Literary Challenge 62 - All Good Things ...
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She finished pulling her hair up into a regulation-style bun, then pulled on her white diplomatic jacket. Twisting at the waist to see how her posterior looked in the dress pants, the Captain smiled inwardly.
"Oh, you look beautiful and you know it."
Kathryn Beringer turned away from the window toward the other woman in the room. Behind her, the grand interior of Earth Spacedock revealed several Federation starships ships in various states of mooring or repair. Her own ship, Solaris had the starboard nacelle removed and several Work Bee shuttlecraft buzzing around the hull. Kathryn requested a room with a direct view to her ship to be able to see the status of repairs.
"Thank you for the kind words." Kathryn pushed aside Staza Murai's flirtation.
The Orion smirked and pulled her own long dark-green hair over her left shoulder and tugged at it's length. "I'm being honest. Tales of the infamous "Scarlet Scorpion" are exaggerated. You have a soft side."
Kathryn walked toward the restroom to finish applying make-up. "I hope you can appreciate a need to be strong in the face of adversaries."
Staza nodded to no one in the room. "Oh, I can certainly appreciate that. It's just refreshing to see. Anyway, remind me why we are here?"
"Besides a major repair for the ship? Admiral Felczer is retiring and has decided to personally chart unexplored space. Several Captains have been invited to his send-off."
"So, with so many ship Captains here, doesn't that mean they are not somewhere else? Like defending territory or protecting the innocent?"
Kathryn poked her head out of the bathroom. "What's your point?"
Staza shrugged. "It just seems like a lot of resources are being spent for one man. He is just a man after all."
"From a certain point of view. He is a hero, so to speak, of the Federation. Honestly though, my presence is coincidental." Kathryn thumbed toward the window.
"Ah, so you are not really here for the Admiral?"
Kathryn stepped back into the bathroom. "I never met the man personally. But when Starfleet Command wanted to promote me to Vice Admiral, Felczer supported my appeal to remain as Captain. He didn't have to do that, but he did. And for that, I would have come anyway."
Staza's curiosity was piqued. "You turned down promotion? Why? Doesn't higher rank have prestige?" She stood from the bed and walked to the door, knowing Kathryn was almost finished dressing up.
Kathryn appeared and was fixing a second ruby-red stud earring to an ear while walking to the dresser. "Yes. But I'm not interested in that and the higher responsibility would distract from other obligations."
"Like hunting the Orion Syndicate?" Staza's arms were crossed as she spoke.
The comment stopped Kathryn at the dresser and she looked at herself for a few seconds in the mirror. She turned several responses in her mind while also being satisfied with her appearance.
"I'm not apologizing for what I have accomplished. And the Syndicate has not apologized for what they have done. So I will grind whatever grist the mill requires to fulfill my duty." Kathryn placed her combadge onto her jacket in the regulation distance from the collarbone and armpit above her left breast. She then turned to the Orion ambassadorial attaché from the Klingon Empire and concluded, "to Starfleet and to myself."
The Orion's eyes narrowed slightly. "Indeed, Captain." She then smiled which transformed her countenance into flirtation. "Regardless, you still look beautiful."
Kathryn forced herself not to roll her eyes. "Thank you again. Are you ready?"
Staza shifted her weight to one leg, placed her hands on her hips and smirked. "I'm always ready."
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Cast:
Kathryn Beringer - Rachel Nichols
Staza Murai - Sarah Lind
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She finished pulling her hair up into a regulation-style bun, then pulled on her white diplomatic jacket. Twisting at the waist to see how her posterior looked in the dress pants, the Captain smiled inwardly.
"Oh, you look beautiful and you know it."
Kathryn Beringer turned away from the window toward the other woman in the room. Behind her, the grand interior of Earth Spacedock revealed several Federation starships ships in various states of mooring or repair. Her own ship, Solaris had the starboard nacelle removed and several Work Bee shuttlecraft buzzing around the hull. Kathryn requested a room with a direct view to her ship to be able to see the status of repairs.
"Thank you for the kind words." Kathryn pushed aside Staza Murai's flirtation.
The Orion smirked and pulled her own long dark-green hair over her left shoulder and tugged at it's length. "I'm being honest. Tales of the infamous "Scarlet Scorpion" are exaggerated. You have a soft side."
Kathryn walked toward the restroom to finish applying make-up. "I hope you can appreciate a need to be strong in the face of adversaries."
Staza nodded to no one in the room. "Oh, I can certainly appreciate that. It's just refreshing to see. Anyway, remind me why we are here?"
"Besides a major repair for the ship? Admiral Felczer is retiring and has decided to personally chart unexplored space. Several Captains have been invited to his send-off."
"So, with so many ship Captains here, doesn't that mean they are not somewhere else? Like defending territory or protecting the innocent?"
Kathryn poked her head out of the bathroom. "What's your point?"
Staza shrugged. "It just seems like a lot of resources are being spent for one man. He is just a man after all."
"From a certain point of view. He is a hero, so to speak, of the Federation. Honestly though, my presence is coincidental." Kathryn thumbed toward the window.
"Ah, so you are not really here for the Admiral?"
Kathryn stepped back into the bathroom. "I never met the man personally. But when Starfleet Command wanted to promote me to Vice Admiral, Felczer supported my appeal to remain as Captain. He didn't have to do that, but he did. And for that, I would have come anyway."
Staza's curiosity was piqued. "You turned down promotion? Why? Doesn't higher rank have prestige?" She stood from the bed and walked to the door, knowing Kathryn was almost finished dressing up.
Kathryn appeared and was fixing a second ruby-red stud earring to an ear while walking to the dresser. "Yes. But I'm not interested in that and the higher responsibility would distract from other obligations."
"Like hunting the Orion Syndicate?" Staza's arms were crossed as she spoke.
The comment stopped Kathryn at the dresser and she looked at herself for a few seconds in the mirror. She turned several responses in her mind while also being satisfied with her appearance.
"I'm not apologizing for what I have accomplished. And the Syndicate has not apologized for what they have done. So I will grind whatever grist the mill requires to fulfill my duty." Kathryn placed her combadge onto her jacket in the regulation distance from the collarbone and armpit above her left breast. She then turned to the Orion ambassadorial attaché from the Klingon Empire and concluded, "to Starfleet and to myself."
The Orion's eyes narrowed slightly. "Indeed, Captain." She then smiled which transformed her countenance into flirtation. "Regardless, you still look beautiful."
Kathryn forced herself not to roll her eyes. "Thank you again. Are you ready?"
Staza shifted her weight to one leg, placed her hands on her hips and smirked. "I'm always ready."
---
Cast:
Kathryn Beringer - Rachel Nichols
Staza Murai - Sarah Lind
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