Intelligence Office

[Gideon Jethro Woods]

Jethro had been sitting in his office reviewing reports and making a few of his own, it had been several weeks and all was quiet until Admiral Janeway had called. He had hacked into the com system in Ops several weeks ago and therefor was able to easily eavesdrop on the conversation. After he heard a call for all senior officers to report to a meeting, he decided to skip it as he wasn't much for meetings in the first place, and he already knew what it was going to be about.

He pulled out one of the first PaDD's that had been delivered to him at the station, it was a report on the Rathren from a young Intelligence officer aboard the Orion, he reviewed her case study and recommendations, he figured this way if anyone bothered him for not making the meeting he could prove he had actually been working and doing research for the commander.

He saw nothing in the report that would lead him to believe they were not trustworthy, but still wished he had been able to plant a listening device in the briefing room just to hear who might have doubts about the Rathren's trustworthiness. it was still his official recommendation that they be granted membership into the Federation, assuming they could pass all the red tape the Federation Council liked to dish out, he saw no reason why they would not be able to pass with flying colors and began wondering what it was the council saw in these reports that he did not...

"Looks like they're just being over cautious again is all." he said to his empty office, with no one around to talk to he had taken up talking to himself at times. His full team had finally arrived some time ago but they were all off duty at the moment and he didn't feel a need to interrupt them just yet.


TAG - Anyone who feels like dealing with me

[Lt. Cmdr. Celestia Milos]

"Computer, locate Lieutenant Commander Woods." Celestia somewhat ordered the computer. She was not exactly her happy self. Of course when going after "missing" senior officers one could not afford to be happy and carefree. Besides, this was a serious matter. When a serious matter came about Celestia put all things aside and got down to business. That's just how she is.

"Lieutenant Commander Woods is in the intellegance office." Came the emotionless reply of the computer.

With quick strides Celestia made her way to the office. Before reaching the office she had thought about stopping to 'ring the bell', but decided not to. After all, this was not a social call, and this was also not his quarters. It was a place of work. So, with those things in mind Celestia strode right through the office doors.

"Lieutenant Commander Woods." Celestia said crisply, with a firm serious tone; not to mention a facial expression to match. "A word." The XO stated as she walked right up to the man, with an authoritative posture.

Tag: Mister Woods

[Gideon Jethro Woods]

Jethro looked up as the doors opened and the XO walked in, he had been expecting her or Commander Ashbury just not this soon after the end of the meeting.

"A word."

He gestured to a chair across the desk from himself

"By all means Commander, as many as you'd like."

Hs tone even and without the slightest hint of emotion, he then passed the PaDD he had been reading across his desk in her direction

"I assume you are here because of the meeting I missed, I assure you it was because I was working on the issues that were mentioned."

He gave no sign as to how he had known what was going on in the other rooms, but it was technically his job to know just about everything about everything, at least as far as Starfleet was concerned.

"I understand the Council is having an issue with the Rathren's pending membership. I have been over the files several times as well as the reports from both the Orion's encounter with them and our own, I still see nothing that would warrant their application being denied, unless of course I missed something, which I highly doubt"

He ended with that, allowing her time to review the files he placed in front of her as well as his notes on the subject, and his notes all led to the same conclusions: The Rathren are a peaceful and friendly species that pose no threat to anyone as far as he could see and it also notes that there is a hostile group in the vicinity that might try and cause problems but that the actions of this race should not reflect poorly on the Rathren in any way.


TAG- Lt. Cmdr. Milos

[Lt. Cmdr. Celestia Milos]

"By all means Commander, as many as you'd like."

Is it just me or does that have a double meaning? Celestia shook the thought of it far from her mind. She didn't need anything clouding her mind, least of all right now. Her brown eyes didn't even waver when Woods geared the PADD in her direction. Celestia even waited a minute or so before picking it up.

"I assume you are here because of the meeting I missed, I assure you it was because I was working on the issues that were mentioned."

Celestia arched a brow, keeping an even gaze on Lieutenant Commander woods. "Is that why you neglected to answer Commander Ashbury's voice over the comm?" He sounded a little too sure of himself. Then again he was in intelligence; weren't they suppose to be at least a little cocky and arrogant sounding?

"Working or not, being a senior officer you are required to attend all senior staff briefings." Celestia paused only a microsecond. "In addition to that, when you go against, what kind of example do you think you're setting for the lower ranks?" That was something to think about.

