1x1 with Lorut

Posted on Sat Nov 30th, 2024 @ 1:59pm by Captain Lorut Vila & Lieutenant Aurora House of Kor

1,473 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Silver Rain
Location: Ready room
Timeline: post-Search Party

Vila was in the Ready Room, organizing a chat with Admiral poophead, Lyo, and herself. It was agreed that they'd chat later that afternoon, when the Admiral was done with his teaching duties at the Academy, and when Vila was fully caffeinated and done with her regular duties.

She was being promoted to acting Captain. She sighed deeply.

She clicked open a channel, and radioed down to CetOps.

"Lt. Aurora, please report to the Ready Room," she said. It was time to ensure that the younger woman was OK, and perhaps a field promotion.

"Aye, Ma'am. [Oh boy...what'd I do now?]" Aurora was worried as she rinsed off, changed into a clean uniform, and raced up to the Ready Room.

Aurora hit the door chime.

"Come in," she said, the computer opening the doors. "Lt. Aurora! Please sit down," she said. "I want you to make sure you see Dr. Campbell, ok? A lot happened down at the planet, and I want to make sure you're OK, and good to go for duty," she said. She had a bit more, too.

Aurora walk in...and raised an eyebrow Vulcan style as she sat.

"Um...ok, and I'm ok, Ma'am. Yeah...a lot happened down the planet. Gonna have some scaring around my gills, but other than that, I...I think I'm ok," Aurora shook her head, trying to keep a shudder at bay.

[Come ON Aurora! Get a grip! You're a Warrior for crying out loud!] Aurora thought, hissing hopefully softly enough that the Commander didn't hear her.

Vila smiled lightly. "Good," she said. "Dr Greene says you're going to be ok," she said. "I just wanted to check in with you. Do you have anything YOU want to share?" She asked. She was trying to make an effort to be more caring about the rest of the crew, and to make efforts to bond. "Anything at all," she said. "I promise you won't get in trouble," she added, quickly. 'BUt now that I am the acting Captain, I need to know what YOU need from me," she said. That was weird to call herself. She didn't FEEL like a Captain.

"It's hard put what's going on into words, Ma'am. I'm lost...drifting through a sea of stars without a compass. Captain Culver's missing, perhaps dead...and I failed in my mission," Aurora lost it and began to cry.

Vila nodded. "It's ok," she said. "We're all upset." She stood up after retrieving some Kleenex from the desk drawer. She handed one to the woman. "You didn't fail," she said. "We didn't know what was down there. If ANYONE failed, it was me," she said. "I sent you down too soon, I think," she said. She reached out and put a hand on Aurora's shoulder. "Yes, the reports are that most of the away team are gone," she said, quietly. "I'll take over as acting Captain. I think you've earned a promotion, too," she said. "As soon as Headquarters gets back to me...." she trailed off.

Aurora took the offered Kleenex, blowing her nose HARD.

"I am sorry you couldn't save him. I know you liked Captain Culver. NONE of us could've saved him, nor the others," she said. "The atmosphere, the X androids, the whole thing was a suicide mission from the start. I told him, but he overrode me," she said. Sure, she could've made it an issue, but she was TRYING to make some changes.

"Hhe was stubborn as a Klingon, and you know how hard it is to talk US out of something we've set our minds to," Aurora giggled softly.

Vila chuckled lightly. "I know," she said. "I tried to talk him out of going. I told him to send ME," she said. "HE had everything to live for. I don't have much left in my life," she said. "The crew hates me, except for Gocx, and Dr. Greene, but only because we're dating. My parents are both dead now, and my planet is destroyed," she said. "So it should be ME down there," she said. She was just as miserable as everyone else.

Aurora's head jerked up and her eyes sprung wide!

"Now see here, Commander! EVERYONE has something to live for, someone depending on them! The crew does NOT hate you! They're just not used to you yet! We've all got some growing to do, and growing ALWAYS brings pain for a season! Now I'll hear no more talk of you feeing as if you should be dead! The Captain gave you a job to do and by Kalis you're going to do it even if I have to drag you kicking and screaming!" Aurora's Klingon ire was up, and in her tirade had been pacing the floor, swinging her arms and kicking up quite a fuss.


"It's been a year, Lieutenant," Vila said, but nodded. "I suppose you're right," she said. She DID have Dr. Greene now, she supposed.

"Anyway. I asked you to come by today. Is there anything you need from me as we proceed?" She asked. "The Whales will be fine, too, as will Dr. Gocx," she said, as an aside. Gocx had been mildly stung when he'd reached in to rescue Aurora and had had damaged his thumb but Fraiser said he'd be fine.

"I'm glad. They didn't deserve to get hurt, nor Doctor Gocx. I guess what I need from you is what we all need from our Captain: trust, loyalty, and a shoulder to cry on when something goes wrong. Don't be afraid to show your emotions...again, you've seen how Klingons act," Aurora snickered softly.

Vila nodded. "I am working on it," she said. "I've been doing some more intense counseling with Dr. Campbell, and uh...reading the handbooks and all that," she said. She nodded lightly. She was taking this seriously.

"Don't tell anyone I said this, but those handbooks? Well, not only do they not cover every eventuality, they have some things wrong," Aurora didn't elaborate, but anyone could tell she knew something of that by the small smirking smile that twitched her lips.

Vila laughed at that. "Well," she said. "When I was in the Militia, we didn't even HAVE one and I managed to stay alive," she said.

Aurora's eyebrow twitched, then she started to chuckle softly.

"If it's ok to ask, how long were you in the Militia?" Aurora was curious, hoping she wasn't crossing a boundary.

Vila nodded, and went back to her seat. "Four years," she said. "Then I got married and joined the Fleet and all that," she said. "I was fifteen when I first joined the guerrilla movement, and sixteen when I was OFFICIAL; they wouldn't let you join officially until ages 16. The first year, I was only allowed to do things like run messages and intel back and forth from cell to cell. Then, later, when I was given more responsibility, I built-and used-improvised explosives. I've always had an interest in Chemistry, I guess," she said. "Later, I learned to shoot phasers, and I was pretty good at it," she said. "But there's less need for that out here," she said, a little sadly. It was such a mix of emotions-she hated having to do it, but loved it, too, and had made friends and comrades, a few of whom she stilltalked to. "it's always OK to ask. I don't mind talking about the Militia," she said. Other things, she minded. But that? No. That was her taking back her power, and it was a good thing.

"Whoa! You've had a very cool life! Also, you'd fit in perfectly with me and my friends! We were constantly trying to best each other, almost killed each other about a hundred times a week, and as to the Chemistry...that was actually how about half of our 'almost killed each other about a hundred times a week' happened," Aurora rearanged her seated position, flipping one leg over the other as she giggled sheepishly.

Vila smiled. She missed her days of that. "Sounds like fun," she said. "If you don't have anything else, you are free to go," she said. "I really DID just want to check in on you," she said. She DID care about people-just in a different way from others.

"It sure was. Thank you, Ma'am. Far as I know, that was all I was having trouble with. Please keep reaching out, just like I'll keep doing my best to keep reaching out to you and the crew," Aurora smiled as she stood up, inclined her head, and headed out.

Lieutenant JG Aurora House of Kor Cetaceans Operations Chief Officer, USS Intrepid

&

Captain (Acting) Lorut Vila,
Commanding Officer
USS Intrepid

 

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