Asking Permission Second
Posted on Sun Mar 15th, 2026 @ 5:05am by Lieutenant Rynna Csira & Captain Elijah Rutherford & Lieutenant Commander Rafael Montoya
1,633 words; about a 8 minute read
Mission:
A Day In The Life
Location: Ready Room
It took a week for Rynna to modify a small drone for the doctor. She was careful to only use what was readily available and wouldn't violate any rules or regulations--especially on a starship. It wasn't completely silent or completely invisible as that would cause a number of problems and likely get her thrown in the brig.
But once the project was finished, she knew she needed permission from the captain before she could actually give it to Raf on the Orcrist. So, she set up an appointment to meet in the captain's ready room when both men would be free and sent Raf a message to meet her in the captain's ready room.
Even though there was nothing wrong with modifying the drone the way she did, she was still nervous as she made her way to the ready room.
Elijah had gotten the word of the Chief of Operations having made an appointment. He was curious as to what she was needing. So he waited until she arrived, the door opening having had it set for her arrival.
"Hi, sir," she said as she walked in. "Doctor Montoya should be joining us shortly. I wanted to talk to you about...something I did." She set a smallish box on the captain's desk. "I made this for Raf, but, since he'll likely use it on the ship, you need to approve it."
He had been curious as to what Ryn would be needing to talk to the Captain and him about. As he rode the lift to the bridge various subject played out in his mind... They were still in launch prep so there was no 'mission' detail that needed to be addressed. There was the stasis pod they had examined. There was the possibility that...nahh nahh. He shook that from his mind. She would have come to him first not just dropped a bomb like that with the Captain...had to be the stasis pod.
Stepping onto the bridge he saw the doors close to the ready room and made his way quickly. The doors opened even as he reached to press the chime. Walking in, "Captain."
Ryn turned and smiled at Raf. "Hi. I'm glad you're here. I finished the drone, but I want to make sure the captain is okay with it and I'd like you to help me explain why we want to have it on the ship."
Raf nodded and took a seat, a bit relieved. "Sounds sensible to me."
Then she opened the box and took out a small replica of the Orcrist and a remote control. "Sir," she said, addressing the captain, "I used existing technology that's readily available to anyone. It does have some stealth features, but they don't violate regulations. Would you like to see a demonstration?"
At the word 'Stealth' being placed in the same sentence of a drone, Elijah raised an eyebrow at that.
"Stealth, you say? I would like a demonstration, and then I would like to know why there is a need for it." Elijah's voice was rather neutral.
That wasn't encouraging, and she felt her nerves attack her stomach again. "Okay." Picking up the control PADD, she turned on the tiny ship. The sound was much like that of a mosquito, but it was loud enough it could be heard by everyone in the ready room, even as it did a lap near the ceiling.
Then she activated the "stealth" mode. There was a visible ripple around the ship as the reflective shielding made the ship seem to disappear. But the ripple remained, shimmering in the light. As she flew the ship slowly around the room, the ripple stayed with the ship, the shimmers trailing off in its wake.
The buzzing of the motor could still be heard, making the ship hard to miss.
"It also has coding to prevent it from going into private areas or spy on people. Everything I used is readily available. This is smaller than most and made to look like the Orcrist."
She paused the ship above the captain's desk so he could see that the ripples glowed a little brighter as it hovered.
The sound of the antigrav in the drone was easy to make out, and he was actually surprised she had been able to miniaturized the cloak. "Captain, I think a little of the back story might help. You see she had originally made a pair of drones for my nephews. When she mentioned that she'd make me one as well I asked if she would be able to add a cloak. I honestly didn't know if it was even possible but as you can see she succeeded. Quite the tinker isn't she?"
The doctor's praise made Ryn smile. "It can't stay in stealth mode for long as it drains the batteries fairly quickly. I used ones from a phaser power pack." She turned off the stealth and then landed the drone on the captain's desk. "It has a standard camera, mic, and speaker, but when used in stealth mode, they drain the battery faster."
