Stardate: 60515:1900
Title: Treat Them Mean
Author: Executive Officer Abigail Winters
Time: After "The Calm Before The Storm"
Scene: USS Relentless XO's Office


Abby silently cursed the arrogant, rude lieutenant as she had to practically jog to keep up with him. The path that had led the XO to her current rank and position had been filled with difficult decisions and heartbreaking losses and she got the feeling she was being disrespected. It was with this in mind that Abby stopped moving. McFrey carried on at his break neck pace for several seconds until he noticed he was talking to no-one. He turned around with a puzzled look on his face.

"Commander?" He said it as a question.

"Lieutenant, you can give me a full progress update in my office in fifteen minutes." Abigail stared him down.

"I'm very busy." The arrogance of the man was astounding and Abby could see he was loath to give up the advantage that he had so far been enjoying.

"Maybe I should make it a written report as well then?" He looked like he was about to protest but he realized this wasn't one of his team.

"Yes sir." There was a bitterness in his words but also a small amount of respect that hadn't been there before. McFrey was obviously from the 'treat them mean keep them keen' generation. 

On her way back to her office Abigail couldn't decide whether McFrey was a threat or just a pain in the backside. Either way those whom he commanded were in for a rough time and no doubt he was going to take his bad mood out on them now. 

Abby was not surprised at all when she walked into her office and found Loula lying stretched out on her desk.

"Kitty - is there any room that can keep you in?" The cat seemed to smile as she stretched out further and let out a gentle purr.

"I guess that would be a 'no'." Abby said as she stroked the mischievous cat whilst moving her out of the way onto the sofa.

Using the computer she started to research System 814a when the door chimed and in entered McFrey, Loula taking the opportunity to escape though the open door. Abby could only imagine where she would go next and she just hoped that the feline would stay out of trouble.

"Report, Lieutenant." McFrey exhibited less arrogance than before as he rambled off the latest security detail report, most of which Abby already knew. 

"Well, I am sure you have much to do before the drills start. Thank you, Lieutenant." Abby nodded her head in dismissal and as the Security Officer left the room the XO returned to her research. 

The information on System 814a showed that there were six planets. The only habitable planet in the sector, called Parsus, was orbited by two moons and the surface was hostile - over three quarters of it was hot dry desert with large rocky mountainous terrains. Oases were few and far between.

Abby bought up the history for the planet and for the most part nothing stuck out. During the Dominion War only one campaign had been fought there. Federation Intelligence had received information that enemy weapons were being stockpiled on the planet. The battle, like many at the time, had been bloody and many lives on both sides were lost.

Feeling slightly disappointed that she hadn't found anything that might explain their current situation the XO cross-referenced the planet with other starships to see what, if anything, other people had encountered. The computer found only one reference and it was entered by the USS Rover's Commanding Officer over three years ago. They had been passing through the system when they had been contacted by the Federation and ordered to leave the system by the quickest route. This piqued Abby's interest but as she tried to discover more about it she was blocked. The data and reason for the order had been classified and she didn't have the security clearance required to proceed any further.

Abby made a copy of what she found and left her office to search for the Captain.


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Lt. Commander Abigail Winters
Executive Officer
USS Relentless
NCC-11966
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