Rumours
Posted on Fri May 21st, 2021 @ 8:36am by Lieutenant Elijah Mitchell
Mission:
Episode 05: "Deep Water"
Location: Deck 07 | Diplomatic Officer
Timeline: Day 1 at 0900
[U.S.S. Vesta]
[Deck 07 | Diplomatic Office]
[MD1 | 0900 Ship Time]
‘What some invent the rest enlarge.’ Those words were written almost seven centuries earlier by Jonathan Swift. They were as true today as they were then. Ever since the Vesta had been recalled to Cestus III, the rumours had been swirling with each one being more outlandish than the last. His favourite was that what was left of the Romulan Star Empire had petitioned for Federation membership and the Vesta was being dispatched to investigate their request.
The most common rumour was that Captain Drell had been summoned to Eleventh Fleet Headquarters to meet with the brass. Elijah just sat back and listened as those around him spun their theories, never offering one of his own and with good reason; he was aware of the broad strokes of the reason for their recall.
The existence of the graviton catapult was a well-kept secret and not the sort of thing a junior Diplomatic Officer like Eli would have been read in on. However, such was the worry of Starfleet Command of the reaction of the Federation’s neighbours if its existence were to become widely known that the Diplomatic Corps had been asked to game their possible reaction and prepare to put out diplomatic fires. Elijah had been one of the diplomatic officers assigned to that task.
In the days since the Vesta’s recall, a few of his friends still working within the Diplomatic Corps had been in touch with him to give him a heads up of the graviton catapult and starship Tyche’s destruction. He’d also learned that the Vesta was to be sent on a long journey to the Delta Quadrant.
“Why all the secrecy?”
The question from Petty Officer 3rd Class Hackett drew Eli’s attention away from the report he was reading. Soon after his arrival onboard, Elijah had taken to sitting in the bullpen with Hackett and Senior Chief Harper. Since there was only three of them, there was plenty of space for him.
“Ours is not to reason why, Petty Officer.” Eli said, quoting from The Charge of the Light Brigade by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. “The ‘whys’ don’t concern us. We’ll receive our orders soon enough and then we can get down to work. Until then, it’s useless to speculate because we just don’t have enough information. Just focus on your duties and the rest will take care of itself.”
The Petty Officer let out a frustrated sigh. “Yes, sir.”
Eli smiled as he returned to his report. Hackett’s impatience was understandable, had Eli been as in the dark as everyone else, he would probably be just as impatient. Not that he would admit it, but the Chief Diplomatic Officer felt a certain amount of excitement at the chance to visit the Delta Quadrant. Their purpose there was a serious one but possibility of advising the Captain in some delicate diplomatic situations thrilled him. ‘I just hope I’m up to the challenge.’ A thought that had become a common refrain returning to the fore of his mind once more.
Shaking off that thought off, he returned focus on the report in front of him. Their new orders would be public knowledge soon enough.
Lieutenant Elijah Mitchell
Chief Diplomatic Officer
U.S.S. Vesta NX-94200