"I understand the Council is having an issue with the Rathren's pending membership. I have been over the files several times as well as the reports from both the Orion's encounter with them and our own, I still see nothing that would warrant their application being denied, unless of course I missed something, which I highly doubt."

If that was suppose to impress Celestia he had failed in doing so. "I don't care how much you know or think you know. You'll report as ordered. Though small an incident, I'm putting it on report." Celestia informed now dropping her gaze to look over the contents of the PADD he had given to her beforehand.

"Keep an eye on this hostile group mentioned." Celestia then looked back up to Woods. "Then see if anyone tampered with the ships systems. Since you highly doubt you missed anything I take it that you must be up to date on the latest happenings on the station."

Tag: Lt. Cmdr. Woods

[Gideon Jethro Woods]

"I don't care how much you know or think you know. You'll report as ordered. Though small an incident, I'm putting it on report."

He leaned back in his chair as she said this, he hadn't been able to get a full read on her just yet and he found it very interesting that she would take such a tone with him. Yes he was a senior officer, but not many commanders wanted to make their staff suffer the presence of an Intel officer at meetings. he was going to have to get used to this, but he'd prefer if the command staff simply got used to him. He liked the second option better as it required less effort on his part.

"Keep an eye on this hostile group mentioned."

He had very much intended to do just that, in fact he had a PaDD with orders on it for Leo, once he got back from his lunch break.

"Then see if anyone tampered with the ships systems. Since you highly doubt you missed anything I take it that you must be up to date on the latest happenings on the station."

"Isn't the alleged tampering of ships systems a job for engineering?" He asked plainly as he typed something into the PaDD he was holding.

"Now I can see having my office look into it if the chief said there had been evidence of tampering, but to launch an official investigation without so much as a clue to go on, now that just seems a bit premature."

He continued typing on his PaDD, his eyes never looking up to meet hers as he spoke. When he did raise his gaze to meet hers, a sly smile spread across his face.

"Don't you agree?"

He finished his typing and set the PaDD down, if she looked at it she would see it was orders for Sam to head to engineering and snoop around without raising any suspicions until enough evidence was gathered to open an active investigation, if she didn't look down and read it, well that was going to be another matter entirely.


TAG: Celestia

[Lt. Cmdr. Celestia Milos]

"Isn't the alleged tampering of ships systems a job for engineering?"

Classic deflection. Celestia thought to herself as she folded her arms across her chest. "It's whose ever job I say it is." was Celestia's firm reply. And for some peculiar reason she felt as though she were starting up a fight with her older brother; which was just flat out weird, in like...bizarro land. Maybe it was the question asked.

"Now I can see having my office look into it if the chief said there had been evidence of tampering, but to launch an official investigation without so much as a clue to go on, now that just seems a bit premature."

"The chief is ill, or did you miss that part in your digging round?" Not that she was in any way implying that it was his job to fill in for the chief. No. That was a simple stalling question. There was a first for everything. First time being a commander, first time ever being an officer on a space station, and first time having to deal with an officer in the Intel department. This assignment had a boat load of 'first time things' for Celestia.

"It's better to be safe than sorry, and from what I'm told things like this don't 'just happen'." Not that I owe you any explaination...

What was with that sly smile? And what was up with all this writing while she was here scolding him? Her temper was rising. Celestia hastily grabbed the PADD. "You were going to send down a spy?! Whose side are you on?! Starfleet officers work together!" Celestia exclaimed as she tossed the PADD back down, on the desk.

"Why didn't you," Celestia pointed a finger at Woods. "just call down asking if they'd like any help? Or conduct your own helpful investigation?" With the next few words Celestia had one hand on her hip, and her pointed finger made repetitious contact to Lieutenant Commander Woods chest.

"You are suppose to spy on threats, potential threats, and gather whatever information will be helpful in battle and things like that! Like the first report for instance." Of course Celestia hadn't meant to actually poke him. She didn't really even know she was doing it.

Tag: Woods

[Gideon Jethro Woods]

"It's whose ever job I say it is."

He could tell he had gotten under her skin with that one, he was starting to enjoy this little squabble...

was Celestia's firm reply. And for some peculiar reason she felt as though she were starting up a fight with her older brother; which was just flat out weird, in like...bizarro land. Maybe it was the question asked.

"The chief is ill, or did you miss that part in your digging round?"

