From: Steven Peterson (petsted_at_hotmail.com)
Date: Mon Jan 21 2008 - 23:43:37 PST
==[/\]== “Old Feeling New” Continued from Sarah's “The MCINNIS Goes to HOLLAND” ==[/\]== Location: IKV HOCH'VA Scene: “Guest” Quarters He laid on the flat, hard surface with his green eyes staring straight up at the unremarkable ceiling above. The Klingon “bed” was comfortable enough—he'd slept on far worse things in the last four years of his life—but for some reason he could still not find a way to fall asleep. And AJ O'Malley knew all too well what the reason was, he just wouldn't admit it to himself. The intelligence agent told himself that it had just been a fling, and that they both knew it going into it. Hell, he'd had countless flings since then and they meant nothing to him, so why should this be so different. After all, she'd been married and had a kid since their short relationship—no it was a fling—four years earlier. And from the personnel logs and personal entries (he was in intelligence after all), he figured out that she wasn't nearly the same person, or at least not of the same mindset, as he had ever known her. And yet, he couldn't let go. He couldn't let go. It still boggled his mind, hell, it blew his mind. Not that anyone would actually know it, he'd been trained to lie, trained to paint the picture that he wanted others to see. And he was really good at it. In fact, he was willing to bet that he was three or four times better at it now than he had been when he was wet behind the ears and on the USS Prophecy. Years living and acting among the Romulan Star Empire and the Dominion had helped him hone his craft to something approaching perfection. But still, even after all this time and everything that he had experienced, a part of him was still there, in that moment, when a series of decisions had taken him from a maddeningly exciting fling verging on something else to an outcast, ostracized from many of the first crew mates and friends he had had in the fleet. The mistakes were simple to recount, he relived them every now and then in dreams or blackouts when he had made the mistake of getting caught practicing his craft. There was the alien barmaid who he had gotten information from for a price, even though he hadn't paid that price. There was the moment in the lift when he had been ogled and ogled back while Xana was on the lift with him. And there was the decision to just tuck tail and go, rather than facing her one final time before heading for his new assignment in the field. All seemed logical at the time, but with more time, he'd come to see that things differently. AJ O'Malley slammed his head back where the pillow should have been, but instead he cursed when his head hit the slab that was supposed to be his bed. The pain would subside, after all, time healed all wounds, or did it? ==[/\]== Location: Starfleet Headquarters Scene: Briefing Room B-3 “...and that, colleagues, is how I believe we can cause irreparable damage, destruction, and chaos in the Dominion.” Commodore Troy Svenson looked around at the assembled crowd. He knew nearly every one of the personally, or had someone who could vouch for them personally. “Pinpricks, targeted strikes, fomenting rebellion, and disrupting critical supplies, that is how dictatorship and authoritarian empires have been taken down since time immemorial. And that is how we will finally, once and for all bring an end to t he Dominion.” Troy's eyes scanned the room. “Its not a simple plan, its not elegant, but it will be effective. We can adapt, we can react, and most importantly, we can strike first.” He bared his teeth slightly as he spoke, showing just a bit of emotion where it seemed appropriate. “With that, I'd be happy to take your questions.” The captain of one of the vessel's Svenson intended to make some use of raised her hand from the front of the room. “Commodore, correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the Federations official position that we make tactical gains and bring the Founders back to the negotiating table to let the diplomats hammer something out?” The still young male smirked slightly, unable to hold it back. “That is the Federation's current official position, as well as the official position of Starfleet Command.” “Then doesn't the concept of bringing the Dominion to an end fly in the face of that official policy, sir?” asked the same captain. Svenson nodded slightly. “Yes. However, since Operation Gamma Ghost is a detached assignment, were at liberty to make some interpretations. One of those is that official Federation policy is due to change, and were planning ahead. If Starfleet officially steps in and tells us they want to maintain the husk that is the Dominion, that's one thing, but until we have official orders, that is the official line of this operation.” A commander in the back raised his hand. “Commodore, what exactly will you and your staff be doing while were operating on planets, stations, or on our ships?” “I don't have a permanent staff. There are officers who are designated as the XO and second officer for this mission, but they are unnamed to avoid any kind of compromise if I'm lost or if someone else is lost. They and a few others know who they are, and if something happens to me, you'll know who is in charge.” Troy paused for a minute before continuing. “However, I'll be as personally involved in this mission as you, as I'll be in the Dominion causing havoc, on the ground and occasionally aboard a vessel.” A curly, dark-haired lieutenant, who Svenson recognized all too quickly, raised his hand. “Sir, isn't that highly unusual and rather risky for a flag officer?” Svenson looked at Lieutenant AJ O'Malley