[Round 17] Promotions?

[Guest]

((USS Ronin: Captain's Ready Room, an hour prior to the mission briefing. ))

::Looking over the reports in front of him, Ben debated answering the chime for a moment before signalling the person to enter. Looking up he was pleased to see Wilde enter and gestured for him to sit. ::

Wilde: Settling in?

Walker: As well as I could expect I suppose. :: pausing:: I guess this must be hard on you. First Morgan sits in her chair...now me.

Wilde: Not at all, I'm actually thrilled. With Morgan gone, maybe normality will return to this ship of ours. Idril would be so pleased to see you sitting there, and so am I. I have the upmost faith in you, Captain.

Walker: :: Smiling wryly:: Thank you for your support Commander.

Wilde: In all seriousness, this mission we're going on... just how rogue are we going to be to pursue the Achilles?

Walker: Mr. Wilde. We are, as always, going to do things completely by the book. The Admiral would expect nothing less of us.

Wilde: And what does Admiral Anassasi say, officially?

Walker: That she has complete faith that we will find a solution to the problem at hand. Obviously failing to do so would have some...negative. ..connotations. Bringing into question why we are risking the ship and crew.

Wilde: I'm a poker player, Ben. I know what to do when the pot is full, and we're holding squat.

::Of all the people on the ship, Danny was the last he'd expected to bring that up. ::

Walker: The offer still holds. Captain Morgan hasn't left yet. If you have any doubts...

Wilde: I'm here aren't I? I told you - I'm in one hundred percent. I still have a few tricks up my sleeve. I'll get us further into Ithassa off the radar, and maybe with a bit of luck disable this highly advanced runaway Starship, but I don't need to tell you, Ben, that Thetis has enough firepower to rip the Ronin apart like tissue paper if we get on her nerves... We'll need you to get us back home.

:: At that Ben smiled widely.::

Walker: Now D..Danny. You of all people should know better than to bet against me. I've already logged about 10 hours of time on the holodeck simulating combats with the Achilles. We can beat her if it comes to that. Especially knowing some of our...unique methods.

Wilde: There's a reason why it was discontinued by Starfleet Command. If an actually commissioned Starship like Achilles went rogue, it'd be too much of a threat - to the galaxy and to Starfleet...

:: Ben brought up the diagram of the Achilles as he spoke::

Walker: Yeah...she's faster than the Ronin, more mobile, better armored, and has a killer shot that negates a lot of our fighter advantage. But...

Wilde: She has quantum AND micro-torpedoes, not to mention a computer intelligence far in advance of our own...

Walker: :: Rolling his eyes:: Yes...and it has ripped through multiple ships before..and we are out in the middle of enemy territory. But...based on these reports...so is it. We CAN beat it...but the point is...if we do..we've already lost. And that's how we can beat it.

Wilde: How do you propose we do it?

Walker: ::Grinning:: Simple. When we talk to her...we send her the logs.

Wilde: And wave it in her face that we'd win? Suicide. She's got a temper on her...

Walker: :: Winces:: Ah...hadn't thought about that. You think she'd really be upset for us showing her that we could win?

Wilde: Ben, you've met her. So had Idril. So had I, once. How do you think an AI with a spoilt-brat attitude is going to react? We need subtle human intuition to win her over.

Walker: Ok..point. So...that brings up something else then.

Wilde: Which is?

Walker: :: Grinning evilly:: Why Mr. Wilde, I'd have thought you'd guess. Every "Captain" needs a First Officer. And you're it.

::Danny lost his focus on the spinning Achilles holo-image and stared through it at the grinning CO.::

Wilde: Oh no. Oohh noo! You're not serious?

Walker: Actually I'm very serious. But, to be fair, why shouldn't you?

Wilde: I have enough to worry about without the entire ship. I'm hoping to get us out of Thetis' way without her grinding us into space-dust. Plus I can't afford to worry about you, either.

Walker: Well. Obviously we are going to need a new Chief Tactical officer. Perhaps Rogers? But as for the rest...well if I can do it...certainly you can. :: Chuckling::

Wilde: Do you think we could work together? Idril isn't here to take us to a Klingon Bar. We're not exactly the best of friends, work wise.

Walker: That's actually the point. I can't tell you the number of times that Id...Captain Mar and I disagreed. I rather doubt she'd have seen her and I as "the best of friends". But I think we were more than fairly effective.

Wilde: Very well. I accept. Now *that's* suicide... I must be crazy!

Walker: You and me both. :: Chuckling:: But, considering the rest of the crew, it may be appropriate.

Wilde: We'll make it work. We have to. For them, and for Idril. Do you think Thetis will be easy to handle?

Walker: :: Sobering:: I don't know. I know that ship is the key to finding the answer, I mean if we can convince it...our effective range more than doubles. We can afford to go farther, and since she's been in the area, it doesn't look like we're invading. Something that the Ronin can't help but do.

Wilde: It's a fine plan. With our combined know-how and the crews' ingenuity we can slip in unnoticed. I can't help but think that with most of the missions we've been on, something will creep up and spoil it...

Walker: Then we do what we always do. Make it up and pretend that was the plan all along. Oh, this is yours. :: Handing him a PADD::

Wilde: And what's this?

Walker: That would be the "worrying about the ship" reports. Oh, and schedule the holodeck for a daily workout session.

::Danny smirked, flicking through the PADD. At the last comment Danny looked up suddenly, then down at himself.::

Wilde: I'm not that much out of shape am I? I am used to merely lounging at a Tac station, after all...::He smirked::

Walker: No. That's where you and I will talk about what's going on...and for you to hit me when I'm too stubborn to listen. And where I'll gladly return the favor. :: Chuckling:: We may not be a perfect pair...but between us...

Wilde: We may make at least one respectable officer.

Walker: Exactly.

::Standing, Danny placed the PADD under his arm ready to leave.::

Wilde: If we'll be seeing each other everyday, I'll at least book a reasonable hour.

Walker: That would be nice. I'm sure we'll both be short on sleep soon enough anyway.

Wilde: Well I'm off to the tailors. Red collared uniforms won't fit themselves, you know...

:: Ben momentarily considered a final parting comment, but instead let the doors close. They both had a lot to do. ::

JP by

Cmdr Ben Walker

CO

USS Ronin

&

Lt. Cmdr Danny Wilde

FO

USS Ronin