by Ensign Cristiane
80706.12
Following Suspicion
Soundtrack: Shut Up, by Simple Plan
80706.12
Following Suspicion
Soundtrack: Shut Up, by Simple Plan
-=USS Serendipity: Quarters of Dane Cristiane=-
Dane hated his life.
He was so sickened by the thought of it that there seemed no point in even wishing anymore that things would improve.
He believed that he'd had one good chance to prove himself to the only other sane person traveling with this flying circus- and then, that someone had simply gone away.
That was something he still couldn't even believe.
He wouldn't even get any time alone in the coming days to sort things out in his head. He wasn't allowed to take shore leave away from the rest of the crew, as most of the other junior officers were.
No, instead he was going to have to find something to do to pass the time. On Betazed. With the likes of Dabin Reece and Salvek the Vulcan.
This truly was Hell.
Worst of all was the fact that she was apparently going on this little excursion as well.
*She,* The same she whom Dane was certain was responsible for getting O'Sullivan tossed off the ship with no warning. *It has to be her fault. Why was he protecting her?*
He rammed clothing into his bag angrily and barely heard the signal that he had an incoming message over the irate, blaring music he was using to drown out the steady stream of profanity he'd been spewing.
The only reason his mind did process the signal at all was because his day job was so freaking boring that to keep from going insane he had developed a rich fantasy life. One which played out in his head as he sat on the bridge and monitored boring comm traffic.
Since most of the Sera's comm traffic was so abysmally dull, he fantasized a lot. He'd had to train himself when to emerge from the daydreams, but only so he could answer Zanh Liis' more important phone calls.
*Wait.*
That unique tone indicated that the incoming message was encrypted.
He told the computer to kill the music.
He never got encrypted...anything. Had Tenney gone all airhead on him again and misrouted the traffic to his line? Or could it be she was playing a joke on him?
The screen winked on and Admiral Vox glared at Dane from beyond it.
[Don't you know that when you get an encrypted subspace request, you acknowledge it before the third tone, Ensign?] Vox rumbled.
"Sorry, Sir," Dane stood taller.
[Packing for your trip aboard the Alchemy?]
Dane looked down and realized he was holding a pair of boxer briefs in his hand. He quickly tossed them aside. "Yes, Sir."
[Good. Dane, I have a proposition for you.]
Dane was intrigued, but cautious. Keiran had once warned him to beware Vox when he came bearing gifts, no matter how enticing. The tone of the Irishman's voice as he offered that particular piece of advice had made quite an impression on Dane- one that stayed with him.
"Sir?"
[I want you to keep your ear to the ground...and your eyes on Zanh Liis.]
"She's the one who always has her eyes on me, Sir."
[That may be true. But as you know, the Captain has not been well lately. I am very interested in having a neutral observer aboard, especially on the bridge once she returns to duty, who can help me to determine if she is still...] he paused, [...functioning at the level physically and emotionally that her job demands if it is to be done correctly.]
"She's on medical right now." Dane was surprised that the Admiral did not know this already.
[I know that already.] Vox continued. [Look, here's the bottom line, Dane. You want out, and I want information. We can work toward a mutually satisfying end here if you are willing.]
"Out, Sir?"
[Yes. You want reassignment from the Serendipity.]
*Do I ever...*
"It's not the easiest thing, working with her, Sir..."
[You are preaching to the choir, Ensign. I have worked with Zanh Liis the non-linear equivalent of more years than you've been in existence.] Vox leaned forward, folding his hands. [I bet you're curious where O'Sullivan has gone.]
Dane's face registered a scowl that told Vox exactly what he needed to know.
[What if I told you that if you complete this little covert assignment for me to my satisfaction, that I would not only reassign you, but that your new CO would be Keiran O'Sullivan?]
Dane's mouth fell open.
[Good. Now that I have your undivided attention,]
"Wait," Dane shook his head, trying to stay calm and not get ahead of himself. "Tell me what you want me to do first. To earn that transfer."
[I want you to watch, and listen, Dane,] Vox reiterated. [If you happen to hear or see evidence of certain things, then you pass the information on to me.]
"I'll get caught," Dane objected with a laugh. "If you're asking me to monitor the Captain's private comm traffic, or other files in the computer, I don't have clearance, I-"
[I can get you the clearance codes you need in two seconds.]
Dane's stomach turned. Something about this just seemed too good to be true- and he'd learned the hard way in the past that the price of a deal could be far higher than disclosed in the original negotiations.
"I do want off of this ship, Sir, but the crew, they've been good to me." Even though he never allowed it to register in his expression that he had taken note of the kindnesses the crew had shown him, large and small, he did remember them.
Every single one.
[There is only one member of the crew that I am asking you to watch, Dane, and last I checked, you had no love for her.] Vox decided to apply a bit more pressure. [I could reassign you anyway, and if I do you won't like where you're going.]
Alarm bells were ringing off in Dane's head at deafening volume, and his heart raced. Now what was he supposed to do?
"I may not like her, but she has saved my ass more than once. I do..." Dane grumbled over the words, "owe her something." Keiran had told him that too, and he believed O'Sullivan's morals to be the best he'd ever seen- in or outside of the darker environs of Starfleet.
[Dane I am only doing this for her own good. If it turns out that she has remembered more of her past than is safe for her, or the timeline, then action must be taken to be certain that she is protected, and properly cared for.]
"Cared for? Or taken care of?" Dane was not simply arguing the semantics of a phrase-in this case one set of words had an entirely different implication than the other.
[Here is what you're going to do for me.] Vox responded, his eyes now cold as ice. [You're going to watch and listen. And if you have any indication that Zanh Liis remembers ever having known Keiran O'Sullivan before he set foot on the Serendipity earlier this year, you are going to tell me. Immediately. Understand?]
"Did she know him before?" Dane had been working so many hours that he was not up on the gossip circulating among many of the crew.
[Just listen for it, and let me know. I'll be sending someone aboard ship who will be the focal point of any suspicion that Zanh Liis may have that she's being watched by me. Just let this person go about her business. If she asks you for help, help her. Otherwise, just keep your ears open and your mouth shut.]
"And if Zanh Liis finds out what I'm doing?"
[Then my offer of transfer is rescinded and you get to live with her wrath.]
Dane shuddered.
[I'll be sending an encrypted PADD with Ensign Steele, containing your orders in detail and your computer access codes. Memorize the information, then destroy it.]
Dane nodded, numb and unsure what he had just been drafted into.
[Dane,] Vox glared at him pointedly. [Do not screw this up.]
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Ensign Dane Cristiane
In over his head and sinking fastUSS Serendipity/Alchemy
Ensign Dane Cristiane
In over his head and sinking fastUSS Serendipity/Alchemy