"Appropriateness."

[FredM 0]

"The excellence of a gift lies in its appropriateness rather than in its value."

- Charles D. Warner

 

 

The viewer before him showed all the sites one might expect. Millions of people were in the streets, crowds filled every corner and it was clear the computer was having a difficult time keeping the roar of those assembled to an acceptable level. What was odd is how they had come to this point was completely unexpected. No intelligence brief had noted it, no analysis had protected it. In fact, it made efforts to do so now seem...childish. It was a new beginning for the Cardassian Union...and an end.

 

Chancellor S'eran had been elected in a surprise uptake, hailing from a third party that most had simply ignored. Those within the Federation had never viewed him as a serious candidate, instead holding the Cardassian people would revert to choosing one of two radical paths. It was true that such things had been the case within the nation's recorded history, but one fact had escaped projections. Like most within the Alpha and Beta Quadrants, the people of Cardassia were tired. While they did not wish to surrender their pride, neither did they wish to revert into an intergalactic chess match with neighbors.

 

And thus, in a day that was not marked by bloodshed, disaster or death like those before...the New Cardassia Party won seventy-three percent of the popular vote. So disgusted with the results, over five thousand militants were reported to have boarded ships and fled into unclaimed space. Eight years since the conclusion of the Dominion War, over ten years since their occupation, the Cardassian Union once again held control over it's own destiny.

 

Yet as this new chapter was opened, others were closed. Of the sixty-four terms of reorganization that had been signed during cease fire, over fifty-five had been rendered obsolete by the election. Many direct military and economic rebuilding efforts were essentially no longer necessary, though exceptions existed with mandated oversight of critical operations still required for another ten years. One of these stipulations had been, by design, vague...simply reading "The Allied forces maintain the right to install assets as deemed necessary to ensure the stability of the region without concern or consideration for their removal at any point prior to 2350."

 

And thus the facilities like Sky Harbor Aegis had standing to remain in operation, in what capacity remained an open question. After all, the mandate for the station had been to oversee and assist in the reconstruction efforts of Cardassian Prime. It was a goal that, by ever qualification ever created, had now been met. As a result, a new chapter for the station would soon open...presenting new opportunities and challenges that would take it towards things never imagined. However, one thing would be missing...

 

The application for the transfer had been granted several weeks earlier, a process that had taken place behind closed doors. While questioning the value of his continued presence aboard the station for some time, the posting on Earth had literally sealed his fate. The second individual to ever actually oversee operations of the facility since it's construction, reasoning behind his posting had been unclear for quite some time. It was made clear with time however...the ability to play a politicians role, one he despised but had to admit he was good at.

 

It was a skill that while good, was no longer necessarily appropriate...