JP: Cmdr. Karrod Niac & Lt. Cmdr. Toryn Raga with VAdm. Makisig Corcino - The Longest Road - PT4
Rameses
((Lounge 47, USS Ronin, In Orbit of Ferenginar))
Niac: We have one final bit of business to conduct this evening, although for it, I need to turn the lectern over to a special guest. Mr. Raga…if you’d be so kind?
Toryn looked at the CO, with a smirk on his face he pressed his comm badge twice.
A boatswain's whistle cried out and the small burble of conversation in the room died as everyone snapped to earnest attention, turning to see their special guest, Vice Admiral Makisig Corcino, who had been watching the ceremony thus far from the back of the room.
Makisig walked up towards the lectern where Karrod had been standing, the windows overlooking the saucer section of the Ronin serving as a backdrop.
Niac: Vice Admiral Corcino, as the flag officer in charge of our sector, has graciously allocated his time to join us for this celebration. Vice Admiral…the room is yours.
Karrod took a step to the side and turned to face the room, as stiffly at attention as the rest of the crowd.
Corcino: At ease.
The crisp clack of the crowd’s regulation boots scuffling across the floor echoed through the room.
Corcino: First, I want to congratulate you all–the officers and crew of the USS Ronin–on a job well done in your evacuation of the colonists of Grus Beta Three. Sixteen hundred lives were saved due to your swift and decisive actions, which were performed in the finest tradition of Starfleet and the Federation’s commitment to humanitarian aid.
Karrod fought to keep from rolling his eyes at the thin, boilerplate praise. Maki had always enjoyed any opportunity to give a speech, and clearly that hadn’t changed with age. In contrast to their earlier enthusiastic celebration, there was no applause as the audience waited in silence for the admiral to continue. Karrod felt a quiet surge of pride that he couldn’t entirely keep off his face.
Corcino: You also have provided and confirmed invaluable intelligence, which will have immediate consequences for our involvement in the region.
The admiral then looked over at Karrod for a moment before taking a breath and then looking back out at the gathered officers watching.
Corcino: And of course, leading you through this mission to success was your commanding officer, Commander Karrod Niac.
Makisig adjusted the display on the surface of the lectern to pull up a prepared letter from Starfleet Command. Unlike his previous remarks to the crew, which had been delivered with a bit more gusto, the admiral read the letter in a flat tone. There would have been more emotion if he had just asked the computer to read it.
Karrod’s face remained fixed, except for an infinitesimal twitch in his right eyelid. Within Niac broadcast a sense of general alarm at his rapidly rising blood pressure.
Corcino: “To: Commander Niac, Commanding Officer, USS Ronin.
Having met the ::under his breath:: [minimum] requirements for promotion, the Office of the Admiralty is pleased to promote you to the rank of Captain, with the rights, privileges, and responsibilities thereof. Effective immediately, Stardate 240012.01.
Signed,
Fleet Admiral Joseph Washington, Commander for Starfleet Operations - Tholian Region”
Karrod couldn’t stop his eyes from widening as he realized the date of the message. Maki had known about his promotion for nearly four months yet had not bothered to pass along that information until three days prior. For a brief moment, Karrod’s vision became completely red, and his eye twitched uncontrollably.
Having finished reciting the letter, Makisig turned and walked towards the Trill CO, who looked to be fighting to stand at attention with all his might.
The admiral held out his right hand.
Corcino: Captain Sahin?
The woman took out a wooden box that contained the honored fourth pip that was soon to be placed on Karrod’s dress uniform. Makisig, who had been staring into Karrod’s face, glanced over at the box, opening it and letting out the tiniest of creaks against the silent room.
Grabbing the pip, Makisig then turned back to Karrod and held it up right above where it would go, letting it linger for a moment. Only the most astute observer would have caught the slight glimpse of a smirk from the admiral before he affixed it into place next to the other three silver pips.
Corcino: Congratulations, Captain Niac.
Karrod managed to unclench his jaws long enough to growl out a strangled response.
Niac: Thank you, Vice Admiral.
The thus-far awkwardness of the ceremony was finally broken with the eruption of cheers and applause from the observing officers in attendance. Makisig gestured for Karrod to give his first orders to the room as a newly-minted captain.
Karrod let the moment linger as he tried to soak up each detail, each eruption of sound, each raucous cheer or beaming smile. For a Joined Trill, these were the moments that carried on across the centuries, the pivot points of lifetimes spent in singular pursuits.
For Karrod…for him, there was a warmth. A sensation too personal for Niac, too ephemeral for neurochemical links. It was a very different kind of bond…one that couldn’t truly be explained or studied by any instrument aboard his ship.
It was the sense of belonging. Of a crew unified around him, united in celebration and in purpose, focusing all their good will on him in this singular moment.
For just a moment…Karrod saw the Great Koalas smile.
He finally returned to his body and smiled back to the people he so admired.
Niac: Dismissed.
Toryn’s hands were sore from the power of his applause and he gave Karrod a wide, proud smile as he nodded and turned to leave with the rest of the crew.
[TBC]
((OOC: Congratulations to one and all! Please remember to finish winding down your shoreleave scenes in the next few days and look for the mission starter from XO Raga! Great work and thank you for an incredible shoreleave everyone!))
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Vice Admiral Makisig Corcino & Captain Nehir Sahin
Starfleet Command
I238705TZ0
&
Captain Karrod Niac
Commanding Officer
USS Ronin - NCC-34523
V239509GT0
&
Lieutenant Commander Toryn Raga
First Officer
USS Ronin - NCC-34523
A239410TR0