Handing back the reins

Posted on 23 Sep 2023 @ 9:03pm by Captain Jonathan Reynolds & Commander Amelia Fox & Lieutenant Commander Aidan Datari

Mission: R&R - Styx Outpost 2
Location: Captains ready room
Timeline: R&R day 3
910 words - 1.8 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

Jon sipped his tea as he waited for his present XO and Commander Fox now discharged to come up to his ready room. This was really a formality. Still though it was a good time to check in with both officers.

Stifling a yawn and nursing a rather large mug of coffee, the Trill acting first officer walked into the ready room. "Morning captain," he managed. While usually up before the crack of dawn, today he seemed like he could've done with a somewhat later shift.

"Morning, we are just waiting on Commander Fox," Jon said. "How are you doing Commander? Have you managed to get some shore leave in with your family?"

Aidan nodded. "Yes sir, I spent some time with Saeri on the station and my father visited briefly too. I had hoped K'Tox would've been able to make it but he's been very busy lately. But we had some good times. What about you?"

"I have been tied up with reports over our last mission for the first couple of days but I do get to go visit my brother for dinner this evening. He is the commander down on the new colony. I'm quite looking forward to seeing what he's put in place so far," Jon said.

"Ahhhh, " he nodded at the chime going again, "Commander Fox. Welcome."

Amelia entered. "Good Morning Captain, Commander. I'm looking forward to getting back to my duties." She said as she sat down next to Aidan, wanting very much to put the recent unpleasantness behind her.

She had contacted Earth as soon as he could on their return to this universe and was enormously relieved to find her parents alive and well. The message from her mirror universe counterpart had obviously been a well crafted fake but it had been so disturbing that it still lingered in Amelia's mind. And there was still the matter of where Mirro Fox was now...

"Well, that's the reason for summoning both of you. Commander," he looked at Aiden, "You have done a stirling job but its time for Commander Fox to resume being first officer. We need to sort all the transfers back to her being XO and you being my second officer again."

Amelia managed a smile. "Thank you Captain, that's good to here. Is there anything specific I need to be briefed on?"

"Well Starfleet have had a field day with the data Lieutenants Datari and Bumble and his counterpart have on these gateways. As you can imagine there's been a lot of interest. They want our next mission to visit the one closest to DS21 and have already sent over several more science people working on algorithms and other words I didn't quite understand. Your department got a bit bigger," he nodded in Aidan's direction. "You might want to get Bumble heading a team to look at just the gateways.

The Trill nodded. "Perhaps he should be assigned as assistant chief and given his own team to lead," Aidan suggested.

"Their boffins already analyzed the drug and seem to have come up with a compound that can eliminate the.... side effects that myself and Illeyna experienced. So we are going to try again but now we have a designated officer for making the link and testing it properly. So Medical have some work to do and none of you have to file any protests at me again," he said.

"I believe my objection to your exposure is still noted," Aidan objected quietly, "I still believe you shouldn't have done it."

"Noted again Commander," Jon said flatly. "But if someone had not done it, we may well not be back here."

"I offered," the Trill pointed out, "I'm an empath...of sorts."

Amelia tried not to smile. "And I thought I was the only one who had trouble telling the Captain to stay out of trouble." She turned to Aidan. "It's not easy it is?" Then added, "Thank you for the briefing Commander." She looked back to Reynolds "Is there anything else Captain?"

“Not really. I’m still waiting on agent smith,” he grinned giving Ethan a nickname, “to report back from the crossroads again.”

Mentioning the crossroads reminded him he ought to check in on how Iola was doing,

“Have you both anything to report to me?”

"The penal colony that was holding Mirror Fox think that she had help on the outside. They've sent all the items she had in her room to see if we can piece together what she intends to do. There's a container in cargo bay 2."

"Right," Jon nodded. "When do you want to do that and who do you need? Security? My spy guy? Me? I'm happy to try help of course."

Amelia, who had let her thoughts wander for a moment, was snapped back into the room. "Sorry Captain, I was distracted. According to Starfleet, they scanned the container thoroughly but I think we should scan them again just to be safe. And I don't really think I should go through them alone..."

Jon nodded. "I think that's a wise idea. We can go through them the three of us if you like? or if you prefer you do that with your husband. Whatever you feel best Commander."

"Well I would feel a lot better not opening it up on my own Captain, thank you."

OFF:

Jonathan Reynolds
CO, USS Andromeda

Aidan Datari
Second Officer
pnpc Syvar

Amelia Fox
XO, USS Andromeda