Mission 13: Take a Little Time

[Kersare]

<<USS Malinche, Ready Room, 1330, Day 1>>

Their journey through the Expanse complete, the Malinche had arrived at Ivor Prime earlier in the morning. It had taken most of the morning to offload the medical supplies they had for the colony, but it had been completed by around 1100 hours.

Isabel had received a message from StarFleet, indicating that the second part of their mission was already being handled - another ship had been in the area and, considering the Malinche's delay, it had been sent instead. Their new orders would be sent along, but for the time being, the Malinche would be on Shoreleave.

Considering her crew hadn't been off of a ship or starbase for several missions, Isabel hoped that the change of scenery might be appreciated.

Though Isabel had never been to Ivor Prime, she certainly knew of the events and had read more about the colony on their journey. A good bit of the planet was still unexplored, but what was known was not out of the ordinary - forests, a large desert, a mountainous area, and various bodies of water.

Ivor Prime had been a Federation colony when it was destroyed by the Borg in 2373. A few years later, a new colony was begun and by now it had around a population of about 17,000. A memorial had been erected at the site of the original colony; the new colony had been located close by. Their current governor was a man named Alan Porter (NPC).

It was he that she was contacting now. Isabel tapped in a few commands on her desk console and waited for his face to appear. "Good afternoon, Governor."

"Captain Kersare, pleasure to speak with you again. We appreciate the medical supplies," Alan replied with a smile.

Isabel nodded, "Again, I apologize for the delay...."

He waved a hand dismissively, "No need to apologize. Things happen, whether in land or in space. The important thing is that we have them now. Is there anything we can do for you? Do you have time for a visit?"

"Well, actually, I had been wondering if it might be possible for my crew to come visit the colony, if it's not too much trouble. We're waiting for our next orders and they've not been on actual land for a good while," she said.

"Absolutely! We'd be delighted to have you and your crew, Captain. Feel free to come whenever you're ready," he smiled. "It may not be much by some standards, but I'd like to think we've come a long way these ten years."

Smiling, Isabel replied, "I'm sure you have, Governor. I don't want to keep you from your work, but thank you for your hospitality. I'll let the crew know that they're welcome to visit."

He nodded, "You're welcome, Captain. Oh, and I believe there's a StarFleet Officer here who's been waiting for you... I'll send you the information about where she's staying. If anyone wants a tour, let me know. Pleasure speaking with you again. Goodbye for now."

Once he closed the channel, Isabel tapped her comm badge, "Kersare to crew...we've been cleared for shoreleave on Ivor Prime. Coordinate with your Department Head so we maintain at least minimal coverage in all departments. And most importantly, enjoy yourselves. Kersare out."

OFF: Enjoy!

[Barrett]

<<USS Malinche>>
<Barrett's Quarters, 1345, Day 1>

Jason shut down the terminal, tearing himself away from the status reports that he was reading. He knew that if Adam (NPC) caught him doing that on his time off he would be very upset. Then again, he was still the acting XO so he might be able to pull that card. He shook his head, he knew that wouldn't work either, at least not with Adam. The doors opened and Adam came in, his gym bag slung over his shoulder.

"You were working again, weren't you?" he asked, kissing Jason on the forehead.

"No...err...maybe. Man, you stink," Jason stated, pushing Adam away. "Go take a shower or something."

"Maybe," Adam smiled back, flopping down on the couch. "Sickbay was all squared away so I went for a little run on the holodeck, I heard that the Captain got us some shoreleave time down on Ivor."

"Yeah," Jason nodded.

Ivor tended to be a pretty temperant planet, with regions raging from deserts to luch jungle rainforests. Several cities dotted the coastline of the largest continent offering a wide range of activities. At the moment, Jason had been looking into snorkling and possible windsailing, although he didn't really have any experience with the latter. Adam was looking forward to just getting his feet onto an actual beach again.

"Did you decide yet?" Adam asked.

"Decide what?"

"If you are staying in Starfleet."

"I don't know," Jason stated, shugging his shoulders. "I want to but being away from you was one of the hardest things I have ever done. Chances are they are going to find a permanent XO and that means they may send some place else. I may try and talk to Schulz see if he has any openings on his operations team."

"No way am I going to let you put your life on hold for me Jace," Adam stated.

"We'll see, now shower up, you're starting to stink up the place."

OFF:

[Zeral]

<<USS Malinche, Ready Room, 1424, Day 1>>

Jason didn't get nervous easily, in fact it was pretty rare. What did make him nervous was being summoned to the captain's ready room, it was something that always made him uneasy. He squared his shoulders before pressing the door chime.

Isabel heard the door chime and looked up from her PADD, "Enter."

"You wanted to see me sir."

Nodding, she replied, "Yes, I did. Actually, Ms. Zeral will be joining us as well. She should be here any moment. Please, have a seat."

Feeling well-rested and relieved that a few days of shoreleave were ahead of her, Nora stepped lightly across the Bridge on her way to see Captain Kersare. Pressing the door chime, she entered when bid to do so, smiling at the two occupants of the Captain’s Ready Room.

“Captain Kersare, Lieutenant Barrett,” she greeted, sensing some of Jason’s unease and wondering if she should be feeling nervous herself.

"Good afternoon, Counselor. Thank you for joining us," Isabel said, motioning towards the empty chair.

“Of course, Captain,” Nora smiled, taking her seat beside Jason.

Isabel turned to Jason, "Lieutenant, I'm guessing that you're wondering about your status, as we completed our mission..."

"The thought had crossed my mind," Jason said, smiling a little. "I know you already have a operations chief but I was thinking about lending Mr. Schulz a hand, if he's full I could always help Peters in engineering."

"Well, if you'd like to do something along those lines, I could speak with Peters or Schulz... However, if you're interested, I was going to offer you the Executive Officer position, officially," Isabel replied, letting the idea out in the open and allowing Jason a chance to consider it.

Jason was slightly taken aback by what Isabel said. When he re-enlisted in Starfleet he was pretty sure that this assignment would be temporary, mainly because he knew that there were several other officers out there that were competing for the same spot. The Malinche and Isabel had made a name for herself and he had no doubt that were dozens of applicants trying to prove why they should be the one to be the XO of a Prometheus class starship.

"Me sir?" Jason asked. "I was under the impression that command was looking for someone with a little more experience and that I was simply a place holder."

Isabel shrugged slightly with a brief smile playing on her lips, "You have the experience, and I put in the request while we were en route to Ivor Prime. StarFleet Command has granted the request, so it's up to you..."

