Muddy Waters

Ensigns at the Institute used to joke that all officers' doors were designed to open fast so that they can catch you unprepared when you ask for permission to enter. Archer's experience in the navy proper also seemed to reinforce the validity of this old joke.

So, Archer stood at the door at attention waiting for the whooshing sound of the door to Lt. Commander Naimes' command room. However, the door slowly creaked open as if it was struggling to run the final leg of a long journey.

The ridiculousness of the whole situation caused archer to pause confused at the door while staring the now withdrawn door. The awkwardness of the silence of the door and Archer's stillness caused Lt. Commander Naimes to look up from her monitor and look at door and Archer with a equally confused look on her before speaking.

"I said enter Lieutenant."

Archer was immediately roused from his shock and turned his attention back to the command room and Lt. Commander Naimes who was sitting inside. The command room of a Scout Class ship was exactly as Archer was taught in the Institute. It came standard with main monitor mounted on a wall and multiple desks with their own sub monitors.

Looking into the LNS Tame's command room, Archer immediately spotted a few differences. For one, the main monitor was cracked and seemed nun-functional which is why Lt. Commander Naimes was currently using one of the smaller monitors.

Additionally, there was a large 3D map on a table placed in the middle of the room.

Based on what archer read up on regarding the 7th Fleet's area of operations around the Aurora System, most of the planets and the astronomical features and details matched, except for a few locations that he was not familiar with.

Archer strode into the room with large strides while speaking with a chuckle:

"Apologies Lt. Commander. It seems there is something wrong with the door, so I was distracted a bit."

Naimes turned her attention back to the monitor as she responded immediately:

"All our main and sub systems are damaged from a recent engagement. We're heading back to Wing Command now to get repairs from the Charger's crew."

Archer was immediately curious by Naimes' words as he continued walking towards her and speaking:

"What kind of engagement, I wasn't aware of any conflicts within the Aurora System."

"You'll get your briefing on that from the Chief of Staff aboard the Charger when you see him so don't worry about that."

There was sense of guardedness in Lt. Commander Naimes's voice as she dismissed Archer's inquiry, but Archer was not going to keep prodding as he went along with it and continued speaking as if he didn't notice:

"Sounds good Ma'am. Anyway, thank you much for the pickup and delivery."

Archer spoke as he stood next to Naimes and peered at her monitor with some curiosity only to see that she was typing up a report of sorts.

"What are you working on?"

Sensing Archer gaze as he peered over her shoulder, Naimes closed out of her report and spoke with her patented monotone voice only with a hint of derision in her tone this time:

"Do you always ask so many questions Lieutenant?"

Archer chuckled as he stopped leaning slightly and responded:

"I really do. It's a bad habit of mine. I think it comes from having 3 older brothers who always seemed to understand each other almost psychically, so i was always trying to understand everything happening around me. Hope you don't mind Lt. Commander."

Naimes was not expecting such an answer, so she was taken back at first before reorienting herself and speaking with a sigh:

"That's good and all but remember make note that not everyone on this Wing, or even the whole fleet, will be as responsive to that. Anyway, I wanted to introduce myself properly. I am Lt. Commander Neela Naimes."

"haha, thank you ma'am. I have been known to annoy folk with my questions. But oddly enough, it never annoys the nice people, just the ones I wouldn't care if they got annoyed or not. I think you're In the first group. I am Archer Chase, but you can call me Arch. Never Archie tho, please. That's what my brothers called me back in the day and I can't stand it."

Once again, Lt. Commander Naimes was once again flabbergasted. She sighed once again and spoke with a weaker voice that before:

"You should also consider cutting back on the brothers talk. I already feel like I know more about you siblings than I need to in a 2-minute interaction."

Lt. Commander sat a chair near the monitor station as she gestured for Archer to also take a seat before speaking:

"Anyway, may I ask a question Lieutenant?"

There was a particular emphasis on the lieutenant as if Naimes was telling Archer that he doesn't have to worry about her calling him Archie because she won't even bother calling him by his last name. Archer naturally ignored that and spoke while sitting down across from her:

"Of course, Ma'am. I believe that every question asked needs a question answered and since I love asking questions, i must love answering them. It's one of my life philosophies. I'll tell you one day when about the day I developed that believe, but please be prepared because it involves my brothers as well."

"Sigh. Anyway, I wanted to ask about what led to your assignment here. Did you hear anything from Admin or the central command about why you were posted here."

Archer who was getting delighted by Lt. Naimes's confusion froze slightly as she asked her question. As he thought, there was something wrong about his assignment. He wiped the smile off his face and spoke seriously for the first time since entering the room as he sensed the seriousness in her tone.

"Nothing. I was just told that I have been assigned as a tactical officer in the 7th Fleet and when I went to the admin office in Faylon to tell them I was a management and logistics focus officer, I was dismissed and told that everything was accurate and to report here."

Lt. Commander Naimes' face immediately fell and she seemed to be thinking deeply about something. Archer picked up on it and a sense of unease crept up within him again as he continued speaking:

"The Commander at the Admin office implied that someone with connections wanted to get out of this specific post and that I was the unlucky pleb that got shafted."

Lt. Commander Naimes looked up from her thoughts before standing up and pacing as she spoke:

"It is as I expected. Something is happening or ….."

She turned to Archer and realized that he was looking at her wide-eyed. She immediately composed herself and spoke:

"Am sorry about that, I have something on my mind."

Archer however was not having this as he seemed on the cusp of unraveling the mystery behind his current predicament. He also stood up and spoke with a commanding voice uncharacteristic of his typical jokey manner of speaking:

"What do you know? Is there a reason why am here? Do you know something?"

Archer asked his questions in a manner of 3 seconds as if he was worried Lt. Commander Naimes will disappear and take the answers with her. Naimes on the other hand was taken aback by Archer's tone before looking at him with pity as she spoke:

"I don't know anything. Only, there has been some weird things happening in the fleet as of late. For example, the officer you're replacing resigned his commission 2 weeks ago for no apparent reason."

"So?"

"So, a Lt. Commander resigning his commission is not that uncommon. But, if you consider the fact that more than 8 different officers throughout the 7th fleet have done so, and the fact that instead of waiting 6 months to reassign their posted to newly promoted Lt. Commanders they are just filling it with anyone. Then, it paints a different picture."

The color immediately drained from Archer's face as he realized the implications of Lt. Commander Naimes's words. Officers resigning commissions, Central Command rushing to fill those posts without regard for propriety or rank and the admin officer's words and mannerism on Faylon. Archer immediately felt his world sink 2 inches and his stomach churn. He spoke in an expectantly shaky voice that didn't seem certain:

"Maybe it's all a coincidence."

"Haha, a coincidence. Maybe. But then why am sent to scout border sector and asteroids fields filled with pirates and misanthropes so far out of our typical routes, why is command encouraging all ships to conduct the yearly ship maintanences 3 months into the year. I am telling you Archer; war is coming, and our 7th fleet seems to be the main characters. hahaaa"

Archer was confused by Naime's tone. She seemed almost happy at the prospect of war which didn't seem to make any sense. He spoke questioningly at the Naimes who was still chuckling which was putting Archer at an edge.

"Why are you so excited then. This is war you're talking about, we could all die, thousands will die"

Naimes spoke in between her chuckles with the excitement palpable.

"Because the navy is a rigid place. No, its more like a pool of still water. War is a stimulus, it gets the stagnant water moving, it muddies the waters, and muddy waters make for great fishing. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for people like me who want more."

Naimes paused for a second as she realized who she was speaking to and the pity returned to her voice as she continued speaking:

"Be careful lieutenant. Things are about to get very dangerous very fast."