The Demons of Old Resurface.

Posted on Sun Jul 30th, 2023 @ 12:53pm by Captain Ethan De Havilland

787 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Ethics, Morals & The Prime Directive.
Location: Bridge

Ethan was pacing the Bridge looking at the various stations operated, it was one thing to sit in the chair and observe but to walk around the huge room that was the bridge with nearly 30 people in the room was enlightening. He came to a stop at the holographic table at the front of the room where a viewscreen would normally be, the local area with the Dreadnought poised in the middle was displayed on it. Moving from that to the next station he took a report from an Ensign and resume his venture watching the well-trained and skilled crew worked.

"Captain, I'm picking up another starship on sensors, federation signature." The officer manning operations called out.

"Can you identify?" Ethan asked turning to address who spoke to him.

"Transponder indicates, U.S.S. Dundrum Bay, Steamrunner class ...They are hailing."

Ethan was not told there were other Federation starships in the area, nor that any might be joining him. "On screen." Turning to face the front of the room the holographic table turned off and instead engaged the holographic communications screen that would act as a traditional viewscreen.

"This is Captain Finn of the U.S.S. Dundrum Bay." At first things seemed peaceful, but Ethan knew that was about to change with his reply.

"Captain De Havilland, U.S.S. Dreadnought." Instantly, Ethan saw the stoic face of Finn change.

Finn had been the 2nd Officer of the Cardiff prior to it's destruction, when the command of the ship fell to Ethan, it was Finn that stepped up to be Ethan's Executive Officer. During the Court Marshall Finn was critical of Ethan's actions and orders blaming him for the loss of the ship and the lives on board. After Ethan was acquitted Finn didn't take the news well and till now, the two had not seen nor spoken to each other since.

"What brings you out to this region of space?" Finn asked, though the tone clearly hinted at tension and unease.

"Regional security issues in the next sector." Ethan replied, while only partly true he was not going to entertain Finn much beyond that reasoning.

"We have detected very little during our patrols of this sector, even skirting the next revealed nothing of interest." Finn spoke.

Ethan had to consider that given the history between the two he couldn't take him at his word, there was just too much of the past to ignore. Ethan though could tell Finn was displeased to see him, barely tolerating even seeing him on the viewscreen. "Then my mission should be brief and uneventful," Ethan replied.

"One can hope, Finn out." The slight grimace seen just before the link broke spoke to just how restrained Finn was, coupled with the fact that the man was responsible, as he saw it, for the loss of the Cardiff and several of his friends now command a Valkyrie class vessel stung to the core of his very being. It angered him greatly seeing Ethan seemingly rewarded considering Ethan's past.

As Ethan pondered on the recent development regarding Finn, he'd heard rumours but that was all and now many were confirmed. He knew Finn sought command of a larger ship like a Nebula or Galaxy class only to be handed a Steamrunner class. There was little doubt in Ethan's mind that Finn blamed him for that also, a man representing a dark stain on the records of so many but some, but not all.

"They are moving away Captain."

"Very well. Continue on course." Ethan ordered as he rubbed his chin, the demons of old resurfacing once again, only this time in the form of one that pointed every finger Ethan's way.

While the encounter was not as bad as he expected it to be once the two men realized who the other was, it shed light on another issue....proximity. Till now Ethan had not known where Captain Finn had been stationed and that proximity could cause friction in an already tense situation, especially with a missing ship already in play. "Track the Dundrum Bay for as long as you can." He told the duty operations officer, while he doubted anything would happen it was known that emotions coupled with revenge made people do different things from the expected.

Going to his chair he tapped on the console on the armrest and called up the duty list of the Dundrum Bay. It didn't make for a thrilling read, transport missions, convoy escort, relief efforts, VIP transport but mostly sector patrols. For all intent and purpose as he saw it, a perfect breeding ground for emotional turmoil and now he'd just given Finn the match to spark it off with his presence.

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