Hello dear readers, I have another chapter for you already. I hope you'll enjoy it. Thanks for reading and spreading the word for this story and keep spreading.
Agent-M-0167: For those that have seen Star Trek: Into Darkness, I hope they understand the significance of his appearance.
I'm glad I could impress you in only two chapters. I thought it would be interesting for some characters not to fall over themselves in hero worship to the living legend, which he still hasn't reached yet as at this point he's only two years into his five year mission that made him that legend.
illusorygentleman: That chapter was meant to catch the reader up as to what is going on in the overall picture. I hope people will understand the significance of having Admiral Marcus (Weller) for Star Trek: Into Darkness in the end scene.
Challenge King: Thanks, the flashback was a subtle way to start fleshing out the characters.
Fanfic-Reader-88: You don't think USS Tori isn't a pun? Sitting on the other side of a negotiating table with someone as lovely as that could still be a challenge for Freddie. Leia wasn't a pushover and Tori isn't going to be either. The picture in important for the character aspect of the story.
Rating: K+ Language
Chapter 3: Doctor's Orders
Briefing Room
USS Tori (NCC-1725)
Docked to Mobile Basestation
Sector 2903
Captain Benson sat in usual seat on the far side of the table to the door reading on his PADD the various personal he could pick for his mission and waiting for the rest of the senior staff to report to the briefing. Commander Shapiro was already on his left faithfully sitting behind the duotronic computer console at the end of the briefing table.
He didn't pay any attention to when the door whooshing open and closed, signaling when a crewmember would arrive. He felt a the familiar brush of a soft hand just below his neck across his shoulder blades as the doctor always used the top of his chair's headrest to balance while walking around his chair as the doctor's place at the briefing table was to his right. He glanced to his right to greet her as she sat down, but he misjudged the timing and did a double take at the image in his line of sight: the blue hem of female dress duty uniform passed the doctor's left wrist and barely reaching her first joint of her thumb contrasting against her pale bare thigh.
She took a seat, trying to adjust the miniskirt of the uniform under her bottom and wore an even expression as she commented with a hint of disgust, "I was in a hurry and this was faster to change into than a shirt and pants. My medical uniform was a mess, so I just couldn't walk over."
He nodded his head in understanding then cleared his throat while turning his attention back to the PADD. His voice was slightly strained as he answered her and tried to focus his attention on the PADD, "Which duty uniform to wear has always been entirely up to you. I still don't understand why you feel the need to apologize for wearing the dress instead of the shirt and trousers."
He wouldn't look up at her, but he could feel her penetrating blue eyes focused on his profile as she answered while adjusting the end of one of her sleeve at her left wrist, "Because I always feel like about to go out for the evening wearing this thing instead of being taken seriously as a professional. The hem on this is as short as my skirts."
The captain's first conscious thought was her referring to her black pleated skirts she loved so much, but snorted out a soft laugh without thinking while continuing looking on the PADD, "That's because blue's always been your color, you wear it so well and people love a woman in uniform. You could finally stop stealing all my old science shirts to wear when you run out because you forget to take yours to the laundry."
Benson's throat suddenly constricted as he realized what he had spoken and felt a sudden heat on his cheeks.
Doctor West cracked a smile and stuck the tip of her tongue out as it ran across her top front teeth then turned to face the three sided desk monitor located at the center of the table, refraining from commenting that his shirts were comfortable and already had the Lieutenant Commander strips on the end of the sleeves. She tried her best not to laugh as the Captain buried his attention onto the PADD.
The rest of the senior staff filtered in over the next minute or so then the Captain placed the PADD on the table and began, "Statues report Commander Gibson."
Gibby smiled and proudly commented from the other side of the table, "We are fully operational. My guys and girls are almost done patching up the hull breaches and doing a better job then those drydock boys. Once they're done, all she'll need is a new paint job. We've also fully stocked up on photon torpedoes. We're ready for a rematch."
Benson nodded his head in approval then continued, "I do have another assignment, but for the hanger deck crew: strip a shuttle down to make it look like it is a private shuttle. I don't want any indication that it ever belong to the Tori or to Star Fleet at all."
He raised a curious eyebrow then nodded his head. "Aye sir. One civilian looking shuttle coming up. I'll get them on to it right away, but how long do I have?"
"The time it takes to travel from here to Skoleos at Warp Nine."
Gibby gave him a concerned expression as he asked, "Warp Nine? They whole way?"
