Retirment

Posted on Tue Sep 12th, 2023 @ 8:00pm by Captain Grace Stark

527 words; about a 3 minute read

Mission: 0 - Assignment Day
Location: Starfleet HQ

Grace stormed into the office of Rear Admiral Andrew William-Smith, "Andrew!" Grace examined waving a PADD in the air with the admiral assistant standing flushed in the doorframe. "I told you, I told Sajel, I even told the C-in-C. I am done!" slamming the PADD on the desk where it bounded into the admiral's lap who was wearing the new uniform.

"We're going to war Grace!" Andrew shouted returning the volume levels that Grace used and gently throwing the PADD onto the desk, he served under her during the whole Cardassian border conflict as her Chief Engineering Officer. Warriors were needed and Grace was exactly that despite being a known scientist in a bygone era of peace and diplomacy. "You have your orders! Complete this cadet cruise, transfer command of Stardancer to Link Garçon (her XO during the border wars also, before he left to command the USS Praxus, a nebula class before taking medical leave in 2371 and returning in late 2372 for a desk job) and take command of the Defiant starship Kingfisher"

"Stardancer has the highest millage in the fleet, fucking hell the hull is goddam corroding as well!" Grace screamed, her voice getting louder, aids in the hallway peering in while walking past, Grace was waving her arms clearly not impressed. "I have told command Stardancer is not fit for war!"

Andrew jolted up from his maroon seat, the grey hairs on the back of his neck were standing to attention. "Starfleet doesn't have the ships to replace Stardancer! We're mass-producing ships and still the Dominion out number us and has superior weapons, it's not about ships. It's about expert commanders!"

Grace was pacing across the office, her hair flipping back and forth while the uniform was suffocating her large and proud body. "No, I am leaving the service, I am leaving Starfleet." She briefly paused while pointing her index finger at the Admiral's upper lip. "I was a Doctor of Pathology, of science and medicine and Starfleet turned me into a warrior... Well, I am drawing the line here and now and saying no more!"

As her feet carried her across the grey carpet, towards the exit Andrew continued the screaming match. "Captain Stark! This is a direct order from your commanding officer, you will take command of Kingfisher!"

Grace just stood in the doorway, looking back, her body obscuring the view of the waiting room. She knew him better than he knew himself, what he was capable of doing. Years of command taught her how to read people when she really was just happy being a nobody, in a lab, in the outer rim of federation space. Staring deep into the man's soul, she quickly turned around, brushing her arms off the doorframe, distant stomps could be heard as she went deeper into Starfleet Command HQ.

"Michelle!" Andrew called out to the young enlisted aid who sat outside his office, in the corner of the waiting room. "Tell Sajel, we've lost Captain Grace Stark please." And sat back down in his seat. He was scared because Starfleet didn't have enough good captains. And today he lost one on his watch.

 

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