Part of USS Resolute: Required Compliance and Bravo Fleet: We Are the Borg

2 – Chasing Coincidences

USS Resolute
2401
0 likes 327 views

“Do you ever think we’re going around in circles?” RJ mused, lounging in his command chair and staring out of the front view screen. The Resolute had been on patrol for what seemed like forever, but they hadn’t picked up hide nor hair of these borg signals that had everyone’s knickers in a twist. 

His XO turned his head slightly to look at him. 

“Given the pips on your collar and the fact that you’re an academy graduate, I’m fairly sure that’s a rhetorical question,” Thane replied, without so much as batting an eyelid.

“Yeah, yeah… I’m familiar with how star charts and navigation systems work,” RJ sighed, waving dismissively. He’d been born in space and been piloting one of the families transporters since he was old enough to reach the pedals, so he could read a starchart and set a nav system upside down, back to front, while naked and drunk (the last two he actually had evidence of). “It’s just… boring as fuck.”

Thane just grunted in the back of his throat and went back to the padd he was flicking through reports on. 

RJ watched him for a moment. He still hadn’t worked the guy out. Tall and heavily muscled, he was handsome as hell, with a ‘touch me not’ aura about him RJ had only ever seen on one other person. Another llanarian… Raan Mason, the former CO of the Resolute.  But since Thane and Mason were related somehow, that made sense. Perhaps it was a family thing. 

“Were you in range of the signal on Frontier Day?” he asked in a undertone. It was partly out of curiosity, and partly because he really needed to know. If they came up against the borg again, he needed to be confident that his XO had his back and wouldn’t fold. 

Thane looked up from his padd again. He didn’t speak much, and smiled less. In fact, if he hadn’t seen the guy with his son, and caught him speaking to his wife, RJ would have doubted he actually knew how to do anything other than glower. 

“Yes. My ship was in range.”

O…kay. That meant Thane had gone up against assimilated crew. His gaze was steady, his expression closed but with none of the haunted look RJ saw on others. Then he remembered Thane’s planet had been at war. 

“You’re a veteran, aren’t you? Like Mason?” he asked and Thane shrugged. 

“Yes, and no. Ra—Mason was a lot higher up the food chain than I was,” Thane replied. “I was just a weapons sergeant.”

“You saw action though?” RJ guessed, wondering why he hadn’t seen it before. Thane held himself the same way as Mason did, although was perhaps even more reserved. 

Thane nodded. “I won’t hesitate to do what needs to be done, if that’s what you’re asking.” 

RJ inclined his head. “As long as that includes me. Should the worst happen of course.”

A flicker of a smile crossed Thane’s face. If RJ hadn’t been looking for it, he would have missed it. It was nothing more than a slight crinkling of the skin around Thane’s eyes and a glimmer of movement at the corner of his full lips. 

“Would you like to define ‘the worst’ case scenario?” Thane asked, his deep voice a burr. “Just so I’m clear on the criteria here. Are we talking about assimilation, or just your choice of sleeping partner?”

RJ chuckled, not at all offended. Obviously the ship grapevine was working perfectly. “So you do have a sense of humour. Good to know.”

“Sir,” an ensign called out from the comms console, breaking into their conversation. “You wanted to know if I picked up anything unusual. Well… I think I have something.”

RJ sat up, every trace of the charming joker put aside as he looked at the ensign. “Thank you, Ensign Howell… what do you have?”

The ensign turned in his chair, a frown on his face. He was one of the younger crew, but transferred in after the events of Frontier Day. RJ wondered where he’d been assigned previously, and whether he’d been affected by the signal. It was a constantly recurring thought; who had been affected and how? Could he trust half the crew when in the back of their minds they didn’t trust the other half?

“Well, it’s not much,” the ensign replied. “But there are several reports of ships not making their scheduled stops or not reporting in when they were supposed to.”

“Starfleet ships?” he asked, leaning back and casually crossing his legs, one ankle on the opposite knee. 

Howell shook his head. “No, these are civilian ships and transports.”

RJ inclined his head, his thoughts instantly going to his sister, but she was over the other side of the quadrant, on the Morgana. “Could be nothing more than coincidence.”

“I would say that, but for all the ships, their listed flight paths took them through the same system.”

RJ rubbed his chin. “So two coincidences. Radio silence and the same location.” He tilted his head and looked at Thane. “What do you think, number one?”

“I don’t believe in coincidences.” Thane slid him a glance. “We should check it out. Besides, perhaps it will stop you thinking we’re going in circles.”

 

Comments

  • Ha! What a fabulous interaction between CO and XO. It feels like they are still very much getting to know each other, and that's made all the more fun by the humour and candid nature of both characters. And yes, it is boring to be on patrol. Thankfully, young Ensign Howell is to the rescue with some rather interesting information. As we all know, Starfleet doesn't deal in coincidences, so I look forward to seeing what they uncover.

    October 29, 2023
  • Most Commanding Officers seem to be walking lightly on the topic of Frontier Day, coddling their crew, likely afraid of having to rehash the trauma, but RJ just goes straight for the jugular. A good tact, all things considered. Cuts through the bullshit and establishes whether or not his Executive Officer has got what it takes. It also gives us a hint of RJ's own nerves. He may have wrapped it in an innuendo, but clearly, he's got fears of his own born of the Borg, an understanding that the worst may be yet to come with their greatest enemy. And yes, the back and forth of “I won’t hesitate to do what needs to be done, if that’s what you’re asking” to “As long as that includes me. Should the worst happen of course" absolutely got me to crack a smile. So good!

    October 29, 2023
  • Oh yea Thane is def the right choice to be RJ right hand in this adventure. Someone that could keep him in his spot, something no one really could do. Thought it is fun to see RJ trying to figure out what he was dealing with and manages to get a crack of a smile out of Thane (take a picture or it never happened!). Then the mystery of civilian ships not reporting in after traveling through a certain road. That is a good set up for a story for certain! Looking forward to more <3

    October 29, 2023
  • I enjoyed the interaction between the two, RJ seeming bored at what seems to be chasing shadows. Thane seems to be the serious one of the two while RJ just to figure out the dynamic of the two as they seem to be new to the command team altogether. Now I am wondering if one of those transports is the one that we encountered in your last story. Though I am curious to know of the others as well. I can't wait for more!

    October 30, 2023
  • OKAY! These are addictive, I'm rapidly developing a strong attachment to The Resolute! The dynamic between RJ and Thais is intriguing, and the dialogue is so well-crafted that it brings their characters to life. RJ's casual and somewhat irreverent demeanor contrasts nicely with Thane's stoic and enigmatic nature, making their interactions engaging to read. The conversation about their experiences with the Borg signals and the mention of their connection to Mason adds sooo much depth to the story, leaving ME wanting MORE yet AGAIN!!!

    October 30, 2023
  • You know I have a special love for RJ lol but this interaction with Thane is just great. The two markedly different personalities and the way they approach things is great. I also like how you did a great job showing the difference between RJ the man and RJ the CO when the Ensign called for his attention. It's killer char dev and a great look at these two characters! Love it :)

    October 30, 2023