"If you'll have me then I'd be happy to come on board," Jason smiled.

"Excellent," Isabel replied with a grin. "Glad you'll be staying with us...Ms. Zeral, I'm guessing you're wondering why you're here..."

“I confess that I am,” Nora said, smiling guiltily. She was thrilled for Jason and his promotion, but was left a little puzzled over her own involvement in the matter.

Nodding, Isabel continued, "I've been impressed with your work here on the Malinche thus far. I'd like to offer you the Second Officer position."

Whatever Nora had been expecting, it wasn’t that. Blinking, she waited a moment before she spoke, allowing the Captain’s words to sink in. “I’m honored, Captain. It would be my pleasure,” she finally managed to say, her initial surprise giving way and her smile returning in full force.

"Good," Isabel said. Two for two. She opened a drawer in her desk and pulled out two boxes. Quickly she opened the lids to determine which was which, then stood, smiling. Isabel handed one box to Jason and the other to Nora, "It is my pleasure and honor to also give you these..."

Jason smiled, he thought that a first officer position was way off. Adam would be thrilled beyond all belief, he would get to stay on the Malinche. He took the pip and placed it on his collar, feeling a little bit overwhelmed. He had started not that long ago as a simple operations officer and now here he was, the first officer of a Prometheus class starship.

Nora took the box almost reverently, feeling a little overwhelmed herself. Somehow she managed to attach the pip despite fingers that were suddenly determined to act clumsily. “Thank you, Captain,” she said simply but sincerely.

"Thank you sir," Jason smiled. "You have no idea how thrilled Adam is going to be, he didn't very much like the idea of leaving the Malinche. Now that I am sticking around he won't have to."

"You're very welcome," Isabel replied, smiling. "I look forward to seeing more good things from each of you. Also, once I get our new orders from StarFleet, I'll fill you in. In the meantime, however, enjoy your Shoreleave - we could all use some time off."

"I think that we could all use the time off," Jason smiled. "After all that was the first time that I actually believed in ghosts."

“It is my professional opinion that time off is always beneficial,” Nora grinned. “A little sunshine ought to do everyone some good.”

"You're telling me," Jason nodded. "If you'll both excuse me, I should probably head down to my quarters and give Adam the good news."

“I should be leaving as well,” Nora said. “I hope that you enjoy your Shoreleave too, Captain. If anyone deserves some rest and relaxation, it’s certainly you.”

Isabel nodded, "I'll do my best." Technically she had a few more 'official' things to take care of first, but then she planned to take advantage of shoreleave - use some of it to spend time with Derek and some for plain relaxation. "Have a good time."

OFF:

A JP by:

Lieutenant Jason Barrett
Acting Executive Officer
USS Malinche NCC-38897-B

and

Captain Isabel Kersare
Commanding Officer
USS Malinche NCC-38897-B

and

[Zeral]

ON:
<<USS Malinche, Zeral’s Office, 1735, Day 1>>

“How can I help you, Dr. Zeral?” Facing her computer screen, Nora was greeted with the pleasant face of Julie Dormand (NPC), the Assistant Chief Medical Officer of the USS Visionary. Knowing that Alex (NPC) would never see her again—and Julie would never see Alex—made Nora’s heart ache.

“Dr. Dormand,” Nora greeted with a subdued smile. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I see you received my message.”

“I certainly did,” Julie replied, her smile slipping somewhat. “I’ll admit that I’m a little curious. I don’t believe we’ve met before, but your initial message seemed to indicate that there was some urgency in speaking with me.”

Nora hesitated for a moment. “Not urgency in the way you might be thinking of it, Doctor, but yes, I did believe it was important that we speak as soon as possible.”

“I’m all ears, Dr. Zeral,” Julie said, tilting her head quizzically to the side.

Where could she even begin? Taking a deep breath, Nora neatly placed her folded hands on her desk, leaning a little closer toward her computer screen. “I understand that you were close with Lieutenant JG Alex Dormand.”

The effect of her words was instantaneous. Julie’s eyes instantly began to water, and taking a shuddering breath, she turned away for a moment, presumably to collect herself. “I…I was, yes. Up until his ship disappeared, we were very close.”

Nora nodded slowly, wishing not for the first time that she could have delivered her message personally rather than through the impersonal medium of her computer screen.

Julie frowned. “I’m sorry, Doctor, but I find myself a little confused. Why…I mean, why...”

It was clear that she couldn’t finish her question, and Nora hastened to explain. “As I told you in my initial message, I’m the Chief Counselor of the USS Malinche. We recently passed through the Taevon Expanse.”

Julie blinked back more tears, obviously expecting to hear the worst. “He’s gone, isn’t he? I knew the ship hadn’t simply disappeared. I knew that something must have happened…”

Nora swallowed thickly, knowing that there was no easy way to deliver such terrible news to Dr. Dormand. “While in the Expanse, we discovered the remains of the USS Rome. I’m so sorry to tell you that it was indeed lost with all hands aboard.” Nora remained composed, striving to rein in her own emotions as she watched Julie Dormand dissolve into tears. She knew that there was little she could do to comfort her at this point, and that perhaps the illusion of strength was the only thing she could offer to the other woman.

It took a few moments for Julie to compose herself again. “Forgive me, Dr. Zeral. This has been weighing on my mind since his ship disappeared, and I just…” She swallowed loudly, reaching for a tissue beyond Nora’s line of sight. “It’s very hard.”

“I understand,” Nora said sympathetically. “But there is more, Dr. Dormand. We were able to retrieve the ship’s log buoy. There was a personal message for you.”

Sniffling a little, Julie tentatively asked, “A message for me? From Alex?”

“Yes,” Nora confirmed. “He said that he loves you with all his heart. He said…” She blinked back tears, determined to finish without becoming overly emotional. “He said that he will always be with you, and that he wants you to be happy.”

Julie appeared to absorb Nora’s message, and to the counselor’s relief, soon the woman was laughing through her tears. “He would think to leave me a message,” she smiled sadly, shaking her head slowly. “He was always so thoughtful. I just...I just can’t believe that he’s gone.”

“I am so sorry for your loss,” Nora said sincerely, clasping her hands more tightly together as she placed them back in her lap. “If there’s any way I can help you, please don’t hesitate to ask.”

“Of course, Dr. Zeral. Thank you. For now, I think I just need some time to think, to sort this all out. Perhaps I’ll speak with you again in the future.”

