Encrypted

Posted on Sat Nov 30th, 2019 @ 6:42pm by

Mission: S01E05 ConQstador
Location: USS Musashi-A == Deck 13

Commodore Hoffman knew her way around the depths of the Sentinel class starship which would be deemed the USS Musashi-A in due time. She had been the Sector Commander for the Triangle Sector for sometime now. The Musashi-A would be under her administrative view, the strings attached to the starship and Captain Figueroa would be hers to pull. Although the shakedown mission for the Sentinel class NCC-1855-A would be outside of the Triangle Sector, the Musashi crew's success or failure would have repercussions and ramifications throughout the neighboring sector. The Triangle was Commodore Hoffman's court and she was not about to let just any 'playing piece' enter the chessboard.

The Commodore approached a set of doors which were very plain looking. They were only marked with the simple message, a warning: No Access which was more of a command than a suggestion. She, however, did not heed to warning as she needn't worry. The doors did not budge until she stood at the entryway again holding out the Starfleet delta badge. Again, a purple glow arched outward and scanned the badge. This triggered the doors' locking mechanism to release and the doors parted ways revealing a substantially spacious room with a rectangular desk and several mounted monitor screens, glass display cases with artifacts behind them like museum exhibits, and lavish furniture that was on the comfortable side for office decore.

A large circular spot in the floor just a few feet in front of the rectangular desk was metallic looking. It was clearly made of some sort of alloy, but the rest of the room was carpeted standard issue. The Commodore made her way towards the desk and loosened her jacket, taking it off and gently placing it across the arm of a nearby sofa. To the left of the office was another door that lead to a joining living quarters, a suite. The Commodore took a seat behind the desk as though it were second nature to her. Evidently, this office was hers.

Atop of the desk were a few decorative items, but also a work computer and next to it lying flat was a data slate. Commodore Hoffman picked up the data slate and gave it a scrutinizing read through. She swiped across the screen and skimmed down several different articles and documents of importance. "Incoming encrypted transmission" announced the computer. The Bridge crew of the starship would have little chance catching the transmission, and even if they had somehow noticed it, decrypting it would be highly unlikely. Commodore Hoffman knew exactly what she needed to do to unlock and decrypt said transmission which was holographic in nature, technology the rest of the starship was not equipped with; However, deck thirteen had the technology and her office was equipped with the ability to 'take the call.'

That circular spot in the floor was soon occupied by a highly decorated gentlemen in a gray uniform with three thick golden bars on either sleeve of his jacket. His hair was a white a freshly fallen snow and his eyes were a blue-grey of slate. It was almost as though he was standing in her office, but he was not. He was far far away from the starship's coordinates. His transmission behind bounced through several Federation listening posts, amplifying the signal. "Admiral Travis" said the commodore with a respectful tone.

Admiral Samuel Travis was a veteran of the 'Four Years War' with the Klingon Empire and had been the Commanding Officer of the USS Hercules during that time. She did not know him personally, but she had been in constant communication with him the past several months. He was direct and to the point. There was no 'pussyfooting' with him and he did not entertain guests for longer than was necessary. Needless to say diplomacy was never his strong suit. "Have you done it?" he inquired.

Commodore Hoffman nodded though the expression on her face showed some reluctance about it. "I'm at the listening post with the starship. I've met with her and some of her more senior crew members. I do not know what you see in her. She's hardly my choice for commanding a task group in the Triangle" said Hoffman.

"Not your decision and not my problem" he replied swiftly. "We put you in the Triangle to oversee operations there, not to make personnel calls. Captain Figueroa is not conventional. If we wanted conventional, we would have selected different candidates than we did. We needed unconventional. The Triangle is where the light of Diplomacy goes to die and where the seeds of rebellions are planted. Piracy runs rampant there as you are well aware, Commodore. It's full of lawless lands, a wild frontier that needs culled and tamed. Hand over command of the starship to Captain Figueroa and give her your full support...genuine or not."

With that the transmission was terminated.