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Captain's Ready Room: Cadet Beñnet Meeting

Posted Aug. 1, 2019, 5 p.m. by Captain Felix Rhodes (Captain) (David Shotton)

Posted by Ensign Catt Beñnet (Scientist) in Captain’s Ready Room: Cadet Beñnet Meeting

Posted by Captain Felix Rhodes (Captain) in Captain’s Ready Room: Cadet Beñnet Meeting

Posted by Cadet Catt Beñnet (Scientist) in Captain’s Ready Room: Cadet Beñnet Meeting
Posted by… suppressed (12) by the Post Ghost! 👻

Snip

Felix raised an eyebrow as he looked at the Caitian a moment, then looked out the window and pursed his lips as if in thought. It lasted a moment, before he looked back to her and turned around now bodily.

“That is a resignation letter? Let me see that.” He held out his hand and waited to receive it.

Captain Rhodes, CO

Catt bit her lip hard enough to draw blood, as she dropped her gaze to the floor and offered the Captain the padd. “Sir.” Was all she said. Once The Captain took the padd she caught her tail in her hands and tried to hold it still.

Cadet Catt Bennet. Sciences.

The chime at the door signaled another attendee to the meeting.

As the door slid open, the unassuming personage that was the ship’s Counselor walked in. “Captain. Cadet.” he said with a nod to each in turn. “I apologize for being late, Sir. Session ran longer than expected.”

Korczak, CNS

Catt flicked an ear as the door chimed. She couldn’t help but look over at who was coming in. The ship councilor? Either the man was a telepath or Catt had the worst luck of any cadet to ever go on a cadet cruise. It’s not that she disliked him, quite the contrary she liked him a bit too much. But why was it that the man best trained to notice always showed up when she was a emotional train wreck. It was hard enough waiting for the Captain to pronounce her doom. So she looked at Janusz her eyes near tears, holding her tail tight and made a sort of gurgling noise as she turned back to face the Captain and dropped her gaze to his feet again.

Cadet Catt Bennet. Sciences.

“Counselor,” Felix said acknowledging the man, after of course finishing reading the resignation letter handed to him by the Cadet. “It seems we have a problem. Cadet Bennet has written her resignation from Starfleet. In good faith, I cannot do anything else except accept this resignation on the grounds that Starfleet has need of the best Officers that the Academy has to offer. By writing this resignation, I have my doubts that the Cadet has any belief that the years of training at Starfleet Academy and successful completion of her training cruise has prepared her for a career among our ranks.

“If the Cadet herself has no belief in her skills, training and ability then who am I to go against her wishes in declining this resignation? I accept this letter, Cadet Bennet on the grounds that if you wrote it, you must believe you are not capable of performing your duties in Starfleet. In fact I will accept it on the grounds that you do not seem to want to be in this uniform if this,” he held up the PaDD, “is the result. Am I mistaken, Catt? Did you really want out of Starfleet? Are you really prepared to throw away the last four years of training and effort that most people in the Federation never get to achieve? Do you believe you are not able to represent this uniform with the dignity, skill and trust it requires?”

Captain Rhodes, CO

Catt took in every word like a impact. About midway she closed her eyes. When the Captain stopped she opened her eyes again. “The uniform sir… Is badly designed. For a species with fur.”, she said softly “The female dress style is marginally better.”, And she looked up at the Captain. “But the ideals, and tenets that it embodies are now a part of me even If I never wear it again.” She said a bit more forcefully. “I… Admit to the fact that I have at times doubted myself. After the away mission I blamed myself. So I wrote a letter of resignation. But.. through no fault of anyone on the mission we were not ready for what was over there. So I should not have brought it here. I have not submitted it. You asked what I carried and I replied honestly as required. You then asked to see it sir. So you hzve it. But I wrote it. I haven’t signed it. Nor did I intend to submit it unless I was requested to submit a resignation.”, and she looked embarrassed her ears a deep crimson as she blushed. “I have brought my findings on the Potterfield mission as well.”, she said. I have no proof but I suspect there is a sentient form of plantlife.”, and she paused at having put out a unfounded theory. T’Kam would be ashamed of her. ” it stayed out of sight. It used ranged weapons. It stalked us. I feel I would fail my duty to those who will next board the Potterfield if I did not tell you this.”, she said emphatically.
“Ultimately sir. I love Starfleet. I do my best dispite my doubts in myself. And I will not allow any lifeform to suffer if I can work to prevent it. ” and she looked out the window at the stars. “The Stars have claws sir. Starfleet is the armor.” And she pivoted away from the window so she could look at both men. “I am required sir to confess that I made a mess in engineering and may of accidentally insulted the new Engineering chief. I know this is a bad time to tell you this but it is my duty as a member of the crew to keep you up to date so you can make informed decisions.”, and Catt stood still waiting chin level. Her ears quivering a bit and her tail tip twitching wildly.

