Posted by Captain Dante Knight (Commanding Officer) in Pre-Sim: Reporting to the CO

Posted by Lieutenant Elmira O’Shea (Chief Tactical Officer) in Pre-Sim: Reporting to the CO

Posted by Lieutenant Elmira O’Shea (Chief Tactical Officer) in Pre-Sim: Reporting to the CO
Posted by… suppressed (4) by the Post Ghost! 👻
The redhead had never been the kind of gal to worry much about unpacking. She’d toss the bag upon the bed and leave it there until she needed something. Truly, it was a waste of time, in her opinion, to care about order in these early days. All that was on her mind? Getting those annual check-ins out of the way, so she didn’t have to deal with a p’d off doctor or counselor for a good few months.

Listening to the click of her heels against the hard floor beneath her, the Betazoid woman considered everyone she passed. Her expression was perhaps unwelcoming to anyone who saw it. She wore no smile, but no frown, and instead a type of grimace which expressed indifference. At least, for the time being. Running down her checklist of things to do, she knew checking in with the Captain was of top priority. After all, she had to meet the boss, yes?

It took her several minutes, and several redirective events, to find her way to the Captain’s office. Elmira had never found pleasure in asking for help, and the perplexing instructions of her peers had given her every reason to expand her belief in that principle. Stifling a sigh, a part of her just hoped the Captain was in his office, but another part of her knew how rare that could have been. Going out on a whim, she reached up and tapped the chime, insinuating someone was behind that door.

Elmira O’Shea
Incoming CTO

“Enter” came the voice from behind the door, which opened almost immediately to admit the chime ringer. Through that door, the Captains Ready Room would be viewed as a space designed for work.

Oh thank the gods, A wash of relief came across her mind, relaxing her enough to appear less.. Hostile, when she entered the room. Stepping inside, she remained in silence, her gaze drifting to the contents of his Ready Room.

A large desk with inbuilt console covered most of the back wall while a pair of chairs sat in front of it. To one side of the door a small couch sat with small end tables on each end, and near a floor to ceiling view panel that looked out into the stars, a two person dining table sat where the Captain could take an evening meal with a guest if he so wished. Beside that view panel was a large book case and cabinet with various drawers and shelves with an assortment of items from Dante’s travels and on the opposite wall to that a door to a washroom.

It was all very neat and tidy apart from the surface of the desk. That was covered in PaDD’s holding various updates on the work being done on the Saracen’s refit and repairs, crew assignments and duty rosters for the training that needed to be carried out on the new crew. The Captain himself, wasn’t at the desk however. The man turned from the window looking out to the stars, although at this point it gave a view of Starbase 257 as the Saracen underwent it’s refit after having being stuck in the early 21st Century and suffering major engine fatigue from the effects of a temporal anomaly. Dante had decided he hated Temporal anomalies, they were a problem that created other problems that couldn’t, shouldn’t, be solved with torpedo’s.

In the Captains hand was a large, over sized coffee cup and in his other hand, a PaDD that he had been half reading as he looked out the window. This he placed on the dining table beside him as he watched the newcomer enter his office, revealing it to be a list of Duty Assignments that he was reviewing. “Lieutenant O’Shea” Dante said, with a smile at his new Chief Tactical Officer, possibly one of the most important positions on his ship in Dante’s view, “Welcome to the Saracen, please come in” he said as he took a step forward and took the measure of the red headed woman, somehow his eyes never leaving hers as he did so and noting her expression. “What can I get you? Coffee?”

Captain Knight, CO

Elmira’s perception of the Captain shifted with each passing moment, he had not said much, beyond a simple greeting, but she already seemed to like him. Perhaps it was that oversized coffee cup, and whatever necessity had come over him to need something so large.

“Thank you, Captain.” At first, her voice offered minimal inflection, expressing that same indifference she had worn throughout the ship. It was a feature engrained into her personality, after years of spending her days surrounded by some of the most gruff Starfleet had to offer; the tactical field. Despite every intention she had, she knew the expression would come off as disrespectful, if she did not at least speak properly. “It looks like you have more than enough coffee for both of our sakes, sir.” She hummed, briefly nodding to the immense coffee cup. “But yes, coffee would be grand; straight black, if you don’t mind – nobody really needs all that sugar.” While her words were momentary, they already began to display parts of who the young Betazoid was, as a person.

