Errand Boy - Part 2

Posted on 10 Oct 2017 @ 1:16am by Commander Aren Ban & Lieutenant JG Cameron & Ensign Miraj Derani

2,057 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Episode 15 - Emanation
Location: Earth - Starfleet Headquarters, Starfleet Operations
Timeline: MD 16, 1205 hrs

[ON]
It had been a rather long last few days for Aren. After the inquiry Aren had been wondering what was going to happen to him and the rest of the crew. While they have since been released to their own recognizance they still weren’t quite allowed to leave the planet. As a result, many of the former crew of the Galileo had been loaned out to Starfleet Operations.

Aren walked through the hallway of Operations, glad that it was finally lunch hour. One of Aren’s mentors used to grab a junior officer once we a week and take them out to lunch. The intent was to get to know them and vice versa. For Aren it had been a valuable learning experience, as well as one that allowed a mentor-mentee relationship to develop. Aren was on the lookout for such a junior officer at that moment.

He spotted a yellow collared Lieutenant that was stepping from outside of a flag officers office. "Lieutenant!" Aren called, trying to get his attention.

Cameron looked up at the source of what, in his present mood, he could only define as the source of commotion and grimaced inwardly. All Cameron desired at this point in time was to return to his temporary apartment and take a long sonic shower, and hope never to see fried winged slugs ever again. Of course, these mannerisms faded behind the stoic wall of Vulcan facade as Cameron straightened himself. "Lieutenant Cameron, Commander." Cameron took an inward breath while Aren approached. "Do you require assistance at this time?"

Aren studied the Vulcan for a moment. "Yes, I do. But I don't want to take you from your work if you are in the middle of something that is time sensitive or are otherwise engaged." Aren said not wanting to the junior officer in trouble.

Despite the stack of PaDDs that Cameron was holding in one hand, miraculously keeping them from tumbling onto the floor, Cameron managed to maintain a stoic Vulcan-like expression as he answered, "I will of course tend to my duties. That being said, I am at your disposal."

Aren inclined his head toward the PADD's in the Lieutenant's hands. "Run what ever errands that you need. I only wanted to ask if you were free for the lunch period, and if you would like to join me."

"Commander?" Cameron asked, wondering if he had somehow misheard the superior officer.

"Lieutenant. Do not overthink my question. Have you consumed any food since this morning meal, and if not and you are hungry, would you like to join me?" Aren asked. He could see the confusion, in the junior officer's face. He wanted to get to a measure of the junior officer. Even if over a meal, you never knew when one might serve together on board a starship. "I haven't been to earth in a few years and I am trying to find a good place to eat for lunch."


The unwelcome thought of winged slugs entered into Cameron's mind, and for a glimpse he'd have sworn he could have tasted the slimy creature on the edge of his tongue again. Something more appetizing sounded welcome. But he still had several PADDS to distribute before the day was over with. "I have... snacked. But an alternative would be welcome. My duties will require at least an hour..." he glanced down at the contents of his arm. "... or two. Will that be sufficient, Commander...? He led his words to trail off; it was time for pleasantries to be given and received.

Aren nodded. "I see. Very well, please meet me on the quarterdeck in an hour." He said with a softening face. "Pardon my rudeness. I am Commander Ban, and you are?"

"Lieutenant Cameron, Sir." Cameron replied. Just in case the commander might be wondering what a lowly junior officer would be doing in this section of Starfleet Headquarters, he opted to reveal his purpose. "Aide to Admiral Lirha Saalm."

Aren nodded. "A pleasure. I am familiar with the Admiral. I take it from your initial hesitance at the lunch invitation, you had the winged slugs?" Aren asked, remembering one of there first meetings. While the Kreanus incident had been one that would register as awful in his mind for years to come, that didn't say there weren't some pleasant situations that happened.

Cameron grimaced. It appeared that the Admiral's tendencies towards the vile snack extended beyond mere lieutenants. "Quite recently, Sir," he pointed out, still aware of the thin layer of slime occupying the back of his throat.

Aren nodded again. "Attend to your duties, and lets grab a bit to eat." Aren said.

One hour later

Aren waited on the quarter deck. He was hungry and had been waiting for the Cameron to finish up with his duties. He absently wondered if maybe he should have just let Cameron go about his business and grab something to eat.

With his workload significantly reduced now that the large assortment of PADDS had been properly distributed, Cameron began to make his way towards the quarter deck. He'd made it more than half-way the distance when it occurred to him that Aren might be there waiting for him.

"Well if that Aren isn't, this Aren is." Aren Rasmussen, her Katra, or her ghost, or hallucination depending on your view, materialised next to him. as usual she sculling effortlessly through air as if suspended in a vast ocean. "I'm getting bored. You need to talk to me." She laughed, a watery tinkling sound. "I'm trying to be good and staying out of sight, but you have to meet me half way. Entertain me once in a while."

Cameron heaved an audible sigh. It seemed he had no choice in the matter. They were off-duty anyways. "Very well. You may accompany me."

She clapped her hands and turn a lazy somersault. "Good! Let's go! Don't keep him waiting!"

