The proof of the pudding is in the tasting

Posted on 26 Jun 2020 @ 1:41am by Captain Jonathan Reynolds & Commander Amelia Fox

Mission: Mission 4 - Race against the machine
Location: Reynolds ready room
Timeline: MD3 08:00
1177 words - 2.4 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

Jon had given this some thought overnight and decided the risk was worth taking. Well if he was considering risk, how could really make it any worse, matching speed with a planet killer.

He had sent Fox a message to come report to his ready room and had a pile of clothes sat waiting on the desk.

Whistling a tune, Amelia entered the ready room. "Good morning Captain..." She stopped as she saw the pile on his desk. "A new look Captain? I'm not sure it will suit you but try it on and let's see what we're working with." she said with a sly smile.

“It’s not really my size and more suited to someone hopefully willing to contact the Cetea,” he patted it.

“I think it’s worth the risk to test out your MU versions claim, what do you think Fox?” He asked. He didn’t really want to have to order her but it was important they got more of a feel for this fringe group. The opportunity was to big to pass up.

Amelia frowned. She saw the logic in the Captain’s words but still, she didn’t like them. She sighed and muttered, “The things I have to do for the uniform.” She picked up the clothes and went into the small bathroom. She emerged 5 minutes later now wearing the leather outfit that was so tight in places, it looked like she’d been poured into in.

"Yes your definitely pregnant Fox, I replicated your size in your bio. Seems you may need to go one up until you announce your news," Jon suggested. "Would you like me to replicate you a bigger size? You don't look all that comfortable."

He almost asked how did you manage to get in it but was kind of a little scared what the response back would be.

Amelia shot him an evil look. She felt her side uncomfortably. "No, Let's get this over with. It might help me channel my inner Mirror Fox if I'm squeezed so tight that I can't breathe and am about to pass out and am currently thinking some very impure thoughts about how to take revenge on you for this."

"I have no issues in tight clothing or no clothing as you are aware Fox," Jon stated.

She held up her hands "Please! I've only just successfully managed to block out that particular image. Come on, I assume you have the frequency to contact?"

"Well I have what your duplicate claims to be the frequency. She didn't sense to be lying but it wouldn't be the first time someone's managed to hoodwink an empath. So I asked engineering and intelligence to scramble this transmission within an inch of its life. Just in case. I'm assured they won't be able to get an exact lock.

Shall we?" Jon asked.

She nodded and moved over to the desk. Amelia adjusted the monitor so only the starfield out of the window was visible behind her. She then put on her best poker face and waited for the connection to be established.

The screen flickered for a moment or two, then the static cleared up. "It is you, have things been taken care of? What can we do for you, mistress?"

Amelia crossed her arms and put on her best poker face. She kept her voice low, but she spoke sternly. "Taken care of?" She asked incredulously. "You fouled up and did some sloppy work! Some damn sloppy work! Mistakes were made and I'll find out by whom!"

"And just what mistakes have been made?" One of the Cetea asked, whilst another gave a frantic shake of the head towards the other's attitude, then shoved the arrogant one out of the way of the viewscreen both disappearing from view. There ensued the sound of a scuffle, then a thud. Then the not so arrogant one appeared.

"How may we be of service mistress?"His eyes a little bit wide, a look of fright in them.

"Are you going to explain who fouled up then?" She asked in a deadly voice. "The planet killer is not ment to be acting like this. Did you send the details on how your people got it activated? And what of those weapons I sold you?"

It was N'vek, B'Dar, and C'Nedra that were on the mission. We haven't gotten any word from them as of yet. Don't you remember the instructions that you gave ....." his voice faded away looking at her unforgiving expression.

From the side, off screen another voice hissed. "Stupid, she is testing you!"

"Ohh..OH!" What the off screen voice said finally clicking. "Here are the instructions you had given us." Detailed instructions were given.

He looked rather pleased at how he delivered the instructions. It faded away when there was one more addition. "Don't forget the last part."

"Oh yes, and we picked up the weapons at these coordinates." rattling off what they were. "I hope that we passed the test Mistress." hoping that he would get a small amount of praise for doing a job well.

Amelia softened slightly as if their argument was winning her over. "Hmmmmm. I suppose you managed to get that right. Now, what going on with this planet killer?"

"We are still waiting for more information on its next target." said the eager one.

Amelia frowned "What is its next target? Are you still controlling it?"

The one who was the most eager to please the mistress, looked over to his left, then back towards Amelia. "One moment Mistress,I will return." And stepped away from the viewscreen.

Muffled exclamations could be heard, a sense of excitement was in the air. He returned with a calm demeanor, though that calmness could scarcely hide what was present in his eyes. Something like that of a firm resolve, which hadn't been there before.

"Mistress,we are grateful for all that you have done for us, you giving a chance for us to become more powerful as we could ever be. However, your usefulness to us is now at an end. We do not want to have any more dealings with you, as another party has come to us offering us a better deal."

She raised an eyebrow. "Oh! and you think you can discard me so easliy? Mark my words! You will regret this!" She added darkly, before ending the transmission.

She turned to Jon "I hope I kept that ending in character. That seems to confirm what my mirror counterpart told us but I don't think she'll be happy being cast aside like that."

"You did fine number one. Its worrying that there Cetea have allied with another party. We need to get more intel on them," the part betaziod stated. "It seems though your evil twin was telling some truth."

OFF:

Cetea NPC's : Michael Hawkins

●●●● Captain Jonathan Reynolds
Captain
USS Andromeda


●● Lieutenant Amelia Fox
Executive Officer
USS Andromeda