the captain and Elle

Posted on Tue Jan 17th, 2023 @ 6:22pm by Lieutenant Commander Klarth & Captain Linda Wilson
Edited on on Tue Jan 17th, 2023 @ 7:02pm

2,147 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Into The Void
Location: Captains quarters
Timeline: after ther whole thing with the Vedala

Linda followed Elle's lead back to her new quarters. She shook her head. This wasn't supposed to happen and yet here she was. She entered the place and saw all her belongings were there. It was going to be up to her to organize everything. She found one of her uniforms and laid it on the bed while proceeding to get out of her costume. She was trying her best to settle in but it was going to take time.
After she put on her uniform, she felt much better.

She picked up a PADD to go over the crew. "Elle, do you have a few minutes? I'd like your input." She called out. Elle probably knew the crew inside and out.

Elle materialized in the room. "Sure, what do you need?" Elle was noticeably distracted and craning her neck, trying to get a look into the spare bedroom.

"Snooping is not polite Elle! That said, I haven't really organized anything yet. I don;t think the Vendala can understand my personal tastes especially when it come to organizing my quarters. "

"I'm sorry, I wasn't snooping," said Elle defensively. "...well, I mean obviously I was trying to get a look into that bedroom, but that's because it was my room up until a couple minutes ago and I'm wondering if the Vedala moved my stuff when they moved you in here.

"Well, I can tell you, they did." She wondered why an AI had stuff but she would ask that later. Now was not the time to get into it.

"Well," said Elle, "hopefully they were just smart enough to realize that my arrangement with Hadenbeer was unique and I wouldn't be sharing quarters with the new captain. I mean with you...Look at me, I feel like a kid moving out of his mom's apartment."

Linda smiled, "I suppose in a way you are."

"Yes, and if this is my first apartment I should probably have a roommate," says Elle. "Ensign Toelau doesn't currently have a roommate. I'll find out if she's willing to bunk with the whole ship....That doesn't sound right... I'll find out if she's will to bunk with me."

"Well that is up to you. It wouldn't hurt. Sometimes having a roommate can be a positive experience.

"Anyway, the reason i called you because I need your insight on the crew. You know them pretty well by now. So I want to hear what you have to say on certain crewmen. Let's start with the Romulan, Rayek. Capt Hadenbeer didn't write much down regarding him. What's his story?" She asked.

"Yeah, writing reports was probably her least favorite thing and even when she did write them she tended to leave out all the good parts." Elle continued. "Rayek is from another dimension. Not sure if Starfleet and the Romulans are more cozy in his dimension or if his status is fairly unique there too. I do know that Hadenbeer met him on one of her previous dimensional hops and that she trusts him. He arrived in our dimension in a escape pod. He must have been spat out of the Void somehow. Since getting here, he helped us fight the raiders that were using Romulan Birds of Prey near Gabriel Station and defend the senior staff against an assassin, and generally help out where ever he could. I think Hadenbeer had him shortlisted to replace her XO. On a personal level he is a family man. His wife is a Ba'ku Starfleet Captain herself, that recently had their first son. So he is eager to get back to his own dimension, but has proved that he is willing to get his hands dirty and help out anyway he can for as long as he's here with us."

"Ok, well that I can understand. No one likes writing reports so what does he actually do here?" She asked. She was very interested in the answer. She had a feeling she would have to talk to this Rayek and see what to do with him.

"He did whatever the Captain asked him to and did it well. He really is a smart and resourceful Officer. Like I said, I think he was on the Captain's short list for XO. I'm not sure what department he would have been put him in charge of. She probably would have given him any one he asked for."

"I see! Well smart and Intelligent are good combinations. OK, I think we could use him. I will talk to him and see what we can arrange. So onto the next subject. Lt Klarth. Elle why is a LT the CMO? I would think he would have been promoted to at least Lt. Cmdr by now."

"Well, he was a Lt. Cmdr. Gosh didn't she put any of this in the official report? There was an incident about a year ago. Klarth was interrogating an Orion pirate Captain nicknamed "The Wicked Witch." He needed information from her in order to save a space station from blowing up. So he put on an enraged Klingon act and stabbed her during the interrogation. She didn't give up the info (and she recovered in prison), but Klarth and an away team managed to save the Station despite this. Hadenbeer felt he had behaved recklessly and demoted him over it. Klarth felt that he had dishonored himself and took a leave of absence to regain it. I don't know all that happened during his exile, but S'Lace (a Vulcan nurse and his lover) went with him and it involved going on lots of dangerous missions for the Klingon empire and they were lucky to both survive. And after this the two of them came back and tried to just return to duty as normal. But as you will find out, nothing is ever normal here."

"Yeah starting to get that impression. Well, I think he paid his dues. I think he deserves to be promoted back to Lt. Cmdr. I am so glad I was raised by human parents." She shook her head. Ok, so tell me about Risa. Is she dependable? A good officer?"

