The Admiral Sends His Regards

Posted on Fri Nov 15th, 2024 @ 2:47am by Captain Rylan Gray & Lieutenant Julianna ("Jules") Raihan

776 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: A Silence of Friends
Location: Captain's Ready Room, Deck 1, USS Thunderbird
Timeline: MD002 - 0800

Rylan barely had time to settle in his Ready Room with a fresh cup of tea and a stack of reports to go through, including the one from his new First Officer, when the chime sounded on his Ready Room door. Surprised, he called out, "Enter," and rose from his seat to greet his guest.

The woman who entered, all 5'2" of her, walked up to his desk and handed over the PADD with her orders. "Lieutenant Reihan reporting as ordered. I'm to tell you that Admiral Walsingham sends his regards, Captain. I've been assigned as your new Chief Intelligence Officer."

"Please, have a seat, Lieutenant," Rylan said as he gestured for her to take on the two seats across from his desk. Once she did so, he resumed his own seat and set the PADD aside to read later. "I assume you are well-versed in the political situation."

"Yes, Sir, I am," Jules said. "I've been working undercover on various assignments for the last five years. That combined with intercepted communications, briefings from other agents in the field, and high-level analyses from heads far wiser than mine, means I'm up to date." She shrugged lightly. "Well, at least as well as I can be given the volatile nature of the situation."

"Well, we could certainly use the help," Rylan said, "but I have to ask, given past experience with Intel operatives, who do you work for?"

"My orders in that respect were quite clear," Jules said. "I work for you, for the ship, and beyond that for the Federation. I've access to Starfleet Intelligence and I can use by sources to hunt down whatever it is you want me to find. I'm good at that, Captain. Hunting, I mean."

"Has the Admiral informed you of the situation on board the ship," Rylan asked, "and by extension Starfleet in general?"

Jules sat back in her seat, legs crossed at her ankles, and though through everything the Admiral said. "Yes. Your then First Officer reached out to Commander DeVane. Intelligence has had her under surveillance for some time now. Sorry to report that she managed to evade the detail. So, current whereabouts are unknown. Our guess is that she's joined her co-conspirators. From what we can tell, Commander Knox has not been in contact with her, at least not that we know about."

"And has the Admiral been investigating Commander Knox," Rylan asked. He kept his expression neutral, torn between the possibilities. The man was his friend but at the same time, his position required neutrality, to put the greater good above personal relationships. Not an easy thing to do.

"He was vetted," Jules said carefully and then sighed. "Look, Intelligence turned over a few rocks but they didn't find anything worrisome. I believe they're more interested in this Allgaier and how he fits into all of this. As long as the Commander doesn't go talking to any more Maquis sympathizers, I think he's in the clear, at least as far as the Admiral is concerned." She paused a second, studying him, and added, "Do you have concerns, Captain?"

"Not at all," Rylan said at once. "I'm fairly certain that it's more the Commander was too trusting than anything else and he had prior history with Commander DeVane. He wasn't even aware that she'd been demoted."

"I had seen that he was new to the position," Jules said. "Not enough experience will do that. Oh, by the way, I have met with your Chief of Security and we'll meet again when we're done here, to help get your investigator ready for her mission."

"Excellent," Rylan said. "I'm glad to see that you hit the ground running."

"Running is about all I've been doing," Jules said. "I didn't get my orders until yesterday. Still, I'm here now and eager to get to work."

"Then, allow me to accept your transfer to the USS Thunderbird as our new Chief Intelligence Officer. Computer, please so note in the record."

"Noted," the computer said. "Lieutenant Julianna Raihan is now the Chief Intelligence Officer for the USS Thunderbird."

"I believe your analysts will be reporting aboard later today," Rylan continued. "Your quarters and office have been readied for you, equally hurried. If something has been overlooked, please let Lieutenant Malbrooke know, he's our Chief of Operations."

"Aye, Sir and thank you," Jules said as she inched forward in her seat.

"Welcome aboard, Lieutenant," Rylan said. He saw her move forward and hid the smile that threatened to break out. "You are dismissed."

A Post By

Captain Rylan Gray
Commanding Officer
USS Thunderbird

and

Lieutenant Julianna ("Jules") Raihan
Chief Intelligence Officer
USS Thunderbird

 

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