New Face, New Place

Posted on Mon Mar 11th, 2024 @ 2:58pm by Lieutenant Evelyn Steele & Commodore Finchley Kerr & Lieutenant Commander Shr'Nesh Karadis

Mission: The missions never over.
Location: Ready Room
Timeline: Current

Evelyn had barely had chance to drop off her things in her quarters aboard the Thall, before she'd pulled out her orders and quickly made for the CO's Ready Room. She was eager to make a good impression, especially as her new CO was also her Uncle, although she knew that wouldn't cut her any slack, if anything it would add more pressure to do well. Approaching the Ready Room door she straightened her uniform then pressed the chime.

“Come!” Finchley called out, a little irked at being disturbed from the readiness report he was going over after the Thall’s latest patch up.

Walking into the Ready Room Evelyn stopped in front of Finchley’s desk. “Lieutenant Evelyn Kerr, reporting for duty Captain.” She placed the PADD down on his desk pushing it towards him.

Finchley ignored the PADD, stood up, walked around the desk then walked around Evelyn twice, looking her up and down. Walking back to his seat, he sat down again, saying “You’re boots are dirty, your hair isn’t in regulation style and you have creases down the back of your trousers. Leave now and report back when you’re properly in regulation dress Lieutenant.”

Evelyn gave Finchley a look of disbelief. “With all due respect Sir, I’ve only just arrived onboard. I dropped my bags, and rushed straight here to report in. I thought it best not to delay.” She stood her ground. “I can leave and come back if it’s necessary, but I’d prefer to report in first.”

“That’s a very interesting perspective of the chain of command and how it works Lieutenant Kerr” Finchley replied, “You argue against what the ships Captain has just ordered, then you magnanimously offer something but, in your opinion, only if it’s necessary” he added.

“I’m going to give you five seconds to mull over what you’ve just said, my reaction to it, then how you’re going to react” he ventured.

Evelyn’s father had warned her about Finchley, not that she didn’t know her Uncle was a stickler for regulations. “My...apologies Captain, my spare uniform is still packed in my luggage hence why I came as I was. I will go and replicate another.” She turned to leave the smile that had been on her face now more of a frown.

Outside the Ready Room, Karadis was about to press the chime when the doors opened and a rather unhappy looking Lieutenant walked passed her. Foregoing her request to enter, Karadis walked inside and seeing Finchley asked “Another satisfied customer Bird?”

“Ha…ha” Finchley replied sarcastically, but as he sat there, he was actually smiling.

“What’s with the smile?” Karadis asked.

“Did you see who that was?” he answered.

“No, they were to busy rushing past me” Karadis said.

“That was Evelyn” Finchley told her.

“Evelyn…as in…Brett’s child Evelyn…your niece?” Karadis asked.

“The very same” Finchley replied.

“And you just pissed her off, because what…it’s a family trait?” Karadis said.

“No, I was testing her resolve” Finchley replied.

“And?” Karadis asked, wanting to find out.

“She’s feisty, got her Dads sass but her Mothers sense of duty. I just hope that when she comes back shortly she’ll have taken on board what I mentioned” Finchley said.

“She’s coming back shortly?” Karadis said pointedly, “Oh, I gotta see this… and before you say anything, no, I’m not leaving.”

Finchley didn’t reply, it would have been pointless, instead, he waited on Evelyn returning.

It took a few minutes returning to her quarters, and replicating a new uniform that wasn't creased. As well as changing her hair to a more regulation requirement style, but Evelyn returned ready to face Finchley. Pressing the door chime she once again waited for permission to enter.

“Come…” Finchley said.

Walking in again, Evelyn walked up to Finchley’s desk taking note of the presence of Karadis offering a polite nod. “Commander.”

Once again, Finchley walked around Evelyn twice, looking her up and down. “That’s better Lieutenant Kerr, we are…almost presentable now. You may present yourself and state your reasons for looking to be part of this team” he said, winking at Karadis, who in turn had to look away and pretend to cough to cover her grin.

“Lieutenant Evelyn Kerr, Chief Counsellor, reporting for duty Captain.” She motioned to the PADD that still lay on his desk. “My transfer orders from Starfleet Intelligence.” She paused. “As for why I want to be part of this team, I’ve worked my ass off to get here!...Pardon my French. You of all people should know why I’m here Captain. I want to know what happened to my mother, and if loyalty to Starfleet Intelligence gets me an answer, then I’ll serve without question.”

“Your French I can pardon, your reason for being here to serve I cannot” Finchley replied. “This is Starfleet Intelligence Black Ops, not a personal investigation unit. We leave personal feelings out of things, they serve no purpose because we have to be detached, ruthless, relentless, objective, focused. Permission to join denied, that will be all Lieutenant Kerr.”

