Fleet Captain Addison MacKenzie - Cultivating Community - Part 1

[Addison MacKenzie]

(( Elysium – Deck 6, USS Artemis-A ))

 

Despite their proximity to Deep Space 224 and the facilities at their disposal, the Commanding Officer of the Artemis had elected to use a far less formal setting. The ship’s lounge had been set up as it had been on previous occasions of this kind – high-top tables covered with not-so-fancy tablecloths on which trays of finger foods sat ready for eager fingers, a fully-stocked bar with synthehol and a few other select beverages that the captain had picked up on her various travels, and of course, several boxes lined up neatly along the bar top in their proper order.

 

All this, awaiting the answer to the summons put forth by Addison MacKenzie to the members of her senior staff.

 

In the corner of the bar, a small jazz combo played light background music to set the mood and entertain the senior officers as they arrived, many of whom didn’t need to be encouraged to grab a bite to eat while they waited for the festivities to begin. As Captain MacKenzie made her way through the lounge speaking with the assorted groups, she found herself looking out of one of the large picture windows, occasionally sipping from her glass of red wine and thinking about one of their newest crew appointments.

 

What was his name, again?

 

Ensign… Tilden?

 

Tarden?

 

…Tarkin. Ensign Tarkin. Shame about the poor bloke – the captain barely had a chance to meet him before he’d been involved in a freak accident while working on one of the airlocks. An unlucky first – and only – assignment for the young engineer.

 

MacKenzie looked around and slowly took a visual record of those who had gathered. She nodded to herself, satisfied that everyone had arrived, and she moved back toward the bar, tapping her finger on the side of her glass as she walked. When the combo stopped playing, the rest of the sound died down, and she was sure she had the attention of the room, she started.

 

MacKenzie: I’m glad to see you all – I hope you’ve had a chance to enjoy some time off after a… less than ideal mission. While a successful first contact wasn’t quite in the cards for us, I’m proud of everyone for the job we did in locating and retrieving the wreck of the Tritorian, and the aid rendered to the Meirashi people. My hope is that, in being true to our word and removing the entire crashed ship, that there may one day be an opportunity for us to have a more amenable relationship with them. Still, none of it would have been possible without your work. You have my thanks.

 

She raised her glass and gently tapped one hand against the opposite hand holding onto her glass of wine, encouraging the others to applaud.

 

MacKenzie: For your work discovering the Orion equipment and then using it to dissuade the rioting Meirashi, I hereby award the Innovation Ribbon to Commander Dakora, Lieutenant Silveira, and Ensign Bergmen.

 

She moved forward to hand the ribbons to each of them, rather than calling the officers to the front.

 

Dakora/Silveira/Bergmen: Response

 

MacKenzie: We had no idea what we would find on the surface, let alone an ailing Grand Rishe suffering from the long-term effects of radiation poisoning from equipment that had been left centuries before. For your work in rendering aid not only to heal the Rishe, but to clean up the equipment, I hereby award the Lifesaving Ribbon to Commanders Adea, Lieutenant Commander Jovenan, and Lieutenant JG Gnai.

 

MacKenzie once again stepped forward to hand out the ribbons, nodding to each of the officers as she did so, then returned to the bar.

 

MacKenzie: For your work in trying to maintain peace and trying to bridge a peaceful relationship with the Meirashi, I’m happy to award the Diplomacy Ribbon to the members of my team: Lieutenant Commander Salkath, Lieutenant JG Gnai, Ensigns Lyara and Imril. Even though this wasn’t a successful first contact mission, you all did good work trying to put Starfleet’s best foot forward. ::she paused, looking to Lyara:: Or realizing the ramifications of leaping to action prematurely.

She nodded, hoping that particular message resonated not just with Lyara, but with the rest gathered in that room. Over the years, there were several instances of officers past and present acting before thinking. It was a reminder that she hoped all would abide by. After handing out the ribbons, she once again returned to the bar.

 

MacKenzie: Now that further details have come to light regarding the part the Changelings had to play in the Frontier Day disaster, Starfleet has also seen it fit to award us all the Changeling Campaign Ribbon.

 

(OOC: This ribbon is awarded to all who participated in our phases of the Frontier Day blockbuster.)

 

 

 

Tag, and TBC!

 

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

Captains Council Member at Large

V239601AM0