Cmdr. Avander Promontory: One Last Stroll
Avander Promontory
(( First Officer’s Quarters, Cabin 0101, Deck 3, USS Octavia E. Butler ))
Avander Promontory surveyed the room that had been his for the past year. It felt bigger now that his furniture and personal belongings had been removed. The carpet was still discolored from where Meander’s terrarium had spilled out and mingled with Avander’s blood.
oO Sorry about that Toxin. Oo
The Ops department and repair crews had enough on their plate without replacing a carpet for “cosmetic purposes.”
Promontory: I suppose as XO, he could order it prioritized, if he wants.
Avander spoke aloud to Meander, who mostly ignored the man. Instead his focus was on the empty spot where his terrarium used to be. The creature gave a little growl at the blank wall and then bounded back around Avander’s legs.
Promontory: C’mon, buddy, I have to drop the last of these file updates to the XO’s office before your playdate with Echo.
Avander felt a pain of guilt as the animal followed him out to the hall and up to the office. Taking Meander away from the Butler and away from his… friend, Echo, was probably the hardest thing about accepting the transfer to Deep Space 14.
The XO’s office was almost as empty as his former quarters had been, save for a stack of PADDs on the desk. Avander added one more to the pile, sighed and sat down in the chair, drumming his fingers on the desk.
Promontory: Computer, record personal log.
He had a few more thoughts he needed to get out. The computer chirped and Avander felt a tinge of melancholy as he realized this would likely be his last log recorded on the Butler, ever.
He sighed, and began.
First Offic—er, Intelligence Chief Avander Promontory, personal log supplemental.
After the intensity of the last several missions, the invitation to serve under Commodore V’Airu again has become too tempting to resist. I’ve always been happy to go where I’m needed and the Butler is in good hands. I have every confidence in Toxin Arlill who recently proved himself a competent XO in our recent misadventures in the multiverse. They don’t need me here. Not anymore. And I think I can do some real good for the entire Flotilla.
The timing is ideal. Trake is taking command of the Thor, expanding the Federation’s presence in a quadrant that gets exponentially more complex by the mission. If I’m stationed at DS14, my opportunities to see him (albeit, occasionally) are much greater. Plus, I should still see my friends on the Butler with some regularity, even if it will be less than I'm used to…
And I’m not the only one taking a transfer to the station. Ensign Iliac, our DTI rep is going to expand her department’s oversight to the whole Flotilla. Especially with the expansion of the Tangle, the risks of temporal or interdimensional incidents have only grown in recent months.
She’ll also be liaising with Division 14. The Division initially came to the station to deal with the duplicates rescued from the Collector’s universe. While some progress has been made, there’s still much more work that needs to be done on that front. Perhaps I may be of some assistance, given that alternates of myself are among the plurality of those still stuck here.
Division 14 will also be investigating some of our own crew who were transformed by the Sound Fury, although the ensign that was transformed into a tree will be remaining aboard the Butler. Lieutenant Saa will be under their supervision and quarantine on the station after her own alteration and Lieutenant Brzezinski (or at least her body) will also be monitored by the Division.
Avander paused a moment in thought. The Lieutenant’s advanced directive called for 30-days of neurocortical monitoring and then, if no brain activity had been detected, a withdrawal of artificial life support. He wasn’t sure how he felt about that and it pained him to lose another member of the crew on top of all those who had died during the recent attack.
But he wasn’t sure he was ready to vocalize all that, even in his personal log.
I am confident that Division 14 will do everything within their power to help our people. I am personally looking forward to a little bit of a slower pace of life for the next little bit. The last three years (or six, if you include the time with DTI) have felt like a never-ending whirlwind. It will be good to get my feet under me again, before deciding what’s next in my career.
Promontory: Computer, end log.
At the chirp, Avander stood up, squared the PADDs on the desk, and then pushed in the chair.
Promontory: Alright, Meander, one last stroll around the decks and then we can go play in the river that runs around the habitat ring, you like that, buddy. Let's go!
[end]