Another Step on the Path

Posted on 08 Jul 2020 @ 3:17pm by Ensign Kat Walker & Captain Mallory Thorne

547 words; about a 3 minute read

Mission: Ab Intra
Location: Ready Room
Timeline: MD 01 - 1300 hours

With all that was going on, Kat had not expected a summons to the Captain's ready room. At least, not right now, with all that was going on. She had done her Officer's Course Exam on the holodeck and was waiting for the results, which she figured this summons was about. With that in mind she made her way to the ready room, there to ring the door chime.

It seemed like everything was halfway down to Hell, but nothing stopped, did it? Mallory had received the notification from the computer program that proctored the exam of the ship's pet AI, so there was no reason to delay delivering the news.

...or was there? Mal did not feel well, and she felt like something kept hovering at the corners of her vision, but there was nothing there. She was just stressed and overworked. She'd go off-duty and take a nap. That would help, right? She considered just going to her couch--

--but the chime rang. "Enter," she called. Or maybe groaned.

And enter Kat did, spending a few cycles on a few threads idly remarking on the fact that the computer recognized her remote emitter as something to let through. "Captain Thorne," she smiled softly, coming to a halt in front of the Captain's desk. "I have come as summoned."

"Yes," Mal said with a faint wave. "Try not to speak so loudly, would you?" The captain's head throbbed. "I got the results of your exam. Congratulations, you've passed."

"Thank you Captain. That is excellent news," Kat did speak more quietly, as requested. "Are you alright?"

The captain suppressed a groan, trying to not sound like a bitch. "I'm just...not feeling well." Mal forced a half-smile and kept her eyes open, despite the light. "So, consider yourself an Ensign and a fighter pilot aboard the ship. Your squadron assignment is down to the new CAG."

Down in the cargo bay the soft whine of the AI core's cooling systems spooling up was heard as a thousand thoughts ran through Kat's core. The captain didn't seem too happy and open for conversation, so Kat was going to keep it short. "Thank you Captain. I will report to Commander Wilcox for further training immediately," she spoke, her voice quiet and words calm. A moment's hesitation before she continued, "Just to be certain, I am now an ensign and can wear the appropriate uniform and rank insignia, yes?"

Mal nodded a little. Very little. "Yes, please do. At least during your duty hours, like any other crew member."

She stood a bit straighter, a soft smile on holographic features. Her form shimmered, her outfit replaced by a Starfleet uniform with the red markings of Helm, as she was Helm until completing the fighter pilot training. Her collar had a single gold pip on it, denoting her an Ensign. "Thank you Captain. With your permission, I'll go ahead with my duties."

The sight and Kat's smile, her posture, did make Mal managed a sincere--if small--smile of her own. "Congratulations, Ensign. You are dismissed."

"Captain," Kat gave a nod, then turned around to head back out again. Well, this was a first step. And a very important one. No longer was she 'just' a guest, 'just' a rescue, now she belonged.

 

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