Epsilon 3-5 Omicron by Vice Admiral Sebastian Fishler and Lieutenant Alex Appleby Upon reaching DS9 Alex made sure he and Sarah were settled into a room and then made his excuses to go and find Admiral Fishler. Of course he knew exactly where he was, but Sarah didn't need to know that. Standing outside his office, Alex was just about to announce himself when the door swooshed open. Clasping his hands in front of him, Sebastian merely looked at Appleby. "Ah, Sir!" Alex said, taken off guard. "I'm, er, here to receive my orders from you?" He didn't mean it to come out as a question at all. By now Alex should be used to talking with the Admiral. He had after all helped him to become a Lieutenant, but something about Fishler still made him feel queasy. "Sit." He waited for the younger man to move over to the deliberately uncomfortable chair. Sliding over a PADD, he said with a blank face, "You have been assigned to the Science department under the command of one Prylar J'lar. You will find all pertinant details in that file." The USS Tempest! He's giving me an assignment on the same ship as Sarah? Alex's heart leapt with joy at the prospect of telling her. Then he checked himself and tried not to let the emotion show on his face, even though he was way too late for that. He studied the PADD in front of him. "Oh great!" he murmured under his breath. Of all the people who could be my superior officer I get a baby Jem'Hadar. This sucks! Alex could feel his blood beginning to boil, but he knew better than to question Fishler's orders. "Is there a problem, Mr Appleby?" Sebastian noted each emotion cross the man's face with disinterest. They were filed away in the back of his mind for later inspection. Alex gulped hard, "Er no Sir. No problem. No problem at all." Breathe you fool! "Will there be anything else Sir?" The sooner Alex could get out of this man's presence the better in his view. Something in him felt he wasn't going to get off that easily though. "Anything else?" Sebastian sneered. "Anything else? Why, are you feeling like dismissing yourself? Do you believe that you are the one to make that decision? Do you?" Oh Holy fuck! This was the last situation Alex wanted to find himself in, and he didn't even have an answer for the Admiral either. What the hell do I say now? Standing, Fishler leaned over the desk, sticking his face nose-to-nose with Appleby's. Spraying spittle, he yelled, "Answer me!" Alex could feel his anger rising again. How dare this bastard talk to anyone in this manner, lower ranking or not? Rising out of his seat he met Fishler's gaze and stood as tall as he dare. "I never said I was the one to make the decision, Sir!" he spat the last word out at him. "However, I asked in a manner I thought polite in case you had other more important things to be getting on with, Sir!" One hand lashed out and slapped Alex across the face. "Do not raise your voice to me EVER again." His ire vanished as quickly as it had come and Sebastian sat back down. He said, in a calm, almost pleasant voice, "Now, Lieutenant, I have one last thing to tell you. Would you like to hear it?" Feeling like a chastised school boy, Alex took his seat, hand massaging the welt that had risen on his face. Fuck you! Instead of letting the thought out though Alex smiled weakly at the Admiral, "Yes Sir?" "You have been activated. Code access Epsilon 3-5 Omicron. You will find details on the PADD. Dismissed." Alex stood up, collecting the PADD and left the room. He knew he'd get bollocked for not saluting Fishler as he left but right now he didn't give a shit. Activated huh? This is going to be an interesting trip after all. Alex desperately wanted to find Sarah and tell her everything but knew he was not in a mental frame of mind to face her straight away. Checking the roster for the Tempest he noted the name of the ship's counsellor, one Byron Matthews. I think now is a really good time to meet this man.