for a long moment. The younger male was still in the prime of his life, and his time amongst the Federation's likely enemies hadn't softened him at all. “Its unusual and risky, but for what is being asked of all of you and what were expecting from these missions, there is no other way for this to work.” Another captain chimed in. “But sir, can Starfleet afford to lose a flag officer of your...” “I'm just another officer Eric, and while I may be a so-called 'flag,' I'm not exactly at death's door or middle-age's door. I just was stupid enough to take that last promotion.” He looked at O'Malley, “any more questions?” He scanned the room, and happily finding none, gave out the one word everyone was waiting for, “dismissed.” AS the crowd began to break up he was approached by the Lieutenant who had questioned him earlier. “Lieutenant O'Malley, what can I do for you?” asked Troy as he stepped out from behind the dais. “You could tell me why I'm here for starters,” stated O'Malley more bluntly than he usually spoke. “I believe Admiral Gage selected you for a job that he believes you are uniquely suited for.” Troy's lips curled into just a slight smirk. “Do you disagree with your qualifications?” The MCINNIS' ILO blinked and thought for a moment. “No.” “Well then, I guess that answers your question.” Troy turned to depart before the Lieutenant shot in another word. “But sir, I'm of more use to you in the field, not sitting on some starship as a pesky liaison officer. For all I know she'll ignore everything I tell her, she has absolutely zero reason to trust me after all we went through in the span of eight months.” O'Malley felt naked sharing so much information, but he deemed it important for the mission. Troy turned on his heel and drew in extremely close to the Lieutenant. “Maybe she doesn't trust you. But she has to trust me and work with me. And because of that, she'll deal with you. Whether what's between the two of you is ever pleasant again I cannot care about. Starfleet cannot afford to care about it right now, we're at war, again.” The coomodore stepped in so close that Svenson's chest almost was against his and he could feel the flag officer's breath. “And your not just a liaison, you've got years of experience in the gamma quadrant and I'm sending a small four person team with you, you will pick up with the experimental ASTRO program where you left off.” AJ could feel a small bead of sweat slide down his back but did his best not to show it. “Understood, sir. Are the CO and XO aware of this fact?” Svenson smiled slightly as he backed away. “They will be when I send the data over and they discuss it with you.” His eyes lit up as he finished the next line, “you've thrived without the fancy tech for four years O'Malley, don't become too reliant on it now.” “Never sir.” “Good, now get over to the MCINNIS, they are due to depart today.” “Aye sir.” O'Malley waited a minute to be dismissed but when Svenson turned and picked up his lecture notes, he departed knowing that it would never come. ==[/\]== Location: USS MCINNIS Scene: Bridge The doors of the turbolift opened with a customary hiss that seemed to be a required sound for all starships that were part of the fleet. No eyes on the bridge really turned to look as the lift's sole occupant stepped out. As he stepped out of the lift, AJ's eyes looked everyone, ascertaining just what console controlled what and who sat where. When he took another step forward his eyes caught a familiar figure sitting in the center seat. Fortunately she wasn't blue or tall or any of the other things that he remembered. Instead, she was a firecracker of a human, who packed a punch in her small frame and was probably going to be about as happy to see him as he was to see her. Adam cleared his throat, uncertain how to begin, and instead walked toward the center seat as she turned to see who had made the throat clearing noise. “Oh bloody,” muttered Kat as she turned to see the familiar face of Lieutenant Adam O'Malley. “Lieutenant O'Malley reporting as ordered by Starfleet Command and SFI, ma'am.” He knew that she hated the formalities, but he wasn't about to assume anything with her or with Bonviva at this point. “O'Malley, how the hell did this happen?” she asked/stated as they met half way between the captain's chair and the turbolift. “Well, that's a complicated tale,” responded AJ. “You see...” ==[/\]== Scene: Obs Lounge They all settled in, waiting for the captain, exchanging basic pleasantries. It was the start of something new...where it would take them, and how it would change them...only time could tell... ==[/\]== NRPG: Had most of this done when Sarah's post came in so please excuse any lingering disconnects. Sarah & Joy: Hope this works w/ everything we've talked about. Sarah: Off on my glamorous trip, as you know, but hopefully will have connectivity to continue to contribute for the next two weeks. Luke was fine, I'm still figuring him all out anyway so do what you must. Old PROPHers: Take note that this is not the same bitter AJ who left after his promo to LT, but more the one that first arrived...time has healed him somewhat. Steve Peterson ...writing for... Commodore Troy Svenson CO, Operation Gamma Guard USS MCINNIS (novella unit) ...and... Lieutenant AJ O'Malley Intelligence Liaison Officer USS MCINNIS (novella unit) ...and... Lieutenant Luke Serafini Chief Engineer USS MCINNIS (novella unit) _________________________________________________________________ Need to know the score, the latest news, or you need your Hotmail®-get your "fix". http://www.msnmobilefix.com/Default.aspx From HyperNews_at_youth.net
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