jenkins, Commandant of Starfleet Academy. Lia knew her well, having lectured there on and off in a guest lecturer's capacity over the years, in between assignments. "You'll be an asset to the teaching staff."
"I'm sure the cadets would grow to loathe me in their own special way," said Lia, amused. "But if that's an offer of a position, then I'd be delighted to accept." She'd enjoyed lecturing. And it was certainly a less dangerous occupation than trying to persuade people not to blow one another up.
Helen nodded, looking pleased with herself. Lia suspected that she was only a part of this conversation because she had predicted the topic of discussion and wanted to get her foot in the door before anyone else did. Helen had always been the proactive sort.
"There'll be a position at Starfleet Medical for you, Lieutenant, if you want it," added Gabriel.
"Thank you, sir," replied Greg, nodding. "I'd be honoured." It wasn't quite chasing around the galaxy at the forefront of exploration, but recently Greg had found his desire for the new and unexpected had the potential to be fulfilled pretty much wherever he called home, as long as his family were there with him.
Besides, Starfleet Medical could provide its own challenges. There was a particular satisfaction that could come from being responsible for the wellbeing of the entire fleet.
The regular office hours would be nice, too.
"We'll get your transfer papers out to you today," said Mike, directing his attention back to Lia. "The Peregrin is in the vicinity right now, they'll bring you back through the wormhole, then you can hop a transport back to Earth from there. We'll have your office ready for you by the time you arrive."
Transports weren't notoriously speedy, so Lia knew they'd have plenty of time to get everything sorted for her arrival. She was already planning to spend an hour or more that afternoon looking for a suitable apartment. Starfleet provided accomodation for its staff, of course, but she'd always had a soft spot in her daydreams for the idea of a balcony that overlooked the bridge and the harbour.
A part of her wondered who they'd be sending out to replace her, but it wasn't a very big part. Just knowing that she'd made this decision was enough to lighten her heart considerably.
"It'll be good to see you again, Lia," said Gabe, smiling. "And to meet your family." Bethany gurgled and looked at the screen, tilting her head to one side quizzically. Lia stifled a laugh at her daughter's antics. "Now go start packing. I'm sure you've got lots to do."
Lia nodded.
"Indeed," she replied. "And thank you. All of you." She smiled at them. "I really am grateful." It wasn't like Starfleet didn't owe her a couple of favours, but it was still nice to know she had the sway to call them in when she needed them. Not everyone got to be so picky about their assignments.
There were priviledges to those extra pips, after all.
"See you soon," said Helen, with a smile, then the screen went dark again.
Lia looked up at Greg, who was giving her that proud-come-amused look again.
"You didn't think I'd do it," she said, with a small frown.
Greg laughed.
"Don't be ridiculous," he said. "Like there's a force in the universe that could stop Liandra Barlow when she puts her mind to something."
Lia smiled, and handed Bethany over to him as she stood up. She was sure that would be a done of contention in years to come with their daughter. However stubborn a child or a teenager could be, Lia was sure she could be moreso. She had many years of practice, after all.
"They were right about one thing, though," she said, straightening the front of her uniform to remove the wrinkles put there by little hands.
"Mmhm?"
"We've got a lot of packing to do."
Greg rolled his eyes.
"Yes, dear," he replied, merrily.
End Lia and Greg
Lia sat in her office, such as it still was at the moment anyway, with Bethany on her lap and Greg stood hovering just off her right shoulder, eyeing her critically. She'd wanted to make this call with them both there. Some might say it was so she didn't change her mind, but mostly it was so that the many-pipped officers she was calling would know just how serious she was about her decision, and why.
She looked up at her husband's concerned eyes and smiled softly at him. The strange old man's words and the young teenager's actions had sat heavier on her mind than she had liked to admit to herself at the time. Was she really doing all she could to protect her family?
She was now.
"I'm sure," she said. "I was crazy to think this could work, really. We'll never really be safe out here, and whilst I could easily rationalise my own well being away for the greater good and trust you to make your own choices, I could never forgive myself if anything happened to Bethany."
As if she knew she was being spoken about, their daughter gurgled happily, causing Greg's frown to melt into a proud smile.
"Alright," he said, gently, squeezing her shoulder for a moment. "There's no going back, you know."
Lia laughed.
"That's ridiculous," she said. "There is always the option to go back. There's no such thing as never, or impossible. If there's one thing I've learnt in my career, it's that. You can't count on anything, especially the stuff you think will never happen."
She'd only found two things she could count on, in point of fact. One of them was holding her daughter. The other was holding her heart.
She looked down at the blank console and let out a very quiet sigh. Bethany was tugging insistantly at the front of her uniform, her little hands grabbing their way towards her commbadge, and Lia shifted her slightly so her interest was diverted to mommy's ponytail instead of the shiny thing on her chest.
"Want me to have her?"
Lia shook her head.
"No, we're doing this together," she said. Greg snorted softly and stepped back to give her some space.
"I'm sure you'll look very composed when she's pulling your hair out," he said, amused. Lia shot him a pointed look.
"I'm a master of composure," she said, dryly. "Anyway, no sense in putting it off any longer."
