THE EDGE OF NEVER: USS Phoenix Exec officers summonded

Within the Ready Room of the USS Phoenix, the Vulcan captain was reviewing the latest reports from his department heads when a signal interrupted his progress. As he finished reading the order contained within this new message, Syntron leaned back in his chair for a moment to reflect on its curious contents before he opened a channel to the science department.

"Lieutenant Jonathan Livingstone, we have been summoned to participate in a meeting in the office of Rear Admiral Kotari on the Starbase. How long will you require to be ready for departure?"

The strange musical voice of the avian chief of science answered back with the peculiar rythm of his perfect speech pattern.

"I will be ready when you are, Captain. We have just finished checking the resupply needed for resuming our charting mission of sector 001 of the Azimuth Horizon pocket universe. First level diagnostics of sensors and research equipement has been completed, a fresh complement of probes are currently being brought aboard and Starbase Lotus is finishing updating our computer banks. The department can take care of all the details left. Sir, do you want to walk over there through the umbilical or should we transport over?"

"I will be at the umbilical foyer in seven point five minutes, Lieutenant. It will be a brief distance to traverse to the meeting from there... providing an opportunity in which to fill me in on any other relevant details as we walk. Syntron out."

Livingstone knew that his Vulcan commanding officer was absolutely exact in his estimates. Sven point five minutes would not be seven point five-one... And so, for six minutes, he made sure that the final preps of the Phoenix science department would run smoothly during his absence. This was the Phoenix, the prime science vessel of Lotus Fleet and the largest science vessel in Starfleet, made out of a reconfigured Avenger class heavy cruiser. The science department was understandably the most expansive and state of the art one of the entire ship in terms of resources, materiel and personel, not to mention mission parameters and importance. Although not the exec of the ship, Livingstone was probably the most critical officer of the ship and he took his responsibilites very seriously.

While his chief science officer worked, the Vulcan captain shutdown his terminal and then changed into a fresh uniform. After a simple grooming process was complete, he reached for his Command PADD and tucked it under his arm as he headed out of the room.

Once on the bridge, he swiftly checked the status of the skeleton crew present before heading into the turbolift. The lift hummed steadily downward until the selected deck was reached and the doors parted open with a slight hiss.

The corridor leading to the entrance was vacant as he traveled until he arrived to the juncture which was guarded on two sides by security teams. They stood firmly at attention upon the captain's arrival, which was precisely on time as one would expect from a Vulcan commanding officer. 

The moment he arrived at the hatch leading to the connecting corridor between the ship ansd the station, a swirling of blue and white lights appeared with a soft crystalline humming to coalesce into the feathered form of Jonathan Livingstone. As a X'Ell, the first and only one in Starfleet, in fact outside his very homeworld, he was accustomed to transport from one place to another using the remote controlling connection of his sheereess, brain implants doting his thick feathered crest with little blinking lights that linked his very brainwaves to the circuitry of the ship or any electromagnetic device in proximity. programming the system beforehand with a few thoughts to the time appointed by the captain, the ship's transporter whisked him to their rendez-vous location at exactly seven point five minutes after Syntron's call.

The X'Ell fell in step with his captain as they exited the vessel and went at a perfectly measured pace to their appointement with the flag officer commanding the entire sector.

Upon arriving to the spacious waiting area outside of Kotari's office, the flag officers of the USS Phoenix completed their check-in protocols with the able receptionist manning the desk and were guided into the main office itself.

Apparently they were the first of the summoned officers to arrive and therefore Syntron selected a choice seat around the outstretched table and quietly engaged his PADD. He rationalized that he could continue reviewing those reports until the meeting officially commenced.

Jonathan Livingstone for his part managed to seat himself at the right hand of his captain and used his brain implants to stay in touch with the Phoenix science department in case his advice or authorization would be needed.

It wasn't long before the door opened and the chief engineer of the Lotus entered to join them at the table.