What's Past_ Many Splendors (Book 6) - Keith R.A. DeCandido [23]
That surprised Sonya. She guessed that all the junior-grade lieutenants on beta shift were going on the team. “Yes, sir.”
“Duffy?” They proceeded to the forward turbolift that would take them to the transporter.
Sonya shivered as she stepped onto the lift. She didn’t really know Marla Aster that well, but she did know that she was a single mother, and had a son on board the ship. What’ll happen to him?
Beta shift had been tense and unpleasant. It was one thing when people died in battle, as they did against the Borg, but stupid accidents like this didn’t sit right with anyone. Sonya found herself reminded of the conversation she’d had with Kieran about Captain Schönhertz and space being mean and/or indifferent.
After the shift ended, she went to Ten-Forward, and found Kieran nursing an ale. She asked Guinan for a tequila, and then went over to Kieran’s table. “That’s not hot chocolate, is it?”
Seemingly despite himself, Kieran laughed. “No, it’s ale.”
“Mind if I join you?”
“Never.” Kieran said the word rather emphatically.
Sonya took a seat. Guinan brought the tequila over. She held it up and gave the toast that they had told her at the Academy was traditional when comrades were lost in battle. “Absent friends.”
“Yeah.”
They both drank.
“You knew her, didn’t you?” Sonya asked.
Kieran nodded. “We met right after she came on board about eighteen months ago. She was having some kind of problem with the replicator in her cabin—wouldn’t give her kid his favorite drink, which was this vile fruit concoction. So I fixed it, and we got to talking—even went on a date or two. Nothing really materialized, though. I don’t think she was entirely over her husband, y’know?”
Sonya nodded, though she, in fact, didn’t know. She’d never lost anyone closer to her than three grandparents she barely knew.
“Still, she was a great lady. And Jeremy’s a really good kid. God, I don’t know what’s gonna happen to him.”
“What was she like?”
Kieran spent the next half hour or so telling Sonya various and sundry facts about Lieutenant Marla Aster, from her proclivity for pink clothing while off duty to her ability to talk for several hours at a time on the subject of the amazing discoveries on Jureosa to her courtship with her husband when they were both studying at Endurance University on Mars.
The recollections were interrupted by La Forge’s voice on the intercom. “Lieutenant Duffy, Ensign Gomez, report to main engineering.”
They exchanged quick glances, gulped down the rest of their drinks, and headed out. “Wonder what’s up,” Kieran said. “And hey, Sonya—thanks.”
As they approached the turbolift, Sonya smiled up at him. “No problem, Kieran. You were there for me when I was moping in Ten-Forward after the Borg. Seemed only fair to return the favor.”
“Yeah.”
CHAPTER
7
Captain’s log, stardate 43489.2. We have arrived at Angosia III, a planet that has expressed a strong desire for membership in the Federation. Prime Minister Nayrok has taken Commander Riker and me on a tour of the capital city.
“Garfield Costa, step forward.”
Next to Sonya, Gar took a single step forward. They were in formation in engineering, along with Ensigns Kornblum, Russell, Sherman, and Van Mayter, facing Geordi La Forge and Data. Behind the chief engineer and the second officer were the rest of the engineering staff, most with big smiles on their faces. Several of them had already been promoted as well; Geordi had gone in reverse order of rank, ending with the ensigns who were making j.g.
Data handed Geordi a box, which he opened to reveal a hollow pip. He stepped forward and affixed it to Gar’s collar. “I hereby promote you to the rank of junior-grade lieutenant, with all the duties and privileges that entails.”
Gar nodded, beaming. “Thank you, sir.”
He stepped back, and Geordi said, “Sonya Gomez, step forward.”
Until he said those words, Sonya hadn’t been able to bring herself to believe that she was really being promoted. Indeed, ever