I Wanted to Tell You First

Posted on Mon Apr 8th, 2019 @ 12:07am by Lieutenant JG Gallia Norris

Mission: Episode 1: Hell is a four letter word
Location: Engineering
Timeline: after arriving at DS9
958 words - 1.9 OF Standard Post Measure

Sami had asked Gallia and Liorga to meet her in the side room that was going to become Gallia's office for her new specialty engineering team, she had bad news. Well, maybe they wouldn't receive it that way; Hell, maybe they won't miss me, either, she thought before quickly pushing it aside. She entered the door, adorned with a hand written sign that said 'READ Team', still unhappy that Gallia hadn't been made Assistant Chief Engineer. Whatever, won't be my issue to deal with anyway.

As she pushed the door open Sami looked around kind of sadly, knowing that Starfleet engineering history was about to be made and she wouldn't get to be part of it because she'd been so damn stupid. Gallia and Liorga were already waiting for her, that was good, that would make it easier; she feared if they had made her weight she might lose her nerve, "Hey, glad you're both here."

"No problem." Liorga spoke first, creating a slight breach of etiquette but not really caring; clearly something was eating Sami alive and she was determined to find out what it was, "Wanna tell us why?"

"Aye." Gallia agreed, "My thoughts exactly."

"This isn't easy to say." Sami began, internally fighting tears though she showed little emotion on the surface, "I've decided to apply for Starfleet Academy."

"Well, that's great." Gallia smiled, "So you'll still be around for your field trainings and..."

"No, Gallia, you don't understand." Sami stopped her, this was going to be the hardest part, "Not the Academy here, the one in Frisco."

"Whoa..." Liorga said, this was a hard right turn from where Sami had been when they discussed this a few weeks prior. At that time the onboard academy or remaining enlisted were Sami's preferred options, "Wanna tell me what brought this sudden swerve on?"

"I just need to experience new things is all." Sami told a partial truth, not wanting to humiliate herself in front of her friends by telling them the whole reason.

"Hey, Gallia, can you give us a minute?" Liorga asked with an expression that said 'I'm not kicking you out of your own office, but I'm kicking you out of your own office.'

"Aye, I need to get the requisitions anyway." Gallia nodded, "Back in about five?"

"That's perfect." Liorga nodded, watching Gallia leave before turning back to Sami, "Okay, now don't try bullshittin' me, kid. Why are you suddenly so anxious to get off of the Ely?"

"Look, Liorga..." Sami began, not sure how to tell her mentor why she was, essentially, running away.

"Does her name come across like an order in a robbery or a porno film?" The veteran asked, she had already figured it out, she just wanted confirmation.

"Yeah." Sami nodded, "She blew me off completely, Li. So now my choices are leaving here, or watching her parade around here with that Kovitz bitch."

"That's hard, kid." Liorga empathized, it made her realize how lucky she was to have Estelle, "But it's no reason to abandon everything else you've got here. You've got a good situation here, you've got friends..."

"And nothing else." Sami sighed, "Except for living with the shame of rejection and the humiliation I brought on myself by reaching beyond my limit."

"Can that already." Liorga groaned, "Neez is not as great as you make her out to be. I mean, I like her, I really do, but you got her as Miss Galaxy in your head and that just ain't how it is, kid. I mean, when we were rooming together she wasn't even the hottest one in our quarters."

Sami giggled a little at that, even if she disagreed; to her Anya was still perfect.

"What can I say? Once you go bald, you never go back." Liorga shrugged, "Ask Estelle."

"Maybe I should consider shaving my head then." Sami joked, though she'd do anything for a relationship like Li had with the doctor. She focused back on the subject at hand, needing to get through this, "But, seriously, my mind is made up. I need to focus on my work, on my career, or I'm going to end up back in the damn deli and I think the Academy will be the best place for that. No distractions."

"What? You think you're going to be the only girl there or something?" Liorga laughed, "You'll meet another Anya Neez there, and then what?"

"I'll keep her at a distance." Sami replied, truly meaning it, "I'm not stupid enough to put my hand on the grill twice."

"So, basically you're going to leave all your friends here, your entire network of support, and then close yourself off to any other." Liorga summarized, this was a bad idea on every possible level, but she couldn't tell Sami that by regulation and she wasn't sure the kid would listen anyway, "And what do you think that will get you?"

"A command of my own one day." Sami answered, determined.

"Okay." Liorga relented, "If you're sure. Just make sure you are. Once you go, there's no going back."

"I know, Li." Sami said, her head lowered so her mentor wouldn't see the pain in her eyes, "But this is for the best."

"Okay." Liorga nodded, "Good luck."

"Thanks." Sami replied, then turned to leave at about warp twenty or Li was going to see her crying.

Gallia re-entered just as Sami was leaving, "Well, what in Hell was that all about?"

"I can tell you." Liorga sighed, "But you're not going to like it."

-OFF

LtJG Gallia Norris
Engineering Officer/USS Elysium

CPO Liorga
Engineering Officer/USS Elysium

CN Samantha Justice
Engineer/Soon to be formerly USS Elysium