" Operational Return "
Previous Post: "Monkey Business"
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Stardate: 60322.1900
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Bridge
Returning home should be something that every member
of a crew looks forward to, but even as the GIZA
nebula, home of the asteroid in which the NEW
ALEXANDRIA base was hidden in, became visible on the
long-range sensors, the Romulan/Terran hybrid felt a
sadness like she had never before experienced.
Following the comments made by the ILO, the COO had
dedicated all of her time and energy to her work, but
that had not been enough to stop her from thinking
about David and the rumors that had been floating
around the ship concerning his departure.
Looking back to the difficulties that her former
Academy classmate had faced and surmounted, the COO
could hardly believe that David had finally called it
quits, something that the Romulan/Terran hybrid was
certain had not been in the man's vocabulary.
Thinking about how it would feel to lose a sibling, a
situation that was a stretch for the hybrid as she was
an only child, the Ops officer accepted that there had
been sufficient reasons for the engineer to want a
change of scenery, but was resigning from Starfleet
truly the right thing to do?
Remembering what her father had once said, so many
years ago while the Romulan/Terran hybrid was still a
child on the NEW BERLIN lunar colony, the COO realized
that for some people, the passing of events beyond
their control was more than enough to trigger a
reaction outside of what had been expected from them.
Leaving ROMULUS and all that he knew behind had been
something extremely difficult for Torel, but it had
been a necessity that the father of the ANUBIS' Ops
officer had been unable to avoid. Drawing the
comparison between Torel and David, Serenna could only
guess that this had been what had happened to her
Academy classmate.
Wanting David to stay was nothing more than selfish
on the part of the Romulan/Terran hybrid, a feeling
that was somewhat alien to her never having imposed
her personal desires on anyone else before. To the
COO, and former Sec/Tac, her duties and professional
expectations had always taken precedence over
everything else. Having always believed that this was
the right way to do things, the Ops officer wondered
why the ILO had not had a higher opinion of her.
Being told that she was not a 'bad officer' by
someone with the standards of the ILO should have been
taken as a compliment, yet the Romulan/Terran hybrid
had allowed those few words to reach her in a way that
she had never thought possible. Sharing a great deal
of common background and even interest, the COO could
not bring herself to dismiss what the ILO had said as
having been some misplaced attempt to offer a
compliment. Romulans by definition did not openly
volunteer such things, and members of the Tal'Shiar
did so even less, and despite neither Enaii or Serenna
belonging to the Romulan Intel Agency, both embraced
in one way or another the concepts of that
organization.
Looking down at her instruments and noticing that the
last several minutes had been spent thinking about
something other than her work, the Romulan/Terran
hybrid growled inwardly. Dealing with the situation
was going to be harder than the COO had originally
thought making the Ops officer almost wish for a
moment that she had been the Vulcan she had claimed to
be during their mission. Suppressing emotions did
have many advantages, but the Ops officer doubted that
this was the time or place for such an extreme
attitude.
Calculating that the ANUBIS was still over an hour
away from their base of operations, the COO excused
herself from her post and sought out the one person
that would be able to help her in this affair.
Speaking to Enaii without having a clear and precise
plan of action would only prove to the ILO that she
had been correct in her assessment, and going to see
David to try and change his mind about leaving would
have been like fighting a titan barehanded.
Dismissing the two first options left the
Romulan/Terran hybrid with only one alternative, that
of accepting the invitation of the ship's Cns.
/\/\/\
Having used the ship's internal sensors to locate
Ens. Mei, the Romulan/Terran hybrid had no
difficulties intercepting the Cns as she moved through
the corridors. Using her practiced stealth, without
actually meaning to, the COO moved up behind the
walking ensign, announcing her presence only at the
last minute. "Ens. Mei, would now be a good time for
our *talk*?"
Glaring back over her shoulder at the woman standing
there, the Cns gave the impression that she had been
ready to let out a lengthy string of profanities aimed
at the COO. Thinking that it might have been the Ops
officer's plan to avoid a discussion by giving her a
heart attack, Ens. Mei had been ready to blast the Lt.
Cmdr. For what she had done, but instead the Cns took
comfort in that the Romulan/Terran hybrid had sought
her out. "Of course, I always have time for you. I
will admit though that you scared the life out of me,
guess that's what I get for serving on an Intel ship
with people who are as skilled and dedicated to their
work as this crew."
Looking back at the Cns with a clearly unimpressed
expression, the COO realized what the ensign had been
trying to do. Somehow she had been made aware of the
ILO's work and had meant to restore, at least in some
small way, the confidence that had been so thoroughly
shaken. "Speaking of dedication, I wanted to talk to
you about David if that is alright with you?"
Grinning ever so softly, the Cns thought that the
request had not come as a surprise, the Romulan/Terran
hybrid having from the very beginning come across as
someone who thought of others before herself.
Inviting the COO to walk with her, Ens. Mei accepted
the terms set by the Ops officer. "It’s the hot topic
of the hour although I may not have a great deal to
offer I am more than willing to listen and offer you
whatever insight I may have on him."
Walking down the corridor, the Cns hoped that this
situation would permit her to not only discover more
about David but to also peel back some of the layers
beneath which the Romulan/Terran hybrid so skilfully
hid under.
/\/\/\
Lieutenant Commander Serenna 2005 post #231
Stardate: 60322.1915
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Corridor
/\/\/\
Serena Switt {serena1141@yahoo.com.au}
Chief of Operations / Second Officer
USS ANUBIS
