Dropping By Unannounced

Posted on Fri Feb 18th, 2022 @ 3:43am by Lieutenant Lionel Morrison & Lieutenant JG Kassandra Selin & Captain Ivan Petrov

Mission: S1 Episode 1: Caretaker, Part I
Location: Intel
Timeline: MD 37, 1430 Hours
1580 words - 3.2 OF Standard Post Measure

Captain Ivan Petrov had finished another duty shift on the Bridge, and now he set about his next project; a more personal one. After leaving his executive officer in command, he exited the turbo lift on the floor where the intelligent offices were housed. He entered the facilities through the main doors, hoping someone down there would be able to point him in the right direction.

Lionel was exiting his office when he spotted the Captain. "Captain on Deck" he called out as he looked around for Selin to berate her for her not letting him know the Captain was here.

He stepped forward. "Captain," he saluted.

Petrov didn't hide his frown at seeing the Lieutenant. He had been hoping to avoid him by coming down a half hour after his shift had ended.

"Morrison. What are you still doing here?" he asked, not particularly shy with the question.

"I was finishing some reports" Morrison said honestly. "We had some new information around Alliance troop movements come in."

Kassandra came out of the Assistant chief's office and paused at the sight of the Captain speaking with Morrison. Oh this was not going to end well for her, she had a feeling.

“Right, of course we do.” The Captain said, an expression of bland understanding crossing his features. “But I’m actually here to talk to your Assistant.”

Lionel raised an eyebrow. "Captain" he said with a verbal smirk. "I am sure I can assist you in anything you require."

Kass however knew what this was about, but she chose to let Lionel dig his own grave.

“No, Lieutenant, I’m sure you can’t.” Ivan said, annoyed. He had become well informed of the man’s treatment of Kassandra and was perfectly disposed to having it settled administratively, but now that he knew she was his own flesh and blood, he was having a hard time remaining impartial about it. His irritation with the man was leaking out. “Or do you have a problem with me speaking with a member of my crew?”

"Ah no captain" Lionel chose to step back but the look he shot Kassandra from behind Ivan's back spoke of retribution. Kass's face was calm.

"Captain." She saluted Ivan. "How may I assist you?"

Ivan headed toward her, but paused mid-stride instead, turning back to face Morrison. "Lionel, don't go anywhere. I mean to speak with you when I'm done with the Ensign."

"Yes Captain" Morrison replied with a slightly sour tone.

Ivan walked up to Kassandra in a business-like manner and indicated her office with a hand.

"Let's speak in private, Ensign Selin." he half ordered, half asked.

"Of course, sir" She stepped back to let him lead the way into her office and then fell into step behind him.

Once they were in her office and the door shut, she held up a hand to stop him talking and moved to her desk and pulled a device from a drawer and turned it on. "Ok.. that should block his eavesdropping devices."

Ivan growled audibly, like a bear who was growing quite mad. Listening devices now?

"Morrison goes way too far." Ivan said, his brow darkening. "Perhaps its time I taught him a lesson personally..."

"Its standard operating procedure in the Intelligence Department Captain." Kassandra replied.

"Torturing subordinates is standard practice?" he asked, somewhat indignant.

"Well not that part. But listening devices are." Kass shrugged.

"Hmm.." he said, distracted by the idea. He made a mental note to make sure he knew where every listening device on the ship was held. He would have to find someone he trusted for an assignment like that; sneaks normally didn't want to be caught sneaking. "Anyway, I'm not here for that. I'm here to see you. I bet this change has been as difficult for you as it has been for me. How are you holding up?"

"I.. am adjusting" Kass said as casually as she could. "I have not spoken to anyone about it so you will not need to worry that I am going to spread it about. And I have yet to contact the family,.. with us being under lockout, once the mission is over, I will... have to tell them."

"After you tell them, please let me know." Ivan said, and then looked directly at her, leaning against her desk. "Kassandra, I don't plan to keep this a secret. You're my daughter; my own flesh and blood. I have nothing to hide from anyone."

