Your SatNav needs a reset...

Posted on Tue May 14th, 2024 @ 11:40am by Lieutenant JG Aeryn Jameson & Commander Owen Nash

Mission: The Only Thing Left Was Hope
Location: Earth - San Francisco Starfleet HQ
Timeline: Current

ON:

Owen sat in the waiting room outside Rear Admiral Na’al’s office at Starfleet Headquarters for what was now the third time in what seemed like an age.

Since the Pandora had been moved to a Starfleet Repair facility, Owen had tried his best to be assigned to the repair and maintenance crew and each time his request for transfer had been denied.

Whilst still holding the rank of Commander, Owen was also aware of the new classes that the fleet was building and being sent out with younger Captains being assigned to those starships as Starfleet began exploring again.

He wasn’t worried about the age side of things as he knew that he had plenty of adventures left in him, however for Owen, it was more about being back out there, amongst the stars on board a starship. Whether it was onboard an older class of starship as an XO or even making a department move, he’d been turned down twice already.

What also irked him was that Owen knew from a personal perspective that Tobias Rao on board the Palatine was soon to be stepping down into retirement.

Having served on board the Vesta Class starship before and its joint adventures with the Pandora in the Inconnu Expanse, for Owen, it made sense for him to transfer on board and get out there again.

Hence his third visit to Rear Admiral Na’al’s office.

Hearing the door open to the Rear Admiral’s office, Owen stood up and smoothed down his uniform, to make sure he looked his best. Staying in his current rank as long as he had, Owen has passed on his experience to many officers and made sure that they all took dress sense very carefully.

“Commander Nash, the Rear Admiral will see you now,” said the Adjutant as she walked out of the office.

Owen walked in and stood attention. "Admiral, it's good to see you again," he said, as the door closed behind him.
"I see you changed your hair since my last visit," he offered.

Na'al gave him a cold stare as she looked up from the PADD she was holding.
"Nice try Nash, I'll give you an 8 out of 10 for effort," she began befroe standing up, walking around her desk and coming to face him.

"I'll make this quick. Request to transfer to the USS Palatine - Denied. You have duties here at Starfleet Headquarters that we require you to carry out. You are not required to serve aboard a starship at this time," she explained.

"So its a Deep Space assignment then?" Owen asked, with a wry smile, expecting the the answer that followed.

"The Captain's chair on the Palatine is not meant for you. It's going to Catherine Robinson, shes just been promoted to Captain and will replace Rao when he stands down next week. Do i make myself clear?"

"Crystal, Admiral. So, my duties that require me to stay here on Earth?" Owen asked.

"Orders will follow in due course, for now, your on extended shore leave, go and rest up and enjoy it as it may not last long, am I clear, Commander?" she asked in a more determined tone.

"Yes Ma'am. Understood, thank you ma'am," Owen answered, knowing it hurt to follow the chain of command sometimes.

"Dismissed!"

Owen left the Admiral Office to join Aeryn in the waiting room.

Aeryn has been sitting waiting on Owen’s return, she’d been fortunate enough to be reassigned along with Owen. In the past few months they’d gone from colleagues, to good friends, and then to lovers. She stood up as she saw Owen exit the office. “Still no luck?” She didn’t need to ask really, she could feel Owen’s disappointment.

Owen shook his head as he put the PADD Na'al had given him under his arm. "Sadly not. However, the flip side of things is that I'm on extended shore leave... so shall we get some dinner," he said, looking over at the window to see that night had fallen in San Francisco.

Aeryn smiled and nodded. “I would love to! Funnily enough I’ve just been granted some shore leave time from my medical duties as well. Now my credentials as a Doctor are fully approved I’m free to enjoy myself, and I can’t think of anyone I’d rather spend my shore leave with than you.” She leant in and kissed Owen on the cheek.

Owen smiled as he could feel her warm feelings. Something that had taken come getting used to since he and Aeryn had moved their friendship on since serving away from the Pandora. And something he now enjoyed.

"Excellent, let's get out of here," he said as he took Aeryn's hand in his own and they walked over to the nearby transporter pad

"Computer, two to beam to Columbus Avenue," Owen requested. Almost instantly, the two of them arrived on Columbus Avenue near the food quarter

"Where shall we go then my lovely? What takes your fancy?" he asked her.

“Hmmm good question” Aeryn looked around. “How’s about right over there..” She motioned to the one place she always liked to go, a Betazoid restaurant that served traditional Betazoid dishes as well as Human ones. “You know me I love the taste of home!”

"And yet... your home beckons... you must return..." said a voice behind them, in the shadows.

“What?” Aeryn exchanged glances with Owen. “Did you hear that?”

"I did! what the bloody hell was that?" he asked, looking around.

"I mean no harm." The voice spoke again. "I'm here to correct your path, you must return home, your story is not yet over," continued the voice.

Owen swung around, looking to grab a phaser that wasn't there on his hip as he looked down the alleyway behind them, trying to figure out where the voice was coming from. "Who are you, show yourself!!"

"Pandora awaits, you must seek her out, find your way home..." the voice said again.

“Pandora!” Aeryn rested her hand on Owen’s arm, she wasn’t sensing any danger, in-fact she wasn’t sensing anything at all which was all the more intriguing. “We have to find our way home Owen.”

Owen stood still, stunned at the mention of the Pandora. His home, the one place in the universe where he felt at peace.

Holding Aeryn's arm, he looked back in the direction of the voice.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"Your path is not yet complete, Commander Nash. Return home, Return to Pandora."

With a quick flash of light, Owen and Aeryn were left standing alone in the street. Looking at Aeryn, Owen smiled.

"I think its time for a reunion..."

Aeryn nodded. “I can’t agree more.”