Checking In

[RAdm S.Coyote 0]

FTR Command Offices

New Topeka Colony

 

“...wait, what?” Rear Admiral Shauna ‘Wile E.’ Coyote’s expression vacillated between curious and concern at the news her line captain had just given her. “A barrier?”

 

“Aye, Shauna, a gray-black barrier of mist, to be exact. Our communications signal isn’t penetrating, and we're not getting any outgoing signals from the interior.”

 

“Has the USS Washingtons Crossing rendezvoused with you?”

 

“Yep, they’re maintaining a flanking position as we speak. I expect Commander JoNs will contact you momentarily.”

 

Coyote nodded and then asked, “Crash, why aren’t you doing your usual thing and going boldly forward? You know you have the clearance to handle this in whatever way you see fit.”

 

“Well, y’know, I’ve been unfair to you, Admiral Coyote, what with ‘creatively determining’ your orders. So, I’m turning over a new leaf and will be checking in with you at every step.”

 

Admiralty Radar detecting bullsh*t. “And you expect me to believe that, because?”

 

Crash rolled her eyes. “Okay, fine. This misty barrier thing,” she quoted the air with her fingers, the two-way visual feed picking up the gesture, “surrounding an entire sector is a new one to me. I wanted to get your take.”

 

Coyote smirked; that was more like Calestorm. Her friends command style was set to Go Where the Angels Fear to Tread and Damn the Protocol. The quality was both endearing and maddening, why Coyote had wanted her for the FTR program in the first place and also why she wanted to excoriate her at times. But, Crash was no fool; she’d get that second opinion, or a third, or a fourth before making a final decision about certain situations.

 

“What’s Commander Wesley’s opinion?”

 

“The Commander and I are doing that command staff silent glances towards one another thing, and our expressions are pretty much the same: what in the hell is this and we don’t get paid enough.”

 

“Plan B?”

 

“Prepping communications, sciences, and engineering to rig up a series of probes, launch ‘em out into the barrier, relay any telemetry. If we still don’t get any feedback, I take ‘Creek forward and we do recon the old fashioned way. JoNs maintains a picket line outside the mist.”

 

Shauna nodded in confirmation. “It seems that you and your staff have all the bases covered, as usual. Good luck and Godspeed, Captain.”