He gave his Chief Engineer a guarded expression as she questioned, "I thought you said we were fully operational? Can she do it or not?"
The taller gentleman sat up straighter in his seat and confidently answered, "Tori will take you anywhere and no matter how fast you want to go."
"I'm glad to hear Commander. I'm going to ask a lot of her over the next week… maybe longer."
Jade turned her seat so she could focus on his profile as she asked in concern, "Why are we going to Skoleos and what do you need a civilian shuttle for? Aren't we staying with the taskforce?"
He spared her a sideways glance as he couldn't meet her eyes and answered, "I'm going on an assignment in which I can not discuss. I just need the Tori to get me there." He glanced between Shapiro and Gibby and finished, "One of you will be assuming command for a few days."
The two senior officers nodded in acknowledgement while the dark haired doctor asked, "What kind of assignment?"
He took a breath then turned to meet her eyes. "One I cannot discuss, unless the person will be going along with me."
She was quick to snap, "Then I volunteer to go with you. You may need a doctor just like any other landing party mission."
Benson forced himself to hold his gaze on her eyes while he answered, "I appreciate the offer, but I'm sorry Doctor, but the ship needs you."
The Doctor remained silent on the point, but the stare she returned to him immediately told him that the discussion was not over between them after the staff meeting.
Brevet Major Evan Smith, the ranking marine officer on board and standing out from the other officers in their colorful uniforms in appearance with his dark olive green Combat Utility Uniform, spoke up, "I'd like to volunteer as well Captain."
The starship commander turned his attention to the marine and cordially answered, "Thank you Major, but the ship needs you as well, however if you have a suggestion for any of your marines, you can inform me after the staff meeting."
"Yes sir."
He turned back to the doctor and politely continued, "Status report on causalities."
She took a breath and answered while she continued to give him an annoyed expression, "Thirteen injured, four serious, four dead. The most serious cases have already been transferred to a hospital ship and the deceased crewmen's as well. The others will be able to recover just fine onboard."
He answered with a solemn tone, "Please inform the Chaplain that we'll be having their services this evening."
She gave him a soft nod, their disagreement forgotten for a moment, "Yes sir, but we don't have any remains for two to send back to their families. They were blown out into space from the hull breach over Ogle."
"Understood." Benson looked back to Gibby and continued, "Gibby, as soon as you get a chance, I'd like an action report about Crewman Van Cleef and any recommendation on citation. She was a member of your department."
"Yes, sir."
He looked across to the rest of the staff and asked, "Any questions or concerns about your departments?"
Brevet Major Smith was the only one to have a comment and that was in regards to him wanting to run additional security drills which Benson quickly agreed then the staff left to go about their duties.
Doctor West and Smith remained, the marine to give the Captain suggestions to accompany him on his secret mission while Jade was not through with their conversation on the matter and she was determined to get in her say now. She looked to the Smith standing on the other side of the table and commented in a curt tone, "Major, I'm sure you can speak with the Captain in a moment."
Smith had fought Klingons and Orion Pirates up close and personal with fist and bayonet and was speaking to the Captain on a matter outside the Doctor West's expertise, so being a superior officer was not applicable to her request that sounded very much like an order for him to leave. However, she was Jade West, so… he glanced to the Captain as if nonverbally asking his permission what he should do in the situation.
Benson slightly frowned then instructed, "Have a list prepared by the time of the memorial service and pick someone that understands the concept of being subtle."
Smith snapped a salute and answered, "Yes sir."
The gold shirted young man returned the salute and the marine exited the room.
As soon as the doors closed, Jade spoke up with a sharp tone, "Are you going to tell me what's going on?"
He turned in his seat and met her eyes. He answered with a little bit of exasperation in his voice, "I told you, I can't tell you unless you're coming along."
"And I just said I'm volunteering to go with you."
He softly shook his head and stated with a tired voice, "You're not going."
"Then who are you taking or can you not tell me that either?"
"I'm still deciding, but I thought I'd take Shapiro or take another science officer from the taskforce. They're a few Prime Teams among the taskforce. I can pull someone from one of them. If not, Gibby can command while Shapiro and I are gone."
She crossed her arms under her chest and deeply frowned at him. "You're taking Robbie, but not me? It's always the three of us on landing party missions."
He slightly tilted his head and retorted, "This isn't just a landing party mission, it's… I can't talk about this Doctor."
