JL | VAdm Scholtz-Archer, RAdm Hawk | "Bless The Broken Road"

Posted on 241709.30 @ 7:32pm by Rear Admiral Indi Hawk & Admiral Sabine Scholtz-Archer

Mission: Reconciliation & Reconstruction [Fleet Plot]

The call she'd made to her head of security had been one of rushed tones, a call for her presence, and nothing more. Atarah and Levine had left, but they'd given her a tremendous gift in her wake - one she knew that Hawk would appreciate for what it was worth; hope, clarity, knowledge... All wrapped in a pretty package and left set in the hands of a woman that was both Admiral and mother. A woman that had a coke waiting, cold and over ice, for the other Admiral's arrival. A gesture of what, exactly? Sabine couldn't explain it as anything less than good tidings and a show that everything would be alright. That this meeting was a 'good thing' as opposed to one filled with strife and hardship.

Indi had frowned when she received Sabine's calls. The past few weeks, they'd met at least once a week. Properly scheduled meetings during which they went over day to day business and then some. They'd talked a bit, but she didn't consider them anything more than good colleagues. Sabine seemed to be a decent enough boss though, so it was fine to Indi. This summoning however had sounded different. Worrying it might have something to do with her son, she didn't waste time in making her way over to the Admiral's office. Her Yeoman had obviously been appraised of her upcoming arrival because she was waved right through.

"You wanted to see me?" Indi asked as the doors closed behind her. Noticing the coke sitting at the desk, she recognized its invitation and sat down on the chair nearest to it.

With a quick bob of her head, Sabine sat down with a tall glass of sweet tea, "I did, Admiral," She smiled softly and immediately decided to omit the details surrounding temporal mechanics that had more or less been off loaded into her brain by a combination of knowledge and conversation.. And there was still so very much that she didn't know simply because she was a Security and Tactical officer first and foremost - even if she could hold her own with the sciences. "I have received news about the USS Vindicator and her crew... About where they are and how they are." She began, rerouting to her tea for a quick sip, "And I want to say that it's not going to be simple to get them back, but there may be a way and we're going to do whatever is necessary."

About Michael indeed. As she hadn't picked up the coke yet, she couldn't drop it either. Good. She didn't want to waste perfectly good coke. Instead, she looked at Sabine with slightly open mouth, but recovered quickly. As it was obvious that the other woman was waiting for some kind of acknowledgement that she could go on, she did pick up her coke now. "Please, tell me more," she obliged the silence before taking a sip.

With a nod, the fair haired Admiral acknowledged her colleague, "I need you to keep an open mind, Admiral, I'm well aware that what I'm about to tell you is probably going to sit with you like oil on water," The woman drawled and quickly brought up the information Dani and Andrea had left behind. It displayed across the desk, digitally transcribed and clear as day. "Commodore Andrea Levine came to visit me this morning, brought with her a former crew member of hers... of Commodore Ivanova's. Danielle Atarah." She began, not bothering to look up because she knew there'd be that flash of recognition and a swirl of emotions she simply didn't want to deal with, "I know you're familiar from the reports I've received, but... It would seem that she knows where the Vindicator is because of a device she gifted Commodore Ivanova that acts as an emergency communicator as well as a bit of a homing device." Sabine paused, let it sink in, then began to gloss over as the nebula made itself apparent across the desk, "To save you a science lesson, Ms. Atarah and Commodore Levine have located the Vindicator more or less in the same general location she went missing... Just 15,000 years in the past. The ship has gone through a fracture in subspace and, with some luck, we can get them back... But it'll require playing nice with Atarah." She sighed, sitting back, looking at the holographic image of the the beacon flickering in the void.

"I'm traveling with them to Cold Station Theta as soon as everyone is packed. The USS Endeavour waits for us at Earth Spacedock and she'll make quick work of the trip. As my head of Security, I'm asking that you join us." Now Sabine looked up, searching the other woman's normally stoic face for a hint of a thought.

As Sabine explained things, Indi went from surprised to angry, back to surprised again, and finally just stunned. By the time the Vice Admiral was done talking, she was looking at her with her mouth slightly open, and not much else on her face. "You want me to...?" she started, reconsidered and just drank from her coke. A moment later, she tried again. "Yes, sir. I'll be there. When do we leave?"

"Sometimes, Admiral, we need to do things we don't want to with people we don't necessarily trust." The strawberry one spoke with a certain air of dignity as she worked to ease the obviously troubled thoughts away from the stalwart Hawk, "I trust Commodore Levine and she trusts Atarah. Obviously Ivanova does also or else we wouldn't have this little beacon of hope." She shrugged and lifted her hands to show that she had no other way to explain the offering that had come to pass, "We leave as soon as you're ready. Everyone's packing now and we rendezvous on the Endeavour no later than 1800. I'm sorry that it doesn't give you much time to get your affairs in order, but it's already been a couple weeks and I'm ready to get our people home."

Indi didn't like being talked to like she was a first year Cadet. Then again, Sabine and her didn't know each other too well yet. She wanted to give the woman some more credit though. But her patience was wearing thin. She'd have to remedy them not knowing each other while on the Endeavour. "I don't think you understand the nature of the relationship between Dani and me. I trust her more than you obviously know. If she says she has a shot at getting the Vindicator back to the present, I'd follow her with my eyes closed," she spoke tightly, but with an obvious effort to explain herself.

"Good." Sabine nodded, "because I have no history with her and am essentially having us follow her in blindfolded." The irony wasn't lost on her, not at all and not for a second, but she knew that life was going to become quite interesting over the next few days and weeks. "Well... Blindfolded but with trust instilled in Commodore Levine and Commodore Ivanova's judgment of the woman... And now, of course, yours."

"I may not like her.. career switch, but.." Indi chose to elaborate as she was almost finished with her coke. "She's the best Engineer I've ever met. And I know that she and Ivanova are close. And she truly cares about some of us and our children. If she says she knows how to bring them back, she will," she finished. In an afterthought, one she didn't speak outloud, she added: and it's going to give her even more leverage over me.

"No I can't say that her choice of work gives me the warm and fuzzies, but there are worse out there." The sigh that left Sabine's lips was one stuck in a mixture of agreement with Hawk and exasperation over the entire situation, "Most in her position wouldn't come forward with this kind of information, let alone be lead into the lion's den with evidence that they could potentially be spying on a flag ship." She chuckled, almost nervously, at the implications of such an action, "but I believe it speaks volumes when it comes to Ms. Atarah's credibility and honesty. I'll be more willing to trust her once we have the Vindicator back safe and sound and all souls accounted for... Our sons especially."

Indi climbed to her feet as she set the empty coke glass down. "I have a ready bag in my office. I'll go home to inform my wife of our trip, and guarantee her we'll bring her daughter home. I'll be on the Endeavour in an hour," she spoke as she started to make her way to the door. She wasn't sure how she felt about this entire situation. It would definitely be tough to spend time with Dani and keep clear skies between them. Zett wouldn't be there though, so that would help. "By your leave, Admiral?"

"By all means." Sabine nodded gently, "Oh... Admiral Hawk?" She called before the woman could get too far, "Thank you."

--

Vice Admiral Sabine Scholtz-Archer
Commander
Alpha Quadrant
Starfleet

&

Rear Admiral Indi Hawk
Commander
Alpha Quadrant Security