Posted by Lieutenant Commander Amelia Manning (Executive Officer) in Meeting with the Exec

Posted by Colonel Calvin Harris (Commanding Officer) in Meeting with the Exec

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Amelia Manning (Executive Officer) in Meeting with the Exec
Posted by… suppressed (1) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Colonel Calvin Harris sat at his desk in his obscenely adorned office and looked at the small velvet box in his hand, a tri-folded piece of paper laying next to it… containing life-changing information for the woman that was his closest military adviser. Amelia Manning was dropped into his lap over a year ago and has, in spite of him being a complete ass at times, been nothing but an exceptional officer and was far beyond deserving the promotion orders on the paper before him along with the solid gold pip in his hand.

Looking across the desk at the smartly dressed college professor seated opposite of him. “I can’t thank you enough for finding the time to come all the way out here Dr. Manning…” Harris smiled warmly at the young man who nodded with a warm smile of his own. “… I know Amelia will be thrilled to spend a few weeks with you, even if it is on-ship.”

“Of course Colonel…” Amelia’s husband, Baron Peter Manning IV, smiled slightly wider. “… I’ve missed her more than I think she’s missed me!” He chuckled softly. “I hear you’ve been keeping her on her toes, Sir.” Harris greeted the comment with a laugh of his own and shook his head. “No idea what you’re talkin’ about!” Both men shared another laugh before the Marine raised his hand slightly. “Guess we should get on with this. I’m sure you’d like to see your lady again, so I won’t keep you any longer. If you’ll grab that spot over there…” Harris motioned to the only semi-dark corner of the room and Manning moved there straight away. As Manning reached the corner, Harris tapped his CommBadge.

=A= Harris to Manning… Exec, can I see you in my office for a moment?=A= The Marine said flatly and gave Peter a smile, which was met with another friendly nod.

Harris/Manning

It didn’t take long for Amelia’s voice to come through the speakers. =/\= On my way, Colonel. =/\= Was the short reply.

A few minutes passed before the chime was heard and only a slight moment before the Dresden’s Executive Officer walked through the open doors into Harris’s Ready Room.

“Colonel, you called?” There was a slight flush on her cheeks, almost as if she had ran half the way through the ship and had stopped for a moment before walking in to catch her breath and straighten her uniform.

Lt. Cmdr. Manning, XO

Harris rose as Manning came into the room, greeting her with a smile. “Amelia, thank you for coming so quickly… I hope I didn’t interrupt anything important.” It was a genuine smile on his face as he began to move around the desk. The velvet box and folded parchment would not be missed by the Exec as it sat on the front of the desk.

“Not at all.” Amelia said, an eyebrow raising slightly as her eyes caught the box and the paper sitting on Harris’s desk. She knew what those were. Every officer that had at some point been promoted knew. Yet, she was not sure why those particular ones were there. i“I was just far. I tried to come as fast as I could all the way down from Engineering…”

“How long have you been with me on the Dres’ Commander?” There was ill will behind it, as Harris leaned against the front edge of the desk.

Harris, CO

Manning was caught slightly off guard by the question. “Um… I…” She stammered as she tried to think back as to when she had first joined the Dresden’s command staff. “A little over a year, I’d say.” Inside her chest, her heart sank. More than a year since she had last seen Pete. Time had flown and she hadn’t even noticed it. She couldn’t help but feel both sad and guilty at the same time. “Why do you ask, Sir?”

Lt. Cmdr. Manning, XO

The Marine smiled warmly at Manning. “Far too long for getting the credit you rightly deserve.” With that, Harris handed Amelia the piece of paper. “You earned that Amelia… I’m just proud to be the one to give it to you.”

As the paper was unfolded, the embossed full-color seal of the United Federation of Planets graced the top the letter, under which… in full block letters read: HEADQUARTERS - STARFLEET COMMAND - SAN FRANCISCO, EARTH Beneath that, in crisp typed lettering, the letter read:

From: Admiral Rebecca Loveland, MD
Director of Fleet Operations
Starfleet Command

To: Lieutenant Commander Amelia Isabelle Manning
Executive Officer, USS Dresden NCC-1837-D

Lieutenant Commander Manning,
I send greetings from the President of the United Federation of Planets and the Federation Council who on this day, in light of your exemplary service to the United Federation of Planets and to Starfleet, are pleased to inform you that you have been selected for promotion to the rank of Commander with all the rights and privileges thereunto. You are hereby ordered to report to the Commanding Officer of the USS Dresden, Colonel Calvin Alexander Harris, to be properly promoted to said grade and continue in service… at his request… as the Executive Officer of the USS Dresden until such time as an appropriate command can be identified for your first Warp-capable Command.

By order of Fleet Admiral Alexander Courvosier, Commander in Chief of Allied Federation Forces, at the direction of the President, United Federation of Planets.

Regards,
Admiral Loveland

As her eyes turned back to him, Harris was beaming. “I couldn’t think of a move deserving young officer!” The box was now in his hand. “Attention Commander Manning” Harris said as he walked around behind her and for a moment… Amelia could swear she heard another set of feet coming up behind her on her left as Calvin crossed behind her and stood on her right.

With a sly smile, Harris looked down to Amelia and continued. “It is customary, for the significant other of the officer promoted to do the honors when said officer reaches Command Country and I see no reason to break with tradition now, so…” Harris reached across Amelia’s front to a waiting hand that seemed to appear out of nowhere. “… Lord Manning, if you’d be so kind.” The voice suddenly sounded softly, right next to her as the hand took the box and opened it. “Thank you Colonel.” Before she knew what was happening, Amelia’s husband Pete reached into the collar of her tunic… unsnapped the hollow third pip and replaced it with the solid gold one from the box.

Harris/Manning