08-08-2024, 02:33 PM
There seemed to be a consensus among the staff, some good natured and some more sullen, but all seemingly willing to continue the briefing to the end. And for that, Cass was grateful. With Coleman retaking his chair, Cass felt it best to soldier on.
"Without further ado, may I introduce everyone to the Hugora Nebula." With a flick of her finger, she sent the image on her PADD to the central holoprojector in the middle of the briefing room's long table.
Despite not being a scientifically minded person of any sorts, Cass had to admit the nebula was pretty to look at but that's where her appreciation ended, all things considered. However, she gave everyone a moment to study the nebula's colors as she glanced at the message Morgan had just sent her, which only stated 'Done'. Which part of Bill's rather laborious to-do list from the most recent call she had gotten done was anyone's guess but it just re-sparked Cass' own annoyance at the way Bill seemed to be trickle out orders as if he didn't trust her.
I wish I could see his chess board…
With another flick of her finger, the image of the Hugora Nebula zoomed out to show its placement riding both sides of the Federation/Cardassian border. "The Hugora Nebula sits in a very strategic location given current tensions. It's composition blocks all but the shortest of short range sensors, making it an excellent hiding spot for all manners of activity that one would hide from the light of day."
"It was frequently used by the Maquis to their tactical advantage against both sides but in recent years, it's become more popular with smugglers. We've regularly had to devote resources to anti-smuggling operations in the sector," Cass informed the group, though she omitted that she'd been on her fair share of those patrols.
"Command is exceptionally concerned about our inability to monitor activity within the nebula and obviously, given our deteriorating relationship with Cardassia, there's concerns they might eventually turn their attention to the --"
The sound of the door along the wall behind her swishing open caused Cass to pause, her body turning ever so slightly to assess the interruption. When Morgan stepped through with a look that almost seemed self-satisfied, Cass couldn't help the slight frown, her mind trying to recall what all Morgan had been working on.
The VIP…
The VIP had been the most frustrating piece of information contained within Bill's last instructions, dropped in as if it wasn't a huge inconvenience and his lack of forthcoming information very frustrating. The passenger, a scientist, had been traveling on the Al-Batani and should have arrived prior to the mission issuance but the Al-Batani had suffered catastrophic engine issues and had been delayed. Bill had instructed her to continue launch even if the scientist had failed to arrive by official launch, which seemed odd if they were that important to the mission. Cass had to assume they were related to the sensor buoy, maybe even the designer.
However, the person that entered a few steps behind Morgan wasn't a bright eyed scientist or even someone that looked particularly happy to be there. The woman, duffel bag slung haphazardly over her shoulder, looked exhausted, confused but with a coiling frustration seeping through her that seemed to manifest in her white knuckles and her tensed shoulders. With her messy ponytail, rumpled t-shirt and plaid combo, hiking pants and half-tied boots, Tyra Crawford looked more like a tussled tourist stumbling back from an ill-fated vacation than she did the poised and collected captain Cassandra had seen at last year's Christmas party.
And that was when it all clicked into place. Bill really had been playing 3-D chess when the rest of the admirals and herself had been looking at the board like it was checkers. Unless…. he was far crueler than she could ever have imagined and based on the look on Crawford's face, that was a possibility. Either she was a much better actress than any officer had any business being or she had no more idea what was going on than Cass did.
"You're late, Captain," Cass stated after a moment's pause, pulling her own poker face out of the closet. This wasn't the first surprise to be dropped in her lap and she doubted it would be the last; her current position put a new meaning to rolling with the punches.
There was no hesitation as she picked up the second PADD she had carried in -- the one Bill had her download -- and offered it to the silent former commanding officer. "I believe this is yours."
For her part, the redhead hadn't moved beyond the initial three steps into the room, her blue eyes shifting around the room with a discomfort that was obvious. She almost looked ready to make a fight or flight decision, not quite to the point of a caged animal though, and considering how overwhelming this seemed to be, Cassandra couldn't blame her. In her shoes, she wasn't sure what she'd have made of this development with what appeared to be no warning and the PADD offered to her was regarded as if it might bite her before she seemed to gather some form of control and took it.
Cass had no idea what was on the PADD, though not for a lack of trying. It was biometrically locked and she had assumed it was sensitive data related to the sensor buoy. Then again, she had also assumed the VIP was a scientist, when, in hindsight, Bill had confirmed no such thing.
Cassandra never got a glimpse at what was on the PADD she had handed over but there was no missing the utter confusion on the Crawford's face as the PADD unlocked and revealed its contents. The only hint that Cassandra received as to the contents was the notification that flickered across the top of her own PADD, notifying her that her command codes had been moved to the third position. Back to being a mission advisor….
"I don't understand…" the redhead ran a hand over her forehead before she tangled it in her ponytail. "I have literally spent a week… over a week… being pulled from one ship to another with no explanation for the scavenger hunt for orders but 'trust me'. And I get sent here for what?"
The frustration seeped through the words with seemingly no attempt to hide it and despite whatever motive might have existed, Cass could only assume that it felt like just another instance of being jerked around. She'd read the post mission debriefs, she knew that had been Crawford's chief complaint among other things, and she wondered if Bill had weighed that against the ends.
All Cass could do was give a tiny shrug of the shoulders because what could she honestly say? She could explain that Bill had expertly executed a Castling maneuver but she couldn't give any insight into why. She could express her emphatic relief at not having to take on this mantle and yet, she was certain her salvation had come at a great cost. There was no relief to be noted and she could only hope that as the confusion and shock wore off, the other Captain wouldn't view Bill's actions and their consequences as some sort of sentence in themselves.