She pressed the centre button on the console with single-minded determination and rearranged her facial expression into the most professional look she could manage with a baby on her lap. There was a short moment where nothing seemed to happen, then three figures appeared on the screen. Lia smiled politely at them.
"Captain Barlow," said the man on the left, the fairly recently minted Admiral Gabriel O'Mara. He had a perpetual sort of confidence about him, which Lia had always admired. "We got your note. It sounded serious."
Lia smiled a little.
"I'd never trouble you all with something frivolous," she said, nodding deferentially. "I'm not going to beat about the bush. I'm requesting a transfer back to Earth, effective immediately."
There was a pause, but none of them looked surprised. Lia wondered if they'd been expecting something like this from her for a while.
She wondered, then, why it had taken her so long to see it herself.
"There's probably no point in my asking," said the man in the middle. Admiral Mike Xenton, one of the many top brass responsible for fleet movements out in the further reaches of space; Mike had been working at Starfleet Command for about as long as Lia could remember, and it had been he who she had worked as an aide for in her early days as a Starfleet diplomat. "But is there anything we can do or offer that will change your mind?"
Lia sighed a little, and shook her head slightly.
"My mind is made up," she replied, with about as firm a tone as one could get away with when speaking to Admirals, even ones you knew well. "Mike, I've been beyond honoured that you'd entrust this position to me, I really have. But there are plenty of people who could do you proud out here."
"They won't be you, though, Liandra," interjected Gabe, and Lia smiled back at him. "But we understand why you're asking." His gaze fell on Bethany, who was still more interested in Lia's hair than in any of the people on the console.
There was a pause. Lia held her tongue, knowing the value of a moment's silence when you were trying to persuade someone of something. The last thing she wanted to do was say something that would hurt her case. After all, no-one said they had to grant her request. She only had the right to ask.
"We'll be sorry to lose you," said Mike, after a moment, and Lia tried not to look too pleased at his words.
"They'll be sorry to lose you," added the woman at his side, with a wry smile. "I'll be happy to have you." Admiral Helen Jenkins, Commandant of Starfleet Academy. Lia knew her well, having lectured there on and off in a guest lecturer's capacity over the years, in between assignments. "You'll be an asset to the teaching staff."
"I'm sure the cadets would grow to loathe me in their own special way," said Lia, amused. "But if that's an offer of a position, then I'd be delighted to accept." She'd enjoyed lecturing. And it was certainly a less dangerous occupation than trying to persuade people not to blow one another up.
Helen nodded, looking pleased with herself. Lia suspected that she was only a part of this conversation because she had predicted the topic of discussion and wanted to get her foot in the door before anyone else did. Helen had always been the proactive sort.
"There'll be a position at Starfleet Medical for you, Lieutenant, if you want it," added Gabriel.
"Thank you, sir," replied Greg, nodding. "I'd be honoured." It wasn't quite chasing around the galaxy at the forefront of exploration, but recently Greg had found his desire for the new and unexpected had the potential to be fulfilled pretty much wherever he called home, as long as his family were there with him.
Besides, Starfleet Medical could provide its own challenges. There was a particular satisfaction that could come from being responsible for the wellbeing of the entire fleet.
The regular office hours would be nice, too.
"We'll get your transfer papers out to you today," said Mike, directing his attention back to Lia. "The Peregrin is in the vicinity right now, they'll bring you back through the wormhole, then you can hop a transport back to Earth from there. We'll have your office ready for you by the time you arrive."
Transports weren't notoriously speedy, so Lia knew they'd have plenty of time to get everything sorted for her arrival. She was already planning to spend an hour or more that afternoon looking for a suitable apartment. Starfleet provided accomodation for its staff, of course, but she'd always had a soft spot in her daydreams for the idea of a balcony that overlooked the bridge and the harbour.
A part of her wondered who they'd be sending out to replace her, but it wasn't a very big part. Just knowing that she'd made this decision was enough to lighten her heart considerably.
"It'll be good to see you again, Lia," said Gabe, smiling. "And to meet your family." Bethany gurgled and looked at the screen, tilting her head to one side quizzically. Lia stifled a laugh at her daughter's antics. "Now go start packing. I'm sure you've got lots to do."
Lia nodded.
"Indeed," she replied. "And thank you. All of you." She smiled at them. "I really am grateful." It wasn't like Starfleet didn't owe her a couple of favours, but it was still nice to know she had the sway to call them in when she needed them. Not everyone got to be so picky about their assignments.
There were priviledges to those extra pips, after all.
"See you soon," said Helen, with a smile, then the screen went dark again.
Lia looked up at Greg, who was giving her that proud-come-amused look again.
"You didn't think I'd do it," she said, with a small frown.
Greg laughed.
"Don't be ridiculous," he said. "Like there's a force in the universe that could stop Liandra Barlow when she puts her mind to something."
Lia smiled, and handed Bethany over to him as she stood up. She was sure that would be a done of contention in years to come with their daughter. However stubborn a child or a teenager could be, Lia was sure she could be moreso. She had many years of practice, after all.
"They were right about one thing, though," she said, straightening the front of her uniform to remove the wrinkles put there by little hands.
"Mmhm?"
"We've got a lot of packing to do."
Greg rolled his eyes.
"Yes, dear," he replied, merrily.
End Lia and Greg