A Moment Frozen In Time

[DaveJohnson 0]

A Moment Frozen In Time

A Log by Lt David Johnson

 

David entered McKinley Station through docking port #4. The four day journey from the Republic at high warp and impulse had not been an easy one. Even though Joy had picked a design for the stasis containers holding the ducks that would consume a minimum of engine power, twice the units went offline and David had to quickly get them back online again before the ducks had a chance to wake up. It also explained why he hadn’t gotten more than a few hours sleep per night and because he had taken the replicator offline to conserve more power, he had eaten nothing but rations. Despite all this, David was still in a good mood. The ducks had been safely transported by two of McKinley’s science officers to their lab so that they could decide what to do with them. And, he had told Joy that he wasn’t going to let anything bother him for one very important reason. He believed that just the sight of his fiancé would almost immediately relieve any tension, or stress he was feeling and a kiss would make him forget everything negative that had happened since he had joined the ship. That would have to wait, if only for a few minutes as David wanted to carry out Admiral BluRox’s orders.

 

He entered a lift and called up the deck the Admiral’s office was on. As he rode the lift he noticed that it looked a little worn. Certainly the station itself had seen better days. David still remembered the first time he hat set foot on the station with his father, when he was just three years old. He remembered being in total awe of its size and all the people on it, to say nothing of the magnificent starships he could see from the observation deck. And, of course, most of all he remembered seeing his home planet from space, for the very first time. There had been few times in his life where a moment had been frozen in time, where time seemed to standstill just for him, if only for a few seconds.

 

The lift opened and David strolled towards the Admiral’s office. McKinley Stations chief administrator, Admiral Nakamura had known David since he had first came aboard some 18 years before, when the Admiral was the senior officer of Starbase 173 and was inspecting starship getting refitted there. He and David’s father we’re good friends, so at the very least he knew who he was talking to when he delivered Admiral BluRox’s report as well as his own. David arrived at the door to the Admiral’s office and rang the chime. The Admiral heard the chime and yelled at, “Come In.” David walked into the office and saw the Admiral sitting behind his desk looking at a padd with, and on his computer. His desk was covered with padds, no doubt reports from Captain’s and repair crews. David stood at attention his hands clasped behind his back and said, “Lt David Johnson reporting on behalf of Admiral BluRox sir.” The Admiral, put down his padd, looked at David with a smile and replied, “Well I must say you have grown since I last saw you…Lt, congratulations on your most recent promotion by the way.” “Thank You Admiral,” David replied. He was a bit surprised that the Admiral knew about the promotion but he assumed that Admiral BluRox had mentioned it, and that he was coming as well. “I have a report from the Admiral for you sir,” David said as he handed the Admiral the padd, and then added, “And my own report as well based on the information that I have.”

 

Over the next fifteen minutes or so Admiral Nakamura looked over the report and asked David several questions about the duck incident. David answered as best he could and then gave the Admiral his own report which contained an analysis of what had happened and how it might be prevented in the future should ducks or any other wild animals manage to make their way onto a starship. After he had finished the Admiral cleared his throat, clasped his hands in front of them and put them on his desk. “I appreciate you coming here personally to deliver these reports. This must have been a very difficult situation to deal with,” said the Admiral.” “For the most part the Admiral and security personnel handled it well once we knew what was inside the eggs. Besides my finger bitten off, and Lt Cmdr Robinson’s allergic reaction which as I explained was mostly due to the malfunctioning bio-filters which I repaired, there we’re no other incidents to my knowledge but I never really read the Admiral’s report, its not my place to do so,” David replied. The Admiral nodded and said,” Well, I think I have everything I need, these reports and the Admiral’s suggestions as well as yours will certainly help prevent this type of thing from happening again. Now, Admiral BluRox mentioned that you were getting married and might request a transfer to another starship, is this true?” the Admiral asked him. “Well the first part is true,” said David,” However, I have yet to make a decision on the second part, I have to see what my fiancé wants, I will do what is best for her, but I would like to remain on the Republic, I have grown close to the people there and I would very much like it if my fiancé would transfer there so we could be together, but I know that she has grown close to the people on the Rhode Island. The wedding will take place in a week or so, and I will still have four or five days after that to make up my mind before my two week leave is up.” “I understand,” said the Admiral, “Don’t worry about the time; if necessary I will speak to Admiral BluRox and have her grant you an extension, and you need to think about this, it is a very big decision. Now, I think I’ve kept you long enough, you should go see your blushing bride to be.” “Thank you sir,” David said as he smiled at the Admiral stood up and saluted him. The Admiral returned his salute and said, “Dismissed.”

 

David exited the Admiral’s office and walked back towards the lift. As he walked he thought about what the Admiral, and everyone else had told him about his future. But even though had received advice and suggestions from several people he knew that it was his decision to make, and that he didn’t want to make it without speaking to the one person that mattered most; Rebecca. With that he entered the lift and said, “Lounge.” The long wait to see her, to hold her in his arms was almost over but he knew that it was worth the wait.

 

To Be Continued…