Unorthodox Offer

Posted on Sun Aug 28th, 2011 @ 4:35am by Lieutenant Valkris Edwardson- tSepeS & USS Paladin
Edited on on Sun Aug 28th, 2011 @ 4:37am

Mission: In Our Time of Need
Location: Strategic Operations Office
Timeline: 1100 hours
Tags: LT (j.g.) Chris Blake

Chris tapped the buzzer to Valkris' office. He had received a call early that morning to report at 1100 hours. He was a bit apprehensive given their previous meeting the day before. When the door to the office opened, he stepped in and posted himself one full step from her desk. "Lieutenant Blake reporting as ordered."

A few moments later, the door opened and Valkris stood, PADD in hand "....Good afternoon Lieutenant..." she said as she ushered him down the corridor aways to a suite of private conference rooms "...There is quite a bit of..sensitive information being displayed that is..well, it's above you security clearance. We can talk in here.." Valkris added.

The room was simple, a desk with a communications terminal on it's surface and two chairs for guests. Off to one side was a small replicator and not much else save for a monitor in a wall off to one side.

"...Please have a seat Mr. Blake, this shouldn't take too long.."

Chris followed Valkris into the unused conference room. He took the indicated chair, resting his arm on the table. He looked about the austere room as his fingers lightly drummed on the table. He was still in the dark as to what his new assignment would be. Considering their presence in the Delta Quadrant, coupled with his knowledge in combating the Borg. He was sure it would be anything but an easy assignment. He gave himself a mental shrug 'At least I'm not cooling my heels at yet another Federation Embassy hundreds of light years from Earth. No, I am thousands of light years from Earth without a clue what Starfleet Command has in store for me', he thought to himself. "You going to tell me why Starfleet Command ordered me to travel through the Gateway to the other end of the galaxy?"

"..Good, right down to business then, still exhibiting that directness that could either get you noticed....or taken down a level!" Valkris replied.

"...Mr. Blake, you know as well as anyone how dangerous things are out here! Situations can develop and turn on you 180 degrees before you've even had the chance to make sense of anything. I've gone over your service records, you psyche evaluations and a number of different reports on you trying to get a sense of what kind of officer you were on track to be before your little hiccup!" Valkirs began to say.

"...Family is very important to you isn't it? You would move sun and stars to protect your family...that much is evident in your reports and some of your more.....personal letters to your ex wife and your current wife. Being half Klingon, I can identify with this, you see, my half sister is hundreds of light years away, still serving the Empire, my family is split between the Federation and the Empire and i've spent my entire career crisscrossing the lines that separates us from each other."

Valkris pulls out a small PADD Containing Chris's old mission orders "..You were slated for yet another...uneventful assignment on the ass end of the galaxy! Career killing assignment actually, the kind of slow death that dulls your mind and senses with each passing day!"

Valkris took a seat beside Chris and activated the terminal and turned it around so that it was facing the both of them. Moments later the face of another Klingon in a Starfleet uniform appeared. He did not speak immediately and instead chose to remain silent while Valkris spoke.

"Lieutenant Blake, as you already know, your wife has been reassigned to the Paladin as the new Chief Science Officer. The ship also has an immediate need for a CONN officer and though Ensign Longoria has accepted the offer, we feel that having another officer who's more adept at the position is also needed. " Valkris paused to allow Chris to interject.

Chris looked from Valkris to the image of the Klingon Officer on the screen and then back. "Best starship conn officer I know is my sister. She is able to perform maneuvers at the helm of a starship even some of the best fighter pilots would find gut wrenching. Unfortunately, the last I heard she was on the daily Earth to Saturn shuttlecraft run for Starfleet Command with the occassional courier dispatch outside the Sol system." He looked back at the Klingon on the monitor. He remained silent as if waiting for these two Klingons to decide his own fate. Considering his less than stellar interview with Valkris the day before, he was not too optimistic about his prospects.

The Klingon on the monitor continued to appear as if the conversation going on between Valkris and Chris did not concern him. The only indication that he could even hear the conversation was that at the mention of Christopher Blake's sister, which even then only seemed to elicit the slightest of...smirks across his otherwise stone faced appearance.

It was then that Valkris interjected "..Lieutenant, I'm going to interrupt you for a moment and get back to the reason why you were pulled away from your...exciting assignment.."

Valkris looked at the other Klingon who only merely blinked twice and sat back in his chair, looking off camera at another officer whose arm appeared off camera to place something in front of the Klinogn and then was withdrawn.

"Lieutenant, as you know, we are in uncharted space out here in the Round Table. We are tasked with exploring the Delta Quadrant, expanding the Federation along with its scientific and economic interests is a given. As you know, the Paladin is the command ship of Task Group Daystrom with only three fully staffed ships covering a wide expanse of space! Sometimes, we will be called upon to gather information that is both vital and sensitive to the interests of the Federation..." Valkris stopped for a moment, seeming to grow tired of the dancing around the main issue and shook her head before restartiing.

"..Look, The Paladin is organizing a team of operators like yourself who can get into sensitive environments, carry out their mission objectives, and get out again. This group requires someone who can think outside of the...parameters of the Prime Directive but not break the rules that have guided Starfleet officers for hundreds of years! Mr. Blake, We need to know if you can be that person who understands the rules, not so that they can be broken but...bent or even avoided at times. Someone who can accomplish the impossible and then some. This...group would operate under the auspices of the Chief Intelligence Officer on board but you would serve as both Group Commander and Team leader. You will have to operate under the assumption of extreme risk that if you or any member of your team is captured or thought to have been compromised.... The CIO, and your Commanding Officer will disavow any knowledge of your mission, and your team as well! The risks are great and the acknowledgments are relatively unknown. It has been arranged to have your closest family, Your wife for instance, to serve on board the ship alongside you but your misions must never be discussed with any non team member! Only the CIO...."

Valkris looked at Chris for a response "...Now lets hear your questions! I would consider it a dishonor for you not to have any."

Chris pondered for a moment. He was being given an opportunity to return to the field after years as junior attache to ambassadors at various diplomatic postings. "Only question I have at the moment is...,when do I report aboard?" His expression was one of stunned relief.

It was then that the unknown Klingon officer finally spoke."...Mr. Blake, your transfer had been processed over a week ago, even before you completed your last assignment. Your wife was being considered for her position even before you were!" The klingon looked off screen for a moment and mouthed something before returning his gaze to the monitor. " we will be arriving within the hour Mr. Blake, you will meet with Mr. TraHn first before anything else. Oh and Welcome to the Paladin!" The monitor suddenly went black, replaced with an insignia of Task Force 38 before it too disappeared.

Valkris for the first time had a genuine smile on her face and turned to leave the room.
"If you'll excuse me Lieutenent, I have a date to prepare for! Good hunting and good luck!"

Chris rose from his seat, excused himself quietly and left for his temporary quarters to give Keir the news. They would need to pack quickly and clear quarters before the arrival of the Paladin in the next hour.