-= CO’s Offices, Fleet Headquarters =-
“The Admiral will be ready in a moment.”
“I’ve heard that one before,” Felix said, not quite able to help
himself. In truth, he wasn’t concentrating. Outside the lobby window sat
the Lone Star, its strange modular hull tapering to its top, which was
just below the level of his feed. Some thought the Insignia wasn’t a
particularly pretty ship, but those people were no longer welcome in his
general vicinity.
Felix entered when called, busting out a cavalier salute as soon as he entered. “Seems you just can’t get rid of me, Admiral.”
"No matter how hard I try, Captain," Sadie replied in good nature.
"Welcome aboard Kincardine." Her face sobered and she waved vaguely in
the direction of her computer console. "I saw your report from your way
in. Finding what was...left of the Dumas. Thank you for the extra
thorough look.”
Felix waved his head from side to side in an arbitrary way. “It never
gets easier, boss,” he confessed. “There was nothing there but alloy and
organic matter.” Federation officer code for the remains of people.
“We’ve put a planter in the arboretum for Doctor Sovanae and the missing
crew of the Artemis. And now, I suppose, we’re moving on.” He regarded
her questioningly.
Sadie smiled faintly. "It's what we do, Captain." She stifled a sigh.
"It's what we do." She waved at the chair in front of her desk. "How's
the Lone Star after the recent visit at Utopia Planitia?"
Felix took the seat, casually. "She's handling like a charm, Captain,
and she's ready to venture out. I know Commander Freelove nearly drove
most of the base to the asylum, but she gets results. All I need now is
an XO and some orders."
"I'm afraid the assignment for your new first officer remains pending,"
Sadie said, glad that this captain wasn't any sort of telepath since he
would be unable to miss her amusement at their lack of ability to find
anyone suitably crazy to second chair the Lone Star this time around.
"However, I can make that up to you." She slid a PADD across the desk to
him with maps regarding what she was about to tell him. "You're going
to go find out what the Romulans are up to in this area." She nodded to
the PADD. "Discretely, of course.”
“Of course,” de l’Isle replied, with a petulant face full of feigned offence.
The admiral just gave him the dry, slightly-raised-brow look that she'd
give one of her children, then nodded at the PADD without a word.
He took up the device greedily and scanned it over. The first detail he
saw was that the sector didn’t have a name: Beta 420. Straight over the
top of Romulan space and some way the other side, it sat at the outer
boundary of what had been Borg space thirty years before. They would
also be the first actual Federation presence in the area. de l’Isle
looked up and straight at Sadie.
“What’s the gig, boss?”
"Frankly, we want to know how far into this space the Romulans have
gotten and, if necessary, how they did it," she said simply. She had
never been one to mince words, after all. "And perhaps the why of
it." She paused and then gestured around here. "This base and this
fleet has been formed as part of the Sal'kiiran people joining the
Federation, but it's more than just a new protectorate. The fact is, the
Sal'kiir were not just accepted, but they were wooed. They have been
creating propulsion technology far beyond our current technology, and we
want to be part of that."
She smiled wryly. "But we weren't alone, and them choosing us has not
made either of us any friends. The Romulans were among the
other...suitors, so to speak. And now suddenly they are stretching
further than previously known. We want to know more, and we want to know
if they have someone gained a foothold on the propulsion technology
ahead of or around us." She met his gaze with a level look. "This
information is only need to know below captain ranks, so you're aware.”
“We’re just heading out for a routine tour as far as my staff are
concerned,” Felix confirmed, mulling the admiral’s words. “It’s a
mapping mission, right? Until we find a warbird, or some evidence?”
"Basically," Sadie replied easily, then smirked a little. "Everything is perfectly normal...until, you know, it isn't.”
“Le plus ça change,” Felix suggested. “Is there any direct evidence for
the Romulans having extended that far out? Do we know if they’ve
executed any subterfuge here on Sal’kiir itself – yet?” With the Empire,
it was usually only a matter of time. It also began to make sense of
r’Anverok’s appointment to Omega’s fleet intelligence position – which
reminded the captain that there was a tall, Romulan bone to pick in that
department.
"Evidence of their expansion into that sector? Yes. Evidence of
subterfuge here on Sal'kiir? No," Sadie replied. "But, well, never
assume anything, as they say. Let's take a look and be as sure as we can
be.”
“You’ve got it, boss.” Felix’s eyes widened. “Excitement just about
starts to cover how I’m feeling about it. We’ve been sitting on this
capability for years. I can’t wait to push the boat out. As it were.”
His grin, then, matched his look.
Sadie eyed him for a moment then chuckled. "I'd like to tell you to behave yourself, but... Well. I know better."
=/\= End Log =/\=
Vice Admiral Sadie Stanton, OFCO & Captain Felix de l'Isle, USS Lone Star CO