Posted by Ensign Kiama Naim (Scientist) in Pre-Sim: Arrival on board

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Maxwell Wynter (Chief Engineer / 2nd Officer) in Pre-Sim: Arrival on board

Posted by Ensign Kiama Naim (Scientist) in Pre-Sim: Arrival on board
Posted by… suppressed (9) by the Post Ghost! 👻

Snip

“Oh right.” With a soft laugh she handed him the tricorder with her left hand and almost simultaneously extended her right one and continued, “My name is Ensign Kiama Naim.” In her mind she still automatically continued with Daughter of the seventh house of Betazed and could kick herself for that. Though at least she wasn’t saying it out loud anymore. Instead she said, “I got a degree in neuroscience from the University of Betazed and I continued my studies in that field at the Academy. But I also pursued exobiology and socio-cultural anthropology and got a minor in those fields as well. So what I’m mostly interested in with regard to this ships mission is encountering new cultures and learning all I can about them. I’m not sure how much neuroscience I’m going to do here. After all, I have a feeling that most people wouldn’t like me to take extensive and in-depth scans of their brains to analyse and compare them.”

“Yes, the neuroscience bit might take a bit of a back seat while we meet and catalogue the different cultures out here,” Max smiled while he shook her hand. “Welcome to the Manhattan, Ensign Naim. She’s a good ship, I should know.” Taking the tricorder he packed that away as well, then moved the kit to one side so it was tucked against the wall. “Well, at least with the neuroscience out of the way you might not be the science type to work late at night in a darkened lab yelling “It’s Alive,” he smirked. “Although if you did, I have a few handy power converters that might boost the containment yield of a neural net.” He was joking, that at least came through loud and clear from the way he grinned.

“Duly noted,” she replied and grinned back at him.

“What’s your name, Sir? And what did you specialise in? she asked with sincere interest.

~Ensign Naim, Scientist

“Oh right,” he laughed lightly then motioned for her to excuse him while he moved the panel back into place to cover the workspace he had just been in. “Lieutenant Commander Max Wynter, Chief Engineer and Second Officer of the Manhattan at your service, my wife is Lieutenant Jasmine Wynter, the ships Chief Medical Officer,” he told her, then clipped the panel into place and tapped it with the palm of his hand to make sure it fit snug. “But outside of official meetings and anybody bigger than me looking on, just call me Max. Rank doesn’t mean much when you work with people that you rely on every day, we’re all on this ship together right? So where did they put you? Did you get a room with a view?”

Lt Cmdr Wynter, CE

“Nice to meet you, Commander. May, I mean. This is going to take some getting used to, I think,” Kiama chuckled slightly nervously. “As for my room,” she looked down at the palm of her left hand and then help it up for him to see. Written on it in neat, slightly loopy handwriting was ‘Deck 6, Section 12, Room 48’. “I haven’t seen my quarters yet, but they should be right around the corner, I think. And I really hope they have a view. I love watching the stars,” she said with a dreamy expression, her voice trailing off at the end.

~Ensign Naim, Scientist

“Likewise Ensign, and you’re in luck,” he said and picked up the kit, nodding his head further down the corridor. “You got a room with a view of stars and not a ruddy great warp pylon blocking everything, and close to the Science Labs as well. I can walk with you, there’s a turbo lift just past that I’ll take to head back to Engineering.”

“You have no idea how happy I am to hear that. There is just no scope for imagination looking at a warp pylon every day,” Kiama exclaimed excitedly, her relieve obvious in her body language and in the excessive use of italics.

“I specialized in Warp Engineering and Field Engineering at the Academy,” Max explained as they walked, jumping back to an earlier question. It showed that he was far from absent minded or single minded, he had the ability to branch of from a conversation before heading straight back to what was originally on the table. “Here we kind of take on a bunch of roles as you would expect, but I always liked getting my hands dirty on the job which is why I’m out here and not a junior engineer. My wife is going to have something to say about the singed tunic though I bet. Did you arrive with anybody you knew on the intake?”

