Commander Etan Iljor - A Tale of Two First Officers

[Michael Meir-Wright]

OOC: With Tony travelling until the 24th, I’m going to assume that Lia and Avander have already had a discussion about the latter taking over as Executive Officer.

(( Observation Lounge, Deck 1, USS Octavia E. Butler ))

(( New Bajor Orbit, Stardate 240105.08 ))

It had been three days since Etan Iljor had received the subspace communique from Starfleet Command, and he still felt as though his head was spinning. Perhaps that was the lingering effect of the concussion he had received during his brutal beating on Cheyd’lang- or perhaps it was the fact that he felt like his whole universe had been turned upside down. It was not everyday that Starfleet officers received such seismic news, and he was only beginning to understand that it took time to process.

He stood before one of the Observation Lounge’s long windows that offered a spectacular view of New Bajor: a verdant and azure world speckled with fluffy white floss. It had become something of a modern testament to the resilience of the Bajoran people: having been rebuilt from the ground up following the original colony’s obliteration by the Jem’Hadar in the month’s before the Dominion War. It was almost as serene as the other Bajor- and given recent events and his news- Iljor needed all of the tranquility he could find.

A glimmer of white light bounced off of something in far orbit, capturing his attention. Deep Space 14 was the Federation's first permanent outpost in the Gamma Quadrant and provided logistical and defensive support for the 900,000 colonists residing on the planet below. He had yet to visit the newly commissioned installation, but he was told it was nothing short of state-of-the-art: a fusion of Federation technology and Bajoran architecture that stood as a monument to how far the latter had come three decades on from the end of the Cardassian Occupation.

I’m about to become very busy. Maybe I should make-

Iljor’s quiet reverie was interrupted by the sound of doors parting and he looked over his shoulder to see Avander Promontory emerge from the bridge and step into the room. Turning around, he greeted the part-El Aurian intelligence operative with a small, warm smile.

My successor.

Etan: Good morning. :: he said, allowing the warmth of his smile to seep into his tone. ::

Promontory: Response.

The Bajoran turned back to look at the world below, framed as it was by the Sagan-class starship’s dorsal warp nacelles. Once again he was struck by it’s serene beauty: an oasis of apparent calm in a turbulent Gamma Quadrant.

Etan: Just admiring the view. :: he replied contemplatively. The corner of his mouth twitched upwards for the briefest of moments.:: What’s the human phrase? “calm before the storm”?

Promontory: Response.

Promontory was to be Iljor’s replacement as Octavia E. Butler’s First Officer- something that filled the outgoing man with pride and a sense of safety. The former Director of Intelligence had been one of the first people that he had met after reporting for duty aboard the ‘Oumuamua- and he had quickly learned to trust him. He was an exceptional officer and the Bajoran had no doubt that he was going to excel in his new role.

As Iljor spoke again, he didn’t lift his eyes from the viridian and cerulean orb of New Bajor.

Etan: How are you feeling?

Promontory: Response.

--

Commander Etan Iljor

Outgoing Executive Officer

U.S.S. Octavia E. Butler

C239203TW0