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Calloway's Quarters- Hedging Bets

Posted April 24, 2019, 11:46 a.m. by Lieutenant Faye Calloway (Mission Specialist) (Lindsay B)

She measured her breath as it she exhaled, letting it count out beats, slowing her heartrate. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. With a new measure of calm, Faye entered in the request codes on the special frequency assigned to her and waited.

She doubted she’d have to wait long.

Still, Faye paced slightly, trying to move yesterday’s events to the back of her mind, even as she realized she’d have to let them be open and real. If there was anyone who knew her well these days it was Commander Leroy Srickland, aka Blue, her handler. Even when she had tossed S.I’s mistakes back in his face after their debrief on the Atlantis, he had still been on her side as far as he was able. For that she had always been grateful.

That she trusted him wasn’t in question, but it also could go only so far at the moment. Cochrane had been right and she had to tread with exceeding caution. Otherwise… Faye shook her head, flinging that thought from her head.

A series of scaling chirps alerted her to the fact that she was no longer ‘alone’ with her thought. =/\=Mercury?=/\= Leroy called out, concern etched into every syllable. This was outside their standard check-in time and she had used an emergency code, so she understood his concealed panic.

Moving to her desk, she sat down and tried to blank her emotions from her face. Even then, as she looked at him, he’d already know something was not okay before she even spoke. “Thanks for haulin’ ass,” she said sincerely.

=/\=Are you okay? What’s happened?=/\= Faye tried to school her features further and give him the facts about the explosion, but her jaw trembled and she had to suck in a steadying breath. =/\=Faye…=/\= he said tenderly. =/\=Talk to me.=/\=

“Closing her eyes for a brief moment, she inhaled deeply. “There was an accident yesterday, while I was working the install one of the last components in a jefferies tube. I’ve nailed down the issue, I think, and it does appear at least to have been some minor negligence on some ensign’s part, but… the EPS manifold exploded when I switched the power converter.” She stopped and glanced away. He knew what her work amounted to and what that would mean.

Strickland cursed vividly. =/\=Faye! Are you alright?!=/\=

She nodded slowly and looked back at him, willing successfully for her eyes to stop welling with tears. “Thank goodness we have competent doctors here. But, I’m not gonna lie, Blue, it was bad. My whole face, chest, parts of my arm. Second degree burns and I don’t need to tell you what that means for me.”

He exhaled forcibly and looked devastatingly angry. =/\=I hope you’re going to take action.=/\=

Calloway shrugged. “I’ll deal with it, in my way. But I have no reason to believe it wasn’t just a stupid accident. No one here knows exactly what I went through back then. They won’t understand that it felt like being tortured all over again.”

=/\=Faye…=/\= He looked like he wanted to say so much more. =/\=What about your work? Where’s that all stand?=/\=

She grimaced. “I still need to do a proper accounting down there. I’m restricted to light duty and didn’t feel so great when I woke up, so I was giving myself a bit before i go down there. But… Blue, you need to tell them that weird stuff happened. I’m still trying to sort it out, but I can’t guarantee that my work hasn’t been compromised in some ways.”

=/\=How bad do you think it actually is?=/\= He gazed at her with his piercing eyes, his tone holding warning.

She pulled her frustration form earlier and let it settle on her face. The emotions were real, even if she was revising the source. “Bad. File corruption in the data link passages. I can’t guarantee some things remained untouched. Like I said, I’m still sorting through it, but I should hopefully have a full report by tomorrow.”

He nodded. =/\=Okay. I’ll let them know. And see that they give you leeway to sort it out.=/\=

Faye smiled ever so slightly. “Thank, Blue. It’s good to know someone has my back. But…”

=/\=What?=/\=

“My work is now being heavily watched. I’m not going to be able to work solo without suspicion. I need leave to tell them. I can wrangle together the report on A Boord, such as it is, but my earlier objections stand, Blue. This is an increasing mess and if they think they’re going to get something useful out of it, they’re crazier than I am.”

He snorted and gave a half smirk. =/\=I’ll pass along the sentiment. I can’t guarantee anything though.=/\=

“Blue! He suspects… something. Captain Cochrane. He knows my work is classified, but I need him off my back. Before all this is all pointless.”

=/\=Faye,=/\= he said warningly. =/\=I will talk to them. Till you hear back, you have your orders.=/\= Leroy’s tone softened. =/\=Do your best and just try to relax a little. And promise me you’ll take it easy and take care of yourself. A visit to the Counsellor wouldn’t be amiss, either. With everything else, you need to take care of your mind too.=/\=

She grumbled but knew he was right. “Fine, I’ll go see them. But no promises about it being productive.”

He grinned. =/\=When have I ever made assumptions like that with Merc?=/\=

She tossed an unflattering curse at him, making Strickland laugh. Then they simply ended the call. Sitting at her desk, Faye drummed her fingertips on the surface, feeling like she had done her best. But was it enough? They’d find out soon enough. twelve hours. Maybe twenty-four. Then they’d know.

Lt. Faye Calloway, CIO


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