Executive Meeting

Posted on Friday 3 August 2018 @ 18:12 by Lieutenant Colonel Kachiko Bayushi & Captain John "Apollo" Barstow, M.D.

Mission: Shoreleave
Location: =/\= Starfleet Offices, Starbase 306 =/\=
2427 words - 4.9 OF Standard Post Measure

John sat in the chair of the small office that station command had been kind enough to provide him. He wasn't in uniform, rather just a tshirt, jeans and his red command jacket with his pilot patch on it. He'd been taking a closer look at Kachiko's record while waiting for her to come to the office to speak with her, including sections he had to go through some of his former cohorts in intel to open. The woman had an impressive career, and a few covert assignments Barstow had been on as well but never had met any of the other operatives. The CO turned off the monitor on the small metal desk and let out a slow breath as he turned to look out the window, the view of Merlin being worked on. As the workbees and crew in EVA suits moved around the ship he lost himself in thought.

Kachiko had an adjoining office, from which she was partly overseeing the refit of the Merlin and welcoming and greeting new crew. As a Tellarite Petty Officer Engineer left, Kachiko sighed before standing and stretching her aching muscles. She still wasn't used to spending so much time in a chair and it was starting to take a toll on her.

Setting the PADD down, she headed over to the open hatchway that lead to the Captain's temporary office. Lightly knocking on the "door frame", she stepped through, "Hey Boss. My afternoon arrivals are handled, figured that now is as good a time as any to have that discussion?"

"Aye, Commander," Barstow said after a second, pulling himself from the thousand yard stare, "coffee?" he asked as he turned to face the exec and motioned to the chair on the other side of his desk, "gotta love the broom closets they gave us," he added with a smirk.

Kachiko shook her head, "No thanks, Boss. I don't want to be up all night."

Then the tiny woman sighed, "I am not a fan of having this discussion, especially with how often Starfleet seems to like moving me around. I am obligated to inform Commanding Officers above me as well as Executive Officers, though I think that the latter already knows in this case. It's a need to know thing, of which Doctor Ki already knows some."

"So I will start at the beginning. An unknown young woman was found to have the most pristine genetic structure that certain scientists had ever encountered. The scientists findings attracted the attentions of a particular Federation intelligence and covert action organization, whose name we're not permitted to discuss."

"That organization kidnapped the woman and started to experiment on her," Kachiko's tone was flat. It was obvious that she did not enjoy recounting any of this. "They harvested most of her ovum and began to genetically engineer them. The woman managed to escape her confinement and was again kidnapped by slavers and sold. Her new owner took a fancy to her and they had a child, whom is now Commander Karsel'lyn Lylyl-Llytherraias, whom is currently aboard the USS Shanghai. Lyn's daughter is your upcoming Cadet Yeoman, Cai Sun."

"The Engineered ovum were cloned, artificially grown and then aged with chronitons," Kachiko continued. "They had a number of less-than-legal intentions for these new women. Disreputable Vulcans used mind melds and long-banned techniques to plant memories in each of their minds. I was originally intended to find and assassinate a particular Starfleet Officer."

"Then the Enterprise had our first contact with the Borg and then the heavy losses at Wolf 359. This lead to the program being repurposed to supplement Starfleet losses. I was the first clone to survive and make it into the Academy," Kachiko went on. "Another sixteen known made it into Fleet service, of which only two are still alive, the other being a retired Captain."

"There's several more whom did not enter Fleet service and are still at large," Kachiko hated this part the most. "One of whom was the project manager's personal 'plaything' for several years. She started an underground colony on a restricted planet. I was tasked to infiltrate the colony and gather information. Unfortunately, someone at Intelligence Command leaked my information and location to her. She had her thugs assault and take me captive."

