Family

Posted on Wed Jun 30th, 2010 @ 6:33pm by Captain Vorn Krace & Lieutenant Commander Sara Archer

Mission: Shadows Fall
Location: USS Iapetus - Observation Lounge
Timeline: MM2, MD1 1647hrs

Lt. Commander Archer slowly paces back and forth in front of the observation lounge windows. It is a breathtaking view, one with the spacedock in orbit of the blue-green marble known as Earth. Sara, however, is not enjoying any of it. For the past day, she has been neck deep in incoming reports, trying to make sense of all of Starfleet's data regarding their new mission theatre. It has been her responsibility to ensure that all of the new data was transmitted in a secure manner. As most new intelligence, this material was classified "need-to-know." Both partly to her delight, and dismay, as intelligence officer, she had "need-to-know" clearance all of the reports, even the ones withheld from the captain. This meant that she had a lot of reading to do before they reach the Union Gateway. Fortunately, their week in Earth orbit should provide plenty of time for her to catch up on the reports.

Of the two PADDs in her hand, one contained her final report to the captain regarding the download status. With all the new data safely stored in her secured section of the computer, behind multiple firewalls, she still needed to route the necessary data to the different departments. This was a simple matter that only needed the Captain's approval before she could begin. The other PADD contained a list of extra security precautions that she wanted to deliver to Commander Gunning, which also required the captain's approval. While many members of the crew have been granted shore leave, many others still have too much work to do before the beginning of the mission to leave. Their families have been given special permission to come aboard the ship, something Sara was not particularly thrilled about. The Iapetus was not a Galaxy class ship. She was not designed with families and civilians in mind. This meant that some areas of the ship would be a little too easy to access. For this reason, Sara wanted to implement security lockouts on secure locations, notably the armouries, bridge, main engineering, and the computer cores. Of course, if she had her way, the entrances to these locations would have armed guards posted at all times. She had a feeling that Captain Krace would not approve of that suggestion.

"How are things progressing?" Vorn said, having stepped into the observation lounge with the minimum of sounds, and noticing her slow pacing. He himself had just discovered how much time he would be spending overseeing readiness preparations for their new mission, discovering that amongst other things, they now had a refit planned that they had to squash into the space of one week.

"Everything is progressing well, Captain." Sara handed him the first of her two PADDS. "Here is my report on the data transfer as well as my plan for the data distribution. This one," she continued, handing him the second PADD, "is a list of security precautions I would like to implement during our time near Earth, with the assistance of Commander Gunning, of course."

Vorn read the data transfer report first, skimming its contents lightly. He trusted the experienced officer's judgement, and the details listed in the report looked fine to him. "Data distribution looks to be good," he told her, handing the PADD back. "Make sure that the staff have their assigned data in time to be able to review it without having to cram." He was already looking through the security recommendations that she had written up while he spoke, and a frown creased his forehead. Initially, he read it as what he later assumed to be her unwritten desire; as posting security to each of the listed locations, and it was his second read which clarified for him that she was recommending only a security lockout. He hated to make the ship feel as if it was a military war cruiser, despite Starfleet's militaristic beginnings, and always shuddered at seeing armed security personnel whilst the ship wasn't at battle readiness. "Approved," he finally said, handing the extra PADD back. "You should speak to Commander Gunning about the recommendations, but I don't have too much of a problem so long as the measures aren't too imposing... on the crew or our guests."

"Thank you, sir," Sara responded, taking the PADDs back from her commanding officer. "The security lock outs are only temporary, Captain, while the families are on board. I had assumed that you would not approve of posted guards, so the lockouts will have to do. I will speak with Commander Gunning right away. Will there be anything else, sir?"

"Yes, actually," he said, a slight smile appearing on his face. "I believe we have a visitor already aboard who would like to see you." He stopped himself from saying anymore, wanting to hear what the Commander would say herself to the family member that had come aboard. Vorn had always wondered what kind of family raised an intelligence officer, even if this woman was only an aunt.

Sara's face showed an obvious look of confusion. She was not a fool, but in her mind, she could not grasp who would want to see her. Ever since the incident, she thought she had been careful to eliminate close ties. "There is someone to see me, Captain?"

"Yes," Vorn said, his forehead once again creasing into a frown. "I had assumed you would know. Someone by the name of..." he paused as he tried to remember the name of the woman from the PADD he had read. "Jennifer McClellan."

Sara's confused look changed to one of indifference. "My aunt," she muttered. "I don't particularly have time for..." Sara was interrupted by the observation lounge doors opening.

Jennifer was unable to hold back any longer, and was simply bursting at the seams to see her niece. The woman was pushing 75, but she was still vibrant as ever. Her naturally red hair, although fading, still held much of it's original color. It was clear that Sara got most of her looks from her mother's side of the family. Aunt McClellan was the older sister to Erica McClellan, who would later marry Kevin Archer and give birth to Sara. Ever since Kevin and Erica were both killed in action, Sara was the only family that she had left, and was not about to let her leave Earth without spending time with her.

