Assignment of a Lifetime

Posted on Sun 30th Jun, 2019 @ 8:27pm by Lieutenant Commander Dallas Briggs & Commander Jasmine Collins-Keller

1,594 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: A Diplomatic Affair
Location: USS Pegasus: Jericho Quarters
Timeline: About 4 weeks ago

Meghan had on a clingy blue dress and a pair of booties. She'd prepared Elliot's favorite meal and was anxious to talk to him when he got off duty. The news she had was sure to excite him....she hoped.

Setting the table, she decided to light a couple of long tapered candles. She knew he'd be walking through the door any second so she poured his favorite beer into a frosted pilsner glass. After a thought, she poured a small amount of Bolarian Hibiscus wine into the goblet set by her plate. She looked up and smiled when her husband walked in.

"Hey, sweetheart. Did you have a good flight?" She put her arms around his neck and leaned in to kiss him on the lips. In these shoes, she was three inches closer and didn't have to strain to reach his mouth with hers.

Elliot was tired when he came and wanted nothing more than to take a shower and plop on the couch with his wife and cuddle. However, the kiss was just as good and made him feel much better. Once the kiss broke, he couldn’t help but smile. “Oh, you know. It was the usual. I had to rescue a Bolian freighter crew from an ion storm. But it wasn’t too bad. I was only knocked out of my seat by the ion storm a couple of times.” He sniffed the air, “That smells good. How was your day, dear?”

"My day was amazing. But we'll talk about that after dinner. I've made Beef Wellington, salad, and roasted potatoes." She smiled and shrugged. "Well, it's replicated meat. But I put it together myself." She smiled. "Go wash up so we can eat." She kissed him again.

Elliot smiled back after the kiss, “It sounds like a terrific meal. Just give me a second to wash up.” Elliot was famished. He hadn’t eaten all day because of the rescue and he was definitely ready now. He came back in the room, “I’m so hungry, I could eat a horse. But since one isn’t available, I guess regular delicious food will have to do.”

"Lucky for you, I've prepared enough food to satiate your appetite." Meghan laughed as she took her seat at the table. She served her husband and then herself. "The beer's cold and the food's hot. So enjoy." She was successful in hiding her anxiety from her husband. But she was finding it more difficult not to blurt out her secret. Reaching for her wine, she hesitated and then chose her water glass.

Elliot stopped chewing his food when he saw her indecisiveness with the wine and water glasses and swallowed then looked up at her face, “Everything all right with you?” He had never seen her act quite like that and wanted to make sure she was alright.

"I'm fine." She smiled. "I'm just not sure if Hibiscus wine goes well with the Wellington." She wrinkled her nose. "I'll save the wine for dessert. I have chocolate cream pie. That pairs well with any wine." She went back to her meal and disregarded the wine glass even though she truly wanted to taste the sweet liquid. The couple finished dinner and headed to the sofa where they could discuss their day more and Meghan could give Elliot her news.

Elliot was dressed in an old t-shirt that had some collage’s logo on it and a pair of gym shorts and comfy old tennis shoes. He plopped down on the very comfortable, overstuffed sofa that was a dark brown leather. It was a gift from Meghan, she had given him a year ago. It was probably his favorite place to be while in their quarters when he wanted to relax. Elliot opened his arms and waited for to fall into them.

"I am stuffed." Meghan sighed as she fell into his arms and nestled her back up against him. She was trying to get up the nerve to say what she needed to say but she couldn't quite get there. "I wonder what's on the agenda for tomorrow. I go on duty at 0800." She slid her hand into his noting how large they were compared to hers.

“That was a good meal that you prepared. I’m pretty comfortable myself and should sleep really good tonight.” Elliot smelled her hair and took in her smell, he loved it. He loved her touch, her hands were so soft and delicate. “I will be out all day. The Science department talked the Captain into having me fly them to a class three nebula that’s about three hours away from here.”