After muted farewells from both women, the communication was ended and Nora slowly rose from her desk. Her feet seemed to carry her body over to the couch of their own volition, and soon she had fairly collapsed onto its plush surface, resting her head across her pillowed arms.

“Goodbye, Alex,” she murmured, looking out across the room with a semblance of a smile. “I hope that you can rest easily now.”

Tomorrow, she decided, she’d try to get in some true leisure time, maybe even visit the planet’s surface if she had the chance. But for now, feeling emotionally exhausted, all she could think of was a nap. Settling herself more comfortably on the couch, in no time at all she was asleep.

OFF

[Rho]

<<Shore leave, Day 2, 0706, USS Malinche, Intel Office>>

It was the first full day of shore leave on Ivor Prime for the Malinche’s crew. Alexis, arrayed in her most relaxing off duty civies, hoped to be on the planet soon. To her dismay, she walked into an empty Intel office. This could only mean one thing; she was assigned to pull the first watch while everyone else was planet-side. She walked into the duty office and found a PADD laying on the desk with the shore leave duty roster on it. Sighing deeply, she decided that if she was, the Intel Department, she was at least going to be relaxed. She started going through the PADD to see who was on deck after her. What caught her eye instead was a message from Lt. Grayson addressed to her. But it was labeled to read after she had spoken to Captain Kersare. Odd, she thought.

“Computer, locate Captain Kersare.”

“Captain Kersare is in the gym,” it replied.

“That’s Deck 5, right?

“Affirmative.”

Alexis wasn’t really dressed for a workout in the gym, but she was willing to bet that Captain Kersare wasn’t really dressed for whatever briefing or message Grayson wanted her to give. She left the office and headed for Deck 5.

<Deck 5, Gym>

After the last mission, the news of the various transfers from the Malinche, and dealing with Derek (NPC) being back, Isabel thought it would be good to relieve some stress in the gym. So it was that she had come to the gym early that morning - 0630, to be exact. After her initial stretching, she'd started running laps - a good way to clear her mind.

Alexis walked into the gym. There were several crewmembers in there. Alexis looked around and saw Captain Kersare doing laps. Instead of trying to wave her down, Alexis moved toward the part of the track nearest her and waited. When Captain Kersare came near, Alexis joined her. “Good morning, Captain. Mind if I join you for a moment?”

Isabel glanced over as Alexis joined her, "Not at all."

Running next to Isabel, Alexis got straight to the point. “Apparently I’m supposed to see you about something. Lt. Grayson left a PADD with some instructions and a message for me. However, a note said that I shouldn’t read it until after I talked with you. Is there something I’m supposed to know?”

Nodding, Isabel replied, "Lieutenant Grayson has been transferred off the Malinche. I don't know all the details - I'm assuming it's something Intel related though."

Alexis agreed, “Yeah, it most likely is.” She was silent for a few strides, thinking about what that message could contain. “Are we picking up his replacement at Ivor Prime? If so, I’d like to meet him before we leave.” Alexis had her suspicions, but she wasn’t about to show her cards. Some things she kept buried deep in her mind.

"No need," Isabel said, casting a glance over at Alexis, "At least I hope there won't be. You've done an excellent job thus far on the Malinche. I'd like to offer the position to you..."

“There’ll be no need, Captain. I gladly accept the offer. I’m glad I can serve in this position and look forward to becoming an intricate part of the Malinche’s crew.”

Isabel grinned, "Glad to hear it. As I said, you've already been doing very well with us. I look forward to seeing what else you have up your sleeves. Consider the promotion to Chief Intelligence Officer immediate. Any questions or concerns?"

“Since the promotion is immediate,” Alexis paused, “as Chief Intelligence Officer, I’d like to put in a supply request for the Intel Department.”

"Alright, what did you have in mind?" Isabel was glad Alexis seemed to be taking charge.

Alexis continued, “As I’m sure you know, Starfleet Intelligence officers and operatives have a few of their own tools of the trade. I’ve noticed that the ones in our lockers either need to be updated or replaced. I would like to contact SI and try to get some shipped to us. If the Malinche’s Intel Department and operatives are better equipped, we can better serve.”

Nodding Isabel replied, "I certainly agree that people need the proper equipment to do their duties best. Send me a list of what you'd like to have... Once I've reviewed it, I'll send a list of the appropriate items for the Quartermaster to obtain, and give authorization for the rest which you can acquire."

“Thank you Captain,” replied Alexis. “I’ll have the list ready for you when we leave Ivor Prime.”

"Very good, I'll look forward to seeing it," Isabel replied. "Is there anything else I can do for you?"

“That’s all I needed, Ma’am. If you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a message to read and an inventory to take.”

Isabel smiled, "Of course, be sure to enjoy your shoreleave as well."

Alexis smiled. She was going to enjoy it very much. It had been a long time since she was on a planet. She left the gym and headed back to the Intel office.

End

This JP brought to you by:

Captain Isabel Kersare
Commanding Officer
USS Malinche NCC-38897-B

and

[Rho]

<<Shore leave, Day 2, 0747, USS Malinche, Intel Office>>

Alexis returned to a still empty Intel office. However, this time it all seemed a little different. She was looking at the office through the eyes of the Chief Intelligence Officer. As much as the promotion was a surprise to her, the rest of her staff would be more surprised. Although, she had no idea how some would react. Alexis wasn’t the happy-go-lucky department head that others were.

She went into her office, just off the main area, and picked up the PADD from earlier. There wasn’t any real explanation; simply that SI had called him away for a long-term assignment. Next came the typical description of what went on within the department, things to keep an eye on, and so on. Alexis made note of it all and went on to find out who would be up to replace her. It was Ensign Derrin (NPC). He probably already knew that he was on deck next. That’s why no one waited around; they had their assignments already.

Tossing the PADD on the desk and grabbing another, Alexis headed for the lockers to do an inventory. The first thing she was looking for was the energy knives. She would have to run it by the Captain later, but she wanted to make it mandatory for all Intelligence personnel to carry at least one on their person at all times; similar to the security personnel carrying phasers. According to reports, those knives had proven to be decent close-quarters-combat weapons for Intel operatives during the Dominion War. Alexis opened the next locker and found a small supply. She picked up one and inspected it. It looked like it hadn’t been used, or cared for, in three years. Quite possible that they weren’t used that much, she thought. What a shame…it’s such a nice close-quarters weapon. In her opinion, they should be replaced. She marked 25 on the supply request.

