Captain Rouiancet & Lieutenant Herrick: Unexpected Rendezvous
Mark P
OOC: We had taken this off the list and finished the scene as a JP; this happens near the start of SL when the Butler had freshly docked at DS9.
(( Promenade, Deep Space 9 ))
Josh had picked himself off the ground, dusting off his pants. Seeing the Butler's CO after all this time; there was a sense of nostalgia.
Herrick: It’s been a while…
The words fell out of his mouth before he could help himself. She looked rightfully confused at the statement, as for her, it’d only been weeks; for him, months.
Rouiancet: What do you mean?
As he diligently gathered the scattered items, he did a quick visual scan and found that no one, except for a grumbling hocker, was paying them much attention. He'd try to nudge past the topic without appearing too evasive.
Herrick: I was, how you say, a victim of temporal circumstances. (beat) How about you, how was your time away?
Rouiancet: The leadership summit was fine, but —
She waved a hand, dismissing its importance. As she did so, the fruit monger cleared their throat rather significantly while motioning to the berries that laid there between Josh and Lia. As they picked up the scattered moba, she continued to speak.
Rouiancet: --what do you mean, a victim of temporal circumstances? (lower) Avander told me about the time travel. Something more than that?
Josh took a long moment to respond, forgetting the moba in his hand.
Herrick: I didn’t make it back through with Nijal, Richards and Yinn.
She chewed on that for a moment as she returned the final fruit to the stall, and turned to continue her stroll with Josh, continuing to try and parse what he said.
Rouiancet: How long has it been, subjective?
Herrick: I’ve been here since Frontier Day.
Lia goggled at him. She couldn't help it. That wasn’t days, or even weeks, that was months. Had he been laying low that whole time? Had DTI tracked him down? She remembered well what she’d said to Avander – that she would be there if DTI gave any of their officers or crew a hard time – but she hadn’t known about this. Nor had Avander, most likely. Or anyone, except for Josh himself.
Rouiancet: What have you been doing?
Herrick: Lots...
He knew it was a vague answer, and he found himself scratching the back of his head. Something another officer had pointed at to him as a tell when he was at a crossroads and didn’t know how to proceed. He’d been ordered not to share the details of the missions he’d completed, but they hadn’t said anything about alluding to the broader strokes.
Herrick: Let’s grab a lift.
Lia shrugged and nodded. This was his story to tell, and she was willing to follow him to wherever he needed to go in order to tell it.
Rouiancet: Lead on.
After the two of them made their way to an available lift, he punched in a short program that would take them on a circuitous route around the station without interruption, with their starting point as the final destination. And as it jolted into motion, he realized he’d technically abducted the captain.
Herrick: (smiling) Sorry ‘bout that Cap, just a fine line about what I can share, and I’d rather not worry about every word I utter being analyzed and twisted. You asked what I’d been doing for the last 6 months, while my 'past self’ as I call him, served aboard the Butler? Three words, off the books.
As the lift whirred away, Lia took a few moments to process that.
Rouiancet: Just (beat) keeping out of sight? Or….
Now that he was telling her, she wasn’t sure how much more she should hear. DTI had decided that she could be told about the Butler’s travels through time, but Josh telling her about his time as a temporal fugitive felt distinctly different.
Even so, she was ravenously curious.
Herrick: It seems like it was advantageous for them to have someone they could legitimately prove was elsewhere. I suppose Frontier Day spooked the hell out of them… and I get it. The gods spared the Butler crew that day…
As the vivid memories tried to fight their way to the surface, he mentally shoved them back down.
Rouiancet: Us and most of the Gamma Flotilla, thank the stars. (beat) But what about you?
Herrick: I managed to keep myself safe...
He paused for a moment, images of fighting off the Sequoia's officers that had been possessed by the borg.
Herrick: When they’d started the debriefs, I explained my situation and they decided to take advantage of it. It started slowly, dead drops and the like, and then it quickly escalated. There were days that… ::forcing a smile:: well, I’m back now at least.
Rouiancet: (again slowly; thinking) You are back, and you’ve been busy.
How much of what he was saying was he trying to lead her to figure out, and how much was he trying to explain without incriminating himself (and her along with him)? Ah, if only those two goals weren’t completely at odds!
Herrick: ::nodding:: It has been… or was, certainly different from serving under you. My focus was mostly on penetration testing different installations. Thankfully my focus was on more neutral organizations rather than Federation members.
