Post 228: The Future is Now
Posted on Fri Feb 28th, 2025 @ 10:17pm by Admiral Christopher Bradley & Lieutenant Thomas Ryan MD
916 words; about a 5 minute read
Mission: Secrets
Dr. Thomas Ryan leaned back in his chair, staring at the holographic display of his notes. The Synthulans. A mystery he had devoted years to unraveling, a puzzle that never quite fit together. His research had been invaluable to Starfleet Intelligence, to Chris Bradley, and to the war effort. But now, with the immediate threat at bay—at least for now—he found himself at a crossroads.
Should he stay aboard Starbase Obsidian, request a formal position with Captain Pontmercy, and settle into a more structured role? It would be a change, certainly. No longer lurking in the shadows, no longer working in the classified depths of intelligence operations. He could be a proper officer, a medical specialist, or even an advisor, serving openly rather than from behind the scenes.
Or should he continue in his current capacity, divided between medicine and intelligence? There was always work to be done—always secrets to uncover, always threats looming beyond the horizon. He was good at this, good at putting pieces together. And Chris needed people like him. The director had given him a chance when few others had, trusted him when most had dismissed his work as obsessive. Could he walk away from that?
He sighed, rubbing his temples. The other option was to step away entirely. Maybe even take a proper medical role—God knew he was still a doctor at heart, and working with patients again wouldn’t be the worst idea. He had seen too much suffering, too many lives lost in the name of the greater good. Maybe it was time to start healing people again instead of just analyzing threats.
His thoughts drifted to Chris Bradley. The admiral would never ask him to stay—Chris wasn’t the kind to plead or manipulate. But if he left, would Bradley have anyone else who understood the stakes? The Synthulans were still out there. What if his work wasn’t finished?
Standing up, he paced his small quarters, frustration tightening his jaw. He had options. Plenty of them. But which was the right one?
His console chimed. A message from Chris.
"We need to talk."
Thomas exhaled.
Maybe the universe had already made the choice for him.
Tom stepped into Admiral Chris Bradley’s office aboard Starbase Obsidian. The room was dimly lit, the glow of data displays casting long shadows over the walls. As always, Chris was seated at his desk, calm, composed—unreadable.
Ryan didn’t bother with pleasantries. “You said we needed to talk.”
Chris looked up from his console, studying Ryan for a moment before leaning back in his chair. “I assume you’ve been thinking about your next steps.”
Ryan crossed his arms. “You could say that.”
Chris nodded, as if he expected nothing less. “And?”
A beat passed. “I don’t know,” Ryan admitted. “I could stay here, take on a formal position with the Captain. I could go back to Intelligence, keep working on the Synthulan threat. Or I could leave entirely, get back to actual medicine instead of research and espionage.”
Chris steepled his fingers. “And what do you want to do?”
Ryan scoffed. “Want doesn’t always matter, Admiral. You should know that better than anyone.”
A ghost of a smirk flickered across Chris’s face, but it vanished as quickly as it appeared. “It does in this case.” He leaned forward. “You have a talent, Ryan. You see things others don’t. Your work with the Synthulans—it’s changed the game. If you leave, I won’t stop you. But if you stay, I need to know where you stand.”
Ryan hesitated. “You want me to keep working for Intelligence.”
“I want you to do what you’re best at,” Chris corrected. “But if you’re looking for an easy way out, I’d rather you say so now than waste time pretending.”
Ryan exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. “I just—I’m tired, Chris. Tired of the secrecy, the constant paranoia. I miss medicine. I miss helping people, not just chasing ghosts.”
Chris considered that. “And you think stepping away from this will change that?”
Ryan frowned. “Maybe.”
Chris leaned back again. “The Synthulan threat hasn’t disappeared. We don’t understand them yet—not fully. If you walk away, someone else will pick up your work, but they won’t see what you see. They won’t make the connections you make.”
Ryan shook his head. “You’re really laying it on thick.”
Chris gave him a knowing look. “Because it’s true.”
Silence settled between them.
Finally, Ryan sighed. “So what are you actually offering me?”
Chris tapped a few commands into his console, bringing up a classified file. “A dual role. You stay here on Obsidian. Work with the Captain, keep a formal position on the station—medical, advisory, whatever fits. But you also remain with me. Off the books, just like before.” He met Ryan’s gaze. “You’d have more control over what that looks like. But you have to talk to the Captain first to see if he agrees.”
Ryan stared at him. “So I get a foot in both worlds.”
Chris nodded. “And you make the call when it’s time to step away.”
Ryan exhaled. The offer was tempting. A compromise. But also a burden. Could he handle both? Did he want to?
After a long moment, he nodded. “Alright. I'll meet with Pontmercy and see what he has to say."
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