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Posted on Fri Sep 16th, 2011 @ 5:18pm by Commodore Leon `Lee` Pike & Lieutenant Colonel Sosuke Ishihara

714 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Mission 76 - Home comings
Location: USS Saratoga
Timeline: On the way to Earth

Lee was siting in his ready room going over the report of what had happen on Talos IV when they retrieved Commodore Chris Pike's remains. Lee finalized it then sent the report off to Admiral Bremer.

Lee tapped his badge:"Pike to Ishihara."

Sosuke rose from a respectful bow. Around him were the four holographic combatants he'd been training with. Each was either unconscious or rolling around in too much pain to bother coming at him again. It had been quite the workout for the Colonel, as was evidenced by the sweat soaking into his kimono and his heavy breathing, but in the end he'd beaten the simulation thoroughly. "Computer, end program." he said, causing the rolling hills and mountains to shimmer away into the plain grid of the holodeck program. He then reached into the folds of his robe and pulled his comm badge out, holding it in the palm of his hand. He tapped it with his thumb before answering. "Ishihara here, Colonel. Go ahead."

"Please report to my ready room."

"On my way, sir." Sosuke replied. It didn't take him long to change back into his Starfleet Marine duty uniform and briefly wash his face, so he arrived on the bridge again within minutes looking professionally presentable. He adjusted the hem of his uniform shirt and then pressed the ready room's door chime.

Lee looked up from his data padd:"Enter"

The doors opened and the Wing Commander stepped through. "You wanted to see me, sir?" he asked.

Lee motioned towards the nearest chair:"Please have a seat, Colonel."

Sosuke nodded and pulled up the chair across from the CO's desk. He sat with his spine straight, without touching the actual back of the chair.

Lee put down the data padd then sat forward a bit in his chair steepling his fingers together:"I have a feeling that you are kinda iffy about me as being the Marine Commander since I was a Fleeter before."

"Sir, my reservations, if any, would be of a personal nature and would not affect my performance in my duties, sir." the Lt. Colonel replied. He wondered how Pike had learned of any such reservations, since he hadn't discussed them with anyone, never voiced them aloud. Perhaps Pike's part Betazoid heritage had tipped him off to Ishihara's emotions, though Sosuke tried to school his thoughts in preparation for just such an event. "Have I not performed my duties to your satisfaction, sir?"

Lee nodded:"No your performance has been more then satisfactory Colonel."

"Then forgive me, but what is this about?"

Lee shrugged:"I just want to get everything out in the open between us as much as possible Colonel."

"Permission to speak freely, sir." Sosuke said, as he couldn't answer any more of Pike's questions without possibly offending a senior officer.

Lee nodded:"Permission granted, Colonel."

"I'd rather you stopped trying to make friends. I'm here to do my job, and that should be enough. What I think of you doesn't matter as long as you do your job as well. If you lead these Marines well and don't get any of them killed then they'll like you and respect you, Fleetie or not. All that's left is to see what kind of job you can do and whether you can do it in the mud or in sweaty, cramped boxes like the rest of us grunts instead of in cushioned chairs with a cup of tea." Colonel Ishihara said flatly. It was obvious that Pike's concerns could only be remedied by time and effort when it came to the Wing Commander.

Lee nodded:"You have a good point there Colonel and I do plan on leading the Marines well and not getting them killed. I also plan on being in the thick of things with the rest of the Marines."

"Don't bother telling me that, Pike. I don't care about what you plan on, only what you do, so we'll just see what happens." Sosuke said. "Now," he straightened up, "may I be excused, sir, or was there something else you needed?"

Lee nodded:"No that was all Colonel. You are excused."

Lee went back to looking over his speach he would be giving at the funeral of Commadore Chris Pike as Ishihara left.

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