Post by Deleted on Nov 21, 2014 16:44:01 GMT -8
It was one of the scenes that Henrietta thought she'd never see. Somehow, growing up, Earth had always seemed untouchable. No matter how bad things got, it seemed that Earth, the proverbial nerve center of the Federation, was always secure. The Klingons had proven that to be nothing more than a fairy tale.
Her eyes rested on the Eiffel Tower, or what was left of it. Most of Paris had gotten off lucky... certainly luckier than San Francisco from what Henri had seen. "Henri?" Hearing her name, Braddock turned to see an Admiral approaching her, a pair of guards flanking him. Protocol may have dictated that she stand at attention until she was told to stand at ease. However, seeing her father for the first time after fearing for his safety for so many months sent a daughter rushing into his arms with no immediate thoughts of letting go. "Yeah... I missed you too," he said softly.
She wasn't sure how long her arms had clinched around him, but she slowly began to loosen her grip as she stared up into his eyes. "Sorry, I just--"
Admiral Braddock shook his head smiling. "Don't apologize," he uttered. "You made your old man's day. I can safely say that's just what I needed." He paused for a moment and then went on to add. "Your mother sends her love."
Henri nodded. "Yes, sir," she said. "She... tracked me down. I've made arrangements to head to New Berlin to visit her this weekend, assuming my orders allow. I heard that Captain Raal had been reassigned back to the Warsaw. He made mention of having room for an Ops Officer...."
Admiral Braddock waved it off. "The Warsaw is due to leave the day after tomorrow," he said. "And you actually have a different assignment." Henri's brow furrowed slightly, but the admiral produced a PADD one of the guards had been carrying. He hands moved over a few keys. "Raal's review of your performance on SGE turned a few heads. And it just so happens that Janice is in need of a new XO."
Henri took the PADD her eyes looking over the orders. "Janice Nichols?" she said recognizing the familiar name. The woman had always been a close friend of the family. "Aboard the Vangaurd?"
Admiral Braddock nodded. "Yes," he replied simply.
Henri shook her head. "I... I can't," she said. Her eyes lifted up from the PADD, and she saw that familiar look of disappointment on her father's face.
"What are you talking about?" he said. "This is what you wanted. Another step closer to your own command."
"Not like this," said Henri. She could see her father was about to protest, and it brought back a flurry of memories from her own childhood. "I admit, I want my record to speak for itself. But the Vanguard has done nothing for the past 36 months except ferry diplomats to and from Earth. And that's not going to change anytime soon is it?"
Admiral Braddock's brow furrowed. "Just what the hell do you want?" he asked slightly annoyed. "You wanted me to stay out of your career... and I have. This is an XO position, a stone's throw from the Captain's chair...."
"Ferrying dignitaries, Dad!" said Henri. "I've been in the Gamma Quadrant and on the front lines for months now. I can't... all of a sudden turn and play it safe now. I belong... out there. Where I feel like I can make a difference." A huff of frustration fell from his lips as he glared at his daughter. "Would you take it? Honestly?"
His gaze softened and a sigh slipped past his lips. "I take it you want me to intercede now?" he asked.
"Just... wondering if you know of anyone more qualified for that position than me," she said.
"Janice thought you'd feel that way," said the Admiral, "and so did your mother. Let's just say I was hoping...." Henri smiled and shook her head. "I guess you're more like me than I give you credit for." The Braddocks shared a few more words, and made promises of dinner back home later that weekend. Henri moved on through the streets of Paris. There were small signs of people trying to get their lives back together. Her eyes glanced at a nearby chronometer. She settled on a nearby bench to sit for a moment. People... civilians continued to stroll by. Some smiling... some arm-in-arm... some clearly in love. Earth had been through hell, and yet, some were already beginning to put their lives back together.
It was enough to put what appeared to be a smile on Henri's face. For a while at least. Then a mime seemed to pull himself directly into her line of sight, as if climbing on a rope. "Excuse me," said Henri politely. Now the mime appeared to be trapped in a box. As Henri leaned to one side to peer around the mime, the silent man matched her move. She then leaned to the other only to have the gesture met. "Really?" a hint of annoyance left Henri's lips.
