Posted by Commander Jacen Drayke (Chief Engineer/2O) in Main reception room Perkins meets Drayke at the Christening of the New USS Atlantis D

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Ian Bordeaux (Chief Diplomatic Officer) in Main reception room Perkins meets Drayke at the Christening of the New USS Atlantis D

Posted by Commander Jacen Drayke (Chief Engineer/2O) in Main reception room Perkins meets Drayke at the Christening of the New USS Atlantis D
Posted by… suppressed (18) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Admiral Perkins surveyed the room. Kelly’s crew seemed distinctly loyal but there was always one. One officer that could be tempted to see the benefits of a casual relationship and the perks random updates could bring. Information was always more powerful than weapons. As he surveyed the room Perkins debates where to start. He had the dossiers on everyone. Now it was time to play on the cracks in their armor. Power was all about promises and Perkins was all about promises.

“Commander Drayke,” Perkins took a seat at the bar next to the chief engineer. “Surprised to see your name on the crew roster. I had heard you were taking a sabbatical?” Drayke was one of the top engineers in the fleet. Kelly was lucky to have him. It was no secret the previous XO left for some religious reason on her homeworld. The puzzle was why the husband was sitting here alone at the bar. Since he couldn’t work the revenge angle on him he would have to work the friend one until he found the man’s weakness. Marital discord was too obvious but then again at times obvious was simply obvious.

Perkins

“No…” Jacen said as he looked over Perkins as he shook his head as he looked over at the man. “Not now,” Jacen said as he got up from his chair and began walking away from the man.

Drayke, CE

“Oh then my mistake,” Perkins replied. “However I am surprised that you did not take the position being offered in the sector of your wife’s home planet. Corsan is is not,” he let his voice trail off. “The position was for a Captain to oversee the project. I had put your name forth and was surprised you chose not to take it. I mean you would not be separated from your wife and child,” Perkins let out a sigh that was meant to sound empathetic but to most is sound like a slow leak from a tire. “May I ask why you did not apply? Captain Bordeaux did tell you that you were the first candidate on the list to assume the position. With all your years of experience, it would have yours.” Perkins let the news hang in the air studying the face of the man before him. Drayke was obviously disgruntled. These were the best people to sway to particular points of view and often did not need much encouragement.

Perkins.

“I don’t really care what your game is here,” Jacen said as he turned to face Perkins. “But you damn well leave my wife out of anything you talk about. Those extra pips mean nothing to me if you are trying to cause trouble for the ship I love. So if if you really need to play these games, can’t you at least take them to someone who gives a rat ass sir?” Jacen added, with a sharp spiteful tone at the end as he looked the Admiral over. It was clear he didn’t want to play any games, and while this story of promotion was new to him, he highly doubted it was something that was real, or if it was, that it played out the way he tried to say.

Drayke, CE

bump

“Nice one Mr. Drayke,” Kelly nodded at him wiggling her neck slightly feeling the tightness of the collar more than normal. “Rats ass. Poignant and so accurate on my view of the political system at time. Cheers,” she held up her drink slightly. “Tell me is there a way you can have a turbo malfunction or airlock conveniently blow on command.”

“Captain Bordeaux....its time,”a soft voice said next to her. Setting her drink down on the table, Kelly looked at Jacen.

“People ask how we are able to deal with an enemy staring at you across space when you are a captain. I always tell them foreign threats are easy. You know exactly what someone wants when they fire at you and offer an ultimatum. It is the threat that comes to you with a smile and handshake promising to make your life better if you just jump on their bandwagon and give them some faith and support. In my experience, if someone has to ask for your trust and confidence then don’t give it to them. Those things are earned and not given.”

Moving to the podium Kelly took her space beside Perkins. She hated standing this close to the man. He reeked of heavy cologne but the absence of whatever was spritzed on the man was almost worse. Perkins had a leathery, paper smell like that of stacks of paper long forgotten in a closet and was yellowing with age. His skin was slippery to the touch which Kelly could never figure out why except that it was probably just a manifestation of his oily personality.

Kelly looked at the crew that had assembled, pretty much all by duress or obligation, for this ceremony. Nash, Mardusk, Styxx, Drayke, Odinson, and the rest held a fire in their eye or a look of disgust at the preening peacock who was going on about trust, loyalty, and openness. The only reason Perkin’s door was open was to usurp some younger officers’ idea and pass it off as his own. When Perkins did however underestimate was the tenacity and loyalty of the Atlantis crew. Every one of the officers looking back at him was capable of captaining their own ship. At times Kelly wondered how she was so lucky to keep them all under one roof. She would have to do something for them…something special to make up for them having to get all dressed up and not throwing someone out a window.

It was not that her crew were violent or bruisers. Her crew just did not put up with the bs that most did. If someone said something stupid, her crew called the person out on it. From Jacen telling her that if she ever ordered something from IFEA again he would do things that no court marshal could ever convince him of for reasons of work induced insanity to Mardusk coining her with catch phrases like “Want a bad idea ask Skipper I got a bad idea”. The references could go on and on with each and every ember of her crew but the one thing they all had in common was trust, loyalty and honest. All the things Perkins preached, Kelly had in spades because she could see the true character beneath the text of a character.

Suddenly the squeaking chortle that was the political peacock ended. Kelly realized she had been daydreaming. The way Perkins was staring at her indicated he wanted her to play ball by backing whatever political rhetoric had spilled from his lips. It so mattered to people like Perkins to present the smoke and mirrors perception they were all on the same team. Kelly however had no desire to sell this image.

Stepping up to the podium she looked at the crew below her. “Here’s to it better to beg for forgiveness than ask permission. Now let’s get out there and do what we do best.” Kelly motioned for a glass to give the crew a toast. “To the Atlantis-D.” Taking it in her hands she raised the glass before taking a sip. Turning to Perkins she smiled, “Sir,” she said with a nod and stepped down. Ian would probably kill her later. He had written a beautiful speech but Kelly was being childish. She had no desire to stand next to Perkins any longer than she needed to.

Captain Kelly Bordeaux. (the only time she had not been wordy)