Post 438: Realized

Stardate:70915.1530
Title: RealizedAuthor: =/\= Zanh Liis
Scene: USS Alchemy
Time: Before and after "Shakedown" by Commander Salvek
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"If we can dream it, we can do it." ~Walt Disney
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"Would you like me to loan you a few hands, to help you get her back to the Indy?" Kelly asked Zanh now. "There are only three of you."

"It's not far," Liis waved her hand, smiling. Her eyes followed Salvek, who was still wandering from station to station in complete awe. "The three of us can manage. Or did you forget that test pilot was my original Starfleet position?"

"You still conduct yourself like a test-pilot," Kelly said with a sigh. "They're a breed apart, how could I forget? I will watch your progress from the planet. Let me know when you've docked with the Independence. I would, however, like you to have a security escort, just to be safe."

"Very well." Zanh replied. Kelly extended his hand, and she shook back firmly.

"My best to Captain Gilmore. Until we meet again, Zanh Liis."

"Until then, Sir."

Without further comment, Admiral Kelly tapped his badge, requesting transport back to the planet's surface, and vanished a moment later.

Liis took a moment to walk around the bridge, following in her friend the Vulcan's footsteps. She could only recall having seen him like this once before; that was when he was still a new father and he held the squirming, wiggling baby in his arms with trepidation and excitement that was detectable even beneath his attempts to hide it. They came to a stop at last in front of the Command chair in the center of the bridge.

"Congratulations," She said to him, nudging him with her elbow. "It's a ship."

"We worked so hard, for so long," Salvek lowered his voice. He glanced over at N'Dura as she began to acquaint herself with her surroundings more fully. He returned his gaze to Zanh. "We sacrificed so much for this, Kellyn and I. My parents," his voice faded as he slumped, more than sat, down into the Captain's chair and ran a hand along each of the armrests. "They sacrificed their lives working to try to ensure that this kind of technology would someday exist. I can only-" he stopped.

"They'd be so proud of you Salvek," She placed a hand on his arm and squeezed. "Count on it." Her voice was now a whisper only he could hear as she added, "I know I am."

He nodded, and the com panel began to beep. N'Dura stepped up to it quickly and ascertained that their escort ships had arrived.

-------See Post "Shakedown"-------

------A short time later, on the bridge of the Independence------

Lt. Grace smiled broadly as she sat at the helm. It felt good to be back on duty, and she was beaming with pride as she watched TC Blane march around the bridge in command, apparently struggling to decide whether or not he should sit in the 'big chair'.

Recalling Grace's memories now, February realized that it was a trait- hesitation to take the chair- that had been common among those officers who turned out to be the best and strongest captains Grace had ever known, in any lifetime. TC was going to do well.

"Lt. Blane, there are three ships approaching," Maak broke the silence from tactical.

"Identify,"

"All Federation," he rumbled, "But one does not match any known Federation registry or classification."

"Onscreen."

The viewer lit up and displayed the security escorts before finally giving the Independence crew their first glimpse of Alchemy.

"What the hell is that thing?" Blane's eyebrows rose.

"By the Prophets-" Lair Kellyn gasped from the engineering station. "It can't be."

"Sir, we're being hailed," Delgotta reported.

"Open the channel." TC commanded, as if he'd been doing it all his life.

[Greetings, Independence,] The familiar, quirky lilt of Zanh's voice was unmistakable. [Honeys, we're home, and boy, have we brought you a present. Requesting permission to dock in the Starion bay. We're transmitting our orders to do so to you now.]

TC blinked, still startled by the unknown ship before them.

Suddenly, Zanh appeared on his viewscreen in place of the ships. [Go on, check them out. Take your time, but make it quick.]

Blane turned to Maak. "Orders?"

"The orders specify that the USS. . ." he paused, "Alchemy, be assigned as an auxiliary support vessel to the USS Independence."

Zanh tapped her fingertips impatiently against the helm of the new ship, which was dwarfed by the massive size of the Indy, and sighed as she repeated her earlier request. [Permission to dock, Mr. Blane?]

"Granted," TC replied at last. Lair Kellyn leaped out of her seat and hurried forward toward the viewscreen, preempting further comment on his part as she addressed Salvek excitedly.

"Is it possible?" She asked, and he nodded to her.

[Not only possible. It is a reality.]

"Holy CRAP!" Reece exclaimed from the science station, "Not THAT thing! Not the thing that almost tore the space station apart when it was just in prototype engine development!"

"Oh yes," Lair Kellyn said, pumping her fist in the air once and hurrying over to Reece. She shook him by the shoulders excitedly. "And guess who is going to get to help us work the bugs out of the scanning systems?"

"Oh," Reece said, rolling his eyes to the ceiling. "Joy. Yay, me."

"I have got to fly that," Grace was heard to say, as she input the necessary commands into her station to ready the Starion bay to allow the new ship to dock. "I am going to learn to fly that."

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=/\= Zanh Liis
Acting Captain
USS Independence NCC-90791