The boat ride back to the marina, the shuttle ride to the nearest Starfleet transporter annex, and the momentary, quantum position-shift to a few hundred miles upward were all uneventful, but what the trip lacked in excitement was more than compensated for by the aggravated state of Rick Hunter's mind. Dee had tried to calm her husband, but in the end had given the task up as futile.
Once in the Orbital Office Complex, the two were politely ushered by an Ensign to an adjoining pod and told to enter. The plaque beside the door read:
Admiral Jeffrey H.
Pike
Chief of Operations, Deep Range Fleet
Dee straightened the rank insignia on Rick's collar; they had hardly been given time to change from their shabby holiday clothes to Starfleet uniforms. After suffering a critical look and seeing the nod indicating semi-satisfaction, he stepped forward into the door's sensor field and let it open for them.
The young, blonde woman sitting behind the desk looked up at the sound. "Commodore Hunter!" she said, somehow relieved and anxious at the same time. Hurrying around her desk, she indicated for the Hunters to follow. "Admiral Pike's been waiting for you; you had an appointment this morning," she was saying as she directed them to the door leading into Pike's inner office.
"So I've heard," replied Rick, not trying to disguise the fact that he found the whole situation highly annoying.
"I'm afraid the Admiral's not in the best of moods," said Piper apologetically.
"That makes two of us."
The door to the inner sanctum shooshed open, admitting the Hunters like a pair of poor supplicants to some high god's temple. Pike was there, his back turned, staring out the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, but when he heard the door he turned to face the newcomers and Hunter saw that this was indeed the abode of an angry god.
"Commodore Hunter. Captain," said Pike, formally greeting Rick and Dee, but without warmth. "Were you aware we had an appointment for 0700 this morning?"
Straight and to-the-point, thought Hunter. Well, two can play that game. Aloud, he replied, "I was not aware of it, Admiral. My wife and I were taking a day off; we were on a boat -- at sea -- when your secretary finally found us."
"Did it ever occur to you to file a plan with your own secretary?" demanded Pike. He was obviously in no mood for excuses -- not even from a fellow flag officer.
"With all due respect, sir, I'm a teacher at the Academy," countered Hunter hotly. "What sort of academic emergency could possibly occur that I can't take a single day off to celebrate our wedding anniversary?!"
Pike closed his eyes and let out a sigh, tilted his head back and appeared to be counting to ten. When he reopened his eyes he was visibly calmer. "My apologies, Commodore, Captain -- I had no idea," he said in a much more civil manner. He ventured a smile as a peace offering.
Suddenly robbed of its enemy, Hunter's own anger at being Shanghaied away from his fishing trip began to subside. "Well, I..." he began, then actually had to laugh. "I wasn't catching any fish anyway!"
"Come in; sit down," invited Pike. He was about to ring Piper on the intercom to order up some refreshment, but a split second before his finger his the button, the door swooshed open and in wafted Piper carrying a tray laden with a coffee pot and mugs. Some day I'll catch her unprepared, vowed Pike.
When everyone had been served and were sitting comfortably around the office's low coffee table, Pike said, "Well, first of all, let me congratulate you on your anniversary."
"Thank you," replied both Rick and Dee.
"How many years is it?"
"Fourteen," replied Dee. "But we've known each other for much longer."
"That's wonderful," said Pike. Now that their argument was water under the bridge, he'd reverted to his more usual, pleasant, though still straightforward personality. "Maybe we could consider what I'm about to offer you a kind of anniversary present then," he suggested. "Or at least a peace offering for interrupting your vacation."
"Either way, Admiral," replied Rick amicably, sipping his coffee. Now that their argument was over, he too had reverted to his normal demeanor. He was sitting on a large, leather sofa with his wife at his side, while Pike occupied a matching chair.
Taking Hunter's agreement as his cue to get down to business, Pike set down his coffee mug and said, "I have a new assignment for you--" when Hunter looked at him and his wife questioningly, Pike quickly amended, "--for both of you."
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