"Her time as a cruel man's sex-pet had really warped her and she chose to take her angst out on me," Kachiko stood, turning her back to the man and lifting the back of her light cotton t-shirt. Off-colored striped scars criss-crossed her pale-skinned back. "She took particular joy in causing me pain, whether with the whip or sexually. I spent an Earth year as her personal pain and rape slave."

Now the hardest part, "She kept sending holo-recordings of my abuse to my wife, Commander Riosa Lor. Intelligence was disavowing my existence, so she had to fight for a rescue open. Finally, she was lent a couple of Marines and came for me herself. After I was freed from my shackles and we fought most of the way out, my captor declared that if she couldn't have her colony, no one could, especially not hated Starfleet. She set off a large explosive and vented reactor plasma into the ventilation system."

"Unfortunately, my wife was trapped behind a forcefield and I had to watch her burn," Kachiko didn't mention the unusual method of Rio's death. "So we're aware, my daughter Reiko is not actually my daughter. Most accurately, she'd be my niece, but since I have the exact same genes as her actual mother, I might as well be her mother. Reiko knows I'm not actually her mother, but we still don't think of each other otherwise."

"Next, one of the things that was intentionally omitted from my personnel file as well as my Intelligence docket is that I am a Class-6 Telepath," Kachiko told the man.

"Finally, another thing kept out of my files intentionally," Kachiko was pleased that the hard parts were past. "At one point, the former Praetor of the Romulan Star Empire had some serious problems in high places and no one he could trust to handle them. Starfleet Intelligence caught wind that he was looking outside of the Empire for qualified candidates to work for him. They managed to strike a deal and I was sent to Romulus. I spent two Earth years rooting out official corruption as a Praetorian Guardsman. I still have contacts in the Empire and could return at any time. Hence why you saw my hesitation at the arrival of our new Science Officer."

John nodded and quietly took everything the XO had said in for a moment before speaking, "well, I'll tell you, none of that bothers me in the slightest...other than or they who we shall not speak their name because they think they're from a Harry Potter book," he said with a grin, "and I kind of guessed that you had some telepathic ability after watching you with Sav in sickbay," he added and sat forward, folding his hands on his desk, "I don't mean this as an accusation or any of that, but I have to ask, there wont be any issue with Barel, it was only just momentary surprise?"

"Let's just say that while I like the Romulan people and culture, I am not a fan of their undercurrent of treachery and paranoia," Kachiko shrugged with a half smile. "I honestly thought that I might have been done dealing with the Romulan Star Empire and the Lieutenant's arrival simply caught me by surprise. Crew transfer orders from Starfleet have been delayed in reaching my desk."

"I don't like surprises," she groused. "I have a history of violent action when people spring surprises on me. Not to mention being forced into violent action as a result of some of these surprises."

"You and me both...we've been on a few of those surprises together even though we never crossed paths," Barstow replied with a shake of his head, "I'll see whats going on with transfer orders as well.....there's something else I need to discuss with you," the CO said, "you've been in command of MarDets for a long time, haven't you?" he asked.

"Off and on," Kachiko leaned forward, resting her elbows on desk. "Intelligence liked to pull me back for various assignments, mostly deep cover. I was an Intelligence Officer on Starbase Protector for a time. I initially started out as a Tactical Systems Specialist and Security Officer."

"I had to engage with a rogue Klingon on a remote colony world, whom had been assaulting colonists in the wilderness. I managed to locate him and terminate him with a knife after he managed to get my phaser away from me," Kachiko grimaced. "After that, I was on certain peoples radars and I was recruited for MARSOC."

"Intelligence likes dragging me back into the suck for my particular extra-legal abilities and skills," Kachiko told the man. "I had wide latitude to execute my task however necessary, including in some ways that I hope I never need to employ again. That said, I don't have that latitude now, except in serious cases. You won't need to worry about me going off the reservation."