She clenched her jaw tightly and stared at him coldly. She stood up from her seat and hissed out, "Fine then Captain, I'll talk to someone who will. Permission to leave the ship?"
He looked up to meet her eyes and thought for a moment in denying her request as he knew exactly who she wanted to see, but thought better of it and answered, "Permission granted."
She walked around him and the table and quickly exited the briefing room.
Benson slumped in his seat and blew out a breath while putting on a pensive expression.
The Doctor turned to head for the nearest turbolift, but she nearly bumped into Cat as it looked like she had been patiently waiting for Jade to exit the room. The pale young woman frowned at her friend. "Were you overhearing us?"
Cat gave a bashful expression then looked down to the deck, her tail up above her shoulder pensively waving back and forth. She softly muttered, "Good hearing, so I overhear just about everyone."
Jade crossed her arms under her chest and rolled her eyes then commented a little impatiently, "Come on, I need you to send a message to the Federation to give me permission to see the Admiral."
The Caitian instantly brightened and answered, "'kay, 'kay," then the pair were off down the corridor, but the redhead couldn't help but comment as they entered a turbolift, "You really should wear dresses more often, you look cute in them."
Jade closed her eyes and blew out a soft breath from her nose as the turbolift doors closed.
Rear Admiral Shay's Office
USS Federation (NCC-2100)
Federation-Class Dreadnaught
Task Force 7, Elements of First, Second, Third and Fifth Fleets
Docked to Mobile Basestation
Sector 2903
After a quick trip from one pod around to another to reach the Federation, Doctor West stopped just in front of the two marines standing guard at the Admiral's office. She gave them a harsh glance and stated in no uncertain terms about the foolishness of them denying her entry, "I'm the Admiral's daughter and I want to see him, so step aside."
The pair simultaneously swallowed in fear, but remained where they were standing.
She snorted out a breath then shouted at the door, "Shay! Open up this door! I know you can hear me!"
The door opened and the marines snapped in attention.
Shay looked wide eyed at his stepdaughter and hesitantly answered, "Ja—Doctor West? I was just about to come over to the Tori to see you."
She briskly walked past him and into his office.
He slightly frowned then glanced to the two marines and asked, "Either of you two have children?"
The one standing on the right answered, "Yes sir."
"Then I can count on your discretion about family matters?"
They answered by snapping to attention, knowing other than marine honor on the line against spreading gossip, it wouldn't be too hard for the Admiral to figure out the source of said gossip then sending to some backwater assignment.
He stepped back into his office and the doors closed behind him.
She snapped around and crossed her arms under her chest. "Where are you sending him?"
Shay gave her a soft smile. "I'm glad to see you too Jade."
She snorted out in disgust, "Oh cut the fatherly crap. Where are you sending Freddie?"
He cleared his throat then answered in a professional tone, "I'm not at liberty to say."
Jade gave him a deep frown and narrowed her blue eyes on him. "You're janking rear admiral, what are you babbling about you're 'not at liberty to say'?"
He slightly tilted his head to the side, "You don't need to know."
"I don't need to know? I'm his…" She trailed off as she suddenly wasn't sure how to finish the statement.
He supplied the answer, "You're his Chief Medical Officer and the only opinion from you on this matter that counts is if he's fit for duty and the mission."
She cracked a soft smile at seeing her opening, "I can't make that determination unless I know the mission you're sending him on."
"Is he fit to command a starship? Does he have any medical problems that would impede him from carrying out his duties?"
She gave him a sarcastic smile and smugly asked, "I'm not at liberty to say. Doctor/patient confidentiality."
"Which you certainly know he doesn't have if I'm asking about his fitness for duty in an official capacity."
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before releasing it. She looked back up to meet his eyes and spoke, "He's going on a mission and he's deciding personnel to go with him… order him to take me with him, so he can tell me. He's going to need a qualified doctor."
"One, you don't know that and two, I'll do no such thing."
She looked him right in the eyes and hissed out, "Why? He's never told me not to go with him on a landing party mission, but he is now and you won't tell me…" A startling thought occurred to her and whispered out, "You don't expect him or whoever is going with him to come back…" She recoiled in a bit of horror and spat in an accusing tone, "You'd send your own son-in-law on a suicide mission… it's not his fault what happened to Carly!"
