The Dragon Lives Pt 2

Posted on Mon Jul 21, 2025 @ 1:37am by Lieutenant Annora Tessaro

690 words; about a 3 minute read

Mission: Time After Time
Location: Deck 472
Timeline: Day 3 1500 hrs

On:

As the holographic figure moved towards the back, Annora’s gaze swept over the main room. A long bar stretched along the right-hand wall, staffed by Sam Yao, Traxin, and a handful of other civilian employees. A row of booths lined the left, while clusters of tables and chairs filled the remaining space, leaving ample room to navigate. Behind the bar, a large display case showcased Starfleet, Marine, and MACO patches, mostly modern reproductions, but a few genuine. Above the case, two monitors rotated through historical and unit photos from Starfleet archives. The walls were decorated with replica recruiting posters and starship paintings spanning Starfleet’s 200-year history.
Soon, Traxin emerged from the game room, affectionately nicknamed The Spur in honor of Commander Ryan, the former Security Chief and XO with an affinity for the Ancient West. The former art gallery had been repurposed as an area for casual, off-duty recreation. A game cabinet stood in the middle, surrounded by four medium tables ready for various card or board games. Tucked into a corner, behind a low divider wall, were two compact bowling lanes and a pinball machine. At the other end, both a pool and dom-jot table sat, alongside a small holographic gaming table.

“What do you think?” Traxin beamed. “The rest of the staff are set to arrive shortly, and I have some of the good stuff being delivered for the ceremonial first drink. Other than that, I’d say we’re ready.”
It wasn’t a 100% authentic recreation, then again it wasn’t supposed to be. “I’d say we’re looking good,” Annora replied, then added, “Except for one thing.”

She turned towards the recessed nook just past the entrance, where a memorial had been set up for those lost in service. In the left front corner, a single round table stood, draped in white. An empty chair waited on its far side, facing an empty place setting: a plate for one, a folded black napkin beside the fork, and above it, a salt shaker and a lemon slice on a second plate. An upturned glass, a red rose in a vase with a matching ribbon, and a candle tied with a yellow ribbon occupied the center. In front sat a PADD, its screen displaying four simple words: ad astra per aspera.

Behind the table, a small black flag with a ghostly white delta hung, with "POW/MIA You Are Not Forgotten" encircling the logo. Below the flag, a digital display listed ships and personnel still missing in action. To the right of the table was an empty section of wall, between the Starfleet flag and another digital display. It was here that Annora placed the item she’d carried in: a rectangular plaque. “They fell in service to DS5. Gone but not forgotten,” it read. Beneath, names of station personnel who had died in the line of duty were listed alphabetically by last name, equal in death. The adjacent digital display could provide more information on any listed name.

After hanging the plaque, Annora stepped back, her gaze lingering on the names. Some were from before her time, many from the recent attack. Traxin nodded in approval. “It’s a nice addition. Let’s hope that list doesn’t grow anytime soon.”

Annora turned her gaze towards the bar. “That’s why we’re here, to keep the peace and prevent these lists from growing too long. But enough of that. This is a place of enjoyment, not a chapel. Looking forward to tonight’s opening. I’ll be back about half an hour before we open.”

On the way out, she passed a similarly sized plaque to the one in the hallway, this one offering a simple “Thanks for visiting. Stay safe.”
Annora allowed herself a small smile as the doors closed behind her. She was glad the Dragon would be open in time for the victory party, one she knew would ebb and flow as the various shifts cycled through. They still had a ways to go in recovering and rebuilding, but this was a significant step in the right direction.

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