Next, was the intelligence tricorder. Alexis came across only five of those. But that was all that was needed onboard a ship. A ‘spycorder’ for the major players and some extras. That should do. Alexis skipped that on the request. The rest of those lockers contained 5 bio-pattern disks, 5 computer jammers, and two disguise kits. Alexis requested 10 more bio-pattern disks and 15 more computer jammers. There were no voice print implants onboard. Alexis wanted at least 10 of those. You never know when you might have to imitate an Obsidian Order operative’s voice to gain access to sensitive Cardassian information on a mission.

Moving to the surveillance lockers, Alexis’ inspections found that the equipment was out of date. She needed new audio and tracking bugs, video bugs, and tracking drones. She put down for 20 each for audio, tracking, and video bugs and 10 tracking drones. That should do it, she thought. On her way out of the equipment room, she grabbed a spycorder and an energy knife and stuck them in her pockets.

Alexis sat down at her desk, organized her equipment list, and filled out the official request form on the PADD. Finishing a few minutes later, she turned to her desk console. Since she would be using the Mission Ops console on the Bridge, Alexis began tying her office console and network into it. Mission Ops already had access to a myriad of other items including databases, readouts and displays on vital mission information, and relevant ship and tactical data for reference. Now, it would be connected to Starfleet Intelligence databases and information…accessible only by her. To gain access to SI’s network and data from Mission Ops, somebody would need her codes and authorizations as CIO, knowledge of SI encryption and decryption algorithms, and a high level SI code. She was going to protect the Intel network and data at any cost. The rest would now have to be taken care of from Mission Ops…later. Alexis leaned back and looked out toward the empty main work area. Now all I need are minions, she thought.

[Rho]

<<Alexis’ Shore leave, Day 6, 1147, Ivor Prime, A bustling local restaurant near the beach>>

This was her third day of being planet-side. It was nice to not be on a Starbase for leave for a change. The sun was shining and it was a balmy day near the ocean. She was glad that she had worn her favorite red tank that morning. The little restaurant on the boardwalk sold some of the best seafood native to Ivor Prime. At least that’s what hotel clerk said when Alexis asked about local cuisine. She had placed her order and took a seat at a table outside. She was enjoying the nice ocean breeze when one of the waitresses came and told her that she had a message from the ship marked ‘urgent.’

“Where can I pick it up?” Alexis asked the waitress.

“Over there,” she gestured, “In the manager’s office.”

Alexis nodded her head in thanks as she got up. She made her way to the office, went in, and shut the door behind her. What could be so urgent?, she thought.

She tapped the small console on the desk. Ensign Derrin (NPC) appeared. “Sorry to bother you Lieutenant, but this recorded message came in to your desk marked ‘urgent.’ Shall I put it through?”

“Yes.” Derrin faded and the message appeared. Alexis opened it. It was from Pront on SB 386.

Greetings Lt. Rho! I trust you are getting to know the Malinche well. I hear she is a fine ship! Let me get right to the reason for this message. You wanted to know when I acquired some interesting tidbits? Well, here’s something that I think is not only interesting, but important as well. A reliable friend of mine recently gained employment as a morale rep on a Cardassian freighter. Apparently they got bored hauling cargo and decided to hire a ‘gaming manager’, call him a morale rep, and let it go at that. But the interesting part is the places that they stop to pick-up some of their cargo. I don’t yet know what it is they’re adding to the holds, but…. Tell you what, contact me when you can and we’ll discuss the stops over a secure channel instead of by messages. I think you’ll be surprised. Pront out.

The screen flashed to back to Ensign Derrin (NPC), who had been waiting this whole time. “Is there anything we need to do?”

“No, just leave it all alone. I’ll take care of it when I get back this evening. Rho out.” She signed off and went back out to her table. That same waitress saw her heading back to the table and brought out her meal.

“Kept it warm for you,” she said.

“Thanks,” replied Alexis. She then indulged in the local seafood.

[Konstatin]

ON: <<Ivor Prime, Kayona Beach, Day 1, 1610>>

After meeting Governor Porter (NPC), Isabel had learned that the Malinche would be getting a new Officer, who'd already arrived. He'd told her that the young woman would likely be at Kayona Beach, so, after a brief tour, Isabel had made her way there.

Larisa was sitting at the beach, enjoying herself. She checked her watch, she didn't need to report to the GHQ yet, she relaxed into the sun. She could faintly see the sunlight glisten off the orbiting cruiser, and she thought about getting up. She shrugged it off, instead relaxing in the warm sunlight and cool water.

As Isabel approached the beach, PADD in hand, she slipped off her shoes, leaving them at the edge before continuing forward, towards the young woman she'd spotted. When she grew closer, Isabel called, "Ms. Konstatin?"

Larisa jumped up, checking her watch as she did so. "I'm sorry ma'am, I hadn't realized that I was ordered to report in early." Larisa could of sworn she didn't hear her communicator making noises at her. She shrugged the notion off, concentrating at the situation at hand.

"No, no, it's quite alright," Isabel replied. "I didn't mean to disturb you, but thought it would be good to meet you now, since we just arrived. I'm Captain Isabel Kersare, Commanding Officer of the USS Malinche. I understand you're to be my new Assistant Chief Communications Officer?" Isabel extended her hand.

"Yes, ma'am." Larisa shook the proffered hand. "Thanks for coming down and letting me know, ma'am."

Isabel nodded, "You're quite welcome. Have you been waiting for us long?"

"Not long, ma'am. Even though, it seems to much so." Larisa shrugged.

"We ran into some trouble - some ion storms forced us to go through the Taevon Expanse and from there things got even more....interesting," Isabel replied.

"Doesn't sound pleasant, ma'am. Ion storms never are."

Isabel grinned slightly, "No, none I've experienced have been. I'm afraid I've not had much of a chance to review your file - I didn't know you'd be joining us until we arrived. Where were you last stationed?"

Larisa shrugged. "The Dauntless, ma'am. She was decommissioned."

"And how long did you serve there?" Isabel asked. Some had been a bit surprised that the Dauntless was being decommissioned, but Isabel doubted it would be the last ship with the name.

"Three years, ma'am." She shrugged. "Communications officer."

Nodding thoughtfully, Isabel replied, "Was it your first assignment out of Academy?"

"No ma'am. The Avenger was, I was simply transferred off her." She smiled. "If it's not to personal, what about you, Captain?"

