Connections

Posted on Sat Jul 10th, 2010 @ 8:57pm by Lieutenant Commander Sara Archer & Commander Jordan Gunning

Mission: Shadows Fall
Location: The Ridge Lounge
Timeline: Shoreleave Day 7 - 2000hrs

[ON]

Sara takes a look around her. The bustle of the ship's lounge around her is a stark contrast to the peace and quiet of her new office, but the counselor from her previous ship suggested she spend more time with the crew. Even though Sara was spending this time going over ship reports crew rosters, nothing classified, she was still counting this as crew interaction. She was deep in her reports when the ship's chief tactical officer and his assistant chief made their way into the lounge.

Allison laughed as the newly promoted Lieutenant Commander finished an impression of Admiral Chingera. Her laughter held something more than just good humour. It was as if the young Lieutenant was in awe of her line officer. She spent as much time as she possibly could in his company, trying to learn from him.

"...So then he just turned off the gravity generator!" Gunning exclaimed before noticing Commander Archer sitting alobe. "Hello, Commander!"

Sara didn't look up from her reports. "Hello, Mr. Gunning. Congratulations on your promotion."

"Thanks very much, Commander." He said, as he nodded to Allison, who headed to the bar, fully aware of his 'usual'. "May we join you?"

There weren't many people on this ship that Sara would have extended an offer to willingly, but she and Jordan had already faced combat together. That was a bond few shared with her. "Be my guest."

He slipped into a seat across from the Intelligence officer as the young Lieutenant returned with two drinks. "Lieutenant Commander Sara Archer, meet Lieutenant Junior Grade Allison Cathcart."

"Cathcart?" Sara asked with a surprised look on her face. She hadn't made her way to the security department rosters yet, but she could recognize the subtle similarities in the facial structure. "I don't suppose you have a brother in command of the Carthage."

"Yes, ma'am." The Lieutenant answered. "Well, he's been assigned as a tactical advisor to the Cardassian demilitarised zone now. I don't think he's enjoying it very much to be honest. Apparently very little happens up those parts these days."

"I can imagine he had a pretty boring job out there. I've seen the reports, there's nothing going on." She cracked a slight smile, something out of the ordinary. I thought of her old colleague must have stirred some emotion from her. "I used to serve with Martin on the Carthage, before I was assigned to the Bevrudl mission. She was an old ship, but she got us where we needed to go."

"Before they broke her up for spare parts?" Jordan chimed in. He'd done some checking on the Carthage as he knew both Allison and Sara had ties to the old rust bucket.

"She was a fine ship, Mr. Gunning, and you would do well to mind your elders." Sara chuckled at her response, another anomaly for the hardened spy. "She was nearly falling apart. Taken a nasty beating on my last mission. But that was the past. Now my loyalties are to the Iapetus.

"Surely your loyalties are to Starfleet, Commander." Jordan said, spying an opportunity to wind his colleague up.

"My true loyalties are classified, Commander," Sara struck back.

"Touche," Jordan replied as he knew he'd been bested by the Intelligence officer. He looked around at the large number of relief officers stood in the lounge. It had not been that long since he was one of them and now he sat with three pips on his collar and the ability to recommend for promotions. He smiled inwardly to himself. He had been beaming with pride all day but had not really taken time to think about the implications of his new rank. "Are you nervous about our new assignment? I don't imagine there's much in the way of information out there."

"No, there's not much," Sara replied, shaking her head. "My training is in Alpha quadrant races and politics. It will certainly be a new experience for me. Our mission won't be without its challenges. I'm sure not everyone we meet will be friendly. You'll likely have your hands full."

"We're always ready and raring to go, aren't we Lieutenant?" He asked the younger women.

"Absolutely sir." She replied.

Jordan let out a chuckle as he looked around the room. He saw a number of his staff, looking relaxed and at home on the Iapetus. "Let's just hope they're not more ready."

