Captain Addison MacKenzie - Family Ties - Part 2
Addison MacKenzie
(OOC: Awards distributed to the entire crew are for all
active members of the Artemis crew who participated in the blockbuster: MacKenzie,
Dakora, Adea, Silveira, Jovenan, Sadar, Gnai and Solas. Awards for any Amity
crew members awarded by MacKenzie will be handled by Rich, and vice versa for
any Artemis crew serving on Amity for the second phase. Any officers, PC or
P/NPC, who were assimilated will also be awarded the purple heart.)
((MacKenzie Family Residence – Cambridge, Massachusetts Earth))
Once the rest of the senior staff had arrived, it was time to get things
moving. Addison had opted to get the business out of the way so they
could get to the real reason everyone had assembled: the food. In what seemed
to be a familiar routine, Addison had lined up a row of boxes on the windowsill
just next to the grill – judging by the rumbling stomachs, she figured it would
be the perfect setting for captivating everyone’s attention.
With a glass of wine in hand, she motioned for Dakora to join her and cleared
her throat to catch everyone’s attention. When the other officers had turned in
their chairs to face her, she started.
MacKenzie: I want to welcome you all to my family’s home. It’s a real
privilege for me to be able to host you all here, in light of everything that’s
happened in the last weeks. To say this is a difficult time for the Federation
would be an understatement of galactic proportion, but if there’s one thing I’ve
learned, it’s that I have one of the best crews in all of Starfleet. Before I go
on, I’d like us all to take a moment of silence to honor our fallen comrades.
Her gaze lowered slightly and, in doing so, she found herself suddenly
appreciative of the small details in life, like vibrant shade of the green
grass. After a few breaths, she lifted her head and raised her wine glass.
MacKenzie: To our honored dead.
She took a sip of her wine.
Any: Response (if desired)
MacKenzie: Despite insurmountable odds and impossible situations, this
crew continues to prove its resilience, ingenuity, and bravery, and I proud to
serve with each of you.
Dakora: Response
MacKenzie: For your heroic actions repelling the Borg efforts at assimilating
and/or destroying Earth, Starfleet has awarded everyone the Galactic War with
the Borg Service Medal. ::clearing her throat:: …and the Frontier Day ribbon…
::flatly:: for participating in the celebration.
She shot Dakora a most unamused look before handing him the boxes filled with
ribbons, which he then distributed to the crew.
Dakora/Any: Responses
Her gaze lowered slightly. Normally, it was MacKenzie’s practice that whenever
ribbons were distributed, she called the officers up to her. Now, in this
space, she found herself compelled to go to them. Picking up another box from
the windowsill, she made her way over to Ensign Kel.
MacKenzie: Ensign Kel, because of your assimilation, you and the other
surviving and deceased members of the crew will be awarded the Purple Heart.
Kel/Any: Responses
She walked the box over to the Vulcan/Bajoran and set it down. She mustered a
half-smile and patted him on the shoulder, still finding it difficult to look
any of the formerly assimilated members in the eyes.
Addison returned to the front long enough to grab another box from the windowsill
before heading in the direction of their Mizarian doctor.
There goes that anxiety ring…
MacKenzie: Doctor Sadar, I still haven’t had a chance to read the report
you issued about the serum you developed when we were over on the Borg Cube… While
I have no doubt there’s a future publication coming your way in the SFMJ, I can
say with absolute certainty your quick work helped save lives. For that, I
award you the Medical Science Ribbon.
Sadar/Any: Responses
She once again returned to the windowsill, this time picking up two sets of
boxes.
MacKenzie: For your initial distraction and repulsion of the Borg while
my team was over on the Cube, I hereby award the Silver Star to Commander
Dakora and Lieutenant Silveira.
She handed the box to Dakora and walked another one over to where Silveira was
seated, offering him an affirming nod.
Dakora/Silveira/Any: Responses
MacKenzie: Likewise, it is my privilege to award the Distinguished Service
to the members of my team who were responsible for helping to retake the ship:
Lieutenants Jovenan and Silveira.
Jovenan/Silveira: Responses
She picked up another box from the windowsill, this time bound for their Chief
Medical Officer.
MacKenzie: Treating severely wounded officers is difficult enough when
the Borg aren’t quite literally knocking down your door. Gods know your ego certainly
doesn’t need me to inflate it any more by telling you what I’ve already shared
with you, which is that I value and appreciate your skills as a physician, but
here I am. For your work to save Commander Hopper in from from ideal circumstances,
I award you the Silver Lifesaving Ribbon.
Adea/Any: Responses
Returning to the front, Addison quickly debated internally about how to handle
the next bit of business.
MacKenzie: Ensign Gnai, please join me in the front.
She waited for the Galadoran to make its way forward. She smiled, impressed by
the new exosuit it crafted with the help of Commander Salkath.
MacKenzie: Ensign Gnai, in short order, you have proven yourself not
only to be a respectable scientist, but a quick-thinker, intuitive, and a
valuable contributor to this crew. You have caught my attention in the best
possible way, and it is my privilege as your Captain to promote you to the rank
of Lieutenant Junior Grade, with all the rights, privileges, and
responsibilities that entails.
Gnai/Any: Response
She passed the hollow pip to the Galadoran and nodded her approval for a job
well done. As it returned to its seat, Addison cleared her throat. The next one
would be far more difficult.
MacKenzie: ::authoritatively:: Doctor Sadar.
There goes that anxiety ring again. She spins that thing any faster, it
might saw her finger right off.
Sadar: Response
She waited, stone-faced, until the Mizarian was standing in front of her.
MacKenzie: Doctor Sadar, it is not lost on me how much you hate being
put in situations like this. Many doctors are content to do their duty, save
lives and help people when and where they can, and go on about their lives. The
problem I have with you is that you continue go above and beyond the call of duty,
not only in your medical obligations to this crew, but in your conduct and your
ability to think outside the box. More than that, I appreciate your willingness
to follow orders, even when you disagree with them, and to know the difference
between objecting to them in the moment and raising the issue with your
superiors later. Especially when I know how difficult that is for you. For your
continued service to this crew, I have no choice but to promote you to the rank
of full Lieutenant. Congratulations, Doctor!
She smiled and nodded.
Sadar/Any: Response
MacKenzie: And last, but certainly not least, Lieutenant Jovenan.
Jovenan: Response
MacKenzie: Lieutenant, since you came aboard the Excalibur and
now during your time on the Artemis, you have shown exemplary leadership.
Your contributions to the ship and your running of the science department have
been some of best I’ve seen, and I think it is because you approach your work
from a place of curiosity and with the best of Starfleet ideals in mind. You
are a shining example of what it means to be a Starfleet officer, even when I
know the choices you’ve had to make go against your personal and cultural beliefs.
I am proud to promote you to the rank of Lieutenant Commander. Congratulations!
Jovenan/Any: Response
MacKenzie: And with that, I invite you to enjoy this moment together. Eat,
drink, celebrate one another and remember that these moments are precious – we never
know what the galaxy has in store for us next. Commander Dakora, are those
wings ready yet?!
Dakora/Any: Response
Tag, and TBC!
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Captain Addison MacKenzie, M.D., Ph.D., FASFS
Commanding Officer
USS Artemis-A
Captains Council Member at Large
V239601AM0