Intelligent Strategizing [Backpost]

Posted on Sun Jun 21st, 2020 @ 4:08am by Lieutenant Commander James Smith
Edited on on Wed Jun 24th, 2020 @ 7:28am

Mission: New Moon Rising
Location: Lieutenant Smith's Office
Timeline: following 'The Grin and the Grim'

Temera's PADD blinked soon after she sent queries to the required Senior Staff for a meeting. It informed her that Lieutenant Smith had come aboard.

So, she would have to grab him among the first, having just finished with Lieutenant Griffin.

"Lieutenant Lann to Lieutenant Smith. You wouldn't happen to have a moment to talk, would you?" Temera asked, letting a bit of warmth and a smile seep into her words.

Smith looked up from him computer, he had been going over the personnel roster and their files. When he heard Lieutenant Lann's requesting a meeting.

"I'm free right now Lieutenant. I'm in my office, Deck 4."

"Thanks. I'll be with you momentarily. Lann out." Temera nodded, excusing herself from the Bridge and stepping into a Turbolift. "Deck 4."


===Lieutenant Smith's Office===


Temera was nervous, coming down to the CIO's office. This was a man who had years and years of experience in the field. And here she was, just fresh out of Tactical Training, with barely a few hours under her belt as CSTOPS. This meeting was going to be interesting to say the least.

Adjusting her uniform, Temera pressed the buzzer to his door.

Smith was going over a few of the briefing that he had request from StarFleet Intelligence, when he heard his door chime. Smith stood up, looked around the room, then back at the door.

"Enter"

"Hello, Lieutenant Smith. Temera Lann, Strategic Operations." The young woman said as she stepped inside, extending her hand to him in the typical human fashion. "Sorry to disturb you so early. I thought we'd touch base before we all get to work on finding the Talarian ship."

Reaching out to shake her hand, "Its good to meet you Lieutenant Lann, and you weren't disturbing me, been getting caught up on some work. StarFleet had me on mandatory leave for the past few weeks and my work kept piling up." Smith glanced at the picture of his wife and daughter. "It's good to break away from my desk when I can. So....how can I help you today?" Smith smiled, trying to make her feel more at ease.

"Please, call me Temera." The betazoid smiled. "Captain Temple has me touching bases with Security, Intel, Marines and Operations regarding our recently cropped up Talarian situation. So I'm curious if there's anything more you're able to tell me about the situation or are we both at digging stage."

"I've been tracking a few probes, at first I thought they were beacons like the Ambassador had told us, but as I listened and tracked them I noticed they were probes. Still tracking them, and trying to determine what kind of probes they are and what the Ambassador could be hiding."

"Probes along a foreign power's border is akin to testing their readiness. Or worse...spying." Then she caught herself, realizing she was indeed talking to an Intelligence Agent. "Sorry. Either way, the Tzenkethi must have noticed. If we could, so could they, their technology is on par with ours. Or we're dealing with a third party. Considering the probes are still here but the ship isn't."

Smith smiled, "I don't believe a third party is involved, and further Analyzing of the probes lead me to believe that they are indeed spy drones. That is why the ambassadors ship isn't where he said it would be, my scans are now centered on the Tzenkethi border, where I believe we will find the ship."

"Why would they even consider it?" Temera wondered aloud, "a test for their young generation of warriors? The Tzenkethi are technologically superior to them as are we. They could be hoping to drag us into this? What are your thoughts, Mister Smith?"

"Unsure at this time, spying on a much more advance race is stupid, but it could help them develop technology that could help them build better ships and weapons. I'd use caution once we locate the vessel, because we don't know what to expect right now. What are your thoughts of the ambassador, do you think he's capable of hiding such deception?"

Temera shrugged cautiously, "is it possible? Certainly. Likely? I can't tell unless I meet him. Everything so far however does point towards the fact that he knows more than he's saying, I believe."

Smith nodded, " I agree, let's keep an eye on the ambassador and let's find the ship and maybe we can get the answers that we need, and hopefully get out of this safely."

Temera nodded, "agreed. I'll keep him under watch, so will you. We can compare notes and see what we can determine. The others will be too busy with the search and maintaining the ship and we are not ship critical."

Smith looked down at his monitor, "In the meantime my staff and I will continue to monitor this Area of space. If the ambassador was up to something the Tzenkethi will not appreciate it and they could retaliate."

Temera nodded, "you will let me know if anything comes up?"

"If anything comes up I'll let you know immediately."

Lann nodded, standing up, "excellent. Thank you for your time, Lieutenant. When this crisis is over I'm sure we'll get more opportunity to talk." The betazoid said with a bright smile.

Smith stood up, "I would like that."

"I will let you know of any developments on my end aswell." Temera gave him a final nod before exiting his office, pleasantly surprised by the encounter.

Smith watched her leave his office and smiled, it was good to be back to work and he was going to enjoy working with her. Smith sat down his desk and continued to go over the scans that were coming in.

OFF