A Lieutenant's Pip
The Beginning
The Captain of the Exeter swore under his breath as the door to sickbay closed behind him. Doctor Abcor's sermon, not the door, was the reason for his irritation. "The continuing pain that you think you feel is likely the result of stress. Maybe you need a vacation? Have you given any more thought to retirement?"
It did no good for the doctor to insist that modern medicine had cured his rheumatism. Like the phantom pain of an amputated limb, the symptoms of his rheumatism lived on, as real today as they had been before he was 'cured'. Captain Gil Otaka shifted his weight to relieve the discomfort in his left leg. "Damn doctor! What the hell does he know?"
Captain Otaka made his way to the cantankerous turbolift that carried him to his ready room. No matter how many crews tried to fix it, this turbolift continued to be willful.
A young ensign was finishing a maintenance check when Otaka arrived. Gil pulled his face into that combination of fatherly concern and grave authority that won him loyalty and respect from his crew. There was a time when the new officers reminded him of his children. Now they looked more like his grandchildren.
"What's the latest on the turbolift's status, Ensign?"
"The glitch disappeared again, Captain. The Chief says she's going to keep her eye on it and run additional checks when we get back to dock."
"Sounds like a sensible plan. Thank you, Wallins. Carry on!"
"Yes, sir!"
Otaka pressed the call pad and waited for the doors to open. He stepped inside and rested his hip against the shallow railing. "Come on, Betsy. Take me home." The doors closed smoothly and the turbolift engaged without any indication of misalignment.
The turbolift delivered him to the correct level in all innocence. Its doors opened smoothly and closed promptly behind him. The Captain limped into his ready room and sank into his chair. Since 'Betsy' was behaving at the moment, he mentally filed the matter of the capricious turbolift into 'business pending'. He had another matter to attend to right now, one that he would have preferred to avoid altogether.
Gil Otaka had a reputation as an elder statesman, one who wasn't cowed by Starfleet politics. He was one of the few left in active service who remembered what color Boothby's hair was before it turned grey. Starfleet regularly assigned the sons and daughters of high-ranking officers to his ship. They knew that they could count on him for a fair assessment of their performance.
His latest contingent joined him almost two years ago, fresh from the Academy. There were still a few kinks to work out. But most of the young officers were coming along nicely. Many would make lieutenant soon, if not this round of promotions, the next.
One exception was Admiral Hayes' nephew. The boy was as much of a windbag as his uncle, with less discretion. Maybe that would improve with time. Gil hoped so. The boy was personable enough and not without ability. But if he didn't learn to keep his mouth shut, he'd never make it past lieutenant commander.
Captain Otaka was a patient man, but he didn't tolerate junior officers gossiping about a call from Admiral Paris's office, spreading the word that the call was about a promotion for the Admiral's son.
Admiral Paris's regular executive assistant, his 'secretary' Nicole, would have arranged the call so it came through mixed in with other routine business. Unfortunately, she was on a leave of absence. Admiral Paris's temporary assistant didn't have the same diplomatic skills.
"Diplomacy!" Gil snorted. That was another thing he had little patience with. But he had enough experience to know that optics mattered. Every senior officer in the fleet might know that Admiral Paris had a well-earned reputation for never using his rank to arrange personal favors. He was scrupulous about maintaining the highest standards. The talk at the Academy was that Admiral Paris had held Cadet Paris's performance to standards usually demanded only from serving officers.
None of that changed the fact that the junior officers on the Exeter would see Admiral Paris's son's promotion come through over a month before anyone else's and connect nonexistent dots to this call.
Well, he'd dealt with annoying hitches before. He'd handle this one too. He'd keep his crew too busy to engage in speculation. The Exeter had several systems to visit before the end of this tour. By then other promotions would come through. He'd host a joint celebration for all the recently promoted officers. A little mutual backslapping and shared congratulations would go a long way to smoothing over the difference in timing.
Meanwhile, he'd better get the younger Paris up here before ship's gossip reached him. Otaka commed the bridge, "Have Ensign Paris report to my ready room."
"Aye, sir."
It didn't take long. Captain Otaka studied the young man in front of him, the latest in a long line of officers in the Paris family. He had known the grandmother, fine woman, excellent officer. Tom had the tall, lanky build common to many in the family. He hadn't quite grown into himself yet. There was an air of bravado about him. That was the natural pilot coming through, confident in his skills. There was also a touch of uncertainty, harder to see unless you knew what to look for. Nothing to worry about, the boy had talent. Give him some time. He'd be fine.
"Mr. Paris, I have the honor to inform you that your promotion has been approved." Captain Otaka walked around his desk to shake the new lieutenant's hand. "Congratulations, Lieutenant Paris."
