Post 523: Bright, Shiny Objects

Stardate:71026.2300
Title: Bright, Shiny Objects
Author: Zanh Liis
Scene: Independence/various
Time: Following "Walking Away"
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Leaving Lt. Commander N'Dura in charge on the bridge, Zanh Liis set off to handle the next item on her agenda for this day- promotions.

She decided that her visit with TC Blane could wait a bit- he had sounded very busy when she'd hailed him moments earlier, and so she made her way toward Sickbay to check on the recovery of one Simon Biggs, instead.

She found Biggs dressed in his uniform, and ready to depart for his quarters as soon as the doctor signed off on his chart.

"Glad to see you up and about, Biggles," Zanh patted him on the arm gently. "Don't scare me like that."

"Sorry, Captain. I tried to reason with the walls of the cave- asked them nicely not to fall in on my head. Sadly, they weren't interested in negotiating."

"Neither were the Yensuli males." Zanh shrugged. "Hey, that reminds me. I have a message for you," Zanh widened her eyes. "The leader of Yensul V, Andara Maffe, asked me over sub-space how you were doing. Asked about you by name. She seemed very happy when I told her that you were on your way to a full recovery."

Biggs blushed.

"She said she looked forward to seeing you when she arrived aboard ship and asked me to wish you 'get well soon'. Sounds like you've been doing your part for inter-galactic understanding and peace."

Biggs turned even redder. "If you speak to the Andara and my name comes up again, please tell her I said thank you."

"That all?"

Biggs blinked, his expression priceless.

"Okay, okay." Zanh laughed, knowing she'd hassled him enough. She'd learned her lesson already that the universe did not smile upon her if she teased poor young ensigns too badly or too often.

"Let me look at you a moment." He stood at attention before her, and she clucked her tongue. "This will never do."

"What is it, Sir?" Simon became concerned. He prided himself on always being prepared for every situation, and the thought that something might be amiss with his uniform bothered him- a lot.

"This." She indicated his collar. "This isn't right."

He craned his neck to look down at his gold pip. Nothing seemed out of place. "Sir?"

"Something is missing." Zanh produced a single black pip, and secured it to his collar. "Congratulations, Lieutenant junior grade Simon Biggs."

Simon didn't know what to say, so he just said, "Thank you, Sir."

"No, thank you. I heard you did a hell of a job down there on the ice planet. Good work. Simon," She stepped back, "but on another subject, it seems you've been holding out on me."

"Sir?"

"When I was going over your records preparing to note this promotion, I learned that you're really quite a pilot. I thought flying was just a hobby for you, but it seems the truth of the matter is that you almost specialized in navigation when you were at the Academy, but in the end went for security instead. Knowing how you love flying, can I ask why?"

"The desire to serve and protect, Sir." Biggs responded. "But if I'm being honest, at times, I have regretted the decision not to pursue navigation."

"Well, how about this," Zanh proposed an idea. "I notice that you're certified to fly pretty much everything in the fleet, except this thing." She gestured around her. "What if, perhaps, Grace could set up some simulations for you- tutor you, so to speak. Then if you apply yourself, the next time we're back on Earth, you might be able to take that certification test, if you still want to."

Simon's mouth fell open. He always wanted to fly something as big as the Indy- he just never imagined at this point in his career he might get the chance. "Thank you, Sir. I would like that very much."

"I'll talk to Grace about setting up the sims." She concluded, turning to go. "Start thinking about how you'd like to celebrate your promotion. Can't have another surprise party, it's been done."

Simon instantly had an idea. "Wait. I know how I'd like to celebrate, if I can get your blessing. What about a costume party?" He paused, "If we were on Earth, it would almost be time for Halloween."

"Good grief, Biggles. Masquerade?"

"Something like that. But you'll have to wait to see what costume I'm going to wear." He shot her a sideways glance, "Don't suppose you'd show up in costume, would you Sir?"

Zanh pondered the thought a moment. "I could go as a Starfleet Captain."

"But you're already,"

"No, I'm only Acting Captain." She grinned at him. "I'll think about it. Start your preliminary planning and have a proposal on my desk by morning. This will give London something else to do now that the coffee bar is supposed to be up and running and hey," she just realized something, "I haven't been by there yet. I'm going to have to check it out. See you later, Simon."

With that she left Biggs to ponder his promotion, his party plans, and his potential future as a Starfleet pilot.

=====Personal Quarters of Fox Margolis=====

Margolis had the day off, having worked through the night in order to see to the arrangements needed so Indy could tend to the needs of the Yensuli refugees. Zanh only hoped that the ops officer would be awake as she stepped up to the door and rang the chime.

"Entrez, entrez!" Fox beckoned brightly as the doors slid open.

Liis strolled in and found the Lieutenant's quarters, which she had never had occasion to visit before, looked pretty much like she'd expected them to. Very feminine, very glamorous, and with a huge back-lit glass case which contained all of her tiaras and crowns from her pageant past.

"Captain!" Fox jumped up off the couch, the feather trim on her high-heeled, silk slippers wafting in the breeze of her own wake as she hurried toward the door. "Please, come in. I wasn't expecting you."

"I'm sorry, if this is a bad time, we can do this later."

"No, not at all." Fox was puzzled, "Do what?"

"Well, I had planned to ask you how you were doing post-Corbinsky," Zanh began, "but that's only one reason why I'm here."

"I'm doing. . .all right." Fox said, and she cocked her head to the side. "You?"

"Yeah." Zanh replied slowly. "All right. He's quite something, if you get to know him at all."

"Yes," Fox replied with a nod. "He is that." She searched Zanh's face for any indication why else she might be here. "You said there was something else, Sir?"

"Oh. Yes." Zanh held out a little box. Inside was a gold pip, and she smiled at Fox. "Congratulations, Lieutenant senior grade Faustine Margolis. Swap your black one out for this one before your next duty shift, please."

Fox was a little surprised, especially given her last conversation with the Captain, that this was happening now. "Thank you, Sir." She held the box tentatively, almost hesitant to take it.

"Something wrong, Lieutenant?"

"It's just that, I didn't expect," she shrugged.

"Barbie, as you get to know me a little better, you'll learn a few things about me." Zanh's tone was reassuring. "One of those things being if I say that something is forgotten, it's forgotten. You've earned this. Congratulations."

Fox nodded, and Zanh stepped toward the door once again. "Oh, and Biggs is planning something. Costume party, to celebrate promotions. Just so you know."

She moved past the case of brilliantly jeweled tiaras and stopped to look in at them, squinting as the light bounced off every perfectly polished stone and nearly blinded her. "Shiny."

"Sparkly." Fox countered.

"Just like you are. See you on the bridge, Lieutenant Margolis."

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Zanh Liis
Acting CO
USS Independence NCC-90791