Posted by Commander Maxwell Saunders (Executive Officer) in [Pre-Sim] Checking in with the CO

Posted by Captain Ael Aihia (Commanding Officer) in [Pre-Sim] Checking in with the CO

Posted by Commander Maxwell Saunders (Executive Officer) in [Pre-Sim] Checking in with the CO
Posted by… suppressed (7) by the Post Ghost! 👻
As he reached his quarters he set aside his bags with his personal belongings and shuffled through one of them for a comb. He walked over to the washroom and set it on the sink and turned the faucet on to wet his hands, running it through is hair afterwards. He then dried it a bit and took his comb through it, swooping it all to one side. The last thing he wanted to do today was look disheveled in front of the Commanding Officer for his new assignment as XO. He’d be damned if he was going to let that happen. Being part Betazoid he always had strong emotions and felt no reason to hide them, though for certain emotions and in certain situations he had gotten better over time through his career to not bring attention to them. Once he felt that his uniform and appearance was in order it was a short trip to the CO’s Office. He never felt a reason to look up a Commander’s record before meeting them in order to form his own opinion about them before seeing their accomplishments and/or misdeeds. His intentions for such a thing were always to establish a trust or at least an understanding of who the person was and to not let anything influence that factor beforehand. Before he knew it he was already in front of the door. He shook his hands loose and exhaled for an extended moment before he depressed the chime on the door.

Maxwell Saunders (Oncoming XO)

What Saunders would find beyond those doors would be no ordinary Captian. Not only was she a Romulan, but she also had her fair share of reprimands and demotions under her belt. She was a risktaker, she had been ever since she was a child, and it showed in every accent upon her scar laden body. Almost seconds after he had pressed the chime, the door hissed open in basic obedience to the request. Before him, rested a large ready room, with two basic levels. The first was the formal level, where a mainframe console rested at the back, a large desk situated before it, two chairs placed in front of the desk. The second level, accessible on two sides, one behind the Captain’s desk, and the other beside the entering door, was two steps from the first level, where a long couch was situated against an immense window, a single coffee table resting as its companion, where several artifacts already began to indicate who this Captian was.

Situated in front of the mainframe, her back fully turned to Saunders, an immense woman stood leaning against her desk, as she studied one of the many panels lining the back wall. It took her a few moments to register the door had opened, Maxwell entering the room subsequently, her attention diverted to Saunders only seconds after she heard his footsteps. Intense grey eyes scrutinized his figure, upturned eyebrows and pointed ears a tell-tale sign of her species, but nothing was more telling than the light ‘v’ upon her forehead. “Commander Saunders,” When she spoke, her voice was significantly deeper than most women. “Welcome to the Dauntless– I am Captain Ael Aihia.”

Captn. Aihia
CO

Curiosity immediately stuck him as his gaze drifted all across the room before the Captain spoke up. ‘What a grand room ..’ he couldn’t help but think incredibly impressed at the architecture that this ship held. He wanted to take in all the details, from the intricate artifacts to the small wisp of steam that crisped the edge of the cup of coffee. Surely this wouldn’t be the last he’d see of this room, but it was impressive none the less. He could easily feel the cold, suspicious, analyzing stare from the Captain. Naturally it was to be expected, even more so since he was new and she probably did not know much about himself aside from what was in his records. He only knew bits and pieces of the Romulan language, mostly just from bits that he had seen or learned from the few willing to teach. It was nowhere to hold a conversation, but he could at least manage to recognize a few phrases. “Shaoi kon (Formal greeting - Inferior to Superior), Captain. I’m excited to be here on this incredible ship of yours.” He patiently waited inside the doorway, waiting her permission to enter. He hadn’t counted on the door just opening up and on a personal level he felt it to be rather rude to just enter someone’s room without their permission.

Maxwell Saunders (Oncoming XO)

“Shaoi ben, erei’Riov (respective greeting, Commander).” The Romulan dialect sounded natural upon the tongue of a woman whose thick, laced accent bore a sharp resemblance to the first Romulan language. “Please, come have a seat.” She gestured with dark hand, coming around to find her way to the replicator. “Would you like something to drink, Commander?” She inquired. If anyone watched her closely enough, they would find her movements to hardly match her tongue. They were concise but not mechanical, almost as if she walked with leisure freedom, a truly odd notion for a Romulan woman.

