Freebasing - [open]

[gold_ambition]

James had arrived late last night, met Ensign Landon, and found the bar. It was a good start so far, but it really didn't bode well for his time here. There was little to look forward to, other than Tina: nothing much happened on a starbase, and he was going to be forced to continue his "treatment." He could start up classes. Get a job doing...

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[commodore_69]

Tandy caught sight of the newest arrival exploring the base when she went to refresh her cup of coffee. She had some work to do, but it wasn't work she particularly wanted to do. Now would be an excellent time to stop and say hello.

"Captain James Kirk, isn't it?" she asked, approaching him. "I'm Commodore Tandy Otrona, in command here."

[gold_ambition]

James, it must be said, smirked. If he was admitting that he was being mistaken for Jim, he'd have said that was delicious. As it was, he firmly held the belief that he was the real Captain James Kirk anyway. It was just nice that someone recognized it.

"Commodore," he said, saluting in the not-evil way. He didn't see many people give it, but he thought it was a nice touch. "I wasn't expecting a personal greeting."

She looked damned informal, with that cup of coffee.

[commodore_69]

He was a Captain James Kirk, anyway.

"It's a small station. At the moment, anyway." Tandy extended her hand for a shake. "It would be rude not to say hello. Though I'd do it even if that wasn't the case."

[gold_ambition]

He shook her hand. These people were lax--it made him hope there was some mayhem to get up to, to take advantage of it.

"The pleasure is mine, sir," he said. "I hear it's pretty new. Congratulations."

[commodore_69]

"So new the paint isn't even on yet, much less dry," Tandy joked. Well, not entirely joked. There actually was a lot of painting still to be done. "I hope you've found everything reasonably comfortable so far, even so. You met one of my security detail when you arrived, right? Did she show you around?"

[gold_ambition]

"She showed me the bar," James divulged honestly. "I have no complaints as to the accommodations, Commodore."

Creeping boredom, on the other hand...

[commodore_69]

Tandy raised her eyebrows. "It sounds like there's a 'but' coming."

[gold_ambition]

James raised his. She wasn't being commanderly at all, though James suspected she was more than capable of it. It was confusing. "Starfleet's been more than generous," he said. "But what I haven't been told is whether there have been any provisions made for what we're to do while we're here." They were, in effect, merely being shuttled from one holding pen to another.

[commodore_69]

They were very near one of the rec rooms. "Why don't we sit for a little while," Tandy suggested, leading the way. "And talk about it."

She perched herself on the edge of an easy chair and sipped at her coffee, waiting until James had gotten comfortable before she spoke again.

"It's a new station, as you observed, and still expanding. There are lots of potential opportunities for people seeking employment. Have you given any thought to that?"

[gold_ambition]

Didn't she have anything better to do? James sat, purposefully relaxing.

"I have a record," he said, almost taunting her with the note of pride. Ridiculous as his record was.

[commodore_69]

She did, depending on the definition of "better." But it was boring. And this was work-like enough that she could quiet her conscience.

"So? That might be a problem if you decide you want to enlist in our Starfleet, but it's not necessarily a barrier to work in the private sector."

[gold_ambition]

James snorted. The day he enlisted... But there was a curiosity in his expression he could not hide. "And there's a thriving private sector, on this base?" he asked.

[commodore_69]

"What you see on this base is what there is - right now. But we're not even a quarter of our projected size, and we're going to need civilian workers of many kinds long before we've reached that point. I don't see any reason why displaced persons couldn't find meaningful employment here, if they want to."

She sipped her coffee again. "You probably won't be able to find something to do that mirrors your old life very closely, I'm afraid, but you must have other skills and interests."

[gold_ambition]

James had a sudden vision of himself as a construction worker. Or janitor. And shuddered.

"I taught a class, at the colony," he said. "Hand-to-hand--some of your people aren't too good with the practical application." He paused, thinking. "I'm also good at baby showers."

[commodore_69]

Tandy laughed. "Well, while we do have several families on the station, I'm pretty sure that the hand-to-hand would be more likely to keep you busy on a regular basis. What would you be interested in doing, there? A part-time job sort of thing, with regular class times in our facilities? Or renting a storefront space and setting up a full-on small business?"

[gold_ambition]

James watched her, slightly skeptical. It couldn't be this easy.

"I'm not exactly solvent," he hazarded. And then he bit the bullet. "Do you know where I'm from?"