Take a Look

Posted on 10 Jul 2016 @ 8:45pm by Lieutenant Commander Camila Di Pasquale & Lieutenant JG Catherine Cooper

1,281 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Risky Business
Location: Security
Timeline: MD 5 || 1200 Hours

With a few days of meeting and planning, both with Security and Command, Camila finally had a moment of downtime and tapped her combadge. =^=Lieutenant Cooper, please report to Security.=^= she said and debated getting another cup of Raktajino, but knew that she had been drinking too much of it lately. When she reported to Medical again, someone would undoubtedly comment on the amount of caffeine and stress in her system, but she felt that she needed it.

Cooper acknowledged and a few minutes later, hair damp but tied back, she entered, "Wanted to see me Chief?" She asked curiously as her part of her mind whirled about several other tasks.

"Yes, I did," Camila said as she pulled up Summers' file and turned the terminal so Cooper could see it. "Take a look and tell me what you don't like about this."

Cooper leaned over and skimmed the personnel record, she reviewed it briefly before but with the prep for the upcoming mission things like a long interview with their newest security officer had been put on hold. "The Demotions, disciplinary actions, seems to think people are an annoyance to be tolerated?" She asked matter-of-factually, "That what you mean Chief?" She asked taking into account her boss's tense demeanor.

"We had a meeting and she started it by nearly introducing herself as the Chief of Security, attempted to dismiss herself during the meeting and seemed annoyed at having to follow orders in general. She's a loner and refuses to work with others. I assigned her a partner on Delta shift and I want reports that she's following those orders. I have a feeling she's going to be a problem here."

Cooper whistled at the big brass ones you had to do all that to the Security Chief, she refocused, "I'll follow up with the partner, I had meant to have a long talk with her after I got back from my mission. She'll either explain well or dig a deeper hole for herself but at the very least it'll help me get to know her, maybe figure out how this can work..or not..." She shrugged, running a hand over her hair. Then she had a thought as she reviewed more of the record, "Recommend the partner be a Vulcan or someone else immune to emotionally driven interactions."

"Exactly," Camila said. "Speaking of your mission, have you gone over the layout of Intrepid class ships and done any training scenarios for various things that might happen? Lieutenant Corwin went over one earlier today in the Security training facility and did levels six through ten on the difficulties."

Cooper nodded, "Yes Ma'am, had to approximate the responses of the crew since we have incomplete information on the Cochrane but the computer was able to extrapolate a solid set of responses. Pretty much if I could think of it, I wrote a plan for it with settings being from 'ideal mission' to 'totally boned'. I actually was taking a break after a totally boned session...". She simply worked around Corwin's scheduled times so as they both could focus on their parts. A quick shower then back to it. She explained briefly about what she meant. She ached a bit from when she got slammed into a bulkhead during the last scenario. In that one the senior staff had been heavily comprised by the Consortium and everything that could go wrong did so. She beamed into the wrong area, security caught on fast, etc. Still she'd gotten further than she expected.

"Good," Camila said with a nod. "Just remember that the first rule of any plan is that it usually goes out the window when first contact with the enemy is made. Get in, activate a ship wide comm and set off the LRAD, and then get out as quickly as possible. The longer you're there, the more danger you'll be in."

"Don't have to tell me twice..." She paused then grew serious for a moment, the joking mask she normally wore given way briefly to the steel underneath, "Not that I don't fully expect to be awesome and survive but just in case I've left some personal messages for a few people, if you could make sure they get passed around?"

Why do people keep wanting me to deliver messages? Camila wondered. First it was Corwin and now Cooper. It felt morbid to her, but she nodded. "I can do that, Cooper," she said. "It's more personal than leaving a message for the computer to deliver."

"Thank you." Then the smile was back, "Sorry to dump this on you but this was one of those plans I was telling you about, to quote my mom better to have and not need then need and not have...". And Camilia was a friend, a comrade in arms. If something happened she wanted a live, caring person talking to her parents who knew her. Then she continued, "How are the other plans going? Or should I not know in case they mind whammy me?" She said it lightly but logically enough that was her greatest concern.

"Yes," Camila said. "The less you know about what Corwin is going to do or my alternate plan, the less they can take from you mentally. You can count on me to deliver any messages for you and you have my promise that I won't look at them, either."

Cooper nodded, "I figured as much, Thanks Chief for all the things..." Then she mentally shook herself, obviously trying to put thoughts of the upcoming mission aside for the moment. "Wow that is a long run of serious, was there anything else? And meant to ask how you're holding up Boss Lady?" She asked leaning against one of the chairs.

"Like a boss, I believe the old expression is," she replied. "At least on the surface. Under it, I'm drinking like a fish that's been out of water too long. I'm worried, Catherine, but I have faith in you and everyone else."

Cooper smiled, touched. "I know you got our back, we're as well prepared as we can be thanks in part to you. And besides I'll be fine, little tin foil will protect my head no problem..." She joked. Though her eyes indicated she was well aware of her situation and simply chosen not to dwell on it beyond what was needed for the mission.

Camila gave a forced laugh and a nod. "You do that, Cooper and I'll frame it and make sure it goes in the Starfleet museum for all time."

Cooper made a mental note to make an elaborate tin foil hat and take a picture of her in it and her in dress uniform before she left on her mission because it would be funny and make people smile...or confirm her status as crazy but she was cool with either response, "You know I'm going have to do that now right?" She smiled, "Before I get too far off topic, was there anything else?" She said trying to focus.

"Yes," Camila said. "Don't die. Nothing more, nothing less."

Cooper came to attention, Academy Parade Style, "Ma'am, Aye Ma'am!" Complete with a little salute. There was humor in her eyes but respect as well.

"Get out of here and go get some downtime, Cooper," Camila said. "And that's an order. I don't want you being tired when it's time."

Cooper laughed and nodded, she would try at any rate "Aye Chief" and with another smile was gone. All that could be done was done and all that needed to be said was said, time to savor the calm before the storm.

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