Like most any starbase in the Federation, Starbase 11 possessed an active and thriving Promenade where both Starfleet officers and civilians milled about in a seemingly endless flow of bodies. Shops of every kind dotted the cavernous space that spanned a full three decks high, accommodating not just buildings but tall trees and meandering parks that gave the place a terrestrial feel in the void of space. Many of the businesses about the station had existed since the commissioning of the second station to bear the designation was built, giving the Promenade a historic feel to it that added to its charm and atmosphere.

One such historical establishment was the Emberlight Café and Grill, a cozy eatery that had evolved from a small mess hall into a sprawling restaurant with a quaint outdoor patio that had a commanding view of M-11 thanks to the large transparent aluminum panels that sat only a half-dozen meters away. The interior of the structure was no less inviting, with warm lighting bathing the rustic looking tables and chairs, making occupants feel welcomed the minute they walked in.

A pair of Lieutenant Commanders sat at one of the many tables inside the café, large porcelain mugs flanking them as they chatted together while waiting for their food. With how frequently they came to Ember’s, the staff didn’t even need to ask what they wanted anymore. The pair could just grab a seat and eventually their favorite dishes would arrive. It was that sort of personable service that brought just about every customer back.

“So,” Vernon Reid said from a reclined position, “What do you think of the new Commander?”

Jakrel Holv sipped at the mug of freshly brewed coffee he’d been provided as he took a moment to let the question marinate in his mind, “She certainly is… different.”

Vernon chuckled, “That certainly was an evasion.”

“What do you want me to say?” the Bolian asked with a slight frown, “I can tell she’s a good logistician just by the way she moved from topic to topic and didn’t allow details to escape her. She was probably in Ops before she moved up to Command. But aside from that, I can’t really tell… She’s guarded, almost unnaturally so. Even our former Captain wasn’t so stuffy as to flat out refuse a hug.”

“To be fair, you did just sort of ambush him with it. I’m pretty sure his options were to let it happen, or try to fight you off. And you and I both know that image was everything to that one…” Reid said with a snort.

Jakrin shrugged, “I admit that I didn’t let him see it coming like I did with Commander Novak, but in my defense, we first met in a corridor. Location is everything.”

“I’ll give you that,” Vernon conceded before waving his hand dismissively, “But enough about him… seriously, what do you think of Novak? Do you imagine we’re in for another tour of rigid micromanagement? Do we dare hope that her not wanting to be hugged is the worst we’ll have to deal with? Because I’d be more than happy to never let anyone get near enough to try if it means we can finally relax around here.”

“Can you really promise that with Tessa on the station?” Holv smirked teasingly before letting out a small sigh, “I really do think it’s too early to say. She doesn’t seem like a micromanager, but she does appear to like structure. That could still play in our favor if that structure simply means that as long as the reports get filled on time, and are detailed enough to keep her happy…”

Jakrin paused as he noticed a flash of color enter his peripheral vision. A moment later, lithe but firm arms wrapped themselves around him in a tight and affection-filled hug. The Bolian’s face blossomed into a smile of recognition, his much thicker arm curling around the person who had just squeezed him.

“Tessa,” Jakrin said with a chuckle, “We were just talking about you!”

“Nothing but good things, I hope,” the woman said with a wink before letting the Bolian go to circle the table and give her husband a hug of his own, “Hello, dear. You’re here a little earlier than I expected.”

“The meeting didn’t run as long as I thought,” Vernon explained before giving his wife a brief peck on the cheek.

“Well that’s good,” Tessa said as she pulled a chair out from under the table to sit down, “So tell me, what’s this new Commander like?”

“Funny you should ask,” Holv said with a mischievous smile, “Your husband and I were just talking about that very thing. He was just about to regale me with his opinion when you stopped by. Well, Vernon… we’re all awaiting your input with bated breath.”

Tessa turned her soft brown eyes toward her husband, expectation and excitement plain across her face. Vernon shot the Bolian a quick glare before using his own coffee as an excuse to gather his thoughts for a brief second. When he finally set the mug down, he reached over and took Tessa by the hand affectionately.

“You know how Jak loves a good hug?” Reid began in a tone than spoke volumes about how futile he actually thought his next words would be, “Commander Novak is the opposite of that.”

“Oh?” Tessa cocked her head to the side momentarily before shrugging, “That’s fine. I’m sure after one or two really good ones, she’ll come around.”

Jak mouthed a smug ‘told you’ with a dastardly smile. Vernon rolled his eyes at his long-time friend, already resigned to the tongue-lashing her antics would no doubt earn him later.

“I’m sure she will…” Vernon muttered in a defeated tone.

