Foundations of Stability

Posted on Mon Aug 18th, 2025 @ 12:27pm by Vice Admiral Sidra MacLaren & Vice Admiral Suzanna Blokpoel

1,157 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Second Light
Location: Starbase 369
Timeline: 242508.18

=/\= Starbase 369 – Fleet Administration Office =/\=

Vice Admiral Sidra MacLaren glanced up from the slate of fleet readiness reports as the door chime sounded. She rose, smoothing the front of her uniform with a practiced motion.

"Enter."

The doors parted to reveal Vice Admiral Suzanna Blokpoel, a figure Sidra had known of long before she'd ever served alongside her. The half-Vulcan carried the same poise Sidra remembered from her earliest years in uniform, back when Blokpoel already wore the rank of Fleet Captain and Sidra was a fresh-faced ensign.

Sidra offered a small, genuine smile. "Admiral Blokpoel. It's been far too long. Please, come in."

Blokpoel stepped forward with measured calm, her presence filling the office without effort. Sidra gestured toward the seating area, a deliberate acknowledgment of Blokpoel's seniority in years of command experience, even if they now shared equal rank.

"I was pleased to hear you'd be rejoining Epsilon," Sidra continued. "The fleet has a way of cycling us back when we least expect it. Your perspective and your science background will be more than welcome here."

She paused, studying the other woman with the quiet awareness of someone who had spent decades reading people. "We never had the chance to work closely together before. I hope this posting gives us the opportunity to remedy that."

Suzanna inclined her head in return greeting, a faint, hint of smile passed over her face, before it returned to its passive Vulcan expression. “Indeed, Admiral. Life goes in circles it would appear.” She glanced around the office that had been hers once, many decades ago, as a young Fleet Captain. This was a new base, compared to the one she had used as her home as Epsilon fleet Commander, even if the office looked almost identical. Her eyes flitted to the wall across the desk, where she had thrown that mug of tea at, and which had left a mark, that no matter what they tried to get rid of it. A brand-new base had managed to get rid of that remaining hint of a stain, finally.

The half Vulcan had, of course, read up on her new boss. MacLaren had had an impressive career up to this point, and her strategic and tactical background was just what was needed in this area of space and for Starfleet. And she noticed MacLaren studying her, “your reputation precedes you, Admiral,” Suzanna stated, her face and expression remained calm, she had been used to being read, or people trying to, whether friend or foe. “I look forward to working with you.”

Sidra inclined her head, acknowledging the compliment without letting it linger. "Reputations are a poor substitute for the real thing. I'd rather be judged by the work we do together."

“Agreed,” Suzanna acknowledged MacLaren’s words.

She settled back into her chair, though her posture remained straight and purposeful. "Epsilon has been through more cycles of upheaval than either of us would like to count. Stability will come from how well we align experience with opportunity. You've carried this fleet before; I'd be foolish not to draw on that perspective now."

A flicker of a smile touched her lips. "And, of course, you'll have an added interest in how the Arawyn fares. I understand your daughter has taken up the chief engineer's post there. Corbin will be taking her out within days, convoy escort into Tavrik space. A first test, and not a simple one."

Sidra's expression sobered, green eyes steady. "Which makes it all the more important that we present a united front here at command. They'll need to feel the fleet behind them."

“Indeed,” she nodded in agreement, Suzanna allowed a faint smile to pass over her face at the mention of her daughter. Although she, too, had joined Starfleet like her siblings, she had also done everything in her own way, and on her own merit. Even if she had offered it to any of them, which she hadn’t Sandra would not have accepted anything. “That is the way Command works. Lead by example, and a united front are two of the key items to show any crew.”

Suzanna paused a moment. “During my Leave of Absence, the Erasmus has chartered the Spinward March in my home dimension. After the resupply here, the plan was to send her back to Spinward March and chart it from this end to be able to compare the two dimensions. With your permission, of course.”

Sidra listened, the corner of her mouth lifting at the measured pride in Blokpoel's voice when she spoke of her daughter. Then she inclined her head at the mention of Erasmus.

"The Spinward March is ripe ground for discovery," she said. "I'll look forward to seeing what your comparisons yield. Two dimensions of charting data is the kind of context our scientists dream about."

She allowed a beat to pass before adding, more firmly, "And let me be clear, Admiral, the Erasmus is your ship, your domain. I won't interfere with the course you set. Exploration is where you thrive, and I'd be a poor fleet commander if I tried to clip those wings."

MacLaren added, "Nor do I expect you to always occupy your office here. Starfleet is dedicated to building up this area of space again. New ships are being built, and older ships are being refit and assigned. I've even seen initial project plans for a new base near the March."

Her expression grew thoughtful, almost grim. "That said, you'll find there's more than science waiting out here. We don't have the foothold in this quadrant we once did. In our absence, factions have moved in, some hostile, some opportunistic. There's so much to explore, yes... but just as much to guard against."

She met Blokpoel's eyes across from her, steady and resolute. "That's why your work matters. Discovery feeds stability. And stability is what we need if Epsilon Fleet is going to find its place again."

Suzanna inclined her head when MacLaren mentioned Erasmus and that it was her ship, “I appreciate that, Admiral,” she added, “and yes, much has changed, I, too, need to catch up on what has happened and how things changed here in the last few years. It has been a while.”

MacLaren nodded, her expression softening just enough to acknowledge the shared weight of catching up. “You’ll have time to orient, though not much. Tomorrow evening is the Arawyn’s commissioning. They’ll expect a brief appearance from the brass.” A wry flicker of humor touched her voice. “I don’t intend to stay long. Let them have their party away from prying eyes. They’ve earned it.”

She rose, signaling the close of their meeting. “For now, get your bearings, settle your people. We’ll have plenty of work waiting once the celebration ends.”

VAdm Suzanna Blokpoel
Fleet Science Commander
“Everything fits, otherwise we’ll make it fit!”

VAdm Sidra MacLaren
Fleet Commander
Epsilon Fleet

 

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