Meeting Intel

Posted on 27 Jan 2023 @ 8:13pm by Lieutenant Commander Joey Geisler & Commander John Reynolds

2,141 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Regrouping
Location: Intel Offices
Timeline: MD 1 || Early Afternoon

John decided that his best bet would be to get the initial meetings with the Department Heads out of the way before the ship left dock. And his next one was with the Chief Intelligence Officer. If he were honest with himself, it was one that he really wasn't sure how it'd go. Several factors came into play there. Which is why he'd planned to have it after lunch. It'd give him a little more time to think about it all.

John had finally found the main entrance to Intel and fully expected to have to wait a few minutes in the corridor before he was escorted it. It was, after all, Starfleet Intelligence. He input his authorization code into the door panel and waited for said escort to arrive.

It only took about a minute before the door slid open to reveal the Intelligence Chief standing on the other side with her hands clasped behind her back. She didn't recognize the man standing in the corridor, but after glancing at the pips on his collar, she had to guess he was the new Executive Officer of the Black Hawk-B. "Good afternoon, Commander," she greeted.

"Afternoon to you as well, Commander," he said. "John Reynolds, new First Officer. Just making some rounds and trying to meet up with as many Department Heads as soon as possible. Figure it'll make any first briefing go a little faster. I bet you're Commander Geisler, aren't you?"

"I am," Joey confirmed, stepping aside before sweeping a hand in gesture for him to come inside. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you. I knew we were getting a new Executive Officer, I just wasn't certain when that would be happening. And with that, allow me to officially welcome you aboard."

John stepped inside following Joey's hand gesture. "If there's one thing I've learned about Starfleet, it's that there's a lot of uncertainty. And thank you. Never been on an Akira-class before...let alone an uprated one." He looked around the place a little. "I'd imagine you got a lot of updates down here. Or is the Intel area pretty much the same?"

"We've gotten a few updates, but things have stayed the same for the most part," Joey answered as she moved further into the analys center. "I can give you the official tour if you would like?"

"I think that'd be a good idea. Every Intel department is different and I'd like to see some of the updates," said John. "Well, if I'm allowed." He chuckled and followed Joey farther in. "Seems a little bigger on the inside than the outside."

"You are one of a few that are allowed, Commander," she told him. "There was only one other individual inside, and he seemed to be deep into whatever was on the display screen before him. "We're currently in the analys center. On an average day, there will only be a single person here, unless we're currently experiencing an emergency situation, then it's all hands. Our department is a small one. Definitely the smallest on the ship."

John looked around the room and took in it's intricacies. "Small departments aren't always a bad thing. Let's you get to know your people a little better. I imagine that's good in Intel, though. But this place, this looks real good. About how much information do you guess you'd process in a shift?"

"I couldn't even begin to put a number to it right off the top of my head, but we're processing continuously. The only time we're not, and I hope that we never run into a situation where it might actually happen, is when the ship had no power," Joey answered. It might not have been the answer he wanted, but without the actual numbers before her, it would have to suffice for now. She would, however, get back to him at a later date with an exact number.

John nodded. "I hope we don't ever run into that kind of situation either. Do you process general information and analyze it or specific? Or do you have both running at the same time.?

Joey offered the ship's new Executive Officer a smile. He was definitely curious, and she appreciated that. "We run all of our scans at the concurrently," she replied. "This way, nothing is missed."

"Okay," he said, "that makes sense to me." Based on his earlier conversation about mission reports, he asked, "What kinds of things have you come across in your previous missions that stood out?"

"Well, that depends," Joey began, gesturing for him to follow her so she could give him a tour of the rest of the facility. "Are you looking for an answer that blankets all of the missions I've been involved with since I've been a member of this crew, or are you looking for an individual answer based on each one? No two missions were ever alike except that some were far more dangerous than others."

John followed the Commander on the rest of the tour. "Hmm, let's go with the second; an individual answer. But you don't have to tell me about each one. I'm sure there's been quite the number. How about the ones that were far more dangerous."

It was difficult to choose, but as far as the most dangerous situation she'd experienced, there was only one true answer. "That would be my very first mission after I was transferred to the Black Hawk," she began, thinking back to that day. "We were dealing with the Consortium at the time, and I was one of two people that was being sent over to a Consortium controlled ship to incapacitate the crew. It was me against over one hundred and fifty others."

Joey paused for a moment, taking a second as she recalled how everything went down that day, then continued. "We were equipped with an LRAD, or long range acoustical device. It definitely wasn't easy. Their crew thought I was the enemy, and I had no idea which of them were, but after a battle on the inside... explosions, plasma fires... hull breaches... I was eventually able to take the crew down and get control of the ship."

