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Side Sim - Asteroid Survey

Posted Oct. 2, 2021, 10 a.m. by Ensign Quinn Dagget (Helmsman) (Riley W)

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Roman Alden (First Officer & Chief Science Officer) in Side Sim - Asteroid Survey

Posted by Ensign Quinn Dagget (Helmsman) in Side Sim - Asteroid Survey

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Roman Alden (First Officer & Chief Science Officer) in Side Sim - Asteroid Survey
Posted by… suppressed (5) by the Post Ghost! 👻

<snip>

“I hope you aren’t thinking of sending another shuttle pilot in there,” Quinn commented, watching the time tick down till they got back to the Sentinel. “Better send some kind of warning to Starfleet, make sure everyone knows not to go in there.” A little quieter, she added, “I might be a good enough flyer to dodge asteroids and a space worm at top speeds, but half the pilots they turn out of the academy wouldn’t survive what we went through today.” No simulation training was even close to the real-world training she got from the age of 8 onwards. They got those space-steering reflexes trained at the same age as most kids were learning to ride a bike. Most people were used to navigating in two dimensions. She could do it in three, and it was instinct.

Quinn Dagget, Helm (may or may not have a superiority complex)

“I haven’t completely lost my mind,” Roman replied. He could wish all he wanted, but he’d never risk someone else trying to do something that stupid. “Cockiness like that is exactly what will get us killed next time,” he chastised, not liking her attitude regarding her piloting experience. That’s what he considered it, experience more than talent.

~ Lt Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

“With all due respect, Lt. Cmdr, it’s my skills that got us through…” she gestured back towards the asteroid field, “…that. I’m speaking from experience, sir. I could fly circles around half my classmates, even at graduation. The other half are just as good as me, some even better. But there are some kids graduating from Starfleet Academy with pilot licenses that they really shouldn’t own,” Quinn replied, resolute in her opinions.

Dagget, Helm

Roman’s icy calm anger was something rarely seen, but it appeared Dagget had earned it. His lips pressed thin, rigid with irritation, he replied, “The Academy doesn’t give pilot licenses to the inept, Ensign, and with that attitude, that is precisely all you’ll be, an Ensign and a pilot.” The lecture was harsh, and it was meant to be, Roman had little patience for such things. “I can’t deny your skill, your potential is there, however you’ll never get anywhere putting down your fellow officers.”

~ Lt Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

Dagget made sure the ship’s autopilot was functioning, then turned towards the man with anger on her face. “I’m a good pilot. One of the best out there. I’ve earned this ‘attitude’, sir.” She almost spat the ‘honorific’ out of her mouth. All of them were getting on her nerves. Rand always assuming the worst of her friendly attempts to help, Kovan making night shift ten times worse with his stupid attitude, and now Roman, reprimanding her for overconfidence seconds after she’d just saved his feckin life. Boy, she’d really shot herself in the foot, yelling at the XO. Too late though. Might as well get some brig duty on top of the official reprimand.

And there would be a formal reprimand. Captain Rogers would no doubt hear about Dagget’s conduct. “Talent alone earns you nothing. And overconfidence is how one overestimates themselves and gets someone killed. You got us out of it this time, but next time perhaps you try something just a little too daring, and we end up sprawled out on an asteroid somewhere.” He never raised his voice. He never acted in anger, never punched the wall or something. But it could be told he was angry because his voice was tight in a way it normally wasn’t.

I’m too good to do something dumb like that, Dagget thought, too angry to change her course of action.

“If being an officer of higher rank means I have to have a fecking stick up my arse like all of you, I don’t want it. I’m not exaggerating or putting people down when I’m talking about those other pilots. They don’t understand three-dimensional navigation. Sure they can fly a shuttle service in and out of atmo. They can steer a ship on a straight line, they can do that absolutely fine, but they’re not going to out-maneuver a space worm in a feckin asteroid field. My cockiness is what just saved our lives, sir. And if you doubt that, try taking Helmsman Jeeter out into that field and testing his reflexes.”