“The Dauntless, most certainly, is an intriguing vessel. It operates as a battle cruiser and transport vessel, working for both diplomatic and battle forces.” She explained, briefly. Aihia held a certain pride for her ship, one she had been in command of for the past year and a half. It was her pride and joy, in many senses of the word. Although, she held greater respect for her crew than the ship they inhabited.

Captn. Aihia
CO

He nodded in agreement, whether with her statement that it was a diplomatic and battle vessel, for the drink, or from the pride that she had for the ship, no one could quite tell. “A drink would be nice Captain, I trust your judgement of course.” He said as he headed up the steps towards the chairs in front of her desk. It was a rather round about way to have her surprise him with something of her decision, but he was always welcoming to trying new experiences and things more so than most people. Maybe it was because of his open nature or curiosity. He couldn’t quite tell, but he always enjoyed the experiences even if they were terrible ones.

“Very well,” The Captain returned, apparently taking the request at face value. Although, her first choice would have been something the man probably couldn’t handle, Aihia thought better of the option, uncertain of the kind of man she was dealing with. In these telling moments, she could already see an evident curiosity plaguing his nature, a trait that would lead him to great success aboard this ship– or it would get him killed. Ael dare not begin to predict which it might be, for the thought of losing another First Officer was not at all appealing.

The ship was something he actually looked up and it was definitely a powerful ship with extensive diplomatic missions and modules in place. It was probably one of the safest, yet most dangerous places to be. “Diplomacy can be a fickle thing with a ship like this .. they say to keep your friends close, but your enemies closer. What better place than a Battlecruiser?” He politely stood next to the chair, waiting for the Captain to return as he continued to admire the room and the view.

Maxwell Saunders (Oncoming XO)

To that, she would agree. The Dauntless was given her name as an insinuation of what both offenders and her officers would face upon her decks, or before her bow. Perhaps better than anyone, as once her executive officer, Aihia knew the ship to be impish when she pleased, toying with their minds in a way only a massive vessel of duranium alloy and tenacious grit could. Sauntering back to the man, she set down a cup of steaming ginger tea, with a dash of Terran honey. “Ginger tea, hot.” She briefly explained, sitting adjacent to Maxwell, rather than the general across.

He silently took a seat just after she sat down, curious as to why she picked the one next to him, but didn’t think much of it after the thought. He rotated his torso so that he could face her and lifted his leg so that his ankle rested upon his opposite knee in a rather cross-legged position. He silently thanked her internally for not choosing some of the more .. interesting. drinks and dishes he’s had to try before. He inclined his head slightly as she set the cup down, “Thank you Captain.”

“The Dauntless is a peculiar ship, yes. And perhaps your proverb might serve a great purpose aboard her, but she isn’t exactly quick to make friends, Commander.” There was a glitter in those human eyes, burning with the passion of her Romulan hybridcy. “And while she is not leisure to assume an enemy with her intimidating qualities, she is far from defenseless on the battlegrounds of war. She was designed for a war long past, but I have no doubt she would serve well, if one ever came to her.” Aihia was, in a way, agreeing with Saunders.

“So.. Commander Saunders,” She set her mug upon the table beside her, crossing one leg over the other. “Son of a prominent diplomat and her Starfleet husband.. graduated as a security officer, but advanced to become a tactical officer, and if not surprising enough– a counselor. From what I hear, you are a man of experience,” Aihia clasped her hands together, dark eyes seeming to study every inch of him, as if determining whether or not he was worthy.

She had lost a valuable officer and friend in Si’rek, but she wouldn’t dare compare Saunders to him. For Saunders was a new man, one she already expected. But just as before, she would have to get used to a new face in that chair beside her. “Tell me about yourself, Saunders– I don’t care about your Starfleet record. I want to know about you. Who is Maxwell Saunders, beneath the officer?” A smile.. yes, a smile, formed in place of her grimace, a friendly remark to clarify her amicable intentions.

Captn. Aihia
CO

OOC: Bump!
Trin

OOC: Sorry this has taken so long for me to reply! Work has been a total nightmare lately, but you already know that XD

IC: He already immediately knew this was a loaded question. Much similarly, it’s exactly what he was here to figure out about the Captain as well. He rarely reads reports, academics, or awards given to an Officer. Perhaps it was more of the counselor side of him, but he preferred to get to know a person as well through interaction to be able to see the depth and volume of their character. Despite her knowing all about him from his reports, he knew her question had the same weight of his curiosity. He silently reached over to the drink that she had kindly brought over before and let it warm his hands for a second before taking a sip, trying to decide on a way how he would answer her adequately.

