Zarah Johnson - "Proposal"
Amanda Nordstrom
((Captain’s Office, USS Octavia E. Butler))
Zarah had always been an independent soul. Independence was a trait she likely inherited from her mother who had raised her single-handedly since childhood. Following the loss of her husband, Sasha, resolutely resumed her Starfleet career. Despite the profound grief they both endured, her mother’s resilience naturally permeated Zarah's character. The call of the stars remained irresistible, l too loud a clamour to ignore. So Sasha remained in service with Zarah in tow.
Raised with an acute awareness of life's inherent risks, Zarah knew both sorrow and joy composed the life of an officer, but to her, avoiding risks equated to evading life itself. Challenges never waylaid her. Risks never daunted her. Fear lurked in the vastness of space, but Zarah was too bright a spirit to dwell in its shadows for too long.
It was that spirit which drove her to prepare a proposition. Hours spent over the reasoning and composing the words in just the right format to engage the numerous questions that would undoubtedly come from the one presented to and to convince the commanding officer that the only course of action was to agree resulted in a meticulous essay as well as an intricately detailed four year plan tailored precisely to fulfill the requisites in the distinctive manner Zarah envisioned for earning her first pip. That was only the initial hurdle, and though more were to come, she would face them as she did everything else: head on.
She hadn’t arrived unannounced, for Zarah knew that many people weren’t necessarily as open if suddenly ambushed by a request, so she had scheduled an appointment with the newly minted Commanding officer of the OEB. Arriving a few minutes early, her chosen attire - a yellow knitted shirt, black pants, and matte gold boots, reflected the vibrancy of her spirit, yet demonstrated her desire for professionalism. Upon reaching the door, Zarah boldly pressed the button that spurred the computer to alert Rouiancet as to her arrival, and when the doors parted, she stepped inside wearing a wide, infectious smile.
Zarah: Commander.
Rouiancet: Response
The smile remained as she approached the desk, a PADD clutched in her hands, though she didn’t offer it right away.
Zarah: Thank you for seeing me!
Rouiancet: Response
The young woman nodded, her enthusiasm for whatever conversation she was about to begin quite evident. Straightening to her full height, but as serious as she tried to be, a smile tickled the corners of her lips. A trickle of nervousness bled into the confidence she had fortified herself with, but she shoved it aside and jammed it into the back corner of the closet of her mind, unwilling to entertain anything but success.
Zarah: I hope this won’t take long, but I appreciate you making the time for me.
Sincerity laced her words, for how many Commanding Officers would do just that, especially for someone who wasn’t even a member of her crew? Rouiancet was a different breed, and that helped fuel Zarah’s enthusiasm.
Rouiancet: Response.
-- Zarah Johnson Civilian USS Octavia E. Butler M239008AD0
