Imzadi and Midnight Envelopes
Disclaimer: Canon Characters from Trek are not mine.
Author's Note 1: The CMO, Dr. Ellen Hickle, is based on the character from The Adventures of Pete and Pete by the same name. Dobb appeared in the DS9 Young Adult novel Highest Score from my childhood.
Author's Note 2: The John Vornholt novels Behind the Lines and Tunnel Through the Stars were also big influences on the backstories of at least two characters in this fanfic.
USS Argos (NCC-14229)
Sickbay
2375
"Daddy! Daddy!" Noah shouted over Olivia's left shoulder as she carried him through the front door into Sickbay.
Olivia turned around, one pace into the room in time to see Aaron walking over.
"Captain, sorry I missed you for the morning report, Lieutenant Ramirez-Sweet was explaining in detail the Navigational Array recalibration to me in Engineering." Aaron began.
"Big issue?" Olivia asked.
"Is it big for Audrey or big for everyone else?" Aaron asked, stopping short of the entrance so he wouldn't bump into Liv.
"Olden must have filled you in about the Audrey scale." Olivia smirked.
"He did, around the time he called me into Engineering. This is an Audrey Level Seven out of Ten which translates into a Five out of Ten for the rest of us. I swear the woman's gonna have a stroke before she turns 35. That said, I have to admit her various insults at inept Shipyard workers are creative."
"And likely going into your internal database of profanities in other languages?" Olivia shifted Noah towards her hip.
"Hey, the Klingons gave us a bottle of 2309 Blood Wine due to being 'the Basai Master of Invectives," Aaron replied.
"Mommy, what's a Basai Master?" Noah asked.
"It's a Klingon word for a really good poet," Olivia replied, before setting him down, "Go see Daddy,"
Noah ran over to his father who picked him up, "Hey little man!"
"He's getting heavy," Olivia warned.
Aaron hefted his son into his arms before lightly tapping Noah's nose with the tip of his index finger. "Daddy's happy to see you!"
Noah wrapped his arms around Aaron's neck as Aaron shifted his left arm to better support Noah's weight from below.
"He is a growing boy." Aaron said, lightly tickling Noah's nose and hearing the little boy laugh.
A voice sounded from just behind Olivia. "In my professional opinion I would worry if he wasn't."
Olivia turned to see a woman standing at about her height. The woman's chestnut brown hair was arranged in a simple ponytail behind her head, and the light blue lab coat and blue turtleneck under her black and gray jumpsuit marked her as the Chief Medical Officer.
The doctor said, "Captain Benson, sorry I'm a little late, I had to play a bit of catch-up with Noah's medical file."
"It's okay, we just arrived." Olivia said, "Dr. Hickle, before we begin, have you met our new First Officer?"
"Not yet, sir, I got in a little after midnight from leave and went straight to bed," the doctor said.
"Well, I'll let you two get introduced before Noah's checkup." Olivia stepped to one side to let Aaron step closer to the Doctor to shake hands.
"Aaron Carlyle."
"Ellen Hickle. Head over to that biobed and we'll get started." She pointed to a biobed about a meter and a half behind her and to the right.
The four of them walked over and Aaron set Noah onto the biobed, his little legs hanging right off.
"Doctor, just to reiterate, if for some reason you can't reach me regarding Noah, reach out to Commander Carlyle." Olivia added.
"Yes sir," Ellen replied.
She turned to Noah, "Hi, good morning. And how are we today?"
"I'm turning five today!" Noah beamed.
"Oh that's great! Are you doing anything special today?" Ellen said as she picked up her medical tricorder and the small detailed diagnostic attachment from the bedside table.
"Uh huh, Mommy and Daddy have a big birthday cake for me." Noah smiled as he followed the diagnostic attachment's path, looking at its blinking red lights and hearing its steady beeps.
"Try to sit still, Hon," Ellen said, "I'm just doing an overall scan before we get to your height and weight."
