'Preparing for the Meeting'

by Lt. Cara Hatcher

Chief Tactical Officer, USS-Grail

Cara woke up to the somewhat cheerful voice of the computer.

[The time is 830 hours]

"Alright, thank you computer", she yawned as she let herself slide off her bunk. Her right foot touched the ground, catching the light weight of her body, and she pushed herself up. Stretching, she noticed the itching sensation in her eyes coming from last night's emotions. But this was a brand new day, right ? she thought. Time to move on to something else. Work was calling.

She shook her head and what was left of her sleepiness. She had kept a whole hour for her Martial Arts training. She quickly put on a white, flowing Japanese kimono and started stretching her muscles, something she always made a point to do before exercising.

Cara had a specific training routine for each day of the week. She had prepared such a training program to assure a rotation in the practice of every style she knew. Today was the day for Klingon martial art. She inwardly didn't feel like 'brutalizing' this morning though, so exceptionally she decided she would rather go on with a calmer Terran style of Karate.

It had very efficient fighting techniques, but it also looked a bit like a dance. She felt she needed its sensuality.

Cara warmed herself up with different kinds of simple kicks and punches, before she started 'dancing' her favorite Kata. It was called 'Crane', and it imitated the gracefulness of the bird sharing the name. Then she went on with a more complicated combination of moves, which had a most releasing effect.

She was sweating intensely. A short trip under the sonic shower made her fresh as new, and perfectly ready for the meeting. Well, after she dressed up that is. When she was done with that rather important detail, she grabbed a PADD and left in a hurry. She wasn't late, it was not even 945 hours yet, but Cara Hatcher was not the kind to 'walk' to a meeting, no matter the time.

***

Cara entered the meeting room and mechanically scanned the environment and its 'inhabitants'. A few officers had already arrived. She nodded to them and sat in the chair she thought was the Chief Tactical Officer's designed seat.

She called to her PADD the available information about the senior staff. Better get to know them better BEFORE she talked to them for the first time; that was a strategy Cara had often used over the past years.

A few minutes later, a tall figure appeared on the doorstep. Lt. Logan Castle, according to the picture and bio she had in front of her eyes. He was the security chief, and it showed in his manners. The man plopped into the chair to her right, and immediately concentrated his attentions and energies on the woman to HIS right. Eve Mallory, Cara noted. Castle was clearly flirting, and she hoped he was not trying to be subtle because if it was so, he was failing miserably. In fact, the rest of the officers were staring at the two, listening to their conversation, or so it seemed to Cara. She smiled to Mallory, amused.

Then, unexpectedly, Castle turned to her. She was a bit startled, but her calm quickly came back. Without any introduction he started speaking.

"Maybe we could work out together. You know, get to know one another. Our departments have to cooperate, right? I'm sorry, Logan Castle. You're Cara Hatcher. I make it my business to know everyone before I get to know them, you know?"

Castle finally stopped to breath.

Cara smiled. So they were two on board to have the same habit. She smiled and wiped away from her PADD the files about him.

"I know who you are, she said. And you're right, we are going to have to work in synch." She remembered the words of the Commander on that particular matter. "As for getting to know me, no doubt this will happen soon enough, don't worry about that." *At work*, she added to herself. And before she had time to say that loud, she noticed his attention switching elsewhere. She shrugged. He was now addressing two male officers sitting in front of him.

"You boys play cards?", Castle broke his growing anxiety. "You know. Poker. BlackJack. Spades. Because I always host a game once a week. Flexible schedule. Whatdyasay?"

And before either Hunt or Parker could respond, Castle opened the offer up to the room. "That goes for anyone. Lt. Brennan. Lt. Donucci. I'll gladly take a woman's money, also. Dr. Vai? "

Quite a show, that Lt. Castle. He'll gladly take a woman's money. Cara Hatcher would gladly take HIS money. That could be fun. Card games reminded her of the Academy.

Eve Mallory tapped him on the shoulder. "Joker's Wild?" She asked. "Because you can count me in!"

"Yeah, Cara added. Count me in too ! When do we start ?"

Hunt stared at Castle for a while, then he turned to Parker who also looked back at him, then turned his head back to look at Castle once more.

"I don't know about Parker, but I would like to participate in your games, but you'd have to bear with the fact that I have probably never ever played a card game before in my life..."

Castle seemed pleased by the popularity of his offer. But he wouldn't have the chance to savor it any longer, for Commander Terrakian walked in, and they all knew the meeting was about to begin...