He knotted his brow as he was genuinely surprised from the turn in the conversation. "Carly? What does that have anything to do with…" He knotted his brow in anger and sharply retorted, "You really think I blame him?"
She threw out her hands randomly around them and shouted in return, "You're the one that sent him on a five year mission out to the Godforsaken void as punishment! So yeah, I do."
He clenched his jaw tightly then sharply retorted, "I didn't send him out there. I didn't send him anywhere. I was not in his direct chain of command. He wanted an exploration assignment and he got one, because he earned it. He earned the Tori."
She took a step forward and shouted back, "Bullchizz! Even if you didn't, you could've pulled some string to get him assigned to Third Fleet. He didn't even need to be assigned to the border; God knows how much there's left to explore between the border, Orion and the Core that Third Fleet is still responsible for other to make sure the Klingons stay on their side of the border. He could have explored to his heart's content and still been close to home with back up at a moment's call, not out there all alone."
The Admiral countered, "He wanted Second Fleet and he had the credentials and experience for the assignment. I had no reason to second guess him and what's so wrong with that? From what got back to me from you dropping my name, you practically begged and bullied the Bureau of Medicine to be assigned to the Tori. If it's so bad, why were you willing to go out on a five-year mission with him into 'the void'? Your mother still doesn't understand why."
She took a breath and slightly frowned. She slowly let it out while answering, "Because someone had to look after him and made sure he came back."
Shay gave her a sympathetic expression and took a step forward, "That's not your responsibility."
"Yes it is."
He softly shook his head and genuinely asked in curiosity, "Why?"
She set her jaw tight and answered in a strained voice, "It just is."
Shay glanced away down to the floor then looked back up to answer, "It wasn't Freddie's fault… and it wasn't yours either."
She defiantly whispered while looking him directly in the eyes when he looked back up, "You don't get to absolve me of that."
The former starfighter flyer wanted to frown at the stubbornness they shared, however, that wasn't a battle he was going to fight today. "Okay… but I'm not ordering him to take you along if he's decided not to take you."
He could see the way she stared back at him that she wanted to call him every name under the heavens, but she bit her tongue, figuratively and literally for a moment. She took several calming breaths then asked, "You have to tell me at least this: Is this a suicide mission for him?"
He rested his hands on her shoulders and looked her directly in the eyes. "Absolutely not. I'd whether him be one of my squadron commanders… keep you two close to me, but I asked him because I trust him to get the job done and come back because it is so vitally important to this war we just got dragged into." He'd snorted out a laugh, "If it was one… I'd send James Kirk on it. He's got this weird providence looking out for him."
She knotted her brow as she thought on the name then looked back up to him with a curious expression. "The 'man-whore'?"
The Admiral let out a laugh as he responded, "That's one way to describe him…"
"Can you imagine how many diseases he may have caught?" Jade let out a dismissive laugh, "Or how many kids he has running around without knowing it?"
Shay dropped his hands away from her shoulders and answered, "His charm with the ladies is legendary."
"'Charm'? If I ever meet him and he tries to turn his 'charm' on me, they're going to need to clone him a new set of balls."
The gentleman let out a soft laugh as didn't doubt the girl's statement and felt a momentary bit of pity towards the starship commander.
The laughter died down then Jade asked in a timid voice, "Is he going to be alright."
"I believe he will be… maybe you should just tell Freddie how you feel about the situation? You know it just might make a difference."
She cracked a soft smile and retorted, "I thought I'd just bug him until he gave in. It's not like he could resist me forever."
"Is that why you wore the dress? I know how much you hate that thing."
She crossed her arms under her chest and glared at him.
He let out a chuckle and raised his hands up. "Hey, your mother's look like that doesn't work on me; it's not going to work for you."
She rolled her eyes and blew out a breath. She shook her head and commented, "I got to get back to the Tori."
He suggested with a hopeful tone, "I thought you could at least for a while to catch up? Let you know what's going on back home… with Spencer and Ian… stay for coffee. I got the good stuff, not any of that replicated mess I know you can tell the difference and hate."
Jade's eyes shot open like a kid in a candy store and quickly asked, "You have real coffee?"
He returned with a bright smile. "The Jet Brew blend you love."
She glanced down at the deck and tightened her arms over her upper abdomen and whispered, "Can I have some coffee?"
Shay smiled and took a step forward to wrap his arms around her in a hug and kissed her forehead. He thought about making a joke that she was just as bad as her mother with the coffee, but let it go to just whisper, "Of course you can have some coffee."
