Once More With Feeling...

Posted on Sat Dec 5th, 2020 @ 2:02am by Chief Security/Tactical Officer Sarah Dominie & Commanding Officer Maralen Seitha
Edited on on Sat Dec 5th, 2020 @ 2:03am

Mission: What Lies In The Darkness
Location: Maralen's Office
Timeline: 248001.01 0900

This journey had not started out well. First, their chief of security had turned out to be a criminal, and then their consultant had been recalled by ShadowDragon for reasons undisclosed. He was used to not being told what the hell was going on around him, but it still annoyed Maralen.

Now they were sending him another, a replacement for the criminal. He hoped this one would work out better than the last. Reading her dossier made him a little more sanguine, but her predecessor's dossier had looked good too. No, it was better for him to meet the new officer.

Yes, because that worked so well last time! his mind taunted him. He ignored it. He had seen the signs, but he had assumed that Ashlyn had known what she had sent him and so had thought that the woman was just a little rough around the edges but could be mellowed. He had been wrong. He would see this time, trust his own judgment and instincts, regardless of who sent her.

He touched the comm panel on his desk. "Ms Dominie, please come to the CO's office. Thank you." Whatever he was angry about was not her problem, so he would start out polite, until and unless she gave him reason to be otherwise. And he had become an expert at hiding what he felt, so she would never know. So he waited.

Sarah looked up at the sound of the CO's voice. She had been finishing up the paperwork needed to process her Chief becoming a prisoner. And wasn't that a kick in the ass. Sarah didn't like the gun happy officer. She tried but there was something about her that made one feel the rules didn't apply. And Sarah disliked that but war criminal? That was new.

She didn't think she would find anything but had divided the Internal Affairs division and had them checking each other then they would examine each other security member. It might harm the morale in short term but being sure of no other issues would do alot to put people at ease. She also had multiple teams going through everything the former Chief had access to in order to change codes, try to determine if anything had been compromised that sort of thing.

Still another team was crime scening the old Chiefs quarters and investigating her movements since coming on board, just in case. However all of that was just getting going when the message came to her. She acknowledged and locking her computer she put her jacket on and headed out.

A few minutes later she tapped the CO's door chime.

Maralen looked up from reading the dossier he had been provided on the lady. "Enter," he called, setting the data pad on the seemingly-empty desk and looking toward the door to get the first look at the actual person behind the dossier. Those pictures only told him so much.

Dominie walked in gracefully and came to attention the proper distance from the desk. "Dominie reporting as ordered." her eyes were steady and polite as she spoke with a light Earth British accent. Her uniform properly worn, side arm present but secured. Some liked to keep it on a quick draw, she was not one of those types.

Maralen gave her the once-over, his warm brown eyes taking in the entirety of her appearance in a second. "Please, relax. Have a seat." He was not military, and therefore didn't ascribe to the stiff postures. Oh, he had his own form of rigidity, taught to him by the Realm, but that was not the same. "Can I offer you anything while we talk?" After all, even the Executive had sipped whatever-the-hell-it-was during meetings and had allowed him his tea.

Sarah shook her head, "No thank you, sir. " She replied politely. She took a seat in one of the available chairs opposite the desk. She pulled out a small tablet and looked at her superior, patient attentiveness her expression.

Maralen nodded, accepting the response. His Realm-trained mind liked the efficiency of her attitude. Gathering his own cup of tea, he returned to his chair and leaned back in it. His cup was held between his hands, but his eyes were on her. He studied her for a long moment before speaking again. "Tell me something about yourself that I wouldn't be able to find in your file." It was spoken directly, but his tone showed that it was more of a request than a command. He was trying to get to know her, to see beyond her dossier. Not that it had done him much good with the woman she was replacing, but it was worth a try.

Sarah blinked, it was a straightforward enough question her mind flickered through possible replies. Should she mention her families ancient ties to a now defunct knighthood? Or the hundreds years old Pub her family maintained in the heart of Old London? No something more to do with her than her family she expected, finally settling on, "I have a fondness for mysteries solved by old British Ladies, and if they garden so much the better." She smiled softly, partly in amusement at herself for so odd a hobby.

Maralen tilted his head sloghtly, processing the response. Since taking command of this ship, he had gotten various responses to this request, but none quite like this one. He was not, actually, certain how to react to it. His ears flicked slightly forward. "Oh? I can't say that I have read or watched any of those." He paused for a moment, replaying her words. "May I ask why the gardening is important?" There was no judging in his tones, only curiosity. Her response to his request was so unusual that it piqued his curiosity -- damn his feline nature.

She smiled, aware her hobbies were unusual and explained gently, "Well I am somewhat fond of the practice and to be honest little, old ladies with harmless hobbies solving crimes amuses me."

Maralen thought about that for a moment. The image in his mind, formed by her last statement, indeed amused him. He chuckled a bit. "I suppose I can see how it would," he conceded. "In truth, I had never read such things and had, therefore, not even considered the idea." He shifted his posture slightly to appear more relaxed. "I enjoy nature when I have the chance to, but I have never understood the practice itself of gardening." He was learning, both about her and about the subject itself, so he did not mind chasing this particular rabbit down this particular trail, at least for a bit.

