(snip)

=/\=I know your time is valuable so let’s cut to the chase. Some idiot reporter in the civilian sector got wind of the Sonne Situation and set it up on the nightly news which of course went viral.=/\= Most of Starfleet’s command crew had been appraised on what command was calling the Sonne Situation The gist had been the Captain of the USS Sonne and the counselor had radically opposing views about how to handle the crisis they were sent to mitigate. Instead of working together in the crisis, the USS Sonne crew erupted into a quasi-mutiny with half supporting the Captain and half the Counselor creating a breach in numerous Starfleet protocols. Disagreements among the crew were commonplace. Direct mutiny among the crew was unheard of.

+^=Permission to throw any offending star-fleet officer who might have notified an ‘idiot reporter’ in the brig, Sir>=^= it was a joke and rhetorical question, mostly.

Shifting incrementally to the right, allowed Vanessa to slide out of the frame for a second. It was not me Vanessa mouthed giving Calvin a blank expression. The Admiral was directly addressing Calvin and did not seem to notice as McLaren looked around his own desk for a PaDD. Her brief plea of defense evaporated as fast as it started when McLaren directed his attention back to the screen.

McLaren let out a small chuckle. =/\=Never a faulty hatch when you need one right?=/\=

+^=I can find one. =^= He certainly could and if not he could break one.

=/\=Putting aside our opinions about whether or not our dirty laundry should have been shared with the entirety of the Federation, the fact is we have a problem that needs to be addressed. Our PR department has come up with a brilliant solution.=/\= As much as McLaren supported the notion of transparency in Starfleet, the man was an Admiral and understood not everything needed to be scrutinized by Joe Q Public. The sarcasm was evident in his tone and seemed to thicken the more he spoke. McLaren supported transparency but not the dog and pony show he thought was about to occur.

“Command has decided that to quell public anti-fleet sentiment it would be a good idea to showcase several of our ship’s Captains in a sporting-like venue. Think of it like the old battalion games we played in the academy but it is against just two other teams which would be Captain Kelly Bordeaux with Commander Heathcliff Rinker and Captain Henry Jones with Lieutenant Diana Spencer. The teams were selected based on age, sex, rank, personality profiles, and participation in the War. Given these parameters, we did not have a lot of possible candidates which is how you all were selected.=/\= McLaren knew that no matter how he sold this, none of the teams were going to be pleased with their mission. Still, the reason he was talking to them was because they would obey a command and regardless of how much gruff they would give, the teams would show up as ordered.

+=^=Lovely sir,=^= the tone did not resemble anything that could be described as love. =^=I presume the fact that I have several injuries that continuously flare up that might affect my performance and the fact I really, really don’t want to, will not be a factor in getting me out of this assignment. =^=

=/\= No it will not but quick thinking on that old war injury.=/\= McLaren was finding Calvin Marius rather likable. He was quick with the wit and sarcasm yet contained it well within appropriate levels. He was quite a few years younger than McLaren but the difference was not great enough that McLaren might be seeing the man across from him within the Admiralty one day. The Admiralty was in sore need of men like him.

Leaning back in his seat, McLaren took a very at-ease position as he fiddled with something just out of site. His next comment was superfluous. These Captains and counselors were loyal and upstanding officers. That did not mean they weren’t free thinkers or minced words when they were unhappy with a situation. =/\=Like all good commanders, I am going to assume you have a nip of something in the bottom drawer of your desk. Have a drink with me as I permit you both to speak freely on this. I know I am going to need it, =/\= he ended his monologue McLaren poured himself a measure and threw it back.

Vanessa Slade CNS and Admiral McLaren

Actually Calvin didn’t keep alcohol in his desk in the ready room unless he knew he was going to use it for a special occasion. This wasn’t one of them. He looked slidelong at Vanessa and the stood. “Not in my desk, wait one.”

=/\=So Admiral,=/\= Vanessa directed her attention on the man on the screen, =/\=when you say battalion games, do you mean like football?=/\=

McLaren let out a small chuckle. =/\=Kinda but more boot camp things such as geocashing, 5K, EV maneuvers, HALO jump but with a twist,=/\=

=/\=And you had me until jumping. I am terribly sorry but I am going to have to turn down the offer. Thank you so much I don’t space walk and unfortunately my credentials are expired. I hope that doesn’t place you in a bad position.=/\= Vanessa did sincerely mean this. She had no wish to place the Admiral in a tight spot however just like Calvin has expressed earlier, the probably were not the dynamic duo they were looking for in this challenge.

