STF

CNS Office - Gonzales checks in for a surprise

Posted June 28, 2019, 9:24 a.m. by Lieutenant Commander Royal Sinclair (Counselor) (James Sinclair)

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Royal Sinclair (Counselor) in CNS Office - Gonzales checks in for a surprise

Posted by Lieutenant Isabella “Speedy” Gonzales (Bridge Officer Helm/Ops) in CNS Office - Gonzales checks in for a surprise

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Royal Sinclair (Counselor) in CNS Office - Gonzales checks in for a surprise
Posted by… suppressed (32) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Izzy stepped out of the turbo lift and made her way towards the door that held the next of her standard boarding appointments: the dreaded ‘counselors evaluation’.

She was slightly early for her appointment but wanting to get this over with as soon as possible, Izzy pressed the door chime.

Izzy Gonzales - Helm Officer

A voice that was oddly familiar came from the other side and the door opened to reveal the inside of the Counselor’s dreaded ‘dungeon’.

Decorated in a warm and calming manner, the office was welcoming and not at all like the rest of the offices on board. The desk had been moved to the corner of the space where the bulkhead met the outer hull’s windows, opening the office space up for a seating area large enough to hold more than the single individual that most often came to talk with the ship’s Counselor. A couch and a few chairs were set around a small table, on which sat a crystal bowl filled with multicolored glass beads that seemed to have a small amount of internal light inside them. Two chairs sat facing the desk, probably allowing for more formal conversations or for administrative needs.

Low bookcases lined the walls, each one closed with a glass fronted door with brass hinges, in which sat some real books, many notebooks, and a few bookends of various sizes and shapes. On the wall behind the desk were several pictures on either side of a display case. Each shelf was filled with a few items the young officer seated at the desk had collected so far; but on the top shelf prominently sat a single item housed in a rounded glass display: The Star Fleet Marine Corps Distinguished Service Cross.

Seated behind the desk sat the big Scot from the lounge. Instead of the civilian clothes he had on previously, he was now dressed in the blue uniform of the Medical and Science sections. Lieutenant Commander pips shined brightly on his collar. Looking up, he said “Well, well. I’m guessing you are my final appointment this evening, then? Color me surprised. Please have a seat, Lieutenant.” he said, indicating the seating area set away from the desk. “Or feel free to lay down on the couch. That sometimes makes analyzing your relationship with your mother based on how you hold your coffee or which end of your biscuit you eat first easier on the victi… er, attendee.” His tone was absolutely mocking and sarcastic, but it was still friendly somehow.

Sinclair, CNS

Izzy was momentarily lost for words, a very rare occurrence. The big, easy going chap from the lounge was exactly the last person she’d expected to see when the door opened. She stepped into the office and made a show of looking around at the decor to buy herself some time.

“Nice office SIR.” She poked a finger at the glass beads, stirring them around the bowl, the lights within shifting and throwing soft highlights.

“So, do you make a habit of ambushing new crew members in the mess hall or was it more a ‘target of opportunity’ type deal?” she said, her attention seemingly focused on the glass beads.

Izzy Gonzales

Bump

“Stroke of luck. Absolute perfect set-up, all because of you. Thank you for that, by the way. I haven’t had that much fun since I came on board.” he said with a huge grin. “I do have to say, your opinion of my role is a bit shameful, don’t ya think? I mean… I went to university and everything.” he continued, the grin never slipping.

Sinclair, CNS

Izzy dumped her kitbag next to one of the chairs and dropped into it, leaning back and stretching out her legs.

“I get that you’ve got a job to do and are just trying to do it, it was just a bit of a shock, I mean you don’t exactly come across as the stereotypical Counselor you know.” She grinned, “I had a mandatory review following an emergency ejection transport when my fighter decided to blow up around me and the pshrink was all ‘shoooo vhy do you blame your mudder for ve shhhip blowings up?’ So I guess I had a mental picture you don’t fit.” She said eying the Counselor up and down.

“You’ll be about 9% of the way towards being let off for your little subterfuge if you fix me a drink though” she said with a smile.

Izzy Gonzales- Helm Officer

Sinclair shrugged his massive shoulders. “I’ve been in trouble before. I’ll be in trouble again. And no drinks till the official work is done, Lieutenant. So now tell me… why do you blame your mother for your ship blowing up?” he asked, his tone quite serious but his eyes filled with mirth.

Sinclair, CNS

“So NOW you’re all business huh?” Said Izzy with a raised eyebrow.

“Fine, as it happens I don’t blame my mother for blowing up my fighter, leaving me floating in space in a half shredded vacsuit, waiting for the rescue runabout to get a transporter lock on me in amongst all the other bits of debris. THAT I blamed on the lab rats and desk pilots that allowed the damn engine to be fitted and passed for test flights.... but they apologised when I asked them nicely” she said, with a fake and utterly insincere sweet smile.

