Extra Security

Posted on Mon Aug 5th, 2019 @ 4:49pm by Commander Logan Vance & Cadet Senior Grade Kit Kacy

Mission: Down the Rabbit Hole
Location: USS Andromeda - XO's Officer
Timeline: MD 2

-----------------------------
Time: 0945
-----------------------------

The sudden transfer to the Andromeda and the new position was taking some getting used to. Already he was buried in paperwork. A stick of PADDs were on his desk to go through. All the new personnel that were to crew the ship had been sent over for him to review. Even though they were going to be operating short staffed for this first mission, it was still a lot to go through. Every department was asking for anyone and everyone that could be assigned to fill gaps. He doubted there was much he could do about the vacancies before they shipped out but he would do his best.

=^=Commander Vance. Incoming message from Earth for you, Sir=^=

"Thank you, Lieutenant. I'll take it in here," he replied. There was only one person it could be. He'd gotten so caught up in everything, he'd nearly forgotten. The call was immediately transferred. "Cadet Kacy," he smiled. "So it's official now then?"

"Officially stressful," Kit replied around a cheekful of cookie. She sat at her desk with an array of snacks around her, jiggling her leg enough to make her bounce slightly on Logan's end of the screen. She enjoyed eating in general, but stress eating was like her superpower… a very lame, mostly useless superpower. "How do people do this? Do people do this? It doesn't seem like they do or it wouldn't be so hard."

He'd seen the buildup coming for weeks and he'd done he'd best to try and keep her from freaking out. Given the amount of snacks surrounding her, he'd wondered if it had made a difference or if it would have been worse. "Which part? Waiting for your new cruise assignment, graduation, or taking care of a family?" He knew it was all three but he wanted her to say it out loud to help her focus.

She rubbed a hand roughly over her face. "Does it have to be just one?" she questioned before blowing out a huff and putting the second half of the cookie on the desk. "Mostly the last part. Apparently, cadets bringing family aboard their cadet cruise isn't generally something that's done, but I can't leave them, Sir. I promised them." She picked the cookie back up. "I've submitted special requests, plead my case to at least fifteen different people, but just when I think I've worked myself up the food chain and progress is being made, I'm being redirected to another department where I have to do it all over again. They're spinning me in circles and I don't think I'll get permission in time, if I get permission at all."

Logan narrowed his gaze, realizing this was a legitimate concern. While it was certainly a special request and rare to be granted, it shouldn't have been this much of a run around. He was tempted to offer his assistance a few times she spoke about it but Kit had made it clear more than once she didn't want to leverage favors out of their relationship. "You spoke with Admiral Halsey? She's usually pretty understanding of things like this. She should have gotten you squared away."

"I tried. Multiple times." Kit sighed. "Her yeoman keeps saying that the Admiral is 'busy at the present moment'. He said he'd relay the message, but I haven't heard anything back. At this point, I've called her office at least…" She glanced upward as she tried to recall the approximate amount. "Twelve times?" She shook her head and shoved the second half of the cookie into her mouth. "I don't understand why it has to be so difficult."

"It's bureaucracy," Logan sighed. "If it wasn't such a pain in the ass, they wouldn't have any fun." He tapped his fingers on the desk trying to find a way around this that wouldn't make it seem like a handout that she would reject immediately. His eyes rested on the mountain of PADDs and suddenly an idea began to form. "What if there was a way we could help each other out…" he trailed off as the idea still was taking shape.

Kit squinted her eyes mid-chew. "Proceed," she said slowly.

"My situation has changed a bit," he started, He could see Kit's eyebrow raise. "No, no more children I didn't know about. It's still just me and Amanda," he shook his head. "Sudden change in orders, actually. I just got a full promotion to Commander and assigned as the XO of the Andromeda. It's a brand new ship out of dock and we're a little short handed everywhere, including security. I could pull some strings…"

"Okay, slow up." She held up a finger. "Firstly, congratulations. That is frickin' awesome." In Kit's books, if anyone deserved all the good coming to them, it was Logan. "Secondly…" She paused a beat as she actually thought about what he was implying. "My concern with string-pulling is that it usually comes with other strings attached. I don't want to be the reason you're indebted to someone else."

"Thanks," he smiled as her celebration of his promotion. "And you wouldn't be the reason for any favors I call in. As I said, you'd be helping me out just as much. We're shorthanded in every department, especially security. I'm not even sure I have a Chief Medical Officer yet until I'm through all the personnel files. If you were to come aboard you'd help by filling one of the openings. You'd be able to bring Pippa and Flick and even better, you'd have responsibilities most cadets would get near because of the staff shortages. I could probably even get you on a few away teams."

It was an offer almost too good to be true. Kit kept a straight face. She wanted to seem like she was absolutely keeping her cool. Because she was an adult. She was not losing her shit because of excitement, not at all. She licked her lips and took a serious, very adult breath…

"Okay," she managed to get out quite solidly, "that would be…" she blew out the remainder of the breath… and then blurted, "Really freaking awesome." She grinned, but she didn't giggle, because she was still (mostly) on top of her shit.

Logan couldn't help but chuckle. Her excitement was infectious. It was why he always looked forward to their talks. She'd been a shining spotlight of good in an otherwise mostly murky gray that was normal. "All right, then I guess I have a few calls to make. There's one thing. You'll need to pack your gear and be on a transport with Pippa and Flick ASAP. We're due to leave in a week. If you don't get here by then, you might be waiting on the Starbase a while until we're back."

Kit nodded with vigor. "Yes, Sir," she replied readily, "we'll be there."

"See that you are, Cadet," he said with a smile. "I look forward to seeing Pippa and Flick again. And if I'm honest, you'll be helping me out in another way. Amanda could use some friends her age on board. Help her… blend in a bit more."

"Ah, I see the true motive," she said with a smirk. "No worries. I'll be sure to relay the 'be friends or else' message to my siblings when I tell them where we're going."

Logan smiled again, "I'll relay the same to Amanda. I think in a strange way she'd welcome someone to learn from." Of course Amanda might see it as people to manipulate, so he'd have to nip that in the bud. "In the meantime, I'll make sure I have quarters arranged that fit your needs and inform the Captain of your assignment… It'll be good to see you again."

Kit's expression softened and she offered him a genuine smile. "It'll be good to see you, too..." she squinted her eyes again, this time precociously searching, "...Dave?"

"Not Dave," he said with a slight eye roll and shake of his head. "Vance out."

------------------------------

Commander Logan Vance
XO, USS Andromeda

&

Cadet Senior Grade Kit Kacy
Security Officer, USS Andromeda