There was a hint of finality in his voice that he’d reached the end of what he was willing to share, at least here on the station.
That last admission did earn him a humorless smile, though.
Rouiancet: I suppose that’s something. Neutrality is plausible deniability, perhaps.
And she wasn’t even too sure about that, but – it seemed right, given what he was or wasn’t saying.
Herrick: They did test my limits though, there were scenarios that I had to push back on —
Rouiancet: No, no, stop.
She held up a palm.
Rouiancet: Maybe you shouldn’t tell me anything more. You’re back now, and that’s what matters, right?
Lia hoped very much that he would agree with that, meaningless though it might be.
He’d essentially only reported to a few officers in the past: V’Airu, Etan, Corelli, Promontory, and Rouiancet; each of them a role model in their own way.
In contrast, the commander Josh reported to for the last few months had left a bad taste in his mouth. As a condition of rejoining his ship, he’d been issued one final order. Now, the lieutenant was mentally wringing his hands trying to broach the subject gracefully.
He answered the captain with a nod; but she pressed for a more firm commitment.
Rouiancet: Well, just answer me this: You are back now, yes? To serve as chief engineer of the Octavia E. Butler? And not (beat) something else?
In other words, would he be serving fully in his assigned duty post, or would it be cover for something else? Even if he couldn’t tell her much more about where he’d been or what he’d done over the past half-year, she needed to know that if he returned to the Butler, that would be his only loyalty – to ship, crew, and fleet.
Herrick: That's what I wanted to talk to you about…
He recalled some of his psych profile training; that this conversation would have likely been better served in her ready room, where the Captain could feel more in control. He wasn't sure that he enjoyed that this line of thinking was becoming more instinctual over time.
Herrick: I’m a Butler-man through and through, you can rely on me serving in your and crew’s best interest. I have been ordered to ask your thoughts on filling the vacant Intelligence Chief posting.
Now, that was an interesting question. Avander had been the Butler’s first intelligence officer, of course, and then she’d been able to recruit Commander Walker when she asked Avander to be her first officer. But since Walker had been recalled, they’d been without.
Lia did wonder where Josh’s interest was coming from. It seemed sudden to her, but if he’d been doing intelligence work for the last few months, then it stood to reason that it wasn’t as unusual as it might seem to her.
Rouiancet: I don’t mean to ask without reason, but (beat) is this your request?
She was asking without asking the real question, about intel’s potential overreach, but he picked up on what she was after with all speed.
Herrick: I don’t think they’d force the matter; they only sent me an admittedly vague recommendation. It’s your ship, your crew, and I have the utmost respect for that. I want only to contribute in the most effective way, whether it be this or engineering.
Rouiancet: Well, that is the question. If you were primarily serving as intelligence officer, who would succeed you as chief of engineering?
He suspected, maybe subconsciously at first, that he was waiting for her to make these life changing decisions to leave him off the hook. The department would survive, whether he was there or not.
Herrick: I do think it would be a good change of pace for myself, and when it comes to Engineering, they seem to have found their rhythm; particularly with the addition of Lahl and Caras.
He watched as the Promenade slid back into view as the journey came to an end.
Rouiancet: It is a good crew down there, to be sure.
But were any of them ready for chief? There were several long-serving officers, including Lieutenants Johnson and Cabrillo, and Josh had pointed out Ensigns Lahl and Caras specifically as two of his rising stars. But Lia needed time to consider.
Herrick: ::nodding:: I’ll await your decision; until then, I think there are likely several mountains of PADDs awaiting me in my office. ::smiling:: That was one thing Kammus never warned me about, all the paperwork.
Rouiancet: (dryly) No, one can never truly be prepared. (beat; sudden inspiration) If it’s not asking too much, would you write me up a proposal? I’m curious to know what you’d like to make of the intelligence post.
Herrick: Of course, captain.
Lia nodded as the lift’s doors opened and she stepped out. She didn’t really have anywhere to be, exactly, but she certainly did have a lot to think about.
Rouiancet: Until later – and it’s good to have you back, Josh.
Herrick: And it's good to be back.
A genuine smile washed over the young man's face; it wouldn't be long now until he was home. Rather than clacking his ruby slippers, he simply had to utter the words.
Herrick: (to the lift) Upper pylons, USS Octavia E Butler.
---
Lieutenant Josh Herrick
Chief Engineer
USS Octavia E. Butler
O240005JH3
he/him/his (player/character)