Post 451: Stepping Up to the Plate

Stardate: 70923.1630
Title: Stepping Up to the Plate
Author: Zanh Liis
Scene: Sickbay
Time: Following "Citizens of Troy, Beware."
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Acting CO is a title that is both a blessing and a curse.

Blessing, in that it afforded one the 'official' authority to make the needed decisions to allow the ship, in this case, the flagship, to function properly.

It carried with it a lot of uncertainty. That was where the 'curse' came in.

Where would one go after their stint as back-up captain was over? Would they be placed back into a lower position, or would Starfleet pull out the command chair and offer them another post elsewhere?

Zanh Liis had lived with uncertainty in her life more than just about anyone else you could expect to meet, so she was accustomed to it. While she didn't know where she would land eventually when Captain Gilmore was well enough to return to his post on the Independence, she did know one thing. This was where she wanted to be.

She'd find a position in which to be of service on this ship- accepting lower rank and position was much more appealing to her at this point in her life than the idea of leaving Indy to take command of another ship.

She was supposed to be here, she was certain of that now. With this crew, in this time. However they needed her to serve.

She entered Sickbay and approached Dr. McKenna, who was updating the latest information in Gilmore's file so that the medical staff on the shuttle would have them at the ready.

"ZL."

"DM."

"He's expecting you."

Zanh nodded, and took a deep breath. Something about R.J. Gilmore still- not intimidated her exactly- but put her on her guard.

"Zanh Liis." Gilmore said, as he sat up and sipped from a cup of water at his bedside. "Dr. McKenna has some concerns about your well-being. Are you certain you are up to the task of running this ship?"

"I am."

"All right then." He set the cup back down and looked her over. "I know how you feel about diplomatic assignments," he referred to Indy's next mission.

"Well, it'll be a chance for me to grow." Zanh replied, forcing a smile.

"Indeed. Is there anything that you would like my input on before I go?"

"Commander K'Pajek has had to take an emergency leave. I am planning on having Lt. Commander Maak fill in for him."

"He'll serve well. Maak is an accomplished, experienced man. Anything else?"

"We will be running tests on the Alchemy, assessing the Yensuli. . .then I suppose we will return to Earth to fetch you, Sir. If that is your wish."

"Contact me via sub-space every other day to keep me up to date on the latest ship's business," Gilmore instructed. "I will let you know when the Yensul mission is complete if I'm ready to return then. We wait and see," he grumbled, "what my physicians will have to say."

"Understood. Where will you be heading sir?"

"I'll be visiting the T'Ana family for awhile. J'Dok has just informed me that his ship is undergoing refit, so he will actually be on Earth for awhile. They have a large house on the beach in California. It sounds like just what the doctor has ordered."

Zanh stifled a smile. If the stories she'd heard were true, Lily T'Ana's mother would see to it that Gilmore recovered. She'd tend to him, with a vengeance.

"Very good Sir. I wish you a speedy recovery and return to us. So that I can get back to doing what I'm used to doing."

"Which is?"

"Just putting out fires and being certain that you don't go on the Away missions, Sir." She laughed.

Gilmore stroked his beard thoughtfully. "You're still putting out the fires, Liis. They're just bigger."

She nodded.

"Dismissed."

"Captain Gilmore," Zanh remarked as she turned to leave. "You could've requested that Starfleet leave Salvek as Acting CO in your absence. You didn't have a choice when they put me here during your initial illness, but you have one now. Given our. . .working relationship," she was speaking of the way they had ground against each other, at odds since the day that Gilmore had realized she was going to be on his senior staff. "Why me?"

"Because."

Gilmore offered her no more. She waited for him to continue, but he did not. He simply adjusted his pillow, pulled up his blanket, and closed his eyes.

"You're free to go," he pointed to the door, adding, "Don't get too comfortable in my chair, Captain Zanh."

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