Seizing the Opportunity

Lieutenant Commander Joseph Daystrom Sisko sat alone, in the back row, far from the podium in the great banquet hall. He listened to the moving speeches given by the three officers and realized how much he was beginning to miss the camaraderie that came from serving on a starship. In the almost three months since the return of his mind to its former state, he watched his best friend Sorripto hauled away in shackles, had to say goodbye again to his former crush and good friend Captain Rivers when she left to take her resurrected USS Alsea and head off to the Kzinti border, and had to spend hours in mandated psychological sessions before he was able to return to active duty.

All the solitude was beginning to wear on him, despite his residence on the very active and bustling Lotus Starbase.

As the speeches came to an end, and the XO indicated that the official portion of the gathering was over, Joey Day decided to just take the opportunity to get himself back on a starship again. He did not want to be Chief Engineer, but he felt like he would go crazy being cooped up on the starbase any longer. Sisko strode as fast as he could without running straight toward where Kheren had just taken a seat and then stopped just short of barging into an intense conversation between the Andorian Captain and his two wives.

From there, once the last word was spoken and there was an appropriately long pause, Sisko approached slowly and cautiously, avoiding eye contact with what seemed to be a death stare emanating from Lieutenant Tyvya.

Joey cleared his throat and softly said, “Captain Kheren, if we may speak a moment?”

Still under the spell of Lyrya and Tyvya's half-joking inquisition, Kheren blinked at the young, dark-skinned Bajoran... no, Half-Bajoran judging by the softness of his nose ridges... that stood before him in textbook attention stance as if coming to give an important official report. it took him a few blinks more to recognize the most famous man in Lotus Fleet.

Joseph Daystrom Sisko, Lieutenant -Commander, engineer, hero of the Borg War after devising the subspace delayed transport system that had allowed the successful dissemination of the telepathic nanites instrumental in the final victory over the Collective; the former chief engineer of the USS Spectre who had afterwards sacrificed himself to free his ship and crew from the invasion of hostile energy beings; believed to be dead... then miraculously found alive but comatose within the Azimuth Horizon anomaly by the Horizon Children cult who proceeded to brainwash him and make him the figurehead spiritual leader of their mad, destructive beliefs; brought back by a friend, now in prison after having jeopardized everything, life, career, even the lives of his crewmates and the success of a cosmic scaled mission, to save him...

There was no one on Starbase Lotus, in the whole of Lotus Fleet, most probably even in the whole of Starfleet or even accross the United Federation of Planets who didn't know who this thin-bearded, lively-eyed man was.

"Certainly, Lieutenant-Commander, " answered Kheren as he stood up and adjusted his white formal jacket over his athletic frame. "My wives, please excuse us. "

"Saved by the bell," commented Lyrya.

"This time, " Tyvya said. But like her Aenar spouse, her own antennae were curving inward in amusement.

"And good evening to you, Mister Sisko," the counselor of the Horizon said amiably. "You show as much strength of body and mind as of soul. We are honored by your presence here."

"Indeed, honored we are... and glad to see you up and about," Tyvya added.

((OOC: The following added inline))
Joey had said nothing to Kheren's wives in response to their admiration, but nodded respectfully at the other officers, only too late realizing that the counselor, Lyrya could not see the gesture. He therefore decided to speak up and say, "Thank you, the honor is mine to be with such heroes as you who would brave the Azimuth Horizon yet again to bring us peace."

Andorians were particularly admirative of competence and passion, strength and resolve, courage and self-sacrifice for the sake of one's community. Sisko had shown all of that and even instilled it in others around him, something they were also most impressed with. And it showed in both women's respectfully lifted chins toward him.

After a moment, Kheren led the young Bajoran to the now empty podium. Seeing them there, and especially those two, everyone would understand that this was private, professional business and interruptions would not be viewed well.

Lieutenant Commander Sisko looked at Kheren when they were out of earshot of the rest of the banquet hall and said, "Captain, first of all congratulations on being given command of such a wonderful vessel as the USS Horizon. I could not think of anyone who deserves it more."

"Well, being deserving is the easy part; staying worthy of that confidence it is the real thing."

There was a moment of silence between the tow officers as they pondered that statement, each from his own perspective, before the Bajoran finally spoke what was on his mind.

"Captain, I would like to ask a favor of you," Sisko then said. "I'm not satisfied being stationary. My career so far as a Starfleet officer has been on a vessel, and I would rather not spend even another month on Lotus Starbase. It certainly has some nice amenities, and it is... comfortable... maybe that's the problem... too much comfort. Regardless, I do not have the patience of my grandfather to sit in one place for too long... I clearly have inherited some of the adventurous spirit of my former-maquis mother."

Then after a slight pause, Joey got to the point. "I want to ask your permission to accompany the USS Horizon on its upcoming mission."

The Andorian's face, as usual, remained frozen. But his antennae shot up and then curved slightly inward.

"I was not aware that you had inherited psionic powers, Lieutenant-Commander. Either you are precognitive or telepathic... or after all,  maybe just pretty good at sifting through all the data of this starbase? It so happen that we do lack an experienced chief-engineer on the Horizon... and on the eve of it's trial run no less. I have with Lieutenant Baoule a topnotch propulsion expert as far as the transwarp testing is concerned... but there is more to this flagship than just it's unique stardrive. Having you on board would certainly be a boon to us. "

He looked at the Bajoran and nodded with obvious relief.

"If you are willing and able to tackle that assignment, and can get it officialized with Fleet Captain Samji before this party is over. "

Sisko's surprise was evident in the way he paused a long time before answering, if not in his face, which remained rather nonplussed. He was not even expecting to be presented with the Chief Engineer spot, nor was he necessary trying to get it. He had noticed that Kheren hadn't announced anyone for the position, but had immediately assumed that he had to have someone in mind already. Returning to any position of authority on any starship so soon after his recovery was a challenging leap forward for him, but the Chief Engineer position on the USS Horizon was like leaping the crater in the Bajoran fire caverns in one bound.

He squared up his shoulders and adjusted his uniform tunic, lifting his chin to directly meet the Andorian's gaze and said, "To be honest I would have been happy for just a ride and a simple duty manning a transporter room. But if duty demands my presence in the Chief Engineer position, how could I refuse?"

He grinned slightly in spite himself thinking of being back in Main Engineering with the familiar purr of the warp core and the prospect became an ever more comforting thought.

Kheren's lack of facial muscles forbid him to respond in kind. But his curbing antennae and tone of voice did it pretty well nevertheless, especially with the very Human-styled winked that came with them.

"Welcome aboard, Lieutenant-Commander."

More than satisfaction, it was an expression of relief from the freshly-minted commanding officer of the newly commissioned flagship of Lotus Fleet. The last thing he wanted was to find himself in technical trouble with a brand new, revolutionnary stardrive and no chief engineer to perform the needed miracle to help them. And there he was with none other than the best one he could have hoped to find. 

Despite his rigid face, he was almost grinning.