Posted by Captain Jonathan McBride (CO, USS Centurion) in A New Ship to Fix (CO Check In)

Posted by Commander Tabris Asam (Chief of Engineering and Operations) in A New Ship to Fix (CO Check In)

Posted by Captain Jonathan McBride (CO, USS Centurion) in A New Ship to Fix (CO Check In)
Posted by… suppressed (5) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Tabris stood nervously in the corridor outside the Captain’s office on the USS Centurion, a smile spreading across his face as he chuckled lightly at the absurdity of being unsure of himself. He adjusted his vintage glasses and took a deep breath to contain his excitement. As the Chief Engineer and Operations Officer, this new post marked a significant milestone in his career. He couldn’t help but feel a tinge of pride as he admired his antique uniform in the reflection of a window facing the stars in the great beyond.

Tabris knew this new position would come with its own challenges and responsibilities, but he was eager to rise to the occasion and prove his worth. He thought about his family back on OED V - his four adopted children, Neltus, Vedi, Mecona, Julin, and Geoff. The thought of them filled him with warmth and reminded him of the importance of balancing his professional and personal life.

Taking one last deep breath, Tabris whispered, “Alright, Tabris, time to make a great first impression.” With that, he straightened his uniform, knocked on the door, and eagerly awaited the Captain’s response. He was ready to embark on this new adventure aboard the USS Centurion when duty called and on the colony when not amongst the stars.

– Tabris –

“Enter,” came the reply. He had boarded the ship well ahead of their little jaunt out of the system and was using this pre-launch time to make sure everything was in order.

The ready room wasn’t exactly big but then again the ship itself was only the bare essentials in terms of crew comfort. There were a few personal items, but given how little time they crew spent here, the captain hadn’t bothered to do more than have a photo on his desk and a framed copy of the results of a major piloting race that he placed last.

McBride rose to his feet, expecting the arrival of his new CE. His brown hair was slightly unruly but just short enough to not be a hindrance. “Good morning!” he greeted Tabris with a smile displaying his youthful energy, though he was clearly experienced enough to have made it to the rank of Captain.

“Come on in and have a seat,” Jonathan said, gesturing to one of the chairs at the desk.

Captain McBride, Starfleet CO

Tabris stepped into the ready room, taking note of its modest size and minimal personal touches. He couldn’t help but appreciate the practicality of the space, given the nature of their mission and the ship’s focus on essentials. As he glanced at the photo and framed race results on the Captain’s desk, he felt a sense of camaraderie with Captain McBride, who seemed to share his appreciation for mementos of the past.

“Good morning, Captain,” Tabris replied warmly, his eyes meeting the Captain’s friendly smile. He could sense the youthful energy and experience that had earned McBride his rank, and he felt reassured by the Captain’s demeanor.

“Thank you, sir,” Tabris continued as he took a seat in the chair indicated by the Captain. He felt a sense of anticipation and determination to make a good first impression, eager to prove himself as a valuable addition to the crew and forge a strong working relationship with Captain McBride. Tabris reached out and offered the captain a PaDD, “Here are my files, Captain. I thought it would be helpful for you to have a look at my background and experience.”

“Thank you, Commander,” McBride said, taking the PADD from him. He was already aware of the man’s file, but he did skim to see if there was anything else included that he hadn’t yet seen.

As the Captain began to browse through the files, Tabris continued, “Let’s see… What you won’t find in my files is that I used to be an antique dealership on Bajor, I know my way around the old sublight freighters Earth used to use in the early 2100s, if you know what a microprocessor is I can still code in BASIC. In my free time, I enjoy exploring different cultures and their histories. I have a particular fondness for vintage items. I’m also a father to four wonderful kids and I’m the caretaker of a fig tree who has a shop on the colony.” He offered a modest smile as he finished.

–Tabris–

“I heard about that,” Jonathan said with a smile. “I have to admit that that is a first for me. But that’s what makes Oed so great. You never who will show up or what will happen.” He wiggled the PADD and set it down. “Your files are all in order and I know you’ll get to your medical and psyc check-ins as soon as you’re able, but since you arrived at the time you did, you’re going to get the chance to come on the shakedown cruise with us. Will that be a problem as far as childcare is concerned? Unfortunately, the Centurion is a tiny ship and we don’t have room for families here.”

Captain McBride, Starfleet CO

Tabris accepted the comment with a nod, his own smile matching Jonathan’s. The unpredictability of Oed V was one of its appealing aspects. “I agree,” he responded, “the diversity and spontaneity here is refreshing. It’s part of why we chose Oed V as our new home. And with luck, my final home with the family.”

At the mention of the shakedown cruise, Tabris looked intrigued. “A shakedown cruise, you say?” He pondered momentarily, then shook his head at the concern over childcare. “No, that won’t be a problem. The children will be fine. We have a support system in place and, truth be told, they’re quite independent for their ages.”

He paused, a thoughtful look crossing his face. “In fact, they’ll probably be excited to have some adventures of their own while I’m away. They’ve been eager to explore and make new friends. Tell me more about the shakedown, standard affair I’m guessing? And what about yourself?” Tabris asked, knowing that he was to be respectful, but also having an understanding that he was older than the captain’s great great grandfather, and that afforded him the opportuntiy to be a touch more casual.

–Tabris–

McBride wore an easy expression as he leaned back in his seat. “The shakedown is more an opportunity for the senior staff to get to know each other, and for myself and Captain Dasca to see how everyone works together. With the Vren delegation arriving in a few days, we’ve little time to make sure we’re fully prepared, so while it’s relatively quiet, we’re doing a two-day jaunt out of the system. One out, one back. We’ll push the engines, so be ready for that, and the plan is to loosely go do target practice on some asteroids and whatever else we need to. Keep in mind that the Centurion is Oed’s primary line of planetary defence, though Lord Duroc’s flagship is our backup. The CCDA has fighters as well, but we handle defence for the system and they manage the Orbital platform and the colony itself.” He stopped there to see if Tabris had questions before he continued.

Captain McBride, Starfleet CO

Tabris leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table and interlacing his fingers, his expression serious yet thoughtful. “Understood, Captain,” he replied, taking a moment to process the information. “The short jaunt out and back will definitely give me an excellent opportunity to see how the Centurion handles and get a feel for her unique quirks. All ships have them.”

“Exactly,” McBride said with a nod.

His eyes sparkled with a bit of excitement as he thought about the opportunity to push the engines. “I’m looking forward to seeing what she can do, and I’ll be sure to have my team ready for any adjustments or repairs that might come up.”

Finally, he nodded, appreciating the information about Lord Duroc’s flagship and the CCDA’s roles. Understanding the broader context was always important to him. His mind began to construct a list of checks and preparations, a mental to-do list forming rapidly. But before he got lost in his thoughts, he glanced back up at McBride, “Do you have any specific areas of concern, Captain? Any particular system or area you want me to focus on during the shakedown?”

–Tabris–

He pondered that for a moment. “My concerns aren’t so much about the ship specifically, but making sure as a crew we’re ready for anything.” He gazed deeply at Tabris. “This situation with the Vren is history-making and we must ensure their arrival and presence is protected while at the same time being on the lookout for any possible deception. If there is any, it won’t likely come from the Ambassador and his immediate team, but there are those within Vren society that don’t want this meeting to happen. I want to make sure that we’ve done all we can to safeguard both the Vren delegation and Oed itself. This is our first real test where all the different groups responsible for Oed’s protection have to be working together. But all we can do is each of our small parts and hope it’s enough.”

Captain McBride, Starfleet CO

Bump