Captain Addison MacKenzie - Perspective
Addison MacKenzie
(( Quark’s Bar, Promenade, Deep Space Nine ))
The last time the commanding officer of the Artemis had visited
Deep Space Nine, there was hardly time for anything aside from official
business… She’d managed to spare time to attend Commander Teller’s promotion
ceremony in person, but she’d also just been reassigned as the Resolution’s
first officer, leaving little time for her to do anything other than offer her
congratulations before heading out to the opposite side of the galaxy. On this
shore leave, though, she fully intended to take advantage of seeing the spaces
and worlds she’d heard so much about.
And it started with Quark’s.
Taking a seat at the bar, she’d already ordered a drink and started to take in
the ambiance: the music, the gambling… and the familiar faces. The Chief Engineer
with radiant hair made her way into the establishment as well, and Addison
offered a smile and patted the empty barstool next to her.
MacKenzie: Can I get you something to drink, Chief?
Yellir: Tamarian Frost— something sweet to start with.
She waved at the Ferengi bartender who nodded that he heard her order despite
being at the other end of the bar – a testament to large lobes, she was sure.
MacKenzie: ::pointing:: How’s your hand doing? Hopefully CloQ took care
to fix it for you when he returned us to our timeline.
Hallia rested her hand on the bar, examining it as though she hadn’t given the
question much thought. Addison leaned forward, interested in the way the wound
had healed, observing as Hallia squeezed the palm before resting both arms on
the bar top. CloQ had been known for missing certain details, perhaps intentionally
or unintentionally, when restoring the Artemis crew to their proper time
- like leaving certain injuries to fix themselves… or occasionally bestowing
gifts on members of the crew, like new-found youth for Silveira. Hallia’s hand,
it would seem, fell into the former category: a detail too small to be worthy
of the omnipotent being’s attention. Fortunately, the damage seemed to have
been repaired without further consequence.
Yellir: Nothing a dermal regenerator
couldn’t fix. It could’ve been worse, I’d take a cut to the hand over a blast
from a polaron rifle. ::chuckling::
Addison gazed mindlessly across the bar.
MacKenzie: And how are you doing since… everything?
Yellir: Eh— to be honest I’ve tried to avoid
thinking about it. But we’ve had worse happen to us, not sure this beats
melting Talos’ counterpart. We’re all still here. Just with a few bruised egos
and breached coolant pipes.
Perspective,
as they say, was everything. All things considered, they had encountered
far worse – at least CloQ was a known quantity, but their doppelgangers from an
alternate reality were in many ways much more sinister. And traumatic.
MacKenzie: ::offering a soft smile:: Well, I suppose when you put it that way…
Yellir: What
about you? Are you.. Okay?
The Chief Engineer turned to face Addison, resting her weight on her elbows.
MacKenzie: Okay is a relative term these days, no? The Academy only prepares you for so much – but it’s a flawed method of preparation. Nothing can get you ready for an encounter with CloQ, or to meet a very different version of yourself.
Yellir: Response
The Ferengi brought their drinks and set them on the bar in front of their intended recipients. Addison picked up the mug and raised it in Hallia’s direction.
MacKenzie: Cheers.
Yellir: Response
She took a sip from the mug before returning it to the bar top.
MacKenzie: So, any plans for shore leave? I’ve been to the station once before, right as I was assigned to the Resolution, but I didn’t have much of a chance to do any sight-seeing.
Yellir: 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