"Well," Isabel began, "This is my fifth year in command of the USS Malinche. Before that, I was Executive Officer on the USS Cheyenne; I started out as an Engineer there."

"Sounds like a lot of work to command a starship, ma'am." Larisa smiled. "Is it an...enjoyable experience?"

Isabel grinned slightly, "It has its ups and downs, just like any other job. It's certainly not boring, that much I can tell you. Especially on the Malinche. Are there any questions I can answer for you about the ship?"

Larisa smiled back. "Not really, ma'am. I've gotten most of what I know from the computers. That is, after I've coaxed them into working properly," she ended with a laugh.

"Glad to hear it," Isabel chuckled. "Well, I don't want to take up more of your time... Feel free to enjoy yourself and find your quarters on the Malinche when you get a chance. I'll be sure you're notified when I have information on our next mission and will be leaving. Pleasure meeting you."

"It was a pleasure meeting you to, ma'am. Have a nice day." Larisa said, smiling. As the commander turned to walk away, Larisa let out a deep breath she didn't quite realize she had been holding. She shrugged it off, and went back to gather her belongings.


OFF: JP brought to you by:

Captain Isabel Kersare
Commanding Officer
USS Malinche NCC-38897-B

and

[Masterson]

ON: <<LaFayette Park, Ivor Prime, 1136, Day 2>>

Nora had almost forgotten how soothing the sound of running water was to the soul. Keeping close to the river’s edge, she wandered along a quiet path, her thoughts meandering much like the water that gently flowed beside her.

She had no destination in mind, no pressing appointments to fill her schedule for the day. In fact, she had no time constraints at all for the immediate future. For the next few hours at least, she was a free woman with time enough to do as she pleased, and she intended to make the very best of her opportunity for rest and relaxation.

Nora rounded a corner as the path turned for a ways, smiling as she saw a familiar face ahead of her. “Hello, Lieutenant Schulz,” she said in greeting, her smile brightening as she approached him. “Enjoying shoreleave?”

"Counselor," Will said in surprise. He had not been expecting any company, having chosen a more secluded area of the park to relax in for awhile. Promptly, he deactivated the PADD he had been reading and set it in the grass next to him.

“I hope I’m not interrupting,” Nora said with a little uncertainty. “It seems like you’ve found a perfect place to relax and unwind.”

"Oh, not at all," Will replied, though there was a tone in his voice that was similar to that of a child caught reading under the covers when they were supposed to be sleeping.

Nora laughed softly. “Well, if you say so.” Gesturing at the PADD he had set aside, she asked, “A little light reading?”

Will looked from the counselor to the PADD and sighed. He had been hoping to get away with a little extra work without being noticed. Then again, leave it to the counselor to be the one to bust him. When his team found out, there was going to be some explaining to do. Then again...there was no reason they had to find out. If only he could convince the counselor of that.

"If you must know," he admitted, "I was trying to squeeze in a little extra work. You know...get ahead of the game and all."

“Is that all?” Nora smiled conspiratorially, taking a moment to sit on the grass beside him. “You looked so guilty there that for a moment I was afraid you were hiding a passion for romance novels, or something equally…unexpected. Not,” she hastily added, “that there’s anything wrong with that.”

Truth be told, she probably should have been trying to get ahead of the game herself. But the chance to take a stroll through real sunshine had been too tempting to ignore, and Jacob (NPC) would have never let her hear the end of it if she hadn’t taken some time away from her office. He had practically thrown her out of Counseling, insisting that she needed an honest to goodness break while she had the chance.

Will quirked an eyebrow at the counselor's sudden attempt to justify her previous statement. "No, it's just...well, Lieutenant Summers (NPC) thinks I've been working too hard and need a break. He and Crewman Matthews (NPC) literally shoved me on the transporter pad," Will explained.

Nora laughed at that, shaking her head slowly. “Believe me when I say that I can relate, although I didn’t have a personal escort to the transporter pad myself.” Idly twirling a blade of grass between her fingers, she added, “Well then, I can see that it’s of utmost importance that I don’t report back to them exactly how you’ve been spending your leisure time. You can count on my silence in the matter.”

"Thank you, counselor," Will said gratefully, "You know, there's a nice little ice cream parlor just past the bridge. It looks like they've gone through the effort of recreating the look and feel of the 20th Century pretty well, and the ice cream is pretty good, I hear."

“Oh really?” Nora queried, glancing at Will a little curiously. “That sounds wonderful. I can’t remember a time I’ve ever been able to ignore the siren call of ice cream.” Come to think of it, it had been far too long since she'd had any ice cream. Smiling to herself, she thought that now was the perfect time to remedy the situation.

Grabbing his PADD, Will climbed to his feet and brushed the grass off his uniform. "Would you care to join me, counselor," he asked, nodding his head in the direction of the bridge, "I wouldn't mind some of that ice cream myself."

OFF

A JP between

Lieutenant Nora Zeral
Chief Counselor
USS Malinche NCC-38897-B

and

[Peters]

ON: [[LaFayette Park, Ivor Prime, Shoreleave 01, 1320]]

Will had been all but forced onto the transporter pad by Lieutenant Summers (NPC), who insisted that he take some time off and let him and the other operations officers handle the rest of the technical stuff. When he tried to protest, his acting assistant threatened to call security. Shortly after re-materializing on the surface, he had located LaFayette Park along the banks of a river near the main colony. Now, he slowly made his way along the banks of the river, admiring the view and taking in the sounds of nature. Every now and then, he would pass a family out for a picnic or enjoying the good weather.

Peters had also been forced off the ship by members of his Engineering staff. C'Eltor in particular was very hard to dissuade when she was determined. He had been shoved into the transporter room while Summers was on his way back out from having sent Schulz planet-side and Peters had been able to catch up with the other officer after a bit of searching.

Walking up beside Schulz, Peters gave him a friendly clap on the shoulder. "I understand your people kicked you off the ship right before the Engineering staff gave me the boot. Think maybe they were in collusion?"

"I wouldn't rule out the possibility," Will said with a laugh as he watched a small bird take flight from a nearby tree branch.

Aaron beamed down to the planet's surface, violin case in hand. He wasn't familiar with the planet so he took the Captain's suggestion to check out LaFayette Park. Looking around he realized that the main thing he missed about DS7 was the fact that ii was planet side. Noticing Peters and Schulz a little way down the path he made his way towards them. "Mind if I join you?"

"Did your department conspire against you as well," Will asked with a bemused look.

