Duty Log | RAdm Brown | "Dawn"

Posted on 241506.01 @ 8:07am by Rear Admiral John Brown
Edited on on 241506.02 @ 2:27am

Mission: Reconciliation & Reconstruction [Fleet Plot]
Location: =/\= Startfleet HQ, San Fransisco, Earth =/\=

A government broken and torn. These were far from simple times. War, savage, greedy and unrelenting had taken its toll on everyone and everything that touched the Alpha Quadrant. Starfleet had recovered masterfully from conflicts in the past. This was far from the first war for the Federation and John himself had been in many conflicts. Years ago he was just a Lieutenant he'd been involved in both the Taurhai Campaign and the Mer'lain Conflict. He'd also been directly involved with Starfleet's first encounter with the Zybor while serving as Executive Officer on Zetari.

While all the conflict he'd seen were major battles with lives lost, outposts lost and more than one lost ship, they all seemed to pale in comparison. Yet this war was an internal one. A war of words, deeds and underhandedness. The trust was lost and one never knew exactly who he could trust anymore. The average Captain didn't have to worry much about their crew. With a few exceptions they were loyal to their Captain and Starfleet. The further you went up the food chain, the more you expected deceit. Staff billets filled with political appointees, favours for favours and sometimes poor choices out of necessity.

Of course John would have liked to assumed he'd won his new billet by being a better officer than others but the bitter truth was ugly. Winning a Medal of Honor in the battle for the Solar System had made him an almost instant celebrity among politicians. He'd spent a lot of time shaking hands, having lunch with uptight senators and attempting to play an archaic game of golf with governors. The truth in the matter was he didn't have anything left to prove to anybody. At that point it only really mattered that his people went on to live full, meaningful lives. His kids were already grown up at the time.

It'd come as a surprise when he learned he was among four on a short list for the Deputy Chief of Starfleet Operations. Dawn was slowly transforming the darkness of the night into shapely shadows. He strode into the waiting area of his new office, briefcase in hand and placed his name plaque on his desk. He looked out the window that faced south. "Its much bigger than any ready room I've ever had before." he said out loud for nothing but the benefit of the walls.

He placed his briefcase carefully on his new desk before finding the couch. He started reading PADD that seemed to contain about a thousand readiness reports. Other than the steady growing of day break, there was no other way to tell the passage of time.

It wasn't long before a rather fresh faced Captain entered the room, nose buried in a PADD. It had failed to register with him when he looked up that a new name plaque now stood at the very front of the desk in front of him.

John cleared his throat. "Captain Kendrick?" he asked.

"Admiral, I was unaware you were starting today," the Captain said a little nervously as he snapped to attention.

As he moved from the couch, John motioned for Kendrick to relax a little. "Its okay Captain. Hell I didn't even hear until 2300 last night. Tell me something Captain. You've been occupying this office for what six weeks? Just since Admiral Kliebrink retired?"

"Yes sir," Kendrick replied, opening his stance a little and folding his hands behind him.

"Let's leave our hats at the door here for a moment," John said taking a seat in one of the leather upholstered chairs in front of the desk. "What do you think about this office." He already knew Captain Kendrick inside and out. He'd read his service record and talked to a few former subordinates as well as a few superiors over the last week, not long after he first found out about being on the short list.

"Well sir, its quite spacious and the fire place is a lovely touch," Captain Roland Kendrick replied, a small smirk forming at the edge of his lips.

Brown actively scowled and stared at Kendrick with a look that could only be construed as disapproving.

"Oh, oh! You meant the staff!" Kendrick chuckled a little.

Brown clearly wasn't amused but was willing to tolerate a little incompetence under the guise of being a misunderstanding.

"They perform very well sir. Petty Officer Jenkins is a very qualified yeoman. Lieutenant R'nar is a very, well how do you say... I guess you might say he's a promising young man."

John nodded thoughtfully and stood. "Very well, you'll be assigned to my staff TAD. Please set up security clearances and offices for this list of people before 0900." He handed a PADD over and watched while Kendrick looked it over

"But sir," Kendrick almost pleaded. "Its already almost 0700. This will take me until nearly 11.."

Brown cut him off before he could finish his sentence. "Fine, if it takes that long. While you're at it fetch me a cup of coffee."

"Sir, I really think Petty Officer Jenkins is perhaps better suited for that task." Kendrick was almost star struck. He'd never really been treated like this before. He'd been a rising star for some time and was certainly unaccustomed to being talked to in this fashion.

Brown opened his arms in a questioning manor. "Is Petty Officer Jenkins even in yet?"

"No sir."

"Are you incapable of making coffee?"

"No sir, I just thought you might wait twenty minutes for him to get in."

Brown turned his back. He was rather enjoying this little power struggle. "Hell, if I wanted to wait twenty minutes for a coffee I'd grind my own beans and find a french press. I want my coffee now and if I don't get it in short order I'm not going to be happy."

"Yes sir, right away, sir." As Kendrick turned to leave, Brown spoke again.

"Have Commander Hanna see me as soon as he reports in." Tired of the game, John waved dismissively without giving the Captain another glance.

=/\= End Log =/\=

Rear Admiral John Brown
Deputy Chief of Starfleet Operations