SD241912.07 || Joint Log || "Eyes & Ears"

Posted on 07 Dec 2019 @ 8:11pm by Lieutenant Colonel Tage Gillis & Captain Mallory Thorne

1,285 words; about a 6 minute read

=/\= Begin Log =/\=

Lieutenant Colonel Tage Gillis of the Terran Union Defense Force was on his way for a meeting with Major General Stanton. Gillis was not in the habit of being late in any event, but he was particularly keen on making his appointment this morning. To be late for a flag officer was just a bad career move, but for Stanton it could be worse than average. He had heard rumors of people getting transferred to remote moons, or even an asteroid once. He lacked the imagination to surmise what one would do on an asteroid, but he knew that it couldn't be pleasant. He'd also heard she would put an eye out if you crossed her, or she had some kind of thing about eyes anyways.

Gillis was not a physically imposing man, he was of maybe average height and he was very lean almost gaunt. People moved out of his way though. If one were to ask the people subconsciously diving out of his way, they might tell you it was something in his eyes. Or it was something that wasn't in his eyes. Arriving at General Stanton's office with a few minutes to spare, he pushed the alert button next to the door and waited.

When the chime rang, Stanton called a curt "Enter" without bothering to look up. At least, she didn't appear to look up, but when the colonel walked in, he'd find the red light from her cybernetic eye roving from his head to his foot before lowering again. "Welcome, Colonel Gillis," she said. Now, she looked up. "Thank you for being prompt."

Gillis had marched smartly to the Generals's desk and stood at attention. "Yes, ma'am. I understand you have an assignment for me?"

"At ease," she said with a dismissive wave. "Have a seat if you like. And you're correct. I do." The wave moved to the side and toward the small view-port in her office. "I presume you've noticed that very strange ship hovering nearby?"

He had, or course, noticed the new ship. There were whispers among the lower enlisted ranks as usual, and it was his job to hear all whispering. None of it made any sense though. There were excited ramblings about inter-dimensional or time travel. This was nonsense, but he had to admit the construction of the ship was strange. This wasn't so shocking that one had to leap to fantastic ideas like time travel, however. The Terran Union was now allied with multiple alien races and they all had warp drives. New races from far across the galaxy would be appearing often, he assumed.

"Yes, ma'am. I have been...keeping an eye on it," Gillis replied.

"Of course you have," she said with a sardonic smile. Looking at her desk, she lifted a small data-tablet and checked its contents then handed it across to him. "This is what we know so far."

Gillis took the tablet and began scrolling through the information. He lifted one eyebrow. "It would appear some of the rumors were true. This ship has traveled through time. What is your assessment of the Captain?" he asked.

Sadie chuckled, which from her was an unusually dark expression. "She hates me," she said bluntly. "Otherwise, so far, she seems okay. Terran. Obviously very affected by the drastic loss of her crew and appearing here. She must be pragmatic as she does not like my stipulations but she's accepted them." She paused. "One of those is the placement of an...observer from the Terran Union, as well as some personnel, before they are permitted free rein. That observer part is where you come in, Colonel."

Gillis couldn't help but feel somewhat surprised, but chose to hide that as well as he could. "I see. Do we have any insurance against them jettisoning me into space and making max warp as soon as they are off station?" he asked.

"No more than usual, I suppose," the general replied dryly. "By all accounts, these people are rather...peaceful. You also won't be the only Terran Union member on board that ship. I've assigned Lieutenant Colonel Raynor of the Aerospace Corps, to begin with."

"How soon do I leave?" he asked.

"As soon as you get everything in order," she said simply.

"I'd give my right eye for an extra day, but I'll be packed in thirty minutes," Gillis replied.

The general smirked, certainly not looking sympathetic at all because, well, she wasn't. "Dismissed, Colonel. I want regular reports. Good luck."

"Yes, ma'am. I'll do my best to keep an eye on them," he replied.

=/\= Thirty Minutes Later...

Tage Gillis hadn't even needed the full thirty minutes to pack. As an intelligence officer in the TUDF he'd lived a fairly Spartan lifestyle. A life in such a service had eroded what personality and interests he had, and all his worldly possessions that weren't uniform items fit easily into a small bag. Eventually, the shuttle arrived at and docked with the USS Odin. Tage made his way through the corridors and observed the people going about their business. They of course reacted strangely when they noticed him. This was something he was going to have to come up with a solution for quickly. It was best to observe and not be observed, but with his TUDF uniform he was going to stick out like a sore thumb wherever he went.

Gillis found the ready room of the ship's Captain, and touched the controls which he hoped announced him.

"Enter," came the call from within.

As the doors swished open, Mallory looked up to see...another man wearing a uniform that was getting rather familiar to her. Oh, gods, another one, she thought dryly but she managed to keep her expression neutral as she took in the new arrival.

"I am Lieutenant Colonel Tage Gillis, of the Terran Union Defense Force," Gillis announced to the Capatin. "I have been assigned to this ship as an official Observer for the Terran Union."

"I've been expecting you," she said dryly. "Welcome aboard the Odin." Oh, there was that headache again. "We've already had Colonel Raynor report aboard." He was undoubtedly downstairs hassling the wing now.

"Colonel Raynor, yes," Gillis replied and stared blankly at the Captain for a moment. "And where will me quarters be?" he asked.

"Deck Nine, in the officers' quarters section," she replied. Taking a deep breath, she settled back into her chair and rested her hands on her waist. "This is a...new situation for me. I have not had an...observer aboard. Frankly, I'm not sure what to do with you."

"You must simply go about your business, and I observed. So long as you don't move against our Union or Allies there should be no issues," Gillis replied.

Somehow, it managed to be both simple and ominous. "Can I expect any...assistance?" she asked cautiously. "Such as advice as to this new universe we've found ourselves in?"

Gillis stared at Captain Thorne thinking. This was unexpected. "I am here to observe, I'm not an adviser. That being said, it would not benefit the Union to allow you to blunder into some kind of galactic incident, so I will advise in certain situations," Gillis replied.

"I suppose I appreciate that then," she said dryly. "I'm sure you'll want to get settled in. Our quartermaster can help with what you need. Do you have questions for me before you do so?"

"No, Captain. I will find my way," Gillils replied, executed an about face and made his way to deck nine. The truth was he had plenty of questions about their culture and their ship, but he would learn by watching.

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