Its all about Neil

Posted on 04/06/2022 @ 12:00am by Captain Cara Letsul & Lieutenant Kaylee Serra

1,657 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Mini Mission: When The Cat's Away
Location: Cara's Office
Timeline: MD 03 0900

It was the third day since the Herodotus had left on their mission. With the initial meeting with the engineers done, Cara was out moving about in Operations. She cast her gaze towards Aquil, having a contemplative look in her eyes. Her thoughts were interrupted by one of the operations staff bringing her some padds to sign off on the reports of the status of the station.

Her thoughts went towards those that were on their secret mission, wondering how they were doing. She hoped it was going well. Her thoughts were interrupted as she caught the sense of someone's eyes on her. She turned and noticed a security personnel, a blonde woman.. Cara recognized the blonde as Lieutenant Kaylee Serra-Reynolds. She finished signing off on the padds and handed them back to the crew member. She walked over towards Kaylee who seemed to have a lot on her mind.

"Hello Lieutenant, I take it you wished to see me?" Cara greeting her.

Kaylee gave a quick intake of breath then remembered that Cara had betazed in her. She nodded her head vigorously. "Yes, um.. can we go talk in your office?" Kaylee was feeling a bit nervous. The last time she had spoken to Cara was when Kaylee had gone to arrest Hiro. She clasped her hands together to keep herself calm.

Cara led the way into her office standing to one side until Kaylee entered then she closed the door behind the younger woman. She noticed that Kaylee had been slightly nervous out in operations.

"Can I get you some tea? I've got peppermint tea or even ginger tea which may help you calm your nerves." Cara offered.

Kaylee felt more comfortable when the door was closed and she visibly relaxed. "Sorry, I still get nervous being out there but it is getting better."

Cara raised an eyebrow at that statement, then she realized something from the files she had read. "Ah yes, you were having some difficulty with being out on a bridge type setting."

Kaylee nodded, "Yes, it stemmed from, well you already know so I don't need to go into the gory details." she smiled pleasantly and then answered. Peppermint tea please."

Cara retrieved the tea for both herself and Kaylee, then placed the mugs of tea on a small table next to the sofa, then place honey and lemons as well. "Please have a seat, and then let's talk. I can tell that you have a lot on your mind."

Kaylee nodded, "Yes I do, well where shall I begin." while she was figuring out she added some lemon as sell as honey to the tea. After blowing into the mug of tea, the lieutenant took an exploratory sip. It needed to cool down slightly. She placed it back down on the table and then spoke.

"I need you to do something for me, Commander Letsul." Kaylee began, "I am leaving in a matter of days and I have some business that I can't finish up here. It is about Captain Harrington."

Cara's mug paused midway to her lips, as her eyes locked with Kaylee's. "What is this business you have where Captain Harrington is concerned?" Cara's mind flashed back to where Andre at the Admiral on Deck had mentioned, about a blonde security personnel who had been in Neil's office. She wondered if this were the one that had some gossip being floated about.

"Well you see.." Kaylee fidgeted with her fingers trying to find the right words, then she blurted out. "I had met Neil, I mean Captain Harrington on the way here." She paused and fidgeted once more.

Cara placed a hand upon Kaylee's hands to calm her down. "Its okay, just breathe."

Kaylee nodded and took a few deep breaths then she said. "I was on the ship eating with him when Neil, I mean Captain Harrington got news of his father's death. Oh bother, if you don't mind Commander, I'm just going to call him Neil, I consider him like family and now I am going to be leaving him." she sighed, a frown becoming evident. "He doesn't have siblings and we had bonded and.. and..." a tear trickled down her cheek. "I feel like I am abandoning him." she mumbled. Kaylee sniffled slightly trying to get herself composed.

Cara stood up and retrieved an handkerchief for Kaylee and handed it to the young woman. "There there, dry your tears and continue."

