The atmosphere was sombre
Star Trek: Futurity
Prologue I: Weston
The atmosphere was sombre. It always was. Particularly so at state funerals. There just seemed to be something so formally suffocating about them all. As if you couldn't really grieve properly because people were watching. What would they think if you broke down in tears on the verge of one of the biggest tasks on offer?
But as he stood at the window staring out at the deep vastness of space he wondered where the torpedo would wind up. Where one of the greatest men to ever wear the four pips would wind up. He sighed heavily. Just another streak in the darkness now. After everything the man had done, after all the legendary exploits he'd undergone and now he was just another streak of light in the darkness. Suddenly, his attention was distracted.
He turned to see a small woman with her hair tied up in a bun walking over to him, lips pursed, drink in hand. He stiffened up his posture as the Admiral approached and held up a thin hand, telling him to ease up. He did so and the two of them turned back to look out across the stars. This time, she sighed. He looked down at her.
"Time's like this I could do with a mug of coffee," she said in her gravelly droll. He allowed himself a formal lopsided grin but nothing more. "It makes you wonder what's in store for the rest of us." Her voice had suddenly turned soft and he became aware of every letter she let out.
"Certainly does," he replied. An awkward silence passed between the two, both struggling for some more small talk to sustain the image of casualness they had going. But he couldn't. He had to say it. "I'm too young." He felt her look up at him. "I'm not ready for it. You should've given it Riker." She smirked a little.
"Captain Riker is happy where he is Val," she said. "But he was on our list."
"I can't follow in his footsteps," Val replied, wafting a finger towards the space beyond the window. "I'm too young. Not ready."
"Am I to understand you're turning this opportunity down Captain?" she asked, her voice returning to that slightly stern gravelly tone from before.
Val sighed heavily again. He bit his bottom lip before finishing the sparkling synthohol in his glass, setting it aside on the nearby window ledge. He leaned forwards against the ledge and bowed his head, frowning as he thought. She watched on. She moved forwards and set her glass down, rubbing Val's back with her bony hand.
"Jean-Luc was a fantastic captain," she said. "And an even better friend. I'll miss him." She slapped Val on the back. "And you're an equally fantastic captain. So take the command." He didn't answer. "You know, Jean-Luc was also promoted to his rank of captain at a young age. He commanded the Stargazer for a short time." She stopped there. Val leaned in thought again before straightening up.
"To hell with it," he said. He turned to her with a faint smile. "You only live once, right." She smiled faintly back and held out her hand. He took it and the two shook.
"Congratulations, Captain Weston," she said. He nodded.
"Thank you Admiral." He took his hand back before straightening his black dress uniform. "What was that you were saying about coffee?" The Admiral let out a silent snigger before stepping aside and gesturing for Val Weston to go first. He nodded his head and the two headed for the nearest replicator.