Fleet Mission: "To Boldly Go..."

[Emma Wilkinson]

STARBASE THRINACIA
Commanding Officer's Office
1516 hours

Emma walked through the doors at the Admiral’s invitation and glanced around before settling her eyes on her old friend.

"How are you, my dear?" He asked with a smile.

“I’m good thanks…yourself? It’s been too long! Looking forward to this new assignment…should be fun!” She replied with a smile of her own.

Steve nodded in agreement, picking up one of the PADDs from off his desk behind him. “Agreed, you’ll certainly have your hands full that’s for sure.” He leant forwards from the desk and handed over the PADD. “Updated personnel list, gets it off my desk anyway.” Steve chuckled with a wink.

Emma rolled her eyes as she took the PADD from him. Great, yet more personnel files to go through. “Thanks…because I haven’t gone through nearly enough of these yet!” She griped, good naturedly, giving it a cursory glance to look at further later and pulling out the one she had been working on herself earlier containing the Updates schedules and supply lists. “I suppose I can’t take one without giving one back though!” She smirked handing it over.

The Admiral returned the gesture with a mocking roll of his eyes as he took the PADD. “I’ll be sure to pass this on to Commander Jezebell of Gateway Control.” He chuckled, gesturing to the couch for Emma to take a seat. “John’s stuck out there, by the way, so he won’t be able to make it to the meeting this evening.”

Emma took a seat as she chuckled. “Passing the buck as ever.” She commented with a grin. She had missed the banter between the two of them. “Trust John to get himself stuck somewhere to avoid a meeting! Couldn’t he think up an excuse to get out of it this time? So he’s resorted to dirty tactics?” She queried with a barely contained giggle.

“Probably something shot into his rear once again…” Steve started, laughing slightly at the thought of one of the first away missions he had sent John on, so many years ago. “Alas, we’ll have to put up without him being here… not so much of a loss really? Eh?” Again the Admiral chuckled, moving across the room to join Emma on the couch, welcoming the feeling of the cushioning as opposed to the chair at his desk.

“Well, I’m sure we’ll manage one way or another!” She laughed, her own mind wondering back to that time. “Wow, it’s been a while since then hasn’t it?! A lot has happened since then, now look at us!” She said nostalgically. “Off to explore the unknown…I’m sure John can find plenty more mischief to get up to.” She thought out loud, he was somewhat known for his knack of getting into trouble, but always managed to scramble his way out of it again. “John aside, everything ready for this meeting? Anything in particular you want to come from myself?” She asked getting down to the business at hand.

Steve thought for a moment, considering the many PADDs still sat over on his desk. “Only the usual. I’ll cover the usual, the whys and what not’s. I’d like for you to cover how’s, if that’s ok by yourself? This is a big venture you’re taking on, so I would be a lot more comfortable on you taking the reigns as it’s your baby after all.”

Nodding Emma thought over what sort of info she needed to brush up on and have handy to refer to in the meeting as the techno babble wasn’t exactly her forte. “Well I’ve already worked out how the teams will be structured, but to some degree were gonna have to play things by ear based on what we encounter and how things go. So I’ll make it clear that things could change.” She said, then with a glint in her eye added, “Sure you don’t want to join us?” She knew how bored the Admiral got from time to time, and how much he missed being out amongst the stars. She guessed that he really would come along if he could.

“Oh, you aren’t rid of me just yet.” Steve replied, standing and walking over the replicator, turning to look back at Emma. “I’ll be joining you for the initial few weeks, what with Thrinacia undergoing her refit at the moment things round here are slow at the best of times.” He smiled, thinking back to the early days of his command on the Starbase. There had been so much to sort out, so many things to change, so many things to add, remove… you name it, something about it needed looking into. And now, after nearly 9 years on board, the place was running smoothly it had become a little monotonous.

“Excellent! More cannon fodder then!” She grinned nodding as the Admiral pointed towards the replicator in question. “Tea please, white, one sugar as always.” She asked in response with a wink. They had always both been creatures of habit. “Well, first off it will be good to have the extra sets of hands to move everything through, even with the shuttles lending a hand.” She told him. There is a lot to do and the quicker we get everything through, the sooner things will be up and running.” She finished.

“Computer, Tea; white, one sugar. Coffee; White, two sugars.” Steve commanded the computer, replying to Emma as the ‘hole in the wall’ fuzzed in a blue shimmer as the beverages materialised. “Hang on, you expect me to do heavy lifting? At my age, you got another thing coming.” He grinned, picking up the two mugs and walking back to the couch.

Emma took her drink and blew on it before taking a satisfying sip. “Well, neither of us are exactly spring chickens, but I’m sure we’ll find someone to delegate to!” she suggested with a knowing smile. “After all, what are Ensigns for?” She shrugged, wrapping her hands round her cup and savouring the warmth. “Either that or when john finally puts in an appearance we’ll just get him to do it. Might actually keep him out of trouble for a while.” She said, before the pair of them let out a simultaneous bark of laughter at the comment.

