The Wait

[Tifa Kvar 0]

The mood in the Mos Eisen warehouse was full of anticipation. The crew of the USS Comanche Creek was getting suited up and prepped for their storming of the Black Kris stronghold. They were finally going to rescue the Vulcan captives. Most of the crew was excited as they grabbed weapons and flash bangs from various crates. All save for at least one crewman who wasn't ready for this experience. Tifa was sitting off by herself, trying to get her thoughts together. Sure she felt a little better when Commander Wesley came and talked to her. She had even insisted the young communications officer stay with her during the fight. But even then, Tifa wondered why she was even out here. Then she remembered, "Oh yeah, him."

 

The Communications Lab was busy as usual; Many cadets and officers scanning, deciphering, and interpreting numerous signals within the communications net. This is where Tifa loved to spend most of her time. It was easy work for her, but it kept her busy. She was sitting at her console deciphering something. Maybe it was a communiqué from a Klingon colony. She couldn't remember, but everything after that was crystal clear.

 

The commanding officer of the labs, Sam Daniels, walked through the sea of people moving in and out of little cubicles until he found who he was looking for. "Tifa, could you come to my office?"

 

"Uh, sure," replied the young woman. It wasn't often she was called to the office.

 

Moments later Tifa was sitting in a chair, looking across a desk at Sam. His elbows resting on the desk, his hands clasped with chin resting on them. The older man looked over at her with a short pause before speaking. "Have you heard of the First Threat Response program Starfleet Command has put together?"

 

Tifa nodded, speaking softly. "Yes. I recently read about it. Do you want me to monitor and catalog communications regarding that subject? Is that why you called me in?"

 

"Not exactly," Sam sighed, putting his clasped hand down flat on the desk as if bracing for something. "I put in for your transfer."

 

Tifa shot straight out of her chair, her voice louder than most have ever heard. "You did what?!"

 

"Tifa sit down," the Commander said in a calm tone. "I had a friend of mine, an admiral mind you, come to me and ask for the best and brightest. That was you. I gave her your Starfleet record, and she said with out a doubt she wanted you. And I know Shauna. She doesn't know the meaning of the word no."

 

The young woman took her seat finally, glaring back at her superior. "I don't want to go on a ship. You know that."

 

"Tifa, what the hell are you doing here? I mean really. You are the best at everything you do, and you are wasting your talents in this gods forsaken lab all day."

 

"Find someone else…"

 

"There is no one else. The only other person of your caliber already has her assignment. And she's on the Enterprise." Sam of course was referring to Tifa's study partner in the academy.

 

"Nyota wanted to be on the Enterprise. It was all she ever talked about. But I don't want to go to space."

 

Sam sighed and looked up, almost as if to the sky, for some sort of answer. "Look. I know how you are feeling, about Vulcan, the attack on Earth… I remember you talking about being out on the Academy grounds when the Nerada attacked. I know it was a hard time for you, losing friends and people you saw everyday. But…you must remember you took an oath, the same as they did. This isn't something you can just walk away from. You need to tackle this head on."

 

Tifa quietly looked to the floor, giving no response.

 

"I tell you what. I'll give you six months up in space. It should be enough time for you to decide what you really want. If after that time you choose you don't want to be up there anymore, I'll pull some strings and get you transferred back. Will you at least give me that?"

 

The woman looked back up from the floor, giving a slight nod. "Alright, I'll give you six months…"

 

"Good," Sam smiled. "As of this point you are out of my hair and assigned to the USS Comanche Creek. You are also being promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade. Congrats. Now get the hell out of here." He said with a grin. "And get some much needed rest and relax for a few days before they call you back in."

 

 

Tifa looked around at the other crewman suiting up before looking down at her own body armor, a phaser sitting in her lap. "Just six months…"

Edited January 14, 2010 by Tifa Kvar