JP - Fleet Captain Kalianna Nicholotti, Commander Addison MacKenzie, Lieutenant Commander Genkos Adea - Pips in the Pavilion - Part 2
Marissa Jeffrey
As there was applause, Kali could feel her head almost swim. The voices were clamoring for their spot above the other ‘noise’, demanding to be heard. Her eyes seemed to glaze for a moment, but internally, her view shifted. Suddenly, she wasn’t on Bajor anymore; she was on Starbase 118 in the banquet hall.
~Jaxx: Starbase 118 has always been a beacon shining into the darkness of space. A beacon of strength, a beacon of hope, and a beacon of inspiration. When I turned over command of this station, I gave it willingly to a person that exuded those precise qualities. Commander Nicholotti ::glancing to Kali:: is one the brightest officers I have ever served with in my entire career. She is a rock, even when she does not want to be. When things crumble around her, she remains. When the darkness comes to devour everything else, she shines. Without her courage, and undying sacrifices, the Federation would not be what it is. I owe my life to her. During an away mission, I was unaware that I was in the sights of a Hirogen blade. In one swift move, she put herself between that blade and me. That blade cost her the heart in her chest. But it lives on in spirit. There may be machinery pumping blood through her veins, but to this day she has the biggest heart I have ever seen. She gives relentlessly, she inspires everyone every single day. Just like the station she commands, she is a guiding beacon calling out to those of us in the darkness. ::smiling at Kali, doing all he could to keep the tears from building in his dark eyes:: Commander Nicholotti, it is with honor...and more pride than you can imagine, that you are hereby promoted to the rank of Captain. May you continue to serve as inspiration for us all, to be better than we can even imagine.~
The moment flashed, and then was gone. Once more, the bright sunshine shone down on her and her officers from above. She took a deep breath and renewed her smile, looking at her officers again.
Nicholotti: Ensign Anders, Lieutenant Sherlock, and Lieutenant Commander Yalu, if you would join us.
Waiting for a moment, Kali allowed them the time to step up to the area where she was. Only then did she begin to speak.
Nicholotti: Working with those who don’t exactly want to work with us is not easy. The Klingons that we encountered during the course of this were from a place and time when the Federation were their mortal enemies, and yet, you somehow found a way to make them see things from our point of view. In the end, the teamwork between both groups was what led us to success. As a result, you are each awarded the Joint Meritorious Unit Award.
Anders/Sherlock/Yalu: Responses?
Addison handed out the ribbons and shook their hands.
MacKenzie: And you may well have saved us all. Congratulations.
More applause, her head grew quite light in that moment. Doing her best, she shot a smile to the officers and made as natural a move as possible towards the rear of the stage all while shooting Addison and Genkos both a very weary look. Before she got too far, the scene changed again. Outside of the time shifted prison, Kali’s body froze, eyes glazed, staring into the distance.
Suddenly, the light from the sun faded and her eyes quickly adjusted to a darker, dimly lit banquet hall on Starbase 118, shortly after her promotion to captain. Not far from her, she could see a familiar face approach. He met the newly promoted Captain Nicholotti crossing the floor and presented himself, flashing the forever mischievous, somewhat crooked smile, gave Kalianna a complete formal bow before presenting an outward left hand, and a ready right one to take her waistline.
Cody: May I?
She hadn’t seen his approach when this had happened the first time, but this time she had. Having just nearly forcefully dragged her first officer around the dance floor, seeing one of her officers willingly wanting to take to the same was almost refreshing. The notes danced and weaved around them, and she smiled at him and the invitation.
A smile grew on her face and she nodded, stepping forward and taking the hand he had offered.
Nicholotti: You may.
Unlike Commander Walker, he seemed much more sure of himself and his feet as they moved to this music. It was much different than the dance shared with her First Officer from the very start. There was no feeling of trepidation, or discomfort in the man’s eyes. There didn’t seem to be anything negative at all in his eyes in fact. They moved together, smoothly across the floor as she watched him. The mysterious man, with knowledge of the position in which she currently stood, had just arrived yesterday, and yet he seemed to be the missing piece. Some might have called him a catalyst, others a bridge. Whatever the right word was, she found herself strangely grateful that he was there.
Nicholotti: I take it you like to dance a bit more than Mister Walker eh?
Cody: Oh yes. Dance, I find, reveals who we really are. We can't dance without our soul.
At that, Kali raised an eyebrow. Never before had anyone shared her thoughts on such a level. She had nearly died, and the crew of the Resolution - during her first tour - had taken her to the dance floor to show that they were there to hold her up. Jaxx first, Kora last, leaving Kali with a sense of connection to her crewmates. Since then, dancing had been that point of connection.
It had uncovered the deepest connections to her soul.
As he spun her outwards and then back in, only to dip her backwards, her thoughts drifted to the present. Genkos…
And suddenly, the light broke through. Kali caught the end of what was being said and offered a reassuring smile to the officers nearby. Genkos wasn’t listening to what Addison was saying, but was focusing on the weary looking Kalianna. He refrained from speaking to her, and thus drawing attention to it, but raised his eyebrow?
When it was clear Captain Nicholotti hadn’t been listening, Addison repeated.
MacKenzie: I said, we’ve got one more left - did you want to hand it out, or did you want me to?
Glancing at the boxes and what was left, Kali stepped up again doing her best to act as if nothing were wrong. Judging from the look on Addison’s face, the jig was up, and quite frankly, that was a relief. At least here and now, time jumps and doorways weren’t going to keep her from the redheaded woman. Taking comfort from the proximity of both her and Genkos, Kali spoke for the final awards.
Nicholotti: Our final accolade today is awarded to Lieutenant JG Gnaxac and Lieutenant Commander Cayden Adyr.
Giving them a moment to join them on the stage, Kali nodded to them both.
Nicholotti: I am thankful that both have recovered, but during the course of this mission both of these officers suffered an injury in the course of their duties. For their dedication and persistence, regardless, I hereby present you both with the Purple Heart.
Gnaxac: T-t-t-t-thank you, Captain.
Adyr: Thank you.
The Trill woman nodded slightly, to which Kali nodded back. As they walked away, Kali raised her arms upwards.
Nicholotti: Let the festivities begin!
Any: Responses?
Turning, she shot her first officer a look as the three senior officers got close enough to speak without others overhearing. Kali sighed.
Nicholotti: Something’s wrong. Very, very wrong.
Adea: Kalianna?
MacKenzie: What do you mean?
Nicholotti: It’s hard to explain, but I’m...time jumping?
Her eyes narrowed and she simply looked at them both with a hugely questioning look.
TBC
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Fleet Captain Kalianna Nicholotti
Commanding Officer
USS Resolution
R238605KN0
/
Commander Addison MacKenzie, M.D., Ph.D., FASFS
First Officer
USS Resolution
V239601AM0
/
Lieutenant Commander Genkos Adea MD
Second Officer & Chief Medical Officer
USS Resolution
G239502GS0