JL Beta Quadrant Commander FAdm Blyx Red & Retired RAdm Sidra MacLaren | "Rear Admiral For Hire"

Posted on 241708.02 @ 4:40am by Rear Admiral Sidra MacLaren & Fleet Admiral Blyx Red

Mission: Non-Plot Log
Location: Scotland, Earth & Cold Station Theta

Sidra had not gotten much sleep, but she easily adapted with copious amounts of caffeine in the form of warm mugs throughout the morning. When she rose again after dawn, Stephen, Will and Buddy were gone. There was a simple but sweet note about getting some air. She showered and got dressed in some jeans and simple white blouse. She knew she’d given him a lot to think about, even with his blessing, it was still something that was flipping their world upside down.

She sat down at her desk in the den and started to read up on the current happenings. Sidra had stayed out of the Civil War that had broken out after Will was born. She could not imagine leaving her baby to take up a command again. And Starfleet had come knocking, she just ignored them and she was lucky that they did not pull her out of the Inactive Reserves. She had heard of many other of her retired peers being pulled back in such a way and some of them were not around anymore to talk about it.

Sidra put out feelers, sending a message to Starfleet Command, just to see what was open. They knew where she belonged, and she knew how desperate they were for anyone with experience, let alone hers. Sidra had commanded a Sovereign class ship, served as Epsilon fleet CO and held a security advisor position in multiple fleets. She was one of the most experienced Security and Command officers that had been produced in recent history, even if she was getting on in age and had been retired for a while. Her confidence in her abilities had not diminished.

The redhead was standing out on her porch when her console inside the den alerted to her a new message. She read it over and smirked. An old friend at Fleet headquarters told her to contact Admiral Blyx Red, she was currently head of Beta Quadrant and holding her throne at a place called Cold Station Theta in the Cheydinhall Sector. Sidra mulled that over for a moment, assuming Fleet Admiral Red had any need for her, that was a hell of a way to jump back into things. It was not a sector Sidra had even been to, her old stomping groups were on the extreme ends Alpha Quadrant from her Days in Epsilon and later in Gamma. Sidra had heard of the woman and had thought her retired as well. She wondered if she was one they yanked away.

Sidra was curious, intrigued even and she headed back into her office to pull up a channel to Fleet Admiral Red. She glanced around her room. They lived in a quaint, old style Scottish stone cottage with harled walls and dark stained wood trim, floors and beams. It only had the two bedrooms, a kitchen, this den and a living room with a fireplace that took up most of the wall. She smirked as she waited patiently for the connection to make the multitude of hops across subspace.

With her new command deck nearly complete, Blyx wouldn't be displaced for too much longer. It meant that her time in that particular office, the one she'd called home for the last several years, was severely limited and numbered. In many ways it was cathartic, plucked yet again from her comfort zone in lieu of a new beginning. Memories of Africa drifted through her head, soft of crane calls, and she knew that she had the authority and the chance to retire now once and for all. But where would that leave Rochelle? Sure, the child was more than capable all on her own. She hadn't needed Blyx when she went through the Academy or soared to stardom as the USS GRIFFIN's XO beneath Commodore Levine. She hadn't needed her when tragedy dictated that she rose to take command of the USS VINDICATOR, either. Maybe it was more to the point that the aging Admiral needed the comfort of her fiery tempered niece after so much had been taken, broken, and slain.

After the Civil War, so much of everything Blyx had called near and dear had been wiped clean off the map. Friends were dead. Family a distant memory aside from her children and the Phoenix. Hark was there, alive and well, but even he had more or less left Starfleet... and now there was Alek. She sighed heavily, shaking her head at the thought, her eyes darting to where she knew the bottle of Scotch Hark had given her was well hidden. Tempted to reach for it, the crow-maned woman was only held back by the obnoxious beep of an incoming communique. No warning. That damned Telerite was going to need to start searching for a new job. Fast.

"Admiral MacLaren," Blyx greeted with no small element of surprise. The redhead on the other side of the screen was yet another obscure relic of the old guard, a name she hadn't heard (nor face seen) in the longest of times, "To what do I owe the pleasure?" She tried not to seem caustic or cold, but the link to Alek was yet another reminder of the decision she'd soon have to make. Sidra, for what it was worth, had married into the Dunross strong hold... More or less. She simply couldn't hold the shortcomings of the past against her, after all Sidra had always been a woman of substance and value with or without the Dunross clan standing behind her.

Sidra smiled back, she glanced over Red and nodded with approval. The Admiral was as elegant as ever, Sidra was relieved to see Blyx looking so well. No matter how crazy things had been in the last few years, apparently Admiral Red had shouldered it all with grace. She knew her reputation of not fluffing people up and dishing out hard, cool reality, Sidra did the same, truthfully saying, "You are looking great Admiral Red. I hope this call is a pleasure."

The red head leaned forward a bit in her rolling desk chair and decided to just say it. "I want back in. I hear you might need some security help in BQ?"