Elijah's eyes followed the drone, as it roamed about, then his gaze stopped on the Doctor, then glanced back over to Ryn. Leaning back in his chair, rubbing his chin, as he seemed to slip into deep thought.
Elijah broke his silence. "Why would a doctor need a drone and was this to be following you around, Doctor Montoya?"
Looking to Ryn with a side glance, but kept the origin of the drone to himself. Wasn't really relevant to the discussion but might come in handy later. Returning his attention back to the Captain. "Well sir I've been known to wingsuit from time to time and a tracking drone can get some outstanding footage. Plus, drones with tracking capabilities have been around on Earth since the early 21st century."
"This won't be used upon the ship itself. It will be used when you are away from the ship, utilizing it as a go-pro?" Elijah's voice measured as if to make certain that was what it was to be used for.
Raf's head swayed a bit as his chin wrinkled a bit. "Well perhaps in the holodeck with one or two of my climbing programs or in my quarters...if for no other reason than to stay proficient with the controls."
"But you have my word nowhere else and no cloaking."
He had climbing programs? That piqued Rynna's interest, but this was not the time or place to ask Raf about them.
At the same time, she wondered about the captain's concerns and if there was more to them. Again, that was not something she was going to ask.
"If that is all that it will be used for, then I will grant permission. Otherwise-" Elijah gave a rather pointed gaze to Raf then to Rynn. "If it is found to not be in any of aforementioned areas, there will be consequences"
"Umm, well, sir," Ryn began, not wanting to get herself and Raf into any more trouble. "I do work on projects in my office and my quarters. I modified Raf's drone there, and two child-friendly ones for his nephews. And I'm working on a small sphere that will go into the bowels of the ship and search the less accessible areas for problems. Not everything down there can be picked up by the ship's internal sensors." She was going to tell him about it when she had a working model, but if she promised to not do anything like a drone outside of her office, quarters, and holodeck, this project might be okay.
"It will transmit what it records to operations, and I don't plan to use it very often. I call it Oracle." She paused, feeling uncomfortable. She hadn't felt this way since she got in trouble for modifying her father's air car to sound like a ship she'd seen on an old earth cartoon series when she was thirteen. "Can I continue with that project, and confine anything else to the places I mentioned?"
"As long as they stay within the boundaries that have been set, you may continue your project." Elijah coming to a decision.
He considered Ryn's idea about Oracle to be a valid one.
"Yes, sir." She glanced at Raf. "If there's nothing else, sir...?" She wanted to leave before he changed his mind.
"One more thing, I would like to have a demonstration once you get Oracle finished." Elijah responded. "Until then, you both are dismissed."
Looking from one to the other, Elijah wondered if there was something or had something developed between the Doctor and the Operations Chief.
"Yes, sir." Ryn put the drone back in its box and carried it out. When the door closed behind them, she turned to Raf. "Do you have any plans for tonight?"
Replying with a smirk as they stepped into the lift. "Yeah...punishing you for putting me on the spot like that. Haven't you ever heard of ask for forgiveness rather than permission?"
"Well, I did ask permission after the fact..." She gave him a sheepish smile. "But you're right and I'm sorry." She moved closer to him. "Will you forgive me?"
He wrapped an arm around her, letting out a loud "Hmmmmm....Oh fine...you're forgiven. This time."
"Thank you, kind sir." She wanted to bury her head against his shoulder, but chose to just lean against him instead. "How about dinner, then I'll show you how I modified your drone?"
"That sounds great. And I can bring a bottle of my family's sangria. Red or White? ...Or both."
"Both. I feel like celebrating."
Captain Elijah Rutherford
CO
USS Orcrist
Lt. Commander Rafael Montoya
CMO
Lieutenant Rynna Csira
Chief Operations Officer
USS Orcrist
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