In about ten minutes, his core Special Operations team were due for their first introductory meeting. Quite an achievement as he went through hundreds of personnel files with the help of Mrs. Jarman, his secretary. A retired Starfleeter who understood to be an excellent organiser and well recommended by Katianna.
What to do about Kat's personal life. She was right, both he and Alicia couldn't help her to overcome her nightmares..but they were good listeners. Lee was a little out of his depth with Kat's experiences about two hundred years!! Lee was discovering rapidly that this century had its challenges and he was realising he was on a learning curve. It was one of the reasons that he felt safer to select an all human team with the exception of Kat. . It was often said by a number of races including Vulcans that humans were emotional, unpredictable and undisciplined...inother words as far as Lee was concerned..very flexible!! He was even offered Klingon combatants but Lee didn't get on with Klingons particularly as they were highly strung warriors who were difficult to get on with and basically 'love to show' off. The same with Andorians.He did wonder about having a exobiologist and psychologist on the team especially any who served as a counselor aboard a starship, What was the name of that mate of Kat's..that shrink whom he and Alicia met the first time in the Medical centre . . ..
He was also concerned about having Alicia on the team. From time to time, he noticed that Alicia was having difficulties coping with living in this new time. She also discovered the holosuite and had spent time in there. Lee loved her too much to interfere in her private world. Whatever program she had on..was helping her in a way.
Right now, she was humming to herself a song as she made up her mind to decorate Lee's office with 'homely' touches. When Lee showed her the office the first time, she said it was too bland and it needed a woman's touch!! You're not on the Eagle now, she said. Lee decided to let hergo ahead with the changes..with the suspected help of Mrs. Jarman. At least, she's not the type whose going to be sitting on your knee every time you want to dictate your thoughts, commented Alicia silently.
Alicia put down a hot cup of tea on Lee's desk, straighten a photograph showing Alicia and Lee, and started massaging Lee's shoulders whilst he peered into his screen.
Alicia kissed the top of his head and had just started to step away.
The door entry sounded and the doors slide bounced open to reveal Katianna She smiled as she saw the couple.
"Picture perfect," she smiled as she looked at them. "Anyway, everyone's here and waiting for you, Commander. When you give the word, Mrs. Jarman will start letting them into the Briefing room.
Together the three walked into the Briefing room and took their places. A couple of minutes later, Mrs. Jarman walked in with her PADD and a plant pot who winked conspiratorially at Alicia as she placed it in the middle of the conference table. One by one, his core team walked into the office and took their places. "Rock and roll," muttered Lee, as he went to take his place. Mrs. Jarman sat next to him ready with her stylus and PADD. Alicia sat on the other side of Lee, whilst Kat sat next to Alicia. The muttering of voices stopped as Lee began.
"My name's Lt. Cmdr. Keung Lee, and I 'm the boss here," Lee said from the head of the conference table. "You all know the mission and I've selected you all for the Special Operations Unit as the core team. Questions?"
That startled them. Lee saw. Good. Some continued to stare at him, except Katianna who winked at him. The rest looked down at their PADDs in front of them.
"Okay, to answer some of the obvious ones, our operational style ought to be a little different from the usual activities you came from. We will establish that in training, which commences tomorrow. We are supposed to be operational right now." Lee warned them. "Except..we are not able to!!. I estimate at least a month before we're truly ready. However the real universe is not as accommodating as we would like it to be. Things that need doing - do them and quickly. I will start running simulations on Monday next in Holosuite 8. I am not a hard man to work with. I've been in the field, and I know what happens out there. I don't expect perfection, but I do expect that we will work towards it. If we mess up a mission, that means that people who deserve to live will not live. That is going to happen. You know it. I know it. But we will avoid mistakes as much as possible, and we will learn the proper lessons from every one we make. The dumb ones are already dead, and the beings out there we have to worry about are those who've learned a lot of lessons. So have we, and we're probably ahead of the game, tactically speaking, but we have to run hard to stay there. We will run hard." Lee stopped and looked around the table. "I would like you to introduce yourselves to each other."
As the men and women around the table introduced themselves, Lee looked at each of them They were all skilled combat veterans and experts in weapons as well as a variety of skills.
Sergeant Thomas Henderson, marine, was the nearest. Short and dark haired. According to his records, good in everything - His file said, a superb marksman with phaser and phaser rifle. He had an easy, relaxed smile with a good deal of confidence behind it. A trained instructor.
Ensign Jimmy O'Riley, an Irishman, blond hair and fair-skinned who had an impressive record as a security officer on a number of ships including the Enterprise G. A trained and experienced space combat veteran who was very good in using bladed weapons as well the ability to handle a sniper's weapon. Excellent knowledge of infiltration techniques
Sergeant Mike Haywood was another one who had sniper skills. A keen mountaineer from Earth. Average in looking. A strong runner. Background another security officer who served with distinction on a number of Starships.. He also had developed an interest in using ballistic weapons as well as a wide range of weapons from other worlds.
Petty Officer Susan Moore was a former colour sergeant in the marines who was born on Earth's outer colonies. A tall brunette whose main specialisms includes martial arts and use of explosives. According to her records, she also flown fighters. Spoke a number of Federation languages.