She turned her attention towards Aaron and Olivia, "How is he sleeping?"
"Usually between 8-10 hours," Olivia said.
"Don't forget his usual nap after lunch of about an hour or so." Aaron interjected.
"What do you like to eat?" Ellen asked Noah.
"Pizza," Noah smiled, "With pepperoni and mushrooms."
"That's usually a Friday treat, at least when he was living with me last year." Aaron observed.
Ellen glanced at her notes on Noah's file from Starbase 375. "He's up to date on his shots."
Scanning the tricorder over Noah from head to toe and back up again, smiling, "Perfectly healthy little fellow."
She reached into a drawer and extracted a stethoscope and Olivia raised an eyebrow. "You can't go wrong with using analog instruments occasionally."
"Heart rate and breathing seem good too," Ellen noted again, testing Noah's eyesight, hearing, and nervous system in turn.
She made a couple more notes, "Height of 1.04 meters and weight 19 kilograms. Healthy little guy."
Ellen dug around inside her pocket as she said, "One more thing."
"What?" Noah said.
"Happy Birthday!" Ellen said with a big smile, handing Noah a lollipop.
"What do we say Noah," Olivia gently prompted.
"Thank you, Dr. Hickle," Noah said.
Olivia lifted Noah off the table and added, "Thank you, Doctor."
"Thanks Doc," Aaron said as he followed Olivia out of Sickbay.
Ellen watched the three of them depart with a smile. 'What a cute little kid.'
She walked into her office with her PADD tucked under her arm, setting it down on her desk before opening her computer terminal and typing up her updates to Noah's file. She heard the Sickbay open, the sound of footsteps and the door closing behind whoever had just walked in.
'I would never have thought the Captain and First Officer were divorced at all, the way they were acting with little Noah.' Ellen thought to herself.
Ellen looked up from her computer terminal and for a brief moment any thoughts about Noah and any speculation about Olivia and Aaron went out the window.
"Hello, Imzadi."
Ellen felt her heart leap into her throat, her vision obscured by flowing tears. She practically leapt out of her desk chair and headed for the man in front of her intently.
USS Argos (NCC-14229)
Vicinity of Turbolift 2
2375
As they walked down the corridors, away from Sickbay, Olivia asked, "Aaron, do you think you could take Noah for a while?"
"Sure," Aaron said before Olivia handed him off to him.
"Be good for Daddy, Pumpkin, Mommy has an appointment." Olivia said.
"Okay Mommy," Noah said, perched on Aaron's right hip.
"Hey you." Aaron said, smiling at his son, "Let's have a tour of the ship while we wait for Mommy!"
"Yay!" Noah said.
Olivia hung back, watching as Aaron and Noah went around the corner. 'They are too cute together.'
Leaning against the bulkhead, overhearing Aaron describing the function of a Bio-neural gel pack to Noah, she managed a wan smile knowing he was in good hands before she turned and stepped into the Turbolift.
"Deck 9," Olivia managed and she felt the Turbolift move.
'I mean they say Neil Hauser is one of Starfleet's best specialists in treating PTSD.' Olivia thought, heart hammering in her chest as the Turbolift continued its movement.
When it arrived she stepped out of the Turbolift and with a deep breath took several purposeful strides towards a door marked Ship's Counselor.
'I wonder if this is how Aaron feels when he walks up to bombs he has to disarm?' Olivia thought to herself as she walked towards the door and touched the lighted panel to the right of the doorjamb.
"Enter." Came the reply.
Olivia stepped through the door into an office which was crammed with boxes, odds and ends as well as two couches and a desk and workstation.
Sitting behind the desk was a fellow in his early forties with neatly combed blond hair wearing the blue of the science and medical division of Starfleet under the black and grey outer garments of his uniform. The two solid and one hollow pips of a Lieutenant Commander glinted in the light of the office.
