STF

XO's Office - My Mustache Brings All The Boys To The Yard

Posted Feb. 14, 2022, 2:16 p.m. by Lieutenant Xam Ra'Ti (Strategic Operations Officer) (James Sinclair)

Posted by Commander Jessica Teller (XO) in XO’s Office - My Mustache Brings All The Boys To The Yard

Posted by Lieutenant Xam Ra’Ti (Strategic Operations Officer) in XO’s Office - My Mustache Brings All The Boys To The Yard

Posted by Commander Jessica Teller (XO) in XO’s Office - My Mustache Brings All The Boys To The Yard
Posted by… suppressed (11) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Having unloaded the shuttle and finding his new quarters, Lieutenant Xam Ra’Ti made sure his appearance was flawless before making his way through the Fleet Personnel Only section of the Outpost. He knew the XO was in her office as thats what the computer verified. He stopped twice to introduce himself to some of the Security team that was on patrol, and then found himself standing in front of a door. He made a fist and knuckled the chime to let XO know he was there. A fleeting memory flashed through his mind; that of a somewhat younger version of himself meeting his first XO outside of the Academy. That had been a… colorful… relationship. Some people just couldn’t see past Xam’s past. “Welp, there’s always a first time I guess.” he mumbled to himself.

Ra’Ti, Strategic Ops Chief

“Come,” Jessica yelled out disconnecting the comm call she was on and spinning back around in her chair. Life never seemed to stop for her anymore. She had to find a balance somewhere. At least next month she would be on shore leave and only fulfilling one role instead of two. At least this meeting was going to be easy. She always liked meeting the new officers on the station. Sometimes they were eager and shiny newly minted officers and other time less shiny. Either way Jessica liked first meetings.

Teller XO

As the door slid open, the new Strategic Operations Officer came into the room. The Efrosian walked with a noticeable ease of movement… a sense of confidence pressing the line between capable and cocky. An easy smile played across his face as he looked at the XO. But it was his eyes… piercing ice-blue eyes with silvery white edges around the iris. They were the eyes of a rogue… a cad…

A predator.

“Commander, nice to meet ya. Lieutenant Xam Ra-Ti, at your service.” Xam said with a smile.

Xam

“Lieutenant,” she returned the greeting with a nod and gestured to a seat across from her desk. “Nice to meet you. Take a seat.” Sitting down she took in the man sitting across from her. “So how are you finding your new assignment on the outpost. Satisfactory I hope.”

Teller XO

Xam chuckled and grinned. “Well, Ma’am… I’ve been here all of thirty minutes, so… so far so good, I guess. But maybe we should give me time to really get a feel for the place. Two, three hours maybe and you can ask me again?” and he chuckled once more. It had always amused him how so many Command officers asked the same question of new arrivals. What did they expect? ‘How do you like it so far?’ ‘Oh, its brilliant. The walk from the shuttle bay to this office inspires me to greatness.’

Of course, that particular conversation played out in the back of the SOO’s mind. To the XO, he said “So tell me what you and the Old Man expect from me here. Although… I understand that the Skipper is as new here as I am. What are they like?”

Ra’Ti, SOO

“First and foremost I am not sure he would appreciate Old Man as a nickname,” Jessica let out a small breathy chuckle. “As for what we expect from you the duties here are pretty much where they are anywhere. Preparing the station for the outbreak of conflict, liaising with Starfleet Command and our allies when needed, logistics, and when your clearance permits it summarizing intelligence reports for briefings. Staff meetings usually are on Mondays at 8 sharp but that was under the old CO. Which of these areas do you feel were your strongest in your last posting?”

Teller XO

Xam smiled and leaned back, sitting as if he had been coming to this office for years. “Oh… I’m a strong believer in the school of ‘Peace Through Superior Firepower’. So making sure we are prepped and ready for any trouble will be at the forefront of what I do. I’ve read the After Action Reports. This place isn’t exactly dull, now is it?” he said with something akin to enjoyment. “I’ll be honest, I can be charming if the need arises, but I prefer to be more direct than diplomati And as far as clearances go, well… that can be problematic at times. I doubt you are unaware of my rather colorful history before Star Fleet. That tends to give some of the Intelligence bureaucrats pause now and then in giving me what I need. But every obstacle has a way around it.. right, Commander?” and he smiled.

