Reporting for duty - CSO
Posted on 14 Jan 2018 @ 6:32am by Captain Ricardo (Rico) Montoya & Lieutenant JG Zitla
945 words; about a 5 minute read
Mission:
M-14 New Beginings
Location: Ready Room
Timeline: 1300
The message light on her console was blinking red against the stark white of the lab
A breath escaped Zitla's throat and split itself between her lips and her nostrils. If I had heard that bleep I would have jumped, she thought with a shake of her head. She had not known until now that she found silence disorientating and just a little uncomfortable.
The communication was welcome. As was the chance to speak with someone other than herself or the computer.
Bang on time Zitla found herself outside the door and sounded the chime.
Rico placed his plate from lunch on the replicator and ordered it recycled as the chime sounded. Returning to his desk he glanced at his holo-monitor, "1300 on the dot....Enter."
The Bolian breathed in through her nose and out through her mouth, once, twice, then she stepped forward as the doors opened.
Must be desperate! her sister's well meaning taunt echoed in her mind as she entered the Ready Room, not a place she had ever spent a notable amount of time. She stopped at the visitor’s side of the desk.
'Lieutenant Zitla reporting for duty, Captain," she said, half wondering if they had made a mistake.
Rico immediately smiled and gestured to the seat next to her as he moved to take a seat himself. "At-ease Lieutenant. Getting all settled in?"
"Thank you, Sir."
She sat and as she tried to find a comfortable position on the squeaky new leather, Zitla moved on to his question. "I've spent what feels like days echoing around empty labs with the computer relaying staff profiles to me so I did not feel alone. It has only been a few hours, but we arrived early in the station morning and, well we decided not to have the few recreation days we planned. My sisters and I, and our mother," she added. "I came aboard not long after midnight and they went on their way. I've been wandering the decks and corridors like a melodrama heroine for hours."
Grinning and almost laughing at the visual he could see that she was going to be the life of the party; Heather and her would probably hit it right off. "Well you have a head start on me then, I haven't had the chance to wander the ship. Tell me what do you think of our new home?"
"She's compact, nothing like any ship I've served on before, not that there have been that many, lovely lines, well equipped, and - she paused as though she was about to say something she should not - and your chair is very comfortable. I have no interest in command but there was no-one about and I wandered on to the bridge to have a look around and, well it was there so I thought I'd try out the one in the middle," she admitted. "I have been told that I can be too honest for my own good."
He smirked a bit as she came clean about trying out the center seat but he could hardly blame her. He had done the very same thing a number of years ago. "Well I won't hold it against you." Grinning, "Was it on the main bridge, the second, or the third bridge?"
"Only the main one," Zitla was not superstitious but it seemed bad luck to admit before they were even underway that there were situations in which the backup facilities might be needed, "I had plenty of time to run my inventory and review my staff records," she said matter of factly, "I am sure there will be a few pet projects to schedule into the rotation. I wonder, are there any on your own list that go beyond the basic brief?"
Shaking his head slightly. "No nothing at this time. Right now my primary concerns are with getting the ship and crew ready for departure. But if I get an itch to be a science officer again I will let you know. Now since you have already reviewed you department is the anything additional you would want for your department? Equipment...personnel?"
This was the point she knew she should bring out a list of demands - some of them unreasonable, but Zitla thought the department brilliantly equipped, she did not know if there was anything that would enhance what was already available.
"If you could give me a few details about our first destinations I can see if there is anything that might benefit us, or that we lack in those environments," she suggested tentatively.
"Well we have nothing specific as yet. Our initial assignment is patrolling the area of space just outside of Federation territory..." adding with a grin, "we get to make sure it's safe for the bigger ships. There will be some charting, cataloging, maybe even a little exploration in our future. If you have a wish list now is the time."
"I think we're quite well equipped for that," Zitla said, a little annoyed with herself for not having prepared a list, but it remained true that she thought the department well provided for. Hopefully she would not regret missing the opportunity.
"Perfect. Well if you have nothing else for me, I guess the formalities are out of the way. For now get yourself settled in and if you discover you do need something just let the XO know."
Zitla nodded, "I'm looking forward to the journey," she said.
Rico stood, another warm smile spread across his face. "Well i won't keep you any longer. Welcome aboard."
Captain Ricardo Montoya
CO
Lieutenant JG Zitla
Chief Science Officer
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