Lt Cmdr Wynter, CE

“I can imagine,” Kiama chuckled. She hadn’t met the Chief Medical Officer yet, but who wouldn’t be worried if their partner looked like they nearly burned or electrocuted themselves? “And to answer your question,” she continued without missing a beat, “No, I don’t know any of the other new crewmembers who arrived at the same time as me. Everyone else from my graduate class was posted on a different ship. But who knows, maybe that’s a good thing. That way I won’t only stick to the people I already know and instead have to get to know the rest of crew.” After a short pause, she added softly, “And I kind of like new beginnings, when not everyone already knows everything about you.”

~Ensign Naim, Scientist

“Oh, you’re going all mysterious now?” Max smiled and turned to look at her as they walked. “That kind of sounds like you have a reason to be posted to the other side of the galaxy and away from home.” They walked, the curve of the corridor straightening to reveal the door to her quarters in the distance.

Kiama didn’t say anything and instead just shrugged one shoulder and smiled lopsidedly at Max, trying to keep things light and casual.

“In my experience of watching old time movies and old mystery books, that would mean that you are either one, an escaped criminal trying to blend in, two, in witness protection and using a false name or three, royalty running away from their family. I know a guy like that number three actually, Duncan Rhodes is his name, he’s the CSO on Outpost 42. Big, rich and influential family on Earth, high expectations of his responsibilities and a desire to live his own life before he gets dragged under by those responsibilities. Best Science Officer I have ever seen though, he would be wasted running his family’s business empire.” As he spoke, he glanced at her. He wasn’t trying to pry, but he was at least kind of interested to see if there was a reaction.

Lt Cmdr Wynter, CE

At first Kiama chuckled softly when he started to tag off the possibilities he saw for her being somewhat mysterious. But when he mentioned the third one, she not only fell silent rather suddenly, but actually stopped dead, her face tuning a slightly ashen colour. So when Max turned towards her, he would find her standing several steps behind her, staring unseeingly down the corridor, trying to get a grip on herself again. Why was she reacting that way? He didn’t know anything. Or did he? And why would it matter? It shouldn’t have an impact on her relationship with fellow officers. But of course at times it did. Though if, then usually with fellow Betazoids and not with members of other species.

“Of course you don’t need to tell me, you can stay mysterious,” he teased lightly as he stopped and waited for her to catch up to him. It was more of a reaction than he thought there would be, something he said had hit a mark of some kind clearly.

Giving herself a mental shake, she eventually said, “Well, you’re not far off the mark. But … I don’t really know if I want people to know. Though, one look into my personal file is probably enough for anyone to find out anyways. So ....” She inhaled deeply, held her breath for a moment and then exhaled audibly. “I’m a daughter of the seventh house of Betazed and eventually - after my mother’s death - I will have to take her place in government.” As she said that one sentence, it was almost as if all life, all energy had left her. “And of course with that come not only numerous responsibilities, but just as many expectations,” she sighed.

~Ensign Naim, Scientist

Max raised his eyebrows a little, that was a surprise. “Well, I’ve never been in the presence of real royalty before Ensign, but my lips are sealed.” He smiled and said it easily, one reason was so that she could be sure he wasn’t going to run around telling people, the other, the use of her rank, was to let her know that she was part of the crew, the Manhattan, his crew. As such, she was part of this family now.

“Thank you, Sir. The last thing I want is to be looked at funny or treated differently just because of my family,” Kiama said earnestly. “I chose Starfleet and I did not choose the family I was born into.”

“That will be a while away yet, first, you have a whole lot of exploring and work to do here, and a whole crew of professional officers to work with, in a different part of the galaxy. The only expectations you have here, are the ones that you give yourself and the ones Starfleet gives you.” He held out his hand towards her quarters, “Plus, your quarters are not even close to a royal suite.”

Lt Cmdr Wynter, CE

“I sure hope so. But to be honest, with my mother you never know,” she replied still a little subdued before adding with a nervous chuckle, “It wouldn’t surprise me if she was sitting in my quarters right now, waiting for me.” Though of course of she was, she would have already known it. They were far to close to her new home as that she could have missed her mother’s presence. “As for what my quarters are like: not being a royal suite is always a good thing. All the rooms in our family home look and feel more like a museum than anything. And who would want to live in a museum?” Well, she actually knew one person who would, but she was a history nerd and only ever left museums and libraries when your forcibly dragged her out of there. But that was a whole different story. Though thinking of her friend did make her chuckle and lightened her mood.

