Fleet Captain Addison MacKenzie - Resumption of Duties

[Addison MacKenzie]

(( Captain’s Ready Room – Deck 1, USS Artemis )) 

MacKenzie had done one of the things MacKenzie did best: point out deficiencies in an officer before laying out her expectations and building them back up… Even when the officer in question didn’t always think about it through that particular lens in the moment. In her time as a commanding officer, though, she’d never expected Talos Dakora to be on the receiving end of such a dressing down – not after all those for which he’d previously served as a witness – and definitely not for this.

MacKenzie: You’re damn right you did. ::pivoting demeanor:: So. You’re sort of dating a girl you knock up. Who lives in the Delta Quadrant. Do I have it right so far?

He winced a little.

Dakora: ::With a short, dry laugh:: When you put it like that, it sounds... well, exactly as messy as it is. But yes—you're not wrong.

He rubbed the back of his neck, eyes dropping for a second.

Dakora: Sam and I have been… more than “sort of” for a while now. We didn’t exactly plan this, obviously, but it happened, and I care about her—a lot. So we’re going to try and make it all work as best we can.

 

She smiled mischievously and nodded very slowly.

 

MacKenzie: So now that you are turning over a new, more responsible leaf, what do you intend to do about that?

 

Dakora: Well, obviously, the mother of my future children being a 6-week slipstream voyage away isn’t ideal. ::He paused.:: And I still think there is a lot more for me to do here on the Artemis. That said, Samantha is an accomplished planetary scientist, and her term with the Amity SRC is almost up.

 

She knew where the conversation was going.

 

MacKenzie: Go on…

 

Dakora: Our situation notwithstanding, I think she’d be a credit to the department and a good fit. ::He flashed a knowing grin.:: And I have it on good authority that she’s ready to submit the transfer request ASAP.

 

MacKenzie held the silence and his gaze for an unquestionably long time, until finally she raised an eyebrow, cocked her head slightly and looked away.

MacKenzie: Well, if you believe she’d be an asset to the department, I can’t argue with that. I’ll be looking for her transfer request.

 

He nodded. 

 

Dakora: Understood. ::He tried to keep his emotions off his face.:: I’ll let her know.

 

His eyes shifted to Risa, bright and visible just behind where she was sitting.

 

Dakora: Well, that’s all I had. ::He pointed to the window.:: Have you had a chance to make it down planetside, yet?

 

She pursed her lips slightly and shook her head.

 

MacKenzie: Not yet. Unfinished business here.

 

He offered her a wry grin.

 

Dakora: If you roam the halls with your horga’hn this time around, ::He placed his hand to his heart solemnly.:: I promise not to bother you. 

 

MacKenzie sat up and raised her index finger in an aggressive jab at him.

 

MacKenzie: You mind your own horga’hn.

 

Dakora: Response

She rolled her eyes and sat back in her seat.

 

MacKenzie: Adea’s tired of wearing red. Something about the fabric being itchy. Are you able to resume your duties here?

Dakora: Response

 

MacKenzie: ::nodding definitively:: See to it, then. Dismissed.

 

She waited until he was nearly at the door before she called back out to him.

 

MacKenzie: And Commander, I don’t believe in splitting up families. If you wanted Richards to move here, you didn’t need another reason.

Dakora: Response

She offered a final nod, and the doors swished closed.

 

 

Tag, and End Scene for MacKenzie!

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Fleet Captain Addison MacKenzie, M.D., Ph.D., FASFS
Commanding Officer
USS Artemis-A

Captains Council Member at Large

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