"Flattery will get you everywhere." The raven one chuckled lightly, visibly refreshed by the the breath of fresh air that was Sidra MacLaren. Dunrosses be damned, the woman was the authentic item and as good as they came. That opinion had come hard won, not by simple admonishments and ass kissery. Hers was a list of accolades that read nearly as long as the Five Star's, all of it bountiful and fluffy with tons of top billings sprinkled on top to create a fine layer cake of experience. That said, when the redhead leaned in close to the screen and cut to the chase before Blyx could call for her to shoot, the notoriously savage little Admiral's smile went from cordial to positively Cheshire. "For anyone else but you I may have told them to bend over and prepare to warm my foot," She began with a chuckle, "I'll gladly make an exception to my reclusive nature for you." Of course, she reminded herself, it meant that Stephen MacCafferey would be hot on her heels. How would that taste in Alek's mouth? Bitter, she reckoned, bitter and cruel. It would be an excellent test of his authenticity when it came to his promises and all the lovely words that had followed. That was just an added bonus to the deal. "Should I make it an order? You know we have so few good men and women left... Would be a pity to let you just stay in seclusion down there on Earth. I warn you, Sidra, it's a bit of a hike out this way. They call it the new wild west."

MacLaren smirked, happy to be received, she wasn't sure she'd even have a chance in such a top billing. She had been out of the game for a while and heading out to Cold Station Theta was just like jumping right into an ocean full of sharks with one's limb cut off, just asking to be devoured. She knew she was asking a lot and she hoped this worked, there was only a slight hesitation as she said, "Hold off on that order writing until I give you my terms."

Sidra smirked, knowing was pushing it, "Aye, I come begging for a job and I have terms... I come with Commodore MacCafferey and he needs a job. I don't think he'll like keeping house out in the wild west very well. I think his skills speak for themselves and I'll let you two work that out. But I just want to be assured that we are package deal." Sidra raised a sharp eyebrow, waiting for the Fleet Admiral's reply, ready to take it, wearing her big girl panties.

A black eyebrow went up at the sound of the man's name, almost in challenge to the russet one opposite her. Blyx's gut reaction was to say no, hide behind her silent bravado from moment's before and call it that... But she knew better. It would be a good change of pace, a chance for Alek to figure out his demons and face a greater number of them all at once, and repeatedly. Her slender fingers drummed a quick tune over the top of her desk a short moment before she ultimately nodded, "I don't think it's a secret how I feel about his kin," She began her voice hanging on that last n for a split second longer than perhaps it should have, "He will have to come to me on his own accord, plead his case and pledge his fealty to me, my command and what this command stands for." They were big words, clearly indicative of her carnal knowledge of all things the man, his clan, and his name beyond stood for in the greater aspect of things. She was there, though, strong and steadfast. Though burnt in the past, she stood as a pillar of pride and victory, perhaps even vindication as she'd come out the other end of the gauntlet for the better in many ways. Yes. Commodore Stephen MacCafferey was going to need to recognize the sharpness that came with the blade of trust such a move would force her to lend him. It also came with a warning of would would transpire in the event he ever turned against her or hers. "I don't believe I ask for too much, do you?"

Sidra leaned back, softly rubbing her chin in thought, not surprised, but conflicted. She could bestow the virtues of Stephen until she was blue in the face, but her report of his credibility would be lost on Red. MacLaren respected her position and even understood it, that Dunross tag was a big part of the reason she would not become a MacCafferey herself. She was too proud to fall under the Dunross thumb, and although she didn't really care what he thought, it did give her a little pleasure to know she irritated Alistair.

The junior admiral knew she would ask the same. She'd want to speak to the questionable party herself and Sidra concluded that Blyx, while it put Sidra on pause, it was justified. Sidra smirked, knowing it was better than a scowl, "Well then Admiral, I respect your request and I will make sure Mr MacCafferey is in touch. I'd yank him over here right now, but I seem to have misplaced him this morn."

Blyx nodded, recognizing the place that Sidra now stood. It was the proverbial hot seat where she was stuck between two titans. One way or another, things would work out for the better. Of this the raven maned one was nearly certain as she sat at that desk, "My suggestion? Hop the next transport to Cold Station Theta. He can either sink or learn to swim. The water is quite nice, though, I assure you."

"I respect that suggestion," Sidra chuckled, but shook her head before continuing, "This has to best for us both Admiral, my family needs to be happy in your gold town. I have no doubt I'll be heading there soon, but I'll let MacCafferey speak for himself."

The Shrike smiled, feigning a tip of some imaginary cowboy hat, "In that case, I look forward to hearing from him soon. In the mean time, Admiral Red out."

The communication dropped and Sidra chuckled at the image of the hat tip. She shook her head and closed her terminal, the screen disappearing into the desk. She had no doubt about Stephen and his involvement in the Dunross clan. It was just enough, oh he was definitely a part, but he wasn't the stereotype of that brand. And though it was just a family, a name, it was indeed a brand and they purposely let that brand image perpetrate out to the far reaches. If Stephen had any flaws, it was that, being a part of the brand. Sidra didn't put that on him though, it was a brand he was born into and she couldn't see his loyalty as a fault. She muttered to herself, eager to talk to her mate, "Oh my Knight in shining armor, you must battle the raven Red dragon for us to continue this journey."

Fleet Admiral Blyx O. Red
Commander, Beta Quadrant
Cold Station Theta

&

Rear Admiral Sidra MacLaren
Still Technically Retired