Kaylee nodded and did just that, dabbing at her eyes. "Its just that, he found out about his father's death from a message sent by his mother." she looked at the commander who had compassion in her eyes. "He didn't want to read it, but I somehow convinced him to listen to it."

Cara nodded and picked up her own tea and took a sip of it, then motioned for Kaylee to continue.

"To make a long story short, when he got that message from his mother, three days had passed since his father died. Commander, according to that message, his father died after Neil had met with him, three days later. I had asked Neil about his father's health records asked if he had access to them. I couldn't get much out of him. Maybe my bringing this up would cause waves but, I am concerned. All I know is that Neil and his father weren't on the best of terms, if you get my drift. And it seemed that he had been struck hard by the news of his father's death." Kaylee finally paused to take a drink of her cooled down tea.

Cara set her tea down, and steepled her fingers together. "And your concern is?"

Kaylee sighed. "It may be nothing but... I just feel that the cause of death needed to be looked into. His mother was distraught and she had said that it was a heart attack or something. Neil didn't want to discuss it. I just..." she sighed. "I want you to help him get this resolved, if you don't mind. He looked like he had a great deal of pain and regret and... I guess I can't help but be a worry wart about him."

Cara looked at the younger woman, seeing the great compassion in her eyes and in her demeanor. "You must have had a profound affect on him for Captain Harrington to have shared so much with you. And you certainly have a loving spirit about you. You could have been a counselor or even a diplomat."

Kaylee winced at that statement, "Well you see, my mother had hoped that I would be either one of those but, I... it just wasn't me. I wanted to be in security like my dad is. I wanted to get dirty, run around in the mud and be out in the sun instead of being a prim and proper girl. I wanted to climb trees, but I hadn't been allowed to do so.. you see, my mother is the one who ends up being the one who is the head matriarch when grand mother passes away and then I would be taking up the 'crown' Just those traditions just get in the way of life." Kaylee huffed slightly.

Cara couldn't help but laugh, "Oh I do feel for you, I am glad I am not of any of the houses, well not in the running for anything of that nature. Sorry for the laugh." she looked at Kaylee apologetically.

"Well you are lucky." then she brightened up. "And I told Liam that I intend on not going go all traditional, and he said he'd back me up. I just think that at times having to stick with tradition can be rather binding and constrictive." then she went somber. "As for Neil though, I will send you a report as to what he and I discussed. Please, if you are able to move this along, find out something about what happened, it would ease my mind. You are the one that I feel that can pull strings and track this down. I do know about your previous rank and well I can't blame you for your desire for not being an admiral. I do understand the wanting to do something different." Kaylee drank the rest of her tea, in preparation to leave. "Please do what you can."

Cara was touched at the passion Kaylee was displaying in her empathy and concern for Neil. "I will do my utmost to help solve the matter and investigate it. You take care Kaylee, and have a happy life, you are someone who deserves it."

Kaylee on impulse scooted over to where Cara was and gave her a big embrace. "And you take care of yourself as well. I wish we would have had a chance to get to know each other better." Kaylee giving another sigh. "Well, life is just really unpredictable and all you can do is try to stay afloat or even learn to swim with the tide or against it." she released a surprised Cara, and giggled. "Sorry to have caught you by surprise but you seemed to have needed an embrace as well."

Cara just laughed, "Kaylee, you can call me Cara and I will be missing you as well, in such a short time you've just dropped a ray of sunshine right in my lap. You be safe, and don't let anyone diminish that brightness in you."

Kaylee laughed, "I plan on fighting to keep that around as well. And you, Cara keep on fighting the good fight as well." Another heartfelt embrace and then Kaylee left Cara's office, leaving Cara somewhat stunned, there was just something about Kaylee that made the day seem brighter.

Another bemused chuckle and Cara cleared up the mugs. It was time to get back to work.

---

Commander Cara Letsul
Poseidon Operations Commander
Chief Counselor

Lieutnant Kaylee Serra-Reynolds
Security

 

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