"She has only been here a short time. Her service record is exemplary. She was on Gabriel Station awaiting a transfer when the station was raided and all of the scientists were killed. She acted bravely during the raid." Elle hesitated and looked uncomfortable. "The truth is when I saw her record and her spunky, go-get-um personality I thought she was the type of person Hadenbeer could really get along with and I told her to report to the Staff meeting and that she had been appointed Chief Flight Control Officer. It wasn't even a position she was interested in she's primarily a fighter pilot. You see, I know Hadenbeer very well and she had not had a CFO for many year ever since she became very close with one a Bajoran named Brec who died on a mission. I thought Risa might be someone that could force her out of it. Hadenbeer had a meeting with her and officially appointed her and it wasn't long after that we were on the run and it wasn't long after that that you're here now and offered her another promotion."

They went over the rest of the crew. "Ok. well that gives me a handle on the old crew. Obviously you don't know much about the new people. We'll have to learn about them together. Elle, send out a memo please to all the senior staff, include Rayek in that. Staff Meeting 10:00 hours tomorrow." that will give her a good look at the sr staff.

"Okay, no problem. Message sent." Elle looked uncomfortable but contineud, "Um there is one more thing, it's halfway between an FYI and a personal request. There is one man that isn't on the crew manifest because he's a civilian. Mr. Jones the bartender at the Lion's Heart is a bit more than he seems. And by a bit more I mean a lot more. As you can see from his service record he is a retired Master Chief Petty Officer. And I'm afraid much like Hadenbeer's logs, that their is a lot more in Jones' career that isn't in his official record. He was in Starfleet Intelligence, I believe the colloquial term is 'he was a spook.' Jones and Hadenbeer have history that goes back a long time. Because I've always been curious, I've tired to piece together their history and as far as I can tell he has been her mentor to some degree since Hadenbeer was a child. Now that Hadenbeer has gone, my first thought was that Jones would soon follow her, but I think that they both feel they are my mentors and protectors so that he will stay to keep an eye on me. All this to say that there are few people with as much experience as him and you should utilize that knowledge and experience as Hadenbeer always has."

"Well I have no objection to him staying. As for using him, well I can pay a visit and introduce myself. Bartenders can be very wise I've learned. Maybe he can help me make peace with this whole situation. I am not happy that I was forcibly yanked from my ship and dropped here all without my consent, so well I'm here and trying to make the best of it."

"I'm a bit biased because him and Hadenbeer were literally my only friends for a long time," said Elle, "but I think if you reach out, he can be a good listener, a good friend, and wise console...And I know that can be hard to come by for Captains as I'm sure you want to project strength and confidence to the crew even if you aren't feeling it yourself."

"Yes I do. I now how important that is. That actually sounds like a good idea. I think I will talk to him. Every captain needs a confidant. I can use one. I really don't know anyone on this ship right now! So kinda like starting over. Not my favorite thing to do." Linda said.

"The Vedala really gave you a raw deal if you don't mind me saying so, said Elle, "Captains usually get to hand pick their senior officers, but for you it appears to be what you see is what you get. But you have two lucky things, one Hadenbeer always picked the best and two, you have me to help you." Elle beamed at her, happy that their talk seemed to be going so well.

"Yeah they did! Didn't even ask my permission. Took me away from everyone and almost everything I know. That is a rough adjustment for anybody! You have been helpful Elle and I do appreciate it. This is going to be an adjustment for everybody I think. I suppose I'd better let the crew know what has happened. Man what a mess!" Linda sighed. "I know none of us asked for this but this is what we have, like it or not. I suspect most people will not. I know I don't but I will make the best of it!"

"Yes I'm afraid much of the crew will be having whiplash" said Elle. "They had hardly had enough time to process being fugitives and not knowing when they'd be returning home and now they are no longer fugitives but still going to who knows where. But the exploring the unknown is to be expected in Starfleet."

"This is true. You have to learn to roll with the punches as my dad always said. I hope someday to return home. When? Well who knows? The simple fact is we have to adjust as we have no choice. We're stuck with things as they are so just have to make the best of it! If they are as good as you make them sound Elle then they will be fine."

"I just want to say thank you," said Elle. " I know most people aren't used to talking to AIs and many people are fearful of them. So thanks for being nice to me from the get go."

Linda smiled. "Well I'm not as prejudiced against AI.'s as a lot of the older Starfleet people. the M-5 case was centuries ago and a totally different situation. It broke down because Daystrom impressed his own engrams on the thing and eh was on the verge of a breakdown as it was so no wonder the darn thing went nuts. You on the other hand, evolved on your own and are quite stable as far as I can see. You are an independent person and I plan to treat you as such!"

Elle just beamed at her. It was everything she had ever hoped for.

 

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