She shrugged, “taking risks was part of the deal when I signed on with that program, ‘Test Pilot’ isn’t exactly a job known as a cushy number.”

Izzy looked Sinclair straight in the eye, all business now herself, the jovial smile and playful demeanour replaced with steel.

“The brass said they needed the best, so I signed up.”

Isabella Gonzales - Helm Officer

Sinclair didn’t bat an eye, he simply replied “And why do you consider yourself ‘the best’?”

Sinclair, CNS

“Not met many pilots Sir? We all KNOW we’re the best in the fleet......”

Izzy’s demeanour becomes relaxed again as she leans back in the chair, her movements languid and feline to the point that an observer might wonder if she had Caitian blood in her ancestry somewhere. Her gaze never left the Counselor though, maintaining the eye contact.

“...... of course all those other guys happen to be wrong.”

Izzy Gonzales - Helm Officer

Sinclair’s demeanor shifted significantly, and his look became less jovial and more… inquisitive. “I’ve met plenty of pilots. And I have found that the need for a certain level of… well, we’ll say confidence… is necessary to maintain their focus while piloting a fighter, you may find your role here to be very different, Lieutenant. Confidence aside, what do you think is the main difference in piloting a prototype fighter and manning the helm of a Pendragon class star ship?”

Sinclair, CNS

“You mean apart from the size of her ass Sir?” Said Izzy with a wicked grin.

“That’s what I’m doing here Sir to be honest. I fought for this assignment as you don’t go from blasting around the galaxy with a fighter strapped to your back to that big centre chair, no matter how hot a hand you are on the stick.”

Izzy leaned forward, “My CO thought I’d got the chops for command so he put me in for advanced tactical training and transfer to a main fleet ship. I fought for the Saracen once I’d finished ATT as I’d heard Captain Knight was the best I could learn from.”

“As to the difference? When I’m flying I’ve learnt to act, not think, because if you think out there, you’re dead. Now? I need to think about every crew member I’m responsible for keeping in one piece, and by extension our mission, keeping the Federation safe.”

Izzy sat back, curious to see how Sinclair reacted.

Izzy Gonzales- Helm Officer

Sinclair didn’t respond, he simply made a note on the PaDD. “And what adjustments do you think you will have to make; moving from ‘flying solo’ as it were, to being a part of a large crew?”

Sinclair, CNS

Izzy crossed her legs at the ankle and considered the question.

“Mainly integrating myself into the team, learning to trust everyone else to do their job as well as I do mine.”

She gave Sinclair a knowing look, “I’d start by spending some down time in the social areas of the ship, meeting and getting to know people on a personal level… of course that’s worked out great for me so far” she said with a slightly lob sided grin.

Izzy Gonzales- Helm Officer

Sinclair chuckled. “Maybe if you weren’t so quick to judge people on appearance, you would have had the chance to learn who was who, right? Besides, that bit of introduction has made this the absolute most fun I have ever had in an on-boarding evaluation.”

Sinclair, CNS

Izzy held her hands up in mock surrender, “ok, ok you got me there, I’ll cop to that one, you’re not exactly the mental image that springs to mind when I think Ships’ Counselor” She said with a nod to the medal on show.

“And I’m glad at least one of us is having some fun....” she said with a fake pout that transformed into a wicked grin that promised swift retribution “....but don’t think you’ve gotten away with this one, I WILL pay you back Sir, you can depend on that!”

Izzy Gonzales - Helm Officer

Sinclair smiled broadly and said “I would think so much less of you if you didn’t.” and then looked at the PaDD before him. “Ok, a few more boxes to tick. Hypothetical situation. You are being dressed down by a superior officer for a mistake you didn’t make. You know who did, and that person has a history of mistakes in similar form, but you also know them to try very hard and be a friend to many other crew members. Their mistake isn’t severe, but it is significant. You being blamed is not a result of them passing the blame on to you, but simply a glitch in the reporting system. Tell me… How would handle this situation if you were still in a fighter squadron versus how you would handle it here on the Saracen?”

Sinclair, CNS

“Same both ways Sir, no question. Mistakes cost lives out here and need to be dealt with.” Said Izzy with no hesitation whatsoever.

“I don’t care how friendly someone is, I’m not writing a letter to someone’s family explaining that they died but it’s ok because someone ‘tries hard’. Sometimes people can’t make the grade and if you let them keep making the same mistakes someone is going to get hurt, and not just their feelings. Mistakes need to be reported so they can be learnt from, and if they can’t learn then I don’t want them in my Squadron or on my Ship.”

