Is a problem shared a problem halved?

Posted on Sat Nov 21st, 2020 @ 6:18pm by Lieutenant Finchley Kerr & Captain Aurther Winters
Edited on on Sat Nov 21st, 2020 @ 7:04pm

Mission: Trial by Fire
Location: Lt Kerr's quarters/CO's quarters
Timeline: Current.

ON: (U.S.S. Chuck Norris - Lieutenant Kerr's Quarters)

Armed with this new information, Finchley knew he had to speak to the Captain. As he walked along the corridor he tapped his COMM badge and said "Lieutenant Kerr to Captain Winters, Sir, I need to speak to you right away, somewhere private...I have some information for you regarding our last conversation."

=/\= Very well Lieutenant, as per our last conversation, please report to my quarters. =/\=

"Your quarters?" Kerr seemed to question.

=/\= I will see you there. =/\=

(U.S.S. Chuck Norris - Captain Winters's Quarters)

If there was one thing that he could draw parallels between his ready room and his quarters, it was they were almost around the same size. The only real difference was that his quarters had a bed, and he personally installed a larger window to look out of. Double the size of a normal port hole in the Norris, but he knew it wouldn't compromise the ship in any way. It was actually a personal project of his. As well as a window, it could also double as a computer screen when called into action.
He was glad he was still fast on his feet, making it to his quarters on deck 1 before Lt. Kerr. However the fact that the Lieutenant was able to find information so quickly brought out a few questions. Was it that readily available, or did Kerr have connections that the Captain did not want to know about. Attempting to release his stress, he synthesized another hot chocolate from his personal replicator and sat down at this desk, taking a few quick sips, knowing the heat was always just right when it came out, a smack of his lips and the slight realization that he had ordered it with a bit of whip cream delighted him for a moment as he continued to wait for whatever information was heading his way.

Finchley arrived at the Captains quarters/ Pressing the chime, he waited for and answer.

Inside, Aurther put down the hot chocolate, turned to the door and said "Enter."

The doors slid open and Finchley stepped inside. Walking over to the CO he said "Before we go any further Sir and we speak, can I ask you to seal the room and stop all recordings including auditory, visual and physical. This is an Alpha Priority One situation, there can be no record of our discussion."

This kind of request was not unusual, but a little highly unusual for someone who was both so new to the ship, as well as just learning about his request. " Alright Lieutenant, Computer seal door. Disable all audio and video records, authorization Winters, Whisky-Tango-Foxtrot-One-Eight-Six-Seven." After a momentary pause, the computer chimed in, which also darkened the room slightly, which was more for ambiance. "Alright, you have my attention."

"I reached out to my to my Intel contacts to find out if they knew why there was Romulan activity in and around this ship during it's last mission" Finchley said "and I basically, they finally...well...let's just say my contact isn't keen to meet with me, but they admitted that the Romulans are looking for a member of Starfleet with 'unique' insight and information and they've traced him to where the USS Chuck Norris was in it's last mission. They were to target the ship and find out where this Starfleet member was and capture him...at all cost and that's everything they have."

Winters leaned forward in his chair placing his arms folded on his desk. "Interesting. I would like to say I know who exactly they are looking for, but somehow I feel we are in the dark with the specifics as the Romulans. Which at the least, will give us an equal playing field. What do you suggest Mr. Finchley?"

"We need to go over the sensor logs Sir, find out if there were any unusual anomalous readings, and also find out if there were any other Starfleet vessels in the vicinity, especially of they were cloaked" Finchley added "I know officially we don't have cloaking technology, but this would open up another situation...why is it being kept secret?"

"Well, I can see that you are on some level with information as few very are. As you know the last time the Federation tried to implement our own cloaking device, it cost the lives of almost an entire crew, attributed to a mutiny and cover up, and nearly plugged the Federation into a war with the Romulans. As much as it puts the Federation in the spot it is, we must still honour the treaty of Algeron. The only cloaking device is Star Fleet still belongs to one of our sister ships, the Defiant, on loan from the Romulans. We don't want to escalate an tensions between our two governments right now. The fleet still hasn't recovered from our dealings with the Borg or the war with the Dominion. We need to stay as neutral as we can, so we can regain our numbers. I think once we can get Starfleet back to where she once was, perhaps then, and only then, could Starfleet go back to the negotiation table about cloaking technology."

"Sir", Finchley said "there is one way we might be able to find out why the Romulans are looking for this 'unique' Starfleet member. We could...swap the identity of the USS Chuck Norris, disguise ourselves as the USS Defiant, that way we can use the cloaking device and find this individual and discover why they're so important" he finished.

"I do think that is an interesting idea Lieutenant, but I think currently that may lead to more problems then I want to deal with right now. I will keep that as plan B, but with amount of time we have needed assistance, a covert operation shrouded in secrecy and deception may not be the best way to begin our investigation. I do appreciate the information and the course of action, but I want to be slightly passive for now."

"Very good Sir" Finchley replied "may I ask what plan you want us to undertake?"

"Right now, I think it would wise to try and piece this mystery together a little more. If we don't know where or who we are looking for, we might has well be be searching for a needle in a stack of needles, while blind folded. You keep in touch with your sources, I will inquire with some of mine. Then we should come up with a plan."

Finchley nodded in agreement then said "If there's nothing more Sir, I believe that there's a line of enquiry that may yield us information, though I'd need to call in some favours if I'm honest, and even then it could be hit or miss if we get anything useful."

"Carry on Lieutenant Kerr"

Turning, Finchley left the CO's quarters. His mind was already filling with questions that required answers if they were to make anything rational out of the Romulan intervention in the last mission...

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Captain Aurther Winters
Commanding Officer
USS Chuck Norris

&

Lieutenant Finchley Kerr
Chief of Operations
USS Chuck Norris