Broader Horizons
Posted on Thu Jul 9th, 2026 @ 3:47pm by Lieutenant Colonel Cornelius Tremble & Ensign Millicent Ambrose
Edited on on Sat Jul 11th, 2026 @ 6:49am
2,658 words; about a 13 minute read
Mission:
Episode 18 - The Edge of Darkness
Location: After 11 - Deck 11 - USS Pioneer
Timeline: MD001 1200 hrs
Time had passed by a bit quickly, Shore leave came and went. There was time with Tyr and the band he had put together to play during the party at Commodore Malbrooke's Ranch. Millie loved being there. She and Tyr had a chance to walk around the property, and just enjoy the wide open space. And later on introducing Vura to what it was like, to ride on a motorcycle.
A reminder came to her PADD, Millie stared at the message, it was from Rommie, the lunch having been changed to--
"What?" Millie squeaked out, "I've got 20 minutes to get ready for a lunch with the XO!"
A quick clean up, and a change into a clean uniform, Millie picked up the crane she had made, for Tremble. She hustled to get to After 11. As she headed there Millie put her hair into a simple braid. Stepping in to After 11, her eyes glanced around. Her heart beating fast as she felt a bit nervous.
Neil sat on the lower level near the back corner at a small table where he could look out the windows but appeared approachable to the crew. More and more he was making a conscious effort to make sure the Fleet people felt they could come up and talk to him.
After eleven was always busy and lunch time was no exception as people bustled about, fitting in a change of pace and scenery from their work stations and crew's mess as they could. Of course, Chloe was a huge draw whenever she was working. But even so, the place still was busy, which also suited Neil as he didn't stand out quite as much.
He saw someone working their way through the crowd out of the corner of his eye and didn't really need the heads up from Rommie at Ensign Ambrose's approach. He did keep his grin to himself as she slowed slightly as she approached and he held up his mug. "A refill would be appreciated, thank you." Neil said, pretending the Ensign might be one of the Lounges workers.
Without thinking much about it, Millie went to the bar to where she ordered whatever drink the Colonel had previously then came back with the refill.
"Here you go, sir." Millie having a bit of a smile. "Oh I've got some items to give to you."
Pulling from a small pouch she had at her side, a red crane, a green one (color of the marines), then a shimmering gold. Each one she set upon the table.
Millie wished that she had already figured out how to do the paper that Rommie had created holographically for the lights within, but she'll get it figured out.
Millie shyly spoke mentioning what the colors meant. "The red crane is for: Love, Passion, power and strong fortune.
"Green is prosperity, healing and growth." she continued as she placed them upon the table. For her it was more of healing wishes for Tremble.
"The gold crane is for wealth, prosperity, and Celebratory. "
Millie had heard on the grapevine and it being on the Roster, the woman whom she had met when putting the other cranes on his door, her last name was now Tremble.
"Congratulations, sir on your recent nuptials." Millie hadn't taken a seat yet. She was smiling though.
Sighing, Neil watched the engineer as she returned he gestured her into the seat across from him, "Millie. I was kidding about the refill" he chided. "Thank. you for having lunch with me." Glancing at the cranes, he smiled and said, "Clever. I can see why you're such a gifted engineer with fine work like that."
Smiling at her, he said, "And thank you for the congratulations. I believe one of your cranes could have knocked me over when Jayna said yes right away."
Millie just beamed when she heard this. "I didn't mind getting you a drink, Colonel. I am also glad that your lovely lady didn't feel that I was making moves on you. I mean well, it is a little bit strange for someone to tape cranes upon your door. I just wanted to do something for you. After all, you took time to settle an ensign who was having a little bit of trouble."
Considering the Ensign, Neil said "Well, no use standing about. Have a seat Millie and we can whistle up lunch." This was more than a lunch of course. They were aboard a ship of the line. "You've been aboard for a couple of years, so I'm not sure I should ask how you're fitting in. You've become a valued member of the crew. Maybe a better question would be how you're finding Engineering now that we have a new Department Head."
Taking a seat across from Tremble, she thought over his question about engineering, "It's been two years already?"
