LCDR Nolen Hobart — Next Steps
Nolen Hobart
((OOC: Going to leave some space in the middle of this one to allow for some backsimming if desired, but will close it in order to ensure that the story keeps moving and others get involved in subsequent sims.))
((First Officer’s Ready Room, Deck 1, USS Khitomer, En Route to Alpha Trionus II))
Lieutenant Commander Nolen Hobart flopped into his desk chair, and considered everything that had happened so far that day. The meeting with the time travelers could have gone better, but at least they got something out of it. The glimpse of a possible future had been handed to them, but whether it was destiny or a worst case scenario, no one could say. Except Hobart. There was, to his mind, no such thing as destiny. There was no “fate.” He was not playing some part in a grand interstellar drama. He was making his own choices.
Wasn’t he? He tapped his combadge.
Hobart: =/\= Lieutenants El’Heem and Semara, to the First Officer’s ready room. =/\=
((Some time later))
He spent the next few minutes, waiting for them, reviewing the initial medical reports from Ohnari about the time travelers. It wasn’t long enough to make him forget that he’d summoned them. But it was enough that the door chime made him jump.
Hobart: Enter.
El’Heem / Semara: Response
He shifted his desk chair to the side, so that he could turn and face them, resting an elbow. He gestured at the… one seat beside his desk. There was a reason nobody ever held meetings in the First Officer’s ready room, and he was realizing it only now.
Hobart: We have a few more hours before we reach Alpha Trionus. I don’t know what we’ll find there. Maybe we’ll find out that our visitors are full of it. But if everything checks out, the Captain’s going to have some decisions to make.
El’Heem / Semara: Response
He held up a hand to preempt any objections. There would be time for discussion, but right now, too much of their understanding was based on speculation. Speculation on what lay ahead of them, and speculation on what they could or should do about it.
Hobart: We’ve been told there’s a threat to the Federation, and we’re duty-bound to investigate. ::arched eyebrow:: Now, Captain’s said we’re not killing anyone. That’s the plan. But so far, we’ve only got one option on the table and if we go into this that way, we may be forced to take it. That’s why, Ras, I want you in the Science lab. Start gaming it out. What are our other options? I trust you to see the big picture, to think about repercussions. Run whatever probabilistic models you need to. I think Ensign Matthews should be able to help. And use Tori. She’s the genius on that team, and she seems committed to the cause, if not necessarily the plan. If we can convince her that we’re committed to the ends, not the means, we might be able to gain a lot out of her as a resource.
He looked to Lieutenant JG Semara for confirmation of his assessment.
El’Heem: Response
Hobart: Amelia, take a team to the shuttlebay. I don’t know if they’re telling us everything. I didn’t get the sense that they’re not actively hiding anything from us, but you never know. Look for sensor data, communication logs. Wherever or whenever that runabout’s been, I want to know everything it saw and did. Ensign Michaels should be able to help you on the engineering side, and Lieutenant Zerva will keep people out of your business. Tear it apart if you have to—just… make sure you know how to put it back together.
Semara: Response
Hobart: If you have questions, ask them now.
El’Heem / Semara: Response
((OOC: Backsim here, if needed))
He nodded, content that everyone knew what they were doing and why. There was much less yelling to be done than before, and his sore throat was grateful for that.
Hobart: Then you have your orders. I need to advise the Captain, and I need to do it before we get to Alpha Trionus II. Dismissed.
El’Heem / Semara: Response
He turned back to his desk as the pair departed, off to their respective assignments. But out of the corner of his eye he caught an unfortunate traffic jam. As the two tried to exit, one tried to enter. Eventually they sorted themselves out and Nolen greeted his new visitor with curiosity.
Hobart: ::surprised:: Connor, what’s up?
Connor: Response
The visitors from the future? Specifically the one of them that was the apparent love-child of his girlfriend and best friend? Why would that be on his mind?
Hobart: I… haven’t been thinking a lot about that, no. Trying to stay focused on the here and now. You okay?
Connor: Response
TBC
——— ○●● ———
Lt. Commander Nolen Hobart
Executive Officer
USS Khitomer (NCC-62400)
A240001NH3