Some days are bad, others...not so much.

Posted on Thursday June 16th, 2022 @ 11:15pm by Lieutenant Finchley Kerr

Mission: Days of Our Lives
Location: XO's Office.
Timeline: Current.

Finchley put down the PADD, rubbed his tired feeling eyes, got up from his seat and walked to the replicator.

"Computer, apple tea, hot" he said. The replicator dually deposited the asked for apple tea and Finchley picked it up, took a sip and allowed himself a satisfied "Aaaaaaahhhhhh" moment.

Tapping his COMM badge he said "Commander Kerr to Lieutenant Elliot, please report to my Office now, Kerr out."

Jason's day was already getting full and a detour to the XO's office wasn't exactly he wanted or needed, the piles of reports that had come in over the last twenty hours left Jason frustrated, "Acknowledged."

Two minutes later Jason arrived, hardly at a leisurely stride either. "How can I help you sir?"

"Woah, slow down there Mr Elliot, you'll do yourself an injury going at that pace" Finchley began replying "Have a seat, there's something that I need to have a discussion with you about, well, actually two things, but the second one can wait for a minute."

Jason sat, "What did you want to discuss?"

Finchley looked at Jason, it seemed he didn't have time for pleasantries so he cut to the chase. Walking back to his desk, he picked up one of the PADD's with his left hand and handed it across to the Chief Intelligence Officer, saying "It's my pleasure to tell you that as of this date, you've been promoted to full Lieutenant, congratulations" he finished, offering his right hand.

Jason for the first time that day had to pause and process "Uh...yeah." Reaching out to shake hands "Thank you sir."

It was a little bit of an under reaction Finchley thought to himself, he'd have imagined the newly promoted Lieutenant would have sounded just slightly happier, but, given his circumstances, he could see why he wasn't.

"I have a job for you Lieutenant, one I can't spare the time to do myself as I've had to put Intel work to one side just now" Finchley said "Reach out to your contacts, get me everything you can on Klingon and Romulan activity in and around the Shackleton Expanse over the last decade. Do you think you can achieve this quickly?"

"Is there specifics? Movement patterns, deployments, engagements, groups outside of the major powers that are active? I don't want to start pulling files only to bring the whole barge on to our door steps." Jason said as he started to compile his usual research frame work into focus "I do know the Klingons maintain a presence there, there's a rumor of Romulans and other non federation aligned groups working as well."

"At the moment, there are no specifics Lieutenant, I want you to bring me everything you find, no matter how much it is, and if you do your job correctly, you won't bring 'the whole barge to our doorsteps" Finchley replied "it's then my job to sift through it, take out what is pertinent to our mission and give it to the Captain. After that, if we wants specifics, we'll come back to you."

"The main data haul will take two hours, that will be mostly after action reports and various sensor logs, getting reports on specific incidents will take longer, I'll reach out too outpost 55 about any local groups that are in the region but that could take much longer, I don't know Lieutenant Stanis myself but I've not heard much in the way of good things." Jason pulled a pad out of his pocket and started to make notes, then stopped, "I might have someone else to reach out too, but..." pausing more out of dread "It'll mean reaching out too people I don't want too."

“Then don’t reach out to them, work with CWO Karadis, she came here with me, she’s part of your department” Finchley said.

Jason was making notes, "Is there a specific study for the Shackleton Expanse far as politics or military matters?"

"That's the Captains brief Lieutenant" Finchley replied "I just need you to get me that information ASAP, and get Karadis to help you, don't do this on your own, use the staff you have. She's a vastly experienced Non-COMM and I trust her implicitly. If you can't get the information, perhaps she can. That's all Lieutenant, dismissed."

Jason stood "I'll get started immediately."

Finchley watched the newly promoted Lieutenant go, something wasn't right, he didn't seem happy with his promotion, he'd make a point to speak with them again regarding a few things.


Lieutenant Commander Finchley Kerr
Executive Officer
USS Oberon

&

Lieutenant Jason Elliot
Chief Intelligence Officer
USS Oberon