<USS Avalon> Apologies, Crystals, and Proposals - Oh My!

Apologies, Crystals, and Proposals  - Oh My! 
By Captain  Keith Ketchum and Lieutenant Commander Elissabeth  Marksbury 
Feelings of shame struck deep into  Elissabeth Marksbury's soul as she stood 
in front of the Captain's office,  hesitant to ring the chime. She could only 
imagine what he was thinking. The  last time she'd asked to meet with him, 
she'd basically taken some stupid moral  holier-than-thou high road and 
attempted 
to tell her captain what he could and  could not do. How does one face that 
down, she  wondered? 
Finally pressing the chime, she  waited. 
And  waited. 
It took over a minute for Ketchum to signal  her to enter, and when she did, 
he just looked her straight in the eye.  Elissabeth didn't flinch under his 
scrutiny for the sheer fact she wanted him to  know how much she meant what she 
was about to  say. 
"Congratulations, sir, on the outcome of the  trial." 
Ketchum didn't say a word or acknowledge her  in any way. 
"We're all very glad to have you back in  command of the Avalon." 
Still  nothing. 
Great Liss, what have you done? "I requested  to speak with you, Captain, 
because I owe you an incredible apology. I had no  right to come here and say 
the 
things I said to  you." 
Ketchum's eyes never left hers. She had his  full attention, obviously, but 
he had yet to move a  muscle. 
As much as she hated to admit it, it was  beginning to unnerve her. "And 
specifically had no right to say anything in the  way that I said it, either." 
No  acknowledgement. 
So, she continued, "I hope you understand  that I really had the best of 
intentions, but I do know that even the best of  intentions can become skewed 
if 
gone about in the wrong way. And I was  wrong." 
Even though Ketchum still said nothing,  Elissabeth refused to fidget, though 
she thought maybe she was beginning to  ramble. How much is too much? 
"It's my job to back you on the decisions  that you make and I lost sight of 
that. It won't happen  again." 
His lack of response nearly had her in  tears. 
"I'm so sorry,  sir." 
And finally, with the slightest of nods,  Captain Ketchum said, "Apology 
accepted." 
The tension seemed to dissolve from the room  and Elissabeth breathed for 
what felt like the first time since she'd entered.  "Thank you." She took 
another 
deep breath, "I hope that I can earn your faith in  me again." 
"You never lost my faith, Ms. Marksbury, you  thought you did what was right. 
I was just waiting for you to realize that it  wasn't," he smiled, "And 
speaking of JAG, what's this I hear about you and a  certain person?"  He had 
to 
hold  back a slight laugh. 
Eyes wide and mouth agape, she exclaimed,  "Captain!" He couldn't possibly 
have said anything more surprising to her in  that moment. 
Keith covered his mouth as he finally let  out the laughter that was 
building. "It's okay, the trial is over; the worst is  behind us." Almost as 
quickly 
as the laugh let loose it was gone, and he was  again quiet; a look of loss in 
his eyes. 
Elissabeth's eyes sparkled to hear him  laugh, even if it was at her expense. 
Then, she, too, sobered as she looked at  the hurt etched upon his face. "I 
can't imagine how you must be feeling," she  said softly, as she took the seat 
across from his desk and crossed her  legs. 
Keith blinked and turned away, trying to  hide the hurt in his eyes, "I wish 
I had known him more." Standing and walking  to the window, "He was part of 
your team, what was he  like?" 
She wanted to tell him she understood that  look, knew what it was like to 
feel as though you had to cover the pain, but  instead Elissabeth looked on 
with 
a soft compassionate smile, able to relive  those memories now.  "John was... 
 charismatic, like you.  He  unconsciously inspired loyalty in people, though 
I doubt most even  realized.  I watched the group  dynamics and I chose John 
and Stas'ya both, purely for their effect on the  team.  They were what made 
us  family.  Stas' was the motivator and  John was the glue.  If that makes  
any sense at all."  She paused,  unsure whether or not to continue, watching 
carefully for the emotional  impact.  "We all had a sense to take  care of 
John.  
He wasn't the best  soldier, but I believe with the right training, he had 
the most potential.  He could've easily become what you are  today, sir."   
Still looking out the window, "Thank you for  that information, Commander.  
As you  know, I didn't get to know him, both growing up, nor even on the ship.  
I had only truly talked to him once, and  that was at his mother's funeral, 
at which time I offered to sponsor him for the  Academy.  He declined, though I 
am  not sure why, perhaps to make his own destiny."  Closing his eyes, Keith 
continued, "But  I tried to abide by his mother's wishes that I not be a part 
of his life.  Once he declined the offer for the  Academy, I put a request on 
his records when he enlisted that I would like him  on the Avalon.  If he had 
known  that, he most likely would have resented me for it."  Turning from the 
window, "I am  recommending him posthumously for the Starfleet Medal of Valor, 
but this  requires a recommendation from another officer", Keith paused, 
"preferably one  that worked with him closer." 
"You have mine whole-heartedly.  Your son saved my life, Captain.  I can't 
imagine a worthier  recommendation."  Elissabeth stood  and moved next to 
Ketchum at the window.  She held up a data crystal that had been palmed in her 
hand. 
 "I thought you might like this.  Don't ask how I got it - well, I guess  you 
can ask and I'd tell you, but it's probably better that you don't."  She 
waited for him to take the object  from her, the official recording of Harak's 
interview with Vevay Davis.  "He talks about you through Lt.  Harak.  You'll 
see. 
 But take comfort in knowing that he did  know who you were.  John just 
wanted  to prove he could make it on his own."  Placing her hand on his arm, 
she 
gave it a light squeeze.   
Taking the crystal, he turned it over in his  hand.  "Thank you, Commander.  
Perhaps sometime soon, I'll watch  this."  Stiffening a little, "I  suppose 
that we should be getting under way.  But orders have not been given to us,  
pending the outcome of the trial.  Perhaps a nice quiet tour of the  
Federation?" 
"It's audio only," she explained, then fell  back into professionalism.  
Giving him a wry smile, she asked, "Do you  honestly think Intel will just let 
us 
go about our merry way,  sir?"  
"Well, until we get orders, merrily we will  go along."  He walked back to 
his desk and tapped the comm, "Commander  Manson, recall the crew, and once 
everyone is aboard, take us somewhere at your  discretion."  Once he closed the 
comm, "See, that was  easy." 
She chuckled, "Wedding on Risa?  I heard it's  beautiful this time of year." 
He looked at her and cocked his head, "Are  you proposing, Ms. Marksbury?"

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