Red Admiral

Posted on Wed Apr 1st, 2009 @ 10:12pm by Lieutenant JG Lucy Carter & Captain Elsie Halliwell

1,105 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Wolves in Sheep's Clothing
Location: Lane's Ready Room
Timeline: Current

ON:

Admiral Nield believed there was little more enjoyable in life than getting what he wanted. From the time of his birth when he had screamed constantly for his mother's attention, he had not stopped since. True, his methods now mostly contained fewer decibels but appeared to have worked throughout his 45 year career at Starfleet.

Coming a close second to this was the Admiral's love of hot baths. And it was here he was mulling over the events on the Archimedes as he rubbed a small bar of soap over his huge, wallowing body. Water slopped over the edge as he shifted to gain all over access but the steam did little to clear his wheezing throat.

Since the initial contact with Commander Lane about the Trojan Horse issue, he had heard nothing else and this bothered him. He thought he had made it quite clear to Lane that he wanted to be kept in the picture. Or at least, that is what Lane should have realised. Good, god, what was he thinking? This was a potentially serious threat to the Federation and he decided at once to contact Lane.

The enormous corpulent form heaved itself from the milky water, leaving only a few inches at the bottom of the bath. Nield pulled a towel over himself and got into a very large dressing gown. The hot water had increased his blood flow and his whole head resembled a large balloon with great blubbery, purple lips that worked up and down as he thought about his next step.

This was to sit at the desk in his room and access the bridge of the USS Archimedes.

On board the Archimedes, the main viewscreen flared into life and the Ensign on Communications actually stepped backwards as he saw the Admiral's enormous swollen face filling his vision.

"Sir", said the Ensign, startled. "Can I help you?"

Nield took in a great wheezing breath and his lips worked as he did so. "Get me Commander Lane immediately." Apparently, manners were not necessary in cases such as these.

The Ensign touched his communicator and relayed the information: "Commander Lane. Admiral Nield wishes to speak to you, sir."

Lane was, thankfully, sat in his ready room enjoying a cup of Larkin's Harmony brew. The more he drank of it, then more he seemed to enjoy it, and need it. A quick side-thought forced him to note down a meeting with the chief science officer. Should it be this addictive?

The intercom sounded throughout the room, and Lane instinctively looked up into the thin air before him, cocking his head to one side, and listened.

He deeply sighed with despair at the words that fell upon his ears. "Blast," he muttered underneath his breath, sure that the young Ensign, and in fact the entire bridge crew, heard him.

"Uh, put him through to my ready room, Ensign. And thank you."

His personal viewscreen slowly, and smoothly, rolled out from the innards of his desk, and the flashing icon reading Incoming Transmission glared at him ominously. Tapping at his control panel, the screen bleeped as the colossal face slammed across it.

"Admiral Nield, what a pleasure," he lied. "What can I do for you, sir?"

Nield had worked himself up to his first sentence, which he now delivered with some force. "I thought, Lane, I told you to contact me about the Trojan Horse. I have not heard anything from you for over two weeks, man!" His voice rose to a forte "What are you thinking?" As he delivered this last piece of venom, a globule of spittle landed on the viewscreen in front of him, and, as Lane saw it, it gave the appearance of the Admiral having three nostrils.

"I want an update, immediately" The Admiral continued, his face verging on the purple as he noisily sucked in air though his large nose.

"Admiral," Coltan started with, attempting to quash an anger that welled up within his belly," I believe we agreed that I would contact you should there be an update. Fortunately, there is nothing to report, and, consequently, nothing to update you on. In fact, as I have your attention, sir, I was waiting on some form of order from you, of how to proceed with this. That is why I contacted you primarily."

Nield's eyes opened wider as he took this lack of news in. He realised he had made a mistake and that Lane had only going to be reporting when there was something there to report. However, as the only emotion with which he felt comfortable was anger, he decided to cover up his embarrassment by blasting Lane. Luckily for him, his face could not go any redder. "THERE IS NO ORDER from me, Lane" he spluttered, the air getting sucked into his mouth as well as his nose now, between sentences. "I thought I expressly told you to report to me. There has been NO REPORT."

He paused for a moment to wipe a full ball of sweat that was running its way down the side of his head. "Are you deliberately wasting my time, man?"

Calmly, Lane took a breath to quell the fired words that were scratching at his throat to escape. He, himself, reddened in the face, but, new to his commission, thought better of showering the Admiral with expletives. "There has been no report, sir, as there is nothing to report. Carter has performed admirably in her service onboard of the Archimedes. You profess that I waste your time. Sending you reports of nothing, would indeed, be wasting your time. Carter has just returned from the surface of Citadel Prime after an alarming…"

Nield was not listening now as he had reached for a large glass of some sickly looking drink, which, as Lane was replying, he was throwing into his fleshy mouth. His throat expanded alarmingly as the liquid was tipped in. When he had finished, he simply barked "Keep me informed! Nield out." before hitting the console in front of him with rather more force than was necessary. He stood up, wheezing significantly, but pleased at Lane's reaction. He let his dressing gown and towel fall to the floor and walked back over to the bath. He stepped back into the water letting it cover his flabby frame. He closed his eyes and a smile crossed his rubbery face as he realised the connection with the original Archimedes. "Very good, Nield" he said to himself.

:OFF

Joint post by
Commander Coltan Lane

and

Ensign Lucy Carter

 

RSS Feed