Awards Ceremony, 2001

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::Admiral Luke Reider adjusted the uniform, which as always, fit comfortably over his torso and around his neck. Dinora, behind him, hummed as she rubbed the face of one of his medals with a soft cloth. As he turned to present himself to her, she deftly pressed the medal onto the admiral's uniform. Stepping back, she smiled and nodded slowly.:: DINORA: Yes, very nice. ::She moved forward to embrace him, but then stopped mid-step, remembering that he was neatly pressed. He leaned forward and kissed, instead, lightly on the cheek. She squeezed his hand as he turned and strode out the door. She had already promised to arrive a few minutes before the ceremony was to begin.:: ::Luke walked down the quiet corridor, deep within the base's habitat module. The black, glass panels which ran down many sections of hallway on both sides displayed artwork. Interestingly enough, all of the artwork displayed came from the homeworlds of those officers and families living in that section of the base. Attempting to calm himself, the admiral hummed the same tune that Dinora had been singing just a few minutes earlier. The lift was quick to arrive once he had pushed the call button, and he boarded, requesting the a deck many miles above him in the administrative section of the base.:: ::As the lift shot upward, Reider went over his speech in his head. Although he would have a PADD on hand to reference if necessary, he liked being able to recite from memory. Finally, after a seven minute ride, the lift slowed to a halt and the doors opened. The grand hall. This section of the base, normally quiet and solemn, housed auditoriums, memorials, and numerous tribute areas. A museum, of sorts. Luke turned to his right and headed down the marble-floored hallway, his boots tapping quietly as he walked. The "StarBase 118 Awards & Official Recognition Hall of Fame" waited at the end of the corridor. The doors to the hall were frosted glass, and bore the official insignia of the base centered directly over the splitting point. They slid open silently to admit the Admiral.:: ::All around him was tradition. Years of recognized officers had their names inscribed on the black marble wall of the room, which was both large and soothingly lit. Ledges, which housed white lights, hung out just slightly over the marble walls, and lit them without glare. Other soft lights were also positioned above the ledges, to provide a subdued tone. The floor in this room was carpeted a soft, low gray. The only furniture in the room was a small table, holding the awards, near the front of the room. All were held in solid black boxes, with the names of the officer's receiving the award engraved on the top. Exactly like the ones on the Kodiak and Tiger he had just given out days before.:: ::Reider looked through the boxes once more, checking to make sure he had paired each name that was receiving an award with the correct award. Finally, the guests arrived in small groups. Most stood near the back of the room, and talked quietly. A brave few began walking the length of the walls to review the names they wore.:: ::At 1900 hours promptly, the doors to the room which had been standing open to welcome guests, slid closed slowly. At the same time, small cameras built into the walls and ceiling of the room, began recording the event. Anyone in the Federation who had access to the standard sub-space feeds would be able to view the ceremony. This was especially important for the award recipients themselves, since all were on deep-space commission and could not attend. Luke glanced at Dinora, who stood at the front of the small assembled audience, and gave the admiral one last smile and nod before he began.:: REIDER: Hello and welcome everyone. My name is Admiral Luke Reider. I am here today to honor those officers who have served out of StarBase 118, in StarFleet, with great honor and integrity. Let's begin with this StarBase's second long-running command officer, Rear Admiral Brian Kelly. Admiral Kelly has served on this base since the early days, when Wolf and Elinor of Kanist were working to transform it from a quiet, oft-forgotten base, into a bustling trade center. Throughout this time, he has worked hard to ensure that Federation law is upheld, and even for some time worked on a law commission. Admiral Kelly is a true defender of the Federation, and for this, we award him the Karagite Order of Heroism. ::The group applauded as Reider picked up the first box, and removed the Karagite Order. These awards had been specially created to be placed on the walls of the Hall of Fame, and therefore had a flat, magnetic back. Luke moved to the wall and placed the symbol into it's position next to Brian's name. A small hollow, in the exact shape of the award, had already been created, so that the symbol sat just a centimeter or so into the wall. The award was blue, and looked like a spoked wheel, carrying the UFOP symbol in the center.:: REIDER: Next is an officer who truly has been to hell and back. Captain Jesa Callen, captain of the proud USS Isannah, has seen the dark side of Federation space. Her recent kidnapping and rescue is just one of the many dangerous missions she has been a part of. The Isannah crew, meanwhile, has toiled in obscurity to be all that they could be. Callen's service record is truly amazing, and we wish to honor her today by presenting her with the Christopher Pike Pendant. ::The gray, triangular metal award slipped easily into it's position on the wall. The small chevron-Fleet symbol shimmered just slightly in the light. Next to the award, Callen's name lit up, like Admiral Kelly's had done before her, as the icon slipped into place.:: REIDER: I am particularly honored to present these next two awards to the same officer. First, the Neelix award. This officer's devotion to those jobs which... no one else really wants to do is noble. The officer has participated in training new officers when they arrive at their post, among numerous other things. But beyond just assisting in these odd jobs, and making sure things run smoothly, this officer recently took a new assignment. The crew of this officer's ship, like Callen's, have seen their fair share of rough times. Furthermore, StarFleet has noticed the impeccable way this officer has handled ... his or herself ::smiling:: during times of strife. Even if we were a little concerned by the way his... or her ship returned to dock. I will delay the suspense no more, though. ::Reider did, in fact, delay his announcement, however. He turned and walked the few steps to the table holding the boxes in silence. Then, slowly and carefully, he opened the box holding box awards for the unnamed officer and then moved to the wall. Gently, he placed the Neelix Award, and the James T. Kirk Cross on either side of the name "Captain Xan Hebron". As the name lit, the gathered officer applauded respectfully.:: REIDER: And finally this brings us to the last, but definitely one of the most important and respected award that will be given today. The Federation Peace Medal is truly a great honor. The description of this award reads: "Someone who has set an example of fostering, peace, mutual respect, and cooperation among divergent species." Although it has not always been evident to the general populace, this Captain has been a model for all of us when it comes to innate understanding of different races of people. Today, I am happy to recognize Captain Hollis Caley as the next recipient of the Federation Peace Medal. ::Taking the last box off the small table, Reider placed the small, gold and metal award into the wall. The group applauded loudly as the name lit. The admiral turned and applauded with them, giving respectful praise to those officers who had become part of a long heritage of StarFleet men and women.:: ::When the applause had quieted, Reider led the assembled into an ante-chamber nearby to indulge in some of the StarBase's most exquisite pastries, made special for the reception.::