He had not missed it but had assumed that the deputy chief would step up and fill the role in the chief's absence, after all that was standard procedure. He was beginning to realize she had never actually dealt directly with the Intelligence Department before, that gave him a slight advantage over her, as did many things.

"It's better to be safe than sorry, and from what I'm told things like this don't 'just happen'."

Funny, she didn't strike him as the type that would defend her actions by giving an explanation, perhaps he still had more to learn about her after all.

"You were going to send down a spy?! Whose side are you on?! Starfleet officers work together!"

He now knew without a shadow of doubt that she had never worked with an Intel Operative before, he also knew he was going to have to explain a few things to her before she would relax enough to actually let him do his job.

"Why didn't you just call down asking if they'd like any help? Or conduct your own helpful investigation? You are suppose to spy on threats, potential threats, and gather whatever information will be helpful in battle and things like that! Like the first report for instance."

He let out a soft sigh as he leaned forward in his seat.

"Since I now see you have no experience with Intelligence, in any way, I will let you in on one of my methods. First off, anyone or anything interfering with the operations of this station is considered a threat, everyone on board is considered a potential threat and even you and your star fleet officers are not above reproach. As for my sending of spies as you put it, I have no spies, I have operatives who are well trained in undercover assignments, if I need information from engineering, I send an agent in as an engineer, this way if someone is tampering with things my agent will not alert him. This way I remain in control of the situation and outcome the entire time. Same if I need information from Ops, I'll send an agent in as a yeoman or other low ranking officer to do a small task while gathering all the information I need. I suppose it's a good thing you don't have a list of my agents on file anywhere, since they all arrived here using civilian transportation and fake identities. Secondly, my duties involving contact with other species and entities as we encounter them is conducted once we meet them, every ship that docks with this station is scanned thoroughly by security and a copy is sent to me, I know as much about the security of this station as the security officer does, and so far he and I have managed to stay out of each others way."

He stood up, walked to his door and held it open for her.

"Now I do not question your ability to do your job, and I expect that you would not question mine."



TAG: CMDR. Milos

[Lt. Cmdr. Celestia Milos]

No experience with Intelligence was truth. Celestia had never need deal with an agent before; nor interact. Their age difference and time in Starfleet also gave him more experience. They were quite different when it came to their personality file; which no doubt that also meant their thought process would also be quite different. Not above reproach? Celestia mentally rolled her brown eyes.

So even his colleagues were suspects? Great. It was then Celestia wondered when the last time Woods had taken a vacation. He sure sounded like he could use one. "Spies, operatives. Tamato, tomato." Celestia muttered rather casually.

His lecture (which was not appropriate to do to the XO) rather reminded her of the time she had been called to the principals office in high school. He dragged on and on about something while she half listened, and muttered under her breath while looking at her finger nails. Those teen years when her life had no direction at all, until the dare by her late father. Wait. Was he kicking her out?!

"Now I do not question your ability to do your job, and I expect that you would not question mine."

"When exactly did I question your ability?" From where Celestia sat she had done no such thing. All she had done was made a few comments; which she was fully entitled to do. Of course shooting off her mouth without thinking was a pastime. So was throwing the rule book out the window. I wonder if it would tick him off if I didn't leave... That thought was one that could not be helped. But she had no time to play any games; which was such a pity.

Celestia began muttering something in Klingon, then switched to Romulan mid-sentence.

"If you want to run that way fine. I don't approve sneaking Intel officers in among officers that are on your side; it doesn't help the trust factor any. That aside, I expect you to be at all briefings in the future, and to not bug any place unless it seems warranted." Celestia had no clue about the bugs. She just threw that bit in because she could. And right now she did not trust Woods as far as she could throw him.

Tag: Jethro

[Gideon Jethro Woods]

"When exactly did I question your ability?"

"The moment you asked why I didn't do one thing or another as of yet. Which you can see I'm actually about to do."

"If you want to run that way fine. I don't approve sneaking Intel officers in among officers that are on your side; it doesn't help the trust factor any. That aside, I expect you to be at all briefings in the future, and to not bug any place unless it seems warranted."

"I plan to run things my way until I find a better way, so yes. You don't need to approve of it, just accept the fact that until i have the chance to meet and get to know everyone on this station that I trust no one but myself and my team. Your trust factor will regain it's balance once we are all comfortable with each other. It happens all the time when a new officer is assigned to a ship, it's just happening on a larger scale here because everyone is new and lets face it, this isn't the easiest of assignments for most young officers."

