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     Cdr. J. Darek Smith |
"And Captain Wallace said that she and Panache will be arriving late tonight with engineering crews ready to help us patch up. Ms. Oswald's teams should be looking forward to that." Captain William Daren smirked. "I wouldn't bet on that, Commander." His first officer nodded absently and went back to his padd. "Lt. Stackpole has the bridge tonight. She's Flight Ops Gamma Shift. I'll be sure to have Ms. D'Rall notify her of the change in schedule." Daren smiled tiredly up at Smith. "You seem to be doing better than last I saw you, Old Man." Smith nodded. "I managed to work a few things out, sir." He glanced at the chronometer on his padd. "Actually, it's almost 2200 hours now. I think we can just inform Ms. Stackpole personally of Panache's scheduled arrival." Daren noticed the quick change in subject but decided to let it slide. Commander Darek Smith had been working as hard as any of them to get the ship back in some kind of working order since the Traxati disaster. "All right, take care of that, then get some rest." A rueful grin flashed across the younger man's features. "I'll see you for a pre-shift meeting tomorrow morning, Commander." Smith took his leave and strode out onto the bridge. He took a long, sad look around. It was in sad shape - the Traxati attack had done some serious damage to the entire ship, though Deck 20 had probably been hit the hardest. People were dead. Many others were injured. And where had he been? Below decks, securing systems an people when the critical time came. While not unusual for him to see to the safety of the ship and crew in times of danger, he usually managed to be on the bridge during the really tough times. Maybe he had been hoping that something would happen to him. Maybe he had been secretly hoping ever since Stirling had been lost that something would happen to him. He had never been the same since that day; no matter what he had been through since, he had never found that same sense of belonging, that same feeling of the joy of friendship as he had found there. Many had survived Stirling's loss. Many more had not. How many had Coronado lost even in the short time since he had come aboard. It was not a question he liked to seriously think about, though he often did. A few moments talking to Lt. (j.g.) Rachel Stackpole told him that the ship would be in good hands for the next few hours. Not that he had ever truly doubted anyone who was serving in Maiko D'Rall's more-than-capable department. With a nod and a grunt, Smith excused himself to the turbolift and headed for his quarters. Maybe he would have himself a nice, hard drink or two. I am a part of all that I have met; Yet all experience is an arch where through Gleams that untraveled world whose margin fades Forever and forever when I move.... ....And this gray spirit yearning in desire To follow knowledge like a sinking star, Beyond the utmost of human thought. -Alfred, Lord Tennyson, "Ulysses" ========= Christian D. Clem '01, aka "Aggie" Cdr. J. Darek Smith, Executive Officer U.S.S. Coronado NCC-97901 OOC: Sorry, Chris, if I abused Captain Daren's personality too much. Hope I got it right. ;) |