Ensign Sally Clark, Security
Occurs after "Nick and Olivia" chapter.
Sally let herself into Nick's quarters. He'd messaged that he had an appointment with a crewman and wouldn't be able to meet her until late, but that was okay. She had some studying to do.
Security had been a natural assignment, with her Cortexiphan powers and all, but Sally considered the division-frankly-a dead-end job. If not an actual dead end, given how many security officers died each year on away missions. So far the Bell was way below the average in total fatalities, but Sally figured it was only a matter of time before the odds caught up. And sure, everybody respected Lieutenant Commander Francis, but he'd come out of Federation Security and had a whole career there first.
So she'd been trying to decide on a career path, with Nick's input. This week she'd been researching the Advanced Tactical Training program, and what it would take to (first) be recommended for the class and (second) actually complete the course, when half the trainees washed out every year. Sally had done well in all the basic tactical classes at the Academy and the prestige won by succeeding in the ATT program would get her noticed. Maybe even by Starfleet Intelligence.
But that path might take her away from Nick, and Sally wasn't willing to accept that possibility. Not now, maybe not ever.
Or she could bite the bullet and go back to the Academy for helm officer training. That was guaranteed job security without the danger of constantly beaming down into unknown situations. Not half as exciting, though.
Restless, she stood up to pace through Nick's small cabin. Something caught her eye and Sally squinted, then bent down to pick a thread up off the couch.
Not a thread. A strand of hair. A long, straight, blonde hair.
She had to breathe deeply, immediately resorting to a calming technique. It probably wasn't her hair, and even if it was-
She was the captain and had every right to visit here. Probably more than most. And even if she'd sat here, it didn't mean anything. Nick had told Sally, again and again, that his relationship with Olivia Dunham was special but no threat to her.
Sally believed him. She honestly did. She just didn't understand it.
She narrowed her eyes and the air filled with the brief acrid stink of burnt hair before the atmospheric filters whisked it away.