Dear Mom

[Atragon9 0]

Hi Mom,

A month, we've been flying to the raggedy edge of the Federation for a month! You'd think there was a lot to do on a deep space mission in my chosen field, but I'm stuck going nowhere. I'm never going to get promoted or get out of this rut.

It used to be great, I was on the Bridge, I was dealing with the Admiral all the time. You remember the one I told you about, Yeah, the kooky one. At first, he was always bucking authority, then he was gone, presumed dead. So I started dealing directly with the other Admiral, the stiff and serious one, right, the Vulcan. He was okay, just All Business. Then it turns out the first one was alive, but had been kidnapped and almost brainwashed, so they took him off the ship to get help. At some point, the Security Chief became the XO and I was dealing with him, too. That was alright, when he wasn't trying to find some excuse to slip away with the new Security Chief.

Through it all, I was right in the thick of it all, I was integral to the ship's success. I know a promotion was coming, a bright future lay ahead! Soon, I kept telling myself, soon I would taste my own blood and see a new pip on my collar! Then he came back!

Beran Faldek, Cardassian ex-spy, heck I wonder if I'm the only one on this crew who wasn't a spy before they joined? So now Mr. Bone Neck is sitting in my seat, he's taking My Job! Now, I'm stuck bac to second string. I get called to the Bridge when he's got other fun and exciting things to do. I get there when the CO seat is being occupied by a Lt. or Lt. Commander. The people with very temporary authority and who is too busy to notice my work, too worried about their own ass to ever consider putting in a good word for someone else on the Bridge.

So, here we are, flying off to perform a mapping run and they Still won't let me take the 1st shift up there. Nothing, I mean NOTHING has happened on this flight and I still get 2nd/3rd shift in the chair. The only time I see the power players is when they are going off duty as I'm coming on. I can't even "bump into them" in 10-Forward since I'm up on the Bridge just when they are relaxing at the bar!! Go to space, they said. Live the excitement of deep space exploration, they said. Join Manticore, they are always saving the Universe, once crazy adventure at a time! Clearly, they've never been out here. It's boring, it's routine, it's where officers go and hide - since no one sees me, notes my good works and I'LL NEVER GET OUT OF ENSIGN!!!

Mom, does the Molybdenum mine still need digger operators? At least there I take my chances with explosive pockets of gas as we dig. Something to get the blood pumping! This will get relayed from Deep Space 4 when we get there soon, write back when you can.

Your son,

Fenton OpsGuy