A Funny Thing Happened
Ezri Dax was upset she didn't have anything to wear.
At the start of her next shift which started in thirty minutes, she had to deliver a report to a visiting Admiral, whom Colonel Kira was escorting on a mini-tour of the station.
Ezri stood at the closet of her quarters, while options went through her head.
She had planned to clean her uniform, but found out this morning that the replicators were down as the station was going through an overhaul; and Garak obviously was on Cardassia, assisting the recovery efforts on his home planet after the Dominion War leaving Deep Space Nine without a tailor.
Could I borrow one from a friend? She thought.
There was Lieutenant Thelara, who was close to Ezri's size, but Thelara left for her home planet of Andor two days ago on shore leave.
"Oh, how can I be so stupid!" Ezri exclaimed aloud.
She was a Lieutenant now, surely she would have been a bit more responsible…making sure she had her uniform before she went to that costume party yesterday.
She'll not only be reprimanded by Colonel Kira, but probably by the visiting Admiral as well.
Ezri sighed.
"Hell, there goes my Starfleet career," she commented disappointedly.
However, her eye suddenly caught something familiar…
"Wait!" She breathed, a little ray of hope showing on her face.
Ezri noticed the top of the standard black and grey uniform, one she thought might have been overlooked.
She broke out in laughter.
"Well, it still should be regulation…," she said to no one in particular, shrugging her shoulders, "but will the Admiral and the Colonel think so?"
--
Minutes later, Ezri stood at the entrance to the Constable's office in the Promenade as Admiral Sean Finnegan, a very wizened veteran who supported himself with a cane; his aide, a young female who seemed to be in her early to mid-twenties; and Colonel Kira Nerys, approached.
Ezri handed her report on a data padd to Kira.
Tellerite delegates the Admiral was supposed to meet with were inbound on the U.S.S. Hood. Finnegan, along with other delegates, were on their way to a first contact with a religious, bi-pedal, felionoid species called the Kyrithians; a species from the Class-M planet Kyrithia in the small, four-planet Stemos star system of the Gamma Quadrant.
The report for the Hood, as well as Dr. Bashir's report on the station, verified that everyone was fit for the new world yet to be explored, which required their newcomers to fast for three days, purifying themselves before the Kyrithian God, Nethros.
Special medical considerations were given to Finnegan's advanced age, as well as the Tellerites, who had a difficult time undergoing the fasting, given their species' love for food and drink.
Kira perused the report, nodding her head at the results, then showed a puzzled look at Ezri's uniform.
"Lieutenant Dax?" Kira started, " I wasn't aware the Federation was trying out a new fashion variant."
Ezri smiled as if nothing were amiss.
She quickly recalled the last time Kira saw a similar, older version of the uniform she wore.
Ezri's previous host, Jadzia, had to go undercover in the past, back to the days of the old Constitution-class vessels to track down a renegade Klingon named Arne Darvin. 'Where women wore less,' Ezri remembered her former host commenting on that era, not recalling the later, and present-day generations were similar styles were being worn.
"Admiral Finnegan, this is our station's counselor, Lieutenant Ezri Dax," Kira began introducing everyone, realizing she wasn't going to get an explanation from Ezri, "Lieutenant Dax? Admiral Finnegan and his aide, Darian."
Ezri nodded, as the Admiral and his aide returned the gesture. She recalled reading about James T. Kirk's academy days, and his dealings with a Finnegan who referred to him as a 'plebe'…as a bullying jibe.
She wondered if this was the same Finnegan, which would have been possible, as this Admiral would have been over 90 or 100 years old.
"Admiral, are you the same Finnegan who knew Captain Kirk?" Ezri decided to ask.
Finnegan nodded, his features brightening. "The one and only. Ah! I can tell you stories, Lieutenant," he chuckled, a light Irish lilt in his voice. "I was very young at the time, and immature…I would like to think I outgrew that attitude.
"I was sorry to hear Jim was lost during the Enterprise-B's test flight…"
The Admiral seemed to pause in a slight mourning state, and Ezri chose that moment to move on to business.
"All the delegates check out, Colonel," she stated. "They should be arriving at the station on the Hood at 1000 hours, to meet up with the Admiral."
Kira nodded, handing the report to Finnegan, who in turn handed it over to his aide.
"A funny thing happened," the Admiral blurted out, with a chuckle. "Indeed, a funny thing happened."
Puzzled, but amused eyes were on the Admiral.
"If the Lieutenant doesn't mind me saying," Finnegan started, "her uniform reminds me of that bygone era when we were a bit at ease."
Kira arched an eyebrow.
"I do wonder how the male officers were able to focus on their work, with the women dressed as they were and all on those Constitution-class vessels," Finnegan continued. "Thankfully, it seems we were able to make some adjustments, especially in the leg area for those variants.
"Why, I even recall them having an option for men not too long ago! Can you imagine Jim Kirk or even Chris Pike going for that!
"The Federation has become a bit militaristic lately, but it seems like we're slowly but surely going back to being relaxed explorers…
"Who says comfort isn't practical? We're not living in the Victorian ages or 20th century!"
Kira feigned a slight cough, over a suppressed chuckle. "Admiral, the U.S.S. Hood should be arriving soon."
"Oh, yes…of course," Finnegan replied, coming out of his reverie. "Well, good day, Lieutenant Dax."
Ezri nodded. "Sir…"
As Kira escorted the Admiral and his aide away, she gave Ezri an exasperated look.
Ezri then clicked the heels of her leather knee-length boots together, and smoothed down the long-sleeved skirt variation of the standard black and grey Deep Space Nine uniform she wore to the costume party the evening before.
Saved by a reminisce, Ezri thought. Maybe I could wear this option a bit more, possibly starting a little Federation fashion craze, again.
"Who says comfort isn't practical? We're explorers!" Ezri repeated Finnegan's light-hearted tirade…
-end-