“And you’re sure that Thames Station can make the necessary modifications?”

With only two people in her office, Tikva felt the vastness of the space. More so than when she was just by herself. Then she at least had the excuse of work to help ignore the room. And she couldn’t quite figure out why she was able to ignore it around Stirling or Macha.

Or Adelinde.

But with anyone else, the roomy office just felt massive. It was nearly as big as her quarters were back on Atlantis. Bigger than her quarters on any command prior. And a few of her junior officer quarters put together!

“With appropriate supervision,” Ana Black reassured her. Slightly taller than Tikva herself, at least at this point of the day, she was on her feet, having been pacing slightly while Tikva had read the proposal Ana had delivered, in person, to her. The pacing hadn’t stopped as she continued. “Honestly, I just want to use one of their slipways, but I don’t see any reason we can’t rope their engineering teams into doing a good portion of the grunt work.”

“I’m sure they’ll appreciate that,” she quipped as she reread the last part of the proposal once again. They’d been facing having to continue on to the Providence Shipyards, or at least Canopus would have to, while the rest of the squadron continued to assemble at Kyban before continuing out to the Shackleton Expanse. All in order to make a simple modification to the ship.

Though what Engineering called simple and what everyone else called simple were often two very different matters.

One last review led to a firm press of her thumb on the padd, signing off on the work order. “Call Commander Sadovu on Republic and get her input on who to talk to around here. She’s the closest we have to a Kyban expert.”

“The Orion knowing the shady people to talk to, how surprising.” Ana shrunk back at Tikva’s glare, holding up hands in surrender. “That wasn’t very polite of me; I get that.”

“She spent years operating out of here; I’m sure she knows who in station operations to talk to, or who can at least point you in the right direction to expedite matters.” Proper chastisement given, she held the padd out for Ana to collect. “And please, just keep the horse trading to a minimum.”

As Ana left, a figure in the door had stepped aside to let her, before stepping inside in her wake. Tall, brunette, and practically an emotional vacuum resisting being read, there was no way to mistake Lieutenant Stirling Fightmaster for anyone else. He had stopped just inside the door, enough to let it close behind him. “Commodore.”

“Stirling!” Tikva was on her feet, around her desk and closing on her flag officer. “Nyx isn’t here, is it?”

She’d sent Stirling off on the Nyx, a chance to get some command experience, not entirely expecting Canopus’ little side trip to an alternate reality. Then Canopus had stayed at SB80 for a few days before crawling along the border to Kyban with Atlantis. With Stirling here, now, Nyx couldn’t be far.

“I caught a ride with Republic,” Stirling answered with a slight nod of his head. “Captain Sh’torar opted to remain in the Expanse and assist Captain Garland in forming the remaining elements of the squadron together and convoying out together.” And as a dutiful flag lieutenant, he then presented a padd. “Latest dispatch from Perseus confirms all ships have assembled at DS47 and will be departing tomorrow morning, our time, to cross the Badlands and make their way to DS9.”

“What’s the hold up?” Tikva asked, accepting the padd and giving it barely a glance. Enough to say she’d seen it, just not absorbed it.

“Four freighters and a civilian liner were assembling to convoy across the Badlands. Captain Garland opted to assist TF47 by taking over the escort duties. Especially in light of some recent increases in New Maquis activity across the region.”

“Those guys,” Tikva said with disdain, shaking her head before she waved Stirling at one of the seats by her desk, patting him on the arm as she went back to her own seat, the padd tossed on the desk to be properly read over later. “That’s going to be one hell of an escort for those freighters, though.”

“Especially since Captain Garland intends to repeat her last transit across the Badlands,” Stirling informed her. More details from the report he’d delivered. “Perseus, Sundiver and Galatine will be playing the part of additional bulk freighters while the other ships will be playing escort. Should the New Maquis attempt anything, they won’t enjoy the experience.”

“No, I don’t think they will,” Tikva replied as she sat down. “It’s good to have you back, Stirling. I’ve got a few changes I want to make around here, nothing major,” she reassured. “But there’s going to be a not inconsiderable amount of paperwork to go along with it.”

“Redeploying an entire squadron to the Shackleton Expanse was always going to be a paperwork intensive job, Commodore.”

“Yeah, about that. First things first, we’re going to have to update some of the letterheads around here. Canopus Exploratory Flotilla.” She smiled broadly, enjoying the revelation and, most importantly, the slight raising of Stirling’s eyebrow.

Then Stirling sighed. Actually, honestly, sighed. “I owe Lieutenant Miller a drink.”

That was honestly surprising. She’d never picked up on Stirling and Caleb associating at all, even professionally. But clearly they had, if bets were being made. And bets over drinks as well.

This ship is too damn big!

How are we supposed to know who and what is going on at all times?

Well, we don’t have Rrr as a gossip to learn all and tell us; that’s what!

“I see,” Tikva said after a moment. “And may I ask who is running the betting pool on my relationship with Commander Gantzmann?” Bets on something as lowly as unit structure implied there would be other matters being bet on.

Stirling didn’t even blink. He also didn’t try to deny it either. “That would be Commander Sadovu,” he answered truthfully and immediately. Then he squinted ever so slightly at her. “Why?”

“I might have some insider knowledge for you, if you make it worth my while,” she teased her flag lieutenant.

Again, he sighed. Even more so defeated than before. “I will perform in the next talent show,” he said, resigned to the fate.

“Oh, you were going to be doing that anyway, Stirling. W’a’le’ki was going to drag you on stage, and you know it.” Tikva’s grin grew wider. “Find the single best restaurant on all of Kyban and get me a booking for two.”

“And for that, what information do I get in return?” he asked.

She didn’t answer immediately, just grinned some more, chin tilting up ever so slightly as she enjoyed the moment.

Stirling, who had never failed to impress with his reading of situations and people, finally arrived at the logical conclusion.

“Oh,” he said finally. “Congratulations.”