Converging in the Ember Lounge

"Affirmative Commander Rogers" the captain responded, interrupting the engineer's thoughts.

"Perhaps afterward Commander, while we are en route to explore this enigmatic object ahead,  you could assemble a small team of engineers to bring that damaged shuttle back into full operational condition. Conceivably implementing enhancements throughout the process."

Syntron then turn to the helmsman.

"Status Lieutenant Traynor?"

"Coordinates inputted and the engines are ready to engage, Sir." 

 Leaning forward for a moment, the captain ordered  "Maximum cruising warp to our remote probes, Lieutenant."

James Traynor immediately engaged the engines as the ship thrust forward.

As they effortlessly worked their way to warp nine-point-four, Syntron stood up from the center seat.

He turned toward his executive officer who had just joined them on the bridge moments earlier.

"Well Commander Riker, I will be going down to greet our recent arrivals from the Sagan, and afterward I will be checking on the other patients in sickbay. You have the center seat Mister Riker."

As the captain entered the turbo lift, he announced "Deck 11."

He had made arrangement to meet the conscious four survivors of the Sagan crew informally in the Ember Lounge. He had already read all of their formal reports; starting from their journey with their departure from the starbase and continued up to their last moments aboard the shuttle.

As the lift descended, Syntron reflected on his destination for a moment. The Ember lounge was a large facility located on deck eleven aft, and served as the social center for the starship. It is the only place on the ship where rank meant nothing - "sir" need not be uttered when a person of lower rank addresses an officer, and everyone enjoys equal footing. Opinions can be voiced in complete safety amongst fellow crewmates, offering a place where people. Having spent time here earlier in this mission, it seemed an appropriate location to engage in an open discussion about their experiences on the shuttle without the constraints of protocol inhibiting anyone.

As the captain entered the lounge, the laughter and lively conversations conveyed a very relaxed and congenial atmosphere. He observed that the four off at a distant table had spotted him were energetically waving him over. Even though this environment was not conducive to his own relaxation, it was cherished by the majority of crew serving aboard this ship.  As he walked toward their table, Syntron was committed to do his best to make this gathering agreeable to all.

Rogers left the tractor beam assembly room and proceeded up one deck to shuttle bay three. Overseeing the start of repairs to the tractor beam assemblies on deck twenty-five had been routine and he left them in the capable hands of chief warrant officer Jesse Swift, a damage control specialist par extraordinaire. Arriving at bay three, David stopped just inside the complex and got his first, up close look at the damaged Sagan.

Without her warp nacelles, the type eleven craft was a squat ugly beast sixteen meters long and four and a quarter meters high, while missing almost four meters beam width. Almost like an over-grown, misshapen probe. The gaping maw of the blown out port window still held tatters of cloth and a few shreds of wiring. Walking past that and along the left side of the shuttle, David closely examined the pylon strut that held the nacelle to the hull. Or rather, used to hold the nacelle to the hull.

Torn metal and a neatly sliced plasma conduit, alongside control ODN relays, were all that remained of the port strut. David was amazed by the shearing force’s that had been required to tear away that nacelle. He doubted it was just the Phoenix’ tractor beam at play here. Some condition of the enigmatic membrane of the pocket … something, had to have played a role in the damage. At least Rogers hoped so.

‘Otherwise, I am the sole benefactor toward the near total destruction of the Sagan.’

Sighing heavily, David left the shuttle bay and made his way up a few decks. He found his destination, the Ember lounge, boisterous and jovial. And this really did not suit his mood right now, but he made his way to the modest bar and signaled the waiter to get him a lager. As the seconds passed between his order and a Warp Lager being placed in front of him, David stared out the bay windows. Framed within them were the long, sleek lines of the passing universe. Myriad star’s swept past the speeding ship to all merge at the point directly aft the line of flight, where they winked out of sight as the light years passed the ship at warp.

Yeoman Jessica Albera usually enjoyed some off-duty time mingling with the crew of the Phoenix in the Ember lounge as well. Unfortunately for her at the moment, there appeared to be too many males vying for her attention as she tried to just sit and relax at the bar. She was surrounded by a group of crew members that were obviously smitten with her attractiveness and were each doing their best to gain favor with her.

She noticed the chief engineer enter the lounge several minutes later and take a sit all alone. He seemed somewhat despondent as he sat staring out the window while drinking his beverage.

Jessica with a bit of difficulty, grabbed her drink as she carefully peeled herself away from her admirers. She tuned out their playful innuendoes and requests as she walk over to the engineer's chair and began looking out the window as well.

"It makes me feel awfully small when I gaze out of a window into that vista of stars for too long" she stated unobtrusively to the chief engineer.

