The Message

Posted on Monday July 31st, 2023 @ 2:44am by Lieutenant Commander Steven Ryan

814 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: The Grand Tour: Part One
Location: Office of Lt Cmdr Elliot
Timeline: Current

On:

Jason was reviewing the stack of assignment submissions, he'd managed to find a moment to pause downing what had to be cup number ten or eleven of coffee, he'd been up for close too twenty hours when he looked at the time and he had a class to teach in just over ten hours. He closed the instructional work, and close the lone duty file he had open and started to walk out of his office. He did one final check of the daily situation briefings, not seeing anything of consequence he turned out the lights and made his way to the turbolifts and then too his quarters. He entered the quarters too the computer terminal on his desk blinking. He muttered something then looked at the screen, it had a message alert on it with a Classified warning on screen.

He looked at the screen:

===Ops Msg IntOPS==

To: Elliot, Jason SFINT

FR: FLEET OPSINT

RE: OPS Mission #443-Alpha-3-Echo-11

This is to inform you that fleet intelligence operations has reviewed your case and deemed it closed. The evidence does warrant further follow up but at this time the file is considered closed until new evidence is presented.

Regards

FLTOPS R.ADM. Conner

Jason closed the message and quickly deleted it. He'd expected the file to be closed, and possibly the investigation too, but the fact that the file was essentially put into the inactive list was enough for him to realize that even he could only do so much. The chain of events that led too him leaving for eighteen months star fleet were largely a closely kept secret. He had doubts that his commanding officers knew the whole story, upon reflection he didn't want anyone to know unless it became critical. He tossed his uniform coat on to the couch and kicked his boots under the desk, he was tired, even after consuming that much coffee he was tired.

Jason woke to the alarm going off, he rolled over turning off the alarm. He sat on the edge of the bed, he could feel the fatigue of the previous days over work. He debated cancelling his entire day, locking himself in his office and sleeping on the couch. He looked over the days schedule, there weren't any meetings, just the one class. He decided to teach and call it a short day, Jason half expected that to ruffle some feathers, but he'd been going more or less non stop since he arrived, he needed the break.

As he dismissed the students from class, he sat down at the small desk next too the lectern and rubbed the sleep from his eyes, even he felt that one of the drier chapters from he history course work could knock anyone out. He collected his notes and walked out after some sufficient time, the corridor was largely empty, there was a small group of students comparing notes or something behind him as he walked away, he returned to his quarters tossing his uniform coat on the couch again.

"Computer unless the ship goes to red alert I'm unavailable until tomorrow morning."

The only acknowledgement was a series electronic chirps. Jason laid down on the bed looking up at the ceiling drifting off too sleep. Five hours later he awoke to another message on the computer screen.

===OPS Msg===

To: Elliot, Jason SFINT

FR: FLEET OPSINT

Request denied.

Regards

FLTOPS R.ADM. Conner

===End Message===

Jason grabbed a drink from the replicator and sat back down. "Computer, what's my schedule for tomorrow."

The computer quickly posted up his schedule up on the screen, the day ahead was mostly office hours. He dressed and left, Walking down the corridor he saw a group of cadets rushing off to duty or classes, he stopped by the mess hall to grab breakfast. He sat at a table near the view ports, off in the distance he heard the giggle of two female students. He returned his dishes too the counter and started to walk away.

"Commander Elliot, do you have a moment." a raven haired humanoid cadet asked.

"Yes cadet..." Jason paused uncertain of her name.

"I was wondering if you had a moment, I was thinking about changing specialty and I was wondering if I could spend a couple of shifts in intelligence?" she said.

"I'll see what I can do, what prompted the decision?" Jason asked

"I don't really see myself getting a command right away, and I figured I should learn more about intelligence since they seem to have influence over the decisions that are made." The Cadet replied.

"Submit a request, I'll definitely endorse it." Jason said "What was your name again?" feeling slightly stupid

"Emilia Reyes sir."

"Cadet Reyes, I'll expect to see that request then." Jason said with a smile.

End

Lt Cmdr Jason Elliot
Ass't Chief Intelligence officer
USS Poseidon

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