“So what else?” Tessa said, ignoring her husband’s humdrum utterance.

“She likes efficiency,” Vernon remarked, “And has so far been at least open to suggestions.”

Tessa gave her husband’s hand a firm squeeze, “See, I told you if you just kept your chin up, things would get better. She seems so much better than the last one already.”

“If only we could harness her optimism somehow,” Holv chuckled. The Bolian’s smile suddenly slipped as his eyes moved toward the entrance. His shift in demeanor drew Reid’s curiosity and prompted him to turn around to see what was so shocking.

“Is it a holiday?” Vernon asked, stunned.

The figure standing in the door, one hand on her hip and a frown affixed to her lips, was that of Lieutenant Vahna Drae. Her status as the only Orion on the station was not what drew anyone’s attention, it was the fact that she was on the Promenade during the duty day that had everyone flabbergasted. Her obsidian eyes flitted across the room, landing first on Holv, then on the Reids. Vahna’s hand slid off her hip and she moved as if a storm was propelling her forward. Without so much as a word of greeting, she threw herself into the empty chair beside Jakrin and folded her arms grumpily across her chest.

“Do you have any coffee blacker than the void?” Vahna looked pointedly over toward Tessa.

Tessa tapped her finger on her lower lip for a moment, “I don’t think I can get it that dark. Or were you just looking for it to be strong?”

“I want it so strong it would give Commander Holv here a stomach ache,” the Orion clarified.

“Now that is a culinary challenge,” Tessa said with a playful smile, “Let me see what I can do.”

“You’re the best, Tess,” Drae flashed a thin but warm smile at the woman as she rose to go concoct whatever it was she had in mind.

“What brings you down from Flight Ops… at all?” Reid asked after deciding that ‘this early’ didn’t quite encapsulate the event he was witnessing.

“Loaders are finally being fixed, which means nothing is coming in or going out for the next two hours. Figured I’d come down here and grab breakfast that wasn’t replicated for once. Or is this a boy’s only club?”

“You’re welcome to join us,” Jakrin said with a smile, “It’s rare enough that we see you anywhere but the conference room. Why would we send you away?”

“I dunno…” the Orion shrugged, “Maybe you’re talking about boring stuff… personnel actions or meetings… or paperwork. Stuff I don’t want to get dragged into.”

“As it just so happens,” Holv announced dramatically, “We were talking about none of those things. Instead, we were discussing our new Commander. And Mister Reid here still hasn’t provided the unvarnished opinion he’s been hounding me for this whole time.”

“Oh yeah, we did get a new boss, didn’t we?” Vahna said in a tone that suggested she had actually forgotten, “What’s this one like? Another hard-ass?”

“I wouldn’t label her as a hard-ass, no. Calculating, maybe. Efficiency-minded, sure. But I haven’t gotten the ‘I have to prove to everyone how much better I am’ feeling from her so far. She is a little stand-offish though. Even managed to keep Holv from hugging her,” Vernon explained.

“Damn…” Drae said, obviously impressed, “She avoided getting crushed by the blue ball of optimism? I like this one already.”

“Let’s just hope we can all say that after the first big department head meeting… which was pushed back, by the way. I forgot to mention that since you weren’t in the room when she said it, Jak,” Vernon said, turning to the Bolian.

“Not onboard a day and is already pushing meetings back?” the Bolian said in feigned surprise, “Almost unthinkable!”

“It’s not so strange when you add context to it. She’s waiting for our new department heads to show up. She wants to hit us all at once. You know… efficiency,” Reid chuckled.

“Better than the last one… meetings about the meetings we’re having meetings about,” Vahna rolled her eyes.

A pungent aroma drifted toward the table, alerting those gathered that Tessa was on her way back with whatever culinary masterpiece or nightmare she’d managed to dream up to suit the Orion’s request. She set the mug down gracefully in front of Vahna, taking a few steps back as if to admire her own handiwork with a triumphant grin.

“I think that will be a close approximation to ‘black as the void’,” the woman teased with a wink before disappearing back into the kitchen.

“You might want to be ready to call for a medical team if this goes south…” Vernon looked over to the Bolian who was eyeballing the Orion with more skepticism than he’d ever witnessed the man exude before.

Vahna picked up the cup and took a sip, her eyes rolling backward in what was either pure delight or the onset of some sort of septic shock. A few silent seconds later, the mug was back on the table and the Orion looked as if she’d gone to some far away paradise.

“Your wife really knows her stuff…” Drae let out a breath of satisfaction.

“I’m just glad I don’t have to dust off my nursing skills…” Reid grumbled as the tension left his body.