Meeting The XO
Posted on Tue Sep 30, 2025 @ 10:51pm by Lieutenant Commander Jason Haines & Commander Cara Letsul
1,780 words; about a 9 minute read
Mission:
Time After Time
Location: DS 5, Command Deck
Timeline: MD 17, 0330
After meeting the Commodore, Jason got on the XO's schedule for later in the day.
While waiting, Jason reviewed personnel files to pick out his team. He was done well before the meeting so he strolled the promenade until it was time.
Approaching the XO's door he rang the chime.
The door opened almost immediately his commbadge signal already upon the registry for a visit. Cara was just lifting a cup of tea to her lips,when he stepped inside.
"Hello Commander, I'm Lieutenant Commander Jason Haines", Jason said. "I wanted to introduce myself."
Taking a sip, Cara lowered the cup, "Care for something to drink during our conversation?" Her dark eyes took in the man before her, a s!ight smile appeared, lifting the corners of her eyes.
"A glass of water would be great", he replied as his eyes darted about the room taking it in. Although he was a decent looking man, she could sense he might not be just human.
Her office could be considered a bit plain, no personal effects, only a plant which came with the office. Cara had yet to put anything inside this office, to make it her own. She brought over the water, handing the glass to the commander.
"Please have a seat." Cara mentioning towards one end of the sofa, taking a seat at the other.
She settled in, taking a sip of her tea, watching, analyzing having a slight smile.
"You have a different feel to you, commander."
"Thank for the water", Jason said. "The one thing the new replicators haven't messed up yet. As to your statement, I suppose every person has a distinct and different feel to them when you first meet them. So what exactly do you define as the different feel?"
"That is very true, but, if I maybe so bold, you seem to have a matching resonance to the planet below. I have been there, and got the sense of it." Cara having a slight smile. " It may sound strange coming from me. If I am recognizing it right, there is an echo. " she paused, then said more quietly, "There is another who has some of the same resonance, that you have."
'Another changeling? Interesting", Jason thought.
"You are pretty close Commander", Jason replied. "You probably got the echo on the planet because it's a multidimensional time nexus."
He didn't want to say the next part, but he was tired of secrets.
"You probably are sensing a resonance as I am part Fae, a changeling in their terms. The Fae are technically in charge of the planet, but the Fae would never want to deal with the minutia that comes with say protecting a multidimensional time nexus. Hence, they got us mere mortals to do it."
"Guardians." Cara giving a solemn nod. "That is something I am familiar with being. Keeping watch over something made by an ancient race, keeping it safe, keeping it-" Cara stopped there, giving Jason a rather piercing gaze. "Keeping it hidden."
"Well, given recent events I am sure there is not a timeline that doesn't know the planet is here", Jason replied with a chuckle. "But, I'll leave that to others. What do you think of the station and planet so far?"
A warm answering smile from Cara, "I do like both, a lot. And so far I haven't gotten the sense of either place telling me to leave. Which is good." Her eyes went a bit more serious.
"I've not put any tethers or anchors yet, no personal items on display, until I feel certain I have been accepted by the energies here."
"Be careful about your acceptance criteria", Jason said with a serious look on his face. "It is easy to get fooled by the planet, the fae, and their dark cousins. This is a world like no other."
"Oh, I most certainly know of this. And I will be careful. There have been different worlds that I have been to, one which had an ancient spirit upon it. The only way that I could get to it was through a gate." Cara let that hover in the air.
"Interesting", Jason said then continued. "We'll have to talk about stuff like this more at a later time. The reason I came besides meeting you is to let you know about the duty I've been handed. In case the Commodore hasn't let you know, I'm the lead of her bodyguard unit."
Cara gave a nod at what he had said. "I think that is a fine idea. In her position, and what happened to the station I feel that is necessary."
A moment pause, then she tilted her head slightly to one side, "I am curious though will you be obvious being her bodyguard? Or will you be subtle?"
"My team and I will be what's necessary as the situation requires", Jason replied. "That said we'll try to stay out of her hair as much as possible and do tasks that makes it seems we are anything but bodyguards."
Cara was once again quite pleased with hearing this. "What of if she is on a date? Will you be around or will that be a time when you are not around?"
