Kitty sat at her desk going over several reports as her new Intelligence Officer entered her office. Looked at him for a moment sizing up the blond, six foot tall officer with a pleasant smile.
"Welcome to Starbase 901, Lt. Hartford."
"Thank you, Captain," he replied. "I'm glad to be here."
"Good," she replied. "I certainly need another Intelligence Officer around. At the moment, my two other Intel Officers have other pressing issues to deal with and I need someone available to deal with the current situation the station is in. Can you fill the void they have left?"
"I'm always up for a challenge," he replied, with a smile.
She liked him and nodded. "Good. I have a feeling its going to get quite challenging around here, especially with the Mulluran Ambassador here now," she said trying hard to keep the harshness out of her voice. She was still out-of-sorts about Jonas being the Ambassador, but she hid it well. "And I will need someone who can get me information that will keep this Station safe and keep tabs on the Mullurans."
"I believe I can do that, Captain," he replied, pretty sure of himself.
"Good," she replied standing up and going to him, then in a very serious tone, she looked dead straight into his blue eyes. "So, Lieutenant, can I trust you... ?"
The question threw James for a loop as he gazed into her face and searched her mind for some reason why. He sensed her seriousness, but not much else. "Why wouldn't you be able to trust me?" he asked.
She arched her eyebrow as she stepped away. "I know how intel works," she replied. "And I know what some of the recruits are," she said hinting at membership with Section 31. "But I need to know if I have your loyalty. I need to know that this station is safe in your hands as an Intelligence officer. You have a very powerful position and I want to know that you're using it for the right reasons here."
He stoped for a moment as he chose his words carefully. "Of course, you can trust me, Captain. My Loyalty is to Starfleet."
"But what about the Station and the people on it?" she asked.
He was silent for a moment. "I will do my best to protect them."
Finally satisfied, Kitty smiled. "All right, Mr. Hartford, you pass," she smirked. "I expect to see you on Alpha shift starting tomorrow, if you can handle that," she replied with a twinkle in her eyes.
"Absolutely!" he replied.
"Dismissed," she said, as she returned to her seat at her desk, her smile still in place.
She watched as James Hartford left her office. She sensed that he was loyal to his Captain, but she was still concerned. She trusted Katianna Nadira the most of any Intel Officer she had ever met, but they had understood each other almost from the start. James was a new element. Only time would tell if what she sensed from him would turn out to prove true.