She raised her chin. "Have you told Yana?" She asked. "Have you told Andrei?"

"I told Yana. She...didn't take it well. As you suspected, she already knew. I'm still not sure how she found out before me, however. Perhaps, when she's speaking to me again, I can ask her." he said, crossing his arms. "And I believe Andrei's vow was that he is now going to make an attempt to 'avoid you until the end of all time'."

"Tell him he is a chicken" Came Kass's reply. "As for Yana, sounds about right. I am surprised she has not come for me with a knife though."

"She suggested the idea." he said with a frown. "That's the reason she's not speaking to me, actually. She can't believe I'm 'protecting you'. Well, I am. And she's going to have to get used to that."

"Most in your position Captain, would remove the issue, me, from the equation" Kass said calmly. "I know that, once i tell Artaxes, he will send someone to kill me. Maybe he will send my brother Iason to show his loyalty to the family to do it."

Ivan got a steely and certain gaze in his eye and, without warning, his giant hand came crashing down on her desk.

"You are my daughter. Anyone who comes for you comes for me." he said, his eyes growing. Artaxes had been a friend a long time ago, and Ivan knew his betrayal put him in an inferior moral position, but he knew his reputation would precede him in this. He wouldn't have anyone in his family harmed.

Kass had flinched at the sound of his hand hitting the desk. But she held her ground. "So.. you are serious about claiming me?" She sounded confused about it.

"Yes, Kassandra, I am." he said, his face still serious. "That is....assuming you want to be claimed."

She took a breath and sat down on her desk chair. "Why? No one else has cared in years. I was ordered into Service. I was ignored growing up, come to think of it, I think you were one of the few people who paid any attention to me growing up. Once my mother died, it was like I didn't exist in the Family Selinofoto. I gave up their name years ago." She spoke matter factly.

"Family is a fact, kid." he said with certainty in his voice. "We don't accept it because it's convenient for us or even because it makes us happy, but instead we do so because it is the place where we were made, the soil to which we belong, from which we sprung. You, Kassandra, never lived with your real family. Now you can."

She took a breath and gave a slight nod. "Okay"

He smiled then. Relaxing a bit.

"It's too early for family dinners, I know. But I'd appreciate a chance to get to know you. I know Mika is particularly excited about this turn of events...and I imagine Andrei will come around eventually."

"Andrei I am sure will figure it out" Kassandra said softly. "It is nice to have a younger sibling though."

The Captain smiled. He hoped this was the start of something good.

“We’ll, that’s all for now, Kassandra. Take care of yourself down here.

Kass saluted "Yes Captain"

With that, the Captain turned and walked back out into the lobby area. Seeing Lieutenant Morrison standing there, he stepped up to him.

“Lieutenant.”

"Captain" Came the calm reply though deep down he was wondering what Selin had told the man.

“I’m just going to say this to you once and I expect you to carry it out fully.” Ivan said, now towering over him at a very uncomfortable proximity. “You will stop all punishment of Ensign Selin immediately. No punitive duties, no extra shifts. Is that plain enough for you?”

Morrison considered his response but instead of asking how good Kass was with blowjobs, he merely inclined his head "Yes Captain"

Morrison was the sort of man who was seldom earnest, and this was obvious to everyone around him. Just as last time when Ivan and Cyrus had punished him for his treatment of Kassandra, Ivan suspected he would just search for another way to make her miserable. But now it was different; now he knew that she was his own daughter. A flash of anger filled his breast, and before he knew it, Ivan’s thick paws were gathering up the front of Morrison’s uniform and almost lifting him off of the ground. He forced the man against the wall, holding him there with a rage filled glare. He gave him a look that said everything; that next time, it wouldn’t just be the agonizer booth. Then, wordlessly, he released him and made for the door.

Morrison watched him leave then after the door slid shut stalked for his own office. Kassandra Selin was a dead woman walking.