Christine took Vincent for supper to reveal the story to him before the subspace broadcast broke on the Omega News Network in the morning. Christine and her staff had completed their research on the history of Vice Admiral Nicole Branson and her rise to prominence in Star Fleet. She wanted Vincent not to be blindsided by the story.
Christine ordered another round of drinks as she revealed the story about how the very young Nicole Branson rose to the rank of Rear Admiral before joining the Omega Fleet despite attending the University of Pheonix and not Star Fleet Academy.
Nicole Branson was recruited by the Star Fleet Civil Department in Pheonix under the authority of Admiral Bruce Montgomery for her artistic prowess to help with Awards Development and other civil ventures. She was given the provisional rank of Ensign despite not attending the academy and began her career with some incredible work impressing the Admiral and garnering his trust.
Nicole was a beautiful young thing, a tarte, even a lolita if you wish.
She was soon spending more time with Montgomery who was already an aged man and long passed his service to Star Fleet in the theatre of space. Montgomery had not much to offer Nicole so he promised her an increase in rank for favors.
Soon, the aged and disgusting Montgomery was bragging to his colleagues in the Civil Department about his conquest of the concubine. Montgomery literally confessed that Branson had taken a 'mouthful of Montgomery' to become a Lt. Commander.
Christine was both disgusted and mortified about the story as she relayed it to a shocked and dismayed Admiral Vincent Viceroy knowing that the Federation had long left this lurid behavior behind them over 2 centuries ago. Obviously not.
Christine ordered a third round of drinks as she told Vincent that soon Nicole was being offered out to the Star Fleet Civil Department for services. Nicole literally had prostituted herself for rank. She went so far as to travel to Risa with Montgomery for a Star Fleet leadership conference on only her sixth year with Star Fleet and would soon be declared a Rear Admiral. God only knows what she did or had to do for the rank.
Admiral Montgomery would die shortly thereafter. Nicole did do excellent work. She was a fine artist. She had a genuine heart and love of her cohorts. Admiral Tim Veltkamp discovered her work and offered her the plumb role as Director of Fleet Services for the Omega Fleet. Nicole went to see Admiral Veltkamp, a true gentlemen and a larger than life character. Nicole had never met a man of such honor and dignity. She was shocked to learn that there were great men in Star Fleet who believed in the legendary ideals of the Federation. To this day, Nicole is influenced by the honor and grace of that first meeting. She is the leader she is today because Admiral Veltkamp believed in her enough not to use her as a toy or tarte as the others had, but to give her a job, a role and real responsibility.
Christine was actually getting a little tipsy and more emotional than even she liked when she told Vincent that Nicole swore off men when she gained responsibility and honor. She told Tacita Teero that no man would even get near her again after her years of mistreatment. Christine told Vincent that she had been overly critical of Nicole. Given her history, she has accomplished a great deal.
Christine and Vincent walked out to the limo awaiting outside the Lounge and prepared to head back to Omega Prime.
Christine looked at Vincent, "Nicole will never get a free ride. She has to lead with good judgement, better leadership and make sound decisions but I will look at her in a whole new light. No one should have had to go through what she has. No one."
Posted by:
Christine T'Nley
Omega News Network
Omega Fleet
Admiral Vincent Viceroy
Omega Prime Mayor and Omega Academy Chancellor
Omega Colony
Omega Fleet
