New Possibilities

Posted on Thu May 9th, 2024 @ 3:04pm by Commander Lucy Sharpe & Captain Paul Griffon

1,171 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Rescue Interruptus
Location: USS Athena, Captain's Ready Room
Timeline: MD01, 1300

With his arms behind him, Griffon stared out the window of his ready room. The meeting he had been in with the other captain's had presented him with an opportunity. His plans to meet with the higher-ups had been complicated, perhaps a touch too complicated. Now he had other options available to him.

Tapping his communicator, he said, "Commander Sharpe, please report to my ready room."

"Acknowledged," came the prompt reply sounding tiny from his badge.

The captain wasn't kept waiting long since Sharpe had been on the bridge overseeing the preparations for the aid mission. "Captain," she greeted him once the door had slide closed behind her.

"Lucy", Griffon said, extending his hand to the main guest chair. "So, helping out in the rescue activities is the crew of a freighter called the Longhaul. Its captain is a man named Josh Venn. If I remember correctly, didn't you have some sort of interactions with someone with that last name when we first started working together?"

Obediently his XO sat as requested. "Venn?" she repeated thinking back, then a smile tugged at her lips as the memory returned. "Robyn, similar to Longhaul Captain also worked on a freighter as seems to the case with most space families. They'll ship the Academies had fallen foul of a Klingon scavenging party and were in need of assistance, which we obliged. Things," Lucy paused. "Between Robyn and I become... heated in a pleasant sense." She ended with slight shrug knowing Griffon would be able to put the rest together.

The captain smirked a bit, "So, how close were Robyn and this Josh fellow, do you know? I think he might be useful in the future."

"Given how passionately she talked about freighters and could plot a route by sight alone, claiming it was the skill of her 'people' I would imagine they'll reasonably close." Lucy replied. "Being a freighter crewman is like being in a cult, you know everyone by mutual connection and blood is thicker than water among them. Robyn came from a large family I believe - another rather common tread if I recall - it's possible he maybe a sibling. Do you have an image or report?" She asked, "They'll might be a resemblance."

Griffon tapped a button or two on his console and an image of the man showed up from the meeting he had been in earlier.

"Seems to be a nice fellow", Griffon said. "Smooth talker. Seemed genuine, but most independent freighter Captains I've met are out for latinum. I doubt he has purely altruistic intentions. That doesn't really matter to me. I'm thinking I might be able to make his latinum stores a little fuller or at least not get lower having to pay to get his ship out of impound. I figured if you knew him that a personal introduction might make things go smoother."

The XO scrutinized the image on the screen as Griffon spoke and nodded on occasion. "They have similar ears," Lucy replied at length before sitting back. "Robyn's were particularly sensitive to caressing, so naturally I familiarized myself with them." She glanced at Griffon with a smirk on her lips. "Smooth talking must also run in the family, though it may not have served him well if his ship is impounded. As for a personal interaction I've never met Josh, I'm not sure how much help I will be."

"Ears, huh", Griffon said with a slight snort. "Funny about what we remember about people. Well, I'm going to have to have a little meeting with Mr. Venn. With my plans, best if I am not seen making the meeting, at least initially. I hear our new CMO was on the Galveston when it was diverted here. Why don't you take a shuttle with medical supplies down to the coordination zone, meet up with her, then bring Mr. Venn back here for a tour."

"And if he declines?" Sharpe asked still not understanding the reasons why Griffon wanted to speak to Venn.

"Oh, just let him know that he can take the tour, talk to me, and profit", the captain said. "Or I can arrange for him to talk with Damon Talor, as I know about their disagreement and the bounty the Ferengi has put on his head."

He grinned slyly.

"Of which I suspect has been grossly enhanced knowing the Ferengi," the women nodded. "What was this disagreement about?"

"The bounty lists failure to pay and contractual default", the captain replied shaking his head. "Those are pretty serious offenses amongst the Ferengi if it can be proven and that the Damon wasn't incompetent in his dealings."

Lucy nodded again thoughtfully. "Anything else?"

"No, we are all set", the captain replied.

Standing to leave Lucy paused and turned back folding her arms cross her narrow chest: "Just how much spying on me have you been doing?" she asked bluntly clearly rattled by his knowledge of her romantic encounter. "There's no documentation of Robyn and I, how did you know?"

Griffon put his fingers together steeple-style and let out a brief sigh.

"I do quite a bit of spying, on many people actually", Griffon said with a smirk. "The higher-ups haven't been grooming you without a purpose. Yes, I said grooming you. Part of that process is watching who you associate with and what impact they could have on the master plan. You weren't being prepared for just some run of the mill Starfleet Captain position. The time is drawing near where the plan will come together, and all our senior recruits will be called on. The higher-ups wanted to be certain you were ready and capable. Before you get too angry, you aren't special. We all get watched. Soon, you will be a watcher as well. The consortium has and needs eyes everywhere for the plan to succeed. You are still onboard with the plan, yes?"

Her anger deflated a notch at his explanation and was followed by a hint of uneasy she'd spoken out of place at the risk of disturbing something much bigger than herself. "Yes," Lucy responded evenly.

"Good", Griffon replied. "And it is not empty flattery to say that the higher-ups have bigger plans beyond this ship for you. After things all come together, we will still have the Klingons to keep in line and they believe you have the touch for that. That said, please go fetch Mister Venn so we can conduct some business."

"Yes sir, right away." The woman nodded again and resumed her path toward the door feeling a wave of excitement rise to replace the sense of violation as Griffon hinted at her future.

The Captain watched Sharpe leave his office. He was surprised that it had taken her this long to question things. Then again, getting people to trust him had been one of his specialties in life. The question now is would she trust too much.


A Joint Post By
---
Captain Paul Griffon
Commanding Officer

Commander Lucy Sharpe
First Officer

 

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