"Tactical Preparations"
Previous Post: "Impossible Feats"
/\/\/\
Stardate: 60324.1350
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Conference Lounge
Immediately after having left the CO's Ready Room, the Romulan/Terran hybrid had lead her team to the Conference Lounge to work on the tactical aspect of their mission. Leaving the Ready Room, the team had been made of three officers; Ens. Doratheva, Lt. Cmdr. Enaii and herself but by the time they had arrived only two of them had remained.
Knowing better than to question the impulses of the ANUBIS' ILO, the XO figured that Enaii had needed to get or do something pertaining to their task. Willing to let the ILO do as she pleased for the time being, not that the Romulan/Terran hybrid truly had any other choice, the tactical preparations commenced with only the Sec/Tac and XO present.
Analyzing a holographic representation of the sector of space that they had recently escaped from, the two women were working on coming up with the most effective way of returning to their previous location without succumbing to the superior firepower of the two Cardassian destroyers.
While thinking of the many possibilities available to them, Ens. Doratheva spoke out loud about something that seemed completely unrelated to the Romulan/Terran hybrid. "This would be so much easier on a tennis court with a tennis ball."
Making reference to the assault made against her ex-husband using a simple tennis ball, the Edo/Betazoid Ensign made the XO stop what she had been doing, the Sec/Tac officer not noticing the puzzled expression on the woman sitting across from her. Being aware that the other woman was too preoccupied by her own thoughts to see that her comment had been heard from across the table, the Romulan/Terran hybrid decide to pursue the issue in case there had been some connection with what they had been working on. "Excuse me, Ensign? A tennis ball?"
Realizing only now that what she had thought had crossed her lips loud enough to be heard by the ANUBIS' XO, Eva felt her cheek heat up. "My apologies Commander, I was thinking back to an incident that took place back on EARTH where the most innocent of item, in that case a tennis ball, was used in a way that it was never meant to yet perfectly designed for."
Trying to make sense of the cryptic replied, the Romulan/Terran hybrid narrowed her eyes while looking through the hologram and at the Sec/Tac officer. There was no need for the XO to reprimand the other woman for her thoughts as Serenna had also indulged in recalling some strange details about her past hoping that the answer to their dilemma would be found in the most unusual of places. Keeping an open mind about this, the XO asked, "Can you tell me more about this incident? I understand that it has no direct relevance to our situation but in the end it might provide us with a few fresh ideas to use against our Cardassian foes."
Not really looking forward to having to explain what had happened to the XO, the Sec/Tac officer tried to come up with an alternate story that would maintain the core elements of what had happened intact. Thinking about what elements of the story to change and which to keep, Eva began to question her own reasoning in not wanting to discuss what had happened. Serving on an Intel ship millions of miles away from EARTH meant that the odds that they would ever come across the man known as Nolan Johnson were minimal at best, so Eva no longer saw the need to being so secretive about the incident. Not being able to trust those she worked with so closely could spell disaster in the long run.
No longer holding on to the need for secrecy she had thought to be so important before, the Edo/Betazoid hybrid explained in as much detail as she could the events that had lead to the tennis court and the attack that had ended the game.
Nodding her head at the end of the explanation, the Romulan/Terran hybrid saw how the Sec/Tac could have used thinking about that particular incident to help in their current situation, but before continuing along those lines of thought, the XO made an unconnected comment to their planning. "Remind me not to play tennis against you, although I would love to play doubles with you against certain members of this crew who need a few lessons taught to them."
Looking a little confused, Evan was not certain how to take what the XO had said and eventually decided to accept the comment as a compliment to her skills and ingenuity which had exactly been what the Romulan/Terran hybrid had meant it to be. "Maybe that is the key, us playing *doubles*."
As if sharing the same thought, the Romulan/Terran hybrid displayed something that she rarely allowed to show in public or even in private; she smiled. "Evening the odds would not only give us a renewed advantage but it would certain give us a notable time advantage while the Cardassian try to figure out where this second ship came from. The problem is can we pull it off?"
Shifting the holographic image from the region of space they had been working on to an external schematic of the ANUBIS, the two women began to analyze the possibility of creating a realistic holographic twin of the ship that would distract and confuse their opponent long enough for the SCARAB-Class ship to gain the tactical advantage over their foes.
Stepping into the room several minutes later, the ILO found the Sec/Tac and XO up to their elbows in complex holographic recreations using false sensor signatures and modified equipment to create a realistic twin of their ship which would be used to confuse the Cardassian. Without saying a single word, Lt. Cmdr. Enaii joined the two women and instantly picked up where the work had been, offering the experience and unique perspective that was hers.
/\/\/\
/\/\/\
Serena Switt {serena1141@yahoo.com.au}
Lieutenant Commander Serenna 2005 post #295
Executive Officer
USS ANUBIS
