Things Left Undone

Chapter One

January 12th 2382
Toronto, Canada

"Th… ime is… evn hundred hours."

"Huh? Wha…" Marion Andrews asked, drowsy and not quite awake yet, let alone even wanting to get out of bed.

"The time is now 0700 hours and 40 seconds." The computer said in response.

"Alright, alright, I'm up, I'm up." She said, swinging her legs over the side of her bed then sliding her feet into her bright pink slippers that were most likely too fuzzy for some peoples tastes, but they suited her just fine.

Getting up at this time wasn't her normal routine, but being on leave for the last month in between assignments had gotten her to slip into habits that she thought where kicked while at the academy.

"Hot chocolate, warm, double sweet with a dash of mint." She instructed the replicator walking across her Toronto apartment. "Computer, are there any messages for me?"

"One message from Admiral Richard Hatch, Starfleet Department of Personnel."

"An Admiral is contacting me?" she asked herself, confused but still enjoying her morning vice. "Play back the message."

"Good day Ensign, I'm Admiral Hatch from the Starfleet personnel office. Sorry that it's taken a while to find you a new posting, looks like I got one for you though…"

"Hatch… where have I heard that name before?"

"…if you could come down to San Francisco tomorrow morning, say around eleven, we can go over the details. Oh, if you speak with your mother before then, tell her I'll have her winnings sent over soon as I get my hands on a bottle. Hatch out."

Marion snapped her fingers as soon as it dawned on her that the man was in her mother's academy class, and that her mother, even though she retired almost five years ago, still played poker with her former classmates.

"Way to clean out an admiral mom, I'll be piloting a mining freighter for the rest of my career."

* * *

San Francisco, USA
Starfleet Headquarters

"How's the Endalla coming along?" Admiral Hatch asked, tinkering with a padd reclining in his office chair.

"Just waiting for senior staff to arrive, which is why I'm here, I guess. I'm also still looking for an Alpha Shift helmsman, Lydia suddenly deciding to not reenlist after her maternity leave left me in a bind." Captain Jonathan Reynolds confessed.

"I heard about that, but it's understandable though, few mothers choose to raise families on starships. This brings me to why I asked you here." Hatch began to explain, pressing a control on his desk. "You can send her in now Mike." He told his secretary, and then looked towards his office doors.

They slid open and a young woman in her mid twenties with red hair, piercing blue eyes and a confidant demeanor to match, entered.

"Ensign Marion Andrews reporting as ordered, sir." She stated formally.

"Thanks for coming Ms Andrews; again, I'm sorry it took as long as it did for an opening to come up, but it just so happens one recently came to my attention last night while your mother… got the upper hand on me in poker." Hatch said, and then gestured towards Jonathan. "This is Captain Jonathan Reynolds, Jon, your new helmsman."

"You're Vivian's daughter aren't you?" Jon asked.

"Yes sir." Marion answered with a small smile on her face.

"I served with your mother on the Trudeau before she made XO on the Damocles. I take it you're a good pilot?" Jon asked.

"She takes after her mother. Better even." Hatch interjected before Marion could answer.

"Alright, good enough for me; welcome to the crew of the Endalla." Jon said, shaking Marion's hand.

"Slight problem though, there's one last thing to take care of. Alpha shift requires a Lieutenant Junior Grade Officer or higher." Hatch explained, handing the padd he was working on to Jon, who looked it over, nodded, then handed it back getting a small box in return.

"Ensign, front and center." Jon ordered, and Marion stepped forward and snapped to attention. "Based on the recommendation of Starfleet Command, I hereby promote you to the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade, with all the rights and privileges entitled to that rank, and assign you as Chief of Flight Operations, USS Endalla effective immediately." Jon said, affixing a half pip to her collar.

"Thank you sirs." Marion said with a bit too much emotion in her voice. "When do I report?"

"The Endalla launches in a week, I expect all senior officers to be on board in three days." Jon answered.

"I'll be there. If this is all, I have to get back to Toronto to get packing… And to kill my mother." She joked half heartedly.

"Now, Lieutenant, don't be too hard on your mother. She didn't have too much to do with this." Hatch said, trying to defend his friend.

"Sir, I understand that you're a friend of my mothers, but she promised me that she would never use her influence to help me advance my career." Marion said a little defensively.

"All she did was let me know about an opening on the Endalla before I would have found out this morning when I got in today. As for you getting the posting, and the promotion, it was Captain Riggs, who was also at the game I might add, who put your name forward for the post, and his glowing recommendation and your exemplary performance evaluations that earned your promotion. I think what you should be doing is sending your former CO a message."

"Well… I…" Marion stammered, embarrassed, and taken aback by how highly her former Captain thought of her. Then she just smiled.

"Dismissed, Lieutenant." Admiral Hatch instructed.

"Rich, what have you gotten me into?" Jon asked.

"If she's anything like I remember when she was a kid, you're in for a treat."

"I'm sure; now, I've got an idea on who I want for my XO. He's a Marine Major, James Scott." Jon said, continuing on with the meeting.

"I know of him. Pike Medal of Valor with Clusters, Federation Medal of Honor, four Purple hearts… Man's a hero."

"If he's not available, that's fine, I have some other ideas."

"No, he's available; in fact he's all yours. Trick is convincing him to take the offer. Since the end of the war he's accrued quite a disciplinary record," Hatch said, calling up his record on a padd. "Two counts assaulting a superior officer, disorderly conduct causing public nuisance, and being intoxicated while on duty."

"What would cause someone to slip like that?" Jon asked.

"Man lost most of his squadron during the Borg Invasion, including his brother who was expecting a child with his wife; and his XO, who were close friends. Needless to say, I'm guessing he's taking their deaths pretty hard."

"I guess I have my work cut out for me. If you could get the paper work ready, I'll see what I can do about convincing him." Jon said after a moment of consideration."

"Don't hold your breath, Jon; I don't want to have to put this on you. When you go see him, let him know that since he's refused every offer before this one, and if he doesn't take this assignment, he can expect to not have a career by the end of the day. Hero or not, I can't afford to have officers who behave like he has recently." Hatch said dryly, honestly wishing he didn't have to say it.

"Where is he?" Jon asked.

"His current assignment is Earth Space Dock Fighter Command, Commander Air Group. But it's my understanding he is currently residing in the stockade for that second assault charge." Hatch explained. "I'll have the paperwork sent to you within the hour; you got a shuttle to catch."