Cadet Catt Bennet. Science.

“I have no decisions to make, but you do.” Felix said, tapping the PaDD against his hand. “You’re next orders have already come through, however it is within my power and Lieutenant Commander Korczak’s to recommend to Command another course of action in light of this.” He held up the PaDD.

“An Officer who wishes to be in Starfleet will have no doubts about themselves. Will not write a letter of resignation in light of a mission that may or may not have gone to plan. They will strive to do better, to improve upon and reach forward to greater heights. Is that a description of you, Cadet? Is that something you believe you will achieve? To do better, to do the uniform proud, to improve and not, this?” he nodded at the PaDD containing the resignation letter. “If it is not, then I expect you to sign it and not waste the time and trust of your fellow Officers. If being a member of Starfleet is something that you honestly believe you are worthy of, that you deserve and you will work to make it better with your contribution, then take the PaDD and delete that letter, we will not speak of it again.”

Captain Rhodes, CO

Catt’s left ear drooped a bit, but lifted., “Sorry sir. No I do not wish to resign. Yes I can do better and will do better every day. New assignment sir? ” and her tail stopped twitching. She almost. Almost quiped a joke but stopped herself. The Captain didn’t look to be in the mood and thats how she got herself in trouble with the CE.

Cadet Catt Bennet. Sciences.

Korczak cleared his throat and said “Captain, if I may?” and then turned his whole torso to face Bennet fully.

“Cadet Bennet. You are reactionary, too involved in your own head, too hesitant to speak your mind, and far too timid for your own good. You have low self-confidence, low opinions of your physical self, and and no faith in your own instincts. You have an ingrained belief that you are somehow less because of your trials and tribulations from your childhood, and you carry those like enormous weights that drag you down with every step.” he said in his typical flat and emotionless tone. But then he cocked his head to the side slightly and a small grin crossed his face.

“You have also made more progress in addressing all of that over your tenure here on the Challenger than any other Cadet I have seen in my time with the Academy. You have grown both as an officer and as scientist… and as an individual. You have come very far, and while you have still have a great deal of work to do, you have accomplished so much. Yes… your mission did not go well. Not at all. But you did your job, Cadet. And you did it well. I will let you in on a little known fact, and I am sure the Captain can attest to this as well.” and he cast a small glance at Rhodes and looked back. “Most Away Team missions are boring. Very, very boring. The ones that aren’t boring are most often so because things are going wrong. Look around you, Bennet.” and he gesturing broadly about the room. “You are inside one of the most advanced pieces of scientific instrumentation known to most species. And we still have to set foot in strange situations because even with all of this, we cannot know what we are dealing with sometimes. So to find fault in yourself because the mission did not go well? That’s a bit much, don’t you think?” Without waiting for a response, he continued.

“Writing a resignation letter, Cadet? That shows me, for all of what my opinion matters here, three things. First, you feel guilty about your shipmates getting hurt. That is good, it shows you have grown outside of yourself and have allowed yourself to feel like part of a team. Two, you take responsibility for what happened. That is good, but you must be cautious to accept responsibility only for your actions at this time. When you become a Department Head or perhaps, someday, a Command officer… then is when you have to take responsibility for the actions of those you supervise. Until then, do not allow yourself to take on blame for what you cannot control. And lastly, it shows that you understand there are consequences for mistakes. And that, Cadet, is a lesson that most in your role as Cadet have yet to learn. You are quite fortunate to have learned the lesson early.” Korczak then turned to the Captain.

“Sir, I would suggest that the letter be looked at as a simple exercise in dealing with stress. I would also recommend that you allow the Cadet to erase the letter herself.”

Korczak, CNS

Catt turned to face Yanooz as the Councilor spoke. She made a decided effort not to cringe every time he listed one of her many faults. She also managed to keep herself from filling in the ones she thought he’d missed. Then he started highlighting her improvement. She felt she could still improve on herself and would strive to do so of course.
One of those improvements was in knowing when to stay quiet. She wanted to say a lot right now. Actually she wanted to hug the counsilor as he had explained things to her and not just yelled at her or gotten upset. So she didn’t say aloud.the words in her head. But only nodded. “Thank you sir”, was all she finally did say.

Cadet Catt Bennet. Scientist.

Still holding up the PaDD, Felix turned it slightly left and right. “I’m not inclined to look at a Starfleet Officer writing a letter of resignation an exercise in dealing with stress, however the Counselor has good advice, Cadet. I suggest you take note of it. Like I and the Lieutenant Commander have said, If you wish to continue your career in Starfleet, take the PaDD and delete the letter. I assume you wish to find out your next set of orders?”

Captain Rhodes, CO

Catt stepped towards the Captain and held out het handpaw for the padd.

Assuming she was given the padd she would immediately purge all data off it. Then initiate a full system reformat of the padd so that the dara was beyond recovery.
She offered the padd back to the Captain.

“Sir. if It is not to much to ask I would like to know my orders.”, she finally said wondering if she could manage to keep on giving short answers without observations, speculations and other miscellaneous asides that had been the cause of so much trouble for her lately.

Cadet Catt Bennet. Sciences.

“Not in the slightest,” Felix replied, and walked with purpose back to his desk. Reaching it he sat, and pulled another PaDD from a pile to his right, then opened a drawer and took out a small box.

“Cadet Bennet, congratulations. You have succeeded in passing your Cadet Cruise with satisfaction. I have here, you’re new assignment.” He pushed the PaDD across the desk towards the Cadet. “You’re new assignment is the U.S.S. Ark Angel, in the Foremost Fleet. Captain Drudoc Andone commanding.”

Now he stood and approached her, opening the box as he went. Inside was a small, single solid pip. “And along with your assignment, I grant you the rank of Ensign. Congratulations, Ensign Bennet. The Challenger and myself wish you the best in your future pursuits as a full Officer of Starfleet.”

Captain Rhodes, CO

Catt tried to be dignified. But her tail had other ideas. It pretty much danced about as she took the box from the Captain. Her hanudpaw was unsteady as she undid the cadet pip and replaced it with the solid pip. “It has been a pleasure serving under your command sir. I will never forget my lessons here. Thank you sir.” , and she turned to ley the councilor see the pip. “We did not see as much of each other Comander Korzak as I would of liked. But your advise and support has improved me.”, she stopped talking as
Her emotions welled up and finished with a sigh. “When you get to the mess hall sir you will find the meal I promised you. I cheated though as I can’t cook so I had a famous Polish Chef prepare it.” , turning back to the captain she asked “Permission to be dismissed sir.”, and would exit as soon as it was given.

Ensign Catt Bennet. Sciences.

Ooc: I have a character on the AA so will be asking for Catt to join Atlantis. I’ll continue reading Challenger so any posts forward will be read. Hugs.

“Dismissed, Ensign, and fare well.” Felix nodded in reply

Once the new Starfleet Officer had departed to prepare for her new career, he turned to Korczak. “Coffee, Commander?”

Captain Rhodes, CO

OOC: Farewell indeed Roger, it’s been great having you aboard. Goodluck with your RP in the Main Fleets! I’ll be removing your Char today so you are free to pursue your destinations.

-Dave


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