She smiled slightly to soften her serious tone a little, “perhaps if this person is so well meaning and well liked, but not really up to front line service, they could retrain to be a Counselor?”

Izzy Gonzales - Helm Officer / Careers guidance

Without missing a beat, Royal retorted with “Absolutely! I mean, it’s not like they would be a pilot. They’d be far too valuable… and probably too intelligent, as well.” and he made a few notes on the PaDD.

Sinclair, CNS

“Relax Padre, I know the Marines don’t hand out those for picking your nose or filing the paperwork correctly,” she said, with a nod towards the rather prominently displayed medal… and he had the cheek to talk about her ego!

“Besides, now you save sufficiently praised my intelligent, valuable self and appeased my ego, I’ll make sure they get someone hot to play you when they make the movie about by career.” She gave him another grin and then pretended to admire her glamorous reflection in the glass door of one of the bookshelves.

Izzy Gonzales - Helm Officer and Movie Star?

Sinclair laughed out loud and said ” First, not a priest… by any stretch of the imagination. Two…” and he looked back at the medal, his smile becoming a bit more wistful, “… that isnt mine. Wasn’t a Marine, would never claim to be.” and he looked back at Gonzales. “Last, I dont know if anyone would want to see a video about someone who has remedial emotional attachment training to complete within the next 90 days.” and he smiled broadly at her. ” I’m thinking… three hours a week. On the holodeck. Training emotional support turtles for elderly shut-ins. What do you think, Lieutenant? Looking forward to spending three hours in a nursing home simulation?” he asked innocently but with a huge grin on his face.

Sinclair, CNS

“Hey I spent many a happy childhood afternoon with my Abuelita, knitting blankets, sewing quilts, playing Canasta, that sort of thing, so ‘don’t think you can judge me from my appearance’” she semi-quoted back at him.

“I’d take you back to meet her if I thought you could handle it, she can be pretty feisty and I’m not sure you’re up to her standards” she said, letting him wonder exactly what kind of elderly woman would cause Izzy of all people to label them as ‘feisty’.

“If you survive, you’ll have to tell me the story that comes with that medal sometime.”

Izzy Gonzales- Helm Officer

“Judging form you, I’m sure your grandmother is something. But I was raised by a Scottish grandfather who worked the Glasgow shipyards after retiring from the Marines. Feisty is nothing compared to my Seanair and a few glasses of whiskey.” Sinclair chuckled back. He gestured behind him and said “That was his.” about the medal. He made a few more notes in the PaDD and said “Ok. I have cleared you for duty. Seriously though, I do want you to keep in mind that you are part of a much larger crew now, Lieutenant. There are a lot more people depending on you, so try and keep the Test Pilot in you in check a bit and be more cognizant of what all is riding on you making your best choices for the ship while at the helm. Other than that… We are done with the official business unless you have any questions?”

Sinclair, CNS

“It’s a shame we can’t get them in the same room… at least from a minimum safe distance with shields at maximum anyway” she said, nodding both her thanks at being cleared and an acknowledgment of his sage advice.

“It would have been a interesting interaction, of that I’m sure!” Royal said and laughed. He then slowed his laugh a bit and said “Naw, my Granddad passed some time back. Just before I went to the Academy, actually.” and he sighed a bit. “But enough of those gone too soon. What questions do you have?”

“My only question is, do you have any of that whiskey you mentioned stashed away? I could really use a ‘weeeee dram’ after all that talking.” Izzy tried her best but her attempt at a Scottish accent was awful to the point of comedic.

Izzy Gonzales- Helm Officer

Royal’s eyes sparkled with mirth and mischief, and he said “What? Now Lieutenant.. why would I ever think it would be appropriate to keep such things in my office?” as he simultaneously opened a drawer and pulled out an unlabeled bottle three-quarters full of a dark brown liquid and two glasses. Pulling out the actual cork from the bottle, he then said “And of course, it would be wildly inappropriate for such a substance to be shared with a junior officer.” he added as he poured three fingers into each glass and slid one across to Gonzalez.

“Of course, what happens in the Counselor’s office is a private matter.” and he laughed as he lifted the glass in a toast.

Sinclair, CNS

“Well, here’s to breaking a few rules then”

She took a deep sip from the drink, appreciating the smokey warmth as it slipped over her tongue and down her throat. She saluted Sinclair with her glass in acknowledgment of the quality of the drink.

“It’s a good thing your office is a private place though, I’d hate to see you get in trouble for corrupting this poor sweet innocent junior Officer with your rule breaking and hard liquor!”

Izzy Gonzales- Helm Officer

“Sweet. Innocent. Yeah… right.” Royal said with an obviously sarcastic tone. “I’m pretty sure that the only one in this office in any danger of being ‘corrupted’ is yours truly. You are, after all, a fighter pilot.” and he grinned.

