Security Details
Posted on 26 Aug 2022 @ 6:21pm by Captain Corvus DeHavilland & Major Declan Finn
Edited on on 27 Aug 2022 @ 10:44am
Mission:
M3 - Into the Deep
Location: Deck Two
Timeline: Immediately Following Wiser Words
1925 words - 3.9 OF Standard Post Measure
Corvus left the holodeck behind heaving a tired sigh and running her hands through her hair to help relieve the stress a bit as she walked. As she turned out of the holodeck onto the corridor, she walked past the silent figure of Major Finn in the next alcove and repressed the instinct to jump in surprise.
“Don’t you think you’re taking the Admiral’s mandate a little too far?” She asked with exasperation. DeHavilland gestured at the pair of security personnel not ten feet away and beyond to the Marine walking a patrol. “I’m never out of anyone’s sight.”
Declan just gave a shrug, “Sorry, ma’am. Admiral’s orders.”
“Mmhmm,” she shook her head, turning and walking on.
Finn let her get a few paces ahead and then followed her as she walked. Corvus ran her hands through her hair one more time, drawing her hair over her shoulder on the left side and then quite suddenly stopped and turned to Finn who froze, looking her in confusion. He stepped aside to look past her and then back to her.
“Could you at least…” she sighed in defeat, “Could you at least walk with me instead of behind me? I feel like you’re escorting me to a court martial.”
The look on his face told her he didn’t want to, but that he would. He nodded in reply and walked casually towards her. She turned and they walked on. Thankfully the Pathfinder wasn’t an overly large vessel so it was just a matter of walking the length of the Deck Two to get to her quarters from the holodecks on the other side.
The Captain’s quarters on the Nova-class weren’t spacious by Starfleet standards, though they were by the ships. She had to admit she wasn’t a huge fan, she was probably just as well off sleeping in her Ready Room but knew that the psychological construct of being ‘off-duty- was worth its weight in gold. It may have been functionally no different, but it mattered.
“Feel free to veer off to your assigned quarters when we pass it,” Corvus waved to the nearest door, hoping the Major would take the bait.
He glanced over and shook his head, “I’ll be alright.”
Of course, she thought to herself.
The corridor was coming to an end with the Captain’s quarters being the last door available already manned by two Marines. But before Corvus could head towards the door, Finn walked smartly past her and held his hand out behind him to let wait as he went in to check the room. Corvus rolled her eyes and let the man go first into her quarters and then go space by space through it looking for anything out of the ordinary.
She stood just beyond the entryway, arms folded. “I’m more than capable of securing my own quarters, Major.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he replied as he drew open the closet door and looked inside. “Ad-,”
“Admiral’s orders. I got it,” she cut him off sarcastically.
The Marine finished his security sweep and then joined her by the door. “All clear ma’am.”
“You sure? I’m going to take a sonic shower, do you need to sweep that too?” She snapped sardonically. “Might be a stray wave. Could need you.”
Major Finn turned a bright shade of red and shook his head, “I-.”
Corvus waved her hands before her, “I’m sorry. That was rude and inappropriate. I apologize. I’m just frustrated with this and I took it out on you. Please. You’re just following orders,” she apologized profusely. “I’m tired. I just…” she sighed, running her hand through her hair again. “Thank you for being so diligent.”
“It’s ok, ma’am,” Finn responded. “I get it.”
She smiled tiredly back, “I’m going to go take that sonic shower now. I’ll see you in the morning. Get some sleep.”
“Good night, ma’am,” he nodded, turning to open the door.
“Good night, Major,” she replied, watching him leave and pressing the button to close the door behind him. She let out a long slow breath, making her lips flutter. ‘Smooth, Amelie… smooth’, she muttered to herself before thunking her forehead against the bulkhead. She remained there for a long minute, caught between embarrassment and exhaustion. Finally she drew back and headed into the bathroom to have the sonic shower she’d been longing for. And then bed, for at least a little while.
One long sonic shower later, Corvus emerged from the bathroom refreshed and relaxed in her favorite travel robes of Veringian Silk. It had been a gift from her mother when she made First Officer on the Praetorian. It had always been her favorite, but the one her mother had given her when she took command of the Starbase put it to shame. She’d left that one on OC and on that alone hoped nothing bad befell the station. It was about the only cherished belonging she had besides her plants.