The mesmerizing point of sight where the receding stars merged into infinity had Rogers poised with his mostly un-tasted lager lifted motionless halfway to his lips when the voice behind him made him jump out of his reverie. The sudden movement caused a small amount of beer to spill out of his tall glass and land with a splash upon his left thigh.

Turning his head about and looking up, he saw the ship’s yeoman standing behind his left shoulder, likewise gazing at the receding vista of light. Holding a glass of something in her hand, with her over-the-shoulder light brown hair almost touching the rim, David noticed that her eyes were green, a little darker than his own hazel colored iris’s. After a moment’s reflection, David caught up to what she had spoken and offered the young ensign an adjoining seat.

“Have a seat miss … Albera,” David offered, stumbling slightly with her surname. He had not had any real contact with her, other than their brief meeting in the captain’s ready room some three weeks ago. As he spoke, he absently rubbed at the small stain of lager on his thigh with his free hand.

With a resplendent smile and a slight nod of her head, the yeoman accepted the offer.

"Thank you Commander Rogers" as she effortlessly moved her sleek and alluring form onto an adjacent chair.

Gazing out of the window again, she took a small ship of her simulated Pina Colada before speaking.

"Since I was a young girl, I've dreamed of serving on a starship, and occasionally having moments like this to just gaze out at such wonderment that this view offers."

Then with a shy expression, she stated in an almost imperceptible whisper "It's Jessica."

Rogers watched her take a seat and look at the passing vista. Her comment was, understandably, a normal one from someone probably not raised on a star ship. He almost missed the low voiced name she offered, but replied without preamble.

“I guess the moment’s can be rare ensi .. er, Jessica. But being raised on a star ship, this view is fairly much like them all to me.”

Looking back out the window, Rogers threw out his name as well, deeming that her offered first name prompted a like response.

“Name’s David.”

With a subtle grin, Jessica nodded and then slowly took another sip of her drink.

"Well... David." she began to open up a bit  "I have to say... when you walked in here, you looked like Atlas bearing the weight of the world upon his shoulders."

“Atlas? Someone I know?”

David could not place the name, but regardless of that, he pressed on with the conversation about weight.

“To be honest, I nearly lost a ship and was berating myself for not seeing the obvious sooner. Now my staff is working overtime repairing my mistakes.”

And to be even more honest with himself David silently acknowledged his real culpability in the near disaster of the Sagan rescue. If the Firebird and Phoenix had not been able to beam off the Sagan crew, all lives would have been lost. And all because he himself had failed to read, in time, the signs provided by the first entry of their probe into the enigma. That power systems seemed to gain intensity in an inverse square upon returning into normal space. It had been mere luck the probe hadn’t exploded in their face's upon its return.

Jessica studied the engineer's face as his words were spoken. She could see that he was sincerely distraught from the events that transpired with the probe and the shuttle.

"It has be said David, that hindsight is 20/20... in that in any given situation, anyone could always go back and rethink choices or decisions made. Now I am merely an Ensign, but what I saw was teamwork that led to the rescue of the Sagan's crew and the return of a shuttle that in all probability shouldn't have been able to return back into our space."

She then looked across the Lounge as she pointed out to the engineer.

"Just look over there Commander... what do you see? Jessica asked somewhat rhetorically.

"I see four of the crew from the Sagan basically celebrating their rescue. Do they look unhappy or as if they would be apt to blame anyone for how things transpired? They are grateful for the efforts initiated by our crew on the shuttle and the Phoenix, because it was their combined efforts that saved them."

Rogers looked at the table the ensign had pointed out. Captain Syntron sat with four survivor’s of the Sagan crew, one of which David recognized as Josh Vincent, the Phoenix’ recalcitrant tactical and security officer. But, regardless of Albera pointing out the apparent gratefulness of the survivor's, David still focused on his own past mistakes.

“You are aware Jessica that it was most likely the Phoenix’s own quantum wake that put the Saga into that pocket in the first place? At least, initial investigation’s lead to that assumption. And as chief engineer on this ship, I should have foresaw this. I studied sub dimensional physics at the academy. I should have prevented this outcome.”

With a slight sigh of self-disgust, David tipped his glass up and emptied its contents in one gulp.

Jessica listened carefully as Rogers spoke and watched with a keen eye as he guzzled down the last of his drink.

He is deep in the doldrums Jessica thought to herself.

While Jessica was empathetic to his concerns, she also realized that dwelling on these events would accomplish nothing.

"Was this quantum wake designed to intentionally create such an event Commander? she inquired directly.

"Weren't there other issues going on throughout this ship at the time as well?"

