Commander Song Lifang was exercising at the starbase's large gym. She had taken one of the many private rooms available, and as she weighted lifts once and once again, counting her progress aloud as she strained against the increasing force that opposed the machine, an holographic projection of Qinghai lake and its surrounding grasslands, her favorite place in Earth, enfolded her, and music played softly helping create a relaxing atmosphere. It was a rare commodity, one she could actually laugh upon. She did not miss this or any of the many other luxuries when she was on her ship; however, she still indulged herself when she was docked in the starbase, especially if it also had a useful purpose: there was no gym in the Numancia either, so she took advantage of the base's better installations.
However, this time, her turn around the gym's different facilities was about to be over sooner than she had expected. The main computer's voice interrupted her concentration and halted her counting, as it suddenly mentioned her name.
"Commander Song present immediately at Ready Room One."
"Acknowledged," she said as she caught up her breath.
She frowned. She was not usually called to report at that room; she knew it was the one used by Admiral Saavik and she was too low in the hierarchy to be given her orders directly from her. She wondered what could be going on, but she had no clue.
She ended up the holographic program and the now naked room appeared before her. Song took a moment to steady down her breathing and heart rate. She looked down at her clothes, a top tank soaked in sweat and a pair of shorts; not precisely the way she wanted to present herself before her admiral, not precisely considering how sharply the impressive Vulcan woman always let herself be seen around the base. But she was off duty, after all, and she was not expecting any meeting, and much less with her.
Thankfully, she liked to be prepared. She rushed toward the duffel she had taken with her from the docked Numancia, took out the towel, hasty cleaned her face and discarded it to search between her belongings and take the uniform she had carefully placed in it. Song undressed and redressed as quickly as possible. A flock of hair fell over her eyes as she put on her boots.
"Computer, create a mirror," she ordered at that moment.
Another advantage of the better equipped base, the holosuit's walls became a big mirror the next instant. A streak of sweat still run down her temple, and her long sable hair, formerly tightly tied in a tail lied now in disarray. Song tied her hair up again in a tight ponytail and dried with her hand the remaining sweat. It was as good as she was going to look, still she feared that for the formidable admiral it would not be enough.
Putting the towel in the duffel again, she quickly left the room and rushed towards the ready room. Once at the door, she stopped a moment to take in a long breath and focus. She was going to present herself before an admiral, a Vulcan admiral, so better make it as formal as possible. She pressed the opening button and once the doors slid open, she purposely went in and stood at attention.
"Commander Song Lifang reporting as ordered,-" she faltered a moment, and then finished her introduction, puzzled, "Lieutenant."
She had noticed at that moment that the large briefing room was empty, except for a Klingon officer who stood with her back at her, staring at the open space at the room's large view port. Lieutenant Ba'el, the admiral's aide.
She turned the moment she heard her voice and smiled at her, "At easy, please, sit down, ma'am." she said as she herself neared the table that occupied most of the room and stood there. Song relaxed and went forward too. "You're quick, Commander" the lieutenant commented lightly, "I didn't expect you to come so soon, being off duty and here in the base; that must be like being on shore leave for you." And her smile broadened.
Song was not sure of what to reply, so she just smiled back at her, hardly, and remained silent. She sat down, still on alert in spite of the younger woman's friendly demeanor. The junior officer sat down then too. Somehow, she was feeling disappointed, but now that she thought back again, it had been hilarious on her part to think that Admiral Saavik would want to directly see her.
And still, the fact that her aide wanted to see her was anyway unusual. She kept straight on her chair and waited for the young woman to disclose whatever she had prepared for her. For one thing, she was glad Admiral Saavik was not present; Vulcan women had an extraordinary sense of smell, and she obviously needed to take a shower.
"I'm afraid your shore leave is going to be over, Commander" she said, turning serious, "Admiral Saavik is meeting with the Romulan admiral. She had appointed your vessel as her flag ship for this encounter."
She knew she was supposed to be happy, but she was actually utterly surprised. Saavik had never even boarded her ship before. She had many vessels at her disposal, apart from the USS El-Nar, the Intrepid class ship that she usually took in her travels around the Gamma Quadrant, and the Numancia, with its lack of space and commodities, seemed one of the least convenient; and not precisely one the Vulcan Admiral would choose. But then, she had been given a command position for her insight in war, not politics; and she was not about to question the veteran officer's choices.
"Yes, Lieutenant," she curtly replied.
The Klingon, half-Klingon actually, looked largely at her, smiling thinly, then voiced what she did not dare to say, "You are wondering if this is a standard encounter between our allied forces; it is not, Commander."
At her revelation, she inwardly tensed, and if it had been possible to stay straighter, she would have drawn up.
"The details of this mission will be given when the admiral finds suit," Ba'el, straightening too to mirrow her, omitted saying that she actually did not know what exactly Saavik planned. "Only the strictly necessary personnel to man the ship will board; the rest will remain here at the base. Select your crew and send me the roaster. Admiral Saavik will take command of the ship; I'll be acting as science officer. Make the preparations. We part as soon as you are ready."
"Yes, Lieutenant," she acknowledged again.
"Any question, ma'am?"
A lot, she dryly thought; to her, however, she just answered, "No."