When she was an admiral, Cara did have her own bodyguards, which were rather good at their job. Since she didn't bother going on dates after a time, (except for the needed dinners with dignitaries )
Not that she was doubting what Haines was saying, this was for her information gathering as well. Cara wished to know.
"All depends on who she is dating and where she is", Jason replied. "The variables in your hypothetical situation impact every move."
"Good, I like to hear that. Sounds to me, that you will have things well in hand." She sat back in the chair, contemplating on something. "Since you will be on bodyguad detail, do you have questions to ask me?"
"Your history is interesting", Jason said. "How will a former Commodore react if I believe you need protection too?"
"That is something we will be needing to discuss, isn't it?" Cara giving an impish smile. "It is something that I need to think about in truth." Cara standing up from her chair to go look out her window.
"It has been lovely not having a bodyguard keep watch over me, as I do value that small sense of freedom and not being constantly under watch."
"I figure it would only be for special occasions and situations", Jason said. "You may only be a Commander now, but you've had access to high level stuff in the past. So from time to time it may be necessary."
Cara turned around to regard Jason, "All that you are saying is very true. " wryly smiling.
Walking back to the chair and taking a seat once more, crossing her leg.
"Just because I am at a lower rank, and in another place, someone may end up finding out about my history" it was as if Cara was speaking from experience.
"Then said person would feel that it would be an opportunity to find out things or try to find out something, but not being able to do so."
Jason smiled and said, "Nothing is impossible, especially around here. Do you have any known enemies?"
"Well, I do have someone hunting me. He's been after me ever since I left his team, during my early years of StarFleet."
Cara's tone and demeanor seemed to be rather nonchalant about her small piece of revelation. She looked into his eyes, her own having a twinkle in them.
"What's his name?", Jason asked. "When it comes to potential issues I like to be ahead of the game. Sort of like dancing, I'd rather lead than follow."
"Well his name, when I knew him, was Hayden Vasal. He was in Intelligence and I had been assigned to his team. He would be around 65 by now but when you look for him in the records, you'll find out that he's been declared dead." her tone was even and there wasn't any sort of subterfuge.
"Interesting", Jason remarked, scratching his chin. "I've got friends in low places that will be able to help with that."
He chuckled a bit.
"What you're not surprised to find out that I was in Intelligencer?" Cara having a teasing smile.
She drew in a slight breath, and laughter was dancing in her eyes. It seemed that her past was starting to come out in the open. It was a strange feeling to have this happen. Though truth be told, it wasn't something that she was revealing to everyone. Just to those who knew how to be discreet.
"Well, I think there are very few that can get through a career without intel getting a hook into them", Jason said with a slight frown growing over his face.
"My sojourn into Intelligence happened by chance. I ended up helping my brother, who was in Intelligence on a mission and I was quite happy to be helping him. Hence my start in Intelligence." Cara stated.
"I started in intel too and was part of an intel and temporal investigations", Jason replied. "I was stationed here and let's say I got a bit disillusioned by intel."
"What made you disillusioned? Mine, was that i wasn't truly enamored with it. What really got me ticked off was the death of my brother." Cara said quietly.
"Intel has not always had my back during missions and people have gotten badly hurt", Jason replied. "So I always watch my back and sleep with two eyes open when dealing with them."
"Which means you don't sleep at all when dealing with them. Unless you have someone you trust enough to get forty winks." Cara giving a smile. "Other than that, if or when I get a bodyguard, I want to vet them myself if you don't mind. "
"Perhaps two eyes open is an exaggeration", Jason replied with a smile." I do take precautions however. Don't get me wrong, I've, met some good intel officers. It's just the department I question."
Cara nodded gravely at his words. "I do understand that feeling very well." then a smile. "I am glad you came to meet with me. I feel that the Commodore is in good hands, with you being mindful of her safety, and I will include myself as well."
"Thank you Commander", Jason answered. Unless you have any other questions for me, I can let you get on with your day."
"Thank you for coming to see me." Cara responded.
Commander Cara Letsul
XO
DS5
Lcdr. Jason Haines
Commodore's Lead Bodyguard
DS5
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