Before he could respond, she continued.

"And do you posses a crystal ball to gaze into to see such future events occurring?"

As she abruptly placed her glass upon the table, she  added "What I recall, was that a certain chief engineer almost froze to death trying to preserve the integrity of this ship. Is he also expected to be omnipotent to every event that transpires onboard and beyond this vessel?"

David listened, albeit morosely, as Albera pointed out the obvious to him. Still, he was chief engineer on this ship and supposed to be able to counter-act such events. Her point of the slipstream drive was valid. Other issues were present, although one could argue, avoidable to him if he chose to concentrate on the matter at hand at the moment. And crystal balls were the prevue of empaths like the Betazoid species. David said all this in response to the yeoman before rising from his chair prior to going to get another, perhaps stronger, drink; while adding what he thought would be a closing statement to this discussion.

“Miss Albera. What transpired in the dilithium tank bay … anyone would have done. The safety of the ship comes before one life. And omnipotent? No! But I know physics and I am one of the best onboard to know the parameters of the quantum drive. I should have seen the outcome of our wake on even the sparse concentration of tetryon’s in this area of space. Hell, the Hekaras incident should have told me that much.”

Just then Rogers noticed his outburst was drawing attention from the nearby tables, so he shut up and turned toward the bar, waving to the waiter behind it to meet him as he approached.

“Saurian brandy please.”

After the waiter took his order and then moments later delivered the brandy to their table, she leaned slightly forward again.

"We all make mistakes David" She spoke in a much quieter voice.

"My recommendation... for all its worth... be  brave enough to accept your mistakes, but don’t blame yourself harshly for making mistakes.  They are going to occur no matter how skilled and diligent we are in our efforts to avoid them."

She took a small sip of her drink before continuing.

"It's how we deal with these mistakes and what we learn from them that allows us to grow, and perhaps not repeat the same ones again."

Jessica then leaned in a little closer again and spoke almost in a whisper.

"I'll share a little secret with you... and this may seem rather... silly."

She then pulled out a small hand-sized device from her side.

"What I do is when I recognize that I have really blundered in some way is that I first really reflect on what happened and what possible lesson I can learn from this mistake. Then I use my little personal PADD here to actually put into words what I learned. To me this servers two purposes. First, it acknowledges and externalizes my blunders. Second, it allows me the opportunity to correct them; even if it is after the fact. I come away from this negative experience with something positive."

She then leaned back and secured her device away.

"Perhaps this is something that you work through in your personal log David. Then by going through this process there may be something learned that can be added into your official log; something that could be shared with others to refer to that find themselves in a similar circumstance."

Sipping her beverage once again, she lowered her delicate glass as she summarized her point.

"Everyone survived David. Turn these negative thoughts into something constructive."

David sipped the brandy while the young woman talked. Although he followed her reasoning, he could not, in his own conscience, bring himself to partake of copying her PADD entry methodology. Ferengi's never allowed themselves to appear weak around their crew. Or their entire race for that matter. It was a trait ingrained within David himself, and one of the contributing factors that had allowed him his revenge on his step-father and crew. As Jessica wound up her speech, David looked over the rim of his snifter at her and spoke some what of what was on his mind.

"You know Jessica, I could never bring myself to be putting anything of my personal nature into a computer. It's bad enough Star Fleet medical has a file already on my brain. I don't need our good doctor Nasaro-Myth getting his hands on anything like what goes on in my mind. Granted, he could access it if the situation warranted it, but having my mistakes, and feelings about them, in an accessable computer chip just rub's me the wrong way."

Having said all he cared to about the subject of his worry over missed warp trail readings and pocket universal screw-up's, David changed the subject.

"So, shall we perhaps wander over yonder and meet these intrepid other universe travellers?" David nodded backwards toward wher captain Syntron sat with three of the Sagan crew.

"I am curious as to what the condition's were like inside that damn hole."

With a huge feeling of relief enveloping her and an even bigger smile to accompany her elated expression, she immediately stood up.

"Now David, that is a capital idea! Let's go meet them and see what they have to say."

She gently grabbed the chief engineer by the arm as she led them directly over toward the captain's table.

 

*             *             *

Lieutenant Commander Vincent sat at a table in the Ember Lounge alongside the other conscious crew members from the Sagan. He had spent the past hour in the medical bay going through the standard tests. The others were talking and laughing with each other; gleeful to be free of the bubble universe and back on the Phoenix, but Josh was staring off into space, deep in thought.

I froze up out there. Why did I freeze up? he thought. My mind must still be on Earth. I shouldn't be relaxing in here, I need to talk with Nidiri and get my head on straight.