Ensign Thomas Edwards, a tall ex-basketball player, shuttle pilot. Adapt with phaser weapons and explosive ordinances. He studied Earth's military history as well as mastering the Academy's battle tactics classes.
Ensign Roy Walker served as an Starship engineer who graduated at the top of his engineering class. He was mentioned in despatches when he managed to save his ship from a Borg attack. Have a high proficiency with technology and an affinity with computer engineering. Later transferred to the Marines and was involved in a number of classified missions which even Lee was not privy to.
Then there was Katianna, his Intel Officer and Alicia, Tactical and, still an expert in Communications.
Alicia sat quietly hands folded on the table and waited and made eye contact with each of the members, but said nothing. They looked like a solid group and she turned to Lee and nodded with a smile, She'd heard more about them in detail when he'd been choosing his team. Besides, she was just a member and once again she and Kat would be training up with a new group. Just like in the old days. Alicia looked over at Katianna with a smile. Both women were anxious to get started on the training...Alicia was just happy to have something to do. "Welcome to the Team." There was a dinner social planned for later that evening for getting better acquainted.
As Katianna had gone and introduced herself, many of them had stopped and looked at her. Her name was known on the station, probably mostly through rumors . . . of course, how much was rumor and how much was true was the question. One she wasn't going to get into. But the one thing they all knew. She wasn't someone that was unreliable and her skills were on par with the best. After all, she'd been around long enough.
As the meeting broke up, Katianna excused herself. She went to the gym rather than walk off. Lee and Alicia watched her go. Once in the gym, she had shifted her uniform into black spandex pants and a black sports bra. The auburn hair that had been hanging around her shoulders was now neatly pulled back away from her face in a ponytail. Rather than go to the holosuite, she had decided to use the gym. She took several deep breaths and began several warm up stretches. She then began to move through several martial arts forms. Her mind was concentrating on what she was doing that she didn't feel eyes watching her as she normally would have. She worked her way through up to first level of Midnight Blue Belt of Tang Soo Do the Korean version of Martial Arts on Earth. Midnight Blue was the equivalent of Black Belt in other disciplines.
Lee after chatting to his team, made his excuses and decided to see what Kat was up to. The computer informed him that Kat was in the gym..typical expectance..didn't need the computer for that!
Kat had failed to spot Lee standing in the gym watching her exercise! He was intrigued by her body movements and her skills but was concerned that one day she will overdo herself with her recklessness and impulsiveness. He was suddenly aware that Kat might have read his thoughts
Finally, she drew to a close and went to a replicator, where she got a bottle of cold water. Suddenly she felt the presence and turned around to see Lee.
"Don't worry, Lee," Katianna replied. "I'm fine. I just had to . . . refocus my mind."
"It still seems as if you are working out too much and not eating enough," he replied observing her carefully, noting that she still looked pale and though muscular was very thin.
"How would you know?" she asked with a smirk.
He went to her and gently grabbed her arm. "By looking at you . . . By touching you . . ." he replied. "You may have the muscles, but you are painfully thin, Katianna . . . Sooner or later your body will rebel against you. Your strength will evaporate . . . What will you do then?"
Katianna stared at him for a moment, not saying a word. "That won't happen."
"To me it looks like it will," Lee replied. "Possibly sooner rather than later. You need to stop punishing yourself . . . We talked about this . . ."
"It's easier said than done, Lee . . . You know that . . ." She turned away from him and took a deep breath trying to rid her mind of images that came to her mind unbidden. "And . . . I feel better when I work out . . . more in control . . ."
Gently, he reached around her and turned her around. Then tenderly he placed his hand under her chin and raised it to look into her eyes. "For someone in control, you seem very out of control of yourself in many areas." He caressed her face softly. "I am very concerned about you . . "
She could feel his sincerity and smiled, but there was a sadness in it. "Thanks for caring," she said, as she leaned into him and kissed his cheek. As she pulled away a bit, he kissed her gently. But they both pulled away. Katianna stepped away and looked away still smiling a bit. "If you want, you and Alicia and join me for dinner at my house tomorrow night. Alicia hasn't met the kids yet and I know they'll love to have me home for dinner . . . Would you consider it?"
Lee smiled. "Let me check with Alicia, but my guess is you'll have dinner guests. That way she and I can make sure you eat something too!" He winked at her.
She smiled and shook her head. "You two are going to be my babysitters, is that it?" she asked, some of her negative emotions finally getting pushed to the back of her mind.
"If that's what it takes," he replied with a bright smile.
She laughed. "All right, babysitter, you go talk to Alicia and let me know. I have a few more reports to look over before I head out completely, so I'll be around. And you'll see me tonight at the informal dinner, of course. You can make sure I eat something then."
At that, she laughed as she wiped her face with a towel, finished the water in the bottle and shifted the work-out attire back into her uniform. She put the empty bottle back into the replicator and then winked at Lee. "Guess I'll talk to you later," she replied.
As she disappeared out the door, Lee smiled and tapped his badge. "Lt. Commander Lee to Lt. Devries," he said.
[Devries here] she replied. [What do you need? I'm just down the hall]
"How would you like to have dinner at Katianna's tomorrow night? We've just been invited . . .."