Good Officers Don't Die, They Just 'Fade' Away

Fade pressed the alert button, and spoke knowing the occupant could hear.  "Ensign Fade reporting as ordered."

"Get in here Fade; I know it's you." This intrigued Fade, since the commander was not telepathic; how did he have so much insight? Some, like Betazoids, didn't even read Fade's species anyway. The door allowed Fade to enter.

"How...?" Fade began to ask the obvious question.

"Because, other than me, only you would be working at this hour," Keen said, "and because I called you."

POP!  A cork flew off harmlessly, and a splash of champagne fell to the floor. "A TOAST!" Keen said. "It's time to celebrate."

"What are you celebrating?"

"We should both be celebrating. As of oh-one-hundred, the operations have been officially transferred from the station to the ship's crew." Keen had two slender glasses ready, and began filling each. "Here."

Fade took the glass, and watched the tiny bubbles appear and float to the surface. "Where do the bubbles come from?"

"Huh?" Keen nearly choked, hearing the question. "Forget that, enjoy it. You do drink don't you?"

"Not really," Fade said. "I can... 'fake' it."

"Whatever, it's your party; now for the toast." The commander cleared his throat. "To Fade, may his... you are a guy right?"

"I find it easiest to project such an image, and I am not uncomfortable with the distinction. I understand the many linguistic challenges to expect otherwise, so I..."

"TO FADE," Keen broke into the soliloquy, "May he never lose his marbles."

"I do not understand." Fade watched as Keen downed the remainder of his glass.

Fade read. It seemed most of his job was reading reports. It occurred to him people came to him, or specifically his department when they wanted something. For engineering, people came when things were broken, and Fade was relieved he did not have to deal with the broken replicators, or misaligned latches, or temperamental transporters. No, Fade's work was more logistics, keeping the supplies in their most logical places, and overseeing the current flow of new personnel and their needs.

No one spaced the arrivals out, however. Some days one or two would show up. Other days, dozens. The irregular demands on the supplies, and systems was taking lots of extra work. Of course, Fade didn't mind the work. But he didn't like being cooped up either.