Posted by… suppressed (2) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Fit for duty. And cleared to see the Captain.

That’s all she had needed. Raye headed for the Captain’s office as soon as she left the Counselor’s. It was growing late, already near dinner, and she wanted to see him without interrupting his evening. As she moved thru the halls, she nodded and smiled to those who remembered her and welcomed her back. And she nodded to those she had never seen. It would be refreshing to meet new crewmen and see what had been happening since she left.

The blue on blue top matched the dark blue leggings. Her soft ankle high tan boots barely registering on the deck as she walked. She hadn’t finished setting her quarters to rights yet, preservation coverings still on figurines and such, and she hadn’t made her bed or added the new recipes to the replicator she had brought back. She had slept on the couch after her late arrival the night before and eaten a quick breakfast.

The rest of the day had been spent in the small vacant room next to her own that had been given to her as a small reception area and office. It was meant to be a single guest quarters, but she had changed the living area into a nice gathering place with a couple couches and a long table with chairs to one side for more formal settings and eating. She had written and finished her reports and caught up on mail and other correspondence.

It didn’t escape her notice that she, too, had skipped lunch and wondered if she and the Captain had that in common today. Her hand rose to chime the door as a smile rose to her lips at the thought.

Vorraye Anders
Diplomatic Attache

“Enter.” came the familiar, slightly-British accented voice from behind the door. It was slightly more curt than on the past, but where it lacked true warmth it did not lack professionalism. The door slid open and the office, much more organized and comfortable than her previous arrival, was before her. Alex sat behind his desk looking at something and, without looking up, said “What’s the status of the forward sensor array? Engineering have those upgrades complete yet?”

Cochrane, CO

Raye took a moment to look at the Captain. He was just as she remembered and it brought a small smile to her lips. Realizing he didn’t know who she was, she pursed her lips in mock disdain. “Totally shot. I’ve had engineering replicate binoculars, and bring another Betazoid on board. That should help them with sensing things till the array is fixed. And Engineering claims the upgrades won’t work till the children quit playing in the plasma conduits.” She had no clue about the intimate workings of the ship. But she did know enough to tease him about it.

She watched him, while trying not to smile thru her serious face. The grin was tugging up on her lips though.

Raye
Diplomat

Cochrane looked up, and his face remained unchanged. A long pause passed before he took a deep breath and said “Ah. Ms. Anders. I see you are back with us. And as I sincerely doubt that your training extends to sensor array components and power relay efficiencies, am I too assume that you have a different purpose for being here? One which I assume comes from the Ambassador’s office? That same Ambassador who took it upon himself to take our personnel without so much as a warning or a ‘thank you’?” Cochrane’s face was rigid, and his tone was on the very edge of sharp.

Cochrane, CO

The smile on her face was swiftly replaced with a scowl before she pulled herself to a taller, almost attention like state. Her eyes never left his. If he was going to be cold and professional, she was as well. “Forgive me. I am unaware of the status from engineering or of the array. And yes, I am back because the Ambassador’s office found it a fitting place to dump me.” Her sarcasm wasn’t being hidden. Him being upset at the ‘powers that be’ was understandable. But she didn’t have to like it. “You have been assigned to a region of space we are unfamiliar with and they believe First Contact will be imminent. So I was sent back. I am sure if I am not to your liking, a replacement may be requested, Sir,” the last word punctuated with an over abundance of respect to make it almost seem an insult. “Though I cannot say if it will be honored or how long it would take if it was.” She looked at him, refusing to look away.

Her orders to leave came along the same time the shuttle arrived to wisk her away. She had just enough time to meet the Captain and the Escort in the hanger bay with her overnight bag before disappearing for several months. He hadn’t been happy then, and apparently still wasn’t.

Raye
Diplomat

A look of perturbed confusion crossed the Captain’s face. “Ms. Anders…” he began, his tone dripping several degrees, “… I have zero idea what you are talking about. I have recieved no orders… nothing… about you returning to my ship. Let me stress this again.” and he stood up, hands flat on his desk and his face becoming slightly red. “No one in the Diplomatic Corps has seen fit to take a moment if their time to follow proper procedure and regulations and tell me anything about you being on my ship. Nothing. And, much like them stealing you from this ship with no warning or any effort whatsoever to fill your position when you left, I have recieved nothing… again. So why dont you use your supposed ‘diplomatic acumen’ and try to explain to me why in the Seven Hells I would even entertain the mere thought of having someone on my ship from an organization who is arrogant enough to think they have any say whatsoever in who or what goes on my ship?” As he spoke, his voice rose in volume until he was just below yelling at the end.

Cochrane, CO

She stood there dumbfounded a moment. How had he not known? She had been given official orders. How could they? His rising ire swiftly damped down her embarrassment and swiftly kicked in her fight or flight. Sadly, she was not a runner… or a simpering female about to have an onset of vapors and wilt before him. She crossed her arms and cocked her hip to the side. “I can’t say WHY you weren’t told. Perhaps because my orders were TEMPORARY orders. That means I was sent back here automatically. That means a new set of orders WOULDN’T have been sent. But I can assure you, since I was sent back here, I am staying till I hear otherwise.” She was half growling at him now with as much ire as he had shown.

Shaking her head, she ground her teeth a moment to keep from losing her control any more. “I will be happy to send you my orders back here. And, if you wish, I will be more than happy to remain in my quarters till I am needed or requested. But I will NOT go back to my superiors and tell them you didn’t realize I was stationed with you for FOUR YEARS regardless of how many times those idiots see fit to yank me off to tuck a new Ambassador into their new beds.” Her jaw set in a rigid tightness he hadn’t seen in her before. Her docile abilities at the negotiation table were a far cry from the spitfire that stood before him now.

Raye
Diplomat