Millie blinked, it didn't seem that she had been on the ship that long. Though she did seem to have gone through two other engineering chiefs.
"I am hoping that this one stays. It has been a bit disconcerting with the other two disappearing like they had. The previous one after Elen, I hadn't even been able to say hello. She just... disappeared after well the last mission."
Millie deciding to not mention the last mission with the Silence, she felt that she shouldn't say anything of it aloud.
"The Fleet is transient so some turnover is expected, but I do agree. Pioneer does seem to have some problems keeping Department Heads around. At least in some places. It speaks well to the gang in engineering though that the ship is hanging together without a DH to give direction. Any aspirations to be a DH yourself eventually?" Neil tapped a control and a holo-menu popped up, listing popular choices from the ships replicators that turned and displayed pictures of those popular items.
"Someday I would like to become one, and I think I can develop what is needed. " she smiled, "Connor and I made a pretty good team when it was needed, while the department heads had disappeared."
Millie paused to look at the menu, right now she was in the mood for a steak sandwich with mushrooms and cheese upon it. She made her choice with confidence along with a milkshake and fries.
Neil's food appeared without him needing to order. Today was a spinach salad with blue cheese dressing which paved the way for a hot turkey poutine plate with lots of black pepper. Lemonade came with it and he picked up a fork, eyeing the mess he said, "A good goal. What can we do to help get you there? Any specialized training you're interested in? And of course becoming a J.G. shouldn't be that far off, I'd think."
The words Lieutenant JG struck Millie rather strongly. It wasn't something she really hadn't thought of. There was the hope she'd want to raise ranks but it coming to the forefront.
At the moment, she just stared at Tremble, opening her mouth then just closing it, words weren't coming forth.
If someone who knew her, they could say that Tremble broke her. There wasn't anyone nearby to say such.
What broke the long moment or silence. Was a server bringing over their food.
After the plates had been placed, Neil glanced over the food and said, "This looks good. And breath Millie." He smiled slightly, "Advancement to J.G. is pretty much automatic. You're clever and smart. You have good performance evals. A path to Chief Engineer somewhere leads along a few paths."
A contemplative look appeared, Millie picking up her fork to start eating some of the mushroom which had fallen off the sandwich. She chewed slowly, then after she swallowed "What if I want to hold off becoming an ltjg for a time. Is that possible?" her fork, just balanced in her hand.
One of his eyebrows went up and Neil nodded. "There are a few reasons a promotion can be put off, but over the course of a career those can slow down things. People look at your jacket a few years down the line and see what they think is a promising, gifted young officer being held back on a flagship and begin wondering why? Why wouldn't you want to be promoted?"
Thinking over Neil's question Millie chewed on her lower lip. "It's the, am I ready for it, can I be one." she replied honestly.
"When i was in academy, I did hope that I could go up the ranks. I wasn't a person who was considered a hot shot in engineering. Though like others I did want to go up ranks. Then life changed, I well... hmmnnn..." She looked around at where they were seated, though it was more out of the way.
"I had gotten hit in the self confidence area. Someone I thought was important to me, before coming to the Pioneer, Shattered me."
She lay the fork down, and picked up her sandwich to take a bite. and chewed while Millie contemplated on what else to say.
"Since coming to the Pioneer, I do feel I am gaining even more confidence, I think." Millie said dryly.
" One thing helped though, Colonel. Was you. You taking the time to calm down an ensign who, well... had a terrible waking nightmare." Millie giving a quiet smile, at that memory which seemed so long ago.
"You're welcome," Neil said, seeing her remark was genuine and not a junior officer trying to blow smoke up his backside. "But I'll share a secret. Rank step from ensign to j.g. isn't a huge leap. You've already been leading in engineer. Without actually being told, you've been team leader on some assignments and kept engineering running between chiefs. That hasn't gone unnoticed."
Forking the last of his salad into his mouth, Neil chewed while he considered the young ensign.
Millie realized that Neil was looking at her, in a contemplative way, and she wondered about that.
She had a look of curiosity wondering what was going through his mind. A mental shrug, as her mind went to what he had said.