Jennifer ran over to and embraced the intelligence officer, who only offered a slight hug in return while sporting a grimace. Sara hadn't really planned on spending any time with her aunt. In fact, she hadn't even contacted her about being near Earth. How she found out was beyond even Sara.

Letting Sara go, Jennifer flashed the biggest smile Sara had ever seen. "What are you doing here, Aunt Jen?" the officer asked.

"I was not going to let my favorite niece visit Earth without me getting to spend some time with her."

"I'm your only niece," was Sara's only reply to her aunt. She looked like she was ready to file a formal protest. "Captain Krace, this is my Aunt Jennifer. Aunt Jen, this is my commanding officer, Captain Vorn Krace."

"A pleasure to meed you, Vorn responded, with a respectful bow of his head.

With introductions out of the way, Sara was ready to get back to work. "How long did you plan on being aboard? I'm sure it would be an inconvenience to the Captain to have one of his officers distracted for very long."

"We have some quarters on deck 7 billeted for crew visitors," Vorn said, with the slightest hint of hesitation as he thought about the commander's less-than-enthusiastic response to seeing her aunt. "Near The Ridge. It would be no trouble for the quartermaster to assign one for a couple of days."

"Oh, I'd love to stay for a couple of days," Jennifer responded without hesitation. "Sara and I have so much catching up to do."

Sara gave Krace a pleading look, but then resigned herself to her fate. "I'll try to find time for us to spend together, Aunt Jen. I do have a few things to take care of with another officer first. Perhaps you could wait in my..." she hesitated after realizing that her officer was on her own restricted list, "...in the crew lounge. I shouldn't be too long."

"Alright, hun. I'll wait for you. I know how important your duties are." Jennifer smiles as Sara slunk away to the bridge. "I hope she hasn't caused you too much trouble, Captain Krace."

"None at all," Vorn responded, thinking back to Bevrud. "She's actually been better at getting us out of trouble."

"I'm glad to hear it. I'm very proud of her. I'm sure her parents would be proud of her too. I don't really like that she went into intelligence. I just hate it that she can't tell me what she does. How is an old woman supposed to brag to her friends?" Jennifer asked, still grinning ear to ear.

"There are parts of every Starfleet officer's life that are classified," Vorn responded. "Every parent and family member of a Starfleet officer is expected to understand the need for confidentiality in the details of our lives."

"I'm aware of that, Captain Krace. You have to remember that my sister and brother-in-law were both Starfleet officers too. That's why I worry so much about Sara, especially when she hardly talks to me. I'm still getting used to her being grown up. It seems like just yesterday that she was a little girl. Would you believe that she was a bit of a klutz when she was little?"

"Well she certainly seems to have grown out of that now," Vorn responded, speaking openly but cautiously around the relative. He hadn't missed any or Archer's reactions to the woman and her presence, and wasn't sure how much she would appreciate him saying - and so despite only having known her for just over a month, he decided that the best approach was the conservative one.

"She has indeed. They must be doing something right at the Academy, eh, Captain?" Jennifer wanders over to the windows. Unlike her niece, she did take the time to enjoy the view. "What a life you folks lead, to see views like this every day. It's breathtaking."

"The view of Earth is always the most impressive," Vorn said, as he moved to stand closer to the window to take in the view himself. He still remembered the first time he had seen the planet from orbit - time had seemed to slow to a near-stop, allowing him to simply bask in the amazing view... yet at the same time the moment had seemed to end too quickly.

"I remember the first time I was on the Yamaguchi. Erica came home when she brought Sara back to Earth to enter the academy. The three remaining McClellan girls stood on the observation lounge and looked at a view just like this one. At the time, I simply thought it was breathtaking. Looking back now, it all has new meaning to me." Jennifer continued to watch the Earth through the window, her gaze not shifting. "That visit back to Earth was the last time I ever saw my baby sister. Sure, we still stayed in touch via subspace just to chat, or for Erica to check in on her daughter, but I never saw her in person again. I know Sara took her death hard. It's devastating on someone to lose both of your parents at that young of an age."

Vorn simply nodded. He had known many Starfleet families to be decimated by death in such a way. It was heartbreaking to think about it, but every Starfleet officer joined knowing and understanding the risks. Still, that didn't make it any easier when something like that happened.

Jennifer shook her head quickly, as if she was shaking aside old memories. "Well, I'm sure you don't want to be bored by my memories and stories, Captain. Perhaps I should go wait for Sara in the crew lounge so she'll know where to find me."

"The lounge manager should be able to cook you up something interesting to eat while you wait," Vorn said, turning from the window to face the woman properly. "I'm sure Commander Archer will join you as soon as she can."

"I'm sure she will. I'll be sure to check out the menu while I'm waiting." Jennifer extends her hand out to Krace. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Captain. Perhaps we'll meet again before I head home."

"The pleasure was mine," Vorn said, shaking the woman's hand before she turned to leave.

----------------------
Captain Vorn Krace
Commanding Officer
USS Iapetus

Lieutenant Commander Sara Archer
Chief Intelligence Officer
USS Iapetus

&

Jennifer McClellan (NPC)
Sara's Aunt