Taking into account the various intricate details of the man’s humble ready room, she made herself aware of its shape and contents. Although, admittedly, she was more concerned with Captain Knight, for a person would always be far more lethal, or far more friendly, than the machinery they are surrounded by.

O’Shea
Incoming CTO

Dante nodded and flashed a quick smile at her request, then walked straight to the replicator and placed the order for O’Shea’s drink. Noticeably it was a strong blend he ordered. “I’ll let you in on a little secret” he told her, “I never have enough coffee. It’s a bad habit I know but sometimes it’s this or a torpedo volley.” He picked up her cup and walked back to her, his eyes never leaving her for a moment as if taking in her measure as he handed over the drink and simultaneously taking a sip of his own mug.

“There’s no judgement from me, sir. Coffee is a necessity to start the morning.” She agreed, waving a hand in dismissal. She could not blame the captain for his excessive consumption of the hot beverage; its strong content of caffeine and refreshing effect was enough to send anyone on a mile long search for its richness. Of course, Elmira didn’t believe in the whole ‘add a Mount Everest of sugar’ nor the kind to go after an ‘ocean of creamer,’ but she was still more than willing to snag a cup whenever she could. Thanking him for the drink, she knew he was studying her, but she did not say a word.

“Come to the table, lets not sit at the desk” he said, and indicated the small two person dining table and chairs by the view panel looking out at the Starbase. “Lieutenant Elmira O’Shea” he began, as if reading from a PaDD which of course was nowhere near him as he moved to the dining table and pulled out the chair for her. “Betazoid, but lived on Earth for much of your life before attending Starfleet Academy.” If she was picking up any feelings from him, it would be those of calmness and a deliberate focus on what he was saying.

“Graduated among the top students in your year at the Academy, noted troublemaker who spent another year there polishing up a few rough edges it seems, then assigned to the Dresden where your performance was noted and you became the Chief Tactical Officer on that ship.” He paused and his smile returned, although there could have been more of a slight grin to it, he reminded her of himself in some ways back then except for the troublemaker part, mostly. He had spent an extra year at the Academy to receive advanced Tactical training, but he knew the time there would have added to her skill whatever the reason. “Take a seat Lieutenant”

Raising an eyebrow, Elmira listened to her life story laid down before her, as if she were a spectator in her own path to the grave. It was an odd feeling, having someone know these details of her service history, but she suspected Knight was an attentive man who believed in having the knowledge of his crew before they step foot upon his ship. She respected that, no matter how eerie it might have seemed from her side of the pond. Adjusting the collar of her uniform, she made her way over to the table, taking a seat.

“I can assure you, Captain, those troublemaking days of mine are long behind me.” Elmira brought the mug to her lips, relishing the coffee she had not had the opportunity to snag before her trip, this morning. “There eventually comes a point when you realise, regardless of the amusement behind it, it truly isn’t worth all of the troubles.” She hummed, referencing the year spent at the Academy for corrective behavior. However, that Academy year managed to give her the opportunity to advance her knowledge in tactics, effectively working out for both sides of the coin; knowledge and behaviour.

Sitting in his own seat he sipped his coffee again and looked at her for a moment before continuing, “Soon after your promotion you took a personal leave of absence, and now you are back with Starfleet and on my ship, a promising, talented but fresh Tactical Officer.” He looked out the window as a worker drone went past, and then at a small model of the Saracen on one of his shelves.

“Those Maverick Class ships are ugly brutes” he said of her last vessel, “now you find yourself on a Battlecruiser. What do you know of the Pendragon Class Lieutenant? Think you can handle the firepower she has?”

Captain Knight, CO

Crossing her legs, Elmira tapped the pads of her left hand against the glass of her mug, a slight indication of the contemplation briefly controlling her mind. She knew the Maverick class to be somewhat of a brute, it was intended to be and its crew was nothing short of being much the same. Recalling the captain, she still found herself amused by the militaristic nature to his command, but respected him for his service prior to switching gears to Starfleet… and the troubled Executive Officer, she could still recall the conversation between the two insomniacs, as it lasted the evening just days before her departure. Yet while the crew was personable, Elmira hadn’t been too impressed by the ship’s internal nor external capabilities.

