"A Little Spying Amongst Friends"
[Previous post: "Memories"]
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Setting: USS ANUBIS, XO's Office
Serenna had just summoned her Sec/Tac, and was wishing she could un-summon him. First of all, she was still not very comfortable in his presence. Secondly, she was already lamenting giving him the order she was about to give. Yet, she felt it would be prudent to have the Nausicaan keep an eye on David during the upcoming mission. She’s known David a long time and wanted, more than anything, to be able to trust him. However, bottom line, she knew she couldn’t. Not yet. It would be some time before he earned her trust. She was willing to give him a chance, but she’d be damned if she was going to let him screw up her first command. She realized this was supposed to be a simple mission, all the more reason that it be completed perfectly. It wouldn’t say much for her command abilities should she screw up a simple shakedown mission.
As Nico entered the room, she immediately felt the familiar urge to strike him. **Nausicaan!**, she thought, **Why does he have to be a stinking Nausicaan? Of all the races in this galaxy, I get stuck with a damn Nausicaan Sec/Tac.**
"You wanted to see me commander?" Nico stood sleepily, at attention before her.
"Yes, Ensign Rostov." Serenna answered, "I hope I didn't wake you."
Nico suppressed a yawn, "Not at all. I was just dozing, Commander." He said, despite it being almost midnight.
Serenna eyed him before going on, trying to detect whether Nico's last remark was an attempt at sarcasm. "I have a somewhat sensitive job for you, one that would require a certain degree of discretion. I realize that discretion may not be your strong suit. You're more likely to knock a wall down than to walk around it."
Nico was outwardly unfazed by the implied insult, "I'll do my best Commander. What is it you need me to do?"
**Damn that cocky son of a …** serenna thought, but said, "I have assigned Lt. Dawson the position of aCEO for our shakedown of the HATHOR." She waited to see if Nico would comment on the prudence of her choice of aCEO. **Surely if it were up to him, the Great Sec/Tac, Nicodemus Rostov would never allow a criminal such as Dawson, anywhere near engineering.**, she thought.
When Nico did not speak, she went on. "I want you to keep an eye on him. I want his workstation covered by video feed, and I want you observing that feed as much as your duties allow. I want you to have daily briefings with Lt. Fairborn, our CEO for this mission. I will apprise Lt. Fairborn of your orders. I want any suspicious or odd behavior noted and reported to me immediately. I want this to be done without Lt. Dawson's knowledge. He's going to have enough on his plate coming back from his condition, without knowing his CO is watching his every move. Do you think you can handle that, Ensign Rostov?"
"Yes Commander." Nico said. "I'm sure I can. May I make one suggestion?"
"Of course, Ensign Rostov. Please, tell me, what would *you* suggest?" Serenna answered.
"It is my understanding," Nico began, "that Lt. Fairborn and Lt. Dawson are friends?
"Go on, Ensign." Serenna said with a nod.
"Fairborn, then, may not be the ideal choice of personnel to spy on Lt. Dawson." Nico said.
The phrase "spy on" hit Serenna in the chest like a phaser blast. It sounded so ugly and cheap, especially coming from Nico. Yet, that is exactly what she was ordering Nico to do.
"Whom would you suggest to… watch over Lt. Dawson?" Serenna asked, beginning to feel a little sick to her stomach.
"One of my men," Nico went on, "Woodrow Garrity, he minored in engineering at the academy. He's one of my best men. We could assign him to engineering as a transfer and assign Dawson as his training officer. That way Dawson will be working side by side with my man throughout his entire shift. Garrity would report any unusual behavior to me, and me, to you."
Serenna hated to admit it, but Nico's plan *was* better than hers. Nausicaan or not, he did have a certain knack for the security business. A knack, no doubt, written into his Nausicaan DNA, which makes them so good at thieving, lying, and bullying.
"Ok." She said. "Have it your way, Rostov. I'll leave it to you to brief Garrity on the situation and I'll arrange for his transfer to Engineering and get him assigned to the HATHOR for the shakedown mission."
"Yes Commander." Nico said.
Serenna had one more thing to say, "Let me be perfectly clear, Ensign. I do not want Dawson in any way to jeopardize this mission, *and* I do not want him to know about your orders. Make sure you understand that, and make sure your man, Garrity, understands that as well. You have no margin for error here, is that clear?"
"Yes Commander, understood. Will that be all?" Nico asked.
"Dismissed." Serenna simply said, with a wave of her hand.
After Nico left, Serenna stared blankly at the door. **Sometimes this job really stinks.** she thought.
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Ensign Nicodemus Rostov 2005 post #481
Stardate: 60327.2330
Jammie Thouin {lone-gunman@att.net}
Security Chief/Tactical Officer
USS ANUBIS
