A New Challenger Has Appeared

Posted on Sun Sep 1st, 2019 @ 1:04am by Commodore Ledeya ‘Ed’ Ehestri (*) & Chief Operations Kendra McIntyre

Mission: War Games
Location: USS Cosmos, Docked at Proving Grounds
Timeline: Prior to War Games
1177 words - 2.4 OF Standard Post Measure

One thing could be said about Hornets, they may be armed to the teeth but they were never designed to be long-range vessels. Commander Jared Rosado sat quietly in the Cosmos' Ready Room. It made him a little jealous to be on such a big ship, but the station had more amenities and was always on the verge of some crisis or another brought on by the political climate of the region. Back home on SB 621, his crew was busy preparing for the diplomatic summit while he and a few lucky ones were there to partake in the War Games.

Ledeya rushed into the Ready Room and stopped as she spotted the man sat them patiently waiting for her. She glanced down at her self and the gym clothes that she was wearing. "I wasn't expecting you so soon Commander. You caught me training with the Cadets." The woman admitted.

"I.. uhh... I can come back," Jared quickly felt his face blushing a bit as he stood. As he focused his gaze out the viewport toward the Proving Grounds before them instead of the Captain in her gym clothes, he tried to add a disarming joke, "Hopefully you won?"

"I did indeed. I might have been a Doctor once upon a time but I do know anatomy." The woman said pointedly as she grabbed a water from the replicator. "Would you like anything?" She wondered over her shoulder as she took a few sips if the water.

Taking the offer as an invitation to stay, Jared turned his green eyes back to the Captain. "No thank you," he passed on the offer. Being a former instructor at the Academy, he smirked a bit as he added, "It is always a little satisfying to know that you still have it in you to beat those young upstarts."

Ledeya nodded, once in a while she needed to remind people that she was the Captain and Task Group Commander, it was easier when she had Cadets from five ships onboard to get that point. "Especially when it was all the cadets from the whole Task Group," Ledeya admitted a little smugly. "So what can I do for you, Commander?" The woman wondered sitting down on the sofa with her bottle of water.

Holding up the PADD that he had been carrying, he handed it over to the Cosmos’ Captain. “Killing two birds with one stone if you will,” Jared replied. “First, the current schedule and dossier for the summit being held on SB 621,” he paused for a moment. “Also, the personnel and technical specs for the Agrona for War Game planning,” he finished. It helped that his Ledeya was both his boss’ boss and the commander of the Task Group.

"How very efficient of you." The woman mused as she took the offered PADD. "Please have a seat Commander." She added indicating the available space. If he carried on standing she was going to have to stand and she wanted to sit down for a few moments.

"Of course," Jared nodded as he sat in the indicated seat. Maybe it was how down to business the meeting was becoming, or the fact that Ledeya was carrying on as though she usually walked around in her gym kept him from averting his eyes as much.

"How is the summit going?" Ledeya wondered looking at the personnel and technical specs first. She had to personally check all ships to check they complied so it was easier to start with the project that was currently in progress.

"Fairly well, considering," the Commander began. Shifting in his seat a bit he filled din the details, "The Cardassians have accepted their invitation as well as the Tzenkethi. The Breen have not responded, but we aren't expecting them to show up." Shifting more to the station, he continued, "We've increased security procedures and helped spruce up the Promenade a bit. The diplomatic offices and VIP quarters have been brought up to the standards for all involved species. We've also increased the patrols and random scans for incoming and outgoing traffic."

"The Breen never show." The woman commented on before she moved her focus to the ship listening and specs. She paused as she saw who was the Chief Science Officer onboard. "I see you have Kaleetha Sloan onboard." Ledeya smiled at the last time she had met the woman at a conference. The woman had nearly caused a power failure at the faculty with the strength of the experiment she was so casing.

"Yes," Jared began as he thought of the words to follow. "She has kept our Operations staff busy, I never knew so many EPS relays could blow at once," he sort of smiled as he remembered the day. It had set a record for the number of power outage complaints in a single day.

The woman relaxed as she saw the man's mind whirling to think of words to say. "She normally does but you couldn't have a more proactive Scientist on your base. She was my roommate for three years at the Academy." Ledeya commented on trying to make the man understand the connection. There was a lot of love that the Betazoid had for the woman to remain her roommate for more than one semester. "She is acting as your XO for the war games?" She questioned.

“Yes, she’s my XO at the science station,” Jared nodded. Having worked with her for some time as well as the long warp ride to the Proving Grounds he added, “She is a tremendous asset as a scientist and as part of the command staff. You wouldn’t happen to have any stories I could tease her about do you?” The last part was clearly meant as a joke by the way Jared smiled and fought back a small laugh as he asked.

"Not that I can tell you sober." The woman commented on laughing feeling like the ice was broken between them both. "Will you be attending this evening meal?" She wondered softly thinking it would give her time to go through the specs in a little more detail.

Jared breathed in a bit and held it to give him a moment to think. Formal events always made him a little uncomfortable and he usually found himself stepping away for some breathing room after some time. "I'll be there," The Commander admitted.

The woman smiled and nodded. "Well, I will see you later Commander then." Ledeya had lots to do before that meeting like showering and trying to figure out what to where as uniform wasn't needed as it was meant to be an informal get together.

"Thank you for the meeting," Jared responded a bit more formally. With him arriving on a Hornet, his choices of clothes to wear were limited to either regular uniform or dress uniform. Odds pointed to him wearing pretty much what he had on now.

OFF::

Captain Ledeya ‘Ed’ Ehestri
Commanding Officer
USS Cosmos / TGCO 72-B

Commander Jared Rosado
First Officer
SB 621