> He smiled wide and bold. "Thank you Admiral Kitanya. Thank you very
>much. I only hope that I can live up to your standards. I am truely
>honored, sir." he finally said, still in a bit of shock.
>
> "I guess we need to talk about another Admiral in the area soon too,..."
"Don't worrrry about him," she replied. "It's been taken carrre of."
He simply gave her a sly smile. Not that onyone else in the audience
would have necessarily caught it, and certainly not it's hidden meaning.
Afterall, the existing and new admirals were speaking amoungst themselves...
She turned back toward the audience. "Well, usually, back on Earrrth, we
would have a band play, but that's something forrr desk sitterrrs and
pencil pusherrrs. Forrr those of us who worrrk forrr a living, being
amongst the finest warrrriorrs in the galaxy is the highest prrrivilege and
honorrr any commanding officerrr could everrr have."
There was a hardy 'here, here' like response from the klingon and SF Spec
Ops folks. The others in attendance just smiled and clapped, mostly at the
referense at the reference to beings work for a living.
She looked over to Black. "Yourrr turrrn," she said, clapping along with
the crowd as she stepped back and let him take over. These were his
people, after all.
Black stepp[ed up to the podium. He gave the room it's first good look as
an admiral before he began.
"Talk about surprises." he started, the crowd giving in to a few good
chuckles. "First I get promoted to Rear Admiral, then I get as a command
this motley crew..... Good lord, I must be living right." he said smiling
wide for his new troops. "To keep in the spirit of what Admiral Kitanya
said earlier, about us working folk, I will keep this short."
A cat call from the back, "This would be a first."
Black answered, "No, I mean it this time.... Thank you Admiral Kitanya for
this honor, I will make you proud, but not as proud as this fine task force
will.
Let's get back to work. We have an ememy to outwit."
Snellings was in the back seething, and his staff were starting to plot
revenge.
The others in the room were very happy. Happy that a real leader would be
in command. Happy that the ceremony was over. Happy for Captain, err, Rear
Admiral John Cook Black.
{anything else Jules...}
