Posted by… suppressed (4) 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

Cochrane’s hands curled into fists on the desk, and his face became redder, making his striking blue eyes seem like they were ice on fire. His jaw clenched and his lips pursed until the line between almost disappeared. Just when it seemed he was about to burst forth in a torrent of anger… the smile he had struggled so hard to contain finally crept out and he busted out laughing.

“OH MY GOD YOU SHOULD SEE YOUR FACE!!” he howled and fell back into his chair, sending it back against the wall. His laughter was louder than his, apparently, fake anger; and the man had tears starting to form in the corner of his eyes.

Cochrane, CO

His sudden change of demeanor caught the Diplomat completely off guard. She had expected a lot of things Had even braced herself for some kind of physical attack. But this.... this she hadn’t expected.

Her jaw actually gaped and she shook her head, her arms shifting from a stance of combative cool to a shifting, unsettled stance of confusion and embaressment. “I don’t…” she couldn’t even find her voice. She didn’t know whether to scream at him or kick him. Thankful the desk was between them, she chose screaming. But it wasn’t the hearty screech of a woman seeing a small insect. It was the low, growling voice of a woman fighting to keep her composure.

“I don’t understand, Sir… why would you do that. You KNEW I was angered by being taken away as I was. You didn’t deserve that. But I had thought you would be glad I was back?” She was fighting back her desire to storm out and go back to her quarters and cry. How could he do this to her? She bit her lip and waited for an explaination.

Raye
Diplomat

Alex kept laughing, but they subsided somewhat. Wiping away the tears, he caught his breath and said “Relax, Raye. I am super stoked to have you back.” and he chuckled again. “And I knew you were as pissed as I was. As I still am, actually. But…” and he pushed himself back to the desk and sighed, the smile never leaving his face, “… I want you to know I dont hold anything against you. And when I saw your orders, I knew that I needed to do something. Oh, not for you. For me. You, my dear dear Ms. Anders, are absolutely most welcome back. But I couldn’t just let you waltz back on board and not give you at least a little grief about up and leaving right after you got here… even under orders. I mean… where would the fun be in that?” and he smiled at her and winked as he opened a drawer in the desk and took out two glasses. He then retrieved a bottle filled with what looked like liquid sunshine… it actually had a luminosity to it. Pouring some in each glass, he handed one her direction, and the aroma of citrus and herbs was apparent.

Cochrane, CO

Her head was spinning. He had done it just to punish her in a round about way because she had left. She understood he was a man of control, and her coming and going like that had been outside that control. But it still kicked her someplace low to sense that, even for a second, he was furious with her.

Moving up to sit on the edge of the desk, she shook her head and took the offered glass. “Well, for my sake as well, I am glad to be back. I didn’t like the way they swooped me off, Sir. I promise you that. And I can also promise it won’t happen again. I am a civilian and not bound by a military contract. I told them if they pulled that stunt again, I would resign and go private and take my allies with me.” She winked to him, her former self slowly returning and relaxing, glad to be back in his company again. “So… to us, the ship and the powers that be that can kiss my nacelle,” she laughed, “a toast.” And her voice lowered slightly. “To being home, again.” She held her glass towards him. “I have missed you, Sir.”

She had to pause now and then not to use his familial name. It was professionalism that had brought her this far, she held on to that to keep her going.

Raye
Dilomat

“Welcome back, Raye.” he said in his much more familiar, friendly tone. As he clinked the glass to hers, he said “This is Cortiligan Sunset wine. Part of the ‘gifts’ from the Kazon Trade Delegation. After a very thorough screening by both Medical and Science, it was tagged safe for most species… except the Bolians, oddly enough. I thought they could literally eat anything. Huh.” and he shrugged and took a sip. “Reminds me of mixture of a mimosa and a really good scotch.”

Cochrane, CO

She took a sip and hummed in appreciation. “I thought they could as well,” she laughed. “This is great, Si… I mean,” she nodded her head and corrected herself. “I mean, this is great… Alexander. Thank you. It is indeed amazing. I’m glad the delegations are working all over. We had been afraid some faction or splinter would seek to ruin it for everyone involved. But I think if this is indicative of what we gained from the trades,” she winked, “I’m a firm supporter.” She took another sip and finally relaxed. She had missed talking to him.

“While I think about it, since you opened this.” She looked at him shrewdly, “When was the last time you ate?” She knew he was prone to forgetting, especially if on the bridge all shift.

Raye
Diplomat