Ivy Mike - Part Four

Posted on Thu Nov 30th, 2023 @ 1:34am by Fleet Admiral Heather Duval & Division Admiral Celeste Yamaguchi-Hobbs & Fleet Captain Heather Walking Bear

Mission: Mission 112: The Heart of a Truth Long Lost
Location: Location Various Locations - Starbase Vanguard
Timeline: 1335Hrs - January 19th, 2394

Fleet Admiral Duval regarded the younger woman before her. "Okay." she paused. "Take a seat, Heather. I suspect that since you waited to address it, you didn't want to mention what's certain to be a truly epic shitstorm in fear of angering me and provoking her." she indicated Celeste Yamaguchi-Hobbs with her left thumb.

Walking Bear slipped her lithe form back into the chair she had just been sitting in. "Well... Um... I wouldn't quite word it exactly like that but.. Yes. Admiral. Thats exactly what it is." she admitted. Now the truth was out, she settled in to wait for the inevitable explosion of outrage or anger that Walking Bear was sure to come from the two women.

Duval gently raised both hands. "Heather, what's happened?" she asked softly. "Out with it and do not feel the need to sugarcoat it."

Walking Bear nodded her head, the woman sitting before her had more authority than most people she could name. Yet Jake sang Heather Duval's praises like a nightingale. He didn't say many nice things about most people. But he truly respected and liked Heather Duval. He had said it was because she knew how to be quiet and listen. Also, she knew how to help her subordinates. But more than anything else, it was because she truly cared. "My sister has a member of her crew whose daughter is in danger because of the assignment that the USS Fearless is heading to. I had made arrangments to go and pick up B'Elanna, daughter of K'Tar from Starbase Three Twenty Four." She then sighed. "However it would take me a week to get there. So I was going to put her into guest quarters under my name until I was able to collect her."

"No," Duval answered. She then turned to Celeste. "Celeste. Would you mind asking Admiral Lasky to step in here, please? I'd like to borrow one of his frigates for this detail." she inquired. "But I want to say it to his face."

"Certainly." Celeste Yamaguchi-Hobbs rose to her feet and she departed without a word. Other than a kind smile at Walking Bear.

Walking Bear paused, this was something she didn't expect. "Ma'am. I..."

"You served with Jake. He tells me lots of lovely things about you." Duval answered. "Besides. I am not the average Fleet Admiral, my dear. I like to help my people if I can." she commented in a light tone of voice. "I can only imagine what Jake has told others of me."

"Only good things." Walking Bear said in a soft tone of voice. "Though if I may ask... Why are you helping me?"

Duval opened her mouth to answer, but before she could. The door opened, and in walked Division Admiral Thomas Lasky. "Admiral. You sent for me?"

"I did. Thank you for dropping in Tom." Duval answered before she indicated Heather Walking Bear with her right hand. "This is Heather Walking Bear. She'll be replacing Siaxx as our Starbase second officer. But she has a family issue that I will let her explain. But I would like to borrow a frigate or other slipstream-capable craft that you are not presently using for an assignment at the present time." she turned to Walking Bear. "Two days?"

"Three days. One to get there, one to wait and look the ship over and one to come back." Walking Bear explained the particulars of what she wanted.

Laky nodded his head. "Fair enough," he answered. "I have the..." he paused as he searched his memory. "USS Pembo as she's recently completed her repairs and she's yet to be shaken down." he paused. "Also I have the Culverin and the Nirvana. Both of those are small patrol ships and fast attack craft," he explained.

Walking Bear nodded her head as she processed that detail. "Do I have the choice?"

"Sure," Duval answered with a smile on her lips.

"I'd like the Pembo. Maybe I can do that shakedown cruise for you." Walking Bear commented. "My first serious command."

"Thats one way of looking at it." Lasky agreed before he turned to Duval. "This will greatly help my cause, Admiral," he added. "But first, the explanation please as to why you wish for command of my ship?"

Walking Bear paused a moment, then she went into her explanation. "I need to get to Starbase Three Twenty-Four to pick up the daughter of my sister's Exec. A Klingon woman named K'Tar," she explained. "She's serving on the Fearless and she's heading into Klingon space. Sam believes that her Exec's daughter is in danger." she paused a moment for everyone in the room to have a moment to process this. "So she asked Kalliope, Julia and myself to consider looking into taking this Klingon teenager in. Until either she comes of age or the threat passes. Whichever comes first."