Posted Sept. 5, 2021, 9:43 p.m. by Civilian Molly Holloway (CEO - Holloway Industries) (Joana Ribeiro)
As her ballerina flats walked the deck on Starbase 157, the jeans still felt out of place against her skin. Her light button down blouse framed perfectly the gold rosary around her neck, and the pips indicating her rank were nowhere to be seen. It was an odd feeling, but one that wasn’t unwelcome in any way.
Captain Molly Holloway took a deep breath, slowly inhaling the base’s controlled air. This time she had left on her own terms. This time she was ready to move on from a career that, in hindsight, had not been the right choice for her.
Where did that put her now? Molly was still unsure.
Traveling to OED V had been the natural choice, even though it had come at the invitation of her uncle. She was, after all, the current CEO of Holloway Heavy Industries, and working at her family’s company seemed the obvious next step.
Holloway could feel her stomach rumble as her steps took her to the Starfleet Air Mobility Command passenger terminal to check on the next shuttle available. She had politely refused her uncle’s executive ride, and she didn’t really care for public transport. At least on a MAC flight she knew what to expect.
“To OED V, Ma’am? Uh… yes, we have one leaving in eight hours, at 8pm, if you don’t mind the wait…”
“Don’t mind at all, Lieutenant.” She offered a smile to the young Lieutenant (j.g.) at the desk. “It gives me time to walk around and stretch my legs.”
“That it will, Ma’am. That it will.” He chuckled as he tapped his terminal. “Alright, 8pm on the dot, just make sure to be here a few minutes before then. I listed your information, and you should be good to go!”
The exchange was quick, much to Molly’s relief as her stomach seemed to complain louder by the minute. With a nod, Holloway went back into the Starbase’s main atrium and hopefully to the food court.
It was only when she had already happily munched through half of her hamburger that her eyes caught something odd. A man, sat at another table, staring at her over an issue of “The New Economist” magazine. When their eyes met, his gaze lowered back to the pages as if he had been caught staring at something he shouldn’t have. As Holloway’s paranoia set in, she glanced discreetly at the man every once in a while, but he never looked back at her again. In fact, he left the food court before her and they never crossed paths again.
In fact, the brief encounter was so harmless that it ended up slipping Molly’s mind, and she had almost no recollection of it when her hands reached for one of the issues of “The New Economist” being sold at one of the magazine and book shops on the starbase. The kind that still existed for the ‘I prefer paper’ snobs like her. The cover article was about the pros and cons of a Ferengi owned Hotel chain that was currently trying to open a new location in Paris, right next to the old Four Seasons. What caught Molly’s attention, however, was the small blurb on the cover that read “New Leadership at Holloway Heavy Industries”.
Opening it up immediately, Molly flipped the pages until she found the article in question. And there it was, her official Starfleet photo in an article that spread four pages long, titled “A New Generation Takes the Helm”. It was probably why the guy at the food court kept staring at her. Holloway sighed. First dealing with reporters during her last mission on the Dresden. Now this.
Closing the magazine, she walked to the cashier, but as she turned into the gossip magazine aisle, her face went livid as she recognized a familiar face. This time, her sister, on the cover of what seemed to be a teen magazine of sorts. “The Hot Side of Business: Summer Trends with the Holloway Sister We’re All Keeping Our Eyes On”. Snatching the magazine off the rack, Molly opened it, only to find the regular scrapbook-y style of article that seemed the staple of the garbage teenagers would eat, only this time four pages of the magazine were filled with pictures of Erin walking about her life in the streets of Paris, and it was titled “The New Hottie in Town” and some captions nitpicking her sister’s choice of clothing and where similar pieces could be found on sale.
That was it. That was the line, and they had crossed it. Dropping the magazines at the checkout stand and almost throwing the credits to the poor girl working behind the counter, Holloway left in a hurry, in search of a communications booth. Every starbase had one, it was safe to assume this one was no exception.
“I what!?” Erin’s face lit up in a proud smile. “Gavin! Come here! You’re not going to believe this!”
Molly rolled her eyes. “Erin… this is serious! They took pictures of you, without you knowing or consenting to it, and published them in a magazine! This can be dangerous!”
“Gavin! I’m famous! Come here!” It was clear that Erin was more entertained by the whole ordeal than her sister was. “Coming!” A faint voice could be heard in the background.
“Erin, please!” Molly pleaded. But Erin was more occupied making sure her husband could see what her sister had just shown her, rather than paying attention.
“Hey Molls, nice to see you.”
Molly smiled for a moment. “Hey Gavin. Nice to see you too. Now, can you please talk some sense into my sister’s head?”
“What is going on?”
Gavin had served alongside Molly long enough for her to know that the former Dresden’s helmsman was not stupid. More so, that he cared about Erin’s safety enough that Holloway knew he would tell her if anything odd happened.
She explained the whole thing again, and presented her concerns. Erin seemed as amused as ever, and Gavin didn’t seem too preoccupied.
“I know what you’re worried about, Molly.” Gavin finally said as Erin excused herself from the room momentarily to take a work call.
“And that is?” Molly asked dryly.
“You’re uncle. You’re scared something like it may happen to her here.”
Molly sighed, but her gaze fell down to her lap before instantly returning to meet Gavin’s. She shrugged, not wanting to admit he was right.
“You know, you’re the one heading to OED. Not us. She will be fine, I promise.” He continued. “But if it makes you feel better, I’ll keep an eye out for anyone.” He chuckled before continuing. “You do know that she will tease them if she spots them, right? I don’t know which is worse.”
It was Molly’s time to chuckle. “I know, I know. She’ll make them miserable. I taught her well.” She winked playfully at her brother-in-law. “Thank you, Gavin. Just… I know she’s not going to take it seriously, but you will… Just let me know if anything catches your eye.”
“Aye aye, Ma’am.”
Molly scoffed. “Knock if off, Commander.” She smiled. There was a moment of silent between both, before Holloway’s sigh broke it. “I’ll need to get going. I have a MAC flight to catch… tell Erin I love her for me.”
Gavin nodded.
“Thank you, Coop. Stay safe.”
“You too, Ice Queen.”
Molly rolled her eyes as Gavin laughed, and she turned the call off, taking a moment to digest everything that had been said.
She didn’t want to admit it, but she missed her home planet. She missed the hot summer days in San Francisco, and the cold winter nights in New York City. Molly sighed again, grabbing her bags and leaving the booth. Soon enough, she thought. For now, being close to her uncle was the closest from home she would ever be. And she was looking forward to it.
Holloway knew she still had two hours of waiting ahead of her, but she felt like she had explored enough of Starbase 157. Walking back to the AMC waiting room, she found an empty chair in a corner, away from everyone else. Opening “The New Economist”, she wanted to know exactly, what they thought a Starfleet Captain could bring to the table at a Starship manufacturing company.
Molly Holloway, CEO Holloway Heavy Industries
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