Outranked

Posted on 21 Jul 2009 @ 4:28pm by

919 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: M2: Aggressive Negotiations
Location: Deck 5 - Stellar Cartography
Timeline: Current

ON:

Andrew still wasn't quite used to the attention he was getting. Aboard the Intrepid, he'd been one of the Senior Officers but he hadn't been the XO. People actually knew who he was these days; not just suspected based on rank. It was a bit unsettling to have crew and officer's snapping to attention as he passed. Still, there was not changing how it was; he would just have to get used to it.

He paused along the corridor, still a bit unsure of where he was and turned to the panel along the bulkhead and pressed his fingers to it.

"Direction to Stellar Cartography." he ordered of the computer. The panel illuminated and progressed down the corridor where he had been heading before taking the first right turn.

Andrew continued on following the computer's direction before stopping before a doorway into Stellar Cartography. He pulled the front of his tunic down firmly and stepped through the doors into the lab beyond, glancing about for the Freedom's Chief Science Officer.

Mari was at a console trying to get herself oriented, teaching herself more about science since she'd never really learned much other than the basics in academy. She frowned and looked up, seeing someone she hadn't met before but was fairly sure who he was. Sighing inwardly, she called, "Buenas! Can I help you?"

"Are you Lieutenant Rodriguez?" Andrew asked, putting on his best professional voice. This one's going to be trouble for you, he thought to himself.

"Si," Mari answered with a nod, rising and smoothing her uniform as she approached, asking, "And you are?"

"Andrew Fienneman, the Freedom's new XO." he replied, not bothering to beat around the bush. "I wanted to come down and talk to you, as the former XO and now Second Officer." he said, "Perhaps you can give me more information than I would be able to glean from the Commander." he added.

"About?" Mari asked, looking the man over. So this was the man that the captain thought was more suited to first officer than herself. Whatever the captain saw, she wasn't sure she could say the same. Except for the air of confidence which could very easily become over-confidence and cause him to fall flat on his face.

"Everything." Andrew replied, "I've read the logs regarding the Battle and, this vessel in particular, seems to have carried a good bit of the battle at the risk of nearly flying into three hundred pieces. I'd like to know a bit about how this crew functions together. Where you feel they are weak and where, were you still the XO, you would start in making this crew a more effective one."

"I would start with communication," Mari responded immediately, "And respect. There are certain...department heads...who feel they must do everyone's job as well as their own. I would work on that."

Andrew nodded, "Any Department Heads in particular?" he asked, arching his eyebrow.

They may think they needed to do everyone's job now, but when he was finished with them, they'd think twice about it. He smirked slightly to himself as he thought about how smooth this crew would be once he had the chance to get them all in line.

"Si," Mari said but shrugged, "But I do not want to bias your views as XO. You will learn quickly enough on your own without me giving you names."

"Fair enough." Andrew replied. He certainly respected that, but would have preferred her to name names.

"What about the Commander?" he asked, a bit quieter, almost as if Da`nal might be lurking in the shadows of the room behind him. "Anything I should be aware of? Anything I should avoid?" he asked, hoping she would spare him any undue embarrassment if there were any such things he should be aware of.

Shaking her head, she shrugged and said, "No tengo ni idea. I did not get the chance to work with him directly long enough to find out any information that might be useful."

"It would seem few have." Andrew replied quietly, pacing the floor a bit. "May I ask why it is you're no longer the XO?" he asked. Smooth, Andrew. He thought to himself, she's going to love you even more now.

"You may ask but there is nothing that I can tell you in response to that question," Mari said with a slight shake of her head, "That question would be better asked of the captain himself."

Andrew nodded, clearly he had touched the nerve. Serves you right, moron, he thought to himself.

"Well then." he continued, flattening the front of his uniform a bit awkwardly. "Once things get a bit more settled, and once I get squared away in my new post, I'd like for you and I to sit down and discuss the finer points of how we're going to run this ship. It's my job to make sure the crew is on task and functional, and I'll need your help in doing so." he said, "Shall we meet again in a few days time?" he asked.

"Si," Mari nodded formally, "Tell me when and where and I will be there."

"Very well. I'll see you then." Andrew replied, smiling politely and turning towards the door. He stepped through without another word.

Lieutenant Commander Andrew Fienneman
Executive Officer
USS Freedom

Lt Mariposa Hernandez Rodriguez
CSO
USS Freedom

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