== I heard someone thought we didn't have enough drama…. ==
"Without further ado, may I introduce everyone to the Hugora Nebula." With a flick of her finger, she sent the image on her PADD to the central holoprojector in the middle of the briefing room's long table.
Despite not being a scientifically minded person of any sorts, Cass had to admit the nebula was pretty to look at but that's where her appreciation ended, all things considered. However, she gave everyone a moment to study the nebula's colors as she glanced at the message Morgan had just sent her, which only stated 'Done'. Which part of Bill's rather laborious to-do list from the most recent call she had gotten done was anyone's guess but it just re-sparked Cass' own annoyance at the way Bill seemed to be trickle out orders as if he didn't trust her.
I wish I could see his chess board…
With another flick of her finger, the image of the Hugora Nebula zoomed out to show its placement riding both sides of the Federation/Cardassian border. "The Hugora Nebula sits in a very strategic location given current tensions. It's composition blocks all but the shortest of short range sensors, making it an excellent hiding spot for all manners of activity that one would hide from the light of day."
"It was frequently used by the Maquis to their tactical advantage against both sides but in recent years, it's become more popular with smugglers. We've regularly had to devote resources to anti-smuggling operations in the sector," Cass informed the group, though she omitted that she'd been on her fair share of those patrols.
"Command is exceptionally concerned about our inability to monitor activity within the nebula and obviously, given our deteriorating relationship with Cardassia, there's concerns they might eventually turn their attention to the --"
The sound of the door along the wall behind her swishing open caused Cass to pause, her body turning ever so slightly to assess the interruption. When Morgan stepped through with a look that almost seemed self-satisfied, Cass couldn't help the slight frown, her mind trying to recall what all Morgan had been working on.
The VIP…
The VIP had been the most frustrating piece of information contained within Bill's last instructions, dropped in as if it wasn't a huge inconvenience and his lack of forthcoming information very frustrating. The passenger, a scientist, had been traveling on the Al-Batani and should have arrived prior to the mission issuance but the Al-Batani had suffered catastrophic engine issues and had been delayed. Bill had instructed her to continue launch even if the scientist had failed to arrive by official launch, which seemed odd if they were that important to the mission. Cass had to assume they were related to the sensor buoy, maybe even the designer.
However, the person that entered a few steps behind Morgan wasn't a bright eyed scientist or even someone that looked particularly happy to be there. The woman, duffel bag slung haphazardly over her shoulder, looked exhausted, confused but with a coiling frustration seeping through her that seemed to manifest in her white knuckles and her tensed shoulders. With her messy ponytail, rumpled t-shirt and plaid combo, hiking pants and half-tied boots, Tyra Crawford looked more like a tussled tourist stumbling back from an ill-fated vacation than she did the poised and collected captain Cassandra had seen at last year's Christmas party.
And that was when it all clicked into place. Bill really had been playing 3-D chess when the rest of the admirals and herself had been looking at the board like it was checkers. Unless…. he was far crueler than she could ever have imagined and based on the look on Crawford's face, that was a possibility. Either she was a much better actress than any officer had any business being or she had no more idea what was going on than Cass did.
"You're late, Captain," Cass stated after a moment's pause, pulling her own poker face out of the closet. This wasn't the first surprise to be dropped in her lap and she doubted it would be the last; her current position put a new meaning to rolling with the punches.
There was no hesitation as she picked up the second PADD she had carried in -- the one Bill had her download -- and offered it to the silent former commanding officer. "I believe this is yours."
For her part, the redhead hadn't moved beyond the initial three steps into the room, her blue eyes shifting around the room with a discomfort that was obvious. She almost looked ready to make a fight or flight decision, not quite to the point of a caged animal though, and considering how overwhelming this seemed to be, Cassandra couldn't blame her. In her shoes, she wasn't sure what she'd have made of this development with what appeared to be no warning and the PADD offered to her was regarded as if it might bite her before she seemed to gather some form of control and took it.
Cass had no idea what was on the PADD, though not for a lack of trying. It was biometrically locked and she had assumed it was sensitive data related to the sensor buoy. Then again, she had also assumed the VIP was a scientist, when, in hindsight, Bill had confirmed no such thing.
Cassandra never got a glimpse at what was on the PADD she had handed over but there was no missing the utter confusion on the Crawford's face as the PADD unlocked and revealed its contents. The only hint that Cassandra received as to the contents was the notification that flickered across the top of her own PADD, notifying her that her command codes had been moved to the third position. Back to being a mission advisor….
"I don't understand…" the redhead ran a hand over her forehead before she tangled it in her ponytail. "I have literally spent a week… over a week… being pulled from one ship to another with no explanation for the scavenger hunt for orders but 'trust me'. And I get sent here for what?"
The frustration seeped through the words with seemingly no attempt to hide it and despite whatever motive might have existed, Cass could only assume that it felt like just another instance of being jerked around. She'd read the post mission debriefs, she knew that had been Crawford's chief complaint among other things, and she wondered if Bill had weighed that against the ends.
All Cass could do was give a tiny shrug of the shoulders because what could she honestly say? She could explain that Bill had expertly executed a Castling maneuver but she couldn't give any insight into why. She could express her emphatic relief at not having to take on this mantle and yet, she was certain her salvation had come at a great cost. There was no relief to be noted and she could only hope that as the confusion and shock wore off, the other Captain wouldn't view Bill's actions and their consequences as some sort of sentence in themselves.
== I heard someone thought we didn't have enough drama…. ==