[JP] A. Lily Ventu & Fleet Captain Quinn Reynolds - Our Special Guest

[Quinn Reynolds]

((Garden Court at the Palace Hotel, San Francisco))

::Brunsig’s sign, when it came, was barely noticeable--unless you were looking for it. Lily was looking for it. She began to walk up the short side corridor before he’d begun speaking, and she emerged onstage a moment before Brunsig spoke her name.::

Brunsig: For our final presentation of the evening, I ask you all to please welcome our special guest for the evening: the Federation Secretary of the Exterior, Airseé Lily Ventu.

::The occupants of the dining room rose to their feet, offering a polite round of applause for the redhead ascending the stage. Quinn stared, wide-eyed, only remembering to join in the applause several moments after it had started. Amongst the noise of the welcome, Brunsig took the to cede the podium to Ventu, and the opportunity to lean over and murmur into Quinn's ear.::

Brunsig: ::Low,:: Surprise, Cupcake.

Ventu: Hello, Quinn.

Reynolds: Uh...

::Like Brunsig, Lily spoke only to Quinn for a moment--but then, half-turned from the stage to the sea of faces, and half to Quinn and Brunsig, she got down to sharing with them the reason why she was happy to travel hundreds of light-years for this moment.::

Ventu: You all know Quinn Reynolds. She’s been an officer of the fleet for many years, and she’s commanded the Gorkon for the most recent of those years. You know your history as well as I do, and the missions Fleet Captain Reynolds has commanded, from tangling with the Orion Syndicate to getting lost in an alternate reality. For her exemplary service, I’ve come here today. But….

::Lily offered Quinn half of a wicked grin. This was going to be more than she expected, but nothing she wouldn’t want--or at least nothing she couldn’t handle.::

Ventu: I’m here, too, to tell you about the Quinn Reynolds who you haven’t had the privilege to meet: The young woman who, upon being promoted to lieutenant commander and presented with the Phoenix Award, shared one of the most delightful hugs I’ve ever seen with Fleet Admiral Wolf.

::Quinn blushed, smiling at the memory, and Lily paused there, for the wave of laughter that swept the hall.::

Ventu: Then, too, there was the even younger woman, who believed that she wasn’t ready to be chief of engineering and lead her own staff when she was promoted to lieutenant, junior grade ::beat:: and who proved her leadership abilities for the first time when, as my acting first officer aboard the Triumphant, showed she had what it took to make the hard calls when she decided a ramming run was her only choice. She was right, but I don’t recommend it for every situation.

::Again, the laughter, and Lily allowed it to peter out before she continued. As she did so, she slid a small case from her pocket.::

Ventu: I could reminisce about the decades I’ve known her for a long time, but I have something more important to do today. Quinn Reynolds, it’s my honor, my privilege, and my delight to see you promoted to the rank of rear admiral.

::Quick as you like, and before Quinn could do anything at all, Lily had slipped the fleet captain’s insignia from Quinn’s dress uniform and replaced it with the double-gold-on-black of the rear admiral. She stepped back as she did so, and turned to the hall.::

Ventu: I give you Admiral Reynolds!

::She began clapping at once, allowing everyone to join in as soon as they could.::

A fierce round of applause broke out from the dining room, accompanied by whoops and whistles from the the crew. Quinn smiled, hands clasped in front of her, a blush creeping onto her lips. She was clearly touched by the enthusiasm with which the crew showed their approval.

::When the noise finally began to ease, Walter stepped back to the podium. His look quickly silenced the remaining hands, and he nodded once. When it spoke, the rough edge so common to his voice was missing, and he sounded genuinely appreciative.::

Brunsig: Thank you Secretary Ventu. We are all grateful for your presence this evening, and appreciate the long journey you undertook to get here. 

::He led another round of applause, 

Reynolds: Well then. You'll all be glad to hear that there are no more speeches to make. Thank you all, and enjoy the rest of your evening.

::To the sound of yet more raucous handclapping, Quinn waited for her senior staff to make their exit from the stage, then made a beeline straight for Lily, a grin on her face the likes of which was rarely seen. The two old friends had a lot to catch up on.::

--

A. Lily Ventu

Secretary of the Exterior

United Federation of Planets

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​&​

Fleet Captain Quinn Reynolds
Commanding Officer

USS Gorkon

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