Commander Lia Rouiancet: Just a Few Questions

[Tony Colella]

(( Conference Room 04-118, Deck 4, Deep Space 14 ))

Rouiancet: I don't understand. Why'd you have me beamed in?

Lia certainly recognized her fellow task force commanders, even if she didn't realize what she was doing there. The COs of the Carol Marcus, the Vulcana Regar, the Pilgrim, and the Sehkmet -- what were they all doing there? 

Lia considered and then discarded that she had fouled up the mission badly enough to require a review committee. She knew she hadn't, for one. For another, that would be with an administrative review board, not with a council of her peers.

She could only conclude that her first thought, a clandestine mission, was most likely, but even that seemed suspect. Why bring her in without any knowledge beforehand, and when it seemed like all the other COs knew what was going on?

T’Valek: This assembly of commanding officers has a number of items for discussion, but one is centered around you.

Kruwii: (with faux sternness) Don’t think Command has been ignorant of your recent activities.

Rhyl: And to be honest (waving a PADD) with your latest report, we wanted to make sure that you showed up — lest you hallucinate yourself into your next mission.

Lia wasn't sure whether that was a joke or not, so she erred on the side of a tentative smile.

Rouiancet: My chief of medicine has assured me that there should be no lasting physical effects.

Fletcher: Yes, well, there are some things to discuss. Especially about what you’ve been doing.

What she'd been doing? Hm. Could this be about OVIV after all? Maybe if she put the pieces together differently -- perhaps this was a clandestine return? She would certainly have to advocate against that, if it was the case.

T’Valek: I believe what the captains are attempting to relay is your time as commander has shown great accolades, advancement, and support for our presence here and your actions must be recognized.

Fletcher: Don’t get so excited, T’Valek. Your smile’s about to show.

Rhyl: (with a sly grin) Now now, I don’t think they’d know how to even work those muscles.

All at once, it fell into place. She glanced around at the uniform collars of the four COs, and realized that they were all full captains. No commanders, like she was, and not even the sole lieutenant commander CO of the flotilla, the Bolian wunderkind Vril Viroha. Captains. Her heart lurched.

Rouiancet: Captains, is this a (beat) ceremony...?

Kruwii: (turning to Bridget) Captain Fletcher, if you would?

Fletcher: (smiling) Do you know what you’ve done young lady?

Rouiancet: (with a slight shrug) My best.

She'd answered without thinking, but it wasn't untrue. A little flippant, but they'd forgive that.

Kruwii: The exploits of the Octavia E Butler are becoming infamous, and not just in this Quadrant.

Captain Rhyl started laying down PADDs of various mission reports. Lia recognized them all at a glance, and her certainty increased. There was some nervousness there, but she also felt a blazing certainty and a strong since of pride that kept the nervousness in check.

T’Valek: Response

Fletcher: You really are a barrel of monkeys, aren’t you, T’Valek? (shaking her head at him) The point is, it’s time for a change. Commander Rouiancet, your time is up. This is it. I’m afraid you’re going to have to give up your rank.

Kruwii: Effective immediately.

This time, Lia's smile was strong.

Rouiancet: I understand. Under these circumstances, I'm happy to do so. (beat; schooling her features) If it's truly required.

She didn't want to appear overconfident, after all.

Kruwii: I believe Commodore V’Airu personally insisted.

Just like one of the phased Unity Dow crew, V'Airu passed into the room with only the whisper of the door. For an uncertain moment, Lia had to look to the other captains to be sure that they, too, were seeing the commodore. She'd known that V'Airu was returning to the Gamma Quadrant, but not that she had returned, much less that she was on DS14.

V'Airu: Indeed. (taking a seat at the table) Please, continue. I am here to observe only.

T’Valek: You’ve made a name for yourself in the Gamma quadrant Commander.

Rouiancet: (shaking her head slightly) Maybe so, but Captain Kruwii said the Butler's exploits were notable. Those (indicating the PADDs of mission reports) are records from the ship, not attributable just to me. Any success I've been a part of is shared with my officers and crew. (beat) This is a ceremony to honor our work, isn't it?

She was hedging her bets there a little, but reasonably so, she thought.

Kruwii: Well, not quite. There’s a bit more… (looking around at the others)

V'Airu: With which we can proceed.

Just as an observer, indeed.

Captains: Responses

T’Valek: Indeed

Rouiancet: I don't understand. Is there something more?

T’Valek: Well, Commander, can you tell us what your goals are for the future?

Ah, well, that was straightforward enough. Lia glanced around first to see if there were other questions or prompts.

Captains: Responses

She nodded crisply.

Rouiancet: I've found command to be a rewarding and challenging experience thus far. Despite my unorthodox path to becoming the Butler's CO, I believe that I've done well in the post, and have assembled a strong and supportive staff. I would like to continue that work. I've found great personal purpose in the exploratory work of this task force, and I want to continue to seek out greater and greater questions. (a slight smile) I serve at the behest of curiosity.

Captains: Responses

After what had felt like several millennia, they had arrived at it at last. Lia stood at attention as the captains stood. Commodore V'Airu, too, stood, and blessed the proceedings with a nod. Lia recognized the official box immediately, once the captains surrounded her.

Captains: Responses

Rouiancet: (solemn) I will, and I do.

Captains: Responses

Amazing, Lia thought, that the avalanche of emotions under which she felt herself being buried could be caused by the presence of a single, tiny metal cylinder.

Tags! and TBC!

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Commander Lia Rouiancet

Commanding Officer

USS Octavia E. Butler

V238208LV0

she/her/hers (this character)