PLOT LOG: "A New Mission"

Posted on 19 Jan 2020 @ 4:41pm by Captain Mallory Thorne

533 words; about a 3 minute read

=/\= Begin Log =/\=

"Are you certain?"

"Yes, General. They have finally agreed."

General Stanton pursed her lips slightly as she read over the information scrolling down her monitor. It was from Camilla Rau, the leader of the Seelie Coalition. It was a message that the Terran Union had been hoping to get for some time now, and it had taken a great deal of work. Even this much was considered "tenuous" at best, but she would take what she could get. Over the past few years since Rau took over the coalition, it had grown to be a considerable power force.

One that Sadie did not think they could win against in an outright fight, and she was very slow to admit that about anyone or anything...but here, she felt it warranted. Therefore, she wanted an alliance before anyone else got one.

"There is one stipulation that may be an issue," her aide continued.

The general lifted her blue-red gaze and leveled it on him. Fortunately, he had been working for her long enough to no longer blanch at the mere sight. "They want a wholly neutral territory."

"Wholly neutral?" she repeated. He nodded. "I don't know that any of us want to go that far off to find it." Her strategic mind continued for a time before she managed a small smile. "Actually, I think I know just the place."

=/\= USS Odin =/\=

"You want me to what?" Mallory asked, pursing her lips but resisting making any of the other expressions that she wanted to.

"I would like you to do me a...favor," Stanton said in a way that the captain could only think of as "smarmy." The general knew that she had Mal over a barrel here. The Odin was in one piece only due to the "kindness" of the Terran Union and the woman on the screen in front of her. This was her position at the moment, and they both knew it. So, there was no use arguing against it. "The Terran Union needs a neutral location for a diplomatic meeting. You're about as neutral as I can think of, given you certainly don't think of us as your friends."

"That's hard to deny, General," Mal drawled with a sickeningly sweet smile.

Even over two monitors, the glaring red light of the general's eyes stung the captain's as it swept over it. "I've sent you a data-stream with all the relevant information."

"Relevant?"

"Well, we're not giving away the store here," the general replied dryly.

Mal sighed. "Fair enough." She looked at her desk console and saw the information scrolling down. "So, you're saddling us with more of your personnel?"

"Temporarily, yes," the general replied, unfazed by the sarcasm. "An ambassador and her staff. That information is on your screen now as well."

"So I see." She gritted her back teeth briefly. "When do we have to leave?"

"Thirty-six hours," Stanton said. "Don't worry, Captain. You shouldn't have to do much but be there and let my people do the work." She smiled in a way that made Mal want to slap her, despite all the circumstances. "Stanton out."

=/\= End Log =/\=

Captain Mallory Thorne & General Sadie Stanton

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