Pasta and Pleasantries
Posted on 23 Nov 2019 @ 4:31am by Captain Ricardo (Rico) Montoya & Lieutenant James Barnes
2,260 words; about a 11 minute read
Mission:
M-17: Blood Moon Rising
Location: Deep Space 5
Timeline: MD 1 - 1100
Rico had been monitoring the arrival times of his incoming crewmembers, especially over the last hour or so. He had already issued orders to his XO to take the ship out on a brief training run and he hoped that the next few make it in in time to catch the Phoenix before she departs.
He had just left the Klingon Embassy and stepped out of the lift onto the station's promenade when a call from the stations operation's center sounded via his communicator. =^=Operations to Captain Montoya.=^=
Tapping his badge he replied, "Montoya here."
=^=Captain you requested to be informed when the USS Shenandoah arrived. Well it has just entered the station's control zone, and is holding in a parking orbit.=^=
Checking his padd to double check who was arriving on what ship. "Thank you. Please contact Captain Zerhan with my compliments and have Lt. Barnes beamed to my location."
=^=Yes Captain, Operations out.=^=
Taking a seat at a table at the Bistro side of Lasuma's he waited, while a server saw to his order.
As soon as he materialized, one bag over a shoulder, he took in all the details around him. Several assumptions came to him immediately, some of them good. "Well, this is certainly the most interesting quarterdeck I've ever been on," he said as he focused on the man sitting at a side table. "Captain Montoya," he said by way of greeting as he closed the short distance between them.
Turning at the sound of his name he rose. "Ahh, you must be Lieutenant Barnes. Under normal circumstances we would be having this meeting in my ready room, but I have been monitoring the latest arrivals and having them meet me wherever possible. Anyway have a seat..." He eyed the single bag and asked, "...do you have any other effects you need beamed over?"
"The Shenandoah was going to beam them to the QM for transport to my quarters. This one," he said, setting the bag at his feet as he sat at the small bistro table, "contains things I'd like to make sure I have with me. What's good here?"
Rico grinned at the question. Whatever this officer's record said he definately wasn't one that seemed intimidated by rank or a new CO. Good. "Well Mr. Lasuma would say everything, and to be honest I have yet to have a bad meal here. Most of their food is fresh with very little replication. When the owner found out i was from Earth, specifically Spain, he insisted on making me some traditional meals. They make an excellent Paella."
The server returned with his ice tea and looke to the new arrival, "Can gat you anything sir?"
"Raktijeno, double strong," Jim answered as he quickly glanced over the menu. "And the chicken fettucinni with extra garlic bread."
""Excellent choice. I'm a of a bread fiend myself. After she had left Rico leaned back, taking a sip from his tea before setting it back on the table. "So tell me about yourself."
"Not much to tell," Jim said, with a wry smile. "I'm probably the oldest lieutenant in Starfleet at the moment, which is only impressive until you realize that among my own people I'm barely at the age of majority. My adopted parents live on Earth with most of my brothers and sisters, except for my youngest brother and best friend who is a warrant in Starfleet. I enjoy what I do, but more so being able to do it, which is why I'm where I'm at in my career, because I rather be good at what I'm doing than promoted." He shrugged at that. "No matter what others may believe, I take security of my assignment seriously and if you leave the ship, I'd better be at your back or there will be some conversations - where you'll get mad and the Pip game gets played and another note goes into my record."
He stopped to think for a moment. "I don't drink, anymore. Not even synthehol. I promised Dad I'd stay clean and for all he's done for me since I found myself stranded on Earth, it's the only real thing he's asked of me. Well, that and to stop acting like an overgrown teenager, but what are you going to do about that?
"No, I will not give you, or in any way let you have, my mother's contact information. I did that for one CO and suddenly whenever I was in trouble there, my mother was on the line. You ever seen a Starfleet officer grounded? It's not pretty. Not at all."
Rico laughed at the last bit as he crunched a piece of ice. "Well no worries about me running to mom. I don't think an adult needs to be treated like a kid when they need their feet held to the fire. As to the first, I'm glad to hear you have placed the quality of your work before ambition. Thought it's a trait not uncommon in long lived species. If only that were true of all.
As to the second, and me leaving the ship without you, or other security 'at my back', don't you think a person that has been given command of a Starship knows when it's ok to beam down by himself? Better yet, which is more important; the life of one member of the crew or the safety and security of the ship and everyone onboard?"
Jim waited a moment as he took a look around, looking for viewports. He turned back to the captain. "This is the part where I check to see if the Shenendoah has left port and can take me back to command for reassignment because one thing I've failed to master is holding my opinion." He took a drink of his Klingon coffee beverage before continuing. "Because the answer is no. I've seen too many ship captains and other commanding officers let their ego overrule good common sense. I've seen what happens when those who 'supposedly know better' don't know as much as they think they do. My brother was shot and almost died as a result of that attitude. And," he held up a hand here to hopefully forestall any objections, "there are times that you might, however, in most cases I would say the life of one is not worth the life of the many, including my own. But you are not 'one', Captain. You are the head of the ship and that makes you a higher value target and, if you are a good commanding officer, your death destabilizes and demoralizes the crew, so again, the answer is no, you are not just as valuable as any other member of the crew.