“Well I know one guy,” he grinned at the memory of a previous Captain of the Manhattan. “Our last CO was an El Aurian, and had been around for, well, quite some time. Lets just say that his memorabilia would have been the envy of a few museums.”

“I can imagine! And just think of how much you can learn and study if you’d live that long,” replied Kiama emphatically, her eyes drifting out of focus as she her mind wandered off for a moment.

With a decided nod, Kiama started to walk the last couple of metres towards her quarters, before stopping again just outside the reach of the door sensor. Standing in front of the door it only then occurred to her that she had no idea what to expect. Did junior officers have their own quarters? Or did they share them with another officer? After a brief glance towards Max, she took the final step forward and let the doors swish open in front of her.

~Ensign Naim, Scientist

“Your lucky,” he said as he glanced over her shoulder at the room and the large window on the far wall, showing a sky full of stars. “As an Officer, you get your own quarters. The Crewmen on the lower decks aren’t so fortunate.”

Her eyes glittered as she heard that. Not that she’d minded sharing her room at the Academy, but sometimes it was nice to come home after a long day and not having to talk to anyone. And she wouldn’t have to worry about anyone complaining that there was ‘gros science stuff’ on her desk.

“If you need anything, let me know alright Naim. I’m still on Duty so I’ll head back to Engineering. It’s been a pleasure meeting you and don’t worry, my lips are sealed. I’ll just go Grumpy Engineer if anybody gossips, I got your back.” Grinning, he swapped the kit over and offered her his hand. “I’ll be seeing you around no doubt, and you’ll likely meet my wife at your check-in.”

Lt Cmdr Wynter, CE

“I will. Thank you, Sir.” For everything. And without stopping to think, she gave him a brief hug. Only to realise in that moment that that was not appropriate. Heat rising to her cheeks, she stuttered, “I’m so sorry. I- I didn’t think. I-” Why do I have to be so impulsive? she chastised herself silently, while waiting to be reprimanded.

~Ensign Naim, Scientist

Not only Naim, but Max was also slightly embarrassed by her quick hug, but he only grinned and scratched the back of his head. “It’s okay, I’ll survive,” he teased her. “I’m only the ships Second Officer after all, so no harm done.”

Still feeling slightly mortified by her impulsiveness, Kiama simply nodded.

“I meant what I said though, you’ll make friends quickly here.” He had put her impulsive hug behind them but in truth, he hadn’t minded. There was a time and place for Rank and Order, and he was an Engineer, not an Admiral. They all had to work together to make the ship run right and people worked better when they were comfortable with their shipmates. “I think you are the kind of person that will fit in pretty quickly, Ensign. I’ll let you settle into your quarters and get back to Engineering. Stop by and say hello if you are in the neighbourhood sometime.”

Lt Cmdr Wynter, CE

“Thank you, Sir. And I will,” she replied with a warm and sincere smile, feeling relieved that no harm was done. And with that, she turned around and walked into her quarters on the Manhattan for the very first time and let the door swish close behind her.

~Ensign Naim, Scientist

As happened sometimes when she was doing maintenance in the hidden corridors and small cramped spaces in the bowels of the Manhattan, Kaia of Galdor was hopelessly lost. She’d made a wrong turn crawling down one tiny passage, and even her small frame couldn’t turn around in these spaces not made for living beings to crawl around in. The tiny engineer wouldn’t have been here, either, if one of the maintenance drones hadn’t broken down. Now, dragging it behind her in a small sling, she crawled through the cramped space.

Suddenly feeling a rush of fresh air, she realized she must be near an access port, and a few minutes a loud crash could be heard within ensign Naim’s quarters as an access panel that definitely was not supposed to be opened was flung from the wall.

Ensign Kaia

OOC: hope you don’t mind the intrusion!