Posted by Lieutenant Commander Faye Calloway (Chief Intelligence Officer) in Main Sim- Ready Room

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Faye Calloway (Chief Intelligence Officer) in Main Sim- Ready Room

Posted by Captain Orvos Legen (Commanding Officer) in Main Sim- Ready Room
Posted by… suppressed (1) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

She gave him a crisp nod and then blew out a breath as she paced a little bit more. “Give me a moment. Movement helps get my thoughts in order and I’d like to not say something I don’t mean and might regret.”

Orvos allowed her the time, grinning internally as he could feel the damn beginning to break.

Gathering herself, Faye took a deep breath, forcing it deep into her belly as if she were doing yoga. Then she came to stand before Orvos, her stormy eyes flashing. Yep, still angry! “Don’t ever question my capacity to put myself at risk if the situation calls for it. I have sacrificed immensely for the Greater Good, not once, buttwice. Deeply, personal sacrifices Captain. The kind that a whole crew isn’t always able to be a part of. The last time though, I actually had a captain who understood what he was asking of me. Understood the implications of my crazy plan. Trust me when I say that the citation for the award I was given doesn’t even tell a tenth of the story. And the time before that? Let’s just say that what I told you the day I boarded was years ago and I’m still dealing with the ramifications. And yet I am still here. Serving something I believe in. An entire Federation that at one point in my life considered my life forfeit because I was on the wrong side of a conflict.

“A good captain understands what they are asking of someone. It’s informed risk and sacrifice. But the problem here is that in this moment, things are reversed. I understand the risk all too well. I’ve been there, branded a traitor twice. But I don’t think you fully grasp what you’re asking of me, even if it’s small to you. If you don’t think there aren’t people in Command and Intelligence who would love nothing more than see me screw up, then you have no clue what you asking. This isn’t at all about the contents of the file I looked up and, yes, will share with you. This is about me, Faye Calloway, your unconventional Chief Intelligence Officer who isn’t interested in blind sacrifice. Informed sacrifice? Absolutely. But I’ve had my fill of blind sacrifice. I just got here, and so far I don’t feel like a part of this crew yet. The only person who would care if I was gone tomorrow is my husband. Sacrifice myself for the Greater Good? Absolutely, if proven necessary. But don’t stand there and treat me like a child who doesn’t quite understand the situation. I understand it perfectly well.” Well, he gave her permission to speak freely! And what few understood around here was how much growth this conversation represented, and to honestly that fact just made her sad. Faye pushed back the tears that hovered in the background.

~Faye Calloway, CIO

“You don’t want me treating you like a child. Very well. And yet you seem to think that I don’t understand? And that you need to enlighten me of what I’m really asking you do? It sounds like you don’t think I could possibly understand.” Orvos simply replied, still calm as he watched her.

-Captain Orvos Legen, CO

Inwardly Faye wanted to scream but she conjured an image in her mind and allowed herself to momentarily be in her garden on the Manhattan, sitting under the dewdrop tree and listening to the water trickle down The Hill. She knew this would be an adjustment, but it was proving harder than she could ever have imagined. Suddenly everything felt so tenuous. “Clearly,” she deadpanned. “If I did, we wouldn’t be having this conversation this way. Do I think intellectually you understand what it means? Absolutely. In practice for me in this moment? No.” Faye sighed. “Why should you? Why should anyone one this ship save Daggum?”

Faye shook her head and stepped away from him, moving over to a window. “For all I know, my husband is gone forever and the only thing tying me to this ship is my job, which you’re asking me to risk. But it’s more than that.” She turned to face Orvos again, keeping distance between them. “The Shai is an experimental prototype with two specific features. They can launch a torpedo that latches into the hull and disrupts power to a section. The other is an alteration made to the phasers, their output is slightly lower in power, but also holds a single shot for a long time and acts as a shield breaker. Use this knowledge wisely,” she said flatly, all her emotions stuffed deep down where they would not get in the way again.

~Faye Calloway, CIO

Orvos gave her room to speak, remaining as calm as he could. When he stopped and considered her perspective, it made more sense to him. She was already thinking ahead. Hammor being gone would effect her future, sure. He slowed his breathing as he allowed his empathy to wash over him. His features softened before she ever got to sharing the information he sought. His eyes darted to the ground as he considered all there was in their current situation. As soon as she shared the delicate information with him, her emotions seemed become suddenly buried. He wasn’t positive that it was any sort of mental shield, or if it was simply a coping mechanism.

His eyes looked up to hers, different now. He ignored the sharing of the intel and addressed the emotions instead for the moment. “I do know how you feel,” he said quietly. “The feeling of dread upon knowing what has likely happened. Your mind racing and preparing for the inevitable news. Attempting to accept what you see and moving forward. Having no hope of having things the way they were. Sure it happens. People are lost. Lives are forever changed. So it makes sense to accept it now, doesn’t it? Why have hope when you’ve seen it happen dozens of times?” He looked back to the ground as he considered his next words carefully.

He straightened up and looked her in the eyes once more. “The facts however tell me that not all hope is lost. He’s still communicating with the away team. We are not closing that rift until we figure out a way to get him back. I am not giving up on him. He’s coming back. You can choose to believe it or not. But hope is not lost.”

-Captain Orvos Legen, CO

Faye’s mouth dropped open. “What do you mean the away team is communicating with him? Where is he?! What changed from the bridge to now?” Her mind was racing, slitting down avenues of analysis. “I’m not giving up on Dag. I would never give up on him. And anyone who thinks I would doesn’t know me at all.” Her sense of loyalty and devotion was hard to earn but intense once given. Sometimes to her detriment, but it was one of her core values.

~Faye Calloway, CIO

Bump

Orvos simply nodded. “Good, then let’s get back out there and find a way to get him back, shall we? If my senses are correct, the away team may have a means to contact him.” He then gestured to the door, indicating their next move to the bridge.

-Captain Orvos Legen, CO