Aaron returned the expression. "You could say that. I can't prove it but I think Dr. Trout was the one behind their insistence that I join the first wave of personnel off the ship. Lacking any other plans I decided to come here as I heard the Captain recommending it."

Before leaving the Malinche for the planet, Isabel had checked to see where a few of her officers were. The computer had informed her that Will was in LaFayette Park, so she'd beamed down nearby and decided to walk the rest of the way. As she neared the location, the satchel at her side gently bumped against her leg in a steady rhythm. Isabel raised an eyebrow as she saw not only Will, but also Todd, and Aaron. "Good afternoon," she said, smiling.

"Captain," Will exclaimed, straightening to attention. He gave Lieutenant Peters a look that seemed to say, Don't tell me she got kicked off too...

Peters gave the Captain a more reserved response, noting Schulz's sideways glance in his direction. "Captain," he greeted Kersare with a nod, "Good afternoon to you. Mister Schulz and I were, uh, forced off the ship by our respective staffs..."

Isabel smiled, "Good. You could use a break. I don't mean to disturb your time off, but wanted to find...well, all three of you actually. Do you mind?"

"I've got nothing but time," Peters replied quickly.

"Not at all," Will echoed, relaxing slightly when he realized that this wasn't a formal meeting. He did wonder what had brought the captain to the surface that required all three of them. After he had submitted his report on the Rome's recorder, Starfleet had decided to take over the investigation. Perhaps she had insight on their next mission...though it was a bit too soon to be thinking of departing, as they had just gotten to Ivor Prime.

Aaron loosened the grip on his violin case. The Captain's arrival initially concerned him but her words and actions told him there was little chance of her rescinding their shore leave for some odd reason. "Of course not Captain. There's hardly a time when you're not welcome"

"I was originally going to speak to each of you individually, but killing three birds with one stone is fine by me," she said. "I wanted to thank each of you for your dedication to the Malinche and for all the hard work you've put into it. I don't know that the Malinche would still be intact without you."

The captain did have a point. Ever since arriving aboard the Malinche, Will had been working pretty much non-stop along with Lieutenant Peters to keep the ship in one piece. Between the Borg and spacial anomalies, he hadn't had much time off. That was why Lieutenant Summers had insisted he take some leave on Ivor, rather than remain on the ship.

"Thank you Captain." Aaron replied a little hesitantly as he tried to follow the flow of the conversation. He had already been given charge of his department and Kersare had thanked each one during the debriefing.

Peters looked down as the captain spoke, slightly embarrassed by the praise. "I was just doing my job, Captain."

Reaching to her side, Isabel unzipped her satchel and pulled out three boxes. She handed a box to each Department Head, "Each of you is receiving a promotion - congratulations, you deserve it." Isabel smiled at them, looking from one to the next.

Peters was surprised. He reached out tentatively to take the box and opened it somewhat hesitantly. While he knew no one could blame him for the damage the Malinche had taken in their previous mission or the malfunctions in this one, he was surprised to be given a promotion right now. Considering how crazy their last mission had been he would have thought the paperwork from that alone would take weeks.. Sure enough, there was a little black pip staring up at him. "Thank you, Captain."

Will looked from Peters to Steele to the small box in his hand. Slowly, he opened the lid to find a solid gold pip resting inside. It hadn't been that long ago that he had petitioned Captain Kersare to join her crew as Chief Operations Officer. At the time, he had just gotten an assignment after months of waiting in the transfer pool. He had just wanted to stay out on the frontier, rather than go back into limbo. Being aboard a ship made him happy enough. He had something to do...a sense of purpose. Now, he was looking at a promotion to full lieutenant. It took him a moment before he could begin to think of what to say in reply. "Thank you, captain," he said, closing the box and holding it in the palm of his hand.

Even though he knew what was contained in the box, Aaron eyed it for several seconds before opening it to find a solid gold pip. He tried, and failed to keep his emotions hidden. It was a mixture of surprise and joy at the promotion to full lieutenant. The last time he had been promoted was shortly after the end of the Dominion War, which proved to be bittersweet as it also involved posthumous awards for the fallen. "Shaya tonat, Captain."

Isabel smiled warmly at Aaron, Will, and Todd. "You're very welcome. I don't want to take up more of your time off, so please, enjoy yourselves. I'm sure I'll either see you around down here or back on the ship at some point."

"Thank you, captain," Will said again. He knew he wasn't going to get anything done on the ship, at least, not so soon after Summers had kicked him off, but there was still a lot of stuff to do on the surface and exploring this park was one of them.

Placing the box in his pocket, Aaron took his leave of the group. He was going to spend some time exploring the area before deciding on how to spend his free time. Of course some of that time would be spent informing friends and family of the promotion.

OFF:

This has been a Joint Post with:

Captain Isabel Kersare
Commanding Officer
USS Malinche

&

Lieutenant Will Schulz
Chief Operations Officer
USS Malinche

&

Lieutenant Aaron Steele
Chief Science Officer
USS Malinche

[Masterson]

ON: [[Schulz's Quarters, USS Malinche, Shoreleave 5, 0928]]

"Computer, open a secure channel to Starfleet Academy, office of Captain Charles Schulz (NPC)," Will said as the doors hissed shut behind him. For the past four days, he had been going through the same routine. He would wake up, get dressed, eat breakfast, and, before he could report to duty, Summers (NPC) or one of his other team leaders would arrive to "escort" him to the transporter room. They seemed to think he needed the time off, but Will was finding it harder and harder to keep from sneaking work along.

Finally, he had put his foot down. Four days was more than enough time, in his mind, to recover and relieve stress. It was time for him to get back to work. As a kind of cruel twist, Will subsequently had ordered his team leaders, including Lieutenant JG Summers, to the surface for some shoreleave of their own. The street worked two ways and Will knew that the people under his command needed time off too.

As he slipped into the chair behind his desk, he saw the familiar Starfleet emblem appear on the screen, followed immediately by the Starfleet Academy logo. A moment later, the weathered face of his father appeared on the screen. =/\= William =/\= the older gentleman said with surprise =/\= I must admit, I'm a bit surprised to be getting a call from you. How are things out on the frontier? You're serving on the...Malinche? Correct? =/\=

"Yes, father," Will replied with a bit of a smile, "I'm Chief Operations Officer on the Malinche. We're on layover at Ivor Prime right now."

