The Old Man Meets The Old Man

Posted on Wed Sep 30th, 2015 @ 2:20am by Captain Li Hawke & Commander Louie Rousseau & Admiral Ricky Wegener & Lieutenant Hope Beckman

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: Rick's Office

* SB900 *

The Rosewood docked and soon Louie emerged onto the arrival deck. He hitched his bag up on his shoulder and watched as a sea of people moved back and forth, hurrying to their destinations. He’d been on a ship for the past year and had grown used to just the crew. This would take a little adjusting to, he suspected, but he was looking forward to all the station had to offer. He’d received word that a Lt. Beckman would meet him and now he realized he had no idea how he’d know who that was. So, he stood and waited.

Hope had been given the dossier of Lt. Cmdr. Rousseau and knew what he looked like--at least at the time the picture had been taken. She stopped a few people who looked quite a bit like him, but was mistaken. Finally she just yelled “Rousseau!” loudly. She huffed when she saw a hand shoot up close to the airlock door.

Making her way through the crowd to him she smiled. “Commander Rousseau, I’m Lt. Beckman. Welcome to Starbase 900.”

Louie smiled and inclined his head. “Lt. Beckman, it’s a pleasure. Thank you for meeting me. Admiral Wegener is expecting us?”

“He is. If you’ll follow me I’ll take you to him.”

The trip was brief as they entered the turbolift and ascended to Deck 6. She had been instructed to bring him directly in and, as they arrived in the waiting area, she sat at her desk, opened the doors for him and sent him in.

Louie lowered his back as he approached the desk. “Admiral Wegener, Lt. Commander Louie Rousseau reporting for duty.”

Rick didn’t look up from his desk as he motioned for the Commander to have a seat across from him. He was nosing through a PADD as he began speaking. “Louie Rousseau,” he read. “Born in 2219, human, and still alive in 2388.” He looked up at the man across from him. “I must say, Commander, this history of yours is absolutely fascinating. I’m sure it came with a downside, but it does make for an interesting read.”

“You can say that again.” Louie sat as requested and settled back in the chair. “It’s allowed me to see things far beyond my lifetime but it sometimes makes for a lonely life when I’ve outlasted all those I held dear. I’m sure you can understand that very well.”

Rick nodded somberly. “I can and do,” he replied. “Once you get settled in I’ll have to have you over for dinner. We can compare notes of Earth from back in the day.” He smiled, quickly moving past the thoughts of outlasting his friends and family.

“I’d like that. Admiral Hawke is already making plans for fishing.” Louie smiled brightly. “You should join us. I taught his uncle back in the day, as you say.” Louie smiled as he remembered, then shook his head. “Tell me about the cadets we have now?”

“Wide variety of races and, from what I’m told, some damn smart kids. We’ve been able to get a few of the races from the Delta Quadrant in and we’re all impressed with their ability to adapt to such a structured lifestyle.” He smiled. “I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised with all of them.”

“Interesting.” Louie nodded. “I’m glad to see that it’s beginning to attract attention out here. It’s an impressive step and speaks well of your efforts. I’ve spent the last year much farther out and word is beginning to spread. Many are curious and want to see this station first hand. Having new officers that are natives, for lack of a better term, will do wonders for the view of Starfleet in this quadrant.”

“I agree,” Rick said with a nod. “They have a few years yet but it won’t be long before they’re donning the uniform and maybe even spreading the word to those on their homeworlds. I’m sure Starfleet would enjoy having a few more friends out here.”

“Absolutely,” Louie agreed. “Not everyone is so pleased with our progress, but give them time I suppose. Some will see the value and others never will. Such is life, but we didn’t join up for the cushy jobs.” He grinned at Rick. “That includes the educational aspect. That is one area that takes courage I found.”

“So do you have any questions about your position or even the station? It can take some getting used to, solely based on the size.”

“That was my first thought. I’ve been ship-board for the last year. I suspect that for a time I’ll be like a goldfish suddenly tossed into a bigger bowl.” Louie laughed for a moment. “Save an old man some time and tell me what I should see first?”

“I think maybe just the grand tour of the place, to get your bearings,” Rick started, “but definitely focusing on the food and entertainment or recreational areas. And I don’t just mean the gyms or holodecks. The Promenade has almost anything you could imagine wanting or needing.”

“So noted. I”m not due in my office until tomorrow which will give me a little time today and tonight.” A thought occurred to Louie then. “Is there an assistant or am I it down in the academy?”

“The last dean didn’t have one, but I’m open to any suggestions of personnel to help you run things,” Rick said, shaking his head and wondering why he hadn’t noticed this before. “I guess you can’t really be in charge of every single aspect of their training at every minute of the day. I can put you in touch with a Lieutenant Barefoot in Personnel. He can help you find qualified personnel either here or in other Starfleet postings to assist. He can also help you find instructors for the courses.”

“You mean new courses, yes?” Louie asked. “We’re not short any for the regular rotation are we?”

“There may have been some reassignments of late, but the majority of your regular instructors are still here. And, yes, any new courses or replacements for those wishing to move on to other areas of the Fleet, etc.”

“So no immediate fires to put out, that’s good. I’ll get it all squared away over the next few days. If we need to add any instructors, I can make quick work of that. I still have plenty of ties with the academy back on Earth. Then we can --” He stopped as the doors opened and Li entered.

“I hope you’re sitting down because --” She stopped, seeing the man sitting before Rick’s desk. “My apologies, I can come back later if need be.”