The man turned in his swivel chair before standing up to greet her, "Good morning, Captain. Please excuse the 'moving in' state of the place, I just got here a couple of days ago."
"Oh that's alright, our quarters look about the same since we're moving in too," Olivia replied.
"I don't think we've met in person just yet. I'm Counselor Neil Hauser." The man extended his right hand and Olivia shook it.
"Olivia Benson." She released hands and sat down, "Thank you for seeing me on such short notice."
"It's what I'm here for, this crew." Hauser replied as he sat down, "So what brings you in here?"
"Well last night, actually." Olivia replied, "I had a flashback of a mission during the war, one where nearly half of my crew were killed or wounded."
"I see," Hauser replied as he wrote down some notes.
Olivia described her previous night, sans the Theta One order.
"And then I wound up crying in Aaron's arms." Olivia finished.
"Who, if I recall, happens to be your ex-husband. Correct?" Hauser replied with furrowed eyebrows.
Olivia nodded and said, "We agreed to this arrangement last year because we co-parent our son."
"Uh-huh, well Captain, I'm not at all surprised."
"About what?" Olivia asked, eyes narrowing.
"Captain, you've just come out of one of the most destructive conflicts the Alpha Quadrant has ever seen, for one." Hauser replied.
"So has most of this crew." Olivia countered.
"Precisely my point. I wouldn't be surprised if Post Traumatic Stress Disorder isn't a problem for most of them."
After a brief pause, Hauser continued ticking off examples on the fingers of his left hand, "Adding onto that, as the Captain you're responsible for this ship and the well-being of her entire crew. You're all alone at the top. Adding more to that, you have a little boy you're raising. Further icing on the cake, your First Officer is also your ex-husband. Honestly I'm not remotely surprised you need to see a counselor."
"In your professional opinion wouldn't it look bad for the Captain to see a counselor on her first day?" Olivia asked, incredulous.
"Not at all." Hauser replied.
"Wouldn't that go into your evaluation of my fitness to command?"
"I would say if it did it would be a favorable outlook. The fact that you're here, proactively addressing your mental health is a classic case of 'leadership by example'." Hauser replied, "In my professional opinion that marks you as definitely fit for command."
"Counselor?" Olivia asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Captain, the fact that you have the burden of command doesn't supersede the fact that you are still a human being and anyone would feel the emotional burden of everything you described to me. Frankly I'd be more worried if you scorned the use of counseling services."
With a sigh Olivia replied, "I suppose you're right. So now what?"
"It's going to be complicated, but I have every confidence you can get through it. You're already showing a willingness to address your problems and be vulnerable when needed. Also, despite your divorce, Aaron has been more than willing to be there for you."
"You don't think it's strange that he and I used to be married?"
"I admit it's not something I've ever come across in my fifteen years of Starfleet service. But there's a gray area there given your past relationship with Aaron."
"Isn't that a bad thing?" Olivia asked.
"It depends, but I ask you to keep in mind, you have a valuable backer in him. The fact that last night when you were in need he went to see how you were doing has to count for something."
"I think so," Olivia replied.
"How long have you known each other?" Hauser asked.
"Fifteen years. We dated for four years, were married for eight, and divorced for three." Olivia replied.
"Definitely some history there." Hauser remarked, "Plenty of material for our next appointment."
Olivia glanced at her own chronometer on her left wrist, "It's my son's birthday party in an hour. I need to get myself composed for that."
"Happy Birthday to the little guy," Hauser replied.
"Thank you."
"Do you have time within two weeks?" Hauser asked.
"I'll have a look at my calendar and contact you," Olivia replied, rising from the sofa.
"I'll be standing by." Hauser said, standing, "Good day, Captain."
Olivia walked out of the room. 'I'm not so sure I feel better. I don't feel worse, but I don't think I feel better.'
As she walked towards the turbolift she thought to herself. 'It's Noah's birthday today. I have to be present for that.'
