Posted by Lieutenant Aasrel Izei (Assistant Medical Chief) in New Orders
Having finished their time on Betazed, Aasrel and Bethany intended to finish their vacation time on Earth, with Bethany’s uncles. Aasrel had found Earth intriguing and strange. He recognized this was how Bethany felt, except he lacked that vague sense of familiarity Bethany had felt around Betazed.

Bethany had left Betazed with a sense of relief, a lot of healing, and a pang of loss. She adored Aasrel’s family. For part of their trip they had traveled with his brother Masas, so Rel had gotten a little more time with him.

Bethany’s uncles had been overjoyed to have her home. Bethany had folded into their arms and cried like she had the night they had saved her. She had missed them more than she had realized. They had given Aasrel a hard time at first, but it had been easy to tell they liked him. The love in over protectiveness they had of Bethany was genuine, but the hard time was all for show to tease Bethany. It was hard to lie to them. They knew something was wrong, but she could never tell them. It hurt.

They were in the living room of the house of one of Bethany’s family members when both Bethany and Aasrel received messages on their Starfleet PaDDs. Aasrel’s read as follows:

Aasrel Izei:

You are hereby issued new orders and to report to your new duty station ASAP.

DUTY STATION: USS LEVIATHAN
OFFICER RANK: LIEUTENANT
POSITION: ASSISTANT MEDICAL CHIEF, HEAD OF BETA SICKBAY
[Some other military information was listed]

Commodore Theodore Menéndez

~ Izei, CMO

Bethany had gone to her mother’s grave that day. She was already sad and seeing her grandfather’s grave, knowing it was empty, and who had been in that coffin was… torture.

She looked at her PaDD, wishing she could ignore the ping, but she had a duty. A new duty assignment? That was not what she had been expecting. Hers read:

Bethany Gadi:

You are hereby issued new orders and to report to your new duty station ASAP.

DUTY STATION: USS LEVIATHAN
OFFICER RANK: LIEUTENANT
POSITION: CHIEF TACTICAL OFFICER/RTF LEAD

[Some other military information was listed]

Commodore Theodore Menéndez

Bethany read it twice. She was being demoted. There was a letter explaining why, but she didn’t read it. They hadn’t even given her a hearing. She should be angry, but she couldn’t muster the energy. Tactical and RTF. What the blazes was RTF?

Then another reality sank in. Aasrel must have gotten orders to return to the Azzie. They were being separated. This was the end of the line for her. She’d never survive on her own, and there was no one to trust. She’d never heard if the Leviathan, so another suicide mission then? They were getting rid of her.

Lt. Cmdr. Gadi, COS