Star Trek: The New Frontier

After the Dominion War ended, I was like a lot of other officers I knew at the time. While I'd survived the war, I was a survivor of one of the ships that had gone down during one of the final battles. For me in particular, it was the Battle of Cardassia, and it's only good fortune that I was beamed aboard by another vessel before I died alongside the majority of the crew.

In recognition of my service, Starfleet gave me two things: a promotion to lieutenant commander, and orders to go onboard the U.S.S. Sisko, a newly constructed Intrepid-class vessel.

So that's exactly what I did. I took my promotion and went onboard the Sisko, reporiting to Captain Michael Reed directly in his ready room.

"Captain Michael Reed?" I asked.

He looked up from his book. "Yes?" he said.

"I'm Lieutenant Commander Janet Carey," I said. "I've been assigned to be your first officer."

"Yes, of course," he said, putting down the book. "I'm sorry; I've been expecting you. Please, sit down."

I took a seat directly across from him. He offered me his hand, and I shook it.

"Have you had a chance to look around the ship yet?"

"No sir," I said. "I've only been onboard for ten minutes, sir."

"Carey, I know this is your first time serving as first officer, but there's no need to call me sir behind closed doors," Reed said. "That's something we do here to keep up appearances in front of the crew, but I was hoping that in private, our relationship could be less formal, if you will."

"Yes..." I said, stopping myself from saying sir. "Of course."

"I've been reading your file," he said. "It's very impressive--you've been in Starfleet for six years, but you've been decorated dozens of times. The Legion of Honor, the Star Cross, the Award of Valor, plus an entire list of medals for specific battles in the war and commendations for outstanding duty."

"I think a lot of good officers got snubbed for some of those awards," I said. "I did my duty to the best of my ability, but I've known plenty who've done a better job."

"Of course," Reed said. "But not all of them become my first officer."

"No, they don't," I said. "I thought they'd have offered you an admiralty after some of the things you did in the war."

"They might have, in different circumstances. But we're living in a time where it sometimes seems like there's more admirals than there are captains. It doesn't bother me too much, Carey: I like commanding my own ship, when all the decisions are mine and the consequences of them are ones I have to suffer personally along with those who follow them."

I nodded. "I can understand the sentiment," I said. "I joined Starfleet because I wanted your chair eventually."

"Eventually you're going to ask me about our mission," he said. "You'd like to know, wouldn't you?"

"I'd like to know about our mission," I said, nodding. "My orders said we were going into the occupied territories, but they weren't specific about what we were meant to be doing there.

"It's simple," Reed said. "Our mission is to facilitate the peace, with force if we need to, and lead whichever species are willing on a path to permanent Federation membership."

"Aye," I said. "Then I hope I can serve you well. I lost a lot of good friends to the Cardassian and Dominion forces during the war."

"Don't we all?" he said. He was silent for a moment, and then looked up. "Anyway, I haven't eaten since yesterday evening. Would you care to dine with me down in the captain's dining room?"

"Yes sir," I said. "It'd be an honour."

"Then come on," he said, standing up. "I'll be able to show you around a bit while we're down there. And stop calling me sir behind closed doors."