She pulled her arms from around herself and returned the hug. She pulled away slightly and slightly smirked as she commented, "You know you've always done the fatherly crap pretty good."
"Well it's easy when I love you."
She let out a soft chuckle at the truth of his statement and the backhanded insult to her questionable biological father Roy West's behavior. "So, how about you get me that coffee and get me some more recent pictures of Ian. Mine are a few weeks out of date being out on the edge of the final frontier."
The Admiral smiled at the moment of peace that they were going to be able to share in the mists of what was about to turn into Armageddon for the Federation.
Captain's Quarters
USS Tori (NCC-1725)
1852 Hours
Stardate 2267.154 (June 3, 2267)
The service for the four lost souls of the starship Tori was short and respectful as to allow the crew to go about their duties as they did find themselves in a war, but one that Captain Benson feared was going to be all too typical in the future.
After the service, the Captain was back in his quarters sharing dinner with Jade as they did each night, however this evening the pair remained silent as they ate dinner across from one another at the captain's desk.
He was silent due to being lost in his thoughts from the last several days, the assignment at hand and the service dragging up memories that he desperately needed to bury so he could get his job done.
However, Benson was surprised that of all things Jade was giving him the silent treatment as she was never one to hold back what she thought to him, especially since as ship's doctor she had a little more leeway in speaking to him as the captain which she used at every opportunity. He figured as soon as they started eating that she would lay into him about his mission and his refusal to allow her to join. He had been quite surprised.
Jade finally did break the silence as she looked the Captain straight in the eyes and whispered, "I'm going on this mission with you and I'm not arguing over this with you. You need me as a doctor, an expert in exobiology, a phaser markswoman to watch your back and as a person whose judgment can absolutely count on… not some stranger you're pulling off a personnel file list that doesn't know you and… I need to make sure you come back and the only way I can do that is to go with you…" She lowered her eyes and finished in a lower whisper, "…please don't make me beg you over this."
The starship captain took a breath and sat up straighter in his seat. He answered in a reassuring tone, "As intriguing it would be to watch Jade West beg… I'm coming back. It isn't a suicide mission."
"Then why don't you want me to go with you? How many planets have we gone down to? Two, three dozen?"
"Fine!"
She sucked in a sharp breath at him snapping at her.
"I don't want to put you into danger in something that is specifically and clearly a military mission. You'll be far safer on the Tori with your father's taskforce and if I had my way, you'd be on Earth behind the entire First Fleet, Earth and Mars' National Guard fleets and a combined planetary defense system of Earth and Luna that make even the Klingons chizz their pants in fear of taking it on."
Jade looked down at the desk and her shoulders slumped while Freddie looked away in embarrassment.
They sat quietly for about a minute with neither touching their food. Jade spoke softly, "I love you too, but I'm here because I want to be and I want to be with you on this mission."
He challenged one last time in a tired voice, "You have no idea what I'm going to do… what if I intend to charge the Gates of Hell?"
She cracked a wicked smile and answered, "Then I guess I'll be following you to the Gates of Hell."
He slightly shook his head and snorted out a laugh, "You're not letting this go?"
She crossed and rested her forearms on the desk to lean forward and smirked while answering, "When have I ever let anything go?"
He rolled his eyes thinking of the time back in high school of some 'pretty boy' actor, but refrained from commenting then pressed a stud on his desk for the intercom to turn on and stated, "Commander Shapiro, would you please report to my quarters?"
"Wait? Why do I have to put up with Robbie as a third wheel to our dinner?"
He snorted out a laugh, "The price to pay for going along: sitting through a briefing dinner with Robbie."
She groaned and rolled her eyes then popped a Betazed uttaberry into her mouth to try to dissuade her annoyance.
Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed this setup and character insight chapter. The next one picks the action back up for your reading pleasure. Oh, about Star Fleet uniforms in this, I'll cheat and assume they are more durable and like J.J. Abrams' Trek uniforms, but the difference is that in TOS, the skirts were shorter than in his movies. This is the Trek when men were men and women wore miniskirts :D I'm also using the J.J. Abrams' Stardate System. Also, since I'm borrowing from the Star Fleet Universe, there is going to be a separate Federation Marine Corps outside standard Redshirt security like the MACOs from Enterprise. Take care.
Special Guest Star Joe Flanigan as Rear Admiral Steven 'Loco' Shay