He actually hurried over to the replicator and make a quick order. He returned with two glasses. Handing one to the counselor. =^=Let the record show that I comply with all the orders of my Admirals.” The glass looked fancy enough and the liquid was the appropriate color of brown giving the impression of a whiskey, bourbon, rye, or the like. Unfortunately it was none of the above, in fact it was a dark colored tea.

The replicator didn’t even produce synthalol in the ready room. He could have gotten it in his quarters, or in the lounge, but at duty stations the computer was pretty resistant and he didn’t have the time or inclination to fight the computer while the Admiral was waiting to toast with him.

Marius

=/\=Oh Ms. Slade,=/\= McLaren’s voice was full of humor and slightly paternal. =/\=That certainly sounds like a you problem versus a me problem=/\= Looking directly at Calvin the Admiral lifted his drink and took the shot.

=^= Its not a problem at all sir. I’m jump school trainer qualified. I’ll get her cleared to jump, or at least tandem before we go on mission. =^= There was no way he was going to go and Vanessa was not. In fact he had every intention to visit whatever discomfort he had three fold on his mouthy counselor. She wasn’t even a commander and she was getting her Captain in all kinds of aggravation.

“Jumping from what,” Vanessa’s voice sounded panicky but edged with humor. “We are in a spaceship. Not a lot of places to jump from. It’s more like floating when you pop open the airlocks.” For the moment Vanessa completely forgot about the Admiral on the other end of the line. Her only concern was the lunatic in the room promising things that were never going to happen.

McLaren watched the dialogue between the pair curiously. She was not defying her commanding officer but was certainly not afraid to speak up. The way she was looking at him also indicated that Vanessa Slade was looking to him for leadership right now. McLaren decided to stir the pot some. “Your CO was being humble stating he is jump certified. Hell he is so good at it for a while we Admirals were taking his classes so that our skills didn’t get rusty. You will be safer learning to jump with him than rolling over in your bed.”

“Well that is,” Vanessa laughed nervously seeing there was no way out of this, “such good news.” Her tone was pleasant and agreeable but her eyes and body language gave a much more honest representation of her mental state. Vanessa was going to do this but she was not going to like it.

Vanessa opened her eyes slightly as if pleading for Calvin to step up and point out his Lieutenant was uncomfortable with the current events. Taking the glass Calvin offered, she downed it before choking on it almost uncomfortably. It was that rare moment one experienced when they were not mentally prepared for what they were experiencing. “This is not,” she started but kept the rest of the comment to herself. She was not going to point out that what she thought was booze was nothing more than iced tea. The Admiral stated they were to drink. Calvin complied with that order. Vanessa needed to back Calvin’s play no matter how crazy she looked.

Patting her chest, she put on a very innocent smile followed by a laugh. “Whiskey is not a lady’s drink. Maybe next time we can drink something with an umbrella attached. ” Her act was convincing and typical for what a woman might display when shooting whiskey. It would remain to be seen if Calvin played along and if the Admiral believed it.

Vanessa Slade CNS

=^=Then it fortunate, we are all officers. -^= That was a variation on common refrain in the Marines ‘every marine was a rifleman first.’ In this case every woman was an officer first.

Marius

“Yes it is fortunate,” she replied with a smile.

Vanessa Slade CNS

“See right there,” McLaren yelled out pointing to them from his side of the screen. “I am not looking for the team that takes ass kissing to a new level. I am not looking for a team that has one or both of its members seeing this as a step on their career ladder. I am looking for the team that is you two.” Before either could protest, McLaren continued. “You,” he pointed to Calvin, “are the perfect commander. You see your people’s strengths and weaknesses. You know when to push and when to back off and support them. You,” he directed his attention to Vanessa, “you are not afraid to speak up but know when to hold that tongue. You also have each other backs without thinking regardless of who is observing.”

“I’m not certain I am the perfect anything, sir, but I’ll do my duty. No matter how uncomfortable it may be.” No matter how little he was interested in doing a press junket, it certainly wasn’t the most difficult or painful mission he was placed on. Nor did he agree that Vanessa was good at holding her tongue. If she was he wouldn’t be in this position now.

Leaning forward his face grew larger in the screen. “I don’t know what is in that cup but I am positive Slade would say whiskey even with a gun to her head. There is no way she is going to jump so you will do it with her in tandem. You both have the makings of a top command team. We have an PR team that can produce poster officers. We need a real officers with all their strengths and flaws so I will see you in two days on Earth.”

Vanessa Slade CNS

“Please, she less than 60 kilos. I can get her out a door… no matter what she wants.” Marius thought a little be more about what he had said.

“Posters?” That was something he had even less interest in. He didn’t know how to express that. “I’m certain you mean that figuratively.”

Marius