Important Meetings

Posted on Wed Feb 9th, 2022 @ 1:35am by Captain Ivan Petrov & Lieutenant Commander Yana Petrova & Lieutenant Commander Troy Marshall & Callie Marshall

Mission: S1 Episode 1: Caretaker, Part I
Location: Various
Timeline: MD7 1000 hrs
2058 words - 4.1 OF Standard Post Measure

{ON}

Walking somewhat tenderly into the transporter room to meet up with Troy and whoever else was going to the meeting with Vice Admiral Ross, Callie couldn’t help but dwell a little on what the Doctor had said. She’d been letting her hair down without a care in the world, when she’d been totally unprotected the whole time. It was a worry but one she couldn’t dwell on for long as she greeted Troy.

“Good Morning Lieutenant” she offered a brief smile as she kept up the expected behaviour of an Empire Officer.

Troy was already standing by in the transporter room when Callie arrived. He gave her a single nod of acknowledgement. "Good morning. I trust you slept well?" His face bore just the faintest trace of a smile.

“I did indeed” Callie nodded. She hated having to keep up false pretences whilst on duty but that was the way the Empire worked. “Are we being joined by anyone else this morning?”

Troy was about to speak when the door to the transporter room opened. He snapped to attention as he called out, "Captain on deck!"

Callie immediately snapped to attention as Captain Petrov and his wife stepped into the transporter room.

"At ease, Callie, Troy." The Captain said with a grin and a wave of his hand. He was dolled up in his dress uniform and his wife was wearing a sparkling golden dress and expensive-looking heals. "May I introduce my wife, Yana. Dear, this is my second officer, Lieutenant Troy Marshall and my Chief Operations Officer, Lieutenant Callie Vali."

"Charmed." Yana said, offering a polite but subdued smile as she extended her hand to Troy for the formal kiss which was still customary in Imperial High Society.

Troy bent and kissed the hand Lady Petrov. He stood and nodded. "You honor me Lady Petrov."

"Yes." the woman responded with a grin, eying the man with some reserved interest. "I do."

Ivan gave a grin and then stepped onto the transporter pad.

"Well, shall we?"

Callie joined the others on the transporter pad ready to beam down. She just hoped that in her eagerness to join Troy she wouldn’t make a fool of herself in any way. She stood showing no emotion as was expected of an Empire Officer, good job too as her nerves would definitely be showing by now.

The party materialized in a groundside transporter room at Starfleet Headquarters. A Starfleet Captain stepped forward to the foot of the transporter pad. "Greetings Captain Petrov, I am Captain Terrance Marshall." He offered an ungloved right hand as Ivan stepped down.

Ivan stepped down and grabbed the man's hand, knowing him to be related to his second officer.

"Captain. A pleasure to meet you." he said, his white teeth showing.

Terrance turned to Yana with a charming smile. "You must be the Captain's daughter." He knew exactly who he was greeting, but stroking the ego of Imperial Nobility never hurt.

"Oh stop." Yana said, smiling at the compliment. She did look young for age, but she knew flattery when she heard it. Of course, that didn't mean she didn't like it. "How big an occasion is this dinner?"

"Vice Admiral Ross has reserved a private room at Fior d'Italia for lunch Lady Petrov." Terrance offered a hand as Yana stepped down from the transporter pad. "The reservation is for 1300 hours. My Yeoman is prepared to give you a tour of the city while us stuffy military men have our meeting."

"Then I shall see you later." Yana said to her husband before turning to the Yeoman and following them out the door.

Ivan, on the other hand, gave a polite gesture to the other officer and then walked with them toward the nearby wardroom where the were scheduled to meet the Admiral. This man had once been his attache when he was Head of Imperial Starfleet Security, but now he was the one with the high rank and position. How things had changed.

"Admiral, you're looking...old." Ivan said with a smile, approaching the other man amiably.

Ross shook hands with Ivan with a nod and a chuckle. "Well, Admiralty billets tend to age one exponentially, but you already knew that my friend."

"If you think Admiralty is hard, you should try being a slave." Ivan said, thinking on his time under the boot of the Alliance on Rakal V. "Of course you know Lieutenant Troy Marshall, my Chief of Security. And this is Lieutenant Callie Vali, my Chief of Operations."

Ross gave Troy a vigorous hand shake. "Good to see you Troy. I reviewed your test scores from DH school. Very impressive."

Troy smiled. "You exaggerate my accomplishments Sir, but your vote of confidence is appreciated."

Ross finally turned to Callie with a smile. "Lieutenant Vali. I have heard good things about you from your previous CO. Captain Petrov will certainly appreciate a woman with a beauty such as yours that is even surpassed by her technical expertise."

Callie blushed and smiled. “Thank you Sir, you’re very kind. It’s my honour to do my duty for the Empire Sir.”

"Feel free to flirt with my officers later, sir." Petrov said with a grin. "But I believe we have a meeting that requires our attention?"

Ross glanced at Callie and Troy. There was a subtle queue of their body language that indicated something more than two officers who served together. "Perhaps I will refrain from using my charms all together. He gestured at the conference table. "Take a seat and we'll get started." He sat down at the head of the table with Terrance sitting on his right. "Is your ship and crew ready for the mission?"