Ra’Ti, SOO

“True,” she nodded returning the smile. “I wouldn’t worry too much about the clearance issue. I handle the intelligence division so if you need it I will ensure you receive it.” With the might of Aedan’s assets and those of Starfleet Intelligence, Jessica was probably one of the most connected people in the sector. Most people thought the use of his name or being on her husband’s arm opened doors. The honest answer was it opened the closed doors and ones locked tight in the darkest depths of seedy backrooms and basements. She also had been briefed on the SOO’s colorful background by both her husband and Starfleet.

Leaning back in her chair, Jessica matched his easy and relaxed pose. “Yeah they might have mentioned something but reports don’t convey the pragmatics of a situation. Why don’t you give me the run down and highlights?” Jessica was very interested in how the officer perceived his own past. Often times how one saw themselves and how the universe saw them were two very different perceptions.

Teller XO

Xam smiled and said “You have those in the file, Commander. I don’t see the need to rehash what you’ve already read. Besides… all the best stories are typically shared over drinks and good food, not in an office checking in with your boss. Unless you want to know about Risa… that part you may not have gotten notified of yet.” and he grinned more widely. “Not my crowning moment by any means… but it did garner me certain rewards that I will be thinking about for quite a while.” and he laughed.

Ra’Ti, SOO

Jess looked at him with a slightly quizzical expression. “The point of my question was not to regurgitate facts but to see your perspective on your life and career.” Too many years as an intelligence analyst had Jessica always looking at people under a different lens. She had skimmed his files but not read them. The reason wasn’t lack of interest in her new SOO. It was more people changed over time. A report from ten years ago meant little. What meant something was the here and now. If he wasn’t going to answer the question she would not push him. Instead, she altered the topic.

“I did hear about Risa. So what do you do for fun,” she asked. “I assume it is not being an intergalactic Robin Hood of sorts and saving innocent people.”

Teller XO

Xam looked at her and the grin was less ‘amused’ and more ‘amusingly sincere’. “What I did on Risa was fun, Commander. And I was never a ‘rob from the rich and give to the poor’ kinda guy. I was more the ‘Rob from the rich and give to me and my crew and make sure the next ship knew not to try and screw with me’ kind of guy.” Xam said flatly. “I’ll tell you what I told my last XO, Ma’am… I am not a nice guy. I fight dirty, and I cheat at every opportunity. I will hurt somebody just to make a point to someone else and lose no sleep over it that night. I try not to harm innocents and non-combatants, but I don’t flinch if a Mr. Bad Guy thinks he’ll get away by grabbing a mother of two and using them as a shield. I’ll just shoot all four of them and then take the butt-chewing and brig time without blinking. I don’t tolerate fools and I don’t care for braggarts. I have a reputation, Ma’am… and its a well deserved one. And if you really want to see what that reputation is… wait until someone who knows me or of me form my past shows up. Places like this tend to attract them, so you probably won’t have to wait long. I will do my job to the best of my ability, but I really am not what most CO’s and XO’s want in their command. I have been called ‘a loose cannon’. I have been called ‘violent’. I have been called ‘remorseless’, ‘psychotic’, ‘untenable’, ‘unsuited for the uniform’, ‘problematic’, and more than a few colorful words that aren’t polite to say in front of a lady… and that’s just in my personnel reviews. I will cause you and the Skipper headaches and you will want to chuck me out of an air-lock more than a few times. But…” and he held up a finger to emphasize his point, “… I am really good at my job, people under my care are kept safe and secure, and people who tend to operate outside of the norm understand that I am not to be trifled with. Which means the petty criminals and such tend to steer clear after a while. It also means the ones that will show up, although fewer and further between, tend to be much larger problems than normal.” and he chuckled.