“No, no,” Rick said, standing and gesturing toward the newcomer. “Lt. Commander Louie Rousseau, this is Captain Li Hawke, the station XO. Captain Hawke, Commander Rousseau is our new Academy Dean.”

Louie stood as Rick made the introductions. “My pleasure, Captain,” he answered formally. Then he looked closer at her. “Li? My goodness. The last time I saw you was nine years ago, just after we were recovered. It’s wonderful to see you again.”

Li smiled and offered her hand. “Of course. It was in Chile.” An amused smile crossed her face. “You know that Nenita is here too. I’ll be sure to send her your way, though she’s changed quite a bit since you last saw her. Welcome to 900. I’d heard you were coming but I just got back to the station and have been catching up.” She looked from Louie to Rick. “It’s good that you’re both here, however, as this concerns one of the cadets - Eli Ziyad.”

“Some sort of disciplinary issue?” Rick asked.

“Health issue,” Li answered and sat down. She related the story of his collapse at Kaleidoscope, the rapid decline in his health the stasis, and finally the procedure that saved him. “The investigation is underway but Lt. Gilroy’s report indicates that a civilian who was there with him and Chance has given them a lead. Hopefully this will be resolved soon. Initially, the doctors thought it was some sort of severe reaction but it turns out it was felodesine, administered through skin contact. In a disco with easily two hundred people there.”

Rick tried not to react outwardly but he was fairly certain Li could easily pick up on the mounting anger within him. It seemed like his station was becoming more and more like the wild west and less like a Federation outpost.

“Well,” he finally said, “it’s good to hear that he will pull through.”

“He’s fine and Solis says he’ll be released later today,” Li informed them. She nodded to Rick. “As this place gets busier, things get wilder. I’m entertaining the notion that it has to do with his trip home, however.”

Louie was frowning as he listened. “Felodesine is a Romulan poison. INteresting choice, and one guaranteed to be almost a certain success. Ziyad is the Enaran, isn’t he?”

Li nodded. “He is. His story since he arrived here has been..complicated, as was his recent visit home. I’ll see that those reports are sent to you so you are up to speed. His government is not pleased with his presence here, or anywhere for that matter. I’ll keep you both updated if there’s anything new. We should know more once the team returns with his parents.”

“Nothing like getting right into it, eh, Commander?” Rick asked, trying to sound more pleasant than he actually felt. Standing, essentially signifying the end of the meeting, he rounded the desk and shook Louie’s hand. “It’s a pleasure to have you with us. Make sure you check out those places I told you about and I’ll send a note around to see if we can have you over for dinner sometime.”

Louie stood and shook Rick’s hand. “I look forward to it. Now, to get settled in, then I think I want to see this cadet.”

Li rose as well. “I’ll show you to your quarters.” She looked back at Rick. “Give El my best and a big welcome home.”

“Actually, I need a moment with you,” he said. Louie nodded and walked out into the waiting area leaving Li alone with Rick. “I want a meeting with you, Oz, Dae and General Thompson soon. I’ll not have this place becoming some backwater cesspool. If I have to, I’ll implement background checks for every single person coming and going if it means cleaning house. There are just too damned many people being killed, or attempts made, for my liking.”

“Agreed.” Li frowned a moment. “I think once the Enara team gets home, we’ll have some answers. There’s also someone I need to see who can shed some light on this I think. “

“Yeah, well, aside from just keeping my station ship-shape, this is now my number one pet peeve,” he said, his face now easily portraying what was going on inside. “I will have order on my station and soon.” He sat and gritted his teeth for a moment then looked up to Li in surprise. “And holy shit, I completely forgot that Rousseau would have known you! I think I even saw it in his background profile but there I was, introducing you two like strangers.” He actually laughed.

“He taught my great-uncle at the Academy,” she laughed. “He had retired by the time Dad got there but we heard plenty of stories of Louie Le Noir. Dae is going to be thrilled to find out he’s here.” Her smile faded. “Regarding this station, though, there’s good news. Oz and her crew have shipped off to prison the man who was responsible for one attack in the Pit and we have the man who helped kidnap Ensign Madhava in the brig. The miscreants are discovering that Oz and her team don’t take shit from anybody. They’re investigating the lead in Eli’s case, so we’ll see what happens. I don’t think it will be long, however.”

“Good. In the interim, I’m going to have General Thompson’s marines step up their patrols in the fighters and assist with random searches of ships in our space,” Rick replied, getting that scowl back on his face. It’s almost as if he were bi-polar the way he could switch back and forth. “I’ve already cleared this with Archadia, since it’s really their space, but we’re authorized for that so having the marines step it up a bit won’t be an issue.”

The old man sat back in his chair. “Okay, on with you. Can’t leave the new guy twisting in the wind forever.”

“Will do. But, even though he was involved in that op in South America, it’s still hard, looking at him and trying to reconcile his past, you know? He was in his early 70’s when my uncle Korai studied with him.” She shook her head. “Then again after some things we’ve lived through, nothing should surprise me anymore.”

“Ain’t that the truth?” he said as he kicked his feet up on his desk and watched the clock. Not long before he’d be able to cut out and spend the rest of the day with El’Shar.

“See you soon.” She turned and left Rick’s office, her conversation with Louie resuming before the doors even closed.

******************
Admiral Ricky Wegener
Possibly Bi-Polar, but who cares?

Lt. Commander Louie Rousseau
Everything Old Is Young Again

Captain Li Hawke
Fan Girl

Lt. Hope Beckman
Lost in the crowd