A pleased smile broke the young officer's formal, 'in-the-captain's-ready-room' expression. "Thank you!" Then a puzzled frown settled in. "I wasn't expecting to hear anything so soon. Weren't the lists supposed to come out later?"
The kid wasn't stupid.
"The final list is still on its way. Starfleet thought that there was no need for you to wait until then. Admiral Paris's office is holding a channel open, waiting for you to receive your new pip."
"I see," Tom said, his joy gone. "Sir, if I don't deserve it, I'd rather not accept this promotion."
"Now hold on, Tom. Your promotion went through on my recommendation and your merits. Maybe your father is a little impatient to see you with your new rank pip. But he had nothing to do with your receiving it." Gil pressed the pip into Tom's hand. "You earned this. Never forget it."
Tom nodded, "Thank you, sir. I'll try to remember."
Captain Otaka nodded encouragingly. "See that you do. I am going to ask that you hold off celebrating for now. You can have a quiet drink with your friends of course. But I'd rather you wait so we can mark the promotions in one, big event."
"Certainly, sir." Tom didn't bother to mention that he didn't have many friends on the Exeter to celebrate with anyway.
"Your father's call is being routed to your quarters. You can take it there."
Tom wasn't looking forward to the prospect of talking to his father. He set his face in a neutral expression, acknowledged the Captain's dismissal and left the ready room. He tried to feel happy. He really did. If his stomach would just co-operate and stop churning.
A call from his father usually came with one of the Admiral's 'suggestions' - like the one he'd sent when Tom was still with the Small Attack Vessels division. Tom's time with the SAV had been great, top pilots, all pushing each other. If anything his piloting skills had gotten even better with the experience. Those experimental shuttles were real beauties!
Then came the call from his father. Just letting him know that a position had opened up on the Exeter and Tom's name was on the list. Nothing wrong with the SAV if Tom wanted to spend the rest of his career stuck at the helm. But experience on a starship was a smart move. It would propel him faster along the command track. Of course, it was Tom's decision.
His decision? Yeah, right! With every one of his fellow pilots and his commanding officer congratulating him on the opportunity to fast track to lieutenant. He'd look like a real idiot if he turned it down. If people started to question his judgment, it would be harder to get the piloting positions he really wanted.
The turbolift doors were about to close when Tom heard a familiar voice. "Hey, wait up!"
Tom used an age-old technique and stuck his foot between the closing doors. Betsy co-operated, swished open and allowed Lt. Zhong to step inside. Then she closed her doors smoothly behind him.
Lt. Zhong chuckled. "Only you, Tom."
"What do you mean?"
"If anyone else pulled that move, Betsy would throw a fit and shut down for hours."
Tom joined his laughter. "What can I say? She likes me. We're kindred spirits, aren't we, girl?" Tom patted the side panel of the turbolift car affectionately. "What are you doing on the senior level?"
"I had a report to deliver to the XO. You?"
"Meeting with Captain," Tom explained.
Zhong Jian merely nodded. On any other ship a meeting with the captain would generate questions. Not on the Exeter. Her captain had a reputation for regularly meeting with junior officers.
Jian was one of the few people on the Exeter that Tom spent time with outside of work hours. They'd hit it off because of their shared love of twentieth century 'B' movies. The rest of the crew was friendly enough. But most of them had settled into relationships long ago. Even the newer crewmembers shared a past, coming straight from the Academy to the Exeter. Tom was the new kid on the block. He had to work harder to fit in.
"I finished watching They Came from the Swamp," Jian told Tom. "The creature's make-up was goopy. It was great! Do you have any more movies I can borrow?"
"Give me a couple of days. I got a new chip in a package from a friend of mine. I'll pass it along to you as soon as I'm done. Right now there's a call I have to take in my quarters."
"Is everything okay?"
"Of course. Why wouldn't it be?" Tom answered in a tone that got Jian wondering. "Drop by later and we'll compare notes on the 'Swamp'. That ending, for example."
"Oh, that ending! I couldn't believe …"
"Later. Save it for later." Tom laughed as his friend remembered to get off the turbolift before Betsy closed her doors in his face. Tom continued on alone. Lt. Zhong was a good guy. But the people Tom felt comfortable confiding in were back at the SAV.
The Exeter had a joint mission with the SAV at the end of the tour. Tom was looking forward to seeing friends there again.
Tom entered his quarters and cleared the contents of Nicole's latest package from in front of the terminal. It wouldn't do for the Admiral to see a bag of gummy bears on his son's desk. Tom popped one into his mouth before retrieving the 'B' movie chip and putting it on a shelf. Even though her mother was ill, his father's secretary had found time to send him a classic, its sequel and a bag of his favorite candy. She'd been helping Tom find 'B' movies since his days at the Academy. These two were special. It was hard enough to find the original, Orgy of the Walking Dead. Tom couldn't imagine how she'd managed to get him a copy of the sequel, Bride of the Corpse.
