Fleet Captain Addison MacKenzie - Come Again?
Addison MacKenzie
(( Captain’s Ready Room – Deck 1, USS Artemis ))
People come; people go. People bring problems, and if she
was lucky, they occasionally bring solutions. The Ready Room was a place where
some of the most confidential conversations took place on a starship. For many,
it was their first and last point of contact with their official posting on the
ship. For others, it was a recurring place of scrutiny and, occasionally,
praise. For MacKenzie, it was a sanctuary – a place where she could be accessible to those
who might need her, yet also a place of refuge… a place where the captain could
focus on whatever demanded her attention.
Or occasionally grab a nap.
With her chin tucked firmly into her chest, she was startled awake at the sound
of the door chime. Jumping slightly, she combed her hair with her fingers and tucked
it behind her ears before proceeding to wipe the tiny bit of spittle that had
formed in the corner of her mouth as she called for the door.
MacKenzie: Come in!
Dakora passed through the door. The intelligence officer turned XO had returned
from his temporary reassignment, still clad in his solid black uniform. She
nodded to him slightly and gestured to one of the chairs on the opposite side
of the desk.
Dakora: Captain. ::He bowed his
head a little in greeting.:: Thought it was about time I stopped hiding below
decks and showed my face.
MacKenzie: Welcome back. I trust everything
has been taken care of in your absence.
Dakora: The Intel Report for the
last mission has been submitted, by the way. Clean, compartmentalized, and just
vague enough to keep anyone up the chain from asking too many questions.
::beat:: The bits we agreed to omit... stayed omitted.
MacKenzie nodded – it was as she would expect from an experienced intelligence
officer. Clean up the mess, reveal just enough necessary details to report on
their status, and strategically omit any information that only they needed to
know.
MacKenzie: Much appreciated. I’m sure
that all appropriate personnel have been briefed on the importance of this information
not getting out.
She didn’t feel the need to discuss any more about the matter than that.
Dakora: Right. Of course. Were you
able to do some catching up with Commodore Nicholotti? ::He grinned.:: I’m sure
Genkos was thrilled to have her around for a while.
Addison nodded slightly.
MacKenzie: It was good to have her
aboard for a little while. She may still be around if you’d like to say hello –
I don’t think Genkos swept her down to Risa yet.
The intelligence officer shifted uncomfortably in his chair. It wasn’t quite a squirm,
but the posture was one she hadn’t witnessed in his behavior before. Her brow furrowed,
wondering what the reason for the unusual behavior might be.
Dakora: Speaking of that… ::He paused, screwing up his face a
bit.:: Well, not that, specifically. But, I… uh… have some personal news.
MacKenzie: Personal news?
Dakora: Response
She nodded affirmatively.
MacKenzie: I remember Richards, sure. Nice girl. A little weird… but the
good kind.
Dakora: Response
Her eyebrows raised, and she shook her head slightly, as though she had been
sleeping and was trying to rouse herself awake to be sure she heard him
correctly. …It wasn’t a far stretch. Of all things that might have fallen out
of his mouth, she certainly wasn’t expecting that.
MacKenzie: I’m sorry, what?
Dakora: Response
Tag, and TBC!
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Fleet Captain Addison
MacKenzie, M.D., Ph.D., FASFS
Commanding Officer
USS Artemis-A
Captains Council Member at Large
V239601AM0