Posted by Commander Wade King (Strategic Operations Officer) in Commander King Meets XO

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Jessica Vaughn (XO) in Commander King Meets XO

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Jessica Vaughn (XO) in Commander King Meets XO (SNIP) The facial expression was fleeting, and the transition was smooth, for anyone other than a trained operative, and a Betazoid the momentary consideration of dumping his body to protect her friend would have gone unnoticed. Wade did notice, and it was commendable loyalty, and useful. Now to make it work in his favor. “Coffee is the poison of choice, though I would not mind a bit of the Irish blend.” With a wink and a grin, “I brought my own Irish if we are running low.” Wade tapped the pocket that was under the tunic panel. Intel often had the alteration done to the uniforms for easy of carrying small items. Generally knives and what not. “For the record, Gunny and I are acquainted, and frankly the man is scary good at what he does. Strategic Operations Officer, is not what he does though. I have a feeling being able to step back into the shadows will suit him just fine.” Wade stated honestly. Commander Wade King, SOO

Jessica brought over the coffee and also a plate of sugar cookies. The cookies were the standard light yellow but sported a huge white circle of icing with different colored smiling happy faces on them in primary colors. “Oh Gunny stepping in the shadows is the worst thing for anyone. He needs a floodlight on him at all times but we are not here to talk about Gunny Ransom. We are here to talk about you Mr. King or may I call you Wade,” she asked. “And I would so take a nip of what you have in your pocket if Bump was bunking with me but come December when Bump gets their eviction notice I would love to share a drink with you. Instead, it will have to be a cookie for the time being. It is my grandmother’s recipe. Try one,” she said taking a sip of her decaf coffee.

Lt. Commander Jessica Vaughn, XO

Wade laughed, and looked at the cookies. He took the Coffee settled it on her desk and then reached for a cookie, he did not go for a specific color, just one that was convenient, but not the one on top or closest to him. Habits die hard, and when people have just as often been as comfortable with the idea of you as a corpse as they were with you breathing, one learned caution. Odds dictated none were poisoned, but less likely the entire batch instead of just a few, they might have to prove they were willing to eat a cookie too. So some had to be safe. Wade shook his head, and settled the cookie next to the coffee. Reaching into the tunic he removed a small flask, likely no more than 4 shots of alcohol could have been kept inside. Wade poured a measure into his coffee cup and winked. Then closed the flask and put it back in its hiding place. “Bump hmmm, and please call me Wade, Mr. King has been dead for a few years, and really never deserved the honorific.” Wade chuckled. His father had been a hard man, and it had been hardest on Wade as he attempted to make the unruly boy a man.

Commander Wade King, SOO

Jessica watched Wade select his cookie and fought not to grin. “I started my career as an intelligence officer,” Jessica selected her cookie. “I was on Outpost 23 monitoring rogue comets for three years. Earned me this promotion. Comets can be so fascinating,” she said taking a bite of her. “I think what I loved most about the intelligence field was the constant game of chess you play when you meet someone. Everyone can fight and everyone has a few tricks up their sleeves but what makes a good intelligence officer was the ability to read your opponent’s motives. I put out cookies and you took a long time selecting one. Logic dictates this is for one of several reasons. Number one is you are worried I suck as a baker. Number two is you have never met someone who was raised to show a bit of southern hospitality and have no idea what to do with a smiley-faced iced cookie,” Jessica let a thick Texas twang punctuate her words. “Number three is that the cookies are a test,” Jessica said taking a bite. “Tell Wade, which number do you think it is?”

Lt. Commander Jessica Vaughn, XO

Wade shrugged, “All three, and I do not eat sweets often, so I was torn to tell the truth, or just bite the bullet and take one. But everything is a test whether it was intended as one or not. As I have not bitten the cookie, I still do not know if the first is accurate, and as for Southern Hospitality, they do not teach that at the academy.” Wade smiled, and bit into the cookie, then washed it down with a swallow of coffee.

Commander Wade King, SOO

“Your right. Your Momma and Nana teach you about southern hospitality,” Jessica grinned inspecting her cookie before taking a bite. “Now my Nana would not approve or me not just eating the cookie,” she commented as she slowly ate around the happy face image so that only the edges were going to be gone. “I like to leave the eyes and smile for last. Not sure if it some repressed cannibalistic tendency or just plain fun. “

Setting the cookie down, Jessica leaned back in her seat washing it down with a sip of her coffee. “So Mr. Wade what brings you to our little corner of the world all the way from OED?” Jessica did not know anything about the man in front of her. She had read the Starfleet transfer paperwork half a dozen times but so much of it was blank. This meant either then man did nothing in his career or had a secret career. She doubted it was the former based on how much shiner his neck was than hers.

Lt. Commander Jessica Vaughn, XO