"The Consortium...what a dark spot," said John. "To be in that spot for your very first mission though, well, you obviously pulled through. And it does sound like it would make the top of any list of dangerous missions. The use of an LRAD to subdue a mixed Consortium-Starfleet crew was a brilliant idea, too." He paused a minute as he filed it away to pull that mission to the top of the stack. "You've got an amazing facility here, Commander. Is there anything I can do to make it more amazing for you? It's off the top of the head, I know. But my door is always open if you need drop off a list later." He chuckled.

"Thank you," Joey said with a smile. She was proud of her facility as well as the personnel that made up her department. "As for anything you can do to make it more amazing for you... I might have something for you in the future since your door is always open. It's appreciated, Commander Reynolds."

"Not a problem, Commander Geisler." He smiled and continued. "So other than analyzing data, do you have any other parts of Intel down here?"

Joey gestured to one of four doors that weren't the main one. "That's our sensor tie-in," she said, then gestured to another. "Communications tie-in." She gestured to a third. "Lab, then that last one is my office." Which had her gesturing to the last.

"I have to say, Commander, you've got a good handle on things down here. And out there," he said, nodding towards space. "I'm impressed. Thank you for the tour and the information. I suppose I'll need an escort out, too?"

"Thank you," Joey said with a smile. She was rather proud of her department, and hoped to show him more of it in the future. However, as the ship's new Executive Officer, she was fairly certain that he had much to do and many others to meet. If he hadn't already. "You don't require an escort given your position, but I certainly don't mind giving you one, Commander. In fact, it would be my pleasure to do so."

John nodded and smiled. "Sounds good to me," he said, turning towards the way they'd come. "With the job talk out of the way now, how has Joey Geisler faired on the Black Hawk?" Getting to know the staff a little bit personally was a plus.

The Intelligence Chief fell into step with him. "It's been interesting," she answered honestly. "There has been some good, some bad and some things in between. Nothing that I've not been able to handle, though." He'd asked a lot of questions, and wondered how he'd react if she'd asked a few herself. There was only one way to find out. "Where were you stationed before you were transferred here?"

"Ah yes," he said. "The good ole USS Infinity, Sovereign-class. Spent six years on that fine ship. Went from Security and Tactical Chief to Command School for Executive Officer."

"Security and Tactical, you say?" She asked with a smile. "I knew I liked you."

John laughed. "Yep, Security and Tactical. I bet you're pretty familiar with it, being the Intel Chief and all. But Sec Tac was quite the ride for me. Being an Exec has sort of leveled things out...more even keel."

"I'm former Security and Tactical myself. Assistant Chief. I was ready to hang up the uniform, but I was approached about becoming a part of Intelligence, and so, here I am," she said.

"A kindred spirit, then," said John as they continued walking. "Sometimes things have a way of changing and all that happens is we end up in a different color uniform. But we never forget our time in Security and how it affected us."

"I know I'll never forget it, and I don't want to. It helped shape me into the person I am today. As I'm sure it's done the same for you," she said, casting a glance in his direction as the continued forward. "Have you had the opportunity to meet any of the other senior staff yet?"

"Oh has it ever," he commented. "More than some people understand, too," he added, thinking back to the divorce. "The other senior staff, though...I've met with the Security and Ops Chiefs. I still have Science and Counseling left to go. And my first sit-down with the Captain. That'll most likely be tomorrow, though."

"If I'm not mistaken, it's just me, the Captain and the Chief of Security left from our previous crew as far as senior staff goes," she stated. Not many familiar faces left, and one familiar face in particular she missed like crazy. "I haven't formally met some of them myself. Perhaps, that's something I should try to rectify in the near future."

"I'm sure all our paths will eventually cross in one way or another," said John. "Sad to hear about the amount of turn-over among the senior staff, though. Here's hoping we can all mesh, but that it's not in the crucible."

Joey nodded her head. She felt the same way, and hoped to get to meet everyone soon enough. "Turn over happens, though, as sad as it is. The friends we end up losing and seeing every day is tough, but they're not gone forever," she said, thinking about Mila once more. The Captain's former Yeoman was her best friend, and moving forward without her was going to be tough, but she would do the absolute best she could.

John nodded as they moved closer to the main area and entrance. "Very true about the friends...they're still just a subspace communique away." He never really made any friends after he and Misty divorced. Most of 'their friends' became 'her friends' afterwards. A couple of the husbands would send him messages once in a while just to see how life was going. But even that died off after a few months. People.

"You're right, and I need to keep reminding myself of that," Joey said with a smile. "Still, I hope you can make some friends outside of the uniform while you're serving aboard the Black Hawk."

John returned the smile and nodded. "Thanks, Commander. We'll just have to see what happens I suppose. Though that means getting outside of the uniform once in a while." He chuckled a little, knowing how much he'd dedicated to the job over the recent years. What was it she said? He was married to Starfleet.

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