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<TITLE>[FO & Gxy] 2 Apr 2063 :: Admiral Garroway's Offices, Earth :: "I Accept Command. I stand relieved." :: JL :: Admiral Thomas Garroway & Admiral Adrienne Sheppard </TITLE>
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[FO & Gxy] 2 Apr 2163 :: Starfleet HQ, Earth :: "I accept command. I stand relieved." :: JL :: Admiral Thomas Garroway & Admiral Adrienne Sheppard <BR>
<BR>
<BR>
// Admiral Garroway’s Offices //<BR>
<BR>
Commodore Adrienne Sheppard stepped into the carpeted offices of the<BR>
Fleet Command Suite. One of Admiral Garroway’s Staff Aides greeted her<BR>
from the reception station.<BR>
<BR>
“Good morning, Commodore. I think the Admiral is available. Can I offer<BR>
you something to drink?” asked Lt Rhonda Severson.<BR>
<BR>
“Hot tea would be wonderful Lieutenant. Thank you,” replied Adrienne.<BR>
<BR>
As the Aide stood to get the tea, she also tapped the comm on her desk,<BR>
notifying Admiral Garroway that his next appointment awaited him in the<BR>
Suite lobby.<BR>
<BR>
Severson handed Sheppard the cup of tea just as the doors to the inner<BR>
office swished open, revealing the weathered, but still handsome Admiral<BR>
Thomas Garroway.<BR>
<BR>
"Adrienne," Garroway smiled. "Come in, have a seat. We've got a few<BR>
things to discuss today. A quick meeting, hopefully, but an important one."<BR>
<BR>
The door closed silently behind the dark haired woman and she took one<BR>
of the seats Garroway offered. It was not that unusual for the Admiral<BR>
and she to converse. He was a fine leader, and an excellent mentor for<BR>
the Commodore. Still, being called to his office without a previously<BR>
announced agenda was curious, and she took a bit of a nervous sip from<BR>
her cup before setting it on her knee, taking comfort in the warmth of<BR>
the mug and the tea. "Welcome back, Admiral. Capt Henry show you a nice<BR>
cruise back from Forrest?"<BR>
<BR>
"Of course," Garroway chuffed, "no one wants to be the one that didn't<BR>
give the admiral the softest pillows they could find. Kind of annoying,<BR>
really. Anyway, let's get down to business."<BR>
<BR>
As if on cue, Severson appeared with a cup of hot tea for Garroway.<BR>
<BR>
"Certainly,” Adrienne agreed. “My aide did not mention any specific agenda. I brought a PADD, but mainly to take notes.” <BR>
<BR>
"Well, Adrienne," he started, "I've been at this job a long time.<BR>
Twelve years, give or take, and I'm winding down. In fact, that last<BR>
mission on Forrest sealed it for me. I've got loved ones that I need to<BR>
be here for, and be closer to. I can't do that as Starfleet Commander."<BR>
<BR>
Adrienne stared at him, their blue eyes almost matching in color. She<BR>
was silent for the moment, pondering the various implications of his<BR>
frank declaration. She felt scared. She /did not/ want to loose her<BR>
mentor and commander. Her immediate reasoning was entirely selfish. They<BR>
worked so well together and as far as she was concerned, no one in line<BR>
to be his successor would be anywhere near the kind of leader, and<BR>
counselor he had been to her in her position as Fleet Operations<BR>
Officer. "Okay," she said slowly. "How can we make it more tolerable for<BR>
you."<BR>
<BR>
"Take command of Starfleet," Garroway shrugged. "I'm going to be<BR>
stepping down, moving into a position where I can still do some good,<BR>
but not have to be on call twenty-four-seven. Suzy did it when I<BR>
stepped up to take her place, and she's loved every minute of it. And I<BR>
don't want Vicky to grow up without me, so I'm going to fill my free<BR>
time with being a dad. I've given Starfleet some of the best years of<BR>
my life. Now I want to give that to my family. Hell," he chuckled,<BR>
"maybe Suzy and I will have time to get married, now. Who knows?"<BR>
<BR>
Adrienne was choking back her disbelief. She had assumed he was joking<BR>
when he uttered "take command", but as he continued to speak, she became<BR>
aware he was quite serious about stepping down. She laughed with him<BR>
about the 'time to get married' quip, but her mind was not on wedding<BR>
bells. "Admiral, I know you're serious," she said honestly. "Maybe you<BR>
should give the trip to Forrest a little time to rest in your head<BR>
before you make this kind of decision."<BR>
<BR>
"The decision is made," Garroway said. He shook his head. "The War has<BR>
had plenty of time to settle with me, and Forrest just drove it home. I<BR>
keep thinking of my time on Meridian, and how nothing is the same<BR>
anymore. Everything keeps changing, Adrienne. Everything except me. I<BR>
realized that on New Darwin when a good friend asked me why I kept<BR>
leaving Starfleet. I love the 'Fleet, which is why I kept coming back,<BR>
but maybe it's time /I/ changed. I'm not leaving Starfleet, this time,<BR>
just changing /with/ it. And I need you to take over for me."<BR>
<BR>
"I hope I'm ready," said Sheppard, as much to herself as to the Admiral.<BR>
"I guess you never know do you? You just strike out there and tread<BR>
water 'til you take that first stroke forward. I do know how to tread<BR>
water," she chuckled. "How do we do this deed?<BR>
<BR>
Garroway nodded, "Just a few signatures and it's done. I'll go to Vice<BR>
Admiral and slip into an advisory role, and you'll be promoted to the<BR>
rank befitting your new station. Admiral Sheppard." He held out his<BR>
hand to shake.<BR>
<BR>
The new Admiral looked at Garroway's hand a bit skeptically, before<BR>
accepting the shake and moving her eyes to his. "Admiral, you have a <BR>
sneaky way of getting your way. Thank you ...I think," she smiled. "At <BR>
least I know where to find you."<BR>
<BR>
Garroway smiled while shook. "Never let them see you coming, Adrienne," <BR>
he replied. "And if you think you had trouble finding me /before/, just <BR>
wait until the paperwork gets filed."<BR>
<BR>
"Don't forget, I'm good friends with Suzy too," she replied with a wink. <BR>
<BR>
-----<BR>
Admiral Adrienne Sheppard <BR>
Starfleet Commander <BR>
The First Era <BR>
&<BR>
VAdm Garroway, Thomas R.<BR>
Starfleet Advisor<BR>
The First Era<BR>
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