Coming Home - Part Two

Posted on Wed Nov 30th, 2022 @ 6:10am by Fleet Admiral Heather Duval & Captain Astrid "Alex" Yamaguchi

Mission: Mission 116: All Along the Watchtowers - Part One
Location: Various Locations - USS Ulysses/Starbase Vanguard
Timeline: 0930Hrs, December 10th, 2393

Fleet Admiral Heather Duval knew what was coming, she wanted to make this fast and not drag out the details presently before her. She faced the two arrivals as she nodded her head. "Captain, Commander... You two, come with me." and with that Duval turned and departed the Ulysses as Yamaguchi and Secura followed the older woman down the hallway.

Duval led the two people to their destination. Her office was on level five which the small group reached after a few minutes of silence. Duval entered her office as she took her seat behind her desk before she scowled while she indicated the chairs before her. "Take a seat you two, those aren't for decoration, I didn't haul you up here for a bollocking, if I was going to say it then I'd have done it at the airlock and skipped this silent march here," she explained as the other two moved to be seated.

Yamaguchi regarded the older woman before her while she made herself comfortable. "What can we do for you, Admiral.?" she inquired politely as Secura sat down on the sofa, he regarded Duval with the ease of a seasoned police officer rather than one officer to another, but he held his tongue.

"I wanted to ask your thoughts on the Chief..." Duval commented. "Any issues or concerns?"

"Actually, no," Yamaguchi answered. "He was able to handle almost two hundred quintillion operations of the ship's computer, her support craft of all kinds. He was able to think creatively but he did not act of his own accord or his own independence," she explained. "Some of the younger members of the crew did have issues with a sentient artificial intelligence monitoring their every movement and to give you the honest truth Admiral, I have my own concerns."

Secura took this moment to interject. "Is that because he is alive? or is it the crew's reaction to the Federations... Err shall we say piss-poor track record with handling artificial intelligence who develop sentience,?" he commented. "I could cite Commander Data as an example but there were two other Soong type Androids who failed. Lore and Lal."

"Your missing B4," Yamaguchi answered her Exec's answer with her own. "Yout point, however, remains unaffected."

Duval knew where the other two officers before her were coming from as she uncrossed and then recrossed her long legs. "Captain. Commander. I have heard all of your points from Jake, Valerie and from my own children. Edmund was... Shall we say, quite strident on the topic." she explained with a gentle smile. "So, what's your verdict on the Chief?" the older woman did not wish to keep the two officers before her all day and it showed.

"We need more time with him, one patrol assignment isn't enough to render a final verdict for the AI program. That said though, from what I have seen of the Chief. I like him, he responds quickly and does what I want him to do, he's also shown signs of independent thought. He keeps the habitable spaces of the ship just right for the person's comfort levels, for me for example, a few degrees cooler than the average room temperature." Yamaguchi commented with her explanation before she turned to Secura. "What about you?"

"It's more the same with me, he has a good selection of alpine programs, every now and again. I'll want to go skiing, my daughter, however, prefers the sands of Vulcan so we compromise." he paused. "The Chief can anticipate my needs, my daughter's needs and those of our crew." the older human male explained. "The Chief is able to think for himself rather than always react to situations. He's also a hundred times faster and several times better than the older computer systems we have been using up to this point... The main issue that I see... is not the Chief, per see... But it's the crew's reaction to him for the reasons we already mentioned."

"So your issue is not with the Chief itself... But it's with the crew having an issue with the Chief because he's intelligent and fully aware.?"

"Correct Admiral," Yamaguchi answered. "That's why I requested the senior staff that I did. I wanted people for unconventional thinking and people who were damaged goods rather than the best of the best, they get boring after a time." Astrid then grinned at her Exec as if the two officers were sharing a private joke.

Duval nodded her head. "Alright then. I will continue the project and I'll have my engineers and Logistics guys talk to your people and see what we can do to make things better and easier for all involved." she sighed softly.

Yamaguchi nodded her head. "We also have to accept that our people are the ones with the issue... Not the Chief," she explained.

"Alright then. I'll expect your Logistics Officers report when she can get it finished." Duval answered. "Thanks for coming in, that'll be all," she commented as Secura and Yamaguchi rose to her feet. "Enjoy your leave guys," she commented. "Astrid, before you go, I'd like a moment of your time..."

Secura raised an eyebrow as he opted to say nothing, he continued on his way out the door which closed behind him.

Yamaguchi sat back down. "What can I do for you, Admiral... You wanted me?"

"I did. I apologize for the theatrics but I wanted to ask your opinion on Commander Secura... How do you rate him?"

Yamaguchi mentally slapped herself for this, how could she not have seen this coming? she will never know. "Well..." Yamaguchi paused as she gently rubbed the back of her head. "I rate him as skilled, he is good at anticipating my needs and those of my crew but he still thinks more like a cop than an officer in Starfleet despite him being in Starfleet for over twenty years," she explained.

"So why the hesitation...?" Duval inquired as she regarded the younger woman before her.

"I had not expected the question," Yamaguchi admitted. "He is a little rough about the edges but he's very good at doing what he does," she explained. "Commander Secura is very reasonable and she's pragmatic." she frowned at the other woman, having had a moment to calm herself and take stock. "If there is a concern Admiral, I would have you make it to me please?"

Duval regarded the younger woman before her. What Yamaguchi was saying was technically insubordination but she was willing to let it pass as she had not given the other woman any time to prepare for the question at hand. "I want to know if he is able to handle his own command."

"Oh yes, he's capable," Yamaguchi answered with a nod. "He'll make a fine skipper." she paused. "Is one available?"

"Not yet... But Secura is on my list of Commanders who is able to handle his own command." Duval answered with a smile. "Your endorsement makes it final."