“What!?” Evelyn looked at Finchley in disbelief. “Have you even bothered to look through my file? I’m the best god damned Counsellor, and Black Ops operative you could have! Do you have an empath onboard whose trained to read minds as well as sense emotions?” She stood her ground, the same fire that ran through her mother’s veins well and truly ran through hers. “I had chance to serve aboard another ship, but I chose this one because...” she shook her head. “It doesn’t matter, you want me gone, fine!” She started towards the door.

Finchley looked at Karadis and said, “There she is!, that’s Brett’s girl, you owe a bottle of brandy…and not the cheap rubbish either.”

Karadis held up her hands, “Ok, ok, you were right, you win, I owe you the brandy.”

Eve turned to look at both. “Damn right! It’s a good job dad warned me about your tactics Uncle!” She stood by the door waiting to see if she was going to be asked to sit, or if she really was about to get kicked off the ship. “So...Captain, are you wanting me to stay or do I report in that you’ve refused my assignment and let S.I. send you some ball busting replacement.

“SFI, can’t send us some ball busting replacement” Karadis replied for Finchley, “You are the ball buster.”

“Sit down Eve…please” Finchley said, offering the seat at his desk, “We were just yanking your chain. I didn’t need to read what’s on the PADD, Karadis has been shadowing you, literally, the last three years and reported back to me.”

Eve looked towards Karadis as she moved to sit down, then looked back at Finchley. “You’ve been watching me?” She sat down giving Finchley a curious look. “May I ask why?”

“Your father asked me to, and I was hardly going to say no now was I, so I sent Karadis” Finchley replied. He went back to his seat and gestured to Karadis to ‘go ahead’.

Karadis cleared her throat, “Twenty three seventy five, you were part of the Batazed Intelligence team sent to Proximus Prime to extract the Domus who had been overthrown by a coup. You were in the thrown room, looking for evidence of where the Domus was being kept prisoner. You didn’t see them, but one of the household guards had you in their sights, I took them out, allowing you to carry on. Two months later, Batazed Intelligence ship ‘Ikar’ developed a radion gas leak, you tried to help contain the leak but passed out due to gas inhalation. Later you wake up in your medical bay, not knowing how you got there, when you question the rest of the crew, none of them tell you it was them who got you there. Twenty three seventy six, you’re part of the Batazed Counter Intelligence team that has infiltrated the Base Nine group. A meeting is set up to finalise the group’s attack plans on the Citadel, your delayed because your transport developed a fault. The meeting place is destroyed in a blast, two of your infiltration team are killed, you thank your deities you weren’t there…who do you think caused the fault in your transport? Should I continue?” she asked Evelyn.

Eve shook her head. “No need, it sounds like I owe you a few Commander. Thank you.” She offered a warm smile. “So, my dad asked that I have a babysitter huh?” She sighed.

“Babysitter, no. Till you were able to hone your intelligence craft and instincts, Karadis was…insurance…that you could fulfill your missions” Finchley replied.

Eve nodded. “In that case, thank you both.” She smiled. “So I guess I met your list of requirements for being part of your crew, from what I’m told you’re a tough Captain when it comes to who serves with you. I will endeavour to make you proud of me.

“Well, ‘on paper’, so say, yes” Finchley replied, “But first things first. It’s true, I am somewhat hard on those who serve under me, that’s because I expect the best from everyone. My orders don’t get questioned, even if you don’t agree with them. Any refusal to carry them out ends in a drumhead Court Marshal, and that never ends well for anyone opposite me. So, to prove your loyalty, you’re going to get your file, the whole file, on your service record in Betazed Intelligence and hand it to me.”

“The whole file...” Eve gave Finchley a look that said exactly what she was thinking, or so it seemed. “You mean this one...” She pulled out a data crystal. “I did my research on you too Uncle Finchley, you were bound to ask something of me to prove my loyalty, and what better than a file you’re not supposed to have access to.” She placed it on his desk pushing it towards him. “That could cost us both so I hope it’s worth it.”

“Yep, she’s a Kerr alright…she has you there Bird” Karadis laughed.

“Don’t you have somewhere to be?” Finchley said exasperatedly to Karadis.

“And miss this, not on your life” Karadis replied.

At that point, the Ready Room doors opened and in came Kilbane, hawaiian shirt, shorts and flip flops on, a hefty lit cigar in mouth and a martini with olive in hand, “What up my homies!”

“Ohhhhh God!” Finchley sighed, head now in hands. He looked at Kilbane and said, “Can you stop hot wiring those doors please, there’s a reason they’re closed.”

“Well sure thing Bird” Kilbane replied.

He saw Evelyn sitting in the chair, and asked “Who might this be?”

Evelyn couldn’t help but grin at Kilbane as he entered the Ready Room, though she offered a polite smile when he asked who she was. “Lieutenant Evelyn Kerr, the new Chief Counsellor. It’s nice to meet you.”

“The pleasure is mine my dear” Kilbane replied, flourishing a bow. He then turned to face Finchley, “Hey, she’s got the same surname as you Bird, what a coincidence.”

