Informing the Captain

Posted on Wed Oct 2nd, 2024 @ 4:33pm by Commodore Finchley Kerr & Commander Alec Hunter
Edited on on Wed Oct 2nd, 2024 @ 4:37pm

1,272 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: The 'Eagle continues.
Location: Captain's Ready Room
Timeline: Current.

It had taken lots of hard work and dedication of painstaking proportions but Alec had gotten the information that Captain Kerr wanted. He had the President's arrival time. His security detail information and his flight escort details. Who the President was seeing on his visit the Romulan capital and how long his visit was going to be.

Putting all the information in concise and easy to read form had taken time as well but was finally done and now he was headed to the captain's ready room to deliver the information and answer any questions he may have in regard to the information.

Alec looked at the PaDD, It was all there. Schedules, pilots, fighter escorts, who's on the personal staff to the President and the Presidents personal security detail.

The President would arrive at Deep Space Eight at 1400 hours. He had Delta Squadron has his fighter escort. Two four-man teams were his personal security escort. His personal staff accompanying him on this visit was made up of his chief of staff Paul Stuart, his personal secretary Jessica Ford and his doctor. Doctor Eric Forhan. The pilots for Delta Squadron were Captain Kurt Stewart, Commander Jason Dover, Commander Liam Sullivan and Commander George Thomas. all top notch.

He arrived at the ready room door and pressed the chime and awaited admittance.

Things were going at pace, something Finchley was quite glad about because it meant the mission was progressing. His train of thought was interrupted by the chime to his room sounding, so he called out. "Enter."

Outside the room, Alec heard the Captain's voice bidding him to enter. Coming through the doors Alec approached holding the PaDD in front of him. "I have the information you requested sir."

"Good, good..." Finchley replied, "Let's hear it then, what's his information?"

Alec handed Finchley the PaDD, "See for yourself sir. The President is going to meet with Romulans leaders to talk about further aid,"

"You know, this still flummoxes me why he's going Commander" Finchley replied, rubbing his chin. "Okay, let's speculate for a moment. You're a member of the Romulan High Command, you've asked for help, been offered it, but you want the President of the Federation to come personally. What advantage does it gain you?"

Alec had been thinking all along so, when Finchley asked his question, he was ready. "Well sir, it gives you instant credibility. Not just with your supporters but others in the High Command. It also gets you noticed as someone to watch on the galaxy's stage, and it gives you connections you never would have had otherwise. Connections that would allow you to move behind the scenes. If that was your intent."

"That's a very good answer Commander" Finchley replied, "but there's also another possibility we have to consider. What if the one's actually pulling the strings on the High Council are the defacto 'breakaway faction', they could have lured the President there under a false pretence like "The Federation saves the day", so they can kidnap him and use him as a hostage for another purpose?"

"Oh, I thought about that as well sir. I just thought it was too obvious a motive. That anyone would see that possibility." Alec replied.

"Yes, that could be true, but we also have to consider something else as well" Finchley said, "we could be dealing with treachery on the Presidents staff, they could be in with a plan like that, it's why I asked you to get the information I did. Tell me, when you were gathering it, did anything unusual stand out to you, any of the staff, be it personal to the President or anyone on the escort side, strike you as being...unsound?"

Alec didn't rush an answer. He thought on the captain's question. After a few seconds he replied. "Not unsound sir but unusual. The first being his personal secretary going on the trip with him and not the press secretary. Also his doctor. From all reports the President is in excellent health and this visit is short. Plus, Deep Space Eight is a highly advanced station equipped to handle any situation. and their medical staff is second to none."

Finchley listened intently to what Alec said, his thoughts forming on the implications of what could be done to harm the President by those mentioned.

"I want arrangements made to meet the Presidential party when they arrive on Deep Space Eight" Finchley decided, "This personal secretary and the Presidents doctor need to be removed from the others and questioned. Can I leave this in your capable hands Commander?" he asked Alec.

"I think it can be handled with a minimum of fuss sir. Practically none at all in fact." Alec assured Finchley. "The doctor and secretary will be kept incommunicado. So, they won't be able to say where they were or who took them."

"Thank you" Finchley replied. He rose from his seat and walked across and stared out the port hole, "There's an ill wind blowing our way Alec, I can feel it, we're going into the lions den and we're weapon less so to speak, we have no idea what we're facing yet, and if I'm honest, that scares me."

"We'll find out what is going on sir. I just hope we find out before any major incident occurs." Alec replied. "Oh." He added, "I'd like to 'borrow' Commander Savette for this little detail if you don't mind sir."

"Why do you need to 'borrow' the Commander?" Finchley asked.

"Well sir, The Commander is a woman as is the President's personal secretary and woman are easier to get close to if approached by another woman and while the Commander deals with the secretary I can handle the doctor." Alec replied.

"You could say the same about any woman on this crew then" Finchley replied, now more curious than ever as to why his Second Officer specifically wanted the First Officer to be there with him.

"If any woman is suited to your your idea, it's Captain Tristen, I think she would be a better fit. She's more Senior, she's Batazoid, and she has a knack as a people person."

"Yes sir all true but the fact that she is a senior officer as well as mission advisor precludes her from being on this mission. Commander Savette, is telepathic and also chief counselor. She is a people person sir." Alec replied doggedly.

"Captain Tristen isn't precluded from being on this, or any, mission because she's a Senior Officer and mission advisor, if anything, that makes her exactly qualified for this particular part of our mission" Finchley replied, "however, there's more to this request of yours than the Commander being telepathic and the ships Counsellor, and one way or the other I'll find out. I believe it's personal to you, and if I discover it is, then there will be trouble. Ok, you take the Commander, I'll let the Captain know she's to precious to be on this mission, I wouldn't want to be you when she finds out."

"Yes sir. Thank you, sir. Is there anything else sir?" Alec replied his face expressionless and his tone neutral. As for Captain Tristen, I understand sir."

"No, there's nothing else" Finchley replied, "Oh, you'll only understand the Captain when she has a word with you. Once we get to Romulus, I want a quick word with you and the Commander before you set off, dismissed."

"Yes sir. Commander Savette and I will meet with you before we undertake our mission." Alec replied as he turned and left the room.

 

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