USS Argos (NCC-14229)
Sickbay
2375
"Hello, Imzadi."
After he uttered those two words Lieutenant Charles Hollom watched as Dr. Ellen Hickle stood up from her desk, running towards him with tears in his eyes. Thanks to his partial Betazoid heritage he could feel the thick waves of emotions emanating from Ellen.
His Imzadi. His beloved. 'I've not seen her in two years and she's every bit as lovely as she was then'
He threw his arms around her, catching her in a tight embrace, holding her close to him. Her arms slid up, over his shoulders, around the back of his neck.
Looking into those soulful brown eyes, shining from the tears in them. Seeing her smile as she said, "I missed you."
His arms wrapped around her waistline, around the small of her back. Their lips pressed together in a slow, passionate kiss parting only for want of air.
"How long has it been?" Hollom asked.
"A little over two years. But I'm no Vulcan so I don't know it down to the nanosecond," Ellen replied.
For several heartbeats they stood, silently and simply holding one another.
"When did you come onboard?" Ellen asked, breaking the silence.
"Just within the hour," Hollom replied, smiling.
Stepping out of her office Ellen stepped into Sickbay proper noticing a tall, bald and dark skinned man. Apparently her first year resident was still in Sickbay when Charlie arrived. He was smiling when she approached and said, "Dr. Ramirez-Sweet, I'm stepping out for lunch, can you mind Sickbay till I get back?"
"Sure. I actually brought my own lunch today anyway. Feel free to take a long lunch, Doctor," Dr. Ramirez-Sweet replied and gave Ellen a wink.
She blushed, forgetting that her office did have a transparisteel canopy surrounding most of it. Fortunately her medical resident was the only other person in Sickbay at the moment.
"It's been a time of emotional reunions all over the place," Dr. Ramirez-Sweet observed.
Ellen smiled, "It has."
She glanced behind her in time to see Charles Hollom step out of her office before introducing them, "Joshua Ramirez-Sweet this is Charlie Hollom."
"Pleased to meet you, mate," Hollom replied.
"I'm sure I'll see you around," Ramirez-Sweet replied with another wink.
Ellen managed a slightly embarrassed smile as she walked out into the corridors with Charlie, hand in hand.
USS Argos (NCC-14229)
Enroute to The Nostalgia
2375
"Mommy!" Noah yelped excitedly as Aaron set him down on the deck, seeing the little boy run up to an approaching Olivia.
Olivia felt Noah hug her left leg as he approached before she crouched down to talk to him.
"Did Daddy show you around?" Olivia asked.
"Uh huh! We got to see a Jefferies Tube, the Shuttlebay and Engineering. Ms. Audrey was telling the engineers they needed to fix the EPS...uhm..." Noah said.
'Hopefully without profanity in any language.' Olivia thought to herself as she stood back up and held out her hand. Noah took his mother's hand.
"EPS Relays, sweetie. Ms. Audrey was talking about the EPS relays." Olivia replied as she glanced over at Aaron.
"I can assure you Lieutenant Ramirez-Sweet said no expletives in any language when I was present with Noah." Aaron replied.
Olivia fixed him with a glare and Aaron countered, "Nor do I intend to teach him any."
"Your impressive vocabulary of expletives in seventeen alien and as many Earth languages is something I don't want you teaching Noah." Olivia countered.
"Mommy, what's an espletive?" Noah asked.
"Ex-ple-tive, honey. And it means 'bad word'," Olivia explained.
"That's what I was trying to say, espletive" Noah said as they walked, before he looked up at his Aaron, "Daddy, please don't say espletives…"
"Daddy won't say expletives around you." Aaron replied, smiling at Noah.
They walked towards the double doors leading to the shipboard lounge, where a lighted sign read The Nostalgia.
Noah looked up at the sign and smiled. "Mommy, what's Nostalgia?"
"It's when grown ups look at the past and it makes them happy," Olivia replied.