Corvus consulted the terminal screen in her quarters as she brushed her teeth, checking on the relevant ship statistics and other information. Curious as to Wiser’s progress, she could see him on the ships internal scans as walking along the corridors towards his quarters. Hopefully he’d seen the point she was trying to make. Calliope was in her quarters and it made her smile to see Commander Quinn there as well. She had hoped that this wouldn’t put any more strain on their already strained relationship. As for the rest of the ship, the bridge shift had all reported in with no issues and the rest of the Senior Staff was in their quarters. All was quiet, as it should have been. But as she went down the list, she noticed Major Finn was not in any of the listed senior officer quarters, nor was he in the Marine encampment in the shuttle bay.
“Computer, where is Major Finn?” She asked through a mouthful of toothpaste.
”Major Finn is on Deck One, subsection one, junction a,” the computer replied.
She stopped brushing and held the toothbrush in her mouth as she worked her way through the controls to the internal visuals in the corridors and found Major Finn… right outside her door. She glared at the image and slumped her shoulder. With a groan of frustration she stalked away from the terminal and to the bathroom to finish brushing her teeth.
Tucking the edges of her robe up and tying it tighter than she normally would have, Corvus stalked to the door of her quarters and opened it with a scowl. She was going to give Major Finn a piece of her mind for following these orders so damned close. He was going to run himself into the ground and make himself useless when she actually did need him.
The doors hissed open to reveal the Major standing in the doorway, leaning against the bulkhead. She folded her arms, waiting for him to turn around so she could let him have it, but the man didn’t move. She scowled a little harder, hoping to burn a hole through the back of his head with her gaze, surely he’d feel it, and turn around to get his what for. But the man didn’t move. Confused, her anger ebbing, she stepped carefully around the Major to look at his face and see why he hadn’t heard her or noticed her.
Major Finn was leaning against the bulkhead, his head resting on it, fast asleep. How the man was sleeping standing up, she had no idea, but he was completely passed out. What remaining fire Corvus had left evaporated. Sighing with concern, she started to reach out to wake him, but then stopped short. She stood for a moment considering it, and then turned and went back into her quarters. She picked up her communicator off the coffee table and tapped it.
“DeHavilland to Major Finn,” she called out.
“Finn here,” a hoarse voice answered after a slightly longer than normal delay.
“I have a problem, Major. Could you please come in,” she ordered, setting her commbadge down.
The door hissed open immediately and the Major came in, looking around warily. “What is it ma’am?” He asked. Looking at him one would have had no idea that he’d just been completely asleep.
“It’s over there,” she said, pointing to the couch by the viewport as she walked past him to the bedroom.
“You saw something?” He asked, his hand going to the pistol on his hip warily as he walked towards the couch. “Where?”
“By the end,” Corvus called from the other room.
“I don’t see anything,” he shook his head, looking about.
“Here,” Corvus called out, having rejoined him in the main space.
“Where?” Finn asked, turning to face her.
As he turned she chucked a pillow at him, then a blanket a moment later.
“Ma’am?” He asked, confused.
She pointed to the couch, “You can sleep right there,” she said.
“Oh… that’s… it isn’t necessary ma’am,” he shook his head, gently placing the things on the couch.
“The Admiral said not to let me out of your sight. You can’t do that from the entryway,” she said, pointing again. “If anyone wants me, they’ll have to get past you,” she tried to smile sweetly even though this wasn’t the position she wanted to be in. But she felt genuinely bad for the man. He needed rest too.
He looked at her and then at the pillows and back. “Uh, ok. Sure. I, uh, yeah,” he nodded. This had taken a turn he really hadn’t expected but he had to admit the thought of a soft couch and a pillow, even for a cat nap, wasn’t unwelcome.
“You can use the replicator for a fresh uniform if you want to use the sonic shower,” Corvus said, pointing that way. “Just… keep it down out here?”
He looked to the bathroom and then back to her, “Yeah. Thanks,” he nodded.
“Ok, well goodnight,” she smiled, turning to the door to her bedroom. She started to draw the door closed and then leaned out as he was standing up and starting to take of his web gear. “Oh, and Major. You’re a senior officer in this crew. Next time we go off station, make sure you get your own quarters.” she chided him gently. “I’m sure you’d prefer your own quarters than sharing mine.”
Finn stared back, struck my a sudden loss for words. His mouth opened to form a reply, but nothing came out, he just froze for a moment that seemed to stretch out for hours before he could finally manage to a quiet, “Understood.”
Corvus arched an eyebrow in stunned surprise as she drew the door closed, pausing briefly to look back as he’d turned away to unpack his gear, and then drew it closed fully. She shook her head fervently as she pushed it closed. No, no, no. This is why you don’t push yourself, Amélie. You start making stupid decisions, she chided herself. And with that she flicked off the lights and headed to bed.
