Checking In

Posted on Sat Sep 11th, 2010 @ 9:21am by Commander Christopher McNeil & Vice Admiral Iluvar

Mission: Episode 1.3 - "The Time of Trial"
Location: Iluvar's Quarters
Timeline: Day 1, 1500

::BACKPOST - PRIOR TO ARRIVAL AT DS4::

ON: [[Iluvar's Quarters, USS Pandora, Mission Day 01, 1500]]

McNeil stopped outside Iluvar's door and took a deep breath. He wasn't sure why, but he felt compelled to check in with the Admiral regarding the information he'd found... or rather what he hadn't found. He just couldn't shake the feeling that something about this inquiry wasn't right. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, McNeil reached down and pressed the chime.

There was a moment of silence and, for a moment, no one replied. Several seconds passed before a voice could be heard within, saying, "Enter."

McNeil stepped through the door and stopped just inside, allowing the door to close behind him. Spotting Iluvar, McNeil turned towards him and took a few steps closer. "I hope I'm not disturbing you, Admiral, but I wanted to talk to you."

Iluvar lowered the book he had been reading and surveyed the commander for a moment. He knew why it was that McNeil had come to visit him. Evans and his team aboard the Carnauba had not yet rendezvoused with them, Earlond was still confined to quarters, and now he had passed command to Lieutenant Commander Fala. This was a rather difficult situation for all of them and he had expected someone to come looking for him. It did not surprise him in the slightest that it had been McNeil.

"Very well," Iluvar said, placing the bookmark to hold his page. He closed the book and set it aside so that he could give McNeil his full attention. "What can I do for you, commander," he asked.

"Well, unless you've ever given a grave insult to one Captain Mercer, I think it's more a question of what I can do for you," McNeil replied. He held out a PADD to Iluvar. "Lt Commander Fala informed me that you had turned command over to her and apparently relieved yourself of duty. I called some friends and found out about the Inquiry. From there I did some digging, but all I've been able to find is what's on this PADD. In short, I'm no more clear on what's going on than I was this morning."

Taking the PADD offered to him, Iluvar glanced at McNeil before looking down to skim the PADD's contents. Part of him was honored to see that members of his crew were concerned enough to go to great lengths to gather such information. However, he was equally concerned that they might get dragged into this situation if they became too heavily involved. It was not something he wanted to be responsible for.

"You are correct, commander," Iluvar replied, holding the PADD out for McNeil to take back, "Our orders are to report to Deep Space Four so that I might appear before a board of inquiry. However, I am afraid I know nothing more than you do about the nature of this inquiry and I can assure you that I have never met one Captain Mercer."

"Then can you think of anything that might warrant this inquiry?" McNeil asked as he took the PADD back.

The truth was that there were several things that could have warranted an inquiry, depending on how one viewed them. It could very well be that Starfleet had finally decided to review the decision they had made regarding the destruction of the Valar, but Iluvar doubted that was to be the case. "I am sorry, commander," Iluvar replied, "I cannot."

McNeil sighed. He'd expected as much, but he'd hoped the admiral might have at least some idea what the prosecution might focus on. Still, at least it was a Starfleet Board of Inquiry and not a Cardassian Tribunal or Romulan Senate Inquisition. "Alright, I'll keep looking to see what I can find, Admiral. In the mean time, I've volunteered to take the evening bridge shift. We're running a little short on senior officers at the moment."

"Thank you, commander," Iluvar said. They would be arriving at Deep Space Four in less than twenty-four hours and he was almost certain that more information about this Board of Inquiry would be revealed upon their arrival. Maybe then, he would have a better understanding of what he was to face when he appeared before the board.

OFF

A JP by:

Rear Admiral Iluvar
Commanding Officer
USS Pandora

and

Commander Christopher McNeil
Chief Intelligence Officer/Mission Advisor
USS Pandora