Meeting the XO

Posted on 06 Feb 2023 @ 3:45pm by Lieutenant Commander Remington Dodd & Lieutenant JG Thex sh'Zoarhi & Lieutenant JG Shoniara T’ghann Dex & Ensign Drevas & Master Chief Petty Officer Alexi Michelle

2,658 words; about a 13 minute read

Mission: S3 Episode 5: Diplomatic Incident/Hydaransz Again (Incidentals)
Location: Tomcat

[On]

Thex smiled to herself as the turbo-lift sped up the ship to the bridge. She gave herself a one last look over making sure her uniform was spotless and her hair was neatly in a ponytail.

The door slid open onto the bridge. Her eyes locked onto the commander who she approached and gave a smile and a salute.

"Lieutenant jg Thex sh'Zoarhi reporting for duty sir." the blue girl said as calmly as she could.

"Welcome Lieutenant, I am happy to have you on the Tomcat." Dodd replied. "Spotless and freshly pressed uniform. Not always the norm for an engineer."

" I always try to put on a good first impression sir." Thex replied.

"So have you found your new quarters yet?" Dodd asked.

" Just dropped my bag of there on the way up sir."

"Well, you maybe the deputy chief but now you will be taking over as the Chief of Engineering since ours is on an away team. Lieutenant Arderne will help you cover as she has been filling in for the chief. Lieutenant Hawksley is the chief and when he returns, he will assist you in how he likes to have engineering but until then, just use the crew to help you and you will fit right in. Petty Officer Nelson is a good resource to have as well he is very versatile and can help you out if you need anything.

" I understand sir. May I ask where is the chief is and how long he's likely to be away for?" the sapphire girl inquired.

"Lieutenant Hawksley is currently on a part of this mission with Commander Parker and he will be gone for as long as necessary. I wish I could say more but I am not sure myself." Dodd replied. "Feel free to have a seat the engineering console. I am awaiting three others then I will give you all a briefing together.

Next to appear from the turbolift was a tall, lanky Kelpien ensign. Like Thex his uniform was perfectly kept, neat and free of imperfections. First impressions were of paramount importance after all. He too saluted the first officer (or the person he assumed was the first officer, being the highest ranking person in a red uniform on the bridge), saying "Ensign Drevas reporting for duty, sir. How may I be of assistance?"

Alexi waited towards the rear of the group. Allowing the officers to report in first as was only proper. She stood at attention while she waited for the other three to make their introductions to the XO. Once her turn came, she stepped up and saluted the XO. "Master Petty Chief Officer Alexi Michelle, Reporting for Duty on Board the USS Tomcat as Security Investigations Officer, Sir!" She held out the PaDD with her orders and waited.

"Greetings, I believe we are awaiting one other officer, a lieutenant jg, if I recall. Hope they arrive soon." Dodd stated a the sight of his first Kelpien crewmate and a very dapper MPCO. "Feel free to look around the bridge and once Lieutenant Dex arrives we will all go to the Ready Room for a casual briefing. I do trust all of you are getting the lay of the land and have also found your quarters. If not we can work that out after the breifing. But at least two of you will hit the ground running so to speak."

Dex stopped in her new quarters only to change, spruce herself up feels and water Puss who immediately after eating set himself down for a long sleep. She smiled. Seeing his golden body lying there somehow made the bare room more like home. Once she was presentable she brushed herself off and after a short intermission of getting lost found her way to the bridge.

Alexi briefly looked around the bridge to familiarize herself with the layout, which was pretty much the same as every other ship she'd ever been on. There may come a time when she would need to investigate any one of the crew manning the bridge, so she watched as each performed their duties, without moving near any of the individual stations.

On finding her travel mates the four new officers and Commander Dodd all made their way to the Ready Room.

