Why am I here?

Posted on Wed Dec 18th, 2024 @ 2:25pm by Avalon [ADMIN NPC] & Commodore Phoenix Lalor-Richardson & Captain Gary Taylor & Lieutenant JG Maxine Mckull

Mission: Season 6: Episode 5: A church beyond heaven
Location: Ready Room, Deck 1 -- U.S.S Elysium
Timeline: MD4, 0900
1599 words - 3.2 OF Standard Post Measure

With the meeting now behind her, Max took a short time to... decompress. It was one task down, but she had an equally difficult one ahead of her. Max, so far, still felt... less than comfortable, playing the role she was being asked to. Was she really a leader? Was she meant to lead these people here and now, or was it simply something that had been thrust upon her that she'd have to deal with for... who knew how long?

Sighing, Max finished the last of her water, before she moved over to the replicator terminal and placed it in the tray to be recycled. In the empty room, she found herself looking around. It seemed somehow... different, now that the meeting was behind her, rather than ahead of her. It was the same room, yet it felt less... oppressive. Was this just a feeling that was bound to follow her?

After a moment she looked up and asked of the air, "Avalon, where are the Commodore and Captain Taylor?"

The AI appeared. "Captain Taylor is on the bridge. The Commodore is in her ready room.."

Max nodded slowly at Avalon's response and let out an exhale through her nose. She gave the AI a look and said, "It is appreciated, Avalon."

the AI nodded and vanished.

The AI having disappeared, Max willed herself forward. The doors hissed open as she approached them, revealing the dull, empty corridor beyond. She stepped out into it, again wondering what to expect, hoping against hope this was all some sort of sick joke or dream. But with each step she was less and less certain of it. Entering the lift she commanded it simply, "Bridge." The lift hummed to life and she felt it moving upwards, the lights on the wall showing each deck it sped through. One, two, three, four, five.

On queue, the lift came to a stop and opened its doors out onto the expansive bridge, staffed heavily. But Max was only interested in one officer. She stepped out of the bridge calmly, slowly, and approached Captain taylor. "Sir?"

Seated in the command chair Gary turned at the sound of a voice. "Lt. Mckull, what can I do for you?" His voice pleasant.

"Could you accompany me to the ready room, sir?" She asked, gesturing towards the room where Avalon said Commodore Phoenix currently was. "There is an urgent matter we should discuss."

Gary's face took on a confused look. However, judging by Max's tone and demeaner he held off on asking any questions until they were inside the ready room. Rising from the center seat, Gary turned the bridge over to the duty officer. "After you Lieutenant." he said as the pair walked the short distance to the ready room.

Arriving at the ready room door, Max paused for a moment to look around. She gave Taylor a strange look, part questioning, part unsure, her gaze dropping to the collar of her uniform for the briefest of moments. She huffed, reached out, and then tapped the chine to the ready room with a finger. As she did, she once again couldn't shake the feeling that she shouldn't be here.

The door opened at a call of "come" from within.

For those who had never been in the ready room, it was very different to other ready rooms. It was under low illumination currently as the Commodore often kept it as such, and the desk that normally would be front and centre was near the window. And a low couch set up with coffee table took up the wall opposite to the obligatory fish tank. Commodore Lalor-Richardson was sitting at her desk writing a report.

She looked up as the XO and the chief of flight entered. "Captain? Lieutenant?"

"Commodore." Gary greeted in return as he and Max came to a stop in front of the desk. " I apologize for the intrusion however Lieutenant McKull requested a meeting with both of us." He explained as he stood beside Max.

Entering the ready room with the captain, Max gave a nod of greeting to Commodore Lalor. She stayed quiet, content to let Captain Taylor set the stage. Once he had done so, Max's eyes traveled down to the new pip on her uniform before they rose to look up at the other woman who occupied the space. "I have a question," she started simply.

"Of Course Lieutenant. Ask away" The Erisian Female said.

Once more, Max's eyes drifted down to the pip on her uniform as she took a step forward. She looked between the captain and the commodore, her expression deadly serious. Out loud, she finally asked, "Why am I here?"