He went over the recent events on the shuttle over and over again. He had felt useless because he had known nothing about the science behind their situation, then when rescue was near he had let his mind wander and had been slow to react when escaping the crushing universe. Frustrated by his failures, Josh snapped his attention back to the present, but just as he was about to excuse himself he saw the Captain heading towards the table. As the Captain neared the table, Josh joined the others in waving him over.

"Hello sir," Josh said. "Thank you for the timely rescue. I would have hated to be crushed before I made it back to the ship."

Syntron merely nodded slightly as he spoke.

"The success of this rescue was a result of the collaborative undertaking by our crew across departments and vessels Lieutenant Commander."

Then taking a seat among the four survivors, he continued.

"It is also most fortunate that we have you joining us back as chief of security and tactical Mister Vincent... and just in time for us to prepare to explore another mystery awaiting us in this recently discovered planetoid we are now heading toward."

Seeing a look of curiosity now etched upon the security chief's face, the Vulcan commander elaborated.

"There is a file about this awaiting you Lieutenant Commander... at your discretion. However, I will tell you that there is sparse information contained within it."

Then sensing that he had just diverted the mood from jovial to rather unsociable, Syntron quickly changed the direction of this conversation.

"So... how did you all end up on the Sagan in the first place? the captain inquired.

Looking around for a moment, everyone was apparently waiting for someone else to begin.

Kathleen then fixed her eyes upon the captain and did not hesitate in her response.

"I was aware of the upcoming launch of these two new starships from the fleet," she began "but I was at the time in the midst of another mission.  As soon as I was informed about the science capabilities of the Phoenix, I knew that this was where I wanted to be, but unfortunately, the ship had already launched by the time I was finished and could even apply to the ship."

After taking a quick sip of her beverage, she continued.

"Afterward, I was told that the Sagan was going to rendezvous with the Phoenix, so I immediately submitted my application for the genetics department of the ship. By the time the approval for a position arrived, I barely made it to the shuttle in time before it launched as well."

She then glanced at those around her.

"Everything was going accordingly until... well... all of those details are in our reports."

Josh nodded as he listened to Kathleen's story. It was one that closely resembles his own. When she had finished, he said as much.

"I think your efforts to get on the Phoenix will be well worth it," Josh responded. "This ship is the real deal; Top of the line science facilities for exploration and discovery, the dignity required for diplomatic and first contact missions, and the tactical capabilities to survive any deep space journeys ahead of us."

He paused to take a sip of his scotch, which he'd rekindled a fondness for while on Earth, before continuing with his own story.

"As you know Captain, I had too take a leave just before launch to visit my mother," he continued. "She suffered a near fatal injury and so I spent several weeks making sure that she recovered fully before returning to duty here. I hopped on a shuttle and made it to the Starbase in time to make the Sagan. And after our detour to another universe, here we are. If you'll excuse me, I should check in on my injured security team and get started researching this new planet; I don't want to get caught unaware again."

He took the last sip from his glass, stood, and bid farewell.

"I'll see you all around," he said to the crew from the shuttle and the captain. He walked past the bar to return his glass before exiting the lounge and heading for the turbolift.

From across the room, Syntron espied the yeoman heading toward them. His first reaction was not one of ease, but a subconscious moment of discontent; a reaction perhaps due to all of their previous encounters.

As he looked more scrupulously however, the captain realized that she was escorting Commander Rogers with her. As he then scrutinized their expressions, Syntron elucidated that the yeoman was perhaps attempting to lighten the mood and thoughts of the engineer.

When the two arrived at the table Jessica was the first one to speak.

"Greetings Captain. I hope that we aren't intruding on a private conversation. The Commander and I were just speaking about the shuttle and other things, and we wanted to take a moment and meet the crew of the Sagan."

Looking at the remaining three members present in the Ember lounge, Jessica immediately blurted "This is our ships chief engineer, Commander David Rogers. He is the officer who helped retrieve not only the probe sent into that other little universe, but your shuttle as well. He was a key figure in your crew's rescue... and I believe that he has a few questions about your experiences in that strange little world your were all trapped in." 

David allowed himself to be towed across the lounge by the shorter woman, and as Jessica addressed captain Syntron, he instead looked over the three sitting at the table with the Vulcan. A man with Lieutenant-Commander pip’s sat next to another man in the blue uniform of a medical officer. His downturned collar hid his rank. Next to captain Syntron sat a woman who’s  lieutenant pip’s adorned a science uniform.