Ivan moved to a seat close by the Admiral as ordered, straightening his uniform as he sat.

“The ship and crew are perfectly ready to depart and we are still hashing out the finer details of our mission approach.” He said.

Walking over to the conference table Callie took a seat hoping not to embarrass herself, or Petrov at any point. Most of all she was looking forward to the extra time this was giving her with Troy.

Troy was the last to take his seat. He extracted a PADD from his pocket and set it before him with his summary report on ship's readiness.

Ross turned to Troy and Callie. "Do you both verify the Captain's claim that the ship and crew are mission ready?"

Troy nodded. "All ship's offensive and defensive systems are calibrated for maximum efficiency. We retain a fully stocked magazine of torpedoes and fabrication facilities for ordnance resupply as needed." He deferred to Callie on the general readiness of the ship.

Callie nodded affirmatively as she looked towards Ross. “All ship's personnel are aboard and ready to go Admiral. We’re fully stocked, all ships systems are nominal and we are prepared to do the Empire proud.”

Ivan set his jaw for a moment, a bit annoyed that the Admiral had seen the need to ask his officers to corroborate his story about the readiness of his own ship. He imagined the bias against him went deep in the fleet as he was once disgraced and only returned by a great and unordinary act of bravery. Perhaps the Admiral thought him to be less trustworthy than when he was his boss. He said nothing, however, choosing to let the moment pass.

Ross noted Ivan's expression as he reached out to hit a switch that deactivated the recording of their extraordinarily short meeting. "No need to get out of sorts Ivan. This meeting was simply an excuse to get you down from the ship for a good home cooked luncheon."

He glanced at Troy. "For you as well Troy and I should assume...," he turned to Callie. "you must hold a special place for Troy to be his plus one."

Callie looked towards Troy, then back at Ross. She couldn’t help but blush at being asked outright. “Is it that easy to tell Admiral? We are... getting to know one another better.”

Ivan resisted the urge to roll his eye. He was a prideful man, and everything about this exchange was becoming embarrassing.

"Well," he cut in. "Shall I call the Mrs. back?"

"Quite the contrary." Ross took a moment to send a message to a trusted member of his staff to take a car and pick up his wife and the wife of Captain Marshall. "We should join your wife for her city tour before we do lunch."

TWO HOURS LATER

Terrance opened the door to the restaurant for everyone as the entire entourage entered. He stepped inside and stepped up next to Callie as Troy continued his conversation with his mother.

Callie entered the restaurant, offering Troy a smile as she looked towards him.

Troy gave Callie a brief glance and smile before resuming his conversation with his mother. Terrance sidled up next to Callie. "You have certainly made an impression on my son young lady. Quite the positive one too."

Callie smiled warmly. “He’s made quite the impression on me too Sir. He’s a very special man.”

Ross glanced at Ivan as they handed their overcoats to the coat check attendant. "How do you feel Ivan? None of the sir crap either. You used to always call me William when I was your adjutant."

“I feel like a man cut off at the knees, to be honest.” Ivan said, holding Yana’s hand in his. “But at least I’m standing upright and on the deck of my own Starship again. It’s a great improvement and a fantastic opportunity to take back our Empire from the front lines.”

The group traveled to the table which had been designated for them and sat themselves down accordingly. Yana reached for the water that was already there for her and sipped it, eyeing Lieutenant Marshall and Vali.

“Young love is so sweet.” She said, smiling. “Of course, when I met your Captain, he was a Lieutenant Commander and Chief of Security on the Helsinki. He was on shore leave and attended one of my shows. So strong and handsome.”

She placed a hand on his and squeezed it, looking at him lovingly.

Callie couldn’t help but smile at the show of affection between the Captain and his wife. Her eyes turned towards Troy as she smiled at him too.

Troy glanced at Callie and leaned in to give her a light kiss on the cheek. He gave her an adoring smile as his hand reached under the table to take hers.

Troy’s parents both looked at one another and knew. Troy was looking at Callie the same way Terrance had looked at Elizabeth during their first dinner date nearly three decades ago.

Callie blushed as she held onto Troy’s hand. She hadn’t expected them to be able to show their feelings so freely.

Vice Admiral Ross hosted the luncheon for the next hour and a half. The best Italian food was served to the five Starfleet officers and three wives. Ross ordered one last bottle of champagne and raised his glass in salute. "Ivan, a successful completion of your mission will pave the way for bringing the Alliance to its knees. Success will assure you another posting in the Admiralty once again."

Ivan raised a glass to that. He understood the nature of politics. The Empire needed experienced leaders now more than ever. This time, however, he had his eyes set on the Commander in Chief role. The current one was an empty uniform put there because of connections. He wouldn’t do. “Here here! A toast, to the glory of the Empire and the the ISS Vengeance!”

Callie raised her glass. “To the Empire and the Vengeance!”

"To the Empire and the Vengeance," Troy raised his glass to Ivan in salute.

The Ross couple and Troy’s parents raised their glasses and joined in the toast. Ross nodded after everyone took a drink. "Captain Petrov, I hereby grant liberty for your officers and crew starting at oh six hundred tomorrow morning and lasting until midnight tomorrow night. Enjoy one last hoorah on Terra before going out to tear the hearts from our enemies. Minimal staffing for watches tomorrow."