Proceeding further into the quarter deck, Cameron merely had to glance around before catching the by-now familiar features of one Commander Aren Ban. The commander had shown, it seemed. And had also decided to wait for Cameron before deciding on what to eat. Heaving a small sigh as he checked and re-checked his emotional controls, Cameron started to make his way.

"Please do not do something that might cause an unusual elicitation of my attention." He spoke to Aren, moving his lips in small movements.

"Cross my heart." She made the gesture with a webbed finger then settled down to walk next to him. "Hope to... nevermind."

"Commander." Cameron introduced upon rendezvousing with Aren Ban.

Ban turned to face Cameron and nodded. "Lieutenant, I hope that you no difficulties completing your other duties, if so please let me know, I will clear up any trouble that my have transpired because of my request." Ban said with a nod.

Cameron shook his head. "There were no complications, Sir." He kept his tone neutral, although the reality of spending his entire being a practical errand boy to an admiral perhaps on her way out was hardly what he'd envisioned his Starfleet career being like. "But I appreciate the gesture."

"Very well." Ban said, wondering why he thought that he was offering to clear up any trouble as a gesture. Ban pushed the thought out his mind. "Again, thank you for joining me for lunch Lieutenant. Please lead the way to your favorite place to eat." Ban said, gesturing for Cameron to lead the way. Ban had every intention of relaying why he invited Cameron to lunch, but he wanted to be sitting down, eating first.

Cameron directed them to a small Vulcan/Human-Asian restaurant about a block and a half down the road where he knew there would be nothing in terms of wing slugs on the menu. Entering the restaurant, Ban and Cameron placed their orders, and then took a seat at a table while their meal was prepared.

"I suppose you might be curious as to why I asked you to join me for a meal?" Aren asked, as they sat down.

"I certainly am." The ghostly Selkie murmured to Cameron as she took up a position just behind Bann, so any glances towards her wouldn't make Cameron look too strange.

As am I. Cameron wondered as he silently counted from one to three so that his answer, nor the corresponding curiosity wouldn't come across as too immediate. "The nature of your invitation was... curious." Cameron admitted.

Ban nodded in understanding. "As big as an organization as Starfleet is, there are times when paths cross, more than once, or sometimes not at all. One day we may serve together in some capacity. There is also a likely probability that we wont." Ban started, knowing full well how uncomfortable this could be. "Take this as a opportunity for you to get to know a potential superior and vice versa. You never know when this kind of information maybe useful."

The selkie ghost crouched down so she could examine with great suspicion Aren Ban's unsuspecting face. "Well that's not cryptic." She turned her head to look at Cameron. "Useful for what? What's he fishing for?"

"I am afraid that I am not quite, 'Vulcan enough' to do the math on that particular equation commander." Cameron began. "However, I do see such probabilities when you happen to have served on board the same star vessel as the Admiral I am now attache to. Such being said, should be attempting to inquire on the nature or status of the ongoing investigation against the Admiral, I am afraid to report that I am... not involved, in such matters. I do not have any information to provide you with."

Ban raised an eyebrow at the junior officer's blunt assertion that he was trying to acquire information about the admiral. "Lieutenant Junior Grade," Ban started, some ice entering his tone, "You are out of line. Let me be perfectly clear, I, under no circumstances, want or would ask you to reveal any information, results, testimony, or anything pertaining to any ongoing investigations regardless of the individual. However, the fact that you assume that I invited you to lunch to socialite that sort of information is not only incorrect, but it is down right offensive. Next time you imply or accuse a superior attempting wrong doing, you had better have solid, irrefutable evidence. " Ban finished in a tone that left no room for argument or response.

"The sole reason I invited you to lunch, was to get to know you and your character, in the off-chance that we were to serve together on board a starship together or in some other capacity typical of officers belonging to starfleet, such as promotion boards." Ban continued, before softening his tone. "How about this over?" Ban asked, trying to give the junior officer an olive branch.

The dress down had somehow managed to surprise Cameron enough that it showed in his expression and demeanor. He'd been so sure that their meeting hadn't been some sort of coincidence, although perhaps it was just that.

Aren Rasmussen looked from Cam, to her name sake, and back again. "Damn, Cam. We need to work on your self esteem. Someone invites you to dinner and you think it's only to get something out of you?" She shook her head. "Maybe you need a girlfriend. A proper one. Someone who's name you know, and isn't dead."

You were the one who wondered what he was fishing for, Cameron thought towards Aren, a little angry with her for her influence, and frustrated that for despite having lived in in his mind she couldn't read it. "I apologize for my misguided accusation, Commander. There is no excuse for it. Please accept my formal apology."

"We all make mistakes, some are bigger than others. Take this as a learning experience, Lieutenant. Apology accepted." Ban said, his tone lacking the steel that it had previously. He checked his watch, seeing that he had used up much of his own time, as well as Cameron's. "Now, tell me a little about your self."

[OFF]
Commander Aren Ban
Executive Officer

The Katra of Aren Rasmussen
Deceased Cadet
NPC by Derani

Lieutenant Cameron
Chief of Operations

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