Sinclair, CNS

“You must be mixing me up with someone else, I’m a responsible, sensible, bridge officer these days.....” Izzy finished her drink with a large gulp. “..... well, when I’m duty anyway” she said with a wink before standing and retrieving her kitbag, turning away to give the impression that she was about to leave before half turning back and looking at Sinclair over her shoulder.

“You know, in the best traditions of Star Fleet, a cultural exchange is suggested as part of any ‘First Contact’ scenario.....” she unzipped her bag and pulled out a short rounded glass bottle of pale amber liquid and a couple of smaller glasses.

“Anejo tequila, from mi familia to yours Jefe,” She said, coming back over to Sinclair, and setting the glasses on the table to pour a measure into each.

Izzy Gonzales - Helm Officer

“Tequila and Scotch. Oh, this isn’t asking for trouble at all.” Royal said with a smile. “If this is how the evening is going to go, I should have eaten more at dinner.”

Sinclair, CNS

Izzy responded with a grin and by knocking her Tequila back in one.

“What? You didn’t think “Speedy” just referred to my flying did you?” She said, pouring out another shot for herself and holding the bottle ready to refil Sinclair’s glass, the challenge clearly laid down.

Izzy Gonzales- Helm Officer

Sinclair threw back the shot and set the glass down for the bottle to do it’s work. “I figured that moniker was more a reflection of your character than your ability to fly, actually.” he said calmly but with a grin at the corner of his mouth.

Sinclair, CNS

“Bit of one, bit of the other” said Izzy swaying both her hands as if weighing something up, balancing and tilting the glass by reflex so as to not spill a drop. She quickly gunned down her shot and refilled, leaving the bottle on the table this time.

“My motto is: ‘You only live one life, so why leave the handbrake on?’” She held up her shot glass to make a toast.

“To taking the brakes off eh Royal?” She said, deliberately using his first name that she’d learnt back in their first ‘encounter’.

Izzy Gonzales- Helm Officer

“My brakes never worked to begin with, so cheers lass.” he said and downed his glass. He slid the shot glass to the side and said “Appreciate the familial libations, but I’m gonna have to stick with my whiskey. Bad memories from an Academy night right after I got my first posting. Things happened. Academy Security was involved. And that’s a bar I’m not allowed back to.” He cast a glance at the back of his right hand and smiled, and then he poured a glass form his bottle and said “But I will say… that is some good tequila.”

Sinclair, CNS

“See, there is another story I need to hear sometime.” Izzy said, finishing off her own tequila and setting down the glass.

“Sounds a bit like my graduation ball, only with less rum, shuttle ‘commandeering’, and air traffic control violations.... not that they ever caught up with me” she said, with a slightly smug little smile. She picked up her larger tumbler from the table and waggled it from side to side to indicate it’s emptiness.

“When in Scotland....”

Izzy Gonzales - Helm Officer and part time pirate

”… Beware of the drink.” Royal finished and filled her glass and then set the bottle on the table between them. “Ok, I’ll go first… although I don’t think my story will be quite as spectacular as yours.” and he took a drink and leaned back. “My class had just received our duty assignments. Most of us were sent to the Academy ships, nothing unusual. So me and the rest of the folks from the Security section went to a bar in town about four blocks from the Academy. The Tannery. You know it?”

“So anyway, we go there to celebrate. I just got orders to the Challenger, and I was actually pretty excited. Their Security Chief was someone I knew was pretty good and I was stoked to be learning from her. So as we are sitting there drinking and celebrating, a group of Engineers come in and set up camp next to us. One of them hears me mention the Challenger, and then starts making these cracks under his breath about her. I let it slide until I heard ‘garbage skow’. I asked him if he wanted to back that statement up outside. He said no and then tried to sucker punch me… so I broke his jaw.” he said nonchalantly. Taking another drink and filling his glass form the now empty bottle, he scowled and reached in the drawer and produced a fresh bottle, uncorked it, and set it down.

“Well, I busted my hand on his friend’s head when that guy tried to help his buddy. By now, I was only a few hours from my shuttle to the ship and Shore Patrol showed up. Guy with his jaw and guy with the concussion got sent to the Academy infirmary, and I got chewed out by a full Lieutenant and given orders to report to my new DH with a busted hand and a written account of the bar fight. Needless to say, it was not only my first official check in, but my most embarrassing as well.” and he laughed. “But it worked out. When she left the Challenger, I was made Security Chief, so there’s that.”

Sinclair, Former Security Chief now Counselor

OOC: Correcting Typo


Posts on USS Saracen

In topic

Posted since


© 1991-2024 STF. Terms of Service

Version 1.15.9