Gary looked at max in confusion. "You are the chief of flight control, and you requested this meeting but I'm sensing you mean something more than the face value of the question."

"You are here because you have the experience we required to be a flight controller on this ship and you were next in line for Chief hence you are chief." Lalor-Richardson added

Max gave a slow nod, her gaze moving between the Commodore and the Captain. She reached up a hand, resting it over her communicator without tapping it. In her monotone she responded, echoing Gary's words, "I am the chief of flight control, now. But what about last week? Where did they go?"

Gary gave a quick glance at Phoenix before his attention returned to Max. He knew exactly what Max was referring to. it was the same discussion he, Phoenix and had the night before at the Senior Staff dinner. Still, he wanted her to spell it out. "Who are you referring to lieutenant? Where did who go?

Max huffed softly, letting her hands drop to rest at her sides. Were they aware of what was going on and testing her to check their sanity? Were they just as confused as she was about this whole thing? She gave a slight shrug before responding, her translator flat. "That is the problem. Myself, the rest of the department. Nobody can remember. Not even Avalon. There is no record of anyone holding the position before me. This defies logic since, I was placed in this position mere days ago, and I can remember not holding it previously."

Phoenix nodded. "You are not alone in that. Several people are in the same boat. I have been checking everything I have but... all I found was a pair of boots beside the helm."

"We will get the answers we all want. It may take time, but we will." Gary answered in a confidence he didn't truly feel. There was a hole in their memories what else would they discover they couldn't remember?

Phoenix looked at Max. "Lieutenant, I believe in your abilities, I would not have promoted you if I didn't believe in your abilities to do the job. And I will say the paperwork has improved... not sure why that came to my mind though."

Max pursed her lips in silence, raising her eyebrows as she processed what Phoenix had just said. She looked down at her own feet, then nodded slowly, simply stating in a flat monotone, "Physical evidence. Intriguing." A beat, then, "With your permission, I wish to launch my own investigation. I owe it to the department to give them, some, answers, if I am able to."

Gary looked over to Phoenix, her comment about paperwork was out of place but yet it tickled his mind, and he wished he could remember why it did.

"You are welcome to investigate Lieutenant. Several others are doing the same." Phoenix said.

"Keep us informed of your progress please Lieutenant." Gary added.

Max nodded thoughtfully and glanced around, staying quiet for a moment. "Yes, Captain, Commodore," was her eventual response. Another beat, then, "Might I suggest asking Avalon to keep apprised of my location, at all times? I have already instructed the department to keep regular logs of everything they do. If something else happens, it might leave a trail we can follow."

"Not a bad idea Lieutenant." Gary replied while silently impressed with Max's thinking before looking to Phoenix. "Commodore, what is your opinion on the Lieutenant's suggestion?"

"Sounds like a solid plan." Phoenix said. "I am sure Avalon will be able to do so."

Max nodded slowly, gazing down at her hands for a moment in consideration. A few moments of silence pass before she looks up again, her expression contemplative. "I would request access to the security logs for this purpose. Alternatively, security personnel," she states.

"I think that can be arranged Lieutenant." Gary replied while waiting for Phoenix to give her opinion on Max's request.

Phoenix nodded. "Captain Taylor will let Commander S'hib know and arrange it."

"Of course, Commodore." Gary replied crisply.

Max dipped her head in appreciation. "Thank you Commodore, Captain," she stated simply. She had a purpose, an objective, and the means to achieve them, though the situation was still very much disconcerting and uncomfortable for her. "I will alert you both as soon as I have something."

Gary nodded in return to her. "Of course, Lieutenant, we'll be waiting for a word and hope that it is positive as well as something we can build upon."

"Understood, sir," Max replied. She stood still, considering for a moment if there was anything else she needed, or wanted, to address. Deciding there in fact wasn't she nodded, satisfied. "I will begin my search immediately," she droned. And immediately she did, stepping to, and through, the threshold back onto the bridge.