Checking out the SAC

Posted on Tue Oct 4th, 2016 @ 8:46pm by Colonel Damian Highsmith M.Eng

Mission: Bad Moon Rising
Location: Deck 14, Section Delta
Timeline: Mission Day 1, 1000 Hours

ON:

Damian walked through the increasingly chilly corridor of Deck 14 as he observed the crew moving to and fro with a sense of newfound initiative since the ship had set off. Rubbing his wrists, he continued his stroll until he reached a thick tritanium door, similar to those used on the shuttlebay. The only difference with this one was that it was guarded by two enlisted Master-At-Arms with Type II phasers at their hips. Halting before them, Damian looked them over- even under his intense scrutiny, their eyes did not waver from the bulkhead in front of them. After an eternity, the guard to his right addressed him.

"Sir, this area is restricted. I'll need you to complete a voiceprint analysis and a retinal scan before you can enter." the young enlisted man said. Damian took a quick glance at his collar and noted that he was just a Private First Class. Letting out a small huff, he debated whether he wanted to offer a hint of resistance to the man. Sadly realizing that nothing would actually be accomplished if he did, he simply remained silent. Nodding, Damian kept his eyes open as the Marine pulled out a handheld unit and held it up to Damian's right eye. His eyes watering as a puff of chilled air shot out of the device followed by several rapid pulses of blue light, Damian struggled to keep it open. As the scan stopped, Damian blinked rapidly. Next, the PFC held up a small device similar to a tricorder.

"Sir, I'm going to need you to speak your full name and serial number into the device." the PFC said in an almost robotic fashion.

Damian cleared his throat. "Highsmith, Damian Keller. Serial Number: HI-Two-Six-Eight One, Seven-Two-Three- Eight" he said quickly. He watched the device flash green with authentic verification. The PFC and his counterpart stood aside as the door opened to reveal a massive room that spanned at least two decks- The Strategic Assessment Center. He hadn't had a chance to actually visit it before he had set off but he knew that he would find a familiar face here- one Lieutenant Commander Janet Glyndar. He could see that there were at least 50 analysts sitting at stations in the darkened room with a few Warrant Officers and junior officers hovering over their shoulders. Looking up, he could see a second level that held a hybrid office and conference room that had floor to ceiling windows to enable its occupant to see outward and survey their domain. Climbing a side set of metal steps to the entrance, he stopped outside of the sealed glass doors and knocked.

Lieutenant Janet Glyndar was looming over an illuminated work computer console in an otherwise dark room. Not good for your eyes was one thing she had heard enough of about her love for the dark, but she did not care to listen to any sort of medical advice. The knock on the door had broke her from an otherwise unyielding focused gaze. "What is it?" she called out. "I mean...Come in" she said taking a deep breath.

Damian entered and looked around. The room was sparsely decorated with the exception of a desk where a large console occupied most of the space. If there was one thing he noticed, it was the darkness. Looking towards the dark haired form sitting behind the monitors, he stood and tapped his foot. "Lieutenant Commander Glyndar. My orders stated that you'd be taking a position aboard my ship, I didn't realize that it would be this one." Looking for a chair, he took a seat in one at the opposite end of the desk. "They have you in rather nice digs. I think your office might even be bigger than my ready room." he said, looking around.

She cocked her head and then nodded. "Yeah, well...you know how it goes. Just off maternity leave and raising a child as a single parent. They do not tend to let you serve in Security or Tactical much long after than unless they put you on cargo inspection duty or guarding some fertilizer needed on some desolate colony suffering from blight" she replied shaking her head dismissively. "So, here I am up here in these...'digs' as you said" she added.

"My office" she scoffed "I like to consider all of SAC my office. This just happens to be where I can work in private and stand here looking down at them seeing who is actually working and who is pissing around" she added. "I also feel this would make for an excellent interrogation room if ever needed" said the woman, flashing her purple irises at the Colonel.

Damian nodded, this woman was rather matter of fact. Most likely from her years in the Tactical Department. "It seems like everyone is getting their positions switched about lately. I have an Engineer that's sitting up on the bridge that's sitting on several hundred antimatter warheads and an ex circus performer that's sitting on all of the good booze." he said dryly. "And you know you have your own facilities for that, right? No need to smudge up the nice new flooring in here if you wanted to knock someone around." said Damian, his statement a feeble attempt at a joke.

"Even if it is you?" she replied teasingly. "I know I know. We have proper rooms for interrogations, and I promise not to step on security's toes...well, I'll try. I cannot really promise that I wont peek my head into see how things are going. I still am not in love with the idea of not being behind a tactical console or being assigned to 90% of all away teams or at least having the say in the security personnel assigned" confessed Janet. "So what brings you down here, Capt-" she began, but quickly corrected herself "Colonel?" she finished. "Did you have orders for me or did you just want to inspect my SAC?"

Damian bit back a sarcastic retort- this was not the first time that he had been called by the incorrect rank and it certainly would not be the last but it was beginning to annoy him. "A little of both, Commander. I'm here on a SAC inspection, making sure everything is firm and consistent. Although after even this brief look, I'm sure that I don't need to worry. Now, because the Hammersley left port without an XO on board, I'm going to need you to fill in on the bridge for the time being-" Damian stopped for a moment as he reached into his pocket and withdrew a red, two-pronged key around a silver steel chain. "-and you'll probably need that if you want to launch a tricobalt device. That key is coded to you and only you, so hold onto it. I'll be expecting you on the bridge beginning tomorrow morning at 0800."

"You couldn't help yourself could you" she said shaking her head. "Coming down here, touching my SAC and making me come up to sit on your Bridge" she said shaking her head continuously before throwing her arms up in a groaning sigh. "Fine fine fine. 0800 hours, I'll be there. But I will not enjoy it" she added. "Also, speaking frankly, Sir, I am an intelligence Officer...I hear things. You shot yourself in the foot. You had people wanting to serve as your XO and you rejected them" she said crossing her arms.

Damian squared his shoulders and looked Janet right in the eye. "I have a track record of having great Executive Officers. Thus far, I had a strategist who has never left an Academy classroomand a complete asshole who didn't know how to treat the people he worked with so forgive me for not bringing someone onboard who I couldn't trust. Based on your record and experience, I trust you. So you can either take that trust or you can toss it, it is completely up to you. Understood?" he asked

"Yes" she said simply. "You took a command in the Fourth Fleet of all places, clearly you did not do your research" added Janet with a small cackle. "We are about as well put together as a fleet as a Malon recycling force under the leadership of a Pakled. Or as well respected as a humanitarian aide service with a Ferengi Director" she quipped. "Did you seriously expect them to have good XO candidates?"

"Not particularly, Commander. I've seen people with stars and pips on their collars that couldn't lead a rat through a straight tunnel, much less a fleet but ours is not to reason why, only to do and die. I think we'd both do well to remember that." Damian said, a hint of sadness in his voice.

She shook her head and scoffed. "Marine" she adeed somewhat bitterly. "You lot are never optimistic about anything. It is always doom, gloom, and honor with you. I swear you are all Klingons at heart" she said with a sigh. "Personally, I plan on the do part and I'll hold off on the die."

Damian smirked. "I'll do my damndest to make sure this ship and crew get back in one piece, Commander. Just make sure I don't do anything stupid, okay?" he said, the humor draining from his voice. He had made his share of mistakes in the past but he was determined to not make them again.


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