“Think of it as quality over quantity.”

Ra’Ti, SOO

“I am thinking more about you sacrificing a mother and child and not blinking in your scenario for what,” she looked at him skeptically. “To be a hero…to whom. You say you will protect those under your care but you have no issue lying, cheating, or stealing,” she paused parsing her thoughts together. “I understand loyalty to one’s own. Far more than most ever realize.” She had zero doubts the man knew her husband and not as the playboy turned philanthropist half the galaxy saw. He knew the side of Aedan the small percentage did that gave Teller wide bearth or sweared Fealty to.

“There is too much paperwork involved with being a hero, Commander… I have no desire to be one.” Xam said flatly. “And if the scenario calls for it, if the risk of the bad guy getting away is bigger than the mommy and her brood, then they get shot. Period.” Xam’s face was expressionless, but not as if he was hiding anything… more like he was simply speaking concrete facts that were simple and clear to anyone and everyone.

“Period,” Jessica could not hide the disdain in her voice or face over the man still sticking to his announcement of accepting any form of collateral damage to achieve a goal. “When one deal in absolutes they learn and achieve absolutely nothing.”

“Absolutes rule the cosmos, Commander. Two solids cannot occupy the same space. An object at rest stays at rest until acted upon by an outside force. Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only changed. Oh, and of course my personal favorite… For every action there is an equal but opposite reaction. So absolutes are important.”

Leaning back in her chair she sipped her coffee looking at him. “You are not going to give me headaches because I will blow you out of an airlock if you step out of line,” she set her cup down. “You would not be the first and probably not the last. Accidents happen all the time.” Jessica looked at the man waiting to see or hear his reaction. He might laugh in that gregarious tone that made people fall for his charm and sing his praises in bars and pubs like some bard from the days past. He might not like having the law laid down and stumble out in a huff. Jessica didn’t know him well enough to place a bet past statistical change…but she was eager to find out.

Jessica Teller XO

Xam shrugged. “You can try, Ma’am. You would not be the first and probably not the last.” he stated plainly. “But know if you try to, then you and I both go. And yes, I am well aware of who your husband is. In fact, I would hazard to guess I know who he is better than most. I have interfered in his interests on more than one occasion, after all. And have dealt with the ramifications of such activity. But I am not scared of him… or you, Ma’am. Or really anyone. Not because I think I am better, mind you. I know for a fact that I am not the best of the best of the best…” and he grinned slightly and winked at the XO, “… although I am pretty good.” and gave a slight chuckle. “But I also know that my time is limited and when it’s up, its up. I can’t change that, so why shy away from it. Now… does this mean I have a death wish? Oh, absolutely not. I am far too cocky to want to die. Besides… I think the galaxy would be slightly less colorful without me… don’t you agree, Commander?” and he grinned.

Ra’Ti, SOO

Or maybe safer, Jessica thought. Picking up her PaDD, she submitted a request to move the man’s counseling check-in as soon as possible. She was on the fence about whether this man was attempting to appear charismatic with a large display of humor and bravado or tough and scandalous. Only the passage time would shove Jessica one way or the other. “I don’t know you well enough to agree or disagree on that,” she met his grin with a soft smile of her own. Some would see being a woman in command in Starfleet as a deficit. Jessica always saw it as an asset. There was a reason women in Starfleet Intelligence were recruited for their looks and demeanor just as men were recruited for their physical strength. Everyone played a role. The key was finding out what that role was.

“So tell me why here?” Leaning back in her seat, Jessica stared at the man. “What made you choose to come here or were you given no choice in the matter?”

Jessica Teller XO
Bump

“Transferred without being asked, Ma’am. But I am assuming it has something to do with my previous XO’s unhealthy preoccupation with my previous occupation. He wanted more than I was willing to share with regards to piracy.” Ra’Ti said with a slight touch of annoyance in voice.

Ra’Ti, SOO


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