As they entered the lounge a young Bajoran woman greeted them, "Good morning, Captain."
"Good morning, Dobb," Olivia replied to the young Bajoran woman.
"Right this way." Marn Dobb walked with them to a table closest to one of the windows, looking out into the drydock.
Just as Marn Dobb seated them, the door to The Nostalgia opened. Olivia glanced over her shoulder just in time to see Doctor Hickle and Lieutenant Hollom walking through the door hand in hand. 'The new science officer arrived. Apparently he's very familiar with the Doctor.' Olivia thought to herself before turning back to Noah who smiled and waved at Dr. Hickle.
USS Argos (NCC-14229)
The Nostalgia
2375
Ellen waved back at little Noah as Dobb walked over to seat them on the other side of the room. At Charlie's questioning look she added, "My patient this morning."
"Cute little bloke," Charlie replied as they got to the table and sat down before Dobb walked off to attend to some other business.
Charlie looked around the room and remarked, "Interesting aesthetic here, I see Art Deco and Bajoran influences melded together."
"You like it?" Ellen asked.
"Certainly eye catching. I like it." Charlie replied, smiling as he clasped Ellen's hand as they sat across the table from one another.
"I'll have to tell Dobb, she'll be thrilled." Ellen replied, interlacing her fingers with his.
"It's been so long, but you're still every bit as beautiful as I remember you." Charlie replied.
Ellen blushed for the second time in the last hour, "Do you know how much it means to hear you call me Imzadi?"
"I think I got a fair sense of it when we met in Sickbay." Charlie smiled at her. He could feel both the warmth of joy, and some other, colder, darker undercurrent mixed in.
Ellen smiled, "I think my first year resident got a sense of it too."
Charlie smiled in return, "You remember what it means, right?"
"Beloved." Ellen replied, "But that's a loose translation. Right?"
"It can also mean first, or first love. The sort of love that touches your soul." Charlie looked into her eyes, "I truly mean it when I call you Imzadi."
"That word kept me going throughout the Dominion War, especially those four months when I was a prisoner of war," Ellen admitted.
"It killed me when I heard about the USS Surprise. Knowing that you were missing in action, presumed killed in action. That I'd never see you again."
"I felt the same after I looked you up after I was liberated and they had you listed as missing in action…There was a time where there wasn't a night where I didn't cry myself to sleep."
"I'm just glad I'm here with you, now." Charlie replied as Dobb approached.
"Can I start you off with anything to drink?" Dobb asked.
"What sort of beer do you have?" Charlie asked.
"We have a couple kegs from a local brewery here on Mars. It's from Red Planet Brewhouse Farmhouse Ale, a Saison I think it's called."
"I'll take one." Charlie nodded.
"Make that two, please," Ellen replied, grinning.
"We'll make an Australian out of you yet," Charlie replied.
"Well, Dr. Sweet did give me his blessing for a long lunch." Ellen winked at him.
"What are you smiling about, Aaron?" Olivia asked as she lightly flicked a stray strand of hair over her right shoulder before lifting a glass of water to her lips.
"Just thinking back to when we first met. You had shorter hair then." Aaron smirked.
"You didn't have tinges of gray in your hair then," Olivia quipped.
"I happen to think this longer style suits you." Aaron replied, before taking a sip of water down.
"Thank you," Olivia smiled.
"Mommy you had short hair?" Noah asked.
"Yes honey, Mommy's had short hair before, in fact her hair was really short as a cadet."
"And it looked ghastly too," Aaron quipped.
"Would it kill you to use hair gel occasionally?" Olivia asked, indicating Aaron's perpetually tousled hair.
"It's safer that I don't because it could well have killed me." Aaron smirked.
"Daddy, hair gel can really kill you?" Noah asked.
"With the right chemistry, yes." Aaron replied, "It happened to one of Daddy's friends in EOD school."