"I am Commander Dodd, please have a seat." Dodd motioned the newbies to sit on the sofa or the other chairs available as he walked to the chair behind the desk. "I am not making this too formal as that will be for the colonel to address. I want you all to feel welcome on the Tomcat. I am here to help you while you are serving on the ship. I have an open-door policy and even if it is my off-duty hours, I am here for you. If you don't feel you can go to anyone else, I am here. I would always encourage you to go to your department head first but if you have any issues with them or anyone else let me know. I am an easy going guy but I do like to keep things working smoothly. I have served on the ship for almost six years and most of that was as the Chief Engineer. I was promoted to XO about a year ago, I think. I am telepathic and feel you all should be aware of that starting out. However, I don't read minds without permission or without direct orders. I know I have an engineer, a doctor, a security investigator and a security officer here now. I will have immediate work for the engineer and the medical officers as the two of you will be taking over as acting chiefs for your departments as your chiefs are currently on special assignments, so Thex you will head to Engineering and take over for Lieutenant Arderne who is covering there. Dex, you will head to Sickbay and take over running the medical department until Dr. Cahill returns. As for Drevas and Michelle, you two will be reporting to Security and get your assignments accordingly however, I would like one of you to man the bridge post for tactical. Also, once you have your first down time, please request what changes you need to your quarters and the we can have engineering work to get those addressed as soon as possible as we need you all comfortable when you are off duty." Dodd sort of dominated the conversation.

"Do any of you have any questions?" Dodd asked and opened the conversation to the others.

Dex sat quietly listening to the Commander and her crew mates.

Alexi had entered the ready room but remained standing in parade rest position as the Executive Officer spoke. She'd found her bunk easily enough and had stowed her gear. And then reported to the bridge. She found it interesting that the XO would lead off with revealing his telepathic abilities. While she did have some touch telepathy it was nowhere the ability of a full-blooded Vulcan would have. When Dodd mentioned that either she or the Kelpien would need to remain on the bridge at Tactical, she glanced to the other new security officer. While she was not a tactical officer per se, it was up to the superior officer to decide which of them would stay.

"So no one up to the point of talking." Dodd replied. "I want to add, I mention I am telepathic as I do not hide it. I feel if you know it up front, you will know that I will sense things even if am not actively reading your minds. Thoughts are always bubbling out and thus telepaths can pick up on those random thoughts which also seems to be tied to emotions. I know you are all nervous and I was as well when I was in your shoes. So I am going to ask, Drevas, what was your previous assignment prior to coming to serve here on the Tomcat?"

Drevas took a moment to wonder why exactly the First Officer was questioning him first out of the three, or where he'd been before the Tomcat. Maybe he wanted a sensing of the kind of ship culture he'd experienced, or perhaps being possibly the only Kelpien aboard he wanted to know how capable he was. It could've been anything at all.

Of course, Drevas was not one to openly question the First Officer of any ship lest he felt he had to.

"The Babylonia, sir, assigned to the Elturun star system." He replied confidently. The Reliant-class ship hadn't been very big at all, but he'd been happy there - until he found out that his department head then had been keen to work him to the marrow of his bones to test his endurance and stamina as a Kelpien.

"The Babylonia, well, I am sorry you had to serve aboard that ship, I don't think I have hear many positive reports from anyone I know that has served on that ship. But rest assured, The Tomcat will not work you in that manner. IF you ever feel uncomfortable with your treatment on board this ship, let me know, I will make sure you are treated fairly and with respect." Dodd replied.

"So Michelle, where are you coming from?" Dodd asked of the new Master Chief.

Alexi stepped forward and stood at attention as she spoke, "Sir, I have been transferred from the USS Odyssus." She indicated the PaDD, "All pertinent information can be found on the PaDD, Sir."

"Master Chief, you seem very nervous, you can relax. I have previewed all of your necessary data, but I like to hear from my fellow crew members directly as it helps build a relationship that a PADD can't give you." Dodd replied. "Did you enjoy our last posting?"

