Wrong place to meet the Captains wife

Posted on Fri Jan 28th, 2022 @ 11:00pm by Lieutenant JG Kassandra Selin & Lieutenant Commander Yana Petrova

Mission: S1 Episode 1: Caretaker, Part I
Location: Ship's Library
Timeline: MD9 - 14h00
893 words - 1.8 OF Standard Post Measure

Kassandra was wandering the ship, just looking things over as she did so before her shift. She paused outside the ship library and entered. She had some research to do and it was easier to do so in the library instead of her office, which was probably bugged by the chief.

Yana Petrov had only been aboard full time for 15 hours, but she was already feeling the darkening strain of these grey confines. She had traveled back and forth from the ship and night and their family estate during the day. She longed to see the sun and to work in her garden, but she couldn't because she agreed to follow a man she hadn't seen for almost a decade onto a warship with both of her children.

She sighed, approaching the ship's library and stepping through the opening doors in her long and elegant silken white garment. No, she was not there to read a book, but rather she was looking for a familiar face. She held her head high and proud, communicating pedigree and power.

Kassandra was sitting at a terminal and when the door slid open she raised her head and then stood. "Mrs Petrova" She said with a forced smile. The Petrov family had been long time family friends of her father and step mothers and this woman never approved of Kassandra. Oh she adored Athanasia and the older brothers but Kass was treated like dirt, politely but dirt nonetheless. Kass assumed she took her lead from her step mothers.

"Kassandra Selinofoto....perhaps the last face I expected to see here." Yana said, her Russian accent stronger than any in her family as she almost never left her home region. "I'm glad you remember me."

She said she was glad but she didn't offer a smile, polite or otherwise. Instead she approached deliberately, her beautiful features frozen in a formal model-like poise.

Kassandra smiled politely. "Yes Ma'am. I was unaware you were coming on board."

"Of course you were, dear. Why would you have known?" Yana asked rhetorically, stepping up toward the Ensign finally. "I have to admit, I'm surprised to see you in the fleet. You never did reach for the stars. You're too much like your mother for that."

"My father insisted Ma'am. I am his dutiful daughter so I signed on for ten years" Kassandra replied. She was three when her mother died, so she could not comment on that.

Yana felt the urge to roll her eyes at the comment about being a dutiful daughter. It's a shame it was not so. But only time would prove where the loyalties of the girl standing across from her truly lay.

"Now that you say that, I do seem to remember Artaxes saying something about his plans for you many years ago." Yana said, her arms folding over her chest.

"Yes I am sure he did Ma'am." Kassandra replied. "But he wanted me to join Operations Track. Didn't work out."

"You always did like to go your own way." Yana said with a sense of irony in her tone. "What brings you to Vengeance...particularly at the same time we have been assigned here?"

"The Vengeance is my first assignment. I graduated from the Academy last month" Kassandra replied. "I was assigned here. My father wanted me assigned to Terran Command's Intelligence, but I asked for a ship assignment. I was given this one." Kass, had gotten a random assignment. She was not sure what the woman thought. Kass had never shown any interest in her or her children, infact, Kass often went out of her way to avoid the Petrov family.

"A coincidence then, yes?" Yana said, stepping closer again, her brown eyes resting on Kass's. "You didn't request this assignment in order to get....closer to my family?"

The question had been strongly asked, with curious emphasis on the word "my".

The confusion on Kass's face was clue enough that she had no idea what was really going on here. "I think, Ma'am you have me confused with Anthanasia." her older half sister who was the family social climber. "I as an Ensign have no power to chose my own assignments. Believe me, If I did, I would not be here. I was actually hoping for the ISS Demons Head."

"Why not here?" Yana asked, her brow furrowed, irritated at the accusation that she was confused about anything at all. "Is the fleet's most advanced ship not good enough for you?"

"The ISS Demons Head is a specialized Intelligence Ship." Kass said calmly. "They do undercover work within Alliance Space for the Empire."

"I'll take that as a yes then." Yana said, rolling her eyes. "Well, hopefully you get what you want soon."

Kass eye'd her carefully "Well that won't happen unless I get a good recommendation from senior officers Ma'am."

"I'm sure that could be arranged between officers." the Captain's wife, nodded, understanding the implication. "Perhaps, after this mission, if you play your cards right, you might find yourself in a position of authority and influence....somewhere else."

"That is indeed a goal Ma'am." Even though she didn't understand the hostility if the woman wanted her gone.. then she could help her.

"Then we understand each other." Yana said, and then turned to leave without further fanfare. "Good day, Kassandra."

"Ma'am." Kass said softly