"Also, once the crew gels and gets together, they have expectations of how things will happen based on the commands you've given in the past. Losing you and replacing you, even with an effective first officer, throws the ship into crisis and confusion and often, the reason we've lost the captain is the very worst time to have confusion and crisis. In all ways, Captain, I say the answer is 'no'. My life," here he shrugged, "has been pledged to be the shield and losing me is the same as losing a member of the janitorial staff. But I'm not the captain of the ship, which is, actually, the ship itself."
He took another drink. "Of course, if you're an incompetent captain, then all bets are off." He gave a smile with the last.
Rico had listened to his reply with interest and even smirked at his last. "You needn't worry about the Shenandoah. And I have no issue with officers that state their opinions, so long as they have fact or regulation to back them up. Now while most of what you say is true there are times when a Captain must take that risk...the same risk we all agreed to take when we put on this uniform. The vast majority of the time, your statements hold and a Captain should never take unnecessary risks.
"I have no delusions of grandeur and firmly believe there is no cause that isn't better served by living than dying. However, there are also times that a Captian may have more information than his or her officers are privy to. On those rare occasions, if it were to happen, I will expect my orders to be followed. You are also correct in that the Captian sets the tone on a ship and his or her loss can be destabilizing, but if that loss was enough to make a crew fall apart in a crisis they were a poor Captain. An old earth General once said; 'there are times were a corps commander's', or a Captain's, 'life does not count'. I would trust that my officers would be able to see when that time had come and trust in their Captain's judgement.
"That all said, you are new to my command and don't know how I do things. Likewise the level of trust I spoke of isn't there yet as that has to be earned. While there is a level of trust and respect inherent between those who wear this uniform, between fellow officers, and between a Captain and the members of his crew; trust between individuals takes time."
He paused as their orders arrived. "My wife is going to be upset she missed this. This is her favorite shop on the station."
Jim poked around on his plate. Often he used the alfredo as a measure of the restaurant. If it was too thin then it wasn't a good restaurant or a bad chef. If it was too thick, same. If it was separating as it cooled, bad chef. This looked like a good, thick alfredo that sufficiently coated the pasta and chunks of chicken. The chicken looked to be grilled rather than baked. So far it seemed good.
"That is true, and it's a dance getting to know each other and get to that level of trust," Jim said as he continued to make sure his dish was well mixed. "As for orders, as long as they are not illegal, immoral, unethical or non-fattening, then they will be followed. Despite how much I dislike them." Having said that, he took the first bite of the meal and was pleasantly surprised to taste the slight hint of nutmeg among the well mingled flavors. "Your wife has great taste in restaurants it seems," he said after swallowing.
"I'll be sure not to tell here that. The last thing she need to hear is that she was right again," he added jokingly.
"There is one thing. I am somewhat of a traditionalist when it comes to the Marines and their roles aboard ship. I will leave the details for you and the Marine CO to hash out. Previously it was suggested that a some of the Marines get detail to you for time, but it never got implemented. Not only would this help cover the short falls in your staff, but it gives the Marines something to do beside training." Taking another bite of his meal, breaking open on of the prawns and removing the flesh with ease.
"If they're open to learning the difference between martial law and, well, military law," Jim said with a shrug. "And can pass the certs necessary, then I see no real problem with it. It'll help increase response time for them in the event of an intrusion and, well, I'm going to bet some of my staff could use the kick in the discipline they'd provide."
"Excatly...a win win."
Wiping his mouth with his napkin. He had a good feeling about the man across from him and took a sip from his tea. Glancing at his padd as it recieved a notification he looked up. "The XO and my Strategic Operations officer are taking the Phoenix out for a little training run for the junior or newer members of the crew. They should be in transporter ranger for a bit if you'd like to join them."
Jim sat back for a moment, appearing to contemplate. "You mean, beam over, unannounced, to the ship and without getting a chance to get to know any of my department put them through their paces as an impromptu test of their abilities? Sounds kind of...torturous to me." He gave a one sided shrug then a diabolical smile. "And completely like something I'd enjoy doing."
He was sure that Kreval would be putting him through his paces as well but he would find out how things went soon enough. With a raised brow he replied, "Well then I won't keep you any longer, just don't be too 'torturous'." Rising to his feet he offered him his hand, "Welcome aboard."
"Thank you, Captain," Jim said, taking the hand and then the togo package with the remainder of his lunch. At least this way, aside from the fun of a new officer 'training cruise' he'll also get to his quarters that much sooner. "And no worries, the only security officer I get really torturous with is my younger brother, but then again, he deserves it."
Chuckling at his statement, "Siblings always do. Well you better hurry, you don't want to the Phoenix to get out of transporter range."
With that, he turned to find the nearest transporter room to get beamed to the ship.
Captain Ricardo Montoya
CO
Lieutenant James Barnes
CSec
RSS Feed