Don't Overlook the Obvious

Posted on Sun Oct 13th, 2024 @ 11:59pm by Lieutenant Commander Caradan Eunidas & Lieutenant Daniel Keith

Mission: The Only Thing Left Was Hope
Location: Lounge
Timeline: 1 Day From Earth

Caradan entered the lounge. By night, the lounge acted as a general lounge. By day and during normal operating hours, it was to be general office area for anyone without dedicated offices of their own. For the time, LT Keith had to make the lounge, a corner of the lounge at least, work as his Tactical Office. Caradan strode over as he appeared to have been looking over reports regarding the Pandora.

"LT Keith," she hoped she was not interrupting, "do you have a moment?"

Daniel had indeed been reading reports concerning the Pandora when a voice interrupted his reading. Looking up he saw Lt. Commander Eunidas standing close by. Not so close to invade his personal space but close enough. he put the report down. "Certainly Commander, what can I do for you?"

"So you've heard already," she said. Of course he knew already. On a ship this small, a crew this small, and a Tactical officer pouring over reports, there was little hope in him not knowing. "That Mindo wanted me as his XO," Caradan finished her thought. She lowered herself into a nearby seat. "I'm sure you also saw my Security rotation. I kept myself on it for the time being, but...until we can find a suitable replacement Security Chief, you may have to wear that hat as well. I do not want that to be too much of a burden on you."

Daniel nodded. "Congratulations on your appointment as executive officer. I am sure you will do well." He nodded again at Caraden's statement of keeping herself in the security rotation and the possibility of him overseeing both departments. "Thank you for informing me. If I do need to oversee security in addition to the tactical department, it shouldn't be a problem. I certainly don't anticipate it to be one and it won't be a burden for me though I thank you for your concern." he paused for a moment before continuing, "Is there anything I need to know or familiarize myself with concerning the security department?"

Caradan was not sure how to take that congratulations as she was still weighing all the pros and cons in an attempt to figure out if this position for her was truly a blessing or a curse. The last time she was XO of a vessel, "I...do not know really," she gave answer to his question. Caradan could not maintain eye contact; had to look away a few times only to reconnect for seconds at a time. "I've hardly met the crew, the dozen that we have, and I've never set foot on the Pandora. I was only assigned to," Captain Temple whom she lost, "...the Pandora only days ago so this was completely new to me. Now I need to leave that behind while I refamiliarize myself with my studies in Command at the Academy. I am confident you will prove stellar in both departments."

"So, what's the problem? Daniel asked. "I mean you obviously have the confidence and trust of Mindo to be first officer. As for not knowing the crew you will. First meet the department heads either one on one or a senior staff meeting." He stopped. "I apologize. I'm sure you know what to do and how you want to handle meeting other officers. I've never set foot on the Pandora either, so it will be a new experience, a learning experience for everyone as they learn the ship and each other. You will do well in your studies, no doubt about it and thank you for your confidence in me. It is greatly appreciated."

"You are welcome," she said. Caradan made eye contact with him. Away. Back again. "I also wanted to ask," because she failed in doing so last time, "if you have any interesting experiences from your time in Tactical." Caradan realized that actually was not a question. "Do you...have any interesting stories?"

Daniel smiled at both Caradan and her question. "Interesting stories? Oh, I think I can regale you with one." He said with a smile. "When I was an Ensign, I was doing a tour on DS 6 and the Chief of Security ran an intruder alert and we were told it was only one individual. Well, alarms were going off around the station and reports of a an intruder but we never saw the intruder and we looked everywhere, Food lockers, Jeffries tubes, stasis tubes, sickbay the bars and restaurants and came up empty. After a week or looking the chief called us into his office. He was sitting behind his desk with a big cat in his lap. Around the cats neck was a location device that was responsible for all the signals we were getting. Chief smiled and looked at each of us and said. "You looked everywhere but here. If you had you would have found Tom here. Never overlook the obvious." Daniel looked at Caradan. "I carry that lesson with me everyday. Don't overlook the obvious."

"Don't overlook the obvious," she repeated the words. "That is a good lesson." Caradan looked away and thought about another tale she could tell, but quickly decided she was not ready for a big back and forth with story-telling, not during duty hours. That should be reserved for a more social meeting. Then again, Caradan was not very social at all these days. "I think that method may help us on our mission," she continued. "Of course, you know we are looking for a starship. Quite a bit bigger than a cat. Something tells me it may be an obvious find. Hopefully it does not take us long to realize that."

Daniel nodded, "It is an excellent lesson and an important one." He agreed. "Yes, I am aware of our mission, and I hope it helps. As you said, we are looking for something quite a lot larger than a cat but then the universe is a big place so our missing starhip is at least metaphorically speaking a cat." He looked at her, "Don't you think?"

"I do," she replied with a nod. "And I am sure, with our combined efforts, the information our Intelligence Officer holds, and what help we may get from our Mystery Man, we should have little trouble finding the Pandora. We just need to...not overlook the obvious," she spoke the words. Caradan connected eyes with him. "But what is obvious? Could something be staring us in the face and we not see it?" She had an apocalypse, albeit a small one. "No rush, but get with Mindo...the Captain. See if he knows of anyone, from before, who might still be on that ship. Who knows? Someone could be sheltering in place. I need to regenerate then I have some research to do."

"I could not agree more. I think our combine efforts even if we don't receive any help from the Mystery Man. we will find the Pandora." Daniel smiled when Caradan said they couldn't overlook the obvious and then asked what was the obvious. "Could something be staring us right in the face?" He repeated. "Tha tis an excellent question and my opinion is that yes, something is staring us right inthe face and we haven't recognized it for what it is. Which is a clue to the whereabouts of the Pandora. Once we have that, finding her will be easy."

"We just need to see what is obvious," Caradan said. "Get with the captain. See if he knows anyone who could potentially still be on that ship. Even after this time, someone could have been overlooked. I have some thinking to do and need to regenerate." She pointed with her thumb over her shoulder. "I will return to my office/quarters and will be in my bowl."

"We will." Daniel assured her, "Because we will have our eyes open. Get with the captain?" Daniel questioned. "I wasn't aware he was on this transport." He nodded as Caradan pointed at her regeneration bowl. "See you after you finish resting." he said with a smile.