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Her eyes rested on the Eiffel Tower, or what was left of it. Most of Paris had gotten off lucky... certainly luckier than San Francisco from what Henri had seen. "Henri?" Hearing her name, Braddock turned to see an Admiral approaching her, a pair of guards flanking him. Protocol may have dictated that she stand at attention until she was told to stand at ease. However, seeing her father for the first time after fearing for his safety for so many months sent a daughter rushing into his arms with no immediate thoughts of letting go. "Yeah... I missed you too," he said softly.
She wasn't sure how long her arms had clinched around him, but she slowly began to loosen her grip as she stared up into his eyes. "Sorry, I just--"
Admiral Braddock shook his head smiling. "Don't apologize," he uttered. "You made your old man's day. I can safely say that's just what I needed." He paused for a moment and then went on to add. "Your mother sends her love."
Henri nodded. "Yes, sir," she said. "She... tracked me down. I've made arrangements to head to New Berlin to visit her this weekend, assuming my orders allow. I heard that Captain Raal had been reassigned back to the Warsaw. He made mention of having room for an Ops Officer...."
Admiral Braddock waved it off. "The Warsaw is due to leave the day after tomorrow," he said. "And you actually have a different assignment." Henri's brow furrowed slightly, but the admiral produced a PADD one of the guards had been carrying. He hands moved over a few keys. "Raal's review of your performance on SGE turned a few heads. And it just so happens that Janice is in need of a new XO."
Henri took the PADD her eyes looking over the orders. "Janice Nichols?" she said recognizing the familiar name. The woman had always been a close friend of the family. "Aboard the Vangaurd?"
Admiral Braddock nodded. "Yes," he replied simply.
Henri shook her head. "I... I can't," she said. Her eyes lifted up from the PADD, and she saw that familiar look of disappointment on her father's face.
"What are you talking about?" he said. "This is what you wanted. Another step closer to your own command."
"Not like this," said Henri. She could see her father was about to protest, and it brought back a flurry of memories from her own childhood. "I admit, I want my record to speak for itself. But the Vanguard has done nothing for the past 36 months except ferry diplomats to and from Earth. And that's not going to change anytime soon is it?"
Admiral Braddock's brow furrowed. "Just what the hell do you want?" he asked slightly annoyed. "You wanted me to stay out of your career... and I have. This is an XO position, a stone's throw from the Captain's chair...."
"Ferrying dignitaries, Dad!" said Henri. "I've been in the Gamma Quadrant and on the front lines for months now. I can't... all of a sudden turn and play it safe now. I belong... out there. Where I feel like I can make a difference." A huff of frustration fell from his lips as he glared at his daughter. "Would you take it? Honestly?"
His gaze softened and a sigh slipped past his lips. "I take it you want me to intercede now?" he asked.
"Just... wondering if you know of anyone more qualified for that position than me," she said.
"Janice thought you'd feel that way," said the Admiral, "and so did your mother. Let's just say I was hoping...." Henri smiled and shook her head. "I guess you're more like me than I give you credit for." The Braddocks shared a few more words, and made promises of dinner back home later that weekend. Henri moved on through the streets of Paris. There were small signs of people trying to get their lives back together. Her eyes glanced at a nearby chronometer. She settled on a nearby bench to sit for a moment. People... civilians continued to stroll by. Some smiling... some arm-in-arm... some clearly in love. Earth had been through hell, and yet, some were already beginning to put their lives back together.
It was enough to put what appeared to be a smile on Henri's face. For a while at least. Then a mime seemed to pull himself directly into her line of sight, as if climbing on a rope. "Excuse me," said Henri politely. Now the mime appeared to be trapped in a box. As Henri leaned to one side to peer around the mime, the silent man matched her move. She then leaned to the other only to have the gesture met. "Really?" a hint of annoyance left Henri's lips.
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