JDL | Cmdr Waterhouse & LtJg Black | "To Cross The Perils Of Black Water"

Posted on Thu Feb 26th, 2015 @ 11:12am by Commander Amelia Waterhouse & Lieutenant JG Teá Black

1,266 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: A Spot To Kill

Teá walked up to the commodore room, "your dismissed." She said to the security officer, "direct orders from commander Archer." The officer was about to protest but the look she was getting from Teá and than her dress whites he didn't say anything just nodded and stepped aside. Tugging on the neck of her dress whites she stood at attention.

The exclamation the night before of 'fuck you, archer' had startled Cecil, but Amelia had held him back from rushing to Rochelle's side ­— Amelia knew that Rochelle was more than capable of handling Archer, and she trusted his motivation even if he did have an unconventional way about him. Amelia had surprised herself by sleeping in this morning, the unfamiliar bed was oddly comfortable and it'd thrown off her sleep cycle. Then Cecil hadn't woken her when he'd gotten prepared for the day and was off to gather more information to assist their efforts to get in and out quickly.

When she finally awoke, she was dressed and out the door looking for Rochelle in the blink of an eye. She was surprised not just to find Teá on guard at Rochelle's door, but that she was in her dress whites. She approached the woman with her head tilted ever so slightly to one side.

"Good morning," Amelia said hesitantly.

"Commander." Teá said slightly turning her head to look at Pond, "is there anything I can help you with?"

The glint at the collar of the uniform caught the light in the corridor, and drew Amelia's eye. It was then she noticed the lack of black pip next to the shiny one. She took another step closer, eyeing Teá's collar. "It looks like you've lost a pip," Amelia observed, her finger coming up to point at it.

"I did for doing my job prior to joining the Vindicator again. Appears no one understands that I had orders from people with higher ranks than commander and commodore." Teá said angrily but quickly closed her eyes and taking some breaths. "Apologies I didn't mean to snap and see that's how lost my pip in the first place I should be watching my tone."

"I had just been guessing that it'd fallen off," Amelia observed, her eyes narrowing as she stepped closer. "What exactly happened?"

"Before re-joining the Vindicator I had one last assignment it was a tricky one that had started prior to the Tirad and Civil War. A commodore, Delilah Smith she's a very very dirty and dangerous women just high enough in the power chain to get things done but low enough that she could keep a low profile." Teá said looking at Pond, "my job was to collect intel on her to give to JAG. Truthfully I don't have the full story on her but it was always mentioned that she had her hands in a lot of things."

"And what does that have to do with your being out of uniform with your incorrect pips?" Amelia crossed her arms across her chest, taking half a step back as her eyes continued to rest upon Teá.

"Commander Archer didn't take it well that I was doing this behind his back and why I tried explain that I had orders he got all high and mighty. And I may have.....no I did what I usually do and snapped and said some things I wish I could take back."

"You went behind Archer's back, and then you talked back when he found out? Is that the jist of it?" Amelia closed the space between them, standing toe to toe with the smaller woman. Her gaze bore into Teá's as she hoped she'd misunderstood what she'd just been told. She could only imagine what this looked like — Amelia standing nearly a foot taller than the dark haired woman wearing dress whites, and the willowy red-head having taken advantage of the local garb that'd been made available to her. A white flowing gown, gladiator sandals, and her hair with just enough braiding to keep it out of her face — she felt she looked like she stepped out of a period drama set in the roman empire.

Teá looked directly into Pond's eyes as she tried a way to figure out how to answer 'cause yes she did go behind Archer's back but she was also doing a assignment as a need to know and frankly the commander didn't need to know. "Yes but it was the assignment is a need to know and the people who handed down the assignment made it very very clear that them and myself were only ones that needed to know."

"I see," Amelia said, her eyes narrowing as she considered this. It was unusual, particularly with a situation like Teá's recent service history, to not let the chief Intel officer know when one of his subordinates had a side assignment unless the chief was the target. "I won't comment on the choice of those issuing the order to disrespect Archer like that, but when you got caught in the act by him, wouldn't you think it became need to know for him? Or failing that, at least take your lumps without back talk?"

Teá looked away feeling ashamed that she couldn't hold her attitude, "should have. Yes and yes in light of him finding out it would need to know to for him as well." Teá said looking back at Pond.

"So, since it seems Archer has this well in hand," Amelia said, tapping at the single pip on Teá's collar, "I'm going to keep this personal. If you don't satisfy Archer and make this right, Sean will hear about this. You have until we're done with this horrorshow planet. Understood?"

"Understood." Teá said mouthing thank you.

"Don't thank me, do your job and don't make me regret giving you this chance," Amelia returned, and stepped back again as her eyes fell on the bedroom door. "Is the commodore in her room?" It was clear the conversion was over, Amelia had other things to deal with now and hopefully the reality of Teá's situation had been properly impressed upon her.

Teá just nodded, "I believe she is no one has come in or out since I've taken over the guard shift. And the previous guard said she was in there.

The sound of steps echoed down the corridor, and Amelia turned to look — Rochelle. Amelia quirked an eyebrow as she took half a step past Teá to reach for the door. A slight flush, and a few more stray hairs than the trademark difficult lock that always fought Rochelle's best efforts to style it, spoke of an outside stroll.

"Have a good walk?" Pond asked, her eyes looking to Teá a fleeting moment before she reached for the door to open it for Rochelle. The petite Commodore took in the sight of Teá at her door, and silently motioned Amelia to go inside as she nodded to the question. The door shut behind the fiery duo, leaving Teá in silence at her post.

Great not only did she get in trouble but she now looked like a complete idiot for not having the security officer check the room and actually make sure that the commodore was in it. Giving a polite nod to both Pond and the commodore Teá went back to watching the corridor.

=/\= End Log =/\=

Commander Amelia Waterhouse
Executive Officer
USS Vindicator, NCC-78213-E

Lieutenant Junior Grade Teá Black
Intelligence Officer
USS Vindicator

 

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