Alexi allowed herself a small smile, "I beg to differ, Sir. I am not nervous. However, as I am the lowest rank within this room, I am merely following protocol for showing respect to superior officers." She moved to parade rest, as this felt the most comfortable to her anyway, "Yes, Sir. I enjoyed my posting on the 'Dyss very much. This transfer came as a bit of a surprise for both my Chief and myself."

"Well, in this briefing you are all equal in my opinion. From what I was briefed about you and the others, all of you have good records and have some good praises from your previous assignments and captains. I am glad we have you all an the ship. So I wont keep you as I am sure Fleet Captain Somers or Lieutenant Colonel Somers at some point will likely give you a more formal briefing that I will likely sit-in on as well. I just wanted to get with all of you and say Welcome to the Tomcat. Welcome to our little family and I hope you all can find the fit you were assigned here for." Dodd really stated for all four of the new crew but started it off at Michelle.

Giving them all a chance to take it in, Dodd paused then stood up. "So to get things on the move, Lieutenant sh'Zoarhi, please proceed to engineering and speak to Lieutenant Arderne who has been covering the department while our Chief Engineer has been on assignment to an away team. As the new Deputy Chief Engineer, I am happy to see what you can contribute and look forward to working with you. Lieutenant Dex, you are our new Deputy Chief Medical Officer and so I would have you report to Sick Bay and find Lieutenant Izel and she can help you get acquainted with our ship. Our chief medical officer is also off ship on an away team mission. Master Chief Michelle, I am asking you to report to the main office for Security and the staff there can help you get up to speed with their duties as they relate to this mission for now as that department is always in flux depending upon what is assigned to our ship or the specific mission at hand. And finally Ensign Drevas, I must say you are the first Kelpian, I have actually met in person and now serving with. I would request you remain on the bridge and cover the tactical station as I am sort of short staffed due to the away teams but this is a good time to be an ensign on the Tomcat as I have been allowing them to gain bridge time while we are not in the vital action of this mission." Dodd stated.

"So any questions about your first orders on this new assignment for each of you?" Dodd asked.

“No Sir” Dex replied although she had many questions this was not the time or place for them.

" I do sir," Thex said calmly from her seat. " Is there anything engineering-wise that needs my immediate attention?" She inquired wanting to get started straight away.

"Actually for now, Engineering is under control; however, you can work with Chief Petty Officer Nelson to configure a means to remove all gel-packs from the ship and get any systems that depend upon them reworked to not need them. We just resolved an issue with an infection of the gel packs in the port nacelle but all is under control and all gel pack have been injected with a serum to prevent any further issues from that infection." Dodd added for Thex.

Alexi nodded, "I look forward to meeting those within the department." She waited for the others to finish and for the XO to dismiss them from the meeting. She was eager to meet those she would be working with and finding out exactly what the current mission tasks would be.

"No, sir." More than anything Drevas was eager to get to work on something aftet having travelled for hours to get here, and he was only too glad to be given something to do.

"Okay, it has been an honor to chat with you and give you al your first assignments on the ship." Dodd stated after Dex and Drevas had their most recent comments. "So I dismiss you to your duties."

Alexi stood to the side of the door as the newly assigned officers exited the ready room. With a quit snap to attention and a salute she followed after them and headed for the Turbo lift to report to the Security offices.

Dex stood and followed her colleagues out. With a last look around the bridge she left for Sick bay

Drevas, meanwhile, walked off to find the Tactical station and sst down at it, eager to start work.

" I'll get right on it sir." Thex said snapping a slaute as she headed for the turbo lift. As she did she pulled a cloth from one of her pockets and started wrapping it around her head in a tight ban to keep her hair out of her eyes.

Once the foursome departed the CRR, Dodd turned to look out the porthole. He gazed out into the stars and saw the vastness which lye out there waiting for adventure. He took a deep breath and realized he needed to get back out on the bridge to resume his duties.

-OFF-



Ensign Drevas

MCPO Alexi Michelle

 

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