<div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><br></div><div dir="ltr"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:14.6667px;white-space:pre-wrap">(USS Exeter - Deck 8 - Aft lounge - COO Ensign (sg) Paul Sleeford - 09:12)</span></div><div dir="ltr"><font face="arial"><span style="font-size:14.6667px;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="arial"><span style="font-size:14.6667px;white-space:pre-wrap">Sleeford sat at the window the mug of coffee stone cold, his third since leaving security, the two engineering officers had gone elsewhere to eat, not trusting that Sleeford wouldn;t slit their throats while eating. Something was eating at him, as a former security officer, something was hammering on his skull for attention, but he couldn't grasp it, something that didn;t make sense to him.  </span></font></div><div dir="ltr"><font face="arial"><span style="font-size:14.6667px;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span></font><div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">"Sir?"</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The announcement of someone trying to gain his attention brought Sleeford back to the present. Looking up he saw Page standing there looking like she'd just been given the command of the ship. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">"Ensign Page?"</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">"May I sit? I have something I need to talk to you about?"</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Raising his eyebrows slightly, Sleeford pointed to the seats opposite. </span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">"What can I do for you?"</span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">(Reply Page)</span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Sleeford sat and listened as Page spoke, smiling slightly as she explained about herself and Zot.  Allowing her to finish Sleeford looked across the table.</span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">"I'll be honest, when you sat, I did wonder what you wanted. I have two questions, firstly, do you think it will affect your duties? Secondly, do you think it will cause any dramas. as you know Zot if the assistant COO, will that cause you both problems?"</span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">(Reply Page)</span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">"Then I see no problem with your relationship, if however at anytime you feel there's a problem or a conflict of interest, I trust you'll inform me. "</span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">(Reply Page)</span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><font face="arial"><span style="font-size:14.6667px;white-space:pre-wrap">Nodding Sleeford smiled, "In that case I wish you both well. "</span></font></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><font face="arial"><span style="font-size:14.6667px;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span></font></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><font face="arial"><span style="font-size:14.6667px;white-space:pre-wrap">(Reply Page)</span></font></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><font face="arial"><span style="font-size:14.6667px;white-space:pre-wrap">(Posted by Alistair)</span></font></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><font face="arial"><span style="font-size:14.6667px;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span></font></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span></p></div></div></div></div>