=/\= Ivor Prime is nice =/\= Charles told his son =/\= If I remember correctly, they've really worked to reestablish after the Borg attack. I hear their wildlife reserve is one of the best in the sector. =/\=

"Yes, I've seen it," Will said. It had been one of the many things he'd experienced while on exile from the ship. The people of Ivor Prime certainly did take care of their surroundings. Using the latest technologies and sciences, they were able to preserve and sustain a unique environment for future generations to witness and enjoy.

=/\= Wait a moment =/\= Charles said, leaning in closer and squinting =/\= Is that a shiny new pip? Did they give you a promotion? =/\= Will smiled again. His father was exaggerating, mostly because he was trying to be funny. At the same time, he could tell that his father was genuinely impressed. Will knew that his entry into Starfleet was a point of pride for his family, moreso for his father.

"They did," Will said, "Something about holding the ship together or something. I wasn't the only one. You remember Peters, the chief engineer? I would have been surprised if he hadn't gotten a promotion. Between the two of us, I think we've been through every inch of the ship at least half a dozen times since I came aboard. Sometimes, I think I spend more time in engineering than I do on the bridge."

=/\= Glad to see you're making some friends, William =/\= his father said. It felt like Will was a child again, getting praise for playing nice with the neighbors. He knew his father meant well. Charles looked over at something offscreen, then focused back on his son. =/\= Sorry to cut this short, but I've got lecture in five minutes =/\= he said apologetically.

"Say hello to mother for me," Will said, knowing he needed to wrap it up.

=/\= I will =/\= his father replied with a smile =/\= We're both very proud of you. Take care and be safe out there. =/\=

"I will," Will promised. The two men nodded to one another and the screen went blank. Will settled back in his chair. Too bad they couldn't have talked longer. It had been awhile since he'd actually been able to visit them. Duty came first, however. His father had to teach and he had to work. As he started sifting through the reports that had piled up in his absence, he imagined his mother's reaction to the news of his promotion and smiled.

OFF

[Kersare]

<<USS Malinche, Corridor, Day 3, 0914>>

Isabel was a bit nervous as she walked down the corridor. She'd taken care of the majority of her official tasks in the first day or two of shoreleave and had then taken some time to reflect. The last mission hadn't allowed her much time to check in on Derek (NPC) and she wondered what effect, if any, the spirits from the Rome had had on him.

During breakfast she'd decided it was time to see him again. Part of her was afraid to go to his quarters only to find that he still didn't remember her. She didn't want to be let down again. But, staying away certainly wouldn't help either.

Now, standing outside Derek's door, Isabel wondered if perhaps she should have asked Nora to come as well. She didn't want to interrupt Nora's shoreleave though, and really she needed to speak to him herself. Taking a deep breath, she rang the doorchime.

"Enter."

Hearing Derek's voice, Isabel stepped through the door into his quarters. Immediately she noticed a difference. A picture album was laying on the table, open. Some of the framed pictures were sitting or hanging in various places throughout the room. Her heart skipped a beat as she saw a vase filled with tiger lilies - her favorite flower. Hopeful, she turned towards Derek, who was near the replicator, "Derek?"

He watched her before replying quietly, "Isabel..." Seeing her sparked something more in him and he moved a bit closer to her, "We...I do not remember everything yet, but it is coming back." Internally he rebuked himself for going back to Collective-speak, but he had been with them for about four years...difficult to undo everything in a short time.

Isabel simply smiled, too choked up to respond with words at first. She longed to rush over and hug him, hold him close....but she didn't want to push him. She had to keep reminding herself where he'd been the past few years and that he needed time. Finally, Isabel said, "It's certainly a start."

Giving her a slightly awkward smile, Derek motioned towards the room, "Not quite the same, but I seem to remember quarters decorated something like this?" He hadn't been entirely sure, but the more items he'd placed, the more it felt right.

"Yes, we had these things in the quarters we shared...even the flowers," Isabel confirmed.

"I could picture the flower you enjoyed, but the name did not come to me...I found a picture where it was labeled, then had them replicated," Derek replied, moving towards them. Gently he brushed his fingers over the petals, smiling at the feel of them. It was nice to feel something that wasn't simply cold metal.

Isabel gently bit her lip, "I'm sorry I haven't come around much...I..."

He held up his hand, "You do not need to apologize. I could see the hurt in your eyes when we...I did not recognize you. Besides, you are also in command of this ship - it is not an easy task."

She nodded, "The spirits from the Rome, did they bother you?" One of the counselors had stopped to check on Derek while they were in the Expanse, and also went back to explain what had happened - from what the counselor had reported, it seemed that Derek had been fine, but she wanted to check nonetheless.

"No," Derek replied simply. "Did you go to the surface, Isabel?"

"I've been down a few times, yes," Isabel answered, moving slightly closer to him yet still keeping her distance.

Hesitating slightly, Derek finally asked, "Could I go to the surface? I know some still think of me as a security risk, but the past few years all I've seen is metal...I'd like to see something alive... If a security escort is required, I understand - I'm remembering the StarFleet protocols."

She smiled, eyes locked on his, "I don't think that will be a problem. Perhaps later today?"

Nodding he replied, "Yes, I would like that."

"Alright, I'll go make the necessary arrangements, then I'll be back," Isabel promised. With a final glance back at Derek, she left his quarters. Her eyes were moist - filling with tears of joy not quite spilling over. Maybe she would get him back after all.

OFF:

[Peters]

ON: <USS Malinche, Main Engineering, Day 5, 0800>

Peters walked into Main Engineering for the first time in 4 days to find it bustling with activity. Shaking his head, he walked through the room, looking at each and every console. This just wouldn't do. Stopping at the center of the main working area of Engineering, Peters cleared his throat.

"Can I have everyone's attention?" he called. "The following personnel are off duty for the next twenty-four hours." He lifted the PADD in his hand so that he could see the screen, but he didn't really need the list that he started to read. "Dirland, S'erak, C'eltor, Vir, Altin, Melat, Fields, Corrin, Poll, D'Vhal."

Peters looked out at the shocked expressions on the faces of his Engineering staff. He had just rattled off the names of most of his best people... in fact, all of the people who had appeared to be in on the plot to force him off the ship four days ago. Those same people had not yet taken any shore leave time.

"Well, don't stand there gawking!" Peters exclaimed, fighting a grin, "Go enjoy what Ivor Prime has to offer to tourists." Giving them all a mock salute, Peters turned and headed towards his office. He wasn't surprised when Corrin and C'eltor followed him.