“She’s a fine ship, sir.” Elmira began, setting the mug of coffee down as she recalled what she had read of the Pendragon class, prior to her arrival to the Saracen. “Her shields, alone, are impressive, with their 2700 megawatts of gravitational load, and their dissipation is fairly notable, as well. With less than a second for phaser recharge, and the ability to stay fully charged for full hours— paired with the torpedo’s 15 second reset, it definitely is tuned for battle.” She grinned, “I look forwards to being able to see the tactical station for myself, and its systems, I’m almost positive it is a beauty.”

“Besides the weaponry, I know you have a war bridge and a war room, each intended to assist in the plan and execution of battle. Everything else seems a bit obsolete, but you guys do have a notable warp speed with being able to get up to 9.7–.” She paused, rethinking it. “—yes 9.7..for ten hours, I believe it was? No, it was twelve. Regardless of the point, I apologize for rambling.. but your ship is incredible and she is quite a beauty, a capable beauty. I can only imagine how she might appear after her revision.”

Lt. O’Shea
CTO

OOC: Pulling this info from memory, apologies if it is a tad off! :)

OOC: Just fine, I had to check the speed cause I couldn’t remember either lol. Apologies for the wait as well, still catching up on all the characters!

IC: “Obsolete, eh?” Dante said with a raised eyebrow but a smile. “I wouldn’t say Obsolete, she’s only 10 years old and we have something that no other ship in the fleet has. You likely didn’t read it in the specs, because it isn’t on them.” He paused and took a drink of his own coffee and looked out the window for a moment as he swallowed it and enjoyed it.

“The ships AI, you would have read that we have a fully functional AI system to help the ship in Combat and critical situations. That in itself is becoming fairly standard these days but” he looked back to Elmira, “Our AI is, different. Rather unique in fact and I do believe we are all still coming to terms with what that means for us all, especially Corinne.”

At the sound of an AI, Elmira did not seem all too surprised, their precense in the universe growing with each day. “Different?” She echoed, the word catching her ears. When a man described an artificial intelligence as being different, it did not set a good imagine into her mind. “I see..” She was curious, but assumed he would explain further.

Dante placed his cup on the table now as he spoke. “Lieutenant Corinne Dalton was a Sciences Lieutenant serving aboard this vessel and somehow, we aren’t sure exactly how, her consciousness was passed into the ship when her physical form met an untimely end. Her avatar name is SARAH when she is working as the ships AI, and we call her Corinne, socially. She is fully sentient, and tied into every system on the ship that the ships AI has access to, so I’d suggest being friendly unless you want every replicator on the ship to suddenly change your order of coffee into coconut water.” Dante gave her a wink and picked up his cup again, taking another sip of coffee.

A raised eyebrow was enough to say Elmira was intrigued, but all the while knew better not to screw with this AI. It wasn’t that she hated coconut water or anything, she simply had no desire to be on Corinne’s bad side, for concern of what else she was capable of doing. It wasn’t often one was faced by an AI whose sentience was probably more apparent than your own, and the way it happened had her mind reeling in a mixture of contemplating and confusion. “I will keep that in mind, sir. Thank you,” She spoke tentatively, as if weary of this AI, when the opposite was the truth. Although, unless someone knew her, there would be no way to tell the difference.

“Now, before we continue and go and take a look at that Tactical station, do you have any questions about the Saracen? I have simple requirements of my Officers Lieutenant. I want to hear your opinions, thoughts and suggestions and I don’t like ‘yes’ officers. I don’t think you are, and your record tells me you weren’t. I want that Officer, Lieutenant. I want attitude, confidence and ability and your file, and the senior Officers I have spoken to tell me that is what I’m getting.

Captain Knight, CO

“No questions, sir. Although, your neighbor AI does seem to be quite the woman.” Elmira chuckled, taking a sip of her own coffee.

A Captain who desired to see the outspoken woman hiden behind the bras regulations and formal requirements of every Starfleet officer; that was a man she respected. She could not bother to disagree with him, knowing every word he said was the truth. She wasn’t a ‘yes’ officer, in fact, she had always been more than willing to defy her commanding officer when she knew better than what they were saying. Although, this was the first time she had met someone who wouldn’t shoot her down because of it.

“I don’t believe that will be a problem, sir.” Elmira returned, a unique kind of grin assuming her features.

Lt. O’Shea
CTO