Pilot Episode, Act II

The scene opens in the captain's ready room, which still looks more room than ready as the camera slowly pans to survey the wreckage. The moving containers that had been neatly stacked around the room are now in disarray.

Sounds of someone muttering in frustration are punctuated with a tossed item passing in front of the lens, and then we see Capt. McCurry, pushing aside one opened container and starting in on another. From the looks of things, she's already rifled through most of them.

At the sound of the door chime, she barks, "Come in!"

Blakeney enters, smiling cheerfully until he takes in the scene. For a fleeting second, we see what might, might be outrage at the rampant disorder, but that quickly dissolves into pure concern.

"Can I... help you with something, Captain?"

McCurry looks over her shoulder at the new arrival, the motion causing her hair to fall over her eyes. She lets out a short growl, and tucks it behind one ear with a perfunctory gesture that suggests she's getting tired of doing it.

She breathes out an audible sigh of frustration as she turns back to the crates, hands on hips as she glowers at the unhelpful crates.

"Oh, it's nothing," she says, a little bit of snap in her voice. She closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, and starts again. "My apologies, Lieutenant. I shouldn't take it out on you," she says, shaking her head. "I'm looking for a souvenir. I decided long ago that when I received another command, it would be the first thing I put in the ready room."

She flashes a brief, almost apologetic smile. "For good luck," she adds, then claps her hands together. "But! I can't find it, and you're undoubtedly here with something more important to tell me, so please. Go ahead."

Blakeney nods and says, "If you'd like some help with the unpacking, sir, I'm a whiz at organization. It's sort of a gift."

He smiles, then continues as instructed. "I'm here to tell you that Admiral Hamilton sent a new text file with detailed instructions regarding the Inphirian diplomatic protocols. I've routed a copy to your station for review."

The comm interrupts him. "Altok Leya to McCurry. Admiral Alvarez is on the comm for you."

Blakeney raises an eyebrow. "Guess it's raining admirals, huh, sir?"

The captain smiles gratefully at Blakeney's initial offer but declines with a wave of her hand. As she moves to take a look at the diplomatic protocols file at her station, the message from Altok Leya sounds.

She purses her lips in thought, and flashes Blakeney a sardonic smile. "And me without an umbrella. Maybe it ran off with my souvenirs."

Drawing and releasing a deep breath, she nods to her visitor. "I'd better take this. I'll contact you if I need anything regarding the protocols file, Lieutenant. Dismissed."

As Blakeney nods his understanding and departs, McCurry raises her voice slightly to say, "McCurry to Altok Leya. Please route the Admiral to the ready room. Thank you."

The camera settles over McCurry's shoulder as she sits at the desk, focusing on the computer screen. The image of Admiral Sonia Alvarez appears. She isn't smiling.

"Hello, Captain McCurry. I just got an earful from Atlas Hamilton. Seems you were 'borderline insubordinate' during your first face-to-face with him on Gaia. Just what the hell were you thinking?"

"I had a feeling that was why you were calling, Admiral."

McCurry sighs. "The answer is that I wasn't thinking clearly, sir. I apologize to you, and I will be apologizing to Admiral Hamilton just as soon as this mission gets underway and I have a moment to do so. "

To her credit, she maintains a calm, contrite expression. It might even be sincere.

Alvarez gives McCurry an appraising look. "That's not bad. Very convincing." She smiles to show that she is (probably) kidding. "Make sure you give Hamilton both barrels of that when you apologize to him."

She leans back in her chair, looking less formal. "How's the ship and crew? I hear you're being sent out earlier than planned."

McCurry chuckles quietly. "I would of course tell you all about both barrels of what I'd like to give instead, Admiral, but I know better than that. You have taught me a thing or two, after all."

She draws a long breath, and responds to the question as she releases it. "The ship is a retrofit, and feels like it's only about 80% complete, but... it's gorgeous. The uncertainty drive alone warms my cold, bitter heart," she says, her smile suggesting that's an old joke between them.

"The crew..."

She trails off, uncertain how to proceed.

Alvarez raises an eyebrow. "The crew...? Don't tell me you're already having personnel issues. Hamilton drove Central Command up a bulkhead with his insistence on handpicking every person on that ship."

"Their personnel files are all excellent. They’re all highly qualified. I have no concerns about their abilities, Admiral."

The wry smile and the way she trails off toward the end practically screams, ‘on the other hand’.

"We’re all adjusting to one another’s style and manner. It will take a little time, and patience. She rubs at one cheek with a tired look and adds, "After my... unfortunate encounter with Admiral Hamilton, I’m afraid I was more on edge than I thought. In my defense, my head engineer did call me a dumbass before she realized who I was. Again... it will take time. And I think we’ve made some progress since then."

The admiral displays slight shock at the revelation of the "dumbass" incident, but visibly makes a decision to ask about that later. Her expression becomes more of personal concern.

"Tabby, it's not like you to ruffle feathers right out of the gate like this. Over the last four years, you've worked harder than anyone I've ever seen to overcome a setback that would have ended the command track for most other people. Now that you've finally gotten that shot at redemption, you seem to be sabotaging it. What's going on?"

McCurry frowns, and opens her mouth clearly intending to protest. Something seems to click in her head, though, and she closes her mouth again before saying anything at all.

Her eyes tighten, and drop away from looking directly at the Admiral on screen as she thinks on the question. After a moment, she slowly raises a hand to cover her mouth. As her hand slowly slides away and falls to rest in her lap, she looks back at the screen.

"I... don't know, Admiral."

That admission escapes her lips as though it had to be drug from the depths of her gut.

"And that bothers me. A lot."

Alvarez looks concerned, but also a little relieved. "Well, at least you're able to admit you don't know. We can work with that."

She leans forward on the screen, her expression kind but intense. "Tabby, this is the first time you've been anywhere near the Tangle since that last mission of your previous command. I think, if you're honest with yourself, you do know why you're acting this way."

The camera lingers a moment on Captain McCurry's face as she reacts to Alvarez's statement, then cuts to a closeup of a computer screen. It displays colorful graphics (meaningless to the viewer) as a pair of hands tap various buttons. The camera pulls back and we see that the hands belong to security officer Zuto Hiromaka.

He looks over his shoulder and says, "I've loaded the Inphirian algorithm, commander. Ready to begin the work to integrate it with our navigational systems."

Hamilton nods, following along diligently on a datapad.

"Thank you, Lieutenant Hironaka. The transcoder's online. Go ahead and engage."

"Yes, sir." Zuto taps a couple of buttons, frowns, and mutters, "Wait a second... Oh, right." He punches more buttons, more decisively.

At a questioning look from Hamilton, he gives an apologetic smile. "It's been a while since I did this level of code work. I'm a little rusty, I guess."

"Rusty won't do when we engage the Vruxil, Lieutenant Hironaka. You came highly recommended. Be sure to stay up on your training, and you'll remain highly recommended."

She's not condemning him, just reminding. But it still comes across as cold.

Zuto's smile vanishes at the rebuke and he looks back to his screen with a serious expression. "Yes, sir."

After a moment or two, he says, "Transcoder engaged. System is beginning to process the algorithm."

He steals a quick glance at Hamilton.

Hamilton nods, apparently unaware that she just kicked a bunny.

"Thank you, Lieutenant Hironaka."

She tends to the progress report on her PADD, and things progress in awkward silence for a few moments. Until Hamilton catches Zuto glancing at her again.

"Do you need something?"

"Sir?" Zuto looks both surprised and slightly guilty.