"Ah, sir," Corrin began, "Are you sure you want to do this? I mean, that basically puts you in here by yourself today, and..."

Peters smiled. "Mister Corrin, I believe you should take advantage of my generous mood and go take Britney out for a nice day planet-side. Now git!"

Paying Corrin no further attention, Peters turned to C'eltor. "Yes?"

"Whether you admit it or not, sir, Caleb has a good point. Having only one officer on duty in Main Engineering is highly irregular..."

"As is an engineering crew forcing their chief off the ship," Peters retorted. "Now, if your reports are accurate then all of the repairs have been completed and Ops is scheduled to be dealing with the few remaining maintenance issues. If I need a hand I can always call them, wake up one of the evening shift crew, or, if worse comes to worst, I can have you beam up."

C'eltor shook her head and Peters knew she still didn't like it, but she did give in. "Alright, I'll go take some time off. But I'll have my commbadge with me at all times."

Peters nodded. "I would expect nothing less. But I don't want to see you in this room until tomorrow morning unless I call you."

OFF:

All characters except Peters are NPCs.

[Kersare]

<<Ivor Prime, LaFayette Park, Day 5, 1158>>

A single transporter beam shimmered into existence then faded away as Britney (PNPC) materialized on the surface of Ivor Prime. The coordinates had placed her in a park; to her left was a forest, in front of her was a clearing - in the distance she saw a line of blue-green, likely an ocean.

"I hoped you'd come," Caleb (NPC) said quietly as he neared her. He smiled as she turned towards the sound of his voice. Britney was wearing one of the outfits he'd gotten for her during the last shoreleave - this one was blue.

Britney looked into his eyes, "Why wouldn't I?"

He shrugged, "After the way I treated you while we were in the Taevon Expanse, I didn't think you'd talk to me again."

"But that wasn't you.... Part of me knew and I told the Captain about it, and after it was over, she explained what had really happened. It's not your fault Caleb," she replied, moving next to him and gently placing her hand on his arm.

"I wanted to tell you, but he wouldn't let me. Really, I felt bad for him - while he was inhabiting me, I was aware of his thoughts. It was sad," Caleb tried his best to explain, but it was difficult to put it all into words.

Britney nodded, "You don't have to explain it to me, I understand. Let's put it behind us. You wanted me to meet you here...what did you have in mind?" She smiled encouragingly, hoping to move on from what had happened. It had been hard for her, but she did understand.

He smiled thankfully, "Well, I thought a picnic might be nice, for starters, then maybe a stroll on the beach or through the forest or gardens - wherever you want, really."

"That sounds fantastic," she said. "Where's the picnic?"

"Ah, glad you asked," Caleb said, his eyes twinkling, "Right over here..." He took Britney by the shoulders and turned her towards where he'd been when she beamed down. A checkered blanket was laying on the ground, a bamboo picnic basket sitting on top of it along with a few pillows.

Grinning, she exclaimed, "You certainly came prepared. It looks lovely."

"Speaking of which, so do you, Britney. The blue is very fitting on you," he said. Offering her his hand, he helped her sit before kneeling down himself and opening the picnic basket.

<Short while later>

"Dessert?" Caleb smiled warmly at her. Lunch thus far had gone very well - he was glad Todd had kicked the Engineers out earlier, it'd given him time to put this together.

Britney raised an eyebrow, "Dessert too? I'm impressed, Caleb. What's for dessert?"

"How do you feel about chocolate covered strawberries? I have some great champagne to go with it too..." He reached into the picnic basket and pulled out a container with the strawberries and picked one out, holding it out for her.

Grinning, she leaned forward and took a bite. "Delicious!" She took a champagne flute that Caleb offered her and held it while he filled it, then took a sip. "They do work well together."

Caleb laughed, "Well, I wouldn't have chosen it if I thought it would be bad. More?" Seeing her nod, he fed her a few more, letting her feed a few to him as well.

The meal over, Britney sat quietly and watched Caleb for a few moments, then slowly leaned in and gently brushed her lips over his cheek, "Thank you."

"For what?" He looked over at her, her face still close to his.

"For this - taking the time to plan it, inviting me to come, and for being so thoughtful," she replied.

Caleb smiled, "You're worth it." Slowly he leaned in and kissed her softly.

As her heart skipped a beat, Britney ended the kiss, looking into Caleb's eyes. After a couple minutes she leaned back, "If we want to go for that walk, we should probably get this picnic packed up.."

"Good point," he replied, smiling at her as he helped.

Once everything was packed, the two stood. Carrying the picnic basket in one hand, Caleb reached over and took Britney's hand in his as he led her towards the beach.

OFF:

Crewman Britney Liras (PNPC)
Captain's Yeoman
USS Malinche NCC-38897-B

and

Warrant Officer Second Class Caleb Corrin (NPC)
Warp Systems Specialist
USS Malinche NCC-388997-B

played by:

[Steele]

On:
Ivor Prime
Day 1



Aaron had met up with a group of musicians drawn from the "natives" and Malinche personnel about two hours after his meeting with the Captain. After spending several hours putting on an impromptu concert they decided to call it a day with promise to hold another one the next day.
As the concert broke up, he heard a voice call out.

"Hey Aaron, what are you doing here?"

He was pretty sure who the voice belonged to but turned around to make sure.
"Babienko (NPC), fancy meeting you here, tracking down a lead?"

"I am, I hear your mission was more or less a success. Congrats."

"It was, thank you"


The two walked away from the crowd before continuing their conversation.
"I've continued to pursue the question of what happened to the Sentry but none of my contacts seem to know what happened or if they do aren't talking."

Aaron nodded knowingly.
"I contacted a few friends I still have in the Intelligence division and they all say the same thing. Thanks for trying though; I hope the Malinche doesn't end up like the Rome."

The reporter perked up at the mention of the Rome.
"The Rome, I haven't heard that name in a while. Now that I think about it they disappeared in the same region of space you recently passed through."

"They did disappear, but the mystery of what happened to them is no longer a mystery. We were able to find and retrieve their log buoy."
Aaron handed Babienko a PADD with pertinent information regarding the Malinche's "interaction" with the Rome. All mention of the 'haunting' was removed but the basic information from the log buoy was there.

He took a cursory look at the information.
"This is going to be the biggest story to hit the news feeds in a long time. I assume your captain allowed you to give me this information?"

"Of course. I'm just starting to really get settled onboard the Malinche, I wouldn't jeopardize it by leaking unauthorized info."

Off: