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CSO's Office: Cadet Matthew Riley Reporting for Duty

Posted Sept. 6, 2020, midnight by Lieutenant Junior Grade Aili McMorran (Chief Science Officer) (Jamie Moore)

Posted by Cadet Matthew Riley (Scientist) in CSO’s Office: Cadet Matthew Riley Reporting for Duty

(snip)

Yep, she wants more, he lamented. God, I hate interviews. His eyes drifted over her shoulder as he considered the questions.

“On my first cruise we undertook a survey of the Alpha Omicron system. That played right into my strengths, and I led the team that did the stellar analysis. I assisted with modeling the lifecycle of the lifeforms that lived in the asteroid belt; my supervising officer commended my ‘intuitive thinking’ on that project, but that’s probably also in the file.” He spotted a stylus near him on the desk and lifted it, spinning it between his fingers, then placed it back.

McMorran sat stilly, curiously tracking Matthews small movements. The cogs of her mind whirred as she assessed his communication, verbal and otherwise.

“My second cruise was a study of the megaflora on Tendani IV. The supervising officer did not like my ‘leaps of intuition’, I believe he put in the report - though I was correct about how the plants reflected infrared light to assist with pollination.” He pointed the stylus at her to emphasize his point, then realized he was holding it again and replaced it on the desk, leaning back to distance himself from it.

Aili couldn’t resist the light grind that grew from the centre of her mouth, the curve of her tighly pressed lips leaning slightly to the right.

He sighed, trying to think of what to say next. “I’ve never been good at these kinds of self-reflective questions. I work well with others; I can lead a research team, and effectively. I can take assignments well, from superiors or in divvying up work among team members. I’m a scientist, I’m happiest when doing science.” He paused reflecting on his words.

“That… may also be something that gets me in trouble,” he admitted. “The scientist in me sometimes wins out over the officer in me, and I have questioned orders or assignments before.”

He spun the stylus in the fingers of his right hand, noticing it as it passed through his vision, then sheepishly placed it back on the desk and nudged it away from him. “Sorry. It’s a nervous habit.”

  • Cadet Riley, Science

The smile facing Riley was by then a warm one. “Not at all. I think I have somewhat of a handle on you Matthew. In fact, I can relate to much of what you’ve said.” Her left hand crossed her body to gently rub her other exposed arm. “We all fit into Starfleet in our own, unique ways. The individual finding their place in the collective effort is, well, perhaps the most important mission you will undertake here.”

Lt. J.G. Aili McMorran - CSO

OOC: Sorry for the wait!


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