Posted by Captain Julien King (Captain (outgoing)) in Captan’s Ready Room

Posted by Lieutenant Dagen Thor (CE) in Captan’s Ready Room

Posted by Captain Julien King (Captain (outgoing)) in Captan’s Ready Room
Dagen saw a blib suddenly blinking on his station, notifying him that the Captain wanted to see him in his ready room.

• Julien King, CO

bup

What a time to get a cold!
IC:

Dagen noted this and, his brow furrowing at the simple message, set his latest ‘present’ on the table. It was a large box and had been sent to him by way of his parents. Technically, what they sent was a replicator pattern input code and he simply replicated it. Saved in travel time and fees for sure! It was a surprise, this gift, but not a surprise entirely. He had for a time as a kid taken up model building, but this went farther than he had ever gone. It was a miniature working model of an ‘old ironside’ - an earth vessel. This one a three deck war vessel model that would take him, well, a long time to do. Especially since it was one with working parts. He would need to take his time on this one. Leaving this on his desk, he departed for the Captain’s Ready Room.

Arriving, Dagen tugged at his tunic, Picardian style (where HAD that come up?! It had become a ‘thing’ amongst the students at the college where he had undergone a lot of his re-education upgrades a few years ago). Buzzing, he waited for entry.
- Dagen

The door opened and Julien waited for Dagen to come in.

Civilian clothes were not uncommon aboard a ship especially when one was off duty. The surprise was that the Captain was dressed such in his ready room. The moment of surprise changed to one of curiosity, and then one of concern when he saw the captain’s demeanor.

When they were alone, Julien got up to stand in front of Dagen. He was uncharacteristically in civilian clothes. He gave a sad smile to Dagen. “I have to tell you something and there is no easy way to say this. I’ve resigned from active duty. I need to be with La’kia when she gives birth to my daughter, and that can only happen on Earth. I’m the only doctor next to Sage who has experience in a human-zaharan birth and this second one is even more dangerous than the first one.” he said, his mismatched green eyes looked happy and sad at the same time.

Dagen’s own brow furrowed in concern on more than one level. Resigned. Leaving. A dangerous birth. It brought to himself his months and years of doing what he felt he must do in the search for his sister - one that was still fruitless. Then, he had done what he felt he must do - leave active duty and go on a sabbatical and risk life and limb and considerable funds in the search. It had been a difficult choice - at first - but once he was away from the ‘scene’ he knew it had been the right choice at the time. It just took being away to realize that the ship and fleet would go on without him - that part did sadden him.

“There is just no other way. If she they die while I’m on a deep space mission, I will not be able to live with myself.” he said beaten.

• Julien King

He waited for many heartbeats, then nodded. It was a single solid nod. “It’s the right thing to do Captain.” He felt that in his bones as he remembered that ‘feeling’ of knowing after he did much the same. He left the idea about the ‘what if’. Best to cut that off at the root. His thoughts drifted to Thor’s second host - a wife and mother and scientist. She had felt most secure in birthing when her mate was with her at the time. “There are many choices a Captain has to make, and a man, and this is one that is difficult. Let this not be one of them. What is the good path? The one you have chosen. It may not seem so now but it will.” Dagen looked down. “I’m sorry. I must sound like a lecturer. I didn’t mean it that way, nor do you need my endorsement to do what you know needs to be done.” Another pause. “I will miss you, Sir.” Even though he had not known the Captain well at all, there was always a feeling of ‘vertigo’ or ‘working without a net’ when one’s superior departed.
- Dagen, CE

Julien smiled sadly. “Don’t be sorry, I’m well aware of your former hosts and I was looking forward to your opinion. There aren’t many other senior officers who can give me a mother’s point of view and the other one…” he looked down thinking of Chan “…she had quite a different one.”
He looked up again. Anyhow, I will miss you too, and all of your great experience and insight. I really enjoyed our conversations a lot.” he said.

• Julien King

“Spock, long ago, spoke of the needs of the many, and of the one. There are times when the many are of greater importance. And there are times when the needs of the one are. It is the wise who can discern which is which. The story of Troy was about immortality. How would it be shown. Would it be through the immortality of the warrior life, or through that of a lineage. Both are legacies, true. But only one carries hope and love. That is what is important.”

Julien just nodded but couldn’t find anything to say to such wise words. Again he reflected that this CE could always double as a CNS effortlessly.

He drew himself up more straight in respect. “Are you heading to earth directly sir?” He paused. “I must thank you before you go for giving me this chance. To start again. That is the thing. Even if we take a different course for a time we can come back.”
- Dagen, CE

He smiled. “One of my best decisions Dagen. Yes I’ll be leaving pretty soon, handing over command to Calvin in the interim. I do hope we’ll meet again.” he said and gave Dagen a quick hug.

• Julien King, CO

“The galaxy is a big place, but the odds of us meeting again are amazingly high. Or so I’ve found.” He smiled and glanced about the ready room only to find himself hugged. It was not unwelcome or unusual; hugs in his family were common. This was unexpected and he felt, oddly, a greater sense of belonging even in this situation of the captain about to depart. Later, he would be thinking of this, and found himself surprised at the moment. His impressions of the Captain had been one where one of the last things he would have anticipated was an embrace. “Safe journey’s Captain, and the very best of luck in all that you do.” He was about to leave when he stopped. “I .. I would very much like to know how the birth goes, sir.”
- Dagen

Julien nodded. “I will send you a com from Earth once I know, but I’m sure with Earth medical resources and my own experience with A’naad’s birth, both my daugher Flavia and La’kia shall be fine. That’s the only thing in the universe which could have made me resign my Captaincy. Sometimes the Universe can be very cruel.” he said and chuckled.

• Julien King

Dagen looked down, pensive. A Trill would rarely say anything close to what the Captain had said and he himself was surprised to hear it. Looking back up he explained, “Captain, the Trill have a very … unique perspective on our forebears, even to the point of revering those who have gone before us. As such we have an innate but nearly invisible shame based society wherein we try very hard to honor those who have gone before us.” He smiled. “It is rather interesting being in the Federation and a galaxy which is much more … liberal in general and with many different familial viewpoints. Side by side, a Captaincy versus something related to family as important as yours would be seen differently by a Trill. There would be little in that situation that would have made a Trill keep the Captaincy in the face of the honor of seeing a new generation coming into being.”

It was what caused his own ‘issues’ - his perceived failure with his brother and additionally perceived shame on his family for not protecting him, and what sported his headlong search for his runaway sister. It had caused much consternation in his own life and situations where he had only recently begun to pull things together and remove himself from his ‘self imposed exile’.
- Dagen