Commander Theodore Dance had spent most of the shuttle ride reclined in the co-pilot’s seat, sound asleep. Driving was Lieutenant Commander Davin O’Malley, one of Fourth Fleet’s most beloved career counselors. They had departed Starbase Bravo a little over two hours ago, and were on the final leg of their journey to dock on the Vallejo, which was out touring the Mellstoxx system while awaiting supplies and new orders.

Davin reached over and nudged his sleeping passenger on the shoulder. Commander Dance awoke, stretching both arms and legs outward in a star shape as far as they would go, and letting out a tired yawn. His ligaments and diaphragm sufficiently loosened up, he sat up in his seat and spun it to the side to face his driver.

“Not exactly the sight I prefer to wake up to.” Dance said, jokingly.

“No, I suppose not. But then again, a half-asleep officer isn’t a sight Captain Dupree is very fond of either. And-” Davin motioned forward out of the cockpit window, his finger and gaze directed towards the small silhouette of the Vallejo off in the distance. “-you’ll be on her clock soon.”

Theo turned to inspect the faint glowing speck of the Vallejo’s windows and nacelles off in the distance, before turning back and leaning a bit in towards Davin – as if a private conversation was about to start.

“So lay it on me, O’Malley. What exactly am I walking – or should I say docking – into here?”

The counselor smiled and considered his question for a moment. “Commander, when you came to my office a week ago, what was it you said to me?”

“I said ‘Life on a star base moves too slow. The most excitement we get is a power outage or a posh diplomatic summit.'”

“Exactly.” O’Malley grinned even wider. “And when I asked you where you saw yourself in five or even ten years from now, what else did you tell me?”

“I told you ‘The same place I see myself every day – plastered around corridor and cafeteria walls on posters for recruitment or events.’ And that I was tired of that view, and wanted to see something new.”

O’Malley glanced towards the commander, his face still alight with joy. “A few moments from now, this shuttle is going to dock onto the Vallejo, you’re going to step off of it, and then you’re gonna sell yourself to a woman who very well might have never paid a single poster attention in her career.” He continued on. “Speaking as a career counselor, I can say that Marian Dupree had jumped between and held more jobs and roles than any officer I have ever met and placed.”

“So she doesn’t know what she wants, even at the end of her career?”

“No.” Davin got a bit serious in expression and tone. “She always knew what she wanted. But then the day came where that end was right in front of her… and she turned tail and asked for a ship.”

“The Vallejo? A Cali?”

“That is what was available on such short notice. Even the weight of her dossier couldn’t swing her anything better.”

“So how does this help me, then?”

O’Malley returned to his smile. “Because commander. A lot of people see an office and a desk as the end of their career. They work their whole lives to get there. But in some cases..”

“Cases like Captain Dupree’s?”

“Exactly, like hers. People realize they don’t want the desk and title. Not because it isn’t prestigious, because it is, but because it’s the end. And then it occurs to them what they truly wanted, what career and duty and the pursuit of success blinded them to. They wanted to go on forever.”

“And so me, and my career?”

“You figured it out early. You knew you’d wind up in some sort of communications directorate. Your career of being seen would end hiding away in an office.”

Theo thought on these words for a moment, turned them over in his head, considering them, before speaking again. “So I’m here to be seen?”

“Precisely! And not just be seen, but to see more of life and the galaxy for yourself!”

It was clear to Theo that this was his chance to be seen as so much more than just Star Fleet’s literal poster boy. To be seen as a capable officer, a leader, and explorer. He wouldn’t just be a face and a smile. He’d be a person.

“Thanks O’Malley. I’m going to freshen up in the back before we dock. Make sure my hair is impressive yet neat.” Dance said before standing up and heading to the cargo closet.

“That’s what old O’Malley does.” The counselor said quietly but proudly to himself, before returning his attention back to the controls.