Frisco pointed the fourth ensign to a biobed, “You’re going to dumbass corner #4.  Don’t speak. Don’t move.  And sure as hell, don’t think about anything other than how much of a stupid idea this was.  Nursing staff will get you patched up.  Repeat back to me what I told you.”

The red-faced ensign gulped, “I won’t ever sneak Romulan Ale on the side ever again.  Especially when two of my crewmates are allergic to it.”

“You’re damn right.  Go sit the hell down.”  She handed the PADD to her charge nurse, “Fix them, but make it slow and painful.  Stupidity needs a lasting lesson.”  She walked out of sickbay, headed towards a meeting with her CO.

It had felt a little like asking Frisco on a date. Which was to say that inviting the XO/CMO to join Captain Nassar at Odin’s Palace had been incredibly awkward because neither of them had terribly much time, and because Saffiya had too much interest in ruining the surprise and telling her what this was about.

When Frisco finally arrived – some sickbay emergency, apparently – Saffiya had already ordered the drink she knew the other woman enjoyed.

“Took you long enough.”, she smirked. “We’re on shore leave, how busy can sickbay possibly be?”

“You’ll have the detailed report in short order, but four ensigns decided that sneaking Romulan Ale was a good idea, especially when two of them were allergic, one deathly.  They’re all alive, but body and head are going to need some recovery work.  I’ve got nurses banging cymbals in tandem with treatment to help reinforce against them ever being this foolish again.”  She accepted the Shirley Temple, “Outside of that, sickbay is just fine.”  She turned her attention to Saffiya, “You?”

“I’m alive. It turns out Lieutenant Commander Lorra’s replacement is Lieutenant Commander Lorra. Ironic, isn’t it?”, Saffiya grimaced.

Sienna winced.  It seemed the Valkyrie’s recycling program continued.  “Second verse, same as the first?  Lorra’s a good engineer – we’re lucky to have ’em back.  I don’t know what the first thing about repairing an EPS conduit is, except to kick it.  Hard.”  She downed her drink and pushed it forward for a refill.

“And I have taken your recommendation and made Doctor Selara Chief Medical Officer. From now on you, are nothing but a mere Executive Officer.”

She accepted the refill and sipped this one slowly.  Shirley Temples were a great reset drink when you needed to shift your brain.  But they also had plenty of sugar.  Gotta take that slow.  “I for one am glad to be just an XO.  Leaves me so much more time in my day for working with department heads, mending forcefields between parties, and keeping things more on track.  As much as sickbay was my home for so long…I’m ready to start something new.”  She sipped at her drink, “Our little crew is growing up so fast.”

“Indeed. And there is someone else who has some growing to do.”, Saffiya said vaguely. “It feels a little wrong to have a Lieutenant be First Officer and superior to several Lieutenant Commanders.”

She waited, seeing if Frisco understood what she was getting at.

Frisco nearly spat out her drink, scowling at her CO.  “That was a close one.”  She put the cup back on the bar, “You’re serious.”  She turned in the bar stool, “I haven’t been a Lieutenant very long.”

“That’s a good thing, as far as I am concerned. You still made XO. Or are you that happy with your current rank?”

Sienna did a shrug, “I never got into Starfleet for the rank or the pomp of having a title.  I probably would have been happy at ensign for the rest of my life.”  She glanced at the bar and spotted the wooden case.  “You seem to believe in me, captain.”

“I do.” Saffiya nodded and opened the box, then hesitated. “There’s a caveat, though.”

Sienna eyed her CO.  What was she going to write in small print?  “Do tell.”

“I’m throwing a party. You are obligated to come. No exceptions.” Saffiya smirked. “Does that sound agreeable?”

Frisco grimaced. She wasn’t a party girl and yet she was now responsible for fully working with the senior staff and crew to keep the Valk running smoothly.  “As an old Earth movie says, you’re making me an offer I can’t refuse.  So, I accept.”  She finally cracked a smile, “I’ll be happy to have only one office to work from now.”  She downed the second Shirley Temple, “Here’s to the next adventure.”