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Yet Another XO? (part 1)

Posted on Sun Jul 19th, 2015 @ 11:53am by Commodore Samantha York & Sergeant Amarylis Beckinsale

1,109 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Deadly Diplomacy
Location: CO's Ready Room
Timeline: Following The Decoy

Once the intruders had been repelled by the crew of the Calypso Jethro's first task was to visit with Commodore York. Through the maelstrom of choatic activity plaguing the fleet's flagship he found himself feeling partly responsible for leaving Samantha with no right hand. Jethro had never abondoned his post and he felt it his duty to both her and her daugther to see a replacement. Starfleet Command was littered with corruption and he had a feeling Thaddius Storm was a pawn in a larger plan. Samantha needed someone she could trust, they all did.

"Jennifer thank you for coming on such short notice, strange times these are." He said to the young lady walking along side him.

Lieutenant Commander Jennifer Tate was a youthful, El-Aurian/Human female serving under Starfleet's Intelligence Branch. Jethro had first become aware of Jennifer through some old friends in the service over scotch. They often talked of the degradation in training and the changing of the 'old guard'. Over time Jethro learned Jennifer had an affinity for Alexandra Vance looking up to her through whatever she had learned of his daugther, probably more fiction then fact as most found it hard to revere the one dubbed the "Ice Queen". Nevertheless Jethro monitored the young woman through her training and soon she became amongst his most trusted connections in the service. He in return acted as an advisor and even promised one day to introduce her to his daughter. Sadly that day would not come but he could think of no better way to honor her then to have someone that looked up to her continue her legacy.

"Sir, there is nowhere else I'd rather be. I'm so honoured you felt you could trust me with something like this, and succeeding Commander Vance? I mean when you first tell me I'll admit you caught me a little off-guard." she blushed at the notion looking away from him and down the corridor as they approached the turbolift.

"You're a good officer Jennifer and right now this ship needs strong leadership. Samantha can't do this on her own and if she accepts she will be looking to you to help guide her and this crew out of this rut, and then of course there is Morat." Jethro sighed resignedly. Long ago he had broken his silence and informed Jennifer about Gul Morat. Although only scratching the surface then, given the nature of the assignment he had informed her of the more intimate details of her perverse obsession with Alexandra Vance and now Amarylis Beckinsale. She had a list and she would not stop until it was cleared.

"I've looked into her sir and I'll say details are sketchy." she said as she entered the turbolift following an invite by Jethro's outstretched hand. "According to my sources you are the only one whose actually seen this woman besides Dorin Kilus."

"She was only eight when I first saw her. I doubt I would recognize her now." he replied with a hint of regret. Morat was the only person whom could ever make him feel so powerless.

Jennifer could sense his despair. His mood was sullen when approaching the subject. She placed her hand on his shoulder. "I promise you I will do everything I can to put an end to this and then we can put Alexandra to rest."

Jethro forced a smile as the two stepped onto the bridge walking towards York's ready room. Vance pressed the chime looking to Tate. "You just worry about Samantha and this ship, Morat is my problem and I plan to get her away from you all."

Sam was enjoying a few brief moments of quiet before she tackled yet another report to Fleet Command. She was avoiding Starfleet Command as she knew there were people in the Admiralty who where working with the Gul, but she wasn't going to give them fuel to come after her again.

When the door chimed she sighed. No rest for the wicked. "Come in."

Jethro entered the room with Jennifer in tow. Both of them (moreso Jennifer) could tell Samantha was beyond stressed and worn. The marks under her eyes made her look as if she had not slept in weeks. The burdens of command were weighing down on her. Jennifer began to wonder if accepting Jethro's offer was a wise decision.

"Hello Samantha. I hope I wasn't interrupting anything." He began as he stood before Samantha's desk. "I wondered if I might have a quick word with you."

"What can I do for you, Mr. Vance?" Sam asked.

"Well actually Sam it's not about what you can do for me but more what I can do for you. This lovely young lady here is Lieutenant Commander Jennifer Tate. She works with Fleet Intelligence and the two of us have collaborated on quite a few cases including your most recent run-in with Gul Morat. Jennifer is a fine young officer, trusting, loyal and a great friend and it was my hopes that she could provide the same dedication she has to myself and the branch to you." He replied.

"She's going to work on the investigation to find out what happened to your daughter?" Sam asked.

"Of course, I would really like to. Alexandra Vance is kind of like a hero to me it must have been quite the honour to have her as your XO." Jennifer replied seemingly gleeful despite the somber nature of the conversation.

"Oh, dear," Sam thought. "No, it was not," she stated flatly before turning to hear what Jethro had to say.

Jethro placed his hand on Jennifer's shoulder to silence her staring first at her getting a confused look in return, then to York. "Please pardon her manners, she's still a little new to this." He cleared his throat. "I was thinking along the lines of something more permanent. You see both Jennifer and I have been observing the inner networks of Starfleet and they are well...quiet."

"I believe there is something amiss and it roots from Starfleet Command. Commander Storm, not a peep of him since he left the Calypso. No one seems to really know or care what happened to him. Morat, Alexandra, the negotiations, no one is talking. It's like you guys have literally fallen off the Starfleet radar so to speak. It's just business as usual. I...we." Jennifer pointed back and forth between Jethro and herself. "Believe someone, possibly Morat herself has it out for you. Commander Storm was the first."

(To be continued...)

Jethro Vance
Alexandra's Father

Lieutenant Commander Jennifer Tate
Potential XO

Commodore Samantha York
Commanding Officer

 

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