When in Rome

Posted on Thu Dec 21st, 2023 @ 7:34pm by Lieutenant Commander Isabelle Savette & Commodore Finchley Kerr
Edited on on Tue Jan 2nd, 2024 @ 2:46pm

1,610 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Investigate the Chintoka Shipyard Buildup
Location: CO’s Quarters
Timeline: Current

With the crew enjoying some downtime Isabelle was using the time to check in with people, more informally than formally. Arriving outside Finchley’s Quarters she reached out pressing the chime hoping he wouldn’t mind her dropping by unannounced.

Inside his quarters, Finchley sat staring at the full bottle and empty glass. All he needed to do was reach out, take the cap off, pour…and oblivion would follow, allowing him peace, if only for a few hours. Placing his hands on the table, he clenched and unclenched his hands, several times reaching out to take the bottle and glass, but then withdrawing them again. Reaching out again, his dilemma was interrupted by the sound of the chime to his door.

Quickly scooping up the bottle and glass, he put them away and sat at the table again.

“Com…” he began saying, then realising he wasn’t in his Ready Room or meeting room, he adjusted it and said, “Enter.”

Walking in Isabelle offered a warm smile. “I hope you don’t mind me dropping by Captain, I thought I’d pay a few visits to the crew, and see how everyone is doing.”

“I eh, no…that’s eh, that’s perfectly fine Lieutenant Savette” Finchley stumbled out, “Please, be seated” he offered, gesturing to one of the chairs at the table.

“That’s a…yes…indeed…how am I…well…if clusterfucked was a feeling…”, then he realised that probably sounded a little inappropriate, so opening his hands out he said “Frustrated Counsellor, I’m feeling a little frustrated.”

Isabelle nodded, offering a warmer smile. “I sensed as much, especially after everything we all went through, and what you did risking your own life. Would you like to talk about it?”

“You know, I spend my life making choices” Finchley began, “From the second I wake up to the moment I finally get to sleep…if my brain allows me that is, which pretty much mist of the time it doesn’t, it wants to go over and over things that have happened or things that are about to happen. A few hours ago, I had to give my mission report to SFIHQ Admiralty, and the choice there was to tell them everything or give an abridged version. I chose the latter because to me their attention span is about as long as a few minutes before you see their eyes glazing over. At the end of it, they all thanked me for my time and that they’d ’get back to me on their findings’, like they’d be able to do anything about it, but that’s not all. Admiral Bozean took me aside once the others had left, and do you know what he said to me?
Well, of all the unmitigated, jumped up, useless, arrogant, pig headed nonsense…he wanted me to accept a promotion…I mean, for fucks sake, he wanted to promote me!!! Well, I told him he could shove that right up his ar…”, then he realised he was ranting a bit, so reigned it back in, “…shove it where the sun doesn’t shine, and he took it rather badly.”

Isabelle gave Finchley a blank look for a moment. “You refused a promotion? One that you have earned this mission might I add. May I ask why you refused it? That, and how bad did the Admiral take it?”

“Yes, I refused the promotion to Commodore” Finchley replied, “and the reason I did was because they could remove me from the job I was trained to do and stick me behind a bloody desk!” he finished, sounding exasperated.

He looked around, then back at Isabelle, “I need this duty, it’s what keeps me sane, it stops the dem…it stops me remembering ok. As for the Admiral, he basically told me that my time of counting him as a friend were done and that if our paths ever crossed again he would ’bury’ me.”

Isabelle raised her eyebrows at that one. “Perhaps a little more...diplomacy, would have been good. I can understand why you refused the promotion, but telling him to stick it up his ass wasn’t exactly a wise move.” She grinned a wry grin.
“As for those demons, that’s something we need to talk about.”

“Yes, well, diplomacy hasn’t been my strong point” Finchley replied, “As for the demons, they’re all around us” he added, nodding left and right.