"You know, I hadn't thought in those lines, as what you had stated. I'm also all for learning more as time goes on. I mean that is the essence of life isn't it? Learn new skills, don't allow yourself to just sit and grow mushrooms on yourself." picking up the last mushroom that had escaped her sandwich, an amused look in her eyes as she realized what she had said.
"Like Pac Ladarian Fungal growths? Had that once after a month long deep recon insert on one of Kelphi Six moons," Neil said wryly. "Had one corporal get a mushroom trying to grow out of the corner of his eye. And they're hallucinogens if they get absorbed. He had a good time though. And you more or less just gave yourself another reason to think about the upcoming promotion. Some schools and things only open up if you've gotten certain milestones done. Like rank and time in grade."
A pause as she went over what she had said, then Milie gave out a little bit of a chuckle "I certainly did. I may have to step onto that path now, actually--"
She drew in a breath, "You know something Colonel, its not a may, its actually I'll do it." Millie looking him in the eye. determination there.
After chewing a fork full of the cheese and gravy coated fries, he gestured at her with an empty fork and said, "Good. I don't like my of officers resting on their backsides. I like to see them working toward improving themselves. That way when I spend capital to help them out, I don't think I'm wasting my time." He mused for a few moments and said, "Has Hunter mentioned we're going to be training a couple of engineers in the use of the MARVEL-EAS suits. Well, a version of them."
Her brow furrowing in confusion. "What are you talking about? I've not heard anything about that. I do know of the suits but, a version of the suits that engineers could use? That is very practical and I think would be necessary if well you need an engineer for um.. maneuvers" Millie picking up one of her fries and slowly munched on it.
"The thought that the Commodore had was that it would be advantageous to have more protection for a couple of engineers when environments would be too hazardous. Possible deployment with the Cure under special circumstances, but fairly rare. It generated from the mess on Wren. All of the suits took a beating and we didn't get them back into full readiness as soon as I or Ed would have liked. Having a dedicated Engineer or two to lend a hand would be a good thing, "Neil said as he speared more fries. "I intend for those suits to be built in-house, since the more tailored they are to the wearer, the better."
Having finished the fry she had been nibbling on, Millie raised an eyebrow, before picking up one and dipped it into her milkshake.
"That makes perfect sense, having something like the suits to fit whomever is chosen, there needs to be some sort of articulation at the joints to make sure there is the ease of movement. I am sorry, lets say that if I were to borrow a suit made for someone else it could be disastrous. And the suit wouldn't be able to match my movement. There isn't a one size fits all sort of thing, as far as I can figure." Millie popped her milk shake covered fry into her mouth.
"Trying to borrow a suit is hard to do anyway," Neil said "After certain incidents, Rommie is on predator mode in the morgue for unauthorized personnel. And if you manage to get that far and put on a suit that you're not keyed for...bad things happen." He made it an offhand comment, but Millie would also be good to get some rumors floating out among the crew. Though what he said was mostly true.
"And that makes sense about the extra protection. As for trying to get into the Morgue, without authorization nope, that isn't something I would be doing. Especially after all that, previous mess we had to deal with." She stuck her straw into her milkshake and stirred it up a bit more then taking a drink.
"I was wondering about the suits you had mentioned, would or could I be placed on the list of being able to work on the Marvel Suits? It all depends on if I clear the security check or not." Millie had a look of being intrigued where the suits were concerned.
"Ed and I left that up to your Department Head, Lieutenant Hunter. We briefed him to chose a pair of engineers for the extra training," Neil remarked as he his HUD flashed.
Rommie reminding him to eat and that he had a schedule.
Taking another bite of his fries he settled back to chew.
"I see" Millie responded, as a determined expression appeared in her eyes. The new engineering chief had told her, had opened the door for her go have a talk with him. Especially if she found something that he had missed or mayhap not said anything?
Right now, she was going to finish her food, then Millie was going to be going to have a talk with Hunter. This conversation, this lunch was certainly an eyeopener.
A joint post by:
Lieutenant Colonel Cornelius Tremble
Executive Officer, USS Pioneer
Battalion Commander, The Cure
Ensign Millicent Ambrose
Engineering Officer, USS Pioneer
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