A Different View

[Cptn Corizon 0]

The Excalibur sifted through a stretch of blue-green clouds of interstellar gas. They had dropped to impulse as they waited for the Audacious to arrive, delivering their special guest. Corizon watched the clouds break on the bow and sweep to either side from panorama of his quarters. The view was slightly different from the one he’d once known and he wasn’t entirely sure yet if he liked these quarters better. The bed, he considered, was at least slightly firmer.

 

He sighed and drank his hot toddy. Returning to Excalibur had not been easy. Everywhere he looked there were reminders of what he had been and that reminded him of what he was now. He was actually grateful that there were more new faces than old -- if he was being honest he didn’t know what he would have told many of them. Tandaris had been different though.

 

Corizon took another drink. Then there was Swain. He knew that for whatever awkward, emotional feelings running through his own mind, Asher had to be even worse. After all, he’d been yanked out of his command and dropped into Excalibur, and all of the rather unfortunately benefits that conveyed, against his will and forced to deal with the numerous complications of being a Starfleet Captain in the Gamma Quadrant. Poor son of a bitch, Corizon thought

 

It had been nearly a week since they’d left Camelot and the two had barely interacted outside of a small reception Swain had hosted for Corizon and the senior officers. They had chatted just enough to seem social, but they both knew neither was comfortable with the other. Swain though, had been perhaps a far more gracious host than Corizon would have been, he considered. In addition to the reception, he’d also released his personal yeoman, Augustus Quintus, to work with Corizon for the duration of the mission.

 

A peace offering. Corizon had said, much to Augustus’ amusement.

 

He really is a nice fellow, Augustus had said later. You should be nicer to him. This isn’t easy for him.

 

But, as always, Corizon shook it off. Long-term, he reminded Augustus, after the mission was over, they would likely never see each other again. Corizon’s lease on the four pips affixed to his uniform ended as soon as the Excalibur returned -- that had been made very clear to him.

 

Maybe that was what bothered him?

 

Or was it the view? He shook his head and looked back to the window.

 

It was the view. The angle just wasn’t the same.