With a suitably sober expression, Tom sat down and opened the link. He knew that Nicole was still on leave and he'd be talking to a stranger. The admiral's temporary adjutant was waiting for him. He switched over to Admiral Paris as soon as Tom opened the connection.
"Sir." Tom acknowledged his father and his senior officer.
"I'd hoped to see you with your lieutenant's pip, Thomas. Why aren't you wearing it?"
"I haven't put it on yet. I didn't think there was any hurry. I just got back from Captain Otaka's ready room."
"Well, put it on. Let me see you with it."
At first Tom's fingers refused to co-operate. He finally managed to fasten the pip where he thought it should go. It was hard to tell without a mirror.
"Not bad," his father commented. "You'll get better with practice."
Tom bit back the words he was tempted to say. Only his father would pick something to criticize. "I'll start working on it right away."
His father frowned. "Never mind. You look good, Thomas, have you decided on your next posting?"
"My next posting?"
"Yes, your next posting. You can't expect me to do all the work keeping up with new placements."
"You don't have to put yourself out, sir. I'm sure something will open up, sooner or later."
"Waiting is for other people, not for a Paris. You know that I can't interfere directly in your career. I can only advise you on how to move ahead. Transferring to the Exeter was a good move to get you to lieutenant, but there isn't much room there for further advancement. You have challenges ahead. But you also have opportunities. It's always wise to have a plan."
That was his father, always planning ahead, always demanding more. Tom remembered one of the few times at the Academy that Tom pushed himself in a course that his father selected for him. He ended up with ninety-eight per cent in advanced subspace geometry. His father made a point of reminding him that his grandfather had gotten ninety-nine, so the family record was still intact. His father was smiling at the time. Maybe he thought he was making a joke. Tom felt like throwing his results in his father's face. Why couldn't he ever just be happy for him?
It was as if Admiral Paris wouldn't be satisfied until his son made admiral, or at least captain. If that didn't happen Tom's whole life would be a failure. At least that's how it seemed to Tom.
Tom wished he could talk to his father about it. But this was his commanding officer, not just his father. Years of butting his head against a wall taught Tom to say, "Of course, sir."
His father seemed to be waiting for Tom to say more. It was actually sad in a way. Tom tried to think of a topic that wouldn't frustrate both of them. "Any more news about Nicole's mother, sir?"
The Admiral's expression softened with a touch of regret. "Nothing yet."
"I'll try to call her later today."
"Remember to use her private line. It wouldn't do for people to think that you were accessing official channels for personal business."
Tom privately seethed. After all these years his father couldn't trust him that far. "Of course not, sir. I wouldn't think of it. Tell Mom I'll call her at home too."
The Admiral frowned. "Son, I didn't mean …"
Whatever the Admiral didn't or did mean Tom never found out. Admiral Paris didn't finish his thought. Maybe his father didn't know what he meant either. "You'll be home soon," he said instead. "You have leave coming when the Exeter finishes its tour. Your last mission is a joint one with the SAV isn't it? At Caldik Prime?"
"That's right, sir."
"We can talk more then. I have some suggestions for you to consider." The Admiral didn't get the enthusiasm that he hoped for from Tom. He tried again. "I'm sure you'll find something suitable." He smiled. "I look forward to seeing you, Lieutenant."
"Yes sir, Thank you, sir."
What else was there for him to say? As protocol dictated, Tom waited for the Admiral to break the link. Then he shut down his terminal.
Tom had been looking forward to that joint mission. He'd hoped to find a way back to the piloting that he loved. Instead, this could well be his last chance to do the kind of flying that he really wanted to do.
Tom felt like a rat in a trap, walls closing in on him, no way out. He could see no other option but to follow the maze that would inevitably lead him where his father wanted him to go.
Tom tore the pip off his uniform and threw it across the room.
Author's notes
1. The gummy bears are a nod to Alpha Flyer who used them in her story, "Grace".
2. Many of the sources for Tom's pre-Voyager history contradict each other, no surprise there. The original Voyager Bible is the source for Tom's posting to the SAV. The episode, "Non Sequitur", establishes that he served on the Exeter. I chose to combine the two of these. If Tom had spent all his time on the Exeter and earned his lieutenancy there, I can't see how, even half drunk, he wouldn't know that Harry Kim had never served with him on that ship.
3. I invented Lt. Zhong for my story, "Falling Through the Cracks". I thought he warranted a second appearance.