Olivia reached for her PADD and called up a photograph of herself with very short hair and showed it to Noah, "See hon? Mommy's hair was really short once."
"Oh." Noah paused as he looked at the picture and then looked out the viewport to his left before looking at Olivia, "Mommy, you looked like a boy."
"My little fashion critic," Olivia replied.
Aaron promptly laughed, unfortunately he happened to be drinking water and began to cough and choke. Olivia whacked him on the back to clear his airway.
"Two to one, Liv," Aaron teased, coughing slightly.
"Very funny, Aaron," Olivia quipped.
"Perfect timing," Aaron remarked as he looked over, seeing Dobb approaching with a small chocolate frosted cake and a number 5 shaped candle on it.
Olivia glanced over her shoulder and smiled, "Happy Birthday Noah!"
As Dobb arrived with the cake, setting it down on the table, Aaron and Olivia began to sing, "Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear Noah...Happy Birthday to you."
Noah blew out the candle as both Olivia and Aaron sang out, "How old are you?"
"I'm five!" Noah beamed as Olivia cut into the cake, putting pieces on the three plates.
USS Argos (NCC-14229)
Dr. Hickle's Quarters
2375, Several Hours Later
"God I've missed this," Charlie said, lying on his back in Ellen's bed, his left arm around her waist.
"Mhmm," Ellen said with a soft sigh, her head against his left shoulder, her naked body nestled against his.
Charlie smiled as he felt Ellen's fingers lightly tease against his collarbone and neck. Then he felt her lips against his neck.
He turned on his side, looking into Ellen's eyes again, his right hand pressing against her right hand as they once again locked lips. Kissing her again as their tongues met and twisted together. Parting for want of air.
"I love you," Ellen whispered softly.
"Imzadi." Charlie whispered back, before locking lips with Ellen again. No further words needed speaking as their bodies joined.
Laying awake, holding Ellen in his arms, Charlie watched Ellen sleep, her long brown hair billowing about both his shoulder and her pillows. Listening to the rhythm of her breathing, taking in the scent of her perfume, feeling their bodies pressed together, and savoring the taste of her kisses.
He sensed contentment from Ellen as she lay asleep in his arms, while smiling at the warmth, his mind filling up with memories of their past together blended with high hopes for the near future of their budding reconnection.
'Another few minutes.' Hollom thought to himself before considering his mission. 'Who am I trying to kid, I could stay here forever. In this moment, with these feelings. And most importantly with Ellen. Sadly, duty calls.'
Gently he disentangled himself from her arms before standing up. Glancing downward at Ellen lying down on her right side he smiled before sliding the covers to just under her chin. He gently kissed her on the left cheek softly, hearing her sigh softly with content.
"I'll be right back." Charlie gently whispered into her ear.
He looked around the trail of clothing leading from the front door of her quarters towards the bedroom, seeing the increasingly intimate nature of the garments along the deck. He reached down to retrieve his underwear lying near Ellen's bra. By the time he reached the front door he was totally clothed.
"Hey," he heard from the bedroom and as he turned around he saw Ellen clad in a thigh length green satin robe standing in the doorway of her bedroom, leaning against the door jamb, a beckoning smile on her face.
"Sorry, luv, a mate of mine is passing through and he invited me for a drink," Charlie replied and held up his PADD. 'After all Commander Vaughn is a friend passing through. But I suspect it's not simply to have a pint.'
Ellen smiled, walking over to him, her arms slinking around his neck. Charlie let his arms wrap around her waistline, pulling her close to him. He angled his face slightly so their noses wouldn't bump. Kissing again with slow passion that spoke of promise and love.
"Don't have too many beers with your old friend, doctor's orders," Ellen teased, her fingers tracing down the curve of his jaw.
"I'll be sure to be quick about it," Charlie replied, holding her in his arms with another pause, "Imzadi."
