An Unexpected Encounter of the Weird Kind

Posted on Saturday 24 March 2018 @ 07:00 by Lieutenant Colonel Kachiko Bayushi & Lieutenant Commander Kevin, Lord Kilbane of Sanquhar
Edited on on Saturday 24 March 2018 @ 10:40

Mission: Lost Souls
Location: Deck 3 Corridor
Timeline: Current
741 words - 1.5 OF Standard Post Measure

She was off-duty and forseen to be off duty until her shoulder healed. Training accident had ended up tearing a ligament in her shoulder.

That wouldn't stop Kachiko from her morning run around Deck 3. Her legs thankfully functioned independent of her shoulder.

Normally when she encountered other crew in the corridor, she would move to the side to make way and offer a polite nod or greeting as she passed.

But this time, this was different. She certainly didn't expect to see whom she did.

Skidding to a halt, she just stared for half a second, before, "You have got to be shitting me! If it isn't Lord Ensign Kilbane!"

Kevin was in a world of his own as he was walking, his thoughts on how they'd broach the USS Merlin situation. He hadn't realised that he'd wandered out onto the middle of the corridor as he headed for the turbolift. He got a bit of a fright when someone suddenly stopped in front of him and spoke.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to get in your way..." he began when the other person also spoke "Wait a minute, Ensign..." he said, reaching up to his collar and checking his pips.

"Damn it!" he continued "They've fallen out again!" he said. He was about to explain how the pips on his collar were somehow loose and that he was in fact a Lieutenant Commander, when he suddenly realised who had spoken to him "COLONEL.....Colonel Bayushi, WOW, this is amaz...." then he suddenly realised who he was speaking to and straightened himself up and came to attention.

"My apologies Colonel, sorry, I was....well, no matter, it's wonderful to see you again Sir" he said "Apologies for the pips Sir, for some reason they won't stay in place, I think I'll need to replace my tunic. There should be another couple in there, one gold and one black...but that's no excuse, I eh, I should have noticed but I was a little distracted, sorry."

"I had wondered where you disappeared to on the Cavalry," Kachiko remarked. "I hope that we can bury past animosity?"

"I transferred to the USS Frannery Sir" Kevin replied "and yes Colonel, my apologies that it happened in the first place, I'd like us to start over again please if that's alright?" he asked

"In the past, I wouldn't be happy to see you again, Kevin Kilbane, but since I don't hold grudges often, I can say that it is pleasing to see you again," Kachiko smiled. "So you are here on the Grissom now?"

"Thank you Sir, it's also good to see you again" Kevin replied, then added "Only temporarily Colonel, I've been draughted in to help Commander Barstow with a recovery operation. What about yourself Sir, are you on the Grissom now?"

"The Commander didn't tell you?" Kachiko asked, looking surprised."Well, I am not aware if I can discuss it, particularly not in such a public location."

"I understand Sir, a need to know basis" Kevin replied "I was actually on my way to the Security department, we can still walk and talk if it's on your way?" he added.

"Sure," Kachiko shrugged. "I was just on a brief run, wanted to get my heart rate up, which seems to be getting more and more difficult as the years go by."

"It's a bit more than need to know," Kachiko remarked as they began walking together. "It's just extremely classified at this point. Even the possibility of the information leaking could lead to mission failure. I only know because my clearance level exceeds the Commander's."

Kevin lowered his voice right down to a low whisper "Are you meaning in reference to the situation on the planet below Sir?"

"As I said, I don't know if you have been read in yet, so let's not speculate or try digging," Kachiko shrugged. "I recommend talking to the Commander about being read in."

"I am accompanying the Commander down to the USS Merlin, along with a computer specialist Sir, so we can try to ascertain how the ship has gotten to be where it currently lies" Kevin said "and it is initially just the three of us Colonel. I'd like to believe I'm read in Sir" he finished.

"It seems that you are," Kachiko shrugged. "I should accompany the three of you when that time comes."

"Let's get on with it, then?"