An Irritating Itch

Posted on Fri Apr 26th, 2013 @ 3:37am by Admiral Deela T'Lar & Fleet Admiral Sevlek

590 words; about a 3 minute read

Mission: Mission 82 - The Aggressor
Location: Starbase 400, Station Operations
Timeline: Concurrent

Lieutenant Commander Matthews arrived in Station Ops. He was ordered there by Colonel Andrenicus to find out what the Station's XO wanted. He arrived on the Ops level and approached the woman at the control table. He couldn't see her rank and, so, he asked, "Would you be Vice Admiral T'Lar?"

Deela looked up, "Yes I am. And who would you be?" She observed the man standing in front of her.

"I was sent my Colonel Andrenicus to find out what it was you needed, ma'am?" The man responded flatly.

She wasn't surprised at al. It would be just like Sevlek to have everything and everyone monitored, "I didn't need a thing. I was...curious."

"Perhaps I can alleviate your curiosity?" Matthews remained standing at-the-ready while he spoke to the flag officer.

The truth of the matter was that she didn't trust Sevlek so it would be interesting to see what Matthews was going to tell her. She raised an eyebrow, "Please, enlighten me."

Matthews resisted the urge to roll his eyes but instead smiled as he replied, "It would be easier to attempt to alleviate your curiosity if there was something you were specifically curious about, ma'am." A slight pause, "As long as it is something I am authorized to inform you about, that is."

Deela leaned back into her chair and folded her arms, "I am the Executive Officer on this base and when I can't get in a certain secured area on my base, it makes me curious why I can't. So why the heightened security?" This was one case where she wished that she could perform a mind meld on him.

"I understand, Admiral. However, I don't decide who does or does not get the security clearance to gain admittance into the Strategic Command Center for the C'hakilian/Krazzle conflict." A pause, "Admiral Sevlek is responsible for that via direct orders from the President of the Federation and the Security Council." He paused as he considered, "However, if my memory of your security clearance levels is accurate, I can tell you the following: We are investigating the Krazzle military engine's speed and efficiency in their conflict with the C'hakilian Empire." There it was. The leak that Sevlek ordered Andrenicus to make sure happened. The second stage of the plan, it would only be a matter of time before that small truth made its way to where it was meant to go.

Deela couldn't put her finger on it but something didn't sit well with her. Although she didn't get a sense of deception from him, she could sense that he was holding back some information. She couldn't help but to think that he had an ulterior motive. She couldn't prove it so she didn't push any further. "The Krazzle and the C'hakilian Empire and that requires heightened security. And you, a Lieutenant Commander, has a higher security clearance than me. And...I am supposed to be grateful that you are giving me a tiny tidbit of information that you think will satisfy my curiosity. Thank you so kindly for that." She found this whole thing irritating and among her other problems, this brought out a sarcasm that she wasn't accustomed to demonstrating. She stood up, "I think we are done here."

"Yes, ma'am. Have a pleasant day." Matthews turned on his heels and left Station Ops.

Deela didn't realize that she was holding her coffee cup that was on her desk until it broke in her hand. The now cold liquid went on the floor. "Damn!"

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