JP: Cmdr. DeVeau & Lt. Cmdr. Fairhug - Switching Places

[griz86]

((First Officers Office, Starbase 118 Ops))

Alora’s eyes scanned the room, taking in all that remained therein. The desk stood as the main focal point of the room, a chair pushed beneath, the console dark. Two other chairs flanked each other on the opposite side, but no one inhibited them at the moment. Other than that, it was empty, stark, and sterile. Gone were the shelves upon shelves of flora that had dominated the room. Gone was the warmer light, far more reminiscent of sunshine. Gone were the pictures that hung here and there, smiling faces beaming, sometimes shifting to scenes that were marked as memories of times past. Gone were the more subtle hues upon the walls, gentle greens and blues that were easy on the eyes. Everything that had said ‘Alora DeVeau was here’ had been stripped and the entire thing washed anew, back to its standard settings and waiting for the new First Officer.  

She knew who he was, for the information had been sent and he was on his way. In fact, when she had discovered his arrival time, she had sent a message asking him to meet her in the office that was to be his. That thought crossed through her mind as the doors opened and the man himself stepped through. The two hadn’t known each other long, but the connection upon their meeting was instant, much like it had been for Kestra and Raissa, and even Ashley. Unfortunately, distance separated them, which made building upon that connection difficult.  

She had to admit, she was somewhat disappointed. When she’d gotten word of her transfer to Denali station, Alora knew Ashley and Gogi were stationed there. Subsequently, she discovered Ashley had transferred quite some time prior, and her replacement? It was Gogi himself. How odd. They were simply switching places. She had hoped for familiar faces, but she would not resent a lack, and she would make new connections, and hopefully she could retain the old ones.  

DeVeau: Hey Gogi. 

The Bardeezan looked around as he entered his once and future office. He had been here many times, but that felt like a lifetime ago, or even another life entirely.

He was still unsure of the circumstances that had brought him back to Starbase 118, back to his old posting of First Officer, the place and position he had been in when the war between Bardeez and Byzatium had called him away.

The events since his return to Starfleet had been a whirlwind and for whatever reason, that whirlwind had picked him up and placed him back here.

He was brimming with conflicted feelings, about leaving Denali and the friends he had made there, about returning to Starbase 118 and also about replacing someone who, despite the distance between them, he felt had also become a good friend.

Now, as he set eyes upon that person, he offered her a warm smile. 

Fairhug: Alora. 

One hand lifted, slender fingers spread out as she indicated their surroundings.  

DeVeau: Welcome to the X-O’s office. Your office now.

Fairhug: It’s just how I remember it.

In terms of possessions, Gogi and Alora were just about polar opposites. When Gogi said that the room was how he remembered it, he meant it. When he had occupied it, it had been sparsely decorated, to say the least. Alora arched an eyebrow and glanced around. She had made the room her own during her tenure, but that had now come to a close.  

DeVeau: I hope you find it easy to settle in here.  

Fairhug: It’s…strange. But I’m looking forward to seeing Sal and a couple of other familiar faces.

As much as he would miss the relationships he had forged on Denali, there were also people here on Ops who had once been a part of his Starfleet family and now they would be again, along with a few new friends, too, he hoped.

No doubt a lot had changed here on the Starbase in the intervening period and the conflict in his home system had changed him, too, but strangely enough, the day Gogi got his transfer orders just so happened to coincide with the anniversary of his brother’s death. He had taken that as a sign that this homecoming had his brother’s blessing and that filled his heart with happiness.

For Alora, her parting was sorrowful. She had a lot of memories there on Ops, and her heart ached to leave. Yet, some of those memories were powerfully painful. Was this an opportunity to heal from the most recent trauma? Perhaps. She wondered if Starfleet did that purposefully.  

When she heard Denali was her next port of call, the thought of seeing familiar faces had appealed, but afterward, she’d discovered that Ashley had gone. Ironically, Gogi was coming to Ops where he had served as Executive Officer once before. So now she was leaving and diving into a strange, if fascinating place, but also among strange people. She’d done it before, but she couldn’t help but feel a sense of disappointment.  

DeVeau: I’m sure Sal will be happy to know that you are taking your former position. He always held you in the highest respect.

Gogi couldn't help but smile at that. The feeling was mutual. He had gotten to know Sal pretty well during his time on Ops and he had felt bad when he'd had to request a LOA, but duty had called. He had to take care of his people. He'd always intended to return to Starfleet, but he hadn't even dared to hope that he would return to Starbase 118…and yet, here he was.

Fairhug: And you? How have you been?

He knew Alora had been through a difficult time recently, that had been clear the last time they had spoken via subspace. She looked different somehow, though he couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

How had she been? The smile dimmed, its light flickering. GLancing around, she struggled not to simply burst into tears. The connection she’d felt with Gogi was immediate, but they still weren’t as close as she would have liked, but in that moment, she almost divulged everything, almost told him every detail. However, the impulse passed without a single detail getting past her lips. Instead, she sighed softly and only offered a vague impression.  

