Round Table

Posted on Tue Jul 23rd, 2013 @ 4:08am by Petty Officer 3rd Class Lori Mullen & Lieutenant JG Jessica Santiago

Mission: Nothing Stays the Same
Location: Horne's Office, Diplomatic Wing, Deck 8, USS Pacifica
Timeline: 22nd of December 2382, 10:35

ON:

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

Lieutenant Junior Grade Jessica Santiago watched in awkward silence as her boss Lieutenant Commander Matthew Horne virtually stormed out of his office. The Lieutenant Commander had just been told by their Commanding Officer Commodore Daniel Butterworth that he had reassigned to Starbase 99 by Ambassador Kingsley and he hadn't taken the news at all well. He wasn't the only one as Jess had been both shocked and surprised when she informed of the pending transfer by Lieutenant Commander Horne and the Commodore. She also knew that the news would rock the rest of the Pacifica's small Diplomatic Department as well including the departments Diplomatic Aide Lori Mullen who had developed a strong working relationship with her superior officer over the last couple of years.

As the office doors slid shut in Horne's wake Crewman Lori Mullen who had only just been called into the office by Horne turned around to face her. She had no idea on what had just occurred as Lt Commander Horne had only provided her with instructions to brief Jessica on the diplomatic talks with the Gorn. Jess could tell by the look on Lori's face that the Crewman knew something major was going on and she was now looking at Jess to provide a much needed explanation as to what was going on.

Mullen: What's going on?

Jess didn't quite know how to explain everything to the young non-commissioned officer but she had to give it a try. She carefully considered her words before finally speaking up.

Santiago: Ambassador Kingsley has requested Lieutenant Commander Horne's assistance on Starbase 99.

Mullen: With the peace talks?

Jessica nodded her head and sat back down in the chair that she had been sitting in during the briefing. She gestured for Lori to do the same and waited for her to sit down. Once Lori was seated Jess started to bring the Crewman up to speed on everything that had transpired during her meeting with Lieutenant Commander Horne and Commodore Butterworth as best she could. Jess didn't know the full details behind Horne's transfer, but she knew enough to provide Lori with a good enough explanation that she seemed satisfied with.

Mullen: I see. For how long?

Santiago: I'm not sure. ;;rubs the bridge of her nose;; Until they reach a resolution I guess.

Mullen: And you'll be in charge until he get's back?

Santiago: That's what I've been told. Will you be able to bring me up to speed on the recent developments with the Gorn talks.

Mullen: ;;smiles;; I'll be happy to Ma'am. I'll just need some time to put together some notes.

Santiago: That's fine. How long do you need?

Mullen: I'll need to read the rest of the morning's dispatches. Say about an hour.

Jess looked up at the wall and checked the time that was displayed on the ship's chronometer to see that it was approaching eleven hundred hours. With the department meeting at thirteen hundred, Jess quickly decided that it was best to leave their little Gorn briefing session to sometime in the afternoon. As she pondered her afternoon schedule a new idea popped into her thinking.

Santiago: Who else has been looking over the Gorn Situation?

Mullen: In the department?

Santiago: ;;nods;; Yes.

Mullen: Lieutenant Stokes.

Lieutenant Junior Grade Glenn Stokes was the third most senior member of the ship's Diplomatic Department and often worked the Gamma and Delta shifts in the department. Jess didn't know him all that well as she had only been on the Pacifica for a short time, but she knew that he was very knowledgeable and well liked by the rest of the Diplomatic Department.

Santiago: Anyone else?

Mullen: He's the only one outside of Lieutenant Commander Horne and myself. Everybody else has started preparation work for the Isis Mission.

Jess nodded her head, she too had been working on preparation work for the Pacifica's upcoming mission to the Isis Arm. It was the ship's first ever deep space assignment and most of the crews as well. That included Jess who couldn't wait to get out and explore the unknown.

Santiago: Anyone outside of the Department?

Mullen: Well... ;;thinks about;; There is Strategic Operations of course and I think Ensign Rickman is also monitoring the situation down in the Science Department.

Jess knew Ensign Joseph Rickman pretty well as she had worked with him a couple of times during the Pacifica's recent visit to Ti'ane III. He was a historian in the Science Department who at the time had been assisting Doctor Shore's Team with their work on the planet. Jess had first met him after they had both been left behind on the planet while the Pacifica responded to a Federation Distress Call in the Merlin Nebula. He was a likeable man, who was a few years younger then Jess. She remembered him best for his wacky sense of humour.

Mullen: ;;continues;; and Specialist Jonas as well.

Santiago: Specialist Jonas?

Mullen: He's a sociologist. Also with the Science Department.

Santiago: A Sociologist?

Mullen: ;;nods;; Yes Ma'am. He has been putting together a research paper on the long term sociological trends of the Gorn Hegemony that he hopes to get published next year.

Jess wasn't sure if a Sociologist would be able to contribute much to what she had in mind but she decided to include him anyway as it was always nice to have another prospective sitting at the table.

Santiago: All right, let's try to get them all together for a round table discussion sometime this afternoon.

Mullen: All of them?

Santiago: ;;nods;; That's right. If I'm going to brief the Commodore on this tomorrow I want to know everything about the Gorn that I possibly can.

Mullen: Do you want me to see if someone from Strategic Operations as well.

Santiago: ;;nods;; You might as well, the more the merrier.

Mullen: I'll make the arrangements.

Santiago: Thanks.

Lori stood from her chair and headed for the door. Jess stood as well and followed her out into the reception area where she retrieved her gym bag from under Lori's desk.

Santiago: I'm off to freshen up. I'll be back in about half an hour.

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