As Albera finished her greeting, David nodded toward the four and hastily made an introduction for his companion

“Hello, nice to meet you all. This, … talkative… ensign is our ship’s yeoman, Jessica Albera. And yes, I was curious as to what the nature of that mystery you found yourselves in was like. We had a heck of a time getting the Sagan out of it.”

David didn’t elaborate on the Yeoman’s mentioning of him being a ‘Key Figure’. He thought of the operation as a group effort and himself as being one small cog in the machine.

The Sagan trio welcomed with genuine appreciation the two somewhat intrusive crew members of the Phoenix as they sat down to join them.

Just finishing the last dregs of his drink as they arrived, flight control officer Lieutenant Commander Daniel Foster howled with enthusiasm as Rogers finished speaking.

"You had a heck of a time" he laughed heartily, "You should have experienced that maniacal ride from our end!"

Foster then gave the chief engineer a friendly yet forceful slap on the back as he exclaimed "I'm only joshing with ya Commander! We really do appreciate all of you working together to yank us out of that booby-trap!"

Kathleen gave Foster a look like he had a little too much celebrating going on here and tried to tone his  exuberance down a few notches.

"Woah there cowboy... you don't want to spook our guests now do you?"

Daniel let that comment roll off of his back like water running down off of a duck as he signaled for yet another drink.

Doctor Fallon then quickly chimed in.

"This is really a beautiful lounge you have here on the Phoenix. I look forward to taking a thorough tour through this new starship sometime soon."

Jessica jumped in zestfully.

"Oh I'd be thrilled to take you all on a tour of this magnificent ship. Perhaps we can set something up in a couple of days."

The yeoman then looked over at the captain who subtly gestured his approval of such an excursion.

Kathleen commented "That would be delightful. Perhaps we could start with the science labs."

Doctor Fallon gave her a look of bewilderment as she almost choked on her drink.

"After being cooped up in that shuttle trying to figure out a way to survive... and you want to visit a crammed little lab?"

Shaking her head from left to right and back again, there was no question what her thoughts were on that idea.

"I vote we visit the Arboretum and spend some time sauntering around some beautiful plants in a more open environment."

Before any further debates occurred, Jessica jumped in with an ample smile and a soothing voice.

"Don't worry about the details of this tour. I know this ship quite well now, and I am certain that I can arrange this excursion to suit everyone's interest."

Daniel then piped in again.

 "Well, I've already found my little niche... right here in this lounge" as he widely gestured all around him.

He then held up a glass.

"A toast to our survival... thanks to our new crewmates here aboard the USS Phoenix!"

After the ritual clinking of the glasses together, the conversations flourished.  

((Continue dialogue here))

Kathleen looked attentive to the idle chatter around her, but the urge to walk out on the rowdy group was strong. She stifled a yawn behind her hand.

“Sorry people,” she smiled apologetically to the curious faces around her, “it’s been a terrible few days for me. If you will excuse me, I am going to search for my quarters and catch a good night’s sleep.” She stood up. “Commander Rogers, you have my sincere gratitude for your part in saving us from that anomaly.” She turned the Jessica.  “Call me tomorrow then we can discuss what time it will be best for all of us to go on that tour. Goodnight.”

With a wave in the general direction of the table, she headed towards the door, nearly colliding with three men heading the same way.

*             *             *

As the door to the lounge wooshed open in walked Commander Riker, Lieutenant Argyle and Master Chief Eddington all of whom were wearing torn parisses squares uniforms which exposed bruised and slightly bloodied skin on the Commander and Master Chief.  The men seemed no worse for wear and were laughing amongst themselves.  Walking slightly behind them was E.M.H Gray who was attempting to calm them. As they walked up to the replicator Commander Riker entered a few keys and three drinks materialized.  Grabbing them and handing them to the two beaten men beside him and held his arm out for the doctor who patted it a few times and nodded.

"I promise old fried we are all going to go to sick bay here in just a second, well except the Lieutenant here he seems to have healed up nicely."

Gesturing to raise their glasses Riker looks over at Lieutenant Argyle.

"While your time with us was short you have earned the respect of your shipmates I wish you the best in your position.  Speaking of which have you heard back from the admiral yet?"

"I have sir.  I am going to be taking over the security detachment training facility on Mars.  There is some high level prisoner, a Cardassian I think they said, on a work release at the nanotech facility there and they want me to keep an eye on him."

Laughing Riker responded.

"Sounds like fun."

As the men went to tap their glasses together E.M.H Gray reached his hand up and stopped the tapping.

"One toast and then to sick bay?"

All three men nodded in unison and tapped their glasses as they laughed.  The E.M.H grabbed the empty glasses and placed them back in the replicator.  As the men walked out of the lounge laughing headed towards sick bay. 

 ((continue))