“Who am I ..” He thought for a moment again. “I believe that answer depends on the individual. To Starfleet and administrative personnel I’m nothing but a replaceable number. To my parents who raised me I’m an irreplaceable part of the family. To those I’ve helped, I’d hope they look up to me for any guidance or advice I could give. To my enemies, I’m most likely scorned and hated. To me, I’m nothing more than the human man you see in front of you.” He continued to hold the cup of the hot ginger tea in his left hand as he rotated his other hand so that his palm was up and extended it out towards his side a bit. “I value truth and honesty, but I’ve been known to be a good guesser at deception. As you may have already known, most likely due to my experience as a counselor. I feel that I tend to be stern, yet forgiving. Kind and yet dangerous, but I think to answer your question a little bit better, I’m simply a man of my experiences and interactions. Each and every encounter, whether it’s bumping into someone in a hallway, or negotiating peace talks between nations. Every interaction has something of value to learn from and that’s what makes me, well, me.” He took another sip of the tea before setting it back down on the small table.

Maxwell Saunders (Oncoming XO)

Drawing a leisure sip of the ginger tea, Aihia beheld Saunders with an unreadable expression. It was almost impossible to decipher what the Romulan woman was thinking, but the faint hint of respect behind those steel grey eyes was enough to say she wasn’t disappointed in the answer he had chosen. Setting the mug down, her gaze briefly entranced by the honeyed liquid, she muled over his explanation, the ghost of a smile twitching at the corner of her lips. “Most of the officers, when I ask them that same question, respond with a lengthy explanation of their accomplishments in their lives. They often speak highly of their citations and awards, each drawing attention back to their capabilities as an officer, but never truly answering the query at hand.”

Aihia’s fingers traced the rim of her mug, the heat emanating from the tea warming her fingertips. For a second, she held his gaze, falling into a impregnable silence. “You, Mister Saunders, are one of the few who have given me an answer. You recognize your insignificance to this universe, albeit value your importance to family and friends. A sign of a man who is truly in touch with himself,” Ael sighed. “My former First Officer, Si’Rek, had the same sense of direction in his life. He was steadfast albeit understood when he had reached his limits, despite the desire to push beyond them. I see many of the fine traits which made him both an impeccable officer and irreplaceable friend in you. Although, I cannot be as foolish as to ever compare you to him. You are a different person bringing unique qualities to the table. And for that, you have already gained my respect.” The air seemed to grow still for a moment, as the Captain tampered with her words. “I have no doubt you will groom yourself into being a fine Commander, that is not my concern. My only concern lies within a single question: how willing are you to adapt to your situation, in spite of regulation?”

The Dauntless faced many situations which left them walking the tightrope between regulation and insubordination. They operated in the grey area, a place forcing them to adapt to every abrupt change in the face of their mission, change which could spark controversy as a result of their response to it. Aihia needed to know that Saunders was okay with.. bending the rules, before she officiated his place in that chair. She couldn’t have a stickler, law-abiding Starfleet brat as her first officer. Albeit, Ael was in her doubts that Maxwell was of that breed.

Captn. Aihia
CO

OOC: I fucking give up this is the third time my cat hit the fucking refresh button, I’m prying the damn thing off my keyboard. I’m not even joking. In short the reply was him acknowledging Si’Rek as an excellent Commander and that it would be hard to fill his shoes, but hoped that the Captain wouldn’t be disappointed if he filled them in a separate manner followed by him leaning forward in the chair looking at the floor swirling his drink reflecting on a past where he had to toe the line himself being ready to unleash hell in a tense stand off where luckily it ended in a favorable manner, but he prioritized the people he had spent the last few years with over dealing with diplomacy, despite being versed in diplomacy himself. Then it was him asking a bit about the Captain and who she was herself mentioning that he doesn’t do much research into the people he’ll be working with mostly for the same reason of hers for awards and citations and stuff. It’s best to learn about someone directly from them and not reading. Sorry for the break of character-ish, but I’m unbelievably pissed off at my cat.

-Mike/Maxwell Saunders

OOC: That sounds rough! Are you okay? I’m sorry to hear about your cat, hopefully things have gotten better!
I’ll reply after I make dinner for the family. :)
- Trin