"Thank You!"

Posted on Wed Dec 16th, 2009 @ 1:55pm by Lieutenant Commander Abigail Valera & Captain Vorn Krace

Mission: Into a Devil's Heart
Location: USS Iapetus - Ready Room
Timeline: MD11 1342hrs

Vorn didn't look up from the work on his desk as he called "Come!" to whomever had chimed his door. He'd had a lot of admin to deal with in the wake of Peter's trial, so just continued working until they let them know if he'd called for them, or if they came because they had more paperwork for him to fill out.

Abigail entered and let the doors close behind her. She sat down across from Vorn and gently took his hand, "Vorn is there something wrong? You looked a little distant when the mission concerning Peter, his father, and ex-girlfriend ended. Is anything the matter?"

Vorn looked up as Abigail took his hand, putting his work to the back of his mind as he registered she wasn't here to give him more paperwork. "My fir- former first officer betrayed my trust and tried to shoot me down in my old ship. I'd think that should sufficiently answer your question," he joked dryly. "But that's not why I asked you to come here," he continued, pushing back from his desk so that his chair rolled, and grasping the handle of one of his drawers, but leaving it shut.

"I had a reply to a message I sent to Personnel before this mission started," he started smiling at this point, but didn't go on, waiting for Abigail to try and guess what the message was about.

Abigail was confused. "What is it Vorn? Is something the matter?" Then it dawned on her, "Captain you don't mean...? Promotion?"

"Congratulations, Lieutenant Commander," Vorn said, his smile spreading as he stood up and retrieved a small black box from his drawer. "Welcome to the ranks of senior officers."

Abigail grinned, "Oh Vorn this is truly a surprise! I am honoured to be in the ranks of the senior officers." Abigail stood next to Vorn and gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek. She then stood at attention as she waited for the pip to be placed on her collar.

Vorn removed the hollow pip from the box and fixed it onto Abigail's collar, next to her two full pips. "I'm afraid I didn't have time to have chef prepare a party for you in The Ridge. We're on a tight schedule; we're due to leave tomorrow on a patrol along the Elyshan border, before heading to Starbase 386."

"I understand Captain. The party can be set at a later time if there is time." Abigail couldn't believe it! She was a Lieutenant Commander! The Lincoln had been a good choice for her and she had stuck with Vorn and the others even when they transferred over to the Iapetus. The young woman had gleaming sparkles in her eyes and her heart thudded with the excitement and the anxiety that came with a new rank. Her responsibilities had flown to a whole new level and Abigail would have to work harder to get her job done.

Vorn nodded, returning to his seat and the virtual pile of work he still had to get done, his tone turning more to business. "I need you to make sure your department is all squared away by ten hundred hours tomorrow. Command wants us to leave on time."

"I'll let them know Vorn. You can count on me. Is there anything else that I need to know or that needs to be said so I can begin my new duties as a Lieutenant Commander?" Abigail was still standing at attention waiting for her captain's orders.

"You'll be receiving your security status update from Starfleet later today. Any files you'll need will be included with that data packet." He looked up towards her, and allowed a small smile to touch the corners of his mouth again. "Dismissed, Lieutenant Commander."

----------------------------
Captain Vorn Krace
Commanding Officer
USS Iapetus

&

Lieutenant Commander Abigail Valera
Chief Science Officer
USS Iapetus