Quote:"Reginald Barclay doesn't have half of what it takes to navigate his way out of a paper bag, let alone the skill to contribute effectively to the Pathfinder Project!" She was hot now, her voice raised, as the crowd drew in. "Yeah, ya know what. Go for it. Take me back to Starfleet Research! At least then it'll give me the chance to prove you and everyone else wrong about my capabilities instead of wasting away here as a Recreations Officer!"
Her faith in her own skills was arrogant and dangerous for someone like her. He wouldn't deny that she was smart or had the ability to learn so much more. He allowed her to finish that wave of anger and work towards hanging herself. He nodded to her as he pulled his boots out, "so you think you will wast away here Ensign?" he said moving back and taking a seat on the bench. He pulled his boots on one at a time as he watched her from the corner of his eye. His voice now was almost right back to its normal levels. He watched her get angry and could see her struggle to control herself. He had achieved what he wanted in working her up, now he wanted to see what she would do with that anger. He was disappointed that she choose to run back to Starfleet Research instead of embracing the possibilities of the unknown. Had he misjudged her drive or maybe he had misjudged what that post in Pathfinder meant to her.
Then again, maybe he misjudged what she desired from life. But in her last question, there was hope. He rose up once more and towered over her. Sure the actual size difference wasn't that much between the two. But what made him seem so much larger than her was that sense of presence that he could summon up and command. A gift that took years to prefect and could be used in situations just like this to rob others of their own confidence. He drew in a deep breath before he spoke as he locked his light blue eyes in to her own. "Ensign" he said commanding her attention, "No matter what happens tomorrow or the next week or when ever, I shall always stand and lead" he said. It wasn't completely a lie. He knew that this time next week his life would completely be changed. The
Thunderchild and its mission would be a memory for him as he wanted to take this life in a new direction. But for the moment no one needed to know of his plans. No one, let alone this little Ensign.
"But" he added waving his finger between them, "what will make the difference is how far are you willing to take this path. I won't lie, the path you are on now is much more dangerous. You might not even survive it. But each day, you will live your life to the fullest" he said remembering another young pilot that stood before him just like this Ensign is right now. Scarred of continuing as a combat pilot, scarred of what the next battle will bring. "Pathfinder is a noble project. I will never take this away from them. I have met Barclay before. You give him far too little credit. The man is smart. Hell smarter then me at least. But you are a rare type of person, Skytower" he said using her last name. He had respected for this woman and this was a meeting between Commander and Ensign. Nothing about this was personal. "One who will never know her fullest potential living in some else's shadow" he stepped forward once more.
Now he was so close that he could feel her breath raising up to greet his own. She had strength to survive this path, he knew she did. But did she have to person courage to face this. This is what he didn't know. "I will keep my word. If you truly desire to go back I will take you back, personally. But trust me in this. At Pathfinder you will waste away under the shadows of those around you." He stepped back from her as he realized that he was just a bit too close to her for his own comfort. He turned as he started to walk down the racks, "Computer End Program" he said loudly.
On that moment, the entire locker room and showers vanished revealing the single largest secret of the flight deck. This entire space was actually a holodeck. Not like any other holodeck that Skytower had seen before. This one was different in design and she could tell that the operations of this holodeck was also not the same as a normal holodeck. She knew this ship and also knew that this holodeck was not in the plans of the ship or listed within the directory. "Computer, load and run Flight Operations Briefing Room. Upload the current training objectives for Stardate 53840." Right before her eyes, the room changed to a large briefing room. The entire area was lined with chairs. Skytower knew that space on this ship was a premium, but she never imaged that they would have converted part of the ship in to holodeck and use it like this. But the idea of this actually made sense. Along the walls around her were maps of the local space as the entire upcoming training for tomorrow morning.
However what seemed to have gotten them both was the sounds of a pair of beings in a lovers embrace. Commander Bonham turned just as Ensign Skytower did to see a holographic Commander Bonham and Lieutenant Kinchlirah. The pair were locked in a lovers kiss and with sounds matching the scene. Commander Bonham let out a cry, "PANDER!" he snapped so loud that it took Ensign Skytower by surprise and caused her to leap a bit. "Computer delete the characters within this program" he commanded and on that the two lovers vanished. As quickly as his anger rose, it was gone as he stood there and shook his head as a smile crossed his lips.
He shook his head once more and turned to face her, "Ensign, what matters now is not what I am willing to do. But how far you are willing to explore your life. What you are really capable of. This is what the path that I offer, will show you. Not Pathfinder. So tell me Ensign. Which path will you take?"
A Run In with the Devil