The Longshoreman
Utopia Planitia
2375
Charles Hollom yawned audibly as he walked out of the turbolift towards The Longshoreman. The room was a multilevel place with decor that spoke of seagoing commerce and shipyards, though there wasn't an ocean nor an ocean going vessel for many tens of millions of kilometers.
As he passed under the threshold of the tavern with its symbol of two crossed longshoreman's hooks with an old style diving helmet atop the crossed hooks he thought. 'Certainly is a fairly appropriate sort of decor.'
He spoke with the pudgy human standing at a podium near the front of the entrance. He mentioned he was meeting a friend and the fat man pointed with a hammy hand towards the rear of the establishment.
"Thanks mate," Charlie replied with a nod. 'I'll have to ask Ellen if she's ever been here.'
Weaving past a group of dock workers and yardbirds that had just gotten off of late shift, he saw the bearded man at the rear of the establishment, his back to the bulkhead. There was a half full mug of beer in his right hand which he took a pull of while he waved over at Charlie.
Hollom headed over to this table to the rear of the Longshoreman noticing the centenarian Starfleet officer wearing the red of command and the three solid pips of a commander on his collar.
'Perfect bloody place to go for midnight envelopes.' Hollom thought to himself before sitting down at the table.
"Good to see you, sir," Charlie began while yawning.
"Didn't get much sleep?" Vaughn asked with a wry smile.
"Was a long night, sir."
Vaughn glanced over to one side, looking at Hollom's neck and quipped, "Clearly."
A server approached and asked Vaughn, "Would you like another?"
"Please," Vaughn replied with a nod.
The server turned to Charlie and asked him if she could get him something. "I'll have what he's drinking."
"Many things have changed over the centuries, but beer remains an Australian staple." Vaughn replied.
"Part of our charm," Charlie replied as their server departed to sort out the order.
"How is Ellen?" Vaughn asked as he drained his mug.
"She's doing well," Charlie replied, "But you didn't call me over here for small talk, did you, sir?"
"Of course not." Vaughn replied.
Their server returned with two full mugs of beer and set them down before taking Vaughn's empty one away. Then Vaughn gestured to the stars outside the viewport with his free hand, "It's a Hell of a situation out there now, what with the Dominion War ending. Cardassia and its territory is occupied. The Breen, the Romulans and the Dominion may have retreated into their own spaces but their intentions remain unknown. The Klingon Empire is rebuilding and let's just hope they don't experience any of their home grown brand of political instability."
"Clearly, sir," Hollom replied, "So what are my orders?"
"For the time being? Strictly reconnaissance. There might be addendums that can come up, but for now observation and analysis is your mission."
"Addendums such as?" Charlie replied, raising an eyebrow.
"Other missions may come up. Tie in with the Federation Embassies at your different ports of call. That's how we'll communicate with you."
"Sounds like the classic midnight envelope with a 'burn after reading' post script, sir." Hollom replied, taking a pull of his beer.
"That's the intelligence business," Vaughn replied, taking a pull of his own drink, "And in the scenario I described earlier, accurate intelligence is of the utmost."
"Yes sir," Hollom replied, "Just curious as to why I got assigned to the Observation and Analysis Wing."
"Instead of one of the four Sabre Squadrons?" Vaughn replied.
"Isn't that the pipeline? Selection, Operator Training Course, posting to one of the Squadrons?" Hollom asked.
"Well it's in your file. You spent the first nine months of the Dominion War marooned behind the lines on Alhambra IV functioning as an impromptu intelligence asset. Believe me, after you were rescued we saw you have the raw talent." Vaughn replied before taking another pull from his mug.
"Right, sir," Hollom replied as he took another pull off his own mug. 'Evading capture for nine months, with the occasional pot shot at the Jem'Hadar got me recruited for intelligence work, so much for being a bloody science officer.'
Hollom glanced over one shoulder in time to see Commander Aaron Carlyle standing at the bar, halfway across the room…
TBC