“Tobin, Lemar, Jackson, Fredrickson, Y’Kmar, Gell, Kerman, Wilson, Youl, Prett, Halliman, McAndrew, Quett, Ornam, Relk, Dessler, Vinc, Ulle…the list goes on and on, they never leave.”

“PTSD Captain, it’s called PTSD, I’m sure you’ve heard of it.” Isabelle offered an understanding smile. “We have to work on getting you through this, so you can let go of those demons. That’s what I’m here for afterall.”

“This is an informal visit Counsellor, what I say to you here stays here” Finchley said, suddenly standing up. “It doesn’t leave these quarters. If you try and use it against me, if you try to bring me down so I lose my Command, if in any way my duty is affected, whatever deities you pray or talk to help you. This visit is over, it’s time you left Lieutenant.”

“Captain!” Isabelle stood her ground. “I wasn’t suggesting we talk on the record, I was offering my help. Like you said what is said here, stays here, onboard this ship and not on your record. You have to trust me sometime, Now is as good a time as any.”

“Listen to me Lieutenant, I’m fighting on several fronts here” Finchley said, “There’s the possibility of a second Dominion war on the horizon, the former XO is dead, I’ve got the Admiralty to deal with and I’ve now got my own job to look after. The last thing I need is you psychoanalysing me, telling me I might have PTSD. I live with what’s happened in my past, it’s what makes me, me. Trust is definitely a commodity I find in short supply right now.”

“Understandable” Isabelle nodded. “I’ve trusted you with who and what I am Captain, I wasn’t supposed to say anything about the fact that I work for Betazed intelligence. I was just supposed to appear to be a mild mannered officer that kept her eyes open, and her mouth shut. You’ve taught me that I need to be more.” She sighed. “Hell if what makes you, you, then so be it! But if you do need to talk off record, then you know where to find me.”

That moment changed everything. “You worked for Betazed Intelligence…who else in SFI knows this?” Finchley asked.

“Just the higher ups that I know of, I’m not privy to that much information.” Isabelle offered a wry smile. “How else would I have landed here?”

“No, but that’s perfect!” Finchley snapped his fingers, “Isabelle, that’s GENIUS” he added, unusually using her first name, “That’s just what we need!!!” he carried on. almost running round the table and giving her a hug. Letting go again, he began pacing back and forth, his mind already at work on how this new information could help them.

Isabelle grinned. “Glad I’m able to help. May I ask what you have in mind Sir?”

“The priority right now is finding out who the mole is, and it must be someone inside SFI” Finchley said, “and it could be that they have accomplices, also inside SFI. Having someone from outside that sphere, someone from Betazed Intelligence help us, gives us an opportunity to have a fresh look at how this happened.”

Isabelle nodded. “I’ll do whatever I can to help Captain. From now on it’s those loyal to you, and this ship verses whoever is against us.”

“I need you to find someone you trust, someone with enough clearance to be able to ask for some basic information on who knew about our mission, not the details they’re level nine and above so they won’t get access” Finchley said in reply.

His mind was racing, permutations and cross references of discussions about the mission passed through his mind. Then something else occurred to him, the crew…he wasn’t the one who’d chosen them, he was ‘given’ them, the choices were already made.

“Before you get in contact with Betazed Intelligence, do something for me first” he said to Isabelle, “Do a little digging, find out who chose the crew for the Blackeagle mission.”

“I can certainly try, I have someone who owes me a favour. He should also be able to answer your first question as well. Before you ask I trust him with my life.” Isabelle smiled.

“Good” Finchley replied, “because we’re going into the lions den Lieutenant. If there’s a mole in SFI who betrayed us, and they have accomplices, our lives will possibly be at great risk. Speak to this someone who owes you a favour, let’s get the ball rolling.”

Isabelle nodded and stood ready to leave. “I’ll get on it right away Sir. I’ll let you know as soon as I know.” With that she headed on her way.

Watching her leave, Finchley had mixed emotions on the future. On the one hand, they could spring a trap to uncover a possible mole and accomplices in SFI, on the other hand, he could be signing his own downfall.

 

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