"Let's hope indeed," the new intelligence chief replied. She did not want to add, however, that it was part of her job to make sure that was not the case. They were going into treacherous waters, and Sara was feeling a little uneasy about what was to be required of her. Still, Starfleet felt that she was up to the task, which did instill some confidence in her.

"Hopeless optimism is doubtless the way forward, Commander. There's so much excitement out there waiting for us. Who would ever have thought that we'd be heading toward the Delta Quadrant?"

"I certainly wasn't expecting it. I do have to say, it will be a nice change of pace from living on Bevrud. I'm glad to be back on a ship, that's for sure."

"What was Bevrud like before the revolution?" Allison asked the Commander.

"Bevrud was a beautiful, peaceful planet. The Bevrudl people were very nice and accepting of outsiders. It's a shame they had to be caught up in the business with the Elyshans. It will take a little time for them to rebuild, but I'm sure the Federation will see that it is a seamless transition period for them."

"I would be wary of those people, in all honesty." Jordan interjected. "They seem to be alarmingly easily led. I just worry that the next person who comes along who takes issue with our presence there. Still, I suppose the admiralty got what they wanted. A new world to push into the Federation."

"Perhaps they are, but perhaps it was only Atakimpa that was easily led. The Bevrudl people were already forming their own response to Shintaka, which was evident by the quick return to power of the originally ruling party. Without the Elyshans funding Shintaka, the whole operation folded under. But, I'm sure you don't want to talk about politics while you're off duty."

"Not at all. I'd be interested in discussing it with you at length but I admit that there's very little I know about the details of the matter. From what I could work out the guards seemed to be following whoever was strongest. There's enough mercenary races in the Federation that would abandon us at the first opportunity, I don't know that we need another. They would be far better off under the control of the Elyshan Empire."

"Maybe so, but the planet is of strategic importance in the cold war against the Elyshans. Who the planet would be better off under is not my concern. My concern is what is best for the Federation, not the Bevrudl people. Although I have spent some time amongst them, and I would certainly not condemn them willingly, I know where my loyalties lie. Besides, it is not up to me and you to decide what is best for Bevrud."

"Does that mean that we're not in a position to discuss our opinions?"

"Not at all, Commander. I welcome opinions. I just know in some case, out opinions mean little int the grand scheme of things. I have done much in my career that I have disagreed with, but that doesn't change the fact that it must be done."

"It must be done because it represents the interest of a select few in the fleet. That doesn't necessarily mean it's the right thing to do- that's all I'm saying." He took a long sip of his drink. "Of course, that's not to say I'm not prepared to follow orders. My loyalties are not in question."

"Did you serve during the war, Commander?"

"No," Jordan said with a nagging sense of shame. He had often felt that he should have taken the time he spent at the Academy and used it in civilian service. "I didn't graduate the academy until two years after the war."

Sara nodded. "I had a feeling. You still have that sense of optimism. I was thrust into combat situations fresh out of the Academy. My earliest missions were during the conflict with the Klingons, and then again during the war with the Dominion. I don't look down on you because you didn't serve then; we can't help help when we were born. In all honesty, I wish I had been lucky enough to have missed the war. Still, when your back is against the wall, and you're faced with what seems to be certain defeat, the lines between right and wrong are blurred. You have to do things you may not agree with, but you have to trust in your superiors to make the right decisions. It was never my place to question my assignments. Any doubt in my mind could just lead to the failure of the mission, or the loss of lives. In war, you don't always have the liberty of having an opinion. A Vulcan proverb says that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. I may feel sorry for things that happen to the Bevrudl, but if it saves lives of Federation citizens in the standoff against the Elyshans, then I consider it a job well done. That's why I do what I do. I may not have the most desirable job, but I do what I do to save lives. At least that's what helps me sleep at night." Sara takes a sip of her coffee and picks up her PADD, letting her words sink in.

[OFF]

Lieutenant Commander Sara Archer
Chief Intelligence Officer

Lieutenant Commander Jordan Gunning
Chief Security & Tactical Officer

Lieutenant (JG) Allison Cathcart
Assistant Chief Security & Tactical Officer
USS Iapetus