"It's quite a practical hobby. In addition to the health benefits for mental health and physical activity you can grow your own food, tea, or other foodstuffs. For those who enjoy flowers that's a grand thing as well." Sarah leaned back a little in the chair, "For me well I suppose it's a kind of peaceful therapy. Good way to clear my head, recenter as it were." She smiled willing to explore the topic. She'd never gotten to know Seitha well and was curious where this would go.

Maralen nodded. "I think I grasp. I meditate for the same reason, to center and find calm." A moment of thought was given to the matter, then he continued on. "Would you be wanting space to garden then?"

At that for a moment there was more than the professional, her eyes had lit up briefly at the idea. It had been some time, she always meant to get back to it but playing second fiddle to a lazy, well lazy in he terms of what the cover job required, spy had kept her busier than she preferred. She regained her sense of professionalism and so it was with some restraint she answered, "A bit of earth would be nice yes, been a bit too busy to seek anything out on my own." Her voice held a hint of the pleasure she felt at the idea. Though she had not foreseen this turn in the conversation when she walked in here.

Maralen smiled, not missing the momentary show of pleasure. He had spent so long oppressed into cold precision or calm damned-near-neutrality that a sign of pleasure was something to be celebrated. He only smiled though, warm and encouraging. "Well, I can speak to the individual who runs the Park Deck and see if they would mind allocating a small patch for you," he offered. Yes, this was off topic, but that was fine. This wasn't the Realm where everything had to be just so all the time.

"If it's fairly done and not too much trouble, I'd not mind it." She said sincerely. She had a sense of fair play that would not allow special favors but if it could be properly done and wouldn't put anyone out too much, she did miss getting her hands dirty. In a good way. Pleased but nevertheless curious about the summoning, for now though content to let the conversation to go where it may.

Maralen nodded. "Of course it would be fairly done. I can't afford to set a precedent of favoritism; that undermines order." He smiled slightly to soften the harsh sound of what he had just said about order. This was not an authoritarian state, after all. "Now, I suppose I should get to the point, hm?" He sat back and held her gaze steadily, his expression shifting to his normal calm. "As you have likely heard by now, our Chief of Security has been... removed. I need someone to replace her, and you are the next in line. Therefore, I am promoting you to that position."

She nodded her thanks at the garden reply, not taking it harshly. Then he continued and she blinked, she wasn't entirely surprised. She was next most senior but still hadn't been fully expecting it not quite yet anyway. The CO moved fast. "In the interests of full disclosure, I take it you have reviewed my record? I don't wish to assume, it's just in light of the previous office holder some due diligence in their replacement is wise." She said hoping the CO wasn't offended but all he'd said was she was most senior, she did not care to assume he'd taken steps if he hadn't. Her voice was mild but earnest.

Maralen nodded, appreciating the fact that she ensured that. "I did indeed. I also had some checks run aside from the standard to be certain that we would not be repeating an error," he answered easily.

She was curious what those checks were but decided against asking for now. She simply nodded, "Fair enough. I will endeavor to keep all and sundry as safe as possible." Her tone was mild but one could hear the underlying steel in the promise.

Maralen nodded. "Good."

"If you'd like I can report on efforts at house keeping after the um personnel change this morning or you'll be getting a more detailed written report later today."

He nodded. "A summary now would be appreciated, though I will read the detailed report when you provide it."

She nodded, "Essentially, I've got people going over everything she so much as breathed on. Records will indicate what she viewed in the computers and if copies were made or transferred even if we have to use the computer forensics division to recall it." She paused thinking, "We also have internal affairs in teams examining personnel, anyone she requested to be transferred here, spent too much time with etc. In addition we're re-doing all background checks. I've also impounded her quarters as a crime scene and we are currently checking if she had any hidey holes on board." She paused, "There are other steps and we've just begun but we're basically trying to find if there is further weeds we need to uproot as it were."

Maralen was pleased with what he was hearing. This one was definitely on her game, and he appreciated the efficiency with which she worked but also the thoroughness. "Excellent. Keep me in the know every step." A pause, then he asked, "Do you have any questions for me?"

She nodded, "Do you have an immediate instructions for department changes or policies? There may have recommendations later but I should know if you'd like anything done differently in the moment?"

Maralen shook his head. "At the moment, from the summary you gave me, it seems that you are doing what needs immediate doing," he answered. "When we reach our destination, you will likely have your hands full."

She nodded, "Then I suppose I should be about it Sir. So we can have clean deck for the next steps. With your permission?" She asked before getting up to leave sensing the end of the discussion and eager to continue her work.

Maralen stood as well. "Granted. Dismissed. And again, welcome aboard." He watched her leave, smiled to himself, and returned to his own work. I think we got it right this time, he thought to himself. Now on to the next...