Karadis walked over and slapped the side of Kilbane’s head, “That’s because it’s his niece you moron!”

“Owwww!” Kilbane complained, rubbing his head. He looked back at Evelyn, then once more to Karadis, “Wait a minute, she’s the one you’ve been tailing the last couple of years.”

“You mean helping from a distance” Karadis corrected him.

“If you two have quite finished, may I be allowed to…oh, I don’t know…perhaps carry on being the Captain of this lunatic asylum?” Finchley queried.

Both Kilbane and Karadis looked at him, but it was Karadis who spoke, “Oh bless, isn’t he cute when he’s trying his ‘in charge’ routine.”

“GET OUT, BOTH OF YOU!!!”

“Looks like the chief baboon’s showing off his big red arse, perhaps we should withdraw my dear” Kilbane said, offering his arm to Karadis.

“I think we shall” Karadis replied, putting her nose up in the air. They both walked across to the now opening doors and left.

“Sorry about those two” Finchley said to Evelyn.

Eve couldn’t help but grin. “I think they’ve just showed me the side of you I’ve always wanted to see Uncle Finchley!” She grinned. “Everyone I spoke to before I came here offered me good luck like it was going out of fashion! Your reputation precedes you. It’s nice to see the lighter side.”

“Where those two clowns are involved, you have to have a sense of humour otherwise you go bat shit crazy” Finchley replied.

“There is one thing Eve” Finchley carried on, “Whilst it’s the two of us, I have no problem with you calling me Uncle Finchley or just plain Uncle, but around the crew, or on duty, it needs to be Captain or Sir. Now, back to you. Once you’ve settled in, I need you to run down a psych evaluation on a Klingon General called T’kLar. We’ve heard that he’s gone rogue, his ships failed to check in on their regular reports. In itself a rogue General isn’t anything new, unfortunately, he was the High Councils head of Security.”

Eve nodded. “That could be a problem, okay I’ll see what I can find out. Psych evaluations generally aren’t a thing where Klingons are concerned though, even if it was I doubt records would be easy to access. Not that I need them to be.” She offered a smile.

“There is one thing” Finchley said, “T’kLar isn’t your run of the mill Klingon General…he’s one of us, he’s SFI black ops. I can’t go into much detail with you unfortunately, your intelligence clearance isn’t high en…”, then he paused.

“Sod it, you’re family, if you can’t trust your own family then we’re all going to hell in a hand cart” he continued. Reaching over his desk, he took a data crystal out of the reader and handed it to her.

“Their real name is Byron Hay-Ritson, they’re a long term plant, been undercover for fifteen years, working their way up the chain” Finchley told her. “Now we think he may have changed sides, we just don’t know. That data crystal has his service record and the work he’s done for us up to now.”

“A plant?” Eve gave a surprised look. “He must be good to have gotten past other Klingons knowing how suspiciously natured they are! Is it possible that something happened in a medical sense, and he’s assumed the identity of his cover story? I’ve heard of it happening before, a knock to the head and stories get scrambled. Either that or it’s as you said, he’s switched sides.”

“He was good, he was very good, he mentored me the first year I joined Intelligence and I learned a lot” Finchley replied. “He underwent some gene sequencing to give him the Klingon DNA that helped him pass as who he was portraying. I have no idea what’s happened to him, that’s where you come in Eve, I want you to give me your best guess.”

Eve paused to take in everything her uncle had said. “Gene sequencing? As much as I can understand why that could have been a big mistake. It carries risks of its own. It could be any number of things, or a combination of it all. Psychology speaking gene sequencing can play havoc, not that they’d tell you that.”

“No, most likely not” Finchley replied. “One of the things that he did report though was that the High Council were planning a raid. It’s not clear on what, but his disappearance could be connected to it. Listen, this is a big, big venture, but we need to start small, build a picture, why don’t you go and get settled first.”

Eve nodded. “That would be nice, I haven’t had chance to unpack anything yet. Plus I could do with the rest before I start digging into this.”

Finchley looked at Eve and sighed, "I really must be getting old you know. Here I am, welcoming onboard the woman I used to babysit in what feels like five minutes ago!"

Evelyn grinned. “I remember looking forward to your visits, there was always plenty of fun to be had when Uncle Finchley came to visit!” Her smile faded a little. “Dad hasn’t said it, but he’s struggling. Since mum’s disappearance he’s been...different. More focused, angry...” she sighed. “I need to find something, anything, for dad.”

Finchley walked over and put his hands on the top of Evelyn's arms, replying "And we will Eve, we will, but our missions come first, please remember that. As for your Dad...I can only imagine the pain and anger he's going through. I have reached out to him a few times, but he's all business like, won't speak about your Mother."

Eve nodded. “I understand, I’m not here on a crusade. I’m here and I’ll do my job, and hopefully we’ll find out something along the way. Anyway I’ll leave you to it” She stood ready to leave. “Captain” she smiled and offered a respectful nod then headed on her way.

{OFF}