Lt. Commander Solaris McLaren - It Breaks.

[solarismclaren]

((The I’vish Gallery, Shi’Kahr District, Starbase 118))



Sol watched as Wyn stepped up to the podium, as Gogi stepped back for a moment to prepare his upcoming thoughts. She wondered what surprises Wyn had in store.


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?


Sol grinned, Sal was, as ever, continually looking out for his crew, even if he himself was no longer their CO.


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!


Serving as a department head was always a challenging job. It meant extra paddwork, and on 118, often managing hundreds of individual officers and many projects. It was always nice to be recognized for doing such a complex job. From everything Sol had seen, Corey had done an excellent job following in Wyn's shoes as CMO. Even if it was still hard to see anyone else but Wyn as her doctor, Corey was quickly making it easier and easier.


Wethern: ?


McLaren: Congrats, Corey!


Any: ?


Foster: And, personally, from me to you - thank you for taking care of sickbay


Sol chuckled. It had to have been hard for Wyn, though seeing how he was flourishing in his new position, maybe not that hard.


Wethern: ?


Any: ?


As Corey stepped down, she saw Wyn preparing for another, with another little box making its way onto the podium.


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.


Wyn was right, Haukea had done an amazing job. Security and Intel had a close working relationship aboard the station, and Sol knew first hand how diligent Haukea was at keeping the station and the crew aboard it safe. She was proud to call Haukea a friend.


Willow: ?


Sol raised her glass.


McLaren: Congrats Haukea! Well deserved!


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!


Again Wyn was right. Haukea had a way of looking at things and putting people at ease that made her easy to work alongside, which made all of their jobs easier.


Willow: ?


Any: ?


Sol furrowed her brow as Wyn took his time bringing out several objects, including a mysterious bottle and a piece of paper. Who was next that warranted such objects? She saw Wyn's gaze begin to look in her direction. Uh-oh.


Foster: Director McLaren, if you could please join me?


She stood, leaving her glass on the table and made her way up to the stage taking a spot next to Wyn. She was not used to being called up during these ceremonies. In many ways she preferred it that way. Her job wasn't meant to be in the spotlight and she had never done it for the recognition anyway.


Her eyes fell to the paper as Wyn unfolded it, wondering what it said, the words being held just out of her sight for the moment.


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…


Uh-oh again. Sal was a master with words, and for him to pen the note himself, meant it was probably full of something deeply touching. Sol mentally readied herself for what was about to come.


Any: ?


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.


The right amount of funny, serious and deeply touching. She hadn't been prepared for all the nice things and could feel her eyes beginning to moisten as Wyn read the note. Still she maintained her composure as best she could. In truth there were only a few people she would go to the ends of the galaxy for, and at the top of that list was Sal Taybrim. He had a way of making everyone feel seen, even when the job wasn't about being seen. He was the only person she might consider leaving 118 for if he asked and one day she hoped he would get bored of Raskor and ask just that. But until then she would have to keep up her job and


She spoke quietly, only so much that Wyn could actually hear her. And despite the words, they were full of affection.


McLaren: Sal you... jerk... thank you.


Any: ?


Foster: And uh, personally – I think you’re pretty cool, too.


That caused Sol to laugh, the first crack in her facade. She covered her mouth some a few tears beginning to fall. That it was Wyn who had been the messenger was something she was grateful for. For the second time in her many award ceremonies, she allowed herself to break her normally reserved facade fully. She pulled him into a hug, the kind that you gave a family member when they gave you good news. She would give Sal his the next time she saw him.


She took the bottle with one hand speaking just to Wyn before breaking them embrace.


McLaren: Thank you, Wyn.


Sol accepted the rest of the items, the box containing the ribbon and the note from Sal and quickly retreated from the stage before she broke down too much. She settled back at her table and unfolded the note to give it a read through herself. She pulled a tissue out of her clutch and dabbed away some tears, eyes lingering on the page for several moments before moving to the bottle. It was an exceptionally well aged bottle of whiskey. The kind that would go down smooth. The latest in the trade between her and Sal that had stretched back years. Every momentous occasion had been one of them gifting the other with something rare or well liked. She had been the last, with a bottle of Romulan ale, one of the last to escape Romulus before Hobus exploded. Now he had returned the gift once again. She would save it for another momentous occasion, to share at the right time, with the right people.


Any: ?


Foster: Anyways, that’s all I got! Thanks for letting me ramble, and congratulations everyone!


Sol raised her glass, having dried her face and appearing somewhat presentable. She really hoped she wasn't called up again.

Any: ?

~~~

Lt. Commander Solaris McLaren

Director of Intelligence

Starbase 118 Ops

C239210SM0