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Posted on Sun Jan 22nd, 2012 @ 3:35pm by Lieutenant Palabra Suder

Mission: The Invasion of Thane
Location: Suder's Office
Timeline: MD01 - 0940

[ON]

Suder had hit the ground running, informed of the launch and her expected station within hours of arriving aboard, so that when she finally made it to her office it was all she could do not to collapse into her chair. She did do that, in fact, took a deep breath and almost began to smile at the thought of it. She had never been someone who enjoyed being idle and Captain Gunning's idea of an appropriate pace was something that she could both appreciate and get used to. She had no intention, of course, of becoming Gunning's lapdog -- her allegiance would always be to Starfleet Intelligence first -- but she was beginning to suspect that her posting here might not be as...unpleasant as she had expected.

"Long day?"

Suder did her best not to jump, but the throaty chuckle emanating from the screen behind her on her desk informed her just how successful the attempt had been and she frowned, refusing to turn immediately to face the caller.

"How did you break my code this time?" She always knew it was a mistake to ask and that he would never tell her, but it had become a habit. The same way when she managed to break onto his computer, he knew to concede her superior abilities...for the moment at least.

"Not so difficult to sneak up on a Betazoid from several systems away, it seems."

Her frown turned into a smirk, but she still refused to turn. "You fight dirty, Gamron...I should report this, you know."

The chuckle returned. "SI will probably just give me a medal...and have me teaching a course on 'fighting dirty' at the Academy."

She turned then and offered him a mocking sigh. "Until they figure out that it's just your wife taking pity on you...making the codes a bit too easy to improve that staggering ego of yours."

"And then we'll both be bound for New Zealand."

They smirked and spoke together. "If we're that lucky." Their laughter was oddly musical, hers, higher, clearly out of practice and his a deeper more confident drawl. She would never admit it to anyone (except maybe him) that it had been that laugh that had made her fall for him.

"Well, I'll have to make it more difficult next time." She grinned, watching his Bajoran nose twitch at the coming insult. "You finally seem to be learning."

"Yes, my new assistant does have a thing or two to teach me. A great improvement over my last one, let me tell you."

She couldn't help but laugh and it was that fact which had been what had made her marry him. "Well, I did try to teach you, but after you refused to grasp the basics in favour of trying to get me into bed I sort of gave up."

He shook his head and, grudgingly, threw in the towel. "I would love to keep going, Paly, but I do have other things to do. You know, saving the Federation things."

"So they've upgraded your designation from 'guardian of the broom closet' then?" She smiled but nodded. "I know. I've got to go as well."

"Keep in touch, love. Our quarters seem awfully empty without you around to fill them with that human opera of yours." His Bajoran earring caught the light and Palabra blinked.

She kissed her hand and pressed it against the screen in an unusual show of affection...but then he did seem to bring out everything that wasn't usual in her. "Keep in touch." And with a technological wink, he was gone.

[OFF]

Lieutenant Palabra Suder
Chief Intelligence Officer
Starbase 332