“Oh he’ll love the extra work, that’s for sure!” Steve interjected through the laughs, taking a seat again and placing the mug of his coffee on the glass table in front of them. “Well, there’ll certainly be plenty for everyone to do, that’s a given. My only concern is the Commanding Officers finding some things menial to their skill… but then again, they should understand the need.” He offered with a wink. “Speaking of which, any progress on your XO?”

“Well, I’ve got one possible candidate, with a good record that looks promising, but I haven’t actually met up with the guy yet, so should be interesting. He should be at the meeting, so I’ll catch him afterwards and discuss things further with him to sort any questions or further info he wants or needs to get him up to speed with everything.” She informed him and then added, “He’s arriving shortly before the meeting, which is why we haven’t met up beforehand, as his last assignment has only just finished and he couldn’t get here any sooner.” She finished taking another sip of her tea, and folded her lower legs and leaning into the cushions with a sign of contentment.

“Ah, good plan.” Steve replied as he leant forwards he picked up his mug before leaning back in comfort once more. Savour it, won’t last long. Of course. “Anything you need confirming from me about this assignment?”

Emma thought for a moment or two whilst draining the remaining tea in her mug and licking her lips dry. “I know they are only sending us through the smaller, but are there any plans for the larger one to be set up or used at all?” She asked as she hadn’t heard anything about it as of yet.

“Mm, good question.” Steve replied, swallowing a mouthful of his coffee before continuing, placing the warm mug on his knee. “At present, without a recipient gateway on the other end we can’t hold a stable connection to link to – we wouldn’t be able to maintain the large connection continuously as the chance of it changing an opening are just over 98% guaranteed. The smaller one we can control as we have the ‘sister’ opening in place on the other end.”

“Yer, but I heard talk of the development of one they were looking to create, which we were to take with us, in order to establish a stable connection with which to work with, any word on that, or was it just a rumour or an idea that failed?” She hadn’t received any official orders, but maybe there was something in the pipework’s for a later date that she was yet to be bought up to speed on.

“Rumour unfortunately. We can’t create the gateways; they’re the original Iconian ones.” Steve answered, again lifting his mug to drain the remaining contents before leaning to place the empty container on the table with a small ‘clink’ of ceramic to glass. “We’ve been extraordinarily lucky to find the 3 so far. At present all we have is the Starship Gateway, off yonder,” Steve gestured with his head over his shoulder to the station, “with the first Personnel Gateway on board too, then your one already in place.”

Emma nodded her understanding. She had had her suspicions there wasn’t anything to them, but it had been worth an ask. “Well, I’m sure we can make do with what we got. You never know, once out there we may find more to play with.” She said with a hopeful tone. “How much of the inventory is ready to go already?” She enquired unfolding her feet only to refold them the other way and crossing her arms for good measure.

The Admiral paused, considering for a moment as he attempted to recall the figures and requests that had come through. “Hmm… well at present John is there already, I believe the temporary structures are ready to go, but don’t quote me as yet on that. I believe we still have approximately three quarters here – we’ll need to assess the situation planet-side before a decision can be made on what can follow.”

Again nodding her understanding, Emma thought for another minute but came up blank. “Well I think that about covers everything really for now. Like you say, everything else has to be taken as it comes, due to the nature of the mission.” She finished before adding “Anything you need to me find out or finalise before the meeting?” She asked, she couldn’t think of anything herself as most of the info was already available and ready, but there was normally something.

Steve, too, thought for a moment, also drawing a blank. “Nothing springs to mind actually… All I would suggest is checking in with Gateway Control to make sure the read-outs are stable and they’re on track with everything left waiting ready to go.”

“Fair enough, that was my next port of call anyway, so no worries.” She said, finally putting her empty mug on the table in front of them. “Well, if there’s nothing else…I’ll let you get back to your wonderful admin you love so much,” Emma said sarcastically with a wink, “And I’ll go check in with control before the meeting, and check that my new XO is on his way.” She said once again unfolding her arms and feet and pushing herself up from the rather comfy and deceptively deep couch, with only a little struggle.

“I’ll get a zimmer frame ready for your next visit.” Steve commented sarcastically, chuckling as he stood himself. “I recommend we arrive at the Conference Room for 1745 hours and prep the room etc.”

Emma looked at him with a raised brow, “You’re not that bad that!” She shot back at him.

The Admiral merely scowled, laughing slightly. “Smart-aleck.” Picking up the two mugs, he walked back to the replicator to have them recycled. “If you think of anything extra you need from me; just give me a shout.”

“Well one of us has to be!” She said with a smirk and a chuckle, making her way to the door. “Will do, see you in a while then I guess.” She finished with a wave of her hand as the doors opened and she stepped out, making her way to communications for a report.

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