"Yes, they do," Barstow replied, "I've been called back twice since I took command, this last time was why I wasn't on the ship when...." he sighed and trailed off for a minute before shaking it off, "and I know you wont or you wouldn't be my exec," he said and smiled, "but, one thing I'd like to do is maybe take our girls out a few times while on base here, we haven't had time to really.....well, mesh, we should be like a married couple, just without the fun stuff," he added teasingly.

"No offense, Apollo," Kachiko chuckled. "You're not my type. To be quite honest, if anyone aboard is my type, it would be Second Lieutenant O'Reilly."

"I'm at least pleased that we're both as similar as we are and understand each other," Kachiko did sound happy. "I'm certain that Reiko would love to spend time with your adorable little one. Redheaded girls are some of the greatest things produced by humanity. Especially with how the innocent she still is."

"Reiko is older by a few years and a little bit taller than me. Then again, I was specifically designed to be smaller than most. It makes people underestimate me," Kachiko grinned. "Reiko loves younger kids, which means she likes sitting for them. If you ever need anyone to look after Sierra, I can guarantee that Reiko will be happy to."

Barstow couldn't help but laugh, "Commander, we are more alike than you know," he said and turned the picture of Scoops around so Bayushi could see, "Sierras mother," he said, motioning to the redheaded woman then nodded, "I'd appreciate that, I'd like her to get to know other children, it's not good for her to solely be with me all the time and I feel like I'm ignoring her when I have to deal with ships business while she's with me," he said with a sigh.

"I don't mind looking after her myself, when I'm off-duty. I enjoy the company of children. They ground me and remind me of the childhood I never had," Kachiko offered before gazing at the image. "Your lady is beautiful, Boss. I see where Sierra gets her looks. Will the esteemed Mrs. Barstow be joining us?"

"Well, ex-Mrs Barstow," Apollo replied, "and aye, she reactivated her commission and will be taking charge of the Marines TAD....right after she kicks my ass for only just now telling her I lost then found our child, I may the the entire MARDET for protection when she gets here," he half joked, wincing as he said it, "and you taking Sierra sounds good too, I do honestly appreciate that...that's why I love this ship, even in my junior officer days here the crew has always treated each other like family."

"A Marine, eh?" Kachiko chortled, "Sounds like she and I will get along great!"

"Just don't let her shoot me in the ass," he replied with a chuckle.

"Oh, as far as what I said to our new Operations Officer, I figured it best to stay entirely honest with the kid," Kachiko explained. "I will speak to him later about it and ensure that he knows that I don't hate him or even Cardassians, it's just that I have an unpleasant history with them."

"Kachiko," Apollo started and took a breath, leaning forward on the desk and looking at the smooth top before looking up, "every time I go back to intel I get the same way, that's part of why I was trying to get to Merlin with so few staff....I didn't trust anyone," he started, "granted, not very much the same, but both are habits we picked up during out .... darker times. While I know you didn't mean it badly you told the kid you didn't trust him because he's Cardassian, regardless of what you said, that was the message. You need to develop a filter, you can't be telling these kids you don't trust them because of their heritage. That'd be like throwing you in a cell because of your genetic history."

"Well, that would be the Jarhead in me," Kachiko sighed. "I'm not used to not being brutally blunt with people, unless I'm undercover. I will be sure to apologize for what I said. Trust me, I understand how he feels, as I encounter even worse reactions from most El Aurien I encounter."

Barstow nodded and smiled, "like I sad, I can relate, that's why I'm coaching not going drill instructor," he said with a chuckle, "I knew this'd be a learning experience when I made you exec, but, know that I knew you could do this and even if I call you in like this or I seem resistant it isn't an issue with you....and the resistance is my own Achilles heel," he added with a shake of his head, "so, feel free to smack me upside the head."

"Trust me, Boss. I am the last person you want smacking you in the head, unless you desire a fractured skull or at least a concussion," Kachiko grinned. "I will leave that task to young Miss Barstow. She already seems to have that 'I'm very disappointed in you' command look down. You and the former Missus both seem to have trained her well."