He was going to say more but felt he was starting to give her an almost brotherly lecture and decided that it would not be good to continue it at this point.

"I'll do my best to make it to the briefings from now in if that will make you happy, and I never eavesdrop anywhere that it isn't called for."

He wondered how many times she was going to have the computer sweep her quarters for bugs before she trusted it enough to go inside. He wanted to laugh at the mental image of that, but did not because it was wrong. Besides, he would never bug anyone's personal quarters without first informing her and the commander about it. That was just one of his rules, unless they were the suspects, then he'd go over their heads just as easily.


TAG: Celestia

[Lt. Cmdr. Celestia Milos]

Celestia was not liking this one little bit. A childish thought had even crossed her mind; which happened to be: Where is a phaser when you need one?. She didn't need to be told how to do her job or any lectures. But how in the world did he know that she did not trust him?! Young officers. Well, alright, so she was young, likely so even more in his eyes.

After all his file stated he was fifty three. Celestia was simply twenty seven. A few Starfleet officers did have problems taking orders and not lecturing someone they saw as a baby...or too young to be in command.

"This is not an easy assignment for anyone Mister Woods. And you won't do your best to make it to the briefings, you will making to the briefings. Another thing, you will get to know everyone on this station in two weeks time. That is not a request. You will also never lecture me again. Now get back to work." Celestia then exited the office.

The time window she gave him to get to know everyone may not have exactly been ideal, but she wanted him to find a 'better way of running things' faster than molasses moved. Now she had to track down the others. But first Celestia took a deep breath to help calm and relax herself. She didn't want to accidentally snap at an innocent by-standard. But all of this was going to be written up.

Tag: Woods - End Celestia

[Gideon Jethro Woods]

"This is not an easy assignment for anyone Mister Woods. And you won't do your best to make it to the briefings, you will making to the briefings. Another thing, you will get to know everyone on this station in two weeks time. That is not a request. You will also never lecture me again. Now get back to work."

She then left his office, he propped the door open with a small wooden peg, the type that hadn't been used in a very long time, he then sat in his chair and smiled at the door, remembering her last words as she left.

"Now that is the backbone of a commander." He said silently to himself as he re-organized the PaDDs on his desk. He continued to talk to himself quietly for a few minutes...

"She certainly has potential. Our commander Ashbury has potential, but Admiral Janeway is already seeing to it that he lives up to her expectations, guess that leaves me with Lt. Cmdr. firecracker there..."

He was cut short when someone walked into his office.

"Talking to anyone in particular boss?" Leo said as he slid into a seat across the desk from his boss.

"No Leo, just talking to myself out loud again, it happens when you hit a certain age, or so I'm told. What have you got for me?"

"Well boss, I just got the message you sent about engineering and I was running a separate diagnostic from my office..." Leo paused...

"AND." Woods added to help the man along with his thoughts.

"Well, you see, the thing is... If I keep running these from my office eventually they will end up being recorded and someone will know what we're up to. That and if I keep running mine while Engineering is trying to run their own we're going to eventually cause the whole system to either run slowly or crash completely."

"I take it crashing would be a bad thing, right?" He didn't give Leo time to answer. "So stop running them from your office, I already have orders for Sam to go into engineering as one of the crewmen to see what he can learn. Why don't you go find a nice Lieutenants uniform and slip into engineering as well."

Knowing full well that the commander would not approve of one let alone two undercover operatives floating around he did this anyway. If someone was tampering with anything he wanted to know bout it first, he'd inform the Security Chief of his findings and investigations the next time he saw he man, which could be awhile given Magnus's penchant for skirt chasing as of late.

"And one other thing Leo, have Agent Yousif act as back up for you both, I want her in civilian attire the entire time and acting as an old friend of Sam's, think you can manage that?"

"Sure thing boss, going right now." Leo fumbled his way out of the office and Jethro leaned back into his chair again, this time he pressed several buttons on his computer screen and pulled up the entire crew roster for the station along with everyone's service records. If he was going to get to know everyone within two weeks he was going to have to do a lot of reading before he even attempted to meet them in person...




After finishing up his reading project for the day he felt like calling it a day, he had read have the enlisted files and figured that was enough for now. He decided to get a drink and mingle with the crew and inhabitants briefly. Changing into civilian clothes he pulled his door shut behind him and exited the office area...



END Jethro - move to Promenade (will return later)