Roman did not have the energy for this. He’d never met anyone so brazenly disrespectful, and he’d been in Starfleet for twelve years. He said nothing further. He wouldn’t be so angry if he weren’t so sure such an attitude would result in a death someday. Roman was the sort that hated losing anybody. He knew it was space, and dangerous, but he’d lost enough people in his career already.

“Starfleet is supposed to be about exploration and discovery, not sucking up to senior officers,” her voice was shaking. No. It wasn’t supposed to do that. “I-I’m a good pilot. One of the best out there. I’m not going to become an entirely different person just to make other people happy, because who would I be if I lied to everyone… Lied to myself. I’m a cocky space pilot, and I… That’s who I have to be. Cause if I’m anyone else, what’s the point of anything?”

Ens. Dagget, Helm

Roman, in fact, hated suck-ups. Because in his opinion anyone who needed to brown-nose higher ups had not the abilities to earn anything. It was like cheating, and he never tolerated it. He softened a degree as her voice began to waver. He was tough, not cruel. “You don’t have to change who you are, Dagget. There is a difference in confidence in your abilities and overconfidence. No one on this ship wants officers that ‘suck up’, I want officers that are safe. And to be safe, you must know your limits. Otherwise, be whatever sort of space pilot you like.” Even a pilot like Dagget had limits, and too big an ego was, in Roman’s opinion, how one forgot that, and that was when it got dangerous. That was why he didn’t like her cocky attitude.

~ Lt Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

“You say I don’t have to change who I am, and in the same breath you reprimand me for being who I am,” Quinn spat, turning away. She didn’t want to look at his stupid face anymore. “I’m not on the same level as Helmsman Jeeter. You can tell me to ignore that fact. Tell me to be safe and know my limits… I. know. my. limits. If I didn’t know my limits we wouldn’t have survived that space worm. I’m a brilliant pilot with a lot of skill, and I’m not going to pretend that’s not true just to make you happy or comfortable. You dismiss me, you call it talent, and frankly… that’s a fucking insult. My piloting skill is not something that just came to me unearned. I’ve got eight years more practice behind the helm than any of those other kids who I graduated with. Sure I’ve got some natural talent, but I never claimed that was what carried me. I’ve got as much experience as an old hand. I’m good because I know what I’m fucking doing! And if me being… Aware of my own skill and wanting to be happy about that fact is too scary for you, then just transfer me off this ship and get rid of me. Then you won’t have to worry about me anymore.”

Ens. Dagget, Helm

Roman was silent for a few moments, absolutely shocked by the conduct of the helmsman. “Everyone is aware of how much experience you’ve got, you’ve made sure of that. But instead of shouting from the rooftops that you’ve been a pilot so much longer than anyone else, and how much better than Ensign Jeeter you are, perhaps you could take time and teach them. Jeeter watches you all the time, he wants to learn. But he can’t, because nobody wants to ask someone for help who will tell them how awful they are. You define yourself by how cocky you are, be confident instead. Be a role model for officers who are newer than you.”

~ Lt Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

Quinn was shaking, but she did her best not to show it. “I don’t tell Jeeter he’s a shit pilot or insult him. He’s not. He’s not good enough to go through what I just did, sure, but I don’t go around telling other pilots that they’re not good enough. I don’t actively brag. Not all the time. Just when I’m really stressed out because I just went through a life-or-death experience. You’ve spent a sum total of two hours with me and you think that’s all I am. A cocky little asshole who shoves down other pilots for fun.” She stopped talking, choking down hot tears. Roman wasn’t worth the oxygen.

So much for getting a new start. She’d probably be stuck on Graveyard shift with Kovan for the next ten years. Maybe she should just make them all happy and Quit, prove that her mother was right and a pirate couldn’t make it in Starfleet.

Ens. Quinn Dagget, Helm


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