Lt. Commander Foster - Milestones and Bottles of Expensive Whiskey
Jamie LeBlanc
((The I’vish Gallery, Shi’Kahr District, Starbase 118))
Wyn Foster drew in a deep breath and headed up to the podium, standing in the limelight and peering out at the crew.
And for a moment he was irrationally releieved that gogigobo Fairhug was short because Wyn was also short and he could see over the podium without needing a step stool. Thank the galaxy for small miracles.
Foster: Now, bear with me for a moment, because I have a few awards to hand out…
Any: ?
Foster: I was asked by Commodore Taybrim to tend to a few milestone awards, to recognize the ongoing excellent work of some of our experienced crew members. So, if Corey Wethern could join me?
Wethern: ?
Wyn pulled out a small ribbons box and set it on the podium.
Foster: Doctor Wethern, I know perhaps better than anyone else on this station besides yourself how important the role of chief medical officer is. You have grown into the role amazingly well and taken care of your sickbay, you friends and your crew with the tenacity I would expect from the best of Starfleet. For continued service as a department head, you are awarded the Department Chief Ribbon!
Wethern: ?
Any: ?
Foster: And, personally, from me to you - thank you for taking care of sickbay
He grinned. As a long time chief medical officer, he was proud of Corey and wanted to be the one to recognize him.
Wethern: ?
Any: ?
Foster: Lieutenant Willow, if you could join me?
Willow: ?
Foster: Lieutenant Willow, serving as the chief of Security on a StarBase of this size is a mindboggling task. I remember when Commander Fairhug asked me if I felt you were up to the task and I wholeheartedly said yes. I’m glad I did – you have done an incredible job leading the security teams, and keeping out crew and our station safe. For continued service as a department head, you are also awarded the department chief ribbon.
Willow: ?
Any: ?
Foster: And thank you, Willow, for being one of the most pleasant and easiest to work with security chiefs I have ever met. It’s easier to keep everyone safe when everyone can work together and you’re an integral part of that!
Willow: ?
Any: ?
And then lastly, Wyn shuffled on his feet and brought out a third box.
A third box.
And then a bottle.
And then a paper note.
Foster: Director McLaren, if you could please join me?
McLaren: ?
Wyn took the note and unfolded it and then held it into the light.
Foster: I’m sorry, but I’m just going to read this actual real live handwritten message from Commodore Taybrim himself, because there’s nothing that I can say that could top this…
Any: ?
A Department Chief Ribbon recognized service as the head of a department for more than six months, and while it was true that Doctor Wethern and Lieutenant Willow had served for nearly a year – eleven months to be exact, Wyn knew that Sol had served as the Director of Intel for years.
More years than he could remember.
Foster: It says, and I quote…
Sol, this is Sal. This is long overdue. I’d say it fell behind the couch, but you probably have my couch bugged and would have found it. In reality I only gave these out a few times and it always seemed to fall while you were away on an important mission.
But I want to say something important. There was a time when StarBase 118 wasn’t the safest place in the galaxy. We cleaned that up. You kept it safe. There was a time when the Trinity Sector was extremely dangerous. We cleaned that up. You kept it safe. You turned the Black Tower into the Intel Tower, you removed the corruption from the Intel ranks, and kept a finger on the pulse of the quadrant.
And when you left, when you were called away to a black ops mission that I can’t even imagine, we struggled. For the first time in nearly a decade StarBase 118 wasn’t safe anymore. Three assassination attempts in our very own sector, two on our very own Starbase. It was, in a word, awful.
And then you came back. And you made it stop. You have been one of the best department heads I have ever met in all of my years of service. And you have been a true and amazing friend.
So, accept my apologies that this ribbon is late. And make sure Foster gives you the bottle. It’s the best I could find.
Wyn Foster did a pretty good job of giving the proper gravitas to the words. Those who knew Commodore Taybrim could almost hear him saying the words. Those who didn’t know him had to marvel that some crazy Commodore on Raskor sent an actual paper message and a bottle of what was presumably alcohol, all the way to StarBase 118 and made the first officer read it.
McLaren: ?
Any: ?
Foster: And uh, personally – I think you’re pretty cool, too.
He smiled. Sol and Wyn were fast friends, siblings even. He loved her like a sister. But he didn’t have anything that could top a Commodore’s speech.
He offered her the ribbon and the bottle, which appeared to be an exquisite and rare bottle of aged whiskey from Earth.
McLaren: ?
Any: ?
Wyn sucked in a breath and then smiled to the gathered.
Foster: Anyways, that’s all I got! Thanks for letting me ramble, and congratulations everyone!
Any: ?
~*~
tags/tbc
~*~
YAY milestone ribbons! Congratulations everyone!
~*~
Lt. Commander Shar’Wyn Foster
Executive Officer
StarBase 118 Ops
(and sometimes)
Commodore Sal Taybrim
Sector Commander
~Julian Beck
E239010ST0