CNS Lt Andromeda Tate

The Captain gave Andrea an order, but it was quite unexpected. Her reflex reaction was wide eyed surprise and stunned silence for a full two seconds. After that, her brain kicked into gear. She stood and moved to a console.

She began saying, “Cindy…”

Her comm badge stopped her as the soft voice of Cindy came from it: =/\= Don’t worry, I’m already on it. Just open the console and log in. Run a standard initialization diagnostic and calibration and I should be there to assist. I’m engaging with my physical variant. If we are risking possible hostile engagement, it is best I’m in a form that is able to function independent of the ships holographics anyway. =/\=

Andrea was hitting commands on the console and it was initializing and running the diagnostic while Cindy was speaking to her. Within seconds the doors to the turbolift opened and the attractive blond figure stepped off in a crisp Starfleet uniform with the rank of Lieutenant on the collar. The very human looking woman looked all business as she strode directly over to Andrea.

Andrea stepped aside and said, “Wow, that was fast.”

Cindy smiled and took over the console as she said, “It is my job to anticipate your needs, is it not? That would include being prepared to react even to this situation. It IS what you programed me for.”

Andrea nodded, “Yes, but I had no idea I did such a good job. Um, you gave yourself the rank of Lieutenant?”

Cindy continued to smile and initiated the passive scans for both short and long range detection as she replied, “Well, technically, I interact with the ship and crew as an extension of your authority. Thus, for all intents and purposes, I can accurately be portrayed to them as having your rank and title in almost any situation, though I only have the true authority that you give to me. I thought the rank quite appropriate and less likely to be questioned, with functionality being the primary goal here.”

Andrea opened her mouth, but said nothing. She was stuck in her own mental battle of the logic she had just been hit with. She then closed her mouth and simple nodded understanding, the logic withstanding her scrutiny.

Cindy then said to her, “Excuse me a moment.”

She then stood and reported to the Bridge, “Sir, both short and long range passive systems are active in all directions. All readings are being recorded and are available to Tactical. I’ve taken the liberty of preparing a couple of stealth probes, should you wish to use them, though I would suspect that a facility this secret is going to already be capable of defeating standard stealth technology and perhaps even most cloaking technologies. I’m also scanning all frequencies for comm and data traffic to try and detect possible active automated defense systems. They typically maintain subspace links to report status to a central control point. We may not be able to take control of them, but even if we’re able to be aware of them, that may assist in understanding our situation. However, IF there is a weakness in their network, I’ll inform you of my ability to…influence it or not.”

Cindy and Andrea stood side by side, looking at the Captain. Cindy, with her short blond hair, looked every bit a confident and stoic member of the crew. Andrea gave a small sigh and with her hint of a grin, gave a shrug and placed her hands on her hips, content with that report.

Andrea did then finally say, as she put an errant strand of hair back in place, “Captain, my assistant, Cindy.”

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OOC: Feel free to drop me any GM input about either sensor data, comm and network traffic or anything that Andrea might pick up as a Betazoid to contribute to the situation. BTW, this is Cindy in her Android chassis, so she is effectively appearing as an android at the moment, though one would not know that unless they closely examined her or scanned her with a tricorder or such.

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XO LtCmdr Samantha Waters
Lone Wolf
lonewolfdagaz@hotmail.com