Delivering the Bad News.

Posted on Fri Jul 12th, 2013 @ 1:22am by Captain Daniel Butterworth & Lieutenant Commander Matthew Horne & Petty Officer 3rd Class Lori Mullen
Edited on on Mon Jun 23rd, 2014 @ 11:04pm

Mission: Nothing Stays the Same
Location: Horne's Office, Diplomatic Wing, Deck 8, USS Pacifica
Timeline: 22nd of December 2382 10:00 Hours

ON:

~~~ Horne's Office, Deck 8, USS Pacifica ~~~

Matthew had not long strolled into his office, humming a nondescript song as he sat at his desk when his assistant, Lori, walked over to him a placed a larger than usual pile of reports on his desk. Matthew kept smiling as he looked past the large pile of PADDs and up to come face to face with his serious looking assistant. Matthew wasn't going to let anything affect his mood today, after an amazing evening spent in the lovely company of Francine, even the work that Lori was a stickler for. Matthew's gaze continued up past Lori, and out across his office.

Mullen: ;clicking her fingers; Pacifica to the Lieutenant Commander?

Horne: ;shaking his head, still smiling; Sorry Lori, I was miles away. What can I do for you?

Mullen: You have a larger than usual amount of reports to go over, Ambassador Kingsley has sent you another proposal that he requests you inspect and he would like that to be returned with your thoughts by 15:00 hours. Also Lieutenant Santiago would like to see you, she has a free day today, so whenever you can fit her into your 'busy' schedule. ;with a knowing smile; Also, your general upbeatness is annoying me this morning, I take it that last night went well?

Horne: ;Grin growing larger; Better than I could have hoped for. I'm not one to kiss and tell, but it was amazing. Best night I've had in a very long time. I am very much looking forward to many more in the future.

Mullen: ;nodding; As long as you keep on task, then I'm very happy for you, Sir. Don't forget I'm always here to burst your head if it gets too large tho.

Horne: ;laughing; I know, I know. What would I ever do without you piling all this work on me and keeping me so grounded?

Mullen: ;laughing softly; Most likely, no work at all.

With that last comment, Lori turned and walked back over to her desk. Matthew turned back towards the pile of PADDs she had left on his desk, picking up the top one and looking at it. The PADD he had picked up happened to be the proposal from the Ambassador, Matthew started to look through it and still smiling to himself, thought that this was going to be a great day.

~~~~A short while later~~~~

Butterworth entered the Pacifica’s small but well equipped Diplomatic Wing to find a young woman sitting at the reception desk. She was in a purple collared Starfleet uniform and wore the rank pips of a Crewman on her neck. Her light brown hair was pulled back in a sharp ponytail and her eyes were looking over a small PADD. He recognised her immediately as Crewman Mullen, she was the department’s Diplomatic Aide and Lt. Cmdr. Horne’s assistant.

At the sound of the door closing Lori lifted her eyes up from her work. She gazed across to the door, to see who had just arrived and quickly let out an inaudible gasp in apparent surprised. She had obviously not been expecting her Commanding Officer to walk in. The PADD she was reading dropped from her hands onto her desk, quickly she sat up straight in her chair.

Mullen: ;;smiles politely;; Can I help you Sir?

Butterworth: ;;walking up to the desk;; Yes is Commander Horne available?

Mullen: Yes sir, of course. He is in his office, please go on through.

Lori gestured behind her to the door that Butterworth knew led to Horne’s Office.

Butterworth: Thank you Crewman.

He walked past the Crewman and made his way into Horne’s Office. The Lieutenant Commander was leaning back in his chair with a PADD in his hands. He was humming a tune of some sort and was rocking back and forth in his chair. He looked up at Butterworth

Butterworth: Got a minute?

Horne: ;;smiling;; Several in fact. What brings you to my humble neck of the woods?

He sat up in the chair, tossed the PADD onto his desk and pointed to an empty chair. Butterworth slid the chair out from under the desk and sat himself down. He hadn’t been looking forward to this conversation all morning and he still wasn’t sure on how he was going to break the news to the Lieutenant Commander on his immediate transfer to Starbase 99.

An awkward silence filled the room for a couple of seconds as Butterworth searched for the right words. In the end there was no right way to break the news to him which left Butterworth with little choice but to come out and say it.

Butterworth: Look there is no easy way to tell you this, so I will just come out and say it.

Horne: ;;leaning forward;; That sounds ominous, what’s up?

Butterworth: I was contacted by Admiral Grayson last night.

Horne: ;;jumping in;; I know the name, she’s the Admiral representing Starfleet at the peace talks on Starbase 99.

Butterworth: That’s the one. ;;points to the pile of PADDs on Horne’s desk;; As I’m sure your aware of by now Ambassador Kingsley is putting together a new team for the diplomatic talks with the Gorn Representatives and he wants you to join him.

Horne: ;;confused;; Me? What on earth for?

Butterworth: ;;shakes his head;; I’m not sure, the Admiral wasn’t exactly forthcoming in her explanations. But ;;pauses;; she has approved the Ambassador’s request for your transfer to Starbase 99 effective immediately.

Matthew nearly fell out of his chair in surprise as the Commodore delivered the news. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

Horne: What? Wait? I’m being transferred?

OFF: To be continued.

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