DeVeau: It’s been hard. 

For his part, Gogi could tell there was much more that Alora had wanted, perhaps even *needed* to say, but he wouldn't press the matter. In his experience, people talked when they were ready to. Evidently, Alora wasn't quite there yet.

Fairhug: I'm sorry to hear that.

DeVeau: It will get better. 

It would get better. It had to get better. To think any other way only invited despair to take hold, and she had enough of that. SHe rode the wave of melancholy already and needed to break free of that. Maybe the move would shift her on a different course. One could hope. 

Fairhug: You're right, it will, but in the meantime, if you wanted to get anything off your chest, I'm not exactly in a rush.

The senior crew of Ops had already left for their shore leave on Sannin VII, which would lead into the diplomatic talks that were also scheduled and as yet, Gogi had no specific orders, other than to refamiliarise himself with the Starbase.

DeVeau: I know…it’s just…difficult to talk about.

Fairhug: I understand.

He paused to look around the room again, before suddenly remembering just where it was Alora had been assigned to! It was almost as if they were trading places.

Fairhug: So, are you looking forward to getting to see Ring Forty-Two? From what I could make out from the blue collars back there, it's every scientist's dream!

He thought back to his conversation with Freck at the awards ceremony in Aria's apartment and how excited the Ferengi had been when discussing the artificial weather on the Ring.

The memory brought several others flooding back in a split second. He was going to miss Freck and so many others he was leaving behind. Still, if this transfer had made him realise anything, it was that reunions were not unheard of in Starfleet. He was sure their paths would cross again.

DeVeau: Actually…yes. I remember reading about it a few years ago and thought it was really interesting.  

Every scientist’s dream was putting it mildly. If there were a thousand scientists who worked around the clock, Alora didn’t think they could find out even half of what there was to know about that Ring and all that it encompassed. With the plethora of biomes and life that existed in its boundaries, there was much that Alora could dive into that aligned with her speciality, though her new position as mission specialist meant she had a much broader scope. 

Fairhug: It's a fascinating place, for sure. In some ways, I wish I'd had more time to explore it.

The young, eager, full of life Gogi would have done so, just as he had done on Duronis II, when he had been posted there fresh out of the Academy, but on Denali, he had spent most of his time throwing himself into his work.

DeVeau: Hopefully you’ll come visit and do so.

She managed a small smile, then glanced at the door. Although she was leaving, there was still a little time before she had to do so. Gogi had served on Ops before, so he had knowledge about the place where he was coming to serve. Contrary, Alora could only glean information from what was written down - or perhaps from the one who was replacing her. 

DeVeau: Anything I should be aware of? 

Gogi thought about that one, stroking his forked, ginger beard as he did so.

Fairhug: Hmm. I have got one, actually. Keep your eye on that Rodulan who runs the club - Möbius. She'd give the Grand Nagus a run for his money.

DeVeau: Oh really? 

How interesting, a Rodulan who could rub elbows with a Ferengi. That meant she was really into business, and Alora wasn’t without some ability in that department either.  

Fairhug: Yeah, I only met her a couple of times, but she's smart as a whip and telepathic. A dangerous combination.

DeVeau: Tell me more? I know it’s only seen population moving in over the last year or so. What’s been discovered thus far? 

She was sure Gogi must have done some exploration, even if it wasn’t as much as he would have liked, for the entire mission was to find out more about the Ring and all that it contained. Even if she could read the mission reports, it was always good to get an accounting from someone directly.

The Bardeezan's tanned brow furrowed as he tried to recall the events of the past ten or eleven months. From his arrival, to the asteroid attack, to retrieving the Orb of Renewal, it had been a wild ride and he hadn't really had time to process it all just yet.

Fairhug: Let’s see. There’s the network of transport arches. That’s different.

Transport…arches? Alora tried to imagine that and got a sense of something, but she didn’t dare assume her mind was able to cobble together an accurate picture based on that minimal description. She’d definitely check out.  

DeVeau: I’ve never heard of a transportation arch before.

Fairhug: Yeah, a lot of the technology on the Ring from the original inhabitants is apparently activated telepathically and the language is still being deciphered, too. Lots for you to sink your teeth into, if you want.

So they had no idea what the language was either. Since they hadn’t figured it out, it must have been complicated enough that the computer struggled to make sense of it. Now that was fascinating.

DeVeau: Wow. With all that, is there more?

Fairhug: What else…::stroking his beard:: Oh! The telepathic, possibly mechanical, possibly sentient crabs that live on the platforms that control the weather.

TBC

****************

Lieutenant Commander Gogigobo Fairhug

First Officer

Starbase 118 Ops

E239411GF0

&

Commander Alora DeVeau

Mission Specialist

Denali Station

al...@blar.net

M239008AD0