Crossroads - Part Three

Posted on Sat Sep 30th, 2023 @ 5:29am by Fleet Admiral Heather Duval & Division Admiral Celeste Yamaguchi-Hobbs

Mission: Mission 127: Old Friends and New Enemies
Location: Various Locations - Starbase Vanguard
Timeline: 1220Hrs - January 19th, 2394

"Do you know him?" she asked the other woman with a gentle smile on her lips.

Celeste Yamaguchi-Hobbs paused as she considered the matter. "Ed Antilles. Not personally, but I have heard of him. He's supposed to be the eldest son of General Paul Antilles. They say he's an excellent commander. He's well-rounded in terms of personality and that he thinks carefully before making choices and decisions. He's also reliable and dependable to achieve results." she paused. "Other than that, I know relatively little about him," she explained. But it was the fact that he seemed to be more experianced than the rank and file that seemed to bother her. Or maybe Admiral Duval wanted to replace her with him.

Yamaguchi-Hobbs frowned as she pushed that thought away with a helpful shove. Now was not the time to become paranoid over such matters.

Duval nodded her head. "Well. I stuck in a request with Admiral MacDougan over the subject. He said that he would deal with the matter on his end." she explained. "I suspect that I will need to keep Ed here. That was what my request was about," she added. "If all goes well then I might be able to get him to take an administration assignment since I just cost him his command and posting as commanding officer of his own cruiser squadron." Duval paused. "Squadron Five, if I recall," she added from memory.

Yamaguch-Hobbs moaned. "Let me look up his file," she commented before she picked up a PADD and went about doing just that. "Lovely," she commented after taking a moment to read the information displayed on the PADD. "Yeah, I thought so. He outclasses not only Siaxx. He also outclasses me too, in terms of command experience. His rank is actual and not frocked like mine was." her concern seemed to be coming true. This was something Yamaguchi-Hobbs hoped wasn't the case but she looked like she was going to have to sort this out before she sported out the other issue facing her.

Duval simply shrugged, as if the entire matter was not a concern to her. "So." she knew where Yamaguchi-Hobbs was about to head, so she decided to skip to the chase and save both of them a lot of time effort, energy and issues along the way. "Do you want to let him take command of the Starbase and you become the Starbase first officer?, with Heather Walking Bear as your second?" she inquired, with a gentle smile on her lips.

Yamaguchi-Hobbs paused, she didn't think about it in those terms before. But she had been considering just such a move as Siaxx had more time in rank than she did. But Siaxx was down with her pregnancy and she suspected that the Boian was going to be down for years to come. Yamaguchi-Hobbs shook her head. "No. I will remain in command of Vanguard. This assignment has treated me well and I'd like to remain a while longer. Besides. I... I think I like being on Starbases more than ships in the field." It was an easy admission for her to make. Considering that Celeste had come to greatly enjoy this assignment. Sure, it had its issues and problems but it was an assignment that she had come to enjoy very much. She had moved her family planetside so when she went home at the end of the day. She took a shuttle home while picking up the kits and Brianna from wherever they were located.

Duval nodded. She pulled open her top drawer before producing a small black box. "Besides. There are very few people who can tell me what I can and cannot do. I'm promoting you to the rank of Division Admiral. I know you don't have the experience or the time in your present rank. However, all of that said, how long have you been a Commander?." she inquired as she handed Yamaguchi-Hobbs her new rank insignia with her left hand while she shook the other woman's hand with her right. "Congratulations Celeste. I know thee will prove worthy of this rank." Duval commented, a wide grin on her lips.

"Thank you, Admiral," Yamaguchi-Hobbs answered, a smile on her own lips. She was the fifth Admiral Yamaguchi behind April, Heather, Jake and Talon. She had not been expecting this revelation but she was not about to object either.

Duval smiled. "Now the issue won't come up between you and Ed. I'm going to take two minutes before I call him up here. I suspect that I will want him to take over as your Executive Officer. Siaxx will be down for months yet and I'll find her a posting here when she's finished with her pregnancy. Walking Bear will become your new second officer. Hopefully, everyone involved tells me yes and there are no issues on the matter." Duval sighed as she knew they would be, she knew this was about to get stupid and people would become unreasonable, fast.