Post by Judith Eastman on Oct 3, 2021 1:08:19 GMT
Some time after S2E9
[Capt. Judith Eastman(-Williams), PhD, Max Williams, & Humphrey Reid - A Café, Arkaria]
On the sidelines of the annual Arkarian Conference on Development sat a trio: Captain Judy Eastman, her husband Max Williams, and an old ex-colleague of hers, Humphrey Reid.
"That was an excellent job you did there, saying absolutely nothing," Judy ribbed as the trio took their seats on the patio of a café. It was a chilly day, but pleasant enough to sit outside.
"My dear, I believe you'll find, upon a sufficiently meticulous and fastidious investigation, that I voiced exactly those sentiments which one in my position can be reasonably expected to voice at such fora as these," Humphrey, the masterful civil servant, replied.
"Is it like a switch you turn on and off, the ambiguity?"
"It's more like a dial."
The conversation came to a lull as they perused the menu, finding a variety of Terran and local dishes.
"As I'm sure you know, the new government is going on about what they call 'pizza government' - and they wonder why they did so poorly with Vulcans and Andorians - the idea that some of the Federal civil service needs to be distributed to remote sectors," Humphrey remarked.
"I think that's a great idea," Max responded, with a rare political opinion.
"We'll see in four years," a more skeptical Humphrey replied. "EAD[fn]Economic Affairs and Development, the department at which Humphrey is the most senior career bureaucrat[/fn], as it happens, is the cheese on our government pizza. We're to be spread across the Federation, and one of our new regional centers is to be your station."
Humphrey wasn't going to say that ridiculous name. He struggled not to laugh when he heard others, be they Judy or his new minister, say it.
"I'll be sure to find some suitable office space," Judy replied without a second thought. It was her job, after all.
"As a matter of fact, my dear, there exists a rather more particular query concerning this aforementioned pizza government, and it is that specific query which I mean to direct to you, in particular."
Judy could see Humphrey as that little twentysomething bureaucrat, hiding his awkwardness behind his vocabulary.
She could also see the ask, and she wasn't too receptive.
"The portfolio in question would concern questions of facilitating entrepreneurial activity in the region, as well as the development of the colony on Kerelia and the continuing evolution of economies on the other regional planets. I believe it would be quite stimulating for a woman of your stature, and in fact it is precisely those of your stature that are sought for such positions."
Before Judy could decline offhand, her gaze met Max's. She looked in his eyes, and saw in them the silent plea to her.
And in that moment, faced with this choice, she chose to love him.
"I'll think about it."
Max's lips turned up into a gentle smile.
Humphrey, aware of the obvious moment the couple were having, nodded.
[Capt. Judith Eastman(-Williams), PhD, Max Williams, & Humphrey Reid - A Café, Arkaria]
On the sidelines of the annual Arkarian Conference on Development sat a trio: Captain Judy Eastman, her husband Max Williams, and an old ex-colleague of hers, Humphrey Reid.
"That was an excellent job you did there, saying absolutely nothing," Judy ribbed as the trio took their seats on the patio of a café. It was a chilly day, but pleasant enough to sit outside.
"My dear, I believe you'll find, upon a sufficiently meticulous and fastidious investigation, that I voiced exactly those sentiments which one in my position can be reasonably expected to voice at such fora as these," Humphrey, the masterful civil servant, replied.
"Is it like a switch you turn on and off, the ambiguity?"
"It's more like a dial."
The conversation came to a lull as they perused the menu, finding a variety of Terran and local dishes.
"As I'm sure you know, the new government is going on about what they call 'pizza government' - and they wonder why they did so poorly with Vulcans and Andorians - the idea that some of the Federal civil service needs to be distributed to remote sectors," Humphrey remarked.
"I think that's a great idea," Max responded, with a rare political opinion.
"We'll see in four years," a more skeptical Humphrey replied. "EAD[fn]Economic Affairs and Development, the department at which Humphrey is the most senior career bureaucrat[/fn], as it happens, is the cheese on our government pizza. We're to be spread across the Federation, and one of our new regional centers is to be your station."
Humphrey wasn't going to say that ridiculous name. He struggled not to laugh when he heard others, be they Judy or his new minister, say it.
"I'll be sure to find some suitable office space," Judy replied without a second thought. It was her job, after all.
"As a matter of fact, my dear, there exists a rather more particular query concerning this aforementioned pizza government, and it is that specific query which I mean to direct to you, in particular."
Judy could see Humphrey as that little twentysomething bureaucrat, hiding his awkwardness behind his vocabulary.
She could also see the ask, and she wasn't too receptive.
"The portfolio in question would concern questions of facilitating entrepreneurial activity in the region, as well as the development of the colony on Kerelia and the continuing evolution of economies on the other regional planets. I believe it would be quite stimulating for a woman of your stature, and in fact it is precisely those of your stature that are sought for such positions."
Judy's instinct was to say no. She wasn't looking to leave her captaincy, to leave Starfleet.
Max felt differently. He could tell that Judy had grown about as much as she could in Starfleet, and felt that she could do more good in the civil service. More saliently, he was increasingly unhappy with her Starfleet work: the dangerous situations she kept entering, leaving him uncertain if he'd ever see her again, took their toll on the man. He remembered the fires on Kerelia, as he did the mission to Talor, and the prisoner transfer too.
He was also weighed down by her long trips on the Mac, where whether he came along or didn't, he always felt lonely.
He wanted her to be happy - of course he did - but he also wanted her to leave Starfleet. In his heart, he wanted a change - for him, for her, for them. This looked like just the right opportunity, if she'd just give it a shot.
Before Judy could decline offhand, her gaze met Max's. She looked in his eyes, and saw in them the silent plea to her.
"Just consider it," she could almost hear him say. "Give it a thought."
And in that moment, faced with this choice, she chose to love him.
"I'll think about it."
Max's lips turned up into a gentle smile.
Humphrey, aware of the obvious moment the couple were having, nodded.
"I'll be back in a minute," he excused himself, before heading for the bathrooms.
"Thank you, honey," Max whispered once the couple were alone. "We'll talk about it later."
"We will," she agreed. It was an awfully difficult decision.