"That sounds like fun." She laughed a little. "I'm shuttling a group of children around the ship so they can learn about it and how it was built. I think there are some repairs being done to the starboard nacelle so there should be some interesting stuff for the kids to see." Her fingers subconsciously caressed his hands as she spoke. "So I do have a little bit of news about my day today though." She said as she sat up next to him. I wanted to wait until we were both relaxed." She started to speak when the comm went off at the desk.

“I am relaxed so I will let you get that, it’s probably for you anyway..” he smiled and winked at her.

Leaning in to kiss her husband, she got up and moved to the desk. Taking a seat, she opened the viewscreen. The message screen indicated the call was from Starfleet headquarters. Maggie looked at the screen. "Um sweetheart, you should come here and see this. It's from Headquarters."
Across the bottom of the screen, in red letters, flashed TOP SECRET enter security code.

Elliot quickly got up and walked over stand beside his lovely wife and leaned over slightly to see the screen. “Computer voice verification Jericho Beta One Four Nine Seven, verify.”

“Security code and voice verification are verified, the channel is now open.” The computer voice replied.

A man appeared on the console, he was an older looking gentlemen, Human with thick, gray hair and beard. His light blue eyes looked a little tired. He wore a red and black Starfleet uniform with the pips of an Admiral. He managed a smile, “You must be the Jerichos. The reason that I am contacting you and in this manner is that I need your assistance with a highly classified matter.”

Maggie looked up at her husband and nodded before looking back at the screen. "Of course sir. What do you need?" She answered for both of them.

Admiral Thomson frowned, “A very special prototype was stolen near Utopia Planitia Shipyards. A Black site that had developed a tactical runabout based on the Aero wing that’s invisible to sensors. The list of abilities is nearly endless. The Pegasus is the closest ship in the projected path of the prototype with Pilots that I think are capable of piloting this ship.”

“We have done some light covert ops and we do work well together. But how dangerous can this mission be, Admiral?” Elliot asked.

Thompson's gaze moved between each of them before answering. "We've traced the craft to an area known to be protected by the Orion syndicate." he didn't wait for their reaction. "The ship has abilities that haven't yet been approved by the Federation. Needless to say, I can't discuss them in detail but we need that ship back." He looked directly at Elliot. "They've also got the ship's specifications from the site's database. An isolinear chip with the information was smuggled out in the base of a personal holographic emitter. We'll need that recovered as well."

"Sir, we're pilots - not spies." Maggie protested. "I mean this is beginning to sound more like an infiltration job than a quick in and out hijack."

"I'm sorry. But if this ship or its plans get into the wrong hands...Well Starfleet might no longer have the ability to maintain peace in the galaxy..." He looked at Elliot again. "We're talking about technology that can hold up against the Borg if necessary." He wished he could say more. "If you can't get the prototype to the rendezvous, you'll have to destroy it."

“Our sources have told us that the prototype should arrive on the planet Tetrus 4 and there it will switch hands to be taken to the buyer. This is where you snatch the ship and the files. If you fail to retrieve it there, it will become significantly harder, your odds will be slim to none, so it has to be done on Tetrus 4. I’m sending you an encoded file with information on your transportation, contacts and further instructions.” He smiled warmly, “Good luck Jerichos, get it done..”

Before Maggie could voice her concern, the comm beeped again with more instructions. The Jerichos were to leave within the hour on a class II shuttle. They were to speak to no one. Their Captain had already been made aware.

Maggie knew that if she told Elliot what was going on, he would make her stay behind and she wasnt about to let him do this with some stranger. Her secret would have to wait.

"I guess I'll go pack a bag." She was excited, a bit disappointed,
and a little scared.

END:


Lieutenant Elliot Jericho (Dallas)
Chief Flight Control Officer/ Shuttle Pilot
USS Pegasus